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Identifying value and knowing when to spend A mythology labeled "F--- them picks" sprung up around those Super Bowl champion Rams. Snead and the organization leaned into it and had a whole bunch of fun with the perception that they were the ultimate forget-the-future, win-now team. But as is often the case, it was an oversimplification. Yes, the Rams had built the top end of the roster by trading away first- and second-round picks for the likes of Stafford, Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller. But in the five years leading up to their title, the Rams actually made 45 draft picks -- more than every other team except the Minnesota Vikings. They collected midround and late-round picks by strategically working the compensatory pick formula and used them in very directed ways. "I think the volume helps," Snead said, "but also when you have a roster like we had and you can say, 'If these players stay healthy, we know we're going to be in it,' it's a lot easier to step back and see, 'OK, we have a void at specific positions. Now, what skill do these players need to be able to come in and contribute?' We ended up probably tilting toward older players, players who'd played four years, guys with a high floor instead of maybe more upside guys." Snead cited two examples: Defensive tackle Greg Gaines, a 2019 fourth-rounder: "We felt like he was a guy who was going to be sound in his gap, which was what we needed because Aaron Donald was going to be a little more free, play a little less structured. And that's great; that's who he is and he's one of the greatest to ever do it. But if you have two players who freelance, then that's a problem." Safety Jordan Fuller, a 2020 sixth-rounder: "We had some really talented guys who were going to do their own thing in the secondary, so we were looking for someone who had the leadership skills but also the football acumen to be able to call a defense, get everybody in the right spot." Snead suggested the key was front-office discipline on a number of levels. The discipline to pass on exciting players with upside in favor of ones who bring the specific traits. The discipline to let a player you like leave in free agency, knowing a compensatory pick would be coming. The discipline to actually play young midround draft picks alongside veterans. |
They are really won their Super Bowl with an outside the box type thought process, trading for Stafford, trading all their 1st round picks away, putting all their chips in to win a SB.
BUT they way they have rebuilt that roster after they won is also impressive. They are very good at identifying talent that fits their schemes and maximizing their picks in later rounds.
As evidenced by the Rams pursuit, that's the type of rationale I hope Schoen used when pursuing Burns.
The Giants have some big misses in the top 2 rounds over the last two regimes. So I'm all for trade market.
As evidenced by the Rams pursuit, that's the type of rationale I hope Schoen used when pursuing Burns.
The Giants have some big misses in the top 2 rounds over the last two regimes. So I'm all for trade market.
i have always been a big burns fan, but it gave me some added comfort that it was only about 15 months before nyg got him the rams offered the 2 firsts for him.
one other instructive thing re the rams is how bad things were with snead before mcvay. in the nfl now i dont think any gm no matter how good can "out-roster-build" a bad coach. i think dallas shows the ceiling on that.
They are really won their Super Bowl with an outside the box type thought process, trading for Stafford, trading all their 1st round picks away, putting all their chips in to win a SB.
BUT they way they have rebuilt that roster after they won is also impressive. They are very good at identifying talent that fits their schemes and maximizing their picks in later rounds.
for the same reason as the last post, i think it's less that it's overlooked and more that the model is mcvay which is hard to replicate (though the league has clearly been trying with lafleurs, occonnell, etc).
if you told me i could pick 1 asset in the entirety of the NFL including players, it would be the currently 38 year old sean mcvay with 20+ prime years left and no injury risks even over mahomes.