Here’s a look at the Super Bowl prospects of the Los Angeles Rams, who finished the season 4-12:
Super Bowl barometer: The Los Angeles Rams have lots of work to do.
Assessing the foundation: The Rams have young star talent throughout the roster. They boast a standout defensive line, led by Aaron Donald, and two athletic linebackers in Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron. On offense, they recently committed early first-round picks for quarterback Jared Goff (No. 1 overall in 2016), running back Todd Gurley (No. 10 overall in 2015), left tackle Greg Robinson (No. 2 overall in 2014) and slot receiver Tavon Austin (No. 8 overall in 2013). But they have not been able to figure it out offensively, ranking dead last in yards each of the past two years and no higher than 28th since 2013. On defense, their depth has eroded, especially in the secondary.
Judging the quarterback: Goff's numbers looked terrible in the seven starts that made up his rookie season, all losses. From Weeks 11 to 17, Goff had the NFL's fewest yards per attempt (5.31), second-lowest Total QBR (22.2), fourth-lowest completion percentage (54.6) and fourth-lowest touchdown-to-interception ratio (0.71). But be wary of those numbers in a vacuum. Goff didn't have much help. His receivers continually dropped passes, his offensive line allowed too much pressure, and the scheme he ran never had success, regardless of the quarterback. The new head coach, Sean McVay, who elevated Kirk Cousins' career as Washington Redskins signal-caller these past two years, should help a great deal. That's the Rams' hope, at least.
Realistic ways the Rams can improve their chances to contend for a Super Bowl:
Fix the offensive line. It's the only way Goff and Gurley will have a chance to succeed. Behind that offensive line, Gurley averaged 3.18 yards per carry in his second season, ranked 41st among 42 qualified rushers, and Goff was sacked a whopping 25 times over the last six weeks, which averages out to 67 over a full season, a total that would've been fourth-highest in history. The Rams drafted seven offensive linemen from 2014 to '15, but it hasn't led to any improvement. First and foremost, they have to figure out what to do with Robinson, who has struggled mightily at left tackle these past two seasons. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, a second-round pick in 2015, saw a dramatic decline in performance during his second season.
Re-sign, or adequately replace, Trumaine Johnson and T.J. McDonald. The Rams lost primary cornerback Janoris Jenkins and free safety Rodney McLeod last offseason and can't afford to do the same in this one without legitimate replacements. Johnson was solid in his first year as the No. 1 corner and is now one of the best available at his position. McDonald has been the Rams starting strong safety these past four years and will also be expensive. The Rams don't have much behind them either. At corner, they were forced to play the undrafted Mike Jordan and Troy Hill when injuries hit Johnson or E.J. Gaines. When free safety Maurice Alexander missed two games down the stretch, Cody Davis, a special-teams contributor, was forced into action.
Beef up at receiver. It has pretty much been a problem since Torry Holt's final season in 2008. In fact, Holt's 2007 season marked the last time the Rams had a 1,000-yard receiver until Kenny Britt finally broke the streak this year. Now Britt, the Rams' only reliable vertical threat, hits the free-agent market on the heels of his most productive NFL season. So does Brian Quick, who didn't live up to the expectations of the 33rd overall pick in 2012. The Rams may choose to bring Britt back, but only at the right price. There are more appealing options in free agency, particularly Alshon Jeffery, whose price may have dropped coming off a disappointing season, and DeSean Jackson, who thrived under McVay in Washington.