Why Has Saffold Not Been Cut?

[blackbart]

How can a guy who only played 5 games last year be considered anything but a liability? IMO he is not the best or most versatile guy. Reynolds is right now. He was out there the whole year and played multiple positions. and before anyone forgets Saffold sucked at LT

 

[-X-]

How can a guy who only played 5 games last year be considered anything but a liability?

Mainly because the injury rate in the NFL is 100%. If he checks out medically, then who cares what happened the year prior? Or even the year before that. Look at Bradford and his huge liability tag. Didn't matter last year, did it? I don't get why people think we should just go ahead and get rid of the guy when he's actually a very good lineman and we happen to need those guys every single year. It's not our money. If the Rams think they can fit him in, then I have no problem with that. He's a stout sumbitch, and I'd love to see him bounce back again.

 

[A55VA6]

Cuz he's the only guy on the team that can play RT, RG, LG, and LT. If he doesn't make it through the season, then bummer for us. If he does, then jackpot.

lol pretty much sums it up

 

[BonifayRam]

Rodger Saffold (if healthy) might very well be Rams best overall OL'er to start @ Left Tackle. Another thought here in these pro & con discussions on Rodger Saffold.....is how many Ram OL'ers did we have issues with due to injuries last season. Rams had only two uninjured starters remain in our lineup in 2015 center Tim Barnes & OT Greg Robinson.

ORG Cody Wichmann injured in TC for 3 months
OLG Rodger Saffold injured in the 1st pre season game missed rest of pre season then injured in 5th game missed 11 games. IR'd
ORT Rob Havenstein injured early but continued to play injured another lower leg area & went out in game 8 returned for game 10 went out again and came back injured game 12.
ORG Jamon Brown injured in game 10 IR'd.
ORT Darrell Williams injured in game 10 IR'd.
ORT Andrew Donnal injured after starting two games only played in 5 games.

Ram have a Long Long Long Long .......LONG history of OL injuries that still haunts this Ram team. With the release of the big three JC/CL/JL ...I am no longer banging the big bass drum for the need to release Saffold as I was before these latest moves. The cap relief came & now I feel better. I am Ok with Saffold being retained but in the plans for him to start @ anywhere but the LEFT OT post.

I would prefer that RS be the top game day reliever. Reason?? Why when you have a Garrett Reynolds? OK What happens if Garrett Reynold beats out all comers as the best Ram starting OLG in 2016? Who going to be you top game day reliever?

 

[Debacled]

Dead money is dead money, that cannot be moved. Cutting Saffold right now would lead to a 3m hit this year, 2m next year, and 1m in 2018 (which is down from 5.6m, 6.2m, and 7.5m respectively). The team has already gone through the 11m guaranteed from the contract he signed. That said they will have to make a decision prior to 3/11 because his 2016 base salary becomes guaranteed on that date.

I don't think they will be able to cut him and bring him back on the cheap. He is only 27, some team will take a flier and offer him a multi year contract especially knowing he can play just about anywhere on the line in a pinch. For 5.6m considering what he can offer I think he is worth keeping around. Especially considering the team currently has 58m in cap space. Is opening his roster spot worth an extra 2.5m-3m in cap space? It would be about that much only if they cut him prior to march 11th.

 

[blackbart]

Mainly because the injury rate in the NFL is 100%. If he checks out medically, then who cares what happened the year prior? Or even the year before that. Look at Bradford and his huge liability tag. Didn't matter last year, did it? I don't get why people think we should just go ahead and get rid of the guy when he's actually a very good lineman and we happen to need those guys every single year. It's not our money. If the Rams think they can fit him in, then I have no problem with that. He's a stout sumbitch, and I'd love to see him bounce back again.

I didn't say get rid of him, I said he is not our best or most versatile OL.

In 6 years he has 2 where he played all 16 games. He has played a total of 68 out of a possible 96, that is a liability.

 

[-X-]

In 6 years he has 2 where he played all 16 games. He has played a total of 68 out of a possible 96, that is a liability.

Yeah, I get that. Looks bad. But still. I'm keeping him on the team if it's me, because I want players who can slide all over the line and play well. I can't recall a single time that Saffold has graded out poorly over the course of a year. I'll leave it up to Demoff to work out the financials. If he can, great. If he can't, oh well.

 

[Amitar]

He needs to be playing ORG where he played very well and did not get hurt and not any other position.

 

[Zaphod]

Yeah, I get that. Looks bad. But still. I'm keeping him on the team if it's me, because I want players who can slide all over the line and play well. I can't recall a single time that Saffold has graded out poorly over the course of a year. I'll leave it up to Demoff to work out the financials. If he can, great. If he can't, oh well.

For depth and experience he may not be our best but he's not our worst. You look at the injuries we continue to have and you should want that versatility.

 

[Warner4Prez]

I think Saffold is your insurance policy for the season. Make him the 6th man and have him ready when the injury bug inevitably strikes.

He could start, I'd prefer he doesn't. I think Brown, Wichmann and Reynolds duke it out for starting Guard spots. Saffold just focuses on strength training throughout camp and waits for his number.

Also, the need to cut your most veteran players eventually sends a bad message to prospective FA pick ups, doesn't it?

 

[nighttrain]

many reasons to keep RS, few to release him
train

 

[PowayRamFan]

Hopefully the reason is NOT because they feel like he needs to be there to hold GRs hand next year.

 

[BonifayRam]

Hopefully the reason is NOT because they feel like he needs to be there to hold GRs hand next year.

Sad but that was the case last season.

Hand-Holding-Sad-Case Ram Crime story 2015

Sad that his injury to the other shoulder took place in preseason when Saffold was playing OLG next to Greg Robinson. Then when the regular season started they flip Saffold back to ORG so he could hold the enormous hands of Rookie Havenstein. Sad that Rookie (proclaimed major reach in the 2nd rd. by most NFL draft pundits) Havenstein was playing so much better @ ORT & GRob continued to struggle @ OLT. Thus Saffold was again flip back to Left side to once again hold hands with GRob. Sad that the shoulder dislocation event in pre season that seriously weakened the unsurgically repaired original parts shoulder came to a sad end in the first quarter of the 5th game while holding GRobs hand.

BonifayRam's Revised 2/25/2016 Rodger Saffold 2016 Master Game Plan

Rams now have many new younger healthier starting OG prospects in 2016. Thanks to Snead's outstanding 2015 draft. There is no real wise reason to rush the rehabbing Saffold back into early action in order to prep him to start anywhere on this OL. For the first time in Saffold NFL career he can relax & just get healthy PERIOD! Rams do not need him to play anywhere on this OL early. There is certainly no need for him to start @ ORG either.

Nows the time to let both those surgically repaired shoulders fully heal and gradually work themselves back into the needed muscle mass without placing them under great stress. Rams have time for the first time here & they would be very smart to use it. Stash him early & get him ready to be plugged in after the regular season begins. Saffold is one very smart young man without any real vocational needs that need to be worked on in TC or pre season. What Saffold needs to do is get 100% healthy.

Once the season begins & the 5 player OL is up & running....if one of these younger OL'ers has an injector plugged or throws a rod then the time to insert Saffold anywhere along this OL (OT or OG posts) If we continue to have computer sensor issues @ OLT post ....Saffold steps in and we keep going.

 

[ramsince62]

Cuz he's the only guy on the team that can play RT, RG, LG, and LT. If he doesn't make it through the season, then bummer for us. If he does, then jackpot.

If he only "backed up" at those positions, it would be agreeable and a reasonable risk.

 

[-X-]

If he only "backed up" at those positions, it would be agreeable and a reasonable risk.

Well, he kinda does. Do you not think he's a good LG, or do you just have reservations about him starting due to his injury history?

 

[Merlin]

The main concern I have with Roger is he wasn't too great last year before he got hurt. Yeah, we know the guy is going to get dinged up because of how he plays, but he just didn't dominate at all and it seemed like when he went out the line settled down.

Do I understand the Rams might keep him around due to his experience on a very young OL? Sure. But I am not of the mind that he's our best lineman any longer. That would be Havenstein, IMO.

 

[-X-]

View: https://twitter.com/nwagoner/status/702941094636421121

 

[BonifayRam]

The main concern I have with Roger is he wasn't too great last year before he got hurt. Yeah, we know the guy is going to get dinged up because of how he plays, but he just didn't dominate at all and it seemed like when he went out the line settled down.

Do I understand the Rams might keep him around due to his experience on a very young OL? Sure. But I am not of the mind that he's our best lineman any longer. That would be Havenstein, IMO.

Well Said:cheers:

 

[Mojo Ram]

View: https://twitter.com/nwagoner/status/702941094636421121

Not sure about the number comparison but i'll go on record as saying it should have gone down as Laurinaitis staying and Saffold gone for 2016.
If Reynolds, Havenstein had had an ineffective year last season i'd think differently, but i just feel that the loss of JL will be missed and Saffold will be a wasted roster spot + cap hit in 2016. If he starts or plays at all he'll get hurt or IR'd again. If he sits on the bench(which is admittedly a good sign for the OLine) that's a roster spot that could be held by a younger player to develop.

His leadership, experience and locker room presence will be a positive, but he's making a ton of cheddar to do that....which brings me back to the release of Laurinaitis. Time will tell.