Rams' Les Snead Responds to Bill Belichick's 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Comments

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead made a name for himself by discarding draft picks on his way to a Super Bowl. Now, he's dealing with the consequences.

For many Los Angeles Rams fans, there was not a price too high for a championship. The 2021 Super Bowl run left Los Angeles devoid of draft capital and future cap space, a mess general manager Les Snead now has to navigate. The Rams’ projected struggles have drawn the attention of other decision-makers and prompted discussions about sustainable success.

New England Patriots head coach and general manager Bill Belichick commented, via MassLive.com, on the rise of aggressive front offices.

“You can’t sustain the 20 years of success that we sustained by overspending every year without having to eventually pay those bills and play with a lesser team,” Belichick said. “Jacksonville back in ‘14, the Rams are going through it, Tampa is going through it now.

“So, I’m not saying there’s anything right or wrong with it. It’s just a different way of doing things and there’s results for doing that.”

These philosophical differences are easy to observe when Los Angeles is very clearly paying for yesteryear’s wins. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive lineman Aaron Donald are the only three active Rams with a cap number greater than $15 million. 

They’re also paying nearly $75 million in dead money that accumulated in their win-now window, trailing only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Unsurprisingly, Los Angeles is not expected to compete in 2023. Naturally, Snead was less pessimistic about the roster he built, but he took the time to acknowledge Belichick’s comments.

Feb 16, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead speaks during Super Bowl LVI championship rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

“Obviously he’s got a lot of wisdom,” Snead said. “I think there’s definitely some truth in what he’s saying … there’s going to be ebbs and flows through it. And yes, if you do creative things like we did with the cap, there’s no secret at some point you have to … pay that debt off.”

He would go on to compliment the Pittsburgh Steelers for their ability to achieve sustained success and he hesitated to write off success in 2023.

“There’s also ways to maneuver within the roster when you have younger players … you can still compete with some of that dead money,” he said.

As things stand, the only path to success is through the influx of young talent that has overtaken the roster. Almost half of the 53-man roster is in their first or second NFL season. Thus, it’s understandable why many are low on the Rams and their projected win total of 6.5.

This roster lacks the pedigree that comes with high draft picks and the depth that comes with consistently drafting well. If Snead is going to shift the Rams from wild spenders to sustainable winners, it will start with this draft class. Those rookies will take that responsibility with them into Week 1’s action against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 10.