admin
Speights has a chance to make a name for himself in Year 2 with the Rams
There are just 25 days until players report for Los Angeles Rams training camp at Loyola Marymount University, which means guys will be back on the field practicing in just over three weeks. With training camp approaching, we’re counting down the most important players on the Rams’ roster this year.
This isn’t necessarily a ranking of the best players by skill, but rather how valuable and irreplaceable they are. In other words, if a player were to get hurt, how badly would that loss hurt the team?
Kicking off the list at No. 25 is a former undrafted linebacker who went from earning a roster spot after just two preseason games last year to becoming a starter down the stretch. Yes, it’s Omar Speights, one of the young bright spots on Chris Shula’s defense.
How he got here
The Rams signed Speights as an undrafted rookie out of LSU last year, giving him a chance to compete for a roster spot in the summer. Thanks to standout performances in practice and the first two preseason games, Speights made the team without even needing to prove himself in the final exhibition game.
2024 stats
17 games (10 starts): 67 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 passes defensed – PFF grade: 66.8 (77th/189 LBs)
Projected role
There’s no surefire starter at inside linebacker for the Rams, which makes this position so difficult to project. Nate Landman, Chris Paul Jr. and Troy Reeder will all be competing for snaps, as well, so the Rams have options – even if none of them elicit overwhelming confidence.
Speights is a returning starter and has an even clearer path to playing time this year with Christian Rozeboom gone. We’re projecting him to be one of the two starters at linebacker, likely alongside Nate Landman initially. He could even wind up being a three-down player for them if he improves in coverage, thus helping keep him on the field in obvious passing situations.
Why he’s important
The Rams need someone to step up at inside linebacker this year and Speights is a strong candidate to do just that. He has experience in Shula’s system, which gives him an inside track to a starting job. And while he’s hardly a speed demon in the middle of the field, he does a good job flowing to the ball and avoiding blockers – better than someone like Reeder.
His instincts are also good, allowing him to diagnose plays and shoot gaps when the opportunity presents itself. Those are things you can’t really teach, increasing Speights’ value to the defense.
Inside linebacker is viewed as the Rams’ biggest weakness, partly because the team doesn’t prioritize it as highly as other positions. But if someone like Speights can step up and take command, it could be a game-changer.
Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
#Omar #Speights
