LA Rams must resist myopia over personnel decisions

The LA Rams must resist consensus and myopic perspectives when making personnel decisions for the Rams roster this season

The LA Rams have been doing an excellent job so far of making the right moves, resisting public pressure to make hastily contrived roster cuts, and committing to players in their system over players from other rosters. Of course, when the Rams identify a need for the team’s success, they don’t often shop in the recycle pile of players.  But when they do shop inexpensive players, it’s still with the intention of adding some unique quality or raising the overall talent level on the roster.

Fans can be guilty of myopia. All sports fans are guilty. It’s a drive-up window-service society. It’s an instant gratification generation. And with the availability of new online trade simulators and almost realistic football simulators for gaming systems, NFL fans are some of the most susceptible to the disposable Denizen mindset. But beware.

Personnel moves that have gone awry

You see the evidence of patience all the time. The Miami Dolphins traded quarterback Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans and a 2019 sixth-round pick for a 2019 seventh-round pick and a 2020 fourth-round pick. The Philadelphia Eagles outright cut cornerback Rasul Douglas, who is now the tenth-ranked cornerback in the NFL. This evidence can go on and on and on.  The bottom line is that the Rams have done very well at evaluating talent.

Of course, the Rams have their own battle with questionable moves. The Rams were in a tight spot in 2019 and made a series of roster moves under pressure. The team traded away cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, while trading for Jalen Ramsey, Kenny Young, and Austin Corbett. All of the moves came with some boos and catcalls at the time, and some still believe that the Rams parted with CB Peters too easily.