LA Rams day 2 NFL Free Agency recap – a new hope

The future is now

Despite the lack of activity for the Rams, the now two-day-old 2020 NFL Free Agency is not a disaster by any means. Actually, the restraint shown by the team’s front office is somewhat, encouraging.

This is not a drive-up window service right now. The LA Rams entered this free agency market knowing full well that the team had limits as to what it could do, and despite the sense of urgency to do something, it has been rather effective in that pursuit.

Quietly, the Rams are doing the right things so far.  The consensus since the Rams 2019 season ended was that the Rams needed to improve the offensive line.  The simple act of extending tender offers to both exclusive restricted free agents did exactly that.  The Rams retention of tight end Johnny Mundt gives the team excellent options to bolster blocking on a per-play basis by running 12-personnel packages. 12-personnel is simply a way of stating the team will use one running back and two tight ends on that play.

An even bigger improvement is the Rams retaining center, Coleman Shelton. Here is a quality center prospect who was not even on the roster at the start of the 2019 season.  Much like Austin Corbett, he was acquired mid-season due to multiple injuries that ended seasons of offensive linemen. Now, he is a strong candidate to earn the starting role for the Rams in 2020.

No, these do not headline sports stories. But these are significantly important moves to improving the play of the Rams offense in 2020.  Neither move cost many dollars.  An avalanche starts with just one snowflake.  Yesterday, the LA Rams caught two which will have big impacts this season.