I may have to backtrack on my promise not to watch this shytestorm of a game. My wife wants to watch it so it may be background noise as i play Sudoku...

This is nothing like the redskins situation, those guys split carries and that will not happen here . We have a legit number 1 running back , probably the best in the leauge.

Should be able to find a backup in free agency , there is always smaller quick guys available. I would love to see tavon come back but seems like his days are numbered. Either way I trust Mcvay!

Also seen an Adrian Peterson possibiliy in an article , that would be ok with me as well lol
He played decent on the cards last year

tklongball said:

Your first paragraph is kind of making my point. Allow these ADULTS to decide for themselves if they want to take the job. Every job has risks, and that is part of what helps us decide to take the job or not. Is the pay worth the job in total (including risks). The CTE problem, as you point out, is that they hid what they knew. I am saying the opposite, make sure they all understand.

I am just telling you what I would like to see. You have a different take on it great. You think my idea is TERRIBLE, so be it, I am just telling you what I would like to see, and one way they could do it. The players are gladiators. They sacrifice their bodies (Not just their heads) every time they walk out on the field. They get paid handsomely to do it.

Your last paragraph is a touch over the top. "almost literally be the worst idea (short of allowing sharpened metal spike on the shoulder pads)", WOW, that is an extreme take on it, but whatever. I bet you a large percentage of the people on this forum would love to see a football league where they are allowed to hit like they used to. In fact, that is one of the biggest complaints about the modern game/rules (That and the length/# of commercial breaks).

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I think that would work right up until the moment somebody dies on the field. It won't matter how many classes you gave on CTE, or how many waivers you made the players sign, having somebody die in front of a live TV audience would be the death-knell, no pun intended, not just of the XFL, but possibly football as well. I get that people have already died playing this sport, but not in front of the crowds the XFL is hoping to get. Coming right out and saying "we don't care about the safety issues, the players know the risks?" And then having somebody pay the ultimate price, right there on TV and forever on YouTube?

Yeah, I don't see that flying to well with Mom & Pop America.

wolfdogg said:

I moved back to L.A. in 88 to 93 and looking at JIm now makes me wonder if that's his kid. I would pay good money to see coach on cocaine. Can you imagine talking with him under that influence? He's only going to get better and I think when he hangs up the laminated play menu we'll have a hand full of Lombardi trophies and he'll be in the HOF. He's not just a so called sexy pick who will burn out or get overwhelmed. His genuine love, knowledge, and interest for the game along with his coaching abilities and personality is a match made in heaven. I can see him coaching in L.A. for 40 years, seriously.

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Perhaps he'll last a decade, hopefully longer. LA is a fickle place, experience a losing season or two, attendance begins to fall off and eventually out comes the hook. There's a bromance a brewin for McVay, his momentum will take them into the new stadium, after that we'll have to see what happens.....3 or 4 SB banners would be nice.

BadCompany said:

Maybe you guys can correct me on this, but what are the odds of getting a star LT on Day 3 of a draft? Even if you get 2-3 years to coach him? You'd really have to be finding a diamond in the rough at that point, no? For such an important position, and given the short-ish time frame we have to solve this problem, I don't see the draft being the solution. Hoping a project who turns into a stud is gambling, in my opinion.

I see this being a free-agent position going forward. We scored with Whitworth, so hopefully we get another one of those guys whenever Whitworth is ready to hang them up. You'd have to think we'd be an attractive destination, given the upwards curve of the team, no? If you're a premiere LT looking for a new home, wouldn't one with a Pro Bowl quarterback AND a Pro Bowl running back AND (hopefully) legitimate Super Bowl aspirations be pretty enticing to you?

Which stud LTs are looking at free agency next year, or two years from now?

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When was the last time the Rams discovered a starting OL'er from a third day draft selection? Here's some examples of what we have done in this area over the last 20 years. You can make your own determination just how effective find 3rd day draft Ol'ers who can be effective as a starter.

Andrew Donnal 4th rd. 2015 =6 starts @ RT/LG no longer a Ram.
Cody Wichmann 6th rd 2015=18 starts @ OG no longer a Ram.
Mark Setterstorm 7th rd 2006= 12 starts OC/OG
Ryan Tucker 4th rd 1997= 31 starts @ RT

Here's your answer to your other question BadCompany....this is the projected 2019 UFA LT cadre:
Joe Thomas LT Browns
Duane Brown LT Seahawks
Ben Ijalana LT Jets
Jake Matthews LT Falcons
Ereck Flowers LT Giants
Taylor Lewan LT Titans
Cameron Erving LT Chiefs
Cedric Ogbuehi LT Bengals
DJ Humphries LT Cardinals
Donovan Smith LT Buccaneers
Ty Sambrailo LT Falcons
Josh Wells LT Jaguars

Good bet that Snead might end up drafting a number of LT types on the last day of this upcoming draft. But coming up with a "Star" ??? would seem highly unlikely. Yep you could invest 3 yrs to 4 yrs coach up these less talented OL'ers to get ready to start but by that time his contract is up & they would be ready for the open free agency market to go elsewhere & use his skills against your team on Sunday's. Your are 100% right it is a total gamble.

Free agency has also been a gamble proof is just reviewing Rams history involvement but in 2017 we finally struck gold with Whitworth & Sullivan. This current 2018 UFA LT's are mostly WWC's @ best.

With all of our members here drooling to spend the Rams cap funds dry on all sorts of various non OL'er positions it sure looks like its the last thing on most every members minds even with four of our starting Ol'ers being involved in Free agency 2018/2019.

Speaking for myself as a very small minority here in this forum ......Rams best keep their #1 priority on the protection of Goff by the procurement & investments in well seasoned veteran healthy OL'ers. ...or I fear that very large vast investment paid for Goff in draft wealth in the 2016 draft 2016 will be wasted & lost. Time will tell the rest. My preference is to use the draft heavy to fill the defensive vacancies & beef up the depth. Good chunks of Cap funds on veteran OL'ers.

A recent reminder was last Sunday as we seen in the last quarter of the pro bowl when Goff was trying to bring the NFC back for a win. Even with a pro bowl OL in front of him for protection.....Goff show'd he is not very good under hard pressure & he sure made the poor plays that gave the Game to the AFC after the NFC lead for the entire game. He does have continuing issues of loosing the ball when being pressured in the collapsing pocket. As the Rams OL weakens from it high point of this past 2017 season expect to see much more open season in 2018 on Goff while he is still on the field of play.

Merlin said:

Once again... The job Schwartz has done since Wentz went down is insane. I don't know how he didn't get one of those jobs this year. Dude is on another level right now in his gameplanning and gameday calls.

Hope he's got new signals for the Super Bowl. And another set for the second half for that matter.

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Schwartz is a great DC he has proved it in Philly. BUT, JMO, in Detroit he proved he's not a HC! JMHO!

Elmgrovegnome said:

I am not sure w h at you mean exactly about a bat out of hell. Are you thinking they may not have liked working under McVay?

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That is a possibility... but I really hope that is not the case!

If it were, it could have impacts for years ahead.

The moon fades a couple inches a year away from the earth. (3.8cm/year) in it's rotation.

But don't worry. It's kind of like Tom Brady. It will never fully go away.

Big Mac Daddy says hey

socalrams90 said:

I'm a big soccer fan and it is a huge topic every time any team has to travel to Mexico City for a game. I believe they've only lost 2 home games in the last 40 plus years. Usually the US team will land a week early to acclimate.

Always surprised the NFL media never makes it a bigger topic of discussion when analyzing games in Denver.

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Most people don't think about it probably because they have been there forever. But, it is a big advantage.

Merlin said:

Hemingway is all unicorns and rainbows as far as I'm concerned. Didn't see anything from him in camp, and him being injured when he should have been making a name for himself puts him behind the curve. We'll see, but I seriously doubt McVay is going to roll the dice on the current TE room all stepping up.

Everett looks like a good candidate to do that, but there's no way our HC is looking at the TE room and being happy about it wrt fielding a 12 personnel group that can challenge defenses in the passing game.

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I completely agree! I don't see McVay rolling with this group as it is right now!

Spielman is a good GM. I am sure he sees the wisdom in trying to land Cousins

It's official - the Rams will host the Chiefs in Mexico City



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LACHAMP46 said:

I thought these guys always could serve after their playing careers are over? I also believed that the Army/Navy/armed forces thought that recruits that play professionally are great for recruiting....and gladly let them go straight to the field....

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Nope. Toth is going to serve for two years before playing. That's why he had to go the Senior Bowl.

Fox got that sweet sweet Disney money now. Of course they got it. Fox has already started to implement a strategy of focusing on more live TV and sports. ABC will cannibalize any scripted shows from Fox going forward except for current shows which are grandfathered in.

If Disney gets streaming worked out, watch out! Hulu may become a real competitor to Netflix and Amazon.

Petrowsky said:

The penalties were annoying. Especially on the punt returns because it often killed field position and momentum. That’s something I hope gets cleared up before next season starts. Penalties were a huge reason why I disliked Fisher because they were often just moronic in nature.

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We've had a penalty problem on ST's for several years.....hell, the entire team until McVay.....I would guarantee that the offensive unit had fewer penalties (although I bet most would be shocked at the number called on Whitworth the savior)....Pretty sure the defense had less....I want to say ST's had less too, but I can't be sure? Seemed like we still had quite a few....and we added fumbling into the equation....
Overall, I'd say ST was adequate....with outstanding efforts from GZ and Hekker....

I can't separate Pharoh's return yardage with his end of season fumbling....

In your opinion job well done....in mine, average....with a tilt towards, needs to improve.....

We can, agree to disagree...

Tru, NRC, and Talib sounds pretty good, with Troy Hill would be an improvement. Hill coming on late is a huge development. Suddenly there is depth with a starter quality back up in Hill. Then when Kayvon is healthy there is another starter/backup type.

I would prefer to see more from Hill before handing him a starting job. Tru is still the best corner on the team. I hope they sign him.

I know Talib is a volatile guy but is that with teammates as well as opponents? If not then maybe he is a fit.

den-the-coach said:

do you think the Rams will have more insight to UCLA players?

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hmmmm....I hope they stay away from all but Rosen....most of these Bruins will stay in school offensively....that one kid \/

StealYoGurley said:

If the Rams decide to go the LT of the future route Fisch will have some inside knowledge on Kolton Miller who has a similar frame to big whit.

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he plays nothing like Big Whit tho....some have said he was improving as the season progressed....but...IDK. These aint the 1988 Bruins...where did the Jonathan Ogden's all go?

Faceplant said:

He did a hell of a job of getting the Rams in position to win that game, including firing a pretty good pass for the GW TD..... However, he can't throw the ball AND catch it....he's not Mariota!!!

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thanks for correcting him

CGI_Ram said:

I think if Belichick was close to retirement, they wouldn't let both coordinators go.

We're stuck with Belichick's happy persona for a while.

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You're probably 99.9999% right. But one can hope!

Let’s see what we have at TE. Give Everett some time to develop in McVay’s system. And good point brought up earlier about Hemingway earlier.

His time of year is still pretty exciting to me to try and armchair QB the team for the next season.

-Resign Joyner for sure
-Cut Quinn
-Resign Sullivan
-Cut Tavon (use Cooper on sweeps)
-Resign Watkins (let him develop in coach McVay’s system)

Free Agency in no particular order

Sign OL depth
Sign LBer
Sign CB
Watch for other team needs/fits that you think you can’t potentially waste a draft pick on.

Draft

DLine
LBer
CB
OL
RB (change of pace fast and small guy)