Rams having historically bad season for reigning Super Bowl champs

The wheels have fallen off the Rams during their title defense. The team just placed quarterback Matthew Stafford on injured reserve with a spinal cord contusion. However, Stafford struggled even before the injury. 

The Los Angeles defense also desperately misses pass rusher Von Miller. The Rams have the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL, even with highly-paid stars on the team like defensive tackle Aaron Donald, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Bobby Wagner and pass rusher Leonard Floyd. 

Things don't get any easier for Los Angeles after this season. The Detroit Lions own their 2023 first-round pick because of the Stafford trade. The team has a lot of high-paid veterans on its roster, too, and no clear outs on their contracts. The cap space is tight for 2023, and the roster needs clear work. 

It doesn't help that Donald and head coach Sean McVay have also publicly flirted with early retirements. 

While the team's Super Bowl trophy barely has any dust on it, the team's future looks grim. The Rams might need to think about a rebuild before they think about another league title.