The moves I'd start making now....

[I like Rams]

But you will jeopardize your star QB by having him drop back 45 times vs the Steelers?

They gotta play the game. Can't really waive a white flag at the beginning of the season and say "we're not ready". Anyway, not really worth debating over bc none of us know the real answer.

 

[OldSchool]

IF we can get somebody to trade before March 15th 2020 yes Gurley is close to neutral cap that year though we have to pay another person for his roster spot so it's a loss. If not that nice $7.55 million roster bonus guarantees and we take it in the shorts for 2020. Cooks becomes pretty much neutral cap after the 2020 season. My point was he says do those two things so we can clear cap space which those moves don't do at all for 2020.

 

[iamme33]

Goff , Gurley , Hav , and Higbee contracts are going to be hard to swallow unless they start producing .

its kind of weird but it seems like everyone who signs a big contract seems to get worse. Donald is the only one I can think of that hasn't got worse after signing.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

its kind of weird but it seems like everyone who signs a big contract seems to get worse. Donald is the only one I can think of that hasn't got worse after signing.

That's because none of them played OL.

 

[BriansRams]

Thanks for all your comments and opinions on this subject.

 

[iamme33]

That's because none of them played OL.

havinstien signed a new contract and is playing worse.

 

[BonifayRam]

#1- Give orders to HC to make it his ultra-high priority to give the future young inexperienced OL'ers as much experience as possible remaining 7 games.

Why? Previously this Ram Org. made a serious very big decision to invest $134 million of Cap Funds for 4 seasons (2019 thru 2022) in a QB who IS an immobile pocket passer who can NOT produce consistently without a smooth running highly effective OL protecting him.

I do not see a winning team in the future until it can provide Goff a smooth running highly effective OL. All other team issues & problems must be subordinate to this #1 concern.

 

[BonifayRam]

#1- Give orders to HC to make it his ultra-high priority to give the future young inexperienced OL'ers as much experience possible remaining 7 games.

Why? Previously this Ram Org. made a serious very big decision to invest $134 million of Cap Funds for 4 seasons (2019 thru 2022) in a QB who IS an immobile pocket passer who can NOT produce consistently without a smooth running highly effective OL protecting him.

I do not see a winning team in the future until it can provide Goff a smooth running highly effective OL. All other team issues & problems must be subordinate to this #1 concern.

Some of my thoughts here.....Found some additional information here on the Rams OL that sorta fits with this conversation.

We all knew that Blythe play was bad but Noteboom findings was unexpected. Noteboom will not be ready to start anywhere next season due to his serious knee injury but I would hope that Noteboom should not be in any discussions to start in any interior positions. IMO the Noteboom experiment @ LG was a total failure. Kromer's credibility took a big hit here on Noteboom @ LG.

The future as to where Noteboom will play must be either @ RT or LT posts.

Should You Be Concerned About Your Superstar Running Back?

Week 10 marked a Black Sunday of sorts for the stocks of rushers like Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, and Le’Veon Bell. Who should we expect to bounce back?

www.theringer.com

"Of the 77 guards who have played 200 snaps this season, Rams right guard Austin Blythe ranks 73rd.

Left guard Joseph Noteboom, who is on injured reserve with a torn ACL, is dead last at no. 77. Last week Rams center Brian Allen joined Noteboom on injured reserve with a torn MCL.

Now Blythe is playing out of position at center, and 2018 no. 33 pick Austin Corbett, who Cleveland gave up on, is stepping into the guard position. This unit is a disaster, and it might get worse. Even a full-strength Gurley would be struggling behind this line. Unlike Melvin Gordon, Gurley would be wise not to ask any Uber employees (sorry, contractors), about what they think of the Rams."

 

[dieterbrock]

I think there’s a better chance of signing Kaepernick and trading him for a 1st round pick than there is of trading Gurley

 

[BonifayRam]

Obvious as a true Ram fan you see this current Rams team as being still playoff material. Sadly I can not join you in this belief.

I do not see any commentaries above where anyone is advocating the benching of the starting LT Andrew Whitworth. And why would you? AW is the unquestioned OL leader? He is being paid over $16 million to be this leader. The Ram LT position is the only Ram OL position that is performing up to NFL standards. Besides our LT reserve Bobby Evans is now starting @ RT post. You don’t have any other LT on the roster if it were desired.

The opposite OL side vet Rob Havenstein is one of the hapless performing RT's in the NFL in pass protection this season. Rookie OT Bobby Evans was Rams top OL selection this past draft. Evans has been mostly inactive this entire season. His time & opportunity has arrived. I would like to give him a good run @ RT for a while myself.

Rams have committed valuable past team assets (by the means through the draft/ trades & priority contracted FA's) in our current OL'ers. I see extraordinary importance in having these inexperienced OL'ers profit from 2019 regular NFL season education.

Why would you want to repeat 2018 errors involving inexperienced OL'ers Noteboom, Allen & Demby. All were denied any opportunity to benefit from regular season snaps. IMO in part aided this seasons absolute OL failure.

Currently, the Rams have another rookie class of OL'ers i.e. Evans, Edwards, Brewer along with 1st yr OL'ers Corbett & Shelton. This organization needs to fully know what they have in these OL'ers & the scrutiny from regular season action is a great test to determine what they have for the new 2020 season.

I perceive an offense presently awash with a severely weak OL unit. Sadly I see no indication that McVay/ Kromer can do very little to keep this offensive team from sliding further into deeper ineffectiveness. I also realize most members do not share my sentiments.

 

[BonifayRam]

havinstien signed a new contract and is playing worse.

Very hard to fully understand what has transpired this season with starting RT Rob Havenstein after he was offered 4 year\ $32.5 mil contract with a signing bonus $9 mil. guaranteed @ an average annual salary of $8.2 million. I have been seriously surprised on the degraded on field play of Rob who is only 27 yr old.

After this season Rob has 3 more seasons to play here & to cut him after this season would result in some sizable millions worth of dead cap. I would imagine that the Rams Org will be forced to keep Rob next season with a cap hit of $8 million. At this point in time Rob is & will be immensely overpaid.

I mentioned it above I would hope that either Bobby Evans or maybe even Joseph Noteboom would be available to offer up some big competition @ RT to drive Rob to get his professional NFL act together in pass protection in 2020. If not he will be playing elsewhere in 2021.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I mentioned it above I would hope that either Bobby Evans or maybe even Joseph Noteboom would be available to offer up some big competition @ RT to drive Rob to get his professional NFL act together in pass protection in 2020. If not he will be playing elsewhere in 2021.

My early speculation has us drafting another OT and Center/OG this next off-season. It would be helpful if they could manage to mold Gumby, I mean Demby, into something useful, but i've got odds this is as likely as me winning the lottery. jmo.

 

[BonifayRam]

My early speculation has us drafting another OT and Center/OG this next off-season. It would be helpful if they could manage to mold Gumby, I mean Demby, into something useful, but i've got odds this is as likely as me winning the lottery. jmo.

Your most likely correct with your speculation here on what to do with our early rounds of the draft. Rams have to overcome the Whitworth departure early this up coming season.

Highly unlikely that this Rams team could compete with the numerous NFL teams for the services of Colts LT Anthony Castonzo or even the much less skilled Jets LT Kelvin Beachum in FA'cy.

Another contributing element is LT Joseph Noteboom's injured knee that will require long periods of time to get it ready for just NFL practices, let alone NFL battles in the trenches during regular season. If the Rams are fortunate that reconstructed knee might be ready by the 2020 mid season. Noteboom's trial run @ OG has crash-landed & over. I anticipate that Austin Corbett is Kromers starting LG from this point on.

Currently, it appears that Kromer prefers OL'er David Edwards as his starting RG. I had sentiment that Edwards would certainly be groomed to be our starting LT early next season but since Kromer flipped him to the right side I have some doubts. What do you think? I still assert that Chandler Brewer is a bona fide starting RG candidate at some point in his future. That might free up Edwards for LT.

Now we have swing OT Bobby Evans starting @ RT. If he can show some pass protection skills Evans might be a possible starting LT prospect with Havenstein returning to start @ RT in 2020. Like I said earlier today Rob needs to do some serious regenerating to his pass protection skills backpack.

The starting center post for 2020 is very murky. Austin Blythe has an opportunity to add his name into the mix in the period of time in the next 7 games. The UFA Blythe would certainly look to be out as a future starting RG for Kromer in 2020. However, with the 2019 Brian Allen bomb & now on the IR...give a possibility for ex Card center Carlton Shelton too. Shelton is a youthful good size versatile OL'er.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Another contributing element is LT Joseph Noteboom's injured knee that will require long periods of time to get it ready for just NFL practices, let alone NFL battles in the trenches during regular season. If the Rams are fortunate that reconstructed knee might be ready by the 2020 mid season. Noteboom's trial run @ OG has crash-landed & over. I anticipate that Austin Corbett is Kromers starting LG from this point on.

Currently, it appears that Kromer prefers OL'er David Edwards as his starting RG. I had sentiment that Edwards would certainly be groomed to be our starting LT early next season but since Kromer flipped him to the right side I have some doubts. What do you think? I still assert that Chandler Brewer is a bona fide starting RG candidate at some point in his future. That might free up Edwards for LT.

Now we have swing OT Bobby Evans starting @ RT. If he can show a small indefinite amount of pass protection skills Evans might be a possible starting LT prospect with Havenstein returning to start @ RT in 2020. Like I said earlier today Rob needs to do some serious regenerating to his pass protection skills backpack.

As it stands today in regards to the 2020 OL line-up, I would agree with Brewer as our strongest candidate to nailing down a permanent RG position if we don't get one (Brandon Scherff) in free agency. Since Havenstein will be returning in a few weeks, he'll likely stick next year unless benched at some point, but it could be his final season as a Ram if he doesn't get his act together. I've got Edwards, Evans and a new draftee fighting it out over LT until Noteboom is healthy and prepared to return. If we can't sign a quality free agent offensive lineman, Whitworth is my 1 year temporary fall-back, possibly even after game 1 of the regular season to keep prices down and allow him to skip the strain of camp. jmo.

 

[fanotodd]

As for RIGHT NOW, I'd try to rotate in all of our young, new players as much as possible. Nothing is more valuable than real game experience. Rookies like Long and Henderson as well as Evans and Edwards are no brainers; but guys like O-O and even the newly activated CB Taeyon(?) (whom I like did quite a bit during the preseason). I would even look to rest Whitworth whenever feasible because it's looking like the Rams want to bring him back next year. Why wear him out unnecessarily?

As for AFTER this season, here's the guys I'd jettison:
1) Thomas (WR). I've been wanting to dump this guy since Reynolds was drafted. Thomas, despite a career saving preseason, is really only here as a gunner on STs. That's all he does, and he made a critical penalty recently. Is he really that indispensable? What's he making, $2mil?
2) Weddle (S). I know, this one hurts, but the wheels have fallen off. He is slooow. You can really see the difference between him and the young rookie legs of Rapp. Great career, but it's over.
3) Center. For over a decade, I've been pounding the table for a legit center. It's maddening to see young centers I liked and were easily available to the Rams starting and playing well around the league. A season and a half of solid play from sullivan is all we've had at that position in about 15 years. Just sad.

 

[Riverumbbq]

As for RIGHT NOW, I'd try to rotate in all of our young, new players as much as possible. Nothing is more valuable than real game experience. Rookies like Long and Henderson as well as Evans and Edwards are no brainers; but guys like O-O and even the newly activated CB Taeyon(?) (whom I like did quite a bit during the preseason). I would even look to rest Whitworth whenever feasible because it's looking like the Rams want to bring him back next year. Why wear him out unnecessarily?

I won't really be expecting this until after the Rams are officially out of the play-off hunt.

 

[Rams43]

My take on the possible ‘20 Rams OL...
.
Predicting our ‘20 OL starters before these final 7 games much less the FA and draft is a bit audacious. But interesting and fun, nonetheless.

Here’s my best take based on current info.

Boom will probably be our LOT. I think he’s our best candidate and should be healed by September. He will have had 4 more weeks to recover than Kupp did, btw.

Edwards seems to be our best candidate for one OG spot, probably RG according to some knowledgable people.

But after that? Geez...

Hav’s future (as a starter) could go either way based upon how the coaches read the tea leaves when he returns.He could very well find himself in a battle for starting position next year. I think he’s in ‘prove it’ territory in his last projected 5 games. Never thought I would need to say that when this season started. Hav has been the biggest surprise/disappointment on our ‘19 OL. So, he could very well be one of our projected starter replacements, IMO.

I would count the non-Edwards OG position as a new starter next year. Could be Evans/Corbett or some other already on our roster. Might be an outsider FA brought in or a high draft pick, too. Any combo there would meet my definition of ‘new’. IOW, Blythe ain’t coming back.

I have to say that they should upgrade from Allen. Yeah, he might one day develop into a quality C, but he might not. And the ‘20 Rams must have someone that they feel certain can do the job at C. Period. So, by definition, Allen can’t be that guy because the injury has robbed him of the opportunity to prove himself sufficiently in these remaining 7 games and his performance prior to injury just wasn’t nearly what is needed.

So, if I’m Snead/McVay, I would make OL personnel decisions that err on the side of caution. They simply have to. The inaugural season in the new stadium demands it. The fans demand it. A repeat of an OL fubar next season would be a career wrecker event. They will NOT make that mistake again.

Sooooo....

There will be at least 2 ‘new’ starters on our OL next year, possibly even 3.

in fact, if Hav can’t hold his starting position at RT, we could conceivably have 5 players starting at positions other than the starters were at the beginning of this season. Is that enough ‘change’ for y’all? Lol.