FrantikRam mock offseason #1

[FrantikRam]

I've had some thoughts on what we should in terms of personnel, and I believe we will land a DC that will switch to a 4-3 front - the catch here being that we spend more time in our nickel D anyways, so in terms of personnel, we're not as far off as you'd think.

Notable cuts: Weddle, Matthews

Expected cap space: $30 million

Re-sign: RFAs and ERFAs, GZ $2 million/year, Marqui Christian $3 million per year - I've been hard on GZ, but if we can get him for $2 million, I'll take that (he's currently at 2.25 million). Christian is insurance for now for the nickel LB spot with Littleton leaving, I'm not comfortable with this cupboard being bare.

After the above, coupled with what we'll need for draft picks/post draft FAs, I project that we'll have roughly $15 million in cap

Ramsey extended - 5 years $85 million - depending on the structure, we could free up some cap room this year - I'll project that it adds $3 million

TRADES:

Gerald Everett to the Patriots for a 3rd round pick in 2020 and 4th round pick in 2021

Josh Reynolds to the Packers for 5th round picks in 2020 and 2021

2nd round pick to the Falcons for Alex Mack

Trading Everett and Reynolds adds draft capital for both this year and next when it's unlikely either player will be re-signed after 2020 - I'm a huge fan of Everett, so this is tough. The Patriots are shrewd trade partners, but Everett going there makes so much sense. They'd likely give up more for him than any other team because he is a slam dunk to be extremely successful in their offense. This assumes that Tom Brady plays at least one more season. The Falcons are in a very bad cap situation and while they wouldn't want to get rid of Mack, he's 33 years old and represents the easiest way to save money while also adding draft capital. After the trades I project to have $10 million to spend on FA.

FREE AGENTS:

Robert Quinn - 2 years $20 million - great production this year with Dallas and with us switching back to a 4-3, I want one solid DE, so let's bring Quinn back home

Vernon Davis - 1 year $5 million - where the money for this comes from, not 100% sure - this move would be made before the draft and as such, it would be a situation where you bring him in and figure it out later - maybe a restructure or two to help

NFL DRAFT:

Compensatory pick - 4th round for Rodger Saffold (Joyner offset by Matthews)

Picks:

3rd
3rd (Patriots)
4th
4th (comp)
5th (Packers)
6th
7th



I don't know enough about draft prospects yet to definitively say who I would want the Rams to draft - the only real need after these moves is our starting MLB. I would prioritize that, even if it means a trade up. I'll revisit this after I've had some time to look at draft picks.

 

[FrantikRam]

I'm not a huge fan of assuming rookies will start, although with the MLB position, that's what will happen. Just an idea of how the rest of the roster would shape up after the moves above, and then I'll get to the draft later:

QB - Goff, Wolford
RB - Gurley/Brown/Henderson/Kelly
WR - Cooks/Woods/Kupp/Webster/Natson
TE - Higbee/Davis/Mundt/Blanton
LT - Noteboom vs. Evans
LG - Corbett vs. Evans vs. Edwards/Brewer
C - Mack/Allen
RG - Corbett vs. Evans vs. Edwards/Brewer
RT - Havenstein/Evans

LE - Quinn/Obo
DT - Donald/Smart
DT - SJD vs. Gaines
RE - Ebukam/Lawler
WLB - Howard/Christian
MLB - Kiser/Young
SLB - Reeder/Patrick
CB - Ramsey/Long/Williams
NCB - NRC/Williams/Long
CB - Hill/Long/Williams
FS - JJ/Scott
SS - Rapp/Christian/Gervase



I despise relying on rookies so I prefer to look at the roster in stages. First stage is before FA, second is after, third is after the draft. IMO the most realistic look at how a roster will shape up is after FA. Looking at the above, I'm really happy with the offense, and the only thing we really did was trade for Mack. With a viable starting center, even having lost Whitworth, our OL looks solid. LT is a concern, but I really like what I saw from Noteboom there his rookie year filling in at times for Whitworth. I hope that his less than stellar play at guard was because he is a better tackle.

The defense is another story all together. I love putting Quinn with Donald, and I'm happy with the DL in general letting SJD and Gaines fight it out. Ebukam at RE in a 4-3 is a stretch, but I think he's strong enough to do it. And if not, there may be a rookie starting at that position. The secondary is very solid, and you can see how important it is to re-sign Christian when looking at the depth - the safety depth does not look promising. CB is a position we don't need to touch. Which brings us back to the LB position - yikes. This is the price the Rams are paying for the expensive contracts - can't solve everything and I preferred to focus on the offensive and defensive lines with the cap space. But is it as bad as it looks? If you plug a better MLB in there, suddenly this group looks more promising, especially when you consider how frequently we'll be in the nickel. And we re-signed Christian, which means we have 10 out of 11 "starters" for the nickel D.

Our biggest needs after looking at this are LB, DE and S, and would consider offensive line and WR if the right player was there. This allows us to hone in on a few positions for the draft - with the caveat of BPA, which I can't really predict in a mock.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Don't like the free agents because it needlessly wipes out the compensation picks we'll receive for Fowler, Littleton & Brockers in 2021, at the same time we'll be drafting without a 1'st & 4'th round pick again as we close out paying for Ramsey. Shaquil Barrett is going to rip the bandaid off of Edge salaries, and Quinn had as good a year as Fowler did this season, i'll be surprised if a two year contract will suffice.
While i'm fine trading Everett to free up CAP space and gain a draft pick, your method of paying the soon to be 36 year old Vernon Davis $5.mil seems counter-productive as retaining Everett would only cost $2.mil.
Giving up our 2'nd. rounder for a one year rental with the 34 year old Mack is also unsettling after the Ramsey trade.

Your line-up might work, Donald & Quinn would be fun to watch, but i'm not thrilled with the WR, LB corp., and the LT situation.
You made your point about preferring vets over rookies, and that's fine, ... still, for 2020 i'd rather continue with the youth movement as much as possible and see where that takes us. I'm also hoping we can retain Wade and his defensive scheme one more year.
jmo.

 

[den-the-coach]

You communicated that the Rams are going back to the 4-3 defense, but did not offer who that new DC wold be, maybe offer up Kris Richard of Dallas, which might aid in the Quinn signing.

Not a fan of paying Vernon Davis that much money, okay with the trades, however, I don't know if you would receive two draft choices for each player. Also it would help with a mock draft and include your draft choices, it's not that hard to take a look at the draft and what's available and then suggest some selections.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I’d be good with acquiring Mack, but a second would be high considering the contract you’d get with him. Plus the falcons would be foolish to trade him.

 

[jrry32]

Why would we trade a second for Alex Mack? He's a guy on the chopping block. He had a down year and is entering his age-34 season. I'm not sure I'd sign him if Atlanta cuts him. Also, we're slated to get a third round comp pick.

 

[Mackeyser]

Where was it said that we're switching to the 4-3???

 

[Riverumbbq]

Where was it said that we're switching to the 4-3???

I think we've seen a couple mocks anticipating Wade's potential retirement.

One quote comes to mind, ... "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated". Mark Twain

 

[OldSchool]

Pass on Mack especially for a 2nd.

The trades of Everett and Reynolds IMO are way more than we'd get for two players that both have 1 year on their contracts remaining and have never been consistent contributors let alone starters.

No thank you to Davis, maybe 10 years ago.

And that's more than Quinn is worth.

 

[jrry32]

Pass on Mack especially for a 2nd.

The trades of Everett and Reynolds IMO are way more than we'd get for two players that both have 1 year on their contracts remaining and have never been consistent contributors let alone starters.

No thank you to Davis, maybe 10 years ago.

And that's more than Quinn is worth.

Quinn actually had a phenomenal year with Dallas. He had one of the best pass rush win rates in the NFL.

 

[OldSchool]

Quinn actually had a phenomenal year with Dallas. He had one of the best pass rush win rates in the NFL.

He did and it's his first good year since we got rid of him. He also didn't even play 60% of their snaps so he's a rotational guy. And personally a guy who'll be 30 that's a rotational guy with that injury history that he has makes that price just too rich IMO.

 

[FrantikRam]

You communicated that the Rams are going back to the 4-3 defense, but did not offer who that new DC wold be, maybe offer up Kris Richard of Dallas, which might aid in the Quinn signing.

Not a fan of paying Vernon Davis that much money, okay with the trades, however, I don't know if you would receive two draft choices for each player. Also it would help with a mock draft and include your draft choices, it's not that hard to take a look at the draft and what's available and then suggest some selections.

I was going to add draft picks when I had time. Wanted to get this out first - makes me feel better about the Rams when I type all this out.

I think Reynolds is worth a 4th and Everett is worth a 2nd (to the right team, which is why I specifically chose the Patriots) - I think the Rams need to sign free agents this year, so instead of relying on comp picks next year, I chose to trade them for a 5th/5th and a 3rd/4th, the latter draft choices coming the following year, as that is close to what a 4th and 2nd would be worth in a vacuum. I realize that they're both in the last year of their contracts, but two 5th round picks is not giving up much, and while the 3rd/4th for Everett seems like a lot, in reality those would be replaced by comp picks that the Patriots will probably get. In both cases obviously, they would be signed to long term contracts, and I think both guys would outplay those contracts playing with Rodgers and Brady.

Hard to speculate for me on a DC right now - which is why I didn't name one. These guys have schemes, but it's also likely that they would modify it to the Rams existing personnel, so I didn't think it was critical to name one.

Finally for Mack, I wasn't sure on the compensation for him - wanted to err on the side of overpaying to be more realistic.

 

[PressureD41]

neither OLB can set the edge, so that's a real problem. Cant handle be run on too the tune of 160 yards every week. Sorry just my 2 cents

 

[Mackeyser]

Actually, Fowler is exceptional at setting the edge. Matthews crashes inside too often looking for and Ebu is good not great. Most of the run damage was inside A and B gap runs.

 

[jrry32]

Actually, Fowler is exceptional at setting the edge. Matthews crashes inside too often looking for and Ebu is good not great. Most of the run damage was inside A and B gap runs.

Yep, Fowler's strides this year have me rethinking whether we should let him go (via tag and trade). I'm leaning towards keep him right now. He really came on as a pass rusher, and his run defense was quite impressive.

 

[Merlin]

I feel like Everett has more value for us than what we'd get in trade for him. And I think we need JRey to spell Cooks on the cheap in 2020 so we can get to 2021 and get out of that contract.

 

[Ram65]

Redo for a 3-4. I like that you tried to keep the cap in mind. Not liking trades. If Mack is cut a cheap deal might be worth it.