Rams should allow Sean McVay to walk away
By Kenneth Miller, Publisher
No more waffling about whether or not Sean McVay wants to return to the sidelines to coach the Rams after owner Stan Kroenke mortgaged the future of the franchise to give the wiz kid all of the tools to win at least two Super Bowls, but settling for one.
Reports surfaced in earnest before the Rams played their guts out in Seattle before succumbing on an overtime field goal 19-16 to finish a forgettable season 5-12 campaign on the heels of capturing a home field Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in last February.
While this is not a good time for McVay to bail after the owner doled out $160 million with $135 million guaranteed through 2026 for Matthew Stafford. He was injured most of this season and will be 38-years old when the deal is completed.
On the other hand, star defensive end Aaron Donald is locked up through 2024 after signing a two year n extension with $65 million in guarantees, this after he contemplated retirement. He was on the sideline with Stafford when it was obvious the team would not make the playoffs.
Stafford also cost the Rams the 2023 first round pick that will go to Detroit, they also got pimped on their 4th round pick in the dubious Sony Michel trade to New England in 2021.
The Rams only have six draft picks this year with their highest picks in the second and third rounds and will not have a first rounder until 2024.
At just 35 years old McVay’s and with a brilliant winning clip of 67–41 (.620), boasting a coaching tree that has produced three NFL head coaches in the Bengals Zac Taylor, the Packers Matt LaFleur, the Vikings Kevin O’Connell and the Chargers Brandon Staley, but if he doesn’t want to coach anymore the Rams should allow him go to television.
Taylor was horrific before the Bengals miraculous Super Bowl run, O’Connell led the Vikings to the playoffs in his first year, LaFleur should be fired if he’s not already and Staley continues to raise eyebrows with the multitude of mistakes that he’s made.
With the 5th seed already locked in, Staley for some inexplicable reason decided to play five of his starters in 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale.
Wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a back injury in the second quarter, was assisted off the field by the training staff and taken into the locker room on a cart, but still may be available when the Bolts travel to Jacksonville for a Wild Card match up against the Jaguars on Saturday.
Edge rusher Joey Bosa did not return to the game against the Broncos after an awkward play in the second quarter, and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. also exited in the second quarter.
Staley who is infamous for his daring fourth down decisions was defiant in allowing his starters to play.
“These aren’t easy decisions,” Staley said after the game. “They’re not easy decisions and hindsight is perfect for everybody on the outside, but these games are not easy to manage. They’re not, because you don’t have that many players and we did it to the best of our ability.”
Just a week before he was jubilant when the Chargers clinched the post season berth and he awarded a game ball to owner Dean Spanos.
So, as the College Football Championship circus leaves town all of the focus will turn to the Chargers and a bullseye will be on the head of Brandon Staley if he gets out coached by Doug Pederson who turned around a woeful Jaguars franchise in one season.
Spanos spent heavy bucks this off season. Aside from resigning Williams for a bargain $60 million; signed best cornerback on the free agent market in J.C. Jackson; swung a deal with the Chicago Bears for star pass rusher Khalil Mack, giving Los Angeles one of the most deadly pass rushing duos in the league.
They already have one of the top young quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert who threw for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and his soon due for a massive pay raise.
This golden opportunity cannot be squandered, especially against the weakest of all AFC post season team.
The Jaguars embarrassed the Bolts on their home field on Sept. 25, 38-10 in their warning to the league they are for real.
Real or not, the Chargers have a golden opportunity in front of them having already demonstrated they can play with top seeded Kansas Chiefs, this has to be a year to do some damage or else…
