Earl Thomas or Sean Lee?

[TexasRam]

I’m not writing the Rams 2019 Super Bowl run off yet. I think we have a chance to win it all if Wade can make lemonade from a few lemons on our defensive roster.

But take a look into this coming offseason for a minute. If the Rams defense continues its struggles and is unable to hold up in the playofffs we could expect a key defensive signing or two along with heavy defensive minded drafting.

We are going to have some glaring holes at safety and MLB, among other spots.

I suspect both Earl Thomas and Sean Lee will be going full Dez Bryant and looking to get back at their old teams. I see a scenario where Thomas has interest in the Rams in order to get back at his old team. I also think Sean Lee would love to go to a team that could best his old squad. Lee is currently getting replaced by rising Superstars Vander Esch and Jaylen Smith.

Yes i know they both Thomas and Lee have injury concerns but if either could be ready to go come playoffs 2020 our defense could really look get over that hump.

Suh, Peters Joyner Barron and even Brockers may be gone freeing up a good amount of cap room.

If you could sign Lee or Thomas which one do you go after?

 

[jrry32]

Neither. I have a list of guys, and neither of those two is on it. Thomas isn't on it because he'll cost us a comp pick since he's a UFA and Wade's scheme doesn't value safeties like Carroll's scheme does. Lee isn't on it because he's injury prone and old. I'd love to have Lee's play, but you can't trust that guy to stay on the field. There are better options imo. Personally, I'd look at guys who used to play for Wade who are likely to be available. To name a few who are likely to be cuts (which means they won't cost us comp picks):
DT Malik Jackson (perfect Brockers replacement if we cut him)
ILB Brandon Marshall
SS Darian Stewart

I think we could land all three on short-term deals.

 

[TexasRam]

Neither. I have a list of guys, and neither of those two is on it. Thomas isn't on it because he'll cost us a comp pick since he's a UFA and Wade's scheme doesn't value safeties like Carroll's scheme does. Lee isn't on it because he's injury prone and old. I'd love to have Lee's play, but you can't trust that guy to stay on the field. There are better options imo. Personally, I'd look at guys who used to play for Wade who are likely to be available. To name a few who are likely to be cuts (which means they won't cost us comp picks):
DT Malik Jackson (perfect Brockers replacement if we cut him)
ILB Brandon Marshall
SS Darian Stewart

I think we could land all three on short-term deals.

Interesting. What if Lee comes
cap freindly on a short deal (Like Suh) and we can’t land some of the other ILB FA’s.

 

[CGI_Ram]

DT Malik Jackson (perfect Brockers replacement if we cut him)

Same age. Brockers 11 months younger, technically.

I could see this.

 

[fearsomefour]

Neither. I have a list of guys, and neither of those two is on it. Thomas isn't on it because he'll cost us a comp pick since he's a UFA and Wade's scheme doesn't value safeties like Carroll's scheme does. Lee isn't on it because he's injury prone and old. I'd love to have Lee's play, but you can't trust that guy to stay on the field. There are better options imo. Personally, I'd look at guys who used to play for Wade who are likely to be available. To name a few who are likely to be cuts (which means they won't cost us comp picks):
DT Malik Jackson (perfect Brockers replacement if we cut him)
ILB Brandon Marshall
SS Darian Stewart

I think we could land all three on short-term deals.

Agree with Stewart and Jackson for sure.
Jackson is a couple of years into a $90 Million dollar contract.
What do you think his cost would run if cut because I'd love to keep him and Brockers?
Agree with Lee as well.
They should only list it when Lee is going to play instead of when he is inured.

 

[Loyal]

Lee= injury prone.

Thomas= talented, but is a pain in the ass.

 

[dieterbrock]

I hope Snacks Harrison opts out of his deal, he’d be the perfect run stuffer to have inside Donald

 

[den-the-coach]

DT Malik Jackson (perfect Brockers replacement if we cut him)
ILB Brandon Marshall
SS Darian Stewart

I think we could land all three on short-term deals.

Sometimes I feel like I'm just pile jumping on @jrry32 posts, but we have disagreed somewhat in the past (See Vance Joseph) but these three is who I would love to bring in. Add another big body in the draft to compete with Sebastian Joseph-Day at NT and the defensive line transformation would be complete. Marshall & Stewart would help immediately against the run.

BTW this also includes replacing Bill Johnson as defensive line coach as well. maybe with someone from one of the staffs that will be gutted and there will be several.

 

[Legatron4]

Darien Stewart has been awful this year. His tackling is atrocious. Brandon Marshall is just ok. Don’t see the fascination with them.

 

[dang]

Spotrac lists Avery Williamson as a UFA ILB. That’s th type of veteran player the Rams need to sign. The improvement of the Rams defense has to start with a stud ILB.

 

[Billy Baroo]

Fuk Darian Stewart - he cost us Kupp and significantly hurt our chances at SB.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Fuk Darian Stewart - he cost us Kupp and significantly hurt our chances at SB.

I agree with Stewart - not a fan
But the Rams are going to the Super Bowl and are gonna win

 

[Jacobarch]

None of these guys interest me. We need to hit the draft hard this season and hope we get guys out of it that stick around. Building a team thru FA isn't the right way to build a long lasting top team. It's been proven time and time again.

 

[NERamsFan]

How about the DT from NO, Rankins, I believe? He was surprisingly nabbed in a one year deal and has significantly helped Saints become #1 run defense. He’ll cost a bit but I think he’s young, and has a proven track record.

 

[snackdaddy]

The way I see it, consider who we have this season. Donald/Suh/Brockers/Fowler/Peters/Talib/Joyner. That is 7 players on defense who were considered all pro talent or close to it going into the season. Throw in Johnson and NRC and we have 9 blue chip caliber players on defense.

Why isn't this team dominating on defense? Why have they been so bad? And most importantly, would any of these free agents make them better if these guys can't? You need players who can play as a team and fit what they are trying to do. Or a different system. I'm not advocating replacing Wade Phillips. But lesser known DC's would probably be losing their job if they had this amount of talent playing like they have most the season.

Hate to be a downer but I'm calling it like I see it.

 

[Malibu]

The way I see it, consider who we have this season. Donald/Suh/Brockers/Fowler/Peters/Talib/Joyner. That is 7 players on defense who were considered all pro talent or close to it going into the season. Throw in Johnson and NRC and we have 9 blue chip caliber players on defense.

Why isn't this team dominating on defense? Why have they been so bad? And most importantly, would any of these free agents make them better if these guys can't? You need players who can play as a team and fit what they are trying to do. Or a different system. I'm not advocating replacing Wade Phillips. But lesser known DC's would probably be losing their job if they had this amount of talent playing like they have most the season.

Hate to be a downer but I'm calling it like I see it.

This is a good post. We have all world talent only Talib is old why aren't we better. I bet everyone on this board thought we woywo be have top defense - we don't why is that I believe it is Wade.

 

[Merlin]

It's not really a question tbh. If you have to choose between the two the choice is Thomas. Lee is injury prone and won't hold up in our defense any more than he has in Dallas. Thomas, meanwhile, represents an improvement that is leaps and bounds greater than anything we have.

Problem with Thomas is he's going to be pricey. I am tired of us throwing money at old players on defense and will he represent a level of production that matches what we pay him? Tough to say. Many here thought Suh would be dominant as a nose here on a short term contract, but as we see now those older players are far from a sure thing.

It is possible a player of his caliber has big impact in our secondary, assuming he's locked in and ready to go. But that's not something any of us is going to know, since we don't get to sit down with him and talk ball and how he's going to fit and all that. But for anyone who thinks Thomas doesn't upgrade us due to scheme or age or anything else, think again. Question really is how much vs cost.

 

[Rams43]

It's not really a question tbh. If you have to choose between the two the choice is Thomas. Lee is injury prone and won't hold up in our defense any more than he has in Dallas. Thomas, meanwhile, represents an improvement that is leaps and bounds greater than anything we have.

Problem with Thomas is he's going to be pricey. I am tired of us throwing money at old players on defense and will he represent a level of production that matches what we pay him? Tough to say. Many here thought Suh would be dominant as a nose here on a short term contract, but as we see now those older players are far from a sure thing.

It is possible a player of his caliber has big impact in our secondary, assuming he's locked in and ready to go. But that's not something any of us is going to know, since we don't get to sit down with him and talk ball and how he's going to fit and all that. But for anyone who thinks Thomas doesn't upgrade us due to scheme or age or anything else, think again. Question really is how much vs cost.

We are on the same page here, Merlin.

I, too, am leery of bringing in big name and high priced vets. As we’ve seen this year, sometimes they don’t play all that well when together.

We are blessed to have a GM in Snead that excels in talent evaluation. Why not roll with his shrewd 2nd tier FA’s and our own draft picks?

Suh, Barron, and Joyner have been net negatives this year. Brockers and Peters, to a lesser degree, have as well.

We will be a SB contender next year even after the inevitable pruning this offseason. So, where’s the big need to make big player acquisition splashes while in our “SB window”? I think we’re just beginning a 5 year window, frankly. Maybe longer.

 

[Adi]

Earl would be an upgrade to joyner , lee is a good OLB for a 4-3 but i dont think he would fit our current scheme .

 

[jrry32]

Interesting. What if Lee comes
cap freindly on a short deal (Like Suh) and we can’t land some of the other ILB FA’s.

Nah. The issue with Lee isn't the length of the deal. It's my mistrust of his ability to stay on the field.

I hope Snacks Harrison opts out of his deal, he’d be the perfect run stuffer to have inside Donald

Snacks Harrison would be great, but I don't know if we'll pursue him. I also like the idea of Danny Shelton. He'd be a cheap FA who has done a nice job of stuffing the run throughout his career. He's not much of a pass rusher, but I think Wade has to change his approach based on the last two years. Get someone big, strong, and unmovable in the middle. Shelton is all those things and cheap.

Darien Stewart has been awful this year. His tackling is atrocious. Brandon Marshall is just ok. Don’t see the fascination with them.

The "fascination" with them is that neither would cost a comp pick, both have been very successful under our current DC, and both would likely settle for one or two year deals.