Okay, so what needs to be ‘fixed’ for 2020?

[Rams43]

A 30,000 foot view with no punches pulled.

I’m a results oriented guy so forgive me if I speak bluntly.


This team was too Jekyll and Hyde this year. All 3 units had inexplicable ups and downs. Frankly, we lost too many games to inferior teams. This means that a ton of the blame goes to the coaches.

McVay needs to take a long and hard look at his coaching staff and schemes, starting with himself. And I think that McVay should hire a damned O coordinator which would allow him to focus on the Big Picture to a greater degree. McVay should retain the playcalling duties but listen carefully to his OC. I think that McVay is currently spread too thin on the O side.

Kromer should be allowed to be 100% OL coach and immediately relieved of his ‘run game coordinator’ duties. Let the man do what he does best, coach the OL. And heaven knows that this OL needs his undivided attention.

Shane Waldron probably shouldn’t be ‘passing game coordinator’ at all. Maybe not the best possible QB coach that McVay could hire, either. I think that Goff could be better under a more gifted coach, frankly.

Gurley is a shadow of his former self. Not his fault, but the Rams need to prepare for a future without Gurley as soon as ‘21. Might be a good idea to get a promising RB this offseason in draft, FA, or some kind of trade. Our O is predicated on having a powerful RB and running game, so I feel that this is a fairly high priority. Sure hope that the Rams realize that Gurley’s best days are behind him.

Speaking of running game, they need to figure out how to regain one by improving the OL. Player development of current players, draft, FA, or trade are all options on the table, I think. But this is Job One this offseason. I couldn’t care less which method they decide upon. I only care that they get it done one way or another and that they do so this offseason. The importance of re-establishing a powerful running game OL simply can’t be overstated. With it we are a SB worthy team. Without it we are an 8-9 win team. ‘Nuff said?

I seriously question whether Wade should remain our DC in ‘20. Nice guy, great career, but I think that McVay can do better. I also think that McVay could have his choice of virtually ANY available DC hire candidate. I’m personally hoping for a promising young and aggressive outsider. Sort of a Sean McVay type D oriented savant waiting for his chance while somewhere impressing in his current D coaching duties. McVay should NOT ‘settle’ for anyone he considers less than the very best available candidate.

Hope Littleton can be extended. He’s invaluable to the D and he’s earned it.

Fowler probably won’t be able to be extended due to cap restrictions. If Demoff can work some magic, I would love to extend Fowler, of course, but I’m afraid that the chances are kinda slim. Sigh...

Brockers is almost certainly a cap casualty.

I predict that Weddle will be released as a cap move since his play has not met expectations. A JJ, Rapp, and Christian S unit would be a strong one without Weddle.

Matthews is a bit iffy, too, I think. There’s the salary, his limited run D, and maybe the Rams like their options with other inexpensive edge players waiting in the wings, OR their options in the draft.

CB depth has been a pleasant surprise. Hill, Williams, and Long opposite Ramsey is looking very good, huh? Nice to feel that CB is not a screaming need, that’s for sure.

Speaking of pleasant surprises, how about Higbee? Goodness. I was optimistic when Higbee was drafted but I never saw him becoming such a good blocker AND O weapon. Can’t wait to see what McVay has planned for him next season.

Well, those are my ideas about ‘fixes’ needed along with a short list of likely painful cap casualties. A good draft and shrewd FA will be needed, no doubt, but if Snead can pull that off we could be right back in the thick of the SB hunt, despite playing in the strong NFC West.

My 3 biggest priorities?

Finish the OL.
Replace Wade Phillips.
Hire an OC to take a lot off if McVay’s plate.

 

[So Ram]

A 30,000 foot view with no punches pulled.

I’m a results oriented guy so forgive me if I speak bluntly.


This team was too Jekyll and Hyde this year. All 3 units had inexplicable ups and downs. Frankly, we lost too many games to inferior teams. This means that a ton of the blame goes to the coaches.

McVay needs to take a long and hard look at his coaching staff and schemes, starting with himself. And I think that McVay should hire a damned O coordinator which would allow him to focus on the Big Picture to a greater degree. McVay should retain the playcalling duties but listen carefully to his OC. I think that McVay is currently spread too thin on the O side.

Kromer should be allowed to be 100% OL coach and immediately relieved of his ‘run game coordinator’ duties. Let the man do what he does best, coach the OL. And heaven knows that this OL needs his undivided attention.

Shane Waldron probably shouldn’t be ‘passing game coordinator’ at all. Maybe not the best possible QB coach that McVay could hire, either. I think that Goff could be better under a more gifted coach, frankly.

Gurley is a shadow of his former self. Not his fault, but the Rams need to prepare for a future without Gurley as soon as ‘21. Might be a good idea to get a promising RB this offseason in draft, FA, or some kind of trade. Our O is predicated on having a powerful RB and running game, so I feel that this is a fairly high priority. Sure hope that the Rams realize that Gurley’s best days are behind him.

Speaking of running game, they need to figure out how to regain one by improving the OL. Player development of current players, draft, FA, or trade are all options on the table, I think. But this is Job One this offseason. I couldn’t care less which method they decide upon. I only care that they get it done one way or another and that they do so this offseason. The importance of re-establishing a powerful running game OL simply can’t be overstated. With it we are a SB worthy team. Without it we are an 8-9 win team. ‘Nuff said?

I seriously question whether Wade should remain our DC in ‘20. Nice guy, great career, but I think that McVay can do better. I also think that McVay could have his choice of virtually ANY available DC hire candidate. I’m personally hoping for a promising young and aggressive outsider. Sort of a Sean McVay type D oriented savant waiting for his chance while somewhere impressing in his current D coaching duties. McVay should NOT ‘settle’ for anyone he considers less than the very best available candidate.

Hope Littleton can be extended. He’s invaluable to the D and he’s earned it.

Fowler probably won’t be able to be extended due to cap restrictions. If Demoff can work some magic, I would love to extend Fowler, of course, but I’m afraid that the chances are kinda slim. Sigh...

Brockers is almost certainly a cap casualty.

I predict that Weddle will be released as a cap move since his play has not met expectations. A JJ, Rapp, and Christian S unit would be a strong one without Weddle.

Matthews is a bit iffy, too, I think. There’s the salary, his limited run D, and maybe the Rams like their options with other inexpensive edge players waiting in the wings, OR their options in the draft.

CB depth has been a pleasant surprise. Hill, Williams, and Long opposite Ramsey is looking very good, huh? Nice to feel that CB is not a screaming need, that’s for sure.

Speaking of pleasant surprises, how about Higbee? Goodness. I was optimistic when Higbee was drafted but I never saw him becoming such a good blocker AND O weapon. Can’t wait to see what McVay has planned for him next season.

Well, those are my ideas about ‘fixes’ needed along with a short list of likely painful cap casualties. A good draft and shrewd FA will be needed, no doubt, but if Snead can pull that off we could be right back in the thick of the SB hunt, despite playing in the strong NFC West.

My 3 biggest priorities?

Finish the OL.
Replace Wade Phillips.
Hire an OC to take a lot off if McVay’s plate.

YOUR # 1 AIN’T going to happen the way you think !!! It’s a young squad that Kromer will continue to develop !!!
Really don’t see a PROBLEM there !!! In fact it will be a strength!!
Whitworth will be back as a Mentor !!
Just the same with Weddle & Mathews!!!

I think you’re missing the point on how this thing is going to be restructured

 

[Riverumbbq]

Christian is another of our potential 2020 free agents, he's likely to get paid more than the Rams may want to pay for a reserve here, we'll have to wait & see on this one.


My 1a and 1b of team 'fixes' is first the OL, then the DL. Draft a DE, DT, OT & C. Fix the lines, everyone behind them looks better.

Most all the other issues are about depth.
2) A newly drafted RB to replace Brown, but I disagree about Gurley being a shadow of his former self.
3) Re-sign Littleton & Whitworth.
4) Wade retires as DC, although perhaps a consulting gig makes some sense if we retain his hybrid 3-4. Turn-over all coaching assistants who didn't perform as expected.
5) Hire a young OC who is not a 'Yes-Man' and will allow McVay to continue calling the plays.
6) Let Snead work his magic with trades and scouting.
7) CAP cut Weddle, M.Brown & Tanzel Smart.

The Rams have a very good team base, a few excellent off-season acquisitions and we'll be as competitive as ever.

jmo.

 

[CGI_Ram]

It sure feels like:

1. OL work
2. OC help
3. Defense scheme

On offense, we seem to get “stuck” too much. Stuff stops working or we can’t seem to get it started. Other days, it clicks. The stats don’t look too bad, but the overall function hasn’t been there.

I love the pieces on defense, but not too happy with how it is all tied together. I like Wade, but we feel stale defensively... and certainly wildly inconsistent.

 

[Raptorman]

I told you last year. The defense. You can't keep winning giving up 23 ppg on defense. It's not tenable. a team that gives up that many points a game is at best an 8-8 team. The offense isn't the problem. The average score in an NFL game since the merger is right around 24 points. So in order to be on the winning side, you have to stop the other team from scoring 24 points. Teams that give up more are generally below .500, teams that give up less are generally better than .500. Of course offense matters, but this year isn't on the offense, it's on the defense. I'll give you a good example of two teams. Patriots and Packers. Two teams that have been winning the last 20 years. One better than the other. Both with top QB during that time.

PPG	Defense	Offense	Aver wins
Packers	21.3	25.3	9.7
Patriots	18.6	28.6	12.2

As you can see, the offense is good, but a good defense is necessary as well. Do this with any team, and you will see, the closer you get to 24 ppg on defense the closer you get to being 8-8.

 

[Ramstien]

7) CAP cut Weddle, M.Brown & Tanzel Smart.

I agree with almost everything you stated here except for Smart, give him a chance to compete for Brockers spot.

 

[sjm1582002]

The OL is in worse shape now, than when McVay was brought aboard.

Our only plus starter is one of the most penalized players in the league and at his age the holding calls are only going to become more frequent. At this point, I'd still want Whit back because I wonder if a better option at the critical LT position will present istself.

Our DL is also a near shambles with one elite starter surrounded by below average DLine players.

Such is life when you have well paid skill position players.

Only FA on D I'd miss is Littleton. Fowler will get over paid and likely underperform that contract.

 

[den-the-coach]

1. Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Staff....Why does every defensive back looked confused, Peters, Ramsey, Weddle I don't get it. Obviously a new DC although I feel for Wade because if the Rams scored any points in the Super Bowl, they would have won. Not sure about the rest of the defensive staff also...DB Coach Aubrey Pleasant seems to have excellent credentials, but CB's are confused along with Safety Coach Ejiro Evero as Taylor Rapp ran into CB Williams against the Cowboys and totally blew the coverage on the Sanders completion in San Francisco...They might make changes across the board...Dan Quinn (although he could stay in Atlanta) Kris Richard as they will be making changes in Dallas, but I don't expect the hire to be internal.
2. Offensive Assistants....Sean McVay, will not give up the play calling IMO, so not sure if that gets somebody like Jay Gruden on board, but what I could see is hiring Bill Callahan as Offensive Coordinator and returning OL Coach Aaron Kromer to the OL only and parting ways with Shane Waldron who I have never been a huge fan of anyway. A new QB Coach will need to be hired and that could come from multiple people, but I expect, Waldron & Jedd Fisch to be gone too. RB Skip Hicks might be shown the door as well, as he might be too close to TGIII.
3. Personnel....I don't expect Aaron Donald to be dealt, but many others could and look for a change in philosophy as I believe one of the main reasons they are parting ways with Wade is he really wanted Peters, Talib & then Ramsey costing multiple picks. Not sure if the Rams go to a 4-3 because they have outside linebackers, but we will see. I look for Snead again to wheel & deal to gain extra picks with hope for improvement in the offensive line and a running back combination that McVay has confidence in, also draft a QB that can run an RPO somebody like Taysom Hill of New Orleans, @jrry32 communicated QB Tyler Huntley of Utah in his latest mock draft, I like that pick.

Again many changes loom on the horizon and the off season under the McVay/Snead regime has never been dull, but let's hope theses changes make the Rams better and That Joe Barry continues in his current role because if McVay promotes Barry, he'll be to Sean McVay what Larry Marmie was to Mike Martz.

 

[bubbaramfan]

It is imperative the Rams upgrade the OL, and not just by the Draft. OLines have to have seasoned veterans. I'm tired of watching Edwards, Evans and Corbett getting schooled by savy vet DL and LB's. Those guys have no clue to some of the tricks D's play and vet O-Linemen like Whitworth and Sully and Saffold were hip to.

Rams need to get bigger and hit the FA market for at least 2 stud vet OL to go with their youngsters.

 

[hotanez]

it's going to be tuff, we don't have much to spend with Ramsey's record setting deal hanging over our heads.

-Need a RB because this Gurley situation needs to be fixed.
-Need to pick up a good player at guard or center.
-Need to draft s center because Allen shouldn't see the field again. He's to small.
-Draft a stud to play opposite AD, a DE that can take advantage of the attention played to AD.
Let Littleton, Fowler, Weddle, Mathews walk/cut because they are not worth the money except for maybe Littleton but we can't tie that much cash into a coverage lb that gets ruined over by RBs.
Sign Big Witt for one more year. I believe if we can find a very good center, FA or draft, this line could be great again.

 

[fearsomefour]

It is imperative the Rams upgrade the OL, and not just by the Draft. OLines have to have seasoned veterans. I'm tired of watching Edwards, Evans and Corbett getting schooled by savy vet DL and LB's. Those guys have no clue to some of the tricks D's play and vet O-Linemen like Whitworth and Sully and Saffold were hip to.

Rams need to get bigger and hit the FA market for at least 2 stud vet OL to go with their youngsters.

Just can’t see the money to land two “stud” OL....or even one.
If the T from the Colts or the G from Washington are going to run $12-14 M each, there just isn’t a way that I can see.
A couple of lower cost FA to the OL and DL may be a better option.
There is the chance that the powers that be will follow the path they started this year.
Evans, Edwards, Brewer, Havenstein, Shelton, Corbett, Noteboom, Allen, Kolone and a couple more draft picks is a lot of youth on the OL.

 

[fearsomefour]

I think the O misses Olson is a QB coach/OC.

 

[ramfan46]

Lock up Littleton.
Let Fowler, Brockers, Blythe and Whit walk. Cut Weddle, Matthews and NRC to free up some cap.
Find a mauler for RG and see if Havenstein can return to form at RT. He and Evans can battle it out.
Find a Center with some arm length and leg drive that can hold up 1 on 1.
Need 2 fresh bodies for the D line that can take advantage of all attention Donald is getting.
A blocking TE that is basically a 6th O lineman.

 

[jrry32]

The number one priority is the OL. I don't think we need to completely change it. But we need to add at least one more piece (depending on Whitworth). After that, we'll have some holes to plug because I think Fowler and Littleton are gone. I love Wade, but I think it's time for him to retire. I'd pursue one of (depending on which HCs get fired) Dan Quinn, Kris Richard, Vic Fangio, Ron Rivera, or promoting from within (as long as it's not Barry). At the college level, Jim Leonhard, Dave Aranda, or Brent Venables could be worth a sniff.

 

[CoachAllred]

Kromer should be allowed to be 100% OL coach and immediately relieved of his ‘run game coordinator’ duties.

100% behind you on that. As good as kromer is ,he should be left to focus on what he does best.
I think this is magnified as we tend to acquire our lineman later in the draft.

 

[CoachAllred]

The number one priority is the OL. I don't think we need to completely change it. But we need to add at least one more piece (depending on Whitworth). After that, we'll have some holes to plug because I think Fowler and Littleton are gone. I love Wade, but I think it's time for him to retire. I'd pursue one of (depending on which HCs get fired) Dan Quinn, Kris Richard, Vic Fangio, Ron Rivera, or promoting from within (as long as it's not Barry). At the college level, Jim Leonhard, Dave Aranda, or Brent Venables could be worth a sniff.

Would prefer someone, who is not gonna get snatched for a HC job in a year. The coaching
carousal that has been going on for the last couple of years at ram park has bound to have
had some adverse affects team wise.
however I am still a believer in Wade.

 

[JonRam99]

Throw the bum overboard who's givin us the bad juju. Find the guy sportin the albatross necklace / tattoo & can him. 3 plays bounce our way & we're 10-5 (11-5 after Curdnals beat down next week).
Ya we got a lot of other improvements to make, but last season we had a number of balls bounce our way (the GB fumble on a KR for one).
That & find another C that isn't a turnstile -- Merlin had so many great stills this season illustrating the serious problem at C. This one fix may help in many ways. Could even make Kromer look better.
& don't go back to Allen, he's the guy who threw a DL into Noteboom's legs. He's a "wrestler", and wrestled that DL sideways. I want a STUD CENTER for once!!

 

[Merlin]

It is imperative the Rams upgrade the OL, and not just by the Draft. OLines have to have seasoned veterans. I'm tired of watching Edwards, Evans and Corbett getting schooled by savy vet DL and LB's. Those guys have no clue to some of the tricks D's play and vet O-Linemen like Whitworth and Sully and Saffold were hip to.

Rams need to get bigger and hit the FA market for at least 2 stud vet OL to go with their youngsters.

Scherff is the guy I want. He will settle down the interior. We then have two young OL going into their second seasons that played pretty damn well as rooks on the line with him. Corbett looks like he can be a solid starter. Just draft a Center to at least ensure there's competition at the pivot and figure out LT.

You need two plus starters to have good OL. Rams during GSoT those two were Pace & Timmerman and the JAGs around them were fine. We don't need five elite guys, just someone on the interior to settle things down and finish the rebuild (this year was definitely an OL rebuild year).

 

[Riverumbbq]

Corbett looks like he can be a solid starter. Just draft a Center to at least ensure there's competition at the pivot and figure out LT.

How would you feel about Corbett moving to Center, perhaps a more 'natural' position considering his shorter arms ? With Tretter & Kush already on-board, Corbett quickly became obsolete at Cleveland.

 

[jrry32]

How would you feel about Corbett moving to Center, perhaps a more 'natural' position considering his shorter arms ? With Tretter & Kush already on-board, Corbett quickly became obsolete at Cleveland.

I expect Corbett to be in the competition for the C position.