Following a disastrous follow-up season to their Super Bowl victory, the Los Angeles Rams are getting their coach back, as Sean McVay will be returning in 2023.
There were growing rumors that McVay might go the route that John Madden and Jon Gruden once took to go from the sidelines to the broadcast booth. Nevertheless, McVay is staying put, but will he regret it in the long run?
Sean McVay should've taken a televsion job
Many of the issues that people predicted before the 2022 season came to pass.
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The most notable shortcoming was a lack of depth in many key positions. For example, Cooper Kupp was the primary weapon, and once he went down, the Rams offense never recovered. Allen Robinson and Matthew Stafford never gelled, and it showed. Looking back, it was highly disappointing that McVay wasn't able to make use of Robinson's talents.
Speaking of Stafford (34 years old), it wouldn't be surprising to see him enter the twilight of his career. Injuries have taken their toll, and he simply looked out of sorts. The fact that he missed nearly half of the team's games in 2022 doesn't bode well for his future.
While Baker Mayfield looked serviceable during that final stretch of games, McVay has a less-than-desirable situation at quarterback in 2023.
Sean McVay is missing valuable draft capital in 2023
One of the biggest reasons that McVay will regret his decision, aside from an aging and depleted roster, is the lack of draft picks. In case you forgot, the Rams shipped their highly-valuable draft capital away in exchange for veterans who helped them win the Super Bowl. While the plan worked, the long-term ramifications are always present.
Just take a look at this year's war chest for the Rams. Sean McVay will only have a bare slew of picks. Most notably, there is no first-round selection and none in the fourth round, where teams can usually find notable depth players and oftentimes franchise players if they know what they're doing.
Just to show how bleak the situation is, here are McVay's picks for the 2023 draft:
- Round 2: 36th
- Round 3: 69th
- Round 5: 167th
- Round 5: 171st
After those selections, McVay has four choices in the sixth round and two in the seventh. Let's be frank: The likelihood of finding starters in the later rounds is low.
The NFC West will bury Sean McVay
If a questionable roster and lack of draft capital aren't reason enough, McVay and the Rams have to contend with an NFC West that could be even better in 2023. The San Francisco 49ers have a loaded defense with tons of depth, and Kyle Shanahan's offense isn't going anywhere. Whether it's Brock Purdy or Trey Lance at quarterback, the 49ers will be just fine.
The Seattle Seahawks are about to walk away from the draft with two potential franchise players in the first round, thanks to a bounty of selections they got in exchange for Russell Wilson. As for the Arizona Cardinals, if they can get a coach who can maximize Kyler Murray's potential, watch out.
As you can see, 2023 could be a very long year for Sean McVay. Will he regret walking away when he has an out?
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