zn wrote:

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire

Stetson Bennett had the lowest grade of any quarterback this preseason, which isn’t the way he hoped to start his career

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Yeah, we are all gonna be curious to see if and how, he develops.

Skimming thru this a bit, and the only 4th rounder i can see that amounted to much was Dak.

https://www.nfl.com/news/2023-nfl-draft-ranking-every-quarterback-class-since-2000

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Seems like an important trade to me.   An under the radar type thing only hardcore fans will care about.

The kind of solid vet depth he provides could save Matthew Stafford from

getting himself all Bulgerized.

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To state the obvious, That has to be one of the worst preseason performances in Ram history.

I have no idea if it ‘means’ anything.   It doesnt lower my expectations for this season.

My expectations are that, barring key injuries, the Rams will compete for the last WildCard spot.   Hover somewhere around .500.    Like most teams.

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Jourdan doing her part,

to lower expec-tations.   🙂

If the Rams need Joe Noteboom to be a good player,  my expectations are now

lowered.

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Whats the major knock on St. Bennett?    Why wasnt he considered as a top pick?

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I think Puka may already be the 2nd best offensive weapon on the team.  Kupp is first, obviously.

I dunno why he wasnt picked earlier in the draft.

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I love J.R. but I’m not exactly, totally sure there was really a theme tying all that together.   I mean, it just sounded like ‘the Rams are working on improving personnel decisions and processes’.    Well….duh.   So is every other team.

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‘I dont know yet,’ but i am a bit pessimistic about the D (as well as the O and Special Teams).

J. Ramsey, Ashawn Robinson, Greg Gaines, Leonard Floyd, Bobby Wagner… — man, that is some serious veteran talent they have lost.   I dont think they can equal that with cheap-young-talent.

And i dont think a more aggressive front 7 will alter that.

So, I’m a little pessimistic even though, I ‘dont know’.

I ‘do’ think the NFL has a lot of parity, and I think a ‘decent’ team can compete for a Nine or Ten win season and a playoff berth.   So, sure, the Rams ‘can make the playoffs’ if they get some good bounces and few injuries, blah blah.

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I would think, this would be Higbee’s biggest year.

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Matt Stafford, not in the best 100 players in the NFL.

Okey dokey.

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Yeah, i think that all makes sense.

Stafford is the perfect fit with McV because, Stafford will ‘never’ lose confidence.  Of all the Ram QBs i’ve watched in my life, I’d say, Stafford may be the most obstinately-F’ing-confident QB I’ve ever seen.   It can lead to a Ring, and it can lead to games with 27 INTs.

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zn wrote:

wv wrote:

The last time the Rams used their top pick for an Interior Olineman was — last year. Bruss. Ok, well, they are stocking up, arent they. w v

….so that the Rams actually have a list of experienced players to build with in 2023. If Jackson works out as predicted, for example, they will have possibly gotten a starting LOT as a UDFA, which is a major find.

Well, if the Rams find a solid starting LOT from the UDFA pile, the scouts deserve a medal.   I mean, thats the kind of find that changes a season.

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zn wrote:

From the info net:

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) is native to North America and hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 6.

I’m zone 5 so as it happens I am a stranger to this plant.

I thought you were a cover 2 guy.   Cover 5 seems a bit soft to me.

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zn wrote:

wv wrote:

== Question — When’s the last time the Rams used their first pick for an Interior Offensive Lineman? I cant remember that ever happening. w v

The times Rams have used a first pick for an OL. A couple of times are surprises because their first pick was a low one. They have a lot of first round “first picks” but most of them are either busts or disappointments or underperformers, which is why they’re forgettable. I will red-bold all the busts and forgettables and underperformers. I only went back to 66 (Tom Mack). 2023: Avila, round 2 2022: Bruss, round 3 2018: Noteboom, round 3 2014: Robinson, round 1 2009: Smith, round 1 2005: Barron, round 1 1997: Pace, round 1 1994: Gandy, round 1 1990: Brostek, round 1 1986: Schad, round 1 1966: Mack, round 1 Here’s a time defying Rams “all bad picks” OL: Barron Robinson Brostek Schad Smith

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Ha.  Well, Im an idiot.  The last time the Rams used their top pick for an Interior Olineman was — last year.    Bruss.

Ok, well, they are stocking up, arent they.

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zn wrote:

wv wrote:

they can finish in that 9-7 zone.

It’s hard to adjust to the 17 game schedule, ain’t it. (Friendly tease, not a taunt.) One thing I notice about the McV Rams. Look at all the players who made some noise and did some things with the Rams, eventually became FAs who walked and…then did nothing. I just think they might be a bit bigger than the sum of their parts. Who did the Rams have on offense when they had their best seasons? Gurley–till the knee. Woods, who then didn’t do anything after leaving. Kupp. The McV Rams were never as loaded as the Bruce, Holt, Faulk Rams. But still they are 46/18 in years with a relatively healthy OL, and that includes 2 super bowl appearances. In the other 2 years they are 14/19. Now of course that’s not some kind of written in stone, sure-thing formula because there are variables such as having Whitworth before and finding a new LOT now. Anyway. One of the things they’re doing with the OL in 23 is bulking up the interior, not only to give the running game more juice, but to give Stafford a pocket to step up in. I think if relatively healthy the Rams are about a 10 win team, maybe more.

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Question — When’s the last time the Rams used their first pick for an

Interior Offensive Lineman?

I cant remember that ever happening.

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