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Pro Football Focus recently compiled an all-star roster from the Los Angeles Rams' past two decades. Using a grading database dating back to the 2006 NFL season, PFF evaluated players across eras by analyzing season-adjusted player grades, balancing peak performance against overall positional longevity.
Because the data window opens in 2006, the franchise's legendary "Greatest Show on Turf" era is largely excluded, creating a roster heavily defined by recent success and the structural transformation under head coach Sean McVay.
Here's the full roster, including 12 offensive players and 12 defensive players across the most important positions on either side of the ball:
The starkest trend on the roster is the total dominance of the McVay era (2017–present). Of the 12 players selected to the offensive unit, 11 played under McVay, with eight having played exclusively for McVay. And this makes sense, as the Rams finished outside the top 20 in league scoring every year from 2007 to 2016 until McVay arrived to revitalize the system.
The lone pre-McVay offensive survivor is running back Steven Jackson (2006–2012). Jackson secured his spot over a major omission, Todd Gurley II, due to his immense volume. While Gurley achieved a higher performance ceiling during his peak, Jackson logged 700 more rushing attempts with nearly identical efficiency metrics and a superior 1.21 yards per route run average. Rodger Saffold also only played for McVay for two seasons.
Unlike the offense, the defensive roster draws from a much broader timeline. Seven of the 12 players were on a McVay roster for the majority of the five seasons listed. That's still a lot, but it shows that the Rams have had quality defensive players no matter the era, especially considering other coaches during this time were the defense-minded Steve Spagnuolo and Jeff Fisher.
Aside from Gurley's omission in the backfield, veteran receiver Davante Adams didn't make the list because he's only played one year in L.A. We'll see how subsequent seasons unfold for him on the Rams.
Other defensive absences include edge rusher Jared Verse, whose mid-career trade to the Cleveland Browns cut his statistical longevity short in Los Angeles. Additionally, safeties from various playoff rosters were bypassed in favor of O.J. Atogwe’s high-turnover window in the late 2000s and John Johnson III’s consistency under McVay. Others left out include defensive tackle Michael Brockers, edge rusher Chris Long, linebackers Alec Ogletree, Cory Littleton, and Ernest Jones, cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Darious Williams, and safety Jordan Fuller.
McVay has his fingerprints all over the Rams' history.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams all-time PFF team includes from interesting choices
Continue reading...
Because the data window opens in 2006, the franchise's legendary "Greatest Show on Turf" era is largely excluded, creating a roster heavily defined by recent success and the structural transformation under head coach Sean McVay.
Here's the full roster, including 12 offensive players and 12 defensive players across the most important positions on either side of the ball:
- QB: Matthew Stafford (2021-2025)
- HB: Steven Jackson (2006-2012)
- WR: Puka Nacua (2023-2025)
- WR: Robert Woods (2017-2021)
- Slot WR: Cooper Kupp (2017-2024)
- TE: Tyler Higbee (2016-2025)
- TE: Gerald Everett (2017-2020)
- LT: Andrew Whitworth (2017-2021)
- LG: Rodger Saffold (2010-2018)
- C: Austin Blythe (2017-2020)
- RG: Kevin Dotson (2023-2025)
- RT: Rob Havenstein (2015-2025)
- DI: Aaron Donald (2014-2023)
- DI: Kobie Turner (2023-2025)
- ED: Robert Quinn (2011-2017)
- ED: William Hayes (2012-2016)
- LB: James Laurinaitis (2009-2015)
- LB: Bobby Wagner (2022)
- SLB: Leonard Floyd (2020-2022)
- CB: Jalen Ramsey (2019-2022)
- CB: Trumaine Johnson (2012-2017)
- Slot CB: Nickell Robey-Coleman (2017-2019)
- S: John Johnson III (2017-2024)
- S: O.J. Atogwe (2006-2010)
The starkest trend on the roster is the total dominance of the McVay era (2017–present). Of the 12 players selected to the offensive unit, 11 played under McVay, with eight having played exclusively for McVay. And this makes sense, as the Rams finished outside the top 20 in league scoring every year from 2007 to 2016 until McVay arrived to revitalize the system.
The lone pre-McVay offensive survivor is running back Steven Jackson (2006–2012). Jackson secured his spot over a major omission, Todd Gurley II, due to his immense volume. While Gurley achieved a higher performance ceiling during his peak, Jackson logged 700 more rushing attempts with nearly identical efficiency metrics and a superior 1.21 yards per route run average. Rodger Saffold also only played for McVay for two seasons.
Unlike the offense, the defensive roster draws from a much broader timeline. Seven of the 12 players were on a McVay roster for the majority of the five seasons listed. That's still a lot, but it shows that the Rams have had quality defensive players no matter the era, especially considering other coaches during this time were the defense-minded Steve Spagnuolo and Jeff Fisher.
Aside from Gurley's omission in the backfield, veteran receiver Davante Adams didn't make the list because he's only played one year in L.A. We'll see how subsequent seasons unfold for him on the Rams.
Other defensive absences include edge rusher Jared Verse, whose mid-career trade to the Cleveland Browns cut his statistical longevity short in Los Angeles. Additionally, safeties from various playoff rosters were bypassed in favor of O.J. Atogwe’s high-turnover window in the late 2000s and John Johnson III’s consistency under McVay. Others left out include defensive tackle Michael Brockers, edge rusher Chris Long, linebackers Alec Ogletree, Cory Littleton, and Ernest Jones, cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Darious Williams, and safety Jordan Fuller.
McVay has his fingerprints all over the Rams' history.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams all-time PFF team includes from interesting choices
Continue reading...
