“Bolts-Rams-NFL Draft”

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Get ready for a change in football fortunes out here for the Chargers and the Rams.

The NFL Draft kicks in on Thursday and the Bolts are in position to land a really good player to fill a critical need.

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday and for the 7th year in a row the Rams will not have a first round draft pick, though they have stockpiled a league high 11-draft picks, many in later rounds.

The Bolts seem primed to become upper echelon in the AFC.  The Rams look as if  they will fall to mediocrity, just two years after hoisting the Super Bowl trophy.

Justin Herbert leads an explosive Chargers offensive, with a young-quality offensive line, big play receivers, and the best all-purpose backs in Austin Ekeler, the most productive dual purpose guy in .the league, his contract dispute still yet to be settled.

The Chargers have unfinished business on defense, the bitter taste of a blown 27-0 playoff league against the Jaguars, still in their mouth.  Things to prove for sure about having ‘to learn how to win’ in the postseason.

They have the injury status reports due on a couple of defensive lineman.  They have holes at linebacker, safety, slot corner, though they could still re-sign a couple of free agents.

Do they spend their #1 pick on another piece for Kellen Moore’s new offense, a tight end like Dalton Kinkaid, who caught 70-balls at Utah and is much like George Kittle of the 49ers.

Or maybe they look hard at a stud inside tackle, to get size, youth at a position they need help stopping the run, like Pitt’s inside tackle Calijah Kancey?

Or if they want a power back, they could reach early for Texas’ heavy duty back Bijan Robinson which would free them to move Ekeler for more draft picks.

The Bolts are close, but they need breaks, like health. But they will get a really good player despite drafting 23rd.

The Rams are no longer what they used to be.  The lack of first round picks has caught up to them.  The salary cap has choked them off.  Injuries have impaled them.  And the erosion of veteran talent via trades has taken away the star factor on the roster.

They got a ring with wild spending sprees, but now the credit card bills have come due, and quarterback Matthew Stafford is left standing around the rubble.

The offensive line is weak; the wide receiver corp has been torn down.  Can Cam Akers be a season long running back?  Where is the support group for superstar tackle Aaron Donald?

Jalen Ramsey is gone, so is Leonard Floyd, a host of defensive tackles and guys in the secondary, as well as LB-Bobby Wagner.

As of this hour, 17-veterans have vacated the roster, 13-starters, including 2-kickers are gone from their top 24-players.

They may draft 36th in the second round, may have all these additional picks, but how does that help Matthew Stafford, coming off a concussion and a spine injury.

If Sean McVay struggled with losing last year, when they staggered home (5-12), I wonder how he holds up to what he faces this year, which won’t be a good season.

Hope the Rams fans enjoyed the Super Bowl run.  That short era of success is over.
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