Rams’ tenderfoot roster is surprisingly accomplished...

Rams tenderfoot roster is surprisingly accomplished

[ramblinfan.com]

The 2020 LA Rams roster was the third youngest in the NFL, or so says Philly voice writer Jimmy Kempski. In fact, thanks to his data table, we know that the average age of the Rams roster has consistently been among the youngest in the NFL. His data reflects the following:

Year Average Rams age Rank (Youngest =1, oldest = 32)
2016 25.0 1st
2017 25.1 2nd
2018 25.5 4th
2019 25.6 10th
2020 25.1 3rd

Is that a good thing? I guess it all depends upon what your expectations are, doesn’t it?

If you want a team that is competitively each year, then you are pleased with the Rams’ performances. After all, despite the abundance of youth, this team has been rather successful. And that may surprise some of the NFL ‘purists’ who would argue that young teams cannot win. And yet, with the exception of 2016, the Rams have powered their playoff runs with exactly that.

Youth.

But there is a condition of young play that the Rams have not been able to avoid. That is the inconsistency of play. Veterans play more consistently. Young players have better durability and heal more quickly, but you never can tell exactly what you get with a younger player. No matter how else you may view these LA Rams, there should be a consensus about the team’s ups and downs.

The Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks in two of three encounters. The Rams swept the Arizona Cardinals. But these same Rams could not defeat a poor San Francisco 49ers team? The Rams went on the road and defeated an extremely talented Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. But could not defeat the winless New York Jets at home?

It’s youth. The simple fact that the LA Rams roster carries so many players who remain on their rookie contract. It’s simply the reality of betting on key veterans. There is little money left to fill the ranks. And so, the Rams load up on young and untested players.

The Rams may be going the other way. You see, they just became much older at the quarterback position. And with the team aiming at win-now, there is a stronger likelihood of the team adding more veterans than rookies this season. Will it work? The organization thinks that the team is within striking distance of a Super Bowl run. We’ll certainly find out this year, won’t we?