What is the best plan for the OL?

[AZRams]

Really?

 

[Ram_Rally]

I’d love Dotson back but at the $12-14m range. Much higher and he’s eating too much valuable cap space.

Agreed. I get the anxiety about the offensive line. I agree that Mcvay should require ab elite line for his system. But I'd rather he find a guard at 8-10 million. And then add a food corner as opposed to just a guard.

 

[Lunchbox]

Agreed. I get the anxiety about the offensive line. I agree that Mcvay should require ab elite line for his system. But I'd rather he find a guard at 8-10 million. And then add a food corner as opposed to just a guard.

Is that like a refrigerator?

 

[dieterbrock]

But I'd rather he find a guard at 8-10 million

Like who?

 

[Memento]

Like who?

I would suggest Robert Hunt, but he's getting twelve million per year. I think Dotson gets even more, considering the year he had; I'm bettting somewhere around sixteen million a year.

I wouldn't be completely upset if we paid Dotson, but I worry that this year was a contract year.

 

[snackdaddy]

My first choice would be continuity. That means bringing back Shelton and Dotson. But if the cost is too prohibitive then maybe look to the draft and free agency. They do have an option to move Avila to center. That would give them a little more flexibility with choosing between a guard and a center.

 

[oldnotdead]

Jackson said last year he wouldn't move to OG so that option is out.

They brought Shelton back for a reason. It was a prove-it year as a starter and he did exactly that. People automatically assume that you can simply go out and draft an immediate starter at OC but it's not that easy. Why change when you have a player who has proved he can play the position well? They will offer Shelton the same basic package they offered Allen and I would be surprised if he didn't take it. I think they will extend Shelton and promote McAllister to backup center and potential future starter down the line.

The question remains on how much are they willing to pay Dotson. I think they will make a fair offer of between $5M and $7M/ yr. But as we saw with Corbett there are always teams willing to overpay. But like with Corbett they then often end up with buyer's regret. Corbett has been injury plagued and hasn't lived up to expectations. You have to know the Rams are more than cognizant of that. But it will come down to it being Dotson's decision. My guess is that it could be 50/50 with him because he knows he will have finally nailed down a starting position on a team that can contend. If he moves on IMO their contingency is McClendon who could make a good RG.

The other question marks are Havenstein and Noteboom. Havenstein is due for a cap hit of $14.7M next year. Do they pay him that kind of money when he struggled as he did in Detroit? His age IMO is also a big factor. That's a lot to pay for one last year for a player who doesn't project beyond next season. Noteboom has a big cap hit especially considering his injury is the type that can be chronic. IMO it sealed his fate as a post June 1 cap release.

I think the obvious solution is to make both Rob and Joe post June 1 release transactions for cap relief and regain over $20M in cap, and draft a LT of the future this year and start him at RT this year then move him to the left side next year after paying Jackson as a tendered player (2nd rd) this year. If Jackson improves and they are able to extend him they can keep their drafted OT at RT.

It's time to see if Arcuri can play as a swing OT which I don't anticipate considering he's shown zero to date and trotting out an injured Noteboom last year was their preference last season. I wouldn't be surprised to see them take two OTs in this draft.

McVay is going to want as much continuity on the OL as possible, so I think it's on the right side where changes might be made.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Jackson said last year he wouldn't move to OG so that option is out.

Hey mods, if someone lies all the time, can we call them a liar?

 

[dieterbrock]

I think whatever market rate is for Dotson, you pay it.
I don’t buy the idea that Dotson may have had a fluke year. He played great and there’s no reason to think that wouldn’t continue

 

[dieterbrock]

Jackson said last year he wouldn't move to OG so that option is out.

Seriously, what the heck is wrong with you? This is completely untrue and you know it.

 

[NCRamGuy]

Does Logan Bruss start getting good now? Lol

 

[Memento]

I think whatever market rate is for Dotson, you pay it.
I don’t buy the idea that Dotson may have had a fluke year. He played great and there’s no reason to think that wouldn’t continue

Sixteen million a year, though? There's plenty of solid guards in this class. A couple of solid centers as well. Do you really spend sixteen-million-per-year on Dotson?

And you have to worry about a fluke year. It took a trade to us to get him to do well. Yes, he did better at right guard than tackle, but that's still a right guard. The easiest position on the O-line to replace. And you think spending the market rate - and yes, sixteen million is the market rate (according to Sportrac, unless, of course, you get him for less because LA?) is prudent?

Mind you, I wouldn't be upset if they spent that for Dotson and it turned out great, but you're still assuming a pretty big risk for a big cap hit.

EDIT: Apologies if I came off as harsh, Dieter. I just don't know if you spend that much on an interior lineman who just had a career year in his contract year.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Is that like a refrigerator?

Damn I may have stumbled onto something

 

[Ram_Rally]

Like who?

Robert Hunt. Jonah Jackson. Dalton Risner.

 

[Memento]

Robert Hunt. Jonah Jackson. Dalton Risner.

Jonah Jackson will get paid. He was one of the best guards in the NFl this year. Hunt and Risner, I could see, though.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Jonah Jackson will get paid. He was one of the best guards in the NFl this year. Hunt and Risner, I could see, though.

Ah I thought he was hurt last year. Nvmd. I'll throw zeitler in as well. And tbh, if the Rams came out of the draft prioritizing guard, Barton would be such an ideal pick.

 

[AvengerRam]

Seriously, what the heck is wrong with you? This is completely untrue and you know it.

 

[AvengerRam]

Jackson said last year he wouldn't move to OG so that option is out.

They brought Shelton back for a reason. It was a prove-it year as a starter and he did exactly that. People automatically assume that you can simply go out and draft an immediate starter at OC but it's not that easy. Why change when you have a player who has proved he can play the position well? They will offer Shelton the same basic package they offered Allen and I would be surprised if he didn't take it. I think they will extend Shelton and promote McAllister to backup center and potential future starter down the line.

The question remains on how much are they willing to pay Dotson. I think they will make a fair offer of between $5M and $7M/ yr. But as we saw with Corbett there are always teams willing to overpay. But like with Corbett they then often end up with buyer's regret. Corbett has been injury plagued and hasn't lived up to expectations. You have to know the Rams are more than cognizant of that. But it will come down to it being Dotson's decision. My guess is that it could be 50/50 with him because he knows he will have finally nailed down a starting position on a team that can contend. If he moves on IMO their contingency is McClendon who could make a good RG.

The other question marks are Havenstein and Noteboom. Havenstein is due for a cap hit of $14.7M next year. Do they pay him that kind of money when he struggled as he did in Detroit? His age IMO is also a big factor. That's a lot to pay for one last year for a player who doesn't project beyond next season. Noteboom has a big cap hit especially considering his injury is the type that can be chronic. IMO it sealed his fate as a post June 1 cap release.

I think the obvious solution is to make both Rob and Joe post June 1 release transactions for cap relief and regain over $20M in cap, and draft a LT of the future this year and start him at RT this year then move him to the left side next year after paying Jackson as a tendered player (2nd rd) this year. If Jackson improves and they are able to extend him they can keep their drafted OT at RT.

It's time to see if Arcuri can play as a swing OT which I don't anticipate considering he's shown zero to date and trotting out an injured Noteboom last year was their preference last season. I wouldn't be surprised to see them take two OTs in this draft.

McVay is going to want as much continuity on the OL as possible, so I think it's on the right side where changes might be made.

1. As noted, Jackson never said that.
2. No way Dotson signs for $7M per season. He’ll likely get at least double that.
3. Havenstein is signed through 2025.

 

[thirteen28]

I think whatever market rate is for Dotson, you pay it.
I don’t buy the idea that Dotson may have had a fluke year. He played great and there’s no reason to think that wouldn’t continue

Yeah, we know what we're getting. He's worth the market rate. People should stop being penny-wise and pound foolish about this and remember years like 2019, 2020, and 2022 when the problems with the OL really hurt us.

If Dotson wants the market rate, pay it.

Really.

 

[TSFH Fan]

Pay Dotson.
If cap management is an issue, they can backload the contract.
I mean the Rams could be looking at another remodel year in year 4 or 5 of Dotson's contract - drop a ton of the cap hit in those years.