Rams OL in 2014 is ranked 31st per PFF

[Zaphod]

I'd like to politely disagree. We MUST use at least 2 of our first 3 picks on Offensive Line. We simply must. It's killing us in games.

Don't get me wrong ... I absolutely love the idea of using our first 3 picks on the offensive line, but the chances of those being the best player or even best fit available just aren't likely when you force your hand like that.

Even if a perfect scenario allowed us to our first, second and third on three great prospects for the offensive line, we would still want an upgrade of veteran talent across the line to at least start the season and provide a healthy competition.

 

[Rmfnlt]

I'd rather they stay away from anyone over 30.

 

[Robocop]

idk why the hell Fisher thought that original line with those backups was a good start for 2014. I was waiting for the bottom to fall out. it sure as hell did didn't it.

 

[BonifayRam]

I'd like to politely disagree. We MUST use at least 2 of our first 3 picks on Offensive Line. We simply must. It's killing us in games.

I hear you loud & clearly, for those you have known me for years will tell you that I have always been critical of this Ram organizations lack of effort & total failure on fielding an decent starting OL unit. They have failed across the board in this area in so many ways.

What was this Ram organizations biggest investment over the last half decade? Sam Bradford. Been saying that if you sink close to 80 million $$$ in a non mobile, "sitting duck" without good pocket awareness skills, already seriously injured shoulder twice & surgically reconstructed & now a few yrs later often injured QB like Sam Bradford.............& not follow up with a full valid thought out OL plan investment wise in good UFA's & thru the draft you have set your course for multiple loosing seasons . Your biggest investment is a non producer because you have not placed him in an friendly operational environment for him to be able to return your largest investment back to the team. Most know this is a serious big business with mega amounts of $$$$ from all areas being invested here. Now going into the 5th yr with this 80 million investment coming to an end can anyone say this was handled in a good way overall? What did we get from this investment?

Is it too late to save or savage Sam Bradford's NFL career??? I say the odds are not very good in favor. BIG Shame because I think Sam in the right type offensive environment could have been outstanding. Fisher went in another direction with most of the first & second day draft capital going defensively (7 picks) & skilled offensive toys (4 picks) i.e. WR Quick & Austin & RB's Pead & Mason. Only one out of Fisher's high draft picks going for Sam Bradford protection ...& that one just arrived less than a yr ago.

Fisher did bring in two well seasoned vets high $$$ ex all pros UFA's from the Packers & Miami both 24 mil & 34 mil both 4 yr contracts. Both of them have been injury related washouts(fails) with both Ol'ers having been IR'd for 2 season each. Wells (2012 & 2013) & Long (2013 & 2014).

You see it BriansRams I see it, some other see it but then others do not agree. I still see where a large majority still clamour for another WR to help this team win, in 2014 it was WR Sammy Watkins, just like with WR Tavon Austin in 2013, same in 2012 with WR Justin Blackmon. Very few wants a OL in the first round.

Fisher will get one more opportunity to here with Sam Bradford in 2015. The OL is still in very poor shape as it was in 2012. In reality I do not see any evidence here to say that Fisher can or will fix the OL issue to save or savage Sam Bradford.

Actually Brian, you're not really disagreeing with him. Bonifay is just not wanting us to have to pick 3 O-liners in the draft. Which is what we'd need to do if we don't pick up some vets in FA. Whether that's Barksdale and Roos is another matter. I'm pretty sure he's all in on drafting at least 2 in the first 3 rounds.

Your are correct Alan, I would not want to go to any draft where I have no options as to where I might be able to select if a prospect were to drop into our lap the first day @ #10 selection.

 

[fearsomefour]

Joe Barksdale has some good size holes in his game but the team is in no position to not give JB an offer & a decent pay increase. I am most likely the most vocal member here on JB but this team has not prepared the last three seasons in any fashion by draft or by free agency or in our practice squad cadre where they have a legit ORT on this roster ....PERIOD!

Fisher Snead & Boudreau are in a pickle here where they will be forced to overpay for an average ORT in free agency. Rams do have Jake Long & Barrett Jones both have played ORT in college. But Long is an almost certain release, thus leaving Jones.

The only other OT the Rams have is an OT named Steven Baker. He was signed to a future contract. Baker is a 6-8 310 sized OT who has been on many different practice squads since 2012. Rams have also signed Travis Bond to a future contract in 2015. Bond is a pure OG nothing else His feet move like each one have a 100 pound weight attached to them.
http://tfdssports.com/2012-articles/raiders-draft-prep-ot-steven-baker.html

My best suggestion to the Rams is to offer the 32 yr old UFA ex Titan Michael Roos an good size offer first! Court him & get him in here ASAP. Then go after JB too. If things worked out the Rams will have the needed 3 OT's on their roster in 2015. Roos began his career with Fisher @ ORT then Fisher moved him to OLT where he has graded out very good for over a decade. With Roos you have a second OLT/swing OT on your roster. JB does not help fulfill the needed swing OT. If Roos returns to full health he could permit Greg Robinson to slide back to OLG for one more season for a serious strong OG tandem which would then shift Saffold back to his best position @ ORG where he can assist Barksdale @ ORT. Never know they could also court UFA OLG Clint Boling just in case Saffold's surgery & rehabbing events have setbacks.

OLT-Roos/
OLG-Robinson/
OC-Jones/Rhaney
ORG Saffold/Bond
ORT-Barksdale/Baker

Now when you go into the draft Snead is not in a fixed position where he is forced to go OL'er with the first 3 selections. Sure they will still need OL help but if another Aaron Donald is there.....your in a position to take him.

I agree with this post....however, I don't see Roos for one reason, money.
A good starting LT is going to cost a fortune. I think the Rams are more likely to spend less to bring in a starting G and resign Barksdale. Potentially both could be had for what a starting LT will cost. This also allows Robinson to stay at LT. To me, Id rather have Robinson inside at LG. He may end up being a very good LT, but, he was very green last year and it showed up at some bad times. I think Robinson could be a G on a level of Larry Allen, a complete dominator. But, if Barksdale is resigned (I like Barks more than you but I do agree the team has failed to give itself options at RT) and bring in a starting LG most of issues are resolved in terms of starters....depth, that is another issue.

 

[Yamahopper]

I'm just glad it's not a 40 team league.

I understand the Rams were up against the cap. They signed the best they could afford. They had other holes to fill in the last draft etc.
But This is the year they have to fix it. And not just for Pass pro, for a running team the blocking was putrid.
Start with the center and move right, and most of the backups being borderline NFL players it's not going t be easy. Maybe 6 new lineman before next year.

I put no faith in the " Jones is going to save the day" mantra or Barnes needs another year in the weight room. Neither are very good. Backups at best.
Fishers not bashful about changing out other players out during the season, But yet he stayed with a old, awful, one armed center and a ghost of a guard over them the whole season over them. That tells me all I need to know.

Person is the best backup and should be considered for the starting center job. It's his best position. And I have a feeling J. Long will be back for less and be somewhere on the line. Just not LT.

Draft'em, sign'em, steal them just get some good ones. I don't care. Just get them.

Last time the Rams had a dominate team they had a dominate line...... Maybe that's the key.

 

[Alan]

flv forgetting about Saffold:
I don't think Robinson is an NFL LT so I would be planning on moving him to RG anyway. I think Barksdale will be gone unless we dramatically overpay him and I would only be in favour of doing that for a game-changing starter. Barksdale isn't that. Adequate players at C and RT could be added later in the Draft or at reasonable cost as FAs.

I don't see that happening flv. Not only is RG Saffold's best position, the rams had Robinson at LG until Long when down . If you're right about Robinson not being an NFL LT then LG is where I see winding up.

I think/hope you're wrong about Robinson's ability to play LT. It's too early for me to make that decision but I'm leaning towards him being a success there. Didn't you see steady improvement by him over the course of the season? Plus, who's going to play LT? I hope you're not thinking about moving Saffold back there. :eek: Pick one up at #10?

 

[BonifayRam]

I understand the Rams were up against the cap. They signed the best they could afford. They had other holes to fill in the last draft etc.
But This is the year they have to fix it. And not just for Pass pro, for a running team the blocking was putrid.
Start with the center and move right, and most of the backups being borderline NFL players it's not going t be easy. Maybe 6 new lineman before next year.
I put no faith in the " Jones is going to save the day" mantra or Barnes needs another year in the weight room. Neither are very good. Backups at best.
Fishers not bashful about changing out other players out during the season, But yet he stayed with a old, awful, one armed center and a ghost of a guard over them the whole season over them. That tells me all I need to know.
Person is the best backup and should be considered for the starting center job. It's his best position. And I have a feeling J. Long will be back for less and be somewhere on the line. Just not LT.
Draft'em, sign'em, steal them just get some good ones. I don't care. Just get them.
Last time the Rams had a dominate team they had a dominate line...... Maybe that's the key.

I look at this way all NFL are up against the cap so Fisher spends on the units where he wants to spend. There will always be holes to fill but when you have a QB like we did you should fill those holes maybe with all this hindsight should of been more of a priority. I agree this yr they are under a Mandated Fix Order that they put themselves in.
Yes at least a half dozen new OL'ers would be about right.

On Barrett Jones I have a different opinion & its a good one. About him saving the day....sure not in that category maybe save the day @ one post @ starting center & back up ORT/OLG stuff. I agree big time that Person best post may be center & yes he should be signed up as a UFA. If the UFA market stays close to where its at now they may be forced into keeping & paying high price for Jake Long to find a place in this hole fill OL to limp in & start. I just do not think that Fisher really thinks OL is a top priority at any time. Its just a bottom last thing to be concerned about evidence by the last three seasons...its not on his radar unit.

..... Not only is RG Saffold's best position, the rams had Robinson at LG until Long when down . If you're right about Robinson not being an NFL LT then LG is where I see winding up.

I think/hope you're wrong about Robinson's ability to play LT. It's too early for me to make that decision but I'm leaning towards him being a success there. Didn't you see steady improvement by him over the course of the season? Plus, who's going to play LT? I hope you're not thinking about moving Saffold back there. :eek: Pick one up at #10?

I with you on Robinson Alan. I have more concerns about Barksdale @ ORT than I have with Robinson @ OLT. Of course I am sure all of us would have preferred that Robinson would have remained @ starting OLG & stewed for a few seasons in good preparation for the heavy critical duties of a good NFL OLT. But Fisher did not have another swing OT on this roster after Jake Long was injured, who was not already starting. That back up swing OT was ......Saffold. Person was just an emergency very short term OLT period that's it. Things have not change any either & Saffold will get the call again if Robinson is unable to play cause Long will either be gone or plugged in @ ORT/OLG.

 

[Alan]

flv having trouble with history:
1) If both Saffold and Robinson were to end up at G I wouldn't be too worried which sides they played.

2) My gut reaction is that RDEs are generally faster on the draw than LDEs and Robinson would be less susceptible to a fast starting stunt at RG than he would at LG. He'd also be less likely to face a 4-3 DT playing 3-4 DE with a speed-rusher outside in a system such as the Rams use with Donald.

3) To me the LT/RDE battle is often like an old Western gun-fight.

4) It took a year+ for teams to use speed against Barksdale at RT.

I have a few observations, disagreements and agreements.

1) I would. Just like some QBs can roll out to one side better than the other side (not just because they have to throw at unusual angles one way versus the other either), I think it does make a difference which side they play on. You need only consider two facts that would tend to support my viewpoint on this. Saffold has said himself that his preferred position is RG. He specifically said RG and not just G. Secondly. I'll remind you that Joseph is, supposedly, only able to play RG. As a right handed person, I can personally testify to the fact that running to the right is much more natural and easy for me than running to the left.

2) I agree with your thoughts on this and that's why LTs make a lot more money than RTs do. RTs have also traditionally been mauler types in the run game and that would also probably fit Robinson's strengths better too. But that doesn't mean I think I can't play LT at a high level and if I'm correct about that it would be a huge waste of resources to put him at RT. If I'm right.

3) Good analogy. Of course speed is only have the battle. Accuracy (technique in this case) is the other half.

4) I don't think that statement is true. He's been playing against the starting LDE of every team since he took over at RT for us. Those LDEs didn't suddenly change their skills sets just because of a perceived weakness of Barksdale. Having said that, the opposition DC might have done a little extra scheming with LBs and Ss blitzing to take advantage of that weakness. The question in my mind is were struggles in pass D due in large part to working next to Joseph?

Bottom line for me is that I agree that Robinson would make a dynamite RT but I'm hoping you're wrong about his ability to become a dynamite LT. I think you're wrong but we'll know for sure sometime next year.

 

[Irish]

Until this team gets its offensive line in order (something that hasn't happened in more than a decade here), the Rams will never win anything of significance. The NFL is too good and college Dlinemen too talented. Unfortunately, in the NFL you need to develop quality offensive linemen internally because, literally, every team in the league can plug and play first and second year d linemen and wreak havoc. The Rams have done a miserable job drafting and developing linemen, and because of that we scramble every offseason to sign the maligned Jake Longs of the world, way overpay Rodger Saffold, and rely on guys like Scott Wells and Davin Joseph to pick up the slack, which they have proven completely and wholly incapable of doing.

yet, in the same breath, I can make an argument that Iupati and Wisniewski would make a world of difference. Its fickle because that just continues to perpetuate the cycle the Rams have been on for a decade.

Really bleak situation they have found themselves in.

 

[RaminExile]

Until this team gets its offensive line in order (something that hasn't happened in more than a decade here), the Rams will never win anything of significance. The NFL is too good and college Dlinemen too talented. Unfortunately, in the NFL you need to develop quality offensive linemen internally because, literally, every team in the league can plug and play first and second year d linemen and wreak havoc. The Rams have done a miserable job drafting and developing linemen, and because of that we scramble every offseason to sign the maligned Jake Longs of the world, way overpay Rodger Saffold, and rely on guys like Scott Wells and Davin Joseph to pick up the slack, which they have proven completely and wholly incapable of doing.

yet, in the same breath, I can make an argument that Iupati and Wisniewski would make a world of difference. Its fickle because that just continues to perpetuate the cycle the Rams have been on for a decade.

Really bleak situation they have found themselves in.

Isnt it incredible how much trouble a first round bust can cause along with a couple of washed up vets? Jacob Bell, Scott Wells, Jake Long, Davin Joseph, Quinn Ojinnaka, Rok Watkins, Jason Smith what happened there.....??

 

[Mojo Ram]

The Rams have done a miserable job drafting and developing linemen

+1
It's time for that to change. It started last season but it needs to continue.

 

[BonifayRam]

+1
It's time for that to change. It started last season but it needs to continue.

You must mean the final realization that drafting an OL in the first two days of the draft is a smart thing for the Rams team to do? Is that what was started?

Isnt it incredible how much trouble a first round bust can cause along with a couple of washed up vets? Jacob Bell, Scott Wells, Jake Long, Davin Joseph, Quinn Ojinnaka, Rok Watkins, Jason Smith what happened there.....??

and Jason Brown, Robert Turner, Harvey Dahl, Barry Richardson, Wayne Hunter, Chris Williams, Shelley Smith, Max Starks, Brandon Washington, Adam Goldberg, Kevin Hughes, Mark Levoir, Drew Miller, Tony Wragge, Thomas Welch, Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, John Greco just going back the last five years of Ram OL'ers after the Jason Smith selection.

 

[Billy Baroo]

You must mean the final realization that drafting an OL in the first two days of the draft is a smart thing for the Rams team to do? Is that what was started?



and Jason Brown, Robert Turner, Harvey Dahl, Barry Richardson, Wayne Hunter, Chris Williams, Shelley Smith, Max Starks, Brandon Washington, Adam Goldberg, Kevin Hughes, Mark Levoir, Drew Miller, Tony Wragge, Thomas Welch, Renardo Foster, Hank Fraley, John Greco just going back the last five years of Ram OL'ers after the Jason Smith selection.

Greco is Browns starting RG the past couple seasons. So there's that anyway.

 

[BonifayRam]

Greco is Browns starting RG the past couple seasons. So there's that anyway.

Your right last yr he started @ OLG & this season he flipped to ORG. Greco for some reason was never liked here. I never understood why.

 

[Alan]

flv talking pros and cons:
I think we've done a nice job of O-Line coaching. I think talent evaluation and refusing to move on from a player has been our problem. There was no reason to guarantee Jason Smith $4.5M in his 4th season and I still can't fathom why Ojinnaka got the start ahead of Shelley Smith in 2012 when Smith looked far better in pre-season. I can only put it down to stubbornness.

Two questions spring to mind when reading this. Why do you think he's done a good job of coaching the players up and which of them is being stubborn?

I know that everyone thinks the world of Boudreau but I don't see it and I never have. I'm not interested in what he did somewhere else (Atlanta) and I haven't seen anything from him here. Barksdale? If that's the example of what he can do you can color me unimpressed. Then we have a player like Greco who seems to have thrived after leaving here. Where are his successes? I only see reserves that can't even replace Wells and Joseph and an unimpressive RT.

Stubbornness of who? Fisher or Boudreau? I'm trying to picture the conversation between the two of them and it's like a "Who's On First" comedy sketch in my mind. Without the comedy.

Fish: So Wells and Joseph don't seem to be playing at an NFL level. Who can we replace them with?
Bou: Barnes at C and Person at RG.
Fish: I think we'll just stick with the vets.
Bou: Yeah, that's OK with me because even though I'm the O-line coach you know best.

or

Fish: So Wells and Joseph don't seem to be playing at an NFL level. Who can we replace them with?
Bou: Barnes and Person are our backups but I'd feel more comfortable with the vets.
Fish: Well, I hired you to be our O-line coach because I thought you knew what you were doing so it would be foolish to ignore your input on this.
Bou: Trust me on this Fish because despite the fact that it's my job to coach them up they're just not ready yet.
Fish: Well, that's OK with me because even though I'm the HC coach you know best.

BonifayRam loving Mystery Theater:
Greco for some reason was never liked here. I never understood why.

You're on that bus with a whole lot of other people.