Which O position group will have the most new faces in '17?

[Rams43]

This might be a fun topic for discussion.

At WR I see only 3 probables making the final 6. And none look like locks to get significant snaps, much less starts.

Austin. TBH, I see him here only because of that danged contract extension. He may be gone next year. I wouldn't describe him as a pure WR in the first place. His hope has to be that this new staff can figure out a way to best utilize him and turn him into a feared weapon.

Cooper. Only because he showed flashes last year and because he was hampered by injury. Not to mention the incompetence of the O coaching staff. No sure thing to make the 6, IOW.

Spruce. This guy makes my list strictly and only because of a terrific camp and a single preseason game last year. Almost unbelievable that I'm typing his name here. A very long shot, tbh. Certainly not a likely starter, although he might get snaps if he can stay healthy. A lot of "ifs" with Spruce, huh?

The rest?

Britt is only 50-50 to be extended.
Quick is a goner.
Thomas has bad hands and I don't know if that's fixable.
The remaining WR's are jags based upon last year's results. Unless the new coaches are miracle workers.

Bottom line? Only 3 holdovers and 2 of them are iffy. I see some combination of 2-3 players acquired via FA or draft. And I see them with the inside track over the holdovers, frankly.

Now the OL position group. Better buckle up, y'all.

I see a healthy Hav at RT.

All others might be shuffled or replaced as starters. I'm serious.

LT. Saffold, GRob (assuming a Kromer miracle), FA, or draft pick?
LG. Saffold, Brown, or FA?
C. Definitely see a FA or draft pick here. Barnes to the bench.
RG. Saffold, GRob, Wichmann, or FA?

Bottom line is probably 10 OL on the roster. But we may see as many as 4 new faces at the various starting positions on that OL when compared to last year.

That's a helluva lot of turnover, man. I wish Kromer all the luck in the world. Lol.

 

[Loyal]

Ram43, if we center on the WR group, didn't last year's coaching group want to upgrade this group? Limited options, unwillingness to spend money/cap room (or draft capital)..so you think new coaching group will allow us to get better options?

 

[den-the-coach]

I expect three new starters on the offensive line with hope that Cowboys Guard Ronald Leary is at left guard and at WR would not be shocked if Austin is the only holdover with DeSean Jackson and maybe a rookie the other starter as well.

 

[Rams43]

Coaches win hands down

Seriously, I predict a 2 - 2 tie.

New Faces:
2 - WR, OL (1 FA, 1 draft)
1 - TE
1 - RB

I meant new faces as starters at same positions (OL), Sierra.

 

[Rams43]

Ram43, if we center on the WR group, didn't last year's coaching group want to upgrade this group? Limited options, unwillingness to spend money/cap room (or draft capital)..so you think new coaching group will allow us to get better options?

Last year's O coaching group was incompetent, Loyal.

What they "wanted to" and what they accomplished were light years apart.

 

[PressureD41]

I'm thinking and hoping it's going to be the OL. Because we had zero push last year and I don't think our coaching staff can allow for that. Need Gurley to be able to run consistently on a weekly basis to allow GOFF to develop at a reasonable pace in year one of this offense. And with a little better protection and better OL scheme GOFF won't be plastered to the ground play after play on passing downs...
Plus if we can land just one free agent WR from Washington then our Offense will look, well like a good Offense...
Gotta win up front in the trenches 1st and foremost folks

 

[PressureD41]

Last year's O coaching group was incompetent, Loyal.

What they "wanted to" and what they accomplished were light years apart.

I disagree you ask any middle school coach and Rams Offense system was sound and Marshall Faulk is uneducated on his theory on the Rams Offense last year

 

[MTRamsFan]

Receiving corps and secondary.

 

[PressureD41]

Receiving corps and secondary.

I could see us not able to to agree on a long term deal w/ tru#22 and be forced to sign an equal CB in FA and draft a CB in Rd 2. That's a real possibility due to tru's durability concerns matched up with the contract imho

 

[DaveFan'51]

Now the OL position group. Better buckle up, y'all.

This^^ is where I be watching!

 

[rams56]

It will be interesting with tru.... only because Phillips has put a big emphasis on Cornerbacks at his last 2 previous stops.....

Also, I think we look to upgrade the center position. ... but ultimately the other o line upgrade depends on weather the new coaching staff feel like Robinson can play LT.....also on if with two years experience ...all these young offensive linemen have reached they're ceiling..... or if they feel like with better coaching and better schemes. ...along with another year of work ....they stay the course.

As far as wr I feel like they will try to coach TA up and scheme better for him.... I honestly don't see them bringing back Britt or Quick..De'Sean Jackson maybe.... not only for an immediate impact. ...but also to help install offense ..... and then either a draft day trade for a young potential no 1 already on someone's roster... or a couple of wrs during the draft....

So my guess is they will choose to coach up most of the young talent of Thomas and the rest of the wrs....along with Robinson and the very young oline... So on the O I see us adding 2 to 3 wrs..... only 1 possibly 2 olineman ... so that's my guess. .....

Go Rams.........

 

[PressureD41]

Don't get me wrong I'm a huge Tru fan I wanted him over JJ. But I think it's a price as much as anything this off season IMHO. All I'm saying is if he wants 13m plus per season then I might be incline to sign a slightly cheaper and add another CB in Rd 2. While using the extra couple of mil for an OL is my thought process.
EDIT: add a better OL or ability to add a second OL starter w/ the extra couple mil from saving moving on from Tru while getting a slightly cheaper replacement

 

[BonifayRam]

Think I would start with the offensive unit that protects this Ram team franchise player. If Aaron Kromer is the OL coach who saves Greg Robinson from early NFL retirement as most think he will or whom they put their hopes in as he will....then I will apply that most all the Ram OL'ers who have started & had roles in filling in for the starting OL'er too. I have far more hope in Kromer being successful with the other OL'ers than with GRob.

I would attack the LT post as priority one. #1- Free agency (Andrew Whitworth or Riley Reiff). #2- Be ready to move in the draft to secure at least one sound LT prospective pass protector on day two or early day three. #3-Remove GRob from the LT post completely & advise him that the plan is for him be all in to strive & compete to engage fully to vie to take up the position as #1-the starting left OG, or #2- the top reserve RT to Havenstein or #3-fall back to teams third reserve swing OG if he fails the problem is released.

There is a chance that the Rams may fail on #1 or both #1 & #2 but #3 will not change. Final part to this LT cure is. Meet with OT's as soon as possible according to league rules (Saffold/ Donnal/ Williams/ Murphy) & advise all four they would prioritize all their off season work & effort on the specific single post of LT position. Subject to change later as situation on the LT post materializes. Thus the LT post will not be the weak link. Proper planning makes predictable performances.

LT- (UFA) /Rodger Saffold/ Darrell Williams/ Pace Murphy/ Andrew Donnal/ {DRAFT}
LG-Jamon Brown/ Greg Robinson/ Cody Wichmann
OC-Tim Barnes/ Demetrious Rhaney/ Cody Wichmann/ {DRAFT}
RG-Rodger Saffold/ Cody Wichmann/ Greg Robinson
RT-Rob Havenstein/ Andrew Donnal/ Pace Murphy/ Greg Robinson

 

[Ramhusker]

Percentage wise, it'll be TE or RB because I think Cunningham will be swept away in FA. But don't think anybody is safe at WR or OL. Even thoug our last two drafts were focused on these two positions and good depth was found, no diamonds in the ruff were had.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I think Kromer keeps G-Rob, Saffold, and maybe Brown as starters.....I wouldn't be shocked if we only have 2 wrs from last year...Tavon & Mike Thomas....I actually expect an entirely new wr crew in 2018....

 

[Riverumbbq]

Whether it be two or three new faces, i'd have to go with the OL for this question. LT has to be addressed first imo, and we may need two if Darrell Williams doesn't bounce back. If that reserve LT could also be a very capable reserve RT, all the better. Center is another priority, and hopefully Wichmann can fit as the reserve OC. I'm good with Saffold & GRob as starting OG's, and we have plenty of young depth behind them so I don't require any more outside Guards. Goff needs confidence that his game gets moving smoothly & successfully, this unit should be the backbone for, forgive the pun, his forward progress.

I'm happy with a single #1 WR being added, we have a stable of untested young talent waiting for an opportunity, so give it to them and let them run with it. If we need to add talent in 2018, that's fine by me. A second free agent WR may be a bit of a luxury pick with all our other needs, but if he's a good one and doesn't squeeze the CAP too much, I can certainly live with it. I believe Hemingway also played some slot WR in college.

While the OP's question dealt with the offense, i'll add that 3 new faces at CB would please me very much. This being such a great draft class here, there may be no better time to allow Tru Johnson to walk. Will Gaines get back his previous mojo ? Take 2 in the draft and 1 in free agency. I'd also consider up to 2 later round FS's to compete also, as we don't yet know where Barron is playing, or Alexander and Joyner either for that matter.

LB is another position in doubt, ... will Quinn be healthy at ROLB, and who do we recruit at LOLB ? And again, where/how will Barron fit ? jmo.

 

[Merlin]

Gonna go with wideout 43. I see 50% turnover with that group, with a minimum of 3 of 6 being new next year.

The three I see departing...

If Britt was a good leader he would have shown up for Jared to help the kid get ready, and would have ensured the rest of the wideouts did too. But he didn't because he's garbage. And he's inconsistent as F, not the kind of team-first guy who can show up on gameday and be counted on that this team needs.

Quick same deal. Another garbage @$$ player whose time has run out in horns and good effin riddance. Perennial tease who can take his show somewhere else as far as I'm concerned.

Marquez is a smart player on special teams, the kind of guy you can trust, but he will lose that bottom roster spot to a better special teams player this season.

The holdovers...

Austin is going to return because nobody is going to want him in trade and we're gonna have to eat another season of his contract. I wanted him traded last offseason because he wasn't a fit for this offense and some folks called me nuts, but while it doesn't look like he's ever going to be a real wideout with his iffy hands and poor catch radius there is a chance he fires off a bit under this staff which is really our best hope. Oh and btw him not showing up to support Jared is nearly as bad as Britt, given that he just got a huge contract and this corps could have used positive leadership from him vice that grade school BS; dude missed an opportunity there IMO.

Cooper missed out on what might have been a really good rookie WR season due to injury. He is a guy I think is going to settle in as a solid Y/Z option for us and who will be someone Goff trusts relatively quickly.

Lastly Thomas impressed the hell out of me as a gunner and is at the least going to make this roster as a core special teams player. He has some really strong pursuit and tackling instincts, to the point where I'd actually like to see him tried at safety, but yeah he's definitely going to be in horns next year.

The additions...

When you consider the Rams have two Y/Z guys returning, they need to bring in someone who can line up at X and actually win some snaps. IMO their top addition this season will be Alshon Jeffery. I think they'll go balls-out and get him because he's a perfect fit for what they need. Add him and all of a sudden our wideout starting group looks pretty good.

The second wideout will be a more affordable addition, a vet type. There's a lot of options there, but it will be someone who runs good routes and can be counted on.

Third guy will be drafted at some point and will compete with a fresh crop of UDFAs.