How Ford matches
Ford performed past the one-year, $2.25 million contract he signed with the Chargers final spring. He had eight tackles for loss, three sacks, 9 quarterback hits and a stress fee of seven.0 % regardless of solely enjoying about 55 % of the defensive snaps.
His capability towards the run additionally caught the Rams’ eye — the Chargers had been seventh-best in defensive run EPA final season regardless of enjoying with lighter packing containers. The Rams badly want a dynamic run defender on the inside who may also rush the passer alongside ascending stars Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske.
League sources stated that Ford most popular to geographically keep in Los Angeles, the place he hopes to settle and construct out his life. The Chargers hoped to maintain Ford, and a second AFC workforce pursued him as effectively, a league supply stated.
2025 impression
Ford ought to slot in instantly subsequent to Turner, and the 2 ought to be capable of go their roles backwards and forwards as nostril tackles and/or three methods. Final 12 months, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and line of defense coaches Giff Smith and A.C. Carter hinted with a few of their rush design a need to be as a number of as potential with a number of do-it-all gamers, and pure rushers on the surface in Jared Verse and Byron Younger.
Outlook
The expansion of the Rams’ younger line of defense was spectacular in 2024, particularly as a pass-rushing unit. The place they constantly struggled was in defending the run. The Rams allowed 100-plus yards dashing in all however 4 video games final season, and the teaching employees and entrance workplace made shoring that up a precedence this spring.