What is the position group you are most worried about post draft and pre TC?

[Dieter the Brock]

Kicker

 

[PARAM]

There was improvement after the injuries though.

So I suppose that's a confimation there wouldn't have been improvement had Noteboom stayed healthy?

 

[Tano]

Center - Blythe is just barely adequate as a center

I would have taken Biadasz instead of Hopkins

Sorry I just don't like players who have concentration lapses and drop passes

Cooks with all his ability always screwed the Rams on third down with his ill-timed drops.

And now Biadasz is a Cowboy who always seem a good judge of OL.

 

[MachS]

By strategy, you mean that strategy about starting two 2nd year guys and having one go down early in week 6 and the other in week 9. Also losing the vet starting RT in week 9 also. Yeah, I agree, that was a dumb strategy. Maybe this year they should have a healthier strategy.

But of course, I'm worried about the OL anyway. I hope they can stay healthy.

You act like the line was playing well through the first 6 weeks?? It was unbelievably bad!! Whit/Noteboom/allen/blythe/hav was a total failure. That was the strategy all off-season was to have those two guys come in to replace the departures.... THAT was the failure. Letting saffold walk, and sullivan walk, and having 1 1/2 years to develop Allen and Noteboom just for them to fall on their face. It's not about the injuries...everyone wants to blame only injuries and while they were a factor, you must remember the line was atrocious before any injuries occurred. Ironically enough, it was the injuries that allowed us to reshuffle the line which led to a better 5-man group late in the season. BUT our backups are those players who were terrible for 1/3 of a season, AND they're coming off huuuge injuries. Why would that not be cause for concern and maybe a reason to tweak the OL strategy for this year? Or add additional talent for insurance?

We all thought Allen after over a year of coaching and development would be a slight upgrade over Sullivan, or at worst an equivalent player. It wasn't even close, Allen was far worse and Sullivan was a below average center. The coaching staff had to expect the Saffold to Noteboom drop off, by my god it was the downgrade of all downgrades at LG.

Entering this season we should have a better starting 5 on paper, but again we are just one injury away, JUST ONE, from total nightmare status again like last year and we'll have no chance to win.

 

[Ram65]

A big part of the Ram's recent success was the special teams which had a noticeable drop off last year. The Rams will have a new punt returner, new KO returner, and a new kicker making special teams a big concern They need to improve coverage and blocking from last year. The kicker has to not only make a solid percentage and clutch FGs but, kickoff high and deep with accuracy. The Rams have had important plays on special teams by players that are no longer on the roster. P Cooper, Littleton and even Natson made plays in the past that fired up the team and helped win games. Johnny Hekker, who had some disappointing punts at inopportune times last year, must lead by example to help get the special teams back to the high level of the recent playoff years.

 

[Kevin]

Starting pitching.

Thought I would pick something that hasn’t already been discussed to death.

 

[MachS]

Demby shouln't be but who knows, the other guys have never even seen snaps in the NFL. But hard to believe Shelton and Brewer can be worse. Yea Noteboom and Allen wont be back for a while thats my point regarding not drafting a lineman. If they were 100% ready to go I would understand, but they're not. Evans is solid swing tackle for us, but on the interior we are truly fucked if someone goes down. Shelton? Brewer? Who??? The interior is what was weak last year. With so many questionable backups I just dont get why we risk it.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Oline - it's the least experienced and lowest traded group on the team. If that unit doesn't improve then the playoffs are a pipe dream

ilb - I don't see the tangy thumper that too teams often have. Right now it's the Oct injured Kiser and Reeder. Neither is especially athletic and rangy. Kiser is an unknown. Reeder is more of a drag down tackled than a thump er.

RB - Henderson couldn't get it together last year. Plus he was twice inuured. Where is a rookie. Brown gets hurt too much.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

So I suppose that's a confimation there wouldn't have been improvement had Noteboom stayed healthy?

It's possible, but there was no trajectory in that direction. Rookies with no experience (and Corbett) were an instant improvement. I still have faith in Kromer, and like our prospects, but last year, and esp. last offseason, was a strategic failure as far as OL goes.

I think most people's frustration is they see us going with a similar strategy this offseason.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

Kicker position worries me most. We have been spoiled with Greg.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Will be Oline for me until proven otherwise.

it is the most important unit on your team.

 

[PARAM]

Rookies with no experience (and Corbett) were an instant improvement.

Instant? Yeah that Chicago game was stellar. 17 points. 283 yards of offense. I could tell right then, it was "instant improvement". They followed that up with another stellar effort against Baltimore. 223 yards of offense. Instant improvement! I'll tell ya, I was disappointed. After those two games I thought we'd make it back to the Superbowl!

 

[OnceARam]

They had confidence in the oline strategy last year too, and it finished 31st in the NFL. So last year's oline strategy was a complete failure, but you have more confidence this year with the same group + more injury questions?

Doubling down on the same exact personnel when the entire world expected the front office to upgrade the OL talent, is the biggest gamble this franchise could ever make. McVay and Snead either look like geniuses if the line plays well and develops, or if they play bad again they look like total incompetent idiots and someone will definitely get fired (Snead or Kromer likely) and it will be tough for Goff's career to recover.

When week 1 of the seasons comes around, we are one injury away from Demby, Noteboom, or Allen needing to start. Oh but guess what, Noteboom and Allen wont be ready for week 1. THEY ARE INJURED. Why is no one talking about this? Noteboom tore his ACL + MCL in October , Allen tore his MCL in November. Do you think lineman heal from those injuries in 9 months??? LMAO . They wont be close to 100% until months into the season, that means any injury early in the year means Demby starts again. The guy shouldn't even be on a NFL roster. And our best lineman is a declining 38yr old OT.

Huge, huge, huge, huge, huge, huge, bet we are placing on our personnel. Throw in how our QB plays without elite blocking and a stable running game....sure doesn't seem smart if you're looking at all the facts.

I don't understand how Demby or Allen are on an NFL roster. Hopefully, the young guys beat those two out for a spot of the 53.

At least with Noteboom, there is a chance he becomes a solid starter at tackle. We may need him to spell our starters - at the very least.

 

[dieterbrock]

Im worried about the cheerleaders

 

[OnceARam]

Im worried about the cheerleaders

That's what the coconut oil is for.

 

[BonifayRam]

Defensive Coordinator. Its Staley's first time doing this and have no idea if he is up to the task.

I fully understand your position.

But I would dig a little deeper in Rams D coaches.....McVay has a very deep experienced D coaching cadre starting with his assistant HC Barry ILB'er coach who has over 19 seasons, CB coach Aubrey Pleasant, Safety coach Ejiro Evero, Edge Rushers coach Chris Shula all have been here with HC McVay since he arrived in 2017.

DL coach Eric Henderson is now in his 2nd season & I really like this coach a lot. This is a very good bunch of bright minds who know how to coach defense. I also think there are a few here who will be looked at shortly after this season as future DC's.

I should just have go talk to our resident well respected & well seasoned coach himself @den-the-coach who has much more expertise in this area than I do.

I posted this for the sake of easing down your concerns here with Brandon Staley who I believe will shock many in the NFL most of them in Seattle/ SF Bay area & in the Desert Cactus world this season!.

 

[So Ram]

I was going to answer offensive line, but at the same time... I actually have confidence in our oline strategy.

I just want to see it play out.

This topic actually sparked some confidence with me in where this team is at.

I would feel a whole lot better with a proven #2 QB. I think the contingencies this year need to be solid with CoVID messing with things.

I like your thinking on the Offensive Line, because as a unit they will grow & improve together. Noteboom is the biggest question mark IMO. If he can become a potential LT The Rams future up front will be looking bright.

Austin Blythe brings leadership & my hope as a Ram even though I haven’t been a big fan of his is Brian Allen earning the Center spot. Even if Coleman Shelton wins the spot. I’m confident in Blythe but would be an excellent back up C/G.

Mcvay is confident in Wolford. I’d have to go with inside LBer right now.

The most uncertain is the Offensive Line.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Kicker. It's going to be weird going from what I feel like is automatic points after crossing the 40 (even when Greg was missing more, I never felt like he was going to miss) to uncertainty.. Seeing other teams having major kicking woes be the difference in games, and actually having a kick basically be the difference between the playoffs or not last year makes me a little more worried going into next year.

I guess we'll just have to score a bunch of TD's instead to ease my mind.