june 1st cuts, will the rams be active?

[FRO]

Saffold could always kick out to RT in a pinch, as could Robinson. Our line has 4 guys that can play OT. I would like to see them sign Harvey Dahl if healthy for depth.

 

[max]

IMO Jones best position is Center, however, this year he might play more guard. Now I'm not sold on Barnes like others, he really concerned me against the 49ers & Seahawks, but those defense can make any OL look pedestrian. If Wells goes down I would like to see Jones over Barnes at Center, however, in pre-season IMO Jones will be getting plenty action at RG behind Saffold whereas Brandon Washington will be getting time behind Robinson at LG.

True. They may need to play Saffold at LOT, so Jones at RG makes sense.

 

[BonifayRam]

Saffold could always kick out to RT in a pinch, as could Robinson. Our line has 4 guys that can play OT. I would like to see them sign Harvey Dahl if healthy for depth.

I just Know the recent history with this proposed remedy & I see NO positive attached to it & I would avoid it at all costs...when Saffold plays OT he gets injured and injured for long periods of time & he gets injured often.....when Saffold is not playing OG the Rams running Game suffers badly. Is there a positive there ? help me find it.

The other remedy scares me even more ....I find the thought of taking a green rookie who only started one season in college & was only a sophomore when he did this....Now then train him to play Left OG first in the NFL .....then after the season starts you flip his playing side & switch his position that he has never played in his football life. Once again that just does not sound like a good remedy.

I will agree with you that Harvey Dahl if capable of passing a NFL physical ever again would be a decent reserve OG, but the issues @ reserve OT would still remain. Harvey would only resolve the lack of experience issue @ OG. Harvey was never anything more than an extreme emergency ORT in his prime....now 3 yrs later and surgeries and injuries piles on sure would not met the requirements to back up Barksdale.

This is why Snead & Fisher were driving hard & almost drafted Zack Martin in the first round out of the critical needs remaining @ OT even after the Greg Robinson selection!

 

[Merlin]

You guys are focusing too much on the OL here. I think the Rams like their depth, and have added more by pushing it down through adding of Robinson. They may watch the wire for the position of course, but I doubt they see anything worthy of bringing in barring setback with Long.

On the other hand a position the Rams will be watching the wire the most for is FS. The importance of the need will depend on how ready they think their in-house options are but make no mistake: Snead will be all over it.

I also think they'll be watching WR. If they can get a vet to fill out the roster for the first four weeks or even see potential to improve what they have this season I think they do it.

 

[BonifayRam]

You guys are focusing too much on the OL here. I think the Rams like their depth, and have added more by pushing it down through adding of Robinson.

"have added more"

Subtracting -3 (three) Ram OL'ers during UFA'cy ...two experienced starters (Williams & Dahl) & the top experienced OG (Smith) Rams add +1 (one) OLG Greg Robinson = equals added more?

Guess we could consider in adding of the 3 ( 2 late 7th round picks & one UDFA OT Salimu). Hope your right Merlin & I am wrong. Looks like subtraction to me in the top end. Guess we could say one first round rookie should replace those other veteran losses. Can someone tell how comfortable is Boudreau starting a rookie or has he ever started a rookie Ram Ol'er?

Rams had one major injury to the five player safety unit last season plus they drafted 3 additional safeties in this draft. One in the 2nd rd Joyner, one in the 4th rd Alexander and one in the 7th rd Bryant to go with the four safeties they had on the roster last season. Snead also signed two more known safeties as UDFA's ..looks like 9 safeties maybe more not sure but looks thick to me at the moment @ safety. Rams did loose two veteran reserve safeties in Giordano & Stewart in UFA'cy.

 

[CoachO]

You guys are overlooking the most obvious need in terms of depth. This LB group is still woefully thin, especially with no veteran presence to step in should either Dunbar or Laurinaitis go down. I would expect them to add a veteran LB, much like the brought on Witherspoon last year. One year, vet minimum.

And obviously, sa it has been beaten to death, adding a veteran depth O-linemen. Someone like D. Joseph or H. Dahl. Again, one year vet minimum.

Counting on the likes of Brandon Washington, or Robert Person to step in is a scary proposition in my mind.

 

[RamsJunkie]

You guys are overlooking the most obvious need in terms of depth. This LB group is still woefully thin, especially with no veteran presence to step in should either Dunbar or Laurinaitis go down. I would expect them to add a veteran LB, much like the brought on Witherspoon last year. One year, vet minimum.

And obviously, sa it has been beaten to death, adding a veteran depth O-linemen. Someone like D. Joseph or H. Dahl. Again, one year vet minimum.

Counting on the likes of Brandon Washington, or Robert Person to step in is a scary proposition in my mind.

As good as our Dline is gonna be and as much nickle as they play I think our LBs will be fine. Ray Ray may step up and take the job from dunbar and dunbar could back up all 3 positions.

 

[CoachO]

As good as our Dline is gonna be and as much nickle as they play I think our LBs will be fine. Ray Ray may step up and take the job from dunbar and dunbar could back up all 3 positions.

God help us all if Armstrong is anything more than a ST player. Unless and until he shows he can play with even a little bit of discipline, he is a disaster waiting to happen.

He is the epitome of the "look at me" kind of player, and that wont fly as an every down LB. And what would lead anyone to believe he is ready to be an effective run stopper? He runs around blocks, because he is too light to take them on. And please don't say he is "heavier" the Dunbar, because that doesn't matter. Dunbar can and will be the better run stopping LB, and they have no one behind him at this point to fill that role.

 

[RamsJunkie]

God help us all if Armstrong is anything more than a ST player. Unless and until he shows he can play with even a little bit of discipline, he is a disaster waiting to happen.

He is the epitome of the "look at me" kind of player, and that wont fly as an every down LB. And what would lead anyone to believe he is ready to be an effective run stopper? He runs around blocks, because he is too light to take them on. And please don't say he is "heavier" the Dunbar, because that doesn't matter. Dunbar can and will be the better run stopping LB, and they have no one behind him at this point to fill that role.

You could be right I guess we should just pray for no injuries otherwise we will be playing a lot of nickle with TJ in the box.

 

[Merlin]

Williams wasn't anything special. Dahl brought mental toughness more than anything else. Losing both of them really doesn't mean much.

My point in adding more is that they actually drafted a starter high vice drafting depth and having them compete for the job. That is going to make a marked difference in this line. Here's a guess at what we're looking at going into camp:

LT Long
LG Robinson, Washington
C Wells, Barnes, Rhaney
RG Saffold, Jones
RT Barkley, Person, Van Dyke

Seems like a pretty good depth group honestly. Coach Bou has multiple options if Long isn't ready, or if he goes down. Ideally Robinson would impress and be ready to slide over, but if not there is sufficient depth to support moves. So even if I leave the depth open after Long we can see the makings of a very strong starting OL and sufficient depth and flexibility to feel good going into the season.

 

[CoachO]

Williams wasn't anything special. Dahl brought mental toughness more than anything else. Losing both of them really doesn't mean much.

My point in adding more is that they actually drafted a starter high vice drafting depth and having them compete for the job. That is going to make a marked difference in this line. Here's a guess at what we're looking at going into camp:

LT Long
LG Robinson, Washington
C Wells, Barnes, Rhaney
RG Saffold, Jones
RT Barkley, Person, Van Dyke

Seems like a pretty good depth group honestly. Coach Bou has multiple options if Long isn't ready, or if he goes down. Ideally Robinson would impress and be ready to slide over, but if not there is sufficient depth to support moves. So even if I leave the depth open after Long we can see the makings of a very strong starting OL and sufficient depth and flexibility to feel good going into the season.

So you are ok with the likes of Brandon Washington and Robert Person as the guys who will provide the depth on this unit?

Washington was given every opportunity to make a contribution last year and he proved to be, slow footed, and hardly the powerful run blocker they had hoped for. He was brought in to be the guy they drafted Watkins to be, but is hardly that guy.

Robert Person will have to have a complete transformation to be much more than a practice squad guy again this year. There is nothing to suggest that Rhaney or Van Dyk will be anything other than PS candidates as well.

While I agree, that Boudreau is very good at moving guys around, and having a lot of flexibility in the guys he keeps, having a vet added to this group would go a long away in accomplishing that. Having Barnes, Jones, and someone like H. Dahl/Joseph would be a very deep and flexible group.

 

[FRO]

I love our starting linebackers, but we have zero depth. If one goes down we will be hurting.

 

[Sum1]

Can't teams simply cut players whenever in the offseason and just designate them 'Post June 1st'...?

 

[Angry Ram]

Rams still have a few holes to plug going into june. Notably S and depth on the OL.

Also, is Wells on the chopping block? I feel like the rams should let Barnes and B.Jones battle it out for the C position.

In any case, what big names will become cap casualties in the next two weeks that the rams may covet?

I hope none. "Big names" rarely solve anything and cost quite a bit. And a lot of times they are older players that have slowed down. You can get younger, cheaper players to do basically the same job.

 

[Gandalf]

I think they could bring back an experienced G. on a short, cheap contract, someone like H. Dahl.

 

[xander47]

Does anyone know if they had Williams pat the center when Bradford was ready for every time he was in shot gun or was it only to a certain player (ie to Barnes but not Wells)? This to me was a big problem as the defense knew when to get off.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Maybe a flier or two, not expecting much. This is a deep team.

 

[BonifayRam]

You guys are overlooking the most obvious need in terms of depth. This LB group is still woefully thin, especially with no veteran presence to step in should either Dunbar or Laurinaitis go down. I would expect them to add a veteran LB, much like the brought on Witherspoon last year. One year, vet minimum. And obviously, sa it has been beaten to death, adding a veteran depth O-linemen. Someone like D. Joseph or H. Dahl. Again, one year vet minimum. Counting on the likes of Brandon Washington, or Robert Person to step in is a scary proposition in my mind.

Guess that was one of the reasons they were thinking about OLB/ILB CJ Mosley with the 1.13 selection. Guess we could see some hybrid 4-2-5 defenses if one of the LB'ers were to go out. I happen to really like what we have done with our secondary & have very little concerns at this time. Once would hope that we will see a very heavy dose of 2nd yr WWC's Bates & Ray Armstrong on the outsides & Duncan @ mike in pre season. Rams did sign an interesting MLB'er in Tavarius Wilson who played with our CB Jenkins in North Alabama. Snead also signed OSLB'er Aaron Hill from Minnesota. Never know if Snead found a gold nugget.

Not sure who is the most lame OG Joseph with his knee with a dis-functioning PCL or Dahl with his chronic ankle..If Dahl could pass a physical I's prefer as a reserve @ ORG extra insurance for the Saffold post where I am sure Boudreau will yanked to plug in @ OLT/ORT/OLG if there are issues. I would not want Brandon Washington starting anywhere on that right side. I have no ideal how Mike Person plays never seen him, they just say he is tough.