Pro Football Focus breaks down the Rams Depth Chart

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PolarBear

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2014 Depth Chart: St. Louis Rams
Gordon McGuinness | June 19, 2014


2014-depth-STL.png


Notes

• One of the easiest decisions of the depth chart series was making Robert Quinn elite after his massive 2013 season. He had a couple of quiet games over the course of the season, but these occurrences were a rarity compared with the games where he was close to unstoppable as a pass rusher. He’s just 24 years old now so we’re really all just waiting to see how he follows it up in 2014.

Janoris Jenkins is a player who I feel at times gets overvalued. He absolutely can make plays on the ball, as his 22 pass breakups, to go along with five interceptions, over the past two years suggest. However he’s also prone to mistakes in coverage, and had six games last year where he allowed a reception of 30 yards or longer.

• One player the Rams will be expecting an improvement out of in 2014 is linebacker Alec Ogletree. After drafting him in the first round of the draft last year, the former Georgia Bulldog failed to impress much, finishing the year with 19 missed tackles. There were flashes of good play in there, but he needs to show that much more often for the Rams to get a return on their investment.

Roster Battles

1. Defensive Tackle

After drafting him in the first round of this year’s draft, big things will be expected out of Aaron Donald. But how quickly can we expect to see him with a starring role? He’ll have to beat outKendall Langford, and with the former Miami Dolphin having such a strong season against the run in 2013, it seems to make a lot of sense to leave him in on early downs, and bring Donald onto the field on more obvious passing situations early on.

2. Cornerback

Like Donald at defensive tackle, the Rams also have a high draft pick at cornerback in second round pick Lamarcus Joyner. Right now he’s expected to be the team’s third corner, but faces a fight with Brandon McGee. McGee didn’t play much as a rookie in 2013, outside of a poor outing against the Chicago Bears in Week 12 where he allowed all four passes thrown his way to be caught, and committed three penalties in coverage.

3. Wide Receiver

We know that the Rams will be expecting big things, in a variety of roles, out of second year manTavon Austin, but how do the rest of the receivers stack up? The combination of Chris Givens, Austin Pettis, Brian Quick and Stedman Bailey won’t strike much fear into opposing defensive backs, but if there’s a wild card here it’s Kenny Britt. He’s been terrible in recent years, so much so that we can’t have him as anything other than a poor starter. And yet when you look back over the first couple of years of his career, you would have expected him to have developed into a top receiver. Can he salvage his career in St. Louis and get back to the level he once played at?
 

Boffo97

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We actually had a big discussion on this not too long ago. The consensus was that at least some (and perhaps most) of the Rams were really underrated, but they'll show it this coming season.
 

LesBaker

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Sam needs to get to work......I have 250K down on him to make the roster in the Sports Book.

Don't let me down Mikey!!!
 

LesBaker

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2014 Depth Chart: St. Louis Rams
Gordon McGuinness | June 19, 2014


2014-depth-STL.png


Notes

• One of the easiest decisions of the depth chart series was making Robert Quinn elite after his massive 2013 season. He had a couple of quiet games over the course of the season, but these occurrences were a rarity compared with the games where he was close to unstoppable as a pass rusher. He’s just 24 years old now so we’re really all just waiting to see how he follows it up in 2014.

Janoris Jenkins is a player who I feel at times gets overvalued. He absolutely can make plays on the ball, as his 22 pass breakups, to go along with five interceptions, over the past two years suggest. However he’s also prone to mistakes in coverage, and had six games last year where he allowed a reception of 30 yards or longer.

• One player the Rams will be expecting an improvement out of in 2014 is linebacker Alec Ogletree. After drafting him in the first round of the draft last year, the former Georgia Bulldog failed to impress much, finishing the year with 19 missed tackles. There were flashes of good play in there, but he needs to show that much more often for the Rams to get a return on their investment.

Roster Battles

1. Defensive Tackle

After drafting him in the first round of this year’s draft, big things will be expected out of Aaron Donald. But how quickly can we expect to see him with a starring role? He’ll have to beat outKendall Langford, and with the former Miami Dolphin having such a strong season against the run in 2013, it seems to make a lot of sense to leave him in on early downs, and bring Donald onto the field on more obvious passing situations early on.

2. Cornerback

Like Donald at defensive tackle, the Rams also have a high draft pick at cornerback in second round pick Lamarcus Joyner. Right now he’s expected to be the team’s third corner, but faces a fight with Brandon McGee. McGee didn’t play much as a rookie in 2013, outside of a poor outing against the Chicago Bears in Week 12 where he allowed all four passes thrown his way to be caught, and committed three penalties in coverage.

3. Wide Receiver

We know that the Rams will be expecting big things, in a variety of roles, out of second year manTavon Austin, but how do the rest of the receivers stack up? The combination of Chris Givens, Austin Pettis, Brian Quick and Stedman Bailey won’t strike much fear into opposing defensive backs, but if there’s a wild card here it’s Kenny Britt. He’s been terrible in recent years, so much so that we can’t have him as anything other than a poor starter. And yet when you look back over the first couple of years of his career, you would have expected him to have developed into a top receiver. Can he salvage his career in St. Louis and get back to the level he once played at?


There are some ratings here that should stir up some good debate.

I'll start with Britt.

Poor starter? He hasn't actually started yet! And so far he is looking like another case of Sneavery (Snead theivery).
 

DCH

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There are some ratings here that should stir up some good debate.

I'll start with Britt.

Poor starter? He hasn't actually started yet! And so far he is looking like another case of Sneavery (Snead theivery).
Eh, until he gets on the field with the Rams, he's judged based on his performance the past couple of years, which has been poor. I love the reports on him (and Quick) coming out of camp, but I can't argue with the rating. Yet.
 

LesBaker

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Eh, until he gets on the field with the Rams, he's judged based on his performance the past couple of years, which has been poor. I love the reports on him (and Quick) coming out of camp, but I can't argue with the rating. Yet.

OK fair enough.....

What about Hekker and Legatron?
 

DCH

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OK fair enough.....

What about Hekker and Legatron?
Not gonna quibble about my All-Pro punter being rated 'high quality' instead of 'elite,' and Zuerlein's difficult second half of 2012 might still be influencing the ratings. Remember how he came out of the gate like a gangbuster and then struggled to end the season? Had a good 2013. Can't really argue with 'Good Starter' for him.
 

RamsJunkie

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LMAO at James Lauranitis as a below average starter and Ogletree?? This guy is an idiot that made this.
 

RamsJunkie

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And Brockers and Langford only average?? how did we have won of the best Dlines in the league last year with just average guys. screw this guy.
 

RamsJunkie

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If zach stacy would have got the start from the begining he would have been rookie of the year but I guess thats just average too.
 

DCH

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LMAO at James Lauranitis as a below average starter and Ogletree?? This guy is an idiot that made this.
These are legit issues I share. JL is a solid starter. Ogletree played really well as a rookie and is only on an upswing.
 

HometownBoy

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LOL, Harkey's an average starter but McDonald isn't? He was great before his injury.
 

TheDYVKX

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PFF has some uses, but their grading is not at all accurate most of the time. It's mostly a bunch of NFL fans from the UK watching games and grading them without knowing any of the finer intricacies of football, or the play calling or the assignments. I take their grades with a grain of salt, but they do watch the games, so I do consider their input. It's just usually wrong.
 

Bluesy

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The whole back seven for the defense is a joke. T.J. is poor? JL and Tree are below average? Ok...
 

LACHAMP46

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PFF has some uses, but their grading is not at all accurate most of the time. It's mostly a bunch of NFL fans from the UK watching games and grading them without knowing any of the finer intricacies of football, or the play calling or the assignments. I take their grades with a grain of salt, but they do watch the games, so I do consider their input. It's just usually wrong.
I this true? The UK? Really....wtf...I actually like some of their stuff....But this is ri-DIC-u-lous
 
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Really don't care one way or another, we'll be judged on wins and loses not a system some people have developed.
 

RamzFanz

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Zuerlien was a complete whiff. As I recall, he missed one field goal and zero extra points. That's not elite?
 

Akrasian

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My understanding is that their system counts game 1 the same as game 16 too. So if a rookie like Ogletree shows improvement over the season after being thrown in there and struggling initially that isn't factored in. Which is a huge thing for the youngest team in the league, of course.