It is Super Bowl week in the NFL world and assuming your team is not playing in the big game, that means we are getting closer to the coming free agency frenzy and draft time. After the way the 2024 Dolphins season ended and all the rumblings and rumors about dysfunction and a lack of accountability within the organization, it is difficult for any Dolfan to get excited about what is coming next.
That prompted me to try to identify a recent NFL success story that may offer a glimmer of hope to the Miami Dolphins community. That story is about the Los Angeles Rams following their Super Bowl win in 2022.
As you may recall, the Rams went “all in” with an “F-them picks” mentality to win the 2022 Super Bowl. The result was a loss of early-round picks and some high-priced talented players going into the following offseason. The team essentially hit the reset button after winning the championship. Despite the loss of early-round picks, the Rams capitalized on a few of their 2022 middle and late-round picks, including Decobie Durant (round 4), Kyren Williams (round 5), Derion Kendrick, and Quentin Lake (round 6).
Following the reset, the 2022 season for the Rams was equivalent to the 2019 season for the Dolphins. The team went 5-12, and rumors swirled about Coach Sean McVay’s future and whether he would step away from the team.
Despite the rough season, the Rams amassed a war chest of draft picks going into the 2023 draft by trading players like Jaylen Ramsey and Robert Woods, accruing compensatory picks from the previous offseason’s player departures, and trading back in draft position three separate times. The 2023 draft was another masterpiece for the Rams management and player scouting team boasting the following draft picks: Steve Avila (round 2), Bryon Young (round 3), Kobie Turner (round 3), Davis Allen (round 5), Puka Nacua (round 5), Desjuan Johnson (round 7).
This successful draft haul resulted in a 10-7 season in 2023, followed by a wildcard round exit by losing to the high-powered Detroit Lions by a single point. The Rams followed the 2023 season with another strong and franchise-defining draft in 2024. The Rams 2024 draft included: Jared Verse (round 1), Braden Fiske (round 2), Blake Corum (round 3), Kam Kinchens (round 3), Tyler Davis (round 6), Joshua Karty (round 6), and Beaux Limmer (round 6).
Following that draft, the Rams took another step forward in 2024 by winning the NFC West and advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. Not only did they advance to play the Eagles, but they were quite competitive in a snowy and blisteringly cold environment in South Philadelphia.
The Rams’ future is promising, and their blueprint over the last few seasons heavily relies on amassing draft picks and selecting quality players who can contribute immediately, even if they don’t flash superstar potential. Compare the names listed for the last few drafts to the Rams 2024 depth chart, and you will see that there are tons of contributors at various levels across the roster who are homegrown talent from the draft.
The Rams offer a lesson to the Dolphins brass on how to approach building a roster set up for success, even after a potential reset. Entering this offseason, the Dolphins are projected to have ten draft picks. That is a promising start that must be capitalized on by Chris Grier, Marvin Allen, and Mike McDaniel. And if they fumble this opportunity, the Ram’s front office and scouting team would not be a bad place for the Dolphins to find key pieces for their next front-office leadership team.
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