So… Dotson is staying (just Dotson posts)

[PARAM]

Letting him go and keeping the pass rusher (Dante Fowler) is one reason why I absolutely will not second guess McVay and Snead prioritizing the interior OL this offseason, even with AD's retirement. Letting Saffold go was really bad for us and our OL woes really limited us for a couple of seasons.

We won a Superbowl with Edwards, Allen and Corbett in the middle. But that was with a different run game philosophy. Prioritizing of the 2024 interior OL is a product of his philosophical change in the run game.

FWIW, during those 'couple of seasons' of OL woes we went 19-13. Compared to 24-8 the previous 2 years, it sounds worse. But when a guy like Tomlin goes 19-13 over 2 years, he's practically a god.

Perspective.

In 1 season under McVay our OL saw 5 guys start every game. 2018 (It was by choice-rest it didn't happen in 2017). In fact, we didn't go into a new season with the same 5 starting O lineman. Sometimes due to injury recovery. Sometimes due to guys earning a starting job. The current plan seems to be settling into a starting 5 of Alaric-Jackson-Avila-Dotson-Havenstein for multiple years. But that depends on how they view Alaric. With Havenstein signed through 2025, it's possible they view a replacement in 2026. Alaric if they draft a stud LT. Or a free agent. Or a stud RT. Or extending Havenstein.

Here's the starting 5 going into the season to the best of my recollection/research:

2017 Whit-Saffold-Sullivan-Brown-Havenstein (76 starts; all but Brown sat out week 17)
2018 Whit-Saffold-Sullivan-Blythe-Havenstein (80 starts)
2019 Whit-Noteboom-Allen-Blythe-Havenstein (48 starts; Edwards replaced Noteboom; Blythe moved to C; Corbett was acquired for G)
2020 Whit-Edwards-Blythe-Corbett-Havenstein (71 starts; Noteboom covered for Whit in 7 games and Edwards in 2 games)
2021 Whit--Edwards-Allen-Corbett-Havenstein (80 starts; Noteboom 2 games for Whit; Shelton 1 game for Allen; Evans for Havenstein)
2022 Noteboom-Edwards-Allen-Shelton-Havenstein (40 starts; with a loooong parade of replacements)
2023 Jackson-Avila-Shelton-Noteboom-Havenstein (66 starts; Dotson for Noteboom, Noteboom covering for Alaric and Havenstein)
2024 A. Jackson-J.Jackson-Avila-Dotson-Havenstein (Hope for another 80 plus)

2017-18 we had good health
2020-21 also.
2023-for the most part

 

[dang]

We won a Superbowl with Edwards, Allen and Corbett in the middle. But that was with a different run game philosophy. Prioritizing of the 2024 interior OL is a product of his philosophical change in the run game.

FWIW, during those 'couple of seasons' of OL woes we went 19-13. Compared to 24-8 the previous 2 years, it sounds worse. But when a guy like Tomlin goes 19-13 over 2 years, he's practically a god.

Perspective.

In 1 season under McVay our OL saw 5 guys start every game. 2018 (It was by choice-rest it didn't happen in 2017). In fact, we didn't go into a new season with the same 5 starting O lineman. Sometimes due to injury recovery. Sometimes due to guys earning a starting job. The current plan seems to be settling into a starting 5 of Alaric-Jackson-Avila-Dotson-Havenstein for multiple years. But that depends on how they view Alaric. With Havenstein signed through 2025, it's possible they view a replacement in 2026. Alaric if they draft a stud LT. Or a free agent. Or a stud RT. Or extending Havenstein.

Here's the starting 5 going into the season to the best of my recollection/research:

2017 Whit-Saffold-Sullivan-Brown-Havenstein (76 starts; all but Brown sat out week 17)
2018 Whit-Saffold-Sullivan-Blythe-Havenstein (80 starts)
2019 Whit-Noteboom-Allen-Blythe-Havenstein (48 starts; Edwards replaced Noteboom; Blythe moved to C; Corbett was acquired for G)
2020 Whit-Edwards-Blythe-Corbett-Havenstein (71 starts; Noteboom covered for Whit in 7 games and Edwards in 2 games)
2021 Whit--Edwards-Allen-Corbett-Havenstein (80 starts; Noteboom 2 games for Whit; Shelton 1 game for Allen; Evans for Havenstein)
2022 Noteboom-Edwards-Allen-Shelton-Havenstein (40 starts; with a loooong parade of replacements)
2023 Jackson-Avila-Shelton-Noteboom-Havenstein (66 starts; Dotson for Noteboom, Noteboom covering for Alaric and Havenstein)
2024 A. Jackson-J.Jackson-Avila-Dotson-Havenstein (Hope for another 80 plus)

2017-18 we had good health
2020-21 also.
2023-for the most part

Hind site that 2022 Noteboom-Edwards-Allen-Shelton-Havenstein lineup was negligent at best. How did Stafford survive?

 

[hotanez]

Hind site that 2022 Noteboom-Edwards-Allen-Shelton-Havenstein lineup was negligent at best. How did Stafford survive?

he didn't

 

[snackdaddy]

Fair enough,but if The Rams don’t resign Alaric Jackson . Guess what ,as Les Snead use to always say.
-The Rams will have to address a backup LT. so be it.

Its been 9 days since the start of free agency. I'd be surprised if someone makes an offer. They'd have to pay him and give up a second. An undrafted player who's had one season of serviceable play is not likely to be worth a second to most teams. I wouldn't worry about losing him.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Its been 9 days since the start of free agency. I'd be surprised if someone makes an offer. They'd have to pay him and give up a second. An undrafted player who's had one season of serviceable play is not likely to be worth a second to most teams. I wouldn't worry about losing him.

You are probably right, but I've noticed that restricted free agent offer sheets typically don't get signed until like a week or so before the draft.

 

[snackdaddy]

You are probably right, but I've noticed that restricted free agent offer sheets typically don't get signed until like a week or so before the draft.

I suppose we will have to wait to know for sure. But I'd be surprised if someone did make an offer.

 

[PARAM]

I suppose we will have to wait to know for sure. But I'd be surprised if someone did make an offer.

I would be surprised if someone made an offer we wouldn't match. Meaning I don't expect anything huge. Whether or not our guys want to match it is anybody's guess but I don't expect it to hamstring us cap-wise.

 

[So Ram]

I would be surprised if someone made an offer we wouldn't match. Meaning I don't expect anything huge. Whether or not our guys want to match it is anybody's guess but I don't expect it to hamstring us cap-wise.

Either way The Best case would be a 3 year deal cap friendly for The Rams as well as a nice payday for Alaric Jackson giving The Rams an offensive line being together until Matthew Stafford retires.

 

[dang]

I would be surprised if someone made an offer we wouldn't match. Meaning I don't expect anything huge. Whether or not our guys want to match it is anybody's guess but I don't expect it to hamstring us cap-wise.

I’m not so sure the Rams would go much higher for AJax. I could see a scenario where they would use that R1 and the additional R2 to move up in the draft for one of the top 3 OTs in the draft.

 

[fearsomefour]

Considering what the Rams basically did a late round pick swap to get Dotson and how he's played for the Rams.....well.....I think this is Sneads best trade since he's been in LA.
Amazing ROI.