The Los Angeles Rams’ roster took a big hit this offseason when Aaron Donald announced his retirement after 10 years in the NFL. He was unquestionably the team’s best player, particularly on a defense that’s lacking star power.
The Rams have made a handful of moves to help mitigate the loss of Donald, prioritizing the defensive front in the draft by selecting Jared Verse and Braden Fiske with their top two picks.
The offense is in even better shape now than it was last season, which is the strength of the team following the additions of Jonah Jackson and Colby Parkinson, and the re-signing of Kevin Dotson to stay at right guard.
As a whole, the Rams’ roster is viewed as above-average heading into the 2024 season. Pro Football Focus ranked the Rams 14th in the NFL based on their current collection of talent, with the authors picking them to go over their projected win total of 8.5 games.
Aaron Donald is a huge loss for the Rams, but a team with Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua should still have a winning season. Their postseason success will be dictated by their defensive development. As long as Stafford continues to produce, the Rams will at least be in the playoff mix.
PFF picked Kobie Turner as the Rams’ X-factor for 2024, which is a good choice given the shoes he’ll try to fill following Donald’s retirement. Verse is a rookie to watch on the Rams, per PFF, as he will also try to replace Donald’s production as a pass rusher.
As for the Rams’ ranking at No. 14, it feels fair. The Falcons are one spot behind them, while the 13th-ranked Packers are just ahead of the Rams. Los Angeles’ biggest rival, the 49ers, were ranked as having the best roster in football, which is reasonable to say given the playmakers they have on both sides of the ball after reaching the Super Bowl last season.
If the Rams hit another home run with their 2024 draft class, we could easily see them in the top 5-10 on next year’s list from PFF.