Memento's 2024 Very Merry Mock-mas Offseason.

[Memento]

Welp, been a while since I've done one of these, hasn't it? Oh, well, time to get back in the game (This mock is assuming we win the Super Bowl.):

Coaching Moves:

Raheem Morris is hired by the Atlanta Falcons.

(It just makes sense because Arthur Smith is a dead coach walking (as evidenced by his refusal to use Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts), and Atlanta has familiarity with Morris. In exchange, we get a third-round pick for the next two years.)

Eric Henderson PROMOTED to DC.

(I love Aubrey Pleasant. I'm assuming he goes over to Atlanta. But Coach Henderson deserves a shot to run a defense.)

Practice Squad Signings:

Tyler Johnson
Tanner Ingle
Zachary Thomas
Logan Bruss
A.J. Arcuri
Mike McAllister
Xavier Smith
Cameron McCutcheon

(Johnson should be re-signed, no ifs ands or buts. Ingle, Smith, and McCutcheon showed a bit in preseason. Thomas, Bruss, Arcuri, and McAllister are O-line depth.)

Re-sign:

Alaric Jackson - RFA (1st round tender)
Michael Hoecht (RFA (2nd round tender)
Jonah Williams (RFA (original round tender)
Christian Rozeboom (RFA (original round tender)
Kier Thomas (ERFA)
Ronnie Rivers (ERFA)

(Jackson gets a huge raise as a right of refusal first round tender (which could happen, but I doubt it). Hoecht gets a second round tender; if he's given an original round, someone will get him for free. Williams and Rozeboom are solid pieces who should be retained. Thomas and Rivers are ERFAs.)

Release:

Kevin Dotson
Demarcus Robinson
Akhello Witherspoon
John Johnson III
Jordan Fuller
Coleman Shelton
Royce Freeman
Larrell Murchison
Tremayne Anchrum
Duke Shelley
Carson Wentz
Earnest Brown IV
Carson Tinker
Austin Trammell
Troy Reeder
Brycen Hopkins

(It'll suck to lose Dotson, but he'll cost a lot of money that I'd use for an edge rusher and cornerback. It will suck to lose Robinson, Witherspoon, and JJ3 as well, but they'll likely garner us fantastic compensatory picks. I doubt Carson Wentz re-ups with us, given that he'll try to be a starter somewhere else. Fuller, Freeman, and Shelton are solid players, but not irreplaceable. Murchison, Anchrum, Shelley, EB4, and Tinker are depth pieces. Trammell, Reeder, and Hopkins can go far, far away.)

Free Agents (what I really mean is two big free agent signings and wait until after the signings to get players like we did this year):

Chase Young - five years, 20 million per year.

(Yeah, I'm thinking of Chase Young's potential with this, along with him being only twenty-five, and since I bet Burns and Allen will be franchised, I think he's one of the best out there. I don't think the 69ers use a franchise tag on him, so I believe he could be in play for us. Imagine the two Youngs on the edge. Beautiful.)

Jeff Okudah - five years, 19.5 million per year.

(You wanted a cornerback upgrade? Here's one. Okudah is big, physical, has solid speed and coverage skills, and he's only twenty-five. He'd be perfect for our system.)

Trades:

Rob Havenstein to the Chicago Bears for 2024 third round pick.

(Yes, I'm dealing Havenstein. I'm sorry, but he's our best true trade chip (since Stafford, AD, and Kupp are all basically unmovable with their contracts). Anyway, the Bears could use a right tackle, and Havenstein is one of the best in the league. Third round pick makes sense.)

Tyler Higbee to the Cincinnati Bengals for 2024 fourth round pick.

(The Chargers have lacked a good tight end for fate knows how long (Antonio Gates?. Higbee is older, but he can still produce, and I feel that Davis Allen is more than ready to take the reins...along with a draft pick or two.)

Chatarius Atwell and Ben Skowronek to the Atlanta Falcons for 2024 fifth round pick and 2024 sixth round pick (Browns).

(The Falcons literally have nothing outside of Drake London and Kyle Pitts at receiver. Morris gets two old friends to help the rebuild, while Atlanta gives up a fifth and sixth.)

Derion Kendrick to the Indianapolis Colts for 2024 fifth round pick.

(Kendrick has his faults, but he is still very young. That's the only reason why Indy takes a chance on him, as well as them having one of the worst secondaries in the NFL; they really are struggling there with very few names. A cheap contract like Kendrick with what he can do is well worth a fifth.)

Joseph Noteboom to the New York Jets for 2026 seventh round pick.

(Yeah, we're selling on Noteboom, but the Jets have zero good left tackle options; they're literally starting a thirty-eight-year-old Duane Brown at left tackle. Noteboom gives them an option for next year to protect Rodgers, while we escape his salary.)

Brian Allen to the Los Angeles Chargers for 2026 seventh round pick.

(Shelton may be leaving in this mock, but there's no way I'm keeping Allen either; he hasn't been the player we thought we'd have with his contract. I'd rather move on. The Chargers center position just got thrown for a loop with Linsley having a heart condition; they obviously can't risk it next year with Herbert.)

2024 1st round pick (ours) and 2025 sixth round pick to the Green Bay Packers for 2024 second (Jets), 2024 second (Packers), and 2024 third (Packers)

(Yes, McVay trades out of the first round! Shocking, I know! Definitely going to be a draft based on quantity again, but I trust Snead to find the right players. Green Bay trades up for a receiver (thinking Johnny Wilson). Why are we not taking a receiver after losing Atwell, Robinson, Skowronek, and Trammell? Well...reasons.)

2024 third round pick (Packers) and 2024 5th round pick (Steelers) to the Houston Texans for 2024 third (Eagles), 2024 fourth (Browns), and 2024 fourth (Texans).

(Getting more picks to play with. Houston jumps up for an D-lineman.)

DRAFT:

2nd (Jets) - Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas. (6'2", 195 lbs.)



(Yes, I'm still taking a quarterback as the first pick, and yes, it's Quinn Ewers (whom is in limbo, but I'll believe he's not going when I see it)! Ewers may be slight of frame, but he has an absolute big-time arm, is a smart processor, accurate, able to maneuver through the pocket, oh, and did I mention that he can outrun a lot of linebackers as well? I know that Stafford's going to play until his arm falls off, but we'll be prepared if or when it does with Ewers, and there won't be a drop-off.)

2nd (Packers) - Cooper Beebe, OG, Kansas State. (6'4", 335 lbs.)



(Quite frankly, if we get Beebe here, it would be an absolute steal in the mold of another Steve Avila, only for right guard. Simply put, Beebe is a beast in the running game. He may not dominate with athleticism or length, but he moves people out of the fucking way with power, technique, and a mean streak the length of Mother Russia. But what impresses me most about him is not the running game. He is a wall, plain and simple. You will not go through him, you will not go around him, you will not do anything when he's in pass-protection. Mizzou almost learned that the hard way twice.)

2nd (Rams) - Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri. (5'11", 178 lbs.)



(Ignore the measurables for a moment. KAD plays three inches taller and thirty pounds heavier than his size; I would know this, as I've watched him since he was a young cornerback just fresh from being a wide receiver. And speaking of receiver, he has the best ball skills of any defensive back in this class, being a former receiver; he will make plays on the ball with closing speed, active - yet not grabby - hands, and long arms. Right now, he's more of a zone/off-man corner, but he's shown promise in press-man coverage. Honestly, I'd be very happy if he's the pick here.)

3rd (Bears) - Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo. (6'0", 196 lbs.)



(Mitchell seemingly came out of nowhere to be an amazing ballhawk and a solid, if unspectacular, run support stuffer, but he's been steadily improving since he started as a true freshman. Toledo's had some interesting defensive players come through, including our own Desjuan Johnson, but Mitchell may be the best of the lot. Quarterbacks throwing in his direction have a 32.4 rating. 32.4. Miniscule. He had nineteen PBUs, including five picks, two of them for six in his junior year, and while he didn't have the interceptions for this year (only one), he had a solid eighteen PBUs. Just a solid ballhawk of a cover corner.)

3rd (Eagles) - Brenden Rice, WR, Southern California. (6'3", 215 lbs.)



(The more I look at Brenden Rice, the more I'm impressed. Yes, this is the son of Jerry. No, I don't care that Jerry was an archrival; his son is worth the price of admission as a deep threat who can and will win with excellent route running. He's blazing fast. Like, 4.3 flat fast. Sticky hands. Silky-smooth routes. He may not even be here. He may even end up as a surprise first round pick, in which case, I'll have to go back to the drawing board. But I hope we get him. He's my favorite Day 2 receiver.)

3rd (Rams) - Jackson Powers-Johnson, OC, Oregon. (6'3", 320 lbs.)



(JPJ is definitely on my radar, considering that the Eagles are most likely going to take Sedrick Van Pran Granger in the first round to replace Jason Kelce. Them or someone. But JPJ far from a consolation prize; he's a huge center with a strong base, perfect for our new gap-power scheme. He will climb to the second level with ease, bury the linebackers, double-team the defensive tackles, snap the ball without miscues, and if SVPG and Graham Barton aren't there, I'd gladly take him, see our center problem disappear.)

3rd (Rams, Raheem Morris comp) - Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale. (6'5", 318 lbs.)



(First off, this guy earned his scholarship to Yale; he's finishing up a B.A. of Economics and had to decline two internships for football. But the main thing is that this guy is a physical specimen when it comes to being an offensive tackle. 36-inch arms. Power. Quick feet. Honestly, the only reason I think he falls this far is because this offensive line - and tackle class, in particular - is insanely skilled. This kid could be our left tackle of the future, and I mean absolutely no offense to A-Jax when I say this; he could be that elite.)

4th (Chargers) - Jonah Elliss, OLB, Utah. (6'2", 246 lbs.)



(Elliss, like Quinyon Mitchell, came on rather late in his career and decided to jump to the NFL after a great junior year. He used to be a 210 lbs. linebacker when he was first recruited, and he's still got the coverage skills of one. He has the best spin move in this class, a few other moves, but given that he's just so raw in the technical regard, he's been relying on that spin move and speed off the edge (which he has, but it's about it). He really struggles with the run defense part of the edge rusher place as well, which adds to why he won't go too highly right now; you can tell that he's underweight and definitely not a 4-3 end. But twelve sacks are twelve sacks, and that's pretty good for college, let alone the NFL.)

4th (Texans) - Marist Liufau, ILB, Notre Dame. (6'2", 229 lbs.)



(Liufau hasn't made a lot of statisticians happy about his tackles, but he just creates splash play after splash play. He has a checkered injury history, possibly due to the style he plays (full-throttle all the time), and while you worry about that, much like you'd worry about Nacua, Liufau makes it work for him. He's smart, diagnoses plays quickly, and shoots into the gap to get the running back, spy on the quarterback as a rover, come on a blitz, or drop into perfect coverage. Basically, he's what you'd get if you took Reeder, Rozeboom, and Hummel's best qualities and made them better.)

4th (Browns) - Luke Lachey, TE, Iowa (6'6", 253 lbs.)



(Lachey (and Erick All, for that matter; don't be surprised if he gets drafted as well) helped with Iowa's legacy as Tight End-U. He had an amazing year last year, and was coming on strong this year...until he had a gruesome and brutal ankle injury that kept him on IR the entire season. I don't know if he'll declare. If he does, you have to look at his 2022 tape and think that you're getting the second-best tight end in the class. He has it all: blocking, size, hands, even underrated wheels.)

5th (Falcons) - Jordan Burch, DE, Oregon. (6'6", 290 lbs.)



(I urge you to check out this video. Burch - a former five-star prospect - is going up against a potential first round pick in Taliese Fuaga on some of those snaps , and for a man his size to move this quickly while retaining strength...there's a lot to work with here, even if he happens to be sushi-raw with his technique. He goes hard on every snap, gets pressure, but just hasn't gotten home. A year under Coach Henderson and learning from AD could do wonders for this kid.)

5th (Colts) -Malik Mustapha, SAF, Wake Forest. (5'11", 207 lbs.)



(Mustapha has a Richrmond connection with Kobie Turner, even transferring to Wake a year before Turner did. I guarantee this guy is on our draftlist. But Mustapha's more than a fellow beneficiary of The Conductor. Despite only having one pick this season, he's been a solid box safety for Wake for a good amount of time. At the very least, he'll be solid on teams.)

5th (Rams) - Cody Schrader, RB, Missouri. (5'9", 214 lbs.)



(The 2023 Doak Walker finalist. The best - maybe not the most talented, but certainly the best - running back Mizzou's had in some time. And Schrader's very playstyle reminds me so much of Kyren Williams; his vision, just getting through any hole, no matter how small, breaking tackles in the backfield, underrated quickness, but maybe not the fastest. Is it any wonder why I want this kid in horns?)

6th (Broncos) - Moose Muhammad III, WR, Texas A&M. (6'1", 205 lbs.)



(Yes, this is Muhsin Muhammad's son, and he has the biggest vice grips for hands I've seen out of a receiver in some time. He makes one-handed catches look easy when they aren't. He has decent speed, good play strength, and probably fits this system as a possession receiver when Robinson leaves for free agency. But he's not his father. His father could've hacked it as a poor man's number one, and Moose just isn't that; he's always had someone better: Achane, Ainias Smith this year, and his stats show it. But he's still a decent possession receiver who can move the chains, and for a sixth round pick, that's all you can expect.)

6th (Browns) - Zakhari Franklin, WR, Ole Miss. (6'1" 185 lbs.)



(Franklin was one of my favorite late round receivers for the 2023 Draft; he's able to big-boy people (despite an admittedly thin frame), is physical, fast, a fantastic route runner, and solid hands to boot. Imagine my disappointment when I heard he transferred to Ole Miss, and my greater disappointment that he barely played. Apparently, he had an injury, and he decided not to play through it. Huge disappointment. But that shouldn't be the end of him as a prospect. He could still be a solid punt returner who can get you yards on returns, and at least look decent on offense.)

6th (Matt Gay comp) - Dragan Kesich, K, Minnesota (6'4", 240 lbs.)



(A big lefty leg? Hasn't missed a single extra point this year? Almost 85 percent making his field goals? Am I looking at Dragan Kesich or Sebastian Janikowski? Anyway, want him on the team, and I think it's the height of irony with selecting him with the same comp pick we got for Gay, which means...well, yeah, I did it on purpose. Sue me.)

6th (Baker Mayfield comp) - Dallin Holker, TE, Colorado State (6'5", 235 lbs.)



(Holker is a Brigham Young transfer to Colorado State, and what was lost in the Colorado/CSU/PrimeTime game was that he actually had a really good game against Colorado: six receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. He has solid hands, able to pluck passes out of the air, and threaten the seam. As expected from a tight end with his weight, he struggles with the physical aspects of the position (i.e., blocking), but unlike most of the smaller tight ends, he has room on his frame to pack on fifteen more pounds without losing his speed. Definitely a pick worth thinking about.)

6th (Nick Scott comp) - Jonah Monheim, OT/OG/OC, Southern California. (6'5", 300 lbs.)



(Monheim is a moldable piece of clay in the right hands, able to switch between guard and tackle easily, and I think he's smart enough to learn center as well. PFF really likes him, graded him with 83 and 82 in pass and run blocking respectively, he goes through every snap with a mean streak, and he's got solid athletic traits that bely his size (in my opinion, he could back up anywhere on the line with enough experience. With a late sixth...why not?)

7th (A'Shawn Robinson comp) - Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall. (6'0" 209 lbs.)



(Ali had a season to remember in 2021. Almost 300 total touches (250 carries, 46 receptions), 1,743 total yards (1,401 rushing, 24 total touchdowns, and - best of all - not a single fumble. In fact, he's never fumbled in his college career. Unfortunately, he took a medical redshirt for thus far unknown reasons (all I can get is that it was "addressing physical, mental, and emotional health"), and just wasn't the same. He improved a bit in this year, but clearly, his freshman year set high standards. The sheer amount of mileage worries me, as does his injury history. But he's a dynamic back who can turn on the jets at any time he wants, bust tackles at any time he pleases, and has a nose for the endzone.)

Roster (starters in bold; rookies in italics):

QB - Matthew Stafford, Quinn Ewers.

(No, I don't think Stetson Bennett is ever going to throw a pass for us, even if we didn't draft Ewers, but we could easily bring his value up in preseason and deal him then.)

RB - Kyren Williams, Zach Evans, Cody Schrader, Rasheen Ali (KR)

(Evans gets first crack at the backup job, but I think Schrader easily outperforms him. Ali is your kick returner, and a solid goalline option. One thing's for sure; we won't be lacking for talent at running back..)

WR - Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Brenden Rice, Tyler Johnson, Moose Muhammad III, Zakhari Franklin (PR).

(Kupp and Nacua need no introduction. Rice is the deep threat, Johnson and Moose are your possession guys, and Franklin, if not being a deep threat himself, is your punt returner.)

TE - Davis Allen, Hunter Long, Dallin Holker (HB), Luke Lachey (IR).

(Allen and Long will get the first chance at this job. It's theirs to lose. Holker starts on teams, but could easily work his way into a halfback sub-package. Lachey will take a yera to recover from that ankle injury, but when he does, he'll definitely replace Long - and possibly even Davis, if the latter doesn't break out.)

OL - Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Cooper Beebe, Warren McClendon, Kiran Amegadjie (swing), Logan Bruss (G/RT), Zach Thomas (G/C), Jonah Monheim (T/G), Mike McAllister.

(The starting O-line will be young, but experienced with A-Jax and Avila on the left side. JPJ and Beebe are solid plug-and-play types. McClendon gets the first crack at the right tackle job, but don't be surprised to see Amegadjie win it. Also, don't be surprised with Bruss; I think with another year away from his injury, he's got as good a chance as ever to compete for a job - and if he fails then, I will gladly admit I was wrong. I think that Thomas is our potential swing guard/backup center; he's not strong enough for tackle, but at center, he could mitigate a lot of problems. Monheim will likely take a redshirt year, McAllister is for Thomas-insurance/backup center, and you potentially have Arcuri as Bruss insurance Either way, I see two cuts: one for the final roster, and one when Lachey gets back healthy.)

DL - Aaron Donald (DT), Kobie Turner (NT/DE), Michael Hoecht (DE), Bobby Brown III (NT), Desjuan Johnson (DT/DE), Jordan Burch (DE/DT

(AD is AD. This is his last year, so we better not fuck it up. The Conductor is going to put on a show at nose (with BB3 obviously switching in for running downs), while Hoecht will get back to his more natural position on the line. Johnson should be a solid option, while Burch takes a redshirt year hopefully; he really needs it.)

LB - Chase Young, Byron Young, Ernest Jones, Marist Liufau, Nick Hampton, Jonah Elliss, Kier Thomas, Christian Rozeboom, Jake Hummel.

(Yes, I think Liufau makes an immediate impact at inside linebacker. The Youngs obviously start but expect Hampton and Elliss to get snaps as well. Not a huge Mathis fan, but I guess he could make the practice squad or even surprise. Rozeboom and Hummel are core special teamers.)

DB - Jeff Okudah, Kris Abrams-Draine, Quinyon Mitchell, Quentin Lake, Russ Yeast, Cobie Durant, Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, Jason Taylor II, Tanner Ingle, Malik Mustapha.

(Okudah, Mitchell, and KAD. Nobody's throwing on this defense. Add in Lake, Yeast, Durant in dime packages, JT2 in big nickel, and that's a solid, solid group. Ingle, THT, and Mustapha are key special teamers.)

ST - Dragan Kesich, Ethan Evans, Alex Ward.

(Kesich is the only new face. I still think Evans should be doing kickoffs, but Kesich could do them as well. Having Ward back will help.)

So, feel free to rip me a new asshole.

 

[OldSchool]

Since trading for Matt Stafford we've traded away Brockers, Cory Bojogruez, Robert Woods, Ramsey, Jefferson and Akers. Three were pure salary dumps that we did not get good compensation for because of the salary. The other three we traded a player and a 7th to get a 6th so we really got nothing for them. Three years to trade 6 players and you're going to trade 7 players in an off season including 2 starters one of which is a captain? A fantastic fantasy mock for sure hope it works out for you in the end.

I don't know that the Bears are a realistic target for Havenstein. They spent a 1st rounder on a RT who is one of their better OL this year so not sure they want a fading vet. Add to that they already traded their 2nd round pick so they'll have 2 firsts likely both top 5 then nothing until the 4th. Always possible but with no need at RT not sure why they'd trade for Big Rob.

Quinyon Mitchell is a 1st or at worst top 5 pick in the 2nd round by most accounts, would love if he lasted that long.

I believe @Merlin allowed me to convince him we should draft the younger Rice

I like a lot of the picks and don't know some of them but like the positions. Just don't think those trades are realistic as I've said to you before so you should be expecting this comment

Thanks for the hard work!

 

[Merlin]

I believe @Merlin allowed me to convince him we should draft the younger Rice

Dude this wideout class. Seriously.

 

[Londoner]

Release:

Kevin Dotson

And you were doing so well.

 

[Memento]

Since trading for Matt Stafford we've traded away Brockers, Cory Bojogruez, Robert Woods, Ramsey, Jefferson and Akers. Three were pure salary dumps that we did not get good compensation for because of the salary. The other three we traded a player and a 7th to get a 6th so we really got nothing for them. Three years to trade 6 players and you're going to trade 7 players in an off season including 2 starters one of which is a captain? A fantastic fantasy mock for sure hope it works out for you in the end.

I don't know that the Bears are a realistic target for Havenstein. They spent a 1st rounder on a RT who is one of their better OL this year so not sure they want a fading vet. Add to that they already traded their 2nd round pick so they'll have 2 firsts likely both top 5 then nothing until the 4th. Always possible but with no need at RT not sure why they'd trade for Big Rob.

Quinyon Mitchell is a 1st or at worst top 5 pick in the 2nd round by most accounts, would love if he lasted that long.

I believe @Merlin allowed me to convince him we should draft the younger Rice

I like a lot of the picks and don't know some of them but like the positions. Just don't think those trades are realistic as I've said to you before so you should be expecting this comment

Thanks for the hard work!

Fair enough on the trades part. Perhaps the Buccaneers would be a better location for Havenstein, perhaps for a fourth?

Yeah, I figured that Mitchell has first round traits. I'll have to go back to the drawing board for corners; there's not many of them I actually like on Day 2, and the good ones are going to go round 1. Maybe the Georgia corner drops like Ringo did to the Eagles last year?

And yeah, there's a lot of picks I like. I had fun researching these players; I didn't get to do a mock last year.

Thank you for the comment!

Dude this wideout class. Seriously.

Absolutely, and the tackle class is nothing to sneeze at either. MM3 and Franklin would have no business going this low in a lesser draft. It's why I have absolutely no issues dealing Atwell and Skow and letting Robinson go; this is a ridiculously-fucking-deep wideout draft.

And you were doing so well.

Believe me when I say that Cooper Beebe would make us forget all about Dotson. And we're signing Jeff Okudah and Chase Young as well, so there really isn't much money left for Dotson.

 

[den-the-coach]

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is likely to return for his fourth season in 2024. Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the likelihood of Ewers coming back "has increased exponentially" in recent weeks with his camp feeling it would be in his best interest to get another year of development before going to the NFL.Dec 2, 2023


View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10099501-report-quinn-ewers-likelihood-of-returning-to-texas-has-increased-exponentially#:~:text=Texas%20quarterback%20Quinn%20Ewers%20is,before%20going%20to%20the%20NFL
.

 

[fanotodd]

The OL has been about the strongest unit this season and the key to resurrecting the run game. Dotson is a huge part of that, but I get it, he’s gonna be expensive.
…but you’re willing to trade Havs (who has been one of the best run blocking OTs in the NFL since he got here)? Then you’re just going to have a competition to see who wins the job? McClendon for Havs is not a move I’d make just yet. I need to see Mc play a little bit in real games just to see what he’s got and if it’s enough to play in this league.

I appreciate the effort and research on players we can discuss as possible draft picks, but I don’t understand why anybody would want to blow up the roster so much when the holes are so obvious and can be dealt with without giving away so much proven talent—especially the OL.

You’re willing to jettison FOUR OL with a championship pedigree? That seems a little reckless.

As for the secondary, yes, THATS the unit that needs work. A FA signing seems almost mandatory unless the Rams think they can land a #1 in the draft. Heck the Rams might do both—that would be the only way I could see them letting Kendrick go. He’s still on a rookie deal and coming off the bench as a depth piece is better than they have now.

 

[Ram_Rally]

That much turnover is just inviting regression, in my opinion. This is a lot to accomplish as well.

 

[Memento]

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is likely to return for his fourth season in 2024. Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the likelihood of Ewers coming back "has increased exponentially" in recent weeks with his camp feeling it would be in his best interest to get another year of development before going to the NFL.Dec 2, 2023


View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10099501-report-quinn-ewers-likelihood-of-returning-to-texas-has-increased-exponentially#:~:text=Texas%20quarterback%20Quinn%20Ewers%20is,before%20going%20to%20the%20NFL
.

Again, until Ewers definitively says he's not coming out for the NFL at the deadline, I'm still willing to believe he comes out. It's true that he is leaning towards staying, but I can hope, right?

The OL has been about the strongest unit this season and the key to resurrecting the run game. Dotson is a huge part of that, but I get it, he’s gonna be expensive.
…but you’re willing to trade Havs (who has been one of the best run blocking OTs in the NFL since he got here)? Then you’re just going to have a competition to see who wins the job? McClendon for Havs is not a move I’d make just yet. I need to see Mc play a little bit in real games just to see what he’s got and if it’s enough to play in this league.

I appreciate the effort and research on players we can discuss as possible draft picks, but I don’t understand why anybody would want to blow up the roster so much when the holes are so obvious and can be dealt with without giving away so much proven talent—especially the OL.

You’re willing to jettison FOUR OL with a championship pedigree? That seems a little reckless.

As for the secondary, yes, THATS the unit that needs work. A FA signing seems almost mandatory unless the Rams think they can land a #1 in the draft. Heck the Rams might do both—that would be the only way I could see them letting Kendrick go. He’s still on a rookie deal and coming off the bench as a depth piece is better than they have now.

To say Noteboom, Shelton, and Allen have a championship pedigree is disingenuous; Shelton and Noteboom barely played, and Allen was not the key to that roster winning it all. Maybe you do keep Havenstein, but honestly, me trading Hav is less me being against him and more wanting to really see what McClendon can do; he reminded me of Havenstein coming out with his technique and knowledge of leverage, if not for height, and I think he'd be a perfect right tackle. But Allen and Noteboom? Easily replaceable. Shelton? He should be upgraded as well; he's made his share of mistakes this year, and he'll likely cost too much to keep alongside getting an edge and a cornerback.

Again, getting rid of Havenstein is less me wanting to replace him and more that he's our best trade chip, and that I want to see how McClendon does.

And yeah, the secondary - and definitely edge - needs work. Problem is that it really isn't a strong cornerback draft in the middle to late rounds. That's why Okudah is just as valuable of a signing as Chase Young - and I could also see another couple of corner reclamation projects like Witherspoon was for us being signed at the end, but because I have no idea who teams will likely cut (that's not my strength with mocks), I didn't do that. I also haven't completely lost faith in Durant; I think he and THT are solid enough backups that we can deal with the loss of Kendrick.

That much turnover is just inviting regression, in my opinion. This is a lot to accomplish as well.

We said that about this year as well, right? We lost Ramsey (though we still haven't replaced him), Scott, A'Shawn, Grizzly Gaines, Gay, Rapp, and a lot of others. I expected this team to be much worse. Instead, we're in striking distance of a playoff spot, if not there already.

Turnover does not necessarily equal regressoin.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Again, until Ewers definitively says he's not coming out for the NFL at the deadline, I'm still willing to believe he comes out. It's true that he is leaning towards staying, but I can hope, right?



To say Noteboom, Shelton, and Allen have a championship degree is disingenuous; Shelton and Noteboom barely played, and Allen was not the key to that roster winning it all. Maybe you do keep Havenstein, but honestly, me trading Hav is less me being against him and more wanting to really see what McClendon can do; he reminded me of Havenstein coming out with his technique and knowledge of leverage, if not for height, and I think he'd be a perfect right tackle. But Allen and Noteboom? Easily replaceable. Shelton? He should be upgraded as well; he's made his share of mistakes this year, and he'll likely cost too much to keep alongside getting an edge and a cornerback.

Again, getting rid of Havenstein is less me wanting to replace him and more that he's our best trade chip, and that I want to see how McClendon does.

And yeah, the secondary - and definitely edge - needs work. Problem is that it really isn't a strong cornerback draft in the middle to late rounds. That's why Okudah is just as valuable of a signing as Chase Young - and I could also see another couple of corner reclamation projects like Witherspoon was for us being signed at the end, but because I have no idea who teams will likely cut (that's not my strength with mocks), I didn't do that. I also haven't completely lost faith in Durant; I think he and THT are solid enough backups that we can deal with the loss of Kendrick.



We said that about this year as well, right? We lost Ramsey (though we still haven't replaced him), Scott, A'Shawn, Grizzly Gaines, Gay, Rapp, and a lot of others. I expected this team to be much worse. Instead, we're in striking distance of a playoff spot, if not there already.

Turnover does not necessarily equal regressoin.

That's true but technically this year is a regression to me. I think if healthy we would've been in play for the division last year. Think about how great we would be if we still had Ramsey and all those guys. I think it could work though.

 

[Memento]

That's true but technically this year is a regression to me. I think if healthy we would've been in play for the division last year. Think about how great we would be if we still had Ramsey and all those guys. I think it could work though.

Niners won the division last year. They didn't represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. In a one game playoff roulette, anything can happen.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Niners won the division last year. They didn't represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. In a one game playoff roulette, anything can happen.

That's true. I hope we have a New York Giants run.

 

[fanotodd]

Momento:

When I say “championship pedigree” I’m saying they’ve been there and know what it takes to win. They did their part in 2021.

Certainly they can be upgraded, but replacing ALL of them seems like a complete rebuild. The OL does not need that. Maybe the Rams can draft instant upgrades at 2 positions and bring McClendon up to Havenstein’s level in the next camp, but all of that in one offseason? Why risk it? I like McClendon too, but I think he’s gonna need at least show out in next year’s camp before the Rams make any decisions based on his projected performance.

I know the defense needs a lotta work because it simply lacks talent. I believe they are well coached despite all the negative posts. Upgrading THAT side of the ball seems more important.
I take no issues with anyone seeking a way to get the Rams two brand new starting CBs. I just don’t know how that’s gonna get done. I’ll settle for one and a pass rusher. I watch this team and think if the Rams had that, they’d be pretty fucking scary right now.
I believe they will have the resources to accomplish this without losing too much talent.

 

[dieterbrock]

I'd rather have Dotson than Chase Young

 

[Memento]

That's true. I hope we have a New York Giants run.

Or a St. Louis Cardinals 2006/2011 run.

Momento:

When I say “championship pedigree” I’m saying they’ve been there and know what it takes to win. They did their part in 2021.

Certainly they can be upgraded, but replacing ALL of them seems like a complete rebuild. The OL does not need that. Maybe the Rams can draft instant upgrades at 2 positions and bring McClendon up to Havenstein’s level in the next camp, but all of that in one offseason? Why risk it? I like McClendon too, but I think he’s gonna need at least show out in next year’s camp before the Rams make any decisions based on his projected performance.

I know the defense needs a lotta work because it simply lacks talent. I believe they are well coached despite all the negative posts. Upgrading THAT side of the ball seems more important.
I take no issues with anyone seeking a way to get the Rams two brand new starting CBs. I just don’t know how that’s gonna get done. I’ll settle for one and a pass rusher. I watch this team and think if the Rams had that, they’d be pretty fucking scary right now.
I believe they will have the resources to accomplish this without losing too much talent.

Fair, but given that this mock has the Rams winning it all (thinking positively here)...every O-lineman has championship pedigree. Next mock (same scenario for most of the stuff, except more...realistic?), I promise not to trade Havenstein; the guy I had at his pick is probably first-round bound anyway (thanks for clarification, @OldSchool ; much appreciated. I figured it was too good to be true.)

And again, I feel like Okudah's being ignored throughout this entire thing. He's not going to turn twenty-five until February. He's had his issues, but he's been part of a dominant Atlanta group (praying they let him go to free agency). If I added him in free agency and KAD in the second (realistic, given his weight), that's solid enough, even without Mitchell, especially paired with someone like Durant, who, while much maligned against the run, is a solid, solid cover corner, and when he has played, I did see a willingness to at least try to tackle. If he's your number three, that's not bad.

Maybe adding a safety like Nubin (my favorite safety in this class) over Ewers at that spot helps the secondary more? But McSnead's been hesitant to spend very high picks on safety; highest has been JJ3 and Burgess, who were hit and miss. Mostly, it's been sixths and sevenths. But you're right that the secondary is the biggest weakness, and honestly, Kendrick should be the scapegoat for most of it; his defensive-player-leading penalties and boneheaded coverage mistakes on and off the field have been too costly to ignore.

But yes, I feel they'll have resources to do so, but the reason I'm dealing as many players as I am is for one reason only: to cut dead weight. If McSnead can cut Gurley and deal Goff, they'll cut and deal anyone whom they feel is not performing up to par. Noteboom, Allen, Shelton, all of them are players I feel that McSnead would think of as replaceable.

And don't forget: we thought that this year was going to be a rebuild. We didn't replace Ramsey, still haven't replaced him. I could see them losing a lot on the offensive line this year, and they picked McClendon for a reason, still have kept Thomas, Bruss, Arcuri, and McAllister for a reason. I see a younger offensive line, more competition, which is a good thing.

And fate, I love the Dotson trade, but he will make bank, and if you're paying for an elite corner - or even a very good corner like C.J. Henderson from Carolina - as well as Chase Young (edge is arguably our weakest area, even over secondary; Byron Young is the only blue chip, and while Hoecht and Hampton have shown potential, Hoecht's been playing way out of his position, and Hampton is more of a weakside rover), there simply isn't enough cap space for Dotson.

So yeah, hope that explains a bit of my rationale. Thank you so much for talking on my mock; it's much appreciated.

I'd rather have Dotson than Chase Young

Then who do you go after for edge? Brian Burns? Likely will be franchised. Josh Allen? Same as Burns. And nobody else has Young's potential as a former number two overall pick. Does he have his warts? Absolutely, but he's a very damn good player at least, if not borderline elite, at a position we desperately need to upgrade.

 

[dieterbrock]

Then who do you go after for edge? Brian Burns? Likely will be franchised. Josh Allen? Same as Burns. And nobody else has Young's potential as a former number two overall pick. Does he have his warts? Absolutely, but he's a very damn good player at least, if not borderline elite, at a position we desperately need to upgrade.

Im not downgrading the offensive line, which is finally showing signs of being special in order to take a flyer on Chase Young. I don’t see the logic there. I definitely would be willing to dump Boom and apply his cap savings toward Dotson’s deal.
Chase Young is terribly over rated, and seeing him join such a stacked team and yet have such minimal impact is a big red flag. 2 sacks in 6 games?
There will be other edge options

 

[Memento]

Im not downgrading the offensive line, which is finally showing signs of being special in order to take a flyer on Chase Young. I don’t see the logic there. I definitely would be willing to dump Boom and apply his cap savings toward Dotson’s deal.
Chase Young is terribly over rated, and seeing him join such a stacked team and yet have such minimal impact is a big red flag. 2 sacks in 6 games?
There will be other edge options

And Von Miller didn't have much of an impact in the regular season with us either. Chase Young had seven-and-a-half sacks with Washington this year alone. Not that I'm comparing the players; just the situations. Just because a player doesn't fit on another team doesn't mean that it's a red flag.

And if you're calling Cooper Beebe, the best guard in the draft - much like Avila was - a "downgrade", I don't think you've watched his film. I have watched a lot of his games, and we would be lucky to have him, and, in the short-term and long run, I will stake a claim that he will be better than Dotson ever was, and feel free to bring this post up if I'm wrong.

And it's not just Chase Young; you pay Okudah and any edge rusher money, someone's going to leave, and Dotson's likely going to leave.

 

[dieterbrock]

And Von Miller didn't have much of an impact in the regular season with us either. Chase Young had seven-and-a-half sacks with Washington this year alone. Not that I'm comparing the players; just the situations. Just because a player doesn't fit on another team doesn't mean that it's a red flag.

You're comparing complete apples to oranges, Von Miller was elite edge, Chase Young has never been. And how did he have 7.5 sacks with Washington when he only has 7 total for the year? He's been a non-factor again tonight.
Sorry but I'm not letting Dotson walk so the Rams can sign an over rated, borderline bust because he was a beast in college 5 years ago

And if you're calling Cooper Beebe, the best guard in the draft - much like Avila was - a "downgrade", I don't think you've watched his film.

Please quote me saying that, since I never said anything of the kind.

 

[Memento]

You're comparing complete apples to oranges, Von Miller was elite edge, Chase Young has never been. And how did he have 7.5 sacks with Washington when he only has 7 total for the year? He's been a non-factor again tonight.
Sorry but I'm not letting Dotson walk so the Rams can sign an over rated, borderline bust because he was a beast in college 5 years ago

Please quote me saying that, since I never said anything of the kind.

Here:

Im not downgrading the offensive line, which is finally showing signs of being special in order to take a flyer on Chase Young. I don’t see the logic there. I definitely would be willing to dump Boom and apply his cap savings toward Dotson’s deal.
Chase Young is terribly over rated, and seeing him join such a stacked team and yet have such minimal impact is a big red flag. 2 sacks in 6 games?
There will be other edge options

You said, and I quote "I'm not downgrading the offensive line." Do you believe that Beebe is a downgrade over Dotson? I certainly don't.

Chase Young won Defensive Rookie of the Year. The ONLY reason he's been a so-called "borderline-bust" is because of injuries. I admit he has his warts, but given his sky-high potential, the fact that he's produced when healthy, and the fact that Burns and Allen will be tagged, I can't see anyone better.

And yes, I was wrong about the sacks; it was 7.5 in his DROTY year. He's had seven, you're right about that, and I apologize. He's been consistently a force, though; at least a half of a sack in every game except for three games this year.

He will produce next to Donald, next to The Conductor, next to Byron Young.

 

[Londoner]

This draft has loads of good edge prospects, with six potential first-rounders. At least one of them should be available when we pick. You take one of them in the first round, as it’s cheaper than paying for Burns or Young, and a CB or safety in round two. You then spend the FA money on locking up Dotson and bolstering the secondary.