OK, OK, I'll Release my Current Mock for the 2023 Season ...

[Riverumbbq]

I was originally going to wait until the official announcement for the Compensation Picks was released, but someone posted our estimated picks at :

2) 5'ths
1) 6'th
1) 7'th

to go along with our already set 2023 picks consisting of :

Round 1) N/A
#2) 1
#3) 1
#4) 0
#5) 0
#6) 3
#7) 1

So it now looks like our draft will be :

#1) 0
#2) 1
#3) 1
#4) 0
#5) 2
#6) 4
#7) 2

and then the dastardly Memento jumped in and got this bloody thing started. And I can't let her have all the fun !


So here we go ...

Re-Sign :

DT Greg Gaines
CB Grant Haley
WR/R Brandon Powell
K Matt Gay
P Riley Dixon
LS Matt Orzech


All RFA’s & ERFA’s return :

John Wolford - RFA
Kendall Blanton - RFA
Marquise Copeland - ERFA
Christian Rozeboom - ERFA
Travin Howard - ERFA
Michael Hoecht - ERFA
Bryce Perkins - ERFA
Shaun Jolly - ERFA


Futures Contracts & returning contracted Practice Squad players :


WR Jacob Harris
TE/FB Roger Carter
OLB Kier Thomas
OLB Brayden Thomas
WR Austin Trammell
OT Max Pircher
OT A.J. Arcuri
DE Zach VanValkenburg
DE Earnest Brown IV
TE Jared Pinkney
OL Chandler Brewer
OL Ty Nsekhe
OL Matt Skura
OG Okay Oboushi


Rams Players lost to Free Agency :

DT - A’Shawn Robinson
CB Troy Hill
OT/OG - David Edwards
S - Nick Scott
S - Taylor Rapp
RB - Darrell Henderson
CB - David Long
OLB - Justin Hollins
RB - Malcolm Brown
S/LB - Jake Gervase
OG/OT - Bobby Evans


Free Agent Acquisitions :


DT Da’Ron Payne (4 years)
Edge Arden Key (2 years)
RB D’Ernest Johnson (3 years)
OBj, I'll stick with him until he's officially out of the running.


Rams Major Trades :


Trade 2024 & 2025 1’st Round picks for Edge Brian Burns
Trade Leonard Floyd for a 2023 3’rd
Van Jefferson traded for a 2023 4'th & 6'th


Draft :


1 - N/A
2 - C/OG Ricky Stromberg, Ark.
3a - TE Luke Musgrave, Or. St.
3b - S Rashad Torrence II, Fl.
4 - ILB Jestin Jacobs, Ia.
5a - RB Chris Rodriguez, Ky.
5b - OT Jaxson Kirkland, Wa.
5c - CB Tony Grimes, N.C.
6a - OG Christian Mahogany, B.C.
6b - WR Tyler Harrell, Ala.
6c - QB Phil Jurkovec, B.C.
6d - OLB Brenton Cox Jr., Fl.

6e - traded with 6f to move up to 5c
6f - traded with 6e to move up to 5c
7a - Traded with 7c to move up to 6d
7b - Traded with 7c to move up to 6d


Rams 2023 depth chart for the 53 :


Offense (25) :

QB (2)

Matt Stafford
John Wolford

Offensive Line (9) :

LT) Noteboom, Jackson
LG) Stromberg*, Shelton
C) Allen, Stromberg
RG) Bruss, Anchrum
RT) Havenstein, Kirkland*

RB's (4) :

Kyren Williams
D'Ernest Johnson**
Chris Rodriguez*
Ronnie Rivers

WR's (6) :

Cooper Kupp
Allen Robinson
OBj
Ben Skowronek
Tutu Atwell
Brandon Powell

TE's (4) :

Tyler Higbee
Brycen Hopkins
Luke Musgrave*
Roger Carter


Defense (25) :

Defensive Line (5) :

Aaron Donald
Greg Gaines
Da'Ron Payne**
Bobby Brown
Marquise Copeland

OLB (5) :

Brian Burns*
Arden Key**
Terrell Lewis
Daniel Hardy
Brenton Cox*

ILB (4) :

Bobby Wagner
Ernest Jones
Jake Hummel
Jestin Jacobs, Ia*


CB (6) :

Jalen Ramsey
Robert Rochelle
Cobie Durant
Derion Kendrick
Tony Grimes, N.C.*
Grant Haley

Safety (5) :

Jordan Fuller
Rashad Torrence, Fl.*
Terrell Burgess
Quintin Lake
Russ Yeast

Special Teams (3)

Matt Gay
Riley Dixon
Mathew Orzech


See you at the 2023 Super Bowl

6'4", 318lbs. Ricky Stromberg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSGn0pIBd5U

NFL Draft Profile: Luke Musgrave, Tight End, Oregon State Beavers

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Oregon State TE Luke Musgrave

www.si.com

Rashad Torrence II Safety Florida | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Rating: 78.5 Rank: #39 Forty: 4.72 Rashad Torrence II attended Marietta High School and was rated a 4-star prospect by 247 Sports with a scout's rating of 0.900, going unranked by ESPN. Fol...

www.nfldraftbuzz.com

 

[Riverumbbq]

Just hyperbole folks, no one actually requested this Mock.

 

[VegasRam]

Just hyperbole folks, no one actually requested this Mock.

That may be, but well thought out and a lot of work.
Nice job.

 

[PhillyRam]

You are not getting a 3rd round pick for an overpriced Floyd

 

[Riverumbbq]

You are not getting a 3rd round pick for an overpriced Floyd

We'll see, really depends on whether Floyd plays like he did against the 9'ers for the rest of the season (2 sacks, 2 TFL's, 3 QB hits) or he goes back into hiding.
Robert Quinn is more than 2 years older and got a 4'th, ... Floyd could easily get us a 3'rd if he's back to 2020/2021 form.
jmo.

 

[PhillyRam]

We'll see, really depends on whether Floyd plays like he did against the 9'ers for the rest of the season (2 sacks, 2 TFL's, 3 QB hits) or he goes back into hiding.
Robert Quinn is more than 2 years older and got a 4'th, ... Floyd could easily get us a 3'rd if he's back to 2020/2021 form.
jmo.

And you also have to look into how much dead money he hits us with. The Bears are eating Quinns salary and that's why they got a higher pick. Eagles did what we did with Miller....they are paying near vet min for Quinn.

We can't do that with Floyd.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Both you and @Memento have the Rams saying bye to Troy Hill after they were so happy to get him back from the Browns. He’s a good fit for the soft shell quarters defense. I’ll be surprised if they let him go again. Plus he was very happy to be back in LA

 

[Riverumbbq]

Both you and @Memento have the Rams saying bye to Troy Hill after they were so happy to get him back from the Browns. He’s a good fit for the soft shell quarters defense. I’ll be surprised if they let him go again. Plus he was very happy to be back in LA

I'd like to keep him but figure his next contract may be more than what the Rams are willing to pay, especially with the young guns we now have under development. jmo.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I'd like to keep him but figure his next contract may be more than what the Rams are willing to pay, especially with the young guns we now have under development. jmo.

I think they will keep him

 

[Flatlyner]

Well done and thought out. I'm also in the camp that Floyd likely isn't netting that haul, would LOVE it if he did though! Also, I'm also very skeptical of what we get back for Van, but would also love that. I'll admit I haven't delved into the draft class much yet, so hard to comment on the picks but love the line getting addressed.

Really all I needed to see was that Evans was out the door and I loved it.

 

[fanotodd]

Excellent work, lotta time and thought.
1) it’s kinda early to tell how to handle the secondary. There probably won’t be too much push back on letting Rapp walk, but Scott also? Lake hasn’t played and Yeast neither, really.
The only way I see letting Hill walk and keeping Rochell is because of $$—not a good trade off.

2) Like that you went after a TE and Center early. Maybe sign another of each post draft?

3) count me as another who is not seeing a 3rd for Floyd. He, like Higbee, seem banged up. It’s life in the NFL. They might be seeing their careers winding down. Higbee was all heart down the stretch last year and seems to be on fumes now. Too bad, I think he’s had a solid career as a Ram and I’m glad he got a ring. He earned it.

4) you addressed the pass rusher need pre-draft. That’s a smart and “Ram like” maneuver. Between Edge, OL, RB, and TE, a deal will have to be made pre-draft. Edge would probably be the wisest.

5) as for rounding out the roster with guys like Howard, backup (3rd string) OL, et al, it will come down to camp. That being said, you did a good job bringing in competition. That’s all you can do.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Excellent work, lotta time and thought.
1) it’s kinda early to tell how to handle the secondary. There probably won’t be too much push back on letting Rapp walk, but Scott also? Lake hasn’t played and Yeast neither, really.
The only way I see letting Hill walk and keeping Rochell is because of $$—not a good trade off.

2) Like that you went after a TE and Center early. Maybe sign another of each post draft?

3) count me as another who is not seeing a 3rd for Floyd. He, like Higbee, seem banged up. It’s life in the NFL. They might be seeing their careers winding down. Higbee was all heart down the stretch last year and seems to be on fumes now. Too bad, I think he’s had a solid career as a Ram and I’m glad he got a ring. He earned it.

4) you addressed the pass rusher need pre-draft. That’s a smart and “Ram like” maneuver. Between Edge, OL, RB, and TE, a deal will have to be made pre-draft. Edge would probably be the wisest.

5) as for rounding out the roster with guys like Howard, backup (3rd string) OL, et al, it will come down to camp. That being said, you did a good job bringing in competition. That’s all you can do.

Thank you sir, I appreciate your reply.

Finding some kind of balance between need, want, and where we might afford to take chances as those younger, more developmental players are inserted into future starting & rotational roles is a challenge, and mine is just one opinion among several which will be offered over the course of the next several months. I suspect this current mock of mine will undergo numerous changes as we near and get beyond the Combine, there are also likely to be some CAP revisions as the season continues to play out.

1) Our defensive backs will take a hit in free agency again I fear, and my prediction that Scott & Hill are lost is all about the money. Hill will be 32 years old next season and his next contract may be his last, Scott will get offers the Rams may not be prepared to match during a difficult CAP year. The Rams wisely used 4 draft picks last season on DB's to help prepare for likely lost players in the coming off-season, I'm guessing they'll continue drafting DB's this next year to again bolster our secondary, ... how we play will depend on their successful development, but I'm not expecting much in the way of free agency help here due to the CAP crunch.

2) Of the 4 free agent acquisitions I made for this mock, 2 might be considered luxury picks, and they are also the most expensive. OBj may or may not have lost interest in the Rams because of our recent troubles, although most of these are temporary due to injuries, ... either way, we should know soon where he and the Rams stand over his future here. DT Da’Ron Payne is my other luxury choice, and is probably a step too far considering the Rams have big expectations for Bobby Brown. My wish was that an aging Aaron Donald might have one last hurrah with Payne, Burns & Gaines joining him in his final years, ... that would be some lineup imo.
I mention the above only because if we were to use our limited free agency money more wisely, a quality TE would be a very welcome choice. Higbee & Hopkins will likely be history after the 2023 season, so finding replacements are imperative, but a high draftee here also may work for next year if we couple him with a top free agent in 2024, ... this could go either way imo.

3) As for Floyd, I can only argue the same sentiment which I used earlier in this thread, that it depends on which Floyd we see for the remainder of the season. Is he back in hiding, or will he play for us like he did in our last game against the 49'ers ?

4) As weak as we are at Edge, with Floyd currently floundering and Hollins most likely gone to free agency, I chose to advance our cause at this position on 3 fronts, ... a big trade, during free agency, and a draft pick. Floyd is also one of our chief CAP concerns going forward, and while trading him doesn't create much CAP room in 2023, he does open up a lot more space for 2024. If Terrell Lewis doesn't turn things around very soon, I also expect he'll be gone as a free agent following the 2023 season.

5) One thing we can expect of our 2023 training camp, it will provide some solid competition. Not only will we have returning players from IR, but also all those depth players we brought in as temps.

Thanks again for your great reply, I appreciate all sincere comments & opinions, ... I just wish there were more of them.

 

[Riverumbbq]

It's now been a little over 3 weeks since I've made the above mock, the Rams have managed 3 more losses since, and while my draft & free agency period remains largely unchanged, issues deserve to be freshly dealt with. First, re-signing OBj is no longer a top priority with so many other matters presenting themselves. Instead, I've now seen enough of Wolford & Perkins as 53 roster depth to seek Sam Darnold as a free agent back-up QB while moving Perkins to the Practice Squad with a later round draftee (Phil Jurkovec, B.C.). I've also dropped my free agent RB acquisition (D’Ernest Johnson) since it appears that Akers is now back in our good graces. Henderson, Akers & Williams were one too many for the RB rooms potential starters, so rather than another strong free agent which might upset the balance, I'll just go with my later round draftee (Chris Rodriguez, Ky.) to perform the duties once expected of Malcolm Brown. Free Agency actually gets less expensive for us by switching out OBj & D'Ernest Johnson for Darnold, and we save a roster spot as we'll no longer be carrying 2 back-up QB's on the 53.
Our 2023 depth chart for RB's would now be Kyren Williams, Cam Akers, Chris Rodriguez* & Roger Carter.
Our 2023 depth chart for TE's would be Tyler Higbee, Luke Musgrave*, Brycen Hopkins & Jared Pinkney.

While a few comments have suggested that Leonard Floyd wouldn't likely bring us a 3'rd round draft pick in the event of a trade, it appears that as the Rams continue to lose games this season it boosts our chances of moving up quite a bit in the draft. If we were to draft today, we'd probably be no later than the 8'th pick overall of the 2'nd round, and if we lose to K.C. this coming Sunday, then we may be drafting no later than the 5'th pick in the 2'nd round. After consulting the Trade Value Chart, if Snead chooses, he could trade down to a later pick in the 2'nd round AND pick up an additional 3'rd round draft pick. I raise this option for keeping the added 3'rd round pick I've used in my mock, so even if Floyd couldn't bring a 3'rd in trade, we'd still have that additional 3'rd round pick as well as whatever Floyd might yet bring. jmo.