WHAT??????????????????

[Allen2McVay]

I hope that the Rams don’t lose sight of the importance of keeping Stafford upright with a nice pocket to throw from.

The way McVay talked this past offseason, it was going to be a priority from here out.

They could give Aleric a first or second round tender. Then at least they’d get a good pick if he gets plucked.

Shelton shouldn’t be getting any ridiculous offers. He an average center, playing between two very good guards.

But if Dotson gets a big offer, then I’m afraid they won’t match it. But it could net them a third round comp pick, which they’d likely view as a win.

I can’t help to wonder, how much of this Olines success is due to the coaching or scheme. Aside from the rookie each one of those players is playing better than they ever have, including Rob. Are the Rams going to be content to let Shelton walk and plug in McCallister, or let Dotson move on and plug in McClendon or another backup, because they feel the coaching and scheme is the true reason for the success.

I think in part it’s having a few guys playing at a high level, elevating the players around him. Shelton is between two very good guards. Havenstein looks better with Dotson next to him than when Noteboom started next to him. Aleric has Avila next to him.

Mostly agree but I think good health and the stability it brings have been huge factors thus far.

Of 75 potential O-Line starts, Jackson-Avila-Shelton-Dotson-Havenstein have started 68. That's great!
It's even better when you consider that three of the seven Missed Starts were before a healthy Dotson was inserted at RG.

With Anchrum and Allen probably gone after this season (my best guess), the O-Line depth is Noteboom, McClendon and the Practice Squad OL (Arcuri, Thomas, McAllister and Bruss). We have not seen much of any of those guys (other than Noteboom) to have any opinions beyond conjecture.

So, for me it's about retaining a productive starting-five; and adding a quality depth piece via the Draft.

Jackson is probably safe to return, especially with a 1st round tender offer.
Shelton could be tough because he could get over-paid. Lot's of teams will have lots of $ to spend.
Dotson's the key for me. He could be very expensive but he has been outstanding in my opinion.

 

[TheTackle]

Per Over-the-Cap (I'm couching here because I am no cap expert), cutting Noteboom pre-June 1 creates $5M of cap space but also creates $15M of Dead-$ (significant number). However, cutting him post-June 1, you reverse the numbers ... $15M of cap space and $5M of Dead-$.

I'm guessing (again, couching) there could also be some 2025 cap implications in a post-June transaction.

Now cutting Brian Allen (back-up center only) pre-June 1 makes the most sense, in my opinion.
Per OTC, there's a cap savings of $4.9M, with Dead-$ of $3.1M.

Dotson figures to be expensive but big contracts, with big signing bonuses (allocated throughout the contract for cap purposes), often have reasonable cap hits in their first year.

I would like the Rams to hold onto Shelton, Witherspoon and Robinson but, for me, the two Top-priorities for holding onto players would be restricted free agent Alaric Jackson and unrestricted free agent Kevin Dotson.

Nice analysis. The draft is deep at OT. Noteboom is most likely gone. That makes too much sense. If we are building for the future then he and Allen are almost certainly to be cut

Would you bring back Floyd to resume playing Edge; this time opposite Young? I could see that happening especially if we go OT and CB with our first two picks. We mostly need improve our starters on D to become elite again

Biggest needs CB Edge OT

Is Anchrum a RFA? I think he resigns as a great rotational peice. Could he play center? If so perhaps that’s his best route to starting?

 

[Allen2McVay]

Nice analysis. The draft is deep at OT. Noteboom is most likely gone. That makes too much sense. If we are building for the future then he and Allen are almost certainly to be cut

Would you bring back Floyd to resume playing Edge; this time opposite Young? I could see that happening especially if we go OT and CB with our first two picks. We mostly need improve our starters on D to become elite again

Biggest needs CB Edge OT

Is Anchrum a RFA? I think he resigns as a great rotational peice. Could he play center? If so perhaps that’s his best route to starting?

Agree on the Needs but I would add WR because it's such an important position; plus the way Kupp and Nacua play (their physicality), I think it's a lot to expect 34 starts from them. Add-in Robinson being an UFA, and Atwell entering his final season (I like Tutu but I think he is limited).

When those four WRs are healthy, with Skowronek as the 5th WR, it's a strong group. However, if just one of the top-four is unavailable, it quickly becomes a thin group.

Anchrum will be an unrestricted free agent.

I really liked Floyd, and he has put-up ten-plus sacks already but I don't see him returning. He will be 32; and when he was introduced last night on Peacock his PFF rating was very low ... something like 93 out of 115 Edge-players. That made no sense to me. Figured his high sack totals alone might have given him a higher rating. Not a fan of PFF simply because I do not full understand its metrics.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Mostly agree but I think good health and the stability it brings have been huge factors thus far.

Of 75 potential O-Line starts, Jackson-Avila-Shelton-Dotson-Havenstein have started 68. That's great!
It's even better when you consider that three of the seven Missed Starts were before a healthy Dotson was inserted at RG.

With Anchrum and Allen probably gone after this season (my best guess), the O-Line depth is Noteboom, McClendon and the Practice Squad OL (Arcuri, Thomas, McAllister and Bruss). We have not seen much of any of those guys (other than Noteboom) to have any opinions beyond conjecture.

So, for me it's about retaining a productive starting-five; and adding a quality depth piece via the Draft.

Jackson is probably safe to return, especially with a 1st round tender offer.
Shelton could be tough because he could get over-paid. Lot's of teams will have lots of $ to spend.
Dotson's the key for me. He could be very expensive but he has been outstanding in my opinion.

I agree. I want them to keep Dotson. My speculation on the backups are based on what I’ve read or heard. The Rams supposedly are high on McVallister and especially McClendon. But then again I heard the same about some past linemen that didn’t pan out. I’m just hoping that this view is coming from the new Oline coach, Wendell, and possibly the consultant, Munchak.

 

[hotanez]

IMO the only OL that is in question is Jackson. He's going to want a big payday extension. The Rams will probably put a first round tender on him as a RFA. But that will only buy them a year. If his contract expectations are out of line with what they want to pay him then they will tender him and draft a LT.

I think they will make Dotson an offer but IMO he might not accept it. He carries a dead cap of $2.5M and he will be 28 next year. I can see them offering him a 4 year deal grossing about $25M. Whether he accepts it or not IMO will depend upon the guaranteed money. I think Snead and McVay will have to decide how they feel about McClendon because IMO he would be looked at as the RG starter other than Dotson. What is curious is that they renegotiated Kevin's contract when they signed him essentially making him a FA next year. That would seem to suggest that Dotson was viewed as a bridge for Warren. But I think Dotson has exceeded their expectations so now do they pay him or let him walk to be a comp pick?