{"id":61624,"date":"2018-03-28T11:24:39","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T11:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=61624"},"modified":"2018-03-28T11:24:39","modified_gmt":"2018-03-28T11:24:39","slug":"rams-betting-stars-will-align-despite-adding-so-many-big-personalities-to-roster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/rams-betting-stars-will-align-despite-adding-so-many-big-personalities-to-roster.html","title":{"rendered":"Rams betting stars will align despite adding so many big personalities to roster"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rams betting stars will align despite adding so many big personalities to roster<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Early this offseason, the Los Angeles Rams vowed to take an aggressive approach to building on their surprising success from 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

General manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay saw no room for complacency despite winning the NFC West last year. Both insisted they had to upgrade the roster.<\/span><\/p>\n

The last month has indicated the sincerity of their words.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rams have made a series of bold moves, trading for all-pro corners Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. On Monday, they agreed to terms with five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. And they\u2019re not done. The draft still awaits. Plus, according to league insiders, L.A. is poised to make a strong push for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. should the Giants make him available via trade.<\/span><\/p>\n

Snead, McVay & Co. are trying to establish a winning brand while also aiming to win over a city that traditionally leans toward the college game. Last season\u2019s dramatic rise to 11-5, a seven-game improvement in the win column, represented progress. But loading up on some of the game\u2019s greatest impact players brings a unique set of challenges. In Talib, Peters and Suh, the Rams have added three larger-than-life \u2014 and, at times, strong-willed \u2014 personalities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talib strong-armed his way out of Denver because he badly wanted a change, feeling a reunion with former Denver defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as the ideal situation for him. Peters clashed with coaches in Kansas City, and things were starting to wear thin there, especially given his desire for a lucrative contract extension that management was hesitant to offer. Suh has had his share of disciplinary problems both in Detroit and Miami. Despite his production, the Dolphins preferred to release him to save $17 million in cap space this season while eating a total of $22 million in dead cap money over the next two years.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rams now have one of the league’s most star-studded rosters. But it\u2019s rare that the all-star approach works in professional sports. It\u2019s often challenging to get that many great individuals and their personalities to jell adequately to form a successful and singularly focused unit. But the Rams would rather swing big than settle for taking baby steps while banking primarily on continuity.<\/span><\/p>\n

And the moves were quite calculated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you do your vetting process, and you look into just adding people like that,\u201d McVay explained Tuesday at the league meeting, \u201cis you want to find people that love football. When you look at these guys \u2014 especially Marcus and Aqib and Ndamukong \u2014 these guys love football, and they\u2019re passionate about it, and if we feel like that exists, then everything else will fit.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I think they understand the way we want to operate organizationally, and this is a place that they wanted to be, and we\u2019re excited about adding players of that caliber. And it\u2019s going to be fun to play, and I\u2019m sure the defensive coordinator has more swag than any of them, so I think we\u2019ll be OK.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

McVay was referring to Phillips, 70, who has always demonstrated an ability to unite, inspire and lead men during his decades of coaching experience. Players and coaches alike praise him for his creativity but also for his receptive nature, which helps breed a sense of ownership among his unit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny time you\u2019ve got a great leader like Wade Phillips,\u201d McVay explained, \u201che\u2019s coached these types of guys as far as the great players, and he has been able to figure out how we can mesh and mold and make us feel confident to make these moves. And to Les and Tony (Pastoors)\u2019s credit, they\u2019ve been able to get these deals done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Snead said McVay\u2019s leadership and ability to get players to buy in \u2014 as he did last season while repeatedly preaching \u201cWe, not I\u201d \u2014 fueled his confidence, as did the strength of the Rams\u2019 core players.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we bring anyone in, we really try to do our research,” explained Snead, “in terms of personality and the energy they\u2019re going to bring to the locker room, the chemistry \u2014 because there\u2019s going to have to be a chemistry that has to occur, not on Day 1, but over time, as you prepare for the season. But you actually talk through all of this, and how they\u2019re going to fit, and each person \u2014 and not just those three \u2014 but there are 50 other players and they\u2019ve got personalities, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

“And if you take all that into account, we know there are some pillars in our locker room right now, and the new people when they come in, they\u2019ll feel those pillars … and you go from there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Suh took a one-year deal. League defensive player of the year Aaron Donald also will be a free agent in 2019 and last season held out while trying in vain to secure an extension. The dynamics that come with so many players, including Peters, eyeing lucrative deals could prove divisive, but Snead believes the Rams can avoid that kind of splintering even if on-field success doesn\u2019t instantly come.<\/span><\/p>\n

“As soon as we get on the field in OTAs, we start working toward a singular goal and that\u2019s when you build the chemistry,” said Snead. “That singular goal will take 53 different personalities and gives them a common ground that you build towards.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That work begins mid-April when players report for offseason workouts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll of it\u2019s on paper right now,\u201d McVay cautioned, “but it\u2019s about continuing to figure out how we can be connected as a team, how we can commit to each other and be a great football team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/columnist\/mike-jones\/2018\/03\/27\/rams-betting-stars-align-personalities-ndamukong-suh-aqib-talib\/464187002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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