Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › PFF unit rankings, all Rams units
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July 14, 2016 at 9:42 am #48676znModerator
https://www.profootballfocus.com/category/pro/teams/nfc-west/rams/
Quarterback Situations
27. Los Angeles RamsStarter: Jared Goff
Backup: Case KeenumKey stat: 58.8 percent of Goff’s yards gained last season came in the air rather than after the catch, a figure that would have ranked in the top 10 in the NFL.
Jared Goff is the QB of the future for L.A. The only question is how long Rams fans have to wait to see it. He was the highest-graded QB in the nation last season, and even when pressured, had an NFL passer rating of 87.1, but his college offense was not exactly pro-style, and there may be an adjustment period before he is ready to start. If he isn’t, Keenum will get a chance to add to a career that is only 942 snaps old, but has seen some bright spots. Last season, he started five games, and outside of a poor first start against the Ravens, graded well.
Running Back Units
6. Los Angeles RamsStarter: Todd Gurley
Backup: Tre MasonKey stat: 45.9 percent of Todd Gurley’s yardage came on runs of 15+ yards, the highest rate in the league.
Gurley overcame one of the ugliest offensive lines in the NFL en route to the most touchdowns (10) and broken tackles (42) of any rookie back. Now two years removed from an ACL injury, there is reason to believe Gurley could reach the next level in 2016. During his last season at Georgia, he recorded 37 broken tackles on 123 attempts.
Receiving Corps
32. Los Angeles RamsProjected starters: WR Kenny Britt, WR Tavon Austin, WR Brian Quick, TE Lance Kendricks
Key depth: WR Pharoh Cooper, WR Mike Thomas, WR Marquez Bradley, TE Tyler HigbeeKey stat: Tavon Austin has graded higher as a runner than as a receiver every single season since entering the league.
This isn’t an ideal welcome to Los Angeles for Jared Goff (California), with—in our opinion—the lowest-ranked group of wide receivers and tight ends in the NFL waiting for him. Lance Kendricks dropped four of the 29 catchable passes thrown his way last season, and doesn’t look ready to be the team’s top tight end, so it may not be long before Tyler Higbee (Western Kentucky), who had the fifth-highest receiving grade among tight ends in college a year ago, takes his spot in the starting line up. At wide receiver, Tavon Austin has graded higher as a runner than as a receiver in every season since entering the league. He can make people miss in space, though, forcing 19 missed tackles on 52 receptions, and 14 on 52 carries a year ago. Kenny Britt is the default top receiver on this roster, but had more drops (five) than touchdowns (three) a year ago.
Offensive Lines
31. Los Angeles RamsProjected starters: LT Greg Robinson, LG Jamon Brown, C Tim Barnes, RG Rodger Saffold, RT Rob Havenstein
Roster depth: Isaiah Battle, Andrew Donnal, Garrett ReynoldsKey stat: The Rams’ projected starting offensive line has played 230 snaps together.
In 2015, the Rams loaded up on offensive linemen in the draft. They hit on Rob Havenstein, but they are still waiting for the rest of their younger linemen to develop. In the short-term, they might be better off finding someone else at left tackle and starting Garrett Reynolds, but instead, it looks like they will stick with their younger linemen for now and see if they can reach their potential.
Defensive Front Sevens
4. Los Angeles RamsProjected starters: DT Aaron Donald, DT Michael Brockers; DE William Hayes, DE Robert Quinn; LB Mark Barron, MLB Alec Ogletree, LB Akeem Ayers
Other names to know: DT Dominique Easley, DT Cam Thomas; DE Quinton Coples, DE Eugene SimsKey stat: The Rams recorded a stop on 63.0 percent of run plays in their base defense last year, third-best in the league.
The Rams front seven is a tale of two position groups really, but the quality of their defensive line still pulls them near the top of these rankings. Their defensive line is stacked with Aaron Donald the star of the starting crew and bringing Dominique Easley off the bench will give the Rams quality depth at defensive tackle for a second year in a row. If Robert Quinn can reproduce his 2013 form then this defensive line would boast two of the best players in the entire NFL. The intrigue at linebacker is how Alec Ogletree will fare having finally made the switch to middle linebacker to replace the departed James Laurinaitis.
Secondaries
27. Los Angeles RamsProjected starters: CB Trumaine Johnson, CB E.J. Gaines, SCB Lamarcus Joyner, S T.J. McDonald, S Maurice Alexander
Other names to know: S Cody Davis, CB Coty Sensabaugh, CB Marcus Roberson, CB Troy HillKey stat: Johnson allowed a 55.0 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks, the second-lowest rating among NFL cornerbacks in 2015.
With the Rams choosing Trumaine Johnson over Janoris Jenkins (Giants) this offseason, the former now becomes their No. 1 cornerback. Beyond Johnson though, they have Joyner—who graded out as average in coverage last season, and was a bit of a liability against the run—and Gaines, who made some good plays as a rookie in 2014, but missed the entire 2015 season due to a foot injury. At safety, McDonald has put together some good stretches of play, particularly during the second-half of the 2014 season. The Rams also have to replace Rodney McLeod (Eagles) with Maurice Alexander, who earned negative overall grades in four of his five fill-in starts last year.
July 14, 2016 at 10:16 am #48682snowmanParticipantIt’s always interesting to read what other people think about the Rams offense and defense, but I do not put much stock in it. Articles like this are part retrospective to last season, part projection to next season and loaded with assumptions. We will know what we have after four games, and then reassess again in week 10 or so.
July 14, 2016 at 10:40 am #48690znModeratorIt’s always interesting to read what other people think about the Rams offense and defense, but I do not put much stock in it. Articles like this are part retrospective to last season, part projection to next season and loaded with assumptions. We will know what we have after four games, and then reassess again in week 10 or so.
I agree.
Plus it’s PFF. PFF as a rule is unusually, strongly held in check by previous grades. They can’t look at contexts and situations and assess the trajectory of a unit or team. For example last year the Rams OL, which was inexperienced in the first place, went through a very debilitating injury bout. Can PFF account for that? No. It just goes “look see bad grades” and then has no choice but to assume the future will just mechanically repeat the past.
July 14, 2016 at 4:36 pm #48722SunTzu_vs_CamusParticipantThe OL and Secondary grades are severely underestimated. imo
We are getting EJGaines back and he played stunningly well, making some think he was the most steady CB we had in 2014.
Also, with regards to Joyner(whom I think would be a HoneyBadger type FS imo…but they’re keeping him in the slot, I guess) he is a great blitzer and feisty cover man in mold of a Bob Sanders cept at CB. MRoberson played well when starting and certainly was no liability.The OL played better than I thought they would with all the injuries. We had a RB that ran thru holes that WERE there cuz of good blocking and the OL allowed a low number of sacks(18?) regardless of the % rate or whatever context used to reduce their achievement.
Also, they are ALL in their 2nd year and are ready to step up. I thought Hav, Brown, Wichman and Donnal played well while learning. Battle showed incredible athleticism at LT and was just too young but with an off-season and experience I think he may play a bigger role if his head is on right and he’s trying(not that he isn’t…I just don’t know how hard he works…but the potential is there.) OT Williams was the surprise keeper at OT and got experience also. The best thing is that they are ALL young…even GRob. Saffold might trade bait – or cut bait – if a rookie comes close to Saffold’s level of performance. They are signed for another 3yrs. for peanuts.
I really like the shotgun approach the Rams do to a position…odss are that they will find some diamonds, I would think."I should have been a pair of ragged claws...
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."July 14, 2016 at 5:29 pm #48728znModeratorThe OL and Secondary grades are severely underestimated. imo
Yeah I think so too.
Don’t know how good those units will be but they will be much better than PFF projects them to be.
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