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- May 25, 2013
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Les Snead has always been bold. Trading up for Goff, choosing Donald when DT wasn’t a need position, taking Gurley off the injury season, paying Woods much more than others were willing to spend, and acquiring Watkins despite all the question marks are but a few examples of a fearless GM. Now that he’s pulled off one of his boldest moves to date, the question remains...what’s next?
Lost in the fallout of what Marcus Peters will be able to accomplish for Wade Phillips is what his presence now means to Snead. Cap flexibility vs Johnson is obvious. The greater impact though is what it means to building the rest of the team. For many years, teams like the Patriots have been able to acquire free agents at discount prices because there was a valid perception that players could work for more than a paycheck. The Peters and Watkins moves indicate that volatility isn’t a blackball trait...this staff knows how to manage it. That’s why Randy Moss worked in NE. Perhaps the Rams can do in 2018 what we fans hoped could happen in 2001. Maybe players will get extended a bit more reasonably to stay (Donald, Watkins, Joyner, Sullivan, and eventually Gurley, Goff, etc). Maybe troubled or aging veterans who’s market is low but value is high will prefer this team over other suitors. With this team set at several positions with top flight production, Les can now focus on the four things that remain to be done before kickoff in September.
The structure of Wade’s defense in LA is good but needs more pieces to become great. Up front, with Donald and Brockers anchoring the ends, a top flight run stuffing NT would make this unit an all time great 3/4 unit. It would also help the cover/blitz/chase inside linebackers (Ogletree/Barron) become far less liabilities in the run game. To me, this is priority #1.
The second most pressing issue on this team is OLine depth. By sheer miracle...Saffold and Sullivan survived an entire year of relative health. Whitworth is in the mold of Slater and Pace but even the greats face retirement someday. While the debate rages over whether or not Watkins should be retained...and at what price, the effectiveness of an NFL OLine has a far greater impact on whether or not that offense will thrive.
The third glaring need is a development of replacements for Quinn and Barwin. Both are valued leaders who perform admirably. But neither are what they once were and never likely to be again. Sure, they were good enough last year to produce what the team needed, but the organization cannot afford to ignore that there is a need here that must be addressed soon.
Finally, and frankly Snead’s greatest strength has been the ability to find depth in the latter rounds of the draft and with undrafted free agents. The Eagles of 2017 were the first team I’ve ever witnessed to lose so many star players and still win a championship. The ‘17 Rams were the healthiest they have been in 16 years. The odds are against that happening again in 2018. Perhaps coaching will make the difference but Snead’s most unappreciated task this offseason will be churning the bottom of the roster.
The trade for Peters is making headlines and we all wait to learn the cost. While I share that anxiety, I’m far more curious to learn what Les and Sean have up their sleeves in the four other areas I’ve listed here.
Lost in the fallout of what Marcus Peters will be able to accomplish for Wade Phillips is what his presence now means to Snead. Cap flexibility vs Johnson is obvious. The greater impact though is what it means to building the rest of the team. For many years, teams like the Patriots have been able to acquire free agents at discount prices because there was a valid perception that players could work for more than a paycheck. The Peters and Watkins moves indicate that volatility isn’t a blackball trait...this staff knows how to manage it. That’s why Randy Moss worked in NE. Perhaps the Rams can do in 2018 what we fans hoped could happen in 2001. Maybe players will get extended a bit more reasonably to stay (Donald, Watkins, Joyner, Sullivan, and eventually Gurley, Goff, etc). Maybe troubled or aging veterans who’s market is low but value is high will prefer this team over other suitors. With this team set at several positions with top flight production, Les can now focus on the four things that remain to be done before kickoff in September.
The structure of Wade’s defense in LA is good but needs more pieces to become great. Up front, with Donald and Brockers anchoring the ends, a top flight run stuffing NT would make this unit an all time great 3/4 unit. It would also help the cover/blitz/chase inside linebackers (Ogletree/Barron) become far less liabilities in the run game. To me, this is priority #1.
The second most pressing issue on this team is OLine depth. By sheer miracle...Saffold and Sullivan survived an entire year of relative health. Whitworth is in the mold of Slater and Pace but even the greats face retirement someday. While the debate rages over whether or not Watkins should be retained...and at what price, the effectiveness of an NFL OLine has a far greater impact on whether or not that offense will thrive.
The third glaring need is a development of replacements for Quinn and Barwin. Both are valued leaders who perform admirably. But neither are what they once were and never likely to be again. Sure, they were good enough last year to produce what the team needed, but the organization cannot afford to ignore that there is a need here that must be addressed soon.
Finally, and frankly Snead’s greatest strength has been the ability to find depth in the latter rounds of the draft and with undrafted free agents. The Eagles of 2017 were the first team I’ve ever witnessed to lose so many star players and still win a championship. The ‘17 Rams were the healthiest they have been in 16 years. The odds are against that happening again in 2018. Perhaps coaching will make the difference but Snead’s most unappreciated task this offseason will be churning the bottom of the roster.
The trade for Peters is making headlines and we all wait to learn the cost. While I share that anxiety, I’m far more curious to learn what Les and Sean have up their sleeves in the four other areas I’ve listed here.
