Rams sign a couple of vets

[Angry Ram]

From the twitter

St. Louis Rams ‏ @STLouisRams

LB Mario Haggan and OL Barry Richardson have signed free agent contracts with the Rams.

Nice depth if they make the team.

 

[Username]

Like the Haggan signing.

 

[Memento]

Like the Haggan signing.

I agree; Haggan's a solid veteran linebacker who can play all three positions.

I don't know what they see in Richardson. The guy is extremely immature (he has actually hit a coach during a game when they pulled him out), sluggish on the field, takes numerous stupid penalties, struggles against the speed rush, bullrush, spin, swim, and rip moves, and was easily the weakest link on a poor-at-best Chiefs offensive line.

There's a good reason why they replaced him with Eric Winston.

 

[wolfman84]

So, I’m felling really encouraged by the resent moves of management, i.e: Fisher, Snead, Free Agency, the Draft, UDFA signings.....it’s all coming together, and then this:
Resent Signings: Barry Richardson, Mario Haggan.
I Felt that the last regime, in the end, were all about “who can we sign/release to save this season, and our jobs” and not about “what is best for this organization going forward” and that led to their, and our (the fan’s) ruin.
So, when I see us signing Richardson and Haggan, I’m naturally thinking:
Popango, Leber, Norword, Williams, Sims-Walker......
Oh,.....Damn......Here we go again,
Someone, Please, Talk Me off this Ledge!!!

 

[Memento]

So, I’m felling really encouraged by the resent moves of management, i.e: Fisher, Snead, Free Agency, the Draft, UDFA signings.....it’s all coming together, and then this:
Resent Signings: Barry Richardson, Mario Haggan.
I Felt that the last regime, in the end, were all about “who can we sign/release to save this season, and our jobs” and not about “what is best for this organization going forward” and that led to their, and our (the fan’s) ruin.
So, when I see us signing Richardson and Haggan, I’m naturally thinking:
Popango, Leber, Norword, Williams, Sims-Walker......
Oh,.....Damn......Here we go again,
Someone, Please, Talk Me off this Ledge!!!

Don't worry, wolfman. Washed-up veterans aren't going to fill the starting spots. These are waiver-wire signings, not key free agents like last year. Last year, Devaney and Spags deviated from their plan, and it cost them their jobs. Fisher and Snead have brought in a ton of valuable rookies to compete; they're going to let the absolute best take the field, no matter how old or young they may be - but it will be a competition. No job is guaranteed.

Meanwhile, Haggan is an extremely versatile player who can play and back up every linebacker position, as well as play defensive end in a pinch. He rushes the passer very well and has adequate coverage skills. Richardson, as I mentioned, doesn't impress me at all, but he's being brought in as a camp body. Nothing more. Haggan's the only one out of those two who has a shot to get a job.

Fisher and Snead have a plan, and everything points to them sticking with it.

 

[Anonymous]

So, I’m felling really encouraged by the resent moves of management, i.e: Fisher, Snead, Free Agency, the Draft, UDFA signings.....it’s all coming together, and then this:
Resent Signings: Barry Richardson, Mario Haggan.
I Felt that the last regime, in the end, were all about “who can we sign/release to save this season, and our jobs” and not about “what is best for this organization going forward” and that led to their, and our (the fan’s) ruin.
So, when I see us signing Richardson and Haggan, I’m naturally thinking:
Popango, Leber, Norword, Williams, Sims-Walker......
Oh,.....Damn......Here we go again,
Someone, Please, Talk Me off this Ledge!!!

Don't worry, wolfman. Washed-up veterans aren't going to fill the starting spots. These are waiver-wire signings, not key free agents like last year. Last year, Devaney and Spags deviated from their plan, and it cost them their jobs. Fisher and Snead have brought in a ton of valuable rookies to compete; they're going to let the absolute best take the field, no matter how old or young they may be - but it will be a competition. No job is guaranteed.

.

They deviated from their plan to NOT be one of the 2 most injured teams of the last decade?

Yeah that wasn't smart.

And it did cost them their jobs.

 

[-X-]

So, I’m felling really encouraged by the resent moves of management, i.e: Fisher, Snead, Free Agency, the Draft, UDFA signings.....it’s all coming together, and then this:
Resent Signings: Barry Richardson, Mario Haggan.
I Felt that the last regime, in the end, were all about “who can we sign/release to save this season, and our jobs” and not about “what is best for this organization going forward” and that led to their, and our (the fan’s) ruin.
So, when I see us signing Richardson and Haggan, I’m naturally thinking:
Popango, Leber, Norword, Williams, Sims-Walker......
Oh,.....Damn......Here we go again,
Someone, Please, Talk Me off this Ledge!!!

Don't worry, wolfman. Washed-up veterans aren't going to fill the starting spots. These are waiver-wire signings, not key free agents like last year. Last year, Devaney and Spags deviated from their plan, and it cost them their jobs. Fisher and Snead have brought in a ton of valuable rookies to compete; they're going to let the absolute best take the field, no matter how old or young they may be - but it will be a competition. No job is guaranteed.

.

They deviated from their plan to NOT be one of the 2 most injured teams of the last decade?

Yeah that wasn't smart.

And it did cost them their jobs.

Don't be a Weisenheimer. Unless you're of the Eastern Europe Weisenheimers, then it's okay.

What he's talking about (correct me if I'm wrong, Mem) is that they deviated from the "develop young players" plan in favor of bringing in guys like Leber, Dahl, Bannan, and whoever else was already cut this year. It's a popular school of thought around the interwebs that by doing so, they screwed themselves. Of course that's only part of the reason. Changing systems without a camp was a mistake, but I don't know it was entirely unavoidable since Shurmur got promoted. They could have gone Childress to make the transition easier though, IMO.

 

[steferfootball]

According to wiki, Hagan is 274 lbs. Sounds like a 3-4 olb/4-3 de tweener to me.

 

[Memento]

So, I’m felling really encouraged by the resent moves of management, i.e: Fisher, Snead, Free Agency, the Draft, UDFA signings.....it’s all coming together, and then this:
Resent Signings: Barry Richardson, Mario Haggan.
I Felt that the last regime, in the end, were all about “who can we sign/release to save this season, and our jobs” and not about “what is best for this organization going forward” and that led to their, and our (the fan’s) ruin.
So, when I see us signing Richardson and Haggan, I’m naturally thinking:
Popango, Leber, Norword, Williams, Sims-Walker......
Oh,.....Damn......Here we go again,
Someone, Please, Talk Me off this Ledge!!!

Don't worry, wolfman. Washed-up veterans aren't going to fill the starting spots. These are waiver-wire signings, not key free agents like last year. Last year, Devaney and Spags deviated from their plan, and it cost them their jobs. Fisher and Snead have brought in a ton of valuable rookies to compete; they're going to let the absolute best take the field, no matter how old or young they may be - but it will be a competition. No job is guaranteed.

.

They deviated from their plan to NOT be one of the 2 most injured teams of the last decade?

Yeah that wasn't smart.

And it did cost them their jobs.

Don't be a Weisenheimer. Unless you're of the Eastern Europe Weisenheimers, then it's okay.

What he's talking about (correct me if I'm wrong, Mem) is that they deviated from the "develop young players" plan in favor of bringing in guys like Leber, Dahl, Bannan, and whoever else was already cut this year. It's a popular school of thought around the interwebs that by doing so, they screwed themselves. Of course that's only part of the reason. Changing systems without a camp was a mistake, but I don't know it was entirely unavoidable since Shurmur got promoted. They could have gone Childress to make the transition easier though, IMO.

Exactly my thoughts, X, although Dahl and Mikell were two amazing signings for us. You have to give Billy D and Spags credit for them. But aside from them, Bannan, and Poppinga, the rest did nothing for us. They were on one-year contracts that only took away spots from younger players (like Jabara Williams). Even if the rookies aren't that impressive in their first year, you still have to develop them. Stay the course, if you will.

I know that it's only a part of the reason. Changing systems was a mistake, much like you said, although we don't know if Childress would have been available for us. The injuries couldn't be helped. I understand that. But they sold out their rebuilding philosophy for a "win-now" team, and I do believe that that's why they were fired. People can understand if you lose with younger players. They tend not to be so tolerant toward free agents. Teams who sign veterans to win now seldom tend to win anything of note in their "win-now" season; in fact, I can think of only one example in the four major sports where recently-acquired veterans pushed the team over the top: the Boston Celtics after trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and even they were acquired by high first round picks.

Show me a championship contender, and I'll show you a team that has built themselves primarily through the draft - either by the picks themselves or by trading those picks for assets (such as the 1999 Rams trading assets for Marshall Faulk or the Cardinals trading assets for Matt Holliday). Fisher and Snead seem to understand that, and Billy D and Spags understood it as well. You win in today's sports world by development and working with players to correct their faults.

I hope you don't take that as me disrapaging Billy D and Spags. That's my last intention. Without their help, we would have never had the clubhouse to support taking risks like Fisher and Snead did. In a large way, they're responsible for the positive direction that the club took.