Just Now: Matthew Stafford Reveal Surprising Retirement Plans….
The Los Angeles Rams may have had to sit out of Super Bowl LVIII after being taken out of the NFC Wild Card, but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t enjoy the game.
Some of the Rams fandom took comfort in the fact that the San Francisco 49ers suffered a tough overtime loss against the Chiefs. Particularly, one of their team’s star players actually reveled in the fact that the Niners are still winless in the Kyle Shanahan era
The Los Angeles Rams came out of nowhere in 2023.
This is a weird sentence to say about a team that won the Super Bowl following the 2021 season, but expectations for Sean McVay’s group before the season were rather low.
As true as this is, some of that was due to McVay himself. He has toyed so much with the idea of retirement or going into television that it was hard to know exactly what to trust or what to believe in. At the end of it all he turned in one of the finer coaching jobs of his career.
Performances like that can only happen if you have the right talent on your team and the Rams found plenty of it. While they got a lot of contributions from young, first-year players they also had some players who had been around for a while that did a great job carrying things. Consider team captain Jordan Fuller as an easy one of those.
We happened to be joined by Fuller this week on Radio Row at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas on my radio show at 94.1 San Antonio’s Sports Star thanks to our friends at Sleep Number. He detailed the Rams season in addition to a ton of other things (he really does not like Michigan).Sleep Number is the Official Sleep + Wellness Partner of the NFL, and currently 80% of active roster players benefit from the improved sleep performance on Sleep Number smart beds. Sleep Number is also an Official Partner of Crucial Catch. Right now, buy one Sleep Number pillow, get one free – plus Sleep Number will donate another pillow to the American Cancer Society.
One of the more interesting things I found out about Jordan was that he didn’t want to stick it to anybody who didn’t believe in the Rams at the beginning of the season. He was just proud of the work they accomplished together and obviously wished that there had been more football for them to play.
Jordan Fuller rocks. Our thanks again to Sleep Number for making the interview happen.
The Los Angeles Rams are gearing up for a critical offseason. They will address crucial roster needs and navigate strategic player decisions. Following a challenging 2023 NFL campaign that resulted in a 10-7 record and a Wild Card Round loss, the Rams find themselves in a position to reassess their roster and enact significant changes. As the franchise sets its sights on the future, it becomes imperative to pinpoint areas for improvement. This includes potential player trades and releases. Here, we delve into the team’s performance during the 2023 season. We identify three players the Rams must contemplate trading and present compelling arguments for these potential moves.
In 2023, the Los Angeles Rams had their seventh season under the guidance of head coach Sean McVay. Despite initial struggles, boasting a 3–6 record in the first half, they rallied with a 7–1 run in their final eight games. This surge helped them improve upon their previous 5–12 record. They secured a winning season for the fifth time in six years with a Week 13 victory against the Cleveland Browns. A pivotal win against the Giants on New Year’s Eve clinched their playoff berth after a one-year absence. However, their postseason journey was cut short with a loss to the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card Round. Ironically, the Lions were led by their former Rams quarterback, Jared Goff.
Notably, the Rams commenced the season without Jalen Ramsey, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins in the offseason. Additionally, linebacker Bobby Wagner departed after one season with the Rams. He opted to return to the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year contract.
Offseason Considerations
Despite crafting a younger roster, the Rams managed to secure a postseason berth in 2023. While they are not in a rebuilding phase, there is a consideration for sustaining the youth movement within the team. With this in mind, even veteran defensive standout Aaron Donald is a potential trade asset. At 32 years old and entering the final year of his contract, Donald remains one of the premier interior defenders in the NFL. His departure could yield a significant return in a trade. Of course, it also hinges on his approval due to a no-trade clause in his contract.
Joe Noteboom, having lost the left tackle position to Alaric Jackson, faces uncertainty with Jackson’s impending free agency. Tutu Atwell, entering the final year of his contract, has experienced a reduced role due to the emergence of Puka Nacua. This makes him another possible trade piece, too.
Here we will look at the three cut candidates on the Los Angeles Rams’ roster entering the 2024 NFL offseason.
Joe Noteboom, OL
Joe Noteboom’s trajectory has been tumultuous since signing a lucrative three-year, $40 million contract in 2022. A torn ACL in the same year sidelined him, and the emergence of Alaric Jackson relegated him to a backup role in the subsequent season. Jackson’s impending free agency adds a layer of uncertainty. However, if he secures a deal elsewhere, Noteboom’s tenure with the Rams could come to an end. Beyond his injury history, Noteboom’s hefty cap hit in 2024 further complicates his future. Releasing him with a post-June 1 designation would provide the Rams with much-needed relief. They would save $15 million in cap space.
Acquired from the Miami Dolphins in the Jalen Ramsey trade, Hunter Long’s tenure with the Rams has been marred by injury and lackluster performance. A thigh injury landed him on injured reserve early in the season. Upon his return, Long failed to make a meaningful impact. He tallied zero receptions in four appearances. His underwhelming production, coupled with his minimal contribution during his time with the Dolphins, places Long squarely on the radar as a cap casualty. Cutting ties with Long would create $1.3 million in cap savings. This would provide the Rams with financial flexibility moving forward.
