Reasons why Floyd is a good signing for the Rams
Similar to what the Rams did last year with Fowler, they chose to give Floyd a one-year, prove-it deal. Therefore, Floyd is a low-risk, high-reward option for a Los Angeles defense that is in dire need of some help off of the edge.
Back in 2016, the Chicago Bears selected Floyd with the No. 9 pick out of Georgia. Upon his arrival in Chicago, he instantly became a key cog in their defense, notching seven sacks and a forced fumble.
However, over the past three seasons, Floyd’s production in the box score has taken a nosedive. Since 2017, the Georgia product has amassed just 11.5 sacks and zero forced fumbles.
On the other hand, he’s been able to contribute 20 tackles for loss and 35 quarterback hits since 2017. Provided that, Floyd appears to have the tools to be a dynamic edge rusher in the NFL. But up to this point, he hasn’t been able to finish plays.
Besides his enticing potential, Floyd will get a chance to work with Brandon Staley — the Rams defensive coordinator — again. While Floyd was with the Bears, Staley served as Chicago’s outside linebackers coach from 2017-2018 under Vic Fangio.
With that in mind, Floyd is comfortable in the system that Staley is going to deploy with the Rams next season. That could be crucial in an offseason that could limit the chances that players have to learn their new playbooks due to the coronavirus.
Despite being inconsistent with the Bears, Floyd has an opportunity to reach his peak alongside Aaron Donald and Clay Matthews. During his time in Chicago, Floyd was able to play on the opposite side of Khalil Mack.
Even though Mack provided him with one-on-one matchups, Floyd will see even more of them with Donald drawing the attention of the offense. As a result, that could allow the 27-year-old edge defender to finally live up to expectations in 2020.
There’s no denying the fact that this move to add Floyd made sense for both sides involved. While the signing of Floyd is met with mixed reviews right now, his fifth season in the NFL is shaping up to be his best yet.
