10 questions before the 2021 NFL season kicks off

[Florida_Ram]

1. How will the loss of the Rams top shelf captain/safety and leading tackler (84) John Johnson impact the secondary?

2. Will betting on Brian Allen to get the job done make Rams fans forgive management for not drafting a center?

3. Will the addition of Raheem Morris make the loss of defensive coordinator guru Brandon Staley an afterthought?

4. Were the Rams smarting to let their 3rd best cornerback Troy Hill get away in free agency?

5. Are the losses of 3 key defensive players Brockers, Morgan Fox and Ebukam nothing to be concerned about?

6. Will the Rams be bitten by ignoring the Injury concerns with OLB's Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Lewis?

7. Did the Rams draft brass make the correct decision by selecting WR Tutu Atwell with their first pick?

8. Will the Rams miss their talented but underachieving #2 TE Gerald Everett? (Mundt-Hopkins-Harris)

9. Can DeSean Jackson stay healthy long enough to play more than 5 or 7 games?

10. Is the addition of Matthew Stafford the difference from being a SB contender to a SB Champion?

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

I'm loving how every Ram asked says DJax is still fast af.

 

[Kupped]

1-Better question is how will they make up for the obvious loss? Fuller seems ready to grab leadership mantle and Burgess & Rapp will have to step up.

2-A good season from Allen is good enough for me.

3-No. Staley was remarkable. But Morris can elevate his own status by keeping the D top 5.

4-There’s a salary cap. They drafted and developed replacements.. like they developed Hill. Good process, we’ll see about results.

5-I’m concerned. But they’ve signed, drafted & developed players to replace them. Fox was a UDFA & Ebukam a 4th founder. No reason to think Hollins can’t replace Samson.. and I like Hoecht. Robinson needs to stay healthy.

6-Already have been.. Obo out & Lawler called up. Not betting on 17 out of Lewis.

7-We’ll see. I’m less hyper focused on him than I am looking at impact of entire class.

8-Not really.

9-Absolutely.

10- I’d change the Q to asking if it changes them from Super Bowl hopeful to Super Bowl favorite. Yes.

 

[Riverumbbq]

1. How will the loss of the Rams top shelf captain/safety and leading tackler (84) John Johnson impact the secondary?

2. Will betting on Brian Allen to get the job done make Rams fans forgive management for not drafting a center?

3. Will the addition of Raheem Morris make the loss of defensive coordinator guru Brandon Staley an afterthought?

4. Were the Rams smarting to let their 3rd best cornerback Troy Hill get away in free agency?

5. Are the losses of 3 key defensive players Brockers, Morgan Fox and Ebukam nothing to be concerned about?

6. Will the Rams be bitten by ignoring the Injury concerns with OLB's Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Lewis?

7. Did the Rams draft brass make the correct decision by selecting WR Tutu Atwell with their first pick?

8. Will the Rams miss their talented but underachieving #2 TE Gerald Everett? (Mundt-Hopkins-Harris)

9. Can DeSean Jackson stay healthy long enough to play more than 5 or 7 games?

10. Is the addition of Matthew Stafford the difference from being a SB contender to a SB Champion?

Many of these questions won't be answered until we're well into the season, although I probably feel most comfortable in saying NO in answer to #8. I believe Higbee, the other TE's and our receiving team as a whole will allow us to comfortably say goodbye to Everett. jmo.

 

[snackdaddy]

1. How will the loss of the Rams top shelf captain/safety and leading tackler (84) John Johnson impact the secondary?

2. Will betting on Brian Allen to get the job done make Rams fans forgive management for not drafting a center?

3. Will the addition of Raheem Morris make the loss of defensive coordinator guru Brandon Staley an afterthought?

4. Were the Rams smarting to let their 3rd best cornerback Troy Hill get away in free agency?

5. Are the losses of 3 key defensive players Brockers, Morgan Fox and Ebukam nothing to be concerned about?

6. Will the Rams be bitten by ignoring the Injury concerns with OLB's Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Terrell Lewis?

7. Did the Rams draft brass make the correct decision by selecting WR Tutu Atwell with their first pick?

8. Will the Rams miss their talented but underachieving #2 TE Gerald Everett? (Mundt-Hopkins-Harris)

9. Can DeSean Jackson stay healthy long enough to play more than 5 or 7 games?

10. Is the addition of Matthew Stafford the difference from being a SB contender to a SB Champion?

I'll give it a shot:

1) I can't say Rapp, Fuller and Burgess will make up for the loss of Johnson. Buts lets remember, JJ was not an all pro. Not even a pro bowler. He was a solid blue chipper but its not like they're trying to replace great player. The only issue is experience there. So we'll have to see how it plays out. Fuller was very good before he got hurt.

2) This is another lets see how it plays out scenario. If Allen can just be serviceable they will be fine. Playing Corbett at center woulda meant two position changes on the line. Now its just one. Better for continuity. If nothing else Allen knows the system well enough by now.

3) I have a feeling McVay had a bigger hand in the defense than people realize. He felt confident enough to let Wade Phillips walk because he wanted a bigger hand in the defense. Wade ran the show with autonomy. He hired a first time DC and I seriously doubt he let Staley have full reign early on. Sure, Staley ran the best defense in the league so he should be given kudos for that. But McVay has more impact there than we know in my opinion.

4) Hill was a decent cornerback. But again, its not like we're replacing an all pro. Hill was a notch above a JAG in my opinion. His loss won't be as hard to replace.

5) Brockers was a good player. But at this point in his career another guy who's a notch above a JAG. Shouldn't be hard to replace. Fox was a rotational guy and another JAG or slightly better. Ebukam was the classic case of a JAG. Every time I watched him play I just thought Meh. These guys will be easier to replace than Johnson.

6) I don't think they're putting too many eggs in Obo's and Lewis's basket. They know what they have in these guys as far as health. I'm sure they already planned for it. Anything they get outta them is a bonus.

7) Another one that remains to be seen. Myself, I wanted a center in that spot. But Tutu is an explosive type player. I can see him being better than Tavon Austin because he seems to want the ball more than Austin did. If they threw a pass to Austin he had to be open and the ball had to be right there for him. Otherwise he never made much an effort to get after it. He was fast but so is everyone in the NFL. He never adjusted. Tutu's a rookie so you never know how long it will take for him to adjust to the faster pro game. Fortunately they have Jackson if Tutu isn't quite ready.

8) No, I don't think they will miss Everett. Harris looks like a guy who can win contested battles or outrun the defender. He's faster than Everett. Mundt is a good blocking tight end but the defense better not think of him as an afterthought. He can catch passes because everyone's worried about the other guys. Bottom line, Everett was another JAG. Not hard to replace.

9) I wouldn't surprised if Jackson is all of a sudden healthier than before now that he's on a legit contender and knows he's going to be counted on for big plays.

10) Yup. McVay will have the confidence to call plays he was hesitant to call with Goff.