After a close, but ultimately disappointing season with the miss of playoffs. Coach Afro and the team looked to upgrade the roster in positions of need to help propel the team into a division title and a playoff berth. With the Super Bowl being done, it was time to say goodbye to some of the guys that helped achieve the 8-9 record last season. The Star QB, Matt Stafford felt like he couldn’t continue anymore and told the team that he was going to hang up the cleats. Saying farewell to Los Angeles, the team that gave him the tools to win his first and only Super Bowl. While not a guy people normally think of, the loss of RT Rob Havenstein is something the team was upset, but understanding of when he decided it was time to spend more time with his family. He was a beast for the team when they picked him up from Wisconsin in 2015. And he was the last guy on the team that would play in St. Louis.
With the draft on the horizon, the team was in need of some guys that were slated to be free agents. CB Asante Samuel was given a good contract that will keep him tied to the team for the long haul. WR Tutu Atwell had a great season, outperforming the vet Davante Adams, which got him a 4 year bag. SS Kamren Curl, who was fighting for a contract extension, proved he deserved one when he was hands down, the best guy in the secondary for the Rams. Netting him a 3 year deal. CB Cobie Durant wasn’t able to play at all in the last season, getting injured only 14 plays into it, with how desolate the CB room was, he was brought back on a 1 year deal to see if he can prove his merit on the team.
As free agency started, the team was looking to spend some cash on guys that could make an impact to the team. CB Jaire Alexander was a talking point as he was a guy the team could use with the lack of star power in the CB room. While offered a bag, he sadly didn’t want to spend his days in Los Angeles. Since Jaire was sought after by multiple teams, we pivoted in the first week to sneakily pickup Kader Kohou, a vet who was willing to come in on a 2 year deal that wouldn’t break the bank and could help sure up the secondary. The second week didn’t have the team target too many guys, instead focusing on getting some trades done with teams. First team, the Vikings who were looking at one of the DT studs on the team for a pretty good and even price. Despite the talks seeming well, the trade committee wouldn’t think so which meant that both teams don’t get things that could have helped them out in the long run. Another team calling, was the Ravens. They had a vet in Marlon Humphrey who was taking up a little bit too much space with his contract for them. Seeing how CB was going to be a need, they called and offered him up for a 3rd. Instead of getting the previous Raven in Jaire, we instead got another Raven in Marlon who will fill that hole we have immensely. The final week of FA saw us go after more guys that can help the team, but mainly giving them prove it deals. WR Michael Pittman joins the team on a 1 yr deal that will help Puka out as he will be WR2. TE Jelani Woods comes in to backup the sophomore Terrance who showed he was one of, if not the best rookie TE in the previous season. RG Kenyon Green and RT Jermaine Eluemunor are both coming in to be solid depth pieces in case of injuries, who might see starting time if the Oline doesn’t get improved in the draft. MLB Krys Barnes and WLB Alex Singleton come into a spot on the defense that was barren with the losses from the team. LS Alex Ward got a 2 year deal to handle all the LS duties for the team.
Overall, the team was able to keep everybody they wanted and upgrade in the positions of need as we head into the draft which will see the team looking to get the rest of the pieces needed to push them to the playoffs.
