Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, the Los Angeles Rams could do would improve their team more than what they did with two games to go last season; firing Jeff Fisher. Fisher exits the NFL for good tied as the losingest head coach in league history. The Rams brought in whiz kid offensive guru Sean McVay and since it got Marshall Faulk’s blessing, I’m completely good with it.
While Fisher and the vast majority of his staff were forcibly removed from the building at the end of the season, especially his shitty son Brandon, general manager Les Snead remained. With other GMs floating around out there, Snead probably has this off-season and the next to prove he wasn’t part of the problem. Let’s see how he and McVay added to the team this spring.
Free Agents Kept
Greg Zuerlein, Kicker
Free Agents/Players Gained
Connor Barwin, Outside Linebacker, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles
Lance Dunbar, Running Back, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys
Nickell Robey-Coleman, Defensive Back, formerly of the Buffalo Bills
Keyvon Webster, Cornerback, formerly of the Denevr Broncos
Andrew Whitworth, Offensive Tackle, formerly of the Cincinnati Bengals
Robert Woods, Wide Receiver, formerly of the Buffalo Bills
John Sullivan, Center, formerly of the Washington Redskins
Austin Blythe, Center, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts
Free Agents/Players Lost
Greg Robinson, Offensive Tackle, traded to the Detroit Lions
Kenny Britt, Wide Receiver, signed with the Cleveland Browns
Brian Quick, Wide Receiver, signed with the Washington Redskins
T.J. McDonald, Safety, signed with the Miami Dolphins
Stedman Bailey, Wide Receiver, career ending injury
2017 NFL Draft
Round 2: Gerald Everett, Tight End, South Alabama
Round 3: Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver, Eastern Washington
Round 3: John Johnson, Safety, Boston College
Round 4: Josh Reynolds, Wide Receiver, Texas A&M
Round 4: Samson Ebukam, Outside Linebacker, Eastern Washington
Round 6: Tanzel Smart, Defensive Tackle, Tulane
Round 6: Sam Rogers, Fullback, Virginia Tech
Round 7: Ejuan Price, Defensive End, Pittsburgh
Proposed Offensive Starters
QB: Jared Goff
RB: Todd Gurley III
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Tavon Austin
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Gerald Everett
LT: Andrew Whitworth
RT: Jamon Brown
LG: Rodger Saffold
RG: Rob Havenstein
C: John Sullivan
Offensive Outlook
To quote Todd Gurley, it can’t get worse. The Rams have replaced their middle school offensive with a high-powered, state-of-the-art playcaller. Can these players run McVay’s system? That’s the question and it all starts with Jared Goff. As high as I was on Dak Prescott as a day one starter leading up to last year’s draft, I was just as down on Goff. Last season proved me right across the board. This year Goff has a chance to re-write that script and all the early word out of Rams OTAs is solid. None of it matters if Goff can’t do it under live fire and nobody really knows what that’s going to look like. As it is, the organziation, by bringing in McVay is all in on Goff. Can he be the franchise quarterback the team hasn’t had since Kurt Warner. He has the talent and the tools. Now he has the coach.
Up front, the Rams got considerably better with a single move, signing Andrew Whitworth in free agency to take over left tackle. He replaces the human penalty machine Greg Robinson, with the entire line shifting around with he exception of Roger Saffold, who remains at left guard. Rob Havenstein moves to right guard, Jamon Brown slides over to right tackle and John Sullivan takes over at center.
This is a revamped wide receiver unit too, with only Tavon Austin returning as a starter. This is Austin’s first chance with real offensive coaching, but it’s likely his last chance to worth a damn as a receiver in the NFL. Robert Woods is probably an even trade for the departed Kenny Britt and Cooper Kupp was drafted to start. The guy I expect to really be a factor before the season is over is rookie Josh Reynolds. With Nelson Spruce, Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas, this is a better unit than pundits think.
Gurley will be the focus of the offense and McVay will move him all over the place to produce mismatches. At tight end, Gerald Everett was the Rams’ first pick of this draft and with all the comparisons to Jordan Reed in Washington, I expect him in the starting line up.
Proposed Defensive Starters
DE: Dominique Easley
DT: Michael Brockers
DT: Aaron Donald
OLB: Robert Quinn
OLB: Connor Barwin
ILB: Alec Ogletree
ILB: Mark Barron
CB: Trumaine Johnson
CB: Kayvon Webster
FS: Lamarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
Defensive Outlook
Wade Phillips makes all the difference with pretty much the same defensive unit, minus a corner and outside linebacker, that took the field last season. If Robert Quinn stays healthy, he’s potentially worth 12+ sacks and a Pro Bowl berth. Connor Barwin is an old pro in Phillips’ scheme. Alec Ogletree is one of the best players no one knows about because he’s been on a bad team and Mark Barron should fit in perfect as a safety-linebacker hybrid.
In the defensive backfield, Trumaine Johnson will get one year on a franchise tag to show Phillips what he’s worth. I’ve plugged in Kayvon Webster as the opposite corner just because he’s one of Phillips’ guys, but E.J. Gaines could get this job on talent. Maurice Alexander is an underrated safety and could be another breakout player under Phillips. Joyner finally gets to be the every-down player he wants to be at free safety.
Up front, this is the Aaron Donald show and everyone knows it. The problem for opposing teams is that Dominique Easley and Michael Brockers are both good players too and that will keep the offensive line honest when dealing with Donald, especially with Quinn and Barwin charging in from the outside.
Grade: A+
The Rams added some talent, but by bringing in McVay and Phillips, they’ve completely altered the team’s potential. The fact that Philips could get the most out of these 200 first round picks on defense and McVay could turn Goff into an NFL quarterback and turn Gurley loose in an NFL offense will pay off immediately.
O/U wins: 7.5
Preseason Schedule
Week 1: Dallas Cowboys
Week 2: at Oakland Riaders
Week 3: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 4: at Green Bay Packers
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Indianapolis Colts
Week 2: Washington Redskins
Week 3: at San Francisco 49ers
Key game: The 49ers won two games last season and they were both against the Rams. McVay needs to put the hammer down on his teams’ oldest and most hated rival, especially since San Francisco’s roster is in such flux.
Week 4: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 5: Seattle Seahawks
Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 7: Arizona Cardinals
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: at New York Giants
Week 10: Houston Texans
Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 12: New Orleans Saints
Week 13: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 14: Philadelphia Eagles
Week 15: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 16: at Tennessee Titans
Week 17: San Francisco 49ers
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