Rams' Offseason Moves Show They Won't Go Down Easy, Analyst Says

According to Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Rams will put up a fight in 2023 thanks to their offseason moves

To many, the Los Angeles Rams seem to be a team set on tanking for the 2023 season.

After a 5-12 season in 2022, it's not hard to see why some would think that. Additionally, the Rams parted ways with some of their key players, such as trading away cornerback Jalen Ramsey and releasing linebacker Leonard Floyd. While those may not be "win-now" moves per se, to say the Rams are intentionally trying to lose would be disingenuous. 

On the contrary, some even see the Rams as being a dark-horse playoff contender this season. According to Sports Illustrated, L.A.'s offseason has shown that it won't go down without a fight.

"The Rams could easily be one of the teams tanking this season for the prize quarterbacks next draft, but I continue to focus on them keeping Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald, and having Sean McVay return after he contemplated leaving for a TV analyst job," Sports Illustrated writes. "That group alone could make the Rams a feisty team that might find itself in the mix for a wild-card spot in December."

Even with some glaring weaknesses, McVay and the three star players provide some room for optimism. McVay is still one of the best coaches in the league, and Stafford, Kupp and Donald can still be elite when healthy. If the Rams are going to turn some heads this year, it will almost certainly be on the backs of these four men.

In the end, though, only time will tell how L.A. fares in the upcoming season.

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You can follow Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News

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