Re-sign Saffold?

[HellRam]

I like Haventsein a little, but I would place Saffold as the most valuable OL after Whit...Sully is a very close third, but Saffold is very versatile guy...

I think we should resign Havenstien for sure. Jamon Brown is replaceable IMO. And I agree with you about Saffold, he's our best o-linemen arguably. Sure he's 30 but thats not ancient, heck Whittworth is 36. If Saffold can be retained, I think the Rams should. He hasn't shown signs of slowing down yet and a 2 or 3 year deal should be easy to reach if Saffold wants to remain a Ram.

 

[ReekofRams]

They're younger and will be cheaper to re-sign. Two good reasons to keep them.



https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243668/rodger-saffold
He left multiple games with injuries last year, and I'm not going let our two younger guys walk to pay a 31 year old who has struggled to stay healthy. I don't care that he's had two relatively healthy seasons. It's a bad bet.

@jrry32 do you remember the above article you posted? The one you claimed showed that Saffold had to come out of several games due to injuries. Evidently you either misread the srticle, or you're exaggerating to try and prove your point the article you posted clearly shows he only came out of one gsme.. So let's say I give you the benefit of the doubt.

2017 - 16 starts (rested last game; left multiple games with injuries - ribs and ankle)

Oh but what do we have here? Looks like you're still making the same claim all in an effort to prove yourself right. Now how can I trust the rest of what you posted? I can't. So I will no longer read anything you post because I can't trust it to be honest.

 

[OldSchool]

When you keep turning over an OL and end up with cheaper 1st, 2nd or 3rd year players, you end up with an OL that constantly gets schooled by vet DLines. Take the Rams O lines before last year. Freaking clueless. Gurley had to fight defensive guys for the handoff. Goff could barely get the ball out of his hands without someone in his face. It takes years to learn all the tricks defenses use.

Things like "continuity" and "jelling" "knowing what the guy next to you can and can't do" are real for OLines to perform well.

Going the cheaper route you end up getting what you pay for.

Changing over hurting us is possible but it's not certain, nothing is certain. What would be worse is keep older injury prone guys around and have nothing on the bench.

Rams previous lines were a large part of Fishers talent evaluation and Boudreau just frankly losing his coaching ability. We've upgraded coaching exponentially.

Our 3 rookies are getting working with the veterans this year and developing chemistry and learning what the guy next to them can and can't do.

For every one of your claims that losing a veteran would ruin us there's a counter argument to say while that's possible it's just as possible that Noteboom, Demby and Allen will be upgrades over the current vets. It's all guess work and you can't assume these young guys, along with Neary, Eldrenkamp and Blythe won't be as good or better. Keep in mind those rookies are being molded by an outstanding OLine coach in Kromer. I say it often with the defense and trusting in Wade. We also should trust in McVay and Kromer. They're not going to make moves that they think will kill Goff and stop giving Gurley holes to run through.

 

[OldSchool]

I want to see quotes from McVay and Snead on this.

Quotes from them about what?

 

[OldSchool]

Our OLs before last year sucked because of coaching. Our OL last year did not have continuity before the season. Whitworth and Sullivan were new additions. Brown was in and out of the lineup in 2016. Why did they perform well? We had a good group of players with no liabilities and great coaching.

And going the expensive route with 31 year old OLs leaves you with bad contracts and young, talented players departing in FA. We have to start making hard decisions. We're going to lose some good players. Keeping Saffold at the expense of Hav and Brown is not a good call imo.

The bolded is a thread winner and pretty much negates any argument against starting a young guy next year.

 

[jrry32]

@jrry32 do you remember the above article you posted? The one you claimed showed that Saffold had to come out of several games due to injuries. Evidently you either misread the srticle, or you're exaggerating to try and prove your point the article you posted clearly shows he only came out of one gsme.. So let's say I give you the benefit of the doubt.

Oh but what do we have here? Looks like you're still making the same claim all in an effort to prove yourself right. Now how can I trust the rest of what you posted? I can't. So I will no longer read anything you post because I can't trust it to be honest.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243668/rodger-saffold
December 24, 2017 4:30 pm
Rams' Rodger Saffold: Leaves game with ribs injury
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Saffold left Sunday's game against the Titans with a ribs injury, Myles Simmons of the Rams' official site reports.

Saffold had been dealing with an ankle injury last month, but it appears like its a ribs injury that is plaguing his availability now. The severity of the injury is still unknown, but more information regarding his availability moving forward should clear up soon.

November 13, 2017 8:44 pm
Rams' Rodger Saffold: Dealing with sprained ankle
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Saffold is nursing a sprained ankle but should be OK for Sunday's game in Minnesota, Myles Simmons of the Rams' official site reports.

Saffold exited Sunday's victory over the Texans due to a previously-undisclosed ankle injury and didn't return. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if he logs minimal practice time this week.
------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[ReekofRams]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1243668/rodger-saffold
December 24, 2017 4:30 pm
Rams' Rodger Saffold: Leaves game with ribs injury
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Saffold left Sunday's game against the Titans with a ribs injury, Myles Simmons of the Rams' official site reports.

Saffold had been dealing with an ankle injury last month, but it appears like its a ribs injury that is plaguing his availability now. The severity of the injury is still unknown, but more information regarding his availability moving forward should clear up soon.

November 13, 2017 8:44 pm
Rams' Rodger Saffold: Dealing with sprained ankle
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Saffold is nursing a sprained ankle but should be OK for Sunday's game in Minnesota, Myles Simmons of the Rams' official site reports.

Saffold exited Sunday's victory over the Texans due to a previously-undisclosed ankle injury and didn't return. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if he logs minimal practice time this week.
------------------------------------------------------------------

May I remind you that two is not several. An exaggeration causes mistrust.

 

[jrry32]

May I remind you that two is not several. An exaggeration causes mistrust.

I said "multiple," not "several." Read what you quoted. Pretty sad that even when you're proven wrong, you fall back on BS like that. How can I trust YOU to be honest?

 

[ReekofRams]

I said "multiple," not "several." Read what you quoted. Pretty sad that even when you're proven wrong, you fall back on BS like that. How can I trust YOU to be honest?

if you meant just two you would have said two. But you said multiple for the purpose of wanting us to believe it was more than two. None of us are that dumb on this site. Well maybe a few unnamed ones, but I'm not going there right now.
Listen, I can tell you are a person of some intelligence, maybe even smarter than me. And that's not entirely a complement. At times it seems you take your opinion, which there's nothing wrong in you having an opinion,that's what we do here, we discuss each other's opinions. But you seemingly roll so hArd with your opinion, that at times you make a few exaggerations here and there, that all of us all know it's not feasible. Just discuss your opinion, which by the way I enjoy hearing, add some facts and move on and enjoy the discussion. :effemine:

 

[jrry32]

if you meant just two you would have said two. But you said multiple for the purpose of wanting us to believe it was more than two

Multiple means more than one. Here's the dictionary definition:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multiple

Two is more than one. You implied that I am a liar. You were wrong. Have the integrity to own it.

 

[Merlin]

Rams need to keep investing in this OL. Via the draft. Let Roger walk and get that big final payday, while we go young and cheaper.

I'd try to sign Havenstein because I think he's a student of the game who is going to keep getting better and better. Get him locked up now before he has the big season that I think he's going to have this year.

But even with Hav locked up this unit needs draft TLC. We need investment in a LT, and at least one more OG. Without Hav signed, we need to find bookend tackles.

 

[VegasRam]

Two relatively healthy seasons don't wash away a career of injuries, especially considering the shoulder problems he's had.

Are you going to make me look them up?
Three totally injury free seasons.
Career of injuries is also bullshit
And oh btw, no suspensions like the the adequate guy you want to keep.

You are someone who gets a lifetime pass from me (as in I respect you opinion of stuff), because you fought for a year for Goff, and you were dead right.
In an objective (albeit uneducated) eyeball test, Wentz looks better, but Goff is undeniably superior - way more cerebral, with a much nicer touch.

Am actually very surprised with your take on Saffold. You can play the metrics game all you want with Saffold, but he is way more Slater and Whitworth than the norm.

 

[jrry32]

Are you going to make me look them up?
Three totally injury free seasons.
Career of injuries is also bullcrap
And oh btw, no suspensions like the the adequate guy you want to keep.

You are someone who gets a lifetime pass from me (as in I respect you opinion of stuff), because you fought for a year for Goff, and you were dead right.
In an objective (albeit uneducated) eyeball test, Wentz looks better, but Goff is undeniably superior - way more cerebral, with a much nicer touch.

Am actually very surprised with your take on Saffold. You can play the metrics game all you want with Saffold, but he is way more Slater and Whitworth than the norm.

No need. I put it on the last page (Pg. 2). I'm not trying to hide the ball here.

Three seasons in eight years. That's a problem. I like Saffold, but I wouldn't give him a long-term deal. He's had major surgeries on both of his shoulders. Frankly, he's not Whitworth. But very few guys are. Look at his history:
http://www.nfl.com/player/andrewwhitworth/2495977/profile

He only missed games due to injuries in two seasons in 12 years in the NFL. Whitworth is the exception to the rule that you don't give big contracts to 30+ year old OLs.

 

[PhillyRam]

Havenstien and Brown are in contract years as well. Plus this could be big Whitts last year. I mentioned in the Donald thread that Snead will have his hands full these next couple off-seasons. Big year for the Rams this season.

This is the biggest argument to move Donald for picks. With the money invested in Gurley and soon to be Goff, you need to protect them and maximize their talents.... and that will take resources and spending money on those resources.

 

[FrantikRam]

This is a moot point. It'd be nice to keep Saffold, Brown and Hav (obviously Whit and Sully aren't getting another contract with us), but we are on the verge of having huge investments at literally every other position group.

Lock up Goff, Donald, Peters to go with Cooks and Gurley and thats $90 million. Most other positions and at least an entire position group will have to be drafted and then replaced in the draft every four years.

 

[VegasRam]

No need. I put it on the last page (Pg. 2). I'm not trying to hide the ball here.

Three seasons in eight years. That's a problem. I like Saffold, but I wouldn't give him a long-term deal. He's had major surgeries on both of his shoulders. Frankly, he's not Whitworth. But very few guys are. Look at his history:
http://www.nfl.com/player/andrewwhitworth/2495977/profile

He only missed games due to injuries in two seasons in 12 years in the NFL. Whitworth is the exception to the rule that you don't give big contracts to 30+ year old OLs.

I never said he was Whit or Skater - I meant he could easily play 4 more years at a high level. Health and shape wise.
What’s a (too) big (say 4 year) contract in your opinion?

 

[Mackeyser]

I can tell, this thread has all of the makings of being a 50 page thread.....

 

[Akrasian]

With the inflation of OL contracts we've seen this past offseason, if Saffold, Havenstein, and Brown have good seasons they are all going to be expensive. If Saffold stays healthy and plays as good as he did, he will get over $10 million per. Havenstein after a good season would be $12-14 million as a tackle, possibly more. If he could be wrapped up early maybe only $12 million. Brown might get less than $10 million - but he's young enough and good enough that I could see a team being aggressive in their offers. So I doubt the Rams can sign all of them, or maybe even more than one.

Which means unless the rookies are ready for very important roles next season despite being drafted fairly late, that a high draft pick will need to be used for at least one OL spot.

 

[HellRam]

This is the biggest argument to move Donald for picks. With the money invested in Gurley and soon to be Goff, you need to protect them and maximize their talents.... and that will take resources and spending money on those resources.

I agree with your premise to a degree, unfourtantly your suggestion wouldn't be the worst thing for the Rams either. As for Donald's contract situation, for me there hasn't been enough information to have a strong opinion. We don't really know whats been offered yet.

As for the offensive line. Hopefully the Rams don't have to put a patch job together in upcoming season's. It's not a unit you want to fail for the obvious reasons and continuity is important. So keeping a Hav or Saffold around to me is some what crucial. My take anyways.

 

[FarNorth]

Let's put it this way:
2017 - 16 starts (rested last game; left multiple games with injuries - ribs and ankle)
2016 - 15 starts (left Saints game with a hand injury and missed game against Patriots next week)
2015 - 5 starts (right shoulder injury ended his season)
2014 - 16 starts (left shoulder surgery after the season)
2013 - 12 games/9 starts (sprained MCL)
2012 - 10 starts (sprained MCL and neck and back injuries)
2011 - 9 starts (torn pectoral)
2010 - 16 starts

Durability doesn't improve as a player ages. Saffold will turn 31 before next season. Now, you can convince yourself that his two relatively healthy seasons means something has changed. However, I won't pretend his injury history doesn't exist. And shoulder injuries tend to do in aging OLs. Saffold has a history of shoulder issues. Every contract is a gamble. The smart teams don't gamble on 31 year old injury prone OLs.

Rams will have to replace Whitworth in the next couple of years. If we have to replace Saffold we are starting over without our two best linemen. Right, we could do it if we have to... but I wouldn't volunteer to let Saffold walk unless we have no choice financially or unless Kromer is certain he can come up with as good a line without him.

As far as injury, not convinced Saffold is more likely than anyone else on the line to get hurt at this point. As far as play, he appears to be in his prime.