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Gordon: Let’s hope Rams are still looking to bolster offensive line
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_69ad5760-2906-523c-87d6-b4cc691d90ab.html
After drafting running back Todd Gurley 10th overall in the NFL draft Thursday night, Rams coach Jeff Fisher dismissed concerns about the state of his offensive line.
“We’ve got a good group up front,” Fisher insisted. “We’ll be OK.”
That, of course, was utter nonsense. The Rams did not have a good group up front and Fisher knew it.
This is why the Rams kept adding offensive linemen over the weekend, hoping to find strength in numbers with draft picks Robert Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann, plus undrafted free agent Darrell Williams.
After getting largely disappointing results from some pricey free agent purchases for the line — Jake Long, Scott Wells and Harvey Dahl — the Rams chose to undergo a youth movement this time around.
Rather than overpay some so-so veterans, the Rams opted to build through the draft, past and present. That was a smart move given the lack of offensive line depth in this year’s free agent marketplace.
But plenty of work remains. By no means is the problem solved.
The Rams must coach up their army of young blockers during the months ahead to build the leverage Fisher’s running scheme requires. Adding another value-priced veteran along the trail would be a good idea too.
As cornerstone linemen go, Rodger Saffold isn’t the sturdiest player to build upon. He battled shoulder trouble again last season while managing to start all 16 games.
Can he do that again?
Second overall 2014 draft pick Greg Robinson remains a work in progress at the critical left tackle position. At times he graded roads in the ground game while starting 12 games, but predictably he struggled in pass blocking while transitioning from a run-happy college program.
At times he served as a turnstile for speed rushers. He was a wide turnstile, but easily bypassed nonetheless.
Center Tim Barnes is one of the graybeards of the group. He has played 45 games for the Rams but only four of them were as a starter. He has been in Fisher’s program from the start, so at least he has done tons of preparatory work.
Former Alabama center Barrett Jones was essentially a medical redshirt as a rookie while recovering from his collegiate injuries. Lingering back problems sidelined him last summer and further hindered his development.
He, too, will need lots of work before he is ready to start at center or guard.
Of the current draft class, Havenstein has the best chance to step in right away.
“With big Rob, he is ready to play,” general manager Les Snead said. “He’s a right tackle, started a ton of games – never missed any. They run the ball well up there. Went to the Senior Bowl. All of that translated to the Senior Bowl. He’s just a guy that knows his strengths and weaknesses and how to use them.”
The hard part, of course, is learning how to block NFL-caliber pass rushers. Like Robinson, Havenstein is transitioning from a run-based collegiate offense.
“He knows what can beat him and what can’t,” Snead said. “I think those guys over time learn to use all that knowledge to know his weaknesses, not get himself into a place where those weaknesses are going to be exposed. The smartness probably comes in handy there.”
That is an honest assessment but not tremendously reassuring.
The Rams hope Brown can push for regular duty at one of the guard spots. The former Louisville standout boosted his stock at the scouting combine.
“A lot of his numbers in all of the drills kind of jumped into what really good starters in our league do at the combine,” Snead said. “There’s an element of upside there with the kid. I think those are the two things that we liked about him.”
Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau has earned a sterling teaching reputation in the game, but Fisher and Snead have given him heavy instructional load. Graduating a finished product in time for the real games will be difficult.
Donnal, for one, sounds like a willing student.
“I view myself as a blue collar grinder,” he said. “I’m a guy that’s going to come out and work my (backside) off every day to be the best that I can possibly be. I thoroughly enjoy just playing football, being an offensive lineman and moving the guy from point A to point B against his will. Protecting the quarterback and mauling inside, there’s nothing better.”
Since the end of the season, the Rams have subtracted faded veterans Wells, Long and Davin Joseph. Thus far the only veteran to join the mix is tackle Garrett Reynolds, who played 42 games (with 23 starts) over five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions.
He profiles as a depth player for the Rams, not a starter. “Garrett’s done a nice job here just in the short time he’s been here in the last couple weeks,” Fisher said. “But there’s always that chance that we would add somebody.”
That would be a very, very good idea. To take some pressure off this developmental process, Snead should add more experience to the unit.
Now that teams have filled offensive line needs via the draft, the price for lingering free agents like guard Justin Blalock and tackle Joe Barksdale should keep plunging. Other veterans may become available as teams make their post-draft roster adjustments.
Keep shopping, Les, keep shopping.
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_69ad5760-2906-523c-87d6-b4cc691d90ab.html
After drafting running back Todd Gurley 10th overall in the NFL draft Thursday night, Rams coach Jeff Fisher dismissed concerns about the state of his offensive line.
“We’ve got a good group up front,” Fisher insisted. “We’ll be OK.”
That, of course, was utter nonsense. The Rams did not have a good group up front and Fisher knew it.
This is why the Rams kept adding offensive linemen over the weekend, hoping to find strength in numbers with draft picks Robert Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann, plus undrafted free agent Darrell Williams.
After getting largely disappointing results from some pricey free agent purchases for the line — Jake Long, Scott Wells and Harvey Dahl — the Rams chose to undergo a youth movement this time around.
Rather than overpay some so-so veterans, the Rams opted to build through the draft, past and present. That was a smart move given the lack of offensive line depth in this year’s free agent marketplace.
But plenty of work remains. By no means is the problem solved.
The Rams must coach up their army of young blockers during the months ahead to build the leverage Fisher’s running scheme requires. Adding another value-priced veteran along the trail would be a good idea too.
As cornerstone linemen go, Rodger Saffold isn’t the sturdiest player to build upon. He battled shoulder trouble again last season while managing to start all 16 games.
Can he do that again?
Second overall 2014 draft pick Greg Robinson remains a work in progress at the critical left tackle position. At times he graded roads in the ground game while starting 12 games, but predictably he struggled in pass blocking while transitioning from a run-happy college program.
At times he served as a turnstile for speed rushers. He was a wide turnstile, but easily bypassed nonetheless.
Center Tim Barnes is one of the graybeards of the group. He has played 45 games for the Rams but only four of them were as a starter. He has been in Fisher’s program from the start, so at least he has done tons of preparatory work.
Former Alabama center Barrett Jones was essentially a medical redshirt as a rookie while recovering from his collegiate injuries. Lingering back problems sidelined him last summer and further hindered his development.
He, too, will need lots of work before he is ready to start at center or guard.
Of the current draft class, Havenstein has the best chance to step in right away.
“With big Rob, he is ready to play,” general manager Les Snead said. “He’s a right tackle, started a ton of games – never missed any. They run the ball well up there. Went to the Senior Bowl. All of that translated to the Senior Bowl. He’s just a guy that knows his strengths and weaknesses and how to use them.”
The hard part, of course, is learning how to block NFL-caliber pass rushers. Like Robinson, Havenstein is transitioning from a run-based collegiate offense.
“He knows what can beat him and what can’t,” Snead said. “I think those guys over time learn to use all that knowledge to know his weaknesses, not get himself into a place where those weaknesses are going to be exposed. The smartness probably comes in handy there.”
That is an honest assessment but not tremendously reassuring.
The Rams hope Brown can push for regular duty at one of the guard spots. The former Louisville standout boosted his stock at the scouting combine.
“A lot of his numbers in all of the drills kind of jumped into what really good starters in our league do at the combine,” Snead said. “There’s an element of upside there with the kid. I think those are the two things that we liked about him.”
Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau has earned a sterling teaching reputation in the game, but Fisher and Snead have given him heavy instructional load. Graduating a finished product in time for the real games will be difficult.
Donnal, for one, sounds like a willing student.
“I view myself as a blue collar grinder,” he said. “I’m a guy that’s going to come out and work my (backside) off every day to be the best that I can possibly be. I thoroughly enjoy just playing football, being an offensive lineman and moving the guy from point A to point B against his will. Protecting the quarterback and mauling inside, there’s nothing better.”
Since the end of the season, the Rams have subtracted faded veterans Wells, Long and Davin Joseph. Thus far the only veteran to join the mix is tackle Garrett Reynolds, who played 42 games (with 23 starts) over five seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions.
He profiles as a depth player for the Rams, not a starter. “Garrett’s done a nice job here just in the short time he’s been here in the last couple weeks,” Fisher said. “But there’s always that chance that we would add somebody.”
That would be a very, very good idea. To take some pressure off this developmental process, Snead should add more experience to the unit.
Now that teams have filled offensive line needs via the draft, the price for lingering free agents like guard Justin Blalock and tackle Joe Barksdale should keep plunging. Other veterans may become available as teams make their post-draft roster adjustments.
Keep shopping, Les, keep shopping.
the results of the Blalock Titan visit.
