It looks like Snead has very nearly completed the biggest rebuild ever

[LesBaker]

When he and Fisher took over the Rams were coming off the worst 5 year run in the history of the NFL. The roster was almost completely populated with players who had little talent and ability.

We know Fisher had "final say" during his tenure, and still Snead did a good job putting talent in front of him so that the roster could be restocked with talent even when Fisher was pulling the trigger not Snead.

I remember when those two first started saying that if they turned the team around and made it a winner that it would be the ultimate resume builder. A team that was essentially shit for over two decades with a three year blip when it caught lightning in a bottle was nothing but the biggest rebuild ever. Because frankly it was the truth.

To put it in perspective everyone likes to poke fun at the Browns and how bad they have been. They have more wins than the Rams since 1995 when they "returned" to Cleveland. Yeah it's been that smelly.

Here we are now, with the Rams on the cusp of taking control of the division that once had the Rams penciled into last place year after year. A big portion of that is Snead. He put more talent on the roster, he picked up (as he calls them) "hidden gems" in late rounds and street free agents..........and most important he didn't draft Griffin and made the deal to draft Goff. He climbs up and down the draft fearlessly, not always perfectly, but he is brave enough and secure enough to take chances.

I think it's fair to say he's on the verge of completing the biggest rebuild in the sports history.

 

[tempests]

Seems like there's no consensus on what constitutes a true rebuild, but I've always regarded the Rams as beginning in 2009. When Demoff, Devaney and Spagnuolo did the slash and burn thing to the Rams roster.The work of dumping bad contracts and absorbing dead money had begun. Fisher and Snead inherited a barren roster, but it was also an decimated one that had a record breaking stretch of injuries both on offense and in the secondary. The widely quoted stat about 2011 Rams being out of football is a little misleading; it refers to the state of the roster at the end of the year, when Devaney spent the last few weeks filling out the roster with street free agents because the Rams defensive backs were dropping like flies.

I also regard that rebuild as a failed venture; Demoff said as much at the press conference following Fisher's firing. I can only surmise between 2016-17 Snead went back to the drawing board, because whatever path he and Fisher were on wasn't working. Kept some core concepts but shed others and adopted new ones, because he had to.

Rams have been bad for a while but we have company.

When I think of biggest rebuilds, the one I always go to is Rich McKay and Tony Dungy with the Bucs. All those people ranting about Dungy in the Hall might contemplate what they were before he got there. Truly awful organization, seriously, look at the way they drafted in the 80s and 90s. Shocking. McKay becomes their GM in 1994, and in his second draft, he takes Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks in the same round. Boom. That's how you get it done.

I don't know if the 2010s Lions count as a successful rebuild, but they're finally off the mat. Matt Millen left that franchise in a state of carnage like I've never seen. .242 winning % between 2001-08.

Of course, if the Browns finally field a contender, they'll blow us all away in this category; they have 19 fewer wins than any other team since they were reborn in Cleveland.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Front office/GM have all done an amazing job. Snead always makes a lot of sense when he talks, like what he says has been carefully thought out; I like it.

 

[Merlin]

During the Fish era they at least added talent to the roster. Everything didn't come together, as they didn't have the coaching on offense, but there were pieces on the OL, at RB, QB, and even a couple at WR/TE.

Re: the draft I do think that McVay is better with comms with Les and his scouts, and so you get more of that environment where everyone's pulling in the same direction. And while it's early this past draft--without a round 1 pick mind you--looks like one of the better ones of Snead's tenure probably for that reason.

 

[nighttrain]

During the Fish era they at least added talent to the roster. Everything didn't come together, as they didn't have the coaching on offense, but there were pieces on the OL, at RB, QB, and even a couple at WR/TE.

Re: the draft I do think that McVay is better with comms with Les and his scouts, and so you get more of that environment where everyone's pulling in the same direction. And while it's early this past draft--without a round 1 pick mind you--looks like one of the better ones of Snead's tenure probably for that reason.

IF,and that's a very bit if, Sam Bradford hadn't been injured early on, imagine what might have been!

train

 

[Corbin]

Come on the Snead band wagon is filling up... I've been on it for a while and it's nice and cozy up here!

 

[Merlin]

Come on the Snead band wagon is filling up... I've been on it for a while and it's nice and cozy up here!

I presume it has nice hair. Maybe looks like the car in Dumb and Dumber?

 

[PhillyRam]

How about the 99' Rams? Most losses in the 90's before that season. Vermeil began the rebuild by trading up for Pace, added talent with draft picks in Wistrom, Bly, McCleon, Holt, Williams, Tucker, Holcombe, plus key FAs in Jones, Proehl, Collins, Timmerman, Green, and of course Warner.

Then was topped off by adding Martz.

So that was a hell of a rebuild.

BTW, makes you think if Fisher would have found his Martz would he have been successful? I think the D was still too undisciplined to win big, but lets say he hires a young McVay to be his OC and lets also say Bradford stays healthy.... it might have been interesting.

 

[Merlin]

Oh and btw take a look at some of the decisions pending for Les after this season. Here's some of our free agents for 2018:

CB Johnson
WR Watkins
OLB Barwin
ILB Ogletree
CB/S Joyner
C Sullivan
CB Robey-Coleman
DT Walker

Plus the whole Aaron Donald deal. Les has his work cut out for him man.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I mentioned after we brought in Wade Phillips that it would require 2 years to fully transition to his new Rams 3 - 4 base D when it comes to personnel, and still believe this to be true. Demoff has set the team up to be in great shape as far as the CAP concerns us for 2018, and we'll likely be big players in free agency once again, perhaps not quite as many as this year, but it will still be significant and primarily leaning towards the defensive side of the ball.
Snead & McVay did what was necessary to skillfully re-build our offense first, so I imagine most of the major tinkering is behind us other than the usual annual depth moves. It's early yet in the development & chemistry department, although it certainly appears McSnead have done a terrific job turning around our O, ... i'm guessing Snead/Phillips will get equal free agency treatment next season. jmo

 

[Adi]

Last 3 first round picks: Donald, Gurley, Goff ! That can change a franchise alone.

 

[Tron]

Last 3 first round picks: Donald, Gurley, Goff ! That can change a franchise alone.

Dont forget GRob!!!!

 

[TexasRam]

Oh and btw take a look at some of the decisions pending for Les after this season. Here's some of our free agents for 2018:

CB Johnson
WR Watkins
OLB Barwin
ILB Ogletree
CB/S Joyner
C Sullivan
CB Robey-Coleman
DT Walker

Plus the whole Aaron Donald deal. Les has his work cut out for him man.

I am signing my CB’s and Sullivan. The rest are replaceable.

If Watkins wants a team friendly deal I’m also signing him. I’ve done the math and we will have the cap room next year to sign all those guys.

 

[Karate61]

How about the 99' Rams? Most losses in the 90's before that season. Vermeil began the rebuild by trading up for Pace, added talent with draft picks in Wistrom, Bly, McCleon, Holt, Williams, Tucker, Holcombe, plus key FAs in Jones, Proehl, Collins, Timmerman, Green, and of course Warner.

Then was topped off by adding Martz.

So that was a hell of a rebuild.

BTW, makes you think if Fisher would have found his Martz would he have been successful? I think the D was still too undisciplined to win big, but lets say he hires a young McVay to be his OC and lets also say Bradford stays healthy.... it might have been interesting.

Hey you forgot Faulk...biggest 1999 off season trade for a #2 pick. What a rebuild here...3 current Hall of Famers in that group.

 

[PressureD41]

The list of hidden Gems Snead has found is crazy good.
T.Smart / T. Walker / M. Longarce

 

[Adi]

Dont forget GRob!!!!

GROB came before Donald so the last 3 were Donald Gurley and goff, 2 of them were rookie of the year and goff seems to be coming around . I'll take that any time

 

[BonifayRam]

The list of hidden Gems Snead has found is crazy good.
T.Smart / T. Walker / M. Longarce

Hidden Gems...... The future OSLB'ers looks promising in my eyes:
Matt Longacre 6-3/255 26-3yrs UDFA
Carlos Thompson 6-5/250 25-1 UDFA
Samson Ebukam 6-3/240 22-R 4th rd.
Ejuan Price 6-0/250 24-R 7th rd.

Not much high valued capital & assets have been used up in this area this season. the budget econo priced Longacre & solidly outplayed the Once Might Quinn who is now nothing but a soft shell of his once self. I would prefer to release the 12.4 mil cap cost of Quinn to resign the veteran Barwin if possible for 2018 season.

At the moment Snead will need to focus & retool the 2018 Ram secondary in this off season.He has Trumaine Johnson, Mo Alexander, Lamarcus Joyner, Cody Davis & Nickell Robey-Coleman all of which have had 2 or more starts the first month of this season. All will be UFA's in March. Snead only has one replacement of these five on board currently & that safety John Johnson III.

I foresee Snead & McVay utilizing a high value asset on a CB in the Draft in 2018 & a strong attempt to resign 2 of the 5 Ram UFA's (LJ & NFC) too. A blue chip LT would fall right end after the CB in needs.

 

[MadGoat]

As already mentioned, the pieces to put the Rams in the playoffs were in place... and then Bradford re-tore his ACL. I'm not sure the team was built for much more than that. If Bradford sticks around maybe you get a 10-6 season or 9-7 wildcard season in there, but there wasn't the coaching in place to get much more.

The whiffs at OT and WR also put a cap on the overall potential as well. It's just the reality of drafting, you are going to make mistakes. The problem is that they kept making them at the same positions. Snead needs to draft an average or better LT next year or this progress will be stunted very soon. Snead gets a pass at WR. He apparently set out to prove that it's easier just to steal another team's WRs than draft your own. I'm OK with that.

 

[BonifayRam]

As already mentioned, the pieces to put the Rams in the playoffs were in place... and then Bradford re-tore his ACL. I'm not sure the team was built for much more than that. If Bradford sticks around maybe you get a 10-6 season or 9-7 wildcard season in there, but there wasn't the coaching in place to get much more.

The whiffs at OT and WR also put a cap on the overall potential as well. It's just the reality of drafting, you are going to make mistakes. The problem is that they kept making them at the same positions. Snead needs to draft an average or better LT next year or this progress will be stunted very soon. Snead gets a pass at WR. He apparently set out to prove that it's easier just to steal another team's WRs than draft your own. I'm OK with that.

You could say the same about stealing another teams LT & Center too........I would suggest to Snead to consideration of stealing another Redskin young veteran center named Spencer Long who will be a UFA in March.

 

[Hey Man]

Nice conversation piece at 3-1, lol