The Rams’ commitment to build a star-studded juggernaut paid off with a Super Bowl win last season. The team was truly excellent on both sides of the ball, with new additions playing a key role. Matthew Stafford elevated this offense and helped Cooper Kupp to a historic season, whilst Vonn Miller turned out to be the missing piece they needed on defense. Expectations will understandably be high again in 2022.
Offseason additions and losses
The Rams didn’t make many moves in free agency, but the ones they did make will be impactful. They signed former Bears receiver Allen Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million deal to replace Robert Woods. They also brought in veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner on a five-year, $50 million deal. One of the more surprising moves was to bring Troy Hill back in a trade with the Browns after just a year away from the team. They also sorted contract extensions for both Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald, keeping them in L.A. for the long-term.
Whilst they managed to keep the bulk of the Super Bowl winning team together for 2022, there were some notable losses. Stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth retired in the aftermath of the Super Bowl win. They also lost Von Miller and Darious Williams, both of whom started in that win over Cincinnati. Robert Woods ended up as a cap casualty, whilst Odell Beckham was not re-signed.
2022 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 3.104 | Logan Bruss – IOL, Wisconsin |
| 4.142 | Decobie Durant – CB, South Carolina State |
| 5.164 | Kyren Williams – RB, Notre Dame |
| 6.211 | Quentin Lake – S, UCLA |
| 6.212 | Derion Kendrick – CB, Georgia |
| 7.235 | Daniel Hardy – EDGE, Montana State |
| 7.253 | Russ Yeast – S, Kansas State |
| 7.261 | A.J. Arcuri – OT, Michigan State |
The Rams’ willingness to trade away any premium draft picks meant they didn’t have a single top 100 pick in this class. As a result, this is a class of depth players and special teamers, with the odd prospect who could develop into something more. Decobie Durant in the fourth round has the traits to get some playing time at the NFL level. Kyren Williams doesn’t have a path to the field at running back, but his ability to be a contributor as a runner, receiver, and pass protector is rare and should see him make the final roster.
Offense
The Rams are blessed with talent at skill positions. They have one of the best receivers in the NFL in Cooper Kupp, fresh off becoming the fourth player in history to win the receiving triple crown. The addition of Allen Robinson is excellent too. Robinson has been a good WR1 elsewhere and that gives the Rams an excellent secondary option when defenses bracket Kupp. At running back there will be questions about whether Cam Akers can get back to full health, but the combo of him and Darrell Henderson is a very effective one when they are on the field.
They are also well set at quarterback. The conversation around Matthew Stafford got a little hyperbolic this offseason, with people praising him as a future Hall of Famer. Whilst that might be a tad extreme, he is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league. In his first season with the Rams he ranked second with 41 touchdowns and third with 8.1 yards per attempt. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect that he will only get more comfortable entering his second year in Sean McVay’s scheme.
If you’re going to question the offenses ability to match the success they had in 2021, it will come down to their offensive line. Andrew Whitworth’s decision to retire will hit hard. Joseph Noteboom will replace him and was solid in pass protection when he filled in in 2020. That said, he lacks the power to consistently win as a run blocker. There’s some uncertainty at right guard too. It isn’t clear yet who will replace Austin Corbett, but it is likely to be either offensive tackle Bobby Evans or Coleman Shelton, who has played just 238 snaps in his four-year career.
Defense
There’s no team that can match the sheer star power of the Rams defense. In Aaron Donald they have the best defensive player in football and maybe the greatest of all time. Despite turning 31 this offseason he is showing no signs of slowing down. His 86 pressures were the second most in the NFL last season and his 22.9% pass rush win rate ranked fifth. They also have perhaps the best cornerback in football in Jalen Ramsey. In 2021 Ramsey allowed a passer rating of just 74.4 on his 93 targets.
Their linebacker duo should also make plenty of plays. Last year’s third round pick Ernest Jones showed tonnes of promise as a rookie and will no doubt take the next step in 2022. They also made the move to acquire Bobby Wagner from divisional rivals Seattle. Whilst Wagner is 32 and not quite the player he used to be, his experience and understanding of how to marshal defenses will serve the Rams will in 2022.
The question is whether the stars are enough to take this unit to another Super Bowl. In the case of the defensive line, things have taken a real step backwards this offseason. The departure of Von Miller is obviously huge. He allowed them to consistently generate pressure with the front four but they will now have to figure out how to make this work without him. The loss of Sebastian Joseph-Day will also hurt their run defense and could limit their ability to play with light boxes so successfully.
Prediction
It is going to be difficult for the Rams to repeat their Super Bowl success from last season, but they have every reason to think they can. They have elite talents on both sides of the ball capable of single-handedly winning them games. They are the team to beat in the NFC West and have a great shot at another Super Bowl.
