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Following economical start to offseason, Rams should be focused on offensive line
Luke Thompson
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...-st-louis-rams-should-be-focused-on-ol-032315
Several efficient moves in a busy offseason could make the Rams a better team in 2015, but they've still got more work to do in free agency.
St. Louis ended another disappointing year last December with plenty of holes to fill and not a lot of extra money to spend. It managed to find the first part of a solution by eliminating four players to open up $31.5 million in cap space, while only losing one starter from the second half of last season.
Veteran center Scott Wells shouldn't be difficult to replace for $4.5 million or less and Kendall Langford lost his spot thanks to the remarkable rookie season of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Parting with a pair of No. 1 draft picks -- one taken by Miami -- must have been a little more bittersweet, but ACL injuries and other issues made them the right business decisions for St. Louis.
Four-time Pro Bowl tackle Jake Long never lived up to expectations for the Rams after they signed him to a four-year, $34 million contract in 2013 to protect their most prized asset, Sam Bradford. The quarterback couldn't stay healthy, and many were understandably surprised to see the Rams so adamant about keeping him around in 2015, when he was due nearly $13 million.
But an unexpected and oddly executed about-face brought in what appears to be a definite upgrade through a trade with Philadelphia. Nick Foles might not be better than Bradford if both are at full strength and it doesn't solve the quarterback issues long-term, but Bradford's injury history and the $1.542 million left on Foles' contract for the upcoming season made it a no-brainer.
That allowed St. Louis to keep two solid targets in tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver Kenny Britt. A strong, young defense got even better with the addition of linebackers Akeem Ayers and defensive tackle Nick Fairley for the reasonable prices of $3 million and $4.75 million, respectively.
The Rams' other moves at quarterback are a little more difficult to rationalize, particularly the decision to trade a seventh-round pick to Houston for Case Keenum. He never saw the field in a brief stint with the team last season behind Shaun Hill, who signed with Minnesota, or Austin Davis, the younger, less proven backup St. Louis offered the league minimum of $1.5 million to stay another year.
But none of that will matter if Foles can stay healthy, which could hinge on what improvements St. Louis makes on the offensive line. The departures of Long, Wells and below-average guard Davin Joseph leave the Rams with only left tackle Greg Robinson and guard Rodger Saffold as obvious starters for next season.
Adding former Atlanta guard Garrett Reynolds for $1 million makes sense as far as insurance, and it's understandable the Rams didn't go after any big-name free agents considering their recent history with Long and former interior lineman Jason Brown. Answers are still needed, though some may already be in the building.
Free agent Joe Barksdale should be the most obvious choice at right tackle, provided he's willing to return to St. Louis at a reasonable price. The Tennessee Titans have reportedly shown some interest, but it doesn't appear Barksdale will command a huge deal on the open market and he has said he wants to remain a Ram.
A riskier move would be to rely on either 2013 fourth-round pick Barrett Jones or 2014 seventh-round pick Demetrius Rhaney at center. Both have battled injuries and neither has a single NFL start.
Oakland center Stefen Wisniewski and Atlanta guard Justin Blalock are two reliable options still available in free agency who have been contacted by the Rams, according to Post-Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas. Blalock has started 125 of 128 games since the Falcons drafted him in 2007, and Wisniewski has only missed three starts in four seasons with the Raiders.
The best-case scenario would see St. Louis put together an entire offensive line in free agency, giving itself more freedom to go after a top-end receiver or other top talent available with the tenth pick in the draft. Only five picks this season means the Rams must choose wisely, although they could earn more late selections through compensatory picks.
It's clear coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead feel the sense of urgency that comes with three straight losing seasons since they arrived in 2012. They've done well to avoid any brash moves, and now they just need to add the finishing touches.
Luke Thompson
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...-st-louis-rams-should-be-focused-on-ol-032315
Several efficient moves in a busy offseason could make the Rams a better team in 2015, but they've still got more work to do in free agency.
St. Louis ended another disappointing year last December with plenty of holes to fill and not a lot of extra money to spend. It managed to find the first part of a solution by eliminating four players to open up $31.5 million in cap space, while only losing one starter from the second half of last season.
Veteran center Scott Wells shouldn't be difficult to replace for $4.5 million or less and Kendall Langford lost his spot thanks to the remarkable rookie season of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Parting with a pair of No. 1 draft picks -- one taken by Miami -- must have been a little more bittersweet, but ACL injuries and other issues made them the right business decisions for St. Louis.
Four-time Pro Bowl tackle Jake Long never lived up to expectations for the Rams after they signed him to a four-year, $34 million contract in 2013 to protect their most prized asset, Sam Bradford. The quarterback couldn't stay healthy, and many were understandably surprised to see the Rams so adamant about keeping him around in 2015, when he was due nearly $13 million.
But an unexpected and oddly executed about-face brought in what appears to be a definite upgrade through a trade with Philadelphia. Nick Foles might not be better than Bradford if both are at full strength and it doesn't solve the quarterback issues long-term, but Bradford's injury history and the $1.542 million left on Foles' contract for the upcoming season made it a no-brainer.
That allowed St. Louis to keep two solid targets in tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver Kenny Britt. A strong, young defense got even better with the addition of linebackers Akeem Ayers and defensive tackle Nick Fairley for the reasonable prices of $3 million and $4.75 million, respectively.
The Rams' other moves at quarterback are a little more difficult to rationalize, particularly the decision to trade a seventh-round pick to Houston for Case Keenum. He never saw the field in a brief stint with the team last season behind Shaun Hill, who signed with Minnesota, or Austin Davis, the younger, less proven backup St. Louis offered the league minimum of $1.5 million to stay another year.
But none of that will matter if Foles can stay healthy, which could hinge on what improvements St. Louis makes on the offensive line. The departures of Long, Wells and below-average guard Davin Joseph leave the Rams with only left tackle Greg Robinson and guard Rodger Saffold as obvious starters for next season.
Adding former Atlanta guard Garrett Reynolds for $1 million makes sense as far as insurance, and it's understandable the Rams didn't go after any big-name free agents considering their recent history with Long and former interior lineman Jason Brown. Answers are still needed, though some may already be in the building.
Free agent Joe Barksdale should be the most obvious choice at right tackle, provided he's willing to return to St. Louis at a reasonable price. The Tennessee Titans have reportedly shown some interest, but it doesn't appear Barksdale will command a huge deal on the open market and he has said he wants to remain a Ram.
A riskier move would be to rely on either 2013 fourth-round pick Barrett Jones or 2014 seventh-round pick Demetrius Rhaney at center. Both have battled injuries and neither has a single NFL start.
Oakland center Stefen Wisniewski and Atlanta guard Justin Blalock are two reliable options still available in free agency who have been contacted by the Rams, according to Post-Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas. Blalock has started 125 of 128 games since the Falcons drafted him in 2007, and Wisniewski has only missed three starts in four seasons with the Raiders.
The best-case scenario would see St. Louis put together an entire offensive line in free agency, giving itself more freedom to go after a top-end receiver or other top talent available with the tenth pick in the draft. Only five picks this season means the Rams must choose wisely, although they could earn more late selections through compensatory picks.
It's clear coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead feel the sense of urgency that comes with three straight losing seasons since they arrived in 2012. They've done well to avoid any brash moves, and now they just need to add the finishing touches.