LA Rams rookies show up when the team needs them most

Success in the NFL is not easy to accomplish. And yet, if you follow the fledgling careers of the LA Rams rookie class of 2023, you may conclude otherwise. This was a rookie class that is comprised of 14 drafted prospects from the 2023 NFL Draft, plus an occasional undrafted rookie addition. The Rams did not set any goals for their rookie class in terms of wins or losses. Instead, the Rams measured the progress of the young players by three E's: Effort, Enthusiasm, and Efficiency.

With the way this team has played, particularly in terms of an NFL playoff push, perhaps the Rams are onto something?

The LA Rams invested heavily into veteran players in 2022, and the results were forgettable. in terms of the on-field performance, the Rams struggled mightily last season. But it was injuries that decimated the Rams roster, forcing the team to start players who, by all intents and purposes, were better served as understudies for the starters.

The Rams learned quite a bit about themselves in 2022, and applied those lessons in 2023. Success in the NFL is beyond athleticism and talent. It's about a passion to play, the Eye of the Tiger that burns in the souls of all competitors. It was no accident or random event. LA Rams GM Les Snead knew that the Rams organization had become absolute drudgery for players, coaches, and office staff.

In the 2023 NFL Draft, Snead did perhaps the best work of his career. Not only did he revitalize the Rams roster, but he infused fun in football for everyone once more. It was more than drafting 14 rookies who could compete in the NFL. It was the way he removed all pressure to win from the players and coaches for the 2023 NFL season

No pressure meant that Rams HC Sean McVay could focus himself and his staff on sound football fundamentals.