Is Stefen Wisniewski still available?

[Elmgrovegnome]

Oh I'm willing to bet an anonymous ipad gets placed in Nick Foles locker with a Rams playbook loaded on it with a "how'd that get in there, well do what you want with it" wink and a shrug. I'm sure most QBs at the very least get these a lot earlier than they are supposed to.

I hope you are correct.

 

[Ramsey]

Here is a recent Seahawk Blog concerning... What is going on with Stefen Wisniewski? By Rob Staton

Rob addresses Why nobody hasn't signed Wis yet.
There are added bonus draft mini-scouting reports on the top Center in the 2015 draft.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seahawksdraftblog/2015/03/19/whats-going-on-with-stefen-wisniewski/

If Primetime or another ROD VIP wishes to clean up my post or repost as a separate thread, I'll understand.

 

[den-the-coach]

The draft is loaded at Center and Wiz seems to like himself more than GM's so that is why he is still available. Rams have not had a visit and that is not always the be-all end-all, it seems the Rams are either staying internal or have a Center they like in the draft.

 

[Ramhusker]

7.5 is ridiculous for Wisneiwski. I would go 5 million a year but even the 6 million Wells got was too much.

We'll sign Brian De La Puente for half that before we break the bank on Wis. I'm kinda starting to lean that way anyways. He'd fill a gap for a couple of seasons while we groom a draftee this year.

 

[Stel]

We'll sign Brian De La Puente for half that before we break the bank on Wis. I'm kinda starting to lean that way anyways. He'd fill a gap for a couple of seasons while we groom a draftee this year.

Not a bad idea, actually. Assuming he checks out physically, he should be good for a year or two while a draft pick gets groomed. He played last season for about $800K. A 2 year deal similar to the one for Garrett Reynolds should work. Reynolds can back up both OG spots and ROT; De La Puente can play OC and OG.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Cameron Erving can play center. There's a certain center from a certain university too.

 

[GabesHorn]

The draft is loaded at Center and Wiz seems to like himself more than GM's so that is why he is still available. Rams have not had a visit and that is not always the be-all end-all, it seems the Rams are either staying internal or have a Center they like in the draft.

I beg to differ coach as we all have studied the Senior bowl and combine but as we all saw with the drafting of Barrett Jones with production championships at 3 positions and scholastically the guy you need to read the defense and make the line calls. Plus from a great coached leading SEC team you expect to produce sure things. Most of the time in the NFL a vet guard will make the line calls while a rookie center is earning his stripes as I know the Pats did last year and a couple other teams did. Its in a post on the other web site.

I'm not so sure Erving is a sure thing as he also played just his Senior year on a team that almost never lost a game and won a Championship. Not built like your prototypical center and all college guys need the Pro weight room regimine(sp?). Folks are thinking a couple guys who never snapped the ball out of the shotgun in college like Grasau from Oregon and a couple others will just slide on in. I like the Georgia Tech kid but he played in a very rare option that only they run and he is a Guard projecting to center. Surely thats gonna take time and not be a lock. Some of these guys like the Auburn kid Dismukes is not a power blocker we would like to have as he likes to just wall off the defender in a zone manner and he was 297 I think needing much muscle to take on the big NT hogmollies or blitzing both gaps at one time teams. Much to learn and working as a new unit will take more than camp and pre-season.

Only 32 starting centers in this league and doing it above average is impressive like Unger who was traded to the Saints. I remember us passing on him in the draft forever ago. Lets sign Wis please and get Fisher his young uninjured vet. Screw the money for our NEED and our misses and having 3 starter holes to fill. We FINALLY have some hope with Foles we NEVER expected. Lets make it as smooth as possible for him and the stopgap injured vets out there just scare me as Wells was top rated when we overpaid for him. I like the Boston College kid and the Gator has some promise with lots of work. Most are rated 4th rounders or lower but will be over drafted for need and wanting the one you believe won't bust.

Erving had Tre' Jackson and Mattias on either side of him all last season and they will both be on Pro teams this year and as you saw from all FSU games they barely won. It was'nt very pretty. Yet he had more skilled college talent on both sides of him. Please sign Wis and draft one of Sneads highest rated in the 4th round. Trade down in round 1 to get an extra pick . Take BPA on OL pick up Petty if available early round 2 then again OL . Probably OG due to its depth and remember we don't have a 5th round pick. And only a compensatory 6th and the Patriots 7th so they won't be early round picks and I know we want a late round shot at MLB as we are having one visit this week. I like Emanuel from North Dakota State U. who produces great kids and never loses games(Bison) dude could replace JL.

 

[den-the-coach]

I beg to differ coach as we all have studied the Senior bowl and combine but as we all saw with the drafting of Barrett Jones with production championships at 3 positions and scholastically the guy you need to read the defense and make the line calls. Plus from a great coached leading SEC team you expect to produce sure things. Most of the time in the NFL a vet guard will make the line calls while a rookie center is earning his stripes as I know the Pats did last year and a couple other teams did. Its in a post on the other web site.

I'm not sure about Wisniewski and I found this piece interesting although it was a Seahawk perspective so God forgive me, but had some excellent analysis on players in the upcoming draft.

What’s going on with Stefen Wisniewski?
March 19th, 2015 | Written by Rob Staton

It’s over a week since it was revealed Stefen Wisniewski was visiting with the Seahawks. Six days ago Pete Carroll called him a “legitimate starter in the league” and confirmed his interest in doing a deal.

Since then… silence.

There’s no news on any further visits taken by Wisniewski. He was linked to the Bears and Buccs. The Rams reportedly showed some interest in the early stages of free agency. Yet nothing has been reported since he visited Seattle.

He’s every NFL fans last remaining free agency hope. He’s a well known player and an offensive lineman. He’s also young. If you search for his name on Twitter you’ll see endless Tweets from fans pleading with their team to make a move. Yet curiously there’s nothing happening. We’re well beyond even the second phase of free agency now. Dwayne Bowe getting a gig is actually news. That’s where we’re at.

Carroll did admit it wouldn’t be a quick fix:

“It will be some time before this gets worked out. It’s recruiting and we’re battling. He’s a really solid football player and a smart kid. We’ll see where it goes.”

It’d be easier to understand the situation if we knew he was taking other visits. For all we know he might be. The silence instead suggests a position of ‘limbo’ for a player expected to generate a lot of interest.

So what’s going on?

He could be pricing himself out of a move. Rodney Hudson is getting $8.9m APY to replace Wisniewski in Oakland. His cap hit is $13m this year. He almost certainly expects to get a lower salary — but if teams are offering the league average for a center (around $3-4m) and he wants closer to $5-7m, that could be a stumbling block.

He also might not be as accomplished as many people think. Good offensive linemen usually get snapped up especially when they’re in their mid-20’s. Not only did Oakland decide to move on from Wisniewski, they spent major money to replace him. They’ve seemingly shown no interest in re-signing him to play guard. His market might not be any better than Dan Connolly’s (another player Seattle has show interest in). Teams have stayed away from other big names too — B.J. Raji, Michael Crabtree, Brandon Spikes.

Former NFL GM Bill Polian is running a free-agency tracker for ESPN. He gave Wisniewski a ‘C’ grade as he hit the open market — the same as mediocre receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, former Seahawks return man Leon Washington and plodding ex-Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas. Polian’s view could be representative of those in the league — he’s just an average player worthy of a very average salary.

Even Carroll’s language (“solid”, “smart”) is coach code for, “yeah he’s not bad”. The Seahawks have two big holes to fill on the offensive line and Wisniewski would fill one of them while offering a veteran presence. Are the Seahawks willing to make a long term financial commitment, however? And they might want him to come in and compete with Patrick Lewis and possibly a rookie.

I suspect we’re getting closer to a conclusion on this topic. Maybe we’ll hear something in the next few days? Can we read into Seattle’s sudden interest in Connolly or their talks with other free agents like Anthony Spencer, Ahtyba Rubin (signing today, according to Ian Rapoport) and Chris Canty (re-signed with the Ravens)? They don’t have the cap space to make multiple moves. It could be Wisniewski or a couple of low salaried defensive line additions instead.

Neither Rubin or Spencer are players to get particularly excited about but the D-line does require depth. The general strength of the center class could also move the Seahawks towards drafting a rookie and letting the competition play out between said player and Patrick Lewis.

Adding Wisniewski will seem like a smart move because he’d be a perceived immediate starter with experience at a good age. Yet there are several prospects in this draft class with the potential to be superior. I’ve spent a bit of time looking at the position since Max Unger was traded to the Saints. Here’s a few brief early thoughts:

Ali Marpet (Hobart)
Prototype size for the center position and just looks made for the role. It’s hard to judge him in terms of small-school tape at left tackle but you can’t help but be impressed with his combination of size and athleticism. Tony Pauline spoke very highly of him in yesterday’s podcast (see below).

B.J. Finney (Kansas State)
He has the wrestling background Tom Cable loves. He’s a very solid blocker working in a phone booth but doesn’t have great mobility or second level awareness. He is a tough, physical player with NFL size and a terrific initial punch. Nothing flashy but he’ll be an average or slightly above average starter at the next level.

Hroniss Grasu (Oregon)
He’s a battler with the light feet to pull across the line and deliver big-play blocks in the running game. You don’t see Finney’s power at the point of attack but he’s technically sound and more athletic. He’s considered a big-time leader and made for the ZBS. He might have to add a bit of extra weight to play center at the next level but there’s room to grow. Most importantly there’s real evidence he can get to the next level.

Shaq Mason (Georgia Tech)
I’ve only watched one piece of footage but he looks like a dynamo in the run game, driving blockers with ease and winning with consistent leverage. He looks very powerful and strong. It’s hard to judge an interior lineman playing in the triple-option — so often they’re incidental to the play call. He ran a sub-5.0 at his pro-day. If he’s athletic and powerful, he’s one to monitor.

Max Garcia (Florida)
He’s a tackle convert (Seattle seems to like that) and a big character guy. He stood out during the Senior Bowl drills — battling a visibly tiring Danny Shelton and holding his own. On tape he can be hit and miss but he does show a mean streak and some power. You see good hand placement and leverage. Is he mobile enough for the ZBS? Debatable.

I’m yet to watch Boston College’s Andy Gallik and there are potential tackle/guard converts littered throughout this class. For example, athletic tackle Mitch Morse is 6-5 and 305lbs — the exact same measurements as Max Unger. He has short arms (32 and 1/4 inches) so needs to shift inside. However, he benched 35 reps and showed good short-area quickness at the combine (4.50 short shuttle). It’s something to consider.

I discussed the center position, Ali Marpet, Mitch Morse and others with Draft Insider Tony Pauline yesterday. Here’s the podcast if you missed it:

http://seahawksdraftblog.com/whats-going-on-with-stefen-wisniewski

 

[yrba1]

I'm guessing he's another dud at this point and that we'd be better off drafting a center.

 

[GabesHorn]

I'm not sure about Wisniewski and I found this piece interesting although it was a Seahawk perspective so God forgive me, but had some excellent analysis on players in the upcoming draft.

What’s going on with Stefen Wisniewski?
March 19th, 2015 | Written by Rob Staton

It’s over a week since it was revealed Stefen Wisniewski was visiting with the Seahawks. Six days ago Pete Carroll called him a “legitimate starter in the league” and confirmed his interest in doing a deal.

Since then… silence.

There’s no news on any further visits taken by Wisniewski. He was linked to the Bears and Buccs. The Rams reportedly showed some interest in the early stages of free agency. Yet nothing has been reported since he visited Seattle.

He’s every NFL fans last remaining free agency hope. He’s a well known player and an offensive lineman. He’s also young. If you search for his name on Twitter you’ll see endless Tweets from fans pleading with their team to make a move. Yet curiously there’s nothing happening. We’re well beyond even the second phase of free agency now. Dwayne Bowe getting a gig is actually news. That’s where we’re at.

Carroll did admit it wouldn’t be a quick fix:

“It will be some time before this gets worked out. It’s recruiting and we’re battling. He’s a really solid football player and a smart kid. We’ll see where it goes.”

It’d be easier to understand the situation if we knew he was taking other visits. For all we know he might be. The silence instead suggests a position of ‘limbo’ for a player expected to generate a lot of interest.

So what’s going on?

He could be pricing himself out of a move. Rodney Hudson is getting $8.9m APY to replace Wisniewski in Oakland. His cap hit is $13m this year. He almost certainly expects to get a lower salary — but if teams are offering the league average for a center (around $3-4m) and he wants closer to $5-7m, that could be a stumbling block.

He also might not be as accomplished as many people think. Good offensive linemen usually get snapped up especially when they’re in their mid-20’s. Not only did Oakland decide to move on from Wisniewski, they spent major money to replace him. They’ve seemingly shown no interest in re-signing him to play guard. His market might not be any better than Dan Connolly’s (another player Seattle has show interest in). Teams have stayed away from other big names too — B.J. Raji, Michael Crabtree, Brandon Spikes.

Former NFL GM Bill Polian is running a free-agency tracker for ESPN. He gave Wisniewski a ‘C’ grade as he hit the open market — the same as mediocre receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, former Seahawks return man Leon Washington and plodding ex-Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas. Polian’s view could be representative of those in the league — he’s just an average player worthy of a very average salary.

Even Carroll’s language (“solid”, “smart”) is coach code for, “yeah he’s not bad”. The Seahawks have two big holes to fill on the offensive line and Wisniewski would fill one of them while offering a veteran presence. Are the Seahawks willing to make a long term financial commitment, however? And they might want him to come in and compete with Patrick Lewis and possibly a rookie.

I suspect we’re getting closer to a conclusion on this topic. Maybe we’ll hear something in the next few days? Can we read into Seattle’s sudden interest in Connolly or their talks with other free agents like Anthony Spencer, Ahtyba Rubin (signing today, according to Ian Rapoport) and Chris Canty (re-signed with the Ravens)? They don’t have the cap space to make multiple moves. It could be Wisniewski or a couple of low salaried defensive line additions instead.

Neither Rubin or Spencer are players to get particularly excited about but the D-line does require depth. The general strength of the center class could also move the Seahawks towards drafting a rookie and letting the competition play out between said player and Patrick Lewis.

Adding Wisniewski will seem like a smart move because he’d be a perceived immediate starter with experience at a good age. Yet there are several prospects in this draft class with the potential to be superior. I’ve spent a bit of time looking at the position since Max Unger was traded to the Saints. Here’s a few brief early thoughts:

Ali Marpet (Hobart)
Prototype size for the center position and just looks made for the role. It’s hard to judge him in terms of small-school tape at left tackle but you can’t help but be impressed with his combination of size and athleticism. Tony Pauline spoke very highly of him in yesterday’s podcast (see below).

B.J. Finney (Kansas State)
He has the wrestling background Tom Cable loves. He’s a very solid blocker working in a phone booth but doesn’t have great mobility or second level awareness. He is a tough, physical player with NFL size and a terrific initial punch. Nothing flashy but he’ll be an average or slightly above average starter at the next level.

Hroniss Grasu (Oregon)
He’s a battler with the light feet to pull across the line and deliver big-play blocks in the running game. You don’t see Finney’s power at the point of attack but he’s technically sound and more athletic. He’s considered a big-time leader and made for the ZBS. He might have to add a bit of extra weight to play center at the next level but there’s room to grow. Most importantly there’s real evidence he can get to the next level.

Shaq Mason (Georgia Tech)
I’ve only watched one piece of footage but he looks like a dynamo in the run game, driving blockers with ease and winning with consistent leverage. He looks very powerful and strong. It’s hard to judge an interior lineman playing in the triple-option — so often they’re incidental to the play call. He ran a sub-5.0 at his pro-day. If he’s athletic and powerful, he’s one to monitor.

Max Garcia (Florida)
He’s a tackle convert (Seattle seems to like that) and a big character guy. He stood out during the Senior Bowl drills — battling a visibly tiring Danny Shelton and holding his own. On tape he can be hit and miss but he does show a mean streak and some power. You see good hand placement and leverage. Is he mobile enough for the ZBS? Debatable.

I’m yet to watch Boston College’s Andy Gallik and there are potential tackle/guard converts littered throughout this class. For example, athletic tackle Mitch Morse is 6-5 and 305lbs — the exact same measurements as Max Unger. He has short arms (32 and 1/4 inches) so needs to shift inside. However, he benched 35 reps and showed good short-area quickness at the combine (4.50 short shuttle). It’s something to consider.

I discussed the center position, Ali Marpet, Mitch Morse and others with Draft Insider Tony Pauline yesterday. Here’s the podcast if you missed it:

http://seahawksdraftblog.com/whats-going-on-with-stefen-wisniewski

Coach Carroll will probably be the guy that signs Wis in my opinion. He in coach speak is saying nothing is special about Wis. His PFF rating has him miles ahead of what we've had in Wells and he can pass block.

Yes I've mentioned all of those mentioned in this post that as it states have POTENTIAL and they leave out Erving who should be at the head of this class at center and also with his versatility as he's played all OL positions with FSU just as Barrett Jones did with Bama and we saw how Jones has faired from what I thought also was a great pick in the 4th round with his brains as your center needs them in spades.

Bottom line. We have 3 gaping holes and need one solid young uninjured starter at the hardest spot to plug and play with a draftee that I'm sure we'll get one of these guys mentioned . Its easier to draft a Guard or ORT and have them play as rookies. I think Scherff will be gone at 10 in my opinion as he is rated as one of the safest top 10 picks right now. Laken Tomlinson was the 10th safest players in that scouting article the OG from Duke who we would love in the second round . It did'nt mean he was a top 10 ranked player.

I'd love Collins who has versatility at OT & probably better suited for OG. We may need to start him at ORT till another can fill that spot. Especially if Barksdale does'nt sign and even if he does he could be an upgrade in 2 years as we let JB go. We probably will be trading back if we can't get some of our FA's to sign with us. We need to try for a QB early since we've failed in QB development dept. I wish we would just wait till next years crop of QB's. Missing a 5th round pick and having just a late 6th round comp pick due to giving tampa 4&6th rounders for Barron the safety 1st rounder.

I know I'm the lone wolf wanting to pay Wis the 5 Mill . Its better than what we got from Wells at the same if not higher price. Sorry I don't want the old injured route anymore .

 

[jrry32]

Teams have stayed away from other big names too — B.J. Raji, Michael Crabtree, Brandon Spikes.

I'm pretty sure Raji re-signed with Green Bay a week ago.

 

[Alan]

bluecoconuts with this:
I'm pretty sure they pay state tax to their official home of residence, unless they change to the state they play in, or its the same state as where they're from.

So I haven't finished reading the rest of this thread yet but I live in NH which has no state income tax but when I worked at our facility in Massachusetts I had to pay them state income tax. This law it to prevent out of state workers from using the state's infrastructure without helping them pay for it.

 

[den-the-coach]

Sorry I don't want the old injured route anymore .

I concur, but the more you read about Wisniewski the more I feel he won't be the right fit. More of a zone blocker and Rams run a man blocking scheme.

 

[den-the-coach]

I'm pretty sure Raji re-signed with Green Bay a week ago.

He did.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10608624/bj-raji-agrees-deal-green-bay-packers

 

[fearsomefour]

Wiz is not going to be confused with Mike Webster anytime soon, but, he is a big upgrade over what the Rams have had.
I think Stephen is being smart....its a small C market and he is young and a FA. If he is asking for $7.5M he may be hoping for $6M, I would offer $5M a year.

 

[paceram]

I concur, but the more you read about Wisniewski the more I feel he won't be the right fit. More of a zone blocker and Rams run a man blocking scheme.

If the Rams don't sign Wisniewski (Which, I don't think they will) who do you think the Rams starting Center will be next season?

 

[GabesHorn]

If the Rams don't sign Wisniewski (Which, I don't think they will) who do you think the Rams starting Center will be next season?

The 10 Million dollar question. Probably Barnes as of now. Gotta keep waiting. Fisher has his job riding on getting this line filled out. Does Stan want a losing team going into L.A.? Just read a tweet on our other board that said the Titans paid for J. Barkesdales Honeymoon suite. That does'nt sound good for us if true. Was from the crazy man J.T.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

If the Rams don't sign Wisniewski (Which, I don't think they will) who do you think the Rams starting Center will be next season?

Supposedly, the Rams have spent some time looking at Mitch Morse. I don't get the interest myself. I don't think he is all that good but he is a guy mentioned in the article above, as being able to play center. I didnt hear anyone else saying he would be a good Center though.

We all wish for Cam Erving. He has been mentioned by just about every one of us this offseason on a multitude of threads, but the Rams pick at Ten. That is viewed as high for him. Who knows what they think. Maybe they rate him that high? He probably won't be available at the Rams second pick. I could see a team at the end of round1 taking him. He would have been ideal for Seattle.

Max Garcia looked real good at the Sr. bowl and Snead likes Sr. bowl players. It's hard to believe hat Fisher will have an inexperienced Center but he may not have a choice.

1 thing to consider though is that Sam was not good at making the line calls/adjustments. Maybe Foles is. That would make starting a rookie a little less impactful, if so.

 

[paceram]

The 10 Million dollar question. Probably Barnes as of now. Gotta keep waiting. Fisher has his job riding on getting this line filled out. Does Stan want a losing team going into L.A.? Just read a tweet on our other board that said the Titans paid for J. Barkesdales Honeymoon suite. That does'nt sound good for us if true. Was from the crazy man J.T.

I was kind of thinking of Barnes as well but I wasn't sure if the Rams ever re-signed him or not. If the Rams don't sign another FA Center then Barnes makes a lot of sense! But, call me a dreamer (Or, just plain crazy!) but I still have hopes that Barrett Jones will get & stay healthy this season and contribute something to the Rams OL this coming season!

 

[PressureD41]

Please forgive what (I THOUGHT) I heard on the radio. I never meant to make it seem they were route running with hardballs. Please accept my most humble appologies and also losing all my credibility with such an astute bunch of fans.

Can't hide my enthusiasm after such an astoundingly long painfull dryspell with my Rams. I feel like a major weight has been taken off my shoulders with Sam and his contract now (and the one to be) is now gone FOREVER.

My age is showing as I truly thought a few balls were thrown as in just catch between Nick and Quick. I remember now hearing Fisher say Quick tore everything possible to tear in that shoulder. I'm sure most all of you as fans are aware of the muscular arms and shoulders Quick has and wonder how much of that he will lose in his return? Again forgive me. My wife says she never said that many times when I quote her so I guess I'll never get read with belief ever again.

I'm Rams all the time win or lose and everyone thats ever met me knows it. Even had a stuffed blue and Gold Ram on my Groomscake almost 30 years ago. My nephew asked for it and became a Rams fan like his crazy addicted uncle of which I'm one of 4 brothers that played football as early as we could till we could'nt play it anymore. Eight years as offensive right tackle .We ran the wishbone and I was always the biggest guy on the team. The wishbone gives away my age as that was the 70's. We lined up and said here we come ,try and stop us. Not much of a passing offense at all for us.

My Rams collection is scary extensive and the largest Warner card collection on E-bay from 15 years of collecting and now selling.

Really hope Quick can make it all the way back and he took so long to learn the Pro game. Was really hoping he could take the next step and be a real find for us 4 years later. Plus you guys know the NFL bends the rules everyday with what goes on. Please ....goodell makes me puke what he has allowed people and teams to get away with. If you think Foles isn't studying our system (verbage) in some way right now I have some swampland to sell you right here in Florida.

Lets see what happens next with Barksdale and Blaylock who knows coach Boo and Any NFL player can see for themselves the Rams have and are still building something VERY special right now. Draft will be very interesting to say the least. Snead knows what he and his staff are doing. Its Fisher who scares me pulling the final strings. Some are hoping Cooper will fall to us and Fisher takes him over a Scherff or Collins or maybe Peat if Barksdale moves on. I'm worried we pick up Gurly in the 2nd round if he's still there. Fisher is a one trick pony. No way do I see us not having a winning season this year. Maybe 9-7 but it will be a start. Cards and seachickens will still be tough.

I'll be glad to give my sources anytime you guys want to call me on something. Hell RamBill is a source unto himself GOD BLESS HIM.

Is that you @jthom1 ??????????? lol