If he's somehow still on the board at 29, you might want to think real hard about taking him.
Thieneman has a nose for the ball, and brings the thunder.
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If he's somehow still on the board at 29, you might want to think real hard about taking him.
Thieneman has a nose for the ball, and brings the thunder.
I might be mistaken, but that video may have been made prior to Sadiq's final season.
PFF lists Sadiq's 2025 average depth of target at 8.3 yards.
Oregon has another potential stud at TE in Jamari Johnson coming down the pike who was used downfield more as Sadiq was the better blocker and capable of doing something with quick screens and the like which would affect average depth of target and yards per catch numbers.
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IMO, in order for the selection to make the most sense at #13 the Rams would have to use him the same way I envisioned Bowers a few years back.
And that is as a potential Kyle Juszczyk, Sam Laporta, and Debo Samuel rolled into one that leans more towards a positionless football ideology on offense. He'd be a FB, H-Back, Slot, TE, X, Y, Z...12345. depending upon the play.
That would be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses not only due to the confusion and his physical attributes, but most importantly because he blocks so darn well.
Without that creativity the Rams should probably just pass on him.
I must be doing something wrong. I can’t jump at all despite having A LOT of lower body explosiveness.
View: https://x.com/MoveTheSticks/status/2027398007893655594
Short arms might make him available at #13 after all.
Sadiq is clearly a talent but I don't see him as a viable option at #13 because I don't see an ideal fit.
The Rams used their top-pick last year on an athletic/versatile TE that McVay continues to speak highly of. Parkinson was terrific over the second-half. Allen is a decent 3rd-TE who they seem to like as a blocker.
Realize the Rams played a ton of three-TEs. As much as 50% in some games at the end of the season but adding Sadiq would be akin to using #13 on a top-Edge. That player, along with Verse and Young would have fewer snaps; and Stewart would have almost none. Johnson might not even be game-day-active.
It's over-kill at already strong positions (IMO), when there are Areas of Need ... Cornerback and Wide Receiver (a viable starting option for the aging Adams and the reckless (good thing) Nacua ... if just one of those WRs goes down, the entire Offense (the Strength of the Team) is negatively impacted).
I am a big proponent of taking the Best-Player with the highest of picks ... Top-5, 10 or 15 but McVay always talks about the importance of putting together the Best-53 ... players that compliment and fill roles.
The Rams used their top-pick last year on an athletic/versatile TE that McVay continues to speak highly of. Parkinson was terrific over the second-half. Allen is a decent 3rd-TE who they seem to like as a blocker.
Realize the Rams played a ton of three-TEs. As much as 50% in some games at the end of the season but adding Sadiq would be akin to using #13 on a top-Edge. That player, along with Verse and Young would have fewer snaps; and Stewart would have almost none. Johnson might not even be game-day-active.
It's over-kill at already strong positions (IMO), when there are Areas of Need ... Cornerback and Wide Receiver (a viable starting option for the aging Adams and the reckless (good thing) Nacua ... if just one of those WRs goes down, the entire Offense (the Strength of the Team) is negatively impacted).
I am a big proponent of taking the Best-Player with the highest of picks ... Top-5, 10 or 15 but McVay always talks about the importance of putting together the Best-53 ... players that compliment and fill roles.
The 2026 NFL Draft isn't just for the 2026 NFL Season.
And passing on potential upgrades attempting to fill needs with rookies for the 2026 season is a recipe for disaster on draft day, IMO.
Besides Parkinson and Davis are free agents the following season.
BTW, if a top EDGE player is available at #13, the Rams should jump all over it. Not only is Young (and Johnson) set to become a free agent the following season, but keeping quality guys coming in waves is ideal for defenses.
I agree more than I disagree ... that's why I made the point about Best Player Available with high picks ... but the Rams are Right There ... Right Now; and addressing their primary Needs could be the difference between being really close to another Lombardi and getting one.
Maybe the Rams address their Needs via free agency ... but ... the Short-Term Impact ... that is, 2026 ...
is Very Relevant for the Rams this off-season, in my opinion.
Now, if the Rams have decided to move-on from specific players after 2026 (for example Young & Parkinson) then the 2026 draft selections are also very relevant for this off-season.
I don't wanna see that kinda exploding at the combine!
Great year to need a corner. Lucky for us. Bpa at 13 I think.
I see what you are saying. But a being really close to another Lombardi and getting one mindset makes me lean heavily towards trading the pick for a veteran. Not banking on any rookie in this draft class.
Agree. Have been looking for trade matches *for CB or WR) but not sure I see one.
At cornerback, I could see the Chiefs moving McDuffie. Just not sure if he is better in the slot, where I would prefer the Rams add an outside-CB.
For me, unless I see a ton of a team / player, it's difficult for me to judge specific positions ... including CB.
I'm no mathematician but...
Let's say we play 13 personnel 50% of the time like we were trending last year and 11 personnel the other 50%. Obviously there would be some 12 personnel sprinkled in but I'm going to try and make this simple.
The average game has a little more than 60 snaps on offense. That means 30 snaps in 13 personnel and 30 snaps in 11 personnel. So 120 snaps total for your TEs.
In theory with the hypothetical 4 TEs we would have, that would mean you could play your star TE Sadiq 45 snaps (75%), Ferguson and Parkinson 30 snaps each (50%), and Davis Allen 15 snaps leftover (25%). If it pans out like that, Sadiq would be well worth the first round investment and Ferguson and Parkinson would still be worth the 2nd round and FA cash investments we've made in those guys, respectively. And of course this is assuming no injuries and we're likely late into year 1 or in year 2 of the Sadiq experiment and he's proven himself capable of handling that much PT.
After crunching those numbers I looked at last year's TE snaps and you had Colby with 54% of the snaps, Davis Allen with 51% of the snaps, an injured Higbee with 32%, and Ferguson with 31%. And that's after playing 13 personnel 30% of the time last year.
Essentially, what you're doing is making your offense larger, faster, and more multiple with guys who are listed as TEs but can ultimately line up all over the field, in line, out wide, fullback, etc. It's certainly unique but innovation is what McVay has become known for during his time with the Rams.
In theory, it could make sense. At least more than the proposed analogy of spending the pick on a no.4 Edge whose snaps were basically negligible behind Verse, Young, and Stewart last year.
Cade coming in taller than expected with Ty losing an inch.
Before the season I thought Cade was an ideal McVay QB. Not sure what happened this year.