Why Rams Building Roster Foundation is Paramount

After winning Super Bowl LVI, the Rams' approach of "win-now" moves and "[expletive] them picks" mentality went by the wayside as they finished the 2022 season with a 5-12 record after many of their stars from the previous season were either injured or left the team. This put the franchise in an odd spot, one that Sean McVay had never been in before in his head coaching career, and let's not forget he was also considering retirement that year.

However, the Rams front office, including general manager Les Snead and young lieutenant James Gladstone, who is now the general manager in Jacksonville, got to work over the coming seasons building the foundation of the roster we see today in Los Angeles.

The 2022 draft featured running back Kyren Williams and safety Quentin Lake, both of whom have received a contract extension in the past five months. 2023 saw them land cornerstone pieces in the trenches and the skill positions, including All-Pro Puka Nacua, defensive front personnel Kobie Turner and Byron Young, alongside Steve Avila, Warren McClendon, Davis Allen, and punter Ethan Evans.

The last two seasons have also brought on future stars are edge rusher Jared Verse, defensive tackle Braden Fiske, running back Blake Corum, tight end Terrance Ferguson, and safety Kamren Kinchens. Instead of making big trades and signing free agents to massive contracts, Snead was delicate with his approach, instilling trust in the coaching of McVay and his staff to win games, which they have with a 32-19 record in the last three seasons, all while drafting and developing talent.

Things are different now. Snead has a championship-caliber roster already prepared for next year, but it doesn't accelerate the timeline. With plenty of salary cap space and two first-round selections this offseason, the timeline and window to win is wide-open, but the urgency is real, with the reason being Stafford is on burrowed time, with Father Time preparing to strike at any moment.

The Rams should go all-in for a championship this offseason, acquiring the best players through trades and expensive free agent acquisitions, but I don't envision both first-round choices being moved; those will be valuable spots with the chance to add more to the foundation of the roster and instill youth at key positions.