Random Ramsdom: Is the NFC West for the taking in 2023?

LA Rams face wide open NFC West in 2023 (RamblinFan)

“The LA Rams may not have had a very good season in 2022, but that could all change with the arrival of the 2023 NFL season. Each team in the NFL faces the same challenges after the Super Bowl is played: Reinventing the team. After all, some players retire. Some coaches take promotions to coach elsewhere. Some new coaches are added to the coaching staff. Finally, about 3 dozen or so new players are added to the roster, each seeking to perform well enough to catch the eye of the coaching staff to ensure that they will remain and have a chance to perform throughout the season.

The LA Rams, perhaps more than most team this time of year, have two very distinct advantages that many NFL teams do not have the luxury of enjoying. For starters, the Rams will essentially have the same brain trust running the offense and defense. While that may or may not excite anyone right now, the advantages are there if you look. In essence, the Rams have already skipped past the ‘learn a new system,’ and ‘meet the new coordinators,’ part of OTAs and training camp, and can dive right into correcting the may problems that surfaced throughout the 2022 NFL season.”

‘We celebrated him like a true Super Bowl baby’: Van Jefferson on son Champ turning one year old and that ‘special’ Super Bowl LVI day (TheRams.com)

Set Number: X163970 TK1

“When you were born on Super Bowl Sunday and your dad became a Super Bowl champion the same day, you celebrate your birthday accordingly.

Champ Jefferson, son of wide receiver Van Jefferson, recently celebrated his first birthday, which brought back fond memories of that big day for Van and family.

“It was special, man, just knowing the way that he was born and the day he was born on, and to win that day, too,” Van told theRams.com. “We celebrated him like a true Super Bowl baby, so it was cool.”

Rewind to Sunday, February 13, 2022, Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Jefferson is celebrating on the field with his teammates, then told his wife, Samaria, is in labor.”

4 reasons Rams should be thrilled to have Raheem Morris back (RamsWire)

“Raheem Morris was one of the favorites to be hired by the Colts as their next head coach this offseason but Jim Irsay and Chris Ballard went in a different direction. They hired Shane Steichen from the Eagles, which is good news for Sean McVay and the Rams.

With Morris on his way back to Los Angeles as the team’s defensive coordinator, the Rams will keep one of their most important coaches. Here are four reasons they should be thrilled about this news.

The Rams’ most important defenders are big fans of Morris. Jalen Ramsey called him the best coach he’s ever had and Aaron Donald has spoken highly of him and his scheme in their two years together. By all accounts, he’s beloved in the Rams’ locker room, with even Cooper Kupp heaping praise on him in a recent interview.

If players are happy to have Morris back, why shouldn’t fans be, too? There’s been a lot of groaning about Morris’ soft coverages, but as Ramsey said, defenses can’t just lean on one strength play in and play out. They have to mix things up instead of always running press man like so many fans want them to.”

Rams add pass rusher, athletic safety in new 3-round mock draft (RamsWire)

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

“The Rams can go a lot of different ways in the first three rounds of the draft this year. Just about every offensive and defensive position could be addressed at No. 36 and 69, making this a very interesting draft for Les Snead and Sean McVay.

Even though the defense was the strength of the team in 2022, that could be the direction Los Angeles goes in Rounds 2 and 3. That’s how NFL.com’s Chad Reuter sees it playing out in his latest mock draft, which goes three rounds deep. He went with a familiar pick for the Rams in Round 2, adding some pass-rush help, before turning his attention to the secondary with a big, athletic safety in the third round.

Smith has become a popular pick for the Rams in mock drafts, and it’s not hard to see why. He could be the top pass rusher available at No. 36 when the Rams eventually go on the clock and would make a lot of sense, given their need at outside linebacker.

Pairing him with fellow former Bulldog Leonard Floyd would give the Rams some juice off the edge, and he should be an upgrade over the lack of production they got out of Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis a season ago.

Smith had 12.5 sacks and 20 tackles for a loss in three seasons at Georgia.”