Rams are still No. 1 in offseason power rankings despite key departures

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Rams are still No. 1 in offseason power rankings despite key departures

Cameron DaSilva
March 31, 2022 10:52 am PT

The Los Angeles Rams have lost four starters via free agency and traded away another one in Robert Woods. They’ve only made one outside addition, signing Allen Robinson to a three-year deal.

Knowing their cap situation, no one expected them to go out and sign five players in free agency. But two weeks into free agency, the Rams have done very little to replace the talent they lost.

Nate Davis of USA TODAY Sports doesn’t seem bothered by that, however. In his latest offseason power rankings, he still has the Rams at No. 1 – even after losing Von Miller, Darious Williams, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Corbett, among others.

Rams (1): They’ve lost a few key cogs from the Super Bowl 56 lineup – OLB Von Miller(Bills), LT Andrew Whitworth (retired), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (unsigned and injured) – but it happens just about annually to defending champs, the Brady Bucs notwithstanding. But LA also effectively made a noteworthy wideout swap, signing Allen Robinson before trading Robert Woods, while reloading the O-line. And more important? Many of the NFC’s prominent would-be contenders have taken more concerning broadsides than the Rams have.
The Bengals are still No. 2 in Davis’ poll after losing to the Rams in the Super Bowl, followed by the Bills, Buccaneers and Packers in the top five. The Chiefs have dropped all the way from No. 3 to 7, while the Colts (21 to 8) and Chargers (13 to 6) enjoyed some significant jumps up in the rankings.

The 49ers are the highest-ranked NFC West team after the Rams, sitting at No. 14. The Cardinals are 20th and the Seahawks are 24th, so Los Angeles is head and shoulders above the rest of the division.