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I've seen some interesting mocks pop up in the last few days as well as some interesting commentary (such as the Rams letting Trumaine walk). I figured I'd take a stab at what we could in such scenarios. I'm not trying to guess what the Rams will do; I am simply giving my take on what would strike me as a good off-season for the Rams. This offseason assumes that we hire Aaron Kromer or another coach who runs a PBS.
Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
TE Lance Kendricks
DE Eugene Sims
C Tim Barnes
Re-sign
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $7.5 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $4.5 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DT Louis Trinca-Pasat - ERFA Tender
Trades
Rams trade DE William Hayes and SS/OLB Mark Barron
Browns trade ILB Christian Kirksey and Round 6 Pick #1
With us moving to the 3-4, Hayes just isn't a great fit. Gregg Williams seems to love Barron. This trade makes sense for both sides. Kirksey is a good fit for what Wade looks for in his ILBs. Barron steps into Kirksey's spot in GW's defense. The Browns have a ton of cap room, so Barron's contract isn't an issue.
Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS
Joyner moves to FS with Maurice Alexander moving to SS. Phillips reportedly likes having safeties he can use interchangeably. Both Alexander and Joyner can handle playing in the box or dropping into coverage. Both guys will bring the lumber.
Cody Wichmann - OG -> C
I heard that Wichmann has worked on snapping to prepare to play Center in the past. We have him transition to Center where his lack of power is less of a problem. He'll be our backup Center behind Tretter.
Free Agency - Big Money Acquisitions
Larry Warford RG - 5 years $40 million
The Redskins run a PBS under Jay Gruden. It is my hope that McVay brings that with him. If he does, Warford is a great signing for our team. Warford is a rock in pass pro and a people mover in the run game. He's been a steady player for the Lions over the years. At his worst, he is a solid OG. At his best, he's been a top tier OG. He gives us a rock on the interior.
J.C. Tretter C/OG/OT - 5 years $32.5 million
Tretter has had some durability issues in his career, but he's been a stellar player while on the field. He can step in and provide us Pro Bowl caliber play at Center. He's also capable of playing any other position on the OL. It is my belief that he could be a serviceable LT if asked to be. Tretter is a highly intelligent and technically skilled player who excels at blocking on the move and on the second level. We're taking a risk on his injury history, but he's well worth it imo with our OL transformation. We need to protect Goff.
DeSean Jackson WR - 3 years $24 million
Initially, I had some concerns about Jackson coming to LA because of his reported ties to gang members. However, it genuinely seems like McVay and Jackson have a very close relationship. With Jackson being from LA, I think he'd be willing to come here if we match his best offer. He definitely offers us a nice skill-set. He put up 1000+ yards in McVay's offense this year and should pair nicely with Kamar Aiken and Tavon Austin.
Brandon Carr CB - 3 years $22.5 million
There were brief talks of Carr retiring after the Cowboys loss, but those seemed to be more reactionary than anything. Carr loves the game of football and is a high IQ player. He fits what Wade looks for in his boundary CBs (long, physical, and great at pressing). Carr played at a high level this year for the Cowboys. He has limitations, but if you use him correctly, he's a fringe #1 CB.
Andrew Whitworth LT - 2 years $20 million
Whitworth played under McVay's mentor, Jay Gruden, in Cincy. That means Whitworth has some familiarity with McVay's scheme. We toss a lot of money at Whitworth to temporarily fill our void at LT. Whitworth is still playing at a very high level despite his advanced age. It seems like Cincy might be ready to move on to one of their young OTs.
Kamar Aiken WR - 4 years $18 million
Aiken became a bit of an afterthought this year after leading the Ravens with 944 receiving yards in 2015. Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman both returned from injury, and Mike Wallace was signed to provide a deep threat presence. Ultimately, the Ravens chose to give many of Aiken's snaps to former first round pick Breshad Perriman. Personally, I think he's a great under the radar signing. Aiken offers us a possession WR across from DeSean Jackson with his 6'2" 215 pound frame. In 2015, he had one of the lowest drop rates in the league according to PFF. He's a sure-handed kid who has enough speed (4.45 40) to threaten vertically. Think Jermaine Kearse.
Captain Munnerlyn CB - 3 years $15 million
Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the NFL. He steps into Joyner's role in the slot with Joyner moving to FS. Luckily for us, slot CBs are undervalued around the NFL. Munnerlyn is small but very physical. He tackles well, sticks his man in coverage, and blitzes off the edge well. He'll be a major contributor to our defense.
Free Agency - Bargain Signings
Terrell McClain NT - 3 years $6 million
Dekoda Watson ILB/OLB - 2 years $2 million
Sean Lissemore NT - 2 years $2 million
Dwight Freeney OLB - 1 year $1 million
Lerentee McCray OLB - 1 year $850k
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #5 - T.J. Watt OLB Wisconsin
Summary: The brother of J.J. is also a very talented kid in his own right. Watt possesses a NFL frame with growth potential at 6'5" 245 and long arms. He has the strength and punch power to push tackles around along with the speed to threaten the edge. Watt uses a variety of moves to keep OLs off guard and does a nice job of finding the ball. Watt has an extremely high ceiling despite not being an overly raw player. The comparison that springs to mind while watching him is Clay Matthews.
Round 3 Pick #5 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Summary: Ahkello is one of my favorite under the radar prospects in this draft. He was one of the national leaders in passes defensed in 2016, and his coverage metrics when targeted were off the charts good. Ahkello is 6'2" 195 with outstanding ball-skills, impressive quickness and hip flexion for his size, and the long speed needed to play outside the numbers in the NFL. He's a tad raw in terms of technique, but he has gobs of upside at CB.
Round 4 Pick #5 - Jeremy Sprinkle TE Arkansas
Summary: Prior to his arrest for shoplifting, I think Sprinkle would have gone Round 3. This is a deep and talented TE class which helps him drop further than he should (along with his dumbass arrest). Sprinke's blocking ability will get him on the field early in the NFL. Like any player, his technique can improve, but he's already an impact blocker in the running game. Listed at 6'6" 256, Sprinkle has prototypical size for an inline TE. He's an athletic pass catcher with reliable hands (although, he needs to work on ball security). Frankly, he is the full package as a TE. In most TE class (without the arrest), he's a second round pick.
Round 4 Comp Pick - Ishmael Zamora WR Baylor
Summary: Frankly, Zamora is a scummy person. He was suspended for 3 games by Baylor this year for beating his dog. That makes me sick. But the guy is also a freakish athlete. If you want the next Josh Gordon, Zamora looks like he might be that guy. He's listed at 6'4" 220, has blazing speed, attacks the ball in the air, and plays with physicality. Crappy person but has the potential to be a dominant NFL WR with the right coaching.
Round 5 Pick #5 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
Summary: Holsey is another guy on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage.
Round 6 Pick #1 - Obi Melifonwu SS Connecticut
Summary: Melifonwu checks in at 6'3" 220. While you'd expect him to be a bigger hitter with that size, he's not. However, he's a reliable tackler who is a versatile player on the back-end of the defense. He can play deep zone coverage, he can man up in coverage and hold his own, and he can play zone-under. He's a solid all-around player.
Round 6 Pick #5 - Joey Ivie DE Florida
Summary: Ivie is an underrated player in this class. He's an underrated athlete with a relentless motor who has the ability to be a productive rotational interior DL at the NFL level. Ivie uses his hands well and does a nice job of stacking and shedding blocks in the run game. He's athletic enough to disrupt plays in the back-field and pressure QBs in the passing game. I think there's a strong chance that Joey Ivie's best football is ahead of him.
Round 6 Comp Pick - Javarius Leamon OT South Carolina State
Summary: Leamon is a project for the new OL Coach to develop. He has all the athletic traits to be a starting NFL OT but is sushi raw. At 6'6" 310, Leamon possesses the length, strength, feet, and flexibility needed to play at the NFL level. However, his technique is just a total mess. He's going to need a lot of work in pass protection before he's ready to play. Good thing we have Andrew Whitworth.
Round 7 Pick #5 - Joe Williams HB Utah
Summary: Add another guy to the draft with an interesting background. Williams falls this far for only two reasons: 1) this is an insanely talented HB class and 2) he retired from football briefly this year. Williams opted to walk away from football after the first two games this year. After four games of retirement, Utah begged him to come back due to injuries at HB. Williams did and managed to rush for 1300+ yards and 10 TDs over the final 7 games. Williams is listed at 5'11" 205 with reported 4.3 speed. He combines that explosive speed with impressive vision, the ability to get skinny through holes, good agility, and a willingness to finish runs. This kid is a very talented runner.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kamar Aiken
ZWR: DeSean Jackson
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
C: J.C. Tretter
RG: Larry Warford
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Terrell McClain
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: T.J. Watt
LILB: Christian Kirksey
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Brandon Carr
RCB: Ahkello Witherspoon vs. Joshua Holsey vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin
Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
TE Lance Kendricks
DE Eugene Sims
C Tim Barnes
Re-sign
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $7.5 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $4.5 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DT Louis Trinca-Pasat - ERFA Tender
Trades
Rams trade DE William Hayes and SS/OLB Mark Barron
Browns trade ILB Christian Kirksey and Round 6 Pick #1
With us moving to the 3-4, Hayes just isn't a great fit. Gregg Williams seems to love Barron. This trade makes sense for both sides. Kirksey is a good fit for what Wade looks for in his ILBs. Barron steps into Kirksey's spot in GW's defense. The Browns have a ton of cap room, so Barron's contract isn't an issue.
Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS
Joyner moves to FS with Maurice Alexander moving to SS. Phillips reportedly likes having safeties he can use interchangeably. Both Alexander and Joyner can handle playing in the box or dropping into coverage. Both guys will bring the lumber.
Cody Wichmann - OG -> C
I heard that Wichmann has worked on snapping to prepare to play Center in the past. We have him transition to Center where his lack of power is less of a problem. He'll be our backup Center behind Tretter.
Free Agency - Big Money Acquisitions
Larry Warford RG - 5 years $40 million
The Redskins run a PBS under Jay Gruden. It is my hope that McVay brings that with him. If he does, Warford is a great signing for our team. Warford is a rock in pass pro and a people mover in the run game. He's been a steady player for the Lions over the years. At his worst, he is a solid OG. At his best, he's been a top tier OG. He gives us a rock on the interior.
J.C. Tretter C/OG/OT - 5 years $32.5 million
Tretter has had some durability issues in his career, but he's been a stellar player while on the field. He can step in and provide us Pro Bowl caliber play at Center. He's also capable of playing any other position on the OL. It is my belief that he could be a serviceable LT if asked to be. Tretter is a highly intelligent and technically skilled player who excels at blocking on the move and on the second level. We're taking a risk on his injury history, but he's well worth it imo with our OL transformation. We need to protect Goff.
DeSean Jackson WR - 3 years $24 million
Initially, I had some concerns about Jackson coming to LA because of his reported ties to gang members. However, it genuinely seems like McVay and Jackson have a very close relationship. With Jackson being from LA, I think he'd be willing to come here if we match his best offer. He definitely offers us a nice skill-set. He put up 1000+ yards in McVay's offense this year and should pair nicely with Kamar Aiken and Tavon Austin.
Brandon Carr CB - 3 years $22.5 million
There were brief talks of Carr retiring after the Cowboys loss, but those seemed to be more reactionary than anything. Carr loves the game of football and is a high IQ player. He fits what Wade looks for in his boundary CBs (long, physical, and great at pressing). Carr played at a high level this year for the Cowboys. He has limitations, but if you use him correctly, he's a fringe #1 CB.
Andrew Whitworth LT - 2 years $20 million
Whitworth played under McVay's mentor, Jay Gruden, in Cincy. That means Whitworth has some familiarity with McVay's scheme. We toss a lot of money at Whitworth to temporarily fill our void at LT. Whitworth is still playing at a very high level despite his advanced age. It seems like Cincy might be ready to move on to one of their young OTs.
Kamar Aiken WR - 4 years $18 million
Aiken became a bit of an afterthought this year after leading the Ravens with 944 receiving yards in 2015. Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman both returned from injury, and Mike Wallace was signed to provide a deep threat presence. Ultimately, the Ravens chose to give many of Aiken's snaps to former first round pick Breshad Perriman. Personally, I think he's a great under the radar signing. Aiken offers us a possession WR across from DeSean Jackson with his 6'2" 215 pound frame. In 2015, he had one of the lowest drop rates in the league according to PFF. He's a sure-handed kid who has enough speed (4.45 40) to threaten vertically. Think Jermaine Kearse.
Captain Munnerlyn CB - 3 years $15 million
Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the NFL. He steps into Joyner's role in the slot with Joyner moving to FS. Luckily for us, slot CBs are undervalued around the NFL. Munnerlyn is small but very physical. He tackles well, sticks his man in coverage, and blitzes off the edge well. He'll be a major contributor to our defense.
Free Agency - Bargain Signings
Terrell McClain NT - 3 years $6 million
Dekoda Watson ILB/OLB - 2 years $2 million
Sean Lissemore NT - 2 years $2 million
Dwight Freeney OLB - 1 year $1 million
Lerentee McCray OLB - 1 year $850k
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #5 - T.J. Watt OLB Wisconsin
Summary: The brother of J.J. is also a very talented kid in his own right. Watt possesses a NFL frame with growth potential at 6'5" 245 and long arms. He has the strength and punch power to push tackles around along with the speed to threaten the edge. Watt uses a variety of moves to keep OLs off guard and does a nice job of finding the ball. Watt has an extremely high ceiling despite not being an overly raw player. The comparison that springs to mind while watching him is Clay Matthews.
Round 3 Pick #5 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Summary: Ahkello is one of my favorite under the radar prospects in this draft. He was one of the national leaders in passes defensed in 2016, and his coverage metrics when targeted were off the charts good. Ahkello is 6'2" 195 with outstanding ball-skills, impressive quickness and hip flexion for his size, and the long speed needed to play outside the numbers in the NFL. He's a tad raw in terms of technique, but he has gobs of upside at CB.
Round 4 Pick #5 - Jeremy Sprinkle TE Arkansas
Summary: Prior to his arrest for shoplifting, I think Sprinkle would have gone Round 3. This is a deep and talented TE class which helps him drop further than he should (along with his dumbass arrest). Sprinke's blocking ability will get him on the field early in the NFL. Like any player, his technique can improve, but he's already an impact blocker in the running game. Listed at 6'6" 256, Sprinkle has prototypical size for an inline TE. He's an athletic pass catcher with reliable hands (although, he needs to work on ball security). Frankly, he is the full package as a TE. In most TE class (without the arrest), he's a second round pick.
Round 4 Comp Pick - Ishmael Zamora WR Baylor
Summary: Frankly, Zamora is a scummy person. He was suspended for 3 games by Baylor this year for beating his dog. That makes me sick. But the guy is also a freakish athlete. If you want the next Josh Gordon, Zamora looks like he might be that guy. He's listed at 6'4" 220, has blazing speed, attacks the ball in the air, and plays with physicality. Crappy person but has the potential to be a dominant NFL WR with the right coaching.
Round 5 Pick #5 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
Summary: Holsey is another guy on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage.
Round 6 Pick #1 - Obi Melifonwu SS Connecticut
Summary: Melifonwu checks in at 6'3" 220. While you'd expect him to be a bigger hitter with that size, he's not. However, he's a reliable tackler who is a versatile player on the back-end of the defense. He can play deep zone coverage, he can man up in coverage and hold his own, and he can play zone-under. He's a solid all-around player.
Round 6 Pick #5 - Joey Ivie DE Florida
Summary: Ivie is an underrated player in this class. He's an underrated athlete with a relentless motor who has the ability to be a productive rotational interior DL at the NFL level. Ivie uses his hands well and does a nice job of stacking and shedding blocks in the run game. He's athletic enough to disrupt plays in the back-field and pressure QBs in the passing game. I think there's a strong chance that Joey Ivie's best football is ahead of him.
Round 6 Comp Pick - Javarius Leamon OT South Carolina State
Summary: Leamon is a project for the new OL Coach to develop. He has all the athletic traits to be a starting NFL OT but is sushi raw. At 6'6" 310, Leamon possesses the length, strength, feet, and flexibility needed to play at the NFL level. However, his technique is just a total mess. He's going to need a lot of work in pass protection before he's ready to play. Good thing we have Andrew Whitworth.
Round 7 Pick #5 - Joe Williams HB Utah
Summary: Add another guy to the draft with an interesting background. Williams falls this far for only two reasons: 1) this is an insanely talented HB class and 2) he retired from football briefly this year. Williams opted to walk away from football after the first two games this year. After four games of retirement, Utah begged him to come back due to injuries at HB. Williams did and managed to rush for 1300+ yards and 10 TDs over the final 7 games. Williams is listed at 5'11" 205 with reported 4.3 speed. He combines that explosive speed with impressive vision, the ability to get skinny through holes, good agility, and a willingness to finish runs. This kid is a very talented runner.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kamar Aiken
ZWR: DeSean Jackson
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
C: J.C. Tretter
RG: Larry Warford
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Terrell McClain
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: T.J. Watt
LILB: Christian Kirksey
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Brandon Carr
RCB: Ahkello Witherspoon vs. Joshua Holsey vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin
