I think Barksdale

[Alan]

Ballhawk narrowing the scope:
I thought that we were just talking about right tackle?

Sorry Ballhawk, I missed that part. Doesn't change most of my answer though. Plus, I'm not sure you can talk about just one individual on the O-line because how all the line members work together that is important. Having one substandard player on the line can be worked around. So was Miller merely serviceable or was he better than that. I'd say he was better than merely serviceable but even if he wasn't did we compensate for that? What I'm really saying here is that I don't think you can say that "That's all we had in 1999 and it worked out pretty well" with any degree of confidence.

But, you want to sign JB and so I think we basically agree about what should be done about the whole situation.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I thought that Barksdale would sign this week or next... but now I wonder about it. Reading Wagoner's latest article, he mentioned that there could be incentive for a guy like Barksdale to wait after the draft and see if teams didn't get the OT talent that they want (Titans or Rams) and see if they sweeten the pot a little bit in the contracts. It makes sense, I could still see a risk to it but, it makes some sense. My guess: Rams have a contract still on the table. Barksdale may gamble a little that a desperate team will offer more if they don't get talent in the draft.

 

[Rams43]

Here's my thinking regarding resigning Barks...

At WORST, here's what we would have:

One less gaping hole to be filled by a rookie on opening day.
An experienced vet to assist a probable rookie at ROG.
A player that never seems to get hurt.
Considerably more confidence for Foles vs starting a rookie at ROT.
A placeholder at ROT until we can draft his upgrade.

The above are the least we would gain by signing Barks. The very least, fellas.

Isn't all that worth $4 million to us while we focus on C and OG? And with money already set aside by Demoff in the first damned place?

Seems like a no brainer for a team with 3 gaping holes at starter on our OL and just 10 days before the draft. At least to me.

 

[blue4]

True but is a Joe Barksdale going to add much to that "nowhere near average" OL you speak of blue4?:huh:

You did bring a smile to my face when you mentioned quality in your above post speaking of Barksdale. Yes I agree with you that we need him back but to expect he his presence @ ORT to upgrade the OL from where it was last season is alm:.

I never said anything about quality or upgrades in regards to Barksdale. Obviously he's not an upgrade from himself from last year. What I'm trying to convey is that he's a known serviceable commodity and we have no viable alternatives aside from spending a draft pick and gambling that second or third round pick will be more serviceable than Barksdale. We are also short draft picks this year since we got a third situational safety. Trying to hit on a starting quality G and RT in the same draft is irresponsible. I get that people aren't high on Barksdale, neither am I, but every team has to field 5 OL every play and right now we have 2 and only 5 draft picks.

 

[BonifayRam]

I never said anything about quality or upgrades in regards to Barksdale. Obviously he's not an upgrade from himself from last year. What I'm trying to convey is that he's a known serviceable commodity and we have no viable alternatives aside from spending a draft pick and gambling that second or third round pick will be more serviceable than Barksdale. We are also short draft picks this year since we got a third situational safety. Trying to hit on a starting quality G and RT in the same draft is irresponsible. I get that people aren't high on Barksdale, neither am I, but every team has to field 5 OL every play and right now we have 2 and only 5 draft picks.

Thanks for getting me straighten out on that blue4. You are making excellent points here!

 

[SaneRamsFan]

Hitting on one starting ol in the draft is fortunate. Two would be lucky beyond imagination. Three? Effin Barksdale was a pretty common phrase in my living room last year but we still have to sign him imo.

 

[BonifayRam]

I thought that Barksdale would sign this week or next... but now I wonder about it. Reading Wagoner's latest article, he mentioned that there could be incentive for a guy like Barksdale to wait after the draft and see if teams didn't get the OT talent that they want (Titans or Rams) and see if they sweeten the pot a little bit in the contracts. It makes sense, I could still see a risk to it but, it makes some sense. My guess: Rams have a contract still on the table. Barksdale may gamble a little that a desperate team will offer more if they don't get talent in the draft.

Don't be surprised if the Carolina Panthers don't jump in on Barksdale. Last yr they had Mike Remmers lining up & starting as their starting ORT. Remmers was a Ram early last yr on our PS. He is now on his 6th NFL team in just 3 seasons! He was released from the deprived ORT Broncos in pre season!!!!

The Panthers just signed the recently released ORT Jonathan Martin who has had a very rough time since arriving in the NFL. Only other ORT on their roster is UDFA Nate Chandler:eek:

 

[Gandalf]

Could very well be that the Rams have a deal in place for Barksdale, Blalock or both and are just waiting til after the draft so as not to tip off their draft plans.

 

[HometownBoy]

I still say sign him if the worst thing that can be said about him still is only he was bad a little bit in his second full season. Seen this the grass is always greener mentality bite us too many times already to go for it again.

 

[junkman]

The reason the Rams OL was so poor in 2014 was primarily Wells and Joseph. Barksdale wasn't a pro bowler, but he was the least of our problems.

Saffold has been repaired.
GRob will keep getting better and better.
Barksdale is perhaps at his ceiling, and that's just fine.

Add an a-lister OL (G or T, doesn't matter) in the first and another G in the 5th... get one of Barnes or Jones or Rhaney to step up at C... yeah, I think we'll be OK.

 

[Yamahopper]

We, Barks and his and his agent learned is what the 32 NFL front offices already knew, Barks is just a guy, (JAG).

 

[Ramrasta]

It just makes me shiver to think of 3 inexperienced OL all in a row on that right side. It's one thing to play the dice role in the draft but it's another to play the dice role with a QB new to your team and in his contract year... Plus just coming off an injury...

With Barksdale, at least we know what we have.

 

[CoachO]

The GSOT was referenced in this thread, as it pertained to the RT position. Fred Miller, and then Ryan Tucker were hardly top flight Right Tackles. But the one thing they BOTH had going for them was playing next to Adam Timmerman. I think a lot of people dismiss the notion that Barksdale played much better when Saffold was playing next to him, and his play suffered immensely when forced to line up next to Joseph.

IMO, I think re-signing Barksdale would be a smart move, as would moving Saffold back to RG. If they are still able to sign Blaylock, great. But either way, with those moves, I think they would go a long way in solidifying the right side of the line. My preference at that point would be to draft Scherff, and throw him in the mix at LG. Barrett Jones could be part of that mix as well.

I have said since from the outset, that Barnes is most likely the guy who is gonna go into training camp as the starter at Center.

So, if you go with that..... you have a group of:

LT - Robinson; LG - Blaylock/Scherff; C - Barnes; RG - Saffold; RT - Barksdale ---- with B. Jones, Demetrius Rhaney, Travis Bond, Brandon Washington, Garrett Reynolds as the depth.

Obviously, there are a lot of unknowns in that equation, and I agree, they will need to devote more than one draft pick to the "problem". There will likely be more guys brought in to fill out the training camp roster.

Say what you will, about guys like Barnes, Washington and Jones. They have kept them around for a reason. People are quick to say that this staff hasn't "developed" anyone. But IMO, these guys are prime examples of just that. I realize it seems to many that they don't seem to have a plan for what they are going to do. But it's mid-April. This unit will undoubtedly have a dramatically different look and feel within the next 3 weeks.

 

[Riverumbbq]

It just makes me shiver to think of 3 inexperienced OL all in a row on that right side. It's one thing to play the dice role in the draft but it's another to play the dice role with a QB new to your team and in his contract year... Plus just coming off an injury...

With Barksdale, at least we know what we have.

Agree.
Without Saffold at RG, Barksdale has been absolutely awful. Keeping Barksdale limits Saffold's ability to help Robinson. Scherff seems a better fit at RG than LG imo, but going this route prevents Saffold from playing what appears to be at his better position at RG. It also puts a rookie next to the underperforming Barksdale and the undetermined quality of former back-ups in Barnes/Jones. Scherff at LG means another rookie next to Robinson and between an unknown quantity in Barnes/Jones. Sticking with Barksdale limits quality options.

If Barnes/Jones are destined to become starters at Center, then trade for Mathis to play LG and draft a top RT to play next to Saffold. jmo.

 

[Memphis Ram]

The reason the Rams OL was so poor in 2014 was primarily Wells and Joseph. Barksdale wasn't a pro bowler, but he was the least of our problems.

Saffold has been repaired.
GRob will keep getting better and better.
Barksdale is perhaps at his ceiling, and that's just fine.

Add an a-lister OL (G or T, doesn't matter) in the first and another G in the 5th... get one of Barnes or Jones or Rhaney to step up at C... yeah, I think we'll be OK.

Will have to trade for a 5th rounder though.

 

[Memphis Ram]

The GSOT was referenced in this thread, as it pertained to the RT position. Fred Miller, and then Ryan Tucker were hardly top flight Right Tackles. But the one thing they BOTH had going for them was playing next to Adam Timmerman. I think a lot of people dismiss the notion that Barksdale played much better when Saffold was playing next to him, and his play suffered immensely when forced to line up next to Joseph.

IMO, I think re-signing Barksdale would be a smart move, as would moving Saffold back to RG. If they are still able to sign Blaylock, great. But either way, with those moves, I think they would go a long way in solidifying the right side of the line. My preference at that point would be to draft Scherff, and throw him in the mix at LG. Barrett Jones could be part of that mix as well.

I have said since from the outset, that Barnes is most likely the guy who is gonna go into training camp as the starter at Center.

So, if you go with that..... you have a group of:

LT - Robinson; LG - Blaylock/Scherff; C - Barnes; RG - Saffold; RT - Barksdale ---- with B. Jones, Demetrius Rhaney, Travis Bond, Brandon Washington, Garrett Reynolds as the depth.

Obviously, there are a lot of unknowns in that equation, and I agree, they will need to devote more than one draft pick to the "problem". There will likely be more guys brought in to fill out the training camp roster.

Say what you will, about guys like Barnes, Washington and Jones. They have kept them around for a reason. People are quick to say that this staff hasn't "developed" anyone. But IMO, these guys are prime examples of just that. I realize it seems to many that they don't seem to have a plan for what they are going to do. But it's mid-April. This unit will undoubtedly have a dramatically different look and feel within the next 3 weeks.

 

[Amitar]

The reason the Rams OL was so poor in 2014 was primarily Wells and Joseph. Barksdale wasn't a pro bowler, but he was the least of our problems.

Actually it was all three, Wells, Joseph, and Barksdale

 

[Ramhusker]

I think it's going to be essential that Saffold is our RG no matter who is at RT (Barks or a rookie). The question then is who is going to be our LG? It's starting to look like our starting C is already in the house. Personally, I think we have to either sign Blalock as our LG or retain Barksdale as our RT and find a starter in the draft. Of course, that draftee will probably have to be nabbed by pick 41 for all practical purposes.

 

[…..]

Joe has been over achieving since the moment he came on with the Rams. He has steadily improved each year, becae a starter and has been dependable by not going down to injury.

Now you stack the above statement against high priced FA's that have played along side him, been injured, or had thier play regress, and its easy to see how Barksdale should be considered an asset.

 

[shaunpinney]

It may be that we sign an OT in the draft and sign Blalock at guard, so many options are left which is lucky as we have many holes to fill on our O-line

 

[shaunpinney]

The GSOT was referenced in this thread, as it pertained to the RT position. Fred Miller, and then Ryan Tucker were hardly top flight Right Tackles. But the one thing they BOTH had going for them was playing next to Adam Timmerman. I think a lot of people dismiss the notion that Barksdale played much better when Saffold was playing next to him, and his play suffered immensely when forced to line up next to Joseph.

IMO, I think re-signing Barksdale would be a smart move, as would moving Saffold back to RG. If they are still able to sign Blaylock, great. But either way, with those moves, I think they would go a long way in solidifying the right side of the line. My preference at that point would be to draft Scherff, and throw him in the mix at LG. Barrett Jones could be part of that mix as well.

I have said since from the outset, that Barnes is most likely the guy who is gonna go into training camp as the starter at Center.

So, if you go with that..... you have a group of:

LT - Robinson; LG - Blaylock/Scherff; C - Barnes; RG - Saffold; RT - Barksdale ---- with B. Jones, Demetrius Rhaney, Travis Bond, Brandon Washington, Garrett Reynolds as the depth.

Obviously, there are a lot of unknowns in that equation, and I agree, they will need to devote more than one draft pick to the "problem". There will likely be more guys brought in to fill out the training camp roster.

Say what you will, about guys like Barnes, Washington and Jones. They have kept them around for a reason. People are quick to say that this staff hasn't "developed" anyone. But IMO, these guys are prime examples of just that. I realize it seems to many that they don't seem to have a plan for what they are going to do. But it's mid-April. This unit will undoubtedly have a dramatically different look and feel within the next 3 weeks.

@CoachO this is the most sensible post I've read on our O-line and one I agree with, the right side was so much better as Saffold / Barksdale combo - I may put jones ahead of Barnes in your o-line because for some crazy reason, I still believe we have a gem in him - and you're right there must be a reason we've kept Barnes, Jones and Washington. I like the Scherff in R1, the only problem I'd have if say Kevin White drops to 10, then I have a problem!