Regardless of what happens for the remainder of the season, a big kudos to Les Snead!
Let's stop and smell the roses -- many of which will be in bloom for years to come.... consider the following... well known but lots of "hits" both big and small...
1. Snead unloaded tons of starters and backups from last year's dismal team. Most of us, me included, thought this year would result with the Rams being in the hunt for Caleb Williams. Instead, we are in the hunt, and playing great football in December.
2. Then he bet on lots of guys who were huge question marks or unknowns... a few examples of pretty good sneaky Snead draft picks not getting headlines this year..
- Rozeboom/LB -- has scored very well by PFF in a number of games. He appears to be improving.
- Bobby Brown/DT is playing early and often and pretty darn well at times. Another mid round draft pick. '21.
- Quiintin Lake/Star DB -- solid play this year, improving, mid round pick
- Nick Hampton, OLB/mid round pick last year -- don't look now, he's playing some, and scoring well PFF (plus, a big pass knockdown last week)
-- Hoecht, not an unknown, but played at Brown no less, and I think he's the only guy Snead signed from last year's holdovers on defense. Snead and coaches saw something. He's been improving all year.
Add to that list--
-- D. Robinson WR -- brilliant FA pickup!
-- Dotson -- great trade!
3. And then there are the Snead draft picks (most from rounds 3-5) getting kudos all year -- mostly, more mid round picks -- K. Williams, B. Young, K. Turner, Puka, Avilia -- all big time contributors -- and even Tutu (written off by me, and many) contributing at times.
Yeah, I'm missing guys unintentionally, but it's pretty clear Sneads done a superb job.
4. And some DB pickups ,so we aren't horrible at least...albeit clearly a weak position on this Rams team...
5. Missing: Kicker! (Punter; Rams are set)
Bottom line: Snead has led a masterful one year total rebuild --dismantling a bad team and turning them into a contender for the playoffs and improving team -- with most players who could be with the Rams for years to come (will they re-resign Dotson--probably not, but a great pickup)...
With more draft picks (including a 1, 2, 3...) and $70M now in cap space... The Rams are poised to be in the playoffs this year, and also take another big step next year...
