Jrry32 First Mock Off-Season

[fearsomefour]

Well, I told y'all that I wasn't getting into any of this until after the season. Unfortunately, our season is over. Fortunately, we made the playoffs. I haven't had time yet to sit down and evaluate many prospects, so I am basing much of this on what I saw from 2016 or heard from people whom I trust.
Cut
WR Tavon Austin
ILB Mark Barron

I don't see anyone trading us anything for Austin. Barron played well for us, but we can find a better fit for our scheme at a cheaper price.

Re-Sign/Extend
DT Aaron Donald - 6 years $120 million (extension)
CB Nickell Robey-Coleman - 5 years $30 million
S LaMarcus Joyner - 5 years $35 million
WR Sammy Watkins - 4 years $36 million
CB Trumaine Johnson - 5 years $60 million
S Cody Davis - 3 years $4.5 million
C John Sullivan - 1 year $2 million
DT Tyrunn Walker - 1 year $790,000
CB Troy Hill - ERFA
HB Malcolm Brown - ERFA
OLB Matt Longacre - RFA

I think we attempt to bring back our big FAs and succeed. The Watkins' contract might turn heads, but I don't think he's earned more.

Free Agency
OLB Aaron Lynch - 2 years $3 million
ILB Todd Davis - 4 years $20 million

Todd Davis was one of Wade's starting ILBs in Denver. He's a tough kid who isn't afraid to throw his body around in run support. Nigel Bradham, Preston Brown, and Zach Brown are a few other ILB options.

Aaron Lynch is an upside guy. He's shown flashes of great ability as a pass rusher. The question is if McVay and co. are willing to bring his character questions into the locker room. He's always had the potential to be a legitimate 6 to 10 sack per year edge rusher when his head is screwed on right.

Trade
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #23 and Round 6 Pick #20
Browns trade Round 2 Pick #3 and Round 3 Pick #1

Browns have a ton of picks in this year's draft. It makes a lot of sense for them to move around.

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #3 - Tim Settle NT Virginia Tech
Round 3 Pick #1 - Nick Nelson CB Wisconsin
Round 3 Pick #23 - Leighton Vander Esch ILB Boise State
Round 4 Pick #23 - Tyrell Crosby OT Oregon
Round 5 Pick #23 - Joe Ostman OLB Central Michigan
Round 6 Pick #21 - Arrion Springs CB/S Oregon
Round 6 Pick #23 - Scott Quessenberry C UCLA
Round 7 Pick #23 - Jordan Scarlett HB Florida

Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
XWR: Sammy Watkins
ZWR: Robert Woods
SLWR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Gerald Everett
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein

SDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Tim Settle
DT: Aaron Donald
WOLB: Robert Quinn
WILB: Alec Ogletree
SILB: Todd Davis
SOLB: Matt Longacre
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Kayvon Webster vs. Nick Nelson
SLCB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: John Johnson III

K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide

I like it overall.
I think Joyner is way undervalued. I think it will cost $10M to keep him, hope I am wrong.
Why cut Barron over cutting Quinn?
I really like both LB FA additions, Davis is my number 1 FA target as I think he is good player that can play inside or out (in a crunch) and shouldn't break the bank.
Tru at a reduced price would be ideal.

 

[thirteen28]

Fify pal.

LOL ... and true!

 

[jrry32]

I like it overall.
I think Joyner is way undervalued. I think it will cost $10M to keep him, hope I am wrong.
Why cut Barron over cutting Quinn?
I really like both LB FA additions, Davis is my number 1 FA target as I think he is good player that can play inside or out (in a crunch) and shouldn't break the bank.
Tru at a reduced price would be ideal.

It's easy to find a ILB who can stop the run for a fairly cheap price. It's very difficult to find an edge rusher who can get after the QB. And those who can cost more than Quinn.

 

[fearsomefour]

It's easy to find a ILB who can stop the run for a fairly cheap price. It's very difficult to find an edge rusher who can get after the QB. And those who can cost more than Quinn.

The guy from Detroit, Whitehead, could be a one or two down run stuffer, may not cost too much.
I have seen him listed as an OLB but he has some speed limitations that I think may make him a better fit inside in a limited role.

 

[Corbin]

Honestly I see no point doing a mock this early! lol Literally nothing is on the table... at least I can't wrap my head around it. lol Once the Senior bowl and Combine happen I can get my brain wrapped around it a lot better!

Just from the little scratch of the surface I've done on prospects I love me some NT Vea Washington. Dude would be look beast next to Brockers and Donald!

Him and Orlando Brown T Oklahoma who is someone I see in mocks projected to us but don't much about Brown.

Man you had Barron being traded last year to the Browns and in my mocks after thinking about it I dismissed this as likely to happen. Honestly, I really think this year is more than likely the possibility of your idea happening TBH. I'm thinking his value would be one of those 2nd rounders the Browns have right? Hard to check anything due to contracts etc not being valuated yet.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Honestly I see no point doing a mock this early! lol Literally nothing is on the table... at least I can't wrap my head around it. lol Once the Senior bowl and Combine happen I can get my brain wrapped around it a lot better!

Pretty sure that most all of us that like to post mocks realize they will change somewhat following East-West Shrine & especially the Senior Bowl game, but getting better familiar with the players who may make an NFL roster somewhere along the line now allows us to focus on them better prior to the Combine and their home school dates for potential recruitment. Plus it gets boring waiting ...

 

[Corbin]

Pretty sure that most all of us that like to post mocks realize they will change somewhat following East-West Shrine & especially the Senior Bowl game, but getting better familiar with the players who may make an NFL roster somewhere along the line now allows us to focus on them better prior to the Combine and their home school dates for potential recruitment. Plus it gets boring waiting ...

I understand that you get more familiar with the players but everybody trying to act like they know what they are talking about and will argue to it and 2 months later flip it all and act like they still know everything. Just bugs me. Especially when they try and pretend they are the big hair dude or Mc what ever his name is. Stahp.

My rant is over now lol

 

[Riverumbbq]

I understand that you get more familiar with the players but everybody trying to act like they know what they are talking about and will argue to it and 2 months later flip it all and act like they still know everything. Just bugs me. Especially when they try and pretend they are the big hair dude or Mc what ever his name is. Stahp.

My rant is over now lol

While some will really fall in love with a particular player at a position of need or not prior to and after the Combine, with all the newly gathered information & Sparq scores coming in, and being that free agency comes first, it can seriously affect how the draft flows and which positions move up to become the most important to fill thru the draft. I won't even look at a mock which doesn't offer free agents first if we haven't gotten thru the free agency period yet, and prior to a season or two ago, most were making mocks without regard to free agency. Even though mocks are an extreme crap-shoot, at least they have become somewhat more realistic recently, and they may open our eyes to how other fans are feeling about talent and need vs BPA, so there is always something to learn from them, even if we see some as being kind of 'far out'. This next off-season is kind of unique due to the Rams now being a 'winning' team & the NFCWest divisional leader, so we can better focus on fewer needs, ... seems most everyone has fallen in line that CB, NT, LB'er and OL depth are the top priorities for immediate improvement, now comes trying to develop a consensus as to BPA within our given parameters, who is the best player where we draft, at what position, and which positions might suffer later if we have to rely on the second round of free agency following the draft to try and upgrade positions & players which were previously missed out on. It's a complex system juggling the various parts into a cohesive development plan, all while including the CAP constraints, ... and it's just kind of fun to play at GM during this period. jmo.

 

[nighttrain]

I understand that you get more familiar with the players but everybody trying to act like they know what they are talking about and will argue to it and 2 months later flip it all and act like they still know everything. Just bugs me. Especially when they try and pretend they are the big hair dude or Mc what ever his name is. Stahp.

My rant is over now lol

it gets boring waiting

 

[Merlin]

Well thought out mock there @jrry32. But looking at the big picture I would be disappointed if they bring everyone back and only upgrade our front seven at NT.

Our defense needs to get better up front. I don't trust Quinn, and see edge OLB as a huge need not to mention value will be there even if we slide back in round 1. Rams are bad on both edges on defense in terms of contain and the rush. Donald makes up for the rush with his interior push, but IMO they need to improve at OLB to get this defense to the next level.

Bringing in an ex-Wade guy at ILB is a reasonable bet, but he's not a big upgrade for us there. Then you did add ILB with Esch, but he's a johnny come lately due to injury in '16. Much better choice would be Darius Leonard, who lives and makes plays in traffic and owns the LOS; I love that dude as a prospect for us. Still early and hard to say when these guys will go, but I do really like the midround options at ILB as I'm seeing them slotted right now.

CB in round 3 makes a lot of sense, deep position and Rams should be able to get some help there.

I want to see the Rams dominate up front on defense next year, i.e. massive improvement vs the run while maintaining a good rush and hurry/sack rate.