NFL executives grade every team's offseason (ESPN Insider)

[MadGoat]

FYI -The A- grade puts the Rams at the top. The Patriots also received an A-.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/23696198/nfl-offseason-grades-all-32-teams-nfl-executives

Los Angeles Rams

Grade: A-

The Rams worked the system impressively. Acquiring Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib by trade and Ndamukong Suh off the discard pile shielded those acquisitions from the formula for compensatory draft choices. When Sammy Watkins and Trumaine Johnson left the team for massive paydays, the Rams moved into position to receive two 2019 third-round comp picks. Well done.

That work and the Rams' ability to maneuver their way into 11 selections in the 2018 draft produced high marks from executives, despite obvious risks.

"They asked Sean McVay about adding some risky players, and he said, 'My defensive coordinator [Wade Phillips] has more swag than all of them,'" an exec said. "That is very empowering."

Trading away credible veterans Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn while embracing players such as Peters, Talib and Suh did not go over well with everyone. It was notable, too, that other core players, notably Aaron Donald, had not yet received extensions.

"I think of [Eagles GM] Howie Roseman and the dream team and I think Howie learned from that," another exec said. "There is a difference between acquiring talent and building a team. I think they did more acquiring talent than anyone else. But I could very well see all the pieces work and them having a lot of success. Suh is fine -- even people with the Dolphins will tell you he is just kind of his own guy, not a bad guy. I'm not sure I want Peters around Talib, however."

Another exec called Peters misunderstood -- good at heart, but emotional to a fault.

"They have Wade Phillips, so they should be able to rein that in the next two years and get the best from him," this exec said. "Now, it could blow up, but if the purpose of these grades is to look at who acquired talent, the Rams have to be up there."

One big question: Where will the outside pass-rush come from?

 

[Merlin]

Peters will perform well this year because it's his first year and his personality seems to take time to rub people the wrong way. He should also perform well next year because it will be his contract year. So to say the Rams should get two good years from him is accurate IMO.

But all that aside I do not think he'll be signable. That dude is going to want to test the market.

If Talib sustains good play--which I think is certainly possible in this scheme--I could see him wanting to stick around long term. I think it's also safe to say we should get two good years from him, because even if his play drops off a bit you have Peters drawing the top matchup in man looks.

Suh is a signing I was not a fan of and still am not a fan of. Hope he kills it for us of course, so we'll see how it turns out.

Cooks is a fine fit for this offense, a better fit than Watkins was due to his precise route running ability. Adding Cooks for a round one pick was fine and all, but the fact it came on the heels of spending a round two pick on a one year rental of Watkins gives me pause. This could well be a one year rental again if they don't get him locked up before the season.

For myself, and since Cooks is not yet signed, I'd be more on the B+ side overall for the offseason, because the Rams moved pieces and went young and unproven at many LB spots but have yet to get anyone locked up with that cap space they created. As good as that Cooks trade was, if they don't sign him, it's damn near a catastrophe to my eye at least.