- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Tipsheet: Rams planned for 2016 breakout
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_d37ac764-2cd7-56a1-a4be-be8c1a265668.html
When the Rams drafted a rehabbing running back and a bunch of offensive linemen to train on the job last season, it was glaringly obvious they were building for the 2016 season.
The organization targeted this year for its shift to Los Angeles and decided to use last season as preparation for that.
Why else would the Rams build around running back Todd Gurley, who wouldn't be able to play in Week 1, and so many linemen who wouldn't be ready to block right away?
"Four of our five starters from the 2014 team, when we went to draft, still weren't on our roster for various reasons," Rams general manager Les Snead told the Los Angeles Times while down at the Senior Bowl looking for the next Isaiah Pead and Brian Quick. "We needed to draft, develop some guys and let them grow together . . . we think we're on our way to see it come to fruition."
True enough, Rob Havenstein and Co. learned the NFL ropes while the Rams muddled to another losing season in St. Louis. So, yes, they should be good to go in LA.
Will the Rams as a whole be ready to actually reach the other side of .500 in Year 5 of the eternal Jeff Fisher rebuild?
"The goal is to be consistently good and I think that should be the goal whether you're moving to L.A. or you're in a very small town somewhere else," Snead told the Times. "If you come out and you consistently compete and you're consistently good and you earn some equity . . . (fans are) going to get behind you . . . Take L.A. out of it. Let's be a good football team, consistently good. We've had some inconsistencies in the past. That's why you keep doing it. Keep evolving, keep maturing, all those things to get consistently good."
Off course, playing behind a young offensive line last season left quarterback Nick Foles shell-shocked. That forced the Rams to head West with the uninspiring Case Keenum as their starting quarterback.
So will the Rams take another stab at drafting a quarterback?
"You definitely have to prepare that you might do it," Snead said. "Sometimes with QBs we've seen some very successful ones go in the second round, and the third round seems to be hot of late. I'm thinking of Russell Wilson. I'm thinking of Kirk Cousins. So the thing about the draft is, because it's become a nice entertainment segment … there's so much attention on the first round, especially at the QB position, that sometimes the third-round QB, it's ‘Oh, he's a third-round QB.' But the long story short on all of that is we'll definitely scout QBs, and we'll definitely look at the trade market and free-agent market. The answer is yes."
With any luck, Snead will locate the next Garrett Gilbert.
• By Jeff Gordon
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_d37ac764-2cd7-56a1-a4be-be8c1a265668.html
When the Rams drafted a rehabbing running back and a bunch of offensive linemen to train on the job last season, it was glaringly obvious they were building for the 2016 season.
The organization targeted this year for its shift to Los Angeles and decided to use last season as preparation for that.
Why else would the Rams build around running back Todd Gurley, who wouldn't be able to play in Week 1, and so many linemen who wouldn't be ready to block right away?
"Four of our five starters from the 2014 team, when we went to draft, still weren't on our roster for various reasons," Rams general manager Les Snead told the Los Angeles Times while down at the Senior Bowl looking for the next Isaiah Pead and Brian Quick. "We needed to draft, develop some guys and let them grow together . . . we think we're on our way to see it come to fruition."
True enough, Rob Havenstein and Co. learned the NFL ropes while the Rams muddled to another losing season in St. Louis. So, yes, they should be good to go in LA.
Will the Rams as a whole be ready to actually reach the other side of .500 in Year 5 of the eternal Jeff Fisher rebuild?
"The goal is to be consistently good and I think that should be the goal whether you're moving to L.A. or you're in a very small town somewhere else," Snead told the Times. "If you come out and you consistently compete and you're consistently good and you earn some equity . . . (fans are) going to get behind you . . . Take L.A. out of it. Let's be a good football team, consistently good. We've had some inconsistencies in the past. That's why you keep doing it. Keep evolving, keep maturing, all those things to get consistently good."
Off course, playing behind a young offensive line last season left quarterback Nick Foles shell-shocked. That forced the Rams to head West with the uninspiring Case Keenum as their starting quarterback.
So will the Rams take another stab at drafting a quarterback?
"You definitely have to prepare that you might do it," Snead said. "Sometimes with QBs we've seen some very successful ones go in the second round, and the third round seems to be hot of late. I'm thinking of Russell Wilson. I'm thinking of Kirk Cousins. So the thing about the draft is, because it's become a nice entertainment segment … there's so much attention on the first round, especially at the QB position, that sometimes the third-round QB, it's ‘Oh, he's a third-round QB.' But the long story short on all of that is we'll definitely scout QBs, and we'll definitely look at the trade market and free-agent market. The answer is yes."
With any luck, Snead will locate the next Garrett Gilbert.
