3 positions Rams must address this offseason

[ramblinfan.com]

The LA Rams enter the NFL Free Agency market with coins to spend, while other NFL teams are already flashing stacks of cash. Big Bills. Franklins. Fat stacks. Buku bucks. Tidy sum. You name it, the other teams seem to have it, and the LA Rams simply do not. While that has not hampered the team’s success, it does create a dampening effect on the offseason hoopla that happens when bad teams spend way too much on a free agent.

Those big deals themselves are not the problem. What is the problem is the simple fact that it triggers wave after wave of bad takes. Let’s start off that no matter how many times the Dallas Cowboys are ‘favored’ to win the Super Bowl after NFL Free Agency or some incredibly insightful NFL Draft, they won’t. They didn’t in 2019, despite being overhyped to do so. And they didn’t in 2020.

We’re not trying to pick on the Dallas Cowboys. It’s the same for any team that gets headlined as Super Bowl contenders before the 53-man roster is even set. Hyping success based on paying a lot of money for NFL Free Agents has no correlation to success. So why do so many NFL fans think that way?

There’s an old Pennsylvania Amish adage that goes: ‘If you sling enough mud at the barn door, some of it is bound to stick.’ In translation, if you read it in enough headlines, you are bound to believe it. For the fans, the best that you can hope for is a distraction from what is really important. The front office and coaching staff must work within strict limitations to assemble the best roster possible. That means that they won’t have the $10 million or more per year to sign up many of our favorite free agent targets.

The complexity of some issues is the fact that the Rams are stuck a bit in financial quicksand. To get free, the Rams will need to part with a player or two. Perhaps the team will need to rework some contracts. And of course, there is always the option of asking Matthew Stafford to help out his new team by extending now, and pushing some of his 2021 salary expense into future years.

If you can’t beat it, join it. No, that’s not right. If you can’t buy it, build it. Yes, that’s better. So can the Rams promote players to fill known needs? Let’s check it out:

Position of need: Center

Why is this a need? The LA Rams starting center for 2019-2020, Austin Blythe, is about to test the free agency market. While this is his second year of doing so, the Rams may be looking for a changing of the guard this year. Who might that be? That truly depends on what Austin Blythe believes his fair market value to be. The Rams are making a change at quarterback, so economics is driving this decision.

Who can fill the role from within? The LA Rams have potential here, but nobody has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can handle a starting center role. As it stands, the Rams have competition set up between 2019 starter Brian Allen and versatile offensive lineman Coleman Shelton. Allen is back after a prolonged rehabilitation that carried partway into the 2020 season. While that rehabilitation was prolonged and adds a question about how well Allen will play on a repaired knee, he struggled in 2019 before the injury.

Shelton should be ready to compete for a more significant role this year. He’s entering his fourth NFL season with very limited usage. In college football, he raised eyebrows as one of the most dominating offensive linemen in the Pac-12. Since entering the NFL in 2018, Shelton has bounced on practice squads and special teams, but not broken through just yet. I like Shelton’s upside, and I am rooting for Allen to return to full health. If the Rams do not have funds, then let the pair compete. Even Jamil Demby should be given the chance to earn the spot.

Rams likely plan to address the position: The LA Rams haven’t spent enough on their offensive line and need to remedy that this year. If they free up enough salary cap space, then this one becomes relatively easy. If the Rams pass on re-signing Blythe, then get a solid veteran on the roster like former Atlanta Falcons veteran Alex Mack on as affordable of a one-year deal as possible. Then, draft his padawan on day three of the draft and dedicate that player to learn the role for the 2022 position.

Position of need: Deep threat WR

Why is this a need? The LA Rams have enjoyed the cat-and-mouse game with NFL defenses over the ability to score instantly from virtually any spot on the football field. But as of late, there has not been much quick-strike happening when the LA Rams have the ball.

Who can fill the role from within? The LA Rams have committed quite a bit to the receiver role already for the 2021 NFL season. Of course, there are no hard or fast rules to prohibit the Rams from spending more money. But what good will it do for the Rams to sign up a free agent wide receiver if they ignore more pressing needs on the offense or defense? The LA Rams have two rookie wide receivers who could find themselves very important to the offense’s plans in 2021.

Van Jefferson is fast than many had expected. Unfortunately, he played a very limited role in the offense in 2020. His speed should earn him plenty of offensive snaps, particularly in the wake of Josh Reynolds testing the NFL Free Agency market. Keep an eye on teammate Trishton Jackson too. Jackson plays a very similar style to that of Reynolds and could play a vital role in the offense this coming season.

Rams likely plan to address the position: The Rams simply have spent too much to keep Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. Until the NFL Salary cap rises significantly, I expect the LA Rams will not further invest in the receiver group. The Rams may grab a late rookie in the NFL Draft, or comb young prospects to seek a diamond in the rough after the draft. But the budget simply can’t support signing a big-name deep threat wide receiver. Look for the Rams to rely upon a younger player stepping up.

Position of need: Outside linebacker

Why is this a need? The LA Rams had lost their two starting outside linebackers in 2020, and risk losing another pair of starting outside linebackers this year as well. Both Leonard Floyd and Samson Ebukam are projected to test the NFL Free Agency market. A year ago, the Rams watched Dante Fowler Jr. sign a huge contract with the Atlanta Falcons and outright released his teammate Clay Matthews.

Who can fill the role from within? The LA Rams have cobbled together a few players who make up a solid rotation. The team currently has OLB Justin Lawler, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Justin Hollins, and Terrell Lewis. Among this group, one player should be able to win a starting role. Of course, the problem lies in the fact that the Rams truly need to fill two open positions.

The Rams edge rushers, with the exception of veteran Leonard Floyd, truly got off to slow starts in 2020. For the Rams to find steady success, the team will need a veteran on the outside to set the edge and get to the quarterback constantly. That means that the team will need to invest the $8-10 million necessary to get the job done by signing a contract. A young hungry player such as Cincinnati Bengals Carl Lawson fits the need very nicely. Of course, if veteran Jadaveon Clowney plays it wisely, he could sign an inexpensive one-year deal with the Rams, reassert his defensive reputation, then move on to a huge payday with the next team.

Rams likely plan to address the position: There is no way around this one, ladies and gentlemen. The LA Rams need one veteran addition to the outside linebacker position, hopefully, someone who can assume a starting role with the team on day way. The bookend position on paper will be won by Obo or Lewis. But Justin Hollins flashed brilliance in 2020 despite arriving late to the party. The Rams should be looking to draft an edge player as well, perhaps as early as round three of the 2021 NFL Draft.

If the Rams had to face the 2021 NFL season with no salary cap space free up, the options still exist for the team to fill their starting roles with existing players. But looking at how the Rams have already allocated their spending, the Rams free agency plan is beginning to form. The Rams need to invest in both the center and outside linebacker positions. The team has invested heavily in the receiver group for now.