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This is obviously a premature comparison since FA isn’t finished, trades are always a possibility, and the draft is still 3 weeks away. Not to mention the Snead options that will be available cap-wise after restructuring AD and Kupp.
But I’m feeling antsy today and the more I dwell on this topic the more optimistic I become.
Let’s see…
Let’s start with the Rams O.
Stafford is more comfortable with McVay and this O. He’s clearly better determined what he can and cannot do with his weapons in this system compared to when he first joined the team. The importance of this alone can’t be overstated.
I don’t see how Stafford/Kupp could improve their late season mind meld, but it might just be barely possible. And besides, they can pick up in September and build on it this season whereas last year it took a handful of games to really click together and give us a glimpse of what was to come.
I loved Woods, too, but Robinson is a big step up as a Stafford-type WR. Significant upgrade here.
Akers will be 100% from Day 1.’Nuff said. Huge upgrade.
Boom will be a push compared to Whit in pass pro, but maybe a slight downgrade in the run game compared to the 40 year old Whit.
Allen might have an even better year after his confidence building ‘21 season.
Don’t look now but we may have a couple of TE’s behind Higbee in Blanton and Hopkins that have had that challenging and long developing TE breakthrough.
The positive comparisons on D is a shorter list.
Wagner is a significant upgrade vs Reeder. And his versatility gives Morris huge options to disguise and explore.
Jones will be starting from opening day this year and is already miles ahead of his early season rookie version. Significant upgrade here.
Rochell is POTENTIALLY an upgrade over the ‘21 DW version. Emphasis’21 version. He’s gotta learn fast and stay healthy but his potential is sky high given his athleticism.
I’ve become a rather big Scott honk. Scott really won me over when given the chance and I’d love to see him starting this year. Scott and Wagner have made Rapp expendable, imo, and I would hope for a Rapp trade in exchange for a pick or player at a position needing depth. Anyway, I see Scott as an upgrade for this season. I doubt that Deebo will be as excited. Lol.
ST is another upgrade over early ‘21.
For openers, DeCamillis started slow but eventually made the needed improvements. I now feel that he is proven capable of fielding a solid overall ST in all 4 phases. That’s huge.
Gay is a proven Pro Bowler. We didn’t know that last September.
Powell is a damned stud as returner and he will be available for all 17 games. That’s an infinitely better situation than last September.
Just a word about our coaches vs last year.
McVay has grown in one area vs last September, imo. He now better understands the value of the running game and more importantly he has learned not to abandon it too soon. This is a big growth building block for McVay and I am beyond impressed. It will pay dividends for the rest of his career.
While there has been once again tremendous turnover in our coaching ranks let’s not forget that they were for promotions elsewhere. IOW, McVay keeps hiring great teachers and quick developers of talent drafted in the mid to late rounds. I see NO reason not to expect more of the same from his newest hires and internal promotions. He continues to have his virtual ‘pick of the litter’ when it comes to coaching hires.
In fact, I suspect that Coen will prove to be an actual upgrade over O’Connell. There, I said it.
I can’t leave this coaching topic without mentioning the vast growth of Raheem Morris as the season progressed. The season ending/playoff version of Morris was light years ahead of the September version. I can’t think of a bigger ‘22 upgrade over the ‘21 version of the Rams, tbh. And we will have this version of Morris from opening day onward. Huge.
Now, we must address perceived downgrades from the ‘21 version.
I see a potential for regression at RG with the departure of Corbett. Shelton might be more than adequate and Rams clearly seem happy with their depth but I will feel better only after seeing actual evidence on the field.
I would like to see a 3rd RB taken somewhere in the draft. Our RB’s after Akers and Hendy don’t fill me with confidence. This draft reportedly is deep with RB’s well into the late rounds. RB is not a regression vs early last year but I’m just thinking out loud a bit here.
In summary, on Offense, I guess I’m seeing only a potential regression at RG on O vs last year in September, huh? That’s amazing.
Regression on D is obvious, starting with the loss of Von Miller. Yeah, it’s true that Miller wasn’t onboard in September last year (Rams were actually 7-2 before his arrival) but his impact was so profound that it would be foolish to pretend that it can be ignored. Hopefully, Snead can pull a solid vet out of his hat or execute a trade for same predraft.
DW is gone, so technically that’s a regression. Then again, Rochell might be a very pleasant surprise. Honestly, the disappointing ‘21 version of DW won’t be all that hard to replace, right? Plus, there’s the draft in a pretty decent CB class.
Rams lost SJD but he had already been beat out by Gaines so that’s hardly a regression. And Bobby Brown is waiting in the wings so that DL looks fine vs last years version.
Frankly, I’m hard pressed to see other regression on this ‘22 version on D vs the ‘21 version.
ST has absolutely no regression vs last year. Quite the contrary.
Mind you, Rams still have FA and trade opportunities plus the draft before this comparison can be complete, but I must say that after re-reading the above I am even more optimistic about this still being constructed’22 Rams version.
NFC opponents will NOT be looking forward to playing this ‘22 Ram team. Trust me…
Thoughts?
But I’m feeling antsy today and the more I dwell on this topic the more optimistic I become.
Let’s see…
Let’s start with the Rams O.
Stafford is more comfortable with McVay and this O. He’s clearly better determined what he can and cannot do with his weapons in this system compared to when he first joined the team. The importance of this alone can’t be overstated.
I don’t see how Stafford/Kupp could improve their late season mind meld, but it might just be barely possible. And besides, they can pick up in September and build on it this season whereas last year it took a handful of games to really click together and give us a glimpse of what was to come.
I loved Woods, too, but Robinson is a big step up as a Stafford-type WR. Significant upgrade here.
Akers will be 100% from Day 1.’Nuff said. Huge upgrade.
Boom will be a push compared to Whit in pass pro, but maybe a slight downgrade in the run game compared to the 40 year old Whit.
Allen might have an even better year after his confidence building ‘21 season.
Don’t look now but we may have a couple of TE’s behind Higbee in Blanton and Hopkins that have had that challenging and long developing TE breakthrough.
The positive comparisons on D is a shorter list.
Wagner is a significant upgrade vs Reeder. And his versatility gives Morris huge options to disguise and explore.
Jones will be starting from opening day this year and is already miles ahead of his early season rookie version. Significant upgrade here.
Rochell is POTENTIALLY an upgrade over the ‘21 DW version. Emphasis’21 version. He’s gotta learn fast and stay healthy but his potential is sky high given his athleticism.
I’ve become a rather big Scott honk. Scott really won me over when given the chance and I’d love to see him starting this year. Scott and Wagner have made Rapp expendable, imo, and I would hope for a Rapp trade in exchange for a pick or player at a position needing depth. Anyway, I see Scott as an upgrade for this season. I doubt that Deebo will be as excited. Lol.
ST is another upgrade over early ‘21.
For openers, DeCamillis started slow but eventually made the needed improvements. I now feel that he is proven capable of fielding a solid overall ST in all 4 phases. That’s huge.
Gay is a proven Pro Bowler. We didn’t know that last September.
Powell is a damned stud as returner and he will be available for all 17 games. That’s an infinitely better situation than last September.
Just a word about our coaches vs last year.
McVay has grown in one area vs last September, imo. He now better understands the value of the running game and more importantly he has learned not to abandon it too soon. This is a big growth building block for McVay and I am beyond impressed. It will pay dividends for the rest of his career.
While there has been once again tremendous turnover in our coaching ranks let’s not forget that they were for promotions elsewhere. IOW, McVay keeps hiring great teachers and quick developers of talent drafted in the mid to late rounds. I see NO reason not to expect more of the same from his newest hires and internal promotions. He continues to have his virtual ‘pick of the litter’ when it comes to coaching hires.
In fact, I suspect that Coen will prove to be an actual upgrade over O’Connell. There, I said it.
I can’t leave this coaching topic without mentioning the vast growth of Raheem Morris as the season progressed. The season ending/playoff version of Morris was light years ahead of the September version. I can’t think of a bigger ‘22 upgrade over the ‘21 version of the Rams, tbh. And we will have this version of Morris from opening day onward. Huge.
Now, we must address perceived downgrades from the ‘21 version.
I see a potential for regression at RG with the departure of Corbett. Shelton might be more than adequate and Rams clearly seem happy with their depth but I will feel better only after seeing actual evidence on the field.
I would like to see a 3rd RB taken somewhere in the draft. Our RB’s after Akers and Hendy don’t fill me with confidence. This draft reportedly is deep with RB’s well into the late rounds. RB is not a regression vs early last year but I’m just thinking out loud a bit here.
In summary, on Offense, I guess I’m seeing only a potential regression at RG on O vs last year in September, huh? That’s amazing.
Regression on D is obvious, starting with the loss of Von Miller. Yeah, it’s true that Miller wasn’t onboard in September last year (Rams were actually 7-2 before his arrival) but his impact was so profound that it would be foolish to pretend that it can be ignored. Hopefully, Snead can pull a solid vet out of his hat or execute a trade for same predraft.
DW is gone, so technically that’s a regression. Then again, Rochell might be a very pleasant surprise. Honestly, the disappointing ‘21 version of DW won’t be all that hard to replace, right? Plus, there’s the draft in a pretty decent CB class.
Rams lost SJD but he had already been beat out by Gaines so that’s hardly a regression. And Bobby Brown is waiting in the wings so that DL looks fine vs last years version.
Frankly, I’m hard pressed to see other regression on this ‘22 version on D vs the ‘21 version.
ST has absolutely no regression vs last year. Quite the contrary.
Mind you, Rams still have FA and trade opportunities plus the draft before this comparison can be complete, but I must say that after re-reading the above I am even more optimistic about this still being constructed’22 Rams version.
NFC opponents will NOT be looking forward to playing this ‘22 Ram team. Trust me…
Thoughts?
