St. Louis Rams Position Analysis: Offensive Line

[News Bot]

Ben Frederickson
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.foxsportsmidwest.com/nfl/st-louis-rams/story/St-Louis-Rams-Position-Analysis-Offensiv?blockID=920601&amp;feedID=3626" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.foxsportsmidwest.com/nfl/st- ... eedID=3626</a>

Last year: 2012 came and went without a chance to really get to know the Rams' offensive line. Injuries kept players moving through the five starting positions like musical chairs. As a result, folks tended to be all across the board when it came to assessing how the hodgepodge played as a whole. Ten different players started at least one game.

ProFootballFocus ranked the unit No. 26 out of 32 teams, seventh worst in the NFL. FootballOutsiders gave the Rams more credit: 14th in run blocking and 13th in pass blocking. But the stat that jumped out to everyone was the number of times Sam Bradford got sacked: 35. That was 20 fewer times than in 2011.

Coach: Paul Boudreau has coached NFL offensive linemen for eight teams since 1987, and this is the second year of his second stint in St. Louis. Credit Boudreau for switching and swapping the moving parts of last year's line. Also credit him for playing a role in the signing of free agent left tackle Jake Long this offseason. When Long visited St. Louis, Boudreau showed him game tape of left tackle Orlando Pace, one of the greatest Rams offensive linemen of all time, and pointed out ways Long could improve.

Three questions:

1. Can the big boys stay healthy?

This question should keep Rams fans up at night, because here's the injury rundown on their four best 2013 linemen:

Center Scott Wells (seven starts in 2012) returns after breaking a foot and re-injuring a knee. Right guard Harvey Dahl (14 starts) is back from a torn bicep. Long (12 starts) sat out the end of last year in Miami with a torn tricep. And Rodger Saffold (10 starts), who will start at right tackle for the first time in his career thanks to the addition of Long, hurt his neck and knee last season.

2. Who claims left guard?

Every spot on the line has an obvious starter except for left guard. Look for someone to emerge when training camp begins. Contenders include veterans Chris Williams and Shelly Smith, along with Rokevious Watkins, a second-year player who is already at a disadvantage thanks to a one-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Rams coach Jeff Fisher has publicly disagreed with the ruling, but Watkins will not play Sept. 8.

3. How will the unit handle a more agile offense?

According to FootballOutsiders, 45 percent of the Rams' running plays went straight up the middle or between the center and a guard. Just 16 percent went around the right or left ends. Those numbers can be credited to Steven Jackson, the hard-running bruiser who will now be bowling people over in Atlanta.

This season brings a retooled offense with a backfield that, while unproven, is faster and lighter. If the Rams want to make effective use of the speed of Daryl Richardson, Isaiah Pead and even Tavon Austin (who took reps in the backfield during organized team activities), the line must execute blocking assignments that allow for more side-to-side action. And Bradford needs last year's improvement in pass blocking to continue. He has new targets such as Austin and tight end Jared Cook to throw to, and he'll look for them often, preferably from a protected pocket.

Quote: "You try to find five guys who can work together and get chemistry. Then you try to find the sixth guy and then the seventh guy, in case of emergency. And you go with those guys. In our situation, we are trying to put five pieces together so Sam doesn't have the kind of year he had his rookie year, his second year." -- Boudreau

What others are saying: "It's either feast or famine with these guys. If the five starters stay healthy, the Rams could have one of the league's best units -- with Jake Long, Harvey Dahl, Scott Wells and Rodger Saffold protecting Bradford. One problem: None of them played 16 games last year. The Rams are expecting a lot from their offensive line, but there's danger with age -- and of the Rams' three players 30 or older, two are on the offensive line." -- Clark Judge, NFL Writer for CBS Sports

Bottom line: It's crazy to think this line will go through an entire season without some bangs and bruises. But if the team can fend off the biggest, nastiest injuries, the Rams should be above average thanks to some stability and the addition of Long.

Follow Ben Frederickson on Twitter (@Ben_Fred), or contact him at frederickson.ben@gmail.com.

 

[albefree69]

Getting Long was big. Or somebody else like him. But in FA and not in the draft because we need everyone of our top draftees. We're so thin.

 

[Username]

The entire season pretty much rest on this imo.

1. Can the big boys stay healthy?

This question should keep Rams fans up at night, because here's the injury rundown on their four best 2013 linemen:

Center Scott Wells (seven starts in 2012) returns after breaking a foot and re-injuring a knee. Right guard Harvey Dahl (14 starts) is back from a torn bicep. Long (12 starts) sat out the end of last year in Miami with a torn tricep. And Rodger Saffold (10 starts), who will start at right tackle for the first time in his career thanks to the addition of Long, hurt his neck and knee last season.

Seriously. You can say it's not make or break, but if the teams going to be considered a serious contender it will have to happen.

 

[-X-]

The entire season pretty much rest on this imo.

1. Can the big boys stay healthy?

This question should keep Rams fans up at night, because here's the injury rundown on their four best 2013 linemen:

Center Scott Wells (seven starts in 2012) returns after breaking a foot and re-injuring a knee. Right guard Harvey Dahl (14 starts) is back from a torn bicep. Long (12 starts) sat out the end of last year in Miami with a torn tricep. And Rodger Saffold (10 starts), who will start at right tackle for the first time in his career thanks to the addition of Long, hurt his neck and knee last season.

Seriously. You can say it's not make or break, but if the teams going to be considered a serious contender it will have to happen.

I'm pretty tired of O-line issues. 10 different guys started on the line last year at one point or another. This year I'd like to trim that number down to 5, and keep it at 5 for at least 19 games.

 

[albefree69]

X thinking short term:
I'm pretty tired of O-line issues. 10 different guys started on the line last year at one point or another. This year I'd like to trim that number down to 5, and keep it at 5 for at least 19 games.

So you don't care if all five get injured in the Pro Bowl? :nahhh: :itson:

 

[BonifayRam]

The entire season pretty much rest on this imo.

1. Can the big boys stay healthy?

This question should keep Rams fans up at night, because here's the injury rundown on their four best 2013 linemen:

Center Scott Wells (seven starts in 2012) returns after breaking a foot and re-injuring a knee. Right guard Harvey Dahl (14 starts) is back from a torn bicep. Long (12 starts) sat out the end of last year in Miami with a torn tricep. And Rodger Saffold (10 starts), who will start at right tackle for the first time in his career thanks to the addition of Long, hurt his neck and knee last season.

Seriously. You can say it's not make or break, but if the teams going to be considered a serious contender it will have to happen.

I'm pretty tired of O-line issues. 10 different guys started on the line last year at one point or another. This year I'd like to trim that number down to 5, and keep it at 5 for at least 19 games.

Yes Username Ram fans should be concerned but the OL is the usual last thought that normal fans have on their minds. It seems always takes a back seat to all the NFL playing positions in the draft too. Snead & Fisher to their credit have thrown down some big $$ in the UFA in Long & Wells but both fall right into that #1 question in this article.

Wells is smart indeed but was not physically skilled before the three back to back rehabbing events & he is another yr older. I still find & view the Long capture & turned loose from the Fins somewhat SUSPICIOUS but must trust Boudreau . I also found that recent Fins OL stats argument against Jake Long in the Line Up to be some serious evidence in to answering why the Fins made little effort.

Yes X my Florida Ram fan bud I am very very tired of these constant hemorrhoidal OL injury issues myself. Question in 2012 who were the only two healthy Ram starters OL'ers who went the entire season injury free? Turner & Richardson both were let go by Fisher & Boudreau. :huhidk: If normal routine injuries return once again in 2013 Boudreau would seem to be in much better shape in the interior of this OL than last season. If Wells does a repeat then youngsters 3 yr Tim Barnes & talented rookie Barrett Jones should handle things. Likewise the same can be said about both OG posts with the large amount of young prospects waiting in line.

Rams RB's of Austin, Pead, Richardson, Stacy & Cunningham add some serious outside run capabilities for some Long & Saffold outside blocks but both have some heavy schoolwork to do before they are ready to make those blocks. Injuries to one or both would cripple this offense & throw the season into a downward spiral IMO the OT backups are......weak at best.

 

[iBruce]

TL;DR: Can they stay healthy? Yes? Okay, they'll be good. No? Oh crap we'll be in trouble.

 

[PowayRamFan]

The health of this line will determine our season, it's just that important. Could anyone on here even imagine what it would be like to have our 5 lineman start every game for two years? The hated niners have gotten lucky enough to have it happen and their record speaks for itself. No way in hell they do so good if they had to deal with the crap we've had to on the o-line. Boy they are overdue......

 

[DR RAM]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

 

[Username]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

We better hope Barksdale can hold his own, cause if Long goes down Rodger will get kicked over to left.

I honestly think between the 2 (Long and Saffold), we'll have a healthy LT for close to a full season. Hopefully.

 

[DR RAM]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

We better hope Barksdale can hold his own, cause if Long goes down Rodger will get kicked over to left.

I honestly think between the 2 (Long and Saffold), we'll have a healthy LT for close to a full season. Hopefully.

I'm not sure if that will happen. I think Bark might play better on the left, and they won't want to yo-yo Saffold around. Now, if it's long term, then they would probably move Saffold, and hopefully someone could step up and play RT. If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

 

[albefree69]

DR RAM with an interesting nugget:
If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

<a class="postlink" href="http://jackieslaterhof.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://jackieslaterhof.com/</a>
I did a search and found someone at Ramsrule who said that but it doesn't appear to be true.

Clientele List:

• COURTNEY VAN BUREN – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
• DUSTIN RYKERT – OAKLAND RAIDERS
• LEONARD DAVIS – ARIZONA CARDINALS, DALLAS COWBOYS
• SHAWN ANDREWS – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
• STACY ANDREWS – CINCINNATI BENGALS
• KWAME HARRIS – SAN FRANCISCO FORTY-NINERS
• SAMMY BAKER – ATLANTA FALCONS
• TODD WADE – HOUSTON TEXANS
• JOHN SINCLAIR – MIAMI DOLPHINS
• MARIO BRANCH – TENNESSEE TITANS
• BRANDON JONES – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
• ROBERT JENKINS – OAKLAND RAIDERS
• LEO GOAS – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, RAMS, BALTIMORE RAVENS
• AUTAVIOUS SMITH – ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
• KAREEM McKENZIE – NEW YORK JETS
• RYAN CLADDY – DENVER BRONCOS
• GEORGE FOSTER – DENVER BRONCOS & DETROIT LIONS
• DONALD PENN – TAMPA BAY
• LJ SHELTON – ARIZONA CARDINALS, MIAMI DOLPHINS
• ANTHONY CLEMENTS – ARIZONA CARDINALS, NEW YORK JETS

 

[DR RAM]

DR RAM with an interesting nugget:
If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

<a class="postlink" href="http://jackieslaterhof.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://jackieslaterhof.com/</a>
I did a search and found someone at Ramsrule who said that but it doesn't appear to be true.

Clientele List:

• COURTNEY VAN BUREN – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
• DUSTIN RYKERT – OAKLAND RAIDERS
• LEONARD DAVIS – ARIZONA CARDINALS, DALLAS COWBOYS
• SHAWN ANDREWS – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
• STACY ANDREWS – CINCINNATI BENGALS
• KWAME HARRIS – SAN FRANCISCO FORTY-NINERS
• SAMMY BAKER – ATLANTA FALCONS
• TODD WADE – HOUSTON TEXANS
• JOHN SINCLAIR – MIAMI DOLPHINS
• MARIO BRANCH – TENNESSEE TITANS
• BRANDON JONES – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
• ROBERT JENKINS – OAKLAND RAIDERS
• LEO GOAS – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS, RAMS, BALTIMORE RAVENS
• AUTAVIOUS SMITH – ARENA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
• KAREEM McKENZIE – NEW YORK JETS
• RYAN CLADDY – DENVER BRONCOS
• GEORGE FOSTER – DENVER BRONCOS & DETROIT LIONS
• DONALD PENN – TAMPA BAY
• LJ SHELTON – ARIZONA CARDINALS, MIAMI DOLPHINS
• ANTHONY CLEMENTS – ARIZONA CARDINALS, NEW YORK JETS

Then, what about this!

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BazookaJoe72/status/315882957774675968[/tweet]

Joseph BarksdaleVerified account ‏@BazookaJoe72

Leaving for LA later this evening to train with Jackie Ray Slater.

You know that twitter doesn't lie :hehe:

edit: from Joe's blog:

http://josephbarksdale72.com/blog/?p=147

The Month of March

Published on April 9, 2013, by Joseph Barksdale - Posted in Upcoming 1

So I know I’ve been slacking on the blog posts, but decided that enough is enough and sat down and put together this little number. For those who didn’t know, the month of March has been a very busy, entertaining, emotional, successful, and productive (among other things) month for me. I kicked off my first community service event in Detroit, at my old high school Cass Tech and also proposed later that night to my best friend and then went to train with Jackie Slater for a week, the week after the event. Needless to say I’ve been pretty busy, but I’m thankful for it, it beats sitting at home and doing nothing in between workouts. I think that I can say that I definitely accomplished a lot of goals that I set for the offseason this past month (proposing, establishing a community service event in Detroit, and becoming a better football player and putting myself into a position to realize the potential that my coaches have told me that I have to be great).



For those who don’t know I recently started a community service foundation and we had our first official event in Detroit a few weeks ago (March 14, 2013) called the “Symposium for Success”. We flew in a few successful former high school, college, and professional athletes as well as a college professor and had a question and answer session with about 300 high school kids and answered any questions that they had as well as stressed the importance of academics and being involved in the community.



Later that evening, about 2-3 hours after the event, we had a reception for local people that wanted to know more about the foundation and what they could do to help in the future as well as shared with them our plans for the future of the foundation and where we saw ourselves in the next few years. Little did my fiancé’, girlfriend at the time, know that I also planned to propose during the ending remarks that I gave (there is a video of the proposal on my Facebook page). I will say that I have never been more nervous in my life (with the exception of draft day) but I couldn’t have been happier with the results.



[hilite]The last major event that occurred was the training session with Jackie Slater who played right tackle with the Rams for 20 years. I went out to California to train with him in Anaheim and feel that I grew by leaps and bounds as a football player and have learned things that I never knew when it came to playing offensive line and have never been more confidant in my ability to be able to realize my potential. While learning basic as well as advanced fundamentals, I also learned other important lessons such as how you’re supposed to practice, what you should be thinking every time you step onto the field and most importantly, what it takes to be great. One of the things that he said to me that stuck with me the most is “I would love to be you. So much to learn, so much talent, so many opportunities to be special (even in practice) you get to astound and grow your reputation and work towards your dreams, you cant just talk about it, you must do something everyday, one day at a time” and that is exactly what I plan to do.[/hilite]

 

[-X-]

Dennis, you have to put the whole URL in between the tweet tags now. Not just the numbers. For whatever reason, twitter developers are screwing with what was working.

 

[DR RAM]

Dennis, you have to put the whole URL in between the tweet tags now. Not just the numbers. For whatever reason, twitter developers are screwing with what was working.

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[Ramaro21]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

We better hope Barksdale can hold his own, cause if Long goes down Rodger will get kicked over to left.

I honestly think between the 2 (Long and Saffold), we'll have a healthy LT for close to a full season. Hopefully.

I'm not sure if that will happen. I think Bark might play better on the left, and they won't want to yo-yo Saffold around. Now, if it's long term, then they would probably move Saffold, and hopefully someone could step up and play RT. If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

Yeah...I think that the Rams have a lot more depth finally on the OLine than since forever. I agree Bark could be a major player or depth guy...I liked the pick up last year. He played pretty good for someone just tossed in because of injuries. This is what I wrote in another forum.

I think the Rams have better depth this year even without Jones. Looks like there are a few from last year, so they should be up to speed already. I think writers are not familiar with the Rams depth chart much past the starters. Barksdale, Nsekhe, and one of Williams, Washington, or Watkins...whoever isn't the starter...all are good depth players if someone goes down...IMO of course.

We'll know better once camp starts. If they don't bring any others in but camp bodies, then that means Bou is good with what they have.

 

[albefree69]

DR RAM with proof:
Then, what about this!

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BazookaJoe72/status/315882957774675968[/tweet]

Joseph BarksdaleVerified account ‏@BazookaJoe72

Leaving for LA later this evening to train with Jackie Ray Slater.

I have no answer. The reason I looked was because I wondered if Barksdale was the only one who was training with Slater. You saw what I found. So that brings me back to my original question, was anyone else training with them?

Plus why doesn't Slater's site not list him?

 

[albefree69]

I just sent an email to:
jslater@jackieslaterhof.com
asking about Joe and if he trained any other Rams. Hopefully he'll answer and I'll post it.

 

[BonifayRam]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

We better hope Barksdale can hold his own, cause if Long goes down Rodger will get kicked over to left.

I honestly think between the 2 (Long and Saffold), we'll have a healthy LT for close to a full season. Hopefully.

I'm not sure if that will happen. I think Bark might play better on the left, and they won't want to yo-yo Saffold around. Now, if it's long term, then they would probably move Saffold, and hopefully someone could step up and play RT. If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

That's an interesting discussion of thought about Saffold flip flopping. If Long was to go down for a short period of time I could see Joe Barksdale filling in for him @ OLT. If Long was to get IR'd early in the season ...no doubt Saffold would return to protect Bradford's blind side.

 

[DR RAM]

I think our backups can sustain short term injuries, one at a time, with a span of no longer than a couple of games. I think Rodger is the key. We don't have a suitable backup to play RT if Rodger gets hurt, yet.

We better hope Barksdale can hold his own, cause if Long goes down Rodger will get kicked over to left.

I honestly think between the 2 (Long and Saffold), we'll have a healthy LT for close to a full season. Hopefully.

I'm not sure if that will happen. I think Bark might play better on the left, and they won't want to yo-yo Saffold around. Now, if it's long term, then they would probably move Saffold, and hopefully someone could step up and play RT. If I remember right, Bark worked out with Jackie Slater this offseason. I know he has experience at both, and right now it's between him and Nsekhe competing for that active OT roster spot, IMO.

That's an interesting discussion of thought about Saffold flip flopping. If Long was to go down for a short period of time I could see Joe Barksdale filling in for him @ OLT. If Long was to get IR'd early in the season ...no doubt Saffold would return to protect Bradford's blind side.

That's what I'd do if I had the privilege of making the call. I think it would be the best way to go for chemistry sake, as well as in Saffold's best interest developmentally.