In summary I don't think this is a playoff roster right now due to the OL and it's affected everything else. But I do think McVay can improve in the areas above. And if they can work those things while they use the remainder of the season to find out which of these OL can play, they can set themselves up for a nice rebound season in 2020 by adding a couple key pieces to the OL.
As a general rule, the success or failure of an NFL team lies with the owner, GM & Head Coach. Player injuries also play a vital role, but that is no guarantee of job security.
From my little role as an observer, Kroenke appears to be an ideal NFL team owner, one that has empowered his GM to act without an excessive degree of micro-management or manipulation. Snead also appears to be an excellent GM, working to find the players which fit his coaches schemes & standards, giving free reign to his H.C. to put it all together on the field of play.
Quite often a GM and H.C. are joined at the hip when it comes down to evaluating their teams success & progress, and so far, McVay & Snead have been brilliant in turning around the Rams fortunes since coming together in 2017.
When Whitworth & Sullivan were signed we all knew this was a short term OL fix, age will limit you that way, and these guys along with a few others have allowed the Rams to draft some quality young players who figure to be around for awhile. Other than our current OL situation, our Rams are a very good team with a fine defense and a roster filled with several upside players. We have one unit which is failing us, this is not apocalyptic, but more of a temporary glitch, albeit one that can still ruin a season.
Snead has been bold in the past with bringing in quality players, his scouting ability should give us focus for a promising future as well.
Still, if i'm troubled anywhere, it's in McVay's coaching, ... his consistent uneven pass first approach and a lack of meaningful adjustments. McVay is great with the X's & O's and teaching from what I can tell, although he very well may need a real offensive coordinator who can reel him in from some perceived excesses with his play-calling. It's difficult to say how effective this might be as when McVay is in his 'zone', i'm not sure anyone can penetrate it. It might be easy to point some fingers towards Kromer as this OL is his unit, but what degree of influence he has over McVay in regards to personnel & teaching is unknown by me.
I suspect Snead will find at least one free agent offensive lineman for 2020, and our draft is likely to include another couple, but with McVay's seeming reluctance to start rookies, it may still be guys like Noteboom, Havenstein, Edwards and a who's who of recent acquisitions that are performing again. jmo.
After five losing seasons, the Rams gave GM Les Snead more time. In return, he gave them a juggernaut. Steve Wyche chronicles the many bold moves Snead made to turn the franchise's fortunes around.
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