Rams trade Givens

[Amitar]

Good move by Ravens he will get plenty of targets. I still think Givens could have been used more in our offense

Getting plenty of targets sound like he is a good player. If he is good for another team then why is he not OK here?

Promote Harkey to what? If you are trying to say he needs to replace Cook then you are misguided. They play different positions.

I am all for replacing Cook. But I guess his few big games a year and no blocking are OK unlike Givens one big play a game that results in a TD.
Givens has actually done well when targeted and he looked very good in preseason and when he had a chance in the regular season.

Am I the only person at a complete lose as to the direction this team is trying to go?

 

[12intheBox]

What grade do you give the 2012 draft now? I would give it a C. Brockers, Jenkins, and Trumaine are nice players. I think the failure of the second round knocks the draft down though. Thought Givens was going to be a good #2 type of WR after his rookie year. He could never expand his game though.

Brockers
Jenkins
Tru
Greg
Ogletree
Robinson
Quick

I'm still liking it quite a bit.

 

[Mikey Ram]

Let's say you want to trade a car you have no use for, or torch it and get nothing...Nobody makes a decent offer...Take the ham 'n cheese sandwich and enjoy lunch...Maybe you'll stumble onto a bag of chips to go with it....

 

[FRO]

While I don't want Harkey in the slot like Cook, I feel that Bailey or Britt could fill that role. I would play Harkey in a heartbeat over Cook because he can actually block. Running teams need blocking TEs that can actually block. Cook isn't a good enough receiver to warrant playing.

 

[dieterbrock]

Thought he was a one trick pony, then this pre-season he showed a lot more to his game. Sure it was only pre-season but he showed some versatilty. Then he didnt get the opportunity in games.
With his penchant for getting down field, I thought he'd be a good fit with Foles.
Oh well.
I still think we need an upgrade at WR

 

[FRO]

Brockers
Jenkins
Tru
Greg
Ogletree
Robinson
Quick

I'm still liking it quite a bit.

I didn't include future RGIII assets as part of the draft. If you include those assets then yes you would give it a solid B. That 2012 second round was brutal for us.

 

[12intheBox]

Getting plenty of targets sound like he is a good player. If he is good for another team then why is he not OK here?


I am all for replacing Cook. But I guess his few big games a year and no blocking are OK unlike Givens one big play a game that results in a TD.
Givens has actually done well when targeted and he look very good in preseason and when he had a chance in the regular season.

Am I the only person at a complete lose as to the direction this team is trying to go?

If he gets plenty of targets in Baltimore, it would only be because Steve Smith has multiple broken bones in his back, Perriman is injured, and Canpanaro is out for the year.

If you took away the top 3 receivers for the Rams he would have gotten a bunch more targets here too.

Givens wasn't going to get resigned here - and that's a good thing. Someone just gave us a little something for a guy we were dumping.

 

[12intheBox]

I didn't include future RGIII assets as part of the draft. If you include those assets then yes you would give it a solid B. That 2012 second round was brutal for us.

It's the draft. Name any team - any team at all - and I'll show you a brutal second round in the last 6 years. (And don't cheat and go look it up first - just name a team that generally drafts well)

Plus - a second round where we get a starting CB and a starting WR is hardly brutal.

 

[FRO]

It's the draft. Name any team - any team at all - and I'll show you a brutal second round in the last 6 years. (And don't cheat and go look it up first - just name a team that generally drafts well)

I understand that. That's why I give the 2012 draft a C though. There will be hits and misses for sure. Yes a C I light years ahead of the year's previous. Just giving an honest assessment.

 

[Amitar]

Someone just gave us a little something for a guy we were dumping.

Except this is starting to become a bad habit.

I hope Harkey can get more playing time instead of Cook so the Rams can give the RB's more blocking. Bailey can fill in for Cook in the passing game. Then maybe Gurley can do what Peterson did after his first start.

 

[12intheBox]

Except this is starting to become a bad habit.

I hope Harkey can get more playing time instead of Cook so the Rams can give the RB's more blocking. Bailey can fill in for Cook in the passing game. Then maybe Gurley can do what Peterson did after his first start.

A bad habit? In what way?

 

[Mikey Ram]

If he gets plenty of targets in Baltimore, it would only be because Steve Smith has multiple broken bones in his back, Perriman is injured, and Canpanaro is out for the year.

If you took away the top 3 receivers for the Rams he would have gotten a bunch more targets here too.

Givens wasn't going to get resigned here - and that's a good thing. Someone just gave us a little something for a guy we were dumping.

I kind of think they might be overstating the injury to Smith...4 broken bones in his back and he's day to day ??? Really ???

 

[12intheBox]

I kind of think they might be overstating the injury to Smith...4 broken bones in his back and he's day to day ??? Really ???

It is pretty remarkable. I've always kind of hated Steve Smith but it's hard not to respect him.

 

[Ramhusker]

Well, I feel Givens has plenty of potential and I think he will put up some modest numbers in Baltimore if not a couple of big games because they are desperate for WRs at the moment and Flacco is a deep ball maestro. A 7th rounder is probably pretty fair for both teams. Although the Ravens were in a bit of a jam at WR, it was no secret the Rams really didn't need Givens and were not using him much. With Quick coming back and a decision going to have to be made with Watts, somebody was going to be cut anyways. Both teams know the other team's situation and a 7th was cheap for Baltimore while a bonus for the Rams. Win/Win if you ask me. It's kind of like selling any item. It's always more valuable to you than it is to anybody else but the market dictates what you can get. I'm fine with this move but I do hate that the Ravens are on our schedule.

 

[Rams43]

Nope.

Michael Brockers
Janoris Jenkins
Trumaine Johnson
Greg Zuerlein

3 starters and a kicker, who has almost always come through.

Throw in UDFAs like Rodney McCleod, Johnny Hekker, and Cory Harkey, and it's not bad at all.

Sure as hell not "mistake riddled".

And if Brian Quick ends up doing something? One of the better drafts that year in the league.

Outstanding response, Angry!

Isn't it refreshing to see how the facts can sweep away the perception cobwebs?

Well done, man.

 

[CoachO]

While I don't want Harkey in the slot like Cook, I feel that Bailey or Britt could fill that role. I would play Harkey in a heartbeat over Cook because he can actually block. Running teams need blocking TEs that can actually block. Cook isn't a good enough receiver to warrant playing.

What people seem to be missing here by saying someone like Bailey could fill the same role as Cook are the matchup and personnel groupings that come from having a TE on the field as a slot receiver. Teams are more likely to stay in a base personnel and try to cover Cook with either a safety or a LB. Whether you think he is the answer or not, there is a major difference in putting a third WR on the field and facing a nickel vs. keeping Cook on there facing a base scheme. At the end of the day, he just needs to be more consistent. But make no mistake about it, he does create a matchup problem for any defense.

As far as Givens..... It apparently doesn't mean a thing to have flashes in the preseason performing against 3rd unit defenders who aren't in the league any more. They guy hasn't developed a lick since his "5 games of fame" his rookie year. And if you take away those 5 plays, he wasn't all that productive even in that season.

It seems pretty obvious to me anyway, that as soon as Quick got back in the mix, Givens became expendable.

 

[Merlin]

I disagree without opening up old wounds IMO the relocation had more to do with lack of candidates than Fisher being a defensive Head Coach other defensive Head Coaches land good coordinators like Tomlin and Mike Zimmer of Minnesota for example, it comes down to opportunity.

Next year there will be coaches needing a job and hopefully the relocation issue will be resolved, IMO, you'll have people like Joe Philbin and a plethora of others available and you could always go the college route too.

IMO, if the Ram offense does not turn it around there will be major changes with OC, OL, WR coaches not having their contract renewed or fired. They most likely keep the likes of Weinke, Garcia, RB Coach Ben Sirmans and maybe Rob Boras who will go back to TE Coach only, however, major changes and IMO that OC will have some type of control so Fisher does not handcuff him accordingly.

Hot coordinators joining a regime that might be on the ropes is a hard sell. That was my point. If Fish is looking for an OC going into year 5 the best candidates will probably have better options.

 

[-X-]

And if you take away those 5 plays, he wasn't all that productive even in that season.

It seems pretty obvious to me anyway, that as soon as Quick got back in the mix, Givens became expendable.

What's it look like when you take away Quick's 5 biggest plays?

 

[Akrasian]

I kind of think they might be overstating the injury to Smith...4 broken bones in his back and he's day to day ??? Really ???

I assume they're minor non-displaced fractures, not actual breaks. The sort that can heal rapidly enough that the pain ends, and that can be protected with padding or something to greatly reduce the chance of further injury once they've healed a bit.

 

[Rams43]

Nice thread. I'll chip in my 2 cents worth, too.

The Givens trade was a win, win, win for all parties. Wagoner's piece lays it out very well.

Givens was odd man out. Our 6th WR if you consider Marquez's ST contributions.

And let's don't forget that Watts will need a roster spot by next Monday.

Many of us predicted that Pead and Givens would be goners once the healthy and suspended Watts and Quick returned. So it really shouldn't be a big surprise that both are now gone, should it?

I was under the impression that Cigs intended to run a lot of 2 TE sets. The goal was to enhance our running game with extra blocking AND to ease the NFL transition of our young OL. If true, doesn't that slightly devalue the need for WR's, especially those way down on the depth chart? 'Course, that hasn't exactly worked out so far, either. Lol.

My last thought is a bit philosophical. Where is the evidence that Fisher knows how to really develop QB's and WR's? Perhaps this opportunity for Givens is the best thing that could have happened for him.