The Los Angeles Rams' championship window closed as fast as it opened. After their 2021 championship, the team spiraled in their title defense season. Injuries to their star players and heavy regression quickly sent their 2022 campaign down the drain. Now, the Rams are staring a rebuilding season dead in the eye.

Already, the Rams are feeling the ramifications of their Super Bowl quests. They haven't had a first-round pick since 2016, and they're currently carrying a whopping $75 million in dead cap money. However, LA is making a play for the 2024 season, per Adam Schefter's sources.

“Los Angeles is absorbing salary cap punishment this season and clearing the decks for next season. According to league sources, the Rams are carrying $75 million of dead money against their salary cap in 2023 but have no significant dead money — just $700,000 — counting against their 2024 salary cap.”

That's not a bad place to be, all things considered. The Rams still have their star players locked up to long-term deals through the 2024 season: Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald's contracts span until the 2024 season, at least. Still, with a lot of that dead money gone, LA will have some extra wiggle room to rebuild their team. Having a first-round pick will also help: they finally have their own FRP for the first time since 2016.

What does this mean for the Rams' 2023 season? Well, LA is essentially playing with house money at this point. Expectations for this team are low, with many of their star players from the 2021 season gone. If they do remotely well this season, that should be a good thing for them in the future. A win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 is a good step towards that.