When Rams OLB Alec Ogletree went down in early October of 2015, it was a key loss for an up and coming player in a stocked defensive roster.

Despite the time he missed thereafter, Ogletree's about to become a much bigger part of the Rams defense. In his press conference at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine today, Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher confirmed Ogletree is set to move to the middle to replace recently departed longtime-serving Mike linebacker James Laurinaitis at the heart of the defense. That, coupled with news from Jim Thomas that the Rams are seeking to sign Ogletree to a long-term extension, underscores just how important Tree is going to be to the Rams moving forward:

Rams have meeting scheduled w/Ogletree's agent this week @ Combine. Extension looming. — Jim Thomas (@jthom1) February 24, 2016

It's a steep incline for a player to climb who missed the last 12 games of his third season, but clearly the Rams are willing to invest heavily in him.

More to come...