Rams are prime example of short Super Bowl window

The Los Angeles Rams seemed poised to be a superpower for a decade. Now, they’re an afterthought only two years later.

In 2018, the Rams rolled to the Super Bowl behind third-year quarterback Jared Goff and whiz-kid head coach Sean McVay. They fell 13-3 against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, but the future seemed limitless for the young team with the young coach in Tinseltown.

Fast forward to July 2020, and nobody is talking about the Rams. Certainly, nobody is trying to mimic the style of general manager Les Snead, who traded away myriad high draft picks to land stars, only to see the plan go splat.

Snead sent a second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 for cornerback Marcus Peters. Peters ended up being a dud in Los Angles, and he was shipped midseason to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round choice. He ended up being the perfect fit for Charm City, making All-Pro status.

In the same offseason, Snead acquired receiver Brandin Cooks from the New England Patriots for a first-round choice. Cooks is now playing for the Houston Texans, and left $21.8 million worth of dead money on Los Angeles’ books this year.

Last season, the Rams traded away a pair of first-round picks for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The move didn’t put them in the postseason, and Ramsey is now waiting for the largest contract in league history for his position.

Then there’s the disastrous contract of Todd Gurley, which is an article in itself.

All told, the Rams are without a first-round choice until 2022, are essentially capped out of making any significant moves in free agency. The only real hope is for Goff to improve from last season, and perhaps there’s a possibility of it happening.

In 2018, Goff threw for 4,688 yards on 8.4 YPA with 32 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Last tear, the former No. 1 overall pick went for 4,638 yards on 7.4 YPA with 22 touchdowns against 16 interceptions.

Unfortunately, the biggest culprits for Goff’s downturn may have been a weakened offensive line with the departures of center John Sullivan and guard Rodger Saffold, along with Gurley’s decline. This year, the front wall remains a concern and Gurley is gone, replaced by rookie Cam Akers of Florida State.

Only two years ago, the Rams were the team in the NFL with a boundless future. Now, they’re an afterthought, hoping Goff and McVay can create some magic once more.