Jim Thomas Talks Mannion, O-Line and Fisher’s Future

[RamBill]

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Rams beat writer and CBS Sports 920 contributor Jim Thomas joined The Hollywood Casino Press Box on Tuesday to discuss a number of topics surrounding the Rams. Subjects include Sean Mannion and whether he could be the starter in 2016? The offensive line and the amount of inexperience. Plus Jeff Fisher’s future with the Rams.

Listen to JT Talks Rams

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With all the QB's besides Mannion set to become free agents after the season, could the rookie be a starter next year?

"Stranger things have happened. Three years ago, Nick Foles entered as the 88th overall pick out of a Pac-12 school And now, Mr. Mannion enters as the 89th pick out of a Pac-12 school. There are plenty of starters, regardless of position, who have come in the league from the third round. Russell Wilson was a third rounder. Interesting pick."

More on Mannion, who a lot of people think shouldn't have gone in the third round:

"He certainly didn't have a very good senior season. If it's 2014...and the Rams had taken Mannion there would be some good buzz. The guy threw for 37 touchdown passes in the 2013 college football season. He loses Brandon Cooks to the NFL, they have a bunch of line injuries and he doesn't have a good senior season. The NFL Draft Advisory Board...he was projected as a third round pick last year. You've got to factor in he didn't have a lot going on around him. The Rams were on him all along and he's worked on his delivery."

On the offensive line's lack of experience:

"You could have two rookies starting there and at center, let's just say it's Barrett Jones, he's never started an NFL game. And Greg Robinson isn't exactly old-man river when it comes to NFL exfperience. The Barksdale saga continues to be amazing. I don't know if you're Joe Barksdale if you come back here because the Rams basically drafted two right tackles...to take your job."

On Jeff Fisher repeatedly mentioning "the future" when talking about the draft:

"He must've mentioned that a half a dozen times over the weekend. We get to coach about three or four times during the draft. I thought the same thing. You've had three straight losing seasons, you can't be building for the future. You've had four drafts now...to get this right. Some of the other stuff I've read (about the Rams really setting up for the power run game), shouldn't that have been set up already? Isn't that what they've been trying to do? I know Stan Kroenke likes the guy...it just seems like Fisher is safe and it's hard to understand. I hope they win, I hope they go to the playoffs. It's just kind of strange."

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLc...fensive-Line-and-Fishers-Future-Comments.aspx

 

[jjab360]

"He must've mentioned that a half a dozen times over the weekend. We get to coach about three or four times during the draft. I thought the same thing. You've had three straight losing seasons, you can't be building for the future. You've had four drafts now...to get this right. Some of the other stuff I've read (about the Rams really setting up for the power run game), shouldn't that have been set up already? Isn't that what they've been trying to do? I know Stan Kroenke likes the guy...it just seems like Fisher is safe and it's hard to understand. I hope they win, I hope they go to the playoffs. It's just kind of strange."

And where were all of these concerns before the Bradford trade?

It sounds like JT is getting frustated that Fisher's job security might eventually lead to the loss of his own due to this new-found need to antagonize.

 

[12intheBox]

I get the sense that JT doesn't have a single decent source at Rams park and he writes like it. These guys get scooped by the national media on every Rams story.

 

[RamzFanz]

"You've had three straight losing seasons, you can't be building for the future. You've had four drafts now...to get this right."

You can't do a complete rebuild in 1 or 2 drafts, especially with Bradfords contract. He took who he could get when he could get them. Imperfect, yes, but I think he has built a COMPLETE starting team this season or very nearly so.

 

[beej]

I get the sense that JT doesn't have a single decent source at Rams park and he writes like it. These guys get scooped by the national media on every Rams story.

Add to that the fact that he has a personality like an AM radio and it can't be easy to foster a new source.

 

[Speeps]

JT is done. I've lost all respect for him. He has little credibility imo.

 

[Akrasian]

When Fisher took over the team the Rams had one of the worst rosters in league history. Weren't nearly half of the roster out of the league by the start of the next season? Talk about all the Rams' draft picks - most of those were spent just getting the team up to NFL standards. That's been done - now if the Rams can have a starting QB get through the season and play okay, unless they are totally hammered with injuries they should have a solid record.

I'm amazed at how many people forget just how bad the Pre-Fisher Rams really were. Not just bad - epically bad, aging with poor talent, a bunch of cap space eaten up with a few players thanks to drafting so high in the last few years of the old rookie contracts. They are mostly past that, and we should see what Fisher has done now.

 

[Stranger]

JT has supplanted Bernie's negativity. I guess someone had to fill that void.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

When Fisher took over the team the Rams had one of the worst rosters in league history. Weren't nearly half of the roster out of the league by the start of the next season? Talk about all the Rams' draft picks - most of those were spent just getting the team up to NFL standards. That's been done - now if the Rams can have a starting QB get through the season and play okay, unless they are totally hammered with injuries they should have a solid record.

I'm amazed at how many people forget just how bad the Pre-Fisher Rams really were. Not just bad - epically bad, aging with poor talent, a bunch of cap space eaten up with a few players thanks to drafting so high in the last few years of the old rookie contracts. They are mostly past that, and we should see what Fisher has done now.

And of all people Jim Thomas should have that in the front of his mind. Instead all he can think about is that Jeff Fisher doesn't like him.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

And where were all of these concerns before the Bradford trade?

It sounds like JT is getting frustated that Fisher's job security might eventually lead to the loss of his own due to this new-found need to antagonize.

Even if they had told JT that they were going to trade Bradford, what could he have done with that information, until it happened? Was he going to blab it all over? That would have really enhanced his relationship with the Rams.

I think JT is unrealistic in thinking the staff is going to trust him with inside information and also has no idea about how to forge a relationship.

 

[shaunpinney]

ooohhh biatch, he sounds like a jilted ex - I just don't think there's a relationship there anymore - or the FO treat him like a normal journalist...

Although I would have liked to have seen us peek over the .500 mark by now. I think last year our QB situation (and lack of legitimate backup) screwed us over

 

[LACHAMP46]

epically bad, aging with poor talent, a bunch of cap space eaten up with a few players thanks to drafting so high in the last few years of the old rookie contracts.

Okay, I take it we were pretty awful...

 

[Yamahopper]

I read JT's chats every week and sometimes hear him doing radio blurbs.

There has been a definite change in him.

My take is he's given up on the Rams in STL at this point. He has remarked several times in the past and will keep remarking in the future that if no Rams he would be happy to go back to covering HS football again.
He's mailing it in....

 

[DaveFan'51]

I read JT's chats every week and sometimes hear him doing radio blurbs.

There has been a definite change in him.

My take is he's given up on the Rams in STL at this point. He has remarked several times in the past and will keep remarking in the future that if no Rams he would be happy to go back to covering HS football again.
He's mailing it in....

Mailing it in via Pony Express!!!

 

[2105]

There's no reason the Rams should be excused for their current position & JT is dead on, IMO.

Going into last season without a real plan for the future at the QB position was awful. Jimmy G or Carr should be Rams. I like Joyner but it was a ridiculous pick & they should've tried to jump back into the first for Carr. They were willing to pony up for Martin & Carr is very good.
With decent QB play all season... They could've been .500.
I don't have a problem with the draft... But, to me, the future is the 2015 season.

 

[blue4]

I suppose I'll get roasted for saying this but...

What he said isn't exactly untrue. Mannion is a question mark to many, the line is inexperienced, the Rams did draft multiple people to take Barksdale job so it's weird he wants to come back, and Jeff Fisher does seem comfortable for a coach who's team has underperformed. The playoffs were attainable last year, even with Wells, Joseph and Hill.

 

[Memento]

To call Jim Thomas a whiny little bitch is to insult all whiny little bitches who have existed and will exist.

 

[bomebadeeda]

I think what has held the Rams back (And I must grimmace when I type this.....) Is the team was always waiting for that great amount of potential that Bradford was supposed to provide. And he still might and that potential is still calling out it's siren song to the NFL. It's just the Rams decided it was time to move on. (And I hope Sam turns it around.....). But that was setback after setback. there was too much invested to move away....til this year. Now we might not have a QB w/ that much upside.....but at least our first guy will be on the field. And what's hilariously funny, is Fisher finally did what all of the media guys were harping on him to do. (Dump Bradford) and now he did, they say because he didn't sooner he should be in jeapordy. But what they can't wrap their minds around, is Stan was just as locked into Sam as Fisher and Snead were.

But once again we run into the concept of how much do sports reporters know and how much do they report. Thomas, no longer wants to report.....he wants to call out Fisher because "He knew". And now that he's fallen out w/ the staff, (or simply headed off in another direction.......) he wants to state his course as the wise one. And he is simply another guy who guesses at what teams do. Maybe w/ a bit more insight because he should have a vast network of contacts close to the team. But it's painful obvious, he no longer gets his insight from inside the building at Rams Park. And we have almost that good of sources right here on this site....(if not better......w/o the whining like a little girl w/ a skint up knee....)

 

[Yamahopper]

Mailing it in via Pony Express!!!

I've met and talked to him a few times at camp, he's friends with a guy I go to camp with. Nice guy kinda funny and sarcastic,but in a good way.
But that doesn't mean I like his slant these days. But just like here " It's his opinion" . So that's how I treat it.

 

[CoachO]

I've met and talked to him a few times at camp, he's friends with a guy I go to camp with. Nice guy kinda funny and sarcastic,but in a good way.
But that doesn't mean I like his slant these days. But just like here " It's his opinion" . So that's how I treat it.

I have had more than a couple coversations with him wihle at training camp as well. The thing that rubs me the wrong way, is how he wants everyone to believe he is "all knowing", when in fact, just the opposite is true. We have shared OPINIONS on what players appear to be "safe" and which are "on the fringe". And more often than not, he proves to have no more insight than me or any other "fan" has when it comes to knowing anything of substance.

I have a contact within the organziation that allows me to get information for example on which players are on the proverbial "cut list" before they are announced. If I can find out that information, you would think the sports jounalist assigned to the postion of "beat writer" by the only newspaper in a major market like STL would be able to as well.

He comes across as he is somehow qualified to evaluate players, because he has written about this team for so long. I haven't met many sport writers who are knowledgeable enough to make those types of calls. There's a reason they WRITE about sports, and aren't playing them. At the end of the day, he has became a disgruntled "fan" with an opinion. The difference is, he has a forum to be able to put out that opinion that most do not. (this message board notwithstanding)