—I’ve said before that I’m not completely sold on Snead’s comments about not “needing” a No. 1 WR. That’s not the same as not wanting one. There’s a lot of misinformation out there now and there will be more as we go along. Hopefully as the weeks go on I can get a better feel of what’s real and what’s not when it comes to that. Let’s see what happens in free agency first. That should help shed some light on what they have in mind.
—Trade down for a #1 in 2015? I’m sure they would love for that to happen if there’s a team willing to make that move. Here’s the reason they should really aim for it, in my opinion. The Rams have made it clear they are committed to Sam Bradford but what happens if Bradford has another injury or struggles in 2014? The Rams may not find themselves in position to draft a top quarterback again. If they add an additional first next year, even if it’s not a top 10 pick again, they’d at least have the ammo to move up and get one if they can acquire an additional first round pick. Again, they say they’re committed to Bradford but another injury-plagued season would have to alter that stance, wouldn’t it?
—Obviously, Britt has some ties to Jeff Fisher. Britt also hasn’t done much in the past couple of years, has an injury history and has had his run ins with the law. I’m not sure he’s a good fit for the team at this point in time. Especially if it means taking reps from a young, promising wideout.
—Rodger Saffold is the key to the rest of the offseason. I think the Rams should do what they can (within reason, of course) to re-sign Saffold. I know he’s had his injury problems but he has Pro Bowl potential at guard and I believe he’s more likely to stay healthy. Plus, his versatility would allow more flexibility in the draft, etc.
—Kind of tying this one into the previous question, retaining Saffold would allow the Rams more flexibility in the draft/free agency. Losing him alters that completely. I think if you operate under the assumption of losing Saffold and a question mark about Long (both reasonable, to me), then you have to really throw some money and draft capital at the OL. It ratchets up the need to get a top OT in the draft and you would need to add at least two interior guys on the OL. That also, of course, assumes you part with Wells/Dahl. The X factor there is how highly the Rams think of young OL like Barnes, B. Washington, B. Jones. Either way, with the caliber of front 7s you see in the NFC West, the Rams have to bulk up the O-line rather than wishing and hoping that all of the developmental linemen develop.
—Draft a RB? It’s a good question. I wouldn’t rule it out. I think the Rams believe in Stacy enough to make him the starter heading into 2014 and I think they like Cunningham enough to have him as the No. 2 but if there was a speedy, change of pace type available in the later rounds, I could see them adding another one.
—Keep in mind that Stacy had some issues with little bumps and bruises along the way this season. It never cost him games or kept him out for extended periods but he missed chunks of games. The question then becomes if they’re satisfied with Cunningham as the 2, Richardson or Pead as the 3, etc. I think they do like Cunningham’s upside.
—Jeremy Maclin? I guess it would depend on the cost. But again, you’re dealing with someone who has had some injury issues. Remember, the Rams likely won’t be dealing with a lot of salary cap space.
—They should and almost certainly will draft a quarterback this year. I don’t think they have as many pressing needs as you indicate but as you saw this year, having a backup QB is important and the Rams could use a young guy with potential starter upside too. I wouldn’t expect it to happen before the third round or so, though.
—Fisher loves Chris Johnson and there are again obvious ties here. The key to your question is the word cheap. That’s a relative term. He’d have to be pretty cheap to make sense for the Rams and even then I’m not sure they’d want to go that direction with money needing to go to more pressing needs.
—Salary Cuts? The three most likely would be Cortland Finnegan, Harvey Dahl and Scott Wells.
—Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau identified OT Sean Hooey early on as someone he felt like he could develop. He made the practice squad even after missing a big chunk of the preseason with injury if that tells you what they think of his potential. I honestly haven’t seen him play enough to really have a read on his game because of that. I know the Rams like his size and toughness. I wouldn’t count on him to contribute this year. Of the young, developmental linemen the Rams kept around you’re more likely to see guys like Brandon Washington and Mike Person get a chance. Both were kept on the active roster for most of the season.
—Barrett Jones? They want to see him live in the weight room, gain strength and come back ready to compete for a job. A lot of how 2014 plays out for him is in his hands.
—Cutting Pead? It’s possible. I don’t see the value in retaining both Pead and Richardson and if they draft a back, maybe both could go. Pead has the advantage there because of special teams but Richardson has already told the coaching staff he wants to try to contribute there next year. But Pead has been a disappointment. If his main role is special teams, he’s a little pricey for that role and Chase Reynolds already fills that role as the RB/special teams guy for less money.
—Odds of Re-signing Saffold? I’d say 60/40 he goes elsewhere but hard to say what other teams might be willing to pay. It only takes one.
—Tim Barnes Quality of Play? He had some good moments and he had some rough moments. He got pushed around a bit in the NFC West games, especially against Seattle but he held his own for the most part. Not sure he did enough to pencil in as the starter but I think he did enough to compete for the job if the Rams want to go that way.
—To have a good draft in my eyes, the Rams need to add an elite player early on (or a player that is widely regarded as one of the draft’s elite) and if they can do that while adding more picks, then it’s a good draft. After that, filling whatever needs remain would be good for them as well. As for hip hop, I simply haven’t heard much I like lately. I’m getting to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to music lately because I constantly find myself listening to stuff that came out at least 7 or 8 years ago or before. There just aren’t many new hip hop artists coming out that catch my ear these days. Hope that changes soon.
—The Good and Bad of Sam?? First, some good: Bradford has a really good grasp of the offense and has a great understanding of how things are supposed to work when everyone is doing their job. He throws a really nice, accurate deep ball and in general is a pretty accurate quarterback (who has been the victim of countless drops in his career). His arm isn’t the strongest in the world but he has plenty to fit it into tight windows and hit the deep out. Some bad: He struggles at times to go through his progressions and his pocket presence is lacking. He’s quick to go to check downs and often refuses to throw the ball into coverage. Some of that may be a mistrust of his receivers to win one on one battles but sometimes you have to put faith in your receivers to go up and get it. And, of course, he’s had his share of injury issues in half of his NFL seasons. That counts for something too. For the most part, he hasn’t had much help from receivers to answer that part of the question. It’s a young group and they miss sight adjustments fairly often.
—DB a Need? Biggest need on the defense. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Rams take one in the first round, perhaps at that 13th spot. It might even be a CB. I don’t know if enough has happened to peg the top DBs but it sounds like Dennard and Gilbert could both go in the 10-15 range. That could easily change in the next few months.
—I’d like to have seen what Bradford could do in the offense the Rams began using in week 5 for the whole of the season. The thing about the no huddle is it would have been better if the Rams were effectively running the ball. It would have been a nice change of pace as part of the revamped offense. The two can be used in harmony and I think it would have been good for the offense.
—I’m an advocate of building up the offense as much as possible. The defense can be fine with what they have now and if you add some pieces in FA or in the mid rounds of the draft, it can still improve. But I also don’t think you can pigeonhole yourself into take certain positions, either. You want your needs to meet the value of the player you take. Which is why if the Rams took Clowney, I would understand.
—If Snead is telling people that he’s not really interested in anyone — which so far has been the case — then teams are going to have no idea what he’s thinking. And teams are smart enough to know he’s not going to just forfeit the pick. In some instances, the wild card approach can be best. It creates confusion. If you and I don’t know what he’s thinking, neither do the teams behind him in the draft. I just don’t think it’s that big of a deal, especially this early in the process. I’d love it if he came out and told us his plan or at least what positions he’s interested in — Ozzie Newsome just did that in Baltimore — but I also understand why he keeps his cards close.
—I don’t know what Rams think of McCarron or many prospects yet. Will dig into that as much as possible in the coming weeks, especially after the combine. I think McCarron is probably a third rounder or so which is likely the first round in which the Rams would consider a QB barring a shift in agenda. 2. I need to see more of Dix and Dennard but I wonder a little bit about Dennard. He has good size and such but let’s face it, he’s not exactly facing top flight WRs every week in the Big 10. Will be interested in seeing how he runs in February. Dix underwhelmed a bit in the Sugar Bowl but there’s no doubting the level of competition he played.
—Give Up on Quick? It’s not going to happen this year and I disagree that it’s time to do that. He was about as raw as possible coming out and I know he hasn’t produced yet to the level of his draft status but I think there are some good things there that are worth fleshing out further. If he doesn’t take any tangible steps this year then I think you can make the argument but in a general sense it’s worth giving him another year to see if he can take that step forward. Not every player progresses the same. I’m not saying his presence should keep the Rams from adding to the receiver position but there’s really no need to just outright let him go right now.
—Sammy Watkins? Need to study him more but yes, my early impression is that he is a No. 1 caliber wideout. I think he compares favorably to A.J. Green and Julio Jones though I’d probably put him a notch below Green (comparing them when they came out, not now obviously). But from what I’ve seen so far, I think he’s better than any WR coming out in any of the years since the Green/Jones draft. Again, that’s comparing him to those guys coming out, not what they are now. If he’s a genuine No. 1 receiver (which we don’t really know yet), yes, he’s worth the No. 2 pick.
—For all of the arguing that goes on about Bradford’s intangibles, it surprises me how rarely people point to the injury red flags. To me, that’s the most tangible thing you can grab on to in assessing his career. It has to be a concern at this point. I absolutely understand the Rams rolling with him moving forward and I think he can do some good things in an offense with a successful run game but he has to consistently stay on the field to do it.
—Biggest Needs? I have maintained that it’s a stud WR, a No. 1 type WR. If such a player isn’t available then it’s the OL. After that, it’s CB or S.
—What Happens to Pettis if the Rams Draft Another WR? He’d be the likely odd man out but remember, the Rams wouldn’t have to let go of anyone. They can carry six receivers if they want. Plenty of teams do. If it meant going a little lighter at RB, then fine. If it was me, I’d rather have six receivers and keep Pettis than five RBs and keep both Richardson and Pead.
—Givens? He needs to really polish up his route running, first and foremost. Especially on intermediate routes. There was just something missing from his game in general this season. Hard to put your finger on. I would’ve like to see him compete for contested balls on a more consistent basis, too. He’s a talented guy and can still be a valuable piece on the offense but he needs to become more well rounded.
—I don’t think LB is a major need but adding another one in the middle rounds would be understandable. Bringing Dunbar back if they could get him reasonably cheap (I would think they could) would be fine, too. I think they like Armstrong’s upside as well. They do need another corner and another safety, maybe two.
—Dahl has been fine, sometimes pretty good and a consummate professional and teammate. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him, per se, but he’s had some injury issues in each of the past two seasons and I think if you weight the cost of keeping him versus putting that money into a younger player (like a Saffold), it likely makes sense to part ways. Perhaps he could return at a reduced cost, too. You never know with that type of stuff.
—Sign a Vet WR? I think they’re hesitant to do that because they don’t want to take reps away from the youngsters. So if you do it you have to be sure that guy can really still play. That said, Anquan Boldin would be great in St. Louis just so we don’t have to see him abuse the Rams young corners and then see them continue to yap at him.
—Finnegan and Dahl are under contract but candidates to have their contracts re-done or be released outright. Dunbar is a free agent. I could see them using a first round pick on a CB, wouldn’t shock me. But they won’t move Johnson or McGee to safety.
—Quinn’s Future Contaract? They don’t have to do anything for a couple years and he’s still a bargain in the next two seasons. I wrote about it earlier this week if you want to look to see what it might cost but it’s going to be costly. Depending on what he’s looking for, Quinn could potentially be in line for the richest contract a defensive player has ever received. But remember, the likes of J.J. Watt and Aldon Smith will be up at the same time. That could help define the market too.
http://www.rams-news.com/nick-wagoner-rams-chat-highlights-jan-24/
—Trade down for a #1 in 2015? I’m sure they would love for that to happen if there’s a team willing to make that move. Here’s the reason they should really aim for it, in my opinion. The Rams have made it clear they are committed to Sam Bradford but what happens if Bradford has another injury or struggles in 2014? The Rams may not find themselves in position to draft a top quarterback again. If they add an additional first next year, even if it’s not a top 10 pick again, they’d at least have the ammo to move up and get one if they can acquire an additional first round pick. Again, they say they’re committed to Bradford but another injury-plagued season would have to alter that stance, wouldn’t it?
—Obviously, Britt has some ties to Jeff Fisher. Britt also hasn’t done much in the past couple of years, has an injury history and has had his run ins with the law. I’m not sure he’s a good fit for the team at this point in time. Especially if it means taking reps from a young, promising wideout.
—Rodger Saffold is the key to the rest of the offseason. I think the Rams should do what they can (within reason, of course) to re-sign Saffold. I know he’s had his injury problems but he has Pro Bowl potential at guard and I believe he’s more likely to stay healthy. Plus, his versatility would allow more flexibility in the draft, etc.
—Kind of tying this one into the previous question, retaining Saffold would allow the Rams more flexibility in the draft/free agency. Losing him alters that completely. I think if you operate under the assumption of losing Saffold and a question mark about Long (both reasonable, to me), then you have to really throw some money and draft capital at the OL. It ratchets up the need to get a top OT in the draft and you would need to add at least two interior guys on the OL. That also, of course, assumes you part with Wells/Dahl. The X factor there is how highly the Rams think of young OL like Barnes, B. Washington, B. Jones. Either way, with the caliber of front 7s you see in the NFC West, the Rams have to bulk up the O-line rather than wishing and hoping that all of the developmental linemen develop.
—Draft a RB? It’s a good question. I wouldn’t rule it out. I think the Rams believe in Stacy enough to make him the starter heading into 2014 and I think they like Cunningham enough to have him as the No. 2 but if there was a speedy, change of pace type available in the later rounds, I could see them adding another one.
—Keep in mind that Stacy had some issues with little bumps and bruises along the way this season. It never cost him games or kept him out for extended periods but he missed chunks of games. The question then becomes if they’re satisfied with Cunningham as the 2, Richardson or Pead as the 3, etc. I think they do like Cunningham’s upside.
—Jeremy Maclin? I guess it would depend on the cost. But again, you’re dealing with someone who has had some injury issues. Remember, the Rams likely won’t be dealing with a lot of salary cap space.
—They should and almost certainly will draft a quarterback this year. I don’t think they have as many pressing needs as you indicate but as you saw this year, having a backup QB is important and the Rams could use a young guy with potential starter upside too. I wouldn’t expect it to happen before the third round or so, though.
—Fisher loves Chris Johnson and there are again obvious ties here. The key to your question is the word cheap. That’s a relative term. He’d have to be pretty cheap to make sense for the Rams and even then I’m not sure they’d want to go that direction with money needing to go to more pressing needs.
—Salary Cuts? The three most likely would be Cortland Finnegan, Harvey Dahl and Scott Wells.
—Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau identified OT Sean Hooey early on as someone he felt like he could develop. He made the practice squad even after missing a big chunk of the preseason with injury if that tells you what they think of his potential. I honestly haven’t seen him play enough to really have a read on his game because of that. I know the Rams like his size and toughness. I wouldn’t count on him to contribute this year. Of the young, developmental linemen the Rams kept around you’re more likely to see guys like Brandon Washington and Mike Person get a chance. Both were kept on the active roster for most of the season.
—Barrett Jones? They want to see him live in the weight room, gain strength and come back ready to compete for a job. A lot of how 2014 plays out for him is in his hands.
—Cutting Pead? It’s possible. I don’t see the value in retaining both Pead and Richardson and if they draft a back, maybe both could go. Pead has the advantage there because of special teams but Richardson has already told the coaching staff he wants to try to contribute there next year. But Pead has been a disappointment. If his main role is special teams, he’s a little pricey for that role and Chase Reynolds already fills that role as the RB/special teams guy for less money.
—Odds of Re-signing Saffold? I’d say 60/40 he goes elsewhere but hard to say what other teams might be willing to pay. It only takes one.
—Tim Barnes Quality of Play? He had some good moments and he had some rough moments. He got pushed around a bit in the NFC West games, especially against Seattle but he held his own for the most part. Not sure he did enough to pencil in as the starter but I think he did enough to compete for the job if the Rams want to go that way.
—To have a good draft in my eyes, the Rams need to add an elite player early on (or a player that is widely regarded as one of the draft’s elite) and if they can do that while adding more picks, then it’s a good draft. After that, filling whatever needs remain would be good for them as well. As for hip hop, I simply haven’t heard much I like lately. I’m getting to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to music lately because I constantly find myself listening to stuff that came out at least 7 or 8 years ago or before. There just aren’t many new hip hop artists coming out that catch my ear these days. Hope that changes soon.
—The Good and Bad of Sam?? First, some good: Bradford has a really good grasp of the offense and has a great understanding of how things are supposed to work when everyone is doing their job. He throws a really nice, accurate deep ball and in general is a pretty accurate quarterback (who has been the victim of countless drops in his career). His arm isn’t the strongest in the world but he has plenty to fit it into tight windows and hit the deep out. Some bad: He struggles at times to go through his progressions and his pocket presence is lacking. He’s quick to go to check downs and often refuses to throw the ball into coverage. Some of that may be a mistrust of his receivers to win one on one battles but sometimes you have to put faith in your receivers to go up and get it. And, of course, he’s had his share of injury issues in half of his NFL seasons. That counts for something too. For the most part, he hasn’t had much help from receivers to answer that part of the question. It’s a young group and they miss sight adjustments fairly often.
—DB a Need? Biggest need on the defense. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Rams take one in the first round, perhaps at that 13th spot. It might even be a CB. I don’t know if enough has happened to peg the top DBs but it sounds like Dennard and Gilbert could both go in the 10-15 range. That could easily change in the next few months.
—I’d like to have seen what Bradford could do in the offense the Rams began using in week 5 for the whole of the season. The thing about the no huddle is it would have been better if the Rams were effectively running the ball. It would have been a nice change of pace as part of the revamped offense. The two can be used in harmony and I think it would have been good for the offense.
—I’m an advocate of building up the offense as much as possible. The defense can be fine with what they have now and if you add some pieces in FA or in the mid rounds of the draft, it can still improve. But I also don’t think you can pigeonhole yourself into take certain positions, either. You want your needs to meet the value of the player you take. Which is why if the Rams took Clowney, I would understand.
—If Snead is telling people that he’s not really interested in anyone — which so far has been the case — then teams are going to have no idea what he’s thinking. And teams are smart enough to know he’s not going to just forfeit the pick. In some instances, the wild card approach can be best. It creates confusion. If you and I don’t know what he’s thinking, neither do the teams behind him in the draft. I just don’t think it’s that big of a deal, especially this early in the process. I’d love it if he came out and told us his plan or at least what positions he’s interested in — Ozzie Newsome just did that in Baltimore — but I also understand why he keeps his cards close.
—I don’t know what Rams think of McCarron or many prospects yet. Will dig into that as much as possible in the coming weeks, especially after the combine. I think McCarron is probably a third rounder or so which is likely the first round in which the Rams would consider a QB barring a shift in agenda. 2. I need to see more of Dix and Dennard but I wonder a little bit about Dennard. He has good size and such but let’s face it, he’s not exactly facing top flight WRs every week in the Big 10. Will be interested in seeing how he runs in February. Dix underwhelmed a bit in the Sugar Bowl but there’s no doubting the level of competition he played.
—Give Up on Quick? It’s not going to happen this year and I disagree that it’s time to do that. He was about as raw as possible coming out and I know he hasn’t produced yet to the level of his draft status but I think there are some good things there that are worth fleshing out further. If he doesn’t take any tangible steps this year then I think you can make the argument but in a general sense it’s worth giving him another year to see if he can take that step forward. Not every player progresses the same. I’m not saying his presence should keep the Rams from adding to the receiver position but there’s really no need to just outright let him go right now.
—Sammy Watkins? Need to study him more but yes, my early impression is that he is a No. 1 caliber wideout. I think he compares favorably to A.J. Green and Julio Jones though I’d probably put him a notch below Green (comparing them when they came out, not now obviously). But from what I’ve seen so far, I think he’s better than any WR coming out in any of the years since the Green/Jones draft. Again, that’s comparing him to those guys coming out, not what they are now. If he’s a genuine No. 1 receiver (which we don’t really know yet), yes, he’s worth the No. 2 pick.
—For all of the arguing that goes on about Bradford’s intangibles, it surprises me how rarely people point to the injury red flags. To me, that’s the most tangible thing you can grab on to in assessing his career. It has to be a concern at this point. I absolutely understand the Rams rolling with him moving forward and I think he can do some good things in an offense with a successful run game but he has to consistently stay on the field to do it.
—Biggest Needs? I have maintained that it’s a stud WR, a No. 1 type WR. If such a player isn’t available then it’s the OL. After that, it’s CB or S.
—What Happens to Pettis if the Rams Draft Another WR? He’d be the likely odd man out but remember, the Rams wouldn’t have to let go of anyone. They can carry six receivers if they want. Plenty of teams do. If it meant going a little lighter at RB, then fine. If it was me, I’d rather have six receivers and keep Pettis than five RBs and keep both Richardson and Pead.
—Givens? He needs to really polish up his route running, first and foremost. Especially on intermediate routes. There was just something missing from his game in general this season. Hard to put your finger on. I would’ve like to see him compete for contested balls on a more consistent basis, too. He’s a talented guy and can still be a valuable piece on the offense but he needs to become more well rounded.
—I don’t think LB is a major need but adding another one in the middle rounds would be understandable. Bringing Dunbar back if they could get him reasonably cheap (I would think they could) would be fine, too. I think they like Armstrong’s upside as well. They do need another corner and another safety, maybe two.
—Dahl has been fine, sometimes pretty good and a consummate professional and teammate. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him, per se, but he’s had some injury issues in each of the past two seasons and I think if you weight the cost of keeping him versus putting that money into a younger player (like a Saffold), it likely makes sense to part ways. Perhaps he could return at a reduced cost, too. You never know with that type of stuff.
—Sign a Vet WR? I think they’re hesitant to do that because they don’t want to take reps away from the youngsters. So if you do it you have to be sure that guy can really still play. That said, Anquan Boldin would be great in St. Louis just so we don’t have to see him abuse the Rams young corners and then see them continue to yap at him.
—Finnegan and Dahl are under contract but candidates to have their contracts re-done or be released outright. Dunbar is a free agent. I could see them using a first round pick on a CB, wouldn’t shock me. But they won’t move Johnson or McGee to safety.
—Quinn’s Future Contaract? They don’t have to do anything for a couple years and he’s still a bargain in the next two seasons. I wrote about it earlier this week if you want to look to see what it might cost but it’s going to be costly. Depending on what he’s looking for, Quinn could potentially be in line for the richest contract a defensive player has ever received. But remember, the likes of J.J. Watt and Aldon Smith will be up at the same time. That could help define the market too.
http://www.rams-news.com/nick-wagoner-rams-chat-highlights-jan-24/
