PlayerGradePlayer.Grade.
Cortland FinneganDJake LongB+
Scott WellsB-Jared CookB
Kendall LangfordBKenny BrittB+
Jo-Lonn DunbarBDavin JosephC+
William HayesA-Shaun HillB-
Joe BarksdaleB+Alex CarringtonC+
Overall GradeB
The Rams' free agent signings have produced a mixed bag of results. Again, the dearth of "A" grades is troubling, especially given some of the Grade "A" contracts handed out by the Rams. Lower cost free agents - Barksdale and Hayes - have provided the most value. Cortland Finnegan - the most expensive player signed - was also the most disappointing. The Rams were noted for their splashy free agent signings in the first two years of the Fisher/Snead regime. They eschewed taking that route in 2014, instead signing low-cost, low-risk depth players to one year contracts. In addition, they re-signed a pair of their own free agents: Rodger Saffold and Jo-Lonn Dunbar. The Rams' free agent signings are proof positive of the risks associated with signing players from other teams.
Jeff Fisher
Jeff Fisher is an experienced, well-respected, quality head coach. He has brought stability and leadership to the Rams organization, and led the team back to respectability. Fisher has the ability to lead the team to greater heights, and should be the Rams' head coach well into the future.
For all the good he has brought to the Rams, Fisher is not beyond making mistakes. Two stand out in particular: his decisions regarding coordinators, and his failure to establish a consistently clear team identity.
Brian Schottenheimer is now in his third season as the Rams' offensive coordinator. In his time with the Rams, Schottenheimer has not distinguished himself as being one of the better, more effective, or inventive coordinators in the NFL. Simply put, the Rams can do better.
The Rams have suffered from a coaching carousel of defensive coordinators. In Fisher's first season, the Rams ran the defense by committee. In his second season, Tim Walton served as the DC, and was fired shortly after the season ended. The fiery, aggressive Gregg Williams was hired in the offseason. Hopefully, he can bring stability to the position, and elevate the play of the young, promising defense.
The Rams identity has undergone seismic movements during the Jeff Fisher years. Spread offense. Power running game. Soft-zone defense. Press-man coverage. The list goes on and on. What makes it worse is the Rams signed/drafted particular types of players to fit each "identity of the year". No better example exists than the drafting of Tavon Austin - and signing of Jared Cook - to enhance a move to a spread offense, an offense that was abandoned in the opening weeks of the 2013 season.
In contrast, there's little doubt about the team identity Pete Carroll/John Schneider have created with the Seattle Seahawks. Organizational moves, drafts, personnel decisions, etc. are all made with their system in mind, with a clear vision, and with attention paid to team fit.
Sam Bradford
One of the biggest reasons Jeff Fisher came to the Rams was the presence of Sam Bradford on the roster. With Bradford suffering two consecutive season-ending ACL tears (How unlucky is THAT?), the once-promising QB situation is now a huge question mark. Will Bradford recover and successfully lead the Rams in 2015? Will the Rams part ways with their franchise QB? Will they select a successor early in the 2015 NFL Draft? For the Rams to reach the next level - and challenge for a playoff berth - they must address these questions, and determine the right course of action.
Five For Thought
Worst mistakes made in the Snead/Fisher era - 1) Signing free agent CB Cortland Finnegan. 2) Passing on LB's Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Rams traded down from No. 45 to No. 50, missing out on Wagner (a player Fisher coveted). The Rams then passed on David, instead selecting RB Isaiah Pead with the No. 50 pick, and OL Rokevious Watkins in the 5'th round. 3) Not significantly addressing the offensive line in the NFL Draft until 2014, with the selection of Greg Robinson in the first round.
Best decision(s) made in the Snead/Fisher era - Gutting the roster, putting a long-term plan in place, and committing to rebuilding through the draft.
Decisions that define the Snead/Fisher era to-date - 1) Trading the No. 2 overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft to the
Washington Redskins. 2) Trading up in the 2013 NFL Draft to select WR Tavon Austin. 3) The organizations commitment to QB Sam Bradford - and their handling of the quarterback position. 4) See "best decisions made" above.
Pleasant surprises/Best values - William Hayes, Joe Barksdale, Rodney McLeod, John Hekker, Benny Cunningham, Cory Harkey, and Zac Stacy. The first two were low-cost free agent acquisitions. The next four were signed as UDFA's. Stacy was selected in the 5'th round of the 2013 draft.
Gems from the prior regimes - James Laurinaitis, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long.
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Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson is recognized as one of the best at building an NFL team.
His words sum up the complexities - and good fortune - involved in team building (and are a reminder to me of the way the GSOT was built):
"Building a team is an imperfect process. We believe that drafting and developing is the best way to go, particularly in a salary cap-oriented system. However, in the right situations, free agency can really help you. Trades help. Bottom line is, no matter how you do it, sometimes you've got to get lucky."
Now I know why Jeff Fisher rubs a 1901 $20 gold coin for good luck. How's his luck been holding out so far? The clock is ticking...
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