Barksdale leaves Tennessee without a deal – Tweet

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  • April 10, 2015 at 11:31 am #22552
    Avatar photoAgamemnon
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    Agamemnon

    April 10, 2015 at 5:06 pm #22555
    Avatar photozn
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    Barksdale leaves Tennessee without a contract

    By Joe Lyons

    http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/barksdale-leaves-tennessee-without-a-contract/article_0ec0bef1-2be5-5ec3-8da3-019ab8b04903.htm

    Free agent tackle Joe Barksdale wrapped up a visit with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday and left Nashville without a deal.

    It was the first known free agent visit for Barksdale, who recently married and spent part of the early free-agent period on his honeymoon.

    The 27-year-old Barksdale has started 29 games at right tackle over the last two seasons with the Rams and remains a possibility to return. With veteran guard Rodger Saffold and left tackle Greg Robinson back, the Rams have openings at tackle, guard and center.

    The only tackles on the roster are Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft, Garrett Reynolds, a recent free-agent pickup from Detroit who started four games at right tackle for the Lions last year and Steven Baker, an East Carolina product who spent nine weeks on the Rams’ 2014 practice squad.

    (Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.)

    April 10, 2015 at 6:16 pm #22559
    Avatar photozn
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    I hope this means they sign him.

    First off yes Barksdale’s better than a rookie. The majority of OL rookies struggle if they are made starters. If I remember correctly according to PFF grades (not the bible but good enough for now) less than 20% of rookie OL starters play even decently well. (That’s posted in another thread here.)

    And probably for that reason, it’s not common to have 2 rookie OL starters, let alone 3. People will not be able to name many examples of teams starting 2. (That too is discussed in another thread here. People looked for examples of teams starting 2 rookies on the OL.)

    Plus I think Barksdale can be better than just average.

    But even then it doesn’t matter.

    Even if he is no better than just average, most good lines have someone like Barksdale. You can’t start 5 all-pros. Since a good OL is more than the sum of its parts, it’s how they play as a unit that matters more. All of which leads me to think having Barksdale is more of a plus than a minus.

    Besides, you can always draft someone behind him anyway. Draft yer rookie. Let him sit.

    April 10, 2015 at 6:51 pm #22560
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    i like barksdale for several reasons.

    1. he’s been in the system. continuity. that can’t be overstated. better than signing a veteran off the street.

    2. he’s young. still only 26 years old. he can get better.

    3. it doesn’t force the rams to draft olinemen. if they can sign him, they are less under the gun to draft oline early and often. i mean they should still consider it. but they have would have flexibility.

    IF they can re-sign him, the rams are more likely to trade back and see what falls to them. hopefully a guy like cameron erving.

    April 10, 2015 at 7:10 pm #22561
    Avatar photocanadaram
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    Yay.

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