The Los Angeles Rams had a spectacular NFL season in 2021. When the team acquired Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions, they probably had their best quarterback since Kurt Warner. They did this by releasing Jared Goff, who many NFL fans believed was holding them back.
Those feelings turned out to be right. At the SoFi Stadium, Stafford led the Los Angeles Rams to a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl.
1 – The NFC conference is weak after significant departures
The NFC appears to be the weaker conference, much like in the 2021 season. QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert play in the AFC. Through trades this offseason, the NFC also lost top players to the AFC, including Russell Wilson and Davante Adams.
This all bodes well for the Rams, who will have less competition to make it to another title game. Their biggest competition this year seems to be the Green Bay Packers (who lost the aforementioned Adams) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the Buccaneers getting Tom Brady back, Rob Gronkowski retired, as did head coach Bruce Arians. No one is quite sure how good either of these franchises will be in 2022.
2 – The Rams’ roster has gotten better
You might easily argue that LA’s roster improved over the 2022 off-season despite losing a few key players. They lost Von Miller to the Buffalo Bills, future Hall of Fame left tackle Andrew Whitworth to retirement, and Odell Beckham Jr. to free agency (although he might come back).
However, they retained Joseph Noteboom, who will step in for Whitworth, and also signed free agent Allen Robinson.
Robinson has already shown he has what it takes to be a top NFL player, but he will be expected to replace Robert Woods and Odell Beckham Jr.’s output. Robinson has recorded three 1,000-yard seasons since being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014. They were with quarterbacks like Mitchell Trubisky and Blake Bortles (while at the Chicago Bears).
3 – Holding Roger Donald
Easily, acquiring Aaron Donald was the most crucial business decision made by Los Angeles in the 2022 offseason. Before Sean McVay persuaded him to complete the six-year deal he signed in 2018, Donald was considering retiring. Donald is on track to earn more than $30 million annually, making him the first non-quarterback in NFL history.
The news of Donald’s comeback is excellent for LA as they pursue another Super Bowl victory. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is a continuous threat to the quarterbacks on the other team. When he irritated Joe Burrow to the point where he threw the ball away, he effectively ended Super Bowl LVI.