The Rams’ intent on keeping young OT
- Thread starter Memphis Ram
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Hate to be that guy, but does h he post a source?
Edit: oh, it's Pauline. He's credible enough. I wonder who the Rams let walk? That entire 2023 class is due for an extension.
Edit: oh, it's Pauline. He's credible enough. I wonder who the Rams let walk? That entire 2023 class is due for an extension.
OntarioRam
Hall of Fame
Higbee won't be back IMO. Good player. But Ferguson will continue to improve, Allen is young, Parkinson has had a career year. Only so many spots and cap dollars you can allocate to the TE room. We ran 13 personnel effectively almost all year with Higbee on the sideline - even if his return does give it a nice shot in the arm. They can always draft another TE as well, if they want another TE that can play, and he'll come at a fraction of the cost. I think Havenstein's, Higbee's, and Tutu's money will all be allocated to re-signing our younger players. That's not a bad start. Should be 10M+ right there. Those are all actually some of the bigger contracts on the roster, on account of how young our team is.
Would love to see Havenstein stick around as the swing tackle on a team-friendly deal.
Higbee looks like he still has some gas left in the tank too, but with Ferguson ready to emerge, that's a tougher one. But I know he is beloved in the locker room.
The number of massive contracts potentially coming really makes me want to trade back with one of the first rounders, possibly a couple of times.
It's VERY easy to see this draft producing multiple future starters as well as a couple of immediate starters.
Need at least one starter at CB.. possibly a starting safety. That's all they will actually need, unless Stafford decides to retire, which changes everything.
There are a lot of future contracts coming down.. and decisions to make. I only see Verse and Turner as locks on the Dline... So, I think they need to draft an edge somewhere in there this year. Dline I think they can wait one year.. they're in really good shape there and I'm hopeful Hamilton can take a step next year.. played maybe his best game last week.
Biggest contract decision right now is Kam Curl. If they don't sign him.. they're gonna need another starter. He's been very solid. If they can get him for under 10 mil a season.. I'd probably do it. Being solid up the middle with Landman, Lake and Curl could help the back seven if they go young at Corner.
Absolutely draft a tackle somewhere in the first four rounds.. and a guard somewhere in the first five. If a great center is available at a spot of value, I'd jump on that.
After that? Shoot.. they could go in soooo many directions. Another WR.. either a future replacement for Adams or a new burner would be good. I can't see another RB right now, but you never know. TE? Nope. QB? Maybe?
But.. going back to my first point.. trade down.. get more. They'll be able to start moving toward the draft-compensation machine again when they lose players like Byron Young and Braden Fiske and, who knows? Maybe Avila? Tough choices will have to be made.. but they can start buffering for those departures now.
It's VERY easy to see this draft producing multiple future starters as well as a couple of immediate starters.
Need at least one starter at CB.. possibly a starting safety. That's all they will actually need, unless Stafford decides to retire, which changes everything.
There are a lot of future contracts coming down.. and decisions to make. I only see Verse and Turner as locks on the Dline... So, I think they need to draft an edge somewhere in there this year. Dline I think they can wait one year.. they're in really good shape there and I'm hopeful Hamilton can take a step next year.. played maybe his best game last week.
Biggest contract decision right now is Kam Curl. If they don't sign him.. they're gonna need another starter. He's been very solid. If they can get him for under 10 mil a season.. I'd probably do it. Being solid up the middle with Landman, Lake and Curl could help the back seven if they go young at Corner.
Absolutely draft a tackle somewhere in the first four rounds.. and a guard somewhere in the first five. If a great center is available at a spot of value, I'd jump on that.
After that? Shoot.. they could go in soooo many directions. Another WR.. either a future replacement for Adams or a new burner would be good. I can't see another RB right now, but you never know. TE? Nope. QB? Maybe?
But.. going back to my first point.. trade down.. get more. They'll be able to start moving toward the draft-compensation machine again when they lose players like Byron Young and Braden Fiske and, who knows? Maybe Avila? Tough choices will have to be made.. but they can start buffering for those departures now.
I'm no draft wonk, but I see us taking a WO, CB or TE with #13 depending on who is available there, and one of those 3 from the 2 left over undrafted positions, then the BPA at D lineman for either the edge spot, or at DT, who is sitting there at either of those 2 positions.
If we draft an edge guy, I'd want to look at another run stuffing DT in the 3rd round to help back up Poona, even though we already have some talent there now.
Then add more CB and LB depth with the 4th and 5th rounders, following that with some O line depth and the BPA's to finish it up.
Not a fan of the QB pool that would possibly be available to us with this year's draft prospects, assuming that we'll still be in the WIN NOW window when Stafford comes back next season.
I think they look to extend Puka, Turner, and McClendon this offseason. Why not?
Like you, I'm guessing not on BY and Avila.
Quessenberry is also a backup LT and has experience on both sides.
I'd like to see more OT depth, too, and suspect they'll prioritize that in the later part of the draft.
we could use a center too and late 3rd is a good starting point for them.
WestCoastRam
Legend
Agree on center.
We could use a guard too since Avila and Dotson are free agents next year, and as we know, the Rams are always planning at least a year ahead.
I could see the OL getting a good amount of attention this draft.
I think the single biggest thing for me is that if the Rams continue to have anything close to the level of success they've had in recent drafts.... things are gonna be great!
He was definitely not on the invite list to Diddy Combs parties.
I am guessing the 5 picks they have between rds 5 &7 will be a bunch of big ugliest. Draft 3 or 4, hoping 2 work out.
El Chapo Jr
Legend
So you finally came around huh? Lol.... I said I this awhile back when everyone kept saying we'd get an OT in the first round. I get that being the case early in the year when McClendon was unproven but as he kept playing more and playing well, I knew there was an a great possibility that the Rams would pass the position over and go for another position. Welcome my friend hahaha.... Just giving you shit but good postThe Rams’ intent on keeping young OT
The prevailing belief outside league circles is that offensive tackle is a position of need for the Los Angeles Rams, who battle the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in the NFC title game. It’s a narrative I bought into, as I had the team selecting Max Iheanachor in the second round of my recent two-round mock draft.
Yet sources tell me this is untrue and the team is happy with both offensive tackles, including right side blocker Warren McClendon Jr., their fifth-round pick from the 2023 draft. In fact, I’m told the Rams will look to extend McClendon, who will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, during the offseason. Locking him up in the future is expected to cost the Rams around $20 million annually.
McClendon was a terrific tackle in college for the Georgia Bulldogs, though questions about his size and ability to hold up at right tackle were red flags. After playing just five games as a rookie, then starting five the following season, McClendon started 10 games this year.
The team’s left tackle, 2021 undrafted free agent Alaric Jackson, signed a three-year, $57 million contract with the franchise prior to the start of this season.
Sources: Supplemental Draft in Play for Darian Mensah, Rams to Extend Warren McClendon Jr., Texans Eye OL Help in FA
Legal drama, quiet contract plans, and free-agency whispers are heating up the Shrine Bowl, with insiders buzzing over a quarterback standoffwww.essentiallysports.com
Definitely possible but I think they could be earlier.
Shelton has one more year and frankly could be upgraded. They probably lose one of Dotson or Avila after next season since they'll both be expensive to retain. I suspect they'll be looking for eventual starters, not just depth, which means they may draft the position earlier.
We have a pretty solid starting 5 I think we'd all agree though I'd absolutely upgrade Shelton. The depth is a bit of a different story IMO.
I absolutely said to draft a RT this year. Before he started games and was playing this well. A player proves himself and draft strategies change I don't know anybody who would dispute that.
Yeah, I like the starting 5. I'm looking ahead a year, though, as the team typically does. Do you think they will or can retain the starting 5 for 2027?