If 2023 & 2024 are going to be "building years"...

What to Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford & Cooper Kupp think about that?
A first ballot HOFer, 1 of the top 25 QB's in NFL History and a guy who needs 2 or 3 really good seasons to be a potential HOFer are going to be happy for the next 2 years playing in a situation where losses benefit the longer term success of the team than wins? I think not.
If I were king of the Rams, I'd have kicked the can down the road for 1 more season to see what AD, Ramsey, Wagner, Floyd, a healthy OL, a potentially healthier Stafford and a fully recovered Cooper Kupp, combined with the rest of the gang, could have done to try to make 1 more deep play-off run.
The reason for that is:
- Aaron Donald has been contemplating retirements since the SB win. Is he going to risk crippling himself for life for the current team with very little chance of even reaching the play-offs. Moreover, this is a guy who is not shy about voicing his frustrations. Does he become a distraction?
- Matthew Stafford left the Lions because they weren't contenders and because he was getting the crappola kicked out him year after year. What's different from that to where the Rams are heading into the 2023 NFL season? In many ways, I wonder if Stafford is really permanently injured and incapable of putting number like he did 2 years ago. Perhaps that's why the Rams sort of threw in the towel for the next 2 seasons.
- Cooper Kupp is coming back from his 2nd major injury. I have little doubt that he'll be ready to go. I have little doubt he'll give it all he's got. But the likelihood of him ever putting up the same numbers as he did in 2021 are very slim. Teams are just going to do all they can to take him out of the mix and make him unavailable in the passing game and force someone else to be "the man". I don't think Cooper will ever voice his frustration. But how's he going to feel if he's a 60 reception, 750 yard, 7 TD guy for a couple of years.
There's been very little talk of any of this. At least that I've seen. This is why I think there's a chance for a blockbuster type trade of AD or CK (Stafford is untradable because of his contract, combined with last year's performance and injuries) on draft day.
I could see AD wrapping up his career as a NY Jet, possibly. It's a team that appears to be on the rise and if Aaron Rodgers signs, they could be SB contenders this year if they added a guy like Donald. Plus, NY is just a short drive or puddle-jump plane ride to where AD prefers to call "home", Pennsylvania. He's owed a bunch of money, but I think a generational talent like this could net the Rams a 1st round pick or a couple of 2nds (depending upon what the Jets have left after trading for Rodgers). Adding a first or a couple of 2nd round picks to next year's draft could really help the Rams to control the entire draft. If Rodgers ends up elswhere (He's not gonna play for the Packers again), then I could still see teams like Jacksonville, or even the NY Giants making a run for AD on draft day and each of those teams is going to be much more likely to be in the hunt over the next 2 years and they are both far closer to PA than California.
Would Miami like to have a guy like Cooper Kupp playing with Tyreek Hill? If they think they are contenders to win a SB this year or next, how much would a guy like CK help them? Is he worth a 2nd and a 3rd? Again, more draft capital for 2024, combined with a LOT more cap space, could allow the Rams a very high draft pick in 2024 (QB's are pretty solid next year) and some money to build the team around some young picks.
Selfishly, I'd like to see AD and CK end their careers as Rams. Seeing either of them in another jersey would be tough. But loyalty has sort of gone out the window on both the player and team sides. It's rare to have a really good player get drafted by the same team that he retires from without ever having played for another team.
Somehow, I think somethings up. The Rams are really good at keeping things quiet. I think moving AD is more likely than moving Kupp. But honestly that's because my gut says Kupp has more loyalty to the Rams than the average player does to his current team. I just wouldn't be surprised to see either of them moved on draft day. Since the Rams are really in rebuilding mode and since round 1 and round 2 picks in future drafts aren't valued the same as round 1 and 2 picks in the current draft year, it would be easier for the Rams to let go of AD or CK for picks in the 2024 draft because those picks are more valuable to the Rams based upon how they are approaching the rebuild.
I dunno... Maybe I'm way off. But why would the Rams want to keep 2 expensive guys who have solid trade value during the rebuild unless they think both of them are going to be around, motivated and performing at the highest possible level in 2024 and 2025?
Tear this apart if you like, but I think there's a chance the Rams lose at least 1 of these guys on draft day.