Roster Rankings: Rams 'Dealing with Consequences,' Earn Low Marks
With free agency and the draft in the rearview mirror, the roster acquisition period of the NFL offseason is largely complete - and pundits on the outside aren't optimistic about the state of the Los Angeles Rams.
Fresh off a 5-12 season derailed by injuries, the Rams were met by salary cap troubles and had to release standouts in outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and inside linebacker Bobby Wagner while trading cornerback Jalen Ramsey and receiver Allen Robinson.
Factor in that Los Angeles couldn't afford to make any big signings in free agency and didn't have a first-round pick for the seventh consecutive year and the lack of buzz makes sense - but it's reached new heights.
Pro Football Focus ranked each roster across the league, and the Rams, despite boasting an impressive trio of quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, came in at No. 31, leaving only the NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals below them.
"A glance at the Rams' roster shows a team dealing with the consequences of their win-now approach over the past half-decade," PFF writes. "They got their trophy, but the cupboard looks pretty bare. Healthy versions of Stafford, Kupp and Donald give them a chance to win games. That’s about it.
"They won five last year and let go of Bobby Wagner and Jalen Ramsey. It's hard to see how a team so thin gets to seven wins."
PFF took the "under" on Los Angeles' betting win total of 6.5 while dubbing its offensive line as the "biggest weakness."
It wasn't all negative, however, as running back Cam Akers was tipped to potentially hit 1,200 rushing yards and second-round offensive guard Steve Avila was noted as being an immediate starter up front, offering hope that the line play can take a step forward.
Of course, rankings are what they are, and even with the schedule release bringing football ever so close to returning, the Rams don't kick off for nearly four more months.
As such, there's still plenty to play out before anything unfolds on the field - but the early external returns show there's not a whole lot of belief in the Rams, something certainly not mirrored inside the locker room.
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