Rams’ Sean McVay Hints At Being Comfortable With A Reset

About 14 months ago the Los Angeles Rams were on top of the football world. They had defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56 with a star-studded roster. Fast forward to today, and things aren’t nearly as nice in Los Angeles.

The Rams limped through one of the worst seasons for a defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history. They battled injuries up and down the roster, starting third and fourth stringers at some positions during the season. It resulted in a very disappointing 5-12 season and some very tough decisions needing to be made this offseason.

In salary cap hell, the Rams purged their roster of veterans looking to clear cap space. Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Miami Dolphins while Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd were both released. Multiple starters hit free agency and signed elsewhere, as the only recognizable name remaining on their once-vaunted defense is Aaron Donald.

With the team in rough shape, there were whispers that head coach Sean McVay could move on this offseason. After how much success the team has experienced under his watch, no one would blame him for seeking out other opportunities, such as becoming an announcer.

However, McVay committed to sticking with the franchise. With him locked in, other veterans such as Donald and quarterback Matthew Stafford also committed to the franchise. While 2023 could be a rough season, it is a necessary one to get the Rams back to prominence.

“Sometimes the best things you can do are reset the deck, have a healthy perspective and focus on the things you can control,” McVay said. “Every year is a new year. … We have five years of great experiences.”

Despite their bleak outlook in 2023, McVay is actually excited about some of the things coming in the future. One of them is the NFL Draft, something the Rams have mostly ignored throughout his tenure as head coach.

The front office made it clear their intentions were to field as competitive, veteran-laden roster as possible. Draft picks were used to acquire established players, which left the team lacking in depth. With 11 picks in this year’s draft, McVay is looking forward to adding some young pieces to the roster.

“We have at least a couple of picks inside the top 100,” McVay said. “The past handful of years, we’re usually looking at guys from the third round and on. It will be good. We have to make sure we hit those spots. We have to have a vision for the players we are going to onboard. Let’s see if they develop into the players we want them to be.”

This is certainly a different approach than what the Rams have done in years past. It will take some getting used to, but McVay has proven to be one of the best head coaches in the NFL. This is a challenge that he will meet head on and with so many needs on the roster, it will be interesting to see how Los Angeles navigates the draft board with capital for the first time in a long time.