Why do fans and the media argue with success?

[oldnotdead]

The Rams are 6-2 under McVay. They have 2 Super Bowl appearances winning one during that time. Under any metric that's a hell of an accomplishment. Yet the media and now the fans act like they don't know what they are doing. Have you forgotten what it was like before?

I for one haven't been so enthused over "my" team in a long long time. Snead has shown he has the staff to manipulate the system as well as anyone and better than most. Criticism by arm chair GMs is cheap. The media is always 20/20 with their hindsight. The recent article about how bad it was to extend Stafford is ludicrous, and that same publication and writer didn't say that at the time.

As long as the core of this team stays healthy they will be in the hunt. Hopefully, with improved OL coaching, they will avoid a repeat of the OL disaster of last year. IMO the Rams have talent on the OL, it's simply a matter of playing the right combination of players and having them well coached. Do I think they will take an OL player this year? Sure but not early. Like I said, I can easily see an OT or center/OG taken in the 5th round, definitely in the 6th or 7th round for depth.

With all the other needs I don't see a WR as a priority. A late round pick yes but not a priority early round pick.

This draft is about filling a few holes and building the long term foundation of the team. The roster right now is essentially built for this year. A couple of starters and rotational players with the rest being depth. They kept the 45 roster players for a reason. This means they will fill the three STs slots leaving 5 roster spots open. Those 8 players are who they are drafting for. This is what the media, including Jourdan don't see. Her fixation with the 90 player TC roster is a bit mind-boggling.

I think the fans especially on this board need to take a deep breath and simply wait just a bit over a week to see how the draft unfolds. Hit on QB2, P, PK, Edge, CB and ILB and this team can be pretty damn good. Six players with 11 picks, I don't see how the Rams can't be measurably improved post draft. Also, someone always impresses during TC. It's way too early to give up on our team.

 

[snackdaddy]

To be honest I'm not expecting a winning season. If it happens then great. But if it doesn't I'm ok with it. We just have to patient. They will be back soon. They appear to be setting everything up for 2024 and beyond. As much as we might complain this year, next year will come soon enough. They will be back. I guarantee it.

 

[Rams43]

The Rams are 6-2 under McVay. They have 2 Super Bowl appearances winning one during that time. Under any metric that's a hell of an accomplishment. Yet the media and now the fans act like they don't know what they are doing. Have you forgotten what it was like before?

I for one haven't been so enthused over "my" team in a long long time. Snead has shown he has the staff to manipulate the system as well as anyone and better than most. Criticism by arm chair GMs is cheap. The media is always 20/20 with their hindsight. The recent article about how bad it was to extend Stafford is ludicrous, and that same publication and writer didn't say that at the time.

As long as the core of this team stays healthy they will be in the hunt. Hopefully, with improved OL coaching, they will avoid a repeat of the OL disaster of last year. IMO the Rams have talent on the OL, it's simply a matter of playing the right combination of players and having them well coached. Do I think they will take an OL player this year? Sure but not early. Like I said, I can easily see an OT or center/OG taken in the 5th round, definitely in the 6th or 7th round for depth.

With all the other needs I don't see a WR as a priority. A late round pick yes but not a priority early round pick.

This draft is about filling a few holes and building the long term foundation of the team. The roster right now is essentially built for this year. A couple of starters and rotational players with the rest being depth. They kept the 45 roster players for a reason. This means they will fill the three STs slots leaving 5 roster spots open. Those 8 players are who they are drafting for. This is what the media, including Jourdan don't see. Her fixation with the 90 player TC roster is a bit mind-boggling.

I think the fans especially on this board need to take a deep breath and simply wait just a bit over a week to see how the draft unfolds. Hit on QB2, P, PK, Edge, CB and ILB and this team can be pretty damn good. Six players with 11 picks, I don't see how the Rams can't be measurably improved post draft. Also, someone always impresses during TC. It's way too early to give up on our team.

I enjoy reading your posts and never miss them, but sometimes I’m left scratching my head on some of your positions.

For example, your list of draft needs to make this team ‘pretty damn good’.

QB2. Will not occur until mid rounds, if at all. Better to sign a cheap vet and go for our QB in 2024. Much better QB crop then, plus Rams will have more ammo to move up to get a true Stafford replacement.

P and PK? Not gonna be drafted. Will come from udfa’s or signed vet.

ILB as a critical need? Seriously? Not even in the top 10 team needs in this Morris D hierarchy.

My shortlist of needs?

Edge
CB
OC (someone who can beat out Shelton, Allen probably won’t be on team come September)
TE
WR
backup RB
S
DL

IMO, if Snead can get starters at those top 3 positions then we’ve got a chance to be competitive. Anything beyond those Big 3 is gravy.

JMHO, of course.

 

[PARAM]

I enjoy reading your posts and never miss them, but sometimes I’m left scratching my head on some of your positions.

For example, your list of draft needs to make this team ‘pretty damn good’.

QB2. Will not occur until mid rounds, if at all. Better to sign a cheap vet and go for our QB in 2024. Much better QB crop then, plus Rams will have more ammo to move up to get a true Stafford replacement.

P and PK? Not gonna be drafted. Will come from udfa’s or signed vet.

ILB as a critical need? Seriously? Not even in the top 10 team needs in this Morris D hierarchy.

My shortlist of needs?

Edge
CB
OC (someone who can beat out Shelton, Allen probably won’t be on team come September)
TE
WR
backup RB
S
DL

IMO, if Snead can get starters at those top 3 positions then we’ve got a chance to be competitive. Anything beyond those Big 3 is gravy.

JMHO, of course.

So you of the school "move up next year to draft Stafford's replacement"? How far depends on how shitty (or not) our season happens to be. If we're in the teens......lets say #13 we're gonna have to give up our first round pick in 2024, our 2nd round pick in 2024 and our first or second round pick in 2025 just to move up to #3. If we're lower, #16 - #18, it's gonna cost even more. And we might not get higher than #5. I'm all for giving up a first round pick and even a 2nd on an established player but not for a college QB. So I'd rather draft the guy lower this year and develop him.

I think they will draft a PK this year. They're not suffering from Sloman Syndrome. They have 11 picks and they'll get the PK in the 6th or 7th round. Which leaves them 10 other picks for other positions. I agree they will draft a C. Does anybody doubt they'll take an Edge (or 2), CB and RB? I don't. WR and TE will also come off the board to the Rams. I also think they go ILB earlier than many think.

We have a chance to be competitive if they get an Edge who can start. Even better if they get a CB who can start at some point during the season. They don't need 3 starters in this draft to be competitive. JMHO.

 

[blackbart]

The Rams are 6-2 under McVay. They have 2 Super Bowl appearances winning one during that time. Under any metric that's a hell of an accomplishment. Yet the media and now the fans act like they don't know what they are doing. Have you forgotten what it was like before?

I for one haven't been so enthused over "my" team in a long long time. Snead has shown he has the staff to manipulate the system as well as anyone and better than most. Criticism by arm chair GMs is cheap. The media is always 20/20 with their hindsight. The recent article about how bad it was to extend Stafford is ludicrous, and that same publication and writer didn't say that at the time.

As long as the core of this team stays healthy they will be in the hunt. Hopefully, with improved OL coaching, they will avoid a repeat of the OL disaster of last year. IMO the Rams have talent on the OL, it's simply a matter of playing the right combination of players and having them well coached. Do I think they will take an OL player this year? Sure but not early. Like I said, I can easily see an OT or center/OG taken in the 5th round, definitely in the 6th or 7th round for depth.

With all the other needs I don't see a WR as a priority. A late round pick yes but not a priority early round pick.

This draft is about filling a few holes and building the long term foundation of the team. The roster right now is essentially built for this year. A couple of starters and rotational players with the rest being depth. They kept the 45 roster players for a reason. This means they will fill the three STs slots leaving 5 roster spots open. Those 8 players are who they are drafting for. This is what the media, including Jourdan don't see. Her fixation with the 90 player TC roster is a bit mind-boggling.

I think the fans especially on this board need to take a deep breath and simply wait just a bit over a week to see how the draft unfolds. Hit on QB2, P, PK, Edge, CB and ILB and this team can be pretty damn good. Six players with 11 picks, I don't see how the Rams can't be measurably improved post draft. Also, someone always impresses during TC. It's way too early to give up on our team.

Pass the pipe

 

[Rams43]

So you of the school "move up next year to draft Stafford's replacement"? How far depends on how shitty (or not) our season happens to be. If we're in the teens......lets say #13 we're gonna have to give up our first round pick in 2024, our 2nd round pick in 2024 and our first or second round pick in 2025 just to move up to #3. If we're lower, #16 - #18, it's gonna cost even more. And we might not get higher than #5. I'm all for giving up a first round pick and even a 2nd on an established player but not for a college QB. So I'd rather draft the guy lower this year and develop him.

I think they will draft a PK this year. They're not suffering from Sloman Syndrome. They have 11 picks and they'll get the PK in the 6th or 7th round. Which leaves them 10 other picks for other positions. I agree they will draft a C. Does anybody doubt they'll take an Edge (or 2), CB and RB? I don't. WR and TE will also come off the board to the Rams. I also think they go ILB earlier than many think.

We have a chance to be competitive if they get an Edge who can start. Even better if they get a CB who can start at some point during the season. They don't need 3 starters in this draft to be competitive. JMHO.

Well, acquiring a starting caliber, much less a franchise caliber QB is no easy thing.

My larger point was that it would be easier to take a shot next year in a far better class with far more Rams ammo. Far easier than hoping McVay can develop the 6th or 7th best QB from a weak QB class this year to be our future franchise QB. Doesn’t that make just a little sense to you?

And speaking of McVay developing young QB’s, where has he done so, exactly? He dumped Goff for Chrissake! Goff seems to be doing just fine in Detroit under Campbell, doesn’t he?

And trading for another Stafford type talent at QB is EXTREMELY unlikely to happen anytime soon. All the planets had to line up just right for it to have happened in the first place. So Fuhgeddaboud that option.

By his own admission in a presser McVay admitted that he was both impulsive and impatient. Just sayin’…

The day is coming fairly soon when Rams are gonna need another starting QB. Only question is who it will be and how will we acquire him.

 

[PARAM]

Well, acquiring a starting caliber, much less a franchise caliber QB is no easy thing.

My larger point was that it would be easier to take a shot next year in a far better class with far more Rams ammo. Far easier than hoping McVay can develop the 6th or 7th best QB from a weak QB class this year to be our future franchise QB. Doesn’t that make just a little sense to you?

And speaking of McVay developing young QB’s, where has he done so, exactly? He dumped Goff for Chrissake! Goff seems to be doing just fine in Detroit under Campbell, doesn’t he?

And trading for another Stafford type talent at QB is EXTREMELY unlikely to happen anytime soon. All the planets had to line up just right for it to have happened in the first place. So Fuhgeddaboud that option.

By his own admission in a presser McVay admitted that he was both impulsive and impatient. Just sayin’…

The day is coming fairly soon when Rams are gonna need another starting QB. Only question is who it will be and how will we acquire him.

What makes the most sense to me is not paying attention to the "strong QB class", "weak QB class" argument. This year is weak and next year is stong? According to whom? There's between 10 and 15 QBs taken every draft. And many times, a guy taken further down the list ends up being better than the guys near the top.

Take last year. Pickett in the 1st (only one) and Purdy in the 7th. In between, a bunch of ?????.
Or 2020? Burrow, Tua, Herbert, Love. Hurts went 5th off the board and he's better than 2 of the first 4.
2018? Mayfield 1st, Darnold, then Allen and Mike White in the 5th, the 8th QB taken and the 3rd best in that draft. And that's even debatable. He could be the 2nd best.
2016? Goff then Wentz (a failure). Prescott in the 4th, 8th QB taken and 2nd best in the class

So I pay no attention to the talking heads or internet experts who say, "strong class/weak class". That crap is baseless and 100% speculation. And I don't want my GM thinking next years is any better than this years class.

As far as acquiring a starting QB, much less a franchise QB is no easy thing, I agree. It has as much to do with where they go and who's developing them as their college stats and perceived strengths and weaknesses. What has McVay done? He developed Goff and got the most out of him and he's won games with John Fucking Wolford under center!!! I'll put my money on McVay developing a 4th round or lower QB with the prototype measurables (and brains) over almost any coach in the NFL.

Strong class next year? Caleb and Drake Maye are gonna be better than Young and Stroud? Based off what? Mayfield and Darnold were gonna be "all that" and who is the class of that class? Josh Allen, Mike White (and Lamar if you think he's any good). Shit, Trubisky went before Mahomes and Watson. Brissett has had a better career than Wentz! Just when you THINK you know, you realize you don't really know.

So yeah, I'll take the lower round guy this year and see if McVay can develop him. Rather than wait on some 2024 "prospect". I'd prefer to develop a kid rather than NEED a kid to be THE guy right away.

 

[oldnotdead]

Both Tune and Mckee have the traits that make them good fits for McVay's offense. Tune projects as a solid tier two QB starter. With a good team around him, a tier two QB would just be one more complimentary piece in the team, i.e. you can win with a QB like that. Who knows he could develop beyond "projections". Drafting for a starting QB is a real crap shoot. More fail than those that don't, hence the constant churning of the established vets and rookies. You draft for traits and coach them up well.

McKee IMO will drop and be on the board at 36. He has the traits that IMO give him a higher ceiling than Tune. He's got a strong accurate arm, and most of all he's well on his way to being a true pocket passer who can read defenses. Reading defenses is what made Philip Rivers so good. Like McKee he was a pure pocket passer, who ran like he was carrying a 100 lb sack of potatoes. But he could read defenses and influence them much like Stafford does. McKee has excellent length allowing him to survey the field. IMO he's the true sleeper in this QB draft. He could very easily turn into another Stafford. With Stafford projected to retire after the 2024 season it would give them 2 years to develop McKee and allow McVay to craft his offense to play to McKee's strengths. All this potential and it only would cost them a second round pick.

I'm a very big advocate of not assuming that a top 10 first round QB pick is the way to get a quality starter. Prescott and Cousins were both 4th round picks and have had success in the NFL as starting QBs. Drew Brees was picked at the top of the second round. Tom Brady was picked in the 6th round, and Purdy in the 7th.

You draft a QB for his traits both physical and mental, that fit your offensive scheme. McVay needs a smart football savvy QB with a strong and accurate arm, but most of all a high football IQ to mentally dissect the defensive schemes pre-snap. McKee fits that mold perfectly.

 

[Flatlyner]

I get that you like McKee, but, IMHO, he would be a terrible pick at 36. McKee might have had the least production in college of any of the projected drafted QB prospects in this draft including AR (who comes with elite traits). Sure, he may have a strong arm but he's a literal statue in the pocket with zero mobility. I've seen it said a few times, but he reminds me of Mike Glennon in many aspects.

One of my most trusted NFL scouts has him projected as a 5th rounder, behind the likes of Haener, O'Connell, and my dude Hall. I just cannot fathom taking him much earlier then that with, in my eyes, superior QB prospects projected far below 36.

Then again, we all see prospects differently and I could be (likely) completely wrong on this one.

 

[PARAM]

Drafting for a starting QB is a real crap shoot. More fail than those that don't, hence the constant churning of the established vets and rookies. You draft for traits and coach them up well.

You draft a QB for his traits both physical and mental, that fit your offensive scheme. McVay needs a smart football savvy QB with a strong and accurate arm, but most of all a high football IQ to mentally dissect the defensive schemes pre-snap.

They fail no matter where they're drafted. In fact, 1st round QBs, given the expectation of 1st round value, cost a team more when they fail then a 4th round or lower QB. And they fail quite often.

I get that you like McKee, but, IMHO, he would be a terrible pick at 36. McKee might have had the least production in college of any of the projected drafted QB prospects in this draft including AR (who comes with elite traits). Sure, he may have a strong arm but he's a literal statue in the pocket with zero mobility. I've seen it said a few times, but he reminds me of Mike Glennon in many aspects.

One of my most trusted NFL scouts has him projected as a 5th rounder, behind the likes of Haener, O'Connell, and my dude Hall. I just cannot fathom taking him much earlier then that with, in my eyes, superior QB prospects projected far below 36.

Then again, we all see prospects differently and I could be (likely) completely wrong on this one.

I wouldn't be in favor of any QB at #36 except the kid from Florida. But chances are pretty good, none of the top 5 will make it out of the first round.