Les Snead confident in striking new deals with Aaron Donald, Sammy Watkins

[Petrowsky]

Burton isn't going to be much cheaper. The same site sets his value at $7 million.

I’m really not sure what angle you are working on right now. If McVay and Snead deem an upgrade at the TE position necessary it means they’ve made that a high enough priority to address that position over another. If that’s the case I’m assuming they wouldn’t go through the draft for a 3rd straight year.

There are some options in FA at the TE position, but when you factor in age, talent, and potential salary I personally believe Burton is the best choice. Maybe McVay would choose Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, I don’t know. What I do know is that I prefer Burton to Jimmy Graham for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons being my belief he will be cheaper than Jimmy Graham while providing an upgrade to the team.

That’s it. I’m not prioritizing certain free agents to our own. I’m simply saying that Burton would be my choice if McVay and Snead choose to look for an upgrade. It’s just a hypothetical but you seem to be interpreting that as I definitively want an upgrade at the tight end position, and I’m willing to sacrifice an impending free agent or two to make that happen.

 

[OldSchool]

I’m really not sure what angle you are working on right now. If McVay and Snead deem an upgrade at the TE position necessary it means they’ve made that a high enough priority to address that position over another. If that’s the case I’m assuming they wouldn’t go through the draft for a 3rd straight year.

There are some options in FA at the TE position, but when you factor in age, talent, and potential salary I personally believe Burton is the best choice. Maybe McVay would choose Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, I don’t know. What I do know is that I prefer Burton to Jimmy Graham for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons being my belief he will be cheaper than Jimmy Graham while providing an upgrade to the team.

That’s it. I’m not prioritizing certain free agents to others. I’m simply saying that Burton would be my choice if McVay and Snead choose to look for an upgrade. It’s just a hypothetical but you seem to be interpreting that as I definitively want an upgrade at the tight end position, and I’m willing to sacrifice an impending free agent or two to make that happen.

My angle has been the same in every one of these discussions, and there have been many, is each free agent that is not our own is going to come with a cost. That estimated $7 million spent on Burton will have it's affect on our own free agents.

So you want Burton which of our free agents are you not signing and how will you replace him/them. It's great to sit here and say sign players x, y and z. Who are you not signing of our own free agents and how will you replace that position? I've asked that same question a dozen times in the last couple of weeks and so far nobody will answer it but they all want to sign random free agents. How about you?

 

[nighttrain]

from talk on board about FA , i must be a minority of one, i kinda like our young TE's
train

 

[Petrowsky]

My angle has been the same in every one of these discussions, and there have been many, is each free agent that is not our own is going to come with a cost. That estimated $7 million spent on Burton will have it's affect on our own free agents.

So you want Burton which of our free agents are you not signing and how will you replace him/them. It's great to sit here and say sign players x, y and z. Who are you not signing of our own free agents and how will you replace that position? I've asked that same question a dozen times in the last couple of weeks and so far nobody will answer it but they all want to sign random free agents. How about you?

You are trying to lot me in with others who have made different points than what I am talking about. If I had said, “I want the Rams to upgrade the TE position,” then I understand why you’re asking me this question. However, what I am saying is if McVay and Snead say that without a doubt they are upgrading the Tight End position then I would prefer Burton over Graham. That’s all I was saying.

I don’t need to choose which of the Rams impending FAs I’m willing to part with because the hypothetical I’ve been discussing has not happened. If Snead and McVay say that’s part of their definitive plan then I’ll get back to you on who I’m sacrificing in that scenario.

 

[Rams43]

from talk on board about FA , i must be a minority of one, i kinda like our young TE's
train

You’re not alone, train.

I kinda like them, too. More importantly, I think McVay is probably inclined to work with them for at least another year.

We shouldn’t go to sleep on Hemingway, either. I’ve got a feeling that he might be in McVay’s plans.

 

[nighttrain]

You’re not alone, train.

I kinda like them, too. More importantly, I think McVay is probably inclined to work with them for at least another year.

We shouldn’t go to sleep on Hemingway, either. I’ve got a feeling that he might be in McVay’s plans.

Except for a few i wouldn't mind seeing all this years players back, with our draft it should be looking very good
train

 

[Mackeyser]

I think McVay likes our TEs, but I can see where he might want to add someone who can improve our TE group like Woods did for our WR group.

To be clear, Watkins greatly improved our on-field group, but I think Woods was the pro who helped changed the WR group in the meeting room.

 

[OldSchool]

You are trying to lot me in with others who have made different points than what I am talking about. If I had said, “I want the Rams to upgrade the TE position,” then I understand why you’re asking me this question. However, what I am saying is if McVay and Snead say that without a doubt they are upgrading the Tight End position then I would prefer Burton over Graham. That’s all I was saying.

I don’t need to choose which of the Rams impending FAs I’m willing to part with because the hypothetical I’ve been discussing has not happened. If Snead and McVay say that’s part of their definitive plan then I’ll get back to you on who I’m sacrificing in that scenario.

haha you got it. You're doing exactly what I was asking but it's all good. Have a great day

 

[dieterbrock]

I could see McVay upgrading tight end. Only guy on the roster he brought in is Everett.
I don’t think Higbee the holdover has earned any favor and fer sure Hemingway hasn’t.

 

[PhillyRam]

Not sure what miscconception you're referring to. Being well versed in the cap I did the math myself.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/draft/

I had forgotten about one thing though. We don't have a 7th round pick so my number of $6,060,548 dropped to $5,561,408. You're also going to have to account for whatever players go on to the injured reserve eventually.

point is when the draft happens tjey will have 51players under contract. The draft adds say 7 players. those 7 will replace the 7 lowest salary players. so you subtract the cap hit for the bottom 7 from the cap pool of the rookies.

Point beibg you cantvtreat

Not sure what miscconception you're referring to. Being well versed in the cap I did the math myself.

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/draft/

I had forgotten about one thing though. We don't have a 7th round pick so my number of $6,060,548 dropped to $5,561,408. You're also going to have to account for whatever players go on to the injured reserve eventually.

I guess I look at it this way.... fans will look at the draft, which is after the big FA spending is over and look at the available cap space and say, "wow we still have to make room for our rookie cap of $6M", when in reality you don't.

The roster will have over 51 players at that point during the draft. The lowest 7 players (assuming a 7 man draft class) may avg about $500k cap hit per player. So when you sign your 7 picks, they will knock the lowest 7 salaries off of the top 51. So that is $3.5M of cap space removed from those previous 7 players since they no longer fall in the top 51 salaries Then after adding in your $6M of rookie cap hit, the delta between rhose two player pools adds an additional $2.5M in cap hit to add the draft picks.

 

[DaveFan'51]

All of a sudden, Snead to me exudes confidence in every interview after removing himself from Fisher.

He's just adjusting his "Press-Speak" to match his New HC's M.O.!!

 

[DaveFan'51]

Graham has definitely been horribly underused with Seattle. But I think he might be too expensive. Man what a red zone offense we would have though.

I just have one BIG question about Graham!! Why was he under used!? As much as Wilson scrambles around, to buy time for his WR's -TE's - RB's to get open, Why wasn't Graham Targeted more!?
Graham hasn't showed much, to me, since he went from the Saints to the Hag's, maybe he just doesn't have "IT" anymore! IDK!

 

[Merlin]

Anybody think we could get Jarvis Landry for less than Watkins?

I know he isn't the physical specimen that Watkins but he has produced very well in this league.

Yeah I think the Rams are well-represented in the slot. There really aren't a lot of options in FA for X, I mean Robinson is the only guy I'd consider if Watkins leaves, and he's a high risk signing due to injury and he's not going to stretch a defense like Watkins will. He was reportedly killin it in camp before his injury, so chances are the Jags will sign him anyway. And then the draft is pretty weak at WR, with it being unlikely they see big value at the position over the defensive needs.

Burton isn't going to be much cheaper. The same site sets his value at $7 million.

Burton will probably make more due to his age. Graham won't be a budget signing, but his value did take a hit with his struggles in Seattle. And IMO for a guy like him the Rams would be very, very attractive. He could use McVay's offense to re-establish himself as a legit TE threat in the passing game, and McVay could use him to be able to field some 12 personnel groupings he wants to use against the better defenses.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Great point @OldSchool, I'd be shocked if the Rams top priority is not to sign/keep their own before going shopping in FA. I mean, we did go 11-5. I'd bet the Rams have a tiered priority system with whom they'll target in FA if they can't sign their own.

My guess though is that we're signing our guys/replacing our guys and I don't see any FA additions (like TE) that will happen that are addressing a position we're not losing talent at.

 

[Seth Griffith]

Let’s see what we have at TE. Give Everett some time to develop in McVay’s system. And good point brought up earlier about Hemingway earlier.

His time of year is still pretty exciting to me to try and armchair QB the team for the next season.

-Resign Joyner for sure
-Cut Quinn
-Resign Sullivan
-Cut Tavon (use Cooper on sweeps)
-Resign Watkins (let him develop in coach McVay’s system)

Free Agency in no particular order

Sign OL depth
Sign LBer
Sign CB
Watch for other team needs/fits that you think you can’t potentially waste a draft pick on.

Draft

DLine
LBer
CB
OL
RB (change of pace fast and small guy)