The job was supposed to be George Paton's to lose. Lose it he did, opting to stay with the Minnesota Vikings and taking a promotion to do so. As a result, the St. Louis Rams will hire Les Snead, formerly of the Falcons, as their next general manager, according to Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch.
Snead is the second consecutive GM the Rams have plucked from the Atlanta front office. Fans hope that this one will work out better than the man he replaces, Billy Devaney. Of course, Snead is something of a junior partner with Jeff Fisher more the titular head to the junta at Rams Park. Why else would Paton take an assistant GM job in Minnesota if he wasn't calling more of the shots in St. Louis as GM?
Snead has been with the Falcons for 13 years, where he started in the scouting department. For the last three years he has been the director of player personnel and the right hand man for GM Thomas Dimitroff. In his current role, he oversees both the pro and college scouting operations for the Falcons. He also participates in the evaluation of the current roster.
He's a pure personnel guy.
Snead's getting out of Atlanta just as the team faces some serious roster decision and cap questions. The Falcons traded away the keys to the castle in last year's draft, moving up to the sixth spot to get Julio Jones. It was supposed to be the move that put them back in contention for the NFC Championship, but they never played up to that level this season.
Still, the Falcons' personnel moves and drafts with Snead overseeing the scouting departments have been solid, certainly much better than the Rams' moves have been over the last three years.
UPDATE: There's been some wondering about just what kind of arrangement Fisher and the new GM will have. Most seem to be under the impression that Fisher is atop the whole thing and the GM his errand boy. It's not quite like that. Fisher will most likely have veto power over roster decisions, but one person who knowns Snead says that's not quite how it will work.
Pete Prisco at CBS Sports spoke highly of the hiring.
Love the hire of Les Snead as Rams GM. He is a grinder.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) February 11, 2012
He also said this about how Fisher and Snead will work together.
One thing about Jeff Fisher, he will lean heavily on Snead. He's smart that way.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) February 11, 2012
It looks like, reading the tea leaves, that Kevin Demoff is going to be the money man and Stan Kroenke's right-hand in the process of lease negotiations. Fisher will run the football operations.
0 recs | 91 comments
Will be the next GM, I think you missed a word
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Then it's done
get to work. I’ll expect to hear our name in the mix for some FA’s next month
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
Lets go!
kevio3000 - February 11, 2012 via Android app
Like it? Yes. Love it? No.
I did prefer him to Paton, though, so absolutely no complaints.
Joe Mazzi - February 11, 2012
no Lake, homie
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
He was my first choice, yes.
And I would hang Dawson’s
CreekLake propaganda throughout the land.Joe Mazzi - February 11, 2012
Yeah lake was my fav as well with steve kiem 2nd and snead 3rd so i like not love The move but i can live with it.
kevio3000 - February 11, 2012 via Android app
so the gm is nothing nite than a name?
Fisher does everything else and grooms him ?
Ram_Redemption - February 11, 2012 via mobile
I'd like for an author from the Falcons site
to come over here and say a bunch of things about Snead that gives me the warm and fuzzies…….the except opposite of what happened when we signed our OC
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
**exact opposite**
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
Snead, not Paton - happy with this...
And as Ryan says, hopefully he’ll work out better than that other guy we had from Atlanta that we took on as our GM. Actually, all Snead needs to do is either hold on to all our draft picks BEFORE the season starts, OR select a star from draft picks 3-7, and he’d ALREADY be better than that other guy from Altanta that we took on as our GM.
JoolzMF - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Yeah not hard to top the last guy
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Not familiar with some of these players, but if you are
http://www.sbnation.com/2012-nfl-free-agency/2012/2/9/2785140/atlanta-falcons-free-agency-2012
do you think Snead could bring any of them over?
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
I'm not really interested in any of them...
Brett Romberg was a Ram during the Linehan years. He stinks.
Curtis Lofton (if moved to OLB) and Brent Grimes (CB) are the only ones.
Joe Mazzi - February 11, 2012
yea.....I figured those would be the only two
outside of Snelling that we’d even have a need for
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
Harry Douglas anyone?
Snelling is a giant back
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Meh. I think I'm faster than Snelling.
And, in my playing days, I’ve been chased down by fat guys.
Joe Mazzi - February 11, 2012
Yeah I don't want Snelling, he's like Blount but slow as shit
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Hayden, Snelling, maybe Weems, Grimes
Isnt Weems a good return man?
King Sam Rules! - February 11, 2012 via mobile
hopefully Fisher is cool
with Desean helpin out on special teams
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
I'd consider Kelvin Hayden
I’ve had my eyes on him for the last couple years, he’s 28 still got a lot of prime left in him. Last year he was considered one of the top FAs on the CB market.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
Pretty happy with this
jpcisco - February 11, 2012
should I be worried that he was our 2nd choice?
loyal2therams - February 11, 2012
Looking back at it, he was probably like the 5th person we wanted
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
No!
kevio3000 - February 11, 2012 via Android app
Did he play any part in the million pick trade to the Browns?
If so, I hope he doesn’t pull that kind of stunt with us. I know they are different situations, but hopefully he didn’t learn all that much from his superior in charge of the last draft.
Also, am I missing something? The Falcons aren’t bleeding with talent or anything like that or did i miss something? They are pretty decent, but nothing extraordinary
fletcherisland - February 11, 2012
Considering the limits placed on the position and the time we took to look through prospects
I’m glad it’s over. I don’t know enough about any of these guys to decide whether it’s good or bad. Believe me, we’ll know it in a couple years.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
do players follow gm's?
Because we all know we could use some of them.
zachmann21 - February 11, 2012
I think we have a pretty solid and proven staff in place...
LOVED the Fisher hire and really like the Greg Williams and Snead hires. Ok with Schotty, but think we could have done better. All around I think we have the right people on the staff to turn things around rather quickly. Glad all of the uncertainty is over with now, we can move forward with the pieces we have. Really looking forward to next season!
jpcisco - February 11, 2012
A couple of folks on The falcons blog spoke highly of snead
kevio3000 - February 11, 2012 via Android app
I placed a fanpost at the SBN Falcons site, Falcoholic, to garner more input from their fans on Snead if anyones interested
Just did it this afternoon so let it simmer before expecting any responses.
http://www.thefalcoholic.com/2012/2/11/2792288/whats-everyones-thoughts-on-les-snead
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
10% of the people voting say they DON'T like the decision of making Snead the Rams new GM
I’d like to know why and who else, if not Snead. Exclude Paton, he’s obviously not an option at this point. Discuss.
Boofer - February 11, 2012
Not surprising if you know how many write in votes Bart Simpson gets every presidential election.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
I don't know why people don't like this....
1) Snead was instrumental in getting the Falcons turned around. They went from a 3-13 team to Super Bowl contenders.
2) The Rams needed a gm who wouldn’t make significant waves and disrupt Fishers overall plan for the Rams. He will have a say in front office decisions but the Rams wanted a guy who can team with Fisher to make the best decisions. And Snead is that guy.
Be Happy TST….here is the beginning of a new and great regime!
Rcoon1307 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
+1
G unit Rams - February 11, 2012
This is bull spit
Bad hire he sux camel toe
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
This is bull spit
Bad hire he sux camel toe
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
How about you come up with some valid reasons why you don't like the hire.....
Instead of spitting out worthless statements that aren’t spelled correctly. You make yourself look like an idiot.
Rcoon1307 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Haha i was joking. i just was waiting for someone aka you to go off like that.
Lol if you rember I wanted him way back be4 we made all the fires. I enjoy watching people get mad and blow up.
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Touché....
Well played sir….well played. My apologies
Rcoon1307 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
its all good
I’m happy we got him. Next person says somthing good about him ima jump all over em lol
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
good signing
now we have one main guy and we know its fisher
G unit Rams - February 11, 2012
Would love to see Brent Grimes in a Rams uniform...
I think he’s just as good as Finnigan…but will be cheaper without the boneheaded plays
Rcoon1307 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
ok we got a new Gm----- now get to work immediately
i’ll continue to monitor his progress and transactions beginning right now
amd report on my thoughts
Guru
jswirb - February 11, 2012
Thanks man....
We can’t wait for your educated input!!
Rcoon1307 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Fuck off
sergey606 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Hahah man
I’ve been awhile from posting due to messed up laptop and nothing’s changed with jswirb lolol.
douchiedude - February 11, 2012
I WONDER IF HES ON THE DRAFT.
Blackmon are kali
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
i'm not sure if you're sig is quoting someone (other than yourself) or not
but ‘Brees’ is definitely not spelled correctly
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
is this a challenge
Mexican stand off………GO!
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
I like this hire.
Most importantly, you have what appears to be a head coach and a GM who both know what they’re doing and will work well together. I think Spags failed specifically in this area- not that him and Delaney didn’t get along, but it appeared he was so lost when it came to a majority of the personnel moves.
I very highly doubt we got Billy 2.0 in Snead.
FailureDrill - February 11, 2012 via Android app
Devaney.
Not Delaney. I really dislike auto correct these days.
FailureDrill - February 11, 2012 via Android app
I like the hire ,but I would want to ask why they gave the farm for Jones???
T.Hill - February 11, 2012
Not sure how much say he had in that.
Either way, I dig the potential cohesiveness between him and Fisher.
FailureDrill - February 11, 2012 via Android app
Yeah, I'm sure Fish is going to have the say.
I guaranteed the rules were laid out before they all interviewed.
T.Hill - February 11, 2012
I only went to 6th grade
Forgive me if I miss spell eneything I’m sure you all know what I’m trying to say.
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
The reasone i only went to the six grade
When I was 11-12 years old my dad got on drugs relly bad. He owned. His own paving company and it was going down hill quick and we was loseing everything we had. My dad disapered so it was upto me to take care of my familey I was the oldest. I had a mom lil bro and lil sis who needed me. So I quit school and took my dads junk and worked I didn’t do mutch but enuff. My mom helped when she could. Iv took care of them eever since I’m 19 now and just got married and own one of the biggest paving company’s in 4state area Holmes paving owner EJ holmes eneyone in mo need a driveway are office numbers 888-541-7775 just ask 4 ej that’s me
Ramzman18 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Now THAT is a great success story! Way to GO!
Douglas M - February 11, 2012
++
douchiedude - February 11, 2012
If this is for real, I wish you the best of luck. You deserve it.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
yea its 4real
And thx I apresiate it (idk if I spelled that right).it was hard but it just kept gettin better and better and finally I struck a deal with a trucking company to do all their paving work and never looked back. Lol I always wished I woulda named it rams paving cause I drive all dodge rams
Ramzman18 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Are your trucks all millenium blue and gold?
That would be awesome. With the horns wrapped around the front fenders.
dbcouver - February 12, 2012
Winning
Great now let’s get the ball rolling on bringing this team back to some winning seasons!!
bwramsfan - February 11, 2012
Alot of good ideas that we come up with let alone what Fish & his group are thinking about?
T.Hill - February 11, 2012
Are we on the right track?
I think so? What does everyone else think??
T.Hill - February 11, 2012
It's the only track we got...
So kick ’er into gear and lets get the freak on with it.
We won’t really know anything until they start making player decisions.
ramdude - February 11, 2012
Most people on here seemed to have
him second to Dawson. Very happy with this :D
douchiedude - February 11, 2012
If it weren't for the fact Devaney came from the Falcons organization, I'd be ok with this hire.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, eh?
We should start seeing some player news soon.
Here’s a few transactions courtesy of the Sporting News:
Monday, February 6, 2012
Team Player Pos Transaction
St. Louis John Chiles WR Cut
St. Louis Josh Hull LB Taken Off IR – ankle
St. Louis Brit Miller RB Taken Off IR – knee
St. Louis Jacob Bell G Taken Off IR – right MCL
St. Louis Mark Clayton WR Taken Off IR – knees
St. Louis Jason Smith T Taken Off IR – head
St. Louis Marquis Johnson CB Taken Off IR – lacerated spleen
St. Louis Rodger Saffold T Taken Off IR – torn pectoral muscle
St. Louis Michael Hoomanawanui TE Taken Off IR – knee
St. Louis Greg Salas WR Taken Off IR – broken leg
St. Louis Brian Jackson CB Taken Off IR – knee
St. Louis Danny Amendola WR Taken Off IR – elbow
St. Louis Bradley Fletcher CB Taken Off IR – knee
St. Louis Ron Bartell CB Taken Off IR – neck
St. Louis Jerome Murphy CB Taken Off IR – ankle
St. Louis Jermelle Cudjo DT Taken Off IR – back
Douglas M - February 11, 2012
If it weren't for injured reserve there would have been only 1 transaction here
I don’t think that’s very funny.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
Kind of makes me want to forget the 2011 season...
Douglas M - February 12, 2012
Also for CBs we now have
Bartell, Fletcher, Murphy, Brian Jackson, and Marquis Johnson. If healthy they’d do, wouldn’t they?
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
you don't think we could use some help at CB....
maybe Finnegan?
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
Sure we could, but if these guys were all healthy the equation would be different
Bartell will never be as mobile as he used to be and Fletcher may never be able to plant or cut or stay with WRs. Murphy and Jackson are unproven, though I think they both will have long careers in the NFL as long as they are healthy. I guess I’m saying it’s too bad health is an issue, because if it wasn’t, these guys would do and CB wouldn’t be in the top half of our needs list, as it is now.
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
If all the WRs were healthy the WR position would still need addressed
dbcouver - February 11, 2012
I'll use this single post to agree with you on both
injuries killed us on D, and lack of actual playmakers killed us in the receiving game…
It’s hard to speculate on how well we’d have done if we didn’t have two teams worth of CB’s on IR. Sadly, at receiver, Lloyd saved any respectability we had……Amendola probably wouldn’t have been able to do much to ‘save’ it on the whole.
My opinion, more of a hope I suppose, is that we get a FA WR and draft one of the top 3 WR’s in the draft……if we keep Lloyd, that combination WILL demand respect
DCRamFan - February 11, 2012
Knees, ankles, back, neck, head...
Lacerated spleen? Lacerated spleen. Check.
Jesus, that’s a depressing injury list.
FailureDrill - February 12, 2012 via Android app
The photo in the article is not Les Snead
I have no idea who the photo is of but if you look at espn or google, this is not Les Snead. Les is a white guy.
Who is that guy Van?
KeSt - February 12, 2012
I'm dumb. Nevermind.
It’s Julio Jones. I feel dumb :-|
lol
KeSt - February 12, 2012
lol
Douglas M - February 12, 2012
Seems to me
This guy has been working his way up the ladder. A scout, to a GM?. wow!!!. Looks like he is a player. Hey, we need players. Devaney left ATL, this cat stayed. thats a vote for him. Maybe Devaney was a mover and a shaker type. (unfortunately, he shaked his way out of the NFL with his draft picks) This guy looks like a players player. we all have heard of a players coach. maybe we got a players GM. Not bad in my eyes. Its Fishers team, its all Fishers choices. This guy is the one to walk up to disgruntled players saying…..come on man, just play da game. its all about da game….which it is.
Fisher Rules, Rams Rule! Brother GM, good luck!
fearsomefoursum - February 12, 2012
Hopefully he wasn't the guy who wanted Sam Baker... He's Atlanta's version of Jason Smith
Douglas M - February 12, 2012
I Think They Will Work Well Together
I am truly looking forward to the Combine and FA. It will be fascinating to see how they manage free agency prior to the draft. For myself; things are getting very interesting!
ValdezY - February 12, 2012
i think snead like fisher came here by default ---but good luck----nice tie
jswirb - February 12, 2012
We will be ok im optimistic. Just think positive and hold off judgement until he actually does something.
kevio3000 - February 12, 2012 via Android app
How did Fisher come here by default????? That makes no sense at all....
Fisher was in high demand, he was the biggest name coach on the market. He had his choice of pretty much any team that was looking for a new HC, so how do you get him coming to the Rams by default? That is one of the most retarded statements I have heard you make and you make alot of them. Think before you type, just because it sounds good in your head doesnt mean it makes sense.
jpcisco - February 12, 2012
LMFAO...
let me guess you think Snead is the guy in the picture above?? It appears so by your “nice tie” quote. Lmao, and you say you are the guru?
jpcisco - February 12, 2012
Before you ridicule the Rams on the FO moves they make
find out what the person actually looks like and some background info on them before going off on one of your tirades. You obviously have no clue who Les Snead is, all you want to do is talk bad about the Rams. It doesnt even matter who the Player/Coach the Rams are going to bring in you are just going to bash them. Do a little research first idiot before bashing the person.
jpcisco - February 12, 2012
i will be i just think if we win it will have to be with better coaching---less injuries
and mabe picking up a few tier 2 free agents for the right positions…..
because i’ll stick to my guns that for now no tier 1’s will come here …till we show progress
jswirb - February 12, 2012
also i think fisher needs to light a candle up some of these underachieving players
after the 1- 6 start they were just playing for a paycheck
at least the schedule can’t be worse
jswirb - February 12, 2012
GAME ON!!!!!!!!
Rams7 - February 12, 2012
Hey jswirb....
I’m not sure you’ve registered this bc your a short bus kinda person but….no buddy cares/listens/respects anything you have to say. SHOULD I TRY TELLING YOU THIS IN ALL CAPS? WOULD THIS MAKE MORE SENSE TO YOUR RETARDED ASS?
Rcoon1307 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
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