[AvengerRam]

One question that has to be on the minds of Rams fans everywhere is: will the defense improve?

Certainly, there will be some new faces on the defense in 2007. James Hall and Chris Draft have already been signed, and could both be opening day starters. The Rams will also likely take a defender in the first round of the draft, and will expect that player to be a factor as a rookie.

All that said, if the defense is going to improve, it must do so, to a large extent, from within. Given the number of young players on the roster, including Victor Adeyanju, Claude Wroten, Brandon Chillar, Tye Hill, Ron Bartell, O.J. Atogwe and Jon Alston, there seems to be significant room to do so. But the question has to be asked: how much can players who have been in the league from one to three years really improve?

The answer: though there are no guarantees, defensive players can, and often do, improve significantly during, or even after, their first three years in the league. Don’t believe me? Consider this:

Assume you are starting the year with these key defenders:

1) a DE who has registered only 5.5 sacks in his first 24 games over two seasons.
2) a DT who had only 44 tackles and 3 sacks as a rookie.
3) a LB who has averaged less than 50 tackles over his first two years.
4) a LB who has only played in 36 games, and registered 36 tackles, in his first three years.
5) a CB coming off a rookie year in which he played 10 games and had 2 interceptions.
6) a CB coming off a rookie year in which he played in only 7 games and had no interceptions.
7) a SS who, over his first two years, averaged 25 tackles and forced only one turnover.

A bunch of bums, right? Draft busts who will never amount to much, right?

Well, of course, you’d be wrong. The players who’s somewhat inauspicious starts I’ve described are 1) Michael Strahan, 2) Richard Seymour, 3) Julian Peterson, 4) Mike Vrabel, 5) DeAngelo Hall, 6) Deltha O’Neal and 7) Chris Hope.

So, does that mean that all of the Rams’ young players are going to become Pro Bowl players? Obviously, the answer is no. But, to presume that none of them will blossom into top notch defensive players is also extraordinarily presumptuous.

Some may be lumps of coal, but there may be a diamond or two in the bunch as well. Only time will tell.