When you lose one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, there’s expected to be at least some drop-off on that side of the ball. The Los Angeles Rams will soon experience life without Aaron Donald for the first time since 2013 and it’s understandable to think the defense won’t be as dominant as it was in recent years.
Rams legend Torry Holt doesn’t expect the Rams defense to suddenly fall off a cliff, though. He believes they have the players in place to maintain a high level of play, assuming their young defenders step up and continue to get better.
“I think the expectations are the same,” Holt said on “The Herd” Friday. “I think that’s Sean McVay’s message. Yes, they have a new coordinator in (Chris) Shula, but Sean McVay has to manage so many things, players being plucked but also coaches being plucked year in and year out, but they continue to do a really good job of drafting and developing players. Kobie Turner’s gotta be good – gotta be better. He had a heck of a rookie season. He’s gotta be better. (Bobby) Brown’s gotta be better. They got two rookies from Florida State, (Braden) Fiske, as well as Jared Verse, who has to step up.”
Holt is well aware that Donald is irreplaceable. The Rams can’t simply sign one player or draft someone to take his place seamlessly. However, he believes as a group, the Rams have the pieces to overcome his departure.
“Now, no one replaces Aaron Donald,” Holt said. “Collectively, though, these guys have to play at a very high level. What I love about this Rams young front: They drafted these guys that they’re playing. Again, showing confidence that they have in their players and then their players deliver.”
If Turner continues to improve, Byron Young steps up and gets better as a pass rusher and the two rookies, Fiske and Verse, both become Day 1 starters, the Rams will be in good shape. There will probably be some early growing pains in the post-Donald era, but they sunk a lot of assets into the defensive front in the last two years and the hope is that it pays off in 2024.