THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams' defense reached an optimal level well before their offense did. And now that the offense has finally caught up, that defense is getting significantly older and more expensive, making it increasingly difficult to keep it intact.
Welcome to the biggest challenge of the Rams' 2018 offseason.
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins, a candidate to be tagged, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who could soon sign a lucrative extension, are the names that promise to absorb most of the attention. But the Rams' most pressing matters lie in figuring out what to do with a foursome of key defensive players who are either approaching free agency or coming up on flexible portions of their contracts.