2023 and Into the Future...

[Loyal]

It's been a helluva year. Extreme highs and brutal lows since February. With my health problems and advancing age, Super Bowl 56 might be my last Championship team on this Earth, so I am forever thankful for what McSnead and Kroenke built in 2021-22.

This season shows how balanced the league is and how quickly a team can be pushed from the top of the mountain, like our Rams have been. With Von, OBJ and Big Whit gone, we were forced to replace them with unreliable and less talented players. Injuries along the Oline were epic, with limited talent. Stafford is enduring concussions at an alarming rate.

Right now, the only team in the NFL with fewer wins than the Rams is the Houston Texans. We don't have a #1 pick in 2023, but our 2nd round pick will be extremely high and so I expect Snead to be active with trades. The question I always have is whether it's wiser to go after a blue chip recruit or trade down for multiple guys. Is more better? And why doesn't McSnead value Oline guys like it seems they should high in the draft? Busts always happen every year, but like any successful MLB slugger who only hits safely 3 out 10 tries you have to keep swinging. Sometimes you get a Greg Robinson and sometimes you get an Aaron Donald, which are the breaks...

I will say something that I have fought against on this site is the idea of trading Aaron Donald. I have stated over and over that I want to AD retire with the Rams, like Merlin Olsen did. One team for an entire career is what I wanted for him, but it might be that I am way behind the times. Others have wanted to trade him for multiple picks. Still others have said we need retain the core of Donald, Ramsey, Kupp, Stafford and get help next year to chase another crown. I am sympathetic to the idea of trying to make another run next year, but are we fooling ourselves? Are there too many holes to fill and not enough ammo to bring veterans in to "right the ship"? As much as we want a high draft pick next year, doesn't that mean we lose even more confidence in the players we have now by season's end?

I guess in McSnead we'll have to trust. I do think we still have great strength at HC and GM and so we'll see what direction they take next year...

 

[El Chapo Jr]

We can reload a bit more than some people think.....

Do the Rams need a 2023 rebuild? What should be done?

The salary cap numbers say big changes must happen

www.turfshowtimes.com

 

[Angry Ram]

And why doesn't McSnead value Oline guys like it seems they should high in the draft? Busts always happen every year, but like any successful MLB slugger who only hits safely 3 out 10 tries you have to keep swinging. Sometimes you get a Greg Robinson and sometimes you get an Aaron Donald, which are the breaks...

Because I said this a couple years ago, linemen (especially interior) are low value positions in that they aren't gonna spend the so-called "premium" picks on guys you can find later. You don't constantly take high picks with guys that can get the job done. The SB line was a FA (granted an all world one), fifth round pick, fourth round pick, a fifth round pick that was traded, and a late 2nd round pick. If you look at the numbers, the lines under Sean McVay's watch aren't bad.

Linemen aren't like WRs where you can swap a guy in and call it a day. I'm sure you know the best lines are the ones most in sync. They may get by with an injury or two, but 10 different combos in 11 weeks, yeah not so much.

We'll see who leaves the team in a few months and then figure out how much they'll want to address it.

Still others have said we need retain the core of Donald, Ramsey, Kupp, Stafford and get help next year to chase another crown.

These guys are 29 - 33ish. They're in the prime and should be around for a few more years. hell most of them just signed extensions. I ain't worried there.

 

[Merlin]

Take the best player at that round two pick. Whichever position it is. We need impact players.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Floyd and Note eat up way too much cap for their production.

 

[PARAM]

Take the best player at that round two pick. Whichever position it is. We need impact players.

I agree.....but is it okay to hope a big, fast RB is the best player when that pick comes up?

 

[SWAdude]

Floyd and Note eat up way too much cap for their production.

This could be 100% about Note.

Or 100% wrong. Just being real.

I remember Note filling in last year playing as well as anyone at that position. Taking over for big Whit could be something.

I am willing to give him another chance based on his performance last year.

To be honest I wish we had another 100% certain lockdown left tackle like Trent Williams.

But we don't and all I have is hope. Time will tell.

 

[Jacobarch]

Floyd and Note eat up way too much cap for their production.

I'd at least keep floyd. At least he stays healthy

 

[CGI_Ram]

I'd at least keep floyd. At least he stays healthy

And Floyd probably grades better than we think, when the Rams evaluate tape.

He logs a lot of not sexy snaps filling a role, versus pure pass rushing.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I'd at least keep floyd. At least he stays healthy

The thing is whether you see him as OLB or DE or he will be amongst the elite at 16+ mil with that and Notes 15+ we can do better.
We will likely need to spread our cap a little better moving forward. I love what we did to get here and it paid off, just isn't sustainable

And Floyd probably grades better than we think, when the Rams evaluate tape.

He logs a lot of not sexy snaps filling a role, versus pure pass rushing.

I imagine he grades out fairly and I am a fan of his play overall but just too costly in the big picture

 

[PhillyRam]

Take the best player at that round two pick. Whichever position it is. We need impact players.

If they have the 37th pick, I would still prefer a trade down to say 45 and get another 3rd even if we have to throw in a 6th.

They have a lot of holes and a need for cheap labor with upside.

 

[Allen2McVay]

We can reload a bit more than some people think.....

Do the Rams need a 2023 rebuild? What should be done?

The salary cap numbers say big changes must happen

www.turfshowtimes.com

In the past, I have been very critical of this site (Turf Show Times), and this author (Venie Randy Soares).
Just don't think it's a quality source for knowledgeable Rams' football coverage.

I held back on criticism of this article because I had not read it, so I just opened it.
Below is a cut-and-paste of the very first paragraph under the early sub-heading titled The Numbers:

"Overthecap is currently projecting the Rams to have $6.85 mil salary cap space in 2023 with 37 players under contract. The simplest of math points to that leaving only $425,00 per player to fill out an active roster of 53, far under league minimums. They also project L.A. to have draft pick (at #11 overall) liability of $9 mil. These are only projections and even leaving some wriggle room for how the rest of this season plays out and any other miscellaneous, it is obvious some serious monetary reckoning is due."

Anything jump off the page to you?
"They also project L.A. to have draft pick (at #11 overall) liability of $9 mil."

What-The-Fuck! An author who covers the Rams is going to analyze off-season strategy and cap issues; and THIS GUY does NOT know the Rams do not have their first round pick! Come-on!

For me, almost anything else Venie Randy Soares writes in this article has to be in question.

 

[snackdaddy]

Two ways to look at it. They have enough core players to make one more run next year. They need to address the obvious line issues. They need a legit running back. And an edge rusher.

But if they give up future firsts for another all in year, after that things will be very lean. Especially if they give up more premium picks to go all in again. We're lucky the Panthers rejected their offer for Brian Burns.

 

[I like Rams]

First off, I wish the best for your future health, Loyal.

As for trading Donald, I only see that happening if 2 things were to happen.
1. Stafford intends on retiring due to :insert reasons being speculated:.
2. Donald does not want to be part of a rebuild and reconsiders retirement. Ask if he would be willing to continue playing if he were to be traded to Pitt so he can also be with his family.

Other than that I think we can gather some picks by trading Floyd and Robinson in the off-season and making smart moves in FA next season to bolster our needs.

What we do with Boom and Allen, I have no idea. Shelton has played just as good as Allen, and Jackson looked like a good replacement for Boom, but now we don't even know if he'll be able to play again. So if someone smarter than me about cap and contracts and has ideas on how to move those two, if Jackson is OK to play again, I'd say that's a move we need to make if possible in order to keep some health on the oline. Or maybe Boom turns into the next Saffold at his position?

I don't think next season is in jeopardy if we don't make dire decisions like trading Donald, but we do need to make smart and safe draft and FA choices to get us in sustainable territory. If we try to make splash moves like we have, and tried to do with Brian burns, amd draft luxuries over needs, I think we just dig ourselves into a bigger hole. So basically McVay has to get into the mindset he had in 2017 about building this team and not in the "win now" mentality he's had since 2018.

 

[Kupped]

First off.. wishing you good health and wishing you the absolute best, @Loyal... and I'm wishing you another title.

The post-June 1 cut scenario @El Chapo Jr posted seems like a real possibility... but I don't see all the players involved with it the same way.
Noteboom is absolutely a possibility to be a cut... Makes complete sense.
I would say that Allen and Higbee are as well... and that these three are the most likely to be moved on from.

Bobby Wagner should be here as well. Don't love the idea of moving him.. but getting Jones on the field 100% of the time seems like a decent option and then they can look at that second ILB and safety situation to make up for the loss.

I feel like Floyd is more likely a candidate to do some kind of restructure... but could be gone as well.

The numbers I'm looking at show no savings to trade Robinson or cut him post June 1. Maybe I'm missing something (has happened before)

The next three weeks are an audition for several players.. including Cam Akers, and the backup Defensive Lineman. Brown, Copeland and Hoecht could show enough that the Rams are comfortable moving on from Robinson and Gaines... we'll see. That would free up a lot of money.

Lots and lots of questions... first and foremost is Stafford. If he goes? I say blow it all up and trade anyone and everyone you need to to get a hard reset.

 

[RamDino]

I don't like the idea of moving Gaines. He's young, tough, and a quality guy in the locker room (i think). And this crap season we are having and his injury should not jack up his market value too much, i hope. And Donald loves him -lol. Ashawn, as much as i like him, will be gone. JMO

 

[AZRams]

Take the best player at that round two pick. Whichever position it is. We need impact players.

What he said.

 

[RamDino]

The problem with taking the "best player available" is that it's still only 50/50. Wht not take two in the third round and hope to increase your odds. JMO

 

[Kupped]

The problem with taking the "best player available" is that it's still only 50/50. Wht not take two in the third round and hope to increase your odds. JMO

It's a tough call.
I think the kind of *athlete* available at where they're picking in the 2nd could very well be someone worth picking there.
It all depends on who/what's available at that pick and what they can get in a trade. If Morris does *not* get hired.. I'd be more likely to make a trade.. get as many picks in that top 100 range as possible.

 

[RamDino]

Agree that it boils down to "what they can get in return" for a high second round pick. Two 3rds... i would do it.