Snead Details Rams' Veteran Free-Agent Additions

The Rams’ internal media group is busy these days. Not only will that group unveil the team’s 2025 schedule in the Super Bowl of social media on Wednesday night, it also this weekend released the first episode of a fantastic, under-the-hood look at the team’s offseason so far, Behind the Grind.

And while the over-arching focus of the series is the players, the team that acquired those players also played a big role this spring.

The leader of that player-acquisition group, general manager Les Snead, went into detail on embracing change, including comments on several of the Rams’ signings. Here’s what he said.

On left tackle Alaric Jackson: “This is the free-agency period. There's an element of re-signing our own, and if we had to lose some of our own, replacing our own. … Being able to resign Alaric Jackson was huge for us. At the end of the day, he protects the blind side of Matthew Stafford. If he walks out the door, there's a hole there, it's glaring, and there's not easy answers to fill it.”

On cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon: “Ahkello Witherspoon's been one of those guys. Boy, does he show up big at times during the year.”

On wide receiver Tutu Atwell: “To bring back Tutu Atwell, someone who hasn't played as much, was big for us because we have adjusted that room. We wanted to add to it. He brings that element of, guess what, no matter who we play, they got to be aware that he can always run behind them. And what that does is soften up a lot of things for other plays.”

On bringing back center Coleman Shelton: “And then there is the acquisition period of players whose contracts have expired with other teams. Can any of those players come into our ecosystem? … Coleman Shelton coming back. He really, really knows how Matthew wants to operate from the quarterback position. He just adds that ability to communicate, to calm things down for the other four when there's a lot of chaos going on.”

On nose tackle Poona Ford: “Adding Poona was major for us. One of those guys where he's going to bring veteran experience to a very young defensive-line room. The way he goes about his business, the way he plays on Sunday, he's going to fit right in.”

On wide receiver Davante Adams: “Davante. Major, major grab, right? Pairing him with Matthew Stafford, pairing him with Puka (Nacua). The thing about Davante is he had options. When you're an organization that a player of his caliber has an option and wants to come to you, he wouldn't choose location over a team that he felt wasn't close to contending, competing, trying to make the most of the ‘25 season. … At the end of the day, it'll come down to does this person give us an edge both on and off the field? Being able to add that wisdom, but also add his skill set on the field. The pairing of, let's call it a receiver in the back nine of his career with a QB in the back nine. Both of them are here for a singular reason, probably not just to catch more balls and more TDs thrown. At the end of the day, I think they came here to try to do something special together, whatever that might be.”