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I didn't fill out enough the other day because I was crunched for time so I figured I'd do a full mock. The salary cap info is based on a spreadsheet I did that I believe is very accurate. The free agent valuations are just guesstimates based on past market valuations. Here we go:
Cuts
Quintin Mikell SS - 3 million dollar savings
Harvey Dahl RG - 4 million dollar savings
Steven Jackson HB(well...voided is better term...on his part) - 7 million dollar savings
Wayne Hunter OT - 3.95 million dollar savings
RFAs
Tim Barnes C - 615,000 cap hit
Jermelle Cudjo DT - 1,323,000 cap hit
Re-signings
Danny Amendola WR - 4 years 20 million(6 million guaranteed) - 4 million cap hit
Robert Turner C/OG - 2 years 2 million - 1 million cap hit
Wayne Hunter OT - 1 year 840,000
Cap Space remaining: 13.7 million(but we need to save 7 for the draft)
Free Agency
Kenny Phillips FS/SS - Projected Contract: 5 years 27.5 million with 10 million guaranteed - 4 million cap hit
Brad Jones SLB - Projected Contract: 2 years 2 million - 1 million cap hit
Cap Space remaining: 8.7 million
FA Explanation: I believe Walton might give us an inside track on Phillips with him coaching Kenny in college. We need a safety and Phillips is a good one on the market that should have fair market value due to him having an injury issue during 2012. I think Kenny is better fit for this team because he offers more versatility than Delmas and better size. Plus I think he's a better all around safety. As for Brad Jones, he's a role player that can step in at Sam and be a solid thumper.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #16 - Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma
Explanation: I think we're gonna have to take Lane if he's here. Johnson possesses all the attributes to be a dominant NFL OT. He only will fall this far because he's raw and needs to add bulk/functional strength. Originally recruited to OU as a TE/DE after playing QB some at JC, Johnson moved to OT in 2011 becoming the starting RT. In 2012, he shifted over to the starting LT. He has great foot speed and lateral agility, excellent balance, ideal length(6'6" with 35 inch arms), is a good drive blocker in the run game and plays with a real attitude. However, he is raw technically and needs to add weight to his 302 pound frame. But he does have a lot of growth potential. And while he's raw technically, he doesn't show any overwhelming bad signs in his technique...just needs experience and coaching. Overall, physically, he's a top 5 talent but he'll need coaching and development. He'll get that here and will have the luxury of starting his career on the Right side while he learns.
Round 1 Pick #22 - Johnthan Banks FS Mississippi State
Explanation: This one was probably a shocker to some of you out there but bear with me here. Some will be wondering...why not Vaccaro? The blunt truth is that I don't rate Vaccaro anywhere near as high as some others do and he's not my top ranked safety. I think that the guy misses a lot of tackles and takes a lot of bad angles for a supposed first round safety. So onto the next question...why Banks? It was simple to me. Walton and Cecil are both highly regarded DB Coaches and Walton has experience coaching guys making the CB to Safety transition. Banks started at safety during the second half of his freshman year before moving to Corner in his sophomore year. Banks offers the Rams great ball-skills and hands at safety with the speed and range to cover the deep part of the field, an extreme amount of experience in both zone and man to man coverage and the size and length to match-up with TEs at 6'1" with long arms. He'll need to add some bulk but Banks has monster upside at FS for us. Putting this guy back there to help out Janoris, Cortland and Trumaine almost seems unfair. His range, ball-skills and ability to read the QB will make testing our pass defense absolute hell on opposing QBs.
Round 2 Pick #16 - Larry Warford OG Kentucky
Explanation: And we're back to sensible picks. You'll find one of the themes of this mock is protecting our young QB. Warford is a mountain of a man that will move the guy in front of him and has the ability to anchor in and do battle with the stoutest of DTs. He has a strong punch and uses his hands well to battle the man he's up against. He'd provide a powerful and reliable presence on the our interior OL and immediately allow us to forget about Harvey Dahl. If Rok Watkins earns the LG spot, that would be one monster starting OG duo in terms of size and strength.
Round 3 Pick #16 - William Gholston DE/DT Michigan State
Explanation: Yep, I am at it again with a semi unexpected pick. With William Hayes departing in FA, the Rams replace him with a freak of an athlete in Gholston. Coming into the year, many expected Gholston to be a top 20 pick. He's 6'6" 280 with long arms and freakish burst/speed for his size. His movement skills and speed jump out on film. It's amazing just how fast he closes on the QB. What also jumps out is the guy has a major mean streak and a real motor, he definitely plays through the whistle and pushes the limits...which has been a detriment for him at times...needs to learn to control his temper better. But Gholston has Calais Campbell type upside on the DL. He has the size and strength to play DT with the speed and movement skills to play DE. He'd be the perfect 5th DL for our rotation. His technical side of the game needs a lot of work though as he pops right up off the snap leading him to play with a high pad level and his pass rush moves are very unrefined...he doesn't use his hands and long arms like he should. That said, I believe Coach Waufle is the perfect guy to teach him up and help him reach his potential. If he does, I don't know if Gholston will play DE for us or the 3-Technique but he'll be on the field somewhere because you don't come along many guys with his combination of length, size, strength and speed/movement skills.
Round 4 Pick #16 - Marcus Lattimore HB South Carolina
Explanation: Go big or go home. Lattimore was a top 20 talent coming into the year before the injury. From everything said since the end of the season, his rehab has been going well. The kid is an unselfish and very coachable player that will work extremely hard to be the best that he can be. Yes, you're taking a risk on the durability red flag but I think it's worth it. I believe DR and Pead can handle the load this year if need be. But Lattimore might be ready to go come the middle part of the season after being placed on the PUP list. Lattimore is a versatile back that can pass block, run block and catch the ball out of the backfield quite effectively. As a runner, he's great. That's really the best word to describe him. He's a bigger HB at 6'0" 230ish and breaks a lot of tackles but has the agility and movement skills of a much smaller HB. While he lacks the 2nd gear to breakaway, he has the burst to hit the hole and was a TD machine at South Carolina. He runs with real determination and is very hard to tackle on the second level. If he returns to form, you're getting a consistent 1000+ yard HB especially if he has a guy like DR or Pead to keep him fresh. Think a Matt Forte type HB.
Round 5 Pick #16 - Michael Williams TE Alabama
Explanation: I quite like Michael Williams. He's the definition of an under-appreciated player. If he was as good of a receiver as he was a blocker, he'd be a top 10 pick. The kid is an unreal blocker. He is like having a 6th OT out there. He has great technique as a run blocker and plays with leverage despite being 6'6" and really utilizes his large frame to engulf and seal DEs in the running game. If you're a LB against Williams, forget about it. As a pass blocker, he's similarly impressive. He's very effective at mirroring the rusher, utilizing a kick-slide, staying square and punching and counter-punching to keep the rusher at bay. He will make a major impact with his blocking ability alone. Perfect role player for a team like this. But that's not just it, he is actually a very solid receiving TE. He has strong hands and understands how to use his big body. He was a very effective red-zone weapon for Alabama this year. While he lacks foot-speed and change of direction ability that the great receiving TEs have, Williams has enough to be a threat especially if you don't pay him proper attention. While he's not a guy who will ever be special as a receiver, he's capable of contributing in that role. But the reason you're drafting this kid is because he will make a huge impact as a blocker. Perfect #2 TE for Schotty's offense.
Round 6 Pick #16 - TRADE
Explanation: Oakland trades it's 2 7th round picks for the Rams 6th...I opted to take this route because there were a few names that I wanted to sneak in the draft that I liked in the 7th
Round 7 Pick #3 - Martel Moore WR Northern Illinois
Explanation: Keep an eye on this kid, it really surprises me that he gets so little attention. He kind of reminds me of Victor Cruz in that he's a jack of all trades, master of none type at WR. Good RAC skills, good speed, good COD ability and explosion of breaks, good hands, great balance, etc. The kid really impressed me though this year. He made some huge catches for NIU, had a very productive year in an offense with a running QB and made some pretty amazing RAC plays and catches. I feel like he could come in and surprise a lot of people. Here's his 2012 highlight video:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XooGhNzGJSo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XooGhNzGJSo</a>
Round 7 Pick #13 - Earl Watford OG James Madison
Explanation: Watford is an athletic LG with good technique. He needs to add some bulk at 6'4" 300 but I feel like he'd be a great kid for Boudreau to work with. He'd challenge Rok Watkins for the LG job and I think he could possibly have some potential as a developmental Center. I feel like this is a good place to grab a small school kid with a lot of upside like Watford...seems like you can find OGs in the later rounds if you know what to look for.
Round 7 Pick #16 - Justin Tuggle OLB Kansas State
Explanation: It seems like every year, the Rams make an out of left-field pick in the 7th round that all leaves us wondering who in the hell they just took. This is my attempt at doing the same. Justin Tuggle is the son of Pro Bowl LB Jesse Tuggle. Justin originally went to Boston College as a QB then transferred to Blinn JC where he played QB and then went to Kansas State where he played QB in 2011. Finally, in 2012, Justin moved over to LB. While he didn't start this year, he carved out a role for himself as a situational player. However, in reviewing what was out there on Tuggle, I was very impressed by the kid. He has a lot of development left to do at LB but that's understandable. However, the kid is 6'3" 240ish with freakish athleticism. Appears to me to have 4.5 speed along with impressive strength for his size and great agility. His movement skills just made me want to find somewhere to include him. He's going to need a lot of development but why not take a shot on a kid like this in the 7th? He has great blood-lines, obviously has football IQ(being a former QB) and has athleticism that just stands out on the field. I mean, I saw this kid running down HBs/WRs from the other side of the field and bullrushing OTs backwards in the same game. He can move. If we can teach him how to play LB and he has the instincts necessary...which is a big if...you could potentially have a big steal on your hands.
Projected Starting Line-up:
QB: Sam Bradford
HB: Daryl Richardson
FB: Lance Kendricks
WR1: Chris Givens
WR2: Brian Quick vs. Titus Young
WR3: Danny Amendola
TE: Michael Williams
LT: Rodger Saffold
LG: Rob Turner vs. Rok Watkins vs. Earl Watford vs. Shelley Smith
C: Scott Wells
RG: Larry Warford
RT: Lane Johnson
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Kendall Langford
RDT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Jo-Lonn Dunbar
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SLB: Brad Jones
CB1: Cortland Finnegan
CB2: Janoris Jenkins
CB3: Trumaine Johnson
FS: Johnthan Banks
SS: Kenny Phillips
Anyways, that's it. I don't know how much you guys will like this one because it's very different from what I normally do. I didn't draft a WR high which is rare but I figured with the Titus Young addition and us repairing the OL that it might not be necessary. I also took some risks on guys like Banks, Gholston and Lattimore. But I figured it would be an interesting take nonetheless.
Cuts
Quintin Mikell SS - 3 million dollar savings
Harvey Dahl RG - 4 million dollar savings
Steven Jackson HB(well...voided is better term...on his part) - 7 million dollar savings
Wayne Hunter OT - 3.95 million dollar savings
RFAs
Tim Barnes C - 615,000 cap hit
Jermelle Cudjo DT - 1,323,000 cap hit
Re-signings
Danny Amendola WR - 4 years 20 million(6 million guaranteed) - 4 million cap hit
Robert Turner C/OG - 2 years 2 million - 1 million cap hit
Wayne Hunter OT - 1 year 840,000
Cap Space remaining: 13.7 million(but we need to save 7 for the draft)
Free Agency
Kenny Phillips FS/SS - Projected Contract: 5 years 27.5 million with 10 million guaranteed - 4 million cap hit
Brad Jones SLB - Projected Contract: 2 years 2 million - 1 million cap hit
Cap Space remaining: 8.7 million
FA Explanation: I believe Walton might give us an inside track on Phillips with him coaching Kenny in college. We need a safety and Phillips is a good one on the market that should have fair market value due to him having an injury issue during 2012. I think Kenny is better fit for this team because he offers more versatility than Delmas and better size. Plus I think he's a better all around safety. As for Brad Jones, he's a role player that can step in at Sam and be a solid thumper.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #16 - Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma
Explanation: I think we're gonna have to take Lane if he's here. Johnson possesses all the attributes to be a dominant NFL OT. He only will fall this far because he's raw and needs to add bulk/functional strength. Originally recruited to OU as a TE/DE after playing QB some at JC, Johnson moved to OT in 2011 becoming the starting RT. In 2012, he shifted over to the starting LT. He has great foot speed and lateral agility, excellent balance, ideal length(6'6" with 35 inch arms), is a good drive blocker in the run game and plays with a real attitude. However, he is raw technically and needs to add weight to his 302 pound frame. But he does have a lot of growth potential. And while he's raw technically, he doesn't show any overwhelming bad signs in his technique...just needs experience and coaching. Overall, physically, he's a top 5 talent but he'll need coaching and development. He'll get that here and will have the luxury of starting his career on the Right side while he learns.
Round 1 Pick #22 - Johnthan Banks FS Mississippi State
Explanation: This one was probably a shocker to some of you out there but bear with me here. Some will be wondering...why not Vaccaro? The blunt truth is that I don't rate Vaccaro anywhere near as high as some others do and he's not my top ranked safety. I think that the guy misses a lot of tackles and takes a lot of bad angles for a supposed first round safety. So onto the next question...why Banks? It was simple to me. Walton and Cecil are both highly regarded DB Coaches and Walton has experience coaching guys making the CB to Safety transition. Banks started at safety during the second half of his freshman year before moving to Corner in his sophomore year. Banks offers the Rams great ball-skills and hands at safety with the speed and range to cover the deep part of the field, an extreme amount of experience in both zone and man to man coverage and the size and length to match-up with TEs at 6'1" with long arms. He'll need to add some bulk but Banks has monster upside at FS for us. Putting this guy back there to help out Janoris, Cortland and Trumaine almost seems unfair. His range, ball-skills and ability to read the QB will make testing our pass defense absolute hell on opposing QBs.
Round 2 Pick #16 - Larry Warford OG Kentucky
Explanation: And we're back to sensible picks. You'll find one of the themes of this mock is protecting our young QB. Warford is a mountain of a man that will move the guy in front of him and has the ability to anchor in and do battle with the stoutest of DTs. He has a strong punch and uses his hands well to battle the man he's up against. He'd provide a powerful and reliable presence on the our interior OL and immediately allow us to forget about Harvey Dahl. If Rok Watkins earns the LG spot, that would be one monster starting OG duo in terms of size and strength.
Round 3 Pick #16 - William Gholston DE/DT Michigan State
Explanation: Yep, I am at it again with a semi unexpected pick. With William Hayes departing in FA, the Rams replace him with a freak of an athlete in Gholston. Coming into the year, many expected Gholston to be a top 20 pick. He's 6'6" 280 with long arms and freakish burst/speed for his size. His movement skills and speed jump out on film. It's amazing just how fast he closes on the QB. What also jumps out is the guy has a major mean streak and a real motor, he definitely plays through the whistle and pushes the limits...which has been a detriment for him at times...needs to learn to control his temper better. But Gholston has Calais Campbell type upside on the DL. He has the size and strength to play DT with the speed and movement skills to play DE. He'd be the perfect 5th DL for our rotation. His technical side of the game needs a lot of work though as he pops right up off the snap leading him to play with a high pad level and his pass rush moves are very unrefined...he doesn't use his hands and long arms like he should. That said, I believe Coach Waufle is the perfect guy to teach him up and help him reach his potential. If he does, I don't know if Gholston will play DE for us or the 3-Technique but he'll be on the field somewhere because you don't come along many guys with his combination of length, size, strength and speed/movement skills.
Round 4 Pick #16 - Marcus Lattimore HB South Carolina
Explanation: Go big or go home. Lattimore was a top 20 talent coming into the year before the injury. From everything said since the end of the season, his rehab has been going well. The kid is an unselfish and very coachable player that will work extremely hard to be the best that he can be. Yes, you're taking a risk on the durability red flag but I think it's worth it. I believe DR and Pead can handle the load this year if need be. But Lattimore might be ready to go come the middle part of the season after being placed on the PUP list. Lattimore is a versatile back that can pass block, run block and catch the ball out of the backfield quite effectively. As a runner, he's great. That's really the best word to describe him. He's a bigger HB at 6'0" 230ish and breaks a lot of tackles but has the agility and movement skills of a much smaller HB. While he lacks the 2nd gear to breakaway, he has the burst to hit the hole and was a TD machine at South Carolina. He runs with real determination and is very hard to tackle on the second level. If he returns to form, you're getting a consistent 1000+ yard HB especially if he has a guy like DR or Pead to keep him fresh. Think a Matt Forte type HB.
Round 5 Pick #16 - Michael Williams TE Alabama
Explanation: I quite like Michael Williams. He's the definition of an under-appreciated player. If he was as good of a receiver as he was a blocker, he'd be a top 10 pick. The kid is an unreal blocker. He is like having a 6th OT out there. He has great technique as a run blocker and plays with leverage despite being 6'6" and really utilizes his large frame to engulf and seal DEs in the running game. If you're a LB against Williams, forget about it. As a pass blocker, he's similarly impressive. He's very effective at mirroring the rusher, utilizing a kick-slide, staying square and punching and counter-punching to keep the rusher at bay. He will make a major impact with his blocking ability alone. Perfect role player for a team like this. But that's not just it, he is actually a very solid receiving TE. He has strong hands and understands how to use his big body. He was a very effective red-zone weapon for Alabama this year. While he lacks foot-speed and change of direction ability that the great receiving TEs have, Williams has enough to be a threat especially if you don't pay him proper attention. While he's not a guy who will ever be special as a receiver, he's capable of contributing in that role. But the reason you're drafting this kid is because he will make a huge impact as a blocker. Perfect #2 TE for Schotty's offense.
Round 6 Pick #16 - TRADE
Explanation: Oakland trades it's 2 7th round picks for the Rams 6th...I opted to take this route because there were a few names that I wanted to sneak in the draft that I liked in the 7th
Round 7 Pick #3 - Martel Moore WR Northern Illinois
Explanation: Keep an eye on this kid, it really surprises me that he gets so little attention. He kind of reminds me of Victor Cruz in that he's a jack of all trades, master of none type at WR. Good RAC skills, good speed, good COD ability and explosion of breaks, good hands, great balance, etc. The kid really impressed me though this year. He made some huge catches for NIU, had a very productive year in an offense with a running QB and made some pretty amazing RAC plays and catches. I feel like he could come in and surprise a lot of people. Here's his 2012 highlight video:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XooGhNzGJSo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XooGhNzGJSo</a>
Round 7 Pick #13 - Earl Watford OG James Madison
Explanation: Watford is an athletic LG with good technique. He needs to add some bulk at 6'4" 300 but I feel like he'd be a great kid for Boudreau to work with. He'd challenge Rok Watkins for the LG job and I think he could possibly have some potential as a developmental Center. I feel like this is a good place to grab a small school kid with a lot of upside like Watford...seems like you can find OGs in the later rounds if you know what to look for.
Round 7 Pick #16 - Justin Tuggle OLB Kansas State
Explanation: It seems like every year, the Rams make an out of left-field pick in the 7th round that all leaves us wondering who in the hell they just took. This is my attempt at doing the same. Justin Tuggle is the son of Pro Bowl LB Jesse Tuggle. Justin originally went to Boston College as a QB then transferred to Blinn JC where he played QB and then went to Kansas State where he played QB in 2011. Finally, in 2012, Justin moved over to LB. While he didn't start this year, he carved out a role for himself as a situational player. However, in reviewing what was out there on Tuggle, I was very impressed by the kid. He has a lot of development left to do at LB but that's understandable. However, the kid is 6'3" 240ish with freakish athleticism. Appears to me to have 4.5 speed along with impressive strength for his size and great agility. His movement skills just made me want to find somewhere to include him. He's going to need a lot of development but why not take a shot on a kid like this in the 7th? He has great blood-lines, obviously has football IQ(being a former QB) and has athleticism that just stands out on the field. I mean, I saw this kid running down HBs/WRs from the other side of the field and bullrushing OTs backwards in the same game. He can move. If we can teach him how to play LB and he has the instincts necessary...which is a big if...you could potentially have a big steal on your hands.
Projected Starting Line-up:
QB: Sam Bradford
HB: Daryl Richardson
FB: Lance Kendricks
WR1: Chris Givens
WR2: Brian Quick vs. Titus Young
WR3: Danny Amendola
TE: Michael Williams
LT: Rodger Saffold
LG: Rob Turner vs. Rok Watkins vs. Earl Watford vs. Shelley Smith
C: Scott Wells
RG: Larry Warford
RT: Lane Johnson
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Kendall Langford
RDT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Jo-Lonn Dunbar
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SLB: Brad Jones
CB1: Cortland Finnegan
CB2: Janoris Jenkins
CB3: Trumaine Johnson
FS: Johnthan Banks
SS: Kenny Phillips
Anyways, that's it. I don't know how much you guys will like this one because it's very different from what I normally do. I didn't draft a WR high which is rare but I figured with the Titus Young addition and us repairing the OL that it might not be necessary. I also took some risks on guys like Banks, Gholston and Lattimore. But I figured it would be an interesting take nonetheless.
