Aaron Donald’s future, coaches, free agents, the salary cap and a lack of high draft picks create several challenges. But first, the championship parade.
Before the Rams won Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Rams general manager Les Snead was talking about what might come next. That’s a relief for any fans who thought trading more high draft picks to go all-in on winning the Super Bowl in the season it would be played at SoFi Stadium meant the Rams cared less about the seasons ahead. “I think we definitely, really, really think we have the core and the base (of the roster) in place to continue being a contender for the NFC West,” Snead said last week, “not only this year, not only next year but into some years to come.” What comes after Super Bowl LVI for the triumphant Rams? Adding “I” to the Roman numerals is easy, but the chances of defending the title in next year’s Super Bowl LVII in Arizona will depend on the Rams’ answers to hard questions that will start coming at them after Wednesday’s parade in Exposition Park. Here are 10 issues (so far) to watch. McVay,36, the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl, hasn’t shot down speculation about how long he wants to coach, seeing that he wants to start a family with fiancee Veronika Khomyn and networks see a future for him in broadcasting. McVay, who plans to get married this summer, is the sixth highest-paid NFL coach with an $8.5 million salary and two years to go on the extension he signed after the Rams’ Super Bowl run in 2019. Snead, too, is under contract through 2023 under a 2019 extension. Are more extensions in order? “While many things have changed over the last five years, we’ve had unbelievable, unwavering leadership from Sean and Les,” Rams COO Kevin Demoff said. “It goes without saying you’d like that to continue.” Aaron Donald hasn’t disputed reports he would consider retiring if the Rams won the Super Bowl, his last stated career goal. Donald,30, has three years and more than $50 million left on his six-year contract. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year’s average salary of $22.5 million ranks 23rd among NFL players – barring an extension. Andrew Whitworth is expected to retire, and what a way to go out, as the first left tackle to play at 40, the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner and a Super Bowl champion for the first time.
