Rams News: How Los Angeles Can Overcome 'Un-Athletic' Criticisms in 2024

Should we count the club out just because they fail at this metric?

May 21, 2024, Thousand Oaks, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jared Verse (8) and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson (77) wear Guardian helmet caps during organized team activities at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams may boast a 10-man rookie draft class, but that apparently isn't going to really impact how the club grades in Kent Lee Platte's Relative Athletic Score (RAS). Platte has awarded the Rams with an ominous RAS of 6.66.

32. Los Angeles #Rams
Avg #RAS 6.66

The Rams are the only choice here as they haven't had a roster that averaged 7.00 or above since 2008. We already know they blaze their own path when it comes to the draft, roster building is no different for them.

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) May 23, 2024

That said, Los Angeles fans needn't be too concerned. The team seems to have gotten along just fine with some of the worst-graded athleticism in the NFL for years.

As Platte notes, the club hasn't scored above 7.00 in his own gradings since 2008, before Pro Bowl L.A. quarterback Matthew Stafford was even in the NFL (and many, many moons before Stafford was a Ram). Since that time, the Rams have appeared in two Super Bowls, winning in 2022.

Los Angeles is looking to build on its 10-7 rebound season in 2023, having fallen 24-23 to the Detroit Lions in a hotly-contested Wild Card Round clash. The team will be doing so without 10-time Pro Bowler and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald for the first time in a decade, and has looked to address his absence with a defense-healthy 2024 NFL Draft class, heavy on FSU talent.

Athleticism can be useful for NFL clubs looking to make an impact, but that doesn't mean it's the be-all, end-all, especially with clubs whose scheming is as adept as Sean McVay teams tend to be. Again, Los Angeles has survived just fine without it thus far.

More Rams: Where Sean McVay Ranks in DraftKings Coach of the Year Odds