For those who want to remake the O-line

[oldnotdead]

You know what guys? This is exactly the kind of offseason discussion we need. If there is a more controversial unit on the team I don't know what it is. Because IMO I think we all agree, that after this past season there can be no dispute that how well the o-line plays will be central to how well this team does.

Frankly I still think Evans was not slated to play OT when they drafted him. Just look at his metrics and you see a OG not a OT. In the same way Edwards IMO is out of position at OG and should play OT. Both guys will benefit from having the experience. But both guys need to be played in their natural positions. Ideally I still see the starting OT as:

Noteboom LT
Corbett LG
Allen C
Evans RG
Edwards RT

Gameday swings: Brewer & Shelton

The only hangup I see would be in when Noteboom is going to return.

Regardless, I think we all have our opinions and thoughts on this unit. I can see where some of you are coming from. But in reality, it must be understood that any rookie drafted will be at the same disadvantage all of the current guys experienced last year. So why replace guys who have shown they can play at this level with another question mark? People forget that the C is the QB of the o-line and must make all the blocking calls. Why replace Allen with another rookie who hasn't had time to adjust to the NFL's speed and who hasn't had the mentoring of a good vet as Allen has had? Also, this team has a ton of FAs to sign and although I feel they have the money to do so, I don't see any leftover for another FA signing, especially if it's going to be for a quality player.

That is why I think they will go with who they have. They may or may not use a midround or later pick on an OT depending upon how Noteboom progresses. But as I've said previously, this team's starting roster is set if they sign their key FA's. This draft will be largely drafting for depth and the future IMO.

 

[jrry32]

I take it you're not sold on Corbett?

I am not. I liked him as a prospect, but he'll have to earn his starting job. He'll have his chance.

 

[jrry32]

You know what guys? This is exactly the kind of offseason discussion we need. If there is a more controversial unit on the team I don't know what it is. Because IMO I think we all agree, that after this past season there can be no dispute that how well the o-line plays will be central to how well this team does.

Frankly I still think Evans was not slated to play OT when they drafted him. Just look at his metrics and you see a OG not a OT. In the same way Edwards IMO is out of position at OG and should play OT. Both guys will benefit from having the experience. But both guys need to be played in their natural positions. Ideally I still see the starting OT as:

Noteboom LT
Corbett LG
Allen C
Evans RG
Edwards RT

Gameday swings: Brewer & Shelton

The only hangup I see would be in when Noteboom is going to return.

Regardless, I think we all have our opinions and thoughts on this unit. I can see where some of you are coming from. But in reality, it must be understood that any rookie drafted will be at the same disadvantage all of the current guys experienced last year. So why replace guys who have shown they can play at this level with another question mark? People forget that the C is the QB of the o-line and must make all the blocking calls. Why replace Allen with another rookie who hasn't had time to adjust to the NFL's speed and who hasn't had the mentoring of a good vet as Allen has had? Also, this team has a ton of FAs to sign and although I feel they have the money to do so, I don't see any leftover for another FA signing, especially if it's going to be for a quality player.

That is why I think they will go with who they have. They may or may not use a midround or later pick on an OT depending upon how Noteboom progresses. But as I've said previously, this team's starting roster is set if they sign their key FA's. This draft will be largely drafting for depth and the future IMO.

Edwards looked far better at OG than RT. Evans will play RT over Edwards. But I'm not sure why people assume Havenstein isn't going to start. He was a very good RT in 2017 and 2018. I see no reason for him not to play. I also think counting on Noteboom to play Week 1 is a mistake. Being blunt, I would consider it a failure of an off-season if this was our OL on paper going into the season. Our OL wasn't up to par in 2019. We need to put some resources into it, not pretend it was something that it wasn't.

This is the best Center Draft I've ever seen. It would be a crying shame to waste it.

 

[Flint]

They manhandled the Rams in the first match up. The score wasn’t terrible but the Rams never really had a chance.
The second game the Rams were right there and did good things on offense.

I don’t know if boots and rollouts are a long term solution, it puts limits on where you can go with the ball, but McVay has to get credit for changing it up in that game. They really could’ve won that game, as opposed to the packers who got bent over both times.

 

[Cjcinec]

No way can we compete with SF and the rest of our division, much less the conference, unless we make big moves (plural) regarding the OL. Speculation and overly optimistic projections on the cheap didn't work out. I really hope we learned the hard lesson of 2019.

Im going to call Bullshit on this one. Rams as structured can play with and beat the 49 ers. 49ers are either going to be coming off a big Super Bowl win or the dreaded Super Bowl loss. They will be playing the First Place Schedule instead of the last place schedule they played this season. Everyone will be working on blueprints to stop the Shanahan run game and the Niners will be the hunted instead of the hunter. Niners has a great season in 2019 after finishing with the second worst record in 2018. Their defense got out to a great start but teams began to find ways to exploit their weaknesses in the secondary by moving their QB to negate the pressure of their front 4. Niners began the season 8-0 and finished 13-3 by pulling out some very close one score victories in the final weeks of the season including a 3 point victory at home against the Rams. Niners went from 4-12 to 13-3 in one year and I would not be surprised to see them struggle to be a .500 team in 2020.

 

[Cjcinec]

No way? We almost beat them twice. I think you overstated actuality!

Yeah he did overstate it. Rams were in the first game till the end and if Gurley was playing they score a TD before half to take the lead and Henderson doesn’t get the chance to fumble on the first possession of the second half to give the Niners their only touchdown in the second half. Rams were in the game till the end. He’s full of shit.

 

[Cjcinec]

They manhandled the Rams in the first match up. The score wasn’t terrible but the Rams never really had a chance.
The second game the Rams were right there and did good things on offense.

Rams had a chance to go up 7 before half but couldn’t punch it in from the 1 yard line. Henderson fumble to start the second half gave the Niners the only touchdown scored in the second half. I watched the game they were not manhandled.

 

[Cjcinec]

Great question & I HATED THE RAMS & MCVAY about this!! Just the fact he cut Sullivan Late !! Then never put Brian Allen in to WIN the Center Job !!! Plus backups ???

They never had Sullivan on their roster in 2019. He was done in 2018.

 

[PressureD41]

No Way in hell does Allen start at OC next season. Sorry all I recall was him being forklifted backwards each play. We need a plus OC moving forward

 

[So Ram]

They never had Sullivan on their roster in 2019. He was done in 2018.

Your right . He said he thought he might get a chance to comeback & compete against Allen. His reason was because The Rams didn’t draft a center.
He was looking to comeback,but Mcvay went another direction. Sullivan said he was going to move on in his retirement.
I guess what got me made was after letting Saffold go they cut Sullivan. To me goes against what I thought Mcvay stood for as a H/C

 

[fearsomefour]

Rams had a chance to go up 7 before half but couldn’t punch it in from the 1 yard line. Henderson fumble to start the second half gave the Niners the only touchdown scored in the second half. I watched the game they were not manhandled.

They were manhandled up front.
They could do almost nothing on offense after the first drive of the game. The DL dominated the OL.
SF got up and went conservative on O.
If the Rams managed to score they would have opened up on offense.

 

[fearsomefour]

I don’t know if boots and rollouts are a long term solution, it puts limits on where you can go with the ball, but McVay has to get credit for changing it up in that game. They really could’ve won that game, as opposed to the packers who got bent over both times.

The Rams did a lot of good work that second game. OL played better. Play calling was better.
The pic before half, the missed FG and long kick off return to set up a score for SF were killers.

 

[den-the-coach]

I guess what got me made was after letting Saffold go they cut Sullivan. To me goes against what I thought Mcvay stood for as a H/C

Rams have a simple philosophy of not signing a player long term to their last contract, that is why they did not sign Saffold, plus the Rams felt Noteboom would hold down the LG position and be ready to slide over to LT in 2020.

You can't factor in injuries, however, IMO, Brian Allen was an epic fail even compounding that he fell on Noteboom and injured him, going from Allen to Blythe was a major improvement and I hope the Rams plan on drafting a Center and keeping Allen on the bench.

As to Noteboom I felt all along he was a better Tackle then Guard and hopefully, the injury won't affect him moving forward. Believe me I liked Saffold too and I felt he was great in the locker room as well, but now, it's time to see what happens in 2020.

 

[Paydirt]

If the season started today, I'm hearing ...... Evans- Edwards- Corbett- Havenstein- Big Whit. Noteboom is the wild card / I kinda like him, think he'll eventually be part of the nucleus. All that being said = need AT LEAST one stud in free agency !!!

 

[CGI_Ram]

But I'm not sure why people assume Havenstein isn't going to start. He was a very good RT in 2017 and 2018. I see no reason for him not to play.

I am in this camp.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Rams 2020 starting center is not on the roster yet.

 

[jrry32]

Rams 2020 starting center is not on the roster yet.

This is the best Center draft I've ever seen. It's both extraordinarily talented and deep.

 

[Rameosian]

I like our nucleus of young OLinemen. BUT, the line ranked 31st by PFF focus at week 8 and then ranked 31st at end of season. Hard to not say more talent has to be added.

 

[TheTackle]

Rams 2020 starting center is not on the roster yet.

I agree we should definitely draft a center. That said, unless we are certain that they crack the starting line in year 1, we should take a player at another position of need in the 2nd round who will

Who do people like then, who could start straight away? I predict Allen will start and play much better in his 3rd year

 

[bubbaramfan]

Allen is just too small. There are at least 4 guys coming out in the draft that are starting material. Tyler Biadasz (Bad-Ass) will be gone before Rams can pick at #52. But Creed Humphrey 6-5 320, Cesar Ruiz 6-4 319 and 3 yr starter, Darryl Williams 6-2 315, all could come in and startand be bigger up the middle. Allen and Blythe both are second level centers that tend to get pushed back into the pocket.

My choice would be Ruiz. 3 year starter at Michigan which runs an NFL type offense. I've watched his tape. No one pushes him back off the snap, exactly what the Rams OL needs.

One of these guys will be there at 52.