(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
It’s already been an interesting 2021 offseason for Sean McVay’s team.
It was a franchise that hadn’t finished with a winning record since 2003 and had not been to the playoffs since ’04. Then young Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles in 2017 and the Rams have not only finished above .500 four consecutive years but the team has reached the postseason three times – appearing in Super Bowl LIII.
The club comes off a 10-6 showing and a playoff win at Seattle before succumbing to the Packers at Lambeau Field in the divisional round. And now the club will be under the command of a new quarterback in 12-year veteran Matthew Stafford, who will be officially acquired from the Detroit Lions on March 17 for former starter Jared Goff and a few high draft choices.
The Rams have some cap issues (see Spotrac) and numerous key free agents to re-sign. So will general manager Les Snead do a little bargain hunting?
5. S Damontae Kazee (Atlanta Falcons)
Was the Rams’ secondary the best in the league a season ago? According to Anthony Treash at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the club did boast the NFL’s best defensive backfield in 2020. But it is worth pointing out that two of its members – safety John Johnson III and cornerback Troy Hill, could possibly hit the free agent market in a few weeks. It’s also not out of the realm of possibility that general manager Les Snead and the organization could slap the franchise tag on Johnson.
New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, late of the Falcons, could perhaps sway potential free agent safety Damontae Kazee to Los Angeles. He’s coming off an Achilles injury suffered in early October but in 2018, he tied for the NFL lead with seven picks and in a two-year span from 2018-19 he totaled 10 interceptions and 13 passes defensed in 32 contests.