How the LA Rams’ brick house survived another ups and downs from NFL Rumors Wolf

The LA Rams are no strangers to NFL rumors. In the past, their strategy has included successfully completing trades for some of the biggest NFL stars: like Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller and even Matthew Stafford, the trade deadline acts like an annual alarm clock that wakes up NFL insiders and fans to listen what the Rams and GM Les Snead are planning. Gambling is in Snead’s blood. No, not the stupid garden variety. Nothing like that.

Snead, despite his boyish southern charm, is as smart as can be. He takes every call inquiring about his players or with the intention of discussing a trade for a new veteran player, knowing what his final offer will be. If you’re interested, great. If there is no interest? Toodle toilet.

The Rams appear to be open to all trade offers, at least in terms of listening. After all, it’s just data, so it’s more information that needs to be input into the data analysis algorithm.

But this kind of “Okay, let’s hear the offer” requires a lot of immediately available information, a cool, calm and collected demeanor, and a strong confidence in knowing exactly where the line needs to be drawn in a negotiation. Rams GM Les Snead meets all of these criteria.

Unlike the lawyer persona of Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman, who exudes an aura of negotiation from the moment he extends his hand and asks, “How are you?”, Snead has a disarming brand of neighborly backyard barbecue about him itself. If you don’t know exactly how clever Les Snead is coming into the conversation, you can have an hour-long conversation with him and think he’s just a good guy. But in reality, you just shared your life story.

Don’t read between the lines. While I’m often in awe of the Rams’ general manager and his ability to make the most impossible trades possible, I’m not saying he’s perfect. In fact, it’s his willingness to make bad deals that makes me so impressed with him. He has that riverboat’s Gabler streak of luck, making deals that help the team but also preventing deals from being made that, in hindsight, don’t stand up to 20/20 scrutiny.

Confused? Here’s what I mean: