Jeff Fisher Has All the Excuses, Fortunately Has an Agent Who Knows the Right People

Jeff Fisher didn’t know that Les Snead also got a contract extension, as the Rams’ powers-that-be slapped each other on the shoulders and made sure that they were all taken care of with some more extension dollars.

"“I’m so busy here, I was honestly unaware that he was extended,” Fisher said after Tuesday’s practice. “I’m just being honest with you. We’re just working here.”"

Back to the grind. Business trip. Taking it one day at a time. Jeff Fisher is doing it all. He also offered this on Snead:

"Asked what he has thought of Snead’s tenure as GM, Fisher said: “I look at this as being my responsibility, the win-loss record. We need to do a better job from a personnel standpoint. We’ve had some unfortunate things take place with some high picks in Stedman Bailey and Tre Mason and those kind of things that you don’t anticipate. But we’re moving forward.”"

Tre Mason is a sad situation, and we hope he gets the mental health help he needs. Stedman Bailey was shot in the head last November, and has not played football since the shooting. From Mason’s and Bailey’s perspectives, those are tragedies.

They have very little to do with an assessment of the Snead/Fisher era, five years in, though. Stedman Bailey was near the end of his third season, and had started 8 career games in three years, and had fewer than 1,000 career yards. His tragedy shouldn’t be an excuse for the Rams’ drafts. Mason, likewise, was relegated to a backup role already, since the team drafted Todd freaking Gurley before the 2015 season.

Whether it’s through personal issues, injuries, or ineffectiveness, every team can point to a 3rd round running back or wide receiver who did not work out.  The Rams have drafted 43 players from 2012 to 2016, early first round picks Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley are the only two to reach a pro bowl. As Chase Stuart points out, the Rams had the most draft capital–in part thanks to the Robert Griffin III trade–from 2012 to 2014, and to say they have failed to capitalize is an understatement.

Last week, before the contract extension was confirmed, Rams’ COO Kevin Demoff said it was totally unfair to judge Jeff Fisher on his record. Demoff’s father, Marvin Demoff, happens to be Fisher’s agent. Giving Fisher more money, even if he is eventually fired, is a good family strategy. But, it’s Stan Kroenke who has allowed this, as he has to know about that situation.

The Rams’ last winning season was 2003, by the way, though it’s probably unfair of me to judge them that way.