rams all time greats-defensive ends

[general counsel]

While there are great debates in which to engage regarding our all time greats at various positions, i dont think defensive end is one of them. I believe it is indisputable that our two all time greatest defensive ends were jack youngblood and deacon jones. Deacon potentially qualifies among the five meanest and brutal players in the history of the game (butkus, lambert, maybe ray lewis or LT)

Other notables over the years would include andy robustelli, larry brink and leonard little, but i think that youngblood and deacon stand alone.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[ramsanddodgers]

I'll drink to that! .... and I don't even drink....

[rammiser]

Maybe the debate should be other than Youngblood and Jones who was the next best Rams defensive end? You left our Kevin Greene, I know he went to the Steelers but he was very good for the Rams.

[Keenum]

Kevin Greene was a stud. I've seen some film on him and looked at some stats.
Jones may have been the greatest DE of all time. He claims if they kept up with stats back then he'd be the all-time leader. I think that he didn't count some plays as sacks wheras others would of as well!

[Fat Pang]

My favourite player happens to be Kevin Greene and yes, he was a beast in his prime. He was much more of an OLB however. His move to a 3 point stance under the direction of John Teerlinck, and the resulting lack of production (I think he got 3 sacks that year) led to his departure. I think he actually said that had that not happened (and the rams not been so cheap) he probably wouldn't have left.

Jones and Youngblood are hard to question though.

[blood85]

Darn right Jack Youngblood is up there, the man was a terror.

[general counsel]

wasnt kevin greene an outside linebacker. great pass rusher for sure, but a linebacker nonetheless

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[tomahawk247]

dont forget Grant Wistrom, he was great for us during the GSOT years

[laram0]

Lamar Lundy? Afterall he was part of the FEARSOME FOURSOME.

[eldfan]

Youngblood I watch him as a young boy. I wonder how would he react to this 0-7 rams team if he was on it.

[rammiser]

wasnt kevin greene an outside linebacker. great pass rusher for sure, but a linebacker nonetheless

ramming speed to all

general counsel

I know I thought this as well but he actually played both positins for us. He did have two years in a row with 16 and 1/2 sacks for us though. After I wrote it I started thinking the same thing GC but he is listed as playing both positions as an NFL player.

[jkramsfan]

Youngblood I watch him as a young boy. I wonder how would he react to this 0-7 rams team if he was on it.

I think we all know the answer to that question.

[AvengerRam]

After Jones and Youngblood, the obvious top 2, I'd rank it this way:

Fred Dryer
Leonard Little
Lamar Lundy
Kevin Carter

Kevin Greene was an OLB.

[RealRam]

As for Kevin Greene, yes, as some have already noted, he was a Rams LB, not a DE. He sometimes lined up as an 'end' on certain passing situations, or on 3-4 formations -- and was indeed a formidable pass rusher.

For pure DEs however, sure enough, Deacon and Youngblood take the cake -- and the QB too.

What a rush (obvious pun). To see these two work against the run OR the pass was an authentic Rams joy.


Worthy of mention, IMO, is DE Diron Talbert who played with the Rams from 1967 to 1970 then faithfully followed Coach Allen to Washington were he again was a force.

[r8rh8rmike]

David "Deacon" Jones, the man who personally coined the term "sack", is without a doubt the greatest Rams defensive end of all-time.