LA Rams Take Step Back After Releasing Chris Long and James Laurinaitis
The LA Rams have had multiple changes in the last four months.
Before the Los Angeles Rams released veteran Defensive Players, defensive end Chris Long and middle linebacker James Laurinaitis they were contenders for the Super Bowl.
Now, by releasing these players, they are only playoff contenders.
I say this because this was a solid defense with veterans Long and Laurinaitis as pillars of the defense.
Both of these players were the strong hold for the team.
There were the center of the defense for the Rams.
They were going to help bring a Super Bowl to LA.
Long had 19 combined tackles, 9 total, 10 assisted, 3.0 sacks and 1 forced fumble this past season.
While Laurinaitis had 109 combined tackles, 61 total, 41 assisted, 1.0 sack, 1 forced fumble.
With Long’s stats, we can see the reason they wanted to cut him.
However, he is the player who leads by example — just by his presence he is able to make a difference — along with the fact he makes the plays where there is no stats for.
He does the dirty work.
While Laurinaitis is always flying over the field as he should and helping making big plays and preventing big plays from happening on offense.
These are two veterans who taught the younger defensive core on how to play and improve their game individually and as a team.
Live Feed
SideLion Report
It is hard to say how the defense will do without them, because how you do replace tow experienced veteran leaders who are the foundation of your defense and were for eight years.
Now that they are gone it is going to be hard to find players in the draft to replace them.
It is understandable that this is a young man’s sport, but many players have proven old/older men can play and keep up as well.
Who is going to guide the the defense now?
The Rams are full of talent, but it is the experience and the leadership the two veterans brought to the young defense.
I would say releasing Cook was smart because he was unproductive this last year.
He was targeted 73 times and caught 39 of those passes for 481 yards and no touchdowns.
The Rams did not use him to his strength, in fact they hardly used him, and his stats proved it as well.
Even though they didn’t use him to his strength when given the opportunities he didn’t make the most of it and his stats prove it.
The organization can find a more productive tight end in the draft.
One tight end he would be a great fit for the Rams an help them in the passing game until they find a a starting quarterback is Hunter Henry out of the University of Arkansas.
Many critics are saying Henry will be a reliable tight end similar to Heath Miller and like Greg Olsen.
When one talent leaves another arrives and I agree with Henry being great, consistent, and reliable.
He has helped Arkansas improve in the SEC with a consistent quarterback in Brandon Allen.
With the Rams selecting Henry, they then can draft their quarterback and then draft receivers after all that.
Their offense needs the most help at quarterback, tight end, and receivers.
They need to draft a offensive play maker for them to improve and complement running back Todd Gurley.
By doing this along with their defense they will be Super Bowl Contenders again.
Defense wins championships.
We all saw this first hand with the Denver Broncos and the defense winning the super bowl for them.
They held the humber 1 team on offense to 10 points.
You need help on offense to assist the team alongside the defense to reach the playoffs and Super Bowl.
Next: Steph Curry Goes Lights Out In OKC, Ties Kobe Bryant Three-Point Record
My main point is the LA Rams took a step back releasing Long and Laurinaitis on defense and went from Super Bowl contenders to just playoff contenders.