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Bernie Miklasz
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Welcome to the 2013 NFL draft, and I wish I could give you all a Roger Goodell bear hug. But I can’t give you any answers.
I have no idea what the Rams will do with their two first-round picks. There are too many variables, too many shifting scenarios, too many shades of gray. When a team is drafting in the fuzzy middle at No. 16 and No. 22, the possibilities are dizzying.
But here’s what I think the Rams should do in Round 1 and beyond:
1. Draft a playmaker.
2. Draft another playmaker.
3. Draft more playmakers.
Yes, I understand that the Rams need a safety. They need an outside linebacker. They need help in multiple areas. There is plenty of space for quality players on this under-construction roster.
GM Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher began filling voids in 2012 by drafting multiple impact players and contributors: defensive tackle Michael Brockers, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, cornerback Trumaine Johnson, wide receiver Chris Givens, kicker Greg Zuerlein and running back Daryl Richardson.
That said, the first Snead-Fisher draft grade is incomplete in a sense.
That good draft can turn into a great draft if wide receiver Brian Quick, running back Isaiah Pead and guard Rok Watkins get up to speed. That’s especially true of Quick (drafted 33rd overall) and Pead (No. 50.)
Snead and Fisher deserve extra credit for finding late-round gems and for their willingness to make draft-day deals. But they also got overheated in the presence of a workout wonder (Quick) and might have misjudged Pead's maturity and NFL readiness.
Quick and Pead have plenty of time to develop into young stars, but this team can’t afford to default on premium picks.
Accordingly, the pressure is on Snead and Fisher again in 2013. Going into the draft the Rams have eight selections, including three of the first 46 overall, and four of the first 78.
Given the Rams firm philosophy of drafting and developing young players, there’s little margin for error. A mediocre or low-impact draft can set the program back and cause regression after last year’s encouraging 7-8-1 showing.
That wouldn't play well with a revved-up fan base that believes the Rams are rounding into form as a playoff contender. Expectations were reset when the Rams went 2-1-1 against San Francisco and Seattle last season.
You don’t have to be Vince Lombardi (or Mike Lombardi for that matter) to scan the Rams’ roster and recognize the most obvious need.
This franchise drafted quarterback Sam Bradford No. 1 overall in 2010, and backed up the investment with a six-year, $78 million contract.
Bradford has played three seasons without having the benefit — the necessity — of an elite receiver, breakaway runner or all-purpose dynamo.
It’s a peculiar way to do business. How can a team go all-in on a quarterback without placing a single game-changing player in the offensive huddle?
As the Rams head into this draft, they’re precariously inexperienced at wide receiver and running back. Returning wideouts Givens, Quick and Austin Pettis have combined for 110 catches, 1,371 yards and nine touchdowns in their brief NFL careers. That doesn’t qualify as a great season for Calvin Johnson.
Returning running backs Richardson, Pead and Terrance Ganaway have combined for 529 NFL rushing yards; that’s about three weeks in Adrian Peterson’s season.
It’s one thing to allow running back Steven Jackson and wide receivers Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson to walk as free agents. But last season that trio supplied 49 percent of the team’s yards from scrimmage and scored 12 of the 27 touchdowns.
If you can’t replace the departed with superior players, then it doesn’t matter. Cycling them out for younger legs won’t translate into success if the new kids can’t exceed the productivity.
That’s why I’m jacked up about adding playmakers.
The 2012 Rams had a plodding attack. They ranked 22nd among 32 teams in passing plays that gained 25 yards or more. They ranked 18th in rushing plays that went for 20 yards or more. They were 28th in the number of successful plays on third and fourth downs. They ranked 31st in quick-strike touchdown drives — defined as fewer than four plays — with only two in 182 offensive possessions.
[hil]At the end of the 2012 regular season I asked an acquaintance who works in the front office of an NFC West team to assess the Rams’ offense.
This is what he told me: There’s no fear factor. There’s no explosive playmaking ability. There’s nothing to keep defensive coordinators working into the wee hours of the morning, worried about finding ways to stop big plays. They have a promising quarterback, but he doesn’t have a lot of help.
The gentleman added: “We hope it stays that way.”[/hil]
That’s an accurate assessment. The Rams subsequently made progress by signing free-agent receiving tight end Jared Cook. He’s a potential matchup nightmare.
Maybe Quick and Givens and the young backs will jump out and become certified threats in 2013. ... or maybe not.
Opponents take Fisher’s aggressive, swooping defense seriously. But the Rams’ dull offense doesn’t cause insomnia. The Rams scored 261 points on offense last season, well under the NFL average of 333. And the 2012 playoff teams averaged 385 points.
The Rams can use a safety, a linebacker, some reinforcement on the offensive line. They are free to ignore the obvious shortages and bypass receivers and runners.
That might not make Bradford happy, but opposing defenses would be thrilled.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/bernie-simple-strategy-for-rams-draft-playmakers/article_d19b91b0-f2fb-553e-8301-25ee2e3a68a7.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... a68a7.html</a>
Welcome to the 2013 NFL draft, and I wish I could give you all a Roger Goodell bear hug. But I can’t give you any answers.
I have no idea what the Rams will do with their two first-round picks. There are too many variables, too many shifting scenarios, too many shades of gray. When a team is drafting in the fuzzy middle at No. 16 and No. 22, the possibilities are dizzying.
But here’s what I think the Rams should do in Round 1 and beyond:
1. Draft a playmaker.
2. Draft another playmaker.
3. Draft more playmakers.
Yes, I understand that the Rams need a safety. They need an outside linebacker. They need help in multiple areas. There is plenty of space for quality players on this under-construction roster.
GM Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher began filling voids in 2012 by drafting multiple impact players and contributors: defensive tackle Michael Brockers, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, cornerback Trumaine Johnson, wide receiver Chris Givens, kicker Greg Zuerlein and running back Daryl Richardson.
That said, the first Snead-Fisher draft grade is incomplete in a sense.
That good draft can turn into a great draft if wide receiver Brian Quick, running back Isaiah Pead and guard Rok Watkins get up to speed. That’s especially true of Quick (drafted 33rd overall) and Pead (No. 50.)
Snead and Fisher deserve extra credit for finding late-round gems and for their willingness to make draft-day deals. But they also got overheated in the presence of a workout wonder (Quick) and might have misjudged Pead's maturity and NFL readiness.
Quick and Pead have plenty of time to develop into young stars, but this team can’t afford to default on premium picks.
Accordingly, the pressure is on Snead and Fisher again in 2013. Going into the draft the Rams have eight selections, including three of the first 46 overall, and four of the first 78.
Given the Rams firm philosophy of drafting and developing young players, there’s little margin for error. A mediocre or low-impact draft can set the program back and cause regression after last year’s encouraging 7-8-1 showing.
That wouldn't play well with a revved-up fan base that believes the Rams are rounding into form as a playoff contender. Expectations were reset when the Rams went 2-1-1 against San Francisco and Seattle last season.
You don’t have to be Vince Lombardi (or Mike Lombardi for that matter) to scan the Rams’ roster and recognize the most obvious need.
This franchise drafted quarterback Sam Bradford No. 1 overall in 2010, and backed up the investment with a six-year, $78 million contract.
Bradford has played three seasons without having the benefit — the necessity — of an elite receiver, breakaway runner or all-purpose dynamo.
It’s a peculiar way to do business. How can a team go all-in on a quarterback without placing a single game-changing player in the offensive huddle?
As the Rams head into this draft, they’re precariously inexperienced at wide receiver and running back. Returning wideouts Givens, Quick and Austin Pettis have combined for 110 catches, 1,371 yards and nine touchdowns in their brief NFL careers. That doesn’t qualify as a great season for Calvin Johnson.
Returning running backs Richardson, Pead and Terrance Ganaway have combined for 529 NFL rushing yards; that’s about three weeks in Adrian Peterson’s season.
It’s one thing to allow running back Steven Jackson and wide receivers Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson to walk as free agents. But last season that trio supplied 49 percent of the team’s yards from scrimmage and scored 12 of the 27 touchdowns.
If you can’t replace the departed with superior players, then it doesn’t matter. Cycling them out for younger legs won’t translate into success if the new kids can’t exceed the productivity.
That’s why I’m jacked up about adding playmakers.
The 2012 Rams had a plodding attack. They ranked 22nd among 32 teams in passing plays that gained 25 yards or more. They ranked 18th in rushing plays that went for 20 yards or more. They were 28th in the number of successful plays on third and fourth downs. They ranked 31st in quick-strike touchdown drives — defined as fewer than four plays — with only two in 182 offensive possessions.
[hil]At the end of the 2012 regular season I asked an acquaintance who works in the front office of an NFC West team to assess the Rams’ offense.
This is what he told me: There’s no fear factor. There’s no explosive playmaking ability. There’s nothing to keep defensive coordinators working into the wee hours of the morning, worried about finding ways to stop big plays. They have a promising quarterback, but he doesn’t have a lot of help.
The gentleman added: “We hope it stays that way.”[/hil]
That’s an accurate assessment. The Rams subsequently made progress by signing free-agent receiving tight end Jared Cook. He’s a potential matchup nightmare.
Maybe Quick and Givens and the young backs will jump out and become certified threats in 2013. ... or maybe not.
Opponents take Fisher’s aggressive, swooping defense seriously. But the Rams’ dull offense doesn’t cause insomnia. The Rams scored 261 points on offense last season, well under the NFL average of 333. And the 2012 playoff teams averaged 385 points.
The Rams can use a safety, a linebacker, some reinforcement on the offensive line. They are free to ignore the obvious shortages and bypass receivers and runners.
That might not make Bradford happy, but opposing defenses would be thrilled.
