Wagoner Chat Highlights
—Big Step Forward for Jenkins/McDonald? Well, for the Rams to have success they need both of them to take a big step forward. But to answer your question, I believe the Rams view McDonald as the guy who can fit that versatile safety role Williams likes. Lots of blitzes, coming up in the box and disguising coverages, etc. The Rams like McDonald’s potential, I thought he was up and down when healthy (which is to be expected of a rookie). But if he anyone is going to get the most out of him, I expect it to be Williams.
—I’ve said it before and will say it again, too much is made of Fisher’s avoidance of drafting a lineman high. He’s either been set at tackle or spent big money in free agency on tackles for most of his career. If things had broke a certain way in each of the past two drafts, the Rams would have taken a lineman in round 1. Anyway, to answer your question, I think Matthews vs. Robinson is the age old question of upside versus polish. It’s unfair to say Matthews is a finished product but Robinson’s upside is off the charts. But there’s more of a downside that goes with that, too. Personally, it looks like Robinson is a good fit for who the Rams want to be offensively, particularly as an impact run blocker right away. I don’t see them using a first-round pick on a linebacker who will play two thirds of the snaps but if they did, I like Mack much better than Barr.
—Why No QB at #2? Because they believe in Bradford. Look, I understand the viewpoint that they should at least consider a QB but they think Sam can get the job done. I don’t say never when it comes to much of anything but this is as much of a long shot as you can get. I do think if there were two quarterbacks in this draft the caliber of an Andrew Luck, the Rams would be looking at it harder. But it doesn’t seem there is.
—I haven’t made any bones about my preference for Watkins. I think Watkins/Lewan would be pretty darn good if it played out that way. I look at it like this: I think Watkins is a notch above the rest of the receivers and Lewan might be just behind Matthews and Robinson. But then I add the Paul Boudreau factor and I can see him getting as much from Lewan as anybody would. I say all of that and also offer that I don’t think you can pigeonhole yourself into drafting certain positions, either. If there’s a player, like Clowney for example, you believe is better than everyone else by a fair margin, it’s hard to pass on that.
—First, you have to account for the Paul Boudreau factor. I think you can trust him to get the most out of Robinson. Also, just because Robinson has more upside doesn’t mean that he’s a raw project. He should be an impact run blocker from day one. Also, if you look at the Rams recent draft history, they have sort of leaned toward “upside” guys. Brockers, Ogletree, Trumaine Johnson, for example.
—I expect Saffold to go. It will depend on price but he will have interest from other teams. As for other Rams free agents, I suppose they could bring back some of their lower priced offensive linemen like Shelley Smith or Chris Williams but likely won’t be in a hurry to do that until they see how some chips fall. Dunbar could be back if the price is reasonable and I could see Kellen Clemens returning as well. The three most likely cut or restructures are the same: Finnegan, Wells, Dahl.
—Watkins a Good Fit for Rams? Yes. I do. He did do a lot of damage on screens and short passes (though you could argue that makes him a perfect fit for the Rams offense) but he also has the ability to get deep and win jump balls. If he had played with a more accurate quarterback, I don’t think this “knock” on him would exist.
—QB in 3rd Round or Later? Yes. There’s no doubt that’s a target for them.
—Robinson? Not ready to say he’s the guy the Rams will draft. Too early for that. But as I’ve written here, he does fit what the Rams do and I think he’ll get strong consideration.
—I’ve given this some thought and it’s hard to really come up with an answer. I think I’d lean toward the best scenario being Houston taking a QB and then you have teams that want the next best QB or Clowney interested. But on the other hand, all of these teams are going to value the QBs different without knowledge of how the other thinks. If that’s the case and Houston were to take Clowney, you’d have to trade with the Rams to guarantee you get the QB you want. Ultimately, I think the best case scenario for the Rams would be Houston taking Bortles. I think there’d be a much more intense market for Manziel, Bridgewater and Clowney where Bortles just seems like he only appeals to a team or two at the top.
—Bradford/Clemens Don’t Trust Rams WR’s? I have said that about Bradford and I have also said that it’s hard for them to trust receivers that haven’t proved capable of doing it. Which is part of why I think a top receiver needs to be a priority. Yes, I think Watkins can consistently win jump balls. Can he do it against elite DBs? I don’t know if we can answer that until we see him try but he seems to have the ability to do it. Mike Evans is certainly a jump ball winner if that’s the flavor of receiver you want to add.
—As I’ve said before, I don’t necessarily buy that they would pass on a possible No. 1 WR if they believed he was that type of a difference maker. Question is whether they see one in this draft.
—I don’t think another 7-9 or 8-8 season would get him fired but seat getting warmer? Yes. It’s year 3. It’s time for results.
—I don’t think it’d be a horrible idea to add another back in this draft if they could get a nice complementary piece to Stacy, who has had some issues with bumps and bruises. But it’s not a pressing need like other spots.
—Boudreau can do great things with mid level and lesser talents. Imagine what he could do with an elite talent. Considering the physical dominance of the front sevens in the NFC West, I’m not sure coaching up mid level guys into solid if unspectacular starters is good enough in the division.
—They need a safety who can run the alley and help out their corners, who will likely be playing more press coverage and need someone to have their back over the top more often.
—I still think a trade down followed by an OT or Watkins is most likely at this early stage but if they have to stay at 2, I have to think Clowney is in play also.
—I think they’d probably prefer to have Robinson working at tackle and Barksdale mentioned to me that he spent some time working on playing guard last offseason so I wonder if he’ll do that again this year. Of course, if they did draft a Robinson, they could always go with the Jonathan Ogden plan and play him at guard before kicking him outside.
—The O-line played pretty well last year but was beaten up in some divisional games. But it’s not really even about that part of it so much as they have so many moving pieces. It’s entirely possible they could need new starters at all three interior positions and a new starter at tackle to open this season. With so many changes that have to be made, might as well try to make upgrades, too.
—They looked at Delmas last year, even had him in for a visit. But there were some concerns about his knees and the Rams didn’t offer much to get him to sign so he took a bigger deal to go back to Detroit. I could see them kicking the tires again but another year of wear and tear on his knees probably wouldn’t allay concerns there.
—I still don’t see why people want to replace Langford. He’s played well and his salary isn’t out of line for his play. I do think the Rams could use another DT for the rotation but I don’t necessarily see the need to spend an early pick on one.
—Atlanta/Cleveland’s #1 and #2 to Trade Up? I’d think they would consider it with Cleveland but that’s not enough to move with Atlanta, in my opinion. I believe Les Snead wants to get another future No. 1 in any deal that moves off that 2 spot. It may not happen and not saying it’d be a deal breaker but I think that’s the goal if they move down.
—Hopes for Quick/Pead? I think the hopes for Quick rate much higher than Pead’s at this point.
—Cunningham? I know they like him and I think being another year removed from injury should help him. We’ll learn a lot about how they view him from whether they add another back in the draft.
—QB in Draft? I think they’ll take one somewhere in the round 3 range. A guy who can become a solid backup but has the potential to be a long term starter with development/upside.
—The Rams have the potential to be a very good defense. Even if they aren’t at Seattle’s level, they can win with the defense they have and will have moving forward. To me, they need to find a way to score some more points against those elite D’s around the division.
—Williams Role? Asked Fisher about this yesterday and he gave the impression that Williams won’t be working much on evaluating players and giving input in that regard. Remember, this defense isn’t going to change much in terms of scheme or the types of players the Rams want. Now, Williams will probably deploy those players different than last year but many of the guys on the roster fit what Williams wants to do as it is.
—O-LIne Quality in Draft? None seem to be the type of dominant, sure thing type like Pace but there are guys that project as good to very good starters long term. Many believe Robinson has upside to be an All Pro type.
—I think cornerback is a position that could be addressed in free agency. Much will depend on Saffold’s status. But secondary seems like a logical place to find some help depending on which players hit the market.
—Which Player at the Top Most Likely to Help in 2014? I’d be inclined to think that Watkins could be that guy because he would fill such an important role but it can be difficult for rookie wideouts to adjust. However, if Watkins is truly one of those elite WR types like an AJ Green, then he should be able to get it done in year one (and by get it done I mean hit 1,000 yards with 7-10 TDs). I’d be most inclined to think Robinson would be the safest bet to help the most in 2014 just because his run blocking translates right away. I think Clowney is a difference maker from day one also but wouldn’t choose him as the answer to this just because I wonder how much he’d be on the field.
—McGee? He’s fast and talented but still has a ways to go before he can be trusted to play a lot, in my opinion.
—Leading Rams WR in 2014? I think I’d lean toward Stedman Bailey, actually. I liked what I saw from him near the end of the season. He’s the only WR on the roster who seemed to consistently get open outside the hashes and I expect him to get better as he goes along.
—It’d be awfully hard to pass on Clowney for Houston and Jacksonville, especially. But quarterbacks get bumped up for a reason. I think the Texans, especially, need to get their quarterback. Some improvement there and they could be back in the playoff mix, just like Kansas City a year ago.
—Quick? I think he’ll get more work as we go along but you also have to take advantage of the chances you do get. It’s how you earn trust. Take the Carolina game for example. Quick had some great flashes in that game but he also dropped what should have been a touchdown. Make those plays consistently, you get more plays. This is a big year for him. That said, if you have a chance to get a big time guy you believe can help, is it worth it to pass on that guy on the shoulders of hope?
—Ogletree? He really improved a lot as the year went on, especially in terms of reading keys and making plays on instinct. But he still has to get better at getting off blocks. Improved hand usage would be a good place to start.
—CB or S at #13? From what I’ve seen, a corner would be a better choice there (assuming you haven’t added one in free agency). I just don’t see a safety worth the 13th pick at this point.
—If the Rams are going to make a splashy signing, I believe it would probably only be one guy and if it was one guy, I think CB Alterraun Verner is a logical guy, assuming he hits the market. But I’m not convinced he’ll be a fit in terms of money. He’ll be heavily sought.
—2 OT’s in Round 1? I’m not sure how that makes much sense. Even if you used someone like Robinson at LG for a year, you have J. Long and Barksdale still. That gives you four tackles and two would have to move inside.
—OT Biggest Need? On the whole, the interior is definitely the bigger need. But OT is a very serious need. You’re not drafting for 2014 alone. Barksdale was solid, I’d stop short of very good, in 2014 but you could still upgrade at his spot. And Long is coming off a serious injury. Adding a tackle who can help this year and step in long term makes a lot of sense.
—Add A Vet WR? I just don’t see them adding any receiver that they aren’t sure is a guaranteed upgrade over what they already have. They don’t want to give valuable reps that could be going to a developing young guy to a veteran who might be an upgrade.
—Well, fortunately for Bradford and the Rams, his playing style is not like RG3′s. His knee needs to be stable enough to let him move around a bit, plant and make throws. But he’s not a runner like RG3. I expect him to be fine health wise when the season starts.
—The single most important need to me, and I’ve been writing this for awhile, is a top receiver. But the offensive line is the area that needs the most attention. Two different things but that’s how I see it.
—Givens? I’ll be interested to see how he bounces back this year. I thought he was perhaps the biggest disappointment this year. He looked really good in training camp and seemed poised for a big year. He never got on track, though I realize part of it was not having Bradford around. There’s no need to write him off yet. He can still contribute to this team in a big way but he needs to come back better and more well rounded.
—Byrd or Ward? I think it’s possible though I’m not convinced the Rams want to spend big money on the safety position.
—As I’ve said, if Clowney is the best guy and it’s clear cut, he should be the pick. That’s what you’re supposed to do in a draft. With a few exceptions, you take the best guy on your board. If it’s close or tied, you can err toward the need. But if you draft solely based on need, you can get into trouble.
—I could see someone like Reid or Sutton being a fit in later rounds. It’s a good draft for DT’s which means the Rams could get a useful piece later on if they so choose.
Read All Wagoner Chat Highlights
—Big Step Forward for Jenkins/McDonald? Well, for the Rams to have success they need both of them to take a big step forward. But to answer your question, I believe the Rams view McDonald as the guy who can fit that versatile safety role Williams likes. Lots of blitzes, coming up in the box and disguising coverages, etc. The Rams like McDonald’s potential, I thought he was up and down when healthy (which is to be expected of a rookie). But if he anyone is going to get the most out of him, I expect it to be Williams.
—I’ve said it before and will say it again, too much is made of Fisher’s avoidance of drafting a lineman high. He’s either been set at tackle or spent big money in free agency on tackles for most of his career. If things had broke a certain way in each of the past two drafts, the Rams would have taken a lineman in round 1. Anyway, to answer your question, I think Matthews vs. Robinson is the age old question of upside versus polish. It’s unfair to say Matthews is a finished product but Robinson’s upside is off the charts. But there’s more of a downside that goes with that, too. Personally, it looks like Robinson is a good fit for who the Rams want to be offensively, particularly as an impact run blocker right away. I don’t see them using a first-round pick on a linebacker who will play two thirds of the snaps but if they did, I like Mack much better than Barr.
—Why No QB at #2? Because they believe in Bradford. Look, I understand the viewpoint that they should at least consider a QB but they think Sam can get the job done. I don’t say never when it comes to much of anything but this is as much of a long shot as you can get. I do think if there were two quarterbacks in this draft the caliber of an Andrew Luck, the Rams would be looking at it harder. But it doesn’t seem there is.
—I haven’t made any bones about my preference for Watkins. I think Watkins/Lewan would be pretty darn good if it played out that way. I look at it like this: I think Watkins is a notch above the rest of the receivers and Lewan might be just behind Matthews and Robinson. But then I add the Paul Boudreau factor and I can see him getting as much from Lewan as anybody would. I say all of that and also offer that I don’t think you can pigeonhole yourself into drafting certain positions, either. If there’s a player, like Clowney for example, you believe is better than everyone else by a fair margin, it’s hard to pass on that.
—First, you have to account for the Paul Boudreau factor. I think you can trust him to get the most out of Robinson. Also, just because Robinson has more upside doesn’t mean that he’s a raw project. He should be an impact run blocker from day one. Also, if you look at the Rams recent draft history, they have sort of leaned toward “upside” guys. Brockers, Ogletree, Trumaine Johnson, for example.
—I expect Saffold to go. It will depend on price but he will have interest from other teams. As for other Rams free agents, I suppose they could bring back some of their lower priced offensive linemen like Shelley Smith or Chris Williams but likely won’t be in a hurry to do that until they see how some chips fall. Dunbar could be back if the price is reasonable and I could see Kellen Clemens returning as well. The three most likely cut or restructures are the same: Finnegan, Wells, Dahl.
—Watkins a Good Fit for Rams? Yes. I do. He did do a lot of damage on screens and short passes (though you could argue that makes him a perfect fit for the Rams offense) but he also has the ability to get deep and win jump balls. If he had played with a more accurate quarterback, I don’t think this “knock” on him would exist.
—QB in 3rd Round or Later? Yes. There’s no doubt that’s a target for them.
—Robinson? Not ready to say he’s the guy the Rams will draft. Too early for that. But as I’ve written here, he does fit what the Rams do and I think he’ll get strong consideration.
—I’ve given this some thought and it’s hard to really come up with an answer. I think I’d lean toward the best scenario being Houston taking a QB and then you have teams that want the next best QB or Clowney interested. But on the other hand, all of these teams are going to value the QBs different without knowledge of how the other thinks. If that’s the case and Houston were to take Clowney, you’d have to trade with the Rams to guarantee you get the QB you want. Ultimately, I think the best case scenario for the Rams would be Houston taking Bortles. I think there’d be a much more intense market for Manziel, Bridgewater and Clowney where Bortles just seems like he only appeals to a team or two at the top.
—Bradford/Clemens Don’t Trust Rams WR’s? I have said that about Bradford and I have also said that it’s hard for them to trust receivers that haven’t proved capable of doing it. Which is part of why I think a top receiver needs to be a priority. Yes, I think Watkins can consistently win jump balls. Can he do it against elite DBs? I don’t know if we can answer that until we see him try but he seems to have the ability to do it. Mike Evans is certainly a jump ball winner if that’s the flavor of receiver you want to add.
—As I’ve said before, I don’t necessarily buy that they would pass on a possible No. 1 WR if they believed he was that type of a difference maker. Question is whether they see one in this draft.
—I don’t think another 7-9 or 8-8 season would get him fired but seat getting warmer? Yes. It’s year 3. It’s time for results.
—I don’t think it’d be a horrible idea to add another back in this draft if they could get a nice complementary piece to Stacy, who has had some issues with bumps and bruises. But it’s not a pressing need like other spots.
—Boudreau can do great things with mid level and lesser talents. Imagine what he could do with an elite talent. Considering the physical dominance of the front sevens in the NFC West, I’m not sure coaching up mid level guys into solid if unspectacular starters is good enough in the division.
—They need a safety who can run the alley and help out their corners, who will likely be playing more press coverage and need someone to have their back over the top more often.
—I still think a trade down followed by an OT or Watkins is most likely at this early stage but if they have to stay at 2, I have to think Clowney is in play also.
—I think they’d probably prefer to have Robinson working at tackle and Barksdale mentioned to me that he spent some time working on playing guard last offseason so I wonder if he’ll do that again this year. Of course, if they did draft a Robinson, they could always go with the Jonathan Ogden plan and play him at guard before kicking him outside.
—The O-line played pretty well last year but was beaten up in some divisional games. But it’s not really even about that part of it so much as they have so many moving pieces. It’s entirely possible they could need new starters at all three interior positions and a new starter at tackle to open this season. With so many changes that have to be made, might as well try to make upgrades, too.
—They looked at Delmas last year, even had him in for a visit. But there were some concerns about his knees and the Rams didn’t offer much to get him to sign so he took a bigger deal to go back to Detroit. I could see them kicking the tires again but another year of wear and tear on his knees probably wouldn’t allay concerns there.
—I still don’t see why people want to replace Langford. He’s played well and his salary isn’t out of line for his play. I do think the Rams could use another DT for the rotation but I don’t necessarily see the need to spend an early pick on one.
—Atlanta/Cleveland’s #1 and #2 to Trade Up? I’d think they would consider it with Cleveland but that’s not enough to move with Atlanta, in my opinion. I believe Les Snead wants to get another future No. 1 in any deal that moves off that 2 spot. It may not happen and not saying it’d be a deal breaker but I think that’s the goal if they move down.
—Hopes for Quick/Pead? I think the hopes for Quick rate much higher than Pead’s at this point.
—Cunningham? I know they like him and I think being another year removed from injury should help him. We’ll learn a lot about how they view him from whether they add another back in the draft.
—QB in Draft? I think they’ll take one somewhere in the round 3 range. A guy who can become a solid backup but has the potential to be a long term starter with development/upside.
—The Rams have the potential to be a very good defense. Even if they aren’t at Seattle’s level, they can win with the defense they have and will have moving forward. To me, they need to find a way to score some more points against those elite D’s around the division.
—Williams Role? Asked Fisher about this yesterday and he gave the impression that Williams won’t be working much on evaluating players and giving input in that regard. Remember, this defense isn’t going to change much in terms of scheme or the types of players the Rams want. Now, Williams will probably deploy those players different than last year but many of the guys on the roster fit what Williams wants to do as it is.
—O-LIne Quality in Draft? None seem to be the type of dominant, sure thing type like Pace but there are guys that project as good to very good starters long term. Many believe Robinson has upside to be an All Pro type.
—I think cornerback is a position that could be addressed in free agency. Much will depend on Saffold’s status. But secondary seems like a logical place to find some help depending on which players hit the market.
—Which Player at the Top Most Likely to Help in 2014? I’d be inclined to think that Watkins could be that guy because he would fill such an important role but it can be difficult for rookie wideouts to adjust. However, if Watkins is truly one of those elite WR types like an AJ Green, then he should be able to get it done in year one (and by get it done I mean hit 1,000 yards with 7-10 TDs). I’d be most inclined to think Robinson would be the safest bet to help the most in 2014 just because his run blocking translates right away. I think Clowney is a difference maker from day one also but wouldn’t choose him as the answer to this just because I wonder how much he’d be on the field.
—McGee? He’s fast and talented but still has a ways to go before he can be trusted to play a lot, in my opinion.
—Leading Rams WR in 2014? I think I’d lean toward Stedman Bailey, actually. I liked what I saw from him near the end of the season. He’s the only WR on the roster who seemed to consistently get open outside the hashes and I expect him to get better as he goes along.
—It’d be awfully hard to pass on Clowney for Houston and Jacksonville, especially. But quarterbacks get bumped up for a reason. I think the Texans, especially, need to get their quarterback. Some improvement there and they could be back in the playoff mix, just like Kansas City a year ago.
—Quick? I think he’ll get more work as we go along but you also have to take advantage of the chances you do get. It’s how you earn trust. Take the Carolina game for example. Quick had some great flashes in that game but he also dropped what should have been a touchdown. Make those plays consistently, you get more plays. This is a big year for him. That said, if you have a chance to get a big time guy you believe can help, is it worth it to pass on that guy on the shoulders of hope?
—Ogletree? He really improved a lot as the year went on, especially in terms of reading keys and making plays on instinct. But he still has to get better at getting off blocks. Improved hand usage would be a good place to start.
—CB or S at #13? From what I’ve seen, a corner would be a better choice there (assuming you haven’t added one in free agency). I just don’t see a safety worth the 13th pick at this point.
—If the Rams are going to make a splashy signing, I believe it would probably only be one guy and if it was one guy, I think CB Alterraun Verner is a logical guy, assuming he hits the market. But I’m not convinced he’ll be a fit in terms of money. He’ll be heavily sought.
—2 OT’s in Round 1? I’m not sure how that makes much sense. Even if you used someone like Robinson at LG for a year, you have J. Long and Barksdale still. That gives you four tackles and two would have to move inside.
—OT Biggest Need? On the whole, the interior is definitely the bigger need. But OT is a very serious need. You’re not drafting for 2014 alone. Barksdale was solid, I’d stop short of very good, in 2014 but you could still upgrade at his spot. And Long is coming off a serious injury. Adding a tackle who can help this year and step in long term makes a lot of sense.
—Add A Vet WR? I just don’t see them adding any receiver that they aren’t sure is a guaranteed upgrade over what they already have. They don’t want to give valuable reps that could be going to a developing young guy to a veteran who might be an upgrade.
—Well, fortunately for Bradford and the Rams, his playing style is not like RG3′s. His knee needs to be stable enough to let him move around a bit, plant and make throws. But he’s not a runner like RG3. I expect him to be fine health wise when the season starts.
—The single most important need to me, and I’ve been writing this for awhile, is a top receiver. But the offensive line is the area that needs the most attention. Two different things but that’s how I see it.
—Givens? I’ll be interested to see how he bounces back this year. I thought he was perhaps the biggest disappointment this year. He looked really good in training camp and seemed poised for a big year. He never got on track, though I realize part of it was not having Bradford around. There’s no need to write him off yet. He can still contribute to this team in a big way but he needs to come back better and more well rounded.
—Byrd or Ward? I think it’s possible though I’m not convinced the Rams want to spend big money on the safety position.
—As I’ve said, if Clowney is the best guy and it’s clear cut, he should be the pick. That’s what you’re supposed to do in a draft. With a few exceptions, you take the best guy on your board. If it’s close or tied, you can err toward the need. But if you draft solely based on need, you can get into trouble.
—I could see someone like Reid or Sutton being a fit in later rounds. It’s a good draft for DT’s which means the Rams could get a useful piece later on if they so choose.
Read All Wagoner Chat Highlights
Last edited by a moderator:
