The Los Angeles Rams have already had a rollercoaster of an offseason as they have seen several key free agents leave, while also making the difficult decision to part ways with star running back Todd Gurley.
The Rams experienced plenty of turnover on the coaching staff as well, so it will be interesting to see how they fill out the rest of the roster with new faces making decisions on the sideline.
How Los Angeles shapes its team will be in the NFL’s best interest as the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers are set to move into SoFi Stadium prior to the beginning of the 2020 NFL season. Construction has not been completed on the state-of-the-art Inglewood stadium, but it is still on track to be finished by the summer.
Of course, the biggest thing right now concerns the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as the United States has warned everyone to stay indoors in order to help slow down the spread of the virus. The coronavirus outbreak has already affected professional sports as leagues have suspended or cancelled their seasons with no concrete plans to resume quite yet.
Unfortunately, it now appears that a worker at SoFi Stadium has contracted the virus according to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN:
A worker at SoFi Stadium has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from Turner/AECOM Hunt. The worker is doing well and recovering, the statement said. Workers who were in contact with the positive-tested worker have been notified. Construction continues.
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) March 29, 2020
In response to the positive case, rules and guidelines have been laid out in order to ensure construction continues:
Turner/AECOM Hunt said that project protocols are enforcing social distancing. "This includes limiting access to the personnel hoist, no gatherings over 10 people & those must maintain six foot separation… certain tasks that require close contact are suspended or re-sequenced."
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) March 29, 2020
This is a tricky situation to navigate because of how many people have been working on the stadium, so it is unclear at this time whether or not this situation will delay its opening. However, it is good to see that steps are being taken to ensure the safety and health of the workers.
For the Rams, there is more uncertainty about whether or not they can bounce back from their disappointing 2019 NFL season where they missed the postseason after appearing in the Super Bowl the year prior. The offensive line was a liability for most of the season and the inability to close out games cost them down the stretch.
With holes on both sides of the football to fill, the front office has its work cut out in finding players either via free agency of the 2020 NFL Draft. Los Angeles is going to want to make a splash in their inaugural season in SoFi Stadium, so hopefully Les Snead and Sean McVay can lead the way and get Los Angeles excited about Rams football again.
