I subscribe to the idea of focusing offseason personnel moves based primarily on upgrading your bottom 3-5 starters. Like a year ago when the Rams did just this by making moves at LT, C, two WR spots, etc.
My opinion on the spots I would focus on truly upgrading.
1. OLB Barwin
2. OLB Quinn
3. NT Westbrooks
4. TE Higbee
5. CB Webster
6. CB Johnson
The 'raw numbers' on Quinn and Barwin weren't bad (13.5 combined sacks), and Barwin helped the team transition to the new defense. But the pressure around the edge is just too inconsistent, Quinn is not a quality run defender and these are two aging players who combined would cost the team $16M+ in 2018. With Longacre and Ebukam in the wings plus strong draft prospects on the edge I think you move on.
I include Westbrooks here not because he isn't a good role player but because he isn't a NT. When Phillips rightfully moved Brockers to DE in the 3-4 someone had to take more snaps at NT and it fell on Westbrooks. You can have a smaller NT or smaller ILBs but you can't have both. Rams need a true run stuffing NT to pair with Smart next year.
I think Everett and Higbee flip playing time next year and as a #2 TE there are always upgrades that can be had.
At CB it's easy to just move on from Johnson, who has been a good-not-great CB for the Rams for 6 years and I think is more comfortable playing zone. The importance of retaining Robey-Coleman and Joyner goes up with this transition at CB. Webster might be back but he's somewhat TBD with the Achilles injury. Time to infuse some new blood at what objectively was a pretty mediocre position for the Rams.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2018 05:46AM by LMU93.
