2018 is the year of giant decisions for our Rams

With the signing of Sammy Watkins, assuming he can stay healthy, Goff has a #1 WR. That said, the other rookie and first-year WRs and TEs need to prove they can: Catch the ball, run good routes, make adjustments to routes, etc. Even a healthy Watkins can't do it all on his own. But... if these things come together then the only remaining excuse Goff has for lack of success is that he's in his first year of this new offense. I may be in the minority, but I'm willing to live with that excuse this year.

2018 is a different story. If the WRs and TEs all do show up and the Rams are able to retain all of them, including Watkins (free agent at end of this season), Jared Goff would really need to impress in 2018 for the Rams to decide that they can win with him, especially if the OL shows solid improvement as well. I see 2018 as the make or break year for Goff, not this year.

Are the Rams going to be willing to pay big #1 WR to Watkins if he plays well in 2017? That money cuts into what you can pay Aaron Donald and/or TruJ. I don't think AD gets the big contract this year so next year is likely the pay him big or trade him year.

Are the Rams going to part ways with Tavon Austin in 2018 if he's the 4th or 5th WR? That's a pretty expensive 4th or 5th guy.

Is the writing truly on the wall for TruJ to be gone in 2018? There can't be enough money to keep him, AD and Watkins.

If I remember correctly, Ogletree and Lamarcus Joyner are going to need to be paid next year as well. Do you let them both go in order to pay AD?

It's really tough to sink big money in to both sides of the ball. Offense sells tickets. I would have to think that Watkins, if he has a #1 type season and stays healthy, would have to be the priority as they build a team and a new stadium that needs butts in the seats. Additionally, signing Watkins make the Rams much more attractive to QB's should Goff flounder in 2017 & 2018 (which I don't really expect to happen, but it is certainly a possibility.) Heck, they may even franchise tag Watkins for 2018 if he shows big-time this year.

I really think this team, predominately on the defensive side of the ball may look drastically different in 2018. I can envision both TruJ and AD gone (with TruJ gone via free agency and AD gone via trade.) in 2018. When you consider that McVay is a truly offensive-minded HC and that Wade Phillips has been able to produce outstanding defenses with only 1 or 2 really high-level defensive players. And, when you consider that NFL rules are set up to favor the offense in so many ways, it all make sense that there's likely to be continued investment in to the offense and a drop off in regard to spending on the "D".

I would love to see the Rams find that Goff IS the QB of the future and find the money to pay Watkins, Donald, Ogletree and Joyner (I'm indifferent on Johnson and think he's gone regardless of how well he may play this year). It's an interesting problem to have but I'm of the opinion that I'd rather know that Goff is "The Man", Watkins is here for 4 or 5 more years, and both Joyner and Ogletree stick around than to pay AD crazy money to stay and lose out on the other 3. I just don't see that it's possible to keep all of them with the limitations of the salary cap. The days of guys like Donald and Watkins looking around and saying they'll take a few million dollars less each season in order to make sure some other keys guys can get paid too, are pretty much gone. So... 2018 is likely the year that really shows the direction this team is going to go in.