Rams Loading the Wagon For 2-Year Super Bowl Window
By Walter Mitchell
The last time we saw the Los Angeles Rams load the wagon for a Super Bowl run, they made bold moves to acquire Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr.
Rams Acquire:
ED Von Miller
Broncos Acquire
Rams' 2022 2nd round pick
Rams' 2022 3rd round pick
______________________________________________
Rams Acquire
WR Odell Beckham Jr, off waivers from the Browns.
OBJ signs for $4.25M.
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The thinking back in 2021 was:
1. Try to win while QB Matthew Stafford is nearing retirement.
2. Try to win while DT Aaron Donald and WR Cooper Kupp were in their prime.
3. Try to win given the golden opportunity to play the Super Bowl as home (So-Fi Staium), the way the Bucs won at home the year before.
The result?
Rams won Super Bowl LVI 23-20 in dramatic comeback fashion over the Cincinnati Bengals.
MVP: Cooper Kupp -- 8 catches, 92 yards, 2 TDs (the 2nd being the game winner)
Fast forward to 2026
Rams Acquire
All- Pro CB Trent McDuffie
Chiefs Acquire
2026 1st round pick
2026 3rd round pick
2026 5th round pick
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Rams Acquire
All-Pro 2025 Defensive Player of the Year ED Myles Garrett
Browns Acquire
All-Pro ED Jared Verse
2027 1st round pick
2028 2nd round pock
2028 3rd round pick
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Rams sign QB Matthew Stafford to a $55M contract extension through 2027
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The thinking is:
1. Win another Super Bowl before Matthew Stafford retires.
2. Win another Super Bowl under Sean McVay's watch, given the speculation that he may opt to retire when Matthew Stafford does due to McVay's desire to spend more time with his young family.
The Rams were of the belief that they could win last year's Super Bowl until this happened:
Touchdown
9 plays, 65 yards, 4:49
20
LAR
31
SEA
Kickoff
9:41 - 3rd
E.Evans kicks 65 yards from LA 35 to end zone, Touchback to the SEA 35.
3-yd Run
9:41 - 3rd
G.Holani right guard to SEA 38 for 3 yards (B.Young; Q.Lake).
1st & 10 at SEA 35
-2-yd Run
8:59 - 3rd
K.Walker right end to SEA 36 for -2 yards (N.Landman).
2nd & 7 at SEA 38
12-yd Pass
8:23 - 3rd
(Shotgun) S.Darnold pass short left to C.Kupp to SEA 48 for 12 yards (J.McCollough).
3rd & 9 at SEA 36
11-yd Run
7:43 - 3rd
K.Walker right guard to LA 41 for 11 yards (Q.Lake; O.Speights).
1st & 10 at SEA 48
9-yd Pass
6:58 - 3rd
(Shotgun) S.Darnold pass short middle to G.Holani to LA 32 for 9 yards (O.Speights).
1st & 10 at LAR 41
12-yd Pass
6:17 - 3rd
(Shotgun) S.Darnold pass short left to J.Smith-Njigba to LA 20 for 12 yards (O.Speights).
2nd & 1 at LAR 32
7-yd Pass
5:34 - 3rd
S.Darnold pass short left to A.Barner to LA 13 for 7 yards (O.Speights).
1st & 10 at LAR 20
Incompletion
4:59 - 3rd
(No Huddle) S.Darnold pass incomplete short left to J.Bobo.
2nd & 3 at LAR 13
13-yd Touchdown Pass
4:52 - 3rd
(Shotgun) S.Darnold pass short right to C.Kupp for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN [K.Turner]. J.Myers extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Stoll, Holder-M.Dickson.
3rd & 3 at LAR 13
Note: During this drive it felt like I was watching the Cardinals' "caution and cushion" soft zones. When the cameras panned over to Sean McVay during this drive, he was looking particularly dismayed.
While McVay's offense responded with a TD to cut the score to 31-27 Seahawks on a beautiful 34-yard TD pass from Stafford to Puka Nacua and then the Rams' defense forced the Seahawks to punt, then this happened:
Downs
14 plays, 84 yards, 7:24
27
LAR
31
SEA
11-yd Run
12:18 - 4th
B.Corum left tackle to LA 21 for 11 yards (T.Woolen).
1st & 10 at LAR 10
15-yd Pass
11:39 - 4th
M.Stafford pass short middle to B.Corum to LA 36 for 15 yards (D.Witherspoon).
1st & 10 at LAR 21
13-yd Pass
11:02 - 4th
M.Stafford pass short left to K.Williams pushed ob at LA 49 for 13 yards (J.Love) [L.Williams]. SEA-D.Thomas was injured during the play.
1st & 10 at LAR 36
Incompletion
10:28 - 4th
M.Stafford pass incomplete deep right to K.Mumpfield.
1st & 10 at LAR 49
16-yd Pass
10:21 - 4th
M.Stafford pass short middle to C.Parkinson to SEA 35 for 16 yards (D.Witherspoon).
2nd & 10 at LAR 49
2-yd Pass
9:42 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford pass short right to B.Corum to SEA 33 for 2 yards (N.Emmanwori).
1st & 10 at SEA 35
7-yd Pass
8:59 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford pass short right to B.Corum to SEA 26 for 7 yards (E.Jones).
2nd & 8 at SEA 33
Incompletion
8:21 - 4th
M.Stafford pass incomplete short middle to C.Parkinson.
3rd & 1 at SEA 26
3-yd Run
8:16 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford scrambles up the middle to SEA 23 for 3 yards (D.Lawrence).
4th & 1 at SEA 26
5-yd Penalty
7:32 - 4th
B.Corum up the middle to SEA 24 for -1 yards (N.Emmanwori).PENALTY on SEA-B.Mafe, Defensive Offside, 5 yards, enforced at SEA 23 - No Play.
1st & 10 at SEA 23
6-yd Pass
7:09 - 4th
M.Stafford pass short right to P.Nacua pushed ob at SEA 12 for 6 yards (D.Witherspoon).
1st & 5 at SEA 18
6-yd Pass
6:29 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford pass short middle to P.Nacua to SEA 6 for 6 yards (E.Jones; T.Knight).
1st & 10 at SEA 12
0-yd Run
5:45 - 4th
K.Williams up the middle to SEA 6 for no gain (T.Knight). ** Injury Update: LA-J.Whittington has returned to the game.
2nd & 4 at SEA 6
Incompletion
5:06 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford pass incomplete short right to K.Mumpfield (D.Witherspoon).
3rd & 4 at SEA 6
Incompletion
4:59 - 4th
(Shotgun) M.Stafford pass incomplete short middle to T.Ferguson (D.Witherspoon).
The Triumphant Seahawks
The Seahawks, by comparison, were able to get the Rams to turn it over on downs, by playing sticky man coverage. Notice that neither of the last two passes went to Puka Nacua or Davante Adams.
Then on the Seahawks' ensuing possession they were able to run the clock down from 4:59 to 0:31 thanks in large part to three key passes from Sam Darnold to Kenneth Walker III (15 yards), Cooper Kupp (7 yards on 3rd and 7) and Jaxson Smith-Njigba (for 14 yards on a 2nd and 10).
After Seahawks' punter Michael Dickson pinned the Rams down on the 7-yard line, with the clock now at 0:25, the Rams had no chance to go 93 years in 3 plays. I can remember thinking at that moment how pissed the Rams were going to be this off-season by the ways in which the Seahawks with head coach Mike Macdonald and OC Klint Kubiak outcoached them.
Oh, the irony too, to see WR Cooper Kupp help the Seahawks win this game in the clutch.
The Fallout
If you know Rams' GM Les Snead, you just know that he was going to be hellbent on making the kind of big changes it would take to get his Rams in a position to wreak revenge.
The reason why he gave up a haul to acquire CB Trent McDuffie was Les Snead's answer to playing JSN man to man and do away with the soft zones.
Note --- by giving up their second 1st round pick to the Chiefs (#27), this meant that if Les Snead wanted to secure his QBOF in Ty Simpson, especially after signing Klint Kingbury as their QBOF groomer, then he would have to pass on an array of outstanding players at other positions in order to select Simpson. We saw on draft night that Sean McVay was struggling with Snead's decision.
The reason why Snead just gave another huge haul to the Browns for Myles Garrett is out of the sheer frustration that when it mattered most in the second half, his pass rushers didn't get to Sam Darnold.
As much as Snead likes Jared Verse, Verse's 12 sacks in two seasons comes nowhere close to Myles Garrett's 37 the past two seasons. More than 3 times as many.
Now rumors have it that Aaron Donald is considering a return to the Rams so he can line up next to Myles Garrett.
One has to give Les Snead huge credit for rebuilding the Rams' defense so swiftly through the draft following Aaron Donalds' retirement. Snead hit the defensive jackpot on every Day 1 and 2 pick.
Couldn't the Cardinals Have Made That trade for Myles Garrett?
The Rams trade has me bummed out! Why couldn't our Cards have made that trade sending disgruntled Sweat to Cleveland? Once again, the Cards are missing great opportunities!
Jim, I believe the Cardinals are going to do whatever they can to keep their 2027 1st round pick. As much as having a HOF type edge rusher is extremely alluring, the Cardinals absolutely have to get their QBOF correct this time. If anything, the Cardinals will be looking to add draft capital than offering it this year. Once the Bowns offered Jared Verse, that's when the Rams became the favorites and let's face it, Jared Verse heading into year 3 is a stronger all-around player than Josh Sweat.
In the short term, yes. The long term, that's what's at risk and the Rams have a number of their superb Pro Bowl caliber draft picks they have to try to re-sign. They just gave Stafford a $55M extension, made Trent McDuffie the highest paid CB in NFL history at $31M a year and now are adding essentially $33M a year for the next years for Myles Garrett.
Rams’ approach is fascinating - taking big swings instead of paying young stars.
Sources say L.A. is giving early impressions it won’t extend 2027 FAs Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, Steve Avila this summer. Perhaps that changes but deals are not on the radar right now.
Market Value FA
WR Puka Nacua $38M
DE Byron Young $30M
DT Kobie Turner $29M
LG Steve Avila $19M
RG Kevin Dotson $13M
TE Colby Parkinson $9M
Puka definitely getting extended and probably Kobie Turner but it's gonna be tough.
If the Rams are going to let a number of their good draft picks hit free agency, then Mike LaFleur could make a strong pitch to have them sign with the Cardinals, especially give the Cardinals huge cap space money in 2027.
Big Ram Gambles
Will their big gambles work again this time around, as they did in 2021?
Rams have been aggressive in roster building for last 10years, recall when they had no #1 draft picks for several years (believe it was part of Stafford trade and build). So far their draft picks have hit regardless of round selected. And the last decade I think they've been in contention (playoffs) just about every year. This earns them more money at end of day. They are exact opposite of Cardinals who are not interested in building a winning team at any cost. I would say some of this is related to having right coach(es) on staff as well. The Rams know they can develop a 3rd, 4th, 5th round pick and groom them into starting impact players, whereas Cardinals can't get the level of play from their 1st round selections.
"Cardinals have a GM who listens to his Owner" - fixed it for ya.
(To be fair all GM's need to listen to their owner or they are out of a job, the issue is most owners give autonomy to make decisions on their own for player personnel, Bidwill likes to make personnel decisions and IMO even believed he could act as Head Coach under Kingsbury reign)
Verse is from Dayton which probably helped. I am sure Minshew will have a hamstring injury those LA weeks for the rookie to start and pay his dues. Monti is so far out of his depth from the GMs in SF, Seattle and LA that he needs water floaties
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Rams have been aggressive in roster building for last 10years, recall when they had no #1 draft picks for several years (believe it was part of Stafford trade and build). So far their draft picks have hit regardless of round selected. And the last decade I think they've been in contention (playoffs) just about every year. This earns them more money at end of day. They are exact opposite of Cardinals who are not interested in building a winning team at any cost. I would say some of this is related to having right coach(es) on staff as well. The Rams know they can develop a 3rd, 4th, 5th round pick and groom them into starting impact players, whereas Cardinals can't get the level of play from their 1st round selections.
ReplyDeleteGood comparison. Rams have a GM who listens to his instincts. Cardinals have an owner who listens to his fans.
ReplyDelete"Cardinals have a GM who listens to his Owner" - fixed it for ya.
ReplyDelete(To be fair all GM's need to listen to their owner or they are out of a job, the issue is most owners give autonomy to make decisions on their own for player personnel, Bidwill likes to make personnel decisions and IMO even believed he could act as Head Coach under Kingsbury reign)
Verse is from Dayton which probably helped. I am sure Minshew will have a hamstring injury those LA weeks for the rookie to start and pay his dues. Monti is so far out of his depth from the GMs in SF, Seattle and LA that he needs water floaties
ReplyDelete