St. Louis Rams' Projected Roster/Wagoner

[den-the-coach]

Please not the Thad Lewis again. Fisher has shown the inclination in BOTH years he has been here to go with 2 QBs. If they keep a 3rd because they are afraid of Bradford getting hurt again, and in fact, Gilbert (or any other QB the bring in after the fact) is forced to play THIS YEAR, it won't matter who that is. Whereas Gilbert will have to be very impressive in the preseason to convince them that its too risky to put him on the PS..

You're probably correct, however, when Bradford was hurt and Clemens was next up the Rams had to scramble to find a number 2 QB. They tried to poach a QB off the Saints PS, but he chose to sign on with the Saints and the Rams were left with the bottom of the barrel with the likes of Austin Davis and Brady "Good God" Quinn.

In the end ensuring you keep a QB on the PS hopefully will prevent this from happening, but I have a feeling G Squared is going to show some good things in preseason and force the Rams hand. Besides Gilbert looks very studious and I for one would like to see him with a head set and chart on the sideline.

 

[RamFan503]

@CoachO and @den-the-coach Good discussion re: QBs Now am I correct that if a team wants to sign a player off a practice squad, they have to be signed to their 53 man roster? If that is the case, are there other requirements like the player has to be signed for the entire season or anything? Not that this changes the argument much but someone would have to believe he could play this year or think he is too good to pass up as a future signal caller before they were going to use a roster spot on him - right?

I really have to wonder. I think they might have kept Davis last year if he had impressed them more. He just really looked bad in the pre-season games IIRR - kind of like he had regressed from the previous year where he looked pretty decent in pre-season.

 

[CoachO]

You're probably correct, however, when Bradford was hurt and Clemens was next up the Rams had to scramble to find a number 2 QB. They tried to poach a QB off the Saints PS, but he chose to sign on with the Saints and the Rams were left with the bottom of the barrel with the likes of Austin Davis and Brady "Good God" Quinn.

In the end ensuring you keep a QB on the PS hopefully will prevent this from happening, but I have a feeling G Squared is going to show some good things in preseason and force the Rams hand. Besides Gilbert looks very studious and I for one would like to see him with a head set and chart on the sideline.

I wouldn't call signing Brady Quinn scraping the bottom of the barrel. The problem with him only arose when he got injured the first week after signing. And going to get Austin Davis was the smart move at that point, given his familiarity with the offense. Either way, do you honestly think if it gets to the point where Gilbert is forced into playing, or having to bring Davis back, it will make any discernible difference? And if they place Gilbert on the PS, and someone makes a play for him, what's stopping them from doing what New Orleans did last year, and ensure he stays here by activating him at that time?

I just think having a rookie who was you second 6th round draft pick who was somewhat of a surprise is not as big of a prize as others might.

 

[CoachO]

@CoachO and @den-the-coach Good discussion re: QBs Now am I correct that if a team wants to sign a player off a practice squad, they have to be signed to their 53 man roster? If that is the case, are there other requirements like the player has to be signed for the entire season or anything? Not that this changes the argument much but someone would have to believe he could play this year or think he is too good to pass up as a future signal caller before they were going to use a roster spot on him - right?

I really have to wonder. I think they might have kept Davis last year if he had impressed them more. He just really looked bad in the pre-season games IIRR - kind of like he had regressed from the previous year where he looked pretty decent in pre-season.

Signing Rights

• If a team likes a player on another club's practice squad, that team is free to sign him to a contract--but only for its 53-man roster, and it has to keep the player on the 53-man roster for at least three weeks. The team that signs the player doesn't have to pay any kind of compensation to the team that lost him. Practice squad players are pretty much fair game. There's one small exception, though: You can't sign a player off another team's practice squad in the week before you play that team.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/list_6640825_nfl-practice-squad-rules-waivers.html

As I mentioned in my previous post, i understand the risk, but wouldnt it make sense to roll the dice, and place him on the PS, and IF someone makes a play for him, activate him at that time? There is nothing that would prevent the Rams from doing that, and using the roster spot on another position.

 

[RamFan503]

Can you simply activate him if someone makes an offer? I thought the team had to make an offer and hope that the PS player accepted theirs over the team trying to sign him off someone's PS.

 

[RamFan503]

Signing Rights

• If a team likes a player on another club's practice squad, that team is free to sign him to a contract--but only for its 53-man roster, and it has to keep the player on the 53-man roster for at least three weeks. The team that signs the player doesn't have to pay any kind of compensation to the team that lost him. Practice squad players are pretty much fair game. There's one small exception, though: You can't sign a player off another team's practice squad in the week before you play that team.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/list_6640825_nfl-practice-squad-rules-waivers.html

Wow. Only 3 weeks? Seems that it would be fairly easy to keep a PS player in that case. I would think he'd want to sign with the team that wanted him in the first place.

 

[CoachO]

Can you simply activate him if someone makes an offer? I thought the team had to make an offer and hope that the PS player accepted theirs over the team trying to sign him off someone's PS.

I'm sure they would have to make it worth his while, but considering all the variables, if the team that drafted him, who he have been practicing with, made me a comparable offer as the team trying to get him from the PS, I would think he would be better off staying were he is.

 

[HometownBoy]

Eugene Sims is so overrated.

 

[CoachO]

Eugene Sims is so overrated.

Compared to whom? He is a reserve DE, who has earned his way into the rotation. Who has been better that you would prefer to have that has been released in the time he has been here?

 

[HometownBoy]

Compared to whom? He is a reserve DE, who has earned his way into the rotation. Who has been better that you would prefer to have that has been released in the time he has been here?

Not in a he should be released and on the streets kind of way, but in a he's talked up way more than he deserves to be sort of ways, guy gets his name mentioned a lot when they mention our tough D and for reasons I'm not sure, he doesn't do much and is a reserve. Hayes does a lot more but barely flies under the radar while people cream themselves over Sims.

 

[CoachO]

Not in a he should be released and on the streets kind of way, but in a he's talked up way more than he deserves to be sort of ways, guy gets his name mentioned a lot when they mention our tough D and for reasons I'm not sure, he doesn't do much and is a reserve. Hayes does a lot more but barely flies under the radar while people cream themselves over Sims.

Not sure i agree with that. I think Hayes more than gets his due credit for his value. Sims as the 4th DE is a valuable piece of this rotation as well. While he may not rack up the stats that the others do, he does the dirty work. He plays the run better than many give him credit for, and prior to last year, when Robert Quinn finally became a 3 down player, Sims actually was better at holding the edge vs. the run than Quinn.

Sims, like Hayes, has the ability to slide inside on passing downs, and hold his own as a rush DT. I think you may be overstating your case a tad. Is he starting material or a full time 3 down player? No, but he is not being asked to be either.

 

[Akrasian]

Obviously it'll depend on how Gilbert plays in preseason and what he shows in training camp - but if he looks promising I think he makes the roster. First - after last season they are going to want more security in backup QBs. Secondly - while Shaun Hill is a bargain as a backup for 2014 - he's signed only for one year and is 34 years old. There's a good chance he won't be back. And if he does return he will likely be more expensive as would another decent veteran backup - while if Gilbert looks promising he would be paid much less, helping with the cap.

Certainly if there are too many good options at another position, and Gilbert is only meh, they will push him onto the practice squad. I suspect they saw something in Gilbert they liked though.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Gilbert seems like an obvious PS guy unless he lights up Preseason.

Most teams are scrambling to keep their own for the PS.

 

[den-the-coach]

I just think having a rookie who was you second 6th round draft pick who was somewhat of a surprise is not as big of a prize as others might.

I concur, however, who else are they keeping? If they end up keeping someone they think has great upside like they felt about Rivers last year than fine, but if Gilbert impresses enough in preseason then IMO they will go with three. Keep in mind in Fisher's first year they went with three after the first two weeks because they brought Clemens back in week two or three.

You can only dress so many players anyway we'll see the direction they go, but if it comes down to a pass rusher like Westbrooks for example IMO you'll be right on point they'll keep him and put Gilbert on the PS.

And BTW Brady Quinn not the bottom? Maybe not in name, but after watching him play for the Chiefs I would rather have a horse with no name than Brady Quinn.

 

[CoachO]

I concur, however, who else are they keeping? If they end up keeping someone they think has great upside like they felt about Rivers last year than fine, but if Gilbert impresses enough in preseason then IMO they will go with three. Keep in mind in Fisher's first year they went with three after the first two weeks because they brought Clemens back in week two or three.

You can only dress so many players anyway we'll see the direction they go, but if it comes down to a pass rusher like Westbrooks for example IMO you'll be right on point they'll keep him and put Gilbert on the PS.

I agree that is he impresses during the preseason, he may force their hand. But there will plenty of opportunity to find other promising QBs once the cuts start coming in. Not every one of these young guys are gonna stick with their respective teams.

I think its a foregone conclusion that they will keep a 9th (developmental) D-linemen. And with the tenuous injury situation on the O-line, it would not surprise me at all for them to keep 10. Heck they kept 11 last year on the 53. Those spots have to come from somewhere. And when I weigh the options, of keeping a 3rd (developmental) QB over that extra O-linemen, its an easy decision for me.

I do understand your point, we just have a different take on it.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I agree that is he impresses during the preseason, he may force their hand. But there will plenty of opportunity to find other promising QBs once the cuts start coming in. Not every one of these young guys are gonna stick with their respective teams.

I think its a foregone conclusion that they will keep a 9th (developmental) D-linemen. And with the tenuous injury situation on the O-line, it would not surprise me at all for them to keep 10. Heck they kept 11 last year on the 53. Those spots have to come from somewhere. And when I weigh the options, of keeping a 3rd (developmental) QB over that extra O-linemen, its an easy decision for me.

I do understand your point, we just have a different take on it.

I'd easily keep the extra oline, dline, and DB's over a developmental QB.

EDIT: unless the dev QB shines in preseason and practices. The coaches know what they are looking for there.

 

[den-the-coach]

I think its a foregone conclusion that they will keep a 9th (developmental) D-linemen. And with the tenuous injury situation on the O-line, it would not surprise me at all for them to keep 10. Heck they kept 11 last year on the 53. Those spots have to come from somewhere. And when I weigh the options, of keeping a 3rd (developmental) QB over that extra O-linemen, its an easy decision for me.

I do understand your point, we just have a different take on it.

IMO most coaches are going your way nowadays and I don't disagree plus having a very strong number two in Shaun Hill makes that decision much easier. However, guess I still remember the horror of 2011 when the Rams decided to release Thad Lewis knowing that Pat Shurmur was now a Head Coach in Cleveland. Would've been better off releasing Feeley because of his contract, but Spagnuolo & Devaney never could see outside the box.

So they end up losing Lewis (who is not a bad number 2 I may add) and signing Tom Brandstater. Bradford and Feeley go down and Brandstater is so bad they put in a claim for Clemens who they start over Brandstater after only a cup of coffee and half a practice. Now I realize when you get to your third option the season is gone, , but I remember the days when the 3rd QB was someone you could win with I guess those days are gone.

 

[CoachO]

dupilcate

 

[CoachO]

IMO most coaches are going your way nowadays and I don't disagree plus having a very strong number two in Shaun Hill makes that decision much easier. However, guess I still remember the horror of 2011 when the Rams decided to release Thad Lewis knowing that Pat Shurmur was now a Head Coach in Cleveland. Would've been better off releasing Feeley because of his contract, but Spagnuolo & Devaney never could see outside the box.

So they end up losing Lewis (who is not a bad number 2 I may add) and signing Tom Brandstater. Bradford and Feeley go down and Brandstater is so bad they put in a claim for Clemens who they start over Brandstater after only a cup of coffee and half a practice. Now I realize when you get to your third option the season is gone, , but I remember the days when the 3rd QB was someone you could win with I guess those days are gone.

We obviously have a different opinion of "The Great" Thad Lewis. I just don't think that was as huge of a loss as you do. If Thad Lewis would still have been here, and he was the guy summoned to rescue this team once Bradford and Feeley went down, the results would have been the same. He has had opportunities with two very QB needy franchises, and proved to be adequate at best.

And to compare this situation to 2011, is a stretch at best. There are no "Pat Shurmer's lurking in the weeds just waiting to snake Gilbert from our Practice Squad.