If You Could Bolster Just One Position This Offseason

[mr.stlouis]

I do a lot of reading around other forums. I've read it more than a few times on Squawk forums "As long as Bradford is their QB, I'm not worried" or something like that. Some Ram fans feel that way, too. There is a lot of buzz about Watkins going around and more a few like Evans better. I've seen posts where Rams fans are putting heavy emphasis on the FS position or another solid CB. We all have concerns about Jake Long's durability going forward so many feel we need to solidify the T position. Saffold being a UFA adds to that case. So there's several options to choose from.

Of course there is that dream draft scenario where the Rams can trade back, and then maybe back up, to land both Matthews and Watkins. (Thatd be amazing haha!). But if you could only make 1 choice to bolster any of the listed Ram needs, which one would you pick? To reiterate the question, what single blostered position would make the most positive impact for the Rams in 2014.

 

[jap]

Completing the OL wall in front of Sam, which is admittedly more than one position.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Completing the OL wall in front of Sam, which is admittedly more than one position.

I think you're leaning towards tackle. Am I right?

 

[SC-Ram78]

Wr then tackle with our first two picks in that order.

 

[jap]

I think you're leaning towards tackle. Am I right?

We can use a tackle competent enough to handle the job and flexible enough to avoid injury. I am sure Rodger realizes that his best role is at guard now. Convincing Big Jake to slide inside may be a tougher sell for now. However, if it improves his injury situation, and he realizes he can be a Pro Bowl guard . . . with Rodger, he may start to swing in that direction. At least he lasted nearly 15 games before succumbing to the injury bug.

 

[rhinobean]

Tackle, then corner. Then guard! O line is priority 1.

 

[brokeu91]

I voted FS. That has been a weak spot on this defense since Atogwe left. Maybe if we draft a corner, we could possibly convert Finn to a FS, but otherwise we need a QB for the secondary back there. I think the lack of FS was why we played such soft coverage and why our defense got gashed for 5-10 yard quick slants. A good FS could solve a lot of our secondary problems.

 

[Alan]

With just one choice it has to be OT for me. If given two choices I'd say OT and FS.

 

[Angry Ram]

OG. IMO the tackles are set. Rodger Saffold possibly leaving and having nobody @ LG all year makes that spot a big unknown. Luckiliy you can get good guards in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

 

[-X-]

Free safety. If you people want to see more press coverage with these corners (which isn't always advisable), you'd better have a free safety who can give over-the-top support.

 

[Alan]

Angry Ram happy with our OT options:
OG. IMO the tackles are set. Rodger Saffold possibly leaving and having nobody @ LG all year makes that spot a big unknown. Luckiliy you can get good guards in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

So who do you see as our starting OTs? Especially if Long isn't ready right away (which he probably won't be) and Saffold goes elsewhere.

 

[CGI_Ram]

OG. We need to solidify the line.

One could argue if J Long opens the season with Barksdale, our tackles are good enough. Inside, we got nobody.

 

[BonifayRam]

Just one OK has to be Cortland Finnegan's starting position...CB

The OL is the top priority but one player inserted there will have little overall impact period its that bad.

 

[BonifayRam]

OG. IMO the tackles are set. Rodger Saffold possibly leaving and having nobody @ LG all year makes that spot a big unknown. Luckiliy you can get good guards in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

You sure?
Who will be the starting blind side protector @ OLT for Sam Bradford when the season starts?
Who will be the crucial top OL back up Swing OT who replaces Rodger Saffold?
Who will be the emergency OT back up after Chris Williams departs for free Agency?
Who is being groomed to replace starting ORT Barksdale when he follows Saffold into UFA a year from now?

Boy I hope you are so right Angry :disappoint:

 

[Angry Ram]

You sure?
Who will be the starting blind side protector @ OLT for Sam Bradford when the season starts?
Who will be the crucial top OL back up Swing OT who replaces Rodger Saffold?
Who will be the emergency OT back up after Chris Williams departs for free Agency?
Who is being groomed to replace starting ORT Barksdale when he follows Saffold into UFA a year from now?

Boy I hope you are so right Angry :disappoint:

IDK the answer to those questions. But I look @ the overall picture. Jake Long is gonna come back from injury. He and Joe Barksdale are set in @ tackle for 2014.

We'll get backups and depth guys through what's already available and from the draft. This isn't the final offseason. They'll get replaced if Rodger/Joe leave whenever they do.

I just think the interior is more of a need than tackle ATM. Which is something I don't want to see addressed w/ teh 2nd pick in the draft.

 

[BonifayRam]

IDK the answer to those questions. But I look @ the overall picture. Jake Long is gonna come back from injury. He and Joe Barksdale are set in @ tackle for 2014.

We'll get backups and depth guys through what's already available and from the draft. This isn't the final offseason. They'll get replaced if Rodger/Joe leave whenever they do.

I just think the interior is more of a need than tackle ATM. Which is something I don't want to see addressed w/ teh 2nd pick in the draft.

Yes the interior is in great need too. when you look at the OG's the Rams have under contract you would be hard to argue with you Angry. #1- OG is 33 yr old Harvey Dahl who has been injured the last two yrs IR last yr & never regained his starting post when he hurt his knee in October..Rams played four other OG rather than put him in. Plus you add that he is due 4 mil. in 2014 no team pays a 3rd or 4 th string OG 4 million..he will be released! #2-Brandon Washington he will enter his 3rd Ram season he has been cut twice & wavier-ed by the Rams resigned to PS then upgraded to master roster late last yr. He was the starting OLG when Long went down. #3-The final Ram OG under contract is Mike Persons who has been released himself 3 times. Persons was a small OLT in college in 2010.he has only one NFL game where he dressed that was when he was with Seattle.

So how do you feel about Snead & Fisher's hard work & effort to have those 3 Ram 2014 OG's under contract??

 

[Angry Ram]

Yes the interior is in great need too. when you look at the OG's the Rams have under contract you would be hard to argue with you Angry. #1- OG is 33 yr old Harvey Dahl who has been injured the last two yrs IR last yr & never regained his starting post when he hurt his knee in October..Rams played four other OG rather than put him in. Plus you add that he is due 4 mil. in 2014 no team pays a 3rd or 4 th string OG 4 million..he will be released! #2-Brandon Washington he will enter his 3rd Ram season he has been cut twice & wavier-ed by the Rams resigned to PS then upgraded to master roster late last yr. He was the starting OLG when Long went down. #3-The final Ram OG under contract is Mike Persons who has been released himself 3 times. Persons was a small OLT in college in 2010.he has only one NFL game where he dressed that was when he was with Seattle.

So how do you feel about Snead & Fisher's hard work & effort to have those 3 Ram 2014 OG's under contract??

Yeah it's looking like Harvey is a goner. It's too early to see what they'll do with the other 2. I will say that I trust those guys to do everything in their power to improve the OL. They've been doing that since they got here.

 

[jap]

Well, they have been leaving it up to Coach Bou to perform miracles every damn year. It's high time they got him a blue chipper or two. After Rodger blossomed under our watch, it would be almost criminal to let him go elsewhere if it can be reasonably helped. Build the Great Wall of the Gateway City, and let Sam & Zac do their thing.

 

[BonifayRam]

Yeah it's looking like Harvey is a goner. It's too early to see what they'll do with the other 2. I will say that I trust those guys to do everything in their power to improve the OL. They've been doing that since they got here.

When Snead & Fisher arrived here early 2012 this was starring them in the face:
OLT- Saffold/Kevin Hughes
OLG- Bell/Brown
OC- Wragge/Drew Miller
ORG- Adam Goldberg
OLT- Jason Smith/Mark Levoir

When the 2012 season began Snead & Fisher moved on EIGHT (8) of the nine above Billy/Spags OL'ers.
OLT-Saffold/Hunter
OLG-Turner/Watkins/Ojinnaka
OC-Wells/Barnes
ORG-Dahl/Williams
ORT-B.Richardson/Barksdale

By Mid season things had changed with 4 major OL injuries:
OLT- Hunter/Barksdale/Saffold
OLG- Smith/
OC- Turner/Barnes
ORG- Dahl/Williams
ORT- Richardson/Williams

By the end of the season Rams had Five injuries to the OL starters:
OLT- Saffold/Hunter
OLG- Turner/Smith
OC- Wells/Barnes
ORG- Williams/Smith
ORT- Richardson/Barksdale

By 2013 Snead/Fishers enter the 2013 season with 5 new Ol'ers 3 starters:
OLT- Long/Barksdale
OLG- Williams/Washington
OC- Wells/Barnes/Jones
OG- Dahl/Smith/
ORT- Saffold/Barksdale

End of the 2013 season OL with injuries to many starters ended with NONE! of the original starting Ol'ers in the same posts!
OLT- Williams
OLG- Washington/Persons
OC- Barnes/Jones
ORG-Smith/Dahl
ORT- Barksdale