Rams’ 23 most important players for 2023

Rams’ 23 most important players for 2023 – No. 8: S Jordan Fuller

Jordan Fuller was almost a forgotten man for the Rams in 2022, missing 14 games due to a lingering hamstring injury that just never got right. He went from being a starter as a rookie in 2020 to being voted a captain the next year to missing significant time in 2022.

Now healthy again, Fuller should be a major part of the Rams defense. He’s a reliable safety capable of stopping the run and covering athletic tight ends, which brings a lot of value to the defense. And with the secondary being so young, Fuller’s experience will help Los Angeles a lot.

2022 stats

3 games played (1 start)
12 tackles, 1 forced fumble
2 missed tackles
76.2 run defense grade
55.5 coverage grade

Position group

Aside from Fuller, the Rams’ safety group is wildly inexperienced. It’s part of what makes him such an important player this year. Los Angeles doesn’t have another safety who has started for even half a season, likely causing the team to rely on second-year pros such as Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake.

Rookie Jason Taylor II could also factor into the mix, coming to Los Angeles as a promising first-year player who can play multiple spots in the secondary.

It’s quite the change from the last couple of years when the Rams had three starting-caliber safeties playing meaningful snaps, but with Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott both gone, the attention will turn to the younger players.

2023 outlook

It was a miserable year for Fuller in 2022. He played three games but a hamstring injury sidelined him for just about the entire season. Even when he was healthy, the Rams almost seemed to prefer Rapp and Scott to the former captain and rookie starter.

Heading into 2023, Fuller will be a much bigger part of the defense. He’s the most experienced defensive back in the Rams’ system, having started for two seasons in L.A.’s defense. He won’t be the signal caller again – that job will go to Ernest Jones – but he’ll help get a very young secondary aligned each play.

The Rams desperately need some stability and reliability on the back end of their defense and Fuller can provide exactly that.