The Rams have seven picks in the upcoming 2020 NFL Virtual Draft, but their first isn’t until the late second round. At best, the Rams will claim the 52nd pick in this year’s draft, which doesn’t create much excitement for fans in comparison to teams vying for first-round talent. However, the Rams still have a ton of holes worth acknowledging, especially after the busiest offseason in the Sean McVay era.
Todd Gurley, gone. Brandin Cooks, gone. Cory Littleton, gone. Dante Fowler, gone. Greg Zuerlein, gone. Nickell Robey-Coleman, gone. Clay Matthews, gone. Eric Weddle, gone.
After the quick demise of Todd Gurley’s career with the Rams, I’ve realized running backs (for the most part) aren’t worth the risk. And with Darrell Henderson Jr. and Malcolm Brown on the roster, the Rams are still in a good position to get decent productivity out of those guys to replace Gurley. There’s a chance they could take a RB in the later rounds, but it’s unlikely they’ll take one early on.
While the Rams managed to retain Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods throughout all the offseason turmoil, Brandin Cooks will need to be replaced. Kupp was by far Goff’s favorite target last season, and particularly in the red zone. Kupp scored ten TD’s, while the next closest receivers (Cooks and Woods) only scored two. Clearly, Goff needs another receiver he feels comfortable targeting, especially after the disappointing year he had. Odds are the Rams take a receiver early on.
However, I think their biggest need worth addressing entering the draft is the offensive line – specifically the interior. The fact that the Rams’ best o-lineman is 38-year-old Andrew Whitworth should be a major concern, especially for a team that doesn’t have an outstanding running back to make up for the line’s faults. A year after the Rams lost center John Sullivan and guard Rodger Saffold, the Rams saw a significant dip in offensive productivity, specifically in the running game, where they averaged 1.2 yards less per carry in 2019 than 2018. If the Rams do elect to draft a running back to replace Gurley, they’d have to address their weaknesses in the interior first.
Comments are closed.