Rams Sign Former Patriots DT Dominique Easley

The Los Angeles Rams have been long known for their fearsome front seven, although the team’s newest acquisition will require some testing before he can be listed among the Rams’ other prolific pass rushers. LA today announced it has signed former New England Patriots defensive tackle Dominique Easley to a one-year contract.

On practically the definition of a “prove it” deal, Easley will be hoping to shed his “bust” status and become a regular rotational player on a team that has no problem besting opposing offensive lines. In two years with New England, Easley’s year ended on the injured reserve list twice, with only 25 tackles and 3 sacks to show for his professional career thus far.

Easley was selected in the first round of the 2014 draft with expectations that he would be mentored by the great Vince Wilfork, and eventually develop into an even more malleable, athletic force in the middle of the Pats’ D-line. After Easley watched the Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX from the sideline, Wilfork moved on to Houston. In Big Vince’s absence, Easley received the starting job in 2015, but was again downed by a season-ending thigh injury in December.

Enter the Rams, who will now boast five former first-rounders (Easley, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Robert Quinn and Quinton Coples) on the defensive line. And while Easley’s salary for this season has yet to be disclosed, the short-term nature of the contract will make it easy for the Rams to cut him, and essentially end his NFL career, if the injury bug bites again.

Coming out of college, Easley was considered an explosive, aggressive and unusually fleet-footed interior defender, whose injury history even in college had him projected as a mid-round pick. The Pats took a flyer on him; one that definitely didn’t pay off. For his sake, here’s hoping he stays healthy and shows some of that pizzazz for the new-look Rams in 2016.