Rams gave up on this veteran NT too soon and they might regret it

When the Los Angeles Rams pivoted from the 2024 season to the 2025 season, they had to make quick decisions about who to extend and who to let walk away into the 2025 NFL Free Agency market. One veteran whose rookie contract had expired was nose tackle Bobby Brown III. Brown pleaded for a larger role on the defensive side of the ball. But those pleas landed on deaf ears, and Brown signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Bobby Brown III may have wanted to wield a more diverse role on the Rams defensive front, but he was the tried and true run stuffer of the group. Despite standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 332 pounds, he was slow to develop. He suffered minor injuries in his first two seasons, but those detours were just enough to force the team to develop a rotation without him.

In four seasons on the Rams roster, he only played 971 defensive snaps, which is fewer than Quentin Lake played in 2024 alone.

But Brown was Steady Freddie when it came to stuffing the run. In 2024, he made 44 tackles, four tackles for a loss, deflected a pass, and only missed one tackle.

Did Rams gave up on this veteran NT too soon?

Brown did not want to seek a role on a new NFL team. He simply wanted a larger role on the Rams defense. You could interpret the pleas for a larger role to mean that he wanted a larger offer than the Rams were willing to make to re-sign him. Regardless of how the negotiations to extend Bobby Brown III took place, they failed. As a result, the player and team parted ways after four seasons.

Now, Bobby Brown III had reunited with former teammate, DT A'Shawn Robinson, has reported put on nearly 10 pounds of added muscle, and is turning heads and dropping jaws in the Carolina Panthers training camp:

Dave Canales explains what has stuck out about Bobby Brown III during these initial open workouts. Says he’s gained 7-8 pounds of lean muscle and that he’s impressed by the #Panthers’ free agent acquisition. pic.twitter.com/P8mXTfpdlc

— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) June 11, 2025

Bobby Brown III was one of the defensive linemen who was approved by former Rams DL Coach Eric Henderson. Coach Henny has a shrewd eye for talent, and whenever he shared his insights with me regarding defensive line rookie prospects or free agents, he was quick to point out whether a player took off plays that went the other direction.

I loved reading or hearing Coach Henny break down a player.

Being drafted by the Rams during Coach Henny's tenure is akin to a household appliance getting the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. In short, you know that player is willing to grind, and will give you everything he's got on every play. That is the foundation of #DAWGWORK