Man in the middle: LB Ernest Jones takes over as vocal leader of Rams defense

Eric Williams

NFC West Writer

With a mass exodus of frontline players that includes Pro Bowlers Jalen Ramsey and Bobby Wagner, the Los Angeles Rams will look to younger players to fill the leadership void on defense.

Enter Ernest Jones. Now in his third season and just 23 years old, Jones has emerged as an impact player on defense for the Rams.

“In my room I’ve probably played linebacker more than any of the other guys,” Jones told reporters this week. “And I’ve played a lot of football here. So I definitely feel like I’m one of the older guys. I feel like it’s my time to lead, my time to step up and definitely do what’s right for this team and be that voice for us.”

The South Carolina product finished second on the team to Wagner with 114 combined tackles, including four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 17 games played last season. Even more important, Jones got to learn daily from one of the best in the business in Wagner, who returned to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

“From Bobby, I learned everything,” Jones said. “I think for me, the main thing was just how I go about my day, having a set routine, a set schedule. And just knowing what it takes. He’s going to be a Hall of Famer one day as soon as he puts down his cleats. I want to be that. And I know that watching him and everything he’s taught me about how to go about playing this game has been big for me.”

Along with Ramsey and Wagner, the Rams lost six other starters on defense from last season. Jones and perennial All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald remain as foundational pieces on that side of the football for defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.

“I remember being in there one day, and then you’re sitting next to another guy,” Jones said about his rookie season. “So changes are bound to happen. That’s what the front office has to do, what’s in the best interest of our team. But for me, it’s making sure all the guys still have the same goal and we’re all on the same page. Making sure we’re all close.”

Jones and Donald are joined by young, developmental prospects like safety Jordan Fuller, cornerback Derion Kendrick and slot defender Cobie Durant, along with defensive linemen Marquise Copeland and Michael Hoecht to form the nucleus of this year’s defense.

Despite the heavy loss of accomplished talent, Jones doesn’t expect a drop in the level of play with new faces taking on bigger roles defensively.

“It’s a bunch of dogs,” he said. “That’s one thing I’ll say. Losing Jalen was big. Losing Bobby was big. But at the same time, we’ve got to move on and go forward. One thing I know about this group is they are hungry. We’ve got a lot of young guys that need to make names for themselves, that need to provide for their families.

“I know once we get rolling and get going, we’re going to be something to deal with, for sure. We’re going to be getting to the ball. All 11 hats getting to the ball is going to be something I’m preaching and making sure we do.”

While the Rams finished 5-12 last season, the worst record by a defending Super Bowl champ in NFL history, it wasn’t because of their defense. Los Angeles held opponents to a respectable 22.6 points per game, forced 22 turnovers and finished with the top-ranked defense in the red zone.

Donald missed the last six games of the regular season because of a high ankle sprain but should begin offseason work healthy. Although they do not have a first-round pick, the Rams do have 11 selections in this year’s draft to address weaknesses and provide depth on the defensive side of the ball.

Because of financial constraints, the Rams have not made a lot of noise this offseason. The latest player to find a new team was Allen Robinson, traded Tuesday to the Pittsburgh Steelers in another cost-cutting move, as Los Angeles agreed to pay $10.25 million of the receiver’s salary for the upcoming season.

With little ability to add talent through free agency, the Rams are counting on players like Jones to assert themselves and be at the forefront of the team’s resurgence.

“The main reason we’ve been boring at this time of year was to engineer a healthier cap situation,” Rams GM Les Snead said at the NFL owners meetings. “So that we could get back to being aggressive and attack the moment when it helps to benefit our cause.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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