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Rams' draft was all about offense
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18241/rams-draft-all-about-offense
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The start of free agency was good to St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. In the opening days, the Rams added defensive tackle Nick Fairley and linebacker Akeem Ayers, two of their most coveted outside free agents.
Apparently, that was Williams' time to shine this offseason because the Rams must have locked him in his office and threw away the key during the majority of the NFL draft.
"I told him, it might've been yesterday, 'See what happens when you have back-to-back shutouts,'" Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, laughing.
Fisher might have only been half-joking. Entering this year's draft the Rams had just six picks. But after making a couple of trades, including sending running back Zac Stacy to the New York Jets for a seventh-round selection, the Rams ended up making nine selections. With extra picks in hand, one might think the Rams would come out with a more balanced class.
But it wasn't until the draft's closing moments that Williams finally got to have a little fun. The Rams spent their first seven picks on offensive players, including a running back, four offensive linemen, a quarterback and a receiver.
For perspective, Fisher has been a head coach in the NFL for two decades and never in that time had he spent so much as four consecutive picks to start a draft on offensive players. In 2014, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used all six of their picks on offensive players so it's not completely unheard of but for a defensive-minded coach like Fisher, the idea of spending seven in a row would normally be the draft equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.
"It was not hard at all, no," Fisher said, a grin creeping across his face.
General manager Les Snead said that might not be entirely true.
"Maybe late in the draft," Snead said. "There was one time where he said, 'Let's just look at this side of the board.'"
By the time the seventh round finally arrived, the Rams did allow Williams to come out and play. The Rams dealt Stacy to the Jets for a seventh-round choice and promptly used that pick on Baylor linebacker Bryce Hager. Hager is the son of former NFL linebacker Britt Hager and actually comes with strong ties to Fisher.
Fisher was on Buddy Ryan's Philadelphia Eagles staff when the elder Hager entered the draft in 1989. Fisher liked Hager on tape and gave a strong endorsement to Ryan about him. Ryan told Fisher he didn't know what he was talking about after Fisher's glowing recommendation. Ryan then promptly traded away the team's picks in Rounds 7 through 12 to get a third-round choice they used on Britt Hager.
No such maneuvering was necessary on Saturday but Hager did break the run of offensive players for the Rams in the draft. They followed by taking defensive end Martin Ifedi with their ninth and final pick.
Hager and Ifedi won't be counted on to start or contribute at a high level right away but they will have plenty of chances to compete for roster spots and chip in on special teams.
In the end, it should come as no surprise that the Rams spent the bulk of their picks on offense. The defense is poised and ready and brings back all 11 starters and most of the key depth from a year ago. It was the offense that needed the attention and the offense that got it.
"Every team's different," Fisher said. "Every situation's different. The drafts are different. But we clearly entered this draft collectively feeling that we were going to come away with some solid offensive lineman. Todd [Gurley] obviously is quite the bonus, so we feel good about it."
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18241/rams-draft-all-about-offense
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The start of free agency was good to St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. In the opening days, the Rams added defensive tackle Nick Fairley and linebacker Akeem Ayers, two of their most coveted outside free agents.
Apparently, that was Williams' time to shine this offseason because the Rams must have locked him in his office and threw away the key during the majority of the NFL draft.
"I told him, it might've been yesterday, 'See what happens when you have back-to-back shutouts,'" Rams coach Jeff Fisher said, laughing.
Fisher might have only been half-joking. Entering this year's draft the Rams had just six picks. But after making a couple of trades, including sending running back Zac Stacy to the New York Jets for a seventh-round selection, the Rams ended up making nine selections. With extra picks in hand, one might think the Rams would come out with a more balanced class.
But it wasn't until the draft's closing moments that Williams finally got to have a little fun. The Rams spent their first seven picks on offensive players, including a running back, four offensive linemen, a quarterback and a receiver.
For perspective, Fisher has been a head coach in the NFL for two decades and never in that time had he spent so much as four consecutive picks to start a draft on offensive players. In 2014, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used all six of their picks on offensive players so it's not completely unheard of but for a defensive-minded coach like Fisher, the idea of spending seven in a row would normally be the draft equivalent of nails on a chalkboard.
"It was not hard at all, no," Fisher said, a grin creeping across his face.
General manager Les Snead said that might not be entirely true.
"Maybe late in the draft," Snead said. "There was one time where he said, 'Let's just look at this side of the board.'"
By the time the seventh round finally arrived, the Rams did allow Williams to come out and play. The Rams dealt Stacy to the Jets for a seventh-round choice and promptly used that pick on Baylor linebacker Bryce Hager. Hager is the son of former NFL linebacker Britt Hager and actually comes with strong ties to Fisher.
Fisher was on Buddy Ryan's Philadelphia Eagles staff when the elder Hager entered the draft in 1989. Fisher liked Hager on tape and gave a strong endorsement to Ryan about him. Ryan told Fisher he didn't know what he was talking about after Fisher's glowing recommendation. Ryan then promptly traded away the team's picks in Rounds 7 through 12 to get a third-round choice they used on Britt Hager.
No such maneuvering was necessary on Saturday but Hager did break the run of offensive players for the Rams in the draft. They followed by taking defensive end Martin Ifedi with their ninth and final pick.
Hager and Ifedi won't be counted on to start or contribute at a high level right away but they will have plenty of chances to compete for roster spots and chip in on special teams.
In the end, it should come as no surprise that the Rams spent the bulk of their picks on offense. The defense is poised and ready and brings back all 11 starters and most of the key depth from a year ago. It was the offense that needed the attention and the offense that got it.
"Every team's different," Fisher said. "Every situation's different. The drafts are different. But we clearly entered this draft collectively feeling that we were going to come away with some solid offensive lineman. Todd [Gurley] obviously is quite the bonus, so we feel good about it."