Ernest Jones ‘Sure Can Handle’ Increased Spotlight
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ernest Jones has his eyes on a vacant leadership position in the locker room.
It’s good the Rams have someone motivated to step up because replacing Aaron Donald is no easy task.
Aaron Donald officially retired in March as a ten-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Byron Young and Kobie Turner enjoyed encouraging rookie seasons in 2023, and will hopefully develop. Meanwhile, the Rams further boosted their defense with the recruitment of Tre’Davious White, Kamren Curl and Darius Williams.
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Ernest Jones says Donald’s retirement is an opportunity for other players to make a name for themselves. Namely him.
“I’m excited for the challenge,” Ernest Jones said.
“We get to go out there and now it’s time for those guys to make a name for themselves, so it’s just going to be a great task,” he said.
In three seasons, Jones has played in 47 games (33 starts), including a victorious Super Bowl. In 2023 he had 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks – both career highs.
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“From the moment I got here, this was a goal of mine to be this leader of this defense,” he said.
“Kinda took that towards last year, but with him being gone now, there’s a lot more eyes on me, which I can sure handle. Got a great group of guys that I’m looking forward to lead. We brought in some key parts that I think are going to be real beneficial to us as a team. When you got a team like that, it’s truly easy to lead, then, because all guys are ready to go.”
