Right Now We Pick 6th....

[oldnotdead]

This team is capable of going on a run. I can see them finishing anywhere from 20th-30th. But it simply means that the Rams will have to spend 3 first round and maybe a 3rd in 2025 to move up to where they need to go. IMO Les thought he would have to trade up so he kept his first rounders for this draft. The only position you move up to get is QB.

They will be fine with Penix or Nix. Williams and Maye will go higher to teams that want a dual threat QB. Then I think Penix will be the third WB to go off the board and Nix soon thereafter. The question in my mind though is will McVay still be the HC. He doesn't have a great record with developing rookie QBs. Goff's failures are more of an indictment of Sean than Jared considering how he's blossomed in Detroit. If I was Kroenke I would move McVay up to Asst GM and sign Deboer. The Huskies play a similar style of offense as the Rams. A strong run game with short to medium passes to set up the deep strike. I think Feb and March will be an interesting time for the Rams.

 

[fanotodd]

Correct ... per both Over-the-Cap and Spotrac ... but if the Dead-$ exceeds that number, there is no savings.

Dead-$ varies depending upon whether the player is traded or released, and when it occurs (pre/post June 1).

If Over-the-Cap is accurate, and the Rams trade Kupp before June 1 ... presumably for 2024 draft choices,
the Rams get only $2.7M of cap savings, with $27M of Dead-$ ... the total is the above noted $29,780,000

If Kupp was traded after June 1 ... so any draft choices the Rams acquire would have to be for 2025,
the Rams would get $20M of cap savings, with $9.78M of Dead-$ ... again the total is the same $29,780,000

Thank you for clearing that up. It is certainly food for thought, because after June 1rst the Rams could target a specific player based on who gets drafted to which team (making players expendable).

I believe in building through the draft, but it takes too long to accumulate enough talent unless you are nailing 2-3 drafts in a row—and that only works if you already have or draft a good QB.
Look at how many years the jags picked in the top 10, top 5. It really wasn’t working until they landed lawrence.

My point is, if you’re trading after the June 1rst deadline, especially a star like Kupp, it should be for established talent to play THAT year; otherwise, you’re just stretching out the rebuild another season by accumulating future picks while trotting out a roster with still too many holes. The longer that process takes, the more likely you are to lose key pieces along the way.

 

[dieterbrock]

He's got a $29,780 cap number in 2024 on the roster.

Of which 20 mill is his salary/roster bonus. 15 mill salary, 5 mill roster. That is the $$ that "could" be saved *if* the team trading for him pays that roster bonus that is paid at the start of the league year. And you have to replace the player.
9.8 mill is dead cap for 2024 whether he's on the team or not. The remaining 17-18 mill of dead cap accelerates to the 24 cap
Personally, I'd rather they work out an extension with void years to stretch out that dead cap and keep him in horns for the rest of his career

 

[Jacobarch]

Let's talk about the real issue here. The rams drafting a dude named Penix

 

[Allen2McVay]

Let's talk about the real issue here. The rams drafting a dude named Penix

Big Fan here but I don't know that Penix gets out of the top-5, or even the top-3.

I could see Williams, Maye and Penix (in some order) being the first three players drafted.

If so, that pushes down the top WRs (Harrison), OTs (Fashanu and Alt), CBs and Edge.

 

[oldnotdead]

That's why I think the most realistic target for QB is Nix. He is mobile, with an excellent arm. Most of all he's a full field reader pocket passer. Though Penix is fast (4.6 speed) and far more polished in the pocket, don't sell Bo Nix short. Give him a year to polish up his inconsistent mechanics and NFL level defensive reading and this guy can be an excellent top tier talent. He has no locker room flies on him and has shown a good work ethic. His arm is better than Goffs. Give him a year of being mentored by Stafford and this guy can be that franchise QB the Rams need.

 

[den-the-coach]

That's why I think the most realistic target for QB is Nix. He is mobile, with an excellent arm. Most of all he's a full field reader pocket passer. Though Penix is fast (4.6 speed) and far more polished in the pocket, don't sell Bo Nix short. Give him a year to polish up his inconsistent mechanics and NFL level defensive reading and this guy can be an excellent top tier talent. He has no locker room flies on him and has shown a good work ethic. His arm is better than Goffs. Give him a year of being mentored by Stafford and this guy can be that franchise QB the Rams need.

So what is J.J. McCarthy?

 

[dieterbrock]

Let's talk about the real issue here. The rams drafting a dude named Penix

Yes, that would be a big issue. Elongated release, sidearm throws at times. Nah...

 

[HitStick]

I wouldn't be surprised if THIS IS THE SEASON the League sets in motion the comings of a Draft Lottery. Has the potential to be really bad down the stretch with lots of teams wanting to lose. For instance, Chicago plays Arizona, could get really ugly.

I believe something like that would have to be adopted the season before it takes place. So let them do it after we stack our team and win another bowl.

 

[RamFan503]

I think the overlooked thing about trading Kupp is that he is another coach on the field and one that young players really listen to and learn from. I hope he's going nowhere.

 

[Flatlyner]

Big Fan here but I don't know that Penix gets out of the top-5, or even the top-3.

I could see Williams, Maye and Penix (in some order) being the first three players drafted.

If so, that pushes down the top WRs (Harrison), OTs (Fashanu and Alt), CBs and Edge.

Honestly, I cannot see a world where Harrison isn't a top 3 pick. Penix is not beloved by the NFL due to several issues he has, not to mention the offense he is in. Now, i could see that being the top 3 QB's taken, not the top 3 players taken.

 

[Merlin]

That's why I think the most realistic target for QB is Nix. He is mobile, with an excellent arm. Most of all he's a full field reader pocket passer. Though Penix is fast (4.6 speed) and far more polished in the pocket, don't sell Bo Nix short. Give him a year to polish up his inconsistent mechanics and NFL level defensive reading and this guy can be an excellent top tier talent. He has no locker room flies on him and has shown a good work ethic. His arm is better than Goffs. Give him a year of being mentored by Stafford and this guy can be that franchise QB the Rams need.

There's no telling how these guys are going to sort through the pre-draft underwear olympics and structured workouts where teams seem to lose their fucking minds as they overnuke everything about all of them. Also in the end this shit is like throwing darts at a board in many respects.

What I'd say is take the guy everyone overlooks. If that happens. I don't think that's an every year thing, it happened in this past draft so maybe it won't with this class, but there's enough talent that looks NFL caliber in this draft to me that I'd hope one or two of them end up being available longer than they should. Nix might be the 2024 QB who falls, there are enough reasons for that to happen. But if he finishes this year strong teams may not undervalue him.

Things that make QBs "that guy" are personality quirks that teams overreact about, or stat deficiencies or dips that hurt them in comparison to their contemporaries, things like that. I don't want a QB with red flags and attitude problems, but if they are convinced the player will do the work and he's a cocky sumbish or at least not a fucking idiot off the field I'm fine with it. Favre was a crazy asshole and fell like Marino did due to partyboy concerns. Rodgers and Levis fell due to being obviously wired strangely. But in the end if the dude can play he can play.

Back to Nix I'm not gonna crucify the dude because he sucked ass initially. There are people who take failure and use it for motivation, and there are people who quit like little bitches when the going gets tough. He is clearly the former. The NFL is a ridiculous grind, and playing QB is the toughest of jobs in that they get blamed for everything as the other side of that hero worship coin. These guys gotta be mentally tough, so that's why I don't think cocky is a bad thing provided they're willing to work. It's the ones who stray into entitlement I'd avoid.

 

[OldSchool]

So what is J.J. McCarthy?

Better than Nix and Penix

 

[den-the-coach]

Better than Nix and Penix

Thank You sir & I hope he’s in Horns.

 

[oldnotdead]

I like JJ McCarthy but I see him as a two year project. He has a ceiling to be at least a top tier two QB. His problem right now is inconsistency in the way he throws his passes and his ability to read. There could be a lot of reasons for that. Most of the time it's inconsistent mechanics and coaching. Josh Allen comes to mind in that way. He too came into the league with a strong arm but raw in his abilities i.e. the ability to read and poor mechanics. He took a full two years to really begin to hit his stride. That said his problems occasionally rear their ugly head at times.

My problem with McCarthy is he will struggle to go through his progressions. That is a talent that some can master with good coaching but others will struggle to some degree throughout their career. It wouldn't surprise me if McCarthy drops into the second maybe even the third round. He's the kind of prospect you need to give a complete redshirt year as a rookie with limited expectations in his second year as a starter. Whether he blossoms or not in his third year.

If McCarthy masters his mechanics and his ability to read NFL defenses he can be a pretty good QB. But I'd think Nix is a better bet. I think Nix will not drop below 8 or 9. I see Penix gone in the top 5. Both Penix and Nix can start as rookies but IMO Penix is the more polished of the two.

My bottom line is that I would be very happy with either Penix or Nix.

 

[Flint]

I think McVay wants one more run with his guys which would leave qb out as I think even the top 2 will need a year or 2 before they’re ready to go deep in the playoffs. Also I’m not sure they want to get back on the dead cap train after biting the bullet this year. So I would say whichever is rated higher when we pick LT or edge.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Of which 20 mill is his salary/roster bonus. 15 mill salary, 5 mill roster. That is the $$ that "could" be saved *if* the team trading for him pays that roster bonus that is paid at the start of the league year. And you have to replace the player.
9.8 mill is dead cap for 2024 whether he's on the team or not. The remaining 17-18 mill of dead cap accelerates to the 24 cap
Personally, I'd rather they work out an extension with void years to stretch out that dead cap and keep him in horns for the rest of his career

I understand all of that. And what you suggest is probably what the Rams will wind up doing.

But what I'm saying is the salary cap hit isn't that much different if he's on the team or dealt in 2024. And, IMO, the selection of Bowers gives them a weapon that could offset Kupp and move a huge contract of a soon to be 31-year-old player who has missed games the past couple seasons. The compensation received could be used for younger cheaper talent and the freed-up cap space in 2025 and beyond could still provide room for free agent signing(s) even in 2024. ie. a 2024 deal with a large roster bonus in 2025.

Just something to consider when your QB has about a $50 million cap number next year and beyond. Sure, the Rams could just kick the can down the road some more. But finding Puka has given the team some options.