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With the help of a loaded roster on both sides of the ball, the Los Angeles Rams were able to nab the Super Bowl LVI title at the expense of the Cincinnati Bengals. It was definitely a good run for the Rams, but their team is set to look a bit different heading to the 2022 season.
Veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth has officially retired, Von Miller is off to the Buffalo Bills, Robert Woods was just traded to the Tennessee Titans, and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to be signed to a contract after suffering a torn ACL injury. Aaron Donald also hasn't confirmed he will be back, though the expectation is he will be instead of heading to retirement.
In response, the Rams have retained OT Joseph Noteboom and acquired WR Allen Robinson. Currently, the team still has around $8.8 million left in available cap space, per Spotrac. They will now look to fill in the remaining holes on their roster before the start of the 2022 season.
With that said, let's take a look at the biggest need the Rams must still address in 2022 NFL free agency.
Biggest need Rams must still address
For the past few years, Von Miller was written off by many people. Despite his advancing age, he still became one of the biggest midseason additions of the Rams after they traded for him in exchange for draft assets in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Miller didn't waste any time, providing an instant impact upon landing in Los Angeles. He played in eight games in the regular season and tallied 31 combined tackles, eight QB hits, and 5.0 sacks for the Rams. The 32-year-old also played a huge role all throughout their postseason run, which eventually saw them reaching Super Bowl LVI. There, he had another huge performance in which he notched two combined tackles, three QB hits, and 2.0 sacks against the Bengals.
Despite being a newcomer, it was evident how Miller complemented Aaron Donald's style of play, which made him such an instrumental piece of their defensive unit. His reemergence on the field eventually caught the attention of other teams in the league. Although the Rams tried to retain his services, the Bills still swooped in and offered Miller a lucrative six-year, $120 million deal. With the veteran linebacker now gone, general manager Les Snead will have to fill in the hole in their defense heading to next season.
As of the moment, the outside linebackers left to line up opposite Leonard Floyd are Terrell Lewis, Justin Hollins, and Chris Garrett. They previously held backup roles and have yet to gain significant experience as full-time starters in the league. The Rams will definitely have to find a quality talent who is capable of starting and producing at the same level as Miller did last season.
Without a doubt, it will surely be a tough challenge as notable pass rushers such as Chandler Jones, Za'Darius Smith, and even Randy Gregory were all too expensive and have already signed new contracts with their respective teams. However, the Rams can still make a late run at talents like Anthony Barr, K.J. Wright, and Melvin Ingram. These veterans may not be on the same level as Miller, but they can still produce timely contributions on a short-term deal.
The Rams don't have much capital in the upcoming draft after trading away their first-round pick in the deal for Matthew Stafford. Their second and third-round picks were then sent to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Miller's services. However, they've already received their compensatory picks, which means they will be drafting in the third round with the 104th overall pick to start the proceedings.
As of the moment, it's looking like a tough climb for the Rams, but all is not yet lost as they still have time to find Miller's replacement before the season starts. Without a doubt, their pursuit of quality talent at the outside linebacker position will be crucial and will be a huge factor in how their defensive unit will perform in the upcoming NFL season.
