The Rams provided a blueprint for the Broncos offseason

When the confetti fell at SoFi Stadium, it was the Rams that were basking under the falling glory. It was Los Angeles that was the king of the football world for the 2021 season.

On the other sideline, the Bengals were sulking. It was Cincinnati that was wondering what might’ve been in a game that ultimately came down to a field goal.

The nine true fans in L.A. will celebrate. The thousands in the Queen City will wallow. Such is the end of the season in the National Football League.

For the other 30 teams, the Super Bowl serves one purpose. It provides an answer as to how close or far a franchise is to being in that position. When will a fourth-and-one determine the difference between a parade and agony for them?

The answer, despite what seems logical, is it’s all up to them. An organization can decide to be relevant whenever they want.

That’s the lesson of the Rams. It’s not about tomorrow. It’s not about the future. It’s about today.

They don’t care about draft picks. They haven’t had a first-round selection since 2016 and they don’t possess one until 2014.

Draft picks are for dreamers. They’re for people who want to believe that everything will fall into place.

Reality, however, provides a very different batch of evidence. The Rams are one example. The Broncos are another.

Back in 2010, Denver traded Jay Cutler to the Bears for two first-round picks. Everyone was excited that a pair of top choices were coming from Chicago, despite the fact that a potential franchise quarterback was walking out the door.

In the end, the Broncos got virtually nothing for Cutler. They received picks that turned into Robert Ayers and Alphonso Smith, plus Kyle Orton, in exchange for a quarterback with a ton of potential.

It was a swing and a miss. There’s no other way to put it.

Yet, plenty of people in Broncos Country haven’t gotten the message. They still don’t see the light.

When the idea of trading for Aaron Rodgers gets floated, they worry about what the Broncos will give up in return. They fret as though there is some compensation that is too steep for the back-to-back MVP winner.

It’s insanity. Take any three Broncos first-round picks in the past 10 years and put them on the table. Any of them would be easy to discard in exchange for a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Patrick Surtain. Jerry Jeudy. Noah Fant. Would that be worthy compensation for a player that makes the Broncos an instant Super Bowl contender?

Bradley Chubb. Garett Bolles. Paxton Lynch. Is that trio expendable for a two- to three-year run at a Super Bowl trophy?

Shane Ray. Bradley Roby. Sylvester Williams. Could the Broncos have survived without those end-of-the-round picks across three seasons?

The answer is yes. Without a doubt.

It’s all about the quarterback. And it’s all about the now.

The Rams proved that on Sunday. They mortgaged their future for the present, trading away assets for Matthew Stafford, Von Miller, Jalen Ramsey and other stars. In the coming days, they’ll be enjoying a parade.

Down the road, will this catch up with Los Angeles? Maybe. But that’s beside the point.

It’s all about winning. That’s what’s remembered in history, far beyond winning seasons and competitive runs.

Broncos Country should get this more than anyone. The franchise went all in from 2012-15, trying to win when Peyton Manning was at the helm.

They won a Super Bowl. They went to two. And they were the top seed in the AFC multiple times.

In other words, they were in the mix. They had a shot. They were title contenders.

Nothing else matters. What came afterward is immaterial.

If the Rams had to endure six-straight losing seasons after last night’s championship, I’m sure most people would sign up for that punishment. It’s a worthwhile trade off for success.

That’s something for Broncos Country to keep in mind this offseason. If and when the possibility of acquiring Aaron Rodgers arises, the cost shouldn’t be an issue.

Does any Rams fan care what they paid to acquire Matthew Stafford? Von Miller? Or any other veteran player who contributed to them winning a championship?

Of course not. And Broncos fans shouldn’t either.

Winning is all that matters. And winning today is all that’s even remotely predictable.

The Rams provided Broncos Country will a valuable lesson. Focus on today. Tomorrow is a worry for another day.

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