Rams general manager Les Snead conducted his annual end-of-season press conference today, discussing the process of finding new scouting directors, the quarterback position, pending defensive free agents and other topics surrounding the future of the team heading into the offseason.
Here are some of the top takeaways:
Team aims to fill Ray Agnew and Brad Holmes' positions "immediately"
The Rams have two key front office positions to fill as it transitions into offseason roster evaluation and draft prep, with director of college scouting Brad Holmes getting hired by the Lions as their new general manager, and director of pro scouting Ray Agnew reportedly joining him as an assistant general manager.
According to Snead, they will look to fill those vacant positions "immediately" and through internal candidates, but Agnew and Holmes' successors have yet to be named.
"We have a good subset of lieutenants in our building already," Snead said during Tuesday's video conference.
Snead said he's also talked with scouting consultant Ray Farmer about transitioning into a full-time role, but "not necessarily in Brad's job." Prior to joining the Rams in 2020 as a consultant, Farmer was the Browns general manager from 2014-15, assistant general manager in 2013, the Chiefs' director of pro personnel from 2006-2012 and a Falcons scout from 2002-05.
"Too early to speculate" on Jared Goff's future
In his end-of-season news conference on Jan. 17, Rams head coach Sean McVay said that "all things are up for evaluation," including the quarterback position. During that same media session, McVay was also asked directly if there was a scenario in which starting quarterback Jared Goff was not on the roster next season, and McVay said he "can't answer any of those questions until, like I said, I take a step back and evaluate everything that is in the best interest of the Rams."
A similar question was posed to Snead, who echoed similar comments to McVay's.
"What I can say is Jared Goff is a Ram in this moment," Snead said. "It's too early to speculate the future."
Snead said moving on from Goff would be difficult because of their financial commitment to him, but later said "anything can be done" in a cap-based system. Snead recognized Goff's success in partnership with McVay with 42 wins since 2017, a figure tied with Russell Wilson and trailing only Tom Brady (47), as well as Goff's toughness for coming back and performing well in the playoffs not far removed from thumb surgery. However, like McVay, Snead also pointed to the turnover issues that need to be corrected.
Discussions on priority defensive free agent re-signings to be picked up again in mid-February
Snead said he and McVay have already had preliminary discussions about pending defensive free agents they'd like to re-sign, and will resume those conversations "starting sometime in the middle of February."
Key players like safety and defensive signal-caller John Johnson III, cornerback Darious Williams, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, cornerback Troy Hill and defensive lineman Morgan Fox are scheduled to become free agents when the new league year begins. Snead said the anticipated salary cap reduction will be one of the variables in their formula for who they can or can't bring back.
"Our goal this year is to sit down in February and probably, right over about a four-week span, really calculate that formula," Snead said.
