[PARAM]

I merely added another opinion from Rams Wire.

Maybe it's a lack of communication. Are the Rams in rebuild mode or are they rebuilding the defense? There's a big difference.

I guess Cameron thinks the 2024 outlook is much brighter because the youngsters will develop, the OL will get better and there won't be a lot of changes?

And where did Snead say he "didn't expect a lot from the team this year"? You seem to take artistic license with quotes.
"Aaron Donald was blindsided"
"Les Snead said he doesn't expect much this year" (meaning from the team?)

[Elvis]

Semantic arguments are the best.

Rams have a lot of new and young players, especially on defense. That's undeniable.

How it's gonna play out, we're about to find out...

[ramsww]

Maybe it's a lack of communication. Are the Rams in rebuild mode or are they rebuilding the defense? There's a big difference.

I guess Cameron thinks the 2024 outlook is much brighter because the youngsters will develop, the OL will get better and there won't be a lot of changes?

And where did Snead say he "didn't expect a lot from the team this year"? You seem to take artistic license with quotes.
"Aaron Donald was blindsided"
"Les Snead said he doesn't expect much this year" (meaning from the team?)

I never claimed any of these were quotes but when you take what interviewers commented on along with their own words (AD “I didn’t see this coming”). That’s not blind sided? Maybe a thesaurus would help. You’ve made some great points and that’s what I was looking for. Not for people to agree with me. Taking license? It’s a freaking fan forum! Come on Param. Have some fun with it.

[ramsww]

I disagree, at least partially. Some of the folks calling it a rebuild want 0-17: Tanking for Caleb.

How absurd.

Every team doing a Rebuild is shooting for 0-17 ??? Oh, come on. I guess, if they are also firing….everybody.

[ramsman34]

I never claimed any of these were quotes but when you take what interviewers commented on along with their own words (AD “I didn’t see this coming”). That’s not blind sided? Maybe a thesaurus would help. You’ve made some great points and that’s what I was looking for. Not for people to agree with me. Taking license? It’s a freaking fan forum! Come on Param. Have some fun with it.

Bro, the “this” of AD’s quote was about MCV sliding the OL protections to AD. TO SIMULATE REAL GAME CONDITIONS. Sure, the youth/unproven/lack of experience of AD’s line mates factor as opposing offenses are going to exactly that with protection. Which they did anyway in the past with more experience D Line-mates.

So you seem to be attributing the quote for AD being blindsided to the re building of the defense. AD knew about that and signed off on it when the Rams told them the plan - not resigning Floyd et Al and trading Ramsey. That quote was about the schematics of how they were going to protect and having the ENTIRE D Line rep that as it is exactly what they will see when the real games start. Frankly a genius move by MCV.

[ramsman34]

As a poster asked, is this a rebuild or are the rebuilding the D? It’s the latter. The O is very much intact with ONE new addition to the OL and then figuring out the best 5 and where they will play - something they have done before, BTW. With the exception of Avila, all the forecasted offensive starters have played significant snaps in the system. They have upgraded the O, not rebuilt it.

Edit: Puka is the other new rookie addition. And by all accounts, an upgrade over A Robinson who he essentially replaced.

The O is going to be a force I think and the D is going to be up and down for 6-8 games. They will make plays, they will give up plays.

The only real area of legit concern for me is edge rusher and getting pressure with only 4 players. THAT is a huge question mark right now. Everyone else for the most part has experience in the D system. Yes, there will be some interior line rotational rookies, but there are players on the DL who have snaps in this D. There are LBs with experience. And almost everyone in the secondary has snaps in this D. Again, there are rotational/situational rookies in the secondary. But the base, and nickel and probably dime packages have experienced players/vets.

[/zn/]

As a poster asked, is this a rebuild or are the rebuilding the D?

In some ways this is all semantics. But it's also a discussion of concepts and definitions. If one doesn't get too dogmatic about it, those kinds of discussions can be useful.

I've always taken "rebuild" to mean they blew it up and started over. So for example DV did that in 97/98, and McV did not do that in 2017 (he added to what they already had, which was a lot already).

You're right about the offense. On defense what are they doing? They're promoting 6-7 2nd to 4th year players, most of whom as you say have experience. They subtracted people. In 2001 they both subtracted people and added people--rookies and FAs.

Either way saying they "are rebuilding the defense" is a phrase from Dasilva, who while solid and reliable in a lot of ways, is not known to be a deep-thinking conceptual giant. I don't think Rodrigue calls it a rebuild. Maybe she's downplaying it, maybe he's overstating it. Either way, personally, I don't think it matters--saying you're rebuilding the defense is not the same as saying the Rams are rebuilding. That's a completely different thing.

The McV/Snead Rams make surprising moves when it comes to these kinds of things. For example when they traded away Peters and Talib during the season to get Ramsey. And then later traded away Ramsey and promoted a lot of 2nd-through-4th year guys. I just don't think those guys (McV/LS) always fit the conventional ways of doing things.

...

[bremillard]

Holding my hands to the fire I see 6 wins at the most. That said...I believe this could be an exciting year to watch Rams football. I expect little so any success will be exciting for me. Maybe the pressure to repeat was just too much. Obviously that won't be a concern in '23.

[PARAM]

Maybe the pressure to repeat was just too much.

Yeah, the pressure to repeat was a huge burden. The 15 offensive lineman including 14 starters had very little to do with it and absolutely no domino effect on the rest of the offense....or entire team for that matter!!! I know, I know. Excuses, excuses!! Instead of blaming the OL injuries, a spin would be....they had almost 3 completely different groups of 5 OL starters, 3 quarterbacks, 9 receivers, 4 TEs and 6 RBs, so how did they only have 5 wins???? Yeah, that pressure sure got to them!!

[actionjack]

Holding my hands to the fire I see 6 wins at the most. That said...I believe this could be an exciting year to watch Rams football. I expect little so any success will be exciting for me. Maybe the pressure to repeat was just too much. Obviously that won't be a concern in '23.

I agree going in with low expectations this year with so many young players makes it interesting to watch how it will play out. If our defense gets owned all the time that will probably start to wear thin....