Random Ramsdom: Anyone miss Jalen Ramsey yet, or in Cobie Durant we trust?

Hello and happy Friday! This will not be a deep dive into Jalen Ramsey, Cobie Durant or the Los Angeles Rams defense, BUT if you want to make this fun comment below and let us know your thoughts!

As always I nailed the intro so let’s get to the question(s) of the day. The season hasn’t even started yet, but is anyone missing Jalen Ramsey already? How much faith do you have in Cobie Durant? If not Cobie Durant which defensive backs do you expect to step up? Quite a few questions we are asking today!

Please check out the links below, comment if you’d like or use the information to gear up for the season and maybe comment with us during the season!

Rams’ Jalen Ramsey Gone; Cobie Durant as New Lockdown CB? (fannation/ramsdigest)

“Ramsey was traded to the Dolphins in March, removing one of the best man-coverage cornerbacks in the NFL from the Rams’ secondary. So a big question in Inglewood: Who needs to step up in Ramsey’s absence?

“They need to have Cobie Durant step up,” NFL Network and “Good Morning Football” host Sara Walsh said. “Cobie Durant in a rookie season last year came up big … Last four games, he had two interceptions. He ran one back for a touchdown. He led the league in return yards after interceptions.

“They need this guy to be the star they think he can be to take Jalen Ramsey’s place.”

Last season, the Rams’ pass defense allowed 6.5 net yards per pass attempt, which was the seventh-worst mark in the NFL.

There can be optimism with the unit ranked seventh in the league with 16 interceptions, but Ramsey accounted for one-fourth of those picks. Durant was second on the team with three, but defended just five passes compared to Ramsey’s 18.”

Madden 24 – Jalen Ramsey, Jaire Alexander Dominate Top CB Ratings (clutchpoints)

“Ramsey’s been the league’s most consistent option at CB. His presence elevated the defenses of both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the L.A. Rams, winning a Super Bowl with the latter. Along with Aaron Donald, Ramsey and the Rams defense stymied Joe Burrow during Super Bowl LVI, awarding the Florida State product his first ring.

Ramsey also helped lead his Jaguars to the AFC championship game in 2018. They managed to hold Tom Brady’s offense to just 24 points, but unfortunately came up short due to a poor coaching strategy. He’ll look to help the Dolphins finally fulfill their Super Bowl aspirations.

Jaire Alexander missed time in 2021 due to injury, but reminded everyone why he was a pro-bowler the year before. He finished the 2022 season with 5 interceptions and 14 Pass Deflections. His most impressive performance came in Week 17 of the 2022 regular season. He held Vikings’ WR Justin Jefferson to just one catch for 15 yards on five targets.

He signed a four-year, $84 million dollar contract with the team last season, meaning the shut down corner in Lambeau isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. We’re certainly excited to see the Alexander-Jefferson beef continue for years to come. Without Aaron Rodgers, it’s up to the Packers’ defense to step up in 2023.”

LA Rams rival Cards QB Kyler Murray feeling the desert heat already (ramblinfan)

“The LA Rams have a lot of challenges to face and overcome in the 2023 NFL season, And for the most part, those challenges have not escaped the view of Rams fans. Whether optimistic or not, the LA Rams fan acknowledges the challenges ahead and give their best speculative estimation of how well the team will perform.

But the NFC West appears to be an NFL Division that has a great deal of uncertainty for the 2023 NFL season. Even the front-runner San Francisco 49ers are subject to speculation over the team’s quarterback situation. The runner-up Seattle Seahawks suddenly catapult from a fourth-place schedule in the division and arguably have the toughest schedule in the division.

And then there are the Arizona Cardinals, a team with a new General Manager and Head Coach, who must take a step in a positive direction with quarterback Kyler Murray in a new offense, and somehow improve upon a 4-13 record. There are those who believe that won’t happen.

Desert heat is on Kyler Murray now

While the Arizona Cardinals had done everything possible to promote quarterback Kyler Murray as the next best thing since sliced bread, his results on the football field have not matched his lofty hype or salary. While there are those who passionately argue that wins and losses are not among quarterback statistics, the fact that Kyler Murray is a veteran NFL quarterback who will earn over $50 million in 2024, while only holding a record of 25-31-1 is a bit difficult to reconcile.

The first area of concern starts with the fact that Murray has missed nine of the past 36 games due to injury. Is he, as many have asserted regarding dual-threat quarterbacks, wearing out? But there is more to concern the Cardinals offense than that.

One of the most valuable aspects with a running quarterback is the fact that defenses must commit eight defenders in the box to defend the run. That should open up the deep passing game. Well, as long as the quarterback can throw the long bomb.

But sometimes, as is the case with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, they cannot:

That’s a problem. And it’s a problem that many expect the Cardinals to resolve in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Rams and Cardinals heated competition with a new wrinkle

The problem with that is the fact that many assume that the LA Rams are eyeing up the same draft to replenish their own quarterback room. While former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett brings a lot to the table for the Rams offense, does he hold the keys to the future of the franchise exclusively? I don’t think that he does at the moment.

Right now, I believe that the 2024 NFL Draft class holds an abundance of rookie quarterback talent, and that if both the LA Rams and Arizona Cardinals struggle this season, both teams are likely to find suitable passers to lead them into the future. The Rams are preparing for the time after veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford.”

Arthur Moats Detailed Steelers Rumors Of Acquiring Aaron Donald In Massive Trade With Rams (steelernation.com)

“The Pittsburgh Steelers roster seems pretty much set heading into next week’s training camp in Latrobe. After signing Markus Golden a few weeks ago, the team’s needs have been taken care of. On Wednesday morning, the front office signed Alex Highsmith to a four-year, $68 million extension. With that, one player remains in trade rumors around the league, and the Steelers have been thrown in there.

That would be defensive lineman Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams. There were rumors of the superstar thinking about retiring last offseason, but this offseason, he didn’t even consider it. As a result, he will enter his 10th season. With the Rams expected to be one of the worst teams in football, trade rumors involving his name have started to pop up.

None of them seem to have any validity (yet), but it seems like a possibility in the near-future. Former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats spoke about the idea of pursuing Donald via his The Arthur Moats Experience With Deke Podcast. From a realistic perspective, he doesn’t see a fit for the star in Pittsburgh.

“How does this fit? How does that work? Who’s getting got? Are the Rams gonna say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna do a fire sale and take on all of AD’s contract?’ Nah, I don’t know man,” Moats questioned. “You take the bag, we take the player.”

ESPN’s Mike Clay set the Rams’ projected win total at 6.2, the second-lowest in the NFL. As Moats’ co-host Deke points out, the Rams may very well do a fire sale in the middle of the season if nothing goes well. This could mean Donald would become available via trade, which seems a bit more realistic than trading him before the season. The star’s contract runs through the 2026 season with huge cap hits over the next two years specifically.”