Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Wagoner mailbag, 3/19-3/20 … parts 1 & 2
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March 19, 2016 at 11:14 am #40797
znModeratorQuinton Coples should have chance to reach potential with Rams
By Nick WagonerEARTH CITY, Mo. — The offseason is here for the Los Angeles Rams, and now that we know where they’ll be playing their home games for the long term, things have settled down enough for us to answer a few of your Twitter questions.
As always, you can find me on Twitter (@nwagoner), and fire away with any Rams-related questions you might have. Please use hashtag #RamsMail so I can see them.
On to your questions.
Victor Aldaco @VAS039
Q: What are your thoughts on the Coples signing and the Ram’s Scheme? Do you see him thriving or just as depth/rotation?@nwagoner: The first thing I thought of when the Rams signed Quinton Coples on Wednesday was that this would give him an opportunity to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense on a regular basis. Coples had been asked to stand up as a linebacker for most of his first four years in the NFL but he weighs somewhere between 280 and 290 pounds. While he’s an excellent athlete, it seems that type of size is better utilized with his hand in the dirt. With all of that said, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is one of the best when it comes to adapting to his players rather than having them adapt to him. He’ll likely come up with creative ways to use Coples and get him in the rotation with the rest of the team’s pass-rushers. One of the other benefits of this move is that it should allow the Rams to give defensive end William Hayes a breather. Hayes is a starter but he’s at his best when he’s not necessarily playing starter’s snaps. We’ll see if the Rams can help Coples reach his potential, but this seems like a better fit for him than the Jets did when they drafted him in the first round in 2012.
Keiyon Monroe @ramsfanatic81
Q: Chris Collinsworth has us jumping to number one to get Carson. How realistic is this and what would we have to give up?@nwagoner: Well, for starters, it would seem that Tennessee is willing to auction off the top pick. While the Titans could absolutely use offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, they also could use help at a variety of other positions and adding some more premium picks would be a good move for them to add around talented young quarterback Marcus Mariota. But it seems pretty far-fetched that the Rams would be the team to make such a move if it were to happen. For starters, while Carson Wentz is a good prospect and has all the tools, I’m not sure he’s viewed in the light of other top quarterbacks in the past. There’s a lot of risk there for a guy who would be expensive. Likewise, the Rams would have to move all the way from No. 15 to the top spot to get him. That’s a long, long way to go in terms of picks. The Rams got three first-round picks and a second-round choice from Washington to move down four spots. While Robert Griffin III was more highly coveted than Wentz is right now, that’s still an 11-spot difference in terms of how much further the Rams would have to move. I never say never to anything in this crazy league but this one doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense for the Rams. Keep in mind, they have plenty of other needs beyond quarterback as well.
March 20, 2016 at 12:44 pm #40827znModeratorMike Groh charged with tough task in improving Rams’ pass game
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The offseason is here for the Los Angeles Rams and now that we know where they’ll be playing their home games for the long term, things have settled down enough to spend our weekends answering a few of your Twitter questions.
As always, you can find me on Twitter @nwagoner and fire away with any Rams-related questions you might have. Please use hashtag #RamsMail so I can see them.
On to your questions.
Eric Litster @elitster
Q: how much influence can Groh have on the young WR group? Can he develop them more so than Sherman? Thanks@nwagoner: To be sure, Mike Groh is stepping into a difficult spot as he joins the Rams from the Bears. As the receivers coach and passing-game coordinator, Groh is charged with the tough task of elevating the Rams out of the basement in which they finished 2015 in most passing categories. The book on Groh is that he’s a smart coach who has the ability to relate to younger players (in part because he’s still fairly young himself at 44), and that will be welcome in the Rams receivers room. Whether that will translate into more production from the group goes beyond his ability to build those relationships. As the passing-game coordinator, it’s also Groh’s job to work with offensive coordinator Rob Boras to improve things schematically. That could mean simplifying things a bit further, as Boras attempted to do toward the end of last season. It also means trying to scheme receivers open in the passing game since none of the current wideouts have proved capable of creating separation on a consistent basis. Groh has a good reputation in league circles. It will be interesting to see what ideas he brings to the table.
Charles De La Rosa @De_La_Tweet
Q: any word on what the Rams will do with Tre Mason? Do his recent legal troubles leave his spot on the team at Risk?@nwagoner: Any time you do something that leads to the team sending out a release in which it expresses its disappointment in you, that’s probably not a good sign. Tre Mason already hadn’t done himself any favors last season when he missed the bus to the airport and was deactivated for the Baltimore game. On top of that, the second-year running back didn’t play all that well in his limited opportunities in 2015, struggling with ball-security issues. As I wrote earlier this offseason, the Rams seemed to be a bit down on him as it was and that was before the incident in Florida. The Rams tendered Benny Cunningham and would like to keep him. If that happens and with Malcolm Brown coming back, there are no guarantees for Mason moving forward. It’s worth seeing if he can get back on track, because he could be a pretty good complement to Todd Gurley. But it’s fair to say he’s got some proving to do moving forward.
March 20, 2016 at 12:46 pm #40828 -
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