How long is our window open

[FarNorth]

Well yes, he is obviously great, but if he was off the roster you could invest in two very good DL instead of one great one, and probably another player somewhere else.

Still not as good as having him, but his cap hit is a negative and you could take that fact and have it work for you by distributing that cap hit among multiple players.

This team will be a destination team for many players so whenever he does retire, that just provides more resources to replace him and others.

Maybe... but not so easy to replace the greatest of all time. AD gives the entire D an edge. Makes the offense change its game, double or triple team him, then wrecks their game anyway. In the process makes everyone around him better.

Only a handful of players have ever approached his talent. But imo his impact on the actual game is unequalled.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

If we make it far next year, maybe Donald gets addicted to success like Brady and wants to stack multiple chips.

 

[André]

If Donald, Stafford and Coop are all still around we have a shot. So, maybe, including this year, a 3-5 year window maybe?

I'll take it and be happy with it either way. This year was worth it.

 

[ottoman89]

With Snead as GM, our window won't ever close.

 

[FrantikRam]

As long as we have McVay. And I think he and Stafford probably ride off into the sunset together.

Love AD, he's the man. But the money he would free up would go a ways toward offsetting that pain. You have to hope that AD plays another two years - at this point the trading of day one or two picks only goes on as long as know we have AD.

I'm also not as concerned about AD retiring - I get wanting to spend time with your kids, but at some point he will sit down with a financial advisor and his wife and talk about his kids kids, and their kids and their kids - not to mention any other immediate family they're already taking care of alongside living what I'd assume is a fairly lavish lifestyle already.

To the common person, $100 million is a literal fortune. But the sobering realization that someone, at some point in his bloodline will run out of that money may be enough of a motivating factor to make as much as he can while he's able to do it.

I have two little kids and that would be my motivation.



He and McVay have also earned the right to go home at 6pm and eat dinner with their families. So even if that impacted his performance, I'd rather that than him straight up retiring.

 

[PhillyRam]

Maybe... but not so easy to replace the greatest of all time. AD gives the entire D an edge. Makes the offense change its game, double or triple team him, then wrecks their game anyway. In the process makes everyone around him better.

Only a handful of players have ever approached his talent. But imo his impact on the actual game is unequalled.

I agree with that, just saying as bad as it would be if he retired, it would allow you to add more quality across the board. Let's for argument sake, you just spent his cap space on defense. You could add two quality DL and a quality CB... with resources you currently don't have.

So again, its a negative if he retires or if his level of play slips, but you do get that cap room as a consolation prize that can provide the defense with more quality depth through the lineup.

 

[Merlin]

Success in the NFL is certainly a minefield. We are about to feel that. To date we have felt it each year with coaching hires of McVay's staff, which is a thing unique to our HC. The guy is a rock star. But this FA period is going to be funny.

Funny because there's gonna be disbelief in what teams want to pay our FAs.

Also and btw... Players like AD need to stay in their lane. Don't make demands of what you want the front office to do. The Rams know what they're doing. They don't need your input in the media. The entire organization has supported AD, so it's time for him to do the same for the front office as they navigate said minefield.

 

[dang]

I've been saying for some time that AD is the window. He's the player who creates the possibility of championships. He could still be great when he's 35 if he really wants to be. But is he that driven?

Is he that driven? How long have you been watching Donald. What I think we are seeing is that Donald is only interested in playing for a team that is all in on winning. Its taken him 8 years to get to the summit and he likes it there. So he will do everything in his power to surround himself with that level of commitment. I don’t see the Rams organization lowering their expectations and commitment any time soon. So I am optimistic Donald will stay a Ram.

 

[badnews]

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS. Worry about Tomorrow Tomorrow.

I am a multi-tasker. I am thoroughly enjoying this high of our team being the best while I can also ponder how long this high can last..

 

[kurtfaulk]

Also and btw... Players like AD need to stay in their lane. Don't make demands of what you want the front office to do. The Rams know what they're doing. They don't need your input in the media. The entire organization has supported AD, so it's time for him to do the same for the front office as they navigate said minefield.

i don't think he has demanded anything. all i've seen is him drunk and saying if the rams are good enough to run it back than why wouldn't he come back.

.

 

[Merlin]

i don't think he has demanded anything. all i've seen is him drunk and saying if the rams are good enough to run it back than why wouldn't he come back.

.

I didn't accuse him of saying anything. Just observing that in general players need to stay in their lanes. Controlling details like that and how hard it can be is part of that atrophy that is a universal rule with anything you build. Build some shit and it's gonna decay. In time it's like sand castles, just much slower in its change.

Last time the Rams were here they completely fucked it up. We all believe this front office is way better. But make no mistake even they are going to struggle with some of that atrophy and overcoming it is going to be the story of how or if they managed to keep this roster focused enough to do what is so hard to do, which is repeat.

 

[LA1980]

You need two things and two things only to compete in the nfl: head coach and qb. The rest will follow. As long as McVay and Stafford are here and motivated, we have a window. Say 4-5 years and then if Stafford starts to fade, if McVay wants to be Belichek, they have to solve that problem, if he wants to be madden, Lord help us preserve our memories.

 

[Mojo Ram]

It's directly tied to McVay, Stafford and AD.
Mostly McVay.

JMO

 

[PhillyRam]

With Snead as GM, our window won't ever close.

Very true and often overlooked.

Things went to shit in STL when Vermeil left and Armey was then forced out by Martz & Zymundt, and then they had a power struggle.

As long as Snead is there you have to think he will make a great decision if he ever has to replace McVay.

So yeah, he is key to all of this now. And I say that in part because I think he learned a lot while with McVay in terms of the culture needed and what to look for in coaches. He also has his sh*t together as well.

So he is the guy that needs to stick around so we don't get stuck with a dysfunctional front office like STL devolved into.

 

[kurtfaulk]

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[Mojo Ram]

No dynasty talk from me. It can all flip in an instant like some of us have seen before long ago. My expectations under this regime are a perennial playoff team, a legit shot at championships and no more seasons where the team bottoms out with a top 5 pick.