The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2023 season with lower expectations following an offseason full of roster turnover.
The Rams’ aggressive team-building model of acquiring star talent in exchange for high draft capital has finally come to bite them as they had to make tough cuts in order to reset their cap sheet. However, Los Angeles did keep their pillars on the roster which is why the front office insists on calling the upcoming season a remodel instead of a rebuild.
For example, Matthew Stafford is set to return despite some unsubstantiated rumors that he would retire after another injury-riddled season. Stafford was forced to miss the second half of last year due to a spinal contusion, though all signs indicate he will be 100 percent healthy for the upcoming year.
With that in mind, executives and scouts around the league remain high on Stafford as he was recently listed as the No. 10 overall quarterback in ESPN’s latest top-10 list, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN:
“Arm looks good as it ever has,” a lead personnel man said. “Mobility not quite what it once was, for sure. But when he was healthy, he still played at a really high level and his arm talent is as good as there is in the league.”
The Rams’ offense looked nothing like it did during their Super Bowl run, though some believe it could have been due to the poor offensive line Stafford was working with:
“He looked shot last year, but they had an abysmal offensive line,” an NFL offensive coach said. “Hard for older guys to look good without protection. So I think with some of his bad throws he was just chucking it up out of frustration.”
There are a variety of factors to point to when discussing how poorly Los Angeles was moving the football down field last season, but most of those issues look to be remedied. Stafford feeling physically fine coupled with an improved offensive line should lead to more success for the Rams this time around.
L.A. might not be considered a title contender, but a healthy Stafford definitely makes them much more competitive on a weekly basis. Hopefully he’s able to recapture his form and lead the Rams to more wins than people might be expecting.
Matthew Stafford says Stetson Bennett has done nice job so far
Even with Stafford back, the Rams knew they needed to improve the backup quarterback spot which is why they drafted Stetson Bennett. While Bennett will primarily serve as the second-stringer, Stafford said he’s been doing a good job so far in the offseason.
