So Now that Watkins is Headed for the Chiefs...

[Loyal]

From NFL.com View attachment 24189

Sammy helped us last year get the offense rolling. Gaines is a zone corner that didn’t fit Wade’s scheme and was coming off injury. We get draft compensation for losing Watkins. There was no way we were spending big dough for his role. This administration is great at having a plan that they keep internal. They publicly laud all their players but know exactly what they ultimately want. Extending Ogletree allowed them to trade him, it was the plan all along.

In today’s NFL, players must come and go judiciously. Consider the frequent turnover in NE. Expect the same of players like Whitworth, Talib and Peters. The Rams will develop replacements through the draft and the ones that don’t pan out will have their roles filled by short term rentals. I don’t expect any big names to fill Sammy’s role...but there will be a mid level FA signed for depth as they continue to develop Reynolds and Thomas.

Maybe...I would feel better if Josh Reynolds flashed last year, which I didn't really see from him. He caught a TD in the endzone because the defense was only rushing 3 guys and Goff had an insane amount of time to get rid of it. The Rams haven't really developed a true #1 WR since Torry Holt.

 

[Loyal]

It hurts that Sammy is going, but essentially we made the trade for one year of Sammy and a third rounder in 2019.

Either way, I think losing him and Tavon means that we have to pick up at least one free agent receiver, even if it is from the discount bin, like a John Brown.

Well..I've heard that a 3rd next year is like a 4th this year (every year counts as a drop of round for current worth). If so, we gave up a 2nd rounder plus a learning year for Watkins, for a 2018 4th rounder (3rd rounder in 2019). Ugh...

 

[TexasRam]

Calm down boys.

Watkins literally averaged 37 yards per game receiving.

That’s like one Gurley Screen.

 

[fearsomefour]

That KC O is loaded.

 

[Loyal]

Calm down boys.

Watkins literally averaged 37 yards per game receiving.

That’s like one Gurley Screen.

The threat of Sammy Watkins made the other WR's better.

 

[Loyal]

It's gonna fine, gents......

 

[CanadaRam]

They sometimes do go after a high priced FA if they are thinking it's a Super Bowl year, which the Talking Heads seems to be saying about the Rams in 2018.

Agreed some teams do it.
I trust McVay and Snead more than the talking heads though.
They are looking to build a team that will be successful year in and year out, not just throw everything in for a short window and deal with tight cap/no flexibility moving forward.

 

[TexasRam]

The threat of Sammy Watkins made the other WR's better.

Well If that threat thing is worth 16 million a year then we better hold on to Austin because we are getting a massive
Discount for his threat services.

 

[ramsplaya16]

He’s obviously only after the money, he better establish himself as Mahomes favorite target very quickly or else he may end up as the fourth option on that entire offense.

 

[FrantikRam]

People keep saying "stand pat" - that makes no sense.

Even if you want Reynolds to take Sammy's place, that makes our WR depth the worst in the NFL. We have to either sign a FA or spend a midround pick on a WR now.

This is the first misstep of the new regime - Aaron, Todd and Jared (or another QB) were always going to eventually get mega contracts. So you knew that when you traded for Sammy. If you weren't prepared to pay him, why trade a 2nd round pick for him?

 

[Loyal]

Well If that threat thing is worth 16 million a year then we better hold on to Austin because we are getting a massive
Discount for his threat services.

Please....Watkins isn't a midget, no talent WR....Comparing them is like apples to fig newtons...

 

[Loyal]

People keep saying "stand pat" - that makes no sense.

Even if you want Reynolds to take Sammy's place, that makes our WR depth the worst in the NFL. We have to either sign a FA or spend a midround pick on a WR now.

This is the first misstep of the new regime - Aaron, Todd and Jared (or another QB) were always going to eventually get mega contracts. So you knew that when you traded for Sammy. If you weren't prepared to pay him, why trade a 2nd round pick for him?

and why not work out a deal with him if possible? Maybe that was never possible, I guess....

 

[Ram_Rally]

Calm down boys.

Watkins literally averaged 37 yards per game receiving.

That’s like one Gurley Screen.

Because he was only targeted 5 times a game for whatever reason

 

[Ram_Rally]

Honestly we might have to draft Ridley or Moore now

 

[majrleaged]

Gutted by this news to be honest. I also think that not being able to retain him is a waste of this year's #2 pick.

It was worth it. I dont understand the whinning over draft picks. We needed him to open things up and help give Goff easier throws. We will get a 3rd in comp and Goff is more experienced. A 2nd was the price it took and our need was great. Now it isn't so great. We didn't lose a 2nd, we used it how best we needed at the time to help a shitty offence become the best. Now we move on.

 

[Noregar]

I think we can now say that Rams wasted a second round pick at this point to only get one year rental for Watkins plus loosing Gains too. At the time I was for the trade, but Watkins did not put up the numbers to warrant keeping him around at 16 mil a season. This type of dealing is definitely not a sustainable model for the Rams. I hope the Peters trade yields better results.

 

[Loyal]

Honestly we might have to draft Ridley or Moore now

Yeah, our draft just changed somewhat..imo. If Watkins was that worthless to Sean McVay, then there would have been no great effort to re-sign him if he thought Reynolds and Thomas were the answers.

Now all of the top corners in the NFL will be focusing on Robert Woods when they play us, and I am not sure our offensive output will be the same as last year.

 

[PhillyRam]

This where a better receiving threat at TE can pick up the slack. So Everett's development along with the possibility of adding a vet like Burton could add a new wrinkle. Plus, Kupp will get better along with whatever Cooper and Reynolds can provide.

 

[Loyal]

It was worth it. I dont understand the whinning over draft picks. We needed him to open things up and help give Goff easier throws. We will get a 3rd in comp and Goff is more experienced. A 2nd was the price it took and our need was great. Now it isn't so great. We didn't lose a 2nd, we used it how best we needed at the time to help a crappy offence become the best. Now we move on.

How will you "know" that our need isn't so great?

As for "whinning" over draft picks, we gave up a 2018 2nd round pick for a 2019 3rd round pick (if it falls that way). A 2019 3rd rounder is worth a 2018 4th fourth rounder. So we gave up Gaines and a 2018 2nd rounder for a one year rental of Watkins and a 2018 4th rounder. That BLOWS.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Yeah, our draft just changed somewhat..imo. If Watkins was that worthless to Sean McVay, then there would have been no great effort to re-sign him if he thought Reynolds and Thomas were the answers.

Now all of the top corners in the NFL will be focusing on Robert Woods when they play us, and I am not sure our offensive output will be the same as last year.

My thoughts exactly. Sucks that we've created so many holes in the off-season. We need NT, ILB, edge rusher (s), depth at offensive line, and now a receiver