Agamemnon wrote:

<span class=”d4pbbc-font-color” style=”color: blue”>You guys do realize that that isn’t an official depth chart?</span>

It claims to be official.

But even if it IS official, it doesn’t mean much. Just a snapshot in time.

It seems to me that going all in on the pass rush is a good idea, especially given the point LA makes later that the NFL has tilted everything towards passing, away from rushing anyway. And that doesn’t mean that the Rams are not trying to cover as well, in spite of the addition of Ayers (who – I will take his word for it – can’t cover). They invested heavily in secondary last year, both in the draft, and in UDFA, and a couple of those guys red-shirted. So the development of the secondary this year will be one aspect of the Rams that I will have an eye on. We have Gaines and Joyner up-and-coming, and this year we should see what Bryant and Roberson can do. I do think their LBs are limited, and probably the least imposing unit on the team. They are serviceable, but no wrecking crew.

I think Gurley was a great decision at 10. I’ve yet to see anybody offer another name that was on the board at that point who could arguably have made as big a difference. His presence will make Foles and the passing game better both by making the defense worry about more things, and by his own value as a receiver. Want a better passing game? Get Gurley. Nobody else on the board would have helped the passing game more at that point. And while running the ball may very well mean more plays to score, Gurley doesn’t fumble. And running with Gurley is a lower risk than throwing to anybody. I just don’t agree that the Gurley addition will make a drive more likely to make a mistake. On the contrary. I think he immediately becomes the guy on the Rams that defenses have to gameplan for.

He’s a punt returner.

Gurley Men.

wv wrote:

Zooey wrote:

Holy crap.
I would expect that kind of expectation only from a Rams fan. I doubt even most of the Rams beat writers would rate them that highly.
I like them.
I think they have a young corps that is now hitting its stride. I could really see this team taking off. I thought they were ready to step up last year until Bradford was lost, and the OL got wiped out. Again.

But now there is hope that with stability in schemes, and with some experience, this young, young team could elevate itself this year.
I like them better than the Cardinals and 9ers.

Yeah, its an interesting ranking.
I think they got it right, btw. Thats about
right where I’d put them.
They certainly have the talent to be right
there in the 9 or 10 win range, fighting
for a playoff spot.

w
v

I agree with that. I think they are right, too. I am just very surprised anybody nationally thinks that. Given the usual level of ignorance we see nationally.

4. NBC broadcaster Bob Costas

“I think [Brady] mishandled it with the league, and he also mishandled it in the court of public opinion,” Costas said on the Today show on Tuesday. “Think back, if he just said this: ‘Look, we all look for an edge. I like the football at the lowest possible end of what’s allowable. I communicated that to the equipment guys. If they went a bit overboard, I’m sorry, my bad,’ See you later.”

I think that’s about right.

At the time the story broke, everybody was saying that it didn’t affect the outcome. If Brady had said something like what Costas suggests, the punishment wouldn’t have been as severe, and he would have survived the court of public opinion. I would have still thought he was a liar because I don’t think those equipment guys would have done that without his blessing, but I think most people would have just let it go.

I don’t feel sorry for him. And Kraft can go blow himself. It’s just too bad Belichek isn’t dragged into this more.

But now they are busted TWICE for cheating. It taints their accomplishments. Boston fans can feel victimized all they want, but they will never hear the end of it.

wv wrote:

NERam wrote:

Heatin’ up a bit

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/report-patriots-fear-lengthy-suspension-for-tom-brady/ar-BBjryg1?ocid=U142DHP

Well, Brady got a fourth ring. I doubt
if he even cares that much about missing
some regular season games. He got his Ring,
and he’ll still be around for the Pats usual
playoff run. The money wont matter to him at this point.

w
v

The reputation will.

He could potentially become a Barry Bonds.

Tom Brady Asterisk.

wv wrote:

I am guessing he wont be in the lineup till
mid-season or so. But what do i know.

That means he’ll only get a thousand yards next year.

w
v

Well, just so long as the Rams win the Super Bowl, I’m okay with that.

bnw wrote:

I hope for the best but I feel people are getting too far ahead with optimism considering he’s recovering from an ACL. If Mason ends up keeping the job what an expensive and waste of another first round pick.

Yes, it is said it takes 2 years to recover 100%. Since he was hurt in November, he would have to be well ahead of schedule to be 100% at the beginning of the 2016 season.

He doesn’t, however, have to be 100% to play or be effective. But you are right to remind us of caution. I don’t see how he can start the season, really.

zn wrote:

Word around the campfire is that the Jets already had Gurley pegged @ #6. But when the Skins passed on L. Williams, they did a 180 and drafted the most talented player in the draft. Bowles just couldn’t help himself.

Well, if the Jets wanted him, that can’t be good.

I think the “identity” aspect of this is overblown a little bit. While it is easy to draw a “run it down their throats” theme to this draft, I don’t think that was really the intent. It looks that way. But if this had been a typical draft with an LB here, and an OL there, it wouldn’t have been so easily categorized even though it would have been building a Fisher team in equally the same way. Just not one aspect of it all at once.

It fell out that way.

The Rams entered the off season with two primary needs: OL and a QB of the future. There are other things they could have used, but that’s what they NEEDED.

Then Gurley was there. And it looks like a “run it down their throats” draft.

RIP, Thordaddy.

What the hell is a “perpetual rebuilding process?” Doesn’t every team participate in the draft every year? What do they want, Trung Canidate type picks?

The Rams have to play rookies because they totally sucked when Fisher took over. They haven’t reached the point of the luxury of drafting for depth. They are drafting for starters still. And they are getting closer.

zn wrote:

Herzog wrote:

What do you mean “based on the CBA”. What kind of limitations are we talking about here?

The league sets a limit on how much teams can spend on undrafted FAs every year. I actually think it might be less that $100,000. That means that, in year one anyway, he will have to settle for next to nothing. Of course after this year he could end up getting a big-time FA contract.

If that’s true, he may sit the year.

He may have to anyway. He may be cleared this week, and he may be cleared after everybody has been in camp a while. And maybe he will be Aaron Hernandez’s roommate this time next year.

But why work for a plumber’s salary this year, and risk an ACL?

Presumably he would be eligible for FA next year in February when all the other FA hit the market.

I just don’t think he plays this year.

Mackeyser wrote:

With so many teams set up to defend the pass, teams often struggle to deal with a beefy run game.

Look at how teams struggle to defend Seattle’s O.

Well, if we essentially look to do it better by having a better OL, a back with the potential to be better than Lynch and a better passing QB than Wilson with better weapons than Seattle has, then we have the potential to be ridiculously scary as a team. Just flat out horrific to other teams because we’re going to be a 4th quarter nightmare to defend.

It’s not just Gurley, but also Foles.

If Foles is Faulk, then Gurley is Holt.

I just got a feeling that some alchemy is brewing this year… and having Mason with his ability to make people miss… man, we’re going to give teams fits.

You must be feeling a lot better because I see your meds are really kicking in, Mack.

I’m not sure the Rams’ OL is even adequate yet, Gurley may not play half the year, and expecting him to be better than Lynch when he does is optimistic, and Foles is a better QB than Wilson only in a few of the more remote alternate universes, and in none of them is he the impact player Faulk is.

I must admit, though, that I am looking forward to the season a lot more now than I was two weeks ago.