How Chris Shula's Defense Can Be Even Better in 2025

Last season, the Los Angeles Rams defense was a perfect descriptor of the team's overall season.

There were many struggles throughout the campaign, including a wave of injuries early in the season that almost took them out of contention. Instead, a young Rams defense began to grow and eventually evolved into a stout unit by year's end.

This defense is the same one that gave up 42 points to the Buffalo Bills in their wild 44-42 victory affair in Los Angeles and allowed Saquon Barkley to run roughshod all over them twice during the season.

Yet, it was a unit that began to have a stranglehold on opposing teams as the inexperienced began to gain such and through it all, defensive coordinator Chris Shula remained even-keeled and adaptable to change.

Shula made plenty of adjustments to the defense throughout the season. There was the change in the secondary personnel after the Week 4 loss against the Chicago Bears and as the season continued on, a change in philosophy from keeping the weights on the youth of the defense to letting them run wild on opposing defenses.

Sure, stopping the run was an issue throughout the season- 11th-worst run defense in football last season- and it ultimately cost them deep in the postseason, but Shula's defense can be even better in 2025. It is a unit in the midst of becoming one of the best in the league and the additions made this offseason provide this possibility.

Poona Ford, one of the better interior defensive linemen in the league, was added to the defense on a one-year deal as he emerged as a quality defender for the neighboring Chargers.

The Rams also added pass rusher Josaiah Stewart and linebackers Pooh Paul and Shaun Dolac in the draft and undrafted free agency, respectively. The secondary remains generally the same but could add Jalen Ramsey back through a trade with the Miami Dolphins.

Shula will have the fortune of a defense with another added year of experience. Kobie Turner, Ford and Braden Fiske form a stout defensive line with reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year pass rusher Jared Verse attacking off the edge. Pass rush lanes and gap discipline should be much improved this season, especially if the Rams and Shula are to keep taking a younger direction at linebacker via Paul, Dolac, and Omar Speights.

It's hard to imagine little to no improvement from this defense in 2025. While the lack of additions in the secondary may become a concern during the season, it is the young front-seven with an extra year of experience that can help turn Los Angeles into a formidable and recokened unit under Shula.