Aging stars and free-agent conundrums: Five issues the Rams must fix this offseason
It did not take long for the next phase of the Sean McVay era to begin.
On Monday, a day after the Rams’ season ended with a wild-card playoff defeat to the Detroit Lions, USC announced that Rams defensive line coach Eric Henderson had been hired as the Trojans co-defensive coordinator.
Replacing Henderson and other staff members who could parlay their time with the Rams into new opportunities is only one of the issues the Rams face as they prepare for the 2024 season.
McVay is scheduled to speak with reporters Tuesday.
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The Rams will play home games against the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders.
They play road games against the Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Lions, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots and New York Jets.
Here is a look at five pending issues the team must address in the offseason:
Staff changes
McVay could be searching for a new defensive coordinator if Raheem Morris lands one of the head coach jobs he has been requested to interview for.
The Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks have asked permission to interview Morris, who was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach from 2009 to 2011 and the Falcons’ interim coach for 11 games in 2020.
In 2021, Morris succeeded Brandon Staley as the Rams defensive coordinator — and the Rams won Super Bowl LVI.
In the last two offseasons, Morris interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.
Morris’ performance guiding a young defense this season might help finally land another opportunity.
Aging pillars
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive lineman Aaron Donald and receiver Cooper Kupp are not old by society standards, but they have accrued plenty of NFL mileage. All are under contract for 2024.
Stafford, who turns 36 on Feb, 7, carries a salary-cap number of $49.5 million, according to Overthecap.com.
Donald will be 33 next season. He carries a cap number of $34 million. Kupp, who will be 31, carries a cap number of $29.8 million.
Stafford and Donald said Sunday night they would return next season. Kupp, who struggled through hamstring and ankle injuries this season, is expected to speak with reporters this week.
All would be key for a Rams team that will have far higher expectations in 2024.
Keep them in the fold?
After the 2022 season, the Rams let a parade of starters and important contributors leave rather than re-sign them to second contracts.
Now, safety Jordan Fuller, center Coleman Shelton, guard Kevin Dotson and quarterback Carson Wentz are among the 15 pending unrestricted free agents.
It seems likely the Rams will allow all of them to survey their market before deciding whether to keep them.
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Receiver Demarcus Robinson, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, safety John Johnson and linebacker Troy Reeder, all of whom played on one-year veteran-minimum contracts, also are pending unrestricted free agents.
Offensive lineman Alaric Jackson, outside linebacker Michael Hoecht and defensive lineman Jonah Williams will be restricted free agents.
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV is entering the final year of his contract. The Rams typically have not paid a premium for inside linebackers — Bobby Wagner’s one-year stay in 2022 the lone exception.
McVay and Morris have raved about Jones’ leadership and play. It remains to be seen whether the Rams extend him as they did in the past for core players such as tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive lineman Rob Havenstein.
Position needs on offense and defense
For the first time since 2016, the Rams have a first-round draft pick. But that pick could be No. 20 or lower, so it would not surprise if general manager Les Snead follows form and trades back to acquire more picks.
The Rams need an edge rusher, probably two cornerbacks and offensive and defensive linemen. They also could use a receiver, running back and — with the serious knee injury suffered by Tyler Higbee against the Lions — another tight end.
The Rams also probably will be in the market for a back-up quarterback. Wentz aims to use his late-season performance against the 49ers as resume material for a starting opportunity with another team. Stetson Bennett, a fourth-round pick in 2023, has been on the NFL’s reserve/non-football illness list for an undisclosed issue since the end of the preseason, leaving his future with the team uncertain.
Kicking themselves
The Rams did not want to spend to retain kicker Matt Gay, so they began and ended the season with Brett Maher.
In between, they employed rookie Lucas Havrisik.
Maher made 17 of 23 field-goal attempts, including all three of his attempts in the wild-card defeat by the Lions.
Maher is a pending unrestricted free agent, so the Rams could go in another direction.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
