Well, Bonifay, I surely can appreciate your POV.
And I've never taken a shot at Wells or Davin Joseph as people (i.e. I haven't called them crap or personal names or anything like that).
But... their performance is hurting the team. That point just can't be argued about.
Now, I really don't care WHY Fisher is sticking with them.... They're great guys... they work hard... they're blackmailing him... who knows? Not really the point.
My only point is that their poor play is hurting the Rams and that pursuing Continuity solely for the sake of Continuity is a fool's errand. If Fisher and Boudreau aren't getting the BENEFITS from Continuity...meaning they aren't getting the communication and performance that should come from Continuity... then, well, what the hell is it for? So they can remember their names easier? So they can make a point about "you earn you job in pre-season"?
Like Aaron Donald did? Like EJ Gaines did?
I like Fisher. I really do. That said, his aversion to rookies or at least his penchant for trusting OLD Vets can be taken to a fault. I know how that is. I'm loyal to a fault. It's cost me in real life, so I GET IT on a personal level.
I also get it that it's a problem that will prevent this team from being all it can be... because there will always be some OLD VET whom he trusts more than the most capable person.
How much it stunts this team's development, I dunno.
I understand your position here. IMO the Rams OL has been Fishers weak link since he arrived & continues to the very moment...it was the Rams weak link with the previous last 3 or 4 Ram HC's too. I also think the Rams OL will continue being this teams weak link going into next season too. Not good. It obvious that Fisher & Boudreau think that Wells & Joseph as starters are better than Barnes/Washington/Person/Jones at this moment.
Reference
Davin Joseph.......In Training Camp & pre season ....if I can recall it right this was the OL'ers who played Right OG Saffold/Joseph/Bond/Van Dyk/D.J. Morrell/Washington. Washington really did not see much action period. ORG Morrell/Van Dyk/Bond were released then Saffold flipped to start @ the OLG post until Robinson was ready to start @ OLG post, when the season began thus leaving Davin Joseph to secure the ORG starting post by default with nothing much behind him besides Brandon Washington. Once Robinson got up to speed he took up the OLG post with Saffold moving back to start @ ORG sending Joseph back to the planned reserve situation @ ORG. Then the Jake Long injury inserted Joseph as a starter. Fisher has not addressed the ORG in any of the 3 Ram drafts but did in UFA'cy. Thus there is
NO young talent ORG on the roster. Joseph being the primary starter @ ORG was not the Fisher plan. I do not see Joseph returning in 2015.
Reference
Scott Wells.....Wells was on the IR at the end of the last season with a broken leg. Wells was ending much of his rehab process when most likely Rams Org. came to him with a deal to either restructure or be released. Wells did what the Org wanted & requested he restructured taking a loss of pay of over 2 million . Wells base salary was reduced from $5.5 million to $1 million plus $1.65 million roster bonus and $850,000 in per-game roster bonuses. He proved to be a team first player. It also needs to be said here that @ this period of time
none of the Rams' five offensive line positions were settled, the Org felt it would be wise to keep the 33-year-old around as a stabilizing presence.
Things began to looked up here for Wells, but it changed drastically, a very serious
"life threatening event" took place thru the summer, leaving Wells in a very weakened state. With Wells unhealthy & out of playing shape ...Barnes/Jones/Rhaney took up the center duties for most of the TC but Jones developed back issues & had back surgery then Rhaney injured his knee & was placed on IR. With the lost of both Jones & Rhaney Person took up the slack @ center. Wells did get in some action in the last pre season game. Here in this post situation Snead/Fisher did address the center position in the draft twice (2013 & 2014) but both of them have had health issues. Rams should be in a good position next season here @ center with two young fine centers Rhaney/Jones plus Barnes & Person to return to compete. I do not see Wells returning in 2015.