Rams Have Created Blueprint For This Rival to Follow

The Rams decided that the bullet was coming and would hit with greater impact if they didn't get their stuff together immediately, so a reinvigorated Sean McVay, a motivated Les Snead, and their brilliant college scouting director James Gladstone cleared the books and put together what was their most impressive draft class in the McVay era in 2023.

The additions of Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Steve Avila, Byron Young, and other big-time contributors led to an eventual turnaround that was powered by Kyren Williams' incredible introduction to the NFL.

Now in 2025, while the Rams are gunning for the Super Bowl, their rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, look to walk the same path the Rams did two years ago.

What Are the 49ers Doing?

The 49ers also cleared their books to an extent, saying goodbye to Deebo Samuel, Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, and others. However, they did extend Brock Purdy, but as they enter 2025, they will also rely on their run game with Christian McCaffery and a plethora of rookies on defense.

“There are examples [of this kind of retooling] all over,” stated Kyle Shanahan to SI's Albert Breer. “I look at some of those players who left their teams— How good were they at that time? Did they get really paid by other teams? Are they going to help other teams? I think we let go of some guys that can still really play, and still really do it, so that’s the difference. You always have to make a decision to let go of a guy, usually a year before everyone else can see it, because usually you can see it …”

“That’s what was so tough for me personally as a coach, was sitting here in March and knowing it was gonna come, but still hoping we could get lucky,” he continued. “And then having to really sit there and watch someone like Dre Greenlaw leave, someone like ‘Huff’ [Talanoa Hufanga] leave, not being able to afford [Jordan] J.P. Mason. These are really good players, really good people.”

The 49ers made the choice to reinvent their defense with an injection of youth under Robert Saleh, the 49ers original defensive coordinator under Shanahan while second-year player Ricky Pearsall looks to be what Puka Nacua was to the Rams. An aerial game changer.

It should be noted that in 2023 the Rams made the postseason, but the 49ers won the division and the NFC crown. Perhaps the Rams will follow in those steps, but also look to win the Super Bowl as well.