Wagoner's Mailbag: Figuring out how Rams' O-line could shake out

[RamBill]

Figuring out how Rams' offensive line could shake out
Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams have finally dived into organized team activities. So yes, we finally have some actual football (such as it is in shorts and jerseys) to talk about.

SeattleRams @seattlerams
Who do you predict the starting OL will be some Sept 13th against the Seahawks?


@nwagoner: As it stands right now, there are two spots that require some guesswork. First, the center spot where Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney are competing. The other issue is at the guard spot opposite Rodger Saffold. Rookie Jamon Brown is the odds-on favorite at the moment, but it's possible the Rams could go with veteran Garrett Reynolds there if they don't want to go with two rookies on the right side. So you have Greg Robinson at left tackle, Saffold at left guard and Rob Havenstein at right tackle. Those are safe bets barring injury, though Saffold theoretically could still flip to right guard. Center is hard to call. I think the Rams would like to see Jones with the job, but Barnes has more experience and Rhaney can't be completely ruled out either, especially since he's a better fit if the Rams are indeed going to implement more zone blocking schemes. Still, I tend to think Jones wins out because of his intelligence as long as he stays healthy. At the other guard spot, I'm tempted to go with Reynolds because it's risky to throw two rookies and another inexperienced player at center out there against a defense such as Seattle's. But the Rams drafted Brown for a reason and they clearly believe in him. So we'll go with (left to right) Robinson, Saffold, Jones, Brown and Havenstein. But that's purely a guess at this early stage. Training camp will reveal a lot more.

Cory Radford @CoryRadford79
To add to that question, give us Vegas Odds on who will be the starting Center week 1 vs Seattle

@nwagoner: First of all, I enjoyed how you played off of another question. Just gives the mailbag more flow, which I appreciate. I'm generally not a big fan of putting numbers on things like this, especially right now, but because it worked off the first question so well, I'll play along. Let's go with Jones at 4-to-1, Barnes at 6-to-1 and Rhaney as the long shot at about 15-to-1. (These odds are for entertainment purposes only, and I'm not sure they were even that entertaining.)

Joseph Garcia @ShinerJoe
Should the Rams move Saffold to the RT spot and allow their youth to develop inside at both guard spots?

@nwagoner: That's not really an option, nor should it be. Saffold is better at guard and, if you remember, struggled a bit at right tackle when he played there. But they drafted Havenstein to be their right tackle and there's no sense in moving him around when you can plug him in and let him grow there. Maybe in the short term, you'd realize some minimal gains but over the long haul, it's better to let him start there and stay there. The more likely scenario if either Havenstein or Brown isn't ready to go is that Reynolds would step in. He's played pretty much everywhere but center on the line and could fill in if needed until one of the youngsters gets up to speed.

Kelton Brooks @BrooksWeekly
Before his heart condition was revealed, was their any expectations for Bud to contribute in the passing game?

@nwagoner: I don't think the Rams had huge expectations for Sasser, other than for him to come in and compete with Chris Givens for a job at the fifth wide receiver. It's also possible he could have been kept as a sixth wideout. Regardless, it doesn't matter much now. Here's hoping for the best for Sasser. You have to feel bad for someone who is on the cusp of his dream only to have it snatched away before he realizes it.

Austin Turman @AustinTurman
Do the Rams plan on keeping 4 QB's on the roster? Also will Akeem Ayers be starting over Jo Lon Dunbar by week 1?

@nwagoner: No. But they are more likely to keep three quarterbacks this time around after keeping just two for most of the past three years. Nick Foles and Sean Mannion will be here. The battle is almost certainly for the No. 3 job between Case Keenum and Austin Davis. Ayers could very well be starting over Dunbar well before that. He's already getting work with the first-team defense.

 

[RamBill]

Link to Mailbag

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-st-louis-rams-offensive-line-could-shake-out

 

[RamBill]

Carey Davis: The Importance of Getting the Rams’ O-Line In Sync

101ESPN’s Carey Davis on The Turn on the importance of getting the Rams’ O-Line in sync as soon as possible. He talks about his expectations for the Rams. Davis has liked what the Rams have done this offseason and sees them going 9-7, but missing the playoffs.

Listen to Davis Interview

 

[RamBill]

Rams going with young offensive line

From: AP

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/rams-going-with-young-offensive-line-060915

ST. LOUIS (AP) St. Louis Rams rookie Rob Havenstein could not have picked a better spot to start his NFL career.

The offensive tackle from Wisconsin is known for his run blocking, which fits in well with coach Jeff Fisher's offense.

''That's one of the things coach Fisher has told me is we're going to run the ball. . We definitely ran the ball a lot (at Wisconsin) and from everything coach Fisher has told me, I'm going to have an opportunity to do that as well,'' Havenstein said.

Havenstein, a second-round pick, is one of several pieces to a new look Rams offense that includes a new quarterback, Nick Foles, and a new feature running back, rookie Todd Gurley. The key to the attack will be a young offensive line: After drafting Gurley in the first round, the Rams, starting with Havenstein, took offensive linemen with four of their next six picks.

The influx was much needed, with the Rams bringing back just two starters in left guard Rodger Saffold and left tackle Greg Robinson. Saffold, entering his sixth season, is the line's elder statesman.

''It's definitely something I embrace,'' said Saffold, who turned 27 on Saturday. ''These young guys, they got the big eyes, the same eyes that I had when I first walked into the building. . These kids are really doing a good job of learning the offense, understanding what we tell them and being accountable for their mistakes.''

Third-round pick Jamon Brown said the rookies have had a lot of information thrown at them during OTAs. The Louisville tackle said the rookies feel no extra pressure to step into one of the three open spots on the line.

''All we can do is try to get better every day,'' Brown said. ''Obviously, we can't see in the future of who's going to be where, so the biggest thing is for us to grasp the system and the offense and just try to get better every day, and we'll see where that takes us.''

The Rams are looking for an improved running game after finishing 20th last season, averaging 102.2 yards a game. St. Louis has finished no better than 19th in rushing during Fisher's tenure.

St. Louis also was 27th in third-down efficiency on 2014, in large part due to a lack of a running attack on first and second downs.

''We want to eliminate as many negative plays as possible. That means no tackles behind the line of scrimmage on run plays, no sacks, no penalties,'' Saffold said. ''In order to do that, we need to be extremely firm in pass protection and push people off in the running game.''

Foles likes what he sees from the rookie linemen.

''They're doing a great job right now learning, getting reps and they're going against a pretty darn good defensive front,'' Foles said. ''So, they're getting better and better each day, just like all of us.''

The addition of Gurley to the backfield should help once Gurley fully recovers from an ACL tear that ended his career at Georgia. Gurley joins Tre Mason, who rushed for 765 yards in 12 games as a rookie.

''If that doesn't fire you up, you might be dead inside,'' Havenstein said. ''They're excellent backs, they're great backs, they're some of the best. I know if I get the opportunity to block for them, hopefully it's going to make me look a little better, because of the level they're at.''

---

 

[RamBill]

Rams' Saffold working his way back from surgery
By Nate Latsch

http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story...y?hootPostID=4512202478514696ffe74b579bdad068

ST. LOUIS — Rodger Saffold is still limited during OTAs while recovering from surgery on his shoulder this offseason, but that hasn’t stopped the Rams’ offensive lineman from trying to set the tone during drills.

“We’ve got the young guys in there, so they need to know how to practice,” Saffold said last week after the Rams’ second OTA session. “If they’re going to give me the go, then I’m going to give it everything.”

Saffold, who turned 27 last week, has surgery to repair a torn labrum following the season. He said he hasn’t had much pain or problems during his recovery period and that being patient with it has been the hardest thing.

While the 6-foot-5, 332-pounder was allowed to do some individual work last week, he said he didn’t expect to be cleared to do team work during OTAs.

Saffold said he was surprised that the doctors didn’t find anything more wrong with his shoulder than the torn labrum. He was also relieved to have had the surgery after playing through pain in the past.

“That I was able to just tough it out and play all 16 games was big for me,” he said. “Which kind of just let me know that doing this thing isn’t the end of the world, so now I can come back and really play. It’s a crazy game. Things just pop up out of nowhere, but right now I’m very, very confident.”

Saffold, who is expected to start at either left or right guard, is now the old man along the Rams’ new-look offensive line going into his sixth NFL season.

Gone are Jake Long, Scott Wells, Joe Barksdale and Davin Joseph — the four players who started on the line with Saffold at the beginning of the 2014 season. In their place are a mix that includes second-year left tackle Greg Robinson, free agent signee Garrett Reynolds, centers Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney and rookie draft picks Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown and Andrew Donnal.

Now Saffold, a second-round pick in 2010, has additional leadership responsibilities in the offensive line room.

“I’m doing my best with that,” he said. “It’s kind of hard because you’re not in practice, but just staying engaged with the guys as far as getting mental reps because a lot of these young guys aren’t going to get a lot of reps. The o-line room was pretty much vacant most of the year, beginning of this year, and now there’s like nowhere to sit. You have to be able to help these guys out. Right now I’m kind of like a coach, I’m just reading the scripts and helping out where I can.”

The offensive line room has gotten significantly younger in the past few months. Now the old guy, it’s a little bit strange for Saffold.

“Yeah, it is,” he said. “It’s kind of different. Especially just with this team, being the longest with this team. Being able to help everybody. Even with Garrett (Reynolds), trying to help him out. Who is a solid addition to this team. It’s a big role but I like those things. I like changes, because that way it keeps you more engaged, things start getting a little less boring.”

 

[fearsomefour]

I think Reynolds locks up one of the G spots for opening day, probably RG with Saffold playing LG.
How long he lasts and when he is replaced by one of the young guys, I don't know.
I am basing this on....stuff.

 

[RamBill]

Jones one of three competing for Rams’ center job
By Howard Balzer

http://lindyssports.com/nfl/st-loui...competing-for-rams-starting-center-job/319279

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams selected four offensive linemen in this year’s draft, and it’s possible two will be starters on the right side when the season opens.

Second-round pick Rob Havenstein has been working with the first unit at right tackle in OTAs, and third-round pick Jamon Brown has been doing the same at right guard.

It’s possible free-agent addition Garrett Reynolds could end up starting at guard, but either way the right side will feature newcomers after right tackle Joe Barksdale signed with San Diego and right guard Davin Joseph wasn’t re-signed.

There will also be a new starter at center after the March release of Scott Wells, and while none of the current candidates is a rookie, there isn’t much game experience either. That’s why line coach Paul Boudreau has been rotating all three players — Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney — during OTAs on a daily basis among the first, second and third units.

A fourth-round pick in 2013, Jones arrived in St. Louis with a Lisfranc injury to his foot suffered in the SEC Championship Game that required surgery. He played just three games as a rookie, and then played only seven last season after undergoing back surgery.

Barnes has been with the Rams since 2011 and played 45 games, mostly on special teams. He did get his feet wet as a starter for four games in 2013 when Wells was injured. Rhaney was a seventh-round pick last year and missed the entire season after suffering a knee injury in training camp.

Obviously, whoever starts on Sept. 13 against Seattle won’t have a lot of games under his belt.

Said Jones, “We have three good candidates from what I see, and I think it’s pretty open. You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities for sure. We’re all working hard, and grinding. On different days we get work with different groups.”

During the Rams’ first full week of three OTAs, each had a practice working with the first unit, and each also worked with the twos and threes.

“As far as I know it will continue that way until somebody says otherwise,” Jones concluded.

Head coach Jeff Fisher said, “We’re not going to make a decision real early. We’ll let them all play. We’re rotating them. They’re all getting opportunities to work with (quarterback) Nick (Foles), so he’s familiar, not only with the exchanges, but also the communication. We’ll make that decision when somebody shows us he’s earned the job.”

Barnes entered the offseason as a free agent after the Rams elected not to tender him as a restricted free agent. He talked to a few teams, but ended up back with the Rams on a one-year deal worth just over $710,000, significantly less than what the restricted tender of $1.542 million would have been.

He has described taking “a do or die” approach to this offseason and training camp, knowing that it’s possible he could be the starter, backup, or off the roster.

Rhaney is the wild card in the competition. He worked to add at least five pounds of muscle in the offseason, and is comfortable with some of the zone blocking philosophy that has been added to the offense because it’s what he experienced at Tennessee State.

Jones said the new concepts on offense are working well because the coaches “have done a great job of making things simple for us. Everyone’s on the same page. There was a learning curve, but that’s why we have this time together now. We’re right on schedule and we’re learning a lot every day.”

He also hopes what he learned from Wells will help in his quest to win the starting job.

Said Jones, “He embodied the word veteran. I learned a lot from him on how to approach the game week by week. How to break down film and learn the things that make you a pro; that separates you in this league. I’m very grateful for that. After he left, I texted him to say how much I appreciated all the time he took and taught me some of the tricks of the trade.”

The mental side of being the center and making the calls are also important aspects of playing the position.

As Fisher noted, “It’s really important. Scott did a really good job with it. Scott was really smart. There’s no indications at this point that there’s going to be limitations from the mental standpoint with the guys that are competing. They all understand.”

NOTES, QUOTES

–With the Rams in their second week of OTAs, six other NFL teams will be holding their three-day minicamps. Next week, when the Rams wrap up their OTAs, 25 other teams will have minicamps.

It has become head coach Jeff Fisher’s philosophy to not have a minicamp. This year, the Rams entered the offseason with a new offensive coordinator (Frank Cignetti), a new quarterback (Nick Foles) and with the certainty of having three new starters on the offensive line, two of whom could be rookies.

A minicamp would result in three additional practices, but Fisher said he never reconsidered his stance on conducting one.

“No, I didn’t think it was necessary,” Fisher insisted. “I think when you look actually at the veteran minicamp, it’s really no different than an OTA. You’re allowed to go on the field once. You get to have a walk-through. You get to keep them in the building for 12 hours rather than six. I personally think that’s too much and too long during the offseason. There’s a distinct difference between what we can do with the rookies and what we can do with the veterans. There’s a six-hour time limit window on OTA day and two hours on the field. There’s no restrictions with the rookies.

“We’re getting a lot of extra time with the rookies in the afternoon. We’re getting caught up. I’ve just always been one of those that has been opposed to the mandatory minicamp, especially back in the days when you’ve got to go on the field twice a day. It just made no sense to me that you’re taking professional athletes and making them practice twice a day in the middle of the offseason. It didn’t make sense, probably because I hated it (when I was a player).”

 

[Akrasian]

I think Reynolds locks up one of the G spots for opening day, probably RG with Saffold playing LG.
How long he lasts and when he is replaced by one of the young guys, I don't know.
I am basing this on....stuff.

It's the compelling arguments I find here that keep me coming back.

 

[tahoe]

Yeah im assuming Reynolds will at least start the season at one of the guard spots just because he is a veteran and fisher loved his vets. Assuming the competition at center leaves the rams with a better center than last year the line should be pretty good with better depth than last year. Im guessing:
LT Robinson
LG Saffold
C Jones but this will be a battle to the end
RG Reynolds should be a big upgrade
RT Havenstein

 

[fearsomefour]

It's the compelling arguments I find here that keep me coming back.

Haha.
It was all I had.