Offensive line

[fearsomefour]

There is no disagreement between you & I here.

That comment you addressed ...was where referring to the final 2013 season Seattle 17th game that did not go too well for him, not Tim Barnes overall 2013 performance in the 5 games he finished for the IR'd Wells. I know its been discussed around here some last yr & some early this off season about center Tim Barnes 5 game performance. If I can can remember it right it was very mixed by posters. I thought Tim Barnes performance playing next to Chris Williams, Shelley Smith & Rodger Saffold was good enough for Barnes to win the OC starting post in 2014.

Sadly it was that finale game against Seattle that stuck in most all ROD members brains & they have good reasons. Having Brandon Washington play in his first NFL game @ OLG , Shelley Smith all 297 pounds of him playing Right OG would be bad enough but if you recall before the first half Saffold was knock out (Concussed) causing OLG Chris Williams to play OLT for the injured Saffold & Jake Long that made it impossible to look decent against the 2013 SB World Champions. So as too his 2013 performance I say it was good overall.

What bothered me was Tim Barnes 2014 pre season performance as the starting center in for the ailing Scott Wells. When I reviewed the pre season games I found his play lacking in comparison to what I saw late in 2013. Not sure why but maybe I was under the impression that he would outright take the center position from Wells....that just did not occur. Barnes was getting most all the first team action during camp & did end up sharing some early with Barrett Jones & later with Rhaney(who looked good) & very late with Mike Person. It should also be said that due to the Scott Wells health issues Barnes worked solely @ center. Barnes previously in yrs past Boudreau gave Barnes TC & pre season game action @ both OG posts.Boudreau was trying out & installing a bunch of UDFA's & 7th round draft selections OL'ers & it was a mess too. The OL 2014 pre season performance could only be described as total dismay & confusion IMO. :eek:

Yet, Shelley Smith, by everything I have read, is have a very good year in Miami.
Barnes is ok....a depth guy to me. He doesn't get push in the run game, but, it is hard to find many Cs that do.
Person is the key resign for depth to me this year. He shows flashes to me of being able to play and frankly I am surprised he didn't replace Joseph at some point. He is mobile and can get to the second level....I think he can be effective in the run game even though he is not overpowering because of quickness. His versatility is key as well. Given the state of the Rams line and lack of depth and three players having to be replaced by next season (Long, Wells, Joseph) I would put resigning Person right behind Britt in terms of priority.
I would like to see Wiz come over from Oakland and Iupati come from SF. The likelihood of being to outspend Oakland for their C is remote. The Rams could land Iupati however. If there is a better FA G I would like to hear about it. Iupati could form a dominating left side with Robinson, physically imposing in the run game and allow Saffold to switch back to RG. It would also weaken SF.

 

[Sum1]

Yet, Shelley Smith, by everything I have read, is have a very good year in Miami.
Barnes is ok....a depth guy to me. He doesn't get push in the run game, but, it is hard to find many Cs that do.
Person is the key resign for depth to me this year. He shows flashes to me of being able to play and frankly I am surprised he didn't replace Joseph at some point. He is mobile and can get to the second level....I think he can be effective in the run game even though he is not overpowering because of quickness. His versatility is key as well. Given the state of the Rams line and lack of depth and three players having to be replaced by next season (Long, Wells, Joseph) I would put resigning Person right behind Britt in terms of priority.
I would like to see Wiz come over from Oakland and Iupati come from SF. The likelihood of being to outspend Oakland for their C is remote. The Rams could land Iupati however. If there is a better FA G I would like to hear about it. Iupati could form a dominating left side with Robinson, physically imposing in the run game and allow Saffold to switch back to RG. It would also weaken SF.

You must not have read anything very recent...Smith was replaced in the starting lineup by Darren Colledge.

 

[TheDYVKX]

You must not have read anything very recent...Smith was replaced in the starting lineup by Darren Colledge.

Yeah, it's been a long while since Smith has played.

 

[BonifayRam]

I like Person a lot.
He is not going to physically overpower anyone at the point in the run game, but, he is mobile and moves well. I think he is a good guy to have given his versatility. If my memory is correct he played all 5 O line positions in one game this preseason. If the Rams don't bring in a FA G this offseason I would expect Person to be in the competition for LG (with Saffold moving back to RG).

When your team have five (Barksdale/Joseph/Person/Barnes/Washington) of your 9 OL'ers you have on your 53 player roster entering free agency, then having two other starters (Long & Wells) with serious deficiencies along with very high cap cost hit$$$ ......Mike Person's return would be a very prudent signing IMO. We agree once again.

Yet, Shelley Smith, by everything I have read, is have a very good year in Miami.
Barnes is ok....a depth guy to me. He doesn't get push in the run game, but, it is hard to find many Cs that do.
Person is the key resign for depth to me this year. He shows flashes to me of being able to play and frankly I am surprised he didn't replace Joseph at some point. He is mobile and can get to the second level....I think he can be effective in the run game even though he is not overpowering because of quickness. His versatility is key as well. Given the state of the Rams line and lack of depth and three players having to be replaced by next season (Long, Wells, Joseph) I would put resigning Person right behind Britt in terms of priority.
I would like to see Wiz come over from Oakland and Iupati come from SF. The likelihood of being to outspend Oakland for their C is remote. The Rams could land Iupati however. If there is a better FA G I would like to hear about it. Iupati could form a dominating left side with Robinson, physically imposing in the run game and allow Saffold to switch back to RG. It would also weaken SF.

Shelley Smith has been good enough in his 3 games that he has started this season for Miami. Shelley has started @ ORG & Center. Shelley began his Miami career as the starting center in TC but lost that starting job. Then he was rotating @ ORG but was demoted again. After injuries hit was out for a while with a knee. The Miami Zone OL blocking scheme fits Shelley well.

I would prefer Mike Person as the 7th or 8th Rams 2015 OL'er myself. Person size is an issue with our OL blocking scheme generally. Sure Person has proven completely that he can play all the Rams OL positions without making mistakes, Person is also highly UN breakable, but his performance is just average @ OLT & he has more effectiveness issues @ the OLG post up agaisnt those big massive NT/DT's. I am of the opinion that the best position for Person to have the most impact in the NFL is @ CENTER. Person is also a excellent game day OT/OG/OC reserve.

When Person has been around 299 pounds now throughout college & now for 4 NFL seasons & will be 27 when 2015 pre-season starts.....chances are Person is maxed out in size. however Person has plenty of worth & value to add to this Ram OL. So I would consider him in that open starting center post fight if he does resign with us. I also see the Org. signing back Tim Barnes. Thus making the center post highly competitive between four good candidates... Barrett Jones, Demetrius Rhaney, Tim Barnes & Mike Person. Saying that I would conclude that center should not be addressed in the draft or in UFA'cy. Chances are good the Rams will end up with two good young starters from the four. The two losers could then turn their attention to locking up the back up positions @ OG & OT.

My position is the Ram Org. needs to draft at bare minimum TWO OL starters in this 2015 draft. Plus bring in one UFA veteran starter @ ORT or swing OT type. I think that former Titan OLT 32 yr old Michael Roos would be a good fit. He has started forever @ OLT for Fisher & started out early in his career @ ORT. Adding a player like Roos for a few yrs would bring in a valid vet legit backup @ OLT something the Rams do not have with Joe Barksdale to mix in with the two highly talented drafted rookies.

 

[oldramfan]

Saffold needs to go back to RG where he was much better. Get rid of Wells, Joseph and Long. Re sign Barksdale and get a couple of beast either via the draft or FA to beef up the interior of the line. That will fix the problem.

 

[Memphis Ram]

How many NFL offensive lines are there that actually have 5 stud Olinemen?
Or even 5 good Olinemen?
Or even 5 above average Olinemen?
Solid to Average?

Are there really that many?

 

[fearsomefour]

You must not have read anything very recent...Smith was replaced in the starting lineup by Darren Colledge.

Guess I haven't.
Good. I hope his career over.

 

[StLouieRam]

Cann Drango Dismukes grab Petty late and if you can get Justin Hardy a WR outta ECU. You'd probably need 5 picks in the first 100 so, I'd trade down and pick up an additional 2nd and 3rd.
Robinson/Cann/Dismukes/Saffold/Drango

 

[duckhunter]

How many NFL offensive lines are there that actually have 5 stud Olinemen?
Or even 5 good Olinemen?
Or even 5 above average Olinemen?
Solid to Average?

Are there really that many?

I don't like the team so try not to follow them that much but through the years I think the Patriots may be the best at putting solid lines together without spending a lot. They usually grow their own. I'm not sure what separates them from the rest. Could just be they get a bye on holding more than others.