Analyzing the Rams 2017 key free agents

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A55VA6

Legend
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
8,208
If the Rams lose T.J. McDonald in FA, I wonder if we would move Barron back to safety..
 

FRO

Legend
Joined
Jun 1, 2013
Messages
5,308
They've gotten themselves saddled with some bad contracts. Quinn is no longer a dominant pass rusher but he's being paid like one. And he won't be able to play 16 games anymore. We'll do good to get 12 out of him. Kendricks is a drop machine. Saffold is ok but nothing more. He's played more than usual this year but his injury history is iffy. Tavon is a gimmick guy you can't rely on in the pass game. Guys like him coulda been had on the 3rd day of the draft.

I'd like all the pending free agents back but not at the cost of losing out on other free agents we need. We need reliable receivers. Britt is the closest one we have to that. None of the others is even close. I don't know what to say about the line. Nothing good anywhere. But we realistically can't get rid of em all and start over. All we can do is hope the new staff can do a better job coaching them.

I'd look for a savvy vet at LT and either move Robinson inside or demote him to the bench. Let him finish his last year and don't pick up the 5th year option. If they bring back Tru we will need someone opposite him. And we need a true free safety.

All in all, we need the offense to be better. This was the worst one I've seen since the 1-15 season in 2009. Pretty much equal to that one. The league is geared to offense. Teams are scoring more. You can't expect to have a top tier defense year after year. You need guys who can make plays. We don't have anyone who resembles that.
Totally agree with what you have to say. I still think there's hope for Quinn because he is still fairly young and at least has done it in the past, but the last few years he hasn't played at the level he is getting paid. What really sucks is guys like Austin get huge extensions while they let a proven commodity at a important position walk. Letting Jenkins walk was a bad idea and should get people in the front office fired.
 

Austin

Rookie
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
208
Name
Douglas
I think none of these guys are must-signs. Money has to be right.

Tru is not worth what we would have paid Jenkins, going from a pure ability standpoint. He's just not a #1, and doesn't show the consistency or potential to become one. Still, and depending on what else is available, keeping him at 9 to 11 million might be our best option. Would it be worth it? Eh. He's better than average, good but not great. Depends where the scheme goes and and what the market dictates. He's not worth losing Ogletree or A. Donald over, that's for sure.

T.J. is a good player I want to keep. He's our best safety. That said, we have safeties, and his price-tag can't be too high. Offer him what Philly gave McLeod, and let him test the market if he doesn't like it.

Britt... mixed feelings. He's our best receiver, inconsistent though he sometimes is. We lean on him, which makes his shortcomings more apparent, however, I think he would be stellar as a #2, and thus should be kept around at a #2 sort of price. If he's looking to cash in, which he probably will be, he'll be a bit too expensive, I think, but we'll see.

Greg Z is a much better kicker than he gets credit for, I believe. This might be a little bit involved, but... People point to 2015. The kicks he missed that year, for the most part were deep ones that the coach put on him because he didn't trust his offense. He was 12/13 inside 40 yards, 5/8 between 40 and 50 (2 blocks), 3/9 at 50+. That year, against the packers, he made a 40-yarder, had a 50-yarder blocked, missed a 53-yarder, and a 63-yarder. Against the browns, he did miss a 35-yarder(That was his lone sub-39-yard miss). He had one more miss... another 63-yard attempt. Against the Ravens, he had an extra-point blocked, and missed a 53-yarder. Against the Vikings, he had a miss of 48 yards, along with makes of 61, 35, 53, and 45. His first game against the niners, he had a 40-yarder blocked, and made his other kick. In the final game, against the niners, he missed a 52-yarder, and had a 48-yarder blocked, making 3 other kicks. All this is to say: we should keep him. Not only is he serviceable, he's a plus-kicker, with the leg to make the occasional deep one if absolutely necessary, and good accuracy and great consistency under 40 yards (something that isn't necessarily a given), and I would argue under 50 yards. I would pay Greg Z as much as any but the best kickers.

Benny is a nice player for us, a glue guy, someone willing and able to perform at a high level with limited snaps. We ought to keep him for RB2 money, but shouldn't be afraid of letting him go, if there's a much higher market for him
(I doubt there will be). We have backs, and can bring backs in, able to do what he does, at a similar level, and at minimum contracts.

Anyway, these are my takes. I guess I'd say the closest to a must-sign is Zuerlein.
 

Yamahopper

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
3,838
GZ if price is right. Maybe Bennie, but they really need a RB to push TG.
Rest can go unless Vet min or a little more.
Barron might need a home at SS.

It's gonna take a couple years to turn this around a guy like Tru or Mc D will be in decline by then so might as well have new guys ready and playing then.