Rams Mailbag: NFL Draft Approaches/Wagoner

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Rams mailbag: NFL draft approaches
Nick Wagoner, ESPN St. Louis Rams reporter

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17724/rams-mailbag-the-nfl-draft-approaches

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- We're almost there -- the NFL draft is upcoming. Soon enough we can put the speculation aside, forget about what might be and start talking about what is. In addition, the NFL is expected to release the regular-season schedule next week, and the St. Louis Rams are poised to begin their offseason conditioning program on Monday.

charles zabielski @CZabielski
Your guess: Did the Rams stop believing that Bradford could be a franchise QB? Injuries aside.


@nwagoner: That's a good question, Charles. But since you put the injuries aside caveat on there, I think the answer is no. I do think they genuinely believed in Sam Bradford and I think they probably would have liked to keep going with him at the helm. In the end, though, they got an opportunity they felt like they couldn't pass up. I have little doubt the Rams probably think in terms of pure talent that Bradford is a better player than Nick Foles, but there are mitigating factors that change that opinion. Namely, the injuries. In other words, the Rams would rather have a healthy Foles and draft picks than roll the dice Bradford will be healthy. How much they think of Foles will become evident very soon when this draft takes place.

Jordan Larimore @_Larimore
Are the Rams still in on the FA O-linemen they were interested in or has the focus on the position shifted to the draft?


@nwagoner: At this point in the game, it would be a bit of a surprise if any team signed any free-agent offensive linemen. That's been true for the past few weeks, actually. Generally, when that initial burst of free agency ends, teams turn their attention to the draft. The Rams are no different. What happens now is the Rams and everybody else will go through the draft, see what they get and re-assess their needs then. That doesn't mean they don't have interest in guys such as Joe Barksdale or Justin Blalock, but there may be guys they can get in the draft that they believe will be upgrades. Remember, the Rams signed Davin Joseph after the draft last year. And from the player's perspective, if the price has already dropped, it's possible it could climb a little bit after the draft if a desperate team misses out on starting caliber linemen in the draft.

Gregory Yeh @yeaforyeh
How is Brian quicks rehab coming along? Will he be ready for start of season?


@nwagoner: I checked on this recently and spoke to coach Jeff Fisher about it at the NFL owners meetings, and there seems to be some optimism Brian Quick will be able to get up to speed in time for training camp. But there's no definitive timetable on his return just yet. Remember, Quick's injury was pretty substantial, so it can be hard to pinpoint such things. I do know he's been hard at his rehab since he got cleared to start doing things near the end of the season.

Walker Lee Asprey @WalkerLeeAsprey
What second day offensive linemen would be a fit for the Rams?


@nwagoner: Well, the Rams have had no shortage of interest in some of the guys that could be available in that range. Duke's Laken Tomlinson is one to keep an eye on. He's already visited St. Louis, but I've heard some whispers the Rams like him quite a bit. But there are a lot of guys that would make sense for the Rams in that second- and third-round range. Florida State's Tre Jackson, Arizona State's Jamil Douglas, Louisville's Jamon Brown and Hobart's Ali Marpet are just a few more of the names to keep an eye on. I think South Carolina's A.J. Cann would make a lot of sense as well but haven't been able to gauge the team's interest in him just yet.

Deacon Jones @DeaconJones013
What do you think the asking price would be for Stl to move up to get Marcus?


@nwagoner: I think it's extremely unlikely the Rams would pay the freight to move up to No. 2 to take Marcus Mariota. It's just regular old unlikely that they'd do it if he slips a bit but that can't be completely ruled out. The Rams do have genuine interest in him, but I think they're realistic about the chances of landing him. To answer your question, to move from No. 10 to No. 2 for a franchise quarterback is probably going to cost you at least Foles, the No. 10 pick and another first-rounder. That's assuming Tennessee would want Foles in return. If not, it would probably cost an additional first-rounder or at least a second-rounder. If he falls into that five to seven range, you might be able to get him at a little bit of a reduced rate but then you run into the problem of quarterback needy teams like the Jets trying to land him as well.

Chris Ransom @Chris_Ransom
Will Fisher/Snead be allowed to use 2016 picks in draft trades? Or prohibited in case they don't survive 2015 season?


@nwagoner: Yeah, it doesn't really work like that. They're in charge. They can make whatever moves they choose.

Spencer Engel @Cover32Engel
The main guys from the 2012 draft class are entering a contract year. Who, if any, do you see remaining with the team in 2016?


@nwagoner: It's interesting because there was a time when that class looked like it could be a foundational one for the future of the franchise. Now? Not so much. I've been led to believe the Rams are going to exercise the fifth-year option on Michael Brockers, though it hasn't happened just yet. They have until May 3 to do so. Either way, I expect he'll still be around in 2016. From there, my best guess is that either Janoris Jenkins or Trumaine Johnson sticks around and, barring a big season, Jenkins is the better bet of those two. I'd think the Rams would like to keep Brian Quick as well but that will likely depend on how he's able to return from injury and if he can continue to show the growth he did early last season. I also think Greg Zuerlein will likely be around long-term, though that changes if he has a rough season. So I suppose my best guess looks something like this: Brockers, Quick, Jenkins and Zuerlein. Again, all that subject to change with a year left for the others to prove and disprove their value.