Wagoner: Rams mailbag

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  • May 3, 2015 at 5:38 pm #23891
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Rams mailbag: Post-draft edition

    By Nick Wagoner

    http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18208/rams-mailbag-post-draft-edition

    EARTH CITY, Mo. — The NFL draft is over and the St. Louis Rams have turned in their nine picks. Along the way, they drafted seven consecutive offensive players, including four offensive linemen. Now, the Rams move into the next phase of the offseason with a roster that’s mostly intact. They’ll add some undrafted free agents soon and could have another move or two in store but for the most part, what you see now is what you’ll get in 2015.

    Rob Markel @LakeRaMan
    If you had to take a guess and I know it’s early who are starting 5 on the OL (they don’t need to be on roster now)

    @nwagoner: Obviously, it’s hard to project right now at a few spots because there are so many bodies in place and so much time between now and the start of the season. But let’s take a preliminary shot at it. Greg Robinson is your left tackle, that much we know for sure. Rodger Saffold can play either side but let’s plug him at right guard for right now. I feel pretty confident that the Rams believe they can plug and play Rob Havenstein at right tackle right away. Despite insistences to the contrary, I’m not sure where Joe Barksdale fits at this point. Especially because I can see Justin Blalock fitting in at left guard right away. And then let’s assume that Barrett Jones wins the center job. That’s what the Rams are hoping but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Tim Barnes or Demetrius Rhaney emerge, either. Or even to see Scott Wells return. So my best guess here on May 3 is the opening day line will be (from left to right) Robinson, Blalock, Jones, Saffold and Havenstein. Jamon Brown could win a job, too, but adding a veteran like Blalock next to Robinson would be very beneficial for the second-year left tackle, and Saffold would give similar veteran support to rookie Havenstein.

    Ram Jam @RamsFansUnite
    When Barrett Jones was drafted he seemed obvious dev project to one day replace Wells. So it’s go time, ya? Or Barnes?

    @nwagoner: I honestly believe the Rams are hoping that Jones takes the job and makes it his for the long-term future. There’s no question when they drafted him, that was their end game for him. He’s been unable to do it because he hasn’t been healthy. By all accounts, he’s healthy now but can he stay that way? If he can, he should have a chance to solidify the job. Tim Barnes offers at least a little bit of experience and could probably start right away if Jones can’t take the job. And if Jones doesn’t win the job this year, it’s fair to wonder what his future with the team is in the big picture.

    THVrZSBEb25vaG8= @LukeDonoho
    How’s the Tavon pick looking right now? Seems like a massive over payment

    @nwagoner: At this point, it certainly doesn’t look worthwhile. And though the Rams say that they’re going to make more concerted efforts to use Austin with Frank Cignetti as the coordinator, it’s hard to see how that is going to fit now. The Rams just spent most of their draft trying to become a bigger, more physical unit capable of pushing teams around. Where does Austin fit within that philosophy? Only time will tell.

    Adam @RAMdom_Haus
    Do you feel the number of OL picks is smart for securing a solid starter or is it overkill?

    @nwagoner: The Rams insist that every one of the four offensive linemen selected can come in and contribute. If that’s the case then it’s smart. But even if it’s not, the more bodies you have, the better your chances of finding guys that can play. I entered the draft thinking they needed to get at least two linemen in the first three picks and probably three somewhere along the way. After trading down and getting more picks, I have no qualms with them taking four. They needed starters and depth. The key now is to get these guys ready to play.

    Blaine Grisak @bxgrisak1993
    Do you think the Rams got better in the draft? Is this a team that is ready to compete this year, or more so in ’16?

    @nwagoner: That’s a good question. I have no doubt that the defense is ready to compete this year. In fact, that group should be better this year than it was last year. But it was interesting to hear Jeff Fisher refer to Todd Gurley as the team’s “running back of the future” and say they are “building for the future” on the offensive line. In other words, Fisher is unfazed by the idea of going into his fourth season without so much as a winning record. Whether or not this team really competes for the postseason this year will depend greatly on how the offense comes together. Until we see how that project goes, it’s hard to really project this team doing much more than it did a year ago.

    NORCALRAMS34 @ycramsfan
    Its clear that fish is the ram coach for as long as he wants. Can his STYLE of football win a title in today’s game?

    @nwagoner: This is also a good question. I think it’s overstating to say he’s the coach as long as he wants but so long as the Rams are mildly competitive (read: mediocre) and he’s got years that pay him $7 million per season left on his deal then he’s going to be here. Which means that he’s got at least two more years barring a complete meltdown in 2015. There’s two ways to look at this. The first is that this is a passing league and without a top quarterback, you can’t win a Super Bowl. Recent evidence supports this with the most recent examples of championship teams playing “Fisher ball” the Trent Dilfer Ravens, Brad Johnson’s Buccaneers and, to a lesser extent, the 2005 Steelers. The first two had all-time great defenses and the third had a regular, old great one. But that’s not many examples. The other side of the coin is that everything in the NFL is cyclical and with the dearth of quarterback prospects properly developing in college and then the NFL, the worm will turn and winning with the run game and defense will again become the way to go. My belief is that the style can win a title but I’m also not sure that a Fisher-led and built team can. His record says the answer is no. Again, only time will tell.

    May 3, 2015 at 7:09 pm #23901
    Avatar photonittany ram
    Moderator
    zn wrote:

    @nwagoner: Obviously, it’s hard to project right now at a few spots because there are so many bodies in place and so much time between now and the start of the season. But let’s take a preliminary shot at it. Greg Robinson is your left tackle, that much we know for sure. Rodger Saffold can play either side but let’s plug him at right guard for right now. I feel pretty confident that the Rams believe they can plug and play Rob Havenstein at right tackle right away. Despite insistences to the contrary, I’m not sure where Joe Barksdale fits at this point. Especially because I can see Justin Blalock fitting in at left guard right away. And then let’s assume that Barrett Jones wins the center job. That’s what the Rams are hoping but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Tim Barnes or Demetrius Rhaney emerge, either. Or even to see Scott Wells return. So my best guess here on May 3 is the opening day line will be (from left to right) Robinson, Blalock, Jones, Saffold and Havenstein. Jamon Brown could win a job, too, but adding a veteran like Blalock next to Robinson would be very beneficial for the second-year left tackle, and Saffold would give similar veteran support to rookie Havenstein.

    Did the Rams sign Blalock?

    May 3, 2015 at 7:24 pm #23904
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator
    nittany ram wrote:

    Did the Rams sign Blalock?

    No. He;s just speculatoratizing.

    May 3, 2015 at 7:26 pm #23905
    Mackeyser
    Moderator

    No. They haven’t signed Barks, either.

    it’s so early that we have a LOT of ways we can go with the OL.

    I just hope that we don’t sign Blalock only to find he’s another Davin Joseph and one of the rookies would be better, but Fish doesn’t want to start a rook.

    I like Jamon Brown, but he’d be converting to OG and I think he’s got TONS of promise, but he’s going to need some development. Wichmann has 50 starts, most at ROG, but still has a ROT type body and plays with a Coach Boo OT attitude.

    So, I would be fine with them making more of an effort to sign Barks and going with

    Robinson // Saffold // Jones // Wichmann // Barksdale

    To start the season with Havenstein, Brown, Donnal, Reynolds and Washington as backups and YES, I would try to keep 10 OL this year, although it will probably be 9 which puts likely Donnal on the PS. And that’s okay. After a year, I think he replaces Washington.

    I’m okay with the rookie depth other than Reynolds and Washington because Havenstein and Brown played so much in college. Havenstein wouldn’t be changing positions and Brown shouldn’t have an issue moving inside since Louisville does that Strong side/Weak side thing so essentially he got moved around a lot by virtue of their scheme, iirc.

    But this OL could go in a LOT of ways… so many of which yield a very solid OL.

    I’m very excited. The competition will be INTENSE, only made greater by the fact that we have a BEAST of a DL that will forge this OL into something special in OTAs and TC.

    Sports is the crucible of human virtue. The distillate remains are human vice.

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