Will this seasons Hybrid SS/LB position depart with Barron?

[BonifayRam]

This seasons highly effective starting Hybrid LB/SS 6-2 213 pound Mark Barron entering UN Restrictive Free Agency first of March.....add in the big issues ongoing with the cap cost & very weak run defense & provided by the slow MLB James Laurinaitis ......then the need to mention both starting LB'ers Alec Ogletree & Akeem Ayers will be UFA's next yr at this time......will the hybrid SS/OLB position fade into history?

Or could either 3 yr. starter TJ McDonald (6-2 1/2/219) or late season starter SS Mo Alexander (6-1 220) be able to fill Gregg's desire to keep this type of defensive position alive in 2016 to bring in the needed speed? Both of these mentioned SS's are bigger thicker than Barron. Only one of them can start @ SS. Alexander has proven to be an effective young starting SS who only gets better play after play on the field. Both Fisher & Gregg beat the drum hard & highly praised the ex LB'er Mo Alexander selection. Gregg will easily have two reserve safeties already available signed & on the roster with Bryant & Davis for 2016

I believe that Ogletree will be one starting OSLB'er for-sure but what side ? Tree plays both outside positions very well. A change at MLB'er might be possible here in 2016 too. Might we see something like this below:

OLB- Ogletree/ Ayers
MLB- Hager/Lynch/ 2016 draft choice
Hybrid WSLB- Alexander/ Bates
SS- McDonald/ Bryant
FS- McLeod/ Davis

 

[HitStick]

Enter Sua Cravens.

But seriously. Fisher said the starters want to be back. So, hopefully that happens.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I sure would like to see us keep Barron's !! and everyone else for that matter!!

 

[jjab360]

No, because Barron isn't going anywhere. And if he did, Mo Alexander is the same type of player, just less effective.

 

[shovelpass]

If Barron does leave I think that Alexander could fill in. He played LB in college and is aggressive tackler.

 

[OnceARam]

If we're going to roll with a defense that is built to utilize a hybrid role we are going to need more than one.

 

[WestCoastRam]

If we have the money I say resign him but if we don't and need to prioritize I think you gotta let him go. I think there are far more important spots players on D to resign like either or both CBs and FS along with Hayes.

 

[Roman Snow]

I agree. I hope you're not writing off Barron yet. Great post, by the way. It may not be possible to keep all of our defensive free agents, but I think We have a few things working for us with Barron:

• From the Rams view Barron was very effective and unique in his skill set and will pony up appropriate money to keep him.
• Williams has pull with that defense. I feel confident he will lobby hard and successfully for keeping Barron. He knows you just don't replace Mark Barron in that new role.
• Barron felt the anxiety of a career slipping away in Tampa. He will give real pause to running out to another system, appreciating what he has now.
• Barron, like most of these guys, will probably want to be part of the Los Angeles experience. Another million from another team may not pull him away.
• Lastly, these guys in the secondary really seem to have a connection with each other. I might be naive, but I think this helps.

 

[ramfan46]

Barron is a difference maker on this D. The D was shutting Seattle down in SEA until Barron got hurt. Resign him and with a healthy Olgetree you have great OLBs. Get a more athletic MLB and I think the D will be top 7 with Quinn back healthy. Barron is very important to the 2nd level of the D.

 

[JUMAVA68]

Keeping Barron is a must Alexander and McDonald might be of similar size and weight. But that doesn't mean they can do what Barron does.Without the injuries and ineffective offence, this is a top D inho.And Barron is a big part of it while JL and CL are not and they can be cut.

 

[LACHAMP46]

This seasons highly effective

I still question if this run defense is effective....We need 3 LB's to play....

 

[Ramfansince79]

Roman Snow,---Man I hope you're right on all of this!

 

[BonifayRam]

I sure would like to see us keep Barron's !! and everyone else for that matter!!

Sure would be something to see on Sundays .....having both Alec Ogletree & Mark Barron on the field together thus meaning both starting @ both OLB posts! Would provide Gregg less headaches when facing 9ers Chip Kelly's Up Tempo offenses that prevent & restrict Gregg who favors use of multiple rotational defenses due to substitution problems created.

I still question if this run defense is effective....We need 3 LB's to play....

I would hate to see this 2015 run defense without a Mark Barron's contributions ! When a Ram team has a 2015 MLB'er that we had it's lucky we were able to stop what we did stop.

 

[Rams43]

I think Barron is a very high priority for resigning.

His instincts are amazing as is his production. Wouldn't be a big stretch to call him an elite playmaker.

He's a perfect fit for GW's D, and vice versa. Hope Barron and his agent are smart enough to realize that.

If somehow both Jenkins and TruJo can be resigned along with Barron, plus a healthy Quinn and a newly drafted DE taken high... Well, let's just say that I think we would be onto something really special on our D this year.

Hayes and McLeod would not only be frosting on the cake, but would enable us to spend the rest of our draft and FA on O. An area that definitely seems to need it.