By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

Entering this offseason, the need to add help on defense in the draft was almost a situation of panic. The Rams struggled so mightily on defense that any defensive player would have been a plus with the first pick, especially a linebacker.

After an offseason of re-shuffling the deck and one aggressive and important free agent addition, that thinking has changed some.

The Rams started free agency with a linebacker corps of Pisa Tinoisamoa, Dexter Coakley, Brandon Chillar, Drew Wahlroos and Trev Faulk. With the possible exception of Tinoisamoa, most of that group is either inexperienced or coming off injury problems or both.

In last year’s free agent market, the team aggressively pursued Coakley and middle linebacker Chris Claiborne. Problem solved, right? Well, not necessarily. Coakley and Claiborne weren’t on the field much because of defensive sub packages. Eventually, Coakley and Claiborne suffered season-ending injuries.

Claiborne was released soon after the arrival of the new coaching staff and Coakley has been rehabilitating and should return. As free agency began, the Rams had only one spot in the linebacking crew nailed down, the weakside (WIL), which perpetually has belonged to Tinoisamoa.

But, the team wasted no time in finding a replacement for Claiborne in the middle. This time, the team didn’t go for a cheaper veteran, instead opting to spend some big money to land one of the top free agents on the market, Carolina’s Will Witherspoon.

Instantly, the position was upgraded and by installing Witherspoon next to Tinoisamoa, the Rams have one of the fastest, most athletic duos in the league.

That leaves just one spot open, a spot that hasn’t yet been filled. The new coaching staff likes Chillar, but he is coming off injury problems and has been inconsistent at times.

To compete with Chillar, the Rams added former Minnesota linebacker Raonall Smith. Smith has also had injury problems and hasn’t been able to develop as planned. Still, Smith is young and many believe he has plenty of upside.

Even with Chillar and Smith providing depth, the Rams would like to find a more permanent and stout player to fill the strong side (SAM) position. This draft is loaded with linebacker prospects, making the possibility of that addition greater.

Ohio State’s A.J. Hawk headlines the class and is considered one of the best linebackers to enter the draft in some time. Hawk is capable of playing any of the linebacker spots and some believe he is the type of player that could have an immediate impact.

The Rams have Hawk rated as one of the best players on their board, but it isn’t likely that he will last to No. 11. Should Hawk slide some, though, there is a chance the Rams would move up in a trade to grab him.

More realistic possibilities include Iowa’s Chad Greenway, Florida State’s Ernie Sims and Kamerion Wimbley and Ohio State’s Bobby Carpenter.

Others that the Rams might have interest in later in the draft include UTEP’s Thomas Howard, Maryland’s D’Qwell Jackson, Iowa’s Abdul Hodge and Miami’s Rocky McIntosh.