Debate the Rams Off season in the Football Fan Forum
2010 Preview:
The Rams definitely took a step in the right direction by taking a franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford first overall. However, Rams fans aren’t going to see that move pan out right away. Rookie quarterbacks struggle unless they have three things, experience in a Pro Style offense, a good supporting cast, and 30 or more starts in college. Bradford has none of those three things. Plus, he hasn’t been in a game on any level since last October thanks to an injury. He’ll likely be rusty. That doesn’t mean he won’t pan out ever. Plenty of quarterbacks have had awful rookie years and gone on to become Pro Bowlers, even future Hall of Famers in Peyton Manning’s case. He just won’t be good this year. And if they start AJ Feeley over Bradford, that’s great, history shows quarterbacks who sit in their rookie year pan out more, but don’t expect Feeley to win them a ton of games either.
Now, this team is more than a quarterback. Let’s talk about their supporting cast, a thing I called bad when I mentioned that Bradford didn’t have a strong supporting cast, essential to a rookie quarterback’s success. Steven Jackson is great. He’s also hurt and couldn’t carry them to more than 1 win last year when he was healthy. Their offensive line is banking on rookie Rodger Saffold having a good first year and Jason Smith panning out in his 2nd year in the league. Injuries have decimated their offensive front so far in their offseason, which is not a good sign.
Their defense isn’t good. Their best chance at any life defensively is their pass rush. Head coach Steve Spagnoulo has done great things in the best with pass rushes and they still have a lot of untapped potential in former 2nd overall pick Chris Long. They also drafted a few interesting pass rushing options in the mid rounds this year, but overall, their pass rush isn’t making me jump out of my seat.
Their linebackers aren’t good, their defensive tackles aren’t good, their secondary isn’t good, there simply aren’t enough good players on this defense for them to be anything for other teams to fear. Don’t underestimate losing OJ Atogwe either. Their defense went from bad to worse after he got hurt last year and now it looks like the free agent won’t be back next season.
Projection: 2-14 4th in NFC West
Power Ranking: 31
Last Season: 1-15
Draft:
#1 QB Sam Bradford (Oklahoma)
They could have done worse and taken a non-QB, but I would have taken Clausen. I think Clausen’s history of success in an NFL style offense with limited talent around him made him best prepared for the Rams, but it’s hard to give them a bad grade because they picked a guy with more upside at a position of extreme need and value.
Grade: B
#33 OT Roger Saffold (Indiana)
I didn’t see it coming, but I like it. Alex Barron was the most penalized left tackle in the league last year and also gave up 9 sacks. Jason Smith is the left tackle of the future, but he struggled some last year. Even if Smith is able to pan out at left tackle and Barron is able to move over to right and improve, Saffold is still an above average left guard. There’s also a good chance that either Smith doesn’t pan out or Barron continues to struggle and in that case, Saffold can play tackle. The Rams need to protect their quarterback. Maybe the Lions should take a look at what the Rams are doing.
Grade: B+
#65 CB Jerome Murphy (South Florida)
Murphy fits the draft range alright, but I think there were better players at the position than him and I didn’t have cornerback as one of the Rams’ major needs. The Rams need help at linebacker, receiver, and on the defensive line so I don’t understand this one so much.
Grade: C
#99 WR Marshawn Gilyard (Cincinnati)
I would have gone with Everson Griffen because I had him higher rated on my board and because he fills a greater need in terms of positional value, but it’s hard to argue with the Rams getting a 2nd-3rd round caliber WR in the top of the 4th, especially when they have a young rookie quarterback who is used to having talented wide receivers.
Grade: A-
#132 TE Michael Hoomanawanui (Illinois)
Tight end was a need, but I would have liked to have seen them go with a pass catching tight end over a run blocking tight end, even given how good of a blocker Hoomanawanui is. With so many other needs, this luxury pick doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Grade: C-
#149 DE Hall Davis (Louisiana Lafayette)
I didn’t have Davis on my radar as a 5th round guy at all, but he fills a need and I trust Steve Spagnuolo’s judgements with DEs given his work with Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Osi Umenyiora in New York.
Grade: C+
#170: TE Fendi Onobun (Houston)
The Rams take their pass catching tight end, I think. Fendi has barely played any football. He is a basketball player with amazing measurables and good upside as a tight end. The Rams had other needs and can’t afford to be making picks like this.
Grade: D
#189: DE Eugene Sims (West Texas A&M)
Trying to trust Steve Spagnuolo’s judgement with ends, but Sims probably shouldn’t have been drafted. Plus, having already taken one end this draft, the Rams really needed to focus on other needs with this pick, DT, LB, S.
Grade: C-
#211: CB Marquis Johnson (Alabama)
Once again ignoring bigger needs to make reaches at positions that aren’t huge needs. I didn’t have Johnson on my radar as a draft prospect at all.
Grade: C
#226: DE George Selvie (South Florida)
I like the 3rd defensive end they took a lot more than the first two, but still this is their 3rd defensive end. When you have as many needs as the Rams do, you can’t afford to triple up on positions and Selvie is a bit undersized.
Grade: A-
#254: MLB Josh Hull (Penn State)
Hull actually fills a need at LB, but he’s not the starting caliber LB I was expecting them to get out of this draft.
Grade: A
Overall:
Overall, they could have done a lot worse. They are set up pretty nicely for the future with their franchise QB, a solid offensive line, a franchise DE (Chris Long), and they added some interesting players into the mix and made some nice unorthodox picks.
Grade: B-
Key undrafted free agents signed
OLB Simoni Lawrence (Minnesota)
RB Keith Totson (Oklahoma State)
QB Thaddeus Lewis (Duke)
Positions of need:
Quarterback:
Marc Bulger is practically dead because of all the sacks he has taken over the past few years. He’s so shell shocked that they had to bench him for Kyle Boller last season. Kyle Boller proved last year that he’s nothing but a former 1st round pick bust and Keith Null, I can only hope, was only drafted and started to help the Rams tank, because I can’t think of any reason why you’d start a guy with zero arm strength and awful decision making. Without a franchise quarterback, they will be mediocre at best again next year and for every year until they get one. This is why I feel they have to draft a quarterback first overall. They may also try to acquire either Jason Campbell or Michael Vick in the offseason, but I see both as mistakes because neither of those guys are franchise quarterbacks, but merely stopgaps. Campbell has a career 25-32 record as a starter and that’s with a much better supporting cast than the one he will have in St. Louis.
Drafted Sam Bradford (#1)
Wide Receiver:
Assuming they get a franchise quarterback, they’ll have to get him someone to throw to. Donnie Avery is decent, but lacks elite size and Brandon Gibson surprised late last season as a rookie, but he doesn’t have a ton of upside. Getting a true #1 option or future #1 option will be high on their shopping list for this offseason. If the Rams take Clausen first overall, they would be smart to draft Golden Tate in the 2nd as Tate was Clausen’s top receiver over the last two years at Notre Dame.
Drafted Marshawn Gilyard (#99)
Defensive End:
Even if Chris Long pans out, which, after a disappointing 2nd year, is not a sure thing, they will still need a left end opposite him. They only had 22 sacks as a team last year and 6.5 of those came from Leonard Little who is on the wrong side of 30 and also a free agent. I would not be surprised if they dangled a mid-to-late round pick in front of the Giants for Osi Umenyiora, who has demanded that they either give him back his starting job or trade/release him. Osi has already won a ring, so he may enjoy the opportunity to come play for Steve Spagnuolo, his former defensive coordinator who is now the Rams’ head coach, get a full time starting job, mentor a young guy at the position like Chris Long, and try to help rebuild a once proud franchise.
Drafted Hall Davis (#149), Drafted Eugene Sims (#189), Drafted George Selvie (#226)
Defensive Tackle:
Rookie Dorell Scott is probably the only defensive tackle from their 2009 roster I’d want playing any significant playing time on my team, and even he, I don’t think, is quite starter material. They’ll give Adam Carriker one more shot at the position, but he’s coming off of a major shoulder injury and he wasn’t great before the injury either. If they draft or sign a defensive tackle, they could move Carriker out to left end, his college position. That being said, drafting Ndamukong Suh #1 over Jimmy Clausen would be a mistake. There’s a reason defensive tackle is 4th on this list and quarterback 1st. They won’t get anywhere without a franchise quarterback.
Signed Fred Robbins, Signed Chris Hovan
Outside Linebacker:
After they traded Will Witherspoon, this defense just fell apart. A late season injury by OJ Atogwe didn’t help, but going from Witherspoon to Paris Lenon at the outside linebacker position was a major downgrade and noticeably so. Lenon is a free agent this offseason and I doubt he will be resigned.
Traded for Bobby Carpenter
Safety:
Speaking of OJ Atogwe, when he down with injury, then the entire defense just fell apart. Atogwe is a free agent, so, while they have more pressing needs, a replacement would be nice.
Traded for Kevin Payne
Tight End:
The top three tight ends on their depth chart are free agents so they may look to go in a completely different direction at the position. However, once again, they have more pressing issues.
Drafted Mike Hoomanawanui (#132), Drafted Fendi Onobun (#170)
Running Back:
They have almost no depth behind Steven Jackson. I don’t know how many more 300 carry seasons Sjax can handle so a solid backup, preferably a young guy who could take over if Jackson starts to break down, is a need and something I expect them to look for late in the draft.
Free Agents:
QB Marc Bulger- signed with Ravens 1 year
QB Kyle Boller- signed with Raiders
RB Kenneth Darby (restricted)- resigned
RB Sakmon Gado (restricted)
WR Ruvell Martin (restricted)
TE Randy McMichael- signed with Chargers 1 year
TE Daniel Fells- resigned 1 year 1.5 million
OT Alex Barron (restricted)- traded to Cowboys
G Mark Setterstrom (restricted)- resigned 1 year
DE Leonard Little
DE Victor Adeyanju- (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.1 million
DE James Hall- resigned
DT Clifton Ryan (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.6 million
DT Gary Gibson- resigned 1 year
OLB David Vobora (exclusive rights)- resigned 1 year
OLB Larry Grant (exclusive rights)- resigned
OLB Paris Lenon- signed with Cardinals 3 years
OLB Simoni Lawrence- signed with Eagles
CB Jonathan Wade (restricted)- not tendered, signed with Lions
CB Quincy Butler (exclusive rights)- resigned 1 year .47 million
S OJ Atogwe (restricted)- resigned 5 years
S David Roach (exclusive rights)- resigned
Offseason moves:
Rams re-sign S David Roach
Rams re-sign S O.J. Atogwe
Rams re-sign OLB Larry Grant
Rams sign DT Chris Hovan
Rams announce retirement of WR Isaac Bruce
Rams trade OT Alex Barron to Cowboys for OLB Bobby Carpenter
Rams re-sign OT Alex Barron
Rams acquire S Kevin Payne from Bears for conditional 7th-round pick
Rams trade 3-4 DE Adam Carriker to the Redskins for exchange of 5th-round picks
Rams re-sign DT Clifton Ryan
Rams re-sign DT Gary Gibson
Rams sign OLB Na’il Diggs
Rams cut QB Marc Bulger
Rams re-sign CB Quincy Butler
Rams re-sign DE James Hall
Rams sign CB Kevin Dockery
Rams sign TE Darcy Johnson
Rams re-sign OLB David Vobora
Rams re-sign RB Kenneth Darby
Rams re-sign G Mark Setterstrom
Rams sign C Hank Fraley
Rams re-sign TE Daniel Fells
Rams sign DT Fred Robbins
Rams sign QB A.J. Feeley
Rams waive TE Derek Fine
Rams tender S O.J. Atogwe
Rams tender DE Victor Adeyanju
Rams tender DT Clifton Ryan
Rams tender OLB David Vobora
Rams tender OLB Larry Grant
Rams tender CB Quincy Butler
Rams tender RB Kenneth Darby
Rams tender S David Roach
Rams claim TE Derek Fine
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