Centre and Guard??

[Merlin]

Agree. - with Allen he references the knowledge he got playing behind Sullivan.
He says the experience is priceless & he wants to be great. —I’ll take a solid center for the next 5 years.

Yeah I'm with you guys on believing Allen is gonna get 'er done. Also I think the underlying storyline on BOTH sides of the ball this offseason is improvement for and vs the RUN.

Playoffs have taught our young juggernaut HC that the run game is a prime consideration and nearly every move they have made has been to seek improvement (only one that doesn't meet that criteria is Saff who was a business decision). They let Sully go for his lack of physicality. In comes the young kid with a wrestling background that will improve year to year. In comes more young fits, guys who move well, for OL depth and the pipeline.

Same deal with the defense. Rapp was a run defense improvement selection and they will try to develop his other parts of his game. NT they went out and got a prototype low to the ground heavy plug to stuff things up. Those were probably the two key selections in the entire draft.

You win during the regular season with a big passing game. But in the playoffs that run game balance and ability to stuff it are paramount. Clearly the Rams are gearing up to do those things and I suspect they will also be a camp and practice priority.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Who does Rapp start over in 2020 ??

It would be over Eric Weddle as while he received a two year contract, it's effectively really only one because of his low dead money hit against the team should he become a CAP Casualty. Weddle will be 35 years old this time next year, if he slows a step & our team needs CAP relief, he's an easy out. Rapp is likely to prove his value very quickly. jmo.

 

[fanotodd]

I'm another one who went into this off-season wondering how the Rams would fill the shoes of Saffold and Sullivan. I don't remember ever once hearing of a plan to move Noteboom to LG or him getting any reps at the position; and AFA Allen goes, late rounders can take a while to develop. Is he ready?

Certainly, I have developed a trust in the new regime, but I would've felt more comfortable if the Rams had drafted either a day 1 starting guard or center. That being said, who knows what was seen last year in the practices.

In any case, they went after both tackles and interior OL in the draft and the UDFAs. So I guess it comes down to talent evaluation and development-- not OUR opinions. They covered it

I am however, much more confident in what is being built for NEXT season when there will be still another major shift on the OL.

 

[So Ram]

It would be over Eric Weddle as while he received a two year contract, it's effectively really only one because of his low dead money hit against the team should he become a CAP Casualty. Weddle will be 35 years old this time next year, if he slows a step & our team needs CAP relief, he's an easy out. Rapp is likely to prove his value very quickly. jmo.

Well Rapp is listed a SS , just like JJ.
Weddle is a FS

 

[Akrasian]

Well Rapp is listed a SS , just like JJ.
Weddle is a FS

JJ played FS in college, he was moved because the Rams had a free safety. I suspect he can handle it in the Rams' system.

 

[So Ram]

JJ played FS in college, he was moved because the Rams had a free safety. I suspect he can handle it in the Rams' system.

You’ll see what a difference maker Eric Weddle is & how much he compliments the defense. I think he has a chance to be a HOF player when his career is over with.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

— Brockers is AWESOME !! Really Ram fans know this !! What a cool in house veteran & the first pick of Les Snead’s Legacy as a Rams GM !! Class Act & Team Leader !!
He just went up against the new DL Coach Henderson at practice & they got physical!!
The D”Lineman were like shocked.
All The Time Aaron Donald is missing from All these practices, it’s Michael Brockers who is holding down the Fort !!

I don’t get your point about the SuperBowl??
Yes Blythe was a weak link & Sullivan’s gone.
If Allen stepped in at Center I don’t think you see that drop off, but actually maybe an improvement. That holding call sucked & really changed the game. I believe Gurley would have went off & The Rams put up 17 points.

A weakness has been revealed. It needs to be fixed or backed up. Maybe Allen can hold down center but despite playing well Blythe got abused. So if opponents try the same tactics as the Patriots did and will Blythe can't overcome them, then the Rams need another option at RG. So, I hope someone is prepared early enough to step in if need be.

 

[So Ram]

A weakness has been revealed. It needs to be fixed or backed up. Maybe Allen can hold down center but despite playing well Blythe got abused. So if opponents try the same tactics as the Patriots did and will Blythe can't overcome them, then the Rams need another option at RG. So, I hope someone is prepared early enough to step in if need be.

Hope so 2 . Saffold hurt the depth by signing somewhere else.I like Evens though as a Offensive Lineman.

IMO early is he can play LG. He has a style of blocking I like. He knows where he wants to go & gets there. He pulls extremely well & keeps his hands in.
He also is good at not being predictable. He gets to his spot & ceils the defender. It’s cool & odd at the same time.
Way to early to tell.Right now Blythe is not a bad start until things get figured out.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Anyone thinking Allen, a rookie, is going to replace Sullivan at an equal level, is going to be disappointed. Center is not just physicly demanding, there's a lot of thinking that only experience can give you. Signing a vet would be wise. Groy and Wisenewski are still unsinged. Would be great insurance and Rams wouldn't have to move Blythe, whos just adequate at C.

 

[So Ram]

Anyone thinking Allen, a rookie, is going to replace Sullivan at an equal level, is going to be disappointed. Center is not just physicly demanding, there's a lot of thinking that only experience can give you. Signing a vet would be wise. Groy and Wisenewski are still unsinged. Would be great insurance and Rams wouldn't have to move Blythe, whos just adequate at C.

Think your totally wrong & ain’t going to happen !! This is a totally new Rams organization !!

Allen is ready to take charge!! Who the HECK is Groy ??? Wisenewski has always been a average Center , but did want The Rams to sign him back in the day !!

Allen has Bulked Up & Really learned last season under Sullivan & Coaching staff.

Blythe is a better player than Groy, but just not as big, so there is your point with Austin Blythe as a backup Center ?? Who is Groy ?? Show me his stats ??

BTW — is Kromer likes him that much he would have already been on the team. Like he is The Rams Saving Grace !! LMAO !!

 

[bubbaramfan]

Sorry SoRam, but Sullivan has forgotten more that Allen has ever learned about playing C in the NFL. No way Allen will read defenses and call line play like Sully. I agree Allen is ready to be thrown into the fire but it will be with growing pains, both for Allen AND the Rams. I'd like to see a vet backup able to play G and C if Allen starts to get manhandled.

 

[Rams43]

While I also see Allen experiencing growing pains, as most rookies do, I also predict that he will do a fine job in ‘20.

I predict that he will be a fast learner, too, rarely making the same mistake twice.

Finally, it was clearly time to replace Sully. So, Kromer had little choice but to give Allen his shot. I don’t see that the Rams had any other option aside from maybe signing another expensive FA? Not something I would prefer.

 

[OldSchool]

Sorry SoRam, but Sullivan has forgotten more that Allen has ever learned about playing C in the NFL. No way Allen will read defenses and call line play like Sully. I agree Allen is ready to be thrown into the fire but it will be with growing pains, both for Allen AND the Rams. I'd like to see a vet backup able to play G and C if Allen starts to get manhandled.

Sullivan’s play has dropped off a lot. He may know a lot about Center play, which was passed onto Allen, but he showed us last year he didn’t have the physical ability to execute that. Allen may be young but that doesn’t mean he can’t play that take just doesn’t rant make sense sorry brother. As always trust in McVay and Kromer, they aren’t going to kick Sullivan to the curb if they didn’t have faith in Allen, they saw him all last year and coached him up for this shot.

 

[1maGoh]

Jamil Demby was a very raw talent from a smaller school last year. PLayed LT not much else. Kromer tired to work JD in four posts in TC. In preseason we saw JD line up & play in 3 posts. His best gameplay came @ LT IMO. JD's RT work was not good nor was his RG snaps. HIs best post in the NFL should be @ Left OG where Saffold played. It will be exciting for me to view his progression from last season to now.

JD best chance to start with the Rams is to beat out starting RG Austin Blythe. JD will find it hard to beat out Joe Noteboom @ starting LG. I would hope that JD can get much better & win a starting post. If Kromer two best starting OG's in TC & preseason were Demby & Noteboom then things would fall in place for the future. JD is under a low-cost contract & should be here until 2022 when he will be a UFA. That gives us 3 seasons of his services.

Austin Blythe's contract with the Rams ends when this season is over. The NASTYuke: SB memory is still burnt into my mind. He was destroyed by the very average interior Pats DL. He was just too light & was tossed around with very little effort. Blythe also needs to work on keeping his mouth shut. His confidentiality skills are. AB earlier ran his mouth in a playoff press conference on how the Dallas DL gave tips as to what they were doing.....then some real dummy called Bill & his Pats turned it around & did the same to the Rams Offense. Thanks, Austin:sadwalk:

Austin Blythe would be an outstanding Active Game Day Reserve [AGDR] in 2019. He has started in the NFL @ RT/ RG/ LG & center. AB would give Kromer something too It would make the 6th Ram OL position stronger. The 2nd [AGDR] would need to be the best LT reserve so Noteboom would not need to be moved out of his starting OG post. Who that will be ?? Evans/ Edwards or Kaskey?

This may be interesting for us ...Kromer brought back last years TC/Preseason OG Jeremiah Kolone. He was released @ the end of the preseason but went on to play for Mike Martz pass happy offense SD Fleet. Kolone was thrown into the starting center post this season.

Kolone, as it would turn out, was a fantastic pass blocker & led the country with a pass-blocking efficiency of 99.7 while only allowing one pressure in 244 attempts. He was well-known for his pass-blocking abilities and relies on technique rather than power against pass rushers & played on the left side to protect the blind side in college. He was listed as an OT but never played OT in college. Kromer thought he was an OG. Now after the season with the Fleet, Kolone has demonstrated his ability to play all three interior positions is very appealing and is especially attractive to Kromer who is looking for some experience for back up center position.

Was Blythe also the one that gave up the secret to all of Littleton's blocked punts?

 

[RamsSince1969]

Neary was arrested for DUI, and I mean bouncing off cars like a pinball. I'm kinda surprised he is still on the team. Must have made amends.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Neary will soon be joining his OL buddy ,D Williams, in the unemployment line.

 

[BonifayRam]

Neary will soon be joining his OL buddy ,D Williams, in the unemployment line.

Neary is working for Peanuts shells off the bar room floor @ only $570 K. Here's an in-depth look @ Aaron Neary who looks like he should have started on the Viking Saga.

Things don't look so good at the moment for this bottom master roster cellar dweller. Aaron Neary has sighed about a dozen contracts thus far in his NFL career. Neary is very well traveled for being so young with signing first with Denver then Philadephia then the Rams then Cleveland & then back with LA.

Neary is a North Western-bred lad who grew up in the state of Washington played all his HS & College there too. Playing the West coast should feel right for him. Since he was a UDFA 2016 draft he has had a rough road to hold down. He was a team captain playing Left OG for 46 games mostly. His 6-4 300-pound frame had him moving down to the center in the NFL. When he came into the NFL he was lacking core power and body control. High cut with bad weight around his midsection. Most teams felt Neary would not be able to carry enough "good weight" for the position.

But Neary does have some very good classic outside running zone scheme skills ..Easy movement skills in the lateral game and with short pulls. Runs feet into another gear to pin defender when he smells a positional advantage. Plays with desired hand strength to latch onto defenders and ride out the rep. Able to bring some force behind his punch. Good arm length for his size. All Neary needed to do to keep working is work on his core power/ loose his spare tire & keep his body properly controlled when the action starts.

His early NFL experience comes in the form of his Rookie 2016 season with Denver where he had a full OTA's/ Mini Camps/ Training Camp/ Preseason & then was released as the regular season began. Eagles pick him up fast & he was signed to the Practice Squad for the entire 2016 regular season.

Neary's 2nd season 2017 he was signed back by Philadelphia & participated in the early seasons Mini Camps TC & all of the preseason once again cut before the regular season began. Rams picked him up & he remained on the practice squad for the most of the season until late when he was activated & started @ center for the Rams.

Neary's third NFL season 2018 stayed with the Rams. OTA's Mini's Training Camp & signed to the Rams Practice Squad for almost all of the 2018 season, He did run over some trash cans late one night.

Now Neary is entering his 4th NFL off season of 2019. By now we know that Kromer does like Neary as a reserve interior OL'er. Last preseason Neary saw most his action @ LG & OC but did see some RG snaps. Last season Kromer has his well season veteran Sullivan returning with a new high-end contract. He also had ex-Colts & now Rams back center Austin Blythe, in addition, Snead drafted what many felt was the future starting center Brian Allen. Neary was fighting for a job of his life trying to get snaps @ OG with other Ram OL'ers like starting OG Jamon Brown, drafted Jamil Demby. Jerimiah Kolone & JJ Dielman. So Neary was just about in earthworm territory high.

Most everyone wrote off Neary with all he went through in 2018. Then Starting OG Brown was cut along with JJ Dielman, Kolone & even Jamil Demby. Blythe was moved to the starter. Noteboom earned main top swing OT/ OG with OC being Allen. But Neary remained all season as a Ram OL.

Kromer now has lined up another great youthful cadre of OL'ers to compete in training Camp & preseason for the 8 or 9 active spots & 2 Practice Squad spot positions.

Here Kromers seven brand spanking new still in the original packaging Rookies:
RG/RT David Edwards 5th round pick
LT/RT Swing OG Bobby Evans 3rd rd pick
RT/RG Chandler Brewer, Middle Tennessee
LT/RT Matt Kaskey, Dartmouth
RT/RG Justice Powers, UAB
LT/LG/OC Brandon Hitner, Villanova
C Vitas Hrynkiewicz, Youngstown State

Here are Kromer's next two OL'ers that has 1 full year of OTA's/TC Preseason under their belt no starts & never dressed on game day. Jeremiah Kolone did start all season @ center for Make Martz for the Fleet. Kolone has an excellent season @ center for the first time.
Swing OG Jamil Demby
LG/OC Jeremiah Kolone

The only other nonstarter is OL/RG/OC entering his 4th season Aaron Neary who does seem to have some experience over the other NINE does he not? Wonder what that's worth here in this discussion?

 

[BonifayRam]

https://www.therams.com/news/meet-d...know-about-the-rookie-offensive-lineman-out-o
Meet David Edwards: Three things to know about the rookie offensive lineman out of Wisconsin
Clarence Dennis
The Rams used their only fifth-round selection on OL David Edwards out of the University of Wisconsin. Edwards will join the Rams’ third-round pick, offensive lineman Bobby Evans, as a candidate to be cross-trained to play multiple positions on the offensive line in L.A. He’s coming off 10 starts in 10 games as a redshirt junior battling a shoulder injury, a performance that was good for Big Ten honors.

Here are three things to know about Edwards:

1. FORMER SIGNAL-CALLER
Edwards arrived on campus in Wisconsin as a tight end, after three seasons as a dual-threat quarterback at Downers Grove North High School in Illinois, where he also was a four-year letterman in basketball. Edwards redshirted his freshman year in Madison, before adding weight and making the switch to tackle.

2. SECOND BADGER OT
Edwards is now the second offensive tackle out of the University of Wisconsin on the Rams roster, joining former Badger RT Rob Havenstein.Havenstein was drafted in the second round at No. 57 overall back in 2015 and the pairing has worked out well in Los Angeles. Havenstein has started in 59-career games for the Rams and signed a four-year extension in August, making him a Ram through the 2022 season.The Los Angeles Rams select Wisconsin offensive lineman David Edwards with the 169th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.

#3. TOP RUN BLOCKER
Edwards evolved into one top run blockers in the 2019 draft class, earning a 77.4 run-block grade from Pro Football Focus. The website has the Wisconsin tackle as the No. 25-rated OL in the class.

OPINION: Appears he might get a strong long look @ RG with his high run blocking grade.

New Rams OT David Edwards had the draft class' 8th-highest run-blocking grade among the top OT prospects. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Umj4D8c2qf

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) April 27, 2019


View: https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1122216892318482432/photo/1

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

But they still made Blythe look like a chump. Sullivan too. It wasn't because they were double and triple teaming them either. They were doing a lot of inside stunts. Blythe couldn't figure out who to block when.