Barron update

[Merlin]

View: https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/942938683476283392

 

[Merlin]

View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/McVay-We-Feel-like-Mark-Barron-will-be-OK-/8b38c2fc-ce2a-42eb-88c1-2c3278461533


McVay: 'We Feel like Mark [Barron] will be OK'
Posted 5 hours ago

Starting inside linebacker Mark Barron left the Rams’ 42-7 victory over the Seahawks after just three plays with a knee injury and did not return to the field. But according to head coach Sean McVay, it doesn’t appear to be an injury that will keep Barron out long term.

“He just had a little knee soreness,” McVay said Monday. “We feel like Mark will be OK. We’ll kind of just evaluate him day-to-day as the week progresses and we’ll have more updates on Wednesday.”

Sunday’s kickoff temperature was just 47 degrees with winds coming out of the south at 15 miles per hour. McVay said those conditions likely contributed to Barron’s injury status.

“I think when you just look at the weather and some of the elements — it just bothered him a little bit more than it had,” McVay said.

Barron has been dealing with a few injures over the course of the season, and the Rams have limited his practice time in order to keep him fresh on Sundays. One benefit of that is linebacker Cory Littletonhas seen plenty of practice time, which keeps him prepared in the event that he has to go in.

“I think it helps a lot. I think when you look at Cory, he’s been such a key contributor on special teams the last couple years. But when he’s gotten his opportunities, Cory’s a really good player,” McVay said. “And just finding different ways to get him involved — I know we’ve created a few different personnel groupings throughout the course of the year, just to get him on the field.”

With the Rams taking out many of their starters in the blowout win, only cornerback Troy Hill played more than Littleton’s 54 defensive snaps on Sunday. He finished with four defensive tackles — one for loss — and a special teams tackle on Sunday.

“You see his speed show up — great recognition ability. Makes a great play kind of on the little boot where [Jimmy] Graham comes across the formation and he tackles it for minus-one yard. And Cory’s just stepped up.

“But I do think that definitely helps him out when he’s able to get a lot of those looks and reps during the course of the week,” McVay added, crediting assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry and assistant linebackers coach Chris Shula for their work to prepare LIttleton. “And Cory stepped up and did a good job.”

 

[SteveBrown]

Rest Barron for the playoffs.....and Alec O, after we beat Titans!

 

[DaveFan'51]

Rest Barron for the playoffs.....and Alec O, after we beat Titans!

I think your right, but I sure want us to put a Beat-Down on both the Titans and Whinner's so we keep the momentum going into the Playoff's!

 

[bubbaramfan]

Barron battled nagging injuries all through TC and over half the season. But the last few games and the playoffs he really showed up and looked like hi old self. If he's really healthy now he's worth keeping at a reduced salary,

 

[Merlin]

I honestly can't take any more of the up and down production Mark Barron brings. Every time he seems to turn the corner he regresses, and while we had a lot of issues on the nose with Suh struggling all season long that no doubt impacted him, I still witnessed plenty of plays where he outright took the wrong approach to the ball carrier and/or allowed for gaping holes for runners. Last one was vs the 9ers I think, where an otherwise very good day of run defense by our unit was dismantled by a long run where Littleton crashed into the OL and Barron didn't fill.

We can do better. We should do better. IMO.

 

[T-REX]

I think your right, but I sure want us to put a Beat-Down on both the Titans and Whinner's so we keep the momentum going into the Playoff's!

 

[BonifayRam]

I see a benefit to the Rams :
#1-If the 30 yr old worn down Mark Barron is replaced in the WS ILB post by the awarded Pro Bowl 25 yr old newly signed RFA Defensive Captain ILB Cory Littleton.
#2- in the Rams salary cap if Mark Barron is a cap casualty of $8 million.
#3- in the improvement of the Rams run defense if a better run stopping MLB'er replaces Cory.
#4- in fully utilizing our invested drafted a young 22 yr old Hybrid ILB/SS Travin Howard who has skills very similar to Barron & well suited to Nickel & Dime packages who has a 3 yr contract @ an ultra low cap cost to fill the reserve role behind Cory @ this weakside ILB post.
#5- defense where it can have it's new starting WS ILB finally participating in Training Camp and Preseason for the first time since 2016. Something Barron has NOT done for 2 seasons.

I see NO benefit in retaining:
#1- a slowing down lightweight Nonrun enforcer as one of our ILB'ers who failed on the majority of snaps in his duties & responsibilities in run defense.
#2- paying 10 million for an ILB'er period.

It's time to make smart decisions & move on to start fresh with healthy improving players who will cost less & will improve this team weaknesses.

Keep in mind......

Cory Littleton's coverage ability may have gone slightly under the radar this year.


He ranked 11th in the regular season among Linebackers in coverage grades (83.1) pic.twitter.com/Tt6ygMtFaG


— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) February 11, 2019
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/18/nfl-rams-free-agency-cory-littleton-restricted/
Keeping Cory Littleton is a no-brainer
By: Cameron DaSilva | February 18, 2019

 

[NoCoNite]

You can’t have a starting middle linebacker in the NFL that doesn’t know how to use his hands to shed blocks. Barron just lowers his head and runs into blockers. Causing a lot of runs to break into our secondary.

 

[NoCoNite]

We should treat ourselves and sign CJ Mosley.

 

[Merlin]

It's time to make smart decisions & move on to start fresh with healthy improving players who will cost less & will improve this team weaknesses.

Amen. I know that Les is going to do his thing and improve us defensively, but yeah I really hope he reloads this defense with some youth at a couple positions at least, with one of them being an impact defender in round one.

I mean seriously if you push this defensive squad to the elite range we will run the table. Of that I have zero doubt.

 

[BonifayRam]

I understand where you are coming from here flv. I just wanted to make MY position on this subject Clear.

Amen. I know that Les is going to do his thing and improve us defensively, but yeah I really hope he reloads this defense with some youth at a couple positions at least, with one of them being an impact defender in round one.

I mean seriously if you push this defensive squad to the elite range we will run the table. Of that I have zero doubt.

It appears to me Merlin that the Rams defensive needs fits perfectly with what this upcoming 2019 NFL Draft has to offer!

 

[jrry32]

He can be replaced at a lower cost. Frankly, I think having a stud of an ILB would do wonders for our defense. We don't need the NFL's best run defense. I'd prefer us having a strong pass rush and great pass defense to a great run defense in today's NFL. But Barron just didn't look good at all until the playoffs. And even in the playoffs, he made some mistakes that hurt us. Having a difference-maker at ILB next to Littleton could really elevate this defense.

 

[BonifayRam]

He can be replaced at a lower cost. Frankly, I think having a stud of an ILB would do wonders for our defense. We don't need the NFL's best run defense. I'd prefer us having a strong pass rush and great pass defense to a great run defense in today's NFL. But Barron just didn't look good at all until the playoffs. And even in the playoffs, he made some mistakes that hurt us. Having a difference-maker at ILB next to Littleton could really elevate this defense.

In your mock draft you made this evident & nailed it with Khalil Hodge. Rookie Hodge & 2nd yr player Kiser would give this Rams D a big boost in run support not seen in 2018. Make it happen Snead!

 

[jrry32]

In your mock draft you made this evident & nailed it with Khalil Hodge. Rookie Hodge & 2nd yr player Kiser would give this Rams D a big boost in run support not seen in 2018. Make it happen Snead!

Devin Bush is the guy I'm really dreaming about, but I couldn't take him over Simmons. Now, if Simmons goes and Bush is available, I am jumping on that.

 

[BonifayRam]

Devin Bush is the guy I'm really dreaming about, but I couldn't take him over, Simmons. Now, if Simmons goes and Bush is available, I am jumping on that.

I would go :yay::banana:if we were able to have both Simmons & Donald starting next to each other for years in our DL. I believe Snead values D linemen over inside Lb'ers. Wade is sure to agree with you too.

 

[Ram65]

I have been mentioning the possibilities of keeping Barron. A lower salary would help a lot. There is some confusion on his dead money after he restructured this past season. Strange that the Rams would increase his dead money a season before they cut him. Even though Barron struggles at times when healthy he plays a lot of downs and does make some plays. The Rams are going to be making lots of moves this off season both roster and cap wise. Finding a good cover ILBer is not easy.

Devin Bush is the guy I'm really dreaming about, but I couldn't take him over Simmons.

I think Te'von Coney would be interesting later pick. May not last till the end of round three but if the Rams trade down in round one get an earlier pick later he could be available. He covers a lot of ground, hard hitter and got much better in pass coverage. Rams could use the cap saving they get by cutting Barron but, they can keep him till they develop a full time replacement. They going to have to spend capitol in the draft or on a free agent when they have needs at safety and defensive line. It will be interesting to see how Snead goes about solving the puzzle