For the last three years, the Los Angeles Rams have allocated most of their money to one side of the ball. Like most teams, they’ve spent more on their offense than the defense, but the gap between the two has been the largest in the NFL since 2023.
According to Over The Cap, the Rams have had the cheapest defense in the league each year since 2023. That is, until now.
For the first time in four years, the Rams won’t rank 32nd in the NFL in defensive spending. They’re set to spend $110.4 million on their defense this year, which is 27th among all teams. That’s more than double the amount they spent on defense last season ($54.2 million).
Here’s a look at where the Rams’ defensive spending has ranked each year since 2021.
With the salary cap increasing each year, teams are able to spend more than they did the season prior. But in the Rams’ case, it’s clear they’ve continued to push more money toward the offense than the defense over the years.
That’s easy to do with players such as Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams, Alaric Jackson and Kevin Dotson. They’ve also signed players such as Allen Robinson and Jonah Jackson, while also paying the likes of Cooper Kupp and Joe Notebom.
The Rams’ remarkable drafting on defense has helped them remain financially savvy on that side of the ball. They’ve had Jared Verse, Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske on rookie contracts for the last several years, as well as Cobie Durant and Kamren Kinchens.
But with the additions of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, and lucrative extensions for Kam Curl, Quentin Lake and Nate Landman, the Rams have spent much more on defense this year than they have in recent seasons. Myles Garrett will also have a big impact on the cap in the coming years.
With the league’s best offense, the Rams now hope the defense can keep up and carry its weight under Chris Shula.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams don’t have NFL’s cheapest defense for first time in 4 years
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
