Safe bet the Rams will Draft OL with 1st Pick?

[BonifayRam]

I think a top WR is very likely in round1.

As for Saffold @BonifayRam - he has been playing between a very raw rookie in Greg Robinson and a woefully past his prime Center in Wells. Saffold looked better next to Barksdale and vice versa because on the line it really matters who is next to you. If Robinson does reach elite OLT status (I have always doubted it) then Saffold can move back to the Right Guard spot which I think he plays better at and they can draft an OLG and hopefully a Center.

One great thing about Saffold is he is truly a Wild Card OL'er. But you can not ignore his total lack of health. The resigning of Saffold really helps Snead & Fisher this off season in trying to reconstruct this 2015 OL. Rams have seven of the Rams current 11 OL'ers in total FLUX this off season. Rams will only have Robinson, Saffold, Jones & Rhaney under contract.

Rodger Saffold when healthy can be seriously plugged into four OL posts as the need arises. As the Rams attempt to find & sign & draft new Ram OL'ers for the above stated reason.....Saffold will have to be ready to start @ ORT, OLG or ORG & be the swing OT all wrapped up in one injured damage & soon to be surgically repaired with a long lengthy rehabbing event. As to where Saffold ends up Elmgrovegnome its pretty much out of his hands pending all this reconstruction going on.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

One great thing about Saffold is he is truly a Wild Card OL'er. But you can not ignore his total lack of health. The resigning of Saffold really helps Snead & Fisher this off season in trying to reconstruct this 2015 OL. Rams have seven of the Rams current 11 OL'ers in total FLUX this off season. Rams will only have Robinson, Saffold, Jones & Rhaney under contract.

Rodger Saffold when healthy can be seriously plugged into four OL posts as the need arises. As the Rams attempt to find & sign & draft new Ram OL'ers for the above stated reason.....Saffold will have to be ready to start @ ORT, OLG or ORG & be the swing OT all wrapped up in one injured damage & soon to be surgically repaired with a long lengthy rehabbing event. As to where Saffold ends up Elmgrovegnome its pretty much out of his hands pending all this reconstruction going on.

I understand what you are saying. What I was getting at that Barksdale played better next to Saffold. If they retain Barksdale and they think Robinson takes a leap toward being an elite OLT then the line would be better if Robinson played next to a rookie Guard and Barksdale got to be next to Saffold again. Barksdale next to a rookie OG may not be good. However if Robinson doesn't show progression in camp then it is a wildcard, where they play Saffold like you said.

 

[BonifayRam]

I understand what you are saying. What I was getting at that Barksdale played better next to Saffold. If they retain Barksdale and they think Robinson takes a leap toward being an elite OLT then the line would be better if Robinson played next to a rookie Guard and Barksdale got to be next to Saffold again. Barksdale next to a rookie OG may not be good. However if Robinson doesn't show progression in camp then it is a wildcard, where they play Saffold like you said.

One would hope that the Rams Org when making a decision offer on UFA Barksdale would be reminded to take into account that "one positional player " Barksdale may not have Saffold propping him up next to him so his play is adequate. When buying the services of a UFA @ very high rate of expense that the UFA can be a above average performer with little holes in their game.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

One would hope that the Rams Org when making a decision offer on UFA Barksdale would be reminded to take into account that "one positional player " Barksdale may not have Saffold propping him up next to him so his play is adequate. When buying the services of a UFA @ very high rate of expense that the UFA can be a above average performer with little holes in their game.

Oh don't get me wrong. I don't think Barksdale should command top money. I do like the second tier type signings better. However on an offensive line it only takes 2 or 3 very good players and 2 or 3 decent ones to make the whole line play better. If GR turns out to be as predicted, then they got Saffold and GR. Due to Saffolds injury history one more dominant Olinemen would be fantastic. I prefer a top Center like Wisneiwski and the move Saffold over to the right. That way any decent players would be sandwhiched between some very good ones. Put a decent player like Barksdale next to Joseph and you have poor results.

 

[BonifayRam]

Oh don't get me wrong. I don't think Barksdale should command top money. I do like the second tier type signings better. However on an offensive line it only takes 2 or 3 very good players and 2 or 3 decent ones to make the whole line play better. If GR turns out to be as predicted, then they got Saffold and GR. Due to Saffolds injury history one more dominant Olinemen would be fantastic. I prefer a top Center like Wisneiwski and the move Saffold over to the right. That way any decent players would be sandwhiched between some very good ones. Put a decent player like Barksdale next to Joseph and you have poor results.

Your certainly right about the marriage of (Barksdale & Joseph) was a terrible situation for most of the season. Looks to me that Fisher & Boudreau were forced into that marriage for the lack of interest paid to the OL in the 3 Fisher drafts before the Davin Joseph signing. They back themselves into that one!

I do agree with you that once you have 3 solid very good Ol'ers the other 2 or 3 seem to fall into the overall good workings of the OL. Rams have one full healthy OL with promise of being one of those & then they have another who there already but health wise is unsound. Thats it!

Rams have some yrs of investment going on @ Center IMO. Rams/Boudreau have invested 3 complete yrs in center Tim Barnes. Fisher bought two well known centers using serious priceless NFL value draft selections with Barrett Jones & Demetrius Rhaney. Barrett has been stewing along with two surgeries now for two seasons. Rhaney has been stewing for a full season too but was on the IR but the injury was not serious so he will be full go this of season to get bigger & stronger. You could also throw in this season schooling of Mike person who can play center & could be retained & bought back from UFA'cy. So Barnes-Jones-Rhaney & Person that's four centers. Rams simply do not have the options available to them to enter even moderately into UFA'cy in 2015 period due to the enormous amount of starters who will be UFA's in 2016. They must keep a tight budget in order not to loose our key starters then. Said that to say since the Ram Org. has yrs of investments in the center positions players they need to use that investment capital in that position in 2015. Meaning the use of NO high cap $$$$ dumped into the center post. Lets burn thoroughly thru what we have in 2015 and then regroup in 2016 to assess it. If they are forced into bring in a UFA it better be @ OT!

 

[ausmurp]

Probably 99.7% chance we draft OL in the 1st round..

If I had $1M and you did as well I would bet you that this is not true. No way we draft OL in top 10 for a second straight yr I say 0.9% chance esp with Fisher's background. We should be targeting OL in FA as there should be a lot of good Cs and Gs available. If Cooper or White falls to us and one of them probably will, I think we draft them. After the combine I bet they will be touted in comparison to AJ Green and Julio Jones, and even if we resign Britt we cannot count on him to stay healthy all season as he has only done so in 1 of his first 5 - much like Bradford. There will also be several players who jump on the radar, and there will probably be another QB like Bortles who comes out of nowhere. I think we fill up on OL in 2nd, 3rd, 5th rds and take BPA in 1st.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Your certainly right about the marriage of (Barksdale & Joseph) was a terrible situation for most of the season. Looks to me that Fisher & Boudreau were forced into that marriage for the lack of interest paid to the OL in the 3 Fisher drafts before the Davin Joseph signing. They back themselves into that one!

I do agree with you that once you have 3 solid very good Ol'ers the other 2 or 3 seem to fall into the overall good workings of the OL. Rams have one full healthy OL with promise of being one of those & then they have another who there already but health wise is unsound. Thats it!

Rams have some yrs of investment going on @ Center IMO. Rams/Boudreau have invested 3 complete yrs in center Tim Barnes. Fisher bought two well known centers using serious priceless NFL value draft selections with Barrett Jones & Demetrius Rhaney. Barrett has been stewing along with two surgeries now for two seasons. Rhaney has been stewing for a full season too but was on the IR but the injury was not serious so he will be full go this of season to get bigger & stronger. You could also throw in this season schooling of Mike person who can play center & could be retained & bought back from UFA'cy. So Barnes-Jones-Rhaney & Person that's four centers. Rams simply do not have the options available to them to enter even moderately into UFA'cy in 2015 period due to the enormous amount of starters who will be UFA's in 2016. They must keep a tight budget in order not to loose our key starters then. Said that to say since the Ram Org. has yrs of investments in the center positions players they need to use that investment capital in that position in 2015. Meaning the use of NO high cap $$$$ dumped into the center post. Lets burn thoroughly thru what we have in 2015 and then regroup in 2016 to assess it. If they are forced into bring in a UFA it better be @ OT!

Well that is where we are at an impasse. I have no idea how good Barnes, Rhaney, Jones and Person are at playing Center. I can say that I was not impressed with Person as more than a swing man. As for Barrett Jones, I hated that the Rams used a fourth rounder on an injured guy.......an Olinemen with a foot injury no less. Barnes has had some cameos and if he was good enough he would have had the nod over Wells IMO. So that leaves Jones and Rhaney at Center and I know the Coaches were happy with Rhaney but as a fan I have no idea if that was just media spewing to build confidence or if it was real. The fact that Rhaney was injured already doesn't bode well.

BTW isn't their a sizable cap increase this year?

 

[A55VA6]

If I had $1M and you did as well I would bet you that this is not true. No way we draft OL in top 10 for a second straight yr I say 0.9% chance esp with Fisher's background. We should be targeting OL in FA as there should be a lot of good Cs and Gs available. If Cooper or White falls to us and one of them probably will, I think we draft them. After the combine I bet they will be touted in comparison to AJ Green and Julio Jones, and even if we resign Britt we cannot count on him to stay healthy all season as he has only done so in 1 of his first 5 - much like Bradford. There will also be several players who jump on the radar, and there will probably be another QB like Bortles who comes out of nowhere. I think we fill up on OL in 2nd, 3rd, 5th rds and take BPA in 1st.

I like the idea of that, for sure. I hate drafting OL in the 1st round because I swear most of them don't work out while a 3rd rounder does. I mean shit, look at where some of the best Guards in the game right now were drafted:

Mike Iupati: Round: 1 / Pick: 17
Ben Grubbs: Round: 1 / Pick: 29
Larry Warford: Round: 3 / Pick: 65
Louis Vasquez: Round: 3 / Pick: 78
Evan Mathis: Round: 3 / Pick: 79
Marshal Yanda: Round: 3 / Pick: 86
Josh Sitton: Round: 4 / Pick: 135

I wonder, assuming the Rams are keeping Jake Long, will he play LT? LG? RT? I would think the Rams want to keep Robinson at LT.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Well that is where we are at an impasse. I have no idea how good Barnes, Rhaney, Jones and Person are at playing Center. I can say that I was not impressed with Person as more than a swing man. As for Barrett Jones, I hated that the Rams used a fourth rounder on an injured guy.......an Olinemen with a foot injury no less. Barnes has had some cameos and if he was good enough he would have had the nod over Wells IMO. So that leaves Jones and Rhaney at Center and I know the Coaches were happy with Rhaney but as a fan I have no idea if that was just media spewing to build confidence or if it was real. The fact that Rhaney was injured already doesn't bode well.

BTW isn't their a sizable cap increase this year?

For what it's worth. Fisher stated, in his last Show, they would be taking a long look at Rhaney for the 2015 season.

 

[FRO]

They may feel interior line help can be added later. In that case I wouldn't discount White from WVU. Amari Cooper would be a nice haul as well.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

They may feel interior line help can be added later. In that case I wouldn't discount White from WVU. Amari Cooper would be a nice haul as well.

I am all for a first round WR if the value is there and in this draft it very well could be. The WR class is deep and I cannot imagine that if Snead/Fisher go BPA that a WR might be at the top of their list at Number 10. There is a very good chance of it. I am glad that they were looking BPA last year. Trying to trade up for Martin shows that 1. he was so far ahead of the rest of the picks on the board that they felt he was worth moving up for. and 2. That they are committed to fixing the offensive line. Martin in place of Joseph would have been an enormous improvement to the Oline.

 

[FRO]

I am all for a first round WR if the value is there and in this draft it very well could be. The WR class is deep and I cannot imagine that if Snead/Fisher go BPA that a WR might be at the top of their list at Number 10. There is a very good chance of it. I am glad that they were looking BPA last year. Trying to trade up for Martin shows that 1. he was so far ahead of the rest of the picks on the board that they felt he was worth moving up for. and 2. That they are committed to fixing the offensive line. Martin in place of Joseph would have been an enormous improvement to the Oline.

I agree. Too bad Dallas jumped ahead of us. I really hope we fix the line once and for all. It's been an issue as far as I can remember.

 

[jrry32]

I agree. Too bad Dallas jumped ahead of us. I really hope we fix the line once and for all. It's been an issue as far as I can remember.

Dallas didn't jump ahead of us.

It was their original pick.

 

[FRO]

Dallas didn't jump ahead of us.

It was their original pick.

That's right. Too bad Dallas picked him ahead of our trade partner.

 

[lockdnram21]

The only way receiver is the pick if Britt doesn't resign. Which I feel is quite possible. His numbers suffered because of qb and line play. Other teams see that and I think he will get some better offers and Rams want pay up because Bailey and Quick and Tavon.

 

[Tailback]

I'm thinking Rams need to go Linebacker or DB in first round, possibly LB in second round, and then hit Oline hard the rest of the draft.