Jeff Fisher to St. Louis Rams: 3 Ways He Can Influence the Roster

In somewhat of a surprising development, Jeff Fisher agreed to be the next head coach of the St. Louis Rams today. 

This came after ESPN's Adam Schefter sent out a tweet stating Fisher was leaning toward the vacancy in Miami. 

Now that he's taken over in St. Louis, what kind of influence can Rams fans expect the former Tennessee Titans coach to have on their team? 

Defense, Defense, Defense

The Rams had one of the most dreadful and easily exploited defenses in 2011. They allowed 152.1 yards on the ground and 25.4 points per game. 

Their 2010 unit wasn't much better. 

With his vast defensive background, expect Fisher to bring a defensive culture to the team heading into next season.

It doesn't matter how good Sam Bradford and the offense become; if St. Louis cannot stop their opposition's running game with some consistency, they'll struggle to return to relevance in the NFC.

Don't be shocked if the general manager hired is ready to acquire a handful of talented defenders in free agency and the draft. 

Leading me to my next point...

More Draft Picks 

This isn't exactly an influence, but it's an ideology that will go over well in St. Louis.

While intimidating receiver Justin Blackmon will be available when the Rams go on the clock with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2012 draft, there will be a few suitors looking to trade up with St. Louis to pick quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Blackmon would be an ideal weapon for Bradford, but the more intelligent idea, with the long-term in mind, would be to trade back and accumulate more picks. 

There's a great chance St. Louis will still be able to grab South Carolina wideout Alshon Jeffery and go use the majority of their additional draft choices on defensive linemen, linebackers and cornerbacks. 

Fisher's a heady guy, knows his team is still rebuilding and will love to add youthful talent to his defense. 

Improved Play from his Quarterback 

Fisher isn't solely a defensive mind. During his long tenure with the Oilers and Titans, his quarterbacks typically produced. 

Now, some of the success of Steve McNair, Vince Young and Kerry Collins can be attributed to Fisher's offensive coordinators, but he certainly knows which guys will help his quarterbacks flourish.

Fisher's clubs never had premier, All-Pro receivers, but McNair, Young and Collins were always respectable quarterbacks that relied on the run and made plays when needed.  

Expect him to bring a bright OC that can work with Bradford and maximize his potential. 

Entering his third year as a starter, I see the former No. 1 overall pick taking a step forward. 

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