2014 NFL Preview: Everything you need to know about the St. Louis Rams

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St. Louis Rams

Schedule | Roster

(Editors' note: The following preview was published prior to quarterback Sam Bradford suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Week 3 of the preseason.)

Last season was largely forgettable for the Rams, who failed to advance to the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. One of the biggest factors in the team's demise was their 1-5 divisional record - a stark contrast from the previous season, when they went 4-1-1 against NFC West teams.

Sam Bradford started off strong, completing 159-of-262 passes (60.7 percent) for 1,687 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions before suffering a torn ACL in the Rams' Week 7 loss to the Carolina Panthers. 

One of the bright spots of the season was the play of rookie Zac Stacy. In 14 games, Stacy rushed for a team-leading 973 yards and seven touchdowns on 250 carries, while adding another 141 yards and one touchdown through the air.

Preseason Power Ranking - #21

The Rams boast one of the league's best defensive fronts, but that alone won't be enough to propel them to the top of the NFC West. A healthy and productive Bradford will go a long way toward determining where St. Louis finishes in the standings. More...

Key Additions/Departures

Key Additions: WR Kenny Britt, QB Shaun Hill

Key Departures: CB Cortland Finnegan, QB Kellen Clemens

Britt had 11 catches for 96 yards last season with the Tennessee Titans, but a change of scenery could be good for the former first-round pick. In St. Louis, he's reunited with former coach Jeff Fisher, under whom he experienced the best seasons of his NFL career.

Finnegan and Clemens are the most notable names on the Rams' departure list, but neither player is a huge loss. Finnegan was showing a decline in production, and his release cleared $4 million in cap space. 

Clemens signed a two-year deal with the San Diego Chargers in free agency after starting 10 games for the injured Bradford last season. He'll be replaced by Shaun Hill, who spent the past three seasons backing up Matthew Stafford in Detroit.

2014 Draft Class 

The Rams were one of the most heavily-publicized teams coming out of the draft, in large part because of their seventh-round selection of Sam, the NFL's first openly gay player. Sam joins a stacked defensive line that includes first-round pick Donald, Chris Long, and Robert Quinn, so securing himself a spot on the roster won't be an easy task.

Number two overall pick Robinson started all 14 games at left tackle for Auburn in 2013, but is now adjusting to life at the guard position. The 6-foot-5, 322-pounder is projected to start at left guard for the Rams, with Roger Saffold on the right side.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Jeff Fisher
Offensive Coordinator: Brian Schottenheimer
Defensive Coordinator: Gregg Williams

Fisher is back for a third season, as is Schottenheimer. The offseason firing of defensive coordinator Tim Walton opened the door for the return of Williams, who was hired by the Rams in 2012 prior to serving a one-year suspension for his role in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal. 

Williams will have plenty of defensive weapons to work with, and his blitz-heavy 4-3 scheme could be what the Rams need to reach the next level.

2014 Schedule

This season gets off to a favorable start for the Rams, with their first three games coming against teams that failed to advance to playoffs last season. After a pair of home contests against their division rivals, the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, the Rams hit the road for three games, during which they'll face the Kansas City Chiefs, 49ers, and Denver Broncos.

The final six games are somewhat of a mixed bag for the Rams. The Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants went a combined 14-34 last season, while the San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, and Seahawks were 32-16.

Bold Predictions

Robert Quinn will break the single-season sack record: Quinn finished just 3 ½ sacks behind the record last year and the Rams’ schedule will set him up to get another crack at in 2014. St. Louis has games against nine opponents this year who ranked in the top-11 when it came to sacks given up in 2013. - Michael Amato

Tre Mason will lead the team in rushing. Stacy has been getting a lot of hype as a potential fantasy stud after leading the Rams in rushing last year with 973 yards. However, he averaged under four yards a carry to reach that mark, and if St. Louis was sold on Stacy as the long-term solution it wouldn’t have used a third-round pick on Mason. The rookie out of Auburn will steal carries from Stacy early in the season before grabbing the starting job prior to the midway point. - Mike Dickson

Tavon Austin will be benched for ineffectiveness. Outside of a few brief flashes of brilliance a season ago, Austin was mostly a non-factor on the Rams' offense. Even worse, he was phased out as the year progressed, catching six passes in each of his first three games as a pro but only seven combined passes in the last three games of the season. Austin projects as a complementary player at best, and it’s hard to see why the Rams felt he was worth a top-ten pick in the draft. - David Woods