Will the LA Rams miss Ernest Jones? Who will take his place?

When it was announced that the Los Angeles Rams were in trade talks to sign starting middle linebacker Ernest Jones, it sparked a storm of indignation among Rams fans. Two days later, he was gone, traded for a draft pick for another draft pick two seasons later.

Who will now step into this gap and take over Jones’ role not only as middle linebacker in the starting lineup, but also as the green dot carrier of the defensive unit, captain and playmaker?

Rams coach Sean McVay wasted no time in naming Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder the starting linebackers. The new defensive coordinator said Reeder will take on the role of “Mike,” making him the favorite for the green dot that marks LA’s defensive playmaker. Although both have started games for the Rams in the past, their forays away from the Rams roster have not been particularly successful.

Last year, Rozeboom had five starts and 550 snaps, but in the final cuts of 2021, the Rams released him and the Kansas City Chiefs signed him. Two months later, KC released him and the Rams re-signed him. Reeder has 21 starts and 1,594 snaps in two stints in LA. After starting in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory, he was not offered a contract and bounced back and forth between the Minnesota Vikings and LA Chargers before returning to the Rams last September.

At first glance, the loss of Jones should leave a huge hole in the Rams’ defense. One could argue that he was former defensive coordinator (DC) Raheem Morris’s offensive figurehead and the defense revolved around him. He was used in all formations and was a key part of LA’s blitzing attack, real or simulated. He put together two solid seasons with over 100 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 16 pressures.

But will it really be as difficult to replace Jones’ performance on the field as many think?

It might be a small downgrade, but not nearly as much as many would think. Why? This article isn’t about who the better players are, but rather the Rams’ basic 3-4 scheme. I believe the Rams scheme is either the hero or the villain, depending on how you feel about LA linebackers. The production numbers were similar from Alec Ogletree in 2017 to Ernest Joes last year. A few higher, a few lower, but generally in the same direction.

The 3-4, 4-3 under, or 5-2 Okie, whatever it’s called, has been the foundation of LA’s defense since Sean McVay took over in 2017. It was introduced by DC Wade Phillips. His version was a bit more offensive on the front line, but with a player like Aaron Donald, building on his skills is a must. His successors all brought their own twists, Brandon Staley was more of a Vic Fangio traditionalist, Raheem Morris mixed in some old Tampa2 and Cover3 strategies from his past, and now fans won’t have to wait long to see what Chris Shula’s version looks like.

No matter how you set your own markers on the 3-4, the basic concepts of two high coverage shells and light boxes are designed to lure opponents into running plays. The interior defensive line players are tasked with reading/reacting to blockers and closing gaps so the linebackers are free to move up and make tackles. Generally speaking, linebackers post high tackle stats.

In his groundbreaking article ‘The Book of Fangio’, Shawn Syed provides a comprehensive look at the 3-4 defense, explaining the scheme from basics to advanced theory.

“In general, runs are less efficient than passes. Encouraging a team to run into what appears to be an attractive position can help the defense prepare for a 3rd and long. Defensive linemen are asked to swallow double coverage and play with mobile leverage to keep the linebackers clean…”

Regarding the role of the linebackers in the 3-4, Syed said:

“Stylistically, linebackers are often protected by the defensive line from double coverage while also being asked to provide depth in pass coverage. In pass coverage, having a linebacker athletic enough to play man coverage with faster running backs is an essential part of coverage flexibility.”

What the numbers say

According to Pro Football Reference: pd = defended passes, fto = forced turnovers, btz = blitz attempts, sk = sacks, prss = pressure on the quarterback

2017 – Total moves: 555 passes, 418 runs

Alec Ogletree – 95 tackles in 923 snaps 10.29%

10 pd, 2 fto, 2 sk,

Mark Barron – 86 tackles in 825 snaps 10.42%

4 pd, 3 fto, 1 sk

2018 – 533 passes, 386 runs

Cory Littleton – 125 tackles in 964 snaps 12.96%

13 pd, 73.4 com%, 3 fto, 58 btz, 4 sk, 8 prss

Mark Barron – 60 tackles in 570 snaps 10.52%

1 pd, 59.5 com%, 1 fto, 8 btz, 1 sk, 1 prss

2019 – 562 passes, 444 runs

Cory Littleton – 134 tackles in 1039 snaps 12.89%

9 pd, 71.8 com%, 4 fto, 64 btz, 3.5 sk, 7 prss

Troy Reeder – 58 tackles in 298 snaps 19.46%

2 pd, 94.1 com%, 2 fto, 3 btz, 0 sk, 0 prss

2020 – 548 passes, 388 runs

Troy Reeder – 81 tackles in 423 snaps 19.14%

2 pd, 76.9 com%, 0 fto, 15 btz, 3 sk, 4 prss

Michael Kiser – 77 tackles in 558 snaps 13.79%

3 pd, 62.0 com%, 1 fto, 30 btz, 0 sk, 2 prss

Kenny Young – 52 tackles in 471 snaps 11.04%

2 pd, 82.1 com%, 1 fto, 16 btz, 1 sk, 2 prss

2021 – 625 passes, 443 runs

Troy Reeder – 91 tackles in 681 snaps 13.36%

6 pd, 80.7 com%, 2 fto, 18 btz, 2 sk, 5 prss

Ernest Jones – 61 tackles in 440 snaps 13.86%

4 pd, 74.4 com%, 2 fto, 20 btz, 1 sk, 3 prss

2022 – 556 passes, 455 runs

Bobby Wagner – 140 tackles in 1080 snaps 12.96%

5 pd, 68.8 com%, 2 fto, 49 btz, 6 sk, 10 prss

Ernest Jones – 114 tackles in 723 snaps 15.76%

2 pd, 79.2 com%, 2 fto, 13 btz, 0 sk, 2 prss

2023 – 604 passes, 433 runs

Ernest Jones – 145 tackles in 934 snaps 15.52%

6 pd, 70.8 com%, 0 fto, 58 btz, 4.5 sk, 14 prss

Christian Rozeboom – 79 tackles in 550 snaps 14.36%

4 pd, 79.6 com%, 1 fto, 19 btz, 0 sk, 2 prss

Conclusions

Shula came west with Sean McVay in 2017, so he’s worked under all of the Rams DCs and is also best friends with Brandon Staley. Will he lean toward the more traditional Fangio style his BFF prefers, the sim/blitz-heavy hybrid of Morris, or the Son of Bum offense style?

As far as linebacker performance goes, it doesn’t matter that much. Their roles are set in the standings. Of course, the way each season goes will affect each player’s stats. But as you can see from the year-to-year numbers when you add them all together, it doesn’t matter if the player is unknown or highly touted, there is very little gap between them in terms of performance.

Reeder and Rozeboom are known quantities. They have their weaknesses as starters, but when they have been used in the past they have shown they can play. Jake Hummel has flashed, albeit in the preseason, that he can both cover and tackle in space. Although it is likely that Omar Speights and Eli Neal will be introduced slowly, both were tackling machines in college and played very aggressively in the preseason.

In closing, while I don’t know which side to believe when it comes to why Ernest Jones couldn’t fulfill his contract in LA, I am convinced that his successor will perform similarly due to the Rams’ basic 3-4 defensive system.