Grading the Rams offseason moves so far...

Grading the Rams' offseason moves so far

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

It’s been somewhat of a rough offseason for the Los Angeles Rams and their fans. The logo reveal was a flop, Cory Littleton left in free agency and fan-favorite Todd Gurley was cut before his new contract extension could even kick in.

There were some bright spots, though, like the re-signings of Andrew Whitworth and Michael Brockers, as well as the additions of A’Shawn Robinson and Leonard Floyd. Still, most fans remember the team’s losses more than they tend to focus on the additions.

Now two weeks into the new league year, we’ve taken a step back and graded each of the Rams’ most notable moves of the offseason. For the most part, we understand their decisions, but there were a few head-scratchers.

Losses

Cory Littleton

It’s hard to believe the Rams couldn’t match or exceed the offer Littleton got from the Raiders, which is essentially just a two-year, $22 million deal. The Rams found money to keep Michael Brockers, so they could’ve made space for Littleton. Losing Littleton will hurt the defense badly, especially with so few proven starters at inside linebacker currently on the roster. It’s possible Littleton preferred the fact that Nevada has no state income tax, but the Rams could’ve made him a bigger offer to keep him around.

Grade: D

Dante Fowler Jr.

Fowler was always going to be a high-priced free agent, so it’s hard to argue with the Rams’ approach here. They reportedly tried to keep him, but the Falcons came in with a three-year, $45 million offer, which he couldn’t turn down. And he gets to reunite with Dan Quinn, who coached him at Florida, which was also a factor in this division. It won’t be easy to replace Fowler’s 11.5 sacks, but it’s easy to see why the Rams didn’t want to break the bank for him.

Grade: B

Greg Zuerlein

Zuerlein helped send the Rams to the Super Bowl two seasons ago and was one of the best kickers in football for several years. His accuracy fell off in 2019, though, and the Rams clearly didn’t make him a priority in free agency. After two weeks on the market, Zuerlein left to join the Cowboys on a three-year, $7.5 million deal. There aren’t many other quality options at kicker in free agency, so the Rams could come to regret this in 2020.

Grade: C-

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Cuts

Nickell Robey-Coleman

Robey-Coleman has been the Rams’ most reliable and consistent cornerback the last three years, so moving on from him to save $4.5 million was surprising. But after seeing him only get a one-year, $1.3 million deal from the Eagles, perhaps he wasn’t as coveted as some fans thought. Still, It was a somewhat surprising move to see the Rams decline his option, essentially passing the torch to David Long at nickel corner.

Grade: C+

Todd Gurley

Cutting Gurley before he could play a down on his new deal seems crazy, but the Rams clearly didn’t feel like he was a marquee back anymore. Otherwise, they would’ve kept him around instead of taking on $20.15 million in dead money. They didn’t want to go through another season of explaining his lack of touches, so they cut ties.

Their logic wasn’t hard to see, so this isn’t a terrible move if Darrell Henderson can step up. But they get an F for handing out that large of a contract two years before Gurley’s rookie deal was set to end.

Grade: B-

Clay Matthews

Matthews had eight sacks last season and was a solid pickup for the Rams, but many of those sacks were the result of free rushes, stunts with Aaron Donald and one-on-one opportunities. He was also poor against the run, which is not something a strongside outside linebacker can be. The Rams added Leonard Floyd to replace him and are confident in their other young pass rushers to step up, and the move saved $5 million, too.

Grade: A-

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Re-signings

Austin Blythe

The Rams gave Blythe $3.5 million guaranteed for one year, which suggests he’ll be a starter. It’s not a bad value for a versatile offensive lineman, who can play both guard and center. He’ll compete with the Rams’ other young linemen and have a chance to start at any of the interior spots next season. This was a worthwhile re-signing by Los Angeles, given the team’s needs up front.

Grade: B

Andrew Whitworth

Seeing Whitworth get a three-year deal was surprising, but the way it’s structured, the Rams can get out of it after one season. He’s a huge part of the O-line and without him, Los Angeles would have a gaping hole at left tackle. The Rams were wise to re-up him for at least one more year, rather than trusting either Joseph Noteboom, Bobby Evans or a rookie to take over at left tackle. Whitworth is still a top tackle in the NFL.

Grade: A

Michael Brockers

Brockers was a late addition to the mix after his deal with the Ravens fell through. He returns to the Rams after the team already signed A’Shawn Robinson, which complicates things on the defensive line. Brockers will probably assume his role at defensive end, while Robinson could play nose tackle. It fortifies the defensive line, but we’ll have to see the full contract details before giving a final grade. For now, it looks like a wise move.

Grade: B+

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Free-agent signings

Leonard Floyd

Anyone expecting Floyd to come in and rack up sacks in bunches like Fowler did is likely in for some disappointment in 2020. He had just 3.0 sacks last season and has seen his total decrease each year he’s been in the NFL. However, he is a good run defender on the strong side and will help the Rams in that aspect. Just don’t expect him to be a sack artist because he never has been. His one-year, $10 million deal isn’t yet official, so we don’t know the final terms.

Grade: B-

A’Shawn Robinson

Robinson signed with the Rams after it appeared they had lost Brockers. But now with Brockers back, Robinson likely won’t be playing defensive end and will instead line up at nose tackle most of the time. He’s a stout run defender who clogs up holes up front, but don’t expect much from him as a pass rusher.

Grade: B