My first reaction was disappointment. Like…last night, I was pretty excited about the Rams’ offseason. Excellent so far.

Then…A-a-ron retires. Then Jimmy G gets signed the same day. The Raiders dumped him, ffs. I was hoping Wentz would resign, though I didn’t think it was likely.

But. Actually, Jimmy G isn’t a bad backup. He won a lot of games, and got to the SB. He may be better than Wentz, for all I know. He is certainly the best backup since Keenum. At the very least. So. Yay. I guess.

Alright. Good. This guy is valuable.

Curl looks like a steal, especially for the price. Don’t know why he signed a 2-year deal for a fraction of what other safeties signed for, and he’s rated the #2 FA Safety by CBS, #23 FA overall. PFF rates him as #21 overall, and rated him the #4 safety in the league in 2022.

Beyond that, folks on twitter are going somewhat bonkers, bitching that their favorite team did not sign him, especially at the price the Rams are getting him for.

Can confirm, as @BenStandig reported, Kam Curl to Rams two year deal per sources.

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) March 15, 2024

wv wrote:

I havent heard a single word on the Rams and what they are doing. But, man, i like what they have done so far. 

Yep.

So far, they have been brilliant, albeit under the national radar.

They need a few more pieces, but they are well-positioned to get them.

Outstanding questions include: Wentz, Noteboom, and Witherspoon.

Positional needs: K, S, CB, Edge, LBs, KR, RB, QB

zn wrote:

I expect a rotation during the season, but one that probably heavily features Parkinson. IMO, in Parkinson they got what they primarily wanted from a TE replacement for Higbee–a blocker. At this point, neither Allen nor Long is the blocker Parkinson is, or at least it looks that way from here.

Yep. His signing, as well as Jackson’s, is telling us that the Rams intend to run the football.

And I would be very surprised if a RB isn’t high on their draft board because – as you have pointed out numerous times – KW ain’t gonna carry the ball 25 times 17.

They can get one of the best RBs in the country in Round 3, looks like.

zn wrote:

My 22 cents. In the first 4 picks I want to see: * a trade down making it 5 in rounds 1-3 (ie. they can get another 3 with a modest trade down) * spend 4 of those 5 picks in rounds 1-3 on LB/edge, DL, and CB. If the players are there I would make it 2 CBs. 1st rounder is the best player at one of those 3 positions. * spend 1 of those 5 picks (likely a 3) on RB. Why RB? They went 9/4 with WMs playing and 1/3 without. I don’t think any of the backs currently have on the roster after Wms is capable of carrying them if Wms misses time (and he was dinged up twice last year, including against the Lions). So another back, one with the potential to be a 1000 yarder. Wms is a rare find and they won’t find another Qms but they can find someone better than the other options they have right now. After the first 5 picks, they need more OL, a qb, a K, and another WR. Maybe another DB. I don’t want them taking an OT high. We already know AJ is solid. He came through in the 2nd half of the season last year. And with a strong IOL (which they now absolutely have), you can start a solid as opposed to elite LOT and have a great OL.

That’s fine, but the ante on this board has risen to a full quarter.

That aside, I agree with this – unless there is a guy at one of those positions who should have gone in the top 10-12, but dropped because there was an unexpected run at some other position.

I read somewhere today that AJ was tied for 1st in pass protection among OTs who played 500+ snaps. Apparently, AJ yielded one sack all year. I also read they were tendering him at 2nd round which means they will have him for $5M or so this year. They need a backup there, not a starter. They have a starter. So… yeah.

Last year’s draft was insanely good, and the Rams are going into this draft in a very good position. With their 11 picks, if the Rams strike gold on a CB and a pass rusher, they’re in the the hunt.

They are mostly set on the offensive side of the ball. The nailed the OL, they resigned Robinson, and they replaced Higbee. A complimentary RB would make them more dangerous, but the O is set. They will be drafting for depth and the future there, not immediate starter needs. That’s incredible, actually.

Looks to me like the draft will focus mostly on defense and STs.

On defense, they have some quality up front. Hitting on both Turner and Young was amazing. They got Jones in the middle, and Lake in the back looks pretty good. Williams is an upgrade at CB. I can’t imagine that anybody is going to bowl Johnson over with an offer, so the Rams can probably keep him. I have a feeling Witherspoon and Fuller are gone, but my feelings don’t amount to much in the way of evidence.

So there are plenty of places that could stand an upgrade. The Rams didn’t get much out of the non-Aaron Donald DE spot, or the LBs outside of Jones. If they could get a disruptive DE or strongside LB, that would be great. A top-notch CB would be great. If they could hit on those 2 picks, they can do whatever they like with the remaining 9, and I’ll be happy. Well…8. Because I would like a K who can hit FGs.

zn wrote:

In fact this IOL is looking downright diabolical.

Yeah, if the Rams could throw in a Slater or a Pace, that would be swell. But A. Jack is underrated and comparatively cheap. For this year, anyway.

And I can’t help but think of Stephen Jackson in an offense like this.

#Texans are acquiring running back Joe Mixon in a trade from #Bengals per a league source. He was never formally released @KPRC2 This fills running back void for Texans

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 12, 2024

InvaderRam wrote:

i do think a guy like chase young might be worth looking into.

The 49ers took a test run with him, and parted ways. They signed Leonard Floyd instead.

Floyd is reliable, but not spectacular, and he’s a lot older than Young.

Maybe Floyd is just a better scheme fit than Young, and Young might fit the Rams better than the 49ers, but I would be wary. And the Rams probably don’t have the cap space anyway. They still have to resign one or more of Witherspoon, Johnson, Fuller.

Burns is an interesting trade. A 2nd and a 5th?

Didn’t the Rams offer two 1sts a couple of years ago? And now they let him get away for far, far less in draft capital. They certainly must have considered it, and decided to pass on him.

Which suggests the Rams are happy enough with Byron Young that they don’t think they need be spendy at that position.

I looked up Burns. Last year, he had 8 sacks and 15 TFL. Young had 8 sacks and 8 TFL.

Considering it was Young’s first season, they can reasonably expect more production from him next year. Not saying he will be as good as Brian Burns, but statistically, he could be similarly productive in a couple of stats, anyway. At a fraction of Burns’ cost.

Dunno.

They have 11 picks. The Rams must be happy.

Or they’re talking to Hunter.

List of active QBs that have won a Super Bowl in the last 10 years.

1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Matt Stafford

— J.C. VOTE YES! April 2 (@rock_climber02) March 2, 2024

This is great news.

InvaderRam wrote:

i just want to see avila continue to make progress on the left side. re-sign jackson. i don’t know what happens at center. maybe bring shelton back. maybe draft powers-johnson after a trade down?

Sign Shelton, extend Jackson, and you have what has to be considered long-term continuity on the OL for the salary cap age. That line was pretty good last year, and will be better this year.

Draft for depth, and eventual replacement of Havenstein, and they’re set there. I wouldn’t mind Powers-Johnson at all, but they already have a proven commodity in Shelton, and greater needs elsewhere. So keep Shelton, and get either the best Edge or CB at 19, and go from there.