A few things I’m now pretty sure of…

[Rams43]

In no particular order…

Boom, if healthy, will be starting LOT come September. They’re committed to him contractually and he’s among ‘best 5’ of Boom, Jackson, Avila, Bruss or Anchrum or McClendon at RG, and Hav.

Allen, despite his knee will not only be kept but probably start until his inevitable injury.

This will be Higbee’s last year as a Ram. I think McVay has finally decided to develop TE prominently into his O. Probably will draft a pass catching TE next year, too.

The battle for WR’s 3 through 6 will be fierce. Impossible to handicap at this point.

Rams overall Edge play will be superior to the ‘22 version, even though Floyd is now gone. This will make Morris’ job a lot easier.

Wagner will be missed but not by all that much. Jones will fill in nicely.

Both Durant and Tomlinson will start at CB. Not sure exactly where Morris will deploy them, but they will be on the field and be ballhawks.

Kendrick will be a reserve despite Morris’ happy coachspeak. Rams can do better. They MUST do better.

I think our ST are gonna shine. The Blackburn hire is looking like a HR.

This assistant coach corps will prove to be one of McVay’s best, maybe even best ever overall.

I’m so optimistic about this revived OL that I think both Stafford and Akers could have career years. I think McVay has learned his lesson about importance of strong OL and will never again allow it to slip behind.

If McVay can pull all this together and somehow win 9 games I think he might be in the conversation for COTY.

Thoughts?

 

[Jacobarch]

I hope you're wrong about boom. I don't want him anywhere near the starting 5 Oline. The dude is awful. Saying they're committed to him contractually is kind of silly. The Rams are committed to putting the best 53 on the field. Full stop.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Good stuff! Though I'd say it's 50/50 Allen is on the roster week 1 of NFL season. Allen and Shelton will be kept through training camp to onboard the 2nd and 3rd team olines but Shelton has a good shot of beating him out and Avila can backup center in a pinch so Allen may very well get the cut over another olineman who can offer more position flexibility and has a more developmental runway.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I'm not buying Boom starting as he's not even healthy enough to practice plus the fact that Jackson is rightfully pushing for playing time at LT. Allen could start but that all depends on where the Rams put Avila. If Avila takes over at center, Allen will most likely be relegated to the bench. Honestly hope he's gone this or next year since he's definitely an injury waiting to happen.

 

[Tano]

I'm not buying Boom starting as he's not even healthy enough to practice plus the fact that Jackson is rightfully pushing for playing time at LT. Allen could start but that all depends on where the Rams put Avila. If Avila takes over at center, Allen will most likely be relegated to the bench. Honestly hope he's gone this or next year since he's definitely an injury waiting to happen.

This - recovering from an Achilles heel injury is going to take time.

I doubt he will be ready until midseason at the earliest.

 

[Tano]

The one thing I am worried about on this team is veteran depth.

We have no one behind the linebackers and secondary that have any experience at all

Our DL depth is lacking experience as well for the most part.

If we sustain multiple injuries on the defensive side - we are in deep doodoo

 

[Allen2McVay]

...

If McVay can pull all this together and somehow win 9 games I think he might be in the conversation for COTY.

Thoughts?

The only thing that I am pretty sure of is that COTY will not replace GOAT as a popular sports acronym.

Seriously, I am not optimistic for a good Rams' team in 2023 but I am forever hopeful; and your thoughts represent some of the best hopes for the Rams' upcoming season.

 

[Kupped]

Hard no on Boom.. but all the other stuff seems like things that could become reality.

 

[oldnotdead]

Noteboom is projected to be able to practice in TC. Apparently, he's been on the field just not an active participant in the practices. The Rams extended him for a reason, i.e. he's much better than the fans on this board think. The problem last year was his health like everyone else on the OL. But in reality the question is moot because if Joe isn't healthy than Jackson will simply step in and he has shown he's very good as well.

This team will win at least 10 games this season. I think 11 wins is entirely possible if they stay healthy. The offense is going to be very good simply because the OL will give Stafford time and allow the RBs to balance the attack. The defense will be better because they will have a better front with good play on the edges. The starting CBs look like Durant and Hodges-Tomlinson on the boundaries and they look to play 3 safeties in their base zone on passing downs. I could see them on early downs aligning:

DE Hoecht
NT Brown
DT Donald
JACK Young

WIL Mathis
MIKE Jones
SAM Hampton

CB Durant, Hodges-Tomlinson
Safety Lake, Yeast

On passing downs sub Murchison or Turner for Brown, sub Fuller for Mathis or Jones.

 

[thirteen28]

I think we know Boom's place in this league, and his place is at a backup. He does well coming off the bench for a few games, but it seems he falls apart, both physically and mentally, when he's put in a starting role. Hoping AJ seizes his opportunity.

 

[snackdaddy]

I think if Boom can play a full season he can be serviceable. Barely. But I think Jackson can be better than serviceable with more time. I also don't think Boom can play a full season. Him and Allen are not reliable with comes to availability. But they will start the season if they're both ready to go.

I know the line suffered unprecedented injuries. No team can survive that. But to be honest, I don't think the starting line was that good to begin with. I'd rather see changes there rather than status quo.

 

[den-the-coach]

If there is one thing that we can rely on along the offensive line is the unreliability of Boom & Allen. I would love to see them play most of the year and hope they do, but I have a feeling that Jackson & Shelton will be the men in blue, when the dust settles.

 

[AvengerRam]

 

[Giles]

The one thing I am worried about on this team is veteran depth.

We have no one behind the linebackers and secondary that have any experience at all

Our DL depth is lacking experience as well for the most part.

If we sustain multiple injuries on the defensive side - we are in deep doodoo

I'm concerned about that as well. Gonna be a lot if communication errors this season especially early.

 

[Tano]

Noteboom is projected to be able to practice in TC. Apparently, he's been on the field just not an active participant in the practices.

That is one heck of a recovery from an Achilles injury. Even though he may practice or even play, I doubt he will be at full strength just like Cam for at least a year and a half from the time of injury.

 

[Mojo Ram]

…

 

[Merlin]

I'm not sure at all about Boom. The fact that is still the case with him is a concern for me too. But I am hopeful. I think he and Jackson are going to compete for LT and someone holding down LT with good play is crucial for us to win games. If we don't have LT covered this season's gonna suck.

I think it's unlikely we're better at Edge. Floyd's a quality strong side and I don't know that Hoecht can contain like he does. I hope he can but there's a fair chance Floyd & Hoecht were better than what we have this year. My hope is this year's group can be of similar level of production, which is not impossible but I do think it's questionable.

Secondary is where I expect surprises, i.e. for them to actually improve in spite of the losses. For a couple reasons. First because Ramsey was inconsistent out there, and I think the guys we have now will play the call with better discipline. And secondly because we should get Fuller back, and our safeties will hopefully be much better thus making the back five considerably stronger. I don't think Kendrick can play outside the hash but I might be wrong, hoping I am in fact if they play him out there. But we also have Rochell as a possibility for improvement in-house. IMO we are two deep at corner though. Which is not terrible. Not great either, barring a miracle with that third role, whoever it is and wherever he lines up.

Wags to Jones is significant dropoff I think. Not to say Jones can't improve and have a great third season and I am pulling for that but I don't think it's realistic to assume he is at Wags level of last season.

In spite of the above I love the optimism though 43. And I do think we might get lucky and have things go our way and end up somehow with up to that 9 win range which would mean we're at least in the wildcard chase. But I am not to the point where I think it is likely all those if's align for us. Probably gonna be a mixed bag, win some lose some, and we'll be around 7ish wins, however I am excited about the season and very hopeful.

 

[RamDino]

Start Alaric Jackson at LT from the get-go. It will give the line some consistency. Let Noteboom heal while giving AJ a chance to prove himself. They can always go back to Boom. No reason to rush him in there. JMO

 

[Oregonram]

Good stuff! Though I'd say it's 50/50 Allen is on the roster week 1 of NFL season. Allen and Shelton will be kept through training camp to onboard the 2nd and 3rd team olines but Shelton has a good shot of beating him out and Avila can backup center in a pinch so Allen may very well get the cut over another olineman who can offer more position flexibility and has a more developmental runway.

oooohhhh...development runway...I like the sound of that....I'm going to steal and use that somewhere..

 

[majrleaged]

The one thing I am worried about on this team is veteran depth.

We have no one behind the linebackers and secondary that have any experience at all

Our DL depth is lacking experience as well for the most part.

If we sustain multiple injuries on the defensive side - we are in deep doodoo

That's the way they want it. The youth this year is next years veterans.