Rams Signal Confidence in Rookie LB Ernest Jones' Development as His Role Expands

Sean McVay and Raheem Morris are pleased with the development of rookie linebacker Ernest Jones.

Nicholas Cothrel | Dec 10, 2021

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The Los Angeles Rams turned the page in Week 8 at inside linebacker when they handed the baton to Ernest Jones – the team's third-round pick from last April's 2021 NFL Draft.

The Rams traded linebacker Kenny Young to the Denver Broncos just ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline due to cap restraints with the hope that Jones could succeed in a starting role.

In doing so, Jones got off to a notable start in his first game seeing extensive snaps when the Rams faced the Houston Texans in late October. He logged nine tackles, one TFL, 0.5 sack, two quarterback hits, one interception and one pass breakup.

Jones seized his opportunity and all signs pointed on and upward for the South Carolina prospect in carving out his new role with the Rams.

Now with five weeks under his belt in which Jones has taken a substantial amount of the team's defensive snaps in each week's contest, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said Friday that Jones' role has grown considerably.

Specifically, Morris points toward Jones' growth from initially just playing a part of the Rams' base defense to now serving as a "nickel guy" in some of the single-backer looks.

"He's slowly grown throughout the season," Morris said. "I don't know if you've noticed through his packages, he came in a little bit in base. Then he was kind of a nickel guy. Then he was at some of our single-backer defenses, which splits the most time but surely now he's kind of taken, really the majority of the work from the standpoint of just being on the field almost in all of our packages, so he's really grown."

Morris reiterated that Jones can play in any package the Rams utilize. His understanding of the variety of packages combined with his voice, supplanting himself in the middle of the Rams defense, has allowed him to be what L.A. had hoped he could evolve into upon drafting him, Morris noted.

"He's really grown as far as walkthroughs and his command with the unit of his voice is really picked up," Morris said. "It's really starting to come to fruition – all the things that we thought coming out from the draft and I think I talked to you guys the first time something about (Jones) potentially being a green dot one day for us. He's shown all those abilities. Right now Fuller obviously has our dot. He (Jones) has been fortunate to get into some of the games we got ahead. And we've been able to pull forward from the game and let him finish a game or let him continue to progress in that role."

Jones has totaled 41 tackles, one sack, three quarterback hits, one interception and two pass breakups this season.

Jones projects to be one of the linebackers of the future for the Rams. Sean McVay said earlier this week on the 'Coach McVay Show' that Jones is “a cornerstone” piece.

"Ernest is a special player. He’s a quick study. He learns from his mistakes so quickly,” McVay said reflecting on his Week 13 performance. “I thought you felt his range and his length. He had some great ability to diagnose some things early on in the downs where he’s playing sideline-to-sideline. I thought he really did a great job using his hands in the run fits and then he ends up with a sack."

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.

Published Dec 10, 2021

NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.