2015 Offensive Line

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Mojo Ram

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This is not a vent thread. You can put that stuff next to my post in the vent thread.
Having said that, i am not happy with this unit and would like to discuss what our options are going forward after this season(we're 2-5). I'm no capologist, so your input is definitely welcome here.

LT
I would like to go ahead and move G.Robinson over to LT next season. Let him finish this season at Guard, or maybe give him some LT opportunities(i haven't heard any word on J.Long's status).
I'm confident that GRob can be at least as good as Jake Long is today by the time we get to week 1 next season. Long has 2 years left on a 4 year deal. His play has been very average IMO. I don't care about his knee injury 2 years ago either. He's an old 29.
His salary info: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/st.-louis-rams/jake-long/
Can we just release him? If i'm reading it right the dead money cost isn't an issue. This job needs to be Robinson's in 2015.

Mike Person is a backup who will be an UFA in 2015. He knows the system, has been plugged in at a fw positions and hasn't been terrible. Developing. Re-sign him cheap or look for talent in the draft to back up the Tackle position.

RT
Joe has been quiet. Quiet good. He's been a reliable rock at RT. Not outstanding at anything but good at everything. He's 25 yrs old. He's well liked in the locker room it appears. He will command some dollars. Pay him. There will be money free'd up.
His salary info: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/st.-louis-rams/joe-barksdale/
He will be an UFA in 2015. Again...pay him. We need to start looking at keeping our younger talent who have shown the ability to BE RELIABLE.

C
Scott Wells info: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/st.-louis-rams/scott-wells/
There's no reason to keep Wells around anymore. He's 33, mostly ineffective and injury prone. He has one year left on his deal. $4.7mill cap hit in 2015. No thanks.

Maybe we've all been wrong and impatient about Barrett Jones. I'm not a believer but maybe he really is finally ready to stay healthy and start in 2015. Jones has two years left on a rookie 4 year deal.

Tim Barnes is a RFA in 2015. Rams have had him in and out of the system here since 2011. Knows the system. Maybe he's the guy who is ready to step in? Idk. Rams probably choose to keep one of either Jones or Barnes. Just my opinion.

Rams need to grab some insurance here if Wells is let go. Free agency doesn't look too promising.

LG/RG
Robinson shouldn't be the guy here in 2015. He was drafted to be an impact LT. Put him there day one at training camp next season. Mike Person has stepped in at Guard at times(like today)and been JAG. Again i think Person might get re-signed.

Rodger Saffold. [sigh] I'm calm....[exhales]. This is the killer.
His salary info: http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/st.-louis-rams/rodger-saffold/
Four years left on a $31million deal. Maybe some of you feel that his on the field play justifies his fragility(and now his salary). I'm willing to listen to those arguments. Rams can't release Saffold obviously. Maybe they can trade him? No i don't think so. We're stuck with Saffold. I didn't like this signing when it happened. I felt the risk was 5 times higher than the J.Long signing. I suppose we just need to solidify the one Guard position opposite Rodger in the offseason and make sure we have depth there...because Saffold will be in and out of games for us for the next THREE YEARS at least.

D.Joseph has been valuable while Grob sat, but a liability in terms of his play on the field. He's a vet who will be ready to play. Thats it.
He's on a one year deal. I doubt he comes back. He's stayed healthy which is nice, but has been a disappointment on the field in a starting role.
Rams will need to address the Guard position regardless in 2015.


Mike Iupati will be an UFA. He's 27 yrs old. Has had a rough season with a concussion and been nicked up a bit, but there's talk that the Niners can't afford to bring him back. Iupati is a 2012,2013 Pro Bowler who would fit in nicely here next to GRob.


My Last word
This group has largely underachieved. I'm not saying that they've been bad, but it's an aging, injury prone, expensive group that hasn't been dominating at all at any time...and has only been really good about half the time IMO. We have some youth there with GRob, Barksdale, Jones, Barnes, Person...but there isn't alot of pure talent there.

I want to hit the reset button here. Build the OLine around our bookend Tackles(Robinson/Barksdale). Use the draft and be smarter in FA. There is plenty of skill position talent here now on offense. Yes we're going to have decisions to make at QB too, we've got WAY too much money tied up in our OLine so lets look at a fresh start there.
 

jdhommert

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We'll get Robinson the experience at LT the rest of the season

and hopefully we'll get a long look at what Jones can do at C this year...

Worried about at least 1 guard spot, 2 if Saffold is down.

We knew we would need a OG going into next season though with Robinson moving over to LT.
 

Robocop

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that's why they where working him at two spots. Long was bound to go down. everyone was more concerned about the secondary this year but I knew the Oline would be worse. looking at decent stats from last year don't mean shit the next year.
 

Tron

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Draft two guards early, sign a good center in FA, draft a center to compete with Jones and the vet. Draft a couple tackles who fall, like seantrel henderson(who I wanted) for depth and grooming and can also be used at guard.

Youngest o-line in the league but better than older vets that under perform and are on the decline.
 

theramsruleUK

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I've said it before and I'll say it again.
If Davis isn't our Starter next year, draft a QB in R1 and draft a shi t load of OL in the next rounds
 

Bluesy

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Yeah I think our draft is going to have to consist of OL, LB, and a QB. Hopefully we can find a QB in 2-3. Really need some legit o linemen. If Davis can show some consistency and step up that'll help.
 

Dodgersrf

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Our o line has been well below average for almost a decade now. It's not a coincidence that we have had a terrible last decade. All of the FA acquisitions have been failures. Bell, Brown, Wells, Dahl, Long etc. Some have played well at times, but we could never put it all together.

Times up. It's time to put some serious players up front.
 

LACHAMP46

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Draft a RT in the 3rd....and AJ Cann in the 2nd or 3rd....We release Jake (get every QB hurt) Long, do not, don't re-sign Barksdale....Start G-Rob & Barrett Jones at their best positions (LT & C)....draft a center....that's 3 o-line spots...
Still need a QB (Winston) & one more wr(Bailey & Austin are pretty much worthless in this offense..can not get open...worry about defenders in 2016....sure need a LB...maybe 2....
 

Yamahopper

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Grob and RS due to his contract, let the rest go.
The culture of poor line play has to change
If that means coach Bou needs a ride to the bus station so be it
None of the backups have starting potential, they have a hard time just filling in for a few snaps.
Draft O line often and repeatedly.
Rams will not have a consistently winning team till the O line becomes a strength.
 

Athos

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Draft Peat.
Draft Scherff/La'El Collins
Draft Tre Jackson

Draft the best C.

That's my dream at least, however impossible it is.

 

Mojo Ram

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
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Draft a RT in the 3rd....and AJ Cann in the 2nd or 3rd....We release Jake (get every QB hurt) Long, do not, don't re-sign Barksdale....Start G-Rob & Barrett Jones at their best positions (LT & C)....draft a center....that's 3 o-line spots...
Still need a QB (Winston) & one more wr(Bailey & Austin are pretty much worthless in this offense..can not get open...worry about defenders in 2016....sure need a LB...maybe 2....
Why wouldn't you retain Barksdale?
 

Philly5

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The Saffold contract could really hurt. I think we try to resign Barksdale and should have money. Would be nice if one of the young centers steps up.

I really don't think the Rams will want to rely on multiple rookies, especially if there are any thoughts to bringing back Bradford.

Too many years of not building adequate depth via the draft unfortunately.
 

LACHAMP46

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@Philly5 ...no need to wait, 3 rookies couldn't be worse than what we are seeing, if we draft the right ones....seriously...

Why wouldn't you retain Barksdale?

Too much money for average play...he was getting killed out there today....It's more cost effective to place a rookie, albeit a solid rookie, at RT....his play has dropped off the last 3 games.
 

jjab360

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We're going to have to go O-line early and often in the draft imo.

We don't have a single lineman we know for sure we can depend on next year. Barksdale is a free agent and slightly overrated. Long and Wellls can't stay healthy and are almost for sure gone. Saying Saffold can't stay healthy is beyond an overstatement. Robinson is probably the closest to reliable but we still have no idea how good he is yet.

O-line is the biggest question mark on this team right now by far. And that's saying a lot considering the massive question mark we have at QB right now and to a lesser degree our linebackers, secondary, and receivers. Ugghh this team is just in much worse condition that I thought it was, makes me want to vomit. We've come so far and yet somehow haven't really gotten anywhere at all...
 

Riverumbbq

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With Jake Long done, here's our current line-up imo :

LT - Robinson
LG - Jones
C - Wells
RG - Saffold
RT - Barksdale

Of course, a more serious injury to either Wells or Saffold changes everything.



2015 Free Agency comes first, so I'd shoot for one of these guys :

CENTER - Brian de la Puente, Chi. or Stefen Wisniewski, Cin.

LG - Mike Iupati, SF.


If we can't sign one of these guys in free agency, 2015 NFL Draft :

Draft & Round :
2) C - Reese Dismukes, Aub.
3) OG - Arie Kouandjio, Ala

jmo.
 

lockdnram21

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The Saffold contract could really hurt. I think we try to resign Barksdale and should have money. Would be nice if one of the young centers steps up.

I really don't think the Rams will want to rely on multiple rookies, especially if there are any thoughts to bringing back Bradford.

Too many years of not building adequate depth via the draft unfortunately.
They should be fired if they have any thoughtof Bringing back Long or Bradford. We got our LT G Rob andour Qb is in the 2015 Draft
 

rams2050

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I cannot believe the nightmare at Arrowhead.

And to think that I thought, going in, that we could pull out the win.

WTAF?
 

Fatbot

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I guess I'll be the unpopular contrarian of the thread like usual and say up until this game the o-line was actually playing well much of this season. Sure they were inconsistent and gave up too many sacks, but the Rams lost more games thanks to their defense, not the o-line. The Rams could not fix every hole in one draft again and they gambled with the o-line depth, now it's bit them, but I think their plan was reasonable and I am not gonna hate on them for it not working out.

All these injuries should do is push the future to now. Grob was drafted to take over LT after this season, he should be the LT now going forward. The plan was hopefully J.Long would stay healthy enough this season, but if not it's time for the #2 pick. Person is only an option if there's no guards thanks to injury.

Wells has always been poor and needed to be replaced in the offseason. And they tried 3 options to replace him -- Barnes, Jones, Rhaney. They could have drafted a C higher but gambled and lost. Time for Barrett Jones to take over. It's a blessing as this is his dress rehearsal that will determine if he's the C of the future or not.

At guard they signed Saffold and got D.Joseph in the offseason for insurance. They even tried to get Zack Martin but the Cowboys nabbed him. They could have taken Martin earlier, but I'm happy for the A.Donald pick. Once again, can't do everything in one draft. So the plan was Saffold and Grob, then Joseph or Barnes/Jones or someone else to step up in case of injury. That's not a horrible plan given their limited options.

Barksdale is the lone success story of a guy they developed into an NFL starter. Nobody else is stepping up, and they've tried a lot of bodies. True, not a lot of high draft picks, I can't argue against that criticism. The other criticism is how terrible this team has been at filling holes with free agency. They blew their entire wad on J.Cook when it was entirely unnecessary. But it's not like there's been much available at C or G in free agency anyway.
 

Merlin

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Three things for me in regards to the OL...

1. No more FA additions. They need to accept that they're gonna use 2 or 3 picks in this draft on the position, period. I don't want any more old, run-down, "just got my retirement paycheck" m#th@rF(*@$#! added to this unit. Young, physical, powerful moving forward. Barks is the only FA I would consider signing, the dude is solid and dependable, an ideal RT we know.

2. Cut Long. Cut Wells. Barnes can stay as a backup but that's it, and tender him accordingly.

3. We have two pieces in GRob and Barks that we can count on. Saffold should be able to play some, and go on and off the injury list but he's good enough to keep around. They need to see Jones play. Can he stay healthy and improve week by week? I know he'll excel on the calls. So best case scenario we need TWO guards. Just draft them man, and let them compete with Person and Saffold and play the best two. Which means you draft 3 interior types (maybe one of them go with a guy who can play some OT in a pinch) and this OL should be good to go.