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“Rams–New Stadium–New Roster”

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Out with the old, in with the new, alot new, to LA Rams football.

The roster has undergone changes.
The luxurious new So-Fi Stadium is dazzling.
The legendary Rams uniforms and colors have been changed.
The franchise faces challenging salary cap issues going forward.

They weren’t in the Super Bowl all that long ago, but they are a very different team as this season kicks off.

Fans will be dazzled once they are allowed into the new palace of a Stadium.  What kind of team they will be watching is open to debate.

But teams change, injuries take a toll, salary cap issues with increasing contracts force decisions, and impending free agents are part of  the  changes happening to Rams football.

Sean McVay, brought energy and creativity to the downtrodden Rams team.  They got to the Super Bowl.  Imagine how gut-wrenching it was last year to have to watch the playoffs on TV.

There is talent back, there is firepower too.  But there are alot of familiar names gone too.

Todd Gurley was waived and the team took a cap-hit. No longer the same running back he was as the franchise moved from St Louis.  He goes to Atlanta with the question mark around his name, can he ever be the explosive dynamic back he used to be before the wear and tear factor took its toll.

Brandin Cooks, a deep threat down the the field receiver is gone too, in Houston.

The Rams overhauled the linebacking corps, saying goodbye, or losing Dante Fowler, Corey Littleton and Clay Matthews.

In the secondary, Eric Weddle retired, Aquib Talib was not signed back, and Nickell-Robey Coleman left as a free agent.

And the architect of great defenses, Wade Phillips was not brought back.

And they don’t have high draft picks till 2022.

Jared Goff will have quality people to throw too, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds and LSU rookie Van Jefferson.

The offensive front convinced the venerable Andrew Whitworth to return as their anchor left tackle.  Everybody else returns.

Rookie Cam Akers might be the heir apparent to Gurley, though McVay says it will be ‘running back by committee’ to start the season.

Yes Aaron Donald, a destroyer upfront, anchors a rebuilt line with Michael Brockers.  But aside from Jalen Ramsey and Taylor Rapp, there are lots of changes on the back seven at linebacker and in the secondary.

If anyone gets hurt, unknowns will have to replace them.

The growing pressure on the big money quarterback, means Jared Goff needs to be a difference maker every Sunday.

Things get much more complicated now in the NFC-West.   Seattle’s Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers…and the emergence of Kyler Murray and the array of talent the Arizona Cardinals have stockpiled in two years., means there are no easy marks in the division.

Owner Stan Kroenke has spent and spent and spent, on his 5B-stadium, and on all his marquee players.

He is ranked as the 6th wealthiest owner in the league by Forbes Magazine.

The Rams are LA’s team.  Whether they can be a Super Bowl team again is open to alot of debate.  They might not even be a playoff team again either because of where they play.

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