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no name
You lose a year while paying for them. You are essentially being ok with average players so long as they don't bust. Seems like a losing strategy.
I see it far differently, no name.
I see Rams acquiring very affordable BPA types in the mid to late rounds that can be slowly developed by coaches and strength trainers to best prepare them for the NFL as future starters or as quality depth.
As opposed to teams that are annually forced to draft for immediate needs and then throw a largely unprepared rookie into the fire when the season starts, which creates a very steep learning curve. A learning curve that many do not survive. How many times gave we seen players struggle with their initial team and then later thrive after going to another team where they benefit from a more gradual transition?
Other benefits include having the cap be less of a restriction on moves because of the low salaries of these youths, less need of competing for expensive outside FA’s every year, and less need for overpaying expensive vets (such as a Saffold type) at contract time because there is a perceived “hole” behind him.
Four things are necessary in order to implement this strategy.
An existing fairly talented roster.
A GM and HC that communicate well in terms of types of players that fit the planned schemes.
An ability to consistently properly evaluate talent, especially in rounds 3-6.
And a coaching staff that excels in developing young players.
Well, Rams have all four of those things in place and functioning well.
The Rams are hardly an exhibit of a “loser strategy”.
