We all know Snead and McVay do not like going into a draft with visible holes they absolutely have to fix. So this answer is obviously going to change and change alot. But as the Rams stand now:
Edge:
Free Agents: Floyd, Ebukam and Rivers
Floyd is obviously the huge loss here. I have serious doubts he is coming back. I'd love to see Rivers get a small, short deal and Ebukam is expendable.
Under Contract: Justin Hollins, Obo Okoronkwo, Terrell Lewis
Hollins was more of a Staley guy, Lewis needs to stay healthy and Obo is not much
I love the idea of a top notch center, and I'm not nearly done looking at edge rushers, but I'm not sure how much a rookie 2nd round edge rusher moves the needle. I think they somehow go back to the FA pool and sign a vet to help.
2 guys that were at the Senior Bowl that performed well and should be day 2 guys: Hamilcar Rashed Jr. Oregon State and Quincy Roche Miami. With no combine and the Rams love of Senior Bowl guys makes me think the Rams will lean esp hard on Senior Bowl guys. Joe Tryon would be a rush specialist in the 3rd round.
OC:
Free Agents: Austin Blythe
I just don't seeing the Rams paying for a mediocre OC with their cap restraints.
Under Contract: Brian Allen (Maybe Corbett moves to OC, maybe Anchrum is an OC. But those would be pure guesses)
Allen should get cut to save some money, about 1m. With virtually little dead cap.
There are plenty of FAs out there, but the middle of the draft makes a ton of sense:
My top guys are Landon Dickerson Alabama, Creed Humphrey Oklahoma (both at the Senior bowl) and Josh Myers. All of them would work in the 2nd round IMO. Some other names Quinn Meinerz who had a monster Senior bowl is a LG/OC that could be a late 2nd rounder and Drake Jackson a late day 2 guy from Kentucky.
If the Rams can somehow squeeze a veteran OC under the cap, that might be the most ideal scenario while drafting 1 later on.
ILB:
Free Agents: Travin Howard (exclusive rights FA)
Under contract:
Kenny Young, Micah Kiser, Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom
Young is a cap casualty that will save 2m and has done nothing, Kiser is oft injured and not a dynamic enough ILB for what I THINK Morris likes in his ILBers, Reeder is serviceable, but upgradeable and Rozeboom is a PS guy that may or may not be anything more than a Reeder type.
FA looks pretty bare this year. And this is where the draft gets interesting. There are a ton of 2nd round quality ILBers that are super athletic and can play going forward, backward and sideline to sideline. Cam McGrone Mich, Baron Browning Ohio St, Jabril Cox LSU, Dylan Moses Alabama all will be day 2 guys and fit the bill.
Deep threat WR:
Free Agent: no one that fits that bill
Under contract: no one
This area I think gets solved in FA, so its not high on my list. I liked Marvin Jones Jr before the Stafford trade and love him now.
Otherwise guys like:
Nico Collins Mich and Rondale Moore Purdue in the 2nd
D'Wayne Eskridge or Amari Rodgers Clemson 2nd or 3rd
Anthony Schwartz Auburn 4th
Jaelon Darden North Texas, Tamorrion Terry FSU, Marquez Stevenson Houston later day 3.
So if you don't get a guy in FA, then pick a round and grab your deep threat/#4 WR.
My order is:
1. ILB
2. Edge
3. OC
4. Deep threat
in that order simply because of what I see in FA and the depth of each position (or lack there of) in the draft.
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
