Barksdale Negotiations have Begun

[Ramrocket]

If we do resign big Joe, it is imperative that we move Saffold to RG. I don't want a rookie guard in there that may require the RT to provide cover for the inevitable protection breakdowns that come with 1st year players. Of course if we sign Blalock, Saffold will in all likelihood move anyway.

 

[Mikey Ram]

Within reason. Give him as much as you can comfortably give him. Call me crazy, but I would feel better getting Wisniewski or Blalock and drafting a Scherff or Collins than paying Barksdale a lot of money and having to possibly play two rookies on the inside.

Barksdale is good, don't get me wrong, but if Boudreau can get serviceable play out of a washed up Barksdale who was waived by the freaking Raiders, imagine what he could do with a legit right tackle that he gets to develop from day one.

He may not be the Orlando Pace of the RTs, but I certainly would not call him washed up...Nobody (that I know of) has said get him back with big bucks, just get him back if possible...Rams have indicated they aren't going to pay him huge dollars...How many folks here would want to play 3 guys with no experience on the the line ??? Barksdale is serviceable and has some cohesion built up with Robinson and Saffold..(I happen to think that's really important on the Oline)..Certainly we can have differing opinions, that's what makes it fun...

 

[GabesHorn]

I believe the Rams have been steady on the phone with quite a few agents . No visits are even needed. I think Houston of the chiefs got 3 sacks on Barksdale as another poster mentioned anothe DE that ate Barksdale's lunch this year. How much do we weigh in the fact that our ORG was just junk in Joseph from the Bucs on his one year deal. Plus Wells had his final injury filled meltdown year.Joseph was the second to last worst ranked Guards according to PFF. If not close and Wells was not much better at center.

Hope Fisher and his vet love on the O-Line got a real awakening as another repeat year with our new QB will make sure Silent Stan does'nt give his 5th year and maybe a chance to return to L.A. This is now Fishers job (ON THE LINE) perverbally as it should be. The offensive line free agents don't seem to be in any major hurry but I think once we see signings again they will come fast as the well dries up folks will be getting more than they deserve contracts.

I can see Scherff/Collins as our first round and A.J. Cann (South Carolina),L. Tomlinson (Duke), or Tre' Jackson (who I really like) FSU guard that helped Erving at center as both FSU guards from this past season should have NFL careers. Plus Jake Fisher OT Oregon if we get Scherff in the first round . Collins would play guard for us to start and have the versatility Fisher loves to move around. At the most trying to go with 2 rookies on the offensive line can only be done with the right combination at OT & Guard .

Dismukes weighs 297 and is too small and a zone blocker even if he played at Sneads beloved Auburn. Finney (Kansas State) and Gallik (Boston College) are 315/306 relatively at center as centers that would fit our run game and are power blockers with the most size Garcia from Florida scares me as he had a rough last season. I mention these centers for our 3RD round when we could be going Petty at QB or a few MLB's will be sitting there like the 9ers MLB from Wisconsin that had 128 season and team leading tackles was sitting last season.

Taiwon Jones could be had in the 5th probably at MLB help.JL must be replaced ASAP. Back to topic and I am afraid the Rams are offering the right money but not the right length of time contract to Barksdale. I feel they'd like a 2 year deal as all Free agent deals done this year were prove it deals we can get out of with all of them. Go back and take a look at what Demoff did with most being incentive laden contracts with decent base salaries and Guaranteed money. Now Barksdale first and I think we do TRY to overpay Wisneiwski and try to improve his run blocking. We can't have 3 starting rookies and Barrett Jones is still the invisible man with just a few snaps in the KC game and the other centers mentioned available I think are too old and injured in the Wells mold as Wells was MUCH higher rated when overpaid for by Fisher himself.

I'm sure we have been on the phone working very hard to get these two to the table. Having a BPA option is going up in smoke with our current dilema. I'm seeing a trade back if even possible and probably not likely as most for some reason think Cooper will still be around. I think he is gone,gone,gone and traded up for before he reaches 10. We NEED Wis gang . We have the money . Yes the RAMS are desperate right now looking to protect Foles as his play went backwards when the eagles line got beat up last season. The unexpected HOPE I was feeling after the Bradford trade has turned sour till we get these next two signings done . Plus then we need the perfect draft and no freak injuries and our picks to play pretty elite and not as slow as G.Rob developed last season. Need OG/OT and C in the draft with only 7 players signed as I post and 3 of those should'nt be on our season squad except practice squad. Desperate is the only word.

 

[RamBall]

Yep thats they way I see it too. If we don't get him resigned I see no other option out there in FA that I would be comfortable with playing RT. That only leaves one way to fill the hole and thats with the #10 pick or a trade down in the first round then selecting a tackle. And that will suck! Not that I dont want to fix the oline but if cooper or white falls to us at 10 I want to be able to make that pick and go BPA as opposed to having to take the lesser player for need. Barksdale should be priority #1 right now.

Remember Saffold can play RT if Barks doesnt resign with the Rams. I would prefer he play OG, but he is capable of playing any of the 4 non center positions and he had his shoulder worked on this off season so he should be at the best health wise we have seen since he became a Ram. Saffold gives the Rams some flexability as far as FA and draft.

 

[kmramsfan]

Shouldn't he be on his honeymoon right now?

Hell no !!!! Time to git back to work.

 

[blue4]

Shouldn't he be on his honeymoon right now?

This is the exact honeymoon his wife could have hoped for. And I say that knowing full well my wife and most other women would agree.

 

[Stranger]

YES !!!

 

[Corbin]

Barksdale's should not exceed 4.1-5 million a year. Doug Free ( RT for Dallas signed a 3 year 15 million contract ) I'd expect that to be the barometer for the Barksdale signing as well. My question that I can't get over myself is should it just be 3 years? 5 years? Or more like a two year to give us time to find a replacement but not be tied up long term?

 

[Dodgersrf]

He may not be the Orlando Pace of the RTs, but I certainly would not call him washed up...Nobody (that I know of) has said get him back with big bucks, just get him back if possible...Rams have indicated they aren't going to pay him huge dollars...How many folks here would want to play 3 guys with no experience on the the line ??? Barksdale is serviceable and has some cohesion built up with Robinson and Saffold..(I happen to think that's really important on the Oline)..Certainly we can have differing opinions, that's what makes it fun...

He's only 26.
He's not washed up. He's just entering his prime.
He was still a bit raw when he arrived.
There's the possibility that he may even get better.

 

[LACHAMP46]

The very same Raiders you just trashed didn't want Wiz when they very well could afford him. What does that say about him according to your logic?

Says they both have major flaws/limitations...And it shows in the NFC West....

How many folks here would want to play 3 guys with no experience on the the line ???

After watching Wells for 3 years, and Joseph....How can a rookie, that's highly rated, be any worse? Just keep them in there spots all camp & preseason and let Coach Boo work his magic...3 studs...

 

[lockdnram21]

Im with the camp that hopex Titans sign him we could do better. My top target is Wiz

 

[den-the-coach]

My top target is Wiz

 

[Jorgeh0605]

Barksdale's should not exceed 4.1-5 million a year. Doug Free ( RT for Dallas signed a 3 year 15 million contract ) I'd expect that to be the barometer for the Barksdale signing as well. My question that I can't get over myself is should it just be 3 years? 5 years? Or more like a two year to give us time to find a replacement but not be tied up long term?

I agree with you on the price. I've seen a lot of people talking about keeping Barksdale or signing Wiz, but not many provide the price tag they expect for these guys. 4 million is about what I expect from Barks.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Barksdale is legit. People that don't buy it, I don't get why. He was solid with Saffold next to him most of 2013, then he started of great with Saffold beside him in 2014. His play only fell when he was by Joseph. Not a moment earlier, The O-line is a singular unit, probably the group that has to be gelled the best out of any group on an NFL team. Even just one man being off can turn a stellar group into crap.

Cook and Barksdale catch too much shit up in here.

Happy St Patty's Day everyone

 

[Gandalf]

Shouldn't he be on his honeymoon right now?

He should be on his honeymoon...but his agent should be working overtime. All big Joe has to do is say, YES! YES! YES! when the Rams come calling.

 

[PressureD41]

saffold is a RG i thought

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

saffold is a RG i thought

He is best at ORG. He is capable of playing every position but center.

If the Rams get a guy like Lael Collins, Scherf, Cann, Tomlinson, and even Marpet, they would have Instant NFL starting options at Rt and RG. Getting a Center to start is the tough part because, while there is good center depth there is no slam dunk picks at that position, except for Erving. Of Scherf, Collins and Erving the Rams probably can only get one.

So, sign Barksdale and trade back and take Erving to pla center or sign Wisneiwski and trade back a little and draft Collins to play ORT(or Clemmings, Peat, Fisher)......then get Cann or Tomlinson, or Marpet in rounds 2-4

That could put two rookies on the Oline that look like they should plug right in to start.

 

[Corbin]

I agree with you on the price. I've seen a lot of people talking about keeping Barksdale or signing Wiz, but not many provide the price tag they expect for these guys. 4 million is about what I expect from Barks.

And years?

 

[RAGRam]

Barksdale is legit. People that don't buy it, I don't get why. He was solid with Saffold next to him most of 2013, then he started of great with Saffold beside him in 2014. His play only fell when he was by Joseph. Not a moment earlier, The O-line is a singular unit, probably the group that has to be gelled the best out of any group on an NFL team. Even just one man being off can turn a stellar group into crap.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the line start off as Long / Saffold / Wells / Joseph / Barksdale, then remain that way until Robinson got his first start in the San Francisco MNF game, at which point Saffold moved to RG, then in the third game with Saffold at RG (Kansas City) Long got injured, so Joseph came back in as RG.

So all in all he played next to Saffold for 2.5 games.

 

[shaunpinney]

We need to resign Barks. I know he struggled a bit last year, but he has also had stretches of really good football. He is still young. He is my top target.

He wasn't the only one that struggled last year :/