Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Snead: fewer big moves this time; & other "what's the offseason focus" articles
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March 26, 2019 at 8:56 pm #99315
znModeratorRams’ roster still looks super, so GM Les Snead sees fewer big moves this offseason
GARY KLEIN
https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-les-snead-rams-20190325-story.html
It’s a quieter vibe this year for the Rams.
In 2018, on the second day of the NFL owners meetings in Florida, most of the franchise’s contingent put off scheduled responsibilities and huddled en masse to speak by phone with free-agent defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.
They were working out the details of another blockbuster acquisition that fueled last season’s Super Bowl run.
“Probably right now, at this moment, we went into a room and probably spent the afternoon missing meetings to complete that deal,” Rams general manager Les Snead said about last year during a midday break Monday at the Arizona Biltmore.
Suh is a free agent again and not expected to return, but the foundation for another Super Bowl run is in place for third-year coach Sean McVay. Offseason moves made in 2017 and 2018, and the recent signings of edge rusher Dante Fowler, safety Eric Weddle, linebacker Clay Matthews and backup quarterback Blake Bortles, have helped position the Rams for continued success.
“We came up with kind of a blueprint action plan and were relatively active,” Snead said of the previous two offseasons. “But I think those two years have probably, let’s call it, put a damper in terms of excitement on the ’19 offseason.
“But I like to say that’s a good thing, because all those things have kind of put us in a situation where we’ve got this foundation built and move forward from here.”
Quarterback Jared Goff and stars such as running back Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald were on the roster when the Rams hired McVay. The Rams then signed free-agent receiver Robert Woods and offensive linemen Andrew Whitworth and John Sullivan during the offseason, and drafted players such as tight end Gerald Everett, receivers Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds and safety John Johnson. The Rams won the NFC West in McVay’s first season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
In 2018, Snead traded for cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, signed Suh and then traded for receiver Brandin Cooks, among other moves. Their draft picks included offensive linemen Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen. The Rams won the NFC title but lost to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
About a month later, the Rams elected not to pick up Sullivan’s option. They released linebacker Mark Barron. Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold and safety Lamarcus Joyner then left for larger free-agent deals, but the Rams re-signed Fowler, whom Snead had tabbed as their top offseason priority.
Then they added Weddle, a 12-year veteran, and Matthews, a 10-year veteran. Both were voted to the Pro Bowl six times.
Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, a future Hall of Famer, grinned Monday when asked about Weddle and Matthews joining the Rams.
“I was sad to see those guys go there,” Fitzgerald said. “I was hoping they were going to go to the AFC West.
“I don’t like to see anybody in the NFC West improve besides the Cardinals. I wasn’t happy about it.”
With the second wave of free agency complete, the Rams might be done dealing for a while.
“Nothing’s ever off the table,” Snead said, but added it was “highly doubtful” Suh returns.
The Rams’ decision last week to match an offer sheet that backup running back Malcolm Brown had received from the Detroit Lions was an indication that running back C.J. Anderson also probably would not return.
“Malcolm’s been a heck of a second [running back] for us, and when he’s not carrying the ball he can play 30 really good snaps” on special teams, Snead said. “C.J. did an unbelievable job for us, so that was a tough decision because there’s an emotional side.”
The Rams now will turn their attention to the draft next month.
“We’ve got our roster to a point where we feel like we can go into the draft without, let’s call it, desperation to draft a particular position,” Snead said. “After that, we can reassess — ‘OK, is there something we really, really missed out on? Do we need to do a veteran here or there as insurance?’ ”
March 30, 2019 at 1:42 pm #99466znModeratorWhen Rams open offseason program, focus will be on present — not the past
https://www.therams.com/news/when-rams-open-offseason-program-focus-will-be-on-present-not-the-past
When the Rams assemble for the start of their offseason program on April 15, they’ll do so knowing that 2019 is a new year.
There will be new players to integrate into the system, new coaches to get familiar with.
But there’s also a factor that Los Angeles may have to combat — the dreaded Super Bowl hangover.
You’ve probably heard about it. When a team loses the Super Bowl, it’s difficult for that club to make it back to the postseason the following year. In just the last few years, for example, it’s happened to the Panthers after their appearance in Super Bowl 50. And it happened to the Falcons after their appearance in Super Bowl LI.
The Patriots, of course, are the exception — reaching the playoffs every season since 2009, and winning three of the last five Lombardi Trophies.
At this week’s league meetings in Phoenix, head coach Sean McVay told assembled reporters that he has spoken to Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn about learning lessons from losing the last game of the season.
“But at the end of the day, I think it happens to be the last game so it gets talked about a lot. But that was a blessing to our team to even be in that position,” McVay said. “And 2019 is a new season. I don’t think you want to lose sight of some of the things foundationally that we’ve been able to develop over the last couple years. But you’ve got to earn it every single day.”
Earning it every single day — that’s something McVay has stressed since he became Los Angeles’ head coach back in January 2017. Even in his introductory press conference, McVay spoke of creating a team that was focused on daily improvement and daily excellence. Those are the kinds of core principles that the Rams will focus on to begin the offseason program.
“I think we talk about not letting one game ever define you,” McVay said. “And clearly that’s a big game, and it’s the first time we’ve ever navigated through it as a coaching staff. But it’s going back to the foundational principles, some of the core values that you want to operate with — just in terms of being in the present, producing in that given day. And those are things that we’ll go back to doing.
“I think we’ve got to understand that every year presents new challenges. But foundationally, there’s a lot of the same things that we’ll continue to do moving forward. But last year is last year. You want to learn from every single game. The Super Bowl provides a great learning opportunity for us.”
That being said, McVay realizes that there will be a bit of a balancing act between using the past as fuel, and not letting it affect what has to happen in order to be successful in 2019.
“I think everybody talks about the consistency at what New England’s been able to do, and you look at the way they responded to a great game [in the Super Bowl] against Philly and they found a way to consistently produce and then find a way to get it done this year,” McVay said. “For us, it’s not about the end goal — it’s about producing in the present. And that’s what we’ll consistently focus on.
“I think everybody that has a natural inclination to say, ‘Oh, you’ll be back’ — it’s not like that at all. For us, it’s about building one day at a time, and understanding that there’s 31 other teams that have the same goals that we do, and great coaches, great players. And we’ve got to do it the right way. And, again, not lose sight of what helped us have success over the last couple year.s But we’ve got to adjust, adapt, evolve, and then figure out the 2019 Rams specific to our players and our coaches — how can we figure out [how] to be the best versions of ourselves every single day.”
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