Los Angeles Rams: Garoppolo deal starts the clock ticking in LA

The Los Angeles Rams have an offseason that will provide a lot of promise and a lot of questions as to “what’s next.” The signing of Jimmy G. in San Francisco will make some of those answers a bit tougher.

Don’t look now, but the San Francisco 49ers just forced the issue with Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead. With Jimmy Garoppolo the newest big ticket item in the NFC West, keeping up with the Niners made Snead’s job a little harder in LA.

The obvious names, Aaron Donald (this offseason), Todd Gurley (next year), and not too far down the road Jared Goff, are no doubt seeing dollar signs in the future as the market looks to reset.

At least for now, that is.

The Rams youth, as exciting and promising as it is, will eventually need and want to get paid. Such is the cost of having a stable of quality, young up-and-coming players, meaning the carousel of comings and goings will be an interesting watch this summer and those in the off-seasons to come.

In Garoppolo, the 49ers not just increase the quality of the division, but also the money that those in LA may eventually command. Now, the 11-5 record is not just the high water mark for a yearly win/loss record, but keeping up with what San Francisco has spent to win will need to trickle down as well.

Will this be tough for owner Stan Kroenke and the Rams hierarchy?

Likely not.

When the Inglewood stadium project finally goes live in 2020, the Rams will be playing in what most presume will be the signature stadium not just out West, but perhaps in the league.

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Appearances being what they are, LA will want and need to keep up.

Bottom line, the 6-10 49ers have served notice to not just the 11-5 Rams, but the NFC West as a whole.

It didn’t take long for the Rams to become the second best story in the division they just won.