The Los Angeles Rams are only one season removed from winning the Lombardi Trophy, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56. However, it feels like much longer ago with the direction the team has headed in since.
The Rams made splash acquisitions in the 2022 offseason, looking to restock for another deep playoff run. Alas, they fell woefully short of expectations, going 5-12. That led to a mass exodus this offseason with very little wiggle room.
Veteran linebackers Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd were released while cornerback Jalen Ramsey and wide receiver Allen Robinson were traded. Defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson and safeties Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott all left in free agency as well.
That is the cost of doing business how the Rams did for so long. In their quest to win a Super Bowl, they sacrificed draft capital and huge amounts of money to bring in established talent. While it did give them the ring they sought, they are now facing the repercussions of those decisions.
Heading into 2023, there aren’t many recognizable names on the roster. It is essentially Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and players looking to make a name for themselves in the NFL.
Their outlook is certainly bleak, but one NFL analyst is predicting the bottom to fall all the way out. During a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowher, Jason McIntyre shared that he believes the Rams are a tier four team in the NFC, meaning they will be bottom of the barrel in 2023.
“I think they’re closer to being in the Caleb Williams mix than the playoffs,” said McInyre.
While that certainly isn’t a place that the Rams want to be, for the long-term health of the franchise, it isn’t the worst thing. Unlike the last seven NFL Drafts, the Rams actually own their first-round pick in 2024.
If they have a repeat performance of 2022 in 2023 or perform even worse, they will be in a position to select a new franchise quarterback. Given the deteriorating relationship with Matthew Stafford, landing a cornerstone signal caller atop the 2024 NFL Draft would help put the franchise back on track.
