If not Malcomb Brown... then who?

[den-the-coach]

Yeah Yeah, screw Texas! It's even snowing there! ~ den

It's hilarious, no place to hide, now looking at property in Marco Island Florida as I was telling the Mrs., if we were in Texas right now, I would be having a cow.

 

[Loyal]

It's hilarious, no place to hide, now looking at property in Marco Island Florida as I was telling the Mrs., if we were in Texas right now, I would be having a cow.

New Yorker snowbirds headed for Florida. Total stereotype!

 

[Rams43]

Here is a relevant post by a very respected poster named Deadpool from another board. I think you’ll find it interesting.

Here’s Deadpool...

I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately into how to improve the blocking.

And this is what I have come up with:

Draft Ben Mason. FB from Michigan. He is a 6'-3" 255 lb. hammer. McVay drafted a FB in his first year in LA, so its not like he is opposed to fullbacks.

Mason makes a ton of sense on multiple levels:

1. Was a core special teamer at Michigan, that is something the Rams could use.
2. The Rams had a TE room of Everett, Mundt, Higbee and Hopkins. they weighed 240, 233, 255 and 245 respectively. Letting Everett go in FA and replacing him with Hopkins solves the pass catcher and it opens up a slot for Foster, who becomes the biggest, toughest, strongest TE/RB on the team.
3. He has been and can be used in short yardage situations, along with Akers, that makes Malcolm Brown expendable in Fa as well.
4. He also fits the Rams draft patterns of valuing a Senior Bowl player. One who happened to be a Mich. academic All American and team captain.
5. You can draft him late, hell I'd overdraft him in the 5th or 6th round just to make sure I land him.

So to recap, you draft a 5th or 6th round kid that immediately improves your special teams, replaces 2 positions lost in free agency with a cheap alternative and becomes an immediate improvement in the blocking game. Either at TE or FB or at the H. And because is is a late pick and cheap, you don't feel the need to use him on every play. You can use him in 5-10% of the plays and feel justified.

He'd become even more important in a situation where you move Havs and Evans slides into the RT spot. They chipped alot last year with Evans on the right and Mason would be absolutely perfect for that.

Beyond Mason, I'm still drafting a top OC early. I want one in the 2nd but the 3rd works for me as well. Adding a beefier, tougher OC cleans up a lot of the interior rush and there is plenty of proof out there that rookie OCs can start and make a difference early on in their careers.

So with Whit, Edwards, rookie OC, Corbett and Havs (or Evans) and Mason, you have a very good blocking OL that can win goalline situations and short yardage 3rd downs.

I also think this opens up the 3rd and 4th rounds to get ILBers, Edge rushers and CBs or DL ( I think M. Jones ends up on the Rams team somehow, solving the deepthreat situation)

 

[Ramon Ram]

Here is a relevant post by a very respected poster named Deadpool from another board. I think you’ll find it interesting.

Here’s Deadpool...

I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately into how to improve the blocking.

And this is what I have come up with:

Draft Ben Mason. FB from Michigan. He is a 6'-3" 255 lb. hammer. McVay drafted a FB in his first year in LA, so its not like he is opposed to fullbacks.

Mason makes a ton of sense on multiple levels:

1. Was a core special teamer at Michigan, that is something the Rams could use.
2. The Rams had a TE room of Everett, Mundt, Higbee and Hopkins. they weighed 240, 233, 255 and 245 respectively. Letting Everett go in FA and replacing him with Hopkins solves the pass catcher and it opens up a slot for Foster, who becomes the biggest, toughest, strongest TE/RB on the team.
3. He has been and can be used in short yardage situations, along with Akers, that makes Malcolm Brown expendable in Fa as well.
4. He also fits the Rams draft patterns of valuing a Senior Bowl player. One who happened to be a Mich. academic All American and team captain.
5. You can draft him late, hell I'd overdraft him in the 5th or 6th round just to make sure I land him.

So to recap, you draft a 5th or 6th round kid that immediately improves your special teams, replaces 2 positions lost in free agency with a cheap alternative and becomes an immediate improvement in the blocking game. Either at TE or FB or at the H. And because is is a late pick and cheap, you don't feel the need to use him on every play. You can use him in 5-10% of the plays and feel justified.

He'd become even more important in a situation where you move Havs and Evans slides into the RT spot. They chipped alot last year with Evans on the right and Mason would be absolutely perfect for that.

Beyond Mason, I'm still drafting a top OC early. I want one in the 2nd but the 3rd works for me as well. Adding a beefier, tougher OC cleans up a lot of the interior rush and there is plenty of proof out there that rookie OCs can start and make a difference early on in their careers.

So with Whit, Edwards, rookie OC, Corbett and Havs (or Evans) and Mason, you have a very good blocking OL that can win goalline situations and short yardage 3rd downs.

I also think this opens up the 3rd and 4th rounds to get ILBers, Edge rushers and CBs or DL ( I think M. Jones ends up on the Rams team somehow, solving the deepthreat situation)

Yes this makes sense. A Rex Burkhead type of guy who can swivel and play ST's.

 

[Ballhawk]

i don't know if it is or was ever true but way back they used to say that a fb was not accounted for in pass coverage. so i think we should draft tommy tremble and use him at fb. he could be a lead blocker,short yardage power back and a receiver out of the back field. i notice that a lot of the better running teams use a fb a lot. plus we could use him in line blocking at times he would just add so many different looks to the offence.

Yes! Bring back the H back! Might be the best way to use Everett's skills. Oh, wait, if he can learn to block!

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Many here are fans of Tremble as a TE/FB type

 

[OnceARam]

Draft Ben Mason. FB from Michigan. He is a 6'-3" 255 lb. hammer.

Yeah, but he probably has short arms. And no one likes short arms.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

With limited cap space it’s less likely they sign a FA. So Browns replacement is either on the roster, drafted, or a UDFA.

I guess it could be possible that Xavier Jones pass blocking needed some work, or he needed to learn the playbook, but he was the fourth string back. So they may be counting on him.

Calais came in mid season. He cannot be counted out either I guess.

 

[Zodi]

Every year I advocate them to pick up the best fullback in the draft.
And every year they ignore me!

Usually the best fullback in the draft is still sitting there in the fourth round.
So basically, we could get the best fullback in the draft with a comp pick.

I love a good old-fashioned snot knocking FB to wear those linebackers and safeties out so we can beat him with speed backs later in the game.

Yup. McVay needs to look at what Shanahan is doing with Jushfjdkske and copy it. Dude is a weapon.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

why Jones? Two RB's had a fasteer time in the 40 than Akers, one of them was Calais
train
here
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyHCPG5UE60

I wonder if he can catch. He’d make a good deep threat, even if it’s only a few plays a game

 

[CoachAllred]

Everyone seems to be using insight from Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic; the Rams are "unlikely to bring back" RB Malcolm Brown. (Source: The Athletic)

Happy to hear it. Like Brown, But its time for AKers and Hendo to take over.

 

[OldSchool]

We won’t have a shot at him but Javonte Williams looks great. A possibility is Herbert from Va Tech.

 

[CoachAllred]

The key for me is what type of skill set does McVay want. Personally, I would like a power/short-yardage back so the young RBs don’t need to take extra pounding. I check for e-mails and texts daily but McVay has not reached out for my opinion.

That would seem to be a good contrast for Akers and Hendo.
A basher to go along with the slash and dash.

 

[CoachAllred]

Draft Ben Mason. FB from Michigan. He is a 6'-3" 255 lb. hammer. McVay drafted a FB in his first year in LA, so its not like he is opposed to fullbacks.

Would love to see us get a fullback.

 

[BonifayRam]

Rams just might have a prospect FB/RB already under contract who might have the size to offer up some last line of protection for our new QB.

Micheal Hoecht DL 6-4 310lbs. He was RB in high school. Led the league in rushing.

How can rookie DT Michael Hoecht make LA Rams 2020 roster? | Rams ON DEMAND

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I say if he we can get him in the late rounds, what about Rhamondre Stevenson. Definitely bigger than our current backs.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I don't expect them to do much more than bring in a vet at the minimum to help as a blocking back or outlet receiver on 3rd down. They'll also bring in some FA draft guys but I'd be shocked if they draft a RB in this draft.

That being said... I'd feel a lot better if Hendo and Akers had proven a bit more durable so far.

 

[12intheBox]

Late round pick / UDFA. The 3rd RB is not the place to spend money, IMO.

 

[OldSchool]

Late round pick / UDFA. The 3rd RB is not the place to spend money, IMO.

A 3rd round comp pick last year made $840k roughly. Current vet free agents generally made ovev$1 million. I’d personally rather spend those draft picks elsewhere but pay shouldn’t matter. Plus nether Akers or Hendo were models of health.

 

[dieterbrock]

I dont see adding a FB to the mix, as it is there's going to be quite bit of personnel changing on the O side with Everett, Reynolds and Goff heading out. Rams havent used a FB, dont think McVay used one in Washington either, so I dont see changing all of that now.