Could The Los Angeles Rams be a top contender for Hard Knocks?

The Los Angeles Rams are one of seven NFL teams who are open to mandatory discussion for the upcoming season of HBO’s Hard Knocks series. HBO’s Hard Knocks is a reality sports documentary television series produced by NFL Films and HBO where the fans get an inside scoop on a certain team during the off-season. 

More from Rams News

• Look for 49ers players to follow DeMeco Ryans to Texans
• Broncos mimic LA Rams, go All-In pairing Payton with Russell
• Championship Sunday shows me Rams need secondary help
• Can the LA Rams count on 17 games from QB Matthew Stafford?
• NFL salary cap skyrockets, but will it help LA Rams this offseason?

In the last two seasons, the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans have been the choices for Hard Knocks, but a new team must move into the spotlight. As a refresher: NFL owners passed a resolution in 2013 stating that teams can avoid mandatory inclusion in the acclaimed sports documentary series if they fall under any of three exemptions: 1) They have a first-year head coach in place; 2) They have a playoff berth in the past two seasons; 3) They have appeared on Hard Knocks in the past 10 years.

With looking at the Rams, they clearly do not fall under those exemptions and have been eligible to appear on the show for the past couple of years. Could this be the year the Rams get in the driver’s seat and appear on Hard Knocks this season? For head coach Jeff Fisher, it may be hard to persuade him to having his team appear on the show.

Fisher is not one to really show that much emotion on and off the field, and with him already on the heat seat already, he is going to want zero distractions this upcoming season. The Rams are going to have a busy offseason with the move back to Los Angeles, Free Agency, NFL Draft, and much more, as they have to prepare themselves for a much-needed above average season. However, this could also be a good move for the city of Los Angeles.

"“The NFL is clearly very proud and pleased to have a team, especially the Rams, back in Los Angeles. The Rams are an interesting team from a personality standpoint and doing “Hard Knocks” upon moving back into such a major market would be a good way to generate some buzz in the City of Angels.” (Via Nick Wagoner)"

Now it could be used to generate some buzz for the City of Los Angeles and the market, but would it help the team? It would be a great season if the Rams were selected, but I have a strong feeling Stan Kroenke and Jeff Fisher both do not want more on their plate this season. Fun fact: The last six teams to appear on the show have improved or matched their record from the season before. So maybe it would be a good idea if the Rams went on the show…..

According to Bleacher Report, The New Orleans Saints are reportedly getting prepared to be named the 2016 Hard Knocks team. Now even though they could be getting ready for the show, that does not mean the search for a new team for the series is over. This is not set in stone the Saints will be the team, but they could a favorite from the HBO Studio’s.

The Los Angeles Rams would be an intriguing option, with the team transitioning from St. Louis to Los Angeles, but it could be too much to handle. If the Rams were to be on Hard Knocks anytime soon, I would love to see them on during the 2019 season with their new stadium. With the Saints rumored to be the next team, it will be an interesting next to see if any team will make a move to be on the show.