Wagoner Chat Highlights
—Well, it looks like Schottenheimer isn’t going to leave so it doesn’t really matter much. But what it says to me is the usual: when something doesn’t work on an offense, the blame generally goes to some combination of the quarterback and the offensive coordinator. Don’t get me wrong, Schottenheimer has his faults but for the type of offense Fisher wants to run, I don’t see him as a bad fit.
—Draft Watkins and then Best OT? I don’t know if that’s how they feel but as we sit here today, that’s what I’d like to see them do.
—It’s a little early to say but I have a feeling Robinson is going to be one of the top five or six players in the draft by the time we get to May. So you’d have to think Rams would need to stay in top 5 to ensure they could land him if that’s how they chose to go.
—Arizona will have some decisions to make and so will Seattle but their core guys are mainly in place for next year. The bigger issue for them will be when the quarterbacks come due for a payday. That’s when you’ll start seeing some free agents depart much like you saw in Baltimore last year when the Ravens paid Joe Flacco.
—I’ve advocated keeping Clemens as a backup but adding a quarterback at some point in the draft. I don’t expect that QB to be a first round pick or maybe not even a 2nd rounder but sometime in those middle rounds, they’ll get one. Then you have Clemens who can help the new guy with the offense and be the No. 2 until whoever the rookie is is ready to handle the primary backup job. I believe that’s what we’ll see, too.
—I take everything said by every GM and coach at this time of year with a grain of salt. Saying you don’t need something and saying you don’t want something are two different things. I was part of a long conversation with him in which he said that last week and to listen to him, he’s not really interested in any position. That’s just what a lot of GMs (not all) do at this time of year. I understand that. I’m also not sold that they’re completely out of the market for a WR, especially if they can get their hands on a guy they deem elite.
—I don’t necessarily buy into the idea that there was a grand plan to open it up and spread things out and they added Cook and Austin to fit that. I had a good conversation with Schottenheimer before the season where he was pretty clear that the plan was to be game plan specific and they’d pick their spots in spreading it out and going uptempo. I think they clearly needed more weapons offensively and they went out and got them. Both players can still be effective and there were signs of life with Austin before his injury. If there’s an organizational failure to point to, it’s the first four games of the year when the offense struggled mightily because it had no semblance of running game. Along with that, it is clear that there was a miscalculation in terms of what the personnel could do offensively in the first quarter of the season. That falls on the coaching staff.
—I think when all is said and done Clowney is going to be the best player on the board. If he’s there at two and the Rams see him as clearly the best player then I have no problem with them drafting him and finding ways to use him. You don’t draft for next year, you draft for the next five years. Then again, I think the Rams will get some attractive trade offers even if they’re not RG3 jackpot type offers.
—Needs for 2014? Hard to say until we see what happens with free agency but I’d put it something like this right now: 1. A top tier WR 2. OL 3. OL 4. A ball hawking safety 5. A corner. If they re-sign Saffold, it loosens things up quite a bit on the OL need though they would still need to add another piece.
—I think there’s a bit too much made of the Fisher won’t draft OL in the first round stuff. You have to keep in mind who he had at OT in his time in Tennessee. He was generally pretty well set at the position and when he was there, it’s not like teams would regularly spend first rounders on interior OL. I don’t know if Matthews is their top guy or if he will be and I don’t think the fact that he’s the son of Bruce is going to be a determining factor. Maybe a tiebreaker, at best, but the other top tackle is an Auburn guy and as we know, Fisher and Snead have plenty of ties there, too.
—It’s not unusual for a team to carry six receivers. Based on playing time before Austin missed the final three games, though, Pettis would either be out or the one to sit on game day should they keep six.
—All is quiet on the Stadium front and I expect it to stay quiet for awhile. As with most things, you don’t see much movement until deadlines near. I don’t expect any serious movement on this front until after next season. I also don’t think the Rams have a problem going year to year on the lease at the Edward Jones Dome.
—I’d put my focus on improving the offense. To me, that means offensive line and wide receiver. The Rams can be a very good defense with what they have and they also can find help for the secondary in rounds two and three (especially if they can trade down and get more picks in those rounds). But they have to do everything possible to keep building the offense, in my opinion. I thought McCarron was a pretty good college QB and I could see him being a guy the Rams look at but I’m not sure of his upside. I’d personally like to see them take a guy with a bit more upside.
—The Rams will add a body or two on the OL at some point, I feel confident in saying that. Saffold’s status will go a long way in determining how many. The Rams aren’t going to be flush with cap space but they will likely end up with enough to make a mid-level signing or two. You’re absolutely right, too. I think Paul Boudreau is as good a line coach as you’ll find in the league but you can only do so much with lower level talent that you coach up against elite fronts like the NFC West boasts. And imagine what he could do with some top tier talents?
—Barrett Jones? This was basically a redshirt year for Jones. First, he had to heal from surgery but the Rams wanted him to reshape his body and get stronger. This is a big offseason for him. He needs to live in the weight room. I have no doubt he’ll put the work in, he’s that type of kid, but it will be interesting to see where he is when camp rolls around. Could be a big opportunity for him.
—Clowney? If he’s far and away the best player, a franchise changing player, then I think they would take him. If it’s close between him and a player at a more pressing position, maybe not. Either way, I still think they look to move the pick first and foremost. But remember, the ideal situation for a team is for needs to meet value of the player. You can’t draft simply based off need.
—Bradford can still be a good quarterback in the NFL. He’s not going to be Brady or Manning or Brees or one of those guys but I think he can be a guy you win with in the right situation. But I will say this: his health issues are a red flag that need to be monitored. It’s a shame he got hurt last year because I think we’d have a better idea of who he is as a quarterback. I also think the Rams need to add a young QB in the draft who can come in and push Bradford, even if it’s not right away.
—I’m consistently amused by the push of people to cut guys who the Rams signed in free agency so they can then go sign more free agents that may or may not work out. Let’s face it, a lot of big ticket free agent signings don’t work out and the Rams haven’t been hitting home runs in that area, either. I do believe they should re-sign Saffold and then look at some possible mid-level additions who can improve depth and possibly start. But this team needs to reach a point soon where its money is spent retaining its own players rather than constantly looking for big ticket help outside the building.
—To me, there are no excuses next year. It’s the third year of the program and the roster is Fisher/Snead’s. The division is tough, yes, but this is the year the Rams have built toward. They need tangible progress, a winning record would be a good start but they need to be right in the playoff mix.
—The Rams lack elite, top of their position players. That’s as much a need as any one position. Quinn is the only one on the offense or defense. If they think Clowney is one then they should consider him, so what if it means you have two of the elite at their position. The question then becomes whether the Rams view him as that type of player?
—I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams made more than one move in the first round.
—I’m not a big fan of playing the guessing game but I do firmly believe the Rams beat Seattle in the first meeting with a healthy Bradford and they’d have had a good shot against Tennessee as well. That would have put them at nine. The road divisional games they looked over matched, to be honest.
—Hakeem Nicks? His injury history and cost alone will likely keep the Rams from being interested. Also, the history of free agent WRs with big price tags is not good. I don’t see it as a fit.
—Pull the Plug on Quick? No. And I don’t think the Rams are willing to either. This is his third year and he was about as raw as it gets coming out of a small school. I think he has flashed enough potential to merit another shot. But he won’t get many more chances beyond this year and possibly next. This is the year he needs to take a step forward. Not saying he has to have 1,000 yards but he needs to be a regular contributor. Don’t forget, he’s an excellent blocker on the outside, too, and that’s important in this offense.
http://www.rams-news.com/nick-wagoners-rams-chat-highlights-jan-17/
—Well, it looks like Schottenheimer isn’t going to leave so it doesn’t really matter much. But what it says to me is the usual: when something doesn’t work on an offense, the blame generally goes to some combination of the quarterback and the offensive coordinator. Don’t get me wrong, Schottenheimer has his faults but for the type of offense Fisher wants to run, I don’t see him as a bad fit.
—Draft Watkins and then Best OT? I don’t know if that’s how they feel but as we sit here today, that’s what I’d like to see them do.
—It’s a little early to say but I have a feeling Robinson is going to be one of the top five or six players in the draft by the time we get to May. So you’d have to think Rams would need to stay in top 5 to ensure they could land him if that’s how they chose to go.
—Arizona will have some decisions to make and so will Seattle but their core guys are mainly in place for next year. The bigger issue for them will be when the quarterbacks come due for a payday. That’s when you’ll start seeing some free agents depart much like you saw in Baltimore last year when the Ravens paid Joe Flacco.
—I’ve advocated keeping Clemens as a backup but adding a quarterback at some point in the draft. I don’t expect that QB to be a first round pick or maybe not even a 2nd rounder but sometime in those middle rounds, they’ll get one. Then you have Clemens who can help the new guy with the offense and be the No. 2 until whoever the rookie is is ready to handle the primary backup job. I believe that’s what we’ll see, too.
—I take everything said by every GM and coach at this time of year with a grain of salt. Saying you don’t need something and saying you don’t want something are two different things. I was part of a long conversation with him in which he said that last week and to listen to him, he’s not really interested in any position. That’s just what a lot of GMs (not all) do at this time of year. I understand that. I’m also not sold that they’re completely out of the market for a WR, especially if they can get their hands on a guy they deem elite.
—I don’t necessarily buy into the idea that there was a grand plan to open it up and spread things out and they added Cook and Austin to fit that. I had a good conversation with Schottenheimer before the season where he was pretty clear that the plan was to be game plan specific and they’d pick their spots in spreading it out and going uptempo. I think they clearly needed more weapons offensively and they went out and got them. Both players can still be effective and there were signs of life with Austin before his injury. If there’s an organizational failure to point to, it’s the first four games of the year when the offense struggled mightily because it had no semblance of running game. Along with that, it is clear that there was a miscalculation in terms of what the personnel could do offensively in the first quarter of the season. That falls on the coaching staff.
—I think when all is said and done Clowney is going to be the best player on the board. If he’s there at two and the Rams see him as clearly the best player then I have no problem with them drafting him and finding ways to use him. You don’t draft for next year, you draft for the next five years. Then again, I think the Rams will get some attractive trade offers even if they’re not RG3 jackpot type offers.
—Needs for 2014? Hard to say until we see what happens with free agency but I’d put it something like this right now: 1. A top tier WR 2. OL 3. OL 4. A ball hawking safety 5. A corner. If they re-sign Saffold, it loosens things up quite a bit on the OL need though they would still need to add another piece.
—I think there’s a bit too much made of the Fisher won’t draft OL in the first round stuff. You have to keep in mind who he had at OT in his time in Tennessee. He was generally pretty well set at the position and when he was there, it’s not like teams would regularly spend first rounders on interior OL. I don’t know if Matthews is their top guy or if he will be and I don’t think the fact that he’s the son of Bruce is going to be a determining factor. Maybe a tiebreaker, at best, but the other top tackle is an Auburn guy and as we know, Fisher and Snead have plenty of ties there, too.
—It’s not unusual for a team to carry six receivers. Based on playing time before Austin missed the final three games, though, Pettis would either be out or the one to sit on game day should they keep six.
—All is quiet on the Stadium front and I expect it to stay quiet for awhile. As with most things, you don’t see much movement until deadlines near. I don’t expect any serious movement on this front until after next season. I also don’t think the Rams have a problem going year to year on the lease at the Edward Jones Dome.
—I’d put my focus on improving the offense. To me, that means offensive line and wide receiver. The Rams can be a very good defense with what they have and they also can find help for the secondary in rounds two and three (especially if they can trade down and get more picks in those rounds). But they have to do everything possible to keep building the offense, in my opinion. I thought McCarron was a pretty good college QB and I could see him being a guy the Rams look at but I’m not sure of his upside. I’d personally like to see them take a guy with a bit more upside.
—The Rams will add a body or two on the OL at some point, I feel confident in saying that. Saffold’s status will go a long way in determining how many. The Rams aren’t going to be flush with cap space but they will likely end up with enough to make a mid-level signing or two. You’re absolutely right, too. I think Paul Boudreau is as good a line coach as you’ll find in the league but you can only do so much with lower level talent that you coach up against elite fronts like the NFC West boasts. And imagine what he could do with some top tier talents?
—Barrett Jones? This was basically a redshirt year for Jones. First, he had to heal from surgery but the Rams wanted him to reshape his body and get stronger. This is a big offseason for him. He needs to live in the weight room. I have no doubt he’ll put the work in, he’s that type of kid, but it will be interesting to see where he is when camp rolls around. Could be a big opportunity for him.
—Clowney? If he’s far and away the best player, a franchise changing player, then I think they would take him. If it’s close between him and a player at a more pressing position, maybe not. Either way, I still think they look to move the pick first and foremost. But remember, the ideal situation for a team is for needs to meet value of the player. You can’t draft simply based off need.
—Bradford can still be a good quarterback in the NFL. He’s not going to be Brady or Manning or Brees or one of those guys but I think he can be a guy you win with in the right situation. But I will say this: his health issues are a red flag that need to be monitored. It’s a shame he got hurt last year because I think we’d have a better idea of who he is as a quarterback. I also think the Rams need to add a young QB in the draft who can come in and push Bradford, even if it’s not right away.
—I’m consistently amused by the push of people to cut guys who the Rams signed in free agency so they can then go sign more free agents that may or may not work out. Let’s face it, a lot of big ticket free agent signings don’t work out and the Rams haven’t been hitting home runs in that area, either. I do believe they should re-sign Saffold and then look at some possible mid-level additions who can improve depth and possibly start. But this team needs to reach a point soon where its money is spent retaining its own players rather than constantly looking for big ticket help outside the building.
—To me, there are no excuses next year. It’s the third year of the program and the roster is Fisher/Snead’s. The division is tough, yes, but this is the year the Rams have built toward. They need tangible progress, a winning record would be a good start but they need to be right in the playoff mix.
—The Rams lack elite, top of their position players. That’s as much a need as any one position. Quinn is the only one on the offense or defense. If they think Clowney is one then they should consider him, so what if it means you have two of the elite at their position. The question then becomes whether the Rams view him as that type of player?
—I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams made more than one move in the first round.
—I’m not a big fan of playing the guessing game but I do firmly believe the Rams beat Seattle in the first meeting with a healthy Bradford and they’d have had a good shot against Tennessee as well. That would have put them at nine. The road divisional games they looked over matched, to be honest.
—Hakeem Nicks? His injury history and cost alone will likely keep the Rams from being interested. Also, the history of free agent WRs with big price tags is not good. I don’t see it as a fit.
—Pull the Plug on Quick? No. And I don’t think the Rams are willing to either. This is his third year and he was about as raw as it gets coming out of a small school. I think he has flashed enough potential to merit another shot. But he won’t get many more chances beyond this year and possibly next. This is the year he needs to take a step forward. Not saying he has to have 1,000 yards but he needs to be a regular contributor. Don’t forget, he’s an excellent blocker on the outside, too, and that’s important in this offense.
http://www.rams-news.com/nick-wagoners-rams-chat-highlights-jan-17/
