A year ago, Sean McVay started the offseason considering his future, and whether it should still include coaching. After years of pouring everything he had into the next film session, the next practice, the next game, he wondered if he had anything left to give.
He ultimately did decide to return to the Rams for 2023. And after that season came to the kind of abrupt end Sunday that only the postseason can provide, McVay was calm, the result of a 24-23 wild-card game loss to the Detroit Lions not washing away the process that had revitalized him.
“The finality of it is still kind of … it doesn’t totally resonate, but man, did I learn a lot and really appreciate this group,” McVay said. “They helped me find my way again and how much I love this and love the people that I’m around.”
The 2023 Rams didn’t win a Super Bowl, like their counterparts from two years ago. They didn’t make the Super Bowl, like the 2018 team. Just a few years ago, a first-round playoff exit would have been considered a failure for this franchise.
But there’s a certain “found gold” quality to a young team that finds success ahead of schedule. The Rams’ playoff appearance with a young, exciting core was the kind of moment that Lakers fans craved for Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle before that group was broken up for a less patient approach.
Except the Rams didn’t have to be patient. In Year 1 of what was carefully labeled a “remodel” around Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp, young stars arrived to complement that Super Bowl experience.
There was fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua, breaking a 63-year-old rookie receiving record and making even future Hall of Famer Donald shake his head in admiration at his displays of toughness. Third-rounders Kobie Turner and Byron Young trading the rookie sack lead. Second-rounder Steve Avila playing every snap at left guard. Second-year back Kyren Williams exploding onto the scene with the third-most rushing yards in the NFL while playing 12 games.
Most of all, though, there was a new atmosphere in Thousand Oaks. Before the season opener, players gathered in the middle of the locker room to watch the first “Thursday Night Football” game of the season, something veterans had never seen before.
That energy was powerful enough to keep the Rams stable even after a 3-6 start to the season. The team came back from the bye and won seven of its next eight to reach 10 wins and the playoffs after a one-year absence.
“I think their energy, their vibe, their relentless mental and physical toughness, the stamina at which they just continued to come to work whether we were 3-6 or 7-1 at the end of the season,” McVay said. “Everything is and always has been and always will be about people. When you’re surrounded by coaches and players you love and that you don’t want to let down, you’re reminded of that really quickly. I think a lot of those things were on display.”
And still, despite everything achieved, above and beyond any outside expectation, the suddenness of their playoff exit left the Rams stunned.
“Ended too soon. Everyone was having too much fun,” right tackle Rob Havenstein said. “You watch some of the absolute joy that these young guys play with … with enough of those guys in the room, just, I’m happy. Happy to be out there, happy to play, happy to learn. Which is one of the biggest things I think our rookies did a great job with. Nobody took themselves too seriously, everyone just wanted to continue to get better. The way they brought life and juice to everything.”
A nine-year veteran, Havenstein spoke of the team in the past tense two days after the loss to Detroit. He’s seen enough offseason remodels to understand what comes next.
The Rams have some decisions to make. At least one was already made, with McVay declaring Wednesday that Stafford “unequivocally” would be the Rams’ quarterback in 2024 after an offseason of speculation a year ago.
But team captain Jordan Fuller is an unrestricted free agent, as are fellow secondary starters John Johnson III and Ahkello Witherspoon. Starting right guard Kevin Dotson is unrestricted, too, while left tackle Alaric Jackson is a restricted free agent. Three contributors to the defense’s front seven – Jonah Williams, Michael Hoecht and Christian Rozeboom – are restricted, too.
General Manager Les Snead could opt to get the band back together. But the Rams are projected to have $48,214,762 of cap space this offseason, per Spotrac, and have a full allotment of draft picks, including their first first-round selection since the No. 1 overall pick of Jared Goff in 2016. Snead and the front office will explore every avenue to improve the team.
Perhaps it won’t be as drastic of an offseason as following the 2017 season, when the Rams made the playoffs in McVay’s first year and used several blockbuster moves to elevate to Super Bowl contenders a year later. But McVay can see parallels between that winter and this one.
“It does feel like this was kind of a new start to the journey that we’re on,” McVay said. “I do feel like we have a much better idea of the types of people and players and coaches that we want with all the turnover and some of the different things that we’ve experienced I think will serve us well because of the approach that we’ll be able to take.
“But this league is tough and we all know that, but I’m sure as hell excited to get back and compete and attack it with these coaches and players next year.”
