Very recently I wrote an article about any positives that the Los Angeles Rams could find through the retirement of Aaron Donald. One potential positive I listed was seeing if other players on the team would step up, and to observe if the defense could hold it’s own without AD. Enter starting LA linebacker, Ernest Jones, who on Monday dropped a couple quotes about the team preparing for life without #99.

“I’m excited for the challenge,” Jones told reporters Monday, via FOX Sports’ Eric Williams, “defensively we’re excited about the challenge without AD.”

That is exactly what the Rams have to hope for. That the team is excited for this new step in their development, and not that they can’t imagine playing without one of the greatest players in NFL history. Another angle in all of this is that General Manager, Les Snead, Defensive Coordinator, Chris Shula, and the rest will be able to evaluate how the team does without the impact of Donald. Jones seems to believe other players will have an opportunity to grow their name at the NFL level as well.

“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,”

Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images

To add even more intrigue to this situation is Jones looking for a contract extension. Jones is still under his rookie deal, however he certainly doesn’t carry himself like a player on their first contract. He gives off a vibe that he has been through this before, and it seems like he has a genuine desire to lead the Rams right now regardless of whether an extension is worked out or not. The linebacker expressed he has wanted to be a leader for this team since he first arrived.

“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.”

It’s this type of can do attitude that I would think the organization and fans alike want to hear. There is no time for: “Woe is me. What do we do without AD?” The fact is that the team needs to prepare for life without the great #99. It seems that Jones is ready. We’ll find out if the rest of the team is too.

Already a Super Bowl Champion with hopefully a long career ahead, Ernest Jones should have plenty to look forward to with or without AD on the field, and with or without the Rams’ logo on his uniform. So far though, he is showing he may be a leader the Rams don’t want to lose. Jones should be excited to see what himself and the team can do this year, and gameday can’t come fast enough.