Bill Callahan vs. Aaron Kromer discussion

[Soul Surfer]

So resign Big Whit, and have noteboom take a ton of LT snaps in season. red shirt him this coming? Noteboom job is to focus on LT only this off season...
Maybe Noteboom slides in mid season if Big Whit "declines" which I hate to say it but father time is undefeated sadly

I think there's little chance they would sign anybody for the kind of money they are going to have to pay Whitworth for part of the season.

Whitworth is a goner in my opinion.
Evans, Edwards or Noteboom will be the left tackle depending on Notebooms recovery, (and possibly abilities).
I know this is a risk but financially I think this is how they're going to go.

 

[jrry32]

All indications point to Kromer staying. I agree with that move. One need only look at how much Bobby Evans improved last year to see his worth.

 

[fearsomefour]

How do we fix the OL moving forward? I would look to focus 90% of our resources on fixing this unit

1st round – no pick Jack Ramsey
2nd round – pick 20 (52nd overall)
3rd round – pick 20 (84th overall)
4th round – pick 20 (126th overall)
4th round – projected comp pick (139th overall)
5th round – no pick
6th round – pick 20 (200th overall)
7th round -pick 20 (216th overall)

I would invest one of our top two picks on OL. The other is going DL.
I think the majority of next years line is already on the roster.

 

[PressureD41]

All indications point to Kromer staying. I agree with that move. One need only look at how much Bobby Evans improved last year to see his worth.

What is your thoughts on our LT spot

 

[Mikey Ram]

Don't think it's happening. Kromer would have been out already.

Agreed..I think if other coaches we're being let go, it probably would have happened by now...

 

[BonifayRam]

Reference @PressureD41 question.....I would retain Kromer as the OL coach only & remove him from his responsibilities as Run Game Coordinator. Andy Dickerson will be his assistant OL coach. If Kromer is not happy then I would consider terminating Kromer & hiring Bill Callahan as the OL coach.

Leave these guys in the same position they were when we last saw them, (less Whitworth)
Since every player on the offensive line except Whitworth finished the season in a different place than they started it, we need some consistency.
Consistency is the most underrated component of an offensive line because they play as a unit.
Remember the years when every player started at his original position?
We were ranked number 2 in the NFL and had great success.
Only questions are tackles;
Evans or Havenstein at right tackle.
Noteboom or Evans at left tackle.

Re-sign Blythe at Center.
Corbett at Left Guard.
Edwards at Right Guard.

You & I have the same thought here. Let's build on what we have. Snead/McVay really does not have many options here in the salary cap or Rams draft selections.

LG post had four OL'ers working there in 2019. I am sure that Kromer/Snead went out & hunted down the upcoming season & longer starting left OG when they traded for him. Austin Corbett without any OTA/ Training Camp & preseason as a Ram came in & gave our team the best continuous play in 2019. Why would AC not improve much more with a full off season knowing he is the starting LG & having full 2020 OTA/ Training Camp & preseason?

RT post had 3 OL'ers working it over in 2019. This is Rob Havenstein's post & has been since 2015 rookie season. RH is coming off his worse playing performance in his career. He was also injured longer than we may know too. RH is just now beginning to reach his peak playing years he is only 27 & entering his 6th NFL season. RH only finished 8 gms as the starter in 2019 so there is some questions here but not enough to not have him as our starter. RH has started 73 Ram games & our most experienced OL'er.

Stopping @ this point leaves Rams 3 OL posts that are not settled. Its does not mean that Kromer is in trouble in these 3 posts either.

RG post would be the 3rd settled Ram OL post if it were not for the LT vacancy. David Edwards was possibly the Rams better starting OL'ers in 2019 he was a 5th rd rookie. DE played all OL positions except OC in preseason. This 22 yr old college LT was an obvious steal of the 2019 draft. DE opened the regular season as Kromer's swing OT #7 Ol behind Jamil Demby who was the swing OG & #6 OL'er. DE dressed for all the Rams 2019 games. He started 10 gms & finished another. If the LT post has been filled by another Ram OL'er by the end of preseason DE will start @ RG once again & leaving only 2 OL posts of concern.

If David Edwards was tapped to retake his college familiar starting post @ LT until Joe Noteboom is fully ready then Snead has Kromer many RG prospects standing in line for the opportunity. My choice would be Chandler Brewer who started 4 college seasons mostly @ RG & half dozen @ OT, while fighting cancer. CB played in the last 7 gms of the season. He was LT Andrew Whitworth's back up during this time. CB might even end up in the camp battle for the starting LT post. Other signed reserve OG's are Jamil Demby, Coleman Shelton & Jeremiah Kolone.

To summarize here in my "State of the Union of the Rams OL"....OL has issues @ two OL posts. LT & OC... we all knew this. Rams have a good starting LT candidate entering his 3rd season in 2020 Joseph Noteboom. Several details might need to be mentioned.....JN has never started @ LT for a regular season gm. JN had a major knee injury & reconstruction late October 2019 & will NOT be ready to play until most likely after the bye. I know that bad however Snead drafted in 2019 another college LT Bobby Evans who started 40 gms for several championship teams @ Oklahoma.

Bobby Evans (BE) played in all 4 preseason gms @ 4 OL posts. BE was very slow to adjust to the NFL. BE dressed for 9 regular season gms & started 7 gms @ RT & finished another @ RT for Havenstein. Many members here think that BE played much better @ RT than Havenstein. Its most likely that Kromer will have BE heavily involved in competition for starting LT post. So Kromer could have 3 young 2nd season OL'ers Edwards/Evans & Brewer all involved in a 3 way battle to start @ LT post until Noteboom is ready.

The last OL post causing concern is center. Brian Allen (BA)was anointed with this starting post without even having an NFL start under his belt. Not even a 2019 preseason start either. Things went bad to worse for BA then the injury & IR to rescue Kromer from his poor judgment. Austin Blythe took over & outplayed BA. BA will return in 2020. Snead most likely will have two other 2nd season centers for competition Coleman Shelton & Nate Trewyn. I should mention Jeremiah Kolone has experience @ center too along with Austin Corbett.

In Free Agency I would give two experienced non Ram UFA centers a call...9ers current starting center Ben Garland & Viking's former starter & IR'd Brett Jones. When the Buffalo Bills cut LG/OC veteran Spencer Long due to salary cap relief & constant injury issues Snead should bring him in for a physical as a veteran interior back up.

 

[So Ram]

All indications point to Kromer staying. I agree with that move. One need only look at how much Bobby Evans improved last year to see his worth.

add Corbett & Edwards to the mix as well. Edwards got better at getting away with holding. — I wouldn’t be surprised if The Rams resign Austin Blythe & Whitworth for all the haters.

 

[HitStick]

Do you guys think that our O-Line issues have to do with slowed development at a particular position due to Kromer making young guys learn multiple positions? Last year he had Whit, Saffold, Sullivan, and Hav who were already set in those positions and weren’t going to play anything else. Fast forward to this year and Saffold is gone, Hav is hurt, Sullivan is retired, and you have 4 new people who haven’t got as many reps at their positions that they should have, which would explain why they improved toward the end (and they began to gel as a unit)

 

[jrry32]

What is your thoughts on our LT spot

Re-sign Whitworth and prepare Noteboom to take over in 2021. If he shows he's ready in 2020, explore moving Whitworth to LG.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I would invest one of our top two picks on OL. The other is going DL.
I think the majority of next years line is already on the roster.

I hope that pick is a C.
I dont see an adequate C on our roster.

 

[fearsomefour]

I hope that pick is a C.
I dont see an adequate C on our roster.

I agree.
Kind of a stretch that a rookie is going to kick ass day one.
But, who knows.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I agree.
Kind of a stretch that a rookie is going to kick ass day one.
But, who knows.

My true hope is for a solid veteran C. We're already going to be very young @ both guard positions.
It wont surprise me if they address it through the draft again, though. Which I'd be OK with.

We really need a good offseason,if we want to claim our spot back on top of the NFC W

 

[Rams43]

This is a terrific thread. Lots of ideas and possibilities suggested and that just illustrates how fluid things are on our ‘20 OL. And the ‘20 OL is our biggest issue and Job One this offseason.

Well, here’s my 2 cents which is being offered before trades, FA, and the draft.

Kromer stays, but with OL responsibilities only.

LOT must be solid for our O to have any chance of big success, but I don’t see cap room for an aging and declining Whit. Don’t see a LOT drafted at #52, either. That pick will go elsewhere. Perhaps a stud C falls, otherwise it will likely be BPA among DT, DE, or Edge. I agree with others that see some combo of Edwards or Evans at LOT until Boom is healthy. I believe that Boom will be healthy sooner rather than later. Edwards or Evans will have to hold down his place until then.

LG will probably be Corbett, unless he really impresses at C.

I see a stud C drafted with our #52 if one falls. It will solidify that important position for years. I hope they don’t ‘settle’ for Blythe and Allen has yet to win me over. If the draft doesn’t provide that stud C then I see Snead working on a trade or outside FA scenario. Bottom line is that C must be fixed and I don’t think that our ‘20 starter is already on the roster unless it’s Corbett. And even that would create a hole at LG.

Edwards looks like our long term RG (could be a LG, though). But if he’s pressed into duty at LOT then Kromer’s gotta scramble here. Might be somebody already on the roster, another outside FA, or another trade or draft pick. I dunno.

I could see a healthy Hav claiming that starting RT spot. That might be the best scenario for the Rams freeing up Evans for competition at early LOT, either available OG position, or just as a terrific swing player off the bench. Then again, Evans might just beat out Hav at RT straight up.

Bottom line is that Kromer has options even with a departing Whit and a rehabbing Boom. If they can bolster that C position, then I can see a possible above average OL for ‘20. A young and inexpensive one that could become even better that merely ‘above average’, frankly. But I don’t think either Blythe or Allen are good enough. Not good enough to get us back to SB worthy status.

 

[PressureD41]

Ya, hopefully we can get a rehab update on 'Boom, though I assume that's not happening until May-ish. Though I agree we need to draft a stud center. And add a vet starting worthy OG to battle it out and maker our interior OL formable while we patch together the LT spot this season. I bet snead is like a girlfriend in the background always checking in on 'Boom LOL

 

[96GS#007]

General observation....
Coaching ain't shit without the right talent
Talent ain't shit without the right coaching

Kromer has had past success. Ergo....get him the right talent.

 

[OldSchool]

My true hope is for a solid veteran C. We're already going to be very young @ both guard positions.
It wont surprise me if they address it through the draft again, though. Which I'd be OK with.

We really need a good offseason,if we want to claim our spot back on top of the NFC W

Curious but which vet center do you think is the answer to our Center and OLine issues?

 

[Dodgersrf]

Curious but which vet center do you think is the answer to our Center and OLine issues?

Honestly?
No idea.

 

[Malibu]

We must trade for either Glenn or Trent Williams to replace Whit both are major upgrades due specifically due to age. Use a sign and trade with Fowler.

Must get #1 priority Scherff he solves alot of problems he is a better Saffold on the right side.

Draft the best C or again find one FA there are a bunch. We cannot ignore the line this off-season.

The line is the biggest priority.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

I'm interested in Noteboom's recovery.

At the end of August next year he'll be 10 months removed from surgery. There have been guys come back from ACL's in about that time frame.

However, with Noteboom he tore more than one ligament. In my personal case I tore my ACL, LCL, PCL, and a hamstring biceps tendon - significant damage. I had to have two separate surgeries for my injury. They repaired everything and then 6 months later I went back and they did the ACL.

Does anyone know if Noteboom needed any more extensive surgery than just the one time?