Klein: Q&A: Rams General Manager Les Snead

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis

upload_2017-1-28_9-18-45.png

Rams General Manager Les Snead speaks at Coach Sean McVay's introductory news conference on Jan. 13. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Q&A: Rams General Manager Les Snead talks rookie Coach Sean McVay, draft needs and free agents at the Senior Bowl


By Gary Klein

For the second time in two years, the Rams are in the midst of major transition.

In 2016, the franchise moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles. The Rams drew more than 90,000 to the Coliseum for an exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys, but fan interest waned by the end of a 4-12 season that included the firing of coach Jeff Fisher.


New Coach Sean McVay, 31, is in the process of assembling his staff and assessing a roster that could have a far different look when quarterback Jared Goff, the top pick in the 2016 draft, begins his second season. McVay has hired veteran Wade Phillips to coordinate the defense.

Rams General Manager Les Snead attended Senior Bowl workouts this week in preparation for the NFL draft, which is scheduled for April 27-29 in Philadelphia. He sat down with Times reporter Gary Klein in Mobile, Ala., and answered questions about several topics.

What’s it been like to work with Sean McVay?

Exciting, because you see the young head coach but you also see him bring this unbelievable energy and passion to the job with that thought of how he wants to put together his staff and the puzzle there and what he’s trying to accomplish. … You’re working together to problem-solve, come up with solutions, come up with decisions and try to come up with what’s best for the Rams…. You can feel the chemistry developing based on just rolling up your sleeves and going to work and making your first decisions together.

You’ve dealt with people in your peer and age group and coaches who were older. This is a young coach. Has that been different for you?

My wife has joked, ‘Who are you going to hang out with more, him or [69-year-old] Wade?’…. It’s just a joke but what’s interesting is this is a young man’s sport, so in our business some of the most important people in the organization are, heck, 21 or 22. You’re used to being around and feeling youth. …. I know he’s young, but he seems like 40-something, and that’s probably in maturity and the way he goes about his business and his knowledge of football.

Another young guy: Jared Goff. When you look back on how he did this season and where he is going, what is your sense?

What he went through is only going to be positive in the future. It goes back to experience. … He knows what it’s like now. … What you got back is a very poised player — and adversity doesn’t rattle him. … Looking forward to seeing him grow because he’s felt and seen Sean come in and implement his offense, and Sean is really big on the quarterback. Jared’s chomping at the bit.

What are the biggest needs to be addressed or filled going into draft and the free-agent season?

I don’t know if I want to tell you exactly because it might tip hands, but I think philosophically I can tell you it’s probably, duh, right? We’ve got to figure out how to improve the offense and how that looks and what position groups you start attacking first. We want to move the ball, we want to get first downs and we want to score points. That’s going to be addressed at all angles.

At the Senior Bowl last year we talked about the offensive line. Coming off last season when you drafted linemen that played well, you felt like that had been solved. What happened?

It’s probably more complicated than just the sophomore slump…. I’m looking forward to working with Sean and his staff and if you want to call it sifting through and figuring that out…. We did acquire some young players but I’m a realist to know some might not be there yet, some might be on their way to getting there and some of them might not be who we thought they are.

If you’re a fan or watching this team you’re going, ‘What about the receiving corps?’ Kenny Britt is going to be a free agent, Brian Quick is going to be a free agent and Tavon Austin has a hefty extension. Is it fair to say you’re going to be looking at receivers?

Definitely fair, and it’s interesting with the receiving group because we already know a good bit about what Sean would like in his receivers. They’ve been described many times like a basketball team. And what that means is you probably don’t field five point guards, five shooting guards. …. With our pending UFAs I think it’s very safe to say we’ve got to sit down with the offensive group and see what they bring to the table and do they exactly fit us with the guys that are already on the team.

Fans want a home-run hitter. They want a legitimate No. 1 guy. You have cap space but in the last few years have not been real aggressive making a big-time splash through free-agent acquisitions. Is this a year, with receivers like DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey out there, that you might become more aggressive?

This is the year because we do think, ‘Hey, our young team’s at the point where we’re re-signing people and they’re into their veteran phase of life.’ Now you sprinkle in veterans, and it doesn’t have to be a huge splash, but it might be two players for one that help. If you’re talking about receivers in the passing game, one’s great but maybe two actually help it better.

On the defensive side, Wade — at least traditionally — likes to run a 3-4 scheme. You guys have been a hybrid 4-3. Do you make draft and free-agent decisions based on the kinds of defense he wants to play?

Our job, going back to the beginning, has got to be symbiotic relationship. We need to go find the players that fit the description of what he wants that position to look like. That’s our job and we’re all working together to get this thing done.

There are not a lot of linebackers on the roster. Do you have to acquire more?

You look at your ends and which ones will be more the 3-4 [outside linebackers]. … We’ll get to all that. It will be a big project we do in the first month of transition. … How do they fit and what is a fit? And at that point we have to merge our scouting department with our coaching so our scouts are finding players that fit the coaches’ schemes.

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson played under the franchise tag this season. What’s happening with him going forward?

That will be a big decision. Wade, like a lot of [defensive coordinators], likes good players on the outside. Trumaine fits that category…. Trumaine is a larger guy with good ball skills and all things like that. Is it a square in a square, a triangle in a triangle or more a rectangle in a square? … That’s probably one of the top priorities when Wade walks in the door because, obviously, the magnitude of what his contract will look like and the magnitude of what another franchise tag looks like and everything in between.

What about receiver Kenny Britt?

We have a new scheme. He had his best year. Now you’re going to come back and decide does he fit. If he does, what kind of price and does that fit the model? And again that’s going to be working with the offensive staff to try and figure that out.

And safety T.J. McDonald?

You have to put brakes on all these decisions so that you can get the new group in and figure out who fits. And if they fit what the price is. And then, at that point, are there other additions from the outside that we’d like to add and does that push someone out.

[www.latimes.com]
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2
FWIW many felt Snead should be shown the door too and I was one of them although Snead has done a yeoman's job building the scouting department from the ground up, I guess it was totally unfair to judge Snead because Jeff Fisher had the final say over personnel decisions. Now that includes UDRFA's that many seem to want to give Snead the credit for, however, you can't discredit Fisher and Credit Snead IMO, we will see how this works out moving forward.

We all hope that what happened in Atlanta when they hired Dan Quinn GM Thomas Dimitroff was on the hot seat as well, however, the Falcons felt good about the relationship between Quinn & Dimitroff and kept the General Manager and that has worked out very well, so here's hoping that Snead & McVay can be as effective and we will find out come April because although the Rams do not have a first round selection, they do have a 2nd, 3rd, two 4th's, 5th, two 6th's and a 7th. So the Rams have one more selection then their full compliment of draft picks, so now it's time for Snead to prove he's more than show, that he actually has some substance.
 
Last edited:

IowaRam

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Nov 11, 2014
Messages
6,321
Name
Iowa
Great knack for talking a lot and not actually saying anything
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Great knack for talking a lot and not actually saying anything

Well, IMO, we are about to find out what Snead is all about, was it truly Fisher or Snead? They only signed Snead for another year, so I'm sure after 2017 if McVay goes in and informs Demoff & ESK he would rather have someone else, they will accomdate him, however, if the Rams have another tough year in 2017, Les will be the fall guy this time and IMO, they will change the whole structure of the organization, so this is a prove it year for Snead.
 

DaveFan'51

Old-Timer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
18,666
Name
Dave
In trying to read, between the line, it sounds like there will be a lot of significant changes coming! It going to be a verrry interesting Off-Season!!
 

Scirca

Rookie
Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
467
Get rid of Quick and Britt. Bring in Jason Kelce,center, from the Eagles. Pick up Alshon Jeffrey from free agency and draft offensive linemen, wide receivers, and cornerbacks.
 

ljramsfan

Pro Bowler
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
1,192
Name
LJ
In trying to read, between the line, it sounds like there will be a lot of significant changes coming! It going to be a verrry interesting Off-Season!!
That is exactly what I got out of it too. No one on that roster should think they are going to be safe this offseason. Its all about accountability.
 

DaveFan'51

Old-Timer
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
18,666
Name
Dave
That is exactly what I got out of it too. No one on that roster should think they are going to be safe this offseason. Its all about accountability.
I agree, But .... I think Aaron Donald and Hekker are "Safe!!":D
 

RamFan503

Grill and Brew Master
Moderator
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
33,812
Name
Stu
I think it's funny to expect any real answers in Q&As like this. You're just going to get a bunch of political cover.

The one thing I thought from reading it though is that Snead seemed to essentially be saying that just like before, who he goes after and what type of player he scouts is going to depend on who and what the coaching staff says they need.

No real surprise there. But it should give us some idea of if he is really good at going out and getting the players he is asked to get - which seems to me to be his real role with the Rams.
 

PressureD41

Les Snead's Draft Advisor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
3,803
Name
Eddy
Sign D-Jax and Wheaton, add two above avg OL, Draft a 2-CBs early along w/ a rusher early and add another OL, WR, TE through out the rest of the draft in no particular order.
 

So Ram

Legend
Camp Reporter
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
14,055
Sign D-Jax and Wheaton, add two above avg OL, Draft a 2-CBs early along w/ a rusher early and add another OL, WR, TE through out the rest of the draft in no particular order.

That was sort of what I got out of it. He said too for one when it came to WR position. DJ seems like the perfect fit.
They are boarder line tampering there.
I think DJ wants to play in his home town(home boy) & for McVay.
Wheaton played on West Coast( pac12).
--Sort of said about the offensive lineman that a player might have been a bust ?( GRob,Barnes,Saffold, or Aaron Donnel) . Will be real interesting how they evaluate & arrange the O'Line ?
Defense looks like how they want to spend money on CB ? Pass on Tru for 2 FA CBs ??
TE's ?? I think Hemingway could be a sleeper. He has such raw skills Imo . Kendrick is getting paid to much for all his mistakes.Frustrating at times.
 

8to12

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Camp Reporter
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
1,266
I don't understand why Snead was retained.
 

FRO

Legend
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
5,308
I think it's funny to expect any real answers in Q&As like this. You're just going to get a bunch of political cover.

The one thing I thought from reading it though is that Snead seemed to essentially be saying that just like before, who he goes after and what type of player he scouts is going to depend on who and what the coaching staff says they need.

No real surprise there. But it should give us some idea of if he is really good at going out and getting the players he is asked to get - which seems to me to be his real role with the Rams.
I guess it makes me an idiot because I read the whole thing and I'll make assumptions on what was said, but these interviews tend to be a bit meaningless. They aren't going to tell you much, because they can't. I was going to ask the rhetorical question on why they even do these knowing they won't get good direct answers, but if people like me keep reading them, then they'll keep making them.

All that being said, does anyone else feel like Johnson, Britt, and McDonald are goners? I have a hard time following what Snead says, but I get that vibe for some reason.
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15
All that being said, does anyone else feel like Johnson, Britt, and McDonald are goners? I have a hard time following what Snead says, but I get that vibe for some reason.

I concur IMO all of them will be gone because I see Johnson commanding far too much money and IMO, he's good, but not a total shut down corner and I believe Wade has eyes on others and with McDonald I believe the Rams will keep Alexander at that position and as to Britt, well, I will trust the new regime to make proper evaluations at that position moving forward.

FWIW's the Rams lost 12 games with Johnson, Britt & McDonald, they can lose 12 games without them.
 

So Ram

Legend
Camp Reporter
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
14,055
I concur IMO all of them will be gone because I see Johnson commanding far too much money and IMO, he's good, but not a total shut down corner and I believe Wade has eyes on others and with McDonald I believe the Rams will keep Alexander at that position and as to Britt, well, I will trust the new regime to make proper evaluations at that position moving forward.

FWIW's the Rams lost 12 games with Johnson, Britt & McDonald, they can lose 12 games without them.

My question is about where Joyner fits in to Wades defense ?? I keep hearing safety from some fans ??

Cody Davis is solid. He seems to be one of the only ones to get picks ?

TJ ? Would be what happened last off season ? He missed a lot of team events.Wonder how that effects things & what is his cost ??

Tru for 2 cb's . He is not worth his salary & always seems to get banged up.He means a lot , but depth is what The Rams really need at CB. Bringing in street FA's is not a good thing.

Britt seems like a East Coast guy. Rather DJ to represent .
Quick has been a mistake from the get go , but I'll leave that decision to McVay. Quick did test FA market , only to resign with The Rams.

Those are good questions that were asked & Snead has always been fairly straight up with Ram fans. He can't say what they are really looking for , but Duh is a funny statement .
-- The Rams are still some what of a mess, or really young ?? Coaching has been neede for awhile now.What a joke from some of the past coaching changes.
 

FRO

Legend
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
5,308
I concur IMO all of them will be gone because I see Johnson commanding far too much money and IMO, he's good, but not a total shut down corner and I believe Wade has eyes on others and with McDonald I believe the Rams will keep Alexander at that position and as to Britt, well, I will trust the new regime to make proper evaluations at that position moving forward.

FWIW's the Rams lost 12 games with Johnson, Britt & McDonald, they can lose 12 games without them.
But when you lose good young players you have to replace them, so instead of building onto your team you have to start over filling holes that didn't previously exist. The Rams didn't lose 12 games because of Johnson, Britt, and McDonald.
 

den-the-coach

Fifty-four Forty or Fight
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
22,425
Name
Dennis
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19
The Rams didn't lose 12 games because of Johnson, Britt, and McDonald.

Agreed, but Britt is not young. As to McDonald at the right price and I would be fine with keeping Johnson at the right price. Also I am trusting the new regime and they might want their type of players too...It's a CB rich draft so IMO there will be opportunities and I understand where you are coming from, but all teams must make those decisions and the Rams will need to keep money in reserve to keep the likes of Donald & Ogletree moving forward.
 

RamFan503

Grill and Brew Master
Moderator
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
33,812
Name
Stu
I would be more concerned about CB than I would McD. I get that if he tries to demand too much then we may have to part ways. But his asking price is likely to be reasonable as he has not received huge accolades nor does he carry any insight on the Rams new defense.

Given better CB play on BOTH sides, it seems to me that McD is anything but a liability.