Lol, fine Jerry I will post the long response I was trying to avoid.
Good. I'd like to get a better sense of your complaints.
You are right rookies provide no guarantees in 2017, but that goes for either side of the ball. This isn't a quick fix. Get talented guys around Goff early and start develop them and their moldable traits into legitimate weapons. Start building a long term rapport with the Rams most important asset now
TE is a tough transition. If you put a former WR like Higbee consistently inline against powerful NFL DEs you are setting that guy up for failure. On the flip side, as a TE coach McVay coached one of the better rookie TE seasons out of a big time talent in Jordan Reed who had 500 yards in 3 TDs playing in only 9 games. Reed had alot of talent as a rookie and McVay put that talent in a position to succeed by using him as mismatch weapon in the slot and out wide against LBs and Safeties. I believe McVay can do that again by taking advantage of the best talents available in this extremely talented TE class.
These are fair points. My question is...why can't he do this with Tyler Higbee? Higbee won't be a rookie, he is a converted WR, and he's 6'6" 250 with plus athleticism and phenomenal hands. Adding George Kittle allows us to move Higbee around while still having a blocking TE.
Yes, there are no guarantees with the defensive rookies either, but that's fine. Watt doesn't have to make a massive impact as a rookie for the pick to be worthwhile. He's the 3rd OLB. Jourdan Lewis doesn't have to make a massive impact as a rookie (although, it would be nice). I think both players are capable of it, though, because they are intelligent, hard-working, and polished players.
Part of the problem last year running the ball is no one respected our WRs. Tavon, Woods, and a 5th round rookie is a bottom 5 WR group in the league and is scaring anyone, so we will be running into alot of the same issues. I agree Kroemer will improve this group significantly, but it won't suddenly become a game changing group like Cowboys
Nobody respected the Bills' WRs.(especially when Watkins was out) It didn't stop them from leading the NFL in rushing.
Our problems last year running the ball were threefold:
1. We had an OL that couldn't run block (for many reasons);
2. We had an OC who couldn't scheme and didn't call plays with a purpose; and
3. We had a passing game that didn't function.
All of these were interrelated. Personally, I feel that fixing problems #1 and #2 might just make a difference for problem #3 as well.
Plus, Whitworth completely changes our OL. Let's say that Greg is actually a good or even great OG. We go from a weakness at LT and RG to a great LT and a good/great RG. That changes a lot too. We'll see what Greg becomes, but I think very highly of Kromer.
I didn't say we had nothing, but both the TE and WR position need upgrades and Free agency isn't the only place you add talent. The Rams don't need multiple new TEs with Harkey, Higbee, Hemmingway and other developmental guys on the roster. They could however use an upgrade at TE and they can certainly do that when this 2017 draft has the best group of TEs in a while. Why pay a couple million short term for vet when you can have the cheaper higher upside guy potentially giving you more.
Agreed. The Rams could use an upgrade at TE. Like you said, this draft is deep and stacked. Why not use that? I have us drafting George Kittle in the late 4th round. He's a 6'4" 250 pound TE who runs a 4.52 40, can block as well as any TE in this class, and doesn't drop passes.
You highlighted McVay's ability to develop TEs. Why not give him a guy like Kittle to develop? Isn't that taking advantage of McVay's strengths as a coach and the depth of the draft?
Best of all, Kittle can get on the field as a rookie and allow us move Higbee around to take advantage of his receiving ability.
That's my rationale for drafting Kittle. Why give up a second or third round pick when I can use what basically amounts to a fifth round pick on a guy who is just as athletic and a better blocker? Kittle needs more development as a pass catcher, but that is something I'm assuming will be one of our staff's fortes.
As for not adding another veteran WR the Rams are spending the 5th most money in the league at WR next year. With so many other needs, limited cap space, and a ton of money already committed to the position it makes more sense to supplement that position through the draft where you get more upside and more value.
Which we did. We spent a fifth on an undervalued WR who put up 1000+ yards, 17+ yards per catch, and 12 TDs in the SEC this year.
We also spent a seventh on an athletic project from Grambling. It seems to me that your issue is more with when I added the players rather than the players I added. It doesn't make sense to me.
Josh Reynolds is one of the most pro ready WRs in this draft.
Yes we will not have an elite unit next year, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't start developing top notch talent around Goff. If a rookie with potential can come in year one a put up rookie year Allen Robinson numbers or something like that as he builds towards the future with Goff I will take it. Michael Thomas and Sterling Shepard were big contributors after getting drafted in the second round in a weaker WR draft. Obviously Thomas is the higher end of the spectrum, and we are less likely to find a guy like that. However, the chances of finding a guy like that are significantly higher in the 2nd compared to the 5th. Even if you don't get a guy that good I would be happy with sterling shepherd like rookie production with that guy showing potential for more. IMO I would rather start developing a higher round guy with more talent instead of just adding yet another middle round guy.
But the round doesn't guarantee anything. Brian Quick was a second round pick. I don't want a second round pick. I don't want a fifth round pick. I want certain players.
Josh Reynolds is one of the handful of WRs on my list of guys that I think are worth pounding the table for the Rams to draft. I'd rather have Josh Reynolds in any round over ArDarius Stewart in any round. Yet, Reynolds is a projected fifth round pick. Stewart is a projected second to third round pick.
Wade does play alot of base, but he also does not rotate his lineman nearly as much as guys like Greg Williams. The three main backup Bronco d linemen Gotsis, Kilgo, and Winn combined for 645 snaps, while each starting D lineman played at leas that combined amount. RE Crick played 939 snaps, NT Williams played 644 snaps, and LE Wolfe played 663 snaps while missing 2 games. In contrast Donald played 830 and with Brockers banged up Easley was second with 470.
It is also worth noting the capital invested in of those backups Kilgo a 6th rounder, Winn a cheap FA like Walker, and Gotsis a second round pick who played the least (221 snaps). Wade doesn't need a huge capital investment into his D-line depth. IMO Brockers should stay at NT and we will need more than Walker rotating behind Easley and Donald but, I certainly wouldn't prioritize adding D-line depth over improving the offense.
I disagree. Brockers should play LDE. I don't trust Easley as a starter. I'd rather Easley be a rotational DL.
And it has nothing to do with prioritizing anything. I'm drafting value where I see it. I'm trying to get as many guys that I value highly as possible.
I don't care if I draft a DL in the 4th round or the 6th round. I don't care if I draft a WR in the 2nd round or the 5th round. I am trying to draft players that will be successful. I am not prioritizing certain positions in certain rounds. I am taking need into account, but I'm not going to prioritize need over value. Especially when we have needs at both positions.
Lets not act like there isn't a ton of talent already in place on this defense. Yes, they need depth, but they aren't giving Wade less. He has 6 first rounders in his front 7 with the 7th guy being a proven vet he coached. A legit safety in Mo and starting nickel or safety in Joyner. Top it off with the highest paid CB in the league and another CB he hand picked to compete to start. There is nothing lesser about that group and I certainly wouldn't prioritize adding depth to the talent already in place over adding to the offense.
I'm not prioritizing anything. I'm drafting the best values with our needs in mind.
Our defense has talent, but it also has holes. I'm not going to pass on building a monstrous defense based on where the value lies in the draft because we have more needs on offense. I'm not going to force need picks over value.
As a collective group I like the upside and versatility more. I am not as a high Zay Jones as others, but Engram Gives you a mismatch against safeties and LBs and Goodwin adds something the Rams dont have with his deep speed, decent size, and ability to consistently make contested catches.
Engram is coming from a spread offense with a limited route tree and will play a different position in the pros. I like Engram, but there's no guarantees that he'll give us a ton of production as a rookie. He may, or he may not. You have the same issue with Godwin. His route running needs development, and he'll be facing tougher competition. He may need time to transition to the pros.
Either ways, I like both players, but I rank T.J. Watt over both. I'm not forcing a need pick. Especially when I can grab Josh Reynolds and George Kittle later on.
Why? Josh Reynolds adds the exact same skill-set that Godwin does. He has the speed to separate vertically, he showed the ability to make contested catches in college, and he offers size.
Kittle doesn't offer the same skill-set that Engram does, but his skill-set might actually fit better with what we need if McVay envisions Higbee as the move TE in his offense.
Yes the scheme will be better, in fact McVay does a great job crossing his receivers in their patterns or on their release to allow the WRs to get separation. However, you have to win one on one in this league as well. The Skins offense really felt the loss of Jordan Reed in the redzone. Reed's ability to consistently win one on one vs safeties and LBs was key to skins redzone offense where you can't do as much scheming open in a confined space.
Well, we'll have 6'6" Higbee to help with that. We'll also have 6'3" Josh Reynolds. He did post 30 TDs in 3 years in the SEC.
Plus, we'll have Todd Gurley. That's something the Redskins didn't have.
I never said anything about being a superstar, but like I said before you need to start developing talent around Goff. I am not expecting a rookie to be a superstar off the bat, but I am expecting the Rams to start developing some successful weapons around Goff. That starts with acquiring talent who may not be rookie superstars, but at least you start developing legit weapons for your most important asset and as he grows in the league those guys can grow with him. This process takes time and the rams need to start it now
The Rams need to retool. There are going to be holes on this roster. I focused on value and accepted that I couldn't address every need with a second or third round pick. The board broke in a way that led to defense having the superior value early.
We'll have money and a first round pick next year to further address weapons for Goff. In the mean time, we might find that some of our younger guys step up.
