i think there are salvageable pieces on the line. i actually wonder with all the problems across the entire line whether there was a problem with boudreau. if for whatever reason he just wasn’t getting through to the guys. cuz i think there’s talent there.

And injuries are an issue. Brown has had two surgeries his first two seasons & one IR, Wichmann has had two high ankle sprains in his first two seasons, & Havenstein had one nagging injury after another after another in 2016. Then there’s Williams who is another injury OL waiting to happen after two NFL seasons with physical health issues.

also wonder if there could be a strength and conditioning issue with all these injuries on the line? i don’t know.

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by InvaderRam.
• This reply was modified 9 years ago by InvaderRam.

hopefully, he continues to get stronger. too many times he would get tossed around like a rag doll. he’s just too weak right now.

and get him pierre garcon.

i like what i’m reading about him in the offseason so far though.

i don’t think they should think about drafting a qb this year anyway. next year however…

i think we’ll learn a lot about goff in 2017.

yeah i saw that post over at the herd. it was in regards to all the criticism grob has been receiving.

and i would almost believe it except for the fact that grob was benched twice during the season. not exactly a show of confidence from the coaching staff.

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/32862/defensive-line-is-one-of-few-strengths-for-rams

Defensive line is one of few strengths for Rams

Alden Gonzalez
ESPN Staff Writer

From now until the start of free agency, on March 7, we’ll take a position-by-position look at the Los Angeles Rams in eight installments. The Rams — coming off a 4-12 season that prompted the hiring of rookie head coach Sean McVay — have about $40 million in cap space but do not have a first-round pick. They also have a lot of needs, all of which can feel a little overwhelming without breaking it down by section. We’ll do that here. Next up: the defensive line. (Previous: WR/TE.)

Key returnees: Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, William Hayes, Michael Brockers, Eugene Sims, Morgan Fox

Notable free agents: Cam Thomas, Dominique Easley*, Ethan Westbrooks*, Matt Longacre**

Top free agents available (for now): Kawann Short, Jason Pierre-Paul, Brandon Williams, Calais Campbell, Dontari Poe

Key stat: The Rams’ defense, led by its defensive line, forced 109 negative plays in 2016, second-most in the NFL. Since the start of 2015, the Rams have forced an NFL-leading 241 negative plays. In the seven games Donald, Quinn, Hayes and Brockers all started together, the Rams averaged more than seven tackles for loss and more than six quarterback hits.

This, actually, is a position of strength, largely because of Donald, who might be the game’s greatest defensive player, regardless of position. Donald has been named Pro Football Focus’ defensive player of the year twice in a row and has made the Pro Bowl in all three of his NFL seasons. In 2016, he led the NFL with 31 quarterback hits and tied for the lead with 17 tackles for loss. The key question here is Quinn, both because of his recent health and the system that will be implemented.

Quinn racked up 40 sacks from 2012 to ’14, third-most in the NFL, but has started only 15 of the Rams’ 32 games over the last two years. The Rams have hired long-time, well-respected defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who will implement what he calls a “hybrid” 3-4 scheme. Quinn may convert to an outside linebacker, but Phillips stressed that “guys who can rush are going to rush.” That, of course, includes Quinn.

All four of the Rams’ starters — Donald, Quinn, Brockers and Hayes — are locked up for at least two more years, so they’re in good shape. But as many as four of their backups can become free agents, so the Rams have to replenish some depth. Eight Rams defensive linemen took more than 350 snaps last season.

zn wrote:

Phillips is very big on tailoring to the personnel.

i agree. he’ll make adjustments based on the strengths of the players.

but oh man. i gotta think that the rams dl is better than that broncos dl.

of course the broncos secondary i’m thinking is better than the rams. and unless quinn gets healthy quick i don’t see them having anything close to a von miller type outside linebacker.

as far as the nose tackle position, i don’t know. i could see in certain situations phillips taking brockers out and lining up 3 pass rushers with outside linebackers on either side ready to rush the passer. offenses would have a hard time figuring out who to block.

zn wrote:

Wade Phillips Meets the Media

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips talks about switching the Rams to a 3-4 defense and being an attacking defense.

http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Wade_Phillips_Meets_the_Media/59caf209-ff3a-4e47-a8ae-127b3f699746

nice listen. i’m just loving this hire.

it’ll be a much simpler defense. less thinking. more just attacking which i think will benefit their current personnel.

i’m thinking with the right additions a top 5 ranking is well within reach.

so they benched him twice for too many flags?

mmm. i don’t know. i hope he’s right, and everyone else is wrong.

i think shanny should have stayed in atlanta for another season.

honestly that doesn’t worry me. his weight. he was 21 for half the season. turned 22 in october. and like you said they found out he had an enzyme deficiency.

in a couple years he’ll have more than enough bulk. like i said he came into the league at 21. his body has a lot of maturing left to do. he just has to work at it.

i could see something like this happening. maybe not with all the receivers, but i could see something like this happening with some of the receivers at the end of the season with a season lost. especially after fisher had been fired and the realization that the offense most likely would be scrapped along with the rest of the coaching staff. i could totally see that happening.

doesn’t make it right. doesn’t mean it actually ever happened. but i could see it happening. can’t be totally dismissed.

we’ll just have to see it play out.

as far as goff goes. i think too much is said of his build. he’s already 215 pounds, and he looks like he could add on at least another 10.

he just has to buckle down and learn the new offense and see how it goes.

i think his defense could help out guys like ogletree, barron, and alexander. fast aggressive athletes who can blitz and chase.

shoot if they can add a corner and another outside linebacker could this defense go top 5?

i think i woulda preferred chris morgan as offensive coordinator, but i need to trust mcvay on this one plus they have kromer who’s an experienced oline coach.

lafleur-passing game coordinator

kromer-running game coordinator

why!?

zn wrote:

Michael Wilbon
@RealMikeWilbon

if this was anybody other than the Patriots making this many mistakes, including a missed PAT, we’d say they were choking like dogs.

so what would we say then since they are the patriots?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by InvaderRam.