An all-time great....by LMU93 - Bucky's Pub
And I think he's the perfect example of a kid who, without OTAs, (a full) camp and preseason was going to have a hard time seeing the field as a rookie. Especially with 3 veteran TEs in front of him. I think he has the makings of a good TE2. You can look back at some Brycen Hopkins analysis here on The Draft Network.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
100% agree they were not good enough this year. Some really strange and frustrating things going on. They were really, by most counts, a pretty mediocre offense (FootballOutsiders- 10th, Pro Football Reference- 19th, ESPN's FPI- 17th, for example). But I also don't see this as a wholesale changes sort of offseason for the offense. One, because of the lower salary cap and Goff's contract they'by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Based on minimal research of this Draft and using the mock draft simulator on TheDraftNetwork.com: 2 (57). Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma- no brainer. Instant starting center. 3 (88). Victor Dimukeje, EDGE, Duke- helps backfill losses of Floyd and Ebukam. 3 (100). Walker Little, OT, Stanford- good value as a quality 2017-2018 starter that was injured 1st game of 2019 and opted out of 2020 lby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
DPOY. At the top of his game. We'll see where his game is two years from now. In 2023 he will be 32 years old and there would be zero cap hit (and $19M saved) if the Rams cut ties. I can see Donald possibly finishing his career in his hometown of Pittsburgh. But the next two years? Cementing his legend in LA...by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Excellent DBs coach. Best of luck to him.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Can't dismiss the possibility. With the players the Rams have at guard otherwise and it being relatively easier to draft guards than centers maybe they can. If you move him at day 1 of OTAs and allow him time to acclimate it could work.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I think they have to commit to Hopkins (and his $943k cap number) as the TE2 while finding a quality blocking TE3 to round out the group. Hopkins played all of 2 snaps on offense this year but he is a guy that can and should be a big focus for development this offseason.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I agree. That dropped INT leading to the TD was a HUGE turn of events. The game, really.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I would think one of their four Day 2 (2nd/3rd round) picks is used on an OL. I would keep Havenstein another year but give Evans more work at RT in OTAs and camp. He held up well there in his 2019 starts.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
I haven't been to Detroit since 2008 but good point.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Wow, I mean, what can you say.....by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Yeah, good point. I just think they should find a way to keep Pleasant.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Seems wasteful not to and to allow one of their best assistants to leave.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
With Blythe a FA that is the obvious place to start. And I'd let Allen go and find another backup center too. So likely one in FA and one in the Draft. Which could/would start TBD. Seems like Whitworth will return and with Noteboom a good 6th man/backup they can put off LT until 2022 (when they have a 1st round pick again and probably 5 selections in the top 3 rounds).by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
The issue with Blythe is not that he is a bad player. He is not. The issue, I think, is you can have some guys in the interior OL that are relatively smaller but you need to have at least one across those three who can really move people inside. With the Rams having 4 OGs and Blythe being an UFA center is simply the most logical spot to address/upgrade. If Blythe moves on to a team that has bby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Just not the time to go handing out another $15M+/yr. contract. Ideal scenario is Floyd and Johnson get paid well enough that Rams net 3rd and 4th round comp picks in 2022. Combined with the extra 3rd for Holmes going to Detroit and having their own 1st, 2nd and 3rd they would have 5 picks in the top 3 rounds of the 2022 Draft.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Depending on what he gets paid the Rams will get at least a 4th round compensatory pick and possibly a 3rd. And you're right, he's been great for the Rams for 4 years but between the asking price and what they have in house with Fuller, Burgess, Rapp and Scott they have to let him go.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Was doing the extensions TWO years ahead of time. Period. Simply do NOT extend someone when they have more than one year left on their deal. Austin. Gurley. Goff. Would have helped in all cases. In the case of Austin he would not have received an extension at all. Gurley? If they had waited until after the 2018 season ended (vs. the summer before) do you think the Rams give him the same deal? Noby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Ha! Good point. Rams also blocked a punt for a TD in that game. Hurt their rankings...by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Love it and pretty much agree at least partially with everything there. On the OL, I was surprised by the PFF #2 ranking thing too. If someone asked me to rank the Rams OL or where I think it was I'd have said "maybe 12th, 13th." It was not a bad unit. And it was much better than 2019. But was it elite/top 5? No way... Really big, physical DLs were a bad matchup for them. Could theyby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
First, anytime you can have an elite player at a position it's plus. For sure. Whether it's QB, WR, OG, CB, ILB, whatever. I loved all the guys you mention- Reynolds, Ekern, Collins. I was pissed in 2012 when the Rams passed on Bobby Wagner (or Lavonte David) too. If the Rams stumbled into a really good ILB because he's slipped and the value is just too good, great. In the 49ers case withby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Previous 6 seasons 2020 (JAC): Rick Gosselin ST rankings: 13th Football Outsiders: 18th 2019 (JAC): Rick Gosselin ST rankings: 5th Football Outsiders: 6th 2018 (JAC): Rick Gosselin ST rankings: 7th Football Outsiders: 4th 2017 (JAC): Rick Gosselin ST rankings: 24th Football Outsiders: 24th 2016 (DEN): Rick Gosselin ST rankings: 19th Football Outsiders: 24thby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Rams assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry is expected to join Staley’s cross-town staff. Via PFT.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
That, to me, is the biggest issue and lesson hopefully learned. Extending 1st round picks after their 3rd seasons vs. simply picking up their 5th year option and then deciding on extensions after year 4. In the cases of Tavon Austin, Todd Gurley and Jared Goff if that had happened extensions might have looked very different. In the case of Austin, of course, the extension never should have haby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Knows the system- which is highly dependent on DBs. Players really respect him. He has earned it. And if they go with Morris or someone else externally I would bet they lose Pleasant elsewhere. Would be unnecessary disruption.by LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
Also echoed by Jourdan R. and Rich H. in the 11 Personnel podcast this year. The Rams aren't asking Jared to make something from nothing, improvise, etc. Operate within the construct of the scheme, be smart and safe. There have to be some other things going on (OL confidence- or lack thereof in some situations) given how condensed the offense became this year. In the video they talk about somby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com
In a year when the Rams have some soul searching to do on offense and some restocking to do on defense they also REALLY need to improve special teams. I think in the NFL to win you need at least one unit (O/D/ST) that's top-10 and the other two that are at least mediocre. You can't be bottom tier in anything and the Rams were clearly bottom-tier in special teams. See Rick Gosselin's 2021 specby LMU93 - RamsFootballFans.com