The Los Angeles Rams shocked a lot of people in 2023 when they finished 10-7 and made the playoffs. As impressive as their run to the postseason was, it means nothing now heading into the 2024 season.
They now need to take the next step and advance further in the playoffs, all without Aaron Donald on the defensive line. Some are skeptical they’ll be able to do that, with Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk being among them.
Florio released his pre-camp power rankings and put the Rams at No. 13, just inside the top 15. It’s not a bad spot to have Los Angeles, though some would argue the Rams should be ahead of the Bucs, who are No. 9. That ranking comes with a disclaimer from Florio that the Rams could regress after “they overachieved” in 2023 and are now without Donald.
13. Rams: They overachieved last year, and Aaron Donald is gone. This year could entail a step backward.
After the season Los Angeles just had, it’s easy to see them being even better in 2024. Sure, Donald is gone, but Puka Nacua will only continue to improve, Cooper Kupp is finally healthy (for now), and the defensive front got some reinforcements in the draft when the team selected Jared Verse and Braden Fiske.
The Rams have the pieces to make a deep playoff run if they have a relatively clean bill of health, but they could also be one or two injuries away from a season similar to the 2022 campaign.
