St. Louis Rams Roster Review: Jake Long & Sammy Brown

[RamBill]

St. Louis Rams Roster Review: Jake Long

By Douglas M

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/6/28/5851278/st-louis-rams-roster-review-jake-long


On June 16th, 2004, Jake Long jumped out of his bedroom window. Landing on the ground two stories below, he had a good reason for taking his little gravity ride. The house he shared with 8 other Michigan Wolverine players had caught fire, and the only way out was to jump...

His NFL career started off with a bang. The first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, he went to four straight Pro-Bowls, and was first team All-Pro in 2010, and second team in 2009. In 2012, injuries marred his career for the first time. He left the slow burning rubble of Miami, leaving behind Richie Incognito to throw gasoline on a fire that's been well documented. In 2013, Jake Long signed with the St. Louis Rams. "Longing" for a top flight offensive left tackle, the Rams had their guy. Sam Bradford began to sleep well at night, no longer awakening sweat drenched from nightmares of being crushed by NFL pass rushers. Life was good, or a while...

There isn't a person in the NFL world who thinks Jake Long isn't an elite left tackle when he's healthy. But therein lies the rub. Long is a tough guy, and the injuries which have forced him off the field at times aren't just little dings and bruises. In the latter part of the 2013 season, Long suffered a ACL/MCL injury, and he's been recovering ever since. The Rams - not unlike what Miami did when they drafted Stanford's Jonathan Martin to hedge their bets if Long became a salary cap casualty - used the #2 overall pick on a potential replacement, or at least insurance policy, when they selected Greg Robinson. The rookie will start his career at left guard, hopefully next to the man he might one day ultimately replace - Jake Long.
Roster Battle

I've been saying for a while now the left tackle position in 2014 - like many other year's before now - is going to be pivotal for the St. Louis Rams. With little doubt, the potential of the Rams' offense is going to hinge on whether Jake Long returns healthy and ready to hit the field in top form. Depth at left tackle is thin for St. Louis, and those who think the fragile Rodger Saffold could fill Long's shoes are silly at best. Robinson is still learning how to pass block, so he really isn't an option if Jake Long isn't ready to go. There are a few sundry pretenders on the Rams roster, who in a pinch may be able to stand in, but none will challenge Long for his starting spot - IF HE'S HEALTHY.
Expectations

Let's be clear here: I'm a Rams fan, so I naturally assume Jake Long will return to his rookie prowess, rejuvenated by his miraculous doctors, and the great barbecue and frozen yogurt diet St. Louis has to offer. Let's face it, "The Lou" is really Lourdes, and the healing powers of Earth City, Missouri are... Who am I kidding! If Jake Long isn't running a 3.44 second 40 yard dash by the first preseason game, I'll be running around looking for a rabid dog, with a pork chop in each hand begging it to bite me! The season will be done, and life as we know it will end when the planet Glaxor invades the Earth. I will off course survive, since I speak "Glaxor-ese", but the rest of you are TOAST!
Will he make the Rams roster in 2014?

Tev Broner wants me to answer this question in each of my player review articles that are currently germinating in my mind, and you'll see over the next few days. While the other players Tev's assigned me are going to battle for a roster spot for the St. Louis Rams, Jake Long is a absolute, solid lock to make the 2014 squad... This is, unless the Glaxor thing happens...

 

[RamBill]

Rams Roster Review: DE/LB Sammy Brown

By EddieP

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/6/28/5837148/rams-roster-review-de-lb-sammy-brown-st-louis

Continuing with the Rams Roster Review (Triple R's), next up is a player on the lower end of the depth chart: DE/LB Sammy Brown.

Flash back to 2012. The St Louis Rams' first year under the Fisher-Snead tenure. Their first NFL Draft brought us the likes of running back Isaiah Pead, receiver Brian Quick, and offensive guard Rokevious Watkins.

It wasn't until after the draft that the Rams inked a 6-2, 240 lb. linebacker out of the University of Houston – Sammy Brown.

Some background on Brown: He was a two-year starter with the Houston Cougars at outside linebacker after transferring over from a junior college. Coming out of college, Brown was known as a pass rusher, registering 13.5 sacks during the 2011 season.

Brown's pass rushing abilities, however, did not land him a job on the 53-man roster. He spent the 2012 season as a member of the practice squad.

Enter the 2013 season. Brown, trying to use his pass rushing asset to his advantage, made the switch to defensive end. The move ended up not helping Brown, landing him on the practice squad for two consecutive years.
Expectations for the 2014 Season

The most you can expect from Brown at this moment is him making the 53-man roster.

One thing Brown has in his favor is he has been in an NFL training camp for the past two years. He's also had the advantage of practicing with NFL-caliber players.

What position will Sammy play? At 6-2, 240 pounds, Brown is undersized for a DE. At LB, all we've heard of is about his pass rushing skills. Talk about his coverage abilities has been nonexistent.
Will He Make the Team?

Odds do not seem to be in his favor. Brown was on the practice squad for the past two seasons. If his pass rushing skills were as good as hyped up to be, he'd be on the team by now.

 

[-X-]

Huh? Why would Jake Long need to return to his "rookie prowess"? He's a 7 year vet. And I don't think there's any question that he makes the roster. Whether or not he plays a full 16 games is another question, but why wouldn't he make the roster?

 

[RamzFanz]

Huh? Why would Jake Long need to return to his "rookie prowess"? He's a 7 year vet. And I don't think there's any question that he makes the roster. Whether or not he plays a full 16 games is another question, but why wouldn't he make the roster?

LOL, I know, right?

Will he make the roster?! Please.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Hopefully, for his sake, Jake shows something on special teams.

 

[SierraRam]

Depth at left tackle is thin for St. Louis, and those who think the fragile Rodger Saffold could fill Long's shoes are silly at best. ...uh, why?

Saffold provides great depth at LT. Put Joseph at RG and we're good to go. While not as ideal as the first stringers, this line would be pretty damn good IMO.

Hopefully, we get Big Jake back and this argument is irrelevant. If not, I believe we have the best OL depth I've seen in quite some time.

 

[den-the-coach]

Depth at left tackle is thin for St. Louis, and those who think the fragile Rodger Saffold could fill Long's shoes are silly at best. ...uh, why?

Saffold provides great depth at LT. Put Joseph at RG and we're good to go. While not as ideal as the first stringers, this line would be pretty damn good IMO.

Hopefully, we get Big Jake back and this argument is irrelevant. If not, I believe we have the best OL depth I've seen in quite some time.

The only snafu in this plan is when Saffold is out of his phone booth, he's more exposed to injury. So if Long and Saffold are hurt that is a concern, however, most teams would not survive a scenario like that one.

As to Sammy Brown he reminds me of a past player like Donald Sellers a WR out of New Mexico. Every year was to be Sellers year, however, that never came to fruition and that's how I feel about Sammy Brown. He'll just never make the team or have an impact IMHO.

 

[CGI_Ram]

The only snafu in this plan is when Saffold is out of his phone booth, he's more exposed to injury. So if Long and Saffold are hurt that is a concern, however, most teams would not survive a scenario like that one.

As to Sammy Brown he reminds me of a past player like Donald Sellers a WR out of New Mexico. Every year was to be Sellers year, however, that never came to fruition and that's how I feel about Sammy Brown. He'll just never make the team or have an impact IMHO.

I agree.

While I think Saffold at LT and Joseph at RG is a solid oline... I'd like to see Saffold shake the injury-prone label by playing a whole season at guard.

 

[BonifayRam]

I not in agreement in being able to say @ this time that the OL would be solid CGI with Saffold @ OLT & Joseph @ ORG. I sure hope I will be able to join you in agreement @ some point. I know that we all are in agreement that we need a healthy Jake Long starting @ OLT this season. Rams must find a swing OT other than a starter elsewhere.

At the moment IMO that going into the 2014 season thinking that our excellent starting ORG is the swing OT is a very bad situation NOT one to be happy & please about. However it is what it is...

I like what I saw from Boudreau in OTA's where for the most part he kept Saffold @ ORG. I would refuse to unplug Saffold from the ORG post due to the disastrous injury events that have proven will come when playing OT.(injury riddled 2011-2012 & 2013 seasons)

The OL would suffer a power outage when you shift the Rams most powerful & best run blocking OL'er when starting @ ORG (not @ OLT) & insert him back @ OLT where the results have been much less than good. There is a very big reason that Saffold was moved from his OLT starting post .....and then not able to reclaim his ORT starting post. The is a very reason that Davin Joseph was released.

In truth the Rams have no ideal IF ORG Davin Joseph can regain any of his past power as of yet. I would not move your best ORG & utilize him elsewhere. I guess I have an harder time with accepting the multiple injuries vulnerability beset by Joseph @ ORG & Saffold @ OT are behind them.