LA Rams must make a splash move to remain atop the LA market

The LA Rams never had the opportunity to hear their home stands cheer them on to victory in 2020.  There it stands, SoFi Stadium, the crown jewel of the NFL, empty.  It’s the most architecturally impressive stadium in the NFL, and it has remained empty for the entire NFL season due to COVID-19 restrictions.

When the ban lifts, fans will pour in to be awed by the structure, the beauty, and of course, the prevailing use of the finest technology. SoFi Stadium is to the NFL what the SST was to TransAtlantic flights. It’s a place that should be on every NFL fan’s bucket list. It’s the best out there, and likely will be for years to come.

But every flagship is christened. That tradition is rooted in the ancient civilizations of Greece when sailors drank wine to honor the gods and poured water on the new boat to appease Poseidon, the god of water. Now, we smash champagne bottles on a ship’s bow and cut ribbons to officially open a new building. The only question is, which fanbase will dominate SoFi Stadium?

The LA Rams certainly had the better season over the LA Chargers. The Rams did so by putting together a dominating defense using the strategy of rookie defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. Unfortunately, Staley was lured away to take over the Chargers head coaching position after just one year with the Rams.

Market Moguls

And that has set the stage for control of the LA market. After all, the back story to the Staley hiring was simple: ‘If you can’t beat ’em, hire ’em!’. And that is exactly what McVay did with Staley. He hired the lieutenant of the best defensive mind in the NFL, Vic Fangio. By doing so, he borrowed a bit of that defensive expertise. But for how long?

Brandon Staley was often referred to as the Sean McVay of the defense. Now, Staley will have his own team to prove that he can be more. It was a premature hire by the Chargers in the eyes of many. Staley was elevated to the helm of an NFL team rapidly. He was very popular with players and fans alike. And in terms of splash moves, the unofficial scorecard shows Chargers 1 Rams 0.

That won’t sit well with the Rams. They are a proud football organization and one that will not sit in the backseat of Los Angeles to any team. So watch out for LA Rams General Manager Les Snead to get the green light for a blockbuster trade this offseason.

It may or may not make perfect sense to do so in terms of football strategy. But there is something far more important at stake now. The LA Rams do not want to be the second-best team in Los Angeles. I expect that the front office will get the green light to do whatever it takes to ensure that does not happen.

And yes, that could mean a change at quarterback for the LA Rams.