In the popular plot line, next Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium finds the Rams of Sean McVay and Aaron Donald trying to erase past disappointment when they play in their second Super Bowl.
But is it really the second Super Bowl for that Rams team, or the first Super Bowl for a new Rams team?
Maybe the most striking thing about the Rams who lost to the New England Patriots 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII and the Rams who face the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI is how much of the roster is new in just III years.
Of the 61 players who saw action for the Rams in the 2018 season, only 12 are still with the team. Of the 25 offensive, defensive and key kicking-game starters against the Patriots, only five are expected to play the same roles against the Bengals. That doesn’t count wide receivers Cooper Kupp, who missed the first Super Bowl with a knee injury, and Robert Woods, out of this one for the same reason, but still.
By contrast, eight of the Patriots’ 22 offensive and defensive starters in that Super Bowl are still starting for New England.
“Strangely enough, even though we’re only three years removed from playing in the Super Bowl, the teams are very different,” Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said Wednesday. “I think it’s an amazing testament to how quickly the NFL changes, to see the differences in those teams.”
It’s the work of Les Snead, in his 10th season as Rams general manager, and McVay, who has gone to the playoffs in four of five seasons as Rams coach.
McVay said the two teams share “foundational parts” in the persons of Woods and Kupp, defensive tackle Donald, tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein, tight end Tyler Higbee and punter Johnny Hekker.
But the hope of winning one more game in these playoffs rests with star newcomers like quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., outside linebackers Von Miller and Leonard Floyd, cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Plus safety Eric Weddle, who has been a one-man roster makeover. Weddle joined the Rams as a free agent, retired and un-retired — all since 2018.
As McVay points out, Snead has used practically every known mechanism for replacing and acquiring players.
Trades: The Rams’ single biggest upgrade since Super Bowl LIII came through the direct trade of quarterbacks, Jared Goff (and three draft picks going to the Lions for Matthew Stafford last off-season. Most other Rams trades involving starters occurred during seasons. Cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters departed, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, outside linebacker Von Miller and guard Austin Corbett arrived, in October and November swaps.
Free agents: Nine of the Rams’ 2018 starters left, and six of their current starters arrived, as free agents. The departed free agents generally have fared well, with guards Rodger Saffold (Titans) and Austin Blythe (Chiefs), linebackers Samson Ebukam (49ers) and Cory Littleton (Raiders), nose tackle Ndamukong Suh (Buccaneers) and kicker Greg Zuerlein (Cowboys) on playoff teams this season. Joining as free agents since the last Super Bowl were wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., defensive end A’Shawn Robinson, Weddle and Floyd, who signed and re-signed.
Draft: Snead might be famous for trading away draft picks, but most of the current Rams starters came to the team in the draft (11, Donald being the lone first-rounder) or as undrafted rookies (Hekker and linebacker Troy Reeder).
Wide receiver Van Jefferson was a draft pick acquired in a trade for Super Bowl LIII starting receiver Brandin Cooks.
Although no current Rams were the product of compensatory picks for losing free agents, rookie linebacker Ernest Jones was third-round compensation for losing executive Brad Holmes to the Detroit Lions.
Scavenging: Cornerback Darious Williams was claimed on waivers from the Ravens in 2018 and became a starter in 2020, kicker Matt Gay was signed off the Colts’ practice squad in 2020 and kicked game-winning field goals in the Rams’ past two playoff games, and return man Brandon Powell was out of a job before he signed with the Rams and ran back a punt 61 yards for a touchdown against the Vikings.
See ya: Running back Todd Gurley, released after the 2019 season, is the most notable starter cut loose, but linebacker Mark Barron was also released, center John Sullivan’s option was declined, and defensive end Michael Brockers was dumped to Detroit for a seventh-round pick.
Notably, Gurley, Barron and Sullivan all are out of the league, and the Brockers won’t see the playoffs soon if ever again.
Meanwhile, the more the Rams change, the more they stay championship contenders.
“If you said, hey, you’re going to be in two Super Bowls in four years, but 83% of your starters are going to change,” Demoff said, “I think that reflects upon how our model might be a little bit different than others.”
RAMS CHANGES FROM SUPER BOWL III TO SUPER BOWL LVI
2018 starters still with team
WR Cooper Kupp (injured and missed SB LIII), WR Robert Woods, TE Tyler Higbee, LT Andrew Whitworth, RT Rob Havenstein, DT Aaron Donald, P Johnny Hekker
2018 starters no longer with team
QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley, WR Brandin Cooks, LG Rodger Saffold, C John Sullivan, RG Austin Blythe, DE Michael Brockers, NT Ndamukong Suh, OLB Samson Ebukam, OLB Dante Fowler, LB Cory Littleton, LB Mark Barron, CB Aqib Talib, CB Marcus Peters, S John Johnson, S Lamarcus Joyner, K Greg Zuerlein, PR/KR JoJo Natson
Current starters* added since 2018
QB Matthew Stafford, RB Cam Akers, WR Odell Beckham Jr., WR Van Jefferson, LG David Edwards, C Brian Allen, RG Austin Corbett, DE A’Shawn Robinson, NT Greg Gaines, OLB Leonard Floyd, OLB Von Miller, LB Troy Reeder, LB Ernest Jones, CB Jalen Ramsey, CB Darious Williams, S Taylor Rapp, S Eric Weddle, K Matt Gay, PR-KR Brandon Powell
* Expected to start in Feb. 13 Super Bowl if healthy
