Lance Kendricks, & Eugene Sims just cut

[fearsomefour]

I think Lovie was/is still running that ole tampa 2....the Monty Kiffin outdated Tampa-2....it killed safeties after teams realized you could exploit the seems by flooding targets deep and underneath...crossing...I hated it at SC (so did TJ McDonald)...and I'm sure Mark hated it in Tampa

Yep.
The cover 2 as a staple has kind of gone bye the bye.

 

[fearsomefour]

I remember later in the season Higbee had a nice block on a longer run by Gurley, but it was down-field, not up front. In the end, even if Higbee never develops into a solid blocker, I believe a good offensive coach can still find ways to keep them on the field and producing. A large number of the pro-bowl TEs in the last 10 years have average or worse at in-line blocking (Jimmy Graham being the worst of them). Higbee is still developing though, I won't write his blocking off until next year. If it doesn't change by then, it is what it is.

Agreed.
A TE that doesn't block is just a big receiver.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Elm single handedly makin me cry this morning

Sorry

 

[Dodgersrf]

Unfortunately for Lance the Pats just traded for Allen.

G Bay has an opening left by J Cook.

 

[Ram65]

Exactly why I didn't want a 3/4.
People can say what they want but the coach will morph the personal to what he is comfortable with. Donald may be talented enough to playing any scheme. That doesn't mean he will want to. Being miscast or taking him out more plays because of scheme would likely end his days in LA. You don't have that rare a talent and F with what he does.

I don't see the Rams taking Donald out of any plays. Wade's defense is aggressive attacking defense. That is what AD does and is great at it. Donald could play outside LBer like Quinn will be playing. IIRC sometimes he move into coverage last year. Phillips will create a defense that has the ability to attack from anywhere and with almost any player on the field. Donald will be playing the 3 technique that he has been. He could be moved around more. Check out his current workout.

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story...nald-flying-through-offseason-workouts-030817

 

[Snaz]

Donald is a 3/4 End... no Doubt... I'm sure Wade cannot wait to exploit matchups moving him around or if he gets doubled someone else is free

 

[Mojo Ram]

I didnt think they would clean house. Thought Hayes could transition but wasnt a fan of Simms. Kendricks I though would stay but as many posters pointed Rams could save money and move on. Looks like McVay and Co have a plan. Changing the culture had to be done by moving on from Fisher guys.

I really believe this is at the heart of most of these moves. Cutting players isn't always about scheme fit, talent. Especially in this situation with a new coaching staff. These aren't necessarily bad apples...but you need to redefine your locker room leadership.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Barron served the Rams well in his tweeter LB role, but, was not good at S in Tampa. Maybe he misused there.

IIRC he was in a heavy cover 2 scheme there in Tampa.

 

[Mackeyser]

Yep.
Takin on the look of a write off year. But, maybe not.
When they canned Fisher the one thing Insaid I wanted was a 4/3, for one reason....to keep Donald. If he feels miscast or uncomfortable in a 3/4 he won't resign.

If Wade Philips can't maximize AD, no one can. And has been stipulated MANY times, Wade uses both a 3T DE and a wide DE (typically 5 and 7, but sometimes even wide 9). If he just wants AD to stick to the 3T and AD either doesn't want or isn' the greatest at the wider techs, then no problem. Easley is a tremendous penetrator and has no issue with playing wide.

Also, this is a penetrating 1 gap 3-4 which plays much closer to a 4-3 than, say, the KC 3-4 which has space eaters on the DL and gets pressure from their pass rushing OLBs like OLB Houston.

Of all the things to be worried about, AD in Wade's scheme is LITERALLY the last thing to worry about.

AD's gonna be blowing up this year. Watch. Bet all my ROD bucks on it, that's how sure I am.

 

[Mackeyser]

IIRC he was in a heavy cover 2 scheme there in Tampa.

Exactly. Actually Barron might do well either in that ILB role like Danny Trevathan or in Wade's SS role which is pretty much a box safety.

 

[VeteranRamFan]

McSnead really seems to have a solid plan and are executing it with precision.

Both these cuts were anticipated just on the bases of cap cost versus production
.

More Koolaid please! I'm still thirsty!

 

[Psycho_X]

I'm not going to dig through all of this thread but I saw mentioned on twitter that Sims was released due to failed physical. Not sure if that changes anything really but found it interesting.

 

[fearsomefour]

I don't see the Rams taking Donald out of any plays. Wade's defense is aggressive attacking defense. That is what AD does and is great at it. Donald could play outside LBer like Quinn will be playing. IIRC sometimes he move into coverage last year. Phillips will create a defense that has the ability to attack from anywhere and with almost any player on the field. Donald will be playing the 3 technique that he has been. He could be moved around more. Check out his current workout.

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story...nald-flying-through-offseason-workouts-030817

We will see.

 

[majrleaged]

The defense only underperformed in two games last year. In the rest they did enough to keep the score low, but we're on the field way too much and broke down at the end of games. Then you have Fisher passing away leads by running Gurley up the gut for three and outs and having the defense go into prevent mode, at the end of the third quarter. They still were the fifteenth D despite all of that going against them.

Yes they were a good defense, but loosing Jenkins and Mcleod left them thin in the secondary and needs to be addressed. It doesn't help that they had 2 guys at safety that can hit but can't cover plus Barron, which doesn't fit most defenses plus a mediocre Cody. Another thing that hurts this defense is lack of true linebackers. The fact is the defensive personnel had holes that would have to filled no matter the scheme.

 

[Ram65]

We will see.

Yes we will.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yes they were a good defense, but loosing Jenkins and Mcleod left them thin in the secondary and needs to be addressed. It doesn't help that they had 2 guys at safety that can hit but can't cover plus Barron, which doesn't fit most defenses plus a mediocre Cody. Another thing that hurts this defense is lack of true linebackers. The fact is the defensive personnel had holes that would have to filled no matter the scheme.

A couple holes. Corner, free safety, and maybe one linebacker. However Josh Forrest was looking good as the season went on and Cory Littleton got Ram's rookie of the year. So I don't think the linebackers was guaranteed to be an urgent need. All of that early talk by McVay's and Phillips was just that, talk. They didn't know what was on the roster outside of Donald, Ogletree and Trumaine. They already decided Tru doesn't fit. I guess I am just frustrated because the switch to a 3/4 is basically going to be a defensive overhaul. Just wait and see. In 3years there will be more original offensive players than defensive, which is pretty ironic.

 

[tempests]

Sims was occasionally frustrating as a player but I got to give it up for a sixth round pick who lasted seven years with the team.

Who'd have thought he'd be a Ram longer than our no 1 overall pick that same year.

 

[dieterbrock]

For what? Man, Barron is one of the guys that brings it...every play...every game....If anything, he's miscast as an ILB....

Somebody PLEASE, listen to this Man!!!
I so agree!!

 

[OldSchool]

Donald is a 3/4 End... no Doubt... I'm sure Wade cannot wait to exploit matchups moving him around or if he gets doubled someone else is free

Exactly this Double AD with Quinn standing up right next to or right behind him hehe