Less than 18 months after winning the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams have found themselves in the midst of a legitimate rebuild. They added 14 rookies in the 2023 draft and are relying on numerous second-year players to fill out their new-look roster.
Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur spoke to the media on Monday and spent time detailing how this roster has forced him out of his comfort zone.
“It’s not like you’re talking to [quarterback Matthew] Stafford and [receiver Cooper] Kupp who have seen so much and had so many experiences,” said LaFleur. “You have got to go back to square one and it challenges you as a coach …
“Hey, he’s not figuring this thing out, so what am I doing wrong that this guy is not absorbing the information that I’m trying to give him?”
LaFleur called back his time with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets. The latter stop featured young quarterback Zach Wilson, who struggled mightily over his first two seasons in the league. Los Angeles, barring injury, won’t feature a growing signal caller. Still, the inexperience has been notable.
“We went back to kind of the drawing board with it,” he said, referring to his—and head coach Sean McVay’s— approach. “It feels like 2017 sometimes in a good way sometimes in terms of all the new faces.”
Change can be scary, especially with a championship still in the rearview mirror. It also provides the Rams with the upside that comes with the unknown. Whether it be Steve Avila blossoming at left guard or Davis Allen making a name for himself at tight end, LaFleur and the Rams will have the opportunity to witness growth, if nothing else, during the 2023 season.
You can follow Anthony Licciardi on Twitter @ALiccScouting
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