Barnes the starter, and other JT tweets

Nick Wagoner
ESPN Staff Writer

http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/stl/st.-louis-rams

New Rams starting C Tim Barnes, who came in as undrafted free agent and has battled for roster spot for past four year, says he once thought this day would never come. But said the longer he held on, the more realistic it became.

Tim Barnes rises from undrafted rookie to Rams’ starting center

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/21193/tim-barnes-rises-from-undrafted-rookie-to-rams-starting-center

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Upon entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2011, St. Louis Rams center Tim Barnes had moments where he wondered if he’d ever be more than a guy constantly fighting for a roster spot.

Barnes spent most of the past four years in that constant state of flux. On Wednesday, after playing coy for a bit, Rams coach Jeff Fisher offered Barnes one hefty dose of validation for all his hard work.

“Tim Barnes is starting at center,” Fisher announced after the team’s practice. “I’m happy for Tim.”

For the Rams, a decision on a starting center had been roughly six months in the making. For Barnes, becoming one has been four-plus years in the making.

After a solid career at Missouri, Barnes wasn’t selected in the 2011 NFL draft. He signed with Baltimore in July that year but was released before the season. The Rams signed Barnes to their practice squad a little more than a week later and he stayed there for the rest of the season. The Rams thought enough of Barnes to keep him on a futures contract and he again started the season on the practice squad before finally earning a promotion to the roster early in the 2012 season.

Barnes stayed on the roster for 15 games but never got many opportunities. Finally, in 2013, he earned his first NFL start, making four in place of injured starter Scott Wells at the end of the season. While he established himself as part of the team’s depth, he never did much more than help on special teams or serve as an extra lineman in goal line and short yardage situations in 2014.

During the offseason, the Rams declined to tender Barnes a restricted free agent offer. Just when it appeared he might move on after visiting Kansas City, the Rams re-signed him on March 31. Barnes jumped into a three-way competition with Demetrius Rhaney and Barrett Jones for the starting center job. As Jones proved, being in the competition put all three players in a sort of NFL no-man’s land where the winner would be a starter but those who didn’t win the spot might be out of a job.

Barnes not only survived the cut but won the job, a victory that proved a bit emotional for him Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a huge step, obviously, in my career,” Barnes said. “You guys know what I have been through coming in as an undrafted guy and having to work my way up. It’s huge for me and my family. I’m looking forward to it, I’m excited, I’m happy.”

In what was a close battle at the position, Barnes ultimately won out for a few reasons.

First, while it’s not a huge sample size, Barnes was the only one of the three contenders to come with any starting experience in the NFL. His four starts in 2013 included the season finale at Seattle, a game that should help Barnes handle just about anything thrown his way early in the season.

Fisher and offensive line coach Paul Boudreau have also praised Barnes’ intelligence and comfort in the scheme. He was clearly the most diligent of the three starters when it came to calling out adjustments at the line of scrimmage during the preseason.

Finally, Barnes has made it a point to add strength and become more stout at the line. Fisher and guard Rodger Saffold said Barnes has pushed hard in the weight room to make that happen, particularly in his lower body.

“With him, what it really came down to is his knowledge and the way he’s been attacking everything on and off the field,” Saffold said. “He does a good job of knowing what he’s doing, getting better at technique and in the weight room, doing very well in the weight room. He’s taken so many strides over the past four years.”

Those strides have finally landed Barnes the starting job he’s coveted since he came into the league. A league that, at the time, was dealing with a lockout and had Barnes wondering about his long term future in the NFL.

“It was a very different year because we didn’t have OTAs, we didn’t have minicamp, we had training camp and that was it,” Barnes said. “As I got older, stayed around, obviously, (and when I) played I was like ‘Yeah, I can do this.'”

from 2011, scouting reports

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Tim Barnes
OC, Missouri
6-foot-4, 300 pounds
Scouting Reports

From draftinsider.net:

Bio: Full-time starter the past three seasons and awarded all-Conference honors as a senior.
Positive: Tough, strong, small-area blocker who’s been productive and durable on the college level. Blocks with good lean, keeps his feet moving, and immediately gets his hands into defenders. Anchors in pass protection, stays square, and turns defenders off the line as a run blocker. Blocks with a nasty attitude, keeps his head on a swivel, and does a terrific job leading the offensive line. Displays better-than-average footwork in space and bends his knees.
Negative: Lacks agility, overall blocking balance and struggles in motion. Stiff as a blocker, which hurts his ability to finish blocks.
Analysis: Barnes is one of the most underrated centers in April’s draft and possesses the football skills to play and eventually start at the next level. He should only improve as a physically matures and irons out the rough edges of his game.

From the National Football Post:

Snaps and steps quickly off the line and has the type of initial burst to comfortably get into defenders off his frame, get his feet around and seal inside. But, isn’t real powerful on contact and has a tendency to rock his arms/hands back and forth in order to stay on blocks through the play. However, exhibits good lower body coordination and footwork, moves well through contact and has the lateral agility to seal defenders from the ball in the run game. Looks natural pulling in space and displays the body control to reach the second level and blow up an opposing target. Nevertheless, he does struggle moving defenders off the ball in the run game and isn’t built for an in-line scheme at the next level.

Looks natural in pass protection. Isn’t overly physical initially at the point of attack when a defender lines up over his face. But exhibits the type of flexibility to sit into his stance, extend his arms and pick up stunting/slanting defenders inside. Looks natural keeping his base down, sliding his feet and can mirror in space. Possesses above average lateral range, can redirect cleanly and anchor with some consistency through the play.

Impression: He’s an above-average athlete who can bend and redirect. Looks like a potential draftabale center to me who should have a good shot at making an NFL roster and possibly contributing down the line.

From SB Nation’s Mocking The Draft:

Agility: While at Missouri, Barnes was asked to pull, and get to the second level quite often. He has no trouble using his quickness and good feet to do these things.

Movement: As mentioned in the agility section, Barnes has a great tool in his ability to move his feet and get were he is going quickly.

Pass Blocking: When in pass protection, he has a solid base and shows the ability to anchor. He is very good at absorbing contact, but can be over powered into the backfield by stronger competition. Needs to do a better job of sitting into his stance.

Run Blocking: Unlike his pass blocking, Barnes sits into his stance and fires out when run blocking. He makes good contact after the snap and gets in a solid punch on the defender. He needs to work on staying low and using leverage when driving his opponent. He has no problem staying engaged with the defender, even if he is getting driven back.

Strength: I was impressed with Barnes’ upper body strength on film. He would usher defenders around with one arm with ease. He needs to work on his anchor strength though, as he occasionally struggled to stop a bull rush. Overall though, I feel Barnes is strong enough to last in the NFL.

Final Word: I’m a big fan of Barnes. He does have a lot to work on to be successful at the next level, but everything is correctable in my opinion. He does need to show at the Combine that the past four years in the spread offense, snapping in shotgun, won’t be an issue. He is the prototypical size for an interior lineman in the NFL, with the barrel chest, good strength and technique. I could see Barnes as the second center prospect off the board come draft day.

From Sideline Scouting:

Positives: Athletic… Intelligent… Versatile, might move to Guard at the next level… Very solid pass protector… Good quickness… Sets up quickly… Very solid footwork and agility… Plays with solid knee bend… Does a nice job sliding and mirroring defender… Can redirect reasonably well, solid awareness, okay at picking up stunts… Can explode out of his stance when run blocking but gets a little too upright, … Plays with leverage and generally drives his feet on contact… Maintains reasonably good pad level… Gets and maintains good position, seals off the action well… Can pull… Can get to the second level and does a nice job blocking on the move… Keeps his head on a swivel… Good flexibility and body control… Good motor… Good fit in ZBS.

Negatives: Not real strong at POA, needs to improve anchoring strength… Not a pile mover.