Rams win the NFCW Mock Draft 02/28/17 by Corbin Dallas

[Corbin]

Hey guys probably going to do one more mock after Free Agency. I'm ready to win and win now! Let's get at it!
Rams Cap 44.1 Million

Players with salary numbers so you can see this is numerically possible.
Rams Cut:
Lance Kendricks -4.25m
Goodbye critical moment TD dropping hands of feet dude.
Tim Barnes -3 m
THank you for that seattle game but adios!
Eugene Sims -2.5m
Can't sit heeeeeereee Forrest Gump status.
Tre Mason - .75
Don't get me started.

I was soooooo tempted to cut Saffold but I just don't trust G Rob at the LG position and he is an excellent show in for the whole line.

Total -10.5 m
added with 44.1

Re Adjusted Cap Space = 54.6 million

Resign:
Greg the Leg 3 years 7.5mill 2.5 mill yr.
Benny Cunningham 3 years 3.5 mill 1.5 mill year
Domique Easley RFA 1.6 mill
Ethan Westbrooks RFA 1.6 mill

54.6
- 7.2
47.4 mill Adjusted FA money

Position Change:
Greg Robinson LT->LG
Let's be honest G Rob has been horrible at LT and has been a huge disappointment and this is more than likely his last rodeo with us if we can't find something he does average to well. Dude could be awesome in a phone booth wrestling people around.


Free Agency:
Reilly Reiff OT - 4 yrs. 22mill 5.5 mill/yr
We need a consistency at LT to keep Goff from getting Bulgeritus. Give me a medium term stop gap to fix this but will do at the very least a decent job for the being.

Larry Warford RG - 5 yrs. 31.1 mill 6.2mill/yr
Young talented guard who won't cost us an arm and a leg and will shut that revolving door we had last year of letting defenders just run free.

Pierre Garcone WR- 2 yrs. 17 mill 8.5 mill/yr
I really think of all the FA's i have listed that Garcone will be ours to have. he's consistent doesn't get injured and is reliable. Something a rookie QB needs to build confidence throughout the season.

Anquan Boldin WR - 1 yr. 3 mill
I'm tired of all these young WR's for a decade now, give a some sure hands for a 3rd down to keep moving the sticks and for the cheap.

Damarcus Ware ROLB - 1 yr. 5.8 mill
Not to much to be said here, familiarity with Wade Phillips and the scheme with success makes this an ideal matchup.

Calais Cambell DT - 4 yrs. 48 mill 12 mill/yr
Having the #1 and #2 DT's on the same team? Sign me the F up! I hate playing Calais twice a year and this will give us a hell of a front 8 vs. the run and pass!


47.4 -37.3 FA money = 6.4 left in FA cap

Trade:
Rams trade William Hayes and 5th rd. draft pick for New York Giants Dominque Rodgers Cromartie.
I've always liked me some DRC dude was 84.1 overall on PFF and 90.3 in coverage last year. His contract is way cheaper than Trumaines and I believe he's as good as a corner maybe even better by a bit.

-3 mill salary difference between Hayes and DRC's contracts. 6.4 -3 = 3.4 mill cap left

Draft:
2.5
TJ Watt LB Wisconsin
You guys notice that the majority of the time family lineage work pretty well in the NFL? I don't think TJ Watt is a exception to that rule. He has plenty of rushing/blitzing skills and his pass protection skills will be essential for him playing Will LB for us. He obviously needs to fill out and gain some muscle but theat will happen with time. Plus he'll get to play his brother next upcoming year!

View: https://youtu.be/5uEp6aW5bH4


Rams Trade 3rd round, 6th and 7th to move up to 2.30 with Pittsburgh.
2.30
Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan 5-10 188lbs 4.52 40
Okay okay... I know some of you who know I'm a Wolverine fan think I'm being a homer here but Lewis is one of those players that I can see has the skills to be productive past the college game. He's a f'n beast! Probably the best cover CB in the country, the two things I have a knock on him is he is shorter 5'10 (not his fault) and he does once and a while pull a J Jenkins and look into the backfield at times. He does have excellent hips and ball skills.



View: https://youtu.be/yp3mHua_jSQ

Don't believe me he's the CB for us? Game on the line against the #8 team in the country. Big Players make big plays at big times.

View: https://youtu.be/XTihQ9_Tj0E


4.5
Jon Toth C Kentucky 6-5 308 lbs Arms 33.13 Hands 10

View: https://youtu.be/iMjoC1S7vPs

I'll admit I straight up stole this guy from @jrry32 . I've fallen in love with this dude and think he can be a hell of a Center for us for a decade or so to give Goff a consistent protection/ball snap set up. If you watch his videos he does a good job against higher end competition and like Jrry says he maintains his pad level for being a taller guy.

4th Rd. Comp Pick
Jordan Leggett TE Clemson 6'5 250 4.73 40

View: https://youtu.be/fKIq3kckrzg


View: https://youtu.be/IAgl3AWcNSU

One player researching the draft I have fallen in love with is Jordan Leggett. Dude is like a better Kendricks with surer hands, explosiveness. I will admit he needs to gain a bit of muscle and get to blocking more as a pass catcher and overall athlete inside the red zone sign my ass up!

6th rd. Comp Pick
Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech 6'2 198 lbs 4.52 40
I watched one V Tech game this year and this guy jumped out to me shutting down his WR and is a pretty damn good tackler. He has some height and long arms but doesn't seem to give up much speed with his bigger body. Good depth and developmental guy.


View: https://youtu.be/ixi59sQPbdg


View: https://youtu.be/40l_VLNvaaY


Starters to be proud of for the first in a long ass time

First String Starters:
QB: Goff
HB: Gurley
XWR: Garcone
YWR: Boldin
SLWR: Austin
TE: Higbee vs. Leggett
LT: Reiff
LG: Saffold vs. G Rob
C: Toth
RG:Warford
RT: Havenstein

LDE: Cambell
NT: Brockers
RDE: Sir Aaron
LOLB: Quinn
Will: Watt
Mike: Ogletree
ROLB: Ware
CB: DRC
CB: Lewis
SLCB: Gaines vs. Joyner
FS: Alexzander
SS: Barron

K: Greg Yeezy
P: The Heckler
LS: McQuide
KR: Benny
PR: Tavon Awesome

One thing I like about this mock is it gives us pretty damn good depth as well.... hate it? Like it? thoughts?
I have to go to bed and get a few hours of sleep night night lol

 

[den-the-coach]

You lost me at Reilly Reiff, he cannot play LT, GROB is a far better LT than Reiff the Lions drafted Tyler Decker because Reiff could not man the left tackle position.

I'm sorry I mean no disrespect and @Corbin you are a great Ram brother and one of the finest posters on this board, but Reiff cannot play LT, he's a RT only and the Lions could not wait to move him accordingly. His footwork is not good at LT and he would be a disaster in pass protection...Watch some highlights because I've seen plenty of games to prove he's a RT.

 

[den-the-coach]

Detroit’s first-round pick in 2012, Reiff is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He earned a hair under $8M over his first four years and will pick up just over $8M in 2016 thanks to the Lions picking up the final-year option on that deal he signed as a fresh-faced rookie from Iowa.

After largely average play at left tackle for the first part of his career, Reiff now transitions to the right side. This appears to be a better fit for his skills, and the early returns are positive.

http://sidelionreport.com/2016/08/02/what-riley-reiffs-next-contract-will-look-like/

 

[Limey]

FWIW I'm with Den on Reiff but like the rest of it. I would steal another @jrry32 idea and go with Tretter instead. Gives you the option of trying him at LT instead of Reiff, or going with GRob or Saffold at LT and using him to give time for Toth to get used to playing C in the NFL.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Damarcus Ware ROLB - 1 yr. 5.8 mill
Not to much to be said here, familiarity with Wade Phillips and the scheme with success makes this an ideal matchup.

I think Robert Quinn will fill this roll!

Trade:
Rams trade William Hayes and 5th rd. draft pick for New York Giants Dominque Rodgers Cromartie.

This may be too high a price to pay. IDK!
I like you Drat pick!

 

[JackDRams]

I don't think the Giants take that trade. And I also don't think you left enough money to sign our draft picks. Doesn't it cost something close to 10M to sign a crop of draft picks and undrafted rookies?

 

[HitStick]

Everyone seems to be forgetting about Josh Forrest. I think he can start on a 3-4. He showed a lot of promise

 

[8to12]

I don't think the Giants take that trade. And I also don't think you left enough money to sign our draft picks. Doesn't it cost something close to 10M to sign a crop of draft picks and undrafted rookies?

I believe it is only 5.5 mil

 

[TheDYVKX]

Facyson went back to school

http://times-herald.com/news/2017/0...o-return-to-virginia-tech-for-his-senior-year

 

[OldSchool]

Personally asking Reiff to play LT is just like asking Saffold to play it only Reiff is healthier. Both have been replaced at LT a couple of times and neither were very good at it.

 

[den-the-coach]

Personally asking Reiff to play LT is just like asking Saffold to play it only Reiff is healthier.

True, but Saffold can play LT, Reiff can't!

 

[OldSchool]

True, but Saffold can play LT, Reiff can't!

Too bad you didn't copy my whole statement.

 

[den-the-coach]

Too bad you didn't copy my whole statement.

Fair enough, but IMO Saffold can play LT and he is okay until he gets hurt which is usally by the 2nd quarter watching Reiff, he showcased he cannot handle the speed rush to the outside so he cheats and then whiffs on the inside rush because he's so worried getting beat outside.

 

[JackDRams]

@Corbin is your name actually Corbin Dallas? Like from The Fifth Element? If so, that's badass. If the Rams can get Lewis in the second round, huge win. I think he sneaks into the first round for a team like the Lions. He's already in Michigan and they have a need at defensive back.

 

[OldSchool]

Fair enough, but IMO Saffold can play LT and he is okay until he gets hurt which is usally by the 2nd quarter watching Reiff, he showcased he cannot handle the speed rush to the outside so he cheats and then whiffs on the inside rush because he's so worried getting beat outside.

We've tried three times now to replace him when he had the LT job? Granted that was Fisher and Boudreau but the point still stands.

 

[den-the-coach]

We've tried three times now to replace him when he had the LT job? Granted that was Fisher and Boudreau but the point still stands.

So in your astute opinion sir, which direction should the Rams go? Cut Saffold and sign a true left guard like Ronald Leary, hope that Kromer can fix GROB and draft somebody as insurance?

 

[OldSchool]

So in your astute opinion sir, which direction should the Rams go? Cut Saffold and sign a true left guard like Ronald Leary, hope that Kromer can fix GROB and draft somebody as insurance?

Astute eh? It's hard to say what they're going to do. Kromers comments make it sound like he can make the existing line work. There are a couple of LT in the draft I think could step in and start day 1 unfortunately I don't think they'll be around when we draft and I'm inclined to not want to trade up for them. What I can envision happening is one of two things. Signing a low cost prove it former LT who has had injury problems and been replaced before like Beatty to provide insurance for GRob. Allow Kromer to work with GRob and see if he can be decent there. Bentley did good work with him and speaks highly of GRob's physical tools so lets put it on Kromer to work with him and implement a scheme that works for the whole line.

The second option is to again sign a veteran at LT for a 2 or 3 year deal like Clady, Kalil or Beatty and plan on them starting while drafting a younger guy with potential. It'll likely take a 2nd or 3rd to do that but it's planning for the future. Guys like Tyler Moton, Roderick Johnson, Antonio Garcia or Erik Magnuson all could fill that role. It's not giving us immediate results that many would prefer for our highest or 2nd highest draft pick but it's planning ahead and fixing a major issue.

There really are no great fixes for us IMO unless Garret Bolles drops to us, highly unlikely. It's a bad year to need a good LT for the future.

 

[den-the-coach]

There really are no great fixes for us IMO unless Garret Bolles drops to us, highly unlikely. It's a bad year to need a good LT for the future.

Concur with you across the board the best solution is to see if Kromer can improve Robinson, however, he will have to get inside his head because the area that has plagued GROB from day one is from the neck up. He has all the physical attributes, but he needs to recognize stunts & blitzes while being able to hear the audibles from the center and Quarterback as well.

Kromer is as good as it gets and I believe come September the line will have some changes and be a huge improvement over 2016 because quite frankly, it could not get any worse even if John Frederick Parker was in charge of protecting Goff.

 

[OldSchool]

but he needs to recognize stunts & blitzes while being able to hear the audibles from the center and Quarterback as well.

That was the whole line TBH sounds like coaching.

 

[den-the-coach]

That was the whole line TBH sounds like coaching.

Interesting that they brought back Andy Dickinson (Assistant OL Coach) don't you think?