Letting starters go

[FRO]

Read an interesting article on PFT about Joe Thomas lamenting about the Browns continually letting starters go in free agency. It's hard to build when you have to use major resources to fill new holes every year. It got me thinking about the 2013 offseason and the Rams decision to let go of their leading rusher and top 2 receivers. I was for the moves at the time, but it's hard to build off the 7-8-1 when you bring in an entire new support cast, most of which were very young and untested. Then I look at the 2016 offseason where the team lost 2 out of their 4 secondary starters. While the defense wasn't at all the problem, missing those key pieces in the secondary were. I guess I really don't have a good point it was just an interesting article for me to read and think about.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-browns-cant-keep-letting-young-stars-leave/

 

[Picked4td]

while its great in theory, the problem is its a 2-way street. can sign people that dont want to be signed. As a fan its tough to know if the FO has thrown out legit offers to players that left, or thought they would be better of waiting and gambling in free agency, but I find it hard to believe any FO lets a talented player reach free agency without at least throwing a respectable offer on the table.

 

[HitStick]

I get it. You really shouldn't let go of key contributors, but Zac Stacy hasn't done anything anywhere else. Gurley even with an off year is still better than Stacy IMO. It's not like we let Marshall Faulk go and drafted Isiah Pead in his place.

Sometimes the starters need to be replaced.

 

[TexasRam]

Zack Stacey was quite the bowling ball. He wasn't a breakaway runner that could do damage at the second level, but good luck stopping him before 4 yards.

But with this oline even the Great Zack would struggle for a 4 yard carry.

 

[jrry32]

I get it. You really shouldn't let go of key contributors, but Zac Stacy hasn't done anything anywhere else. Gurley even with an off year is still better than Stacy IMO. It's not like we let Marshall Faulk go and drafted Isiah Pead in his place.

Sometimes the starters need to be replaced.

I think he means the 2013 off-season (i.e., the off-season before the 2013 season). That was when we let Steven Jackson, Danny Amendola, and Brandon Gibson walk. We were definitely right to let Jackson and Gibson walk.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Amendola and Jenkins are the only guys that jump out at me having enough success elsewhere I questioned the decision to let them go.

Otherwise we've done pretty well, unless I am missing a name or two.

Then again... had we hit on more draft picks that list would be longer.

 

[FRO]

Amendola and Jenkins are the only guys that jump out at me having enough success elsewhere I questioned the decision to let them go.

Otherwise we've done pretty well, unless I am missing a name or two.

Then again... had we hit on more draft picks that list would be longer.

I can agree with this. That being said I was fine with Amendola going because of the injury history and the money he was getting. That being said he was the best slot receiver in the league while on the Rams and healthy (my opinion). Also having Austin Pettis be the only reliable receiver in 2013 was killer. That being said at the time I thought it was the right move. Now I don't see it as such. Letting Jenkins go was an absolute killer that I was never ok with. Got to retain guys like him. It would have been good to retain McLeod too, but with a salary cap you can't retain everybody.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I can agree with this. That being said I was fine with Amendola going because of the injury history and the money he was getting. That being said he was the best slot receiver in the league while on the Rams and healthy (my opinion). Also having Austin Pettis be the only reliable receiver in 2013 was killer. That being said at the time I thought it was the right move. Now I don't see it as such. Letting Jenkins go was an absolute killer that I was never ok with. Got to retain guys like him. It would have been good to retain McLeod too, but with a salary cap you can't retain everybody.

Ditto.

Amendola decision I would have made the same at the time. No problem there.

Jenkins; I just don't know what I would have done. I always thought he was the better player, but he scares me off the field (children situation, twitter comments, etc. fair or not). But, he's held it together, on and off the field his entire career, so that should have put any concerns at ease.

 

[FRO]

Ditto.

Amendola decision I would have made the same at the time. No problem there.

Jenkins; I just don't know what I would have done. I always thought he was the better player, but he scares me off the field (children situation, twitter comments, etc. fair or not). But, he's held it together, on and off the field his entire career, so that should have put any concerns at ease.

Yeah when he was drafted all your heard was that he was a problem child off the field and he may have a weed problem. Since being in the league he hasn't been a problem whatsoever (outside the incident before the 49er game his rookie year). He played great in 2015 and was finally blossoming into the player they envisioned when drafted. You can't develop high end talent and let them walk. He is at least a top 10 CB in the league. You don't replace that easily.

 

[Ramrasta]

I don't have an issue with letting people go but we never seem to go after any big name players in free agency. After an awful draft last year and less draft capital this year, we have to make some serious acquisitions to turn the corner.

 

[FRO]

I don't have an issue with letting people go but we never seem to go after any big name players in free agency. After an awful draft last year and less draft capital this year, we have to make some serious acquisitions to turn the corner.

Yeah the Rams have no option but to spend in free agency. Get an OG and WR in free agency.

 

[HeiseNBerg]

For the most part, I feel that Demoff has done a good job with re-upping most of the core players before they ever made it to Free Agency. Last offseason was tough, though -- there was no way they were going to be able to afford keeping both Jenkins and TruJo. Not sure what attempts were made during the 2014 & 2015 seasons to lock them up with extensions -- maybe they were both intent to hit the open market.

And with Jenkins, in particular, I don't bother second-guessing the decision to not overpay to keep him. While he was in horns, he was too much of a gambler (and guessing wrong too often) to justify paying him what the Giants ended up giving him.

 

[UKram]

I don't have an issue with letting people go but we never seem to go after any big name players in free agency. After an awful draft last year and less draft capital this year, we have to make some serious acquisitions to turn the corner.

That's the thing we may have gone after the bigger FA but either never hear about it the players aren't interested in coming to us ... I mean chance at a championship or never make the playoffs

 

[Ramrasta]

That's the thing we may have gone after the bigger FA but either never hear about it the players aren't interested in coming to us ... I mean chance at a championship or never make the playoffs

Good point. Competitive players probably would take less money to play on a contending team. It is probably also the reason we can't retain any free agents.

 

[Debacled]

There are never enough resources to retain all of your players. Especially with teams like the Redskins, Browns, and Dolphins willing to throw around major cash (which more than often does not work out).

As much as I hate them the Patriots are really good at letting guys walk. Know what they have? A system they've made their own and continuity. Everybody is always yelling for switching things up and changing things around, but getting down to square 1 over and over doesn't work. Ask teams like the Browns or Bills how that has been working, or even the Rams at this point.

 

[simonblaze]

I really wanted them to keep Amendola. He's the only guy we've had with the exception of Kenny Britt that was capable of getting separation from his defender. He also had 10/10 hands...a shame he couldn't stay healthy

 

[jrry32]

There are never enough resources to retain all of your players. Especially with teams like the Redskins, Browns, and Dolphins willing to throw around major cash (which more than often does not work out).

As much as I hate them the Patriots are really good at letting guys walk. Know what they have? A system they've made their own and continuity. Everybody is always yelling for switching things up and changing things around, but getting down to square 1 over and over doesn't work. Ask teams like the Browns or Bills how that has been working, or even the Rams at this point.

I think it's easy for NE because they have a HOF HC and QB. You can let guys walk when you know you have those two things. Even if the defense regresses some, you know Brady and Belichick will keep you in contention until you can build it back up.

 

[FRO]

There are never enough resources to retain all of your players. Especially with teams like the Redskins, Browns, and Dolphins willing to throw around major cash (which more than often does not work out).

As much as I hate them the Patriots are really good at letting guys walk. Know what they have? A system they've made their own and continuity. Everybody is always yelling for switching things up and changing things around, but getting down to square 1 over and over doesn't work. Ask teams like the Browns or Bills how that has been working, or even the Rams at this point.

You are exactly right. They have a system or a program. They draft guys that fit into their program. They have a prototype of each position and they draft that prototype. They have their fair share of draft misses, but they always seem to have young guys step up every year. I believe under Fisher the Rams had that on defense, but on offense they hodgepodged a bunch of players together and then found out they really didn't all fit the same system. That's why the offense failed. You're overall point is a very good one. Changing systems every year is a bad move and in fairness to the Rams they gave Fisher ample time.

 

[FRO]

I really wanted them to keep Amendola. He's the only guy we've had with the exception of Kenny Britt that was capable of getting separation from his defender. He also had 10/10 hands...a shame he couldn't stay healthy

In 2012 Amendola was outstanding. He just couldn't stay healthy though. The only other receiver the Rams had that could separate was Danario Alexander, unfortunately for him he only had one good leg. Had he not had knee troubles I think the guy would have been a top 10 WR.