Good article. I agree that no one knows what the discussions are like within their building and I would bet there are some pretty pointed discussions happening. But at the same time I agree with the even keeled approach externally. They do not owe the reporters or fans stuff about 'jobs being on the line' and certainly not calling out anyone individually. That makes for fun writing and web clicks but not a good locker room. And as bad as the game was Monday and as unlikely as their playoff hopes are, a win @ ARZ and a loss by the Vikings in Seattle keeps the Rams very much in it going into their rematch with Seattle. So yeah, keep your heads down and get back to work.
I think the idea of possibly adding Gruden to the staff as a top Assistant could be a good idea in 2020.
By the way, it irritates me a bit when I read stuff about the Rams have no draft picks. Huh? They have 3 in the top 100 and, as of now, 4 in the top 113. Over the past three years the guys they have drafted in that range are Everett, Kupp, Johnson, Reynolds, Noteboom, Allen, Rapp, Henderson, D. Long and Evans. Not one of them in the top 40. Adding a quality OL in the Draft at #51 or wherever or even after a small trade back is
very feasible.
I am also leaning toward letting Weddle go after this season. They already are adding about $8M in rolled over cap space from the Talib and Peters deals and can add $4.25M more without Weddle. I thought he was an excellent veteran signing for this year but he's about to turn 35 and with Rapp and Johnson he becomes a $5M luxury, not a necessity. And assuming Whitworth retires and Weddle leaves the only player age 30+ they would have coming back besides Zuerlein, McQuaide and Hekker would be Matthews.
And by the way, a forgotten guy for 2020 is Micah Kiser. Not anointing him as any sort of star but he was very likely going to be the starting ILB next to Littleton and the Rams now are starting a 3rd stringer there. And until the Ravens, a team
averaging 211 rushing yards/game, came to town the Rams run defense was very good all year.
As far as the division, let's also not forget the 49ers will enter the 2020 offseason with (a) less draft capital than the Rams- just one pick in the top 130+ and (b) less salary cap space. It is really the Cardinals who are best situated for 2020 among NFC West teams.
Just trying to point out that the Rams cupboard is far from bare and that one area (their OL)
still dominates any other need or deficiency going forward. They will return all 3 RBs, their top 4 WRs, both TEs, etc. On offense they can purely focus on 1-2 additions on the OL plus maybe another backup QB (and there will be plenty of jettisoned former starters on the market). They are going to have to replace Fowler- who will net them a 2021 3rd round pick- and Brockers in the front seven while resigning Littleton. And in 2021 when an extension for Ramsey kicks in they are positioned to start ridding themselves of some contracts like Higbee or Gurley or Havenstein or Cooks if warranted. Those four players combined if released in 2021 would have $24.8M in dead cap but also $19.9M in cap savings. By the way, of all the Rams contract extensions of the past two years it is Higbee's that bothers me the most. Here is a guy that is a pretty good TE2 that would be a free agent in March and may have been worth re-signing then. But he carries an $8.63M cap number for 2020. He is on pace for 39 catches and 320 yards. Both "career highs" but not a good use of 2020 $$...
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/2019 04:15AM by LMU93.
