Although the Rams are coming off of a disappointing season, they have a unique opportunity this off season to go from the cellar to the playoffs with a few key moves. A playoff prediction may sound like a stretch after, but a new coaching staff combined with a young roster is a step in the right direction.
The obvious weakness of the team is the offensive line, and GM Les Snead will have to address that either in free agency or on draft day.If Snead plays his cards right during the free agent period, he can focus the majority of his attention to the O-Line during the draft, whether that is drafting them or trading picks for them.
LA has about $40 million in cap space, so Snead has an opportunity to get just about anyone, but not everyone.
The first decision Snead needs to make is choosing between Trumaine Johnson or Kenny Britt. Since all signs point to Britt leaving, Johnson may be in for another franchise tag, despite his underwhelming season.
There’s a chance Britt could take a hometown discount and be sold on the optimistic future, but if he doesn’t, Snead has to be considering other options. One option could be someone like Alshon Jeffery, who has a high price, but would at least come close to filling Britt’s shoes.
A good plan B could be a guy like Pierre Garcon. Garcon isn’t the best receiver on the market, but he’ll be a cheaper option and a reliable receiver. He’s a good route runner and already knows Sean McVay well.
Going back to the offensive line, there are a few names being thrown around which could be good pieces to combine with a couple of rookies we possibly get on draft day.
Ideally, the Rams sign T.J. Lang from Green Bay. At 29 years old, Lang has been a valuable asset to the Packers’ tough offensive line. His previous deal was $20,800,000 over four years with a signing bonus of $5.5 million.
If Lang falls through, a good plan B would be Andrew Whitworth from Cincinnati, who has already stated that he will test the market. Again, not the first option, but anything is an improvement at this point.
Whitworth is 35 years old and is in the final year or two of his career. However, he has remained healthy despite his age. Given that the Rams won just four games last season, they surprisingly aren’t far away from contention. The only thing standing between the Rams and the Seahawks at the top of the division is this off season.
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