I just have a hard time viewing Jamon Brown as a weak link. Maybe if you rank their starting 22 top to bottom he is down the list, but I still don't see him as a "weak link." He did not stand out to me last year as a liability by any means. I don't think he's a finished product as a player.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Cooper was fantastic as a return man last year. Wish he had been given the job sooner... maybe he takes on part of the Tavon Austin role on offense. Maybe not. But Cooper is a valuable piece on this team.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah, I think the Rams are fully willing and ready to make him the highest paid defensive player in the league. At this point my guess is the agent for Donald is dragging simply to see if anything might get sweetened on the deal as August 7 approaches or with an eye on Mack if he signs sooner. That is all. It is coming soon and I think so is Cooks. Which means they can be prepared to franchise Joby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
And I would not blame him. If he does have an offer like that why not wait and drag it out and see if it gets sweetened even a little. The Rams are not going to rescind the offer.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I agree. I have zero problem giving him the highest defensive player contract. None at all. And he does not prevent them from keeping Goff, Cooks, Peters or others longer term. With Gurley I think it is different as that is a philosophical question of do you pay a RB major dollars in their 7th season and beyond. Personally I would not which is why I would prepare to franchise Gurley in 2020 aby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
He did not state he knew what the offer was. Just that it was significant and the main point was just being clear that they were attempting to get a long term deal done vs the speculation that the Rams would sit back and go the double franchise tags route. Another mention- I think it is coming soon. And I will bet Cooks is as well.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Just passing along what I just heard on ESPN Radio. On the Will Cain show he had Jeff Darlington on and in talking about the NFL Network Top 100 asked why the Rams had not signed Donald yet. Darlington basically said that from his discussions the Rams are not sitting back and telling Donald to wait his turn or that they plan to franchise him twice etc. They have put what he called very competitivby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
They may or may not become a top 5 defense. They can go very far without being top 5. But the pieces are certainly there- on the roster and on the coaching staff- to do it. In today's NFL when you have a secondary that talented and multiple defensive linemen that dominant you are well, well ahead of most teams talent-wise. They are genuinely 5 deep at CB. They could very well still have issueby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I admit I pay very little attention to this Top 100 stuff. But I am also pretty shocked Donald is not in the top 3. Gurley came in 6th.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Kromer has a ton of work to do in both continuing to get young guys like Brown and Havenstein better but also- and perhaps more importantly- in getting Blythe plus the 3 rookies as ready as possible. It was a risk in 2017 to have as little depth as this OL did and it was not tested. This year they will likely have 3 of their top 4 backups be rookies. I would expect Noteboom and Blythe/Allen to geby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah, I think Scales and Hager will be in direct competition for that final LB spot.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I don't know if I would call him a longshot. But he's not a lock either. His salary is not guaranteed and they take no cap hit if he's cut. I hope he makes it back. Could be a really good depth piece if healthy.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I just felt like if he plays the same snaps as Quinn did he would be an 8-9 sacks guy like Quinn has been which is why I did not have a problem trading Quinn. May not be as flashy but he keeps coming after you and there is something to be said for that...by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
They would not have added Talib, Peters and Suh otherwise. Pleasant is also a good influence.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
He is a strong, classic high motor guy who has improved every year.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Agree. I would take Peterson easily.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah, I like Brown. Not flashy but he can play. Reminds me a bit of Zac Stacy (I loved that guy...). We will see what Kelly can do. I would feel better about Davis if he could show in preseason he is over his ball security issues. Also would not be surprised to see them keep all 4.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
15-65 record- tied with 2007-2011 Rams for worst 5-year stretch in NFL history!... Personally I think the Browns could go 6-10 this year. That is a weak division top to bottom in my opinion.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah I cannot see only 8 OL with all three backups being rookies. Blythe should make it. Also 10 LB seems unusual.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Just saying he was far from their worst mistake of the past decade. That's all.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
QuoteAtlantic Ram He brought some respectability to the Rams and got them pointed in the right direction... basically he stopped the bleeding... I agree 100%. The Rams didn't reach the playoffs but they needed someone to bring them out of what was (let's not forget) THE worst 5-year run in NFL history. When you take a team that won 18% of its games over 5 years and win 43% over the four years,by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah I see Barron as having been a very solid player since he arrived. He was good in 2017. I think if they part ways in 2019 it will be about worries about him physically and the contract, not production.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Barron will be interesting to watch. he has always played well since he arrived mid-2014. Done everything he's asked. Shown obvious versatility. While he physically requires management and pacing, he's also only missed 4 games in 6 seasons. Turns 29 this fall. He's an important piece for them in 2018 and, like they have smartly with Whitworth and Sullivan, limiting his reps in camp and probabby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Well, Ebukam did earn his playing time a year ago when he was getting 30 snaps/game the 2nd half of the season. And yeah, they are relying more on mid-round draftees, rookies, etc. at LB. But you can only field so many 1st and 2nd round picks on defense (Rams will have seven...). Good teams should have several mid- to late-round picks starting.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I think Littleton and Kiser could complement each other. Littleton seems like he'd be better in coverage, as a rush LB, etc. For now at least Kiser is a two-down run defender. So I think both could have roles. Like Ebukam a year ago I would guess that Kiser's reps increase somewhat as the season progresses. And who knows, maybe at some point Littleton and Kiser are playing inside together in someby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I think Wilson, Kiser, Okoronkwo and Lawler could all be in line for regular snaps behind the 4 starters. And also that Littleton isn't even necessarily a week 1 starter at this point.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
In the cases of Longacre and Ebukam both played quite a bit last year. You are asking each to play probably 12-15 more snaps per game. But Littleton really played very little in base defense a year ago. They also have Wilson and Kiser and I expect both of them to get snaps inside too. So I doubt they expect Littleton to get 50 snaps per game or anything.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Both good points...by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Another possibility, of course, is they throw the ball more than a year ago when they averaged 34 pass attempts (including sacks) per game. From 2015 to 2016 McVay added more than 60 passes (4/game) to the Redskins offense. Maybe that happens here too. Could be as I doubt they are in as many blowout games as they had in 2017 when they could take their foot off the pedal in the 4th quarter.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com