Rams Receive Low Grade, Criticism for Early Free Agency Moves

With several teams making splashy moves and trades in free agency so far, analysts are not fond of the Rams' approach.

While free agency only officially opened on Wednesday, that hasn't stopped analysts from grading how different teams have fared so far. 

Of course, some teams are already considered big winners - such as the Miami Dolphins - while others are facing harsh criticism for their offseason approach. For the Los Angeles Rams, it is safe to say it has been the latter so far. 

In CBS Sports' team-by-team free agency grades, they had plenty to say about how the Rams have approached the offseason and gave them a "D" for the moves they've made so far. 

Los Angeles Rams: D

Key additions:

TE Hunter Long (Miami Dolphins, via trade), 2023 third-round pick (Miami Dolphins, via trade)

"After years of going "all-in" in pursuit of a Super Bowl title, which they achieved in 2021 by winning Super Bowl LVI in their home stadium, the Rams are undergoing a teardown. General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay realized the need to rebuild the roster after the Rams crumbled to a 5-12 finish in 2022, the worst by a defending Super Bowl Champion in NFL history. 

As a result, they've allowed for a talent exodus to occur this offseason, with linebacker Bobby Wagner, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and kicker Matt Gay, among others, to abandon ship."

It isn't hard to see why the Rams didn't get a favorable grade for their moves so far. A team that struggled to a 5-12 record will now be without three of its key defensive players from last season in Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd. 

Wagner and Floyd were released while Ramsey was traded to the aforementioned Dolphins for a considerably light package - a third-round pick (No. 77 overall) and third-year tight end Hunter Long. 

However, this offseason was always likely to be slow for a Rams team that lacked both cap space and significant draft capital to make any flashy moves.

Now, though, the Rams own 11 picks in the draft and will go about retooling their roster with said picks. They might not have had a strong start to free agency, but the Rams may very well bounce back to contending for a playoff spot once again.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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