Snead adds signs 2 interior OL'ers

[Merlin]

Damn near.

Really makes me wish the Rams had at least pursued Hudson even though I'm sure he still would have chosen KC which I cannot blame him for. Wiz, though, is much higher than I would have guessed he'd be, and believe he signed a one year deal so he'll be a FA again.

 

[Amitar]

Why was Battle not called up?

 

[manmaderam]

Love the Eric Kush signing, and kinda wishing we would've signed D.J. Swearenger, or how ever you spell his name, as cb backup.

Or Tyson Pencer for a Temporary line fix, and the guy would make a hell of a practice squad candidate with his age.

 

[JackDRams]

Why was Battle not called up?

He was.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Does roto world not know the Rams lost 2 offensive linemen this week? What's this shuffling business? These were forced moves. Bozos.

.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Damn near.

Look who comes in at #11 and Fisher and Snead had no interest.

 

[Limey]

Look who comes in at #11 and Fisher and Snead had no interest.

Look who is at 25!

 

[12intheBox]

Stil not sure what the line will look like this week.

We sure could use Havenstein out there at RT if he is ready.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

I think the Have is week to week. That doesn't bode week for this week.

.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Look who is at 25!

Yeah he had a strong start but Atlanta has evened out as a whole. Person is what he is. I still wish they had gone after Hudson. Maybe they felt that it would affect them resigning their free agents this year.

 

[BonifayRam]

Why was Battle not called up?

Would appear to me that Snead placed both OL'ers Brown & Williams off the master roster to the injured reserve. Then Snead released DT Doug Worthington off the master roster. Those 3 moves off our 53 player master roster gave Snead the ability to beef up the depleted OL unit.

1st-Move was on OG/OC Brian Folkerts as a Free Agent Signing to 53 player master roster .
2nd-Move was on Isaiah Battle Terminated (by Player) from the Practice Squad.
3rd-Move was Isaiah Battle Free Agent Signing to the 53 player master roster.
4th-Move was on center Eric Kush as a Free Agent Signing to the 53 player roster.
http://www.nfl.com/teams/st.louisrams/transactions?team=STL

All three of these OL'ers Battle, Folkerts & Battle are listed on the 53 master player roster.
http://www.nfl.com/teams/st.louisrams/roster?team=STL

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_f2ff5792-2fa7-5608-be6c-59a60641955c.html

 

[Fatbot]

Yeah he had a strong start but Atlanta has evened out as a whole. Person is what he is. I still wish they had gone after Hudson. Maybe they felt that it would affect them resigning their free agents this year.

Signing Hudson would have meant outbidding the Raiduhs, who had endless pockets. But I think the main reason the Rams weren't interested is they made an organizational decision not to invest heavy in free agents but instead build through the draft and perhaps add a single merc FA or two on one-year contracts going forward. I really wanted Hudson because I think center is so important, but also agreed with the 3-headed competition instead, here was my thought process: http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads...isagree-on-his-value.35242/page-2#post-505929

I link that to show that there's all different philosophies, the Rams weren't necessarily wrong in the decision. It just depended on it working out. Which is why I thought it was kind of premature for people to applaud when Barnes "won" the center job versus the other real possibility that was being ignored, that he was simply the "least worst" option in the Rams brain trust's opinion.

It's funny how we seem to have the same rehash about almost every Rams decision -- comes down to making a tough call, they pick a direction, it doesn't work out due to injury, a guy not developing, whatever. Over and over and over. At some point when does bad luck & random outcomes become assigning responsibility for making the wrong choices that in turn defines the evaluation ability of the people in this organization?

I assume the C grades listed above are from my "favorite" overrated for-profit Chris Collinsworth company, so I ignore those. What I've seen is Barnes being different than I thought. I thought he'd be meek & timid but at least play at a consistent level, albeit a below average level. But instead he's wildly inconsistent. He's made some great blocks that are the stuff of Hercules, but has also been terrible at times. So overall, yes it works out to he's below average as thought, but can't deny he's had some great games and blocks I didn't think he was capable of mixed in there.

Anyway, Hudson is injured so the Raiders are paying for him on the sideline, so that probably would have been the wrong choice. The Rams chosen path was the wrong choice. Whatever keep/cut decision with Person would have been wrong. If they drafted a center, that guy would have sucked too (educated guess). So there was no way for the Rams to win, should we be in the least bit surprised by now?

 

[Yamahopper]

The path going forward, next year allot 20 slots on the final 53 for O linemen.. That way we can maybe the Rams can get to week 14 before combing the waiver wire.
The names change every year, coaches change every few years, but the IR is overstuffed with O linemen every season, or it just seems that. way.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

It seems the play of the Oline has gotten worse. Isn't it supposed to get better over the course of the season? Now with Brown and the main OT backup out it will most assuredly be even worse. Not catching a break here in any way.

 

[RedRam]

Wait...the Rams signed an OL guy off of the Whiners practice squad? A guy that couldn't get a spot on the roster of a team that has a terrible offensive line? Oooffaaahh...

Desperate times...

 

[BonifayRam]

It seems the play of the Oline has gotten worse. Isn't it supposed to get better over the course of the season? Now with Brown and the main OT backup out it will most assuredly be even worse. Not catching a break here in any way.

Yes sure does seem so Elmgrovegnome, I would have to agree. There are is some differences from Fisher's first season till now. The future would seem to be much more promising if nothing else. To answer your question yes, but many hits & regressions have taken place as usual. Yes I was expecting a break too after over a decade of this same results.

The Bad & Negative Events
#1-ORG Saffold issue....he was very slow recovering his previous 2014 level which was was below his best 2013 season. Bottom line Saffold play either at OLG or ORG was a shell of his performance in late 2013. Its appears to me that Saffold is in decline. When we see RS again why would anyone expect that he will be any better? Fisher lone big purchased UFA is well into fail mode here. When Saffold was injured again PB made a decision to move the successful performing rookie Jamon Brown from OLG to ORG. JB's play fell dramatically as a result.

#2-OLT Robinson issue...his rookie season was a mixed bag of events. The very young GRob was suppose to stew for a yr. We know that did not occur he started 12 games @ OLG/OLT and finished the season with an injury that required surgery just like Saffold. GRob appears unlike RS undamaged & healthy physically...his main issue is brain farts that are severely costly to this offense. While he does appear to be moving forward in his overall play it at a rate of a massive glazier. Thus far his improvement @ OLT is hard to see. All the for mentioned play resulted in PB to move JB to ORG & insert Garrett Reynolds to babysit GRob.

#3- Back up ORG Rookie Cody Wichmann calf injury early in OTA's and TC. This event retarded his ability to get most of the early OL training under his belt thus putting him far behind the rest of the other 9 Ol'ers.

#4-ORG Jamon Brown is much better @ OLG than @ ORG. The declining OL play includes this element. Bad move IMO. JB better be inserted back @ OLG next season & just let him play. Finally JB broke his leg & placed on the IR.

#5- ORT Rob Havenstein 2 injuries (Achilles injury & now upper calf injury issue). Missed parts of two games & one full game thus causing big issues when Garrett Reynolds, Rookie Andrew Donnal & Rookie Darrell Williams to start & fill in on this OL along with musical OL chair posts. None of which has come close to being positive...its the opposite.

#6- Rookie Andrew Donnal started one game & Rams lost & proved he was not ready nor should he ever start @ OG again. Best keep him @ ORT & nothing else & hope for the best. Not ready for prime time.

#7-Rookie Darrell Williams main reserve to both OT posts after Reynolds was inserted into the starting lineup. DW was not ready to start @ ORT when Havenstein was injured & forced PB to move starting OLG Reynolds to ORT. Then DW injured himself on the same Foles INT play that JB broke his leg & placed on IR.That Foles INT caused a series of bad events and a half dozen roster moves.

Summary here Rams only have 2 original initial starters healthy on this OL and able to dress. Rams will probably be forced start 3 back ups 2 of which are rookies. Yesterday Rams signed 3 WWC OL'ers.

The Good & Positive Events
#1-Rookie Rob Havenstein is a outstanding rookie starting ORT. Has a very bright future.

#2-UFA Garrett Reynolds has proved to be a excellent multi positional OL reserve. Even more he has shown he is now a good starting OLG.

#3- Center Tim Barnes has remained healthy and in spite of what the raters of OL'ers say different....TB has provided the best center play not seen around here since Andy McCollum injured his knee & was sent packing back in 2007.

What did I miss?

 

[LosAngelesRams]

Man...

You can't put the words JOE THOMAS in a post about the Rams signing new O-linemen.
Got me amped up for a 1/4 second.

Right!? got me too.