BenFred: Robinson can still live up to potential with Rams

[RamBill]

BenFred: Robinson can still live up to potential with Rams
• By Ben Frederickson

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_434bb751-16f4-5ef7-91d2-a05b2209b620.html

Dennis Lorio’s Louisiana drawl doesn’t sugarcoat.

He knows the highest-drafted offensive lineman from his home state is taking his lumps in the league.

But the former Thibodaux High football coach makes a reasonable plea for patience in the case of Greg Robinson.

Lorio is one of the people the Rams called when they were vetting the All-SEC left tackle out of Auburn, whom they drafted No. 2 in 2014.

He’s the guy who moved Robinson from defensive end to the other side of the ball before Robinson started his junior season of high school, a switch that resulted in the emergence of a top-10 recruit among O-linemen in the 2011 class.

He’s hoping you don’t make up your mind on his former player after 24 NFL starts.

“Of course I’m biased,” Lorio admitted over the phone. “I just think Greg has a great potential, great future. Is he going to be where he and the Rams need him to be? It doesn’t sound like it’s there yet. But, I think he’s capable of doing it.”

Team owner Stan Kroenke is trying to move the franchise. Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead have posted a 24-35 record since they took over in 2012. The Rams (4-8) have lost five straight. So much to get mad about, but some fans are focused on a second-year lineman.

I get it. So far Robinson has been a microcosm of the Rams. So much hope. Such little production. The delayed angst of draft disappointment is one this fan base knows too well. Especially when it comes to offensive tackles.

On Monday, former NFL linemen LeCharles Bentley and Max Starks published a detailed breakdown of Robinson’s breakdowns on their Block Report website. The bad news: Sometimes Robinson’s stance is too wide. Sometimes it’s too narrow. His footwork is consistently inconsistent. And his leverage is lacking. The good news: His raw power is undeniable. These are mechanical flaws that should be fixable. Together, everyone screams: “Then fix it!”

According to the analysts at ProFootballFocus.com, Robinson and Kansas City’s Jah Reid rank 72nd among the NFL’s offensive tackles. Robinson’s pass blocking ranks 71st. His run blocking ranks 69th. The PFF grading system sets three categories: 0-59 (replaceable), 60-69 (backup), 70-84 (starter), 85-89 (Pro Bowler), 90-100 (elite). Robinson checks in at 29.2. Ouch.

Even a casual fan who overlooks line play knows of Robinson’s struggles. He has surrendered 3.5 sacks this season after allowing 6.5 as a rookie. When there is a penalty against the Rams’ offense, he is often the reason. After six holding penalties last season, he’s had eight this year. That doesn’t include the two that were declined. No other tackle in the league has more than five. Robinson also has three false starts. Sigh.

I expressed fans’ frustration to Lorio, the football coach who knew Robinson way back when. He didn’t make excuses. He did offer some theories.

He wondered if Robinson’s weight — he’s now listed at 332 pounds — might be affecting his speed. He explained how the offenses Robinson ran in high school and at Auburn rarely asked him to set the edge for a true drop-back passer. He said these two seasons have probably been the first time in Robinson’s life when football is truly hard. And Robinson is figuring everything out while in the spotlight only left tackles know.

“It’s just going to take some time,” Lorio said. “But look, in the NFL, now is the time. Nobody wants to say, in a year or two, this guy is going to be ready. They want you to be ready now. That’s why they drafted you. That’s why they paid you. Maybe he got put in a position that he was really not quite ready for. But hey, you do what is best for the team. He does have the ability.”

There’s another aspect in play here. The elephant in the offensive line room. Since Orlando Pace, the No. 1 pick in the 1997 draft, anchored the Greatest Show on Turf, the Rams tend to strike out every time they swing big on a tackle in the draft.

There was penalty-prone Alex Barron (No. 19 in 2005), sack-facilitator Jason Smith (No. 2 in 2009), and oft-injured Rodger Saffold (No. 33 in 2010).

Of course, none of these picks had anything to do with Snead, Fisher or Robinson. But Robinson’s selection has extended an unpleasant narrative. And here’s another twist of the knife: Two highly touted tackles the Rams passed over in that 2014 draft — Jake Matthews (No. 6, Falcons) and Taylor Lewan (No. 11, Titans) — have settled in just fine. Snead and Fisher tend to draft potential, not polish. And now they’re here.

“The top draft choices are projections of how good they can be,” Lorio said “The question is, ‘When will Greg be as good as he can be?’”

Let’s hope it’s soon, for the sake of Robinson and the Rams. Otherwise, he is on track to go down as yet another post-Pace tackle disaster. Potentially the biggest.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Most important piece of the Oline puzzle. If he can figure it out the team is set at OLine for years. If not the Oline could suck for years.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Not to deflect from the struggles of Robinson, but can anyone name one offensive lineman who has shown any marked improvement under Boudreau in the last four years? I can't.
29 years of NFL experience and an impressive resume seems lost on this group. Barnes has developed into a sufficient starter i guess, Barksdale evolved some...but vets like Wells, D.Joseph and to some extent J.Long seemed to top out and succumb to injuries and average play. Saffold topped out in 2013 and has been average since. Then you look at the recent draft picks he's been given....and that's where G.Robinson comes in. A gift, a superior athlete who came from a winning program who was as raw as raw can be. It doesn't appear that he's learned alot. Add in the group of picks this season and the results are mixed at best.

Then there's the WR staff. Ray Sherman.
The more i begin to look at the offensive coaching staff the more i wonder if we've got anyone capable of developing players in the modern age.
I hope Fisher takes a long hard look at the offensive coaching staff he's assembled and makes some wholesale changes. Megatons of experience doesn't seem to be cutting it in terms of coaching up the young talent.

 

[den-the-coach]

Sign Cordy Glenn as a free agent and move Robinson inside to left guard and then release Saffold. Problem with Robinson IMO, football IQ not that high, playing inside at LG will give him the opportunity to maul in the run game as soon as they stop zone blocking and will not put him on an island.

Many of the sacks Robinson has given up is because he looks inside and the defensive end or OLB rushes right by him because for some reason he does not recognize those stunts.

Stop blocking down Greg, the man you're supposed to block is to your left son, your military left.

 

[Fatbot]

Nothing really new here, the funniest part is referring to the fat slobs that never played football and grade by just watching their TVs at PFF as "analysts". Hey, I guess I've been an "analyst" all along, someone pay me now?

 

[snackdaddy]

His high school coach says he "thinks" Robinson has the potential? Give me a buck for every high school coach who "thinks" a star player of his is good enough.

My question is, if he rarely had to set the edge for a drop back passer how do we know if he's even capable?

 

[BonifayRam]

Yep Mojo Ram your on target here......Boudreaux has a awful history here with Fisher. Wouls seem that if a good OLer landed here he was very soon done in, for whatever reason.

Barnes is the only OLer left standing upright since Boudreaus arrival. That alone should say something about Barnes in itself. If he was else
Where Barnes may be an all pro.

Scott Wells was practically indestructible until he arrived, then the Rams virus was inbedded. just look at Saffold has there everbeen a more injured cursed OLer? Rams draft a boatload of OLers and all four, 3 of which never had any injuries....Brown,Havenstein and Wichmann all come down with virus. Donnal has been injury free for 3 yrs till this season.

 

[DCH]

There was an interesting article posted at the other place by Sergei BOBROVSKY on Robinson's struggles: http://www.lbolineperformance.com/greg-robinson-block-report/

This seems to say that it's all about technique, and things that should be correctable. All about the stance. I'd be curious how some of our more football-experienced or coaching-experienced members feel about this writeup.

IMO, it doesn't put Boudreau in a good light, if this is a reasonable breakdown.

 

[RAGRam]

Nothing really new here, the funniest part is referring to the fat slobs that never played football and grade by just watching their TVs at PFF as "analysts". Hey, I guess I've been an "analyst" all along, someone pay me now?

Why not just start your own site and see how far you go? Good luck.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Excellent post @Mojo Ram

Boudreau has got to Geau

 

[Alan]

Mojo Ram fashionably late to my soiree:
Not to deflect from the struggles of Robinson, but can anyone name one offensive lineman who has shown any marked improvement under Boudreau in the last four years? I can't.
29 years of NFL experience and an impressive resume seems lost on this group. Barnes has developed into a sufficient starter i guess, Barksdale evolved some...but vets like Wells, D.Joseph and to some extent J.Long seemed to top out and succumb to injuries and average play. Saffold topped out in 2013 and has been average since. Then you look at the recent draft picks he's been given....and that's where G.Robinson comes in. A gift, a superior athlete who came from a winning program who was as raw as raw can be. It doesn't appear that he's learned alot. Add in the group of picks this season and the results are mixed at best.

Then there's the WR staff. Ray Sherman.

I've been saying this for years about Boudreau and the lack of improvement in our O-line players and his efforts in Atlanta are always brought up. I remain unimpressed to say the least. He seems to have a good reputation in the NFL so who am I to disagree but I do.

Of course I also lobbied against hiring GW and he's a favorite here at the ROD. What I said at the time of his hire is that he's a all or nothing DC. Isn't all or nothing another way of saying inconsistent? Isn't inconsistent an apt description of our D? We have a ton of good to great players on our defense and yet we underachieve every year. Why?

I know nothing about Sherman but which of our WRs have shown big improvements? Quick? I thought so at one time but does anyone think so now?

 

[fearsomefour]

Not to deflect from the struggles of Robinson, but can anyone name one offensive lineman who has shown any marked improvement under Boudreau in the last four years? I can't.
29 years of NFL experience and an impressive resume seems lost on this group. Barnes has developed into a sufficient starter i guess, Barksdale evolved some...but vets like Wells, D.Joseph and to some extent J.Long seemed to top out and succumb to injuries and average play. Saffold topped out in 2013 and has been average since. Then you look at the recent draft picks he's been given....and that's where G.Robinson comes in. A gift, a superior athlete who came from a winning program who was as raw as raw can be. It doesn't appear that he's learned alot. Add in the group of picks this season and the results are mixed at best.

Then there's the WR staff. Ray Sherman.
The more i begin to look at the offensive coaching staff the more i wonder if we've got anyone capable of developing players in the modern age.
I hope Fisher takes a long hard look at the offensive coaching staff he's assembled and makes some wholesale changes. Megatons of experience doesn't seem to be cutting it in terms of coaching up the young talent.

Barksdale.
From the trash heap in Oakland to a quality starter.
I agree that it may be time for Boudreau to go and also Sherman. I would love to see Henry Ellard on the Rams sideline.

 

[BonifayRam]

GRob is not the only major issue in this Ol but he would be no1 on my list. Saffold is a close 2nd. Looks like Boudreaux could not get GRobs attention. I would not let this lack of game film study go on by without ramifications. I also would not insert GRob into the OLG post either. I am going into the 2016 season letting it be clear that GRob is no longer a starting OLer.

Jamon Brown who played well and worked hard ....is my OLG from this point out. I now have cut off the easy fallback spot/position for GRob. If GRob wants to be a starter then it's going to be at the LEFT OT post or he will have fight it out with Wichmann (RG) or Havensstein (RT). I know he can not get close to playing like Havenstein but just maybe he could give Wichmann a dinky push.....but I have little faith he could.

I am pushing GRob to fight it out with Battle, Williams and Saffold......that's right I said Saffold! make it a four player battle. No way we will cut GRob so I am going together my money's worth out of it and make him earn it.

Saffold is our most experienced OL has an excellent working brain and we know he should not be counted on to start for any long period of time. Saffold has played the OLT post well enough in the past to be a better OLT prospect than anyone else on this roster currently...So I am setting up three OL posts. Brown @ LG, Havenstein @ RT and (Wichmann or Reynolds) @ RG....those as the starters in those posts.

I will find a starter at LT from Saffold-Battle-Williams & GRob....those four. Saffold will easily secure his old starting post back at OLT once he is cleared to play, just have no ideal how long it will take for him to recover from those two surgically reconstruction shoulders. One would expect that Saffold will be much smaller & lighter early on not being able to work out heavy. I will use this to my advantage early on. That lighter Saffold can earn his 6 million starting @ LT. Knowing that Sooner or later Saffold will get injured.

Now this keeps those problematic/issued OLers (Saffold & GRob) in just one post. Bottom line is I will limit the damage that they can do to my OL that these two shown to bring the last two seasons. If they continue to perform as the last few yrs then I move on to Battle & Williams. It's called damage control.

 

[DaveFan'51]

BenFred: Robinson can still live up to potential with Rams
• By Ben Frederickson

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_434bb751-16f4-5ef7-91d2-a05b2209b620.html

Dennis Lorio’s Louisiana drawl doesn’t sugarcoat.

He knows the highest-drafted offensive lineman from his home state is taking his lumps in the league.

But the former Thibodaux High football coach makes a reasonable plea for patience in the case of Greg Robinson.

Lorio is one of the people the Rams called when they were vetting the All-SEC left tackle out of Auburn, whom they drafted No. 2 in 2014.

He’s the guy who moved Robinson from defensive end to the other side of the ball before Robinson started his junior season of high school, a switch that resulted in the emergence of a top-10 recruit among O-linemen in the 2011 class.

He’s hoping you don’t make up your mind on his former player after 24 NFL starts.

“Of course I’m biased,” Lorio admitted over the phone. “I just think Greg has a great potential, great future. Is he going to be where he and the Rams need him to be? It doesn’t sound like it’s there yet. But, I think he’s capable of doing it.”

Team owner Stan Kroenke is trying to move the franchise. Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead have posted a 24-35 record since they took over in 2012. The Rams (4-8) have lost five straight. So much to get mad about, but some fans are focused on a second-year lineman.

I get it. So far Robinson has been a microcosm of the Rams. So much hope. Such little production. The delayed angst of draft disappointment is one this fan base knows too well. Especially when it comes to offensive tackles.

On Monday, former NFL linemen LeCharles Bentley and Max Starks published a detailed breakdown of Robinson’s breakdowns on their Block Report website. The bad news: Sometimes Robinson’s stance is too wide. Sometimes it’s too narrow. His footwork is consistently inconsistent. And his leverage is lacking. The good news: His raw power is undeniable. These are mechanical flaws that should be fixable. Together, everyone screams: “Then fix it!”

According to the analysts at ProFootballFocus.com, Robinson and Kansas City’s Jah Reid rank 72nd among the NFL’s offensive tackles. Robinson’s pass blocking ranks 71st. His run blocking ranks 69th. The PFF grading system sets three categories: 0-59 (replaceable), 60-69 (backup), 70-84 (starter), 85-89 (Pro Bowler), 90-100 (elite). Robinson checks in at 29.2. Ouch.

Even a casual fan who overlooks line play knows of Robinson’s struggles. He has surrendered 3.5 sacks this season after allowing 6.5 as a rookie. When there is a penalty against the Rams’ offense, he is often the reason. After six holding penalties last season, he’s had eight this year. That doesn’t include the two that were declined. No other tackle in the league has more than five. Robinson also has three false starts. Sigh.

I expressed fans’ frustration to Lorio, the football coach who knew Robinson way back when. He didn’t make excuses. He did offer some theories.

He wondered if Robinson’s weight — he’s now listed at 332 pounds — might be affecting his speed. He explained how the offenses Robinson ran in high school and at Auburn rarely asked him to set the edge for a true drop-back passer. He said these two seasons have probably been the first time in Robinson’s life when football is truly hard. And Robinson is figuring everything out while in the spotlight only left tackles know.

“It’s just going to take some time,” Lorio said. “But look, in the NFL, now is the time. Nobody wants to say, in a year or two, this guy is going to be ready. They want you to be ready now. That’s why they drafted you. That’s why they paid you. Maybe he got put in a position that he was really not quite ready for. But hey, you do what is best for the team. He does have the ability.”

There’s another aspect in play here. The elephant in the offensive line room. Since Orlando Pace, the No. 1 pick in the 1997 draft, anchored the Greatest Show on Turf, the Rams tend to strike out every time they swing big on a tackle in the draft.

There was penalty-prone Alex Barron (No. 19 in 2005), sack-facilitator Jason Smith (No. 2 in 2009), and oft-injured Rodger Saffold (No. 33 in 2010).

Of course, none of these picks had anything to do with Snead, Fisher or Robinson. But Robinson’s selection has extended an unpleasant narrative. And here’s another twist of the knife: Two highly touted tackles the Rams passed over in that 2014 draft — Jake Matthews (No. 6, Falcons) and Taylor Lewan (No. 11, Titans) — have settled in just fine. Snead and Fisher tend to draft potential, not polish. And now they’re here.

“The top draft choices are projections of how good they can be,” Lorio said “The question is, ‘When will Greg be as good as he can be?’”

Let’s hope it’s soon, for the sake of Robinson and the Rams. Otherwise, he is on track to go down as yet another post-Pace tackle disaster. Potentially the biggest.

This maybe sound out of 'Left-Field' But after reading this^, I wonder. Would taking up "Karate" Like DeMarco Farr did, help GRob with his Hands, and his Mechanics!? Just a thought!:baghead: any opinion!!?

 

[MountainRam]

Not to deflect from the struggles of Robinson, but can anyone name one offensive lineman who has shown any marked improvement under Boudreau in the last four years? I can't.
29 years of NFL experience and an impressive resume seems lost on this group. Barnes has developed into a sufficient starter i guess, Barksdale evolved some...but vets like Wells, D.Joseph and to some extent J.Long seemed to top out and succumb to injuries and average play. Saffold topped out in 2013 and has been average since. Then you look at the recent draft picks he's been given....and that's where G.Robinson comes in. A gift, a superior athlete who came from a winning program who was as raw as raw can be. It doesn't appear that he's learned alot. Add in the group of picks this season and the results are mixed at best.

Then there's the WR staff. Ray Sherman.
The more i begin to look at the offensive coaching staff the more i wonder if we've got anyone capable of developing players in the modern age.
I hope Fisher takes a long hard look at the offensive coaching staff he's assembled and makes some wholesale changes. Megatons of experience doesn't seem to be cutting it in terms of coaching up the young talent.

 

[MTRamsFan]

Boudreau and Sherman are part of the "Good 'ol Boys Club" and Fisher cannot find it in himself to let them go for someone who can get these areas, of the offense, competing at a high level. If he continues keeping coaches who can't adapt to more "modern" philosophies then this team will continue to struggle regardless the talent we have.

 

[MountainRam]

So Fisher lucked out having Mike Munchak as OL coach while coaching Titans, eh? Munchak goes to Steelers and overnight he coached that line into one of the best. Before Munchak it was abysmal like the Rams. So Fisher has no clue not only about offensive players but also offensive coaches?

Will Demoff/Kroenke take the offensive control from Fisher away. Please!

 

[CoachO]

Sign Cordy Glenn as a free agent and move Robinson inside to left guard and then release Saffold. Problem with Robinson IMO, football IQ not that high, playing inside at LG will give him the opportunity to maul in the run game as soon as they stop zone blocking and will not put him on an island.

Many of the sacks Robinson has given up is because he looks inside and the defensive end or OLB rushes right by him because for some reason he does not recognize those stunts.

Stop blocking down Greg, the man you're supposed to block is to your left son, your military left.

His issues are not and never have been physical. You saw the very thing you mention at least twice vs. the Cardinals where the blitz comes from the outside and he never even sees it coming.

I know for a fact that this was covered during the week and he just plain didn't react to it. You mention his football IQ. I'll go further and question his attention span and his ability to process information that is given to him. Unfortunately moving him to guard won't change the things he's having issues with. And quite honestly might make it worse.

His teammates are as frustrated as the fans are.

 

[DCH]

His issues are not and never have been physical. You saw the very thing you mention at least twice vs. the Cardinals where the blitz comes from the outside and he never even sees it coming.

I know for a fact that this was covered during the week and he just plain didn't react to it. You mention his football IQ. I'll go further and question his attention span and his ability to process information that is given to him. Unfortunately moving him to guard won't change the things he's having issues with. And quite honestly might make it worse.

His teammates are as frustrated as the fans are.

How can it be so difficult for him to learn:
- Square your stance to the LOS
- In passing situations, your first step should be back
?

 

[fearsomefour]

His issues are not and never have been physical. You saw the very thing you mention at least twice vs. the Cardinals where the blitz comes from the outside and he never even sees it coming.

I know for a fact that this was covered during the week and he just plain didn't react to it. You mention his football IQ. I'll go further and question his attention span and his ability to process information that is given to him. Unfortunately moving him to guard won't change the things he's having issues with. And quite honestly might make it worse.

His teammates are as frustrated as the fans are.

Put him on Adderall, about 40% of major league pitchers are on it.
Only sort of kidding.
Physically he is a freak. Sort of strange this sort of problem wouldn't be detected. Maybe it will click. Maybe he will be a guy who lives up to 80% of his potential. The more I have watched him the more I think moving to G may not be a good thing. His habit of lunging at rushers may really be detrimental inside. He has recovered sometimes after getting way out of balance and missing his block....he is athletic enough to recover sometimes. Inside he may not have time. Maybe this is who he is, in which case it was a bad pick.
We will see. He is still a young player. He may get better.