The Los Angeles Rams have a largely inexperienced group of edge rushers on the current roster. With training camps around the NFL set to begin next month, PFF’s Brad Spielberger mentioned Dawuane Smoot as a potential free agent the Rams should sign before they report to camp.
At the moment, the Rams’ edge rushers have a combined 4.5 career sacks and all of those were recorded by Michael Hoecht, an interior defender that transitioned to edge rusher in 2022. Earlier this offseason, the Rams took three edge rushers during the 2023 NFL draft to pair with guys like Hoecht, Keir Thomas and Daniel Hardy.
Smoot tore his Achilles late in the 2022 season, so this is really investing in a younger free agent for 2024 and beyond, but that has been the overarching focus of the Rams’ offseason already. Perhaps Smoot is open to a multi-year deal like we’ve seen recently for players such as Ja’Wuan James with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2021 offseason, where he gets paid around the minimum, has access to an NFL training staff year-round and can then get ready to bounce back in a major way in 2024.
Smoot, who was taken one pick ahead of Cooper Kupp in the 2017 NFL draft, developed into a formidable edge rusher with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Illinois product has posted five-plus sacks and five or more tackles for loss in four consecutive seasons.
Amid a playoff run by the Jaguars in 2022, Smoot sadly had his season cut short by a torn Achilles in Week 16 versus the New York Jets. So it remains to be seen if Smoot will be able to log any snaps during the 2023 campaign.
Spielberger mentions that the Rams could sign Smoot to a multi-year deal with the idea that he’d get a year with the medical staff and then prepare to bounce back in 2024. The Rams could use experience in their pass rusher room and Smoot provides that, even if he’s unable to contribute on the field all season in 2023.
