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LMU93
Yeah, they will have lots of options to further upgrade the OL in 2024 while having good pieces in place.
I am sort of skeptical the Rams will match what Dotson might command in free agency. Maybe I'm wrong. Would love to keep him and if it can be for $8M/year or less I am all for it.
Jackson could shift to RG, true. Or maybe he's the swing backup at OT. That would be an 'upgrade' over Noteboom in my opinion.
Then you have Avila in year two, the steady presence of Havenstein, McClendon also in year two, etc.
A LT in the first round is a very viable option. But then so is Edge rusher. Etc. It can all play out multiple ways. I just think Shelton can be a reliable piece of the puzzle in 2024- and affordable at a $3M cap number. The Rams put a lot on their center as far as making line calls and making things easier for the QB. So drafting a center, say late in the 3rd round or high in the 4th, that can replace Allen as the backup while being groomed to start in 2025, could be one of those paths forward.
I will admit I am skeptical as to whether a LT they like will be on the board. No way to know how things will go down in the draft nor what the Rams think of the options. As always an impact player (BPA) should be the goal of course at multiple areas of need which for us include cornerstone spots but in these early days leading to a draft it's fun to dream of things aligning for what I consider to be their biggest need, which is LT.
The Rams don't put any more on Center than any other team in line calls. That whole thing is an outgrowth of Goff's early days when he was baffled at the LOS and McVay was prioritizing helping him out so he could play the position at a higher level. It was why they added Sullivan who was very good at the protection calls and his experience in that regard overcame his physical shortcomings. It was also why Goff took a step back when Olson was hired away, because he was the key guy running protections for the Rams and I don't think they properly replaced that expertise.
But I do agree that there is an additional advantage of Williams (or even say Cushenberry) in FA if we need to draft a QB in 2025. Because then you are back in that boat we were in with Goff and you have an experienced pivot of starter quality in place to help the kid QB out. Because as it pertains to Stafford, he is so good at protections that he would be teaching most experienced centers.
Bottom line overall is that OG is the most easily filled spot on the OL. Shelton is a marginal starter at Center, and a depth piece at OG. Jackson is a marginal starter at LT, but might be decent at RG. McClendon would also have a much stronger chance to compete for RG than he would at either OT spot. In fact the Rams probably have him earmarked at RG next camp. If they were to move on from Noteboom and add a C in FA (assuming LT is drafted here) then they would only need to add another OG at some point in the draft which is easily accomplished without premium picks. Whereas I think to ensure you are filling C with an upgrade it seems like round 3 is what you're looking at, give or take.
I favor the FA interior OL addition because if we do have inexperience coming in at LT as a starter then you know your pocket is going to be there for the QB to step up. Question is whether they want to go with C or G and I think between the two all things being equal the pivot is the smart call. That said they might really like Dotson in which case and in spite of my reservations of any player "turning it on" in his FA season I'd say ok fine ink him them. I just have that same feeling I had when they inked Boom, when I said I understand it and support it but it felt risky.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2023 07:59AM by merlin.
