Gonna share my personal perceptions of Rams position groups after week 1 of camp…

[Rams43]

These perceptions are arrived at after reading every scrap of info I could find on the internet.

And here are my 3 categories:

Comfortable
Somewhat concerned, need more info but I’m watching closely
Somewhat alarmed, Snead may have to bring in a tier 2 vet to bolster

Here goes…

QB. Comfortable.

RB. Comfortable

OL. Comfortable. Love coach Wendy.

TE. Somewhat concerned. Was hoping for more at this point.

WR. Comfortable. This will sort itself out and Rams will be 6 deep, at least.

DL. Somewhat concerned. Only because we have no snaps in pads, too much unknown.

Edge. Somewhat alarmed. Haven’t heard any rave reviews so far from our biggest need position. I certainly expected more at this point.

ILB. Comfortable. Rams will sort out #2 behind Jones from among candidates already on roster.

CB. Somewhat concerned. Only because of insufficient evidence so far. Lots of candidates, though. I think our 5 guys are already on the roster.

S. Comfortable. Our 5 man safety corps is already on the roster.

P. Comfortable (almost cocky)

PK. Comfortable

LS. Comfortable. I like coach Blackburn as much or better than even coach Bones.

Overall coaching assessment. Very comfortable. McVay is ‘back’ and he scored several HR hires this offseason.

Bottom line? I don’t understand all the gloom and doom. This looks like an 8-9 win to me. Maybe better.

Thoughts?

 

[VegasRam]

Agreed. No doom and gloom here.
I am comfortable (as opposed to concerned) at CB with Durant, Witherspoon, Rochelle, Kendrick and Jolly.
And with Yeast, Fuller and Lake at safety, agree we're good there.
We have ten other DBs in camp, (corners and safeties), and given Snead's track trecord, 2-3 of those will hit.

 

[Judge Doom]

I am content with essentially every area. Only ones that make me somewhat take a step back is the secondary and TE's, but sure they will be better than I think they will with the coaches we have.

 

[Kupped]

If I'm looking at position groups and thinking about one that could surprise and turn into a true strength.. I think it could be Safety.
The mix at the top.. with Fuller, Lake and Yeast offers some interesting flexibility. I think Lake and Yeast are really smart and could compliment Fuller very well.

We'll see!

 

[TexasRam]

The combo of unproven DB + unproven pass rush could be a disaster.

Compare our two units (DB and Pass rush) to a team like the Eagles. It's a massive difference.

The overall inexperience on defense is also a concern. Offenses will find ways to beat a defense by targeting inexperienced players. it just takes time to understand assignments, play with discipline and understand what an offense is doing, let alone the techniques of NFL vets.

On the positive, lots of these defensive players will grow and gain experience. Some quality starters and maybe a star or two may emerge.

 

[Tano]

The combo of unproven DB + unproven pass rush could be a disaster.

Compare our two units (DB and Pass rush) to a team like the Eagles. It's a massive difference.

The overall inexperience on defense is also a concern. Offenses will find ways to beat a defense by targeting inexperienced players. it just takes time to understand assignments, play with discipline and understand what an offense is doing, let alone the techniques of NFL vets.

On the positive, lots of these defensive players will grow and gain experience. Some quality starters and maybe a star or two may emerge.

I have to agree with you.

Our inexperience on the defensive side could really hurt us.

I could see us going 1 - 5 and then trying to make a late run once the defense starts to get experience playing together.

God - I hope I am wrong and we start out at minimum 3 - 3

 

[Cjcinec]

I have to agree with you.

Our inexperience on the defensive side could really hurt us.

I could see us going 1 - 5 and then trying to make a late run once the defense starts to get experience playing together.

God - I hope I am wrong and we start out at minimum 3 - 3

3-3 might be overly optimistic given the quality of the teams that they face early on. I think 2-4 would be a great start especially if they were competitive in the 4 loses. This team will only get better with experience provided the key core players remain healthy. By mid season if the offensive line starts to develop continuity and the younger defensive players become more confident the Rams could make a strong push for a Wild Card spot and play well down the stretch it would definitely bode well for the 2024 season. I think McVay’s going to follow up his most challenging year as a head coach with his best. He has saw the peaks and the valleys and remained poised throughout. Rams have a challenging year ahead with all the changes but they have in my opinion the best head coach in the NFL outside of KC and he will have this team in contention again real soon.

 

[oldnotdead]

There really is no way to assess the edges except after the pads come on in 11 on 11. But Young IMO is the real deal. It's going to come down to speed vs good speed and better power between Hoecht and Hampton. Hoecht beats Mathis hands down as an edge. Now put Young at Leo, Hoecht at DE, Hampton at SAM, Mathis at WIL and Donald at 3T, Murchison/Brown at NT and Jones at MIKE and that looks like a good front 7 with a good combination of speed and power. They seem to be looking at Johnson inside as a ILB I believe, which is what I think his best fit is. Rozeboom is faster but Johnson is bigger. He also plays the gaps well.

Boundary CBs Durant and Witherspoon/Rochell, SCB Tomlinson, SS Fuller, Lake, FS Yeast, Taylor. Frankly I would keep McCutcheon over Kendrick, as he brings excellent length and decent speed. He's the kind of DB with length you want in the redzone.

I think the offense will play to it's potential and will carry the team early as the defense jells.

IMO OL:
LT Noteboom
LG Avila
C Shelton
RG Bruss or Jackson
RT Havenstein

Gameday actives: Swing OT/OG Jackson, C/OG McAllister, OT/OG Thomas
9th OL OG/C Maginn

Next year OL:

LT Noteboom
LG Bruss or Jackson
C Avila
RG McClendon
RT Jackson or Bruss

Swings: OT/OG Thomas, OG/C McAllister, OG/C Maginn

The Rams have the personnel for a very good OL on the roster. It's a matter of positional fit. They could play Bruss at RT and Jackson at LG. Or they could not touch the 2023 IOL except start McAllister at center which could be the way they are leaning. McAllister could have better mobility than either Allen or Shelton as that remains TBD. 2024 OL a lot will depend upon McClendon's development.

By November the defense should be playing up to its potential. If injuries don't derail this team, it's a playoff caliber roster.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Only one guy on D over 300lbs. (Brown), and he's on the field only half the time. Going to be tough stopping the run.

 

[Corbin]

This is as expected especially in the areas of concern.

The plan has been for a long time to get into '24 and develop these younger players as 2023 is a trial by fire year for many to see what we have.

Just hoping the team as a whole gets through 2023 relatively injury free for that push next year.

 

[Judge Doom]

Only one guy on D over 300lbs. (Brown), and he's on the field only half the time. Going to be tough stopping the run.

I volunteer my services! 6'4 290 pounds myself. Consider myself very strong and a lot of football smarts but also have a lack of stamina and sweat like a hooker in church just by stepping outside so probably we need to look somewhere else

 

[rdlkgliders]

The DBs & Edge being a concern adds up to potential struggles. DBs bail out a lack of pressure on the QB and vice versa. Pressure doesn't have to come from a traditional edge rusher although we will need to find a way to get to the QB. I think this will make or break the season, assuming we have enough on the O.L.

 

[Faceplant]

I am a lot more comfortable with the OPs list of comforts that my own list

 

[Noregar]

Don’t trust Boom at LT. I would bet my left nut that even if he is the eventual starter that he will be injured by midsession (if not sooner). Hope Jackson pans out because with No stable LT it could sink the entire offense and thus the season.

 

[Classic Rams]

Don’t trust Boom at LT. I would bet my left nut that even if he is the eventual starter that he will be injured by midsession (if not sooner). Hope Jackson pans out because with No stable LT it could sink the entire offense and thus the season.

Yeah I hope AJ beats him out. I remember when Boom did pretty good replacing Whitt for a game or 2 in 2021. I just don't like him as the regular starter.

 

[Merlin]

I get the eagerness to evaluate 43 but... One week my man. With zero pads. And probably the first couple days at least were loaded with physicals or classroom sessions or general bullshit.

No idea when the first scrimmage is but those (particularly vs the other teams) and the padded practices are what I'm waiting for.

 

[bubbaramfan]

OL looks pretty much the same as last years start of TC with the exception of Avila at LG. They've been alternating Noteboom and Jackson at LT, Avila at LG, alternating Allen and Shelton at C, and at RG it looks like Anchrum is the solid favorite to start, People keep penciling in Bruss or Jackson at RG, but its Anchrum's unless he gets hurt.
Whoever gets the nod at LT, the other guy will be swing T. Same with. C

 

[Merlin]

Only one guy on D over 300lbs. (Brown), and he's on the field only half the time. Going to be tough stopping the run.

Yeah I expect the run game will be our primary problem on defense. It's gonna hurt vs SF and Seattle for sure but our offense playing well could limit the impact of that quite a bit.

 

[dang]

OL looks pretty much the same as last years start of TC with the exception of Avila at LG. They've been alternating Noteboom and Jackson at LT, Avila at LG, alternating Allen and Shelton at C, and at RG it looks like Anchrum is the solid favorite to start, People keep penciling in Bruss or Jackson at RG, but its Anchrum's unless he gets hurt.
Whoever gets the nod at LT, the other guy will be swing T. Same with. C

I’ll be pleasantly surprised if AJax settles in nicely at LT. I think we’re a year away from having our long term LT. I am disappointed but not surprised Bruss isn’t taking over RG. I think Anchrum is too small for the dominant run game we need but that’s just my amateur opinion. I’m prepared for OL struggles again this year but hopeful Avilla/LG and Shelton/OC add some improvement.

 

[FrantikRam]

I think the offense will be REALLY good....top 10, possibly top 5.

Agreed with the pass rush and DBs....the only thing I'd note is this:

If the AD effect kicks in and raises the level of everyone around him, which in turn makes our pass rush above average - that's how we are contenders and surprise the hell out of everyone