River's 2015 Mock 4.0

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Riverumbbq

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OK, here we are again, another early off-season sitting on the sidelines watching our adversaries bask in the glow of the play-offs. This next mock of mine will be a departure from the previous, as this will be the first of this off-season to add gains available from potential trades. Free agency is also heavily weighted, not only because we can afford it, it truly is time to strike now, as I believe we are a team prepared to take the next big step. Fisher going forward into year 4 needs to put together a winning season, and he has implied that there will be change, so I offer this guideline to help move things along. This team's time is ripe for challenging to become that deep threat for divisional leadership, as well as a consistent play-off contender. The Rams, with a few widely held views of cutting out some of the expensive underachievers, should be in a great CAP position for adding some outside help, re-signing some of our own talent, and signing our draft class. This mock won't please everyone, especially those seeking that elusive and so-called 'Franchise QB', as one has to be available before one can actually pick him. Rather than mortgaging the teams future on a QB at any price, I can wait until 2016 when a better/deeper class will be available, and will endeavor to concentrate this off-season on finishing filling all those depth positions we have been in such need of for so many years now. So, ... Bradford will return, and we will add a couple new free agent QB's as insurance. Sam will be extended for an extra year and the Rams will cut his CAP hit nearly by half. The next most controversial decision will be about what to do about our rotational DT, Langford. Well, ... he's gone, not because he wouldn't make another nice candidate for an extension, but being that he will be working on his last big payday for his next contract, I just don't believe he will (or should) take this much of a salary trim at this point in his career. The Rams should be able to save a good deal of CAP on a rotational player while building thru the draft, and we should also keep in mind that Brockers will be entering his own contract season next year.

Trades :

My first trade proposal can either be thought of as two independent trades with the same team, or as a single trade with two separate elements. For the purpose of this post, I'll list it as the former, (1a) where the Rams trade down our # 10 overall pick with Cleveland for their # 12 overall pick. For this, the Rams will receive troubled WR Josh Gordon. Gordon will be entering his contract year, and it is highly doubtful he would be re-signing with the Browns in 2016. (1b) Next, the Rams trade down their newly acquired # 12 overall, again with the Browns, for their # 19 overall, which is their 2'nd First round pick. The Rams would receive Cleveland's 2'nd round pick as compensation. Being that the Browns have big needs at WR & DE/DT, they would now have the # 10 & # 12 overall to pick among the best, up from 12 & 19.
2'nd Trade : The Rams trade overall # 19 (from Brown's) to Carolina for their overall # 25. This trade allows the Panthers to move up into an area where they can draft OT La'el Collins, probably their biggest needed position upgrade, ... and he probably doesn't make it to them otherwise. The Rams receive Carolina's 4'th and 6'th round 2015 draft picks, as well as their 2016 3'rd rd pick. This trade allows the Rams to pick up those lost picks due to the Barron trade from earlier this season, and an extra for next year. It also fits the trade value chart rather nicely.

Rams Free Agents to be re-signed :

TE - Harkey
WR - Britt
OT/OG - Person
S - McCleod

Rams Free Agents allowed to walk :

OT - Barksdale
TE - Kendricks
OG - Joseph
QB - Hill
QB - Davis

Rams players under contract to be cut :

LT - J.Long
C - Wells
DT - Langford
RB - Pead
C - Barnes (RFA)

Received compensation from trades :

WR - Josh Gordon, Cle
2015 4'th rd. pick (Car)
2015 6'th rd. pick (Car)
2016 3'rd rd. pick (Car)

Free Agent acquisitions :

RT - Bryan Bulaga, GB
LG - Mike Iupati, SF
FS - Devin McCourty, NE or Louis Delmas, Mia

And for far less money,
QB - Colt McCoy
QB - Ryan Mallett

2015 Draft :

1) DT - Malcom Brown, Tx
2a) MLB - Eric Kendricks, UCLA
2b) C - Cameron Erving, FlSt or Reese Dismukes, Aub
3) TE - Jeff Heuerman, OhSt
4) CB - Doran Grant, OhSt
5) QB - Brandon Bridge, SoAla
6) DE - Deion Barnes, PennSt
7) OT/OG - Jamon Brown, Louisville

Starting O-Line :

LT - Robinson
LG - Iupati
C - Erving or Dismukes
RG - Saffold
RT - Bulaga

WR's :

Gordon
Quick
Britt
Austin
Bailey
Givens

DT's :
Donald
Brockers
Brown

TE's :
Cook
Harkey
Heuerman

FS :
McCourty or Delmas

SS :
Barron/McDonald
 

Riverumbbq

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Another DL in the 1st? I just don't see it.

A very late first. And as mentioned earlier, not only is this for a 2015 rotational player at far less cost than Langford, but also insurance as Brockers moves into his 'contract' year.
 

Athos

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Just can't get with not drafting either one of the stud WRs or stud O-Lineman in the 1st instead of, ugh, another DL.

Defense just isn't the problem with this team.
 

Riverumbbq

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Just can't get with not drafting either one of the stud WRs or stud O-Lineman in the 1st instead of, ugh, another DL.

Defense just isn't the problem with this team.

Did you not notice the acquired free agent O-Linemen & WR Josh Gordon from the trade ?
 

TheDYVKX

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A very late first. And as mentioned earlier, not only is this for a 2015 rotational player at far less cost than Langford, but also insurance as Brockers moves into his 'contract' year.
It makes sense I guess. Just think there will be players of similar value in a position we could use a lot more.
 

Boffo97

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A very late first. And as mentioned earlier, not only is this for a 2015 rotational player at far less cost than Langford, but also insurance as Brockers moves into his 'contract' year.
It may be a late first, but I don't see using a 1st round pick on a rotational guy.

There are positions begging for a starter.
 

Riverumbbq

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There are positions begging for a starter.

Outside of another starting QB which so many are clamoring for, let me know which starting positions we are begging for which haven't been addressed in this mock ?

Thanks
 

Boffo97

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Outside of another starting QB which so many are clamoring for, let me know which starting positions we are begging for which haven't been addressed in this mock ?

Thanks
Positions of need have been addressed as long as everything falls into place and everyone plays well... I still don't think we should be spending a 1st round pick on a rotational guy at a position where we already have 2 1st round starters.

Nothing personal.
 

Riverumbbq

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Positions of need have been addressed as long as everything falls into place and everyone plays well... I still don't think we should be spending a 1st round pick on a rotational guy at a position where we already have 2 1st round starters.

Nothing personal.

That's no problem, I'm interested in all opinions. Brockers is Fisher's first 1'st round pick since coming to the Rams, so he'll probably be re-signed, i'm just looking for some solid insurance at the position. Should the Rams somehow hang onto Langford, we could face losing 2 DT's in 2016, and that would be extremely bad. DT's are also notorious for taking time to develop, we have gotten lucky with Donald & Brockers, but prior to them we went thru a series of underachievers at the position. Chris Long and his huge CAP hit could also require some attention in 2016, so I don't want to see us get too late an opportunity to settle a potential problem going forward.
 

BatteringRambo

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Early but hey why not. Appreciate the time, thought and effort you put into this @Riverumbbq.

I see us staying at #10. While those trade opportunities could happen we need an impact OT/G at #10.

However we all have to wait to see how FA unfolds first.

I think Bulaga is RT Jake Long esque. And somehow the Packers will select some unknown tackle in rounds 5-7 to fill his position.

Can Les Snead consult with Ted Thompson how they always seem to find gems for their oline in late rounds lol.
 

rams24/7

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I don't see how we have the finances to sign Iupati, Bulaga, AND McCourty, all of which will likely command top dollar at their respective positions.

I'm also not a fan of Iupati as I think his best football is behind him, he's bad in pass pro, has injury concerns, and will be very pricey. Do we really want 2 expensive guards on our team with injury concerns? I can barely stand 1.

In regards to RT and/or OG why not build through the draft? I'm not a fan of the trade down as an elite talent will be sitting at #10. I'm tired of signing guys like Dahl/Jacob Bell/Wells/Jason Brown through free agency, who rarely pan out. Draft a young athletic talent like Clemmings or Collins to replace Barks who can play on this team for years to come.

I also agree with @Athos : how can you trade back from #10 when we will likely have a team changing talent staring us in the face like Kevin White?
 

Riverumbbq

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I don't see how we have the finances to sign Iupati, Bulaga, AND McCourty, all of which will likely command top dollar at their respective positions.

In regards to RT and/or OG why not build through the draft? I'm not a fan of the trade down as an elite talent will be sitting at #10. I'm tired of signing guys like Dahl/Jacob Bell/Wells/Jason Brown through free agency, who rarely pan out. Draft a young athletic talent like Clemmings or Collins to replace Barks who can play on this team for years to come.

I also agree with @Athos : how can you trade back from #10 when we will likely have a team changing talent staring us in the face like Kevin White?

Yes, I believe the CAP money is available. Dismissing JLong, Wells, Langford & extending Bradford should be enough to get it done for 2015, and the higher CAP hit often comes in the 2'nd year of the contract.
As far as building thru the draft, we have been doing just that, but Fisher will be entering year 4 and really has no choice but to put forward a winning record, he no longer has the luxury of time being on his side. He has already implied that changes are coming, so free agency gives him an outlet which the team hasn't tapped fully in the past, as the CAP finances haven't been as great as what should present itself next season.
While I agree that past O-Line free agents haven't always worked out well, it doesn't mean we quit trying. It wasn't that long ago when Rams fans said we should never draft 1'st round DT's, ... then Brockers & Donald happened.
Some may disagree, but I believe the Rams need 3 new starting O-Linemen next season, LG, C & RT, and there is no way the Rams are going to draft & start 3 rookies, so ... the only alternative is a combination of the draft & free agency imo. My mock calls for 2 of the 3 O-Linemen to be veteran free agents, although still pretty young as they are only entering their second contracts. One is a replacement for our own vet free agent in Barksdale, so that's really a push except Bulaga is much better. If Barksdale is re-signed, he's going to be very overpriced, and we may be stuck with him for years, so I don't mind paying a little more for the increase in quality. I'm looking at it like we are swapping free agents at RT and signing another at LG, ... the Center is coming from the draft.
As for a 'team changing talent like Kevin White', rookie WR's often take some time in adjusting to the NFL, and bringing in Josh Gordon gives us that immediate boost, again, especially needed for a coach in need of a winning season, ... now.
jmo.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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I wouldn't want to trade back far in a shallow draft class.. The extra picks probably struggle to make the roster, when you can stand pat and take a difference maker that will mean more to long term success than a 4th and 6th rounder in a weak class. Doran Grant and Dieon Barnes would have trouble making the roster. So trading back would be like giving away the pick. If I give up Kevin White for Malcolm Brown I want real compensation.

However I don't mind getting a DT if that is the best value on the board. But stay put and take the best one. Brockers is no Star Lutelelei. If he gets a big offer to go elsewhere in 2016 the Rams will have to think about not matching it. But we are not talking about Albert Haynesworth here. He won't get a 100 mil based on what he has done so far.

I don't trust Josh Gordon. Like I said stay put and take Parker, White, or Cooper if you want a WR. Anymore it seems that evals of top fifteen WRs usually pan out. So I don't think it is a risky pick.
 

rams24/7

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As for a 'team changing talent like Kevin White', rookie WR's often take some time in adjusting to the NFL, and bringing in Josh Gordon gives us that immediate boost, again, especially needed for a coach in need of a winning season, ... now.
jmo.

Gordon may not even play another down in the NFL, that's how bad his off the field issues are. As for your adjusting to the NFL argument for WRs: I think the extremely talented guys can make an immediate impact while learning on the fly (Cooper/White). Heck, look at the 2014 WR rookie class: Watkins, Evans, OBJ, Benjamin, Landry, Martavis Bryant all had huge impacts on their teams
 

Riverumbbq

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Gordon may not even play another down in the NFL, that's how bad his off the field issues are. As for your adjusting to the NFL argument for WRs: I think the extremely talented guys can make an immediate impact while learning on the fly (Cooper/White). Heck, look at the 2014 WR rookie class: Watkins, Evans, OBJ, Benjamin, Landry, Martavis Bryant all had huge impacts on their teams

Points well taken. Guess i've been using an outdated standard when it comes to rookie wide receivers getting up to speed in the NFL. As for Gordon, his cost in my mock is rather low, so should he fail again, cutting him shouldn't be much of an issue.
 

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I don't see how we have the finances to sign Iupati, Bulaga, AND McCourty, all of which will likely command top dollar at their respective positions.

I'm also not a fan of Iupati as I think his best football is behind him, he's bad in pass pro, has injury concerns, and will be very pricey. Do we really want 2 expensive guards on our team with injury concerns? I can barely stand 1.

In regards to RT and/or OG why not build through the draft? I'm not a fan of the trade down as an elite talent will be sitting at #10. I'm tired of signing guys like Dahl/Jacob Bell/Wells/Jason Brown through free agency, who rarely pan out. Draft a young athletic talent like Clemmings or Collins to replace Barks who can play on this team for years to come.

I also agree with @Athos : how can you trade back from #10 when we will likely have a team changing talent staring us in the face like Kevin White?

We're going to have a lot of cash forth coming.. Wells, Long and others cut..
 

Riverumbbq

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I wouldn't want to trade back far in a shallow draft class.. The extra picks probably struggle to make the roster, when you can stand pat and take a difference maker that will mean more to long term success than a 4th and 6th rounder in a weak class. Doran Grant and Dieon Barnes would have trouble making the roster. So trading back would be like giving away the pick. If I give up Kevin White for Malcolm Brown I want real compensation.

However I don't mind getting a DT if that is the best value on the board. But stay put and take the best one. Brockers is no Star Lutelelei. If he gets a big offer to go elsewhere in 2016 the Rams will have to think about not matching it. But we are not talking about Albert Haynesworth here. He won't get a 100 mil based on what he has done so far.

I don't trust Josh Gordon. Like I said stay put and take Parker, White, or Cooper if you want a WR. Anymore it seems that evals of top fifteen WRs usually pan out. So I don't think it is a risky pick.

Well, if a team can add depth with later round picks, it's still a plus. Many statisticians might be able to argue that a 4'th and 6'th round pick may face steeper odds of making a roster than a higher draft pick, but the more picks, the better the odds of finding that right guy. Also, this part of the mock, as mentioned, was based on La'el Collins still being available for Carolina, ... if not, no trade.
If I were to base my mock on drafting Kevin White or getting Josh Gordon inexpensively in a trade AND garner an extra 2'nd round pick while only moving down 9 picks overall (from 10-19), I go with my mock every time. While the Rams are short a few draft picks this next year due to the Barron trade, and being we still have a good deal of depth issues, I personally see more value in a short trade down than sticking with most anyone associated with the 10 pick.

While working on this mock, I keyed on 3 players which might be late first round talent that fit need, at least as I perceive it, ... those being Malcolm Brown, Cameron Erving & Eric Kendricks. Being that I could be almost as happy with Reese Dismukes with a 2'nd round pick, I eliminated Erving as a late first round choice for us in favor of Brown. It really came down to Kendricks or Brown with that late pick, and I gambled that Kendricks is more likely to be available at a later pick for us. jmo.
 

jrry32

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I don't know where we're getting the cap room for all the free agency signings and, frankly, it's overkill. New England will franchise McCourty if they can't re-sign him. But assuming he hits FA, he's a great addition. However, us signing McCourty, Iupati, and Bulaga seems incredibly unlikely.

McCourty will likely see $8+ million a year. Iupati will likely be in the $7 to $8 million range. Bulaga will likely be in the $6 to $7 million range.

We don't have cap room for that...nor should we push all that money into later years. We need to be able to re-sign our own players.

Too big of a FA splash. And I think Iupati and Bulaga are two guys that don't make sense for us.

As for the Gordon trade, why would Cleveland do that? It's terrible compensation for them. If you had us trading #10 for #19 and Gordon, I'd say brilliant. Outside the box thinking and fair value for Cleveland. But we're not getting Gordon and a 2nd for Cleveland to move up to #10 from #19.

Onto the draft, I think Erving is gone by the mid 2nd. I don't see much value in Bridge. And I am surprised we're spending another first on the DL. Might as well spend that on the OL. Because with the injury histories they have, there's no way that Saffold, Iupati, and Bulaga can be counted on to make it through the year healthy.

I'm sorry that I'm being so critical here. You've obviously put a lot of thought and time into it.
 

Riverumbbq

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I don't know where we're getting the cap room for all the free agency signings and, frankly, it's overkill. New England will franchise McCourty if they can't re-sign him. But assuming he hits FA, he's a great addition. However, us signing McCourty, Iupati, and Bulaga seems incredibly unlikely.

McCourty will likely see $8+ million a year. Iupati will likely be in the $7 to $8 million range. Bulaga will likely be in the $6 to $7 million range.

We don't have cap room for that...nor should we push all that money into later years. We need to be able to re-sign our own players.

Too big of a FA splash. And I think Iupati and Bulaga are two guys that don't make sense for us.

As for the Gordon trade, why would Cleveland do that? It's terrible compensation for them. If you had us trading #10 for #19 and Gordon, I'd say brilliant. Outside the box thinking and fair value for Cleveland. But we're not getting Gordon and a 2nd for Cleveland to move up to #10 from #19.

Onto the draft, I think Erving is gone by the mid 2nd. I don't see much value in Bridge. And I am surprised we're spending another first on the DL. Might as well spend that on the OL. Because with the injury histories they have, there's no way that Saffold, Iupati, and Bulaga can be counted on to make it through the year healthy.

I'm sorry that I'm being so critical here. You've obviously put a lot of thought and time into it.

It's all good, I certainly didn't expect unanimous support. While I disagree with your take, it's very early to speculate on free agents as we still don't know who might remain available come Mar.10. This mock is about todays potentially available free agents and, imo, how we can better the team thru F/A as well as the draft, including a couple trades, which are also quite speculative. It's all in fun.
When we discuss free agency and the CAP, who expected Denver last season to sign up to spend an estimated $120.mil for DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward & Emmanual Sanders ? My point being, as mentioned earlier, is that Fisher may require a winning season to keep his job, so going all out to fill a few positions that the draft may not cover is not really extraordinary. As I also explained earlier, I believe the Rams can afford these F/A's, especially considering the cuts & extensions described, and the CAP hit is likely set up to affect the team less this season than the following. There will also be room for the Rams in 2016 to create additional CAP space, mostly along the line of the high CLong/Laurinaitis CAP hits.
I will say this, of the 3 Free Agents I have chosen here, Bulaga is the least likely available as GB is in better CAP shape than the other players teams, although even they have several top free agents of their own which they will want to re-sign. As for Josh Gordon, he is damaged goods and imo, overvalued by many fans due to his many issues. If Cleveland wanted to move up from 19 to 10, Gordon, being a 'contract' player in 2015 and not likely to re-sign with the Browns, seems a good candidate to be dangled as a carrot. If it means that much, offer a 2016 conditional lower round pick for games played or yardage gained. jmo.