Rams move up to No. 4 in USA TODAY power rankings
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theramswire.usatoday.com]
Cameron DaSilva
No one will tell you the Los Angeles Rams got better in free agency this year. They suffered a bunch of key losses on both sides of the ball, watching John Johnson, Troy Hill and Morgan Fox leave to sign elsewhere.
But despite those departures, the Rams still look better on paper than they did last year for one reason: Matthew Stafford. The blockbuster January trade that sent Jared Goff to the Lions for Stafford has the Rams poised to make a deep postseason run in 2021, assuming the defense can replace those who left in free agency.
In power rankings throughout the offseason, the Rams have been on the rise. USA TODAY’s Nate Davis bumped Sean McVay’s team up one spot coming out of free agency, moving the Rams from No. 5 to 4.
4. Rams (5): Their top-ranked defense took a few hits in free agency. But can’t wait to see what the Matthew Stafford-Sean McVay marriage – not to mention the dimension speedy WR DeSean Jackson adds – means for an offense that ranked 22nd in points scored.
It’s hard to expect the Rams to finish next season with the No. 1 defense again, given the departures of key players as well as coordinator Brandon Staley. They still have Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams and Leonard Floyd, but the defense didn’t improve at any position.
Players such as Terrell Lewis, Terrell Burgess, A’Shawn Robinson and David Long Jr. will need to step up as potential starters because there are a lot of shoes to fill.
As for the rest of the power rankings, the Bucs top the poll at No. 1, followed by the Chiefs, Packers, Rams and Bills to round out the top five. The 49ers jumped from 19th to ninth, the Seahawks are 10th, and Arizona is ranked 17th, dropping four spots despite adding J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson and A.J. Green, among others.
