Nose tackle Bobby Brown III made a living at the point of attack in 2024. In the wake of Aaron Donald's retirement, Brown excelled while taking on a larger role as a disruptor in the run game.
His most impactful play of the season came in Week 9 against Seattle, when an overtime stop would eventually help Los Angeles to victory. On fourth-and-one in overtime, running back Kenneth Walker bounced outside, but Brown, who was one of the first players off the line, pushed through the stacked formation, combining for a potentially game-saving stop. The Rams would win on a walk-off touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Defensive coordinator Chris Shula said Brown was the "centerpiece" of one of the best defensive lines in football last season. He saw an uptick in volume and production during the final year of his rookie contract, particularly against the run, which led to a career year.
"He's a real physical player and he's real stout at the point of attack," Shula said. "I don't think he gets enough credit. I didn't necessarily know how smart he (is) and how much he understands the game."
Stats
All stats from the regular season, stops (courtesy of Next Gen Stats) defined as a successful play for the defense, missed tackles courtesy of Pro Football Focus. (* = career-best, ^ = team-best).
| Season | Games Played (Starts) | Tackles | Stops | Missed Tackles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10 (0) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 (1) | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 2023 | 13 (13) | 31 | 26 | 1 |
| 2024 | 17* (16)* | 44* | 29* | 0*^ |
Improvement: Penetration and finishing plays against the run
Brown's 29 stops were the defining stat of his 2024 campaign. His primary job was to penetrate the offensive line on run downs, and he thrived at it throughout the season. He collected at least one stop in every game but two, including both playoff games.
"(I've seen) a lot of growth," head coach Sean McVay said of Brown. "Bobby is a really mentally tough guy and he can take hard coaching… When Bobby is right and when Bobby's playing the way that he's capable of, it can be really special."
Brown was the only qualified Rams defender to not miss a single tackle in 2024, according to PFF. His consistent nose for the football and ability to finish plays was significant for a very young Rams defense. He had the best PFF tackling grade on the team (80.1) and the 13th-best of any interior defensive lineman.
L.A. had some issues with missed tackles early in the year, and defensive line coach/run game coordinator Giff Smith told TheRams.com that is something the unit will work on during the offseason. Brown provided some much-needed stability in that area.
Only seven players who played at least 243 defensive snaps missed zero tackles, according to PFF, and Brown was one of them. Now, as a pending unrestricted free agent, the Rams could benefit from bringing back a rising young talent who excelled at a skill L.A. is in need of.
"He's just been on the ascend," Shula said. "... He's doing everything that we're asking him to do. He is playing really stout in the run game and he is giving us everything he has, so we're really happy with how he's playing."
Brown plays with a lot of emotion. Against the Saints, Brown yanked running back Alvin Kamara backwards after a one-yard gain on third down with less than two minutes to go. Outside linebacker Jared Verse ended the game on the next play by batting the ball out of Derek Carr's throwing hand, as New Orleans was forced to pass on fourth-and-three, down by seven.
"I was just mad and was trying to help the team win," Brown said the next day. "So I just had to channel it and go make a play."
Those were the types of clutch plays that may have gone unnoticed to the casual fan, but brought immense value to the Rams' defense in 2024.
