MemphisRams' Offseason Mock 1.0

[Memphis Ram]

Jeff Fisher to USC

HC Mike Smith (unemployed - Falcons)
OC Mike Mularkey (Interim HC Titans)
DC Jim Schwartz (unemployed - Lions)

FREE AGENCY

Key Releases:
Rodger Saffold, Jared Cook, Nick Foles, Akeem Ayers

Key Free Agent Departures:
Nick Fairley, Mark Barron, Wes Welker, Eugene Sims, Rodney McCleod

Contract Restructure:
Chris Long

Key Resignings:
Trumaine Johnson, William Hayes, Janoris Jenkins (potential franchise tag)

Vet Minimum Offers:
Tim Barnes, Brian Quick, Corey Harkey, Case Keenum

Free Agent Signing:
Eric Weddle (Chargers), Chad Henne (Jaguars)

1) LaQuon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss

2) Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

2) John Theus, OT, Georgia

3) Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona

4) Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State

6) Quayon Hicks, FB, Georgia

 

[Stel]

Like the draft.

 

[12intheBox]

Mike Smith?

c'mon now.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Mike Smith?

c'mon now.

5 winning seasons out of 7 in Atlanta. 4 of them double digit winning seasons.

If he doesn't deserve another chance, I don't know who does.

 

[12intheBox]

5 winning seasons out of 7 in Atlanta. 4 of them double digit winning seasons.

If he doesn't deserve another chance, I don't know who does.

I'm biased by my Falcons friends, I suppose - but he put out some really awful work late in his tenure there with decent talent to work with.

He may deserve a second chance, but I hope it isn't here.

 

[jrry32]

That coaching staff wouldn't sit well with me. Mike Smith is both the opposite of Fisher in many ways and the exact same as Fisher in many ways. He's the opposite in that he coaches very disciplined teams. His teams aren't often penalized. He's the same as Fisher in terms of game managing. Uber conservative and makes a lot of poor decisions late in games.

He's not a bad HC by any means but I feel like we're getting more of the same.(an established HC that can build a team up but won't get it over the hump ultimately) He kind of strikes me as like Lovie Smith. But we could do worse.

Mularkey has taken a lot of heat over the past few years. Wouldn't be too excited about him as OC.

You're also taking a pretty big risk waiting for a QB until the 2nd. What's the plan if Wentz goes in the first? Also, Wentz is a project at the NFL level...are you counting on Chad Henne to start in 2016?

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I like the draft, in theory. That theory being that Wentz is good and lasts to round 2.

Love Treadwell, Hicks is a good late rounder, Theus could push Robinon inside.

Not a fan of your coaching staff either. I think Smith brought needed discipline but rode the backs of his roster. He is not the imaginative mind I would hope for. I want a Asshole Face to fix the offense and a good independent DC to take advantage of our personnel.

In all of these scenarios I wonder if a new OLine coach and new Head coach could either motivate GRob or move him. With a different set of eyes his days at OT could be over. Maybe even as a Ram because he could still have trade value.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I thought about Kyle Shanahan at first, but read how he rubbed people the wrong way in Washington and Cleveland so I passed.

A more imaginative mind might be exciting, but so would a coaching staff that would simplify things and focus more on the fundamentals, IMO. And the Smith / Mularkey combination did just that in Atlanta.

My QB initially would be Henne, Mannion, or Keenum. Or if another veteran shakes loose, I'd go there, if possible. But, I don't think that there is a rookie in this draft class I'd turn the reins over to in 2016. Not one.

If the team has to trade up a little for Wentz then so be it. But, if that's not possible and he isn't available in the 2nd round, I'd be fine with someone like Hogan or perhaps another project in Cardale Jones to develop. And I'd count on Mularkey (who uses the FB position, thank God) to get the job done.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

OMG you too? What is with the Cardale Jones stuff? Jones is a poor mans Jamarcus Russell. No thanks.QB is the most cerebral position in professional sports. You want a guy who was taken out in the redzone because he couldn't process fast enough?

 

[BonifayRam]

Great Draft Memphis !

 

[Memphis Ram]

OMG you too? What is with the Cardale Jones stuff? Jones is a poor mans Jamarcus Russell. No thanks.QB is the most cerebral position in professional sports. You want a guy who was taken out in the redzone because he couldn't process fast enough?

I believe that he can be used just like Cam Newton with a smart coach. But, if someone tries to make a traditional QB out of him and he doesn't take his craft seriously like Russell (who actually showed up overweight at the combine), then I'd agree that he'd be a bad choice.

 

[FRO]

I really like it. I was going to do one with Treadwell, Boyd, and Wentz, but I changed it up a bit. If we could get a better stop gap QB I would be totally on board with going that route. McCown from Cleveland if available would be a good get. I know he sucked for Tampa, but had put up good numbers in 2 of his last three seasons.

 

[Memento]

Love the draft, especially Wentz if we can get him in the second (doubtful at best). Hate the coaching hires (Schwartz aside).

 

[jrry32]

But, if that's not possible and he isn't available in the 2nd round, I'd be fine with someone like Hogan or perhaps another project in Cardale Jones to develop. And I'd count on Mularkey (who uses the FB position, thank God) to get the job done.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

Yep. Yep. Yep.

I've grown tired of waiting for this team to find a quality traditional dropback passer. These guys are very few and far in-between and organizations have held themselves hostage for years waiting to find one.

I want this team to go the Cam Newton route. A big physical QB who may not be the best pocket passer in the world, but can make plays with his feet to keep defenses honest. All it takes is for the offensive coordinator to commit to playing these guys to their strengths and not try to make them into something they are not.

It works. Most couldn't even name the Panthers WRs. Their starting OTs are a kid in Remmers who was on the Rams practice squad last year and Oher is their LT after struggling in Baltimore and Tennesse the past couple of seasons.

In fact, I'm shocked that Fisher hasn't considered such an option after all the success he had with McNair.

 

[jrry32]

Yep. Yep. Yep.

I've grown tired of waiting for this team to find a quality traditional dropback passer. These guys are very few and far in-between and organizations have held themselves hostage for years waiting to find one.

I want this team to go the Cam Newton route. A big physical QB who may not be the best pocket passer in the world, but can make plays with his feet to keep defenses honest. All it takes is for the offensive coordinator to commit to playing these guys to their strengths and not try to make them into something they are not.

It works. Most couldn't even name the Panthers WRs. Their starting OTs are a kid in Remmers who was on the Rams practice squad last year and Oher is their LT after struggling in Baltimore and Tennesse the past couple of seasons.

In fact, I'm shocked that Fisher hasn't considered such an option after all the success he had with McNair.

Hogan is not a good QB prospect. And Cardale Jones doesn't see the field well enough or process things quickly enough at this point. He needs too much development. And he's not the same caliber of athlete as Newton...which makes a world of difference.

If that's what you want, why not just sign Kaepernick and draft a developmental QB?

 

[Memphis Ram]

Hogan is not a good QB prospect. And Cardale Jones doesn't see the field well enough or process things quickly enough at this point. He needs too much development. And he's not the same caliber of athlete as Newton...which makes a world of difference.

If that's what you want, why not just sign Kaepernick and draft a developmental QB?

See my next mock offseason on Kaepernick. I disagree on Hogan they way I'd use him. And Jones doesn't have to be the same caliber of athlete as Newton to be effective.

 

[jrry32]

See my next mock offseason on Kaepernick. I disagree on Hogan they way I'd use him. And Jones doesn't have to be the same caliber of athlete as Newton to be effective.

That's an assumption that may not be a safe one. Newton processes things a lot more quickly on the field and is a better pure passer. So when you combine that with his superior athleticism and running ability, it makes a big difference. It's very risky to rely on Cardale to be effective early on. He needs development.

I think drafting Hogan to be a starter would be a major mistake. He's just not a good prospect and his athleticism is nothing special.

 

[FRO]

I would take RGIII over Kaepernick.

 

[Memphis Ram]

That's an assumption that may not be a safe one. Newton processes things a lot more quickly on the field and is a better pure passer. So when you combine that with his superior athleticism and running ability, it makes a big difference. It's very risky to rely on Cardale to be effective early on. He needs development.

I think drafting Hogan to be a starter would be a major mistake. He's just not a good prospect and his athleticism is nothing special.

Newton might be a superior athlete, but I really believe that if Jones were playing in the same offense Newton played in at Auburn, he'd look very similar coming out of college. And methinks Hogan is a better athlete that you give him credit.

Looking for that quality traditional drop back passer that most teams never find? I'd pass, too. But, in the end, every single QB in this draft class needs development. The key is whether or not they go to a coaching staff that plays them to their strengths and not continue to try to fit these square pegs into round holes, IMO.