ESPN gives interesting evaluation of Rams' long-term future

USA Today

a day ago

The Los Angeles Rams have rarely been known as a long-term-looking franchise since Sean McVay and Les Snead joined forces in 2017. They've focused on winning now and playing in the postseason over building sustainability for the long haul. In the end, though, they've still maintained status as a contender through the years.
But will that continue? ESPN analysts Ben Solak, Louis Riddick, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder created a "Future Power Rankings" to see which teams are built for more than just the next year or so. The rankings are based on ratings for each team's quarterback situation (20%), roster (30%), front office (25%) and coaching staff (25%).
The Rams came in at No. 13 with a score of 82.2. This is how their ratings netted out:
The Rams quarterback rating is low because Matthew Stafford is 37 and on the final legs of his NFL career. This was the main point of concern for Riddick, who wrote that the Rams' true lack of a succession plan beyond (maybe) Jimmy Garoppolo makes the situation tough to ascertain.
However, Solak noted that "coach Sean McVay and wide receiver Puka Nacua give this offense a very good floor ..." and that "edge rusher Jared Verse, safety Kamren Kinchens, linebacker Omar Speights ... look like impactful players for years to come."
In the end, Walder gave an optimistic outlook of the what the Rams will do in 2025 and beyond.
The Rams will be a relative long shot to make the playoffs … but do it anyway. After a final run with Stafford in 2025, they will reset in 2026 and enter 2027 with a new, young quarterback -- plus a boatload of cap space. They'll make trades for stars to spend that money and get back to the postseason faster than most imagined.
Who that quarterback will be remains to be seen, though. The Rams reportedly love Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who may not come out of college until ... 2027. We'll see what McVay and Snead have in store for the future.