Reports: Rams Will be Back in St. Louis in 2015
After years of speculation about the Rams’ future in St. Louis, which has been particularly rampant over the past few months with talks about the NFL’s desire to establish a presence in Los Angeles, some really good news came down for Rams fans on Saturday. According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, commissioner Roger Goodell has notified the owners of the Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders–the three teams who were thought to be serious candidates to move to LA for the 2015 season–that the NFL will not approve any team’s desire to relocate next year. Goodell reportedly told the teams that if they are interested in relocating, they should make plans to do so for the 2016 season instead.
This decision is significant for the Rams’ future in St. Louis, as it assures that the team will have at least one more year in St. Louis, while also buying St. Louis some time to develop and present a new stadium proposal. There had been thought that with the Rams’ lease on the Edward Jones Dome expiring and owner Stan Kroenke having ties to the Los Angeles area, the Rams would be a strong candidate to relocate there, especially considering that there is still a strong Rams fan base remaining in California due to their presence there from 1946 to 1994.
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While the Rams staying in St. Louis long-term is still far from a sure thing, the extra guaranteed year in St. Louis could be highly beneficial. Aside from the opportunity for a stadium proposal to come to fruition, there’s also a strong chance that the team will return to contention in 2015, considering that the defense has developed into a dominant force (only 37 points allowed over their last five games) while young offensive playmakers like Tre Mason and Stedman Bailey have emerged, they should have a legitimate chance in the NFC West next year, especially considering that the San Francisco 49ers figure to be entering a rebuilding project, while the Arizona Cardinals may be searching for a new quarterback.