Projected 2015 starters: St. Louis Rams

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May 21, 2015 at 8:39 pm #25053

Agamemnon
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Find this article at:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000493659/article/projected-2015-starters-st-louis-rams
Projected 2015 starters: St. Louis Rams

By Chris Wesseling
Around the NFL Writer
Published: May 21, 2015 at 09:45 a.m.
Updated: May 21, 2015 at 10:37 a.m.

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Rams

Around The NFL predicts the Week 1 starting lineups for all 32 teams, analyzing the potential impact of each rookie class. See every breakdown here.

» The Rams are taking a conservative approach to first-round pick Todd Gurley’s recovery from ACL surgery. While we fully expect Gurley to be the primary back once he’s fully healthy, Tre Mason is the favorite to enter the season as the starter.

» New coordinator Frank Cignetti promises to get Tavon Austin more involved, which shouldn’t be difficult considering the pint-sized playmaker’s limited role under Brian Schottenheimer. Will Austin play a running back-receiver hybrid role, with Stedman Bailey as the No. 3 receiver?

» The offensive line will have three new starters, with rookies Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown as candidates to start on the right side. Tim Barnes will likely face competition at center.

» The Rams have a rare quandary at defensive tackle, with three starters for two spots. Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald won’t have a reduced role, which means Michael Brockers is ticketed for run situations with Nick Fairley coming on for passing downs.

» E.J. Gaines was St. Louis’ top cornerback as a rookie last season. He figures to start opposite Janoris Jenkins, with Trumaine Johnson and Lamarcus Joyner vying for subpackage snaps.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast ranks every starting quarterback on “The Dalton Scale” and goes over all the latest news. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

Agamemnon

May 21, 2015 at 9:37 pm #25058

zn
Moderator

New coordinator Frank Cignetti promises to get Tavon Austin more involved, which shouldn’t be difficult considering the pint-sized playmaker’s limited role under Brian Schottenheimer.

This is of course a big controversy.

I don’t see it as TA being under-used. I see it as TA not being able to do enough yet.

I am not sure what the “under-used” argument is even based on. I mean, do people KNOW Tavon can do things they didn’t ask him to do? It seems to me only a coach could know that.

Agamemnon wrote:

The Rams have a rare quandary at defensive tackle, with three starters for two spots.

(I believe I now speak for everyone as I impotently chastize a national sports writer and his ignorance of the Rams.) No what the Rams have at DT is called A ROTATION. They have always had that at DT under Fisher.

May 22, 2015 at 11:24 am #25093

zn
Moderator

Morning Ram-blings: Projecting the starters

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18658/morning-ram-blings-projecting-the-starters

EARTH CITY, Mo. — With rosters mostly set, the folks over at NFL.com began the process this week of taking an early stab at what starting lineups around the league could look like as we head toward training camp.

On Thursday, they unveiled their best guess at what the St. Louis Rams plan to do. Most of the projected starters for the Rams are pretty much by the book, with few surprises. In fact, most of the starters seem to be obvious with so many pieces returning.

But there were a couple that I would disagree with and in those cases, NFL.com did account for the possibility of something different below the basic list of starting 11.

On the offensive line, it’s entirely possible that the Rams will start two rookies and Tim Barnes at center, but think it will look something different as we project it this far out. I believe the Rams would like to see Barrett Jones win the center job but it’s not outrageous to project Barnes there, especially this far out, as he’s actually started some games at that position.

Elsewhere, I wonder if the Rams would go with rookies Jamon Brown and Rob Havenstein together on the right side. If indeed they plan to start Brown at guard, I’d think he would move to the left side with Rodger Saffold on the right. And because these are projected Week 1 starters, it’s possible the Rams might lean on Garrett Reynolds for a guard job early on to provide some veteran presence.

On the defense, there’s not much to disagree with, assuming E.J. Gaines and Janoris Jenkins are the starting outside corners (and I believe they will be), then I’d lean toward penciling in Lamarcus Joyner as the nickel corner with Johnson as the primary backup. Of course, the Rams could also use Gaines in the slot with Johnson coming in on the outside when they go to the nickel.

Aside from that, most of the rest of the starters should be fairly obvious, even this far out.

May 22, 2015 at 12:21 pm #25103

snowman
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Did Mark Barron start at the free safety spot last year after we got him from Tampa? I don’t know if he is better than McLeod, but I thought we acquired him to at least compete with McLeod for that spot.

May 22, 2015 at 12:34 pm #25104
Agamemnon
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He appears to be almost a nickel LB. I think he was in alot when they already had Mc and Mc on the field. imo

I think he played sort of in place of Dunbar when they took him out.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Agamemnon.
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