Rams has just lost his defensive coordinator to the Chargers and there could be several big changes. Los Angeles just ended what was in all respects a successful season, winning a playoff game and advancing to the divisional round after failing to make the postseason a year earlier. But if they want to return to their old Super Bowl heights of 2018, they will need a much better production in the passing game. 
Sean McVay he seems to understand this and has now raised many eyebrows in his last two press conferences, refusing to commit Jared Goff. At the post-game press conference immediately after Rams’ loss to the Packers, McVay was asked if Goff was his defender and he replied, “yes, he is the defender right now. As we have seen many times, “right now” can be a kind of kiss of death in the coach’s speech.
On Sunday, in the availability of the press at the end of the year, McVay confused the waters even more. “I evaluate everything we do and that includes the QB position,McVay said, addingI am not prepared to make any statements regarding ANY starting position”, For Jourdan Rodrigue from The Athletic (Twitter link).
Los Angeles has had the best overall defense in the league this season, the weapons are good enough, the offensive line is solid, and the coach is, in every way, great. As such, it is fair to assume that the only way to raise its ceiling is for Goff to improve, as it will be difficult for the defense to play better in 2021. The former first general election has regressed this season, ranking in top of the league in interceptions, despite being at the bottom in the average depth of the target.
It looks like McVay is far from happy with his current depth chart, but his options are limited. Goff is under contract until the 2024 season due to the big expansion he signed in September 2019, which is just really starting. There is no realistic way to cut it before next season with the implications for the dead head.
No team will take on a contract in a transaction, which seems to indicate that the only way McVay can replace him would be to add some competition to the roster. It would be really hard to fit another big contract next to Goff’s, which would mean that the competition should probably come in the form of a cheaper veteran or a player in a start-up business.
It will be a very interesting off-season in Los Angeles. Maybe GM The Snead, noted for his aggressiveness in recent years, he still has a trick up his sleeve.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.