How Good Can the Rams’ Defensive Front Be? It Has a Chance to Join Franchise Royalty

The Los Angeles Rams have had some intimidating defensive fronts over the years.

This one has the potential to belong in that conversation.

With Aaron Donald officially returning for 2026, Los Angeles can now deploy Donald alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, with Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford and Byron Young filling out a remarkably deep collection of pass-rush talent. NFL.com recently described that potential group as one that would make Los Angeles “the envy of the league.”

That might actually undersell it.

Entering the regular season, I would rank the Rams’ defensive front No. 1 in the NFL on pure upside.

There are deeper groups. There are younger groups. Philadelphia and several other contenders can make legitimate arguments depending on how broadly we’re defining the defensive front.

But nobody has a pair quite like Donald and Garrett.

The Problem Starts With Garrett

Before Donald even returned, Los Angeles had already made its intentions obvious.

Garrett arrives after producing an NFL-record 23 sacks in 2025, along with 33 tackles for loss. Turner added seven sacks and 14 quarterback hits, while Fiske contributed another three sacks and 10 quarterback hits.

That’s the foundation Donald is joining.

Offensive coordinators normally build protection plans around Garrett. Tackles receive help. Tight ends chip. Running backs alter their releases. Protections slide toward him.

For most teams, that’s enough of a weekly headache.

Now imagine doing that while Aaron Donald is aligned inside.

Even at 35 and after two seasons away, Donald doesn’t necessarily need to return as the same player who once broke offenses by himself. NFL.com recently noted that Garrett commanding attention off the edge could potentially leave Donald with more favorable one-on-one opportunities inside.

That’s the terrifying part.

For almost his entire career, offenses asked one question before playing Los Angeles:

How do we block No. 99?

Now they have to ask it about No. 99 and Garrett simultaneously.

There aren’t many good answers.

And This Isn’t Just a Two-Man Front

That’s what elevates the Rams from having two superstars to potentially possessing the league’s best overall unit.

Turner has steadily developed into one of Los Angeles’ most reliable young defenders. Late last season, he recorded four sacks over a four-game stretch, the most among NFL interior defensive linemen during that span.

Fiske brings another explosive interior option.

Ford provides size against the run.

Young adds speed off the edge.

Los Angeles doesn’t need Donald or Garrett to play 90 percent of the snaps. It can rotate bodies, create favorable matchups and keep its elite rushers fresh for obvious passing situations.

That matters in January.

Where I Rank Them

Going into Week 1, my defensive-front hierarchy begins like this:

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Denver Broncos
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Detroit Lions

Some of that is projection.

We haven’t seen Donald play an NFL snap since 2023, and nobody should pretend his age or absence doesn’t matter. There’s also a meaningful difference between having famous names on a depth chart and functioning as a cohesive defensive front.

But the ceiling is unmatched.

If Donald is even 75-80 percent of what he once was, this isn’t simply a good defensive line.

It could become unfair.

Rams History Makes the Comparison Much More Interesting

The funny thing is that Los Angeles has been here before.

Long before Donald became the face of defensive-line dominance, the Rams produced one of the most famous fronts football has ever seen.

The Fearsome Foursome.

Deacon Jones. Merlin Olsen. Rosey Grier. Lamar Lundy.

That unit helped redefine defensive-line play during the 1960s. The Rams themselves describe the group as one of the most dominant defensive lines in NFL history, crediting it with helping usher in a more aggressive era of pass rushing.

Jones and Olsen became Hall of Famers.

Jones earned six consecutive unanimous All-Pro selections from 1965 through 1970, while Olsen reached the Pro Bowl in each of his first 14 NFL seasons.

That’s the historical standard in this franchise.

And incredibly, this current group gives us a reason to mention it.

Then Came the First Donald Era

Donald has already been part of multiple elite Rams fronts.

In 2016, NFL.com ranked Los Angeles’ defensive line No. 1 in football behind Donald, Robert Quinn and Michael Brockers.

Two years later, Donald shared a front with Ndamukong Suh and Brockers. That group entered the season ranked among the NFL’s best, and Donald responded with one of the greatest seasons ever produced by an interior defender: 20.5 sacks, 41 quarterback hits and 25 tackles for loss.

Then came 2021.

Donald anchored the defensive front of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship team. Los Angeles generated 50 regular-season sacks, and its defensive line helped produce 12 more during the postseason.

And who made the defining defensive play of that Super Bowl?

Donald.

Of course he did.

Could 2026 Become the Best Rams Front Since the Fearsome Foursome?

That’s where I’m stopping—for now.

There is too much history behind that comparison to hand it out in August.

The Fearsome Foursome changed football.

The 2021 group won a championship.

The 2018 group featured Donald operating at arguably the highest level we’ve ever seen from an interior defensive lineman.

The 2026 Rams haven’t played a meaningful snap together.

But talent-wise?

It’s absolutely in the conversation.

Donald is one of the greatest defensive players ever.

Garrett is coming off a historic season.

Turner is entering his prime.

Fiske is still ascending.

And Sean McVay’s staff suddenly possesses the kind of personnel that allows a defensive coordinator to dictate matchups rather than react to them.

There will be stretches this season where offenses simply cannot double everybody.

Somebody is going to get isolated.

If that somebody is Aaron Donald or Myles Garrett, good luck.

The Standard Is Bigger Than No. 1

Calling the Rams the best defensive front entering 2026 isn’t really the most interesting question.

The more interesting one is what happens if they’re as good as they look on paper.

Because then we’re no longer comparing them with Philadelphia, Baltimore or Denver.

We’re comparing them with other great Rams defenses.

The Fearsome Foursome.

Donald and Suh.

The Super Bowl LVI front.

Those are much harder standards to reach.

But for perhaps the first time since Donald walked away after 2023, the Rams have assembled a defensive front talented enough that the comparison doesn’t feel ridiculous.

The Rams may have the NFL’s best defensive line in 2026. By January, we could be asking a much bigger question: where does it rank in franchise history?

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