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I'm a day early but Happy New Year, everyone! This mock will be familiar in some aspects but with a few twists thrown in.
Extension
Sam Bradford - 2 years $20 million($10 million first year)
As a quick explanation, we extend Bradford's contract by adding a second year but move money around to lower his cap his by $4 million this year. He agrees to this because we guarantee all $10 million in 2015 and give him $4 million of the $10 million in the form of a roster bonus the day after signing. He gets money upfront and guaranteed money, we lower his cap figure and get a team friendly deal in 2016. If Bradford has a strong comeback season, we get him in 2016 at a team friendly $10 million to see if he can put together back to back strong years. If he does not, there's no guaranteed money in 2016 so we cut him with no dead money. It's a fair deal all around.
Released
Jake Long - $8 million in cap savings
Kendall Langford - $6 million in cap savings
Scott Wells - $3.8 million in cap savings
Eugene Sims - $1.9 million in cap savings
Isaiah Pead - $900,000 in cap savings
Total Cap Savings: $20.6 million
Total Cap Room: $26.0 million
Re-signed Players
Joe Barksdale - 4 years $24 million($5 million first year)
Kenny Britt - 3 years $15 million($5 million first year)
Mike Person - 1 year $745,000
Cory Harkey - ERFA($645,000)
Rodney McLeod - RFA($1.4 million - Original Round)
Total Cap Spent: $12.7 million
Total Cap Room: $13.3 million
Free Agency
C.J. Mosley DT
1 year $1.7 million
Rotational DT known for his run stuffing ability to replace Kendall Langford.
Leger Douzable DT
2 years $3.0 million($1.5 million first year)
Another rotational DT that can step in and stuff the run when needed. Takes Carrington's spot in the rotation. Can also play DE.
Clint Boling OL
4 years $16 million($3.0 million first year)
Boling is capable of playing tackle or guard and can do it at a solid level. He's only 25 years old. And he offers the Rams a great 6th OL that can start if one of the rookies are not ready to go. With our propensity for getting injured on the OL, I think this is money well spent.
Trade
St. Louis trades HB Zac Stacy
Tennessee trades 6th Round(#2)
St. Louis trades 5th Round(#10)
Tampa Bay trades QB Mike Glennon
St. Louis trades 3rd Round(#8)
Denver trades 3rd Round(#30), 5th Round(#30), 2016 5th
Stacy is traded due to his falling down the depth chart but still having value.
I've watched all Glennon's starts this year on Rewind, I think he's our best backup option behind Bradford. Don't know what TB was thinking not playing the kid. And best of all, if he did play, he's actually capable of getting the ball to Tavon because this guy is 6'7"...taller than any of our starting OLs. I really don't know what to say...TB should have started him. The guy has 29 TDs to 15 Ints in just over 1 season worth of games/attempts. And he actually shows a lot of the abilities a NFL QB has to have.
The Denver trade recoups a 5th round pick because I think my guy will still be there.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #10 - Kevin White WR West Virginia
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpNVPq2XUKo
Analysis: T.J. Clemmings is off the board and we don't have an enticing trade down offer here. So I take the guy at the top of my board. While I feel good about our WRs without White, he's the best value here. White is around 6'3" 215 with outstanding hands and athleticism. He'll need development coming out of WVU's offense because he did not run a NFL route tree and does not have experience running a variety of routes. However, White is an extremely hard working kid with a great attitude. On the field, he has the speed to run by defenders deep, he is difficult to tackle after the catch due to his suddenness and physicality as a runner, and White is excellent at going up and getting the football. I think he's got a lot in common with Dez Bryant in terms of skill-set but White does not have any attitude issues. He's a big WR that runs hard after the catch, can run by defenders deep, and has the quickness/suddenness to become an effective route runner. White shows the ability to win 50/50 balls and go up and get the ball at its highest point. I think a lot of this kid. I have him rated as the 1B WR in this class behind Amari Cooper. He's nowhere near as polished as Amari but I think he has a higher ceiling because of all his physical gifts.
Round 2 Pick #9 - A.J. Cann OG South Carolina
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlwRR2-tr_w
Analysis: Cann is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. I think he's a very NFL ready prospect with the tools to be a very good NFL LG. I have compared him to Josh Sitton. Cann has very flexible hips and ankles with a good sized frame at 6'4" 320. He shows the power to get movement in the running game and consistently shoots off the ball low to the ground which allows him to win the leverage battle. Cann also shows a good understanding of position and angles because South Carolina, unfortunately, has him sealing, reaching, and hooking far more often than he should in their zone heavy scheme. Cann shows the ability to be devastating while down blocking and drive blocking. Still, I wish he had more of a mean steak as I don't think he finishes blocks like he should. He doesn't look to bury defenders at all time and doesn't play through the whistle like Scherff and Sambrailo do. As a pass protector, Cann has some flaws that he needs to improve upon. He's very comfortable mirroring in his stance although he does sometimes cheat on his position step. Cann shows impressive lateral agility, is smooth when forced to redirect, sits comfortably in his stance with great bend/flexibility in his hips and ankles, and Cann has outstanding balance. He also understands how to position himself to protect his QB and open up passing lanes. Cann's hand strength and grip are extraordinary. Once he gets his hands locked in on the chest, defenders rarely are able to disengage even when they seem to have him beat. However, Cann's biggest issues with his pass protection are related to his arm position while setting, his punch timing, and his hand placement. Cann doesn't keep his elbows tight when setting off the LOS and rarely ever lands the first punch. He often relies on counter-punching after the DL has gotten his hands on him. Cann also does not do a good job of targeting his punches inside the shoulders and is often sloppy with his placement. These are all issues that I think should be corrected with NFL level coaching but they are a problem right now. If he fixes the problem, though, due to his hand strength and grip, he'll be one hell of a pass protector.
Round 3 Pick #30 - Devontae Booker HB Utah
View: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11845552
Analysis: Booker is the definition of the word decisive and that's a great thing. He doesn't dance in the back-field and he doesn't waste time. He gets the ball and he knows exactly where he's going. He does a really nice job of pressing the line of scrimmage before making his cut up-field. Even when forced to bounce it outside, Booker wastes no time in getting N-S. At 5'10" 205, he's not a power HB and shouldn't be mistaken for one. Booker has outstanding feet and explosive burst. He doesn't possess great long speed but in those first 5-10 yards, he's very fast. Booker uses his cuts well to setup defenders and blocks. He is shifty with quick feet and a nice jump cut. Booker also possesses impressive balance which makes him a slippery runner and tougher to knock off his feet than you'd expect. And probably the biggest thing for me with Booker is his ability to catch the football. He has outstanding hands and body control. He can adjust to poorly thrown balls and will make his mark in the NFL as a receiver out of the back-field. I love Booker's versatility and the urgency in his running style. He'll get the yards that are blocked and he can create some on his own with his cutting ability and slipperyness as a runner. Some scouts have compared him to Arian Foster.
Round 5 Pick #30 - Rob Havenstein OT/OG Wisconsin
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTftkxEBw0U
Analysis: Havenstein is a massive man at 6'8" 330 but I think he's one of the few really big guys that can play OG. He seems to do a nice job of getting leverage in the run game and is your typical Wisconsin OL. He's a blue collar guy that can get some movement in the run game. Doesn't have overpowering strength but is able to generate movement while drive blocking and does a solid job with his positioning and angles. Also seems to have good burst off the LOS for his size and is relatively fast in a straight-line. He won't be a backup LT for us as he doesn't have the lateral agility to play there in the NFL. I think he could be a backup RT but he'd likely need some help with chipping on more athletic OLBs and DEs as his lateral agility is mediocre and he can struggle to hold the corner against faster rushers. However, as an OG, I think he has potential. He has a wide base in pass pro and controls players when he gets his hands on them. He had to compensate for his lateral agility in space which affected his anchor but I think at OG, his anchor will be fine. Only thing that concerns me is leverage and flexibility but I think he can get away with it. Like Alex Boone, I think he's a big guy that can passable at OT but might have a future at OG. He'll provide depth behind Saffold, Cann, Clemmings, and Robinson.(if Robinson goes down, Clemmings or Saffold would likely slide over to LT)
Round 6 Pick #2 - A.J. Derby TE Arkansas
View: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11722579
Analysis: A.J. Derby was Arkansas's backup QB last year but moved to TE in the spring this year before his Senior year. While his stats don't seem elite, I think he's a kid who has a lot of upside to him. Derby is listed at 6'5" 255 and still has some weight to gain at the TE position. He shows off good athleticism as a receiver and has made some really nice circus catches this year. But most of all, despite being new to the position, Derby is a very willing blocker who shows a lot of promise in that department. Arkansas has used him all over the formation including at FB, in the slot, split out wide, and inline at TE. Derby is a high effort kid who plays through the whistle. His blocking and receiver skills all need polishing but this is a good kid to develop behind the TEs we have.
Round 7 Pick #31 - Blake Sims QB Alabama
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sRgotw58Bg
Analysis: Taking a shot on a developmental backup QB here. Sims is still learning the nuances of the QB position as a first year starter and there's no guarantee that he'll ever get them down but he has a NFL caliber arm, throws a good deep ball, has a quick release with the ability to change platforms, and is the same caliber of athlete as Russell Wilson (but clearly not the same caliber of passer). Heck, he might even be faster than Wilson. He's on the short side at 6'0" 210 but with his athleticism, flashes of talent, and overall tools...why not? My big concerns right now are that he doesn't find his checkdowns effectively(locks onto deeper routes), will give away his intentions with his eyes which can lead to picks, short arms throws leading to inaccuracy, doesn't throw accurately on the run(due to mechanics), and he's short which will limit his ability to climb the ladder in the pocket. But it's a 7th rounder. Plus, Sims kind of reminds me of Seneca Wallace.
Starting Line-up
QB: Sam Bradford
HB: Tre Mason
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Brian Quick
ZWR: Kenny Britt
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Jared Cook
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: A.J. Cann
C: Barrett Jones
RG: Rodger Saffold
RT: Joe Barksdale
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Aaron Donald
RDT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SPUR: Mark Barron
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
NCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: Rodney McLeod
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
Extension
Sam Bradford - 2 years $20 million($10 million first year)
As a quick explanation, we extend Bradford's contract by adding a second year but move money around to lower his cap his by $4 million this year. He agrees to this because we guarantee all $10 million in 2015 and give him $4 million of the $10 million in the form of a roster bonus the day after signing. He gets money upfront and guaranteed money, we lower his cap figure and get a team friendly deal in 2016. If Bradford has a strong comeback season, we get him in 2016 at a team friendly $10 million to see if he can put together back to back strong years. If he does not, there's no guaranteed money in 2016 so we cut him with no dead money. It's a fair deal all around.
Released
Jake Long - $8 million in cap savings
Kendall Langford - $6 million in cap savings
Scott Wells - $3.8 million in cap savings
Eugene Sims - $1.9 million in cap savings
Isaiah Pead - $900,000 in cap savings
Total Cap Savings: $20.6 million
Total Cap Room: $26.0 million
Re-signed Players
Joe Barksdale - 4 years $24 million($5 million first year)
Kenny Britt - 3 years $15 million($5 million first year)
Mike Person - 1 year $745,000
Cory Harkey - ERFA($645,000)
Rodney McLeod - RFA($1.4 million - Original Round)
Total Cap Spent: $12.7 million
Total Cap Room: $13.3 million
Free Agency
C.J. Mosley DT
1 year $1.7 million
Rotational DT known for his run stuffing ability to replace Kendall Langford.
Leger Douzable DT
2 years $3.0 million($1.5 million first year)
Another rotational DT that can step in and stuff the run when needed. Takes Carrington's spot in the rotation. Can also play DE.
Clint Boling OL
4 years $16 million($3.0 million first year)
Boling is capable of playing tackle or guard and can do it at a solid level. He's only 25 years old. And he offers the Rams a great 6th OL that can start if one of the rookies are not ready to go. With our propensity for getting injured on the OL, I think this is money well spent.
Trade
St. Louis trades HB Zac Stacy
Tennessee trades 6th Round(#2)
St. Louis trades 5th Round(#10)
Tampa Bay trades QB Mike Glennon
St. Louis trades 3rd Round(#8)
Denver trades 3rd Round(#30), 5th Round(#30), 2016 5th
Stacy is traded due to his falling down the depth chart but still having value.
I've watched all Glennon's starts this year on Rewind, I think he's our best backup option behind Bradford. Don't know what TB was thinking not playing the kid. And best of all, if he did play, he's actually capable of getting the ball to Tavon because this guy is 6'7"...taller than any of our starting OLs. I really don't know what to say...TB should have started him. The guy has 29 TDs to 15 Ints in just over 1 season worth of games/attempts. And he actually shows a lot of the abilities a NFL QB has to have.
The Denver trade recoups a 5th round pick because I think my guy will still be there.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #10 - Kevin White WR West Virginia
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpNVPq2XUKo
Analysis: T.J. Clemmings is off the board and we don't have an enticing trade down offer here. So I take the guy at the top of my board. While I feel good about our WRs without White, he's the best value here. White is around 6'3" 215 with outstanding hands and athleticism. He'll need development coming out of WVU's offense because he did not run a NFL route tree and does not have experience running a variety of routes. However, White is an extremely hard working kid with a great attitude. On the field, he has the speed to run by defenders deep, he is difficult to tackle after the catch due to his suddenness and physicality as a runner, and White is excellent at going up and getting the football. I think he's got a lot in common with Dez Bryant in terms of skill-set but White does not have any attitude issues. He's a big WR that runs hard after the catch, can run by defenders deep, and has the quickness/suddenness to become an effective route runner. White shows the ability to win 50/50 balls and go up and get the ball at its highest point. I think a lot of this kid. I have him rated as the 1B WR in this class behind Amari Cooper. He's nowhere near as polished as Amari but I think he has a higher ceiling because of all his physical gifts.
Round 2 Pick #9 - A.J. Cann OG South Carolina
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlwRR2-tr_w
Analysis: Cann is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. I think he's a very NFL ready prospect with the tools to be a very good NFL LG. I have compared him to Josh Sitton. Cann has very flexible hips and ankles with a good sized frame at 6'4" 320. He shows the power to get movement in the running game and consistently shoots off the ball low to the ground which allows him to win the leverage battle. Cann also shows a good understanding of position and angles because South Carolina, unfortunately, has him sealing, reaching, and hooking far more often than he should in their zone heavy scheme. Cann shows the ability to be devastating while down blocking and drive blocking. Still, I wish he had more of a mean steak as I don't think he finishes blocks like he should. He doesn't look to bury defenders at all time and doesn't play through the whistle like Scherff and Sambrailo do. As a pass protector, Cann has some flaws that he needs to improve upon. He's very comfortable mirroring in his stance although he does sometimes cheat on his position step. Cann shows impressive lateral agility, is smooth when forced to redirect, sits comfortably in his stance with great bend/flexibility in his hips and ankles, and Cann has outstanding balance. He also understands how to position himself to protect his QB and open up passing lanes. Cann's hand strength and grip are extraordinary. Once he gets his hands locked in on the chest, defenders rarely are able to disengage even when they seem to have him beat. However, Cann's biggest issues with his pass protection are related to his arm position while setting, his punch timing, and his hand placement. Cann doesn't keep his elbows tight when setting off the LOS and rarely ever lands the first punch. He often relies on counter-punching after the DL has gotten his hands on him. Cann also does not do a good job of targeting his punches inside the shoulders and is often sloppy with his placement. These are all issues that I think should be corrected with NFL level coaching but they are a problem right now. If he fixes the problem, though, due to his hand strength and grip, he'll be one hell of a pass protector.
Round 3 Pick #30 - Devontae Booker HB Utah
View: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11845552
Analysis: Booker is the definition of the word decisive and that's a great thing. He doesn't dance in the back-field and he doesn't waste time. He gets the ball and he knows exactly where he's going. He does a really nice job of pressing the line of scrimmage before making his cut up-field. Even when forced to bounce it outside, Booker wastes no time in getting N-S. At 5'10" 205, he's not a power HB and shouldn't be mistaken for one. Booker has outstanding feet and explosive burst. He doesn't possess great long speed but in those first 5-10 yards, he's very fast. Booker uses his cuts well to setup defenders and blocks. He is shifty with quick feet and a nice jump cut. Booker also possesses impressive balance which makes him a slippery runner and tougher to knock off his feet than you'd expect. And probably the biggest thing for me with Booker is his ability to catch the football. He has outstanding hands and body control. He can adjust to poorly thrown balls and will make his mark in the NFL as a receiver out of the back-field. I love Booker's versatility and the urgency in his running style. He'll get the yards that are blocked and he can create some on his own with his cutting ability and slipperyness as a runner. Some scouts have compared him to Arian Foster.
Round 5 Pick #30 - Rob Havenstein OT/OG Wisconsin
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTftkxEBw0U
Analysis: Havenstein is a massive man at 6'8" 330 but I think he's one of the few really big guys that can play OG. He seems to do a nice job of getting leverage in the run game and is your typical Wisconsin OL. He's a blue collar guy that can get some movement in the run game. Doesn't have overpowering strength but is able to generate movement while drive blocking and does a solid job with his positioning and angles. Also seems to have good burst off the LOS for his size and is relatively fast in a straight-line. He won't be a backup LT for us as he doesn't have the lateral agility to play there in the NFL. I think he could be a backup RT but he'd likely need some help with chipping on more athletic OLBs and DEs as his lateral agility is mediocre and he can struggle to hold the corner against faster rushers. However, as an OG, I think he has potential. He has a wide base in pass pro and controls players when he gets his hands on them. He had to compensate for his lateral agility in space which affected his anchor but I think at OG, his anchor will be fine. Only thing that concerns me is leverage and flexibility but I think he can get away with it. Like Alex Boone, I think he's a big guy that can passable at OT but might have a future at OG. He'll provide depth behind Saffold, Cann, Clemmings, and Robinson.(if Robinson goes down, Clemmings or Saffold would likely slide over to LT)
Round 6 Pick #2 - A.J. Derby TE Arkansas
View: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:11722579
Analysis: A.J. Derby was Arkansas's backup QB last year but moved to TE in the spring this year before his Senior year. While his stats don't seem elite, I think he's a kid who has a lot of upside to him. Derby is listed at 6'5" 255 and still has some weight to gain at the TE position. He shows off good athleticism as a receiver and has made some really nice circus catches this year. But most of all, despite being new to the position, Derby is a very willing blocker who shows a lot of promise in that department. Arkansas has used him all over the formation including at FB, in the slot, split out wide, and inline at TE. Derby is a high effort kid who plays through the whistle. His blocking and receiver skills all need polishing but this is a good kid to develop behind the TEs we have.
Round 7 Pick #31 - Blake Sims QB Alabama
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sRgotw58Bg
Analysis: Taking a shot on a developmental backup QB here. Sims is still learning the nuances of the QB position as a first year starter and there's no guarantee that he'll ever get them down but he has a NFL caliber arm, throws a good deep ball, has a quick release with the ability to change platforms, and is the same caliber of athlete as Russell Wilson (but clearly not the same caliber of passer). Heck, he might even be faster than Wilson. He's on the short side at 6'0" 210 but with his athleticism, flashes of talent, and overall tools...why not? My big concerns right now are that he doesn't find his checkdowns effectively(locks onto deeper routes), will give away his intentions with his eyes which can lead to picks, short arms throws leading to inaccuracy, doesn't throw accurately on the run(due to mechanics), and he's short which will limit his ability to climb the ladder in the pocket. But it's a 7th rounder. Plus, Sims kind of reminds me of Seneca Wallace.
Starting Line-up
QB: Sam Bradford
HB: Tre Mason
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Brian Quick
ZWR: Kenny Britt
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Jared Cook
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: A.J. Cann
C: Barrett Jones
RG: Rodger Saffold
RT: Joe Barksdale
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Aaron Donald
RDT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SPUR: Mark Barron
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
NCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: Rodney McLeod
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide