Rams LT Andrew Whitworth expected to return

[den-the-coach]

IMO, I still think the Rams need to draft a LT, but @jrry32 & @OldSchool do not believe anyone of value will be available by the time the Rams draft in round two, so bringing back Whitworth and awaiting a healthy Noteboom is a good plan B.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I don't know, as time passes i'm developing some mixed feelings on his potential return. While I believe he still has skills, especially in the leadership department, it's going to come down to money and the projected time-line for Noteboom's return. I believe the Rams would be crazy NOT to go after another OT high in the draft, and even if he wasn't 100% ready to start, he, Evans & Brewer should be capable of 'holding down the fort' until Noteboom is back. Of course, this opinion is based on Noteboom only being absent for a game or two, not half the season.
I'd prefer the Rams not re-sign Whitworth until after the draft, when their prognosis on Noteboom's return date may also be more accurate, but if Whitworth is determined to play next season and collect the biggest pay-check possible, then he could easily be lost during the first free agency period.
We witnessed how quickly Weddle's skills diminished last season, I can only hope the same isn't true for Whitworth this next season, it would be an expensive lesson.
jmo.

 

[BonifayRam]

The signing of UFA Whitworth would negate the highly possible 2021 3rd round compensatory draft pick award received from a Fowler high $$$ signing elsewhere. Rams only have 4 draft picks in 2021 draft.

 

[Riverumbbq]

IMO, I still think the Rams need to draft a LT, but @jrry32 & @OldSchool do not believe anyone of value will be available by the time the Rams draft in round two

I disagree with this belief if that's what they've stated. Noteboom was drafted in the 3'rd round (89'th overall), the Rams expected him to start in 2020, and in his brief appearances as a reserve (78 snaps) in his rookie year he performed well. No one here that i'm aware of posted about or predicted Noteboom prior to his draft as potentially becoming Whitworth's successor, so I would imagine between our Rams scouts and Snead, they could come up with a 2'nd round OT who can help this team.
jmo.

 

[OldSchool]

The signing of UFA Whitworth would negate the highly possible 2021 3rd round compensatory draft pick award received from a Fowler high $$$ signing elsewhere. Rams only have 4 draft picks in 2021 draft.

Pretty sure our own free agents don't count against the formula.

 

[BonifayRam]

Pretty sure our own free agents don't count against the formula.

Interesting OldSchool ..that's great then Rams UFA not being qualifying CFA's to be used against us nullify......when the tabulation of CFA's concludes.

I never knew that a teams own current UFA's would have the specialized exclusion from the other 31 teams UFA whereas to have no bearing on the (CDPA) Compensatory awards if they are signed by their previous team. Never read any of that info anywhere....that there are two different types of CFA s...the Rams & the other 31 teams.

I am sure that Andrew Whitworth is a qualifying 2020 UFA thus being an official NFL qualifying CFA because he has been on all the lists. But since he was previously a Ram in 2019 he is ghosted in the final total. Good then I have learned something today.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Interesting OldSchool ..that's great then Rams UFA not being qualifying CFA's to be used against us nullify......when the tabulation of CFA's concludes.

I never knew that a teams own current UFA's would have the specialized exclusion from the other 31 teams UFA whereas to have no bearing on the (CDPA) Compensatory awards if they are signed by their previous team. Never read any of that info anywhere....that there are two different types of CFA s...the Rams & the other 31 teams.

I am sure that Andrew Whitworth is a qualifying 2020 UFA thus being an official NFL qualifying CFA because he has been on all the lists. But since he was previously a Ram in 2019 he is ghosted in the final total. Good then I have learned something today.

"Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents (“CFA”) than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks."

Based on this language, I don't believe you can lose or regain an advantage by re-signing what was already your own player.

How the NFL Draft's compensatory pick formula works

Giants Wire attempts to provide clarity on how the NFL’s confusing compensatory draft pick formula works.

giantswire.usatoday.com

 

[BonifayRam]

I disagree with this belief if that's what they've stated. Noteboom was drafted in the 3'rd round (89'th overall), the Rams expected him to start in 2020, and in his brief appearances as a reserve (78 snaps) in his rookie year he performed well. No one here that i'm aware of posted about or predicted Noteboom prior to his draft as potentially becoming Whitworth's successor, so I would imagine between our Rams scouts and Snead, they could come up with a 2'nd round OT who can help this team.
jmo.

Rams might have resolved their LT issue for this upcoming season but what about 2021?

My position is signing Whitworth is a one season patch up job with no future values attached to Whitworth's signing. The 2020 AW patch job has a good chance of being far less in quality that it was in 2018/2019 seasons. It simply buys some time.

The bought time will cost many $$$$ millions! This acquisition time will be used to find out if Joe Noteboom can return to his late 2018 rookie season form playing LT, so he can be considered the starting LT for the 2021 season. Noteboom will then be a UFA when the 2021 season concludes. Rams might in the end have got only one full season of play out of Noteboom's 4 yr. contract.

Based on this ROD preferred route the Rams stand a very good chance to be in great need once again for a starting LT at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Whitworth does nothing to prevent this from occurring.

My 2 cents worth would be .....give great attention on planing ahead here in @ this LT post. Draft a talented developmental LT in this upcoming draft 2020 to learn this highly technical all important blindside protector assignment behind Whitworth this season. Then this time next yr 2021 he can learn behind Noteboom in 2021. Rams should be in good condition this time next season with a healthy Noteboom & hopefully this 2020 draft selection will be groomed & ready to start in 2022 @ LT.

 

[BonifayRam]

"Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents (“CFA”) than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks."

Based on this language, I don't believe you can lose or regain an advantage by re-signing what was already your own player.

How the NFL Draft's compensatory pick formula works

Giants Wire attempts to provide clarity on how the NFL’s confusing compensatory draft pick formula works.

giantswire.usatoday.com

So here's what John Fennelly said ......
"Here’s how I interpret it. The league looks at each team’s performance in free agency, with free agents being defined as players whose contracts have expired and have signed on with a new team. It does not include players who were waived, released, cut, chucked or whatever. It also does not take into account players that sign back with their old teams."

 

[Riverumbbq]

Rams might have resolved their LT issue for this upcoming season but what about 2021?

My position is signing Whitworth is a one season patch up job with no future values attached to Whitworth's signing. The 2020 AW patch has a good chance of being far less in quality that it was in 2018/2019 seasons. It simply buys some time.

The bought time will cost many millions! This acquisition time will be used to find out if Joe Noteboom can return to his late 2018 rookie season form playing LT, so he can be considered the starting LT for the 2021 season. Noteboom will then be a UFA when the 2021season concludes. Rams might in the end have got only one full season of play out of Noteboom's 4 yr. contract.

Based on this ROD preferred route the Rams stand a very good chance to be in great need once gain for a starting LT at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Whitworth does nothing to prevent this from occurring.

My 2 cents worth would be .....give great attention on planing ahead here in @ this LT post. Draft a talented developmental LT in this upcoming draft 2020 to learn this highly technical all important blindside protector assignment behind Whitworth this season. Then this time next yr 2021 he can learn behind Noteboom in 2021. Rams should be in good condition this time next season with a healthy Noteboom & hopefully this 2020 draft selection will be groomed & ready to start in 2022 @ LT.

Not sure why this was directed towards me as I share the same position. I'll also add that Havenstein's decline last season is just one additional reason for prioritizing an OT high in our draft.

 

[Merlin]

Pretty sure our own free agents don't count against the formula.

Other than the fact that you need to lose one of your free agents in order to be in the formula, yes that is true.

Personally I feel like comp picks are something you should always have an eye towards, but shouldn't drive your policy wrt FAs. Signing a top FA who fills a needed role and who is young with upside and the right mentality, for example, is far better than a third round pick.

With FA in general it seems teams go away from the approach they take in the draft where they consider the entire player by talking to support personnel, friends, professors, etc. In other words I think teams throw that money around with desperation moreso than precision.

So for this season for example if there's a guy who fits as a long term piece and makes the team better, and they can afford him, go get him. The key IMO is signing guys who love the game, are good locker room types, and who have a sense of pride in the film they put up as those are the guys who will still leave it all on the field when they're collecting that big paycheck.

 

[BonifayRam]

Not sure why this was directed towards me as I share the same position. I'll also add that Havenstein's decline last season is just one additional reason for prioritizing an OT high in our draft.

You were handing around river & making good sense to me, I was agreeing with you nodding positively & just sent you my thoughts to follow yours .....do you want me to take it back?

 

[Riverumbbq]

You were handing around river & making good sense to me, I was agreeing with you nodding positively & just sent you my thoughts to follow yours .....do you want me to take it back?

Of course not, like I said, we're in complete agreement on this issue.

 

[kurtfaulk]

The signing of UFA Whitworth would negate the highly possible 2021 3rd round compensatory draft pick award received from a Fowler high $$$ signing elsewhere. Rams only have 4 draft picks in 2021 draft.

Are you sure signing your own free agents counts towards that formula?

.

 

[jrry32]

The signing of UFA Whitworth would negate the highly possible 2021 3rd round compensatory draft pick award received from a Fowler high $$$ signing elsewhere. Rams only have 4 draft picks in 2021 draft.

No, it wouldn't.

 

[BonifayRam]

Are you sure signing your own free agents counts towards that formula?

Not now.

It was never made clear to me or discussed as clear as today's discussion was. I had the belief that the qualifying CFA's were in the same group known as UFA's, that we see on all the sports pages.....but that was incorrect.

Rams UFA's (if resigned during this FA period) would not be measured in as if they were UFA's previously signed with other NFL 31 teams. Sounds simple now Ram UFA's are not included into the final analysis total by the NFL CDPA committee as pointed out. All good stuff.

Thus resigning your own qualifying UFA's permits you to participate (if desired) in free agency signings & not hinder your team from future possible Compensatory Draft Pick Awards if you lose most of your teams 2020 UFA's to other teams.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Andrew Whitworth: I still have a lot I want to do with Rams

Before the 2019 season, Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth said he was unsure if he would continue playing in 2020 but a report earlier this month indicated he'd decided to return for a 15th season.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Andrew Whitworth: I still have a lot I want to do with Rams

Before the 2019 season, Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth said he was unsure if he would continue playing in 2020 but a report earlier this month indicated he’d decided to return for a 15th season.

Now there’s just the matter of what uniform he’s going to be wearing this year. Whitworth is headed for free agency and said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he’s learned over the years to prize being somewhere he can be “happy and enjoy playing.”

Whitworth made it clear that the Rams qualify on both fronts.

“Obviously my wish is to hopefully stay in Los Angeles and continue with the Rams,” Whitworth said. “I just think there’s a lot there I have left to do in leadership and play and everything else. If that works out, great. If there’s another opportunity somewhere else, I’ll be ready.”

Whitworth started all but one game for the Rams over the last three seasons. He joins Dante Fowler, Michael Brockers, Cory Littleton and Greg Zuerlein as the top impending free agents on the roster.

 

[oldnotdead]

I have a problem with the title of this thread. There is nothing to show that Whitworth is expected to return. In reality, all that has been said is that Andrew WOULD LIKE TO RETURN...A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Whit's age really showed last year. He wasn't the dominant force he once was. They simply have more important places to spend their cap money like Fowler and Littleton. They have options at LT.

IMO if Noteboom is unable to start the season then Edwards will play LT with Evans playing RG and Brewer playing RT. Once Joe can take over LT then I see Edwards returning to RT where he belongs. At some point they need to move on from Whitworth and now is the time as it always has been.