What’s Rams Roster 'Core'? And Where Do They Rank?

The Los Angeles Rams are hoping that their three "pillars" can help get them back into playoff contention in 2023

Not many know what to expect from the Los Angeles Rams in the coming season, as general manager Les Snead started his roster "remodeling." 

No, it isn't a rebuild, although it may look like one, as the Rams got rid of many star players on big contracts.

After biting the bullet and accumulating the NFL's second-most dead money, the Rams were forced to rely on the NFL Draft for additions to a roster that only had their three "pillars" remaining. 

But you can't just win relying on quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald, so who else will the Rams turn to? 

Interestingly, ESPN released its rankings for all 32 teams' roster cores. ESPN defined a team's core by naming the five players that the franchise is being built around. 

For L.A., the first three names listed were none other than Stafford, Kupp, and Donald. The trio helped them capture Super Bowl LVI, yet the other two names aren't Jalen Ramsey or Leonard Floyd. Instead, ESPN has Ernest Jones and Steve Avila as the final two core players.

"Looking only at five-man cores certainly works in Los Angeles' favor, yet the Rams' list still turns to relatively unknown players after the first three," ESPN writes. "Even so, I have a hard time keeping a group that includes Kupp and this generation's best defensive player too low on a five-player list."

That championship-winning trio was good enough to justify the Rams' ranking at No. 21 overall, which makes them second-worst in the NFC West, as only the Arizona Cardinals are below them at No. 32.

How long can the Rams keep this "core" of players together? That's the big question as rumors of retirement spread about Stafford and Donald near the end of last season. Stafford is the oldest at 35 years old, and coming off an injury-ridden season, time is of the essence, while Donald is 32 and Kupp is 29. 

With those ages in mind, it makes sense why Snead didn't plunge the Rams into a full-blown rebuild, as that trio of players could have time for another run at a Super Bowl. The Rams will certainly hope they can get back into playoff contention after their 5-12 season a year ago. 

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