TST: ESPN gives the Rams a C+ for offseason

[Prime Time]

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/5/25/11768732/los-angeles-rams-offseason-grades-2016-nfl-draft

ESPN Grades the Los Angeles Rams Offseason
By 3k  @3k_ on May 25, 2016
More grades than you can shake a stick at. Believe me, I tried.

I guess we're in the midst of offseason grade week for the Los Angeles Rams.

On Monday, Bill Barnwell dropped a 'C' for their moves with a lengthy analysis. Earlier today, RamBuck looked at the 'B-" Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke gave us.

Now, we've got a consensus grade at ESPN from "Insider analysts Bill Polian, Louis Riddick, Mark Dominik and Field Yates." They put the Rams' last few months just above Barnwell's grade with a "C+":

The Rams' trade up to select Jared Goff drew high marks overall. Their belief that they have the roster to support a young quarterback was a tougher sell, even though their offense quietly ranked third in the NFL last season with a 3.6 percent sack rate.

"The narrative is that they have this amazing defense and run game to take the pressure off Goff," Yates said. "The run game, you'll get no argument. But the defense is not a young and amazing defense. It was good, with some incredible individual talents. But they also lost Chris Long, James Laurinaitis, Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins. And we still do not know who Jared Goff is throwing to or even how good he will be."

Dominik liked the trade for Goff. He thought fourth-round choice Tyler Higbee had a shot at developing into an excellent, pass-receiving tight end. The Rams' personnel losses in free agency made it tough for Dominik to give the Rams anything higher than a C-plus grade. Riddick thought a 'D' grade was more appropriate even though he, too, thinks highly of Goff.

Riddick feared Goff would get knocked around behind an unproven line while targeting a shaky group of pass-catchers. He also thought the Rams' recurring failures to develop quarterbacks -- they were excited about Nick Foles within the past nine months -- cast doubt on their ability to develop one now.

"Even if Goff steps on the field and plays, what difference does it make?" Polian said. "He is not going to play well. No rookie quarterback does, much less one without a great receiving corps around him. To me, the question is, what does their offensive line ultimately become? Todd Gurley makes the line considerably better than what it is. What do they get from the passing game with a young quarterback and a receiving corps with guys who are not keeping defensive coordinators up at night?

"I still would have made the trade, because you can acquire receivers pretty much anywhere. You can't acquire a franchise quarterback, so if Goff turns out to be that guy, then it was a great move."

Of the group, I'm closer to Polian's position. The Rams' problems can't be solved with Jared Goff. That ultimately makes it tough to grade the offseason as a whole. If Goff turns out to be a functional long-term solution at QB, it'd be hard to give it a negative grade though. It just means they'll still need more work to get the most out of a positively graded offseason since you've got other needs and some serious attrition to address from earlier this offseason (see Yates' paragraph).

In the end, it's all about Goff in 2016...for better or for worse.

 

[leoram]

The older I get, the more I appreciate other viewpoints not based on emotional fandom, tempered expectations, and long term planning. Last year I was hopeful but the realism of a rookie based offensive line told me I needed to wait a year for success to blossom. This year, it's a rookie QB with rookie infusion of talent at WR. If I wasn't a Ram fan, I'd confidently say this team is a year or two away from its potential. How many times have we heard Fisher say the biggest jump in development occurs between year one and two for players entering the league? How many times have we heard sophomore players say how much better prepared they were their second years? Even the awesome turnaround in '99 was the result of acquiring veterans like Timmerman, Faulk, and the promotion of an unknown veteran in Warner. Torry Holt was the lone rookie contributor. I also admit that the team may be better athletically without JLau55, McLeod, and CLong, but their hearts, professionalism, and experience was not replaced.

As usual, I will be hopeful of a miracle season. But the veteran fan in me knows deep down we are a year or two away.

 

[OldSchool]

It's still amazing to me after the last few years of people saying the Rams and their fans over valued Long, JL, Jenkins and McLeod all of a sudden these same critics say they're huge losses.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I guess we're in the midst of offseason grade week for the Los Angeles Rams.

On Monday, Bill Barnwell dropped a 'C' for their moves with a lengthy analysis. Earlier today, RamBuck looked at the 'B-" Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke gave us.

Now, we've got a consensus grade at ESPN from "Insider analysts Bill Polian, Louis Riddick, Mark Dominik and Field Yates." They put the Rams' last few months just above Barnwell's grade with a "C+":

:redcard:I would give these jokers an "F Grade" because the obviously didn't do their homework!!

 

[jetplt67]

First of all, how can we grade them, camp hasn't started yet?
However: If I were to grade us, I'd be right there. Was not happy with the trade up but feel we got some good WR/TE help in the later rounds.
I would have taken a QB at 15 or later, but they don't pay me to make those decisions. (They won't even allow me to pay them to make those decisions).
The deed is done, I hope in 3 years we can look back at Fisher's genius.

 

[OnceARam]

Bill Polian is grumpy old man who knows nothing about the Rams.

 

[MTRamsFan]

 

[snackdaddy]

Grades at this point are meaningless. Just something to write about. You can't give an accurate grade until you've seen the product. When it comes to rookies that product usually takes 3 years to know how well it will turn out.

And I don't get all the love for JL, Long and McLeod. People think losing them devastates the defense. I get the JL and Long were clubhouse leaders and true professionals. But they weren't stars. They never played at pro bowl levels. I believe their replacements are upgrades. McLeod was a JAG in my opinion. Replacing him shouldn't be difficult.

I can understand Jenkins. He's a talented corner. But he's not top tier. He's second tier. He's not on the level of Revis, Norman or Peterson. The Rams were not willing to overpay for him. The Giants were. The Giants were also desperate at that position. The Rams have options. All in all, the defense should not be worse and could even be better. I expect they will be faster.

 

[JoeBo21]

"Even if Goff steps on the field and plays, what difference does it make?" Polian said. "He is not going to play well. No rookie quarterback does, much less one without a great receiving corps around him. To me, the question is, what does their offensive line ultimately become? Todd Gurley makes the line considerably better than what it is. What do they get from the passing game with a young quarterback and a receiving corps with guys who are not keeping defensive coordinators up at night?


the fuck outta here.. says who?

 

[Faceplant]

If you look around the league now... Pretty much ever.... It is obvious how important QB play is. Duh. So, If we stay at 15, who do we take? Roll the dice on Lynch? I can see that, sure. I wouldn't have hated it, but I am not sure we end up with any more talent to surround him with this year. Next year's #1 would be nice to have, for sure, but I like Goff more and more as I watch more film of him. If he was their guy, this was the only play.

 

[Akrasian]

And I don't get all the love for JL, Long and McLeod. People think losing them devastates the defense. I get the JL and Long were clubhouse leaders and true professionals. But they weren't stars. They never played at pro bowl levels. I believe their replacements are upgrades. McLeod was a JAG in my opinion. Replacing him shouldn't be difficult.

Just looking at the 2015 defense. JL was playing one armed - well, say 1.5 armed - all season. As well as he can call plays, he was not a good linebacker overall last year. I hope he bounces back, but his best years are likely behind him.

Chris Long hasn't been good for a couple of seasons. He has missed a bunch of time, and his play has been less than stellar when he's been in the lineup, while still recovering from injuries. Maybe he will bounce back, but he was nowhere near worth his salary anymore - and his 2015 production is unlikely to be missed.

I think McLeod was better than you believe - but as a FS, he was a hard hitting safety type, which is Fisher's specialty in finding. Writers are acting like the Rams would have to spend a high draft pick to replace him, forgetting that he was a UDFA himself - and that the Rams have put a lot of draft capital into the secondary that was sitting on the bench anyway.

I'm not going to say that JJ and McLeod won't be missed at all, nor Fairley for that matter. But the Rams did get several replacements that were undervalued - just like JJ, McLeod and Fairley were before they were Rams (especially the latter two) I'm not panicked. Especially about McLeod, since I think the Rams have a safety pipeline going, and will just promote to fill the spot.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

These clowns don't know the Rams roster at all. Jenkins lose is cancelled by Gaines. There are several options to replace Mcleod, with Cody Davis probably having the edge. JL and Chris Long weren't losses. The Rams released them. That means they were not productive. The LB corps is now more athletic. Long has barely played and when he did opponents ran the ball right at him successfully. Hayes already replaced Long. Moving JL helps solve the problem of, where to play Barron. JL, or Barron? That is a no Brainer.

 

[Mojo Ram]

"The narrative is that they have this amazing defense and run game to take the pressure off Goff," Yates said. "The run game, you'll get no argument. But the defense is not a young and amazing defense. It was good, with some incredible individual talents. But they also lost Chris Long, James Laurinaitis, Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins. And we still do not know who Jared Goff is throwing to or even how good he will be."