2016 NFL Power Rankings: NFL.com Has LA Rams In Bottom Fourth

Ah power rankings. Never were there a more blatant arbiter of the national NFL media consensus. So with NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison dropping his preseason power rankings, we’ve got a clear bar set for where the NFL cognoscenti think the Rams sit just days ahead of their 2016 preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

And where does Harrison land the Rams? Down in the bottom quarter of the league at 25th:

With "Hard Knocks" set to begin (on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET), fans will get a unique look at a quarterback battle between a vet and a No. 1 overall pick. HBO and NFL Films have many avenues to pursue when it comes to previewing the 2016 Rams, but trying to place the proverbial finger on what rookie Jared Goff will amount to in the league should be most intriguing. Los Angeles was a smart choice for the show, especially when you include the return of the Rams to Southern California and the return of a player in Todd Gurley coming off the most exciting rookie season since Adrian Peterson broke into the NFL in 2007. Randomness: Thought making a play for Anquan Boldin would've made much sense here.

It’s a meager starting point. Consider that Harrison had the Rams at 21st to finish last season...meaning the Rams’ offseason has seen other teams improve their fortunes to a larger degree.

There is some hope here. Harrison has bumped the Rams up one spot since his early May post-2016 NFL Draft power rankings. The team they leapfrogged? The Philadelphia Eagles, aka the bizarro Rams.

In any case, benchmark. Set.