Jonah Jackson at center!

[muggmeister]

I think I'll look at this as the glass almost full. If Limmer is performing in practice like he has the preseason games then I would say we have best 4 man interior group in the entire NFL. If he eventually unseats Jackson in the starting lineup we will have the best interior backup possibly in history. If Note and McClendon can occasionally play average or better in spot duty we may the best overall line in the league, yes Lions, I'm directing that at you. I'm a believer that our young and hungry d-line will get after Goff Sunday night, Verse and Fiske coming out party and will be in contention with each other for rookie DPOY.

 

[DzRams]

Exactly, we prioritized other positions which as a result affected Ernest Jones. I used Dotson and Jackson because those were the guys this season that got the money and Jones was due for an extension and got traded. We paid two guards and we have some OTs to pay soon or replace. Investing this much into a position group means we have to be cheap somewhere else.

Also, historical habits can change. Before Avila, we did not prioritize spending money on the IOL since letting Saffold go.

You're right that historical habits can change as seen by the recent emphasis on IOL. I don't see any evidence though that they are changing in regard to ILB.

I submit that the money used for Dotson and Jackson didn't affect Jones at all. They never intended to extend Jones. This is evident not just because of the historical lack of priority on ILB but also because of Jones' own words: They never made an offer! And he was eligible for an extension prior to free agency. That tells me they didn't want to pay vet money at that position.

Then they unceremoniously dumped him for the equivalent of a 7th round pick. If those two things don't indicate a lack of interest, I don't know what does.

Dotson and Jackson's money are affecting other positions but it's not like they would have been willing to spend money on Jones if they didn't sign the guards.

 

[Memphis Ram]

View: https://x.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1831355877389127689

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

Ahh, the Baylor Flash.... Remember when we told ourselves how good a converted TE would be at LT? Man, we were stoopid.

Well to be frank it did work well with Kyle Turley who was also converted from TE to LT.
I know he didn't last long with the Rams but he did make a number of Pro Bowls....

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[WestCoastRam]

View: https://x.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1831355877389127689

We can go back and forth about what this all means but as long as the move activates the top 5 on the oline, I don't give a crap how we get there. LFG

EDIT: I loved watching Avila at LG so I'm also happy above and beyond! The kid is just so fun to watch from there!

EDIT EDIT: Must read article! Jackson info, Bruss love, safety sh*t, Jones reasoning and so much more! Athletic is only $1 dollar a week for 6 months right now, come on guys, get it!

 

[bubbaramfan]

McVay optimizing strength up the middle and left side of the offense.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

You're right that historical habits can change as seen by the recent emphasis on IOL. I don't see any evidence though that they are changing in regard to ILB.

I submit that the money used for Dotson and Jackson didn't affect Jones at all. They never intended to extend Jones. This is evident not just because of the historical lack of priority on ILB but also because of Jones' own words: They never made an offer! And he was eligible for an extension prior to free agency. That tells me they didn't want to pay vet money at that position.

Then they unceremoniously dumped him for the equivalent of a 7th round pick. If those two things don't indicate a lack of interest, I don't know what does.

Dotson and Jackson's money are affecting other positions but it's not like they would have been willing to spend money on Jones if they didn't sign the guards.

A year ago or so, didn’t they come out and say resigning Ernest Jones was a priority? What’s the point of lying if there was never any interest? I believe this was before Dotson popped off and maybe during last offseason .

Also, if AD wasn’t taking $30M of the cap, do you think ILBs would have gotten more love?

A bunch of questions here but I believe there was some interest until recently, at least before last year. Otherwise, they probably should have groomed someone and not let Reeder go originally.

 

[DzRams]

A year ago or so, didn’t they come out and say resigning Ernest Jones was a priority? What’s the point of lying if there was never any interest? I believe this was before Dotson popped off and maybe during last offseason .

Also, if AD wasn’t taking $30M of the cap, do you think ILBs would have gotten more love?

A bunch of questions here but I believe there was some interest until recently, at least before last year. Otherwise, they probably should have groomed someone and not let Reeder go originally.

I don't recall them saying resigning him was a priority last year. I know that before free agency this year both Snead and McVay stated the Rams wanted to retain him beyond 2024. Two weeks later Snead said they wouldn't sign him to an extension. Now we know there was no offer ever made.

The prior statements of wanting to retain him sound like lip service to me. You may be right. Maybe there was some prior interest but the emergence of Speights or something else changed that.

 

[WestCoastRam]

A year ago or so, didn’t they come out and say resigning Ernest Jones was a priority? What’s the point of lying if there was never any interest? I believe this was before Dotson popped off and maybe during last offseason .

Also, if AD wasn’t taking $30M of the cap, do you think ILBs would have gotten more love?

A bunch of questions here but I believe there was some interest until recently, at least before last year. Otherwise, they probably should have groomed someone and not let Reeder go originally.

So... things changed from last year, things even changed from the offseason...

1) They prob got a sense of what Earnest wanted and they don't pay ILBs
2) Jones was injured all offseason, and was behind in pickup up new D
3) With Jones most likely only on the one season rental now, Rams adverse to giving him snaps even when he came back in favor of youth
4) Rams got a look at extra safety packages and liked it
5) Speights showed some changing equation at ILB depth
6) They didn't want to worry about taking a captain off the field for developmental snaps and or superior snaps with other ILBs

It's in the Rams philosophy to not pay ILB so it was never about money elsewhere (and Wagner was a symptom of the Rams not having a plan B for that season and moving away from core philosphies bc of it).

 

[So Ram]

McVay optimizing strength up the middle and left side of the offense.

Really ? So isn’t Big Rob & Dotson the better Run Blockers ?

 

[Merlin]

There are two important reads here IMO.

First is that Avila is better at LG than he was at C, which means the move did not work the way they envisioned.

Second is that Jackson did not impress at LG, so they are going to give him a window at C where the lesser option can be protected by two plus guards in Avila and Dotson.

Going forward the translation will be that Avila remains at LG. And Limmer will quickly be inserted if Jackson struggles at C.

For Detroit the concern will be where Hutch lines up. He will be a mismatch vs Boom, but a major mismatch vs McClendon. So if Hav can go at RT that mitigates quite a bit of my edge concerns in this game. If not then the edges are gonna be fuckin ugly. Secondary concern for the OL will be the calls and to what extent Jackson can run them.

If I had to guess what Avila struggled the most with in his aborted C move, it would be the calls. I wonder if Jackson took to those better. Possible that factored in, and the Rams would not present that info because they don't want a young stud OG like Avila to look bad.

 

[Merlin]

View: https://x.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1831355877389127689

This is a change by Jourdan btw. Few days ago it was that Avila was going LG to help Boom out. Which, if true, means Avila goes back to C once AJ returns. But clearly that was not quite accurate.

 

[So Ram]

I don't recall them saying resigning him was a priority last year. I know that before free agency this year both Snead and McVay stated the Rams wanted to retain him beyond 2024. Two weeks later Snead said they wouldn't sign him to an extension. Now we know there was no offer ever made.

The prior statements of wanting to retain him sound like lip service to me. You may be right. Maybe there was some prior interest but the emergence of Speights or something else changed that.

They said that signing EJ53 was a priority after the season.Then like you said happened.The money he wanted & guarantees didn’t make sense IMO as the reason why.

The following of Speights only made it easier when Jones seemed to not be ALL IN ???
He became expandable & the value from any point didn’t make sense for both sides.Giving EJ53 a home where he could get that long term contract was more important.

The Rams try to take care of there players for there hard work & dedication to TEAM !

 

[So Ram]

We can go back and forth about what this all means but as long as the move activates the top 5 on the oline, I don't give a crap how we get there. LFG

EDIT: I loved watching Avila at LG so I'm also happy above and beyond! The kid is just so fun to watch from there!

EDIT EDIT: Must read article! Jackson info, Bruss love, safety sh*t, Jones reasoning and so much more! Athletic is only $1 dollar a week for 6 months right now, come on guys, get it!

How ever they said it, Jourdan gives us enough info.

-Like you said about Avila playing LG.IMO he was a Pro Bowler & got overlooked by Turner & Puka.How he helped establish the O’Line was pretty fantastic!!

You look at the excitement & play all around was fun to watch. When he was playing Center he wasn’t flashing.He doesn’t get to move around that much.
Johan Williams didn’t bring that same FLARE at LG.He’s injury doesn’t allow him to move around as well & puts more pressure on his knee(???) He was playing next to one of The Best Centers in The NFL.I’m sure The Rams saw enough of Williams'being able to handle playing Center.

 

[shovelpass]

This is a change by Jourdan btw. Few days ago it was that Avila was going LG to help Boom out. Which, if true, means Avila goes back to C once AJ returns. But clearly that was not quite accurate.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but it's pretty much the same. No issues with Avila at C, helping out Boom, etc. The only real new thing in the article is that she thinks Avila at LG is a plus in the screen game. And that Jonah has been wanting to move back to C, and hopes he can stay there. But that's him, not the team.

 

[Merlin]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but it's pretty much the same. No issues with Avila at C, helping out Boom, etc. The only real new thing in the article is that she thinks Avila at LG is a plus in the screen game. And that Jonah has been wanting to move back to C, and hopes he can stay there. But that's him, not the team.

If helping out Boom was the rationale behind the move then when AJ returns Avila should go back to C.

But there has been a shift in that it seems like Avila to C has been scrubbed. Time will tell though of course.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but it's pretty much the same. No issues with Avila at C, helping out Boom, etc. The only real new thing in the article is that she thinks Avila at LG is a plus in the screen game. And that Jonah has been wanting to move back to C, and hopes he can stay there. But that's him, not the team.

Though she did mention screen game last week as a reason to move him

 

[Merlin]

Though she did mention screen game last week as a reason to move him

In her recent and excellent article she talks a bit about it all, and in that article she mentions she started hitting the Rams up about who is where and why after noting Limmer taking snaps with the first team. Which honestly... Reinforces my thoughts that she's been affected a bit by the Rams' spin control BS.

But there is no need to rehash all this stuff. I don't want to be divisive and all that. And in the end it really doesn't matter. But my expectation is that Limmer is only a matter of time at Center, and the Rams know that. Which reflects the way it reflects on the Rams' big offseason plan of moving Avila to C and installing Jackson at LG. Because if both had been slam dunks neither would be moved.

Some may want to rationalize all of it and that's fine. I don't think it reflects poorly on Jourdan or anything either. Her article was a great read highly suggest it.

 

[Memphis Ram]

If helping out Boom was the rationale behind the move then when AJ returns Avila should go back to C.

But there has been a shift in that it seems like Avila to C has been scrubbed. Time will tell though of course.

Wouldn't make sense to switch back after two games if things are going well, IMO.
Especially if Jackson really wants to play center.

 

[shovelpass]

But there has been a shift in that it seems like Avila to C has been scrubbed. Time will tell though of course.

Yeah, we'll find out. Though I don't know where you're getting this notion that they're scraping the plan for Avila. Unless you're suggesting that mentioning Jonah wanting to play at C full-time is some sort of breadcrumb?