Rams general manager Les Snead hopes offseason moves turn out great – Daily News

THOUSAND OAKS – The 53-man Rams of 2021 class were on the training ground for the first time on Wednesday, marking the end of a hectic offseason.

On offense, general manager Les Snead has had some off-season success to celebrate in trading for quarterback Matthew Stafford, the signing of deep threat receiver DeSean Jackson and the low-cost acquisition of running back Sony. Michel last week to try to compensate for the injury of Cam Akers.

In defense, where results were mixed, Snead could take credit for planning and drafting Jordan Fuller’s security in 2020 in anticipation of the departure of appellant John Johnson’s free agent.

But Snead wasn’t ready to give himself an A, B, C – or any mark – calling the last seven months a “rough” for the season.

“It’s hard for me to give a raw rating,” said Snead. “But here’s what I would say, we’re definitely ready to give it a try.”

With Super Bowl LVI set to be played at SoFi Stadium next February, Snead stopped short of saying that the 53-player roster completed on Tuesday is championship-caliber.

“We’re definitely confident and think we can fight for our (title) division, and if we do that we might get a chance to play a few playoff games at home,” said Snead. “And at that point it’s heavyweight fights, and we’re confident we’d be ready to step into the ring and play those four quarters.”

Snead explained his reasoning for three moves on downsizing day Tuesday:

• Keeping veteran punter Johnny Hekker and trading young punter Corey Bojorquez to the Green Bay Packers was made more attractive by Hekker’s deal on a restructured contract, but Snead claimed Hekker’s success story with false punts were a factor.

“If you’re running one to two to three to four (false punts per season), there’s that threat,” Snead said. “Teams defending your punt team are going to do it differently.”

Hekker completed assists for 13 first downs in 2012-19, but he didn’t try one in 2020.

• Snead said the Rams were keeping Bryce Perkins – a rare case of a third quarterback on the active roster – because they liked his progress since joining the practice squad in 2020 and wanted to avoid that another team does not claim it.

“If they are claimed, a lot of the training that goes into them is gone in the blink of an eye,” Snead said.

• The Rams again kept 10 offensive linemen in part to prepare for the 2022 free agency of goaltender Austin Corbett, center Brian Allen and key replacement Joe Noteboom, and the possibility that 39-year-old tackle Andrew Whitworth retire.

“It was good (with) injuries to keep that many,” said Snead, “but you always prepare yourself knowing that there are decisions to be made at the end of the year.”

MORE MOVEMENTS

After removing 25 players on Monday and Tuesday, the Rams signed 14 to their practice squad on Wednesday.

The practice team’s signings included Micah Kiser, the linebacker who was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after making 15 tackles against the Philadelphia Eagles last September, before joining the injured reserve for the second year. consecutive.

Kiser allowed the waivers after Rams coach Sean McVay said on Tuesday he expected another team to claim him.

“What a stallion to be human, an amazing person. You talk about a guy who is constantly overcoming adversity, answered it the right way,” McVay said of Kiser, who was a fifth round pick in 2018 after winning the so-called Academic Heisman as a senior from Virginia. “You don’t bet against him to find out, whether it’s with us or anywhere, you’re going to bet on him to be successful.”