11-Personnel Podcast: April 11, 2023 Rams Offseason and Draft Strategy

[ROD-BOT]

View: https://twitter.com/jourdanrodrigue/status/1645941024265744384?s=61&t=lgp1gRmUcyNSF5v7CIHwMg

 

[So Ram]

I think from the lack of responses that we can sort of agree Jourdon is a sellout.This Hamlin dude is a joke .
11 personnel goes well when you have enough depth to play 12. The fact The Rams were short on TE’s & asking Tutu Atwell to block like Cooper Kupp changes things.
—I will always say this though. I enjoy her interviews (questions),and she has a very good knowledge of The Rams as well as insight.
Paying for her crap isn’t worth it.She is acting like a know everything reporter,spinning Sean Mcvay like he lost his way.

IMO - if The Rams do anything at all in 2023 it only shows with The Players The Rams lost we’re in it to win it.Injuries & poor player evaluation to a small extent.

 

[Allen2McVay]

First, thanks for providing the Podcast.

I was critical of the last one but this was a good one. Don't necessarily agree with everything Jourdan Rodrigue says but thought her communication was far more clear and consistent than the previous one.

Wish Hammond (seems like a nice guy) would talk a little less because he takes a long time to say so little.

One big miss was the Baseball reference; and how Totally Clueless they both were about the team that won a World Series, then did an almost immediate tear-down/re-build; and won another World Series about six years later. It was the Miami Marlins.

Jourdan mentioned that the Rams currently have 45 players under contract, and need 90 ... so that means they will need to add 45 more players in the next 4-6 weeks. I count 46 players currently under contract but that's just one off from her number.

 

[Allen2McVay]

...

Jourdan mentioned that the Rams currently have 45 players under contract, and need 90 ... so that means they will need to add 45 more players in the next 4-6 weeks. I count 46 players currently under contract but that's just one off from her number.

EDIT: It is 45 currently under contract (Jourdan was correct). I thought Pircher was still on the roster.

By this time next Month, the Rams may well have added 35-40 players to their roster.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Yeah, sadly this pod was bereft of nuggets about Rams/Rams strategy that were unknown to this point but the takeaway of how many players under contract was an eye opener. I think we all sorta knew that but to hear the numbers is something else. Really makes you think that unless a player they absolutely love is there at 36, they are moving down in the draft. And possibly more than once.

- Well, I guess the one nugget is them moving away from drafting for ST value and just drafting for positional value and coaching them up for ST which is basically a necessity with so little depth on roster.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I liked hearing that the Rams' Management, Front Office and Coaching Staff have some measure of optimism and confidence.

Just hope they are not like Kevin Bacon in Animal House.

 

[Merlin]

Yeah, sadly this pod was bereft of nuggets about Rams/Rams strategy that were unknown to this point but the takeaway of how many players under contract was an eye opener. I think we all sorta knew that but to hear the numbers is something else. Really makes you think that unless a player they absolutely love is there at 36, they are moving down in the draft. And possibly more than once.

- Well, I guess the one nugget is them moving away from drafting for ST value and just drafting for positional value and coaching them up for ST which is basically a necessity with so little depth on roster.

It won't be the worst thing to load the bottom of the depth chart with UDFAs who win in special teams practices. That is, after all, how Fish delivered good teams even on poor rosters. So the overall numbers, alarming as it sounds, simply means the guys who make the team will be guys who can contribute to ST instead of shitters who keep a spot due to some perceived upside like say Hopkins.

Now that said the key is going to be Kicker. But I'm thinking that job will be filled with a late round pick. Punter maybe as well, though I think we could get away this year with just sifting through UDFA options and we should attract the best class of UDFAs in the league given the state of this roster.

So this still comes down to filling the key roles in the offensive and defensive phases of the game. That will determine whether this team competes or makes us drink heavily on Sundays this year. Though I do think some drinking will be required.

 

[simonblaze]

Thanks for posting

 

[WestCoastRam]

It won't be the worst thing to load the bottom of the depth chart with UDFAs who win in special teams practices. That is, after all, how Fish delivered good teams even on poor rosters. So the overall numbers, alarming as it sounds, simply means the guys who make the team will be guys who can contribute to ST instead of shitters who keep a spot due to some perceived upside like say Hopkins.

Now that said the key is going to be Kicker. But I'm thinking that job will be filled with a late round pick. Punter maybe as well, though I think we could get away this year with just sifting through UDFA options and we should attract the best class of UDFAs in the league given the state of this roster.

So this still comes down to filling the key roles in the offensive and defensive phases of the game. That will determine whether this team competes or makes us drink heavily on Sundays this year. Though I do think some drinking will be required.

I think Jourdan was making a slightly different point, that they're not looking for guys who can win in ST practices per se, they're looking at guys with upside who can eventually be coached up on ST. Both drafted and UDFA. So more Hopkins for you!

 

[snackdaddy]

I liked hearing that the Rams' Management, Front Office and Coaching Staff have some measure of optimism and confidence.

Just hope they are not like Kevin Bacon in Animal House.

Well, its not like they're gonna say "We will suck this season. But hey, we'll finally have a high pick in the first round next year".

 

[PARAM]

It won't be the worst thing to load the bottom of the depth chart with UDFAs who win in special teams practices. That is, after all, how Fish delivered good teams even on poor rosters. So the overall numbers, alarming as it sounds, simply means the guys who make the team will be guys who can contribute to ST instead of shitters who keep a spot due to some perceived upside like say Hopkins.

Now that said the key is going to be Kicker. But I'm thinking that job will be filled with a late round pick. Punter maybe as well, though I think we could get away this year with just sifting through UDFA options and we should attract the best class of UDFAs in the league given the state of this roster.

So this still comes down to filling the key roles in the offensive and defensive phases of the game. That will determine whether this team competes or makes us drink heavily on Sundays this year. Though I do think some drinking will be required.

I was listening to Sirrius the other day with Charlie Weiss (though I don't particularly like his 'opinions'...too Tommy centric). But I enjoyed his take on signing UDFAs. He basically said what you're saying.....when the roster is thin in certain areas, it doesn't take much to convince a kid to sign. Even if he's offered a bigger signing bonus elsewhere. He said, sometimes it's the scout. Sometimes it's the position coach. Sometimes it's the GM. Whomever may have an inside track. He said, sometimes the position coach will call the kid, say a WR, during the draft and say,
"I think we might be drafting you". Then when the draft passes, he calls him back and says something like, "we were going to draft you but the secondary coach won out. But like I was telling you previously, you've got a great chance to make this roster. We're a little thin at your position. Did you see who 'they' have on their roster? It's gonna be hard to crack that lineup."
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But clearly, it's a sell job if the kid isn't drafted and the Rams, even when their roster wasn't so thin in areas, never failed to land a couple good UDFA's.

Guys like Malcolm Brown, Johnny Mundt, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide, Cory Littleton, Marquise Copeland, Morgan Fox, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Williams, Alaric Jackson and UDFA's signed by other teams and released like Coleman Shelton and Darious Williams.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Well, its not like they're gonna say "We will suck this season. But hey, we'll finally have a high pick in the first round next year".

Agree but the way Jourdan Rodrigue expressed their attitude, it sounded like the Rams' Leadership believes it can over-come a perceived lack of talent. I think ... HOPE? ... being a little cocky is a good thing in that it's the right approach for a team that many believe should have low expectations.

I have expressed a lack of optimism about this coming season but I do have hope.

I don't know. This is kind of a tough time to be a Rams' fan.

I'm trying to be realistic and objective without being totally negative.

 

[OldSchool]

Agree but the way Jourdan Rodrigue expressed their attitude, it sounded like the Rams' Leadership believes it can over-come a perceived lack of talent. I think ... HOPE? ... being a little cocky is a good thing in that it's the right approach for a team that many believe should have low expectations.

I have expressed a lack of optimism about this coming season but I do have hope.

I don't know. This is kind of a tough time to be a Rams' fan.

I'm trying to be realistic and objective without being totally negative.

Don't bother People are so fatalistic about our season coming up. One clown on reddit was talking about an 87% roster turn over and we'll lose 87% of our games. Got no time for doom and gloom tbh.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Don't bother People are so fatalistic about our season coming up. One clown on reddit was talking about an 87% roster turn over and we'll lose 87% of our games. Got no time for doom and gloom tbh.

My desire to be realistic and objective, without being unnecessarily negative, is really just for me.

It's actually the way I have approached life. I save my fantasies for the Boobie and Booty threads.

 

[ReekofRams]

My desire to be realistic and objective, without being unnecessarily negative, is really just for me.

It's actually the way I have approached life. I save my fantasies for the Boobie and Booty threads.

So you’re saying that they are covered even in your fantasies?

 

[Merlin]

I think Jourdan was making a slightly different point, that they're not looking for guys who can win in ST practices per se, they're looking at guys with upside who can eventually be coached up on ST. Both drafted and UDFA. So more Hopkins for you!

It's really the same thing. The guys who can be coached up are the ones who show they can translate the scheme to the field. Coaches aren't gonna point at the guy who looks like shit out there in practice and say "that player is gonna be better than all these guys once he figures it out boy!"

Also UDFAs make great core teamers. They're the guys who know each game can be their last and are putting their best film out there.

If we draft a TE then I have to think Hopkins is gone. But if not I will of course root for him to actually dress on Sundays.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I doubt they can replace 45 players with adequate to good players in one off-season. It’s tough for any GM to find five good players in an off-season.

The concept through the years to draft special teamers that they hope can be coached up was never a great one. Trading back for more picks to draft subpar players makes little sense to me. If they want to throw away picks then they coul trade them for an equal pick next year.

She mentioned how some of the special teamers would be stuck behind better players already on the roster. This explains the Atwell pick. Start him out as a punt returner and let him learn and earn a spot on the roster. That is a horrible concept of how to use a second round pick. If they are lucky they get one or two years as a starter out of him in that case. Then he nets them a sixth round comp pick, if that. Another option is to draft starting level players with early picks to push expensive vets for starting time. Say a good safety to push Rapp. Or a good Center to push Allen.

@Allen2McVay you are spot on about Hammond. I wish she would find a new partner. He stammers constantly and nothing of interest ever comes out. He grates on me.

Conversely, I love Jourdan and her info. Just remember that she can’t be telling us too much at this point about strategy and the draft. She is a reporter, not a seer.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

I doubt they can replace 45 players with adequate to good players in one off-season. It’s tough for any GM to find five good players in an off-season.

The concept through the years to draft special teamers that they hope can be coached up was never a great one. Trading back for more picks to draft subpar players makes little sense to me. If they want to throw away picks then they coul trade them for an equal pick next year.

She mentioned how some of the special teamers would be stuck behind better players already on the roster. This explains the Atwell pick. Start him out as a punt returner and let him learn and earn a spot on the roster. That is a horrible concept of how to use a second round pick. If they are lucky they get one or two years as a starter out of him in that case. Then he nets them a sixth round comp pick, if that. Another option is to draft starting level players with early picks to push expensive vets for starting time. Say a good safety to push Rapp. Or a good Center to push Allen.

@Allen2McVay you are spot on about Hammond. I wish she would find a new partner. He stammers constantly and nothing of interest ever comes out. He grates on me.

Conversely, I love Jourdan and her info. Just remember that she can’t be telling us too much at this point about strategy and the draft. She is a reporter, not a seer.

Rapp is no longer on the team, but I see your point.

 

[OldSchool]

I doubt they can replace 45 players with adequate to good players in one off-season. It’s tough for any GM to find five good players in an off-season.

The concept through the years to draft special teamers that they hope can be coached up was never a great one. Trading back for more picks to draft subpar players makes little sense to me. If they want to throw away picks then they coul trade them for an equal pick next year.

She mentioned how some of the special teamers would be stuck behind better players already on the roster. This explains the Atwell pick. Start him out as a punt returner and let him learn and earn a spot on the roster. That is a horrible concept of how to use a second round pick. If they are lucky they get one or two years as a starter out of him in that case. Then he nets them a sixth round comp pick, if that. Another option is to draft starting level players with early picks to push expensive vets for starting time. Say a good safety to push Rapp. Or a good Center to push Allen.

@Allen2McVay you are spot on about Hammond. I wish she would find a new partner. He stammers constantly and nothing of interest ever comes out. He grates on me.

Conversely, I love Jourdan and her info. Just remember that she can’t be telling us too much at this point about strategy and the draft. She is a reporter, not a seer.

We have 45 players signed right now we need to replace 8 players plus 8 on the PS. The other 45 we need to fill in for camp are competing for those 16 spots and maybe a couple others. We don't need to replace 45 players.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Rapp is no longer on the team, but I see your point.

Yeah, was talking about 2021 or 2022. Just because you have a good team doesn’t mean you stop trying to draft starters.