Logan Bruss

[oldnotdead]

The guy has been universally condemned by this board for his play as a rookie. But I think a lot of people missed something about the guy. He only started 425 snaps at RG in 2020 as a COVID replacement in a chaotic season. Prior to and after that he was strictly a RT. So he has been resigned. The Rams have had a dubious record of converting OTs to OGs. So the question that was raised in my mind is whether or not Bruss is going to be played at RT. IMO Arcuri has been a bust thus far. His one opportunity to play in a regular game he was replaced before the snap by an injured Joe Noteboom. That said a lot to me.

Bringing Bruss back also says a lot to me about what they think of the guy. Will they play him at his natural position of RT? Before the draft, his evals were good showing decent technique and feet. As with most collegiate OL he needed to strengthen and polish is technique and was viewed by many as best to sit his rookie year and develop. It will be interesting where they play him in OTAs and if he makes it into TC. Logan showed talent in college, so I'm wondering if it was a matter of a rookie being expected to play a position in which he had only limited experience. People need to understand that the techniques used by OTs and OGs are different. The most difficult aspect of making the transition to OG for an OT is learning to play low with leverage. That was exactly his undoing when he started.

I think it would be interesting to see if they continue to try him as an OG and not as an OT. This is why I will not automatically dismiss Logan's chances. If he's coming in as a RT that IMO changes everything for him.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Bruss could work out as a starter.
On the other hand, he may work out as well as Barrett Jones.

 

[OldSchool]

Disappointed in what we've seen so far. Sad at the injuries that have happened so far. But like all Rams I'll root for the kid as long as he's on the roster.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Last year, the season ended with him behind Havenstein, Noteboom, and McClendon for the RT spot. He has a lot of work to do to climb up the ranks.

 

[shovelpass]

Last year, the season ended with him behind Havenstein, Noteboom, and McClendon for the RT spot. He has a lot of work to do to climb up the ranks.

Yeah, I thought that they already moved him back to RT last TC.

 

[WestCoastRam]

If that dude had never jumped into the pool, I think we'd all be a little more okay with Bruss being a bust.

 

[Merlin]

Well of course Bruss will be brought back. He's cheap labor with upside. The question with him lies in forecasting to what extent you can trust him, which is to say you're better off treating him as depth until he proves otherwise.

Looking right now like Dotson is gone. Because otherwise there would be rumors of movement or at the least discussions as we have heard with Shelton. So one may well be related to the other, as some have pointed out in other threads on this stuff, where they said "ok Dotson is going to go get his bag so let's limit the damage here and ensure we only have one hole to fill on that OL."

By the way I'd love nothing more than to hear otherwise from the Rams re: Dotson. But going forward and barring a miracle signing it feels like we can add OG to the heaping pile of needs. And personally what irks me is I already figure we will tap a wideout from among this class in the first three rounds. So we can probably add OG now to the list and maybe at the top, if Powers were to be there at 19.

Really wanted them to draft defense heavily because I feel like that would give us the best chance to survive that playoff field. Getting more stops and quicker will magnify Stafford's value. But I get that Dotson might want top pay level compensation and if the Rams elect not to pay it I won't say they're wrong. Just sucks that we get that additional need opened up, I was hoping it would get filled then I could not sweat this line for once this offseason.

So if nothing changes in the next 19 days before FA starts we're probably looking at bargain type signings (Les comments deflated any hopes I had of us hitting FA for one or two good starters). Certainly Edge will be one of them, barring every one of these lesser clowns getting stupid offers. Corner might also be one of the budget additions. Looking at the lesser options Jackson (Giants) has at least had some decent windows of play in the past and he's not too old yet (28). Rams seem to prefer drafting their safeties so not gonna waste time looking at them but seems like we're gonna have another cobbled together defensive unit. Because even if we were to draft all defense up top this year (in the first three rounds) we'd still be needing some returning players to step up this year on that side of the ball. But there is time of course so we'll see how this goes, just a stream of consciousness thing based on how things are feeling right now to me.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Well of course Bruss will be brought back. He's cheap labor with upside. The question with him lies in forecasting to what extent you can trust him, which is to say you're better off treating him as depth until he proves otherwise.

By the way I'd love nothing more than to hear otherwise from the Rams re: Dotson. But going forward and barring a miracle signing it feels like we can add OG to the heaping pile of needs. And personally what irks me is I already figure we will tap a wideout from among this class in the first three rounds. So we can probably add OG now to the list and maybe at the top, if Powers were to be there at 19.

I suspect that Bruss won't make it past TC if we add at least two linemen in the draft and resign Shelton but lose Dotson.

If we lose Dotson, I don't think anyone's talked about the obvious though not loved solution which is to keep Boom and start him at RG or at least have him compete there with others. Boom at RG actually showed above average talent there in limited snaps. I don't think you can just sneeze at that. His health is the issue.

There's a lot of talk of JPJ as a draft pick for us but I think there are far more interesting tackle prospects who can start in at guard for at least a season in the 1st (legit guys that have tools that you can see that flexibilty ala Whitworth). I could see us taking one of them and having them compete at tackle and guard.

As it stands with Dotson, I agree, I think prob 10% chance right now we resign. Not out of the realm of possibility but not likely either.

 

[Jacobarch]

Bruss apparently was having issues anchoring even before his injury. Not sure if it's a strength issue or he just doesn't have what it takes to be an NFL guard. Not saying he can't ever get better but generally players either flash or they don't in their first couple of years in the league. He hasn't shown anything and I mean anything to make me think that he's a viable option.

 

[dieterbrock]

Logan Bruss isnt even on the roster, he's only a reserve/futures guy.
Depending on how the draft, free agency and undrafted free agency goes, he might not even get an invite to TC

 

[Merlin]

Bruss apparently was having issues anchoring even before his injury. Not sure if it's a strength issue or he just doesn't have what it takes to be an NFL guard. Not saying he can't ever get better but generally players either flash or they don't in their first couple of years in the league. He hasn't shown anything and I mean anything to make me think that he's a viable option.

This is true. But the sample size was quite small. Obviously he looks like a bust from where we're sitting right now but the team evaluated him at a certain level in the draft and I doubt they saw enough to completely write him off. So he'll return and they'll see what he can do in camp and if he doesn't show them something they'll probably cut bait rather quickly.

 

[dpjax]

I’ll reserve judgment until after this season. They shut him down just before last season started which makes me think they wanted to give him the season to fully recover from his acl/mcl tear.

 

[Ram Ts]

Literally forgot about this dude. Not sure you can expect anything from him at this point. Just hope he is healthy and he gets a chance to Make the roster.

But It would be awesome for him to turn the cover and become a viable starting OL.

 

[snackdaddy]

So far its looking like Bruss will be another draft whiff. It happens. I would think if he's invited to camp its his last shot at playing in the NFL.

 

[oldnotdead]

The reason I think this is significant is because he was signed as a OT specifically a LT. That doesn't mean he's going to start at left tackle, but he's signed off the street at the OL's most expensive position rate. His failure last year was at OG. Like I've been saying it's not easy for a OT to transition to OG. Noteboom to his credit was able to make the transition and he played through injury most of last year.

If he is signed as a LT then that will be his primary position in OTAs and potentially in TC if he makes it that far. Basically he will become the next Noteboom. Where if he looks good then they can play him at RT or swing OT this year.

They will spend close to $17-$20M signing both Shelton and Dotson. Now add in both Rivers and Robinson that's a bit over $6M. Their draft class will probably cost another $10M. They have 4 RFA they probably will sign, Jackson, Hoecht, Rozeboom and Williams all at about $4.8M each. That comes to about $55M in cap spent. Releasing Noteboom will give them about $15M but that basically clears enough to give them the contingency space they need heading into the season. This is why they need to look at do they want to keep Havenstein at his bloated salary? Using their 2 post June 1 transactions they can clear about $21M when combined with Havenstein and Noteboom. This is why I made the post about wanting Dotson more than Havenstein and that the cap would seem to give them all kinds of money to make FA moves. But in reality even a modest FA move will impact their cap forcing a move of some kind.

It's why I don't expect any splash news like signing an aging OBJ. I think Robinson was the better option for this scheme. Sure they can massage the numbers to clear some space like a lower cap for both Shelton and Dotson this year and spreading the cap hit for Noteboom and keeping him for depth. But it still won't clear enough for a splash edge signing.

But who knows Demoff & Co are pretty good at manipulating the cap. But bringing in Bruss and perhaps other players like him makes sense. It will be interesting to see how well Bruss can play at OT in the NFL. He was a very good RT in college. Both Jackson and Havenstein have issues with their feet movement. Jackson's major issue IMO is with his footwork. Bruss showed excellent foot quickness and footwork in general in college. He didn't give up a sack his senior year. If he gets physically stronger I think he very well could play LT at this level. I think signing Bruss as a LT shows their lack of confidence in going into the future with Jackson. That could change of course and they would have an seemingly able replacement at RT for Havenstein.

 

[PARAM]

But I think a lot of people missed something about the guy. He only started 425 snaps at RG in 2020 as a COVID replacement in a chaotic season. Prior to and after that he was strictly a RT. So he has been resigned. The Rams have had a dubious record of converting OTs to OGs. So the question that was raised in my mind is whether or not Bruss is going to be played at RT. IMO Arcuri has been a bust thus far. His one opportunity to play in a regular game he was replaced before the snap by an injured Joe Noteboom.

On one hand we shouldn't judge Bruss because he "only had" 425 snaps at RG. Sound like you don't want to call him a bust. But Arcuri is a bust with just 70 snaps? I don't think we can judge either of those guys just yet but Bruss' 425 snaps are certainly significant in comparison to Arcuri's. I suppose it's possible late round lineman take a couple of seasons to develop.

 

[Classic Rams]

 

[OldSchool]

The reason I think this is significant is because he was signed as a OT specifically a LT.

We drafted Bruss to be a LT? Something he never played in college? After we had just signed Noteboom to a contract to play LT? Bro put down the pipe the weed is doing damage.

 

[Allen2McVay]

We drafted Bruss to be a LT? Something he never played in college? After we had just signed Noteboom to a contract to play LT? Bro put down the pipe the weed is doing damage.

As stated.

Mostly played RT at Wisconsin, with some time at RG.
Drafted in 2022 to replace Austin Corbett at RG.
Season-ending knee injury in 2nd pre-season game ... playing at RG.

O-N-D also stated above ... 'His failure last year was at OG.'
Last year was 2023, and Bruss played in all three preseason games ... almost exclusively at RT ... Not OG

McVay was quoted as saying they were trying Bruss at his more comfortable college position of RT.

If O-N-D ignores what Alaric Jackson said, makes sense to ignore what McVay said ... and, I guess, what we say.

 

[WestCoastRam]

We drafted Bruss to be a LT? Something he never played in college? After we had just signed Noteboom to a contract to play LT? Bro put down the pipe the weed is doing damage.

I find this association offensive to the drug.