LA Rams past sins complicates 2021 NFL Free Agency

NFL Draft

2020 Draft decisions loom very large in light of the 2021 expiring contracts. With the exception of cornerback, the Rams addressed building depth on the roster where the contracts expire in 2021.  The Rams risking losing two wide receivers and drafted a wide receiver. The Rams risk losing two tight ends and drafted a tight end. The team risks losing two cornerbacks and drafted a cornerback. The team risks losing a safety, and the team drafted a safety.

Drafting for the needs of the following year seems to be a rather successful strategy for the Rams so far. So what do the Rams look like in 2022? Per Spotrac.com, the team faces 17 free agents in 2022, Of that number, five are defensive linemen, four are offensive linemen, and six are linebackers. Want to guess which positions the Rams will focus upon in the 2021 NFL Draft?

2021 decisions for 2023 championship

Of course, the projected money to spend in 2022 is nearly $75 million. That means that the Rams will have plenty of cash to ensure they can retain the players they seek. The team will also be able to draft in the first round in 2022, That will be a new experience, won’t it?  As of today, the LA Rams will pick in rounds 1-3 and rounds 5-7. The Rams traded their 2022 fourth-round pick to the Houston Texans with WR Brandin Cooks. Meanwhile, the team will get a seventh-round pick in 2022 from the Miami Dolphins from the Aqib Talib trade.

Building a championship roster takes patience, lots of research, and a bit of luck. For the Rams roster today, the real work occurred two or three years ago. For the Rams efforts today, they are seeds that won’t come to fruition until 2022 at the earliest. Who are you re-signing in 2021?  Keep in mind that it’s not about winning in the 2021 NFL season, but rather 2023 that you should really be looking at in your decisions.