The Los Angeles Rams are midway through this season and right in the thick of the playoff hunt. However, it is never too early to look ahead to next season.
This is especially true with a roster like the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams’ injuries and record early this season, after they were hit by numerous injuries simultaneously, showed how flawed their roster is.
Not only is the roster flawed, but it also needs significant upgrades at critical positions on the field.
One expert believes the Rams will shoot for a second consecutive successful draft haul this offseason to help propel the team in the future.
This season, the Rams have only allowed quarterback Matthew Stafford to be sacked 21 times through half of the season. This is not overly high, but they are four sacks away from being one of the most-sacked teams in the National Football League this season.
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News predicts the Rams will use their first-round draft pick in the upcoming draft to take care of their offense, after using their first two draft picks on the defensive side of the ball this past draft.
“The Rams will be in the market for some left tackle help next year, and Sean McVay should like what he sees in Banks’ combination of strength and agility,” Iyer said.
Iyer predicts the Rams will pick offensive tackle Kelvin Banks from Texas.
The Rams’ roster is still recovering from going seven consecutive years without a first round pick.
While all of the wheeling and dealing helped the Rams land a franchise quarterback in Stafford and win a Super Bowl, the back end of that is a roster filled with holes in it for years, like the Rams are currently experiencing.
Luckily for the Rams, their division is not the most difficult. While it may not be pretty, they still have a shot to win the NFC West or back into the playoffs as a wild card.
However, they must do a better job of protecting Stafford and open up the running lanes for the Rams running backs, or the playoffs will be out of the question.
