The Rams’ current approach reminds me of this classic from The Far Side

[AvengerRam]

Many out there don’t understand or have simply not bought into our current strategy of bringing in a huge draft class (plus a large group of second year players and undrafted rookies) and hoping that a few emerge to create a foundation that can be combined with our remaining stars and future additions (2024 draft picks and FA signings) to vault us back into contention.

Maybe it’s outside the norm, risky and a little crazy.

But if it works, we’ll eat like kings!

 

[dang]

View attachment 60669
Many out there don’t understand or have simply not bought into our current strategy of bringing in a huge draft class (plus a large group of second year players and undrafted rookies) and hoping that a few emerge to create a foundation that can be combined with our remaining stars and future additions (2024 draft picks and FA signings) to vault us back into contention.

Maybe it’s outside the norm, risky and a little crazy.

But if it works, we’ll eat like kings!

“Outside the Norm” mantra replaces “F Them Picks”.

 

[bubbaramfan]

I think it's arragant and banking too heavily on too many youngsters. Also thinking you can add a bunch of FA's with them next year and come up with a competitive team is unrealistic. More power to them, I hope they can pull it off while they still have Sfaffird,Kupp and AD.

 

[PhillyRam]

View attachment 60669
Many out there don’t understand or have simply not bought into our current strategy of bringing in a huge draft class (plus a large group of second year players and undrafted rookies) and hoping that a few emerge to create a foundation that can be combined with our remaining stars and future additions (2024 draft picks and FA signings) to vault us back into contention.

Maybe it’s outside the norm, risky and a little crazy.

But if it works, we’ll eat like kings!

The Eagles did it in 21' & 22'.

A bad injury plagued season in 20'. Dumped their QB and a few others. A weak schedule and the emergence of Hurts got them to 9-8 in 21'.

Then they loaded the roster in FA for 22' and reached the SB.

Obviously they have a young QB. We have a vet QB nearing the end.

So to me it comes down to simply protecting Stafford and hoping he plays like a 27 yr old. If so they can bounce back in 24' and even in 23' if the kids step up this year.

 

[AvengerRam]

I think it's arragant and banking too heavily on too many youngsters. Also thinking you can add a bunch of FA's with them next year and come up with a competitive team is unrealistic. More power to them, I hope they can pull it off while they still have Sfaffird,Kupp and AD.

“You’ve got to play this game with fear and arrogance.”

— Crash Davis

 

[PARAM]

I think it's arragant and banking too heavily on too many youngsters. Also thinking you can add a bunch of FA's with them next year and come up with a competitive team is unrealistic. More power to them, I hope they can pull it off while they still have Sfaffird,Kupp and AD.

Someone pointed out to me, the Rams did something similar with the defense in 2001.

Drafted a bunch of defensive players. Damione Lewis (3 starts), Ryan Pickett (in DL rotation), Tommy Polley (11 starts), Adam Archuleta (12 starts), not to mention Jeremetrius Butler played some at CB too. Brian Young (2nd year) got his first 16 career starts. New vet additions were starters Mark Fields (LB-12 starrts), Chidi Ahanotu (DE- 16 starts), Aeneas Williams (CB-16 starts), Kim Herring (FS- 16 starts), Tyoka Jackson, (DT in the DL rotation). That's 10 new guys, 7 new starters and some serious depth players. Not to mention 2nd year, first time starter Brian Young. Can't be done again, I guess.

 

[So Ram]

I think it's arragant and banking too heavily on too many youngsters. Also thinking you can add a bunch of FA's with them next year and come up with a competitive team is unrealistic. More power to them, I hope they can pull it off while they still have Sfaffird,Kupp and AD.

I forgot to add Robinson.I told him as he was signing autographs that he was going to add to the Receiving core.

He just finds away to get open.You’ve seen in years past.Whatever Bailey gave the Rams Robinson will give to The Rams.
He is smooth. A catch first guy who then looks for YAC.I heard in Jakes show last month his scouting report.If you see him in training camp,you might be surprised how he is always making plays.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Feast…

 

[Merlin]

Nothing wrong with fans being all hyped up about their team before the season. If reality is going to come crashing in on this roster, which seems likely, it's gonna suck whether we saw it coming or not. So for this reason I do tend to let myself get a little high on the team in the early going.

That said there aren't many around here saying Super Bowl. It's seemed to be more a question of whether we can sneak into the playoffs.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Someone pointed out to me, the Rams did something similar with the defense in 2001.

Drafted a bunch of defensive players. Damione Lewis (3 starts), Ryan Pickett (in DL rotation), Tommy Polley (11 starts), Adam Archuleta (12 starts), not to mention Jeremetrius Butler played some at CB too. Brian Young (2nd year) got his first 16 career starts. New vet additions were starters Mark Fields (LB-12 starrts), Chidi Ahanotu (DE- 16 starts), Aeneas Williams (CB-16 starts), Kim Herring (FS- 16 starts), Tyoka Jackson, (DT in the DL rotation). That's 10 new guys, 7 new starters and some serious depth players. Not to mention 2nd year, first time starter Brian Young. Can't be done again, I guess.

That 2001 Defense had a ton of new players but it also included a ton of highly drafted players.

Lewis, Pickett, Archuleta and Polley mentioned above. The first three were #1s; and Polley was a #2. Wistrom and Fields were former first round picks; Herring and McCleon were former second rounders; and Williams was an elite DB and future Hall of Famer.

I think Donald is the only projected 2023 starter on Defense that was drafted in the 1st or 2nd round.

 

[leoram]

View attachment 60669
Many out there don’t understand or have simply not bought into our current strategy of bringing in a huge draft class (plus a large group of second year players and undrafted rookies) and hoping that a few emerge to create a foundation that can be combined with our remaining stars and future additions (2024 draft picks and FA signings) to vault us back into contention.

Maybe it’s outside the norm, risky and a little crazy.

But if it works, we’ll eat like kings!

Dude...I love the reference.

But I disagree with the premise. I don't believe anyone expects this to be an instant success. The real hope is that they will re build a foundation for real success over time. They have to be more focused on process than results for the time being. Accepting that will help all of us better enjoy the process.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Gonna take more than two years.

 

[AvengerRam]

Gonna take more than two years.

I’ll take that bet.

 

[AvengerRam]

Dude...I love the reference.

But I disagree with the premise. I don't believe anyone expects this to be an instant success. The real hope is that they will re build a foundation for real success over time. They have to be more focused on process than results for the time being. Accepting that will help all of us better enjoy the process.

I’m not expecting miracles this year. I can definitely see us in the hunt in 2024, though.

 

[PhillyRam]

That 2001 Defense had a ton of new players but it also included a ton of highly drafted players.

Lewis, Pickett, Archuleta and Polley mentioned above. The first three were #1s; and Polley was a #2. Wistrom and Fields were former first round picks; Herring and McCleon were former second rounders; and Williams was an elite DB and future Hall of Famer.

I think Donald is the only projected 2023 starter on Defense that was drafted in the 1st or 2nd round.

Lewis got hurt right away. Pickett was a reserve, Polley and Archuleta were both impact players.

In fact Polley would be another for biggest disappointments. Great rookie year...looked like a emerging star, then struggled for the rest of his contract. Got runover a lot in the run game. I remember in the 04' playoff loss to Atlanta he was brutal and they let him walk.

Similar to Ogletree...tall slender LB that made splash plays, but couldn't compete in the run game.

 

[CGI_Ram]

If you average all of the sports media the general perception is probably somewhere around 6 to 7 wins. I’ve seen some with wins around 7 to 8 or maybe 9. But I’ve also seen some with us around 4-6 wins. But.. lets say the general perception is 6 to 7 wins.

Now as a Rams fan you need to decide, do you think the mainstream media is right? With your in depth knowledge of the Rams do you tweak it up or would you tweak it down?

We’re all just guessing at this point.

If you tweak it up; we’re fighting for the playoffs.

If you tweak it down; we’re fighting for Caleb.

Preseason will tell us something, but EVEN THEN… because how McVay conserves starters, we’ll be guessing.

One thing I know; EVERY week I convince myself we’ll win…so in my mind we’re going 17-0.

 

[AvengerRam]

If you average all of the sports media the general perception is probably somewhere around 6 to 7 wins. I’ve seen some with wins around 7 to 8 or maybe 9. But I’ve also seen some with us around 4-6 wins. But.. lets say the general perception is 6 to 7 wins.

Now as a Rams fan you need to decide, do you think the mainstream media is right? With your in depth knowledge of the Rams do you tweak it up or would you tweak it down?

We’re all just guessing at this point.

If you tweak it up; we’re fighting for the playoffs.

If you tweak it down; we’re fighting for Caleb.

Preseason will tell us something, but EVEN THEN… because how McVay conserves starters, we’ll be guessing.

One thing I know; EVERY week I convince myself we’ll win…so in my mind we’re going 17-0.

I agree, but I also think our long term outlook will depend, to some degree, on when we get our wins.

If we start off slow, then finish strong, that could be a sign that a young core is coming together with experience. If we sneak in a few wins early, then fade, we might not be as confident going into the offseason.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Lewis got hurt right away. Pickett was a reserve, Polley and Archuleta were both impact players.

In fact Polley would be another for biggest disappointments. Great rookie year...looked like a emerging star, then struggled for the rest of his contract. Got runover a lot in the run game. I remember in the 04' playoff loss to Atlanta he was brutal and they let him walk.

Similar to Ogletree...tall slender LB that made splash plays, but couldn't compete in the run game.

All legit points, and I agree with all of them. Also, quite a few disappointments in that group. However, I was pointing out how Dis-similar that group was from the projected 2023 Defense.

The 2001 D was set up to be really strong though the investment of high draft picks and free agency $.

With one exemption, the 2023 D has no high picks, or expensive free agents.

 

[Tano]

If you average all of the sports media the general perception is probably somewhere around 6 to 7 wins. I’ve seen some with wins around 7 to 8 or maybe 9. But I’ve also seen some with us around 4-6 wins. But.. lets say the general perception is 6 to 7 wins.

Now as a Rams fan you need to decide, do you think the mainstream media is right? With your in depth knowledge of the Rams do you tweak it up or would you tweak it down?

We’re all just guessing at this point.

If you tweak it up; we’re fighting for the playoffs.

If you tweak it down; we’re fighting for Caleb.

Preseason will tell us something, but EVEN THEN… because how McVay conserves starters, we’ll be guessing.

One thing I know; EVERY week I convince myself we’ll win…so in my mind we’re going 17-0.

Were you convinced we were going to win when Wolford or Perkins was starting?

 

[oldnotdead]

THE RAMS WILL BE A PLAYOFF TEAM THIS YEAR. ONCE IN THE PLAYOFFS, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE NFC. THE TEAM IS LACKING IN EXPERIENCE NOT TALENT. THEY SHOULD PEAK IN DECEMBER WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. THIS TEAM IS GOING TO SURPRISE PEOPLE. THE PROBLEM WILL BE HOW MUCH WILL MORRIS GET IN THE WAY OF DEFENSIVE SUCCESS? IF HE STICKS TO SIMPLY CALLING THE PLAYS AND LETS PLEASANT COACH HOW THE SCHEME IS PLAYED THIS COULD BE A VERY GOOD DEFENSIVE UNIT.

THERE I YELLED CUZ I DIDN'T WANT THERE TO BE ANYONE MISTAKING WHAT I'M SAYING. I SAID THE 2021 ROSTER WAS A VERY GOOD ROSTER AND FEW BELIEVED ME. SO I DON'T CARE IF ANYONE BELIEVES ME NOW. I'M A HOMER? DAMN RIGHT!