Between now and the end of August, TGS will offer up a quick snapshot of every NFL team heading into the 2015 regular season. Today, the St. Louis Rams.
2014 in a nutshell: A talented defense under-performs and they lose starting quarterback Sam Bradford for the majority of the second straight season, predictably settling for six wins in the tough NFC West.
Why 2015 could be different: They traded Bradford for another question mark in Nick Foles.
Major additions: Top pick Todd Gurley, though he won’t be a factor early in 2015. They also added veteran defenders Akeem Ayers and Nick Fairley.
Major losses: They’ve moved on from offensive linemen Joe Barksdale and Jake Long.
Breakout watch: They really need top 2013 pick Tavon Austin to step it up in his third season, or Foles will be in trouble.
Position to watch: With Long and Barksdale gone, the pressure will fall on 2014 first-rounder Greg Robinson at left tackle, as well as rookies Jamon Brown and Rob Havenstein on the right side.
Prediction: Foles had a terrible 2014 season with more support than he has in St. Louis, and I’m not convinced he can stay healthy or be an upgrade over Bradford. I can’t see them improving much on either side of the ball. Another six- or seven-win season makes sense.
