Rams GM Les Snead joined NFL Total Access on Wednesday afternoon and broke down the departures of a few key players. During the last two years, the Rams have cut ties with 11 starters plus Zuerlein from the 2018 Super Bowl squad. With a roster overhaul on the horizon, Les Snead will be a busy man in the coming weeks.
The Brandin Cooks Trade
In his interview, Snead broke down the decision to trade Cooks, stating that their intent going into the offseason was to go forward with him as a member of the offense.
“When teams realized hey we weren’t gonna cut him, that we actually like brandin, some teams that were needy at wide receiver started knocking on the door a little bit more.. when we were offered that 2nd round pick we felt like that pick would help us establish depth”
It was no secret among NFL teams that the Rams had a serious cap situation to deal with this offseason. Because of this, many teams that would have preferred to wait for then to cut Cooks held back on any trade offers. The Rams were fortunate enough to get a 2nd Rounder in the trade, which helped to make the decision easier.
The Gurley and Matthews Fiasco
On the other hand, LA lost Gurley and Matthews for nothing, releasing them both to save cap space. There were some obvious bad feelings involved there, as both players spoke out on twitter last week regarding the transactions.
You and me both TG! 😤 Better get some interest with that too 📈 https://t.co/E8RIOhg7sH
— Clay Matthews III (@ClayMatthews52) April 9, 2020
Snead was also asked about what went down with these two players, and he defended their words and actions.
“They are definitely owed money, that money is guaranteed. we’re going to pay them.. there’s some language in the contracts on when they get paid, and that’s what we’re adhearing by.”
This offseason has gone by slowly, but with the draft just over a week away, things will soon pick up in a hurry. The Rams are in the middle of a roster reconstruction, but the potential is still there for a competitive 2020 season.
