Maybe a dumb question here, but...

[PhillyRam]

... Outside of the QB, DE, and maybe the CB position, are you better off drafting very good players at other positions than dradting a great player?

What I am getting at is are you better off having a Kwami Short that will cost I think half of what Donald will get, vs having to tie up a 1/6th of your cap into one DT? Or same with RB. Is it better to have a RB by committed like the Eagles vs tying up a huge percentage of your cap into one RB?

It's almost like getting penalized if your player becomes a top 3 at his position vs a top ten or 15 guy.

In the end you can afford 10 top ten or 15 guys vs 2 or 3 top 3/5 guys.

Just a thought.

 

[gabriel18]

I thought the same thing about Donald , but after watching him last year we can't let him get away . He's a once every 20 year guy IMO .

 

[Mackeyser]

Yeah, depends.

Depends on the player and position.

Also depends on scheme. Philly runs a scheme where guys just need to be able to do certain things which aren’t unique among RBs.

Our scheme and Pitt, even though we are a legit WCO and Pitt runs the EP offense, both make tremendous use of the transcendent talents of Gurley and Bell.

 

[LACHAMP46]

No....truly great players make others around them better. Donald makes our defense respectable...

 

[DaveFan'51]

I say you always go BPA regardless of position! JMHO

 

[PhillyRam]

I am not saying you I btentionally don't tgat to draft beat players. Sure you draft BPA. Just sayibg in the end, you are probably better off with multiple good players than having to pay a couple great players that kill your cap.

With the exception being QB, LT, CB...

 

[Ants]

In general, I would say that for a guy like Donald at DL...we're better off with him at a high price.
As much as I like Gurley (and was very happy we selected him early in the first round)...I think we might be better off with a couple of decent guys (a la Benny Cunningham) when factoring in salary implications.

I guess what I'm getting at is that there are A LOT of very good RB's around...but not many great and impactful DLs.
To put it another way - I think AD makes the Rams D much better...but I think we could put any decent/good RB in there and the offense would continue to click.

 

[CanRamFan]

It's a tough decision and Im glad I'm not the guy that has to make it but I can see both sides of the argument. Having double the great players vs elite players does sound better at first glance but there's so much more to think about then just that. It really depends on the specific players we're talking about, the position they play, and the impact they have on the team. Some positions are definitely worth investing more money in than others.

So basically, I have no idea

 

[nighttrain]

It's a tough decision and Im glad I'm not the guy that has to make it but I can see both sides of the argument. Having double the great players vs elite players does sound better at first glance but there's so much more to think about then just that. It really depends on the specific players we're talking about, the position they play, and the impact they have on the team. Some positions are definitely worth investing more money in than others.

So basically, I have no idea

now i just read your post and am no wiser, i still have no idea:giveup:
train

 

[Riverumbbq]

I tend to believe that people should live up to the contracts they sign, it's a matter of ethics, your word is your bond. In the case of Donald, both he and his agent know he will get paid BIG in 2019, if the concern is over potential future injury, that's why you purchase multi-year insurance. If i'm the Rams, I stick to he original deal, although we can have his new 2019 6 year, $130mil. offer ready, prepared & signed before he enters camp in 2018, proving the Rams good intentions going forward. jmo.

 

[wmc540]

I say you always go BPA regardless of position! JMHO

*Excluding punters, kickers, and long snappers

 

[tempests]

"Just a DT" Donald impacted more plays than any of our other defenders last year. "Just a RB" Todd Gurley put the team on his shoulders and carried them to wins over Seattle and Tennessee. "Just a punter" Johnny Hekker tilts the field and gives the Rams a special teams advantage every game that he's in.

Great players give you an advantage, week in, week out, and they are what put teams over the top.

 

[dieterbrock]

I tend to believe that people should live up to the contracts they sign, it's a matter of ethics, your word is your bond. In the case of Donald, both he and his agent know he will get paid BIG in 2019, if the concern is over potential future injury, that's why you purchase multi-year insurance. If i'm the Rams, I stick to he original deal, although we can have his new 2019 6 year, $130mil. offer ready, prepared & signed before he enters camp in 2018, proving the Rams good intentions going forward. jmo.

The rookie contract is written allowing a player to renogiate his deal after year 3.
So not sure how the “word is bond” stuff can ignore a players right.

 

[Riverumbbq]

The rookie contract is written allowing a player to renogiate his deal after year 3.
So not sure how the “word is bond” stuff can ignore a players right.

Well, i'm giving MY opinions on contracts, yours may be different. Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. Every team struggles with maintaining structure and integrity, when guys start going in their own direction, the entire team may suffer for it. Same time last season I said the same thing, fortunately Donald fell into line, i'm hoping for the benefit of our team he does the same this year with double the salary due his 5'th year option money. The Rams have options also, and I wouldn't be against using them if an agent has a gun to Demoff's head in negotiations. The Rams could do nothing and still have Donald for a minimum of 3 more years, two being franchised, I just hope he likes the idea of his team being in a better position to compete for the Super Bowl than taking the money now and facing the next season with fewer player options & opportunities. jmo.

 

[Loyal]

In general, I would say that for a guy like Donald at DL...we're better off with him at a high price.
As much as I like Gurley (and was very happy we selected him early in the first round)...I think we might be better off with a couple of decent guys (a la Benny Cunningham) when factoring in salary implications.

I guess what I'm getting at is that there are A LOT of very good RB's around...but not many great and impactful DLs.
To put it another way - I think AD makes the Rams D much better...but I think we could put any decent/good RB in there and the offense would continue to click.

Gurley was better catching the ball and run after the catch than our TE's last year...He runs great routes and is an absolute terror to opposing DB's. Gurley is the modern style RB, who isn't just ground and pound and there is no interruption of chemistry between him and Goff, because he's a 3 down back. Two rinky-dink, decent RB's will never replace him. We need to sign to one big deal, and smile while doing it.

That goes double for #99.

 

[So Ram]

I say you always go BPA regardless of position! JMHO

Well Snead’s thinking is BPA by position, if the board looks loaded still he will always look for value & trade back .

IE — Ogletree , Brockers , Everett ,TJ McDonald , Josh Reynolds , Big Rob Hav ??

That’s just off my mind which can be a little loco

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

You obviously can't have the best at every position, but you have to do what fits your team. Every team needs to pay the QB big eventually. That is a given.

Where to put the money after that is the Question. For me it is in pass rush, which usually means edge rusher. But Donald is has as much impact as an edge rusher. So he is the money spot on D.

The one area that I think you can save is RB. Teams have proven that you can have a good running get without the big RB contracts. I love Gurley and think the offense would not be as good without him, but not by that much. Not enough to over pay him. As long as the OLine is opening holes average running backs can move the chains. The Skins and Giants have done it this way for years.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

If we had Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham this year, I don't think we would have been 11-5 or close. Gurley is a big back WITH break away speed, and those aren't around every year. I don't think we would've beat Dallas, Tennessee, New Orleans, and maybe some others without the contributions of Gurley.

 

[dieterbrock]

Well, i'm giving MY opinions on contracts, yours may be different. Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. Every team struggles with maintaining structure and integrity, when guys start going in their own direction, the entire team may suffer for it. Same time last season I said the same thing, fortunately Donald fell into line, i'm hoping for the benefit of our team he does the same this year with double the salary due his 5'th year option money. The Rams have options also, and I wouldn't be against using them if an agent has a gun to Demoff's head in negotiations. The Rams could do nothing and still have Donald for a minimum of 3 more years, two being franchised, I just hope he likes the idea of his team being in a better position to compete for the Super Bowl than taking the money now and facing the next season with fewer player options & opportunities. jmo.

I wasn't giving my opinion, was stating how the contracts work.
The way the contracts are done have little to do with the individual player, only their draft slot. So they moved the time frame where a contract could be renegotiated from year 2 to after year 3.
Its not how you frame it, that they agree to terms and sign a deal in blood. On the contrary, both the player and team know the deal can be renegotiated or player could be cut.
My opinion of how it should work is totally different than how it does, or of yours.