Longest-tenured Ram Rodger Saffold on upcoming free agency

[shaunpinney]

Titans now in play for Saffold, not sure how this plays out, the longer it goes the better, but at this point, it's hard, but the Jets are out IMO, the Titans concern me.

Looks like you were concerned for a reason...

 

[kurtfaulk]

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this is why you never pay attention to a player saying he wants to stay when he's gonna be a free agent. the money is hypnotising to them.

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[den-the-coach]

Looks like you were concerned for a reason...

Didn't want to be right.

 

[OldSchool]

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this is why you never pay attention to a player saying he wants to stay when he's gonna be a free agent. the money is hypnotising to them.

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It also drives up the offers from the competition.

 

[1maGoh]

Okay I’ll bite. Since you brought it up, how many games has Saffold missed due to injury other than shoulder injuries?
I think you’ll find it’s not any more than the average NFL Olineman. I could be wrong as I’m just going off the top of my head.

Come on man, you know I don't have detailed info like that. And it takes way too long to put together. No offense the older generation here, but I'm not retired. I don't have time like that. If have to search for and read every in-season article about the Rams during his career to see if they mentioned him being out for any length of time, then reconcile each one to make sure there were no duplicates, and then as it all together.

My point was, the shoulders weren't the only thing he ever missed time for. Inherent structural weakness (which maybe is present elsewhere, to be defended shortly) plus normal wear and tear injuries plus being over 30 doesn't add up to a glowing of for future health.

I know that every joint in my arms, from fingers to shoulders is loose. My fingers can come out of socket with no pain, my wrists rattle, the elbow problem might be self inflicted (I should have tapped), and at least one shoulder will just fall out of socket very painfully. He probably doesn't have what I have, but he does have a verified diagnosis of "your body is structurally unsound". Hoping that it's just his shoulders is good, but potentially unwise.

And before we say, "nothing else has happened but his shoulders, therefore everything else is fine", if I'm not mistaken he didn't have any health problems until his structurally unsound from birth shoulders blew out in the NFL.

 

[Merlin]

View: https://twitter.com/fieldyates/status/1105560234922295297?s=21

Good thing too... Because they're not gonna beat you throwing it.

 

[Merlin]

We have to deal with what is, and not how we wish it would be. Obviously, they wanted Fowler more than Saffold and they hope Boom can replace the bigger and stronger Rodger Saffold at LG, somehow. I think this is wishful thinking, if so, and hope floats...

Better hit that freakin' weight room, Boom.

Our scheme doesn't require huge OL who can overpower DL one on one. It requires guys who can move, stay on their feet, and who have good technique. Hell with Denver it required guys who can crack down by taking out legs. Rams don't get all crazy with that but still it demonstrates we don't need those types.

What we're seeing is not only a youth movement but a finalizing of the transition to that scheme. My concern now is depth on the OL and at RB.

 

[bubbaramfan]

I'd agree with you Merlin, but the games vs the Bears, Eagles, and in the playoffs, the Rams OL got run over and now it will be weaker with Noteboom in place of Saffold, and a smaller Allen in place of Sullivan. Backups Murphy, Williams Neary and Demby don't exactly inspire confidence. Groy is still out there, who can play G and C and they tried to get him last year. He'd be good insurance.

 

[Texram]

This makes drafting OL, at minimum in the third, all the more important. Jam on Brown must have really screwed things up to get himself cut. He would have experienced depth at a minimum.

 

[shaunpinney]

Didn't want to be right.

I was really hoping to set that Left side of the line with the same guys, especially if Allen is replacing Sullivan, there's a big drop off in experience and size heading into next year now... makes that Jamon Brown move look a bit hasty now

 

[kurtfaulk]

I was really hoping to set that Left side of the line with the same guys, especially if Allen is replacing Sullivan, there's a big drop off in experience and size heading into next year now... makes that Jamon Brown move look a bit hasty now

let's not make out like brown signed for peanuts. it was $19m for 3 years. the rams obviously preferred noteboom on his rookie contract as the fill in over brown on his second contract. and that decision was made mid season.

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[dang]

I think we need depth all over the place so I look for a trade down of our 1st round pick for a 2nd and 3rd or 4th. The OL should add a couple through the draft.

 

[shaunpinney]

let's not make out like brown signed for peanuts. it was $19m for 3 years. the rams obviously preferred noteboom on his rookie contract as the fill in over brown on his second contract. and that decision was made mid season.

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I'm not saying anything about the financial implications, we know the FO can make contracts work. I'm just concerned with the physicality and size of the line especially if we're to believe that Allen is going to take over at C along side Blythe and what happens if Big Whit, goes down? Obviously rookie contracts are beneficial, but so is a vet, established o-line.

 

[Corbin]

Well, we are paying them back for Jason Bell. Have a feeling that he’s going to bury and not live out that contract.

 

[Akrasian]

I'm not saying anything about the financial implications, we know the FO can make contracts work.

And part of how contracts are made to work is by making hard financial choices elsewhere on the team. Without some of those big contracts, they might have been able to justify paying Saffold what he got, and be able to make other moves. We all knew things like Saffold leaving were coming.

 

[ReekofRams]

And part of how contracts are made to work is by making hard financial choices elsewhere on the team. Without some of those big contracts, they might have been able to justify paying Saffold what he got, and be able to make other moves. We all knew things like Saffold leaving were coming.

But no where does it say we can’t bitch about it.

 

[payote75]

And part of how contracts are made to work is by making hard financial choices elsewhere on the team. Without some of those big contracts, they might have been able to justify paying Saffold what he got, and be able to make other moves. We all knew things like Saffold leaving were coming.

Hey man I agree financial decisions have to be made but when losing key players it hurts but it depends what position sure if we lost a stud great linebacker that would hurt but it wouldn't or couldn't create a possibility of setting a franchise back it just means there is a hole to fill.

My major concern is the heart of this team being the o-line and a possible franchise quarterback who is at an important crossroads as far as progression or regression. You have got to prioritize your franchise quarterback keep him upright keep him clean let him get better. Offensive line is not necessarily as easy as plug and play and goff under duress reeks of regression so let's hope and prey the o-line will be ok maybe even better but if not this offense and team is in trouble. At least we knew we could win games 54-51 before but now if the line does not hold up it's not like our defense is the 85 bears team will struggle. Then you have the other scenario of a running back with multiple unknowns around him and we are preaching wear and tear and the offense is predicated on the run how will gurley being hit in the backfield over and over help his knee or the fact that even if healthy he needs holes to run through. I'm just concerned but to me losing line integrity can have more effect than just the single player it can set the team back big time if replacements don't work and our qb goes from promising to Jim Everett. I dare say keeping him clean upright and providing him time is the single most important thing for this franchise to remain on top and that makes the o-line the single most important area to make strong. And let's remember our RT tackle is 38 and wears down by years end. Fingers definitely crossed here.

 

[shaunpinney]

Hey man I agree financial decisions have to be made but when losing key players it hurts but it depends what position sure if we lost a stud great linebacker that would hurt but it wouldn't or couldn't create a possibility of setting a franchise back it just means there is a hole to fill.

My major concern is the heart of this team being the o-line and a possible franchise quarterback who is at an important crossroads as far as progression or regression. You have got to prioritize your franchise quarterback keep him upright keep him clean let him get better. Offensive line is not necessarily as easy as plug and play and goff under duress reeks of regression so let's hope and prey the o-line will be ok maybe even better but if not this offense and team is in trouble. At least we knew we could win games 54-51 before but now if the line does not hold up it's not like our defense is the 85 bears team will struggle. Then you have the other scenario of a running back with multiple unknowns around him and we are preaching wear and tear and the offense is predicated on the run how will gurley being hit in the backfield over and over help his knee or the fact that even if healthy he needs holes to run through. I'm just concerned but to me losing line integrity can have more effect than just the single player it can set the team back big time if replacements don't work and our qb goes from promising to Jim Everett. I dare say keeping him clean upright and providing him time is the single most important thing for this franchise to remain on top and that makes the o-line the single most important area to make strong. And let's remember our RT tackle is 38 and wears down by years end. Fingers definitely crossed here.

We all saw what happened to out O when the o-line got manhandled last season...

 

[payote75]

Exactly and it wasn't Saffolds fault sully was actually the weakest link but imagine if our "plug n play" guys are not as good or worse than them. Sully fine but it will be tough to have someone as good as Saffold right away and this is a critical pivotal point in goffs transition. He will have the pressure of the contract the pressure of trying to get back to Super Bowl and if he is faced with actual pressure on the field it could be doom for him and factor in a possible not 100% Gurley and we are actually doing him a terrible disservice ......can't coddle him but no quarterback even the best of the best are great when faced with having (possibly) a bad offensive line.

 

[Merlin]

I dare say keeping him clean upright and providing him time is the single most important thing for this franchise to remain on top and that makes the o-line the single most important area to make strong. And let's remember our RT tackle is 38 and wears down by years end. Fingers definitely crossed here.

Wasn't too long ago people weren't sold on Havenstein. There is always risk in growing replacements but it is a required thing to sustain winning.

This draft has a lot of interior OL depth. So I am confident the Rams will bring in a strong depth option who gives them the flexibility to spell Whit if they need to by sliding Boom over.

LT is really the key here. I know they can get interior types well into every draft. If Boom can handle LT everything will be fine.