Barksdale update

[Afro Ram]

LT Robinson
LG Blalock
C Rhaney/Barnes/Jones
RG Saffold
RT Barksdale

Will say it until I'm blue in the face, but, if healthy, that would be a pretty decent offensive line. Perhaps the best this team has had in years. And more than good enough to win with, if the QB and Offensive Coordinator do their jobs.

I don't know that o-line doesn't look all that great to me.

LT. 2nd yr 1st round pick (ok no complaints)
LG. Aging veteran probably on the decline.
C. A bunch of whos???
RG. Very good player when he's healthy. Let me repeat, when he's healthy.
RT. No other team except for the Titans and the Rams wants this guy out of 32 teams. That has to make you wonder.

I hope the draft is as deep with linemen as they say it is.

 

[Yamahopper]

I'll take him as a back up. But if no other team wants him as a starter then why should the Rams.

 

[lockdnram21]

I tried to say he wasn't that good. Now u can see nobody wants him

 

[JackDRams]

But if no other team wants him as a starter then why should the Rams.

Because we have nothing else?

 

[jjab360]

I'll take him as a back up. But if no other team wants him as a starter then why should the Rams.

As a backup to who exactly? Lol.

Who cares what his free agent market is like we know from first hand experience that he was an okay starter for us. There aren't any better RTs left in Free Agency and it'd probably have to be one of the first round OTs if we want somebody who could be more productive in the short term future.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I don't know that o-line doesn't look all that great to me.

LT. 2nd yr 1st round pick (ok no complaints)
LG. Aging veteran probably on the decline.
C. A bunch of whos???
RG. Very good player when he's healthy. Let me repeat, when he's healthy.
RT. No other team except for the Titans and the Rams wants this guy out of 32 teams. That has to make you wonder.

I hope the draft is as deep with linemen as they say it is.

Blalock just turned 31 in December and is coming off a good year at LG with the Falcons. (Not a down year like Joseph had prior to joining the team). And OLinemen don't typically fall off the cliff at 30 like RBs tend to do. Either way, unless there were an injury I'd guess he'd be fine for 2015.

And a lot of guys were a bunch of whos?? prior to getting their shot. Guys like Tom Nutten, Andy McCollum, Mike Gruttadauria, Harvey Dahl, etc.. And most of us never heard of these guys prior to them getting their chance. Doesn't mean that they all can't play because they didn't play immediately. They just haven't had the opportunity and/or finished being developed yet. Hell, Evan Mathis didn't do squat for about 8 years prior to being considered one of the better guards in the NFL.

Saffold had surgery this offseason after the season and should be fine. Either way, an injury can happy to anyone.

And Barksdale's situation has more to do with what he and his agent were asking for early as I recall other teams had interest. Either way, I can't get too down on a guy because he's not too popular with other teams. Especially when I consider that not every team has the need at the position and don't know the player as well. And with there being examples of guys few if any teams seemed to have wanted who have played well for their respective teams.

It's been proven over and over again, that all you need are 5 solid to above average joes on the same page to have a good offensive line, if the QB and OC perform. And that's the REAL KEY. I still believe that would be a nice starting group for 2015. Will they win many offseason awards? No. Will they rival the OLines the LA Rams had in the past? Probably not. But that group would be good enough to win with in 2015.

Example: As I stated in another thread, the 2009-2010 Cleveland Browns OLines had 4 above average to very good (or even one great OLineman) in LT Joe Thomas, LG Eric Steinbach, C Alex Mack, RG Floyd "Porkchop" Womack, and a solid RT John St. Clair. One of the better Oline groups we've seen over the years. And those Browns offenses still hovered around the bottom of the league in scoring points. On the other end of the spectrum, the Seahawks have had more issues on the OLine than the Rams (injurywise) and have maintained a top 10 scoring offense.

Again, QB and Offensive Coordinator. That's the REAL key.

 

[Ballhawk]

We have the back ups signed and now we need to draft some starters!

 

[LACHAMP46]

STARTERS_____BACKUPS
LT Robinson ------Washington/Saffold
LG La'el Collins----Bond
C Rhaney-----------Barnes
RG Saffold---------Garrett Reynolds
RT Flowers---------Barksdale

 

[Yamahopper]

As a backup to who exactly? Lol.

Who cares what his free agent market is like we know from first hand experience that he was an okay starter for us. There aren't any better RTs left in Free Agency and it'd probably have to be one of the first round OTs if we want somebody who could be more productive in the short term future.

8.5 sacks allowed is Jason Smith-ish.

 

[Dodgersrf]

STARTERS_____BACKUPS
LT Robinson ------Washington/Saffold
LG La'el Collins----Bond
C Rhaney-----------Barnes
RG Saffold---------Garrett Reynolds
RT Flowers---------Barksdale

That's a young line. But wow.
I'd have Jones over Rhaney. You forgot to list him.

 

[jjab360]

8.5 sacks allowed is Jason Smith-ish.

Going purely off of sacks allowed is no way to judge an offensive tackle...

 

[jjab360]

STARTERS_____BACKUPS
LT Robinson ------Washington/Saffold
LG La'el Collins----Bond
C Rhaney-----------Barnes
RG Saffold---------Garrett Reynolds
RT Flowers---------Barksdale

I don't see how that happens considering both Collins and Flowers are both projected to go in the first half of the first round.

 

[RamWoodie]

STARTERS_____BACKUPS
LT Robinson ------Washington/Saffold
LG La'el Collins----Bond
C Rhaney-----------Barnes
RG Saffold---------Garrett Reynolds
RT Flowers---------Barksdale

This is the makings of a good OLine...PERIOD. I don't have a problem with it.

 

[Memphis Ram]

8.5 sacks allowed is Jason Smith-ish.

OTHER RTS AROUND THE LEAGUE. Per stats.com

49ers 1st Round OT Anthony Davis gave up 10.5, 9.5, & 10 sacks his first 3 seasons.

Former Lions and current Colts OT and former 1st Round OT Gosder Cherilus gave up 6.5, 8.5, 2.0, & 9.0 sacks his first 4 seasons.

Giants 1st rounder Justin Pugh gave up 7.5 last year. And he missed 2 games.

Chargers 1st Rounder D.J. Fluker? 6.0 & 6.0 sacks with 15 penalties so far.

Vikings 2nd Rounder Phil Loadholt? 6.0, 4.0, 9.5 sacks his first 3 seasons.

Browns 2nd Rounder Mitchell Schwartz gave up 6.0, 11.0, & 6.0 his first 3 seasons.

Cowboys Doug Free? 5.0, 9.5, and 7.0 sacks his first 3 years as a full time starter.
Steelers 2nd rounder Marcus Gilbert 7.0 & 7.5 sacks (1st & 3rd year).

Packers 1st Rounder Bryan Bulaga gave up 11.0 sacks as a rookie.
Seahawks 2nd rounder Justin Britt gave up 7.0.
Eagles 1st rounder Lane Johnson gave up 8.5.

Yet most of these offenses kept chugging along. Well the ones with a good QB/Offensive Coordinator performance.

You know. Now I'm beginning to see why Barksdale may have been asking for a lot of money.

 

[Mr. Walker]

People who think Joe Barksdale is bad need to go back and watch his film. Rams can certainly upgrade the position but Joe is more than capable of being a middle of the pack Right Tackle in this league. He's not Michael Oher bad.

Just because he hasn't made any visits, doesn't mean there isn't interest out there.

 

[Barrison]

I think ROD's Question/Answer sessions have got to Barksdale head, clearly we made him think he was worth more than he is.

 

[CodeMonkey]

STARTERS_____BACKUPS
LT Robinson ------Washington/Saffold
LG La'el Collins----Bond
C Rhaney-----------Barnes
RG Saffold---------Garrett Reynolds
RT Flowers---------Barksdale

Where is Cameron Erving?

 

[hotanez]

I for one would be extremely happy if the Rams can sign both Barksdale and Blalock. Blalock is the key because he would start next to GR helping him with a veteran presence. That would also let Roger start at right guard and that's his best position per the coaching staff. One more benefit would be that Barksdale played his best with Roger next to him and I think he can do it again.

 

[rams24/7]

Going purely off of sacks allowed is no way to judge an offensive tackle...

Agreed. And not to dismiss the sacks he allowed, but 6 out of the 8 he allowed were to Houston, Kerrigan, and Von Miller. The whole trio finished in the top 7 in sacks or better in 2014, combined for 49.5 sacks, and 2 Pro Bowls.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Either way premium talent isn't limited to the first couple of rounds. And I'd argue that the team ISN'T stocked with talent everywhere else, too. Especially not with premium talent. Not hardly.

Actually the better talent is acquired at the top half of the draft.
I'd argue all day that the talent on this roster is good to very good across the board with the exception of the OLine. It's clearly the black eye on this roster when you look at the long term investment put in, and potential compared to the rest of the squad.