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http://www.101sports.com/2015/04/20/the-rams-free-agency-silence-makes-their-draft-strategy-clear/
The Rams’ Free Agency Silence Makes Their Draft Strategy Clear
With the NFL draft nearly here and with the Rams not really participating in free agency (as far as clear cut starters go), the direction for draft weekend has become pretty clear.
joe barksdaleWithout resigning Barksdale, the Rams would have a gap at right tackle.
At the moment, the Rams don’t have a starting right guard or a starting right tackle. If they don’t re-sign Joe Barksdale to play right tackle, they need to draft another starter at that position…the fifth time in the last eleven years that they would have used a premium pick on an offensive tackle.
When a back injury ended Kyle Turley’s St. Louis career in 2004, the Rams had to find a bookend for Orlando Pace.
The Rams liked Oklahoma’s Jammal Brown, who went to New Orleans with the thirteenth pick overall and subsequently played in two Pro Bowls.
At number nineteen, the Rams took Florida State’s Alex Barron, who was a gifted athlete but suffered from the rap that he lacked intensity.
The scouting report proved correct. Barron was durable, but had a tendency to meander, and became a false start machine. He was, overall, a major disappointment who was traded to Dallas after five years with the Rams.
When Pace’s play fell off and he was released after the 2008 season, a replacement was needed. The Rams had suffered through a horrific ’08, and with the second pick in the ’09 draft took athletic Baylor tackle Jason Smith. They thought he’d be their left tackle for a decade. But in what was literally his first practice, the Rams decided he wasn’t an NFL left tackle and moved him to the right side, allowing Barron to move to the left. Smith started just 26 of 48 games in three seasons, playing in 29, and was traded to the Jets during Jeff Fisher’s first training camp three years into his career…which lasted just one more season.
With Smith’s inability to play left tackle, the Rams used the first pick in the second round in 2010 on Rodger Saffold. When healthy, Saffold has been a solid performer for the Rams…although he was moved inside to guard during the 2013 season and is projected as a guard now.
Of course, last year the Rams drafted the extremely raw Greg Robinson with another second overall pick, and he figures…like Barron, Smith and Saffold…to project as the starting left tackle for a decade. Robinson started inside at guard, with expensive free agent left tackle Jake Long on the left side, but when Long suffered his second ACL tear in as many years, Robinson moved to left tackle and Long was subsequently cut.
Greg RobinsonRobinson’s inexperience cost the Rams in 2014.
Robinson’s inexperience really hurt the Rams in 2014, and it would be a major mistake to select another “project” offensive tackle this year. They would be well served to take a player that’s polished, versatile and nasty. The two that seem to fit that mold in this draft are Iowa’s Brandon Scherff and LSU’s La’el Collins.
Scherff is a 6-5, 319 pounder that played left tackle his last three years in college after a freshman year at guard. Our former 101 ESPN teammate Rick Venturi, who has studied all of the offensive linemen in this draft, loves the Iowa product. “Scherff is a superior athlete with viciousness,” he says, and adds “Kirk (Ferentz, Iowa head coach) is a great offensive line coach, and those guys (from Iowa) are pro ready.”
Everyone seems to agree that Scherff is a plug-and-play guy, and the primary comparison, including Coach Venturi, his last year’s Cowboy first rounder, Zack Martin.
There’s a school of thought that the Rams would take Stanford’s Andrus Peat or Miami’s Ereck Flowers. But there are problems with both, not the least of which is that neither projects as a possible guard. Peat is the son of former St. Louis Cardinal Todd Peat. As a Stanford guy, he’s obviously smart. And he’s athletic. But there are comparisons to Barron, regarding his desire and willingness to compete on every play. Some regard him as soft, which isn’t a label you want attached to the tenth pick in the draft.
Flowers was a big, physical tackle at Miami, but doesn’t have Peat’s athleticism. If he had Peat’s athletic ability, or Peat had Flowers’ nastiness, you’d have something. But both are lacking.
The other intriguing prospect for me is Collins, who, like Scherff, played both guard and tackle in college. Collins was a mauling left guard during his freshman and sophomore years before moving to left tackle for his junior and senior years. Collins is exceptionally strong, is great in the run game, and Coach Venturi thinks is a four position guy, all except center.
Like Scherff (and the other two mentioned, for that matter) he has played in a pro-style offense under coordinator Cam Cameron for the last two years. Venturi says Collins is a “blue chipper and a nasty man,” and adds “I like Collins as a player much better than I did Robinson last year.”
Scherff is likely to be gone when the Rams come up at number ten, and Collins projects as a guy that will go between fifteen and twenty overall. If Scherff is gone and there’s a team that wants to come up to ten from something better than twenty, they should make a deal to trade down. Otherwise, they should simply reach for Collins and start fixing their offensive line right now.
Agamemnonhttp://www.101sports.com/2015/04/17/the-rams-should-look-hard-at-these-three-quarterbacks/
The Rams Should Look Hard at These Three Quarterbacks
We all know it. There is an absolute need for the Rams to draft a developmental quarterback this year. All three QBs on the current roster have contracts that expire at the end of the 2015 season, and the team will want to see Nick Foles at work before committing to a long-term contract.
nick foles-2Nick Foles’ signing gives the Rams the option to develop a QB to start down the road.
St. Louis needs a plan of succession.
In a perfect world, Les Snead and Jeff Fisher would draft a quarterback in rounds two to four that could, at the very least, be their third QB this season.
The difficult part of all this is deciding which player the Rams should take and when they should take him, assuming there’s no shot at with Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota.
Strategy-wise, we can be clear on two points:
– Neither Winston nor Mariota will drop to #10. If one does, the Rams should pull the trigger.
– It’s not worth trading a bundle of picks to move high enough to get Mariota. Winston’s off-field issues make him too much of a risk to bet the farm on him. Neither of these guys is Andrew Luck.
The RGIII trade hurt the Redskins badly, and the Rams shouldn’t make the mistake of doing someone else the same favor that Washington did for the them.
That in mind, here (in reverse order as a means of creating drama) are the three QBs the Rams should target:
3. Brandon Bridge, South Alabama
He’s a project, but Bridge has elite arm strength, he’s mobile, and at 6’4″ 230, this quarterback has prototypical QB size. You’ll have to spend a couple of years working with Bridge because the somewhat unheralded recruit hasn’t seen elite competition.
The Rams have 2015 settled with Foles, though, so they’d have time to train Bridge. I’d rather have a guy with a bazooka for an arm than a more known commodity with a smaller upside.
This is where you swing for the fences. Maybe you whiff completely, but maybe you hit the ball into the upper deck.
2. Brett Hundley, UCLA
Hundley is a lot like Mariota, without the price tag. The UCLA product has much work to do to become an NFL passer (as does Mariota), but you’re not counting on him to play right away, so the coaching staff has time to get him to a point where he can become a starter.
Hundley has all the physical tools, he competed at a high level in the Pac-12, and he’s a highly competitive person. He’s not a sprinter in terms of running speed, but he’s agile, coordinated, and has good game speed.
From what I’ve seen, his arm strength is impressive as well.
1. Sean Mannion, Oregon State
This is my guy, outside of the top two guys, of course.
Mannion played in a pro-style offense in college and is as comfortable under center as he is in the shotgun. The guy has a strong arm and a smooth delivery. He’s accurate, smart, and at 6’6″ 230, he’s got ideal size.
You’ve got to love that the Oregon State product played in the Pac-12 and had success, despite lacking the talent around him that Mariota and Hundley had. Mannion may need some work, but he’s not a “project”. This guy could easily be ready to start in the NFL in 2016 with good coaching. He could be a stronger-armed version of Foles, and he’ll be on a rookie contract for a while._____________
I’m not a big fan of Bryce Petty or Garrett Grayson. They’re good, but it’s tough to see a projection with these two. Petty and Grayson look like NFL backups. I know they put up huge numbers in college, but that doesn’t always translate to the pros.
I like big-armed quarterbacks who have a chance to become elite players. Colin Kaepernick, for example, came out of Nevada and he’s won a lot of games in the NFL because of his arm strength and athleticism. You can’t teach arm strength.
All of these guys are too risky to be considered first round draft picks, but the Rams are in a position this year to draft one of them knowing if it doesn’t work out, they can just pay Foles, provided he’d stick around.
Agamemnonhttp://www.101sports.com/2015/04/15/the-benefits-of-rams-trading-back-on-no-10-pick/
The Benefits of Rams Trading Back on No. 10 Pick
What to do with draft pick number ten? That’s the question.
Last week I discussed seven options for the Rams’ first round selection. Now, let’s expound on the strategy that could be most beneficial to the team.
jeff fisher-5Coach Jeff Fisher has acknowledged the Rams have holes to fill on the O-line.
Like most NFL draftniks, I’m addicted to mocks. Be it Peter King’s or Larry King’s, I’ll consume it all the same. And no matter which mock I look at in relation to this year’s draft, I don’t like how things play out in front of the Rams.
There’s a case to be made that Alabama receiver Amari Cooper is the best prospect in this year’s class. He’s a tremendous route-runner, has excellent hands, and plays under control. He tracks the ball perfectly on deep throws, can lineup outside the numbers and win there, or inside in the slot and beat defenders that can’t match up with him in space. Cooper uses his hands well to beat jams, plays with great technique, and has a superb feel for the game.
The guy is good.
He’s polished, pro-ready, and would look great in a Rams uniform. He’s also unlikely to be available when Jeff Fisher and Les Snead make their first selection.
The same can be said for the other top prospects, which include USC’s Leonard Williams (popularly mocked to Tennessee at No. 2), Florida’s Dante Fowler Jr. (No. 3 to Jacksonville), Clemson’s Vic Beasley (anywhere from No. 5 to Washington to No. 8 Atlanta), West Virginia’s Kevin White (No. 4 Oakland to No. 7 Chicago) and Florida State’s Jameis Winston (No. 1 to the Bucs).
Besides the unlikely scenario of the top prospects falling to No. 10, the Rams face a self-imposed dilemma regarding their offensive line. With holes at right tackle, left guard and center, the Rams might not be able to afford bypassing an offensive lineman with their first pick, even with veterans Joe Barksdale, Justin Blalock and Stefen Wisniewski still available in free agency. Had they addressed more needs in free agency, they could have allowed the top nine picks to play out and then simply chosen the best player on their draft board.
Robinson is important in helping the Rams establish the run.Greg Robinson eliminates the need to address the left tackle position in the draft.
But this is where need may intersect with value and opportunity.
The Rams need offensive linemen – multiple offensive linemen, in fact. The good news is they don’t need a cornerstone left tackle, having selected Greg Robinson with the No. 2 overall pick a year ago. This year’s draft class is flooded with tackles that could potentially start on the right side for the Rams in year one.
Stanford’s Andrus Peat headlines the list. Peat’s best attributes are his size and playing technique. He’s polished and is one of the safer prospects in this year’s class, even if he’s not dynamic. Oregon’s Jake Fisher is technically sound as well, is athletic and has an excellent grasp of angles, an underrated part of playing tackle at any level. Florida’s D.J. Humphries, Pitt’s T.J. Clemmings, Texas’ Cedric Ogbuehi and Miami’s Ereck Flowers don’t come without limitations, but none are considered massive projects either.
If the Rams have Peat listed atop their draft board now or when they’re on the clock in a few weeks, then he’s likely to be their pick.
But unless the drop-off between Peat and the other offensive line prospects (including potential guards Brandon Scherff of Iowa and La’el Collins of LSU) is significant, then here’s hoping they have an opportunity to trade back.
Being able to address a need with one of the top prospects on their board while also nabbing an extra draft pick or two would be the epitome of value. Maybe the Rams miss out on Peat or Scherff, but landing Fisher, Humphries or Clemmings in the back half of the first round, plus acquiring another second or third-round pick (depending on how far they trade back), would still be a success. Maybe that extra pick turns into another starter along the offensive line.
There have been previous drafts where I’ve argued the Rams should just sit and pick in order to secure the best quality (i.e. talent) over adding quantity (i.e. more selections). But every draft is different and if things play out in front of the Rams like most are assuming, trading back could benefit the team in more ways than one.
Agamemnonhttp://www.101sports.com/2015/04/07/seven-options-for-the-rams-number-10-draft-pick/
Seven Options for the Rams’ Number 10 Draft Pick
With the 2015 NFL Draft less than a month away, let’s look at some scenarios facing the Rams at pick No. 10.
Scenario 1: Draft an offensive lineman
This might be the most probable outcome. The Rams have holes at left guard, center and right tackle. The team hasn’t shown a ton of urgency when it comes to addressing these holes in free agency, so perhaps the Rams will sign a veteran following the draft like they did a year ago with Davin Joseph. Thus, staying put and drafting the top offensive lineman on their board is logical.
davin josephDavin Joseph’s signing shows the Rams’ willingness to sign a veteran following the Draft.
Tackle Andrus Peat of Stanford perhaps makes the most sense. Iowa’s Brandon Scherff has been linked to the Rams in plenty of mocks, but the thought is that his best position in the pros is guard (and rightfully so when you watch his run-mauling tendencies and his issues in pass protection with edge rushers that can convert speed into power). I’ll never wrap my head around taking a guard in the top 10 because you can find capable starters in the middle rounds. The talent doesn’t drop off at guard as significantly as it does at tackle.
If Scherff’s best position is guard, I’d hope the Rams would search for better value at 10. Peat, La’el Collins and Ereck Flowers are the projected first-round tackles, although I’d argue that Collins will benefit from playing inside at the next level as well. Like Scherff, he’s a mauler in the run game but he has issues in space while spending too much time on the ground and not moving his feet quick enough to seal off the edge.
The more I re-watched LSU, the more enamored I became with Collins as a guard as opposed to a tackle.
With Peat, his technique speaks for itself. Defenders have trouble disengaging from him because of his size and length, and he does a nice job setting the edge. He’s one of the safer prospects in this year’s draft, although I’m not sure if his ceiling will go any higher despite being only 21. He doesn’t play with that same finish in the run game like Scherff, but he’s pro-ready, which might be attractive to a Rams team that will need to land starters in this year’s draft. Is he a top 10 pick? That’s debatable, although he’s being projected to go in the teens so it’s not as if the Rams would be vastly overreaching.
Scenario 2: Trade back
This is the scenario I prefer most when it comes to the Rams, who only have six picks in this year’s draft after trading a fourth and sixth to the Bucs in the Mark Barron deal. No disrespect to Peat, who I like as a mid-first rounder, but there isn’t a dynamic offensive line prospect in this year’s draft, and I’d hate to see the Rams reach.
If they could trade back, grab another second or third-round pick in the process, and get more appropriate value for whichever offensive lineman they snag, that would be the best-case scenario in my eyes. Hell, the Rams could address two holes along the offensive line and still have two more picks in the top 75 if things break the right way.
Scenario 3: Draft a wide receiver
For my money, Alabama’s Amari Cooper is the best prospect in this year’s draft class. He doesn’t have the size of West Virginia’s Kevin White, but he’s the most polished receiver I’ve seen come out in a long time and he has just as much speed (check out the footage from the scouting combine where Cooper and White run neck-in-neck).
From a route-running standpoint, there’s no receiver better than Cooper, and if he were there at No. 10, I’d love to see the Rams nab him. That said, I highly doubt he’ll be available, and the same goes for White. And even if they were available, the Rams seemingly love their current group of receivers and are unlikely to take a wideout in the first round.
Scenario 4: Draft a cornerback
I haven’t heard many people mention cornerback at No. 10 for the Rams, but with both Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson set to become free agents following the season, this is an interesting option.
janoris jenkinsJanoris Jenkins could become a free agent following the 2015 season.
Michigan State’s Trae Waynes is the consensus top cornerback in this year’s draft, but I’d argue Jalen Collins of LSU and Marcus Peters (despite his off-field history) of Washington are just as intriguing. Plus, this year’s class at cornerback is deep.
E.J. Gaines proved a year ago that he can start in the NFL and I’m sure the Rams still have plans for 2014 second-rounder LaMarcus Joyner. They could wait at corner and still find good value in the middle rounds. In fact, Collins underwent foot surgery in March and could slip into the second round and offer tremendous value. With his size and length, he’s exactly what Fisher has searched for in previous drafts.
Scenario 5: Take a quarterback.
The Rams could choose to take their quarterback of the future at No. 10 if Marcus Mariota were to fall, but there’s reason to believe that he’ll be selected with the second overall pick (by the Titans or by another team trading up).
And with Jameis Winston likely to come off the board at No. 1 to the Bucs, I don’t think the Rams will even have an opportunity to consider quarterback in the first round. There are no signal-callers behind Winston and Mariota that deserve consideration in the first.
Scenario 6: Trade up
I don’t see this happening, but Peter King and others have written about the Rams having an “all-in” mentality when it comes to this year’s draft.
Two problems with that sentiment: One, the Rams don’t have the resources (i.e. extra picks) to move up, and I don’t envision them trading next year’s top pick. Second, and perhaps even more importantly, the Rams aren’t one player away from a Super Bowl.
Parting with valuable mid-round picks in order to get land one player wouldn’t be sensible.
Scenario 7: Take an edge rusher
Based on how many people referred to me as an idiot last week when Chris Duncan and I broached this subject on “The Turn,” I gather that fans don’t even believe this is an option. It is.
aaron donald-5Aaron Donald’s drafting is an example of the Rams drafting for the player versus addressing a need.
Leonard Williams (who is versatile enough to play tackle or end, depending on the front), Dante Fowler, Vic Beasley and Randy Gregory (despite his failed drug test at the combine) are elite prospects. Many believe Missouri’s Shane Ray is a top 15 prospect as well.
Even though the Rams’ biggest strength is along the front seven, the Giants won two Super Bowls in five years because they understood you can never have enough pass-rushers. Plus, and I’ve vehemently argued this over the years, the draft is about selecting players, not positions.
Imagine if the Rams addressed a need at No. 13 last year over a player: They wouldn’t have wound up with Aaron Donald, who didn’t fill a need at defensive tackle, but wound up winning the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year title.
Chris Long won’t play forever. Injuries are a part of the game.
Pass rushers are like gold to NFL teams, and they can take a while to develop, so adding as many talented prospects as you can isn’t a horrible strategy (in fact it’s a winning one if you ask the Giants).
Now, are Williams, Fowler, Beasley or Gregory fits in Gregg Williams’ defense? That’s an argument for another time. But for now, I wouldn’t discount this scenario playing out on draft night if one of these top pass rushers were to fall.
Scenario 8: draft Gurley. 😉
Agamemnon
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