Keyshawn Johnson: I can name 5 Rams.

[Allen2McVay]

Barnwell thinks the rams might’ve had the worst offseason. I didn’t read the piece cuz it was behind the paywall but that was the headline.

I also did not read it but objectively looking at the Rams' off-season, it's tough to argue against.

Up until two weeks ago, the Rams were the only team that had not signed a free agent from another team. Then they signed Brett Rypien. They had fourteen draft selections but only one was in the top-75; and just three in the top-125.

They released or traded three of their best defensive starters for minimal short-term salary cap relief ($13.6M cap savings but $46M of Dead-$ in 2023). Add-in the Robinson trade, which had zero 2023 cap relief, and the Dead-$ on those four players alone is almost $70M.

Even if someone is optimistic for the up-coming season, it's pretty difficult to argue this off-season has been a success ... at least when considering its impact on the 2023 Rams.

Looking at it another way, what team has had a worse off-season?

 

[Londoner]

there’s no Stafford

Huh? Has anybody told him?

 

[oldnotdead]

At some point you need to clear the shelves and restock. That is exactly what the Rams are doing. As a former business owner of almost 35 years I understand that completely. I look at this team now and yes it's different but that doesn't necessarily translate to worse. The Rams went all in to get a Lombardi and they succeeded where there were massive numbers of media doubters when they did push all the chips to the middle of the table.

Now they are refilling their wallet for another more sustained run. Watch how many doubters will change their opinions when the Rams are a playoff team. I'm glad the Rams have their heavy hitters in their schedule early. It might catch a few who underestimate this team. Or like the Niners who have their own issues i.e. starting QB. Even if it's Purdy he could be very rusty and he's still a developmental QB. Yeah I think it's to the Ram's advantage to face steel early as it will only sharpen the Ram's blade.

Young, Hampton, Avila, Hodges-Tomlinson, Evans, Nacua, and their kickers IMO will all be impact players this year. The Rams finally have a legit backup to Stafford as well. This could become the best OL the Rams have fielded in years. I'm not worried about Bruss because if he isn't ready to start they have Jackson and Shelton. If Jackson is starting at RG then Thomas IMO becomes their gameday swing OT. I've watched Thomas at SDSU and he's good. Good mobility, good feet, and if he improves his strength and technique he can be a very underrated talent.

LT Noteboom
LG Avila
C Allen
RG Jackson or McClendon or Maginn
RT Havenstein

Swings: OT Thomas, C/OG Shelton, OG/OT McClendon
Gameday inactive roster: Maginn

In other words, the Rams have a lot of decent options on their OL and guys that can provide good depth. The difference between me and the media is that I look at the players and extrapolate from their collegiate play how good or bad they are. I don't judge by their draft position. IMO I think McClendon could be a very good RG, perhaps better than Bruss. McClendon has the build and feet of an RG, not an OT at this level. We have seen Jackson plays RG well in terms of pass protection. Jackosn's issues are in run blocking from that OG position, but those are coachable issues and I think Wendell will get a lot of that corrected.

 

[ReekofRams]

20?

Only with his shoes off.

 

[Loyal]

Often thought Keyshawn Johnson was a great example of a former athlete, currently making a living in media that does not put in the work but simply relies upon his prior status as a player.

Arrogant people are often stupid because they don't see the need in paying attention and learning.

I'm often blinded by my fan excellence and I sometimes have this problem....*flexes guns...

 

[den-the-coach]

LT Noteboom
LG Avila
C Allen
RG Jackson or McClendon or Maginn
RT Havenstein

Swings: OT Thomas, C/OG Shelton, OG/OT McClendon
Gameday inactive roster: Maginn

In other words, the Rams have a lot of decent options on their OL and guys that can provide good depth. The difference between me and the media is that I look at the players and extrapolate from their collegiate play how good or bad they are. I don't judge by their draft position. IMO I think McClendon could be a very good RG, perhaps better than Bruss. McClendon has the build and feet of an RG, not an OT at this level. We have seen Jackson plays RG well in terms of pass protection. Jackosn's issues are in run blocking from that OG position, but those are coachable issues and I think Wendell will get a lot of that corrected.

Boy, you really like Sean Maginn.

 

[Loyal]

It all starts with the Oline for me. I think our Oline will be solid this year and improving as the season progresses. If they can do that, then Stafford has more time in the pocket, Cooper Kupp and Tutu will have time for their routes to develop and the Cam Akers (or Evans) will have more holes through which to run

Our defense may take a step back, before they move forward

I think the offense will be our strength this year. Our team will be younger and better by season's end, yet our record may not be much better than last year.. We could sneak into the playoffs if everything goes perfectly, but we will see.

 

[oldnotdead]

Boy, you really like Sean Maginn.

I like him because he plays with a nasty attitude just like Jackson does. The RG position is a guy you need to be a mauler in the run game and Maginn is. Corbett wasn't and the run attack moved to the left side because of it. They drafted Bruss because he was also a mauler type of RG. One season Maginn recorded 9 pancakes in the much shorter college season.

Improve his technique to NFL levels and yeah I could see him being a classic RG.

 

[FrantikRam]

.

That's says more about him than the Rams.

.

This.

I mean we still have the following starters from the Super Bowl year:

Stafford
Kupp
Akers
Higbee
Havenstein
Allen
Van Jefferson
Donald
Ernest Jones
Jordan Fuller

Basically half our starters still intact. As a former NFL player who talks about mostly nothing but the NFL during football season, it's bizarre to me to not know more starting players on an NFL team.

 

[Memento]

I can only name none of Meshawn’s intelligent takes.

 

[OldSchool]

Who cares what this idiot says or thinks? Count me as one who doesn't. I haven't given up on the season like a lot have.

 

[Angry Ram]

I can name 4 BSPN air heads. Someone gonna ask me about it??