As an example, Ngakoue is a UFA and he would be an upgrade as a pass rusher to Floyd. You think Kupp, Jefferson, A. Robinson, Atwell and Skowronek are scrubs?
Did you watch last season? There were injuries all over the team. Look how many games Stafford and Kupp missed. Their OL were guys off the street things were so bad.
When the Rams signed John Sullivan he was a 35 years old FA, Andrew Whitworth look at how old he was and both were thought to be beyond their prime. Austin Corbett was riding the bench as a failed center. So you don't believe that someone like Zach Thomas can play? Let's ignore that Jackson was an UDFA but showed he can play well at both OG and OT. Shelton bounced around before he got to LA but he's played well and projects as the Rams starter at center from 2024 on. They drafted Bruss for a reason. He projected then as their starting RG, so how has that changed?
Kupp had his second injury so that should make him injury prone right? Let's cut him.
Ramsey was beginning to become a disgruntled player, so the Rams got him out of the lockerroom. He dictated where he wanted to go, i.e. the Dolphins so the Rams accomodated him. They got Hunter Long TE who projected as a 3rd or 4th round pick in his draft just like Higbee. Also like Higbee he evaluated as a receiving TE not a blocking TE. Hunter could be the next Higbee starting at TE next year.
Losing Gaines IMO hurt but put that on Morris. He insists on playing a 0T, two gap NT and Gaines is strictly a one gap DLman. In the secondary Rochell showed as a rookie he's better than David Long who again Morris preferred. IMO the hiring of Aubrey Pleasant could reflect a declining confidence in Morris as a DB coach, i.e. coaching up the players on how to play their positions. Pleasant really emerged under Staley and that secondary played fast and aggressive. Pleasant's leaving was due to clashes with Glenn who like Morris wanted to play a read/react Fangio style defense. But unlike Morris, Aaron Glenn found out that style doesn't translate when playing in the secondary. DBs need to read / anticipate and that's how they get turnovers. When they read/react they are always too late. It doesn't seem like much to the fan, but on the field it's a totally different type of secondary play. DBs need to anticipate to jump a route at it's top. That is the only way they can get PDs and INTs.
This team is going to be different in some ways IMO. Not necessarily worse, just different which in fact could be better. Be honest I bet you were one of those who were critical of the 2021 OL, calling for early draft picks to replace a lot of them. IMO the biggest weakness was at LG with David Edwards. Havenstein was even then showing a decline in his ability to handle speed and power. He's never been good at it but when you really evaluate his play it's mediocre at best right now. Looking at his cap, next year, he will be gone and Jackson will most likely be his replacement. What I'm saying is that the most maligned unit the OL might not be as bad as people think. IMO they will be better than the 2021 version and they won a Lombardi with that one.
The Rams will have their entire starting offensive skill players returning. If they stay healthy, they are a match for any defense. The defense simply needs to play more aggressively and I think they will. Edge will be addressed as well as ILB after the loss of Wagner, and CB after the loss of Ramsey. Both Hoecht and Murchison flashed enough last year to be optimistic about them this year. Copeland returns to provide good depth inside as well. Durant looked good last year and Fuller will be back.
IMO the negativity on this board is more a reflection of fairweather than reality. The basic core of this Super Bowl team is still intact on the offense. The D needed changes and there will be those changes. So what is so horribly wrong now as opposed to 2021? People complained about that team before the season as well.
C'mon no team has ProBowl players at all 22 starting positions. That is a fantasy, not reality.
