As the Los Angeles Rams scramble to assemble a new defensive line in the wake of injuries to both Kobie Turner and Poona Ford, undrafted rookie Bill Norton could be the answer that Chris Shula is looking for. Although Norton is on the practice squad and yet to be called up for an NFL game, there are components to his player profile that make him a more intriguing option moving forward than L.A.’s current stable of backups.
Rams fans just want something to be excited about right now, and an underdog
story like Norton’s fits the bill.
What went wrong this season?
Injury attrition continues to take its tollon the Rams defensive line with this weeks news that Poona Ford (torn tricep) is lost for the season and Kobie Turner faces extended time, a minimum of four weeks, on the the Injured Reserve List. Both L.A.’s coaching and front office braintrust areleft scrambling to fill the void.
The Rams just happen to have a prospect on their practice squad that is certainly big enough to take up some of that space: 6’ 5” 330 lb. defensive tackle Bill Norton.
In the recent past, the Rams have been trending towards smaller, speaking relatively when it’s 300 lb. men, defensive interior players that can be moved freely across the front line. Norton’s thick and wide frame breaks that mold. Now in the midst of his second season, he signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2025. At that time, his addition appeared to be another piece of L.A.’s big picture plan to improve a run defense that had a Bottom 10 NFL ranking in 2024. Norton has not seen any time on the 53-man roster and has been biding his time toiling on the L.A. practice squad
Norton boasts a good pedigree. Originally recruited and signed by the Georgia Bulldogs as a four-star high school recruit. Played basketball, as well. Spent four seasons with the “Dawgs and was part of two National Championship teams. He never was able to break through in Athens, playing in 26 games and accumulating modest stats (12 tackles, 3.5 for loss) on special teams and in a reserve role. Rode the portal west to Arizona for 2023 and had his best college season, starting 12 of 13 games and charting 32 tackles, 2.5 for loss, three batted down passes and two forced fumbles. Norton stepped in class for his final season in 2024 with the Texas Longhorns. He saw action in 14 games and claimed 14 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and one sack.
Finding a role that fits
Gone are are the days when L.A. made due with a predominant five-man front base. Sub packages are now the rule, based mostly on four man defensive fronts. Last year, according to Sharp Football Analysis, the Rams used sub defensive packages at a 75 percent rate. In the past two seasons they have moved towards a deep rotation on the defensive interior, at times using as many as seven different players in a game, and moving them interchangeably. Norton will find his fit as one of those pieces,
Norton projects best into the Poona Ford role, as the dirty work guy tasked with clogging the inside gaps, disrupting run lanes and absorbing double team blocks to open things up for others. Not glamorous, the job is for lunch pail-type players that don’t need glossy stat counts to keep them pounding away. There might also be place for him on special teams, he was a regular performer on those units in college. Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart said of his special teams efforts,
“What a great kid man, this guy worked his tail off here, worked really hard. One of his key roles was with special teams, he played on our field goal protection unit and was the best at doing it.”
What does the film say?
With the Rams strategy of all roster contributors sitting out the preseason, it creates the opportunity to see a lot of Norton on film. L.A. did not limit him to nose tackle or shading the center in the A gaps, he was employed up and down the front line. On field goal/extra point protection, he displayed a low pad level and wide base and staying connected (no open lanes) to the players on his flanks.
He’s not an explosive gap shooter/penetrator that will create pass rush pressure. Nor does he have a toolbox full of moves that he can combine to wreak havoc. Norton is going to use linear push as his predominant move. If he gets stymied, he’s aware of getting into passing lanes and stretching out his frame to tighten passing lanes. He had three batted passes in preseason. Not often, but he had a few reps from outside on the edge, and the short runway allowed him to do a pretty good job using a direct speed to power attack.
Inside, taking on blockers is where he’ll have the best chance for success. While arm length is just adequate (32 1/4”) and his punch isn’t of stun grade, he does a good job of landing first and is quite accurate. It enables him to keep good control tostack/shed blockers. When you combine the extension with a wide base, he was able to hold ground against double teams at the preseason level of competition. Not gifted with plus agility or change of direction skills, but he moves laterally pretty well for his girth. More importantly, Norton is a hustler, navigates well in traffic, and takes good angles in pursuit. Although he’ll likely struggle in the open field, expect him get his share of hustle stops from behind, even across the field.
Does Bill Norton offer any value?
The Rams put a lot of weight on the shoulders of the defensive line. In the past, along with run-stopping responsibilities, the front (including edges in this case) has been expected to provide pass rush pressure without a lot of blitz calls. Although the Rams are blitzing at a 10% higher rate this year than last (27.5% to 17.7%), it’s not identity of the defense. Norton shouldn’t be expected to upgrade the pass rush, maybe clean up and/or back door hustle pursuit
Fans have to be realistic about the value Norton can offer. He is not an All-Pro waiting for his big chance and bringing a polished game up with him from the practice squad. What he can offer is rotational snaps, particularly working in running situations. Providing a big body to help improve L.A.’s between the tackles run defense. Every double team he can draw and engage will keep a linebacker/safety clean to fill a lane or give one of the better-equipped pass rushers a 1on1.
On the defensive interior, big problems demand big answers. Bill Norton certainly offers the size, will the Rams apply it?
