wv wrote:

What if you could go back and choose
between Robinson and Martin — which would
you choose?

Still Robinson. Through the next 10 years I think that a left tackle Robinson will be much more valuable than the guard Martin.

I am in complete agreement with Jason Cole.

A lot of posters are for just cutting Bradford. And I can see their reasoning. But if he is cut he will get just as good a deal elsewhere. There are too many teams out there who are desperate for a quarterback who will bid for Bradford. He would get more money as a free agent than he would in playing out his contract. So if the Rams want to keep Bradford they will either have to pay his current contract for one year and see what happens or they will have to offer him a contract that will be a better deal than he now has.

If they play Bradford under his current contract they run the risk of him having a breakout year and then having to pay him big bucks next year.

If they give him a multiple year contract that would give Bradford more guaranteed money than 13M they run the risk of Bradford getting hurt again and wasting that money. But it might be worth the risk if that guaranteed money is spread out over several years. And Bradford has to agree on this solution.

If they cut him the Rams lose any chance of taking advantage of a resurgent Bradford.

There is no sure answer. The Rams (and Bradford) have to take their choice.

I find it interesting that neither NFL Live (ESPN) nor Total Access (NFL network) even mentioned Sapp on their shows.

zn wrote:

How many of them have top 10 passing games (measure by yards per attempt): 8 of them. Green Bay, Denver, Dallas, Pitt, IND, N.O., Phil, Baltimore.

How many of them have top 10 running games (measured in yards per game): 4 of them. Seattle, Dallas, Baltimore, Phil

The two teams that have top 10 scoring offense but not a top 10 passing game: Seahawks and Pats. The superbowl teams.

And NE also does not have a top 10 running game.

BTW: I would prefer that both best running and passing games be given in yards per game or both given in yards per attempt. Comparing apples with apples that way.

Marshawn Lynch would certainly improve the Rams. But my guess is that dreaming about it is about all the Rams will do. In free agency I would guess that their first priority will be a quarterback and the second priority will be to build up the offensive line. Plus there are some players on the Rams roster that they will want to resign or extend.

wv wrote:

Silly idea? A possibly Good idea?
Any reason to think he
can still play football
at any position?

Fisher said he could play LT, LG, RG, or RT. But he did not commit to him at all in his presser.

zn wrote:

101espn ‏@101espn
“At this point he is. I think it’s reasonable to expect another QB to compete here.” Fisher on Bradford being the best option. #FisherShow

He also said that right now Bradford is the favorite to start next year. This is what a lot of us have been saying. Bring Bradford AND get a qb who would be a much better #2 than we have now.

IMO, that would seem to eliminate a trade up for a QB. To go after one of the top two QBs in the draft would be to start him. Fisher said they could go the draft route, or free agent or something else. Not a direct quote, but he said all three things. All I can think of for the “something else” would be a trade. So they will be looking at all three options.

Some of us would like to both bring in a high level vet and a high draft choice at qb. I doubt that both will happen. Fisher did sign high praises of both Hill and Davis. My speculation is if the Rams bring in a vet the Rams three qbs would be Bradford, the vet, and Davis. If they draft a qb in the first two rounds their three qbs would be Bradford, the draft choice, and Hill.

Dak wrote:

If Bradford were a free agent this year, he’d be the top available QB on the market, imo.

If Bradford were not coming off of two ACL suguries you would be right for sure. On the free agent market right now the question becomes what qb teams would be willing to throw the dice and take a chance on Bradford and for what price? My guess there would be two or three who would give him an incentive ladened offer. I also think that the Rams will be one of those teams.

repost, but it goes with the discussion in this thread.

Offensive Linemen on current roster
Starters
LT Greg Robinson — The second overall pick in this past draft. He is expected to be the Rams starter at LT for at least the next decade. He is very young and very raw but also a great talent. Expect him to become the solid LT in his second year that some fans mistakenly expected him to be this year.

LG Rodger Saffold — Rodger has had a history of injuries but has come back and played in all 16 games this season (missing only parts of two games) despite having shoulder problems. A very tough individual. He will have surgery this off season (January 7th to be exact) to correct his shoulder. He will be ready by the start of training camp.

C Scott Wells — Wells redid his contract before this season. The contract calls for $1.75M roster bonus in early March. He will not see that money.

RG Davin Joseph — Joseph was signed to a one year contract by the Rams as a backup after last year’s draft. He was forced into the starter’s job after Jake Long went down. He probably will not be returning unless it would be as a backup. And probably not then.

RT Joe Barksdale — the Rams starter at RT for the last two years. He is fairly solid but will never be all-pro. He is also an UFA. Look for the Rams to try to resign him at their price.

Primary Backups (according to ourlads)
LT, LG, RG Mike Person
C Tim Barnes
RT, LT Brandon Washington
C, G Barrett Jones

There will be two (maybe three if Barksdale is not resigned) starting positions available. Look for at least one, and maybe two or even three, of these positions to be filled by the four players listed above. Fisher’s 20 year history is to draft OL low and develop them. Just as Barksdale got his shot as a starter, these four have been warming the bench waiting their turn. And they have been working in the training room, film room, the classroom, and on the practice field. For one or two of them their work may pay off and their turn may have just arrived.

Others
C Demetrius Rhaney (IR) 2014 Round 7.
OT Steven Baker (Practice Squad)
OG Travis Bond (Practice Squad)
LT J Long on IR

It is likely that the first three will be on the Rams 80 man roster at the beginning of training camp. They will be given a chance to make the 53 man roster but I would think it would be very unlikely that they could earn a starting role in 2015.

I look for Jake Long to be cut unless he retires.

Free Agents and the draft
A year ago I would have said it would be very unlikely the Rams would draft an OL early in the draft. But they did and tried to draft another. So it could well be that they would draft a guard or tackle in the one of the first two rounds. If Barksdale is resigned it would be someone who could start at guard the first year. I could see the Rams entering free agency for a starting OL if they feel that they do not already have one of the positions filled. I know what the fans want, but I think Snead and Fisher will probably have other ideas. But I also think that OL will be one of their highest priorities.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by TackleDummy.

FYI: Hill’s qb rating against the Seahawks was 65.5

zn wrote:

HILL games 8-15 (includes games against 2 top 10 defenses):
qb rating 91.6, TDs 4.4%, Ints 2.2%

Just wondering. What is Hill’s record against the two top 10 defenses?

zn wrote:

I don’t like any single one of them. Apparently they don’t either, cause the talk from the Rams is sticking with Bradford.

It depends on what you mean by “like”. If you are talking about liking them as a good #1 qb, someone who could compete with a healthy Bradford, then I don’t like any of them either. However, if you are talking about a #2 qb who could come in and play well if Bradford goes down again then I think any of them could be that guy. I am looking for someone who is better than either Hill or Davis. Of those mentioned in the original article I think there are several who could fill that bill. I do not think any rookie could do that in 2015.

I don’t know anybody who does not think that the Rams need to get the best qb possible to backup Bradford. There is too much risk not to do so.

Thanks ZN.

I got my information from an interview of Saffold where he said he would have his shoulder scoped after the season. He said it mater of factly as though it would be almost nothing. What you (zn) found supports that. And you can see why he did not to do it if he could get by through the season. He missed parts of two games if my memory serves me correctly. Had he had the surgery it would have been half of the season. And the sucess rate you quoted sounds very couraging. 90% is a good number for something like that.

PA Ram wrote:

Looking at the names on the list, there is no good option this year.

Just get a fairly solid guy and build the offensive line.

To me that’s the thing to do this year–don’t trade for a Cutler and give him huge money–invest in a free agent guard or center–then draft a good one and another one.

Try to resign Hill and Bradford at a fair price–even Davis and go with that three-headed monster behind a better line.

I do want them drafting a QB in the 2nd or 3rd round.

But this is not a QB year for them. Their best hope is that Bradford suddenly becomes Iron Man and can finally claim the throne and be steady. The other options all stink.

Build the O-line.

Pretty much as I see it. I also don’t like the Cutler idea. There may be a couple of players in the “available” list that would be better than Hill or Davis. That would be up to Fisher and Snead. And I also would like a high draft choice for a qb but only if there is one that the Rams could draft without reaching too much. The best hope still seems to be Bradford.