Lets start with what the Rams have going into next year:
LT - No one - Whitworth's contract is up and I doubt he is coming back
LG - Noteboom - 922k cap number - probably will compete for LT
OC - Allen - 831k cap number - Will be back to compete at OC
RG - No one - Blythe is off the books, and I just don't see him coming back.
RT - Havenstein - 7.8m - will be back at RT. Currently scheduled to be the 8th highest paid Ram. if cut, would be 6.15m in dead money.
Reserves/potential starters:
David Edwards - 651k cap number - should compete at RG,LG
Bobby Evans - 847k cap number - I think he is your swing T, could compete for starting LT
Corbett - 1.1m cap number - should compete for LG spot, if Noteboom moves outside
Demby - 660k cap number - if cut, he saves the Rams all 660k of his cap number. Goodbye Demby
Trewyn & Kolone - PS guys that I'm sure will be signed to the team after the season, probably training camp, rookie camp fodder.
As far as FA, forget Scherff or any other big name, big ticket guys. Just no cap space. Who I would look at:
Joe Haeg - 26 years old. Started basically all of his first 2 years and the start of his 3rd year at RG/RT at Indy before going on injured reserve. Came back this year as a backup at OG. 2 time all american at either OT spot for NDSU and would fit perfectly in LA as a RG. Hard worker, good size and should be relatively cheap.
Xavier Su'a Filo - 28 years old. I loved him at UCLA and he is caught behind to very good OGs in Dallas. Good size, heavy hands and very athletic, making him a good fit. Put him on a short deal for relatively cheap and let him fight it out at OG.
Hroniss Grasu - 28 - A former 3rd round pick, he has never caught on, and I'm not sure what happened, but he could be signed on a vet min deal with little to nothing guaranteed and let him compete at OC.
I'm not saying sign all of them, bring one in. Let them compete. Add some decent veteran experience at a low cost and let every spot have some competition.
As far as the draft. It is so early on, and who knows who is declaring, and where the Rams will even draft and what areas they will need to fill. But I will give it a bit of a shot.
Tyler Biadasz - OC - Wisconsin - Its going to be hard to move him off my #1 OC with so few games left in college football. I had him as my #1 after last year and he has done nothing to drop. He is everything the Rams would want at OC. 6'-3" 315 lbs, plays tough, is strong with good footwork. I think he is a late 1st to middle of the 2nd type guy. He immediately fixes the OC spot for 4 to 10 years.
After that Creed Humphrey OC Oklahoma - 6'-5" 320 lbs - a big OC that played with Evans, so you know the Rams are aware of him. For a guy his size, he is a great mover. I think he is a day 2 prospect.
As far as OGs - Ben Bredeson - OG - Michigan. 6'-5" 325 lbs, so a big kid, plays with an edge. 2 time team captain with 2 2nd team all conference selections. Does a nice job in space as Mich. has run power concepts, inside zone concepts and this year outside zone concepts with RPO. So he can do it all. I think he is easily attainable in the middle rounds of the draft.
Trey Adams - OT Washington - big kid at 6'-7" 325 lbs - To say his injury history is extensive is putting it mildly. He has first round ability and 6th round availability. If he starts sliding in the draft, he might be too tempting to pass on. Will almost assuredly need a redshirt year.
Lucas Niang - TCU monster at 6'-6" 325 lbs - a bit raw, but he just flat out dominates, and should be easily attainable on day 2.
So, what would the OL look like in my world?
I'd build around Edwards, Noteboom and Evans.
Noteboom is either the starting LG or LT next year.
Evans IMO would make a perfect swing tackle until Havs can be cut, or NB proves he can't handle the LT spot.
Edwards to me is either the starting RG or LG, depending on who you draft or sign.
Allen never impressed me in college, he hasn't impressed me in LA and I just don't want to see him as the starting OC.
I'd pray Humphery or Biadasz is available in the 2nd and draft 1. Biadasz is the clearcut #1 OC, while Humphrey gives you a OC/OG combo. Both more physical and bigger then Allen ever can/could be.
I'd also, as today stands draft Bredeson in the 4th. He might not make it, but as much as the Rams move around, he wouldn't be hard to get. He is big, physical LG that has played power man, Inside Zone and now Outside Zone at 2nd team All Big Ten levels as well as being smart enough to be an all academic. Great size and obviously can move.
Starter - backup
LT - Joe Notebbom 6'-5" 321 Lbs - Bobby Evans 6'-4" 315 lbs - To me Evans makes more sense as a swing tackle and eventual replacement to Havs
LG - Xavier Su'a Filo 6'-4" 310 lbs - Austin Corbett 6'-4" 305 lbs. - Ben Bredeson 6'-5" 325 lbs. - This is where is gets dicey. If you bring in a FA vet like Filo, he could give a vet presence to the left side while giving Bredeson a redshirt year. If you bring in a RG like Joe Haeg, then Edwards would be my starting LG.
OC - Creed Humphrey - 6'-5" 320 lbs - Brian Allen 6'-2" 300 lbs - Biadasz or humphey are bith upgrades over Allen and have the size to instantly shore up your center spot while Allen gives you a cheap vet backup with starter experience.
RG - David Edwards 6'-6" 310 lbs - Joe Haeg 6'-6" 305 lbs - Edwards is the future at either LG or RG. i like him at RG, but if the Rams can't solve the LG in FA, he might be there. Joe Haeg easily could step into the starting spot at RG in that scenario
RT - Rob Havenstein 6'-8" 330 lbs - Bobby Evans 6'-4" 315 lbs - Havs costs too much money to cut this year, and is too tall to be an effective RG, so he is out here for the time being. He can be cut after next year, paving the way for Evans to take his spot.
So your OL would look like this:
OT - Joseph Noteboom
OT - Rob Havenstein
OT - Bobby Evans
OG - David Edwards
OG - Ben Bredeson
OG - Xavier Sua Filo or OG - Joe Haeg
OG - Austin Corbett
OC - Brian Allen
OC - Humphrey/Biadasz
There are your 9 guys. Bredeson gets the inactive tag for a season or until an injury pops up. In 2021, your line is NB, Bredeson, Humphrey/Biadasz, Edwards, Allen. 1 player under 315 lbs, and all fit in an ozs with hopefully some power run components. And all cheap until 2022.
Sorry it got long.
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
