Early Predictions for Rams' 2015 Training Camp Battles

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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-for-st-louis-rams-2015-training-camp-battles

Early Predictions for St. Louis Rams' 2015 Training Camp Battles
By Steven Gerwel, Featured Columnist

The St. Louis Rams have basically finalized the 2015 training camp roster, but we'll have to wait for the numerous head-to-head battles before knowing the official depth chart.

Many positions are set and will therefore carry little to no competition. However, several key spots are wide-open, so we can expect some very fierce battles for the starting gigs. For some positions, such as right guard, there's so much competition that it's hard to even throw out an educated guess.

This article will highlight several key spots that will feature the most compelling battles. We'll also predict a winner for each position.

Running Back
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Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

It's not much of a battle at the moment, given there's no guarantee that No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley will even be ready for training camp. Although, if he's truly ahead of schedule and gets a healthy dose of reps at camp, things could get interesting.

Incumbent Tre Mason is surely hoping to use Gurley's downtime as an opportunity to make a statement. The entire franchise is banking on Gurley as the long-term workhorse back, but Mason will do everything in his power to change that perception.

But as soon as Gurley gets on the field, Mason will be in trouble. Both players utilize a unique style that features a blend of power and speed, only Gurley is bigger, faster and more athletic. Gurley is an improved version of Mason—he's a shiny new T-1000, and Mason is an obsolete Arnold Schwarzenegger.

That's why Gurley was a top-10 pick, while Mason dropped to the third round during the 2014 draft.

Having said that, the Rams are going to take it easy with Gurley. Barring a very impressive injury comeback way ahead of schedule, Mason should get the nod—at least for the first half of the season.

Winner: Tre Mason

No. 1 Wide Receiver
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Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports

Here's an upcoming training camp battle that's getting far less attention than it deserves. The battle for the title of "No. 1 wide receiver" is fairly wide-open.

Brian Quick started off as the undisputed No. 1 in 2014 and was off to a breakout campaign, but a shoulder injury ended his year before midseason. The injury was quite serious (torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder), and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported in March that there's still no timetable for a return.

Even if Quick is physically healthy enough to step on the field, will he still show us his early 2014 form?That's a major question for the St. Louis offense.

After Quick went down, it was veteran Kenny Britt who took over the No. 1 job. Britt surprised everyone by embracing his role as a veteran leader (despite carrying a reputation as an off-the-field liability) and posting his best numbers since 2010 (748 yards, three touchdowns).

Not to mention, Britt is only 26 years old. It's possible the former first-round pick is simply a late bloomer on the verge of a breakout year. A player taking until age 26 to finally hit his stride is certainly not unheard of.

The dark-horse candidate is third-year pro Stedman Bailey. Bailey got off to a slow start in 2014 due to a two-game suspension. He had just five catches throughout the first 10 weeks, but he caught fire with 25 receptions in the final seven games.

Bailey became a consistent part of the passing game late in the season. If that carries into next season, he could have a breakout year.

The Rams don't have a clear go-to-guy for Nick Foles, but in the end Britt will be the guy this offense depends on. He has the talent, the veteran status and is itching to prove he can finally be a big-time receiver in this league.

Quick and Bailey are certainly in the race, but both guys have a lot more to prove than Britt.

Winner: Kenny Britt

Outside Linebacker
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Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images


James Laurinaitis is penciled in as the inside linebacker, and Alec Ogletree is guaranteed a spot on the outside. As for the outside linebacker job opposite Ogletree, that remains to be seen.

The top two candidates are Jo-Lonn Dunbar and newcomer Akeem Ayers.

Ayers has several great advantages over Dunbar. He's a better pass rusher, which is obviously something the St. Louis defense values a lot. Even though Dunbar has played two more seasons than Ayers, Ayers still has twice as many career sacks (13).

As a former second-round pick, Ayers also has better raw athleticism than Dunbar (who entered the league as an undrafted rookie). At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Ayers is also three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier than Dunbar. That impressive size should help the St. Louis defense stand up to the run.

However, Dunbar shouldn't be totally overlooked. He's a veteran in the current system and has a history with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams dating back to New Orleans. That experience could give him an edge.

Not to mention, Dunbar is a nasty player who never hesitates to get into the opponent's head. That has its advantages, but perhaps that the sort of undisciplined behavior the Rams are looking to move on from.

It could go either way, but Ayers is an exciting player with a lot to offer.

Winner: Akeem Ayers

Offensive Line
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Jeff Roberson/Associated Press


The offensive line will feature numerous training camp battles for multiple starting jobs. With five rookie linemen (including four draft picks) and three vacant positions, things will get very heated.

Right guard is the most wide-open race. Multiple candidates have a shot, but only one guy will come out on top.

Third-round pick Jamon Brown is perceived as the front-runner (if for no other reason than his Day 2 draft status). But fourth-round pick Andrew Donnal was a total mauler at Iowa and is every bit as talented.

Sixth-round pick Cody Wichmann is facing an uphill battle. He'll probably have to settle for a backup job in his first year, but the team likely has a long-term plan for him. It'll just be hard for him to shine immediately, as he's less gifted athletically than the other three draft picks. However, don't count him out completely.

As for a prediction, expect Donnal to take the job. He's an excellent run-blocker and comes off as more of a bully than Brown. That's exactly what the Rams are looking for.

The next job opening is right tackle.

Second-round pick Rob Havenstein is the top candidate and rightfully so. He's a frightening enforcer in the run game and doesn't get pushed around.

Havenstein will compete with Brown for the job, but it'll be Havenstein who comes out on top. The Havenstein pick received criticism as a major second-round reach, so it'll look very bad for the current regime if he doesn't win out.

That's not a bad thing, as Havenstein is a very talented guy. With him as right tackle and Greg Robinson on the blind side, the Rams will have two run-blocking monsters on both ends.

The final spot, and the only one that won't involve any rookies, is at center. None of the newcomers have experience snapping balls, so it appears that Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones will fight for the job.

Barnes has more experience than Jones and is likely the favorite. Jones has more raw talent, but he has been completely incapable of staying healthy since being drafted in 2013. That's a major problem, as the Rams are apparently sick of dealing with banged-up veterans (hence the drafting of four rookies).

Right now we have to assume Barnes is the guy. But that could change if Jones completes camp without any health issues.

Winner (Right Guard): Andrew Donnal

Winner (Right Tackle): Rob Havenstein

Winner (Center): Tim Barnes




 

Alan

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If their assessment is correct, what happens with our third pick in the draft Jamon Brown? Do they try and keep him at T or seek to move him to G?
 

JackDRams

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I don't really agree on the placement of the players you chose for the o line. Move Saffold to RG. I can't see the right side of the line to be Barnes, and two rookies. Robinson, Donnal, Barnes, Saffold and Havenstein would be how I go.
 

Alan

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JackDRams thinking Saffold should be our RG:
Move Saffold to RG. I can't see the right side of the line to be Barnes, and two rookies. Robinson, Donnal, Barnes, Saffold and Havenstein would be how I go.
When it comes to RG, I agree that Saffold should be our starter there. Other than GR at LT, I have no clue who's gonna be our starters. Your guess is as good as mine.

I do find it a little strange that you and the author of that article completely dismiss the possibility of Brown being a starter anywhere on the line even though he's was selected before Donnal. Snisher seems to disagree with both of you and I have no opinion yet on the matter but if you're going to go with trusting our brain trust, which most here seem to be doing, why not Brown at LG? Do you think they drafted a backup RT before drafting a starter at LG/RG? What role do you see Reynolds filling?
 

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Running back: Tre Mason. (Until Gurley is healthy, why rush him? Mason should still get a good share of carries even when Gurley is healthy.)

Wide receiver: Brian Quick. (Let's not forget that Britt has had multiple injury concerns. If Quick is recovered, I expect him to take the job. I also have a feeling that 2015 could shape up to be Quick, Austin, and Bailey.)

Outside linebacker: Akeem Ayers. (Dunbar is a cut candidate. Not as much of a contest as people think.)

Center - Demetrius Rhaney. (Between him, Jones, and Barnes. Rhaney wins out due to talent.)

Left guard - Jamon Brown. (Wichmann is another option; I don't think he's less gifted than the article says he is. But he could end up playing if Saffold goes down...again.)

Right tackle - Rob Havenstein. (I would've picked Donnal earlier, but since Havenstein has come into camp a lot more in shape, I have to give it to him.)

Cornerback - This looks like a much bigger battle than any of the others, actually. I think that we could see a trade of either Jenkins or Johnson (Jenkins being more likely than Johnson.), but either way, this is going to be a very, very close battle between five worthy cornerbacks in Jenkins, Johnson, Gaines, Joyner, and Roberson.) Here's how I think it ends up:

Jenkins, Johnson, Gaines. Roberson in reserve.

Free safety - Ties into the cornerback battle. Joyner can and should be able to participate in a free safety battle. McLeod is not beyond replacement, especially with his free agency looming, and I think that Joyner wins. He hits just as hard as McLeod, can cover better than McLeod, blitzes better than McLeod, etc.

Winner - Joyner.
 

Alan

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Memento with his take on some of our upcoming positional battles:
Free safety - Ties into the cornerback battle. Joyner can and should be able to participate in a free safety battle. McLeod is not beyond replacement, especially with his free agency looming, and I think that Joyner wins. He hits just as hard as McLeod, can cover better than McLeod, blitzes better than McLeod, etc.

Winner - Joyner.
The Rams were pretty adamant that Joyner wouldn't be moving to S last year. Have they changed their tune?

I agree with you about the CB battle. Gonna be fun to watch.
 

Memento

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The Rams were pretty adamant that Joyner wouldn't be moving to S last year. Have they changed their tune?

I agree with you about the CB battle. Gonna be fun to watch.

I don't know why they wouldn't move him. He's the best free safety on the roster right now, and he's too talented to sit every game (which he will if he stays at cornerback; he's not going on the outside, and he's certainly not beating out Gaines for the nickel job.)

I really, really hope that they change their tune because I'm going to be very upset if they keep McLeod at free safety, just to see him and Jenkins blow another coverage.
 

Limey

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I don't agree with much of the OL assessment, other than Havenstein at RT. I see Donnal as needing the longest of the new guys as I see him as having good technique but needing a year of strength conditioning. I could also see him being the backup option at LT in a year or so. I think Brown has the best shot at G, but think they will probably move Saffold back to RG and play Brown at LG. I think Wichmann has a shot at G, though, and see him as being more athletic than Donnal, and similar to Brown. He probably didn't get quite as good coaching as Brown, though, so I could see him having more of a chance of being the starter next season when he has caught up a bit. My guess is that the C battle will come down to Rhaney and Jones, with the loser and possibly Barnes backing up there and at G. It wouldn't surprise me if Barnes were not on the roster in week 1, though.
 

Alan

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Memento seeing a logjam:
I really, really hope that they change their tune because I'm going to be very upset if they keep McLeod at free safety, just to see him and Jenkins blow another coverage.
Might they be looking at him as a replacement for either JJ or Tru in 2016? We might not be able to sign them both and it's possible he either replaces one of them or Gaines will with Joyner will moving into the slot. Maybe.

But yeah, why wouldn't you play someone at FS who possesses CB skills in obvious passing downs?

Limey with a different plan:
Stuff about the O-line hierarchy.
Those are all reasonable possibilities but there are so many different possibilities I'm not going to try and handicap it this early in the game. The only thing I'm reasonably sure of is that Havenstein will be starting at RT. Maybe. :LOL:
 

LACHAMP46

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I like the writer...but this
Sixth-round pick Cody Wichmann is facing an uphill battle. He'll probably have to settle for a backup job in his first year, but the team likely has a long-term plan for him. It'll just be hard for him to shine immediately, as he's less gifted athletically than the other three draft picks.
Is just wrong....Wichman is the best athlete outta the bunch IMHO
 

Alan

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LACHAMP46 liking Wichmann:
I like the writer...but this Is just wrong....Wichman is the best athlete outta the bunch
I know what I think of him but I'd like to know why you think he lasted until the end of the 6th round?
 

jrry32

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I really hope they're wrong. Donnal should not be playing OG for us. He does not have the functional strength based on what he showed in college.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Running back: Tre Mason. (Until Gurley is healthy, why rush him? Mason should still get a good share of carries even when Gurley is healthy.)

Wide receiver: Brian Quick. (Let's not forget that Britt has had multiple injury concerns. If Quick is recovered, I expect him to take the job. I also have a feeling that 2015 could shape up to be Quick, Austin, and Bailey.)

Outside linebacker: Akeem Ayers. (Dunbar is a cut candidate. Not as much of a contest as people think.)

Center - Demetrius Rhaney. (Between him, Jones, and Barnes. Rhaney wins out due to talent.)

Left guard - Jamon Brown. (Wichmann is another option; I don't think he's less gifted than the article says he is. But he could end up playing if Saffold goes down...again.)

Right tackle - Rob Havenstein. (I would've picked Donnal earlier, but since Havenstein has come into camp a lot more in shape, I have to give it to him.)

Cornerback - This looks like a much bigger battle than any of the others, actually. I think that we could see a trade of either Jenkins or Johnson (Jenkins being more likely than Johnson.), but either way, this is going to be a very, very close battle between five worthy cornerbacks in Jenkins, Johnson, Gaines, Joyner, and Roberson.) Here's how I think it ends up:

Jenkins, Johnson, Gaines. Roberson in reserve.

Free safety - Ties into the cornerback battle. Joyner can and should be able to participate in a free safety battle. McLeod is not beyond replacement, especially with his free agency looming, and I think that Joyner wins. He hits just as hard as McLeod, can cover better than McLeod, blitzes better than McLeod, etc.

Winner - Joyner.


I agree with it all, however the part about Joyner is yet to be seen because Fisher supposedly thinks he is a corner and not a safety.
 

GabesHorn

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I too Like Joyner as our FS as he is needed and does well as our nickel CB until we find a better one. I'd love to see him play the spot he was ranked the 5th best in the draft at last year and that was FS.FSU won National Champs with him at FS. I live here at FSU (PC) campus so I see all FSU games forever.FSU will probably start the Notre Dame kid Golston since he just transfered here now that #1 draft pick moved on toBucs.

I don't want Barnes starting anywhere. That would be a bad thing to just me. Give me Wang over him even.Hopin this is finally Barrett Jones' time to finally shine. We deserve him to turn out a real shocker now after waiting this long.
 

hotanez

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I have a feeling that the coaching staff will try to minimize the number of rookies starting on the O-line at the start of the season.
If Jones can stay healthy
LT- GRob
LG- Jones
C- Barnes
RG- Saffold
RT- Havenstein

If Jones can't stay healthy
LT- GRob
LG- Saffold
C- Barnes
RG- Reynolds
RT- Havenstein

Rhaney will replace Barnes as soon as he's ready.
 

Mackeyser

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I think you're right, Hot.

I think they'll try to get the Rooks up to speed, but look to get some veteran cohesion going even with young vets. And I know the word last year was as Jones was rehabbing was that hey may like him at guard more than C and part of that was Rhaney and Wells coming off of a solid 2013.

I could very easily see our starting OL be your first option.

LG being less demanding than RG, I would expect them try Jones there if they try him at a OG spot and slid Saffold back to where he had his best success.

That said, I would expect our best Pass Pro rook, Wichmann to slot in as a backup LG while Jamon Brown would be a backup RG (understanding that they'll be learning most of the OL positions). Wichmann fits what this O needs besides GRob, a better pass pro OG who can run block and Jamon Brown fits what this O needs at RG, a big nasty who can get to the next level.
 

Mojo Ram

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The "loser" of the starting Guard post will be developed and groomed to take Saffold's spot eventually.
Rodger is an old 26 IMO. Same way i felt about J.Long when he arrived as an old 28.
 

BonifayRam

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The Rams were pretty adamant that Joyner wouldn't be moving to S last year. Have they changed their tune?
I agree with you about the CB battle. Gonna be fun to watch.

Not sure Alan??:unsure:

What I will be looking at is the competition ongoing @ the corners, that may have an impact on Lamarcus Joyner's role in this 2015 defense.

Gaines is Gregg's best well rounded corner we had last season. So it would be a surprise to me if he were not the top CB again meaning he should start & remain on the outside this season. JJ should nail down the other corner over Trumaine Johnson who had a horrible 2014 campaign with that knee injury & drop off in play down the stretch. Tru should be on top of his game going into his 4th season now...for Tru is truly a gifted talented Corner. So if I were lucky enough to do my CoachO imitation this summer as an onlooker in training camp I would have my binoculars focused on the Corners!

TJ is not nor will he ever be a Nickle candidate. Many have suggested that Gregg will remove our best CB Gaines & insert him in the Nickle when the Rams move into the corner Nickle defense. This was done last season but I'm not so sure that would be best overall for this defense. Late last season our outside corners where beat so often in this suggested lineup. With Tru getting beat more than JJ.

It should also be noted that corners Brandon McGee who will be entering his 3rd season & Marcus Roberson who will enter his 2nd, both very similar to Trumaine Johnson.... in that they are not Nickel candidates either.

So the only real bona fide DB candidates to secure the Nickle post in the Corner Defense are:
1-Lamarcus Joyner (NON Starter)
2-EJ Gaines (Starting outside CB)
3-Rod McLeod (starting deep free safety)

Of the new Ram rookie prospects this DB Imoan Claiborne sure looks like a Nickle prospect in this Ram defense.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/imoan-claiborne?id=2552258

Another fight to watch will be the prospect Free Safety Jacob Hagen, from Liberty. Close to 6-3 & 205 pounds & is a known skilled ball-hawk that will push Cody Davis.
 

rdw

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The "loser" of the starting Guard post will be developed and groomed to take Saffold's spot eventually.
Rodger is an old 26 IMO. Same way i felt about J.Long when he arrived as an old 28.
Sadly, I agree. I love Saffold but he's always getting dinged up.