OldSchool mock #1

[OldSchool]

Edit: one I forgot to cut was Tavon, that saves another 3 million to sweeten some of my signings money a little bit or just to add to the coffers. He's gone too as you can see by my depth chart just didn't add him in.

Waited a while to do the first version, wanted to see the Senior Bowl as Snead and his scouts put a lot of stock in that game from what we've seen in the recent past.

First thing I'm doing is sending Marc Barron in a trade to Cleveland to reunite him with GW who got the most out of him in his 4-3. This saves us $9 million in cap space and nets us pick 4.1 (103).

Our free agents

Our own free agents are going to be fun. I don't think we offer TruJo enough to keep him and he walks for about $13 million a year (He and Butler both sign for about that imo).

Watkins will be an interesting case and I'm not sure any of us have a good idea what actually happens. Some speculation he gets franchised, I'm in the hope not group. And Spotrac has his market value estimation at $5.9 million, which I'm getting him to sign as fast as humanly possible. Personally I'm offering him a 5 year $40 million deal with All Pro, playoff and Super Bowl bonuses. Reports are he loves LA, the offense was good for him and with an off season to work in it and with Jared he's going to hit those incentives. With no guaranteed money in the last 2 years he knows the chances are good if he performs he can renegotiate and extend for more money.

Joyner I'm resigning for 5 years $45 million. He stays with Wades defense and we get him about a million below the franchise tag showing him respect he's earned as our FS.

NRC was great as our slot corner and most importantly was healthy. I'm signing him to a 3 year $10 million deal. A nice pay raise and a short enough deal for him to get a big payday if he earns it before he turns 30.

Pro Bowler Jake McQuaide gets a 4 year $4 million dollar deal to keep the Pro Bowlers together.

John Sullivan was solid at center and gets a 2 year $2.5 million deal.

On our own free agents I've spent $22.5 million and freed up another $9 million so we're now down to roughly $32 million left in space. I've done the math and our draft picks when we include the Browns pick we acquire will be about $6.5 million so we're down now to $26 million.

Free agents

One guy that several of us have had our eye on for a while because he just makes too much sense is Todd Davis. He played well for Wade in Denver and comes to LA to reunite with him at 4 years $22 million.

Another signing that I've seen in multiple spots including Jrry is Bashaud Breeland. Good man corner comes back to play with Coach Pleasant at 5 years $35 million.

Next I'm bringing back one of our own. We're signing a veteran Guard for some depth in John Greco. Give him a 2 year $1.5 million contract with some gameday active bonuses and we improve the depth in our IOL.

Those signings take us down to about $14 million. Now I'm doing what we all know needs to be done and signing our DPOY to an extension. Giving him a 6 year $150 million contract extension with a $70 million signing bonus (prorated over 7 years that makes us take a $10 million hit this year on the cap) with the first 2 years guaranteed giving him $100 million guaranteed. People have been clamoring for this to be done for a long time and we get it done here.

That leaves us after free agency and accounting for the draft with roughly $4 million. We need that money for injury replacements on the cap so we're done with free agency and onto the draft.

Draft

Round 1:23 Joshua Jackson CB, Iowa - I have seen mocks he drops to us and some he goes top 15. I think we can sub in for him Denzel Ward, Isaiah Oliver or Mike Hughes. Jackson goes into the rotation with Breeland, NRC and Webster (likely plays early with Webster still rehabbing).

Round 3:87 Tim Settle NT, Virginia Tech - I'm really torn here because I want Payne badly but I just have this sinking feeling he goes to the Chargers a few picks before us. Harrison Phillips is another very real possibility if he's here but he also might be gone at this point. IMO job #1 this off season is to upgrade the run defense and along with Davis at ILB this goes a long way to accomplishing that job.

Round 4:103 Alex Cappa OT, Humblot St - Alex did great in practice and IMO was moved around too much in the Senior Bowl game to really get any momentum going. He gets time to work with Whitworth and Kromer but is our swing tackle this year and will eventually take over at LT.

Round 4:130 Austin Corbett OG, Nevada - Corbett was the LT for the Wolfpack and will be moving inside in the NFL. This is our 2nd pick in a row from the Senior Bowl and continues depth along the OLine.

Round 5:165 Uchenna Nwosu OLB, USC - Dipping again into the Senior Bowl roster we take an OLB to work in behind Ebukam who I have taking over for Barwin.

Round 6: 197 Kyle Lualetta QB, Richmond - Mannion has one more year on his deal and could be retained but might also go the way of most backups and seek a chance to start with a needy team in 2019. Lualetta had a really good Senior Bowl game and practice week (Hey another guy from that game) and has moved up from a priority free agent to us spending one of our 3 3rd round picks on him.

Round 6: 200 Jamarcus King CB, South Carolina - Double dipping at corner with a guy who struggled last year but came on very nicely this year. He has good size and adequate short area speed.

Round 6: 207 Darrell Williams RB, LSU - My 6th straight Senior Bowl pick is a guy who was buried behind Fournette and Guice the last couple of years but still as a backup managed 820 yards and a 5.7 YPC while also catching 23 balls. He really did well at the Senior Bowl and I think will continue a tradition of backup RB's at LSU that go on to have some success in the NFL this time backing up Gurley.

Depth Chart

QB: Goff, Mannion, Lualetta
RB: Gurley, Brown, Williams, Davis
WR: Woods, Watkins, Kupp, Cooper, Thomas, Reynolds
TE: Higbee, Everett, Hemingway
LT: Whitworth, Cappa
LG: Saffold, Corbett
C: Sullivan, Blythe, Eldrenkamp
RG: Brown, Greco
RT: Havenstein, Williams

DE: Donald, Fox
NT: Settle, Bryant, Walker
DE: Brockers, Westbrooks
OLB: Quinn, Longacre, Price
ILB: Davis, Hager
ILB: Ogletree, Littleton
OLB: Ebukam, Nwosu, Sickles
CB: Breeland, Webster, Hill
CB: Jackson, Peterson
Slot: NRC
FS: Joyner, Countess
SS: J. Johnson, I. Johnson

K: GZ
P Hekker
LS: McQuaide
Returner: Cooper

Have at it, tear me up!! I know this probably isn't what a lot of people will want. There's a lot of anger at our young TE but I don't think we add anything but maybe a blocker. But I also feel that Higbee's blocking took major strides last year and I think he and Everett grow with an offseason of work. I know people want to cut bait on Quinn and draft an edge higher or sign a big free agent but I just don't see solutions there that don't hurt us in other areas. We could draft a replacement in our first 2 picks but a long term CB and a true NT to me are our two biggest draft needs. As I said improving that run defense is my main priority well maybe after extending AD.

 

[den-the-coach]

First off, let me start by communicating that I have realized over the years that @OldSchool and I have been separated at birth and liking his posts have been an exercise of futility because he seems to be in my head and in fact, we have communicated the same posts within seconds over the years so I want everyone to understand that aspect as to my feeling of this mock off season.

Now, besides the TE position that the Rams have been interviewing at the Senior Bowl, this does cover most of the needs I feel are essential for the Rams in 2018. I like the drafting of Cappa & Corbett as I believe they will be instant upgrades to the depth on the offensive line and be ready for 2019. Also the two free agent signings of Bashaud Breeland and Todd Davis just underscores the works of Thomas Paine as it's gold old fashioned Common Sense.

Breeland has been mentioned in many posts by the likes of @jrry32 & others and reuniting him under CB Coach Aubrey Pleasant combined with Wade's scheme should be the right Corner at the right time and Todd Davis seems like the perfect fit and should improve our run defense immediately.

As to QB Kyle Lauletta that is one kid I would draft, however, I'm not sure the Rams will go QB because I believe they like Brandon Allen, but maybe he was more of a Greg Olson guy. Lauletta does offer mobility and has a compact throwing motion, which would be a nice fit into McVay's scheme. Who knows, maybe the Rams draft Lauletta and trade Mannion that way keeping Allen too.

And I really like the idea of bringing back John Greco, why they ever released him in the first place is beyond me, but Steve Loney was the OL Coach at the time and Loney could not spell Cat if you spotted him the C and the A.

FWIW's I would tender RFA Cornelius Lucas as IMHO, he offers more than Tackle Darrell Williams and seems much more comfortable at RT than Williams.

 

[Memento]

Very deep analysis, and much appreciated. I don't know if I'd sign Greco because he'll probably want a starting job (and I do like Jamon Brown), but everything else looks absolutely spot on.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I think you addressed the biggest issue in your comments, a lack of a pass rusher earlier in the draft. I am curious if Cappa will last that long after his work at the Senior Bowl.

 

[OldSchool]

Now, besides the TE position that the Rams have been interviewing at the Senior Bowl, this does cover most of the needs I feel are essential for the Rams in 2018. I like the drafting of Cappa & Corbett as I believe they will be instant upgrades to the depth on the offensive line and be ready for 2019. Also the two free agent signings of Bashaud Breeland and Todd Davis just underscores the works of Thomas Paine as it's gold old fashioned Common Sense.

Some of those TE they saw at the Senior Bowl IMO might be UDFA. They're primarily blocking TE from what I've seen and offered little in the passing game in college so they could drop. That's my thinking there.

Breeland has been mentioned in many posts by the likes of @jrry32 & others and reuniting him under CB Coach Aubrey Pleasant combined with Wade's scheme should be the right Corner at the right time and Todd Davis seems like the perfect fit and should improve our run defense immediately.

I agree they both just make too much sense, which unfortunately means they might not happen.

As to QB Kyle Lauletta that is one kid I would draft, however, I'm not sure the Rams will go QB because I believe they like Brandon Allen, but maybe he was more of a Greg Olson guy. Lauletta does offer mobility and has a compact throwing motion, which would be a nice fit into McVay's scheme. Who knows, maybe the Rams draft Lauletta and trade Mannion that way keeping Allen too.

Mannion could be traded, I try not to do a lot of trades in these. They tend to be hard to predict and the returns are rarely as good as what us fans think when they do happen. That's why I went with just a 4th for Barron. I also was looking to trade down and aside from Cleveland I just don't see anybody we could trade with that makes sense compensation wise.

And I really like the idea of bringing back John Greco, why they ever released him in the first place is beyond me, but Steve Loney was the OL Coach at the time and Loney could not spell Cat if you spotted him the C and the A.

FWIW's I would tender RFA Cornelius Lucas as IMHO, he offers more than Tackle Darrell Williams and seems much more comfortable at RT than Williams.

Lucas is a definite possibility, only reason I didn't do it was because this is the first and I was curious how the money would work out in my exercise as much as getting fits. I like the thought of adding a vet IOL like Greco, it doesn't even have to be him, but it pushes Jamon and also provides veteran depth. Plus I signed him to 2 years with incentives so maybe if we don't retain Brown next year he's insurance to start in the last year of his deal.

As always thanks for the input!

 

[OldSchool]

Very deep analysis, and much appreciated. I don't know if I'd sign Greco because he'll probably want a starting job (and I do like Jamon Brown), but everything else looks absolutely spot on.

Thanks! I think Greco is good depth, and he may want to start, the biggest thing to me is it's a 2 year deal with the incentives and if we don't retain Brown, always a possibility, there's a vet a year into the system to push a rookie or another vet for competition. Depth this year possible starter next year. That's where I was going with him.

 

[OldSchool]

I think you addressed the biggest issue in your comments, a lack of a pass rusher earlier in the draft. I am curious if Cappa will last that long after his work at the Senior Bowl.

The problem with any change is back filling. Yes I could have drafted an edge rusher in the 1st and maybe boosted the pass rush though I think it's good as is especially with the upgrade at NT and the changes at ILB. But if I grab that Edge in the 1st it pushes everything else down in when we address them. Our CB position is shaky. I have us losing TruJo and we have Webster coming back from injury. With the signing of Breeland we help but we could be down our 2 starters from last year. To me that makes CB a much bigger need than Edge. And with run defense my priority I'm not taking a NT later than our 3rd round pick. So yes I agree edge would be nice to me that position is much less a priority than CB and NT.

Thanks for the input!

 

[nighttrain]

@OldSchool, wanna congratulate you on a really fine hypothetical draft for our Rams, hope you are spot on or extremely close
cheers
train

 

[dieterbrock]

Nice work
Hoping we get a stud slipping to us, JJ would be at the top of my list.

 

[So Ram]

Edit: one I forgot to cut was Tavon, that saves another 3 million to sweeten some of my signings money a little bit or just to add to the coffers. He's gone too as you can see by my depth chart just didn't add him in.

Waited a while to do the first version, wanted to see the Senior Bowl as Snead and his scouts put a lot of stock in that game from what we've seen in the recent past.

First thing I'm doing is sending Marc Barron in a trade to Cleveland to reunite him with GW who got the most out of him in his 4-3. This saves us $9 million in cap space and nets us pick 4.1 (103).

Our free agents

Our own free agents are going to be fun. I don't think we offer TruJo enough to keep him and he walks for about $13 million a year (He and Butler both sign for about that imo).

Watkins will be an interesting case and I'm not sure any of us have a good idea what actually happens. Some speculation he gets franchised, I'm in the hope not group. And Spotrac has his market value estimation at $5.9 million, which I'm getting him to sign as fast as humanly possible. Personally I'm offering him a 5 year $40 million deal with All Pro, playoff and Super Bowl bonuses. Reports are he loves LA, the offense was good for him and with an off season to work in it and with Jared he's going to hit those incentives. With no guaranteed money in the last 2 years he knows the chances are good if he performs he can renegotiate and extend for more money.

Joyner I'm resigning for 5 years $45 million. He stays with Wades defense and we get him about a million below the franchise tag showing him respect he's earned as our FS.

NRC was great as our slot corner and most importantly was healthy. I'm signing him to a 3 year $10 million deal. A nice pay raise and a short enough deal for him to get a big payday if he earns it before he turns 30.

Pro Bowler Jake McQuaide gets a 4 year $4 million dollar deal to keep the Pro Bowlers together.

John Sullivan was solid at center and gets a 2 year $2.5 million deal.

On our own free agents I've spent $22.5 million and freed up another $9 million so we're now down to roughly $32 million left in space. I've done the math and our draft picks when we include the Browns pick we acquire will be about $6.5 million so we're down now to $26 million.

Free agents

One guy that several of us have had our eye on for a while because he just makes too much sense is Todd Davis. He played well for Wade in Denver and comes to LA to reunite with him at 4 years $22 million.

Another signing that I've seen in multiple spots including Jrry is Bashaud Breeland. Good man corner comes back to play with Coach Pleasant at 5 years $35 million.

Next I'm bringing back one of our own. We're signing a veteran Guard for some depth in John Greco. Give him a 2 year $1.5 million contract with some gameday active bonuses and we improve the depth in our IOL.

Those signings take us down to about $14 million. Now I'm doing what we all know needs to be done and signing our DPOY to an extension. Giving him a 6 year $150 million contract extension with a $70 million signing bonus (prorated over 7 years that makes us take a $10 million hit this year on the cap) with the first 2 years guaranteed giving him $100 million guaranteed. People have been clamoring for this to be done for a long time and we get it done here.

That leaves us after free agency and accounting for the draft with roughly $4 million. We need that money for injury replacements on the cap so we're done with free agency and onto the draft.

Draft

Round 1:23 Joshua Jackson CB, Iowa - I have seen mocks he drops to us and some he goes top 15. I think we can sub in for him Denzel Ward, Isaiah Oliver or Mike Hughes. Jackson goes into the rotation with Breeland, NRC and Webster (likely plays early with Webster still rehabbing).

Round 3:87 Tim Settle NT, Virginia Tech - I'm really torn here because I want Payne badly but I just have this sinking feeling he goes to the Chargers a few picks before us. Harrison Phillips is another very real possibility if he's here but he also might be gone at this point. IMO job #1 this off season is to upgrade the run defense and along with Davis at ILB this goes a long way to accomplishing that job.

Round 4:103 Alex Cappa OT, Humblot St - Alex did great in practice and IMO was moved around too much in the Senior Bowl game to really get any momentum going. He gets time to work with Whitworth and Kromer but is our swing tackle this year and will eventually take over at LT.

Round 4:130 Austin Corbett OG, Nevada - Corbett was the LT for the Wolfpack and will be moving inside in the NFL. This is our 2nd pick in a row from the Senior Bowl and continues depth along the OLine.

Round 5:165 Uchenna Nwosu OLB, USC - Dipping again into the Senior Bowl roster we take an OLB to work in behind Ebukam who I have taking over for Barwin.

Round 6: 197 Kyle Lualetta QB, Richmond - Mannion has one more year on his deal and could be retained but might also go the way of most backups and seek a chance to start with a needy team in 2019. Lualetta had a really good Senior Bowl game and practice week (Hey another guy from that game) and has moved up from a priority free agent to us spending one of our 3 3rd round picks on him.

Round 6: 200 Jamarcus King CB, South Carolina - Double dipping at corner with a guy who struggled last year but came on very nicely this year. He has good size and adequate short area speed.

Round 6: 207 Darrell Williams RB, LSU - My 6th straight Senior Bowl pick is a guy who was buried behind Fournette and Guice the last couple of years but still as a backup managed 820 yards and a 5.7 YPC while also catching 23 balls. He really did well at the Senior Bowl and I think will continue a tradition of backup RB's at LSU that go on to have some success in the NFL this time backing up Gurley.

Depth Chart

QB: Goff, Mannion, Lualetta
RB: Gurley, Brown, Williams, Davis
WR: Woods, Watkins, Kupp, Cooper, Thomas, Reynolds
TE: Higbee, Everett, Hemingway
LT: Whitworth, Cappa
LG: Saffold, Corbett
C: Sullivan, Blythe, Eldrenkamp
RG: Brown, Greco
RT: Havenstein, Williams

DE: Donald, Fox
NT: Settle, Bryant, Walker
DE: Brockers, Westbrooks
OLB: Quinn, Longacre, Price
ILB: Davis, Hager
ILB: Ogletree, Littleton
OLB: Ebukam, Nwosu, Sickles
CB: Breeland, Webster, Hill
CB: Jackson, Peterson
Slot: NRC
FS: Joyner, Countess
SS: J. Johnson, I. Johnson

K: GZ
P Hekker
LS: McQuaide
Returner: Cooper

Have at it, tear me up!! I know this probably isn't what a lot of people will want. There's a lot of anger at our young TE but I don't think we add anything but maybe a blocker. But I also feel that Higbee's blocking took major strides last year and I think he and Everett grow with an offseason of work. I know people want to cut bait on Quinn and draft an edge higher or sign a big free agent but I just don't see solutions there that don't hurt us in other areas. We could draft a replacement in our first 2 picks but a long term CB and a true NT to me are our two biggest draft needs. As I said improving that run defense is my main priority well maybe after extending AD.

1. Joyner ? Freaking no way for a big payday.
2.Sullivan needs mire than some.
3.Greco ? No way !!
4. RB ? Not sure about Dunbar ?
5. What about Allen ? Is he totally hurt as well.

— I like this DT Hill ? I’m not sure what selection.

 

[JonRam99]

:wow:nice work, @OldSchool ! very thorough, love the cap $ / signing breakdown. I think you're right on with drafting OL depth. A Greco reunion would be sweet, we may need to give him an LA tour he won't forget to make him stay in town after a F/A visit

I too think Cappa doesn't last, I think he'll rise. Same with Lualetta; your mock says he's one of our 3 3rd round picks? I think his stock rises to that with his senior bowl accolades, but you've got us picking him in the 6th round.

LOVE the Settle NT pick, I hope he's still there in the 3rd too - some team, like the bolts, may scoop him up before that. Here's to hoping that GW will offer us a 3rd for Barron :yess: . I actually think NT is a bigger priority than CB, and hope Snead can get enough draft capital for us to move up a few spots & snag Vita Vea - if he falls out of the top 10, very likely with all the QB's, I hope we go for it. The Breeland signing may take some of the pressure off of us to draft a CB at 23. Signing Joyner as a priority does the same, as he can play CB in a pinch. ILB is also a high priority, but your signing of Davis would fix many issues there & lots of ILB's can be had in late / UDFA rounds.

Loving all the mocks, keeps me revved up after last season!

 

[OldSchool]

:wow:nice work, @OldSchool ! very thorough, love the cap $ / signing breakdown. I think you're right on with drafting OL depth. A Greco reunion would be sweet, we may need to give him an LA tour he won't forget to make him stay in town after a F/A visit

I too think Cappa doesn't last, I think he'll rise. Same with Lualetta; your mock says he's one of our 3 3rd round picks? I think his stock rises to that with his senior bowl accolades, but you've got us picking him in the 6th round.

LOVE the Settle NT pick, I hope he's still there in the 3rd too - some team, like the bolts, may scoop him up before that. Here's to hoping that GW will offer us a 3rd for Barron :yess: . I actually think NT is a bigger priority than CB, and hope Snead can get enough draft capital for us to move up a few spots & snag Vita Vea - if he falls out of the top 10, very likely with all the QB's, I hope we go for it. The Breeland signing may take some of the pressure off of us to draft a CB at 23. Signing Joyner as a priority does the same, as he can play CB in a pinch. ILB is also a high priority, but your signing of Davis would fix many issues there & lots of ILB's can be had in late / UDFA rounds.

Loving all the mocks, keeps me revved up after last season!

Thanks for the input! Yeah that was a typo on the 3rd round pick

Cappa very well could rise, he had a great week of practice but didn't exactly shine in the game. Small school guy not a lot of tape on him we'll see. Honestly there was a group of 4 or 5 that I liked there but a couple will definitely rise. Crosby, Cappa and O'Neil could all rise Cappa and O'Neil I think definitely will. Jamarco Jones has shown well as has Brandon Parker, though I think Parker might be just a RT and that's not a bad thing with Havenstein heading to free agency.

 

[Merlin]

Good read @OldSchool, as always I enjoy a product that took that much time to put together. Some notes...

1. Browns aren't going to want or need Barron. They just paid Kirksey, who is a very good weakside pursuit guy with a high motor. That's not to say there isn't a market for Barron, though. I do think a trade is possible for him.

2. Quinn. Another interesting mock in that he's kept on, which does seem likely the more we consider how creating another hole will add to an already steep list of defensive needs. That said, he might end up having more trade value than many realize, and might be a guy that Les can flip for a good pick. If it's good enough (I'd guess round 2 or better), Les would have to pull the trigger.

3. Really nice draft. King is one of my favorite "value for the Rams" type CBs, as he's got a real nice press at the LOS and looked good in practice through the Senior Bowl game. This CB class is pretty damn good, and I don't want to get all crazy with who goes where just yet, as they're going to re-slot after the 40 times come in.

With Jackson IF he runs very well he'll be a very high pick. But there's some really nice fits for the Rams at 23 like Hughes as well, who I love. Again, we just gotta wait for those times.

Lauletta in round 6 would be a damn steal, I really like that kid and he is indeed a nice fit in our WCO. But IMO he's one of those guys who a team might well fall for, and go get a bit earlier than people think, given how well he played in the Senior Bowl. All bets are off with the QBs, but yeah if he is there in round 6 he'd be a no-brainer.

One last note is don't overlook the ILBs in this draft. LB period is very well stocked for us in this draft. To the point where I will be surprised if Les doesn't trade down from 23 and garner another round 3 pick.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I'll be back....

that QB Lauletta??? Looks like a Patriot pick...replaces Jimmy G.

 

[Tano]

I have a problem with drafting King because of nightmares of the last King at CB