PALM BEACH, Fla. – Rams general manager Les Snead met with reporters Monday at the NFL's annual league meeting, discussing where things stand with extension talks with running back Kyren Williams, potentially selecting a quarterback at No. 26 overall in this year's draft, Coleman Shelton as the starting center, among other topics.
More on those key takeaways below:
Reiterating interest in getting an extension done with RB Kyren Williams
Snead said the Rams plan to meet with Williams' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, at the annual league meeting, which began yesterday and runs through Tuesday.
According to Snead, Williams and the Rams have different numbers, but "we would definitely like to engineer a long-term partnership with Kyren."
"Kyren's a great human, we all want this to work out, it's just, can we agree upon a contract where we both feel like (it) is a win-win moving forward," Snead said. "And if it doesn't happen this year, it doesn't mean that Kyren's not going to be a part (of the Rams) next year. It doesn't mean we don't do something a year from now."
"Always open" to drafting a quarterback, but no urgency to do so this year
Given the year-to-year arrangement with Matthew Stafford – and recent analyst projections for the 26th pick – it made sense that Snead was asked if the Rams were opening to drafting one this year at that spot.
"Always open to drafting a quarterback," Snead said. "I can realistically say often it's, usually another team who gets into that more serious level than we are, usually drafts that player, maybe earlier than we would."
Snead also indicated the Rams won't reach for a quarterback at No. 26 overall, and understand another team may want to trade into the first round at that pick point for one.
"If a team really thinks that player's their next QB, it's not like they're going, 'hey let's wait until the middle of the second round to pick him, let's do it now.'
"If the right guy fell to 26, maybe he's the right guy for another team. They might want to move into the first round and draft that right guy. Maybe that's better for the Rams than picking that right guy."
Snead also downplayed the urgency of addressing the position.
"We're very well aware that there is a life after Matthew coming at some point," Snead said. "When that is, I mean, it could be two, three years from now. So it's not urgent for us right now."
Rams signed Coleman Shelton with the expectation he'll be the starting center
Snead confirmed Monday that Coleman Shelton was brought in with the intention to be the team's starting center.
While Snead praised the job that Beaux Limmer did as a rookie last season, he noted the team missed Shelton's ability to communicate with the rest of the offensive line when Shelton left.
"What we missed with Coleman when he left was that able to communicate to all of our young OL, and maybe even our veterans," Snead said. "Hey, maybe (in) an audible situation, maybe when things change, and being able to handle that in the moment, it was very vital. Beaux Limmer did an unbelievable job evolving into becoming the starting center, but I've often said he was a freshman and working amongst a bunch of PHD's. So there was an element where you missed, not necessarily in what he was doing, but in what the center does for other people."
Snead's thoughts on Kupp getting released
Snead also addressed what went into releasing wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
"It's probably, I call it person and situation, and that sometimes the person being Cooper and the player's, let's call it phase of career, doesn't necessarily align ideally with the club's," Snead said. "So that would be the number one reason (Kupp is not on the team)."
As he did in January, Snead expressed appreciation for what Kupp meant to the Rams.
"Sitting here talking with y'all," Snead said, "we don't win a Super Bowl without Cooper."
