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rone at inside linebacker? Or could an unexpected challenger take over?"WhiteSections 2019 offseason2019 free agency2019 NFL DraftFull ArchiveLibrary 2019 NFL calendar2019 Rams regular season sched2019 Rams preseason schedMasthead Community Guidelines NFL Odds StubHub ✕2018 NFL Draft2019 Los Angeles Rams OffseasonWhat will the Los Angeles Rams do at inside linebacker?New Dominique Easley Jersey ,90commentsCould fifth-round pick Micah Kiser be the heir to the throne at inside linebacker? Or could an unexpected challenger take over?CDTShareTweetShareShareWhat will the Los Angeles Rams do at inside linebacker?Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsNot many starting positions are likely to be up for grabs, but the inside linebacker position is one for the Los Angeles Rams.Going into the offseason, it was a foregone conclusion that ILB Mark Barron was going to be released, and that move ultimately came to fruition. Barron simply couldn’t remain healthy any longer and his salary suggested he was one of the top linebackers in football when in reality, he simply wasn’t. Barron played 570 downs of football in 2018, with SS Marqui Christian often subbing in on third-down passing situations, registering 348 snaps of his own.Looking forward at the inside linebacker position, the likely heir to the starting spot is 2018 fifth-round pick ILB Micah Kiser. Kiser appeared in 16 games last season Troy Hill Jersey , though all of his playing time was spent on special teams units. He only registered four total tackles in 2018, though when given the opportunity to play in the preseason, Kiser was very productive as he accumulated 26 tackles and two pass deflections in four games of action.Kiser is likely to fill the role that ILB Alec Ogletree once filled in Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips’ defense. Kiser is a much stronger defender at the point of attack and in the run game, though their similarities come with the ability to blitz effectively and lack some coverage ability. Kiser totaled 19 sacks in college, often showing his ability to blitz in Virginia’s defense.With all that being said, Kiser has the athletic traits needed to be effective in coverage, he just needs to get the technical aspects down. Look at this comparison between Kiser and one of the leagues best coverage linebackers in Atlanta Falcons’ Deion Jones:If Kiser proves to be a liability in coverage, the Rams can address that by allowing second-round pick S Taylor Rapp onto the field in coverage situations. That might be their plan regardless Michael Brockers Jersey , though it’s tough to say with certainty.The other flip of the coin is a potentially unexpected ILB in Clay Matthews. Matthews was signed to be an edge rusher here, though he could essentially do both if that’s what the Rams want him to do. Matthews played inside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers in 2014 and 2015, amassing 101 tackles, 30 tackles-for-loss, 17.5 sacks, 41 QB hits, two interceptions, and 12 pass deflections. He was clearly effective in that inside/outside role Ethan Westbrooks Jersey , and has the potential to do the same in this defense. If this is the route the Rams chose, Matthews would likely play inside on run stopping situations and would kick outside to the edge on pass rushing situations.My preference would be to start Kiser at inside linebacker and Matthews on the edge next to him, though this is something the Rams will need to decide over the next few months. The Los Angeles Rams are headed to Phoenix to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, and for the third practice in a row RB Todd Gurley was a non-participant.Both he and RB Justin Davis are listed as QUESTIONABLE meaning they will be gametime decisions on Sunday:2018 LA Rams Week 16 injury reportNamePOSInjuryWed. StatusThu. StatusFri. StatusGame StatusNamePOSInjuryWed. StatusThu. StatusFri. StatusGame StatusRams Head Coach Sean McVay addressed Gurley’s injury at his Friday media availability:Suffice to say, there’s legitimate cause for concern regarding the Rams’ best offensive weapon with the playoffs beginning in just two weeks.The Cardinals on the other hand finish the week with a much lengthier report:2018 Arizona Cardinals Week 16 injury reportNamePOSInjuryWed. StatusThu. StatusFri. StatusGame StatusNamePOSInjuryWed. StatusThu. StatusFri. StatusGame StatusIf either Gurley or Davis are assessed to be unable to go, they’ll likely be among the seven inactives for the game. We’ll have them up about an hour before kickoff on Sunday.