Discuss the current Defenses depth chart

[jrry32]

you all are way off. ngata has been an interior lineman his entire career. brockers is an ideal NT. you all are silly.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NgatHa20.htm

Ngata has been an interior DL. Our LDE and RDE are both interior DLs. Basically, Wade's defense often aligns the strong-side DE as the 5-tech and the weak-side DE as the 3-tech. That means both the LDE and RDE (Donald) will see time as 5-techs and 3-techs. Wade also will sometimes pinch the strong-side DE inside. The NT usually aligns as a 0-tech shaded towards the strong-side but sometimes aligns as a 1-technique towards the strong-side depending on the strength of the formation.

Wade tends to differ his approach and alignment based on the defenders he has as well. But the reality is that our three down lineman are all interior DLs.

Brockers can play both NT and LDE in this scheme. My expectation is that Wade will play him wherever he needs to play him to get the best three players on the field.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I've said it before, in other threads, and it's been said here. This "D" needs better Depth at almost all Positions!! JMHO!!

 

[jrry32]

I don't think Brockers weight has anything to do with him playing the DE as some have said. He is a natural NT, DT. He may move outside in some packages bit his technique does not lend itself to him playing there.

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/michael-brockers?id=2533050
He has positional versatility and could even be attractive to 3-4 teams as a defensive end, as he is athletic enough to work from the edge in a scheme that seeks bigger DEs to maintain blockers and keep linebackers free. He has more value as a 3 tech DT within a 4-3 defense and will have an immediate impact on the line as a rookie.

Brockers is not a natural 3-4 NT. His height makes him a poor fit for the traditional 3-4 NT role. He can work in Wade's defense because it's not a read and react scheme that asks him to two-gap. In most 3-4 defenses, Brockers would be a DE. In this defense, he can play either NT or DE. I expect where he plays will depend on our ability to get the best three DLs on the field. If we have a guy who best fits at NT, Brockers will play DE. If we have a guy who best fits at DE, Brockers will play NT.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I pretty much agree @jrry32 in that he will play where he fits best. I think he is not a perfect fit for the 3-4 and certainly a much different player than he was in college but I believe he can still be effective. I like Wades ability to utilize his talent and opposed to forcing his philosophy on players that don't fit his scheme.

 

[jrry32]

I pretty much agree @jrry32 in that he will play where he fits best. I think he is not a perfect fit for the 3-4 and certainly a much different player than he was in college but I believe he can still be effective. I like Wades ability to utilize his talent and opposed to forcing his philosophy on players that don't fit his scheme.

In this scheme, I don't see the fit as much different from GW's scheme. The responsibilities are similar for him.

 

[A55VA6]

We need better depth at all positions. Good thing is, the draft will provide us with some solid options..

 

[Ram$rule]

More good players!

 

[bubbaramfan]

Brockers will work out where ever Wade lines him up. He's very good, penetrating D lineman and the Rams are lucky to have him.

 

[Soul Surfer]

To me you just want your best 3 defensive lineman on the line.
Brockers is a natural space eater 0 tech clogging up the middle and forcing the play to either side of him on run plays. He is a natural pocket collapser up the middle as well.
I don't see anybody else in that position except for the occasional rotational guy and that's why they picked up Tyrunn Walker. I didn't think that Cam Thomas was that bad and fully expected him to be re-signed.

Why they would put Brockers at DE have no idea when you have Donald and Easley.
Those are two guys that can penetrate and disrupt pass plays from their positions at DE while also having the speed and agility to stop the run or force it outside to the OLBs.
Don't underestimate Easley. There's a good reason they held onto him. Mostly they want to see what he can do in Camp.
Barwin was a great signing because they can now play Alex Ogletree inside.
Athleticly Quinn is a prototype OLB in my opinion.
Course he needs to be fully recovered.
Westbrooks can rotate on either side as an OLB.
I'm still not 100% sold on Barron as an inside linebacker but we'll find out.

Overall? On paper?
It looks almost too ideal.

I think Phillips makes it happen though.

 

[rams24/7]

Great topic. I actually just made a YouTube video on this. Here are my thoughts:

 

[Riverumbbq]

RDE-Donald/Easley/Fox
NT-Brockers/Walker/Tricant-Pasat
LDE-Westbrooks/Longacre (Brockers)

It's interesting how all the different thoughts on alignment will finally work itself out, @flv may want to post some odds. At the moment I have Westbrooks & Longacre not making the 53. I also can't see McSnead tying up over $19.mil in CAP for our two ILB'ers (Ogletree & Barron) beyond 2017. I have us picking up a LDE in the draft, that's why the question mark. My front 7 looks more like this :

RDE : Donald, Trinca-Pasat, Walker
NT : Brockers, Trinca-Pasat, Walker
LDE : ... ?, Easley, Walker, Brockers

ROLB : Quinn, Thompson, Fox
WILB : Ogletree, Hager, Barron
SILB : Forrest, Casanova
LOLB : Barwin, Thompson, Fox

SS : Barron

 

[Soul Surfer]

I'm pretty sure I saw that they re-signed Westbrooks.

 

[OldSchool]

I'm pretty sure I saw that they re-signed Westbrooks.

Last report was March 6th that he was never tendered. This was cited during the initial reporting of the domestic violence investigation. Since then there has been nothing to report from the Rams. May be a good questions to ask Snead.

 

[Rams43]

Last report was March 6th that he was never tendered. This was cited during the initial reporting of the domestic violence investigation. Since then there has been nothing to report from the Rams. May be a good questions to ask Snead.

Westbrooks was tendered for one year, OldSchool.

BonifayRam provided the link earlier in this same thread.



http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/ethan-westbrooks-15106/

Ethan Westbrooks signed a 1 year, $1,797,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including an average annual salary of $1,797,000. In 2017, Westbrooks will earn a base salary of $1,797,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,797,000.

Westbrooks is a Ram for '17. And I predict that he will get his fair share of snaps in this Wade D.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Westbrook's performed well for a UDFA. Good to see he finally got paid.

 

[OldSchool]

Westbrooks was tendered for one year, OldSchool.

BonifayRam provided the link earlier in this same thread.



http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/ethan-westbrooks-15106/

Ethan Westbrooks signed a 1 year, $1,797,000 contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including an average annual salary of $1,797,000. In 2017, Westbrooks will earn a base salary of $1,797,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,797,000.

Westbrooks is a Ram for '17. And I predict that he will get his fair share of snaps in this Wade D.

Spotrac isn't a news source though that's his contract if he'd been tendered. Spotrac is a salary cap tracking site. I've seen articles claiming he wasn't tendered as late as March 15th and some saying he was a week earlier. The Rams site lists him on the roster but doesn't list they tendered him on their transaction page. The main issue with me is this site.

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/?s=ethan+westbrooks

If you search for Easley you see he was tendered if you look for Westbrooks there's no report he was signed or tendered. IMO there is still questions about Westbrook until we see a Rams source that he was tendered and signed. Maybe one of you twitter fellas can pose the question to Myles Simmons.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Spotrac isn't a news source though that's his contract if he'd been tendered. Spotrac is a salary cap tracking site. I've seen articles claiming he wasn't tendered as late as March 15th and some saying he was a week earlier. The Rams site lists him on the roster but doesn't list they tendered him on their transaction page. The main issue with me is this site.

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/?s=ethan+westbrooks

If you search for Easley you see he was tendered if you look for Westbrooks there's no report he was signed or tendered. IMO there is still questions about Westbrook until we see a Rams source that he was tendered and signed. Maybe one of you twitter fellas can pose the question to Myles Simmons.

RotoWorld :
The Sacramento County's district attorney has declined to file charges against restricted free agent DE Ethan Westbrooks.
Westbrooks was arrested in a domestic violence incident two weekends ago that left the mother of one of Westbrooks' three children with a visible injury. Westbrooks has three kids with three different women and has been in custody battles for them. The 26-year-old was extended an original-pick tender by the Rams, giving Los Angeles the right of first refusal. Mar 15 - 3:45 PM
Source: ESPN.com

 

[OldSchool]

RotoWorld :
The Sacramento County's district attorney has declined to file charges against restricted free agent DE Ethan Westbrooks.
Westbrooks was arrested in a domestic violence incident two weekends ago that left the mother of one of Westbrooks' three children with a visible injury. Westbrooks has three kids with three different women and has been in custody battles for them. The 26-year-old was extended an original-pick tender by the Rams, giving Los Angeles the right of first refusal. Mar 15 - 3:45 PM
Source: ESPN.com

Again I've seen reports he was tendered and reports he wasn't. I can cite many of each I'd like to see something from the Rams that he's on the roster. I'm not disputing that rotoworld report I've read it before.

Let me add to this with an edit. Go to the Rams Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/RamsNFL

There is something there for every free agent signing this year including Easley. There is nothing on there about Westbrook.

An article on the Rams website talking about all of their free agents.

View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-2017-Free-Agents/3f236e54-8177-4dd8-9449-a0b70f6b8353


When it comes to restricted free agents it lists Easley and Westbrook. It talks about how they tendered Easley but nothing is said about Westbrook. Spotrac, ourlads, overthecap and any other site can say we tendered and signed him that's all great. The Rams themselves have never said they even tendered him. Until I see something from the Rams I'm cautious to say he's a Ram. Heck even Walterfootball, a site I don't like, says he's still unsigned.

 

[Soul Surfer]

If they tendered Westbrooks and nobody else signed him, he's a Ram, right?