Rams GM Les Snead hopes offseason moves turn out super
The trades for Matthew Stafford and Sony Michel bookend a busy offseason as L.A. hopes for a hometown Super Bowl.
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Rams GM Les Snead hopes offseason moves turn out super
THOUSAND OAKS — The Rams’ 53-man class of 2021 was on the practice field by itself for the first time Wednesday, marking the end of an eventful offseason.On offense, General Manager Les Snead had offseason successes to celebrate in the trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford, the signing of deep threat receiver DeSean Jackson and the low-cost acquisition of running back Sony Michel last week to try to offset the injury to Cam Akers.
On defense, where results were mixed, Snead could take credit for planning ahead and drafting safety Jordan Fuller in 2020 in anticipation of signal-caller John Johnson’s free-agent departure.
But Snead wasn’t ready to give himself an A, B, C – or any grade – calling the past seven months a “rough draft” for the season.
“It’s tough for me to give a rough-graft grade,” Snead said. “But here’s what I’d say, we’re definitely ready to turn in the essay.”
With Super Bowl LVI to be played at SoFi Stadium next February, Snead stopped short of saying the 53-man roster completed Tuesday is championship-caliber.
“We definitely are confident and believe we can contend for our division (title), and if we accomplish that we might have a chance to have a few home playoff games,” Snead said. “And at that point in time it’s heavyweight fights, and we’re confident we’d be ready to climb in the ring and play those four quarters.”
Snead explained his reasoning for three moves on roster cutdown day Tuesday:
• Keeping veteran punter Johnny Hekker and trading young punter Corey Bojorquez to the Green Bay Packers was made more attractive by Hekker’s agreement to a restructured contract, but Snead claimed Hekker’s history of success with fake punts was a factor.
“If you do run one to two to three to four (fake punts a season), there is that threat,” Snead said. “Teams defending your punt team are going to do it differently.”
Hekker completed passes for 13 first downs in 2012-19, but he didn’t try one in 2020.
• Snead said the Rams kept Bryce Perkins – a rare case of a third quarterback on the active roster – because they liked his progress since joining the practice squad in 2020 and wanted to avoid another team claiming him.
“If they do get claimed, a lot of training that goes into it is gone in a heartbeat,” Snead said.
• The Rams kept 10 offensive linemen again partly to prepare for the 2022 free agency of guard Austin Corbett, center Brian Allen and key backup Joe Noteboom, and the possibility of 39-year-old tackle Andrew Whitworth retiring.
“It’s been nice (in case of) injuries to keep that many,” Snead said, “but you’re always grooming, knowing that there are decisions to make at the end of the year.”
MORE MOVES
After cutting 25 players Monday and Tuesday, the Rams signed 14 of them to their practice squad on Wednesday.
The practice squad signings included Micah Kiser, the linebacker who was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after making 15 tackles against the Philadelphia Eagles last September, before going on injured reserve for the second straight year.
Kiser cleared waivers after Rams coach Sean McVay said Tuesday he expected another team to claim him.
“What a stud of a human being, an incredible person. You talk about a guy that’s consistently overcome adversity, responded to it the right way,” McVay said of Kiser, who was a fifth-round draft pick in 2018 after winning the so-called Academic Heisman as a Virginia senior. “You’re not betting against him figuring it out, whether it ends up being with us or whether it’s somewhere else, you’re going to bet on him to be successful.”
Others signed to the practice squad: running back Otis Anderson; wide receivers Landen Akers and J.J. Koski; tight end Kendall Blanton; offensive linemen Chandler Brewer, Jeremiah Kolone, Max Pircher and Jared Hocker (waived by the Seahawks); defensive linemen Earnest Brown IV and Marquise Copeland; linebacker Justin Lawler, and defensive backs Dont’e Deayon, Kareem Orr and Tyler Hall.
Linebacker Christian Rozeboom opted to join the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad, defensive lineman Eric Banks was claimed by the Chargers and defensive back Troy Warner was claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
