Rams post-draft mailbag: Les Snead on the hot seat in 2020?

If the Rams flop in 2020, could Les Snead be on the way out?

Like just about every other team, the Los Angeles Rams got better last weekend through the 2020 NFL Draft. They added nine new players and another 21 undrafted free agents, injecting some youth and talent into the roster.

Coming out of the draft, fans have a lot of questions about the Rams. And I attempted to answer some of those with a post-draft mailbag. There were some great questions submitted, so let’s get right to them.

I highly doubt it. He’s been instrumental in the Rams’ rebuild, and has done well remaking this roster in recent years. You could argue that he’s been too aggressive at times with the trades for Brandin Cooks and Aqib Talib, and bailing on Marcus Peters last year, but Snead has had far more hits than misses during his time with the Rams.

It would take a disastrous season for Los Angeles to move on from him, and even if the team went 3-13 in 2020, it’d be hard to imagine Snead getting fired. Let’s not forget the Rams extended him through 2023 last offseason, too.

I mean, he’s not wrong. The Rams have the least amount of cap space in the NFL, sitting more than $5 million over the cap. That doesn’t account for the recent restructures of Jared Goff’s and Rob Havenstein’s contracts, which will create more than $7 million in cap space, but the team also has to add Leonard Floyd’s deal to the equation, as well as its rookie class.

The Rams can make it work, but they also don’t have a ton of flexibility with their cap moving forward this offseason.

None. According to Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network, who also calls Rams preseason games, the team hasn’t set a date yet. The Rams originally wanted to do a big reveal with fans at SoFi Stadium, but that’s not possible in the current climate.

Considering every other team has already revealed its redesigned uniforms for the upcoming season, I would think the Rams will unveil theirs soon, too. It should be sometime this month.

Assistant coaches were definitely in the loop, and Les Snead even mentioned Brandon Staley as part of the reason the team drafted Terrell Lewis in Round 3. I’m sure scouts were involved, too, though likely not as much due to the remote aspect of the draft.

I don’t think it’s fair to call Robert Woods underrated anymore, but he would normally be my pick. However, I’ll go with Troy Hill.

Hill gets a bad rap because of his inconsistency before last season, but he was quietly the Rams’ best cornerback after he took over as a starter in 2019. Yes, better than Jalen Ramsey.

He benefited from covering No. 2 receivers, but he thrived in that role last year. He’ll be a starter next season, and I expect him to be a pretty good one as long as the Rams play man coverage as much as they plan to.

Mundt lined up as a fullback a few times last year in I-formations, so he certainly has the ability to do that. I don’t expect it to be something the Rams use often, but Mundt would be my choice in an H-back role.

The Rams’ other tight ends are all better receivers than they are blockers. But if they want a lead blocker to help open up holes for Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson, Mundt would be a good choice because of his blocking ability.

Well, Andrew Whitworth will definitely be the left tackle. And as long as he isn’t traded, Rob Havenstein will be the starting right tackle. Beyond that, it’s hard to predict who will emerge as starters.

But if I had to guess who will be the starters across the line in Week 1, I’d go with something like this

LT: Andrew Whitworth

LG: Austin Corbett

C: Austin Blythe

RG: David Edwards

RT: Rob Havenstein

That leaves Joe Noteboom, Brian Allen and Tremayne Anchrum as the backups inside, with Bobby Evans working as the swing tackle.

He’s not going to be the next Mark Barron, but Rapp does have the ability to play some linebacker in sub-packages. That mostly comes in dime sets when the Rams only have one linebacker on the field.

Rapp can serve as that second linebacker in a hybrid role, lining up near the line of scrimmage and in the box. That’s something he did plenty last season, and with Terrell Burgess now in the mix, that should continue.

I think it’s probably already on the roster. They didn’t draft anyone with great return skills, but they did sign Brandon Polk as an undrafted free agent and already have a few options on the team.

Greg Dortch could unseat Nsimba Webster on punt returns, while Darrell Henderson might be the choice on kick returns, given his experience there in college and in limited action last year.

They could look externally, but I’d bet on Polk, Dortch, Webster or Henderson handling those duties.

Because Gerald Everett will be a free agent in 2021 and Brycen Hopkins was too good a value for the team to pass up in the fourth round. He’s a good receiver with great athleticism for the position, much like Everett.

With Hopkins on the roster and Tyler Higbee already extended, it’s highly unlikely the Rams keep Everett past this season.

Okoronkwo should be a big part of the Rams’ plans in 2020. He can be one of the starting outside linebackers opposite Leonard Floyd, competing with Samson Ebukam and Terrell Lewis.

He’s not a lock to start, but the Rams will be counting on him to finally put together a good season after a slow start to his career.

As for Henderson, he does have the speed and good enough hands, but he doesn’t have the size to really win downfield. He can turn short passes into big plays, but don’t expect to see him running go routes from the outside much, if at all.

I really like Xavier Jones’ potential out of SMU. He was a runner-up for the Doak Walker Award in 2019, which is given to the best running back, and is very shifty in the open field. I’d bet he sticks on the practice squad, if not the 53-man roster.

Easop Winston from Washington State is an intriguing receiver, while Florida State’s Levonta Taylor is a versatile defensive back despite being a bit undersized.

Bryce Perkins could have a chance to make the team as a No. 3 quarterback and dual-threat playmaker. Most likely, he’ll be the scout team quarterback on the practice squad, which does carry some value.

It sure does. I don’t think the Rams have a ton of confidence in any of the three, which is why they added so many kickers. They’re going to let them battle it out in camp, whenever that is, with the best guy winning the job.

And whoever doesn’t stick around will be on L.A.’s radar if the kicker the team chooses falters during the season.

I think Reynolds will win the job, just based on his experience and talent, but Jefferson will push him and get playing time in four-WR sets. Reynolds has the speed and size to bring a different element to the offense, which I think the Rams will see value in.

Plus, a shortened offseason will hurt rookies around the league, giving veterans an advantage.