Mayfield and McVay

[fearsomefour]

RG is Bruss?

Allen/Shelton/Hav

 

[SWAdude]

Boom just doesn't seem to have that dog in him. IMO he is a backup level LT that the Rams gave starter $. Just another bad contract if so. The Rams certainly know how to throw good money after bad over the last few years. Good thing they got that ring or things would be mega depressing around here.

Or a guard level OL?

I am seriously thinking about all these opinions and thinking about them. They are not good but excellent.

All this talk deserves to be on another existing thread and will move to there.

This is ultimately the most important of conversations right now IMO.

 

[fearsomefour]

I wouldn't say set, with the exception of the RT, because if we can somehow improve the RG or center, I'd say do it. Relying on an injury prone Allen isn't smart.

Well, they are paying Allen and Shelton.
Someone would have to blow them away to replace one of them. Maybe that will happen, who knows?
I would resign Skura and if Allen goes down for a short term, 1 or 2 games you can slide Skura in. If it is a longer term injury move Shelton to C (I like Shelton more than Allen at C anyway) and play your best back up G.

 

[fearsomefour]

I agree and there have been way better LT with similar injuries that have gone down and never been the same. I was a big proponent of noteboom being a better at LT because of his quickness as opposed to strength than a guard but he wasn't playing to well prior to the injury but maybe in time he might have settled in however I'd bet dollars to donuts that the rams are not willing to risk it next year. Again maybe Tunsil but I don't know who or where I believe there will be a legit LT here next year. Booms best shot is hitting the gym and maybe guard and at his current salary not overpaid as a guard.

The timeline of his injury and return is a factor too.
If he isn't back until, say, October in terms of getting into real football contact, cutting and a game day workload.....well....he may well be replaced at that point anyway. Bad break for the guy.

 

[oldnotdead]

IMO Snead and McVay are going to talk to Stafford at the end of the season. What they say will be predicated upon how well Mayfield plays the last 4 games. If he plays as well as he did Thursday, I think they will tell Stafford that his window of play is open through 2024. But he can opt to be a non-starting mentor to Mayfield through 2023 and retire in 2024. His other option would be to start through 2024 and retire in 2025. If he chooses that route he must understand that should he incur another concussion as bad as these past two, they will shut him down permanently be it in 2023 or 2024.

This will allow them to tell Baker that if he stays with the Rams under the above-stated conditions he's their starter in 2025. With that there is no way Baker walks away. There is no way McVay walks away anytime soon, which is IMO more important. Snead sold the farm once to get Stafford to keep McVay happy. If Baker is the QB he wants then Snead & Co will do what they must to make it happen.

McVay is the engine of this machine that makes it function. Snead provides the fuel for that engine. If Baker is what McVay wants then Snead will do what he can to make it happen.

Regarding the OL. I think people are underestimating what they have in Noteboom and Jackson. Noteboom when healthy is as good as some of the best LT's in the NFL. I didn't say that but Whitworth and Havenstein have and IMO they should know. If anyone of them is going to play OG it will be Jackson but IMO that would be only for one year. I think the Rams see both Noteboom and Jackson as their LT and RT of the future. Thomas was a targeted acquisition. I think the Rams see an OG of the future in him in the same way they look at Bruss. That completes their starting OL going into the future. The only thing is whether or not Allen stays. He's signed through the 2025 season but the Rams have a contractual out in 2024. So I think they keep him for one more year. If he stays healthy they keep him into 2025. Shelton is their other option as he can start all along the interior OL.

With Nsekhe and Anchrum they have a backups swing OT and OG next year. Arcuri looked terrible and it wouldn't surprise me if they brought in OTs and OGs this year to compete for backup positions.

I think they draft or sign a FA RB to give them a long term option to Akers.

Rumor has it that backroom talks between Asshole Face and the Chargers have occurred. If Staley gets fired McVay better hire him and dump Morris. IMO that would make this a Super Bowl winning contender again.

 

[oldnotdead]

Well, they are paying Allen and Shelton.
Someone would have to blow them away to replace one of them. Maybe that will happen, who knows?
I would resign Skura and if Allen goes down for a short term, 1 or 2 games you can slide Skura in. If it is a longer term injury move Shelton to C (I like Shelton more than Allen at C anyway) and play your best back up G.

Have you watched Skura? The guy is a Blythe clone and you want to replace Allen or Shelton with him? Skura was a scrub before he got here and he still is.

 

[fearsomefour]

I really think the odds of Stafford retiring in January is better than even. I think Baker being here makes it easier for Matt, no guilt about leaving his team in a lurch. Realistically what has he got left to prove? He got his ring, which he more than deserved. Time for him to think of his family now. Realistically he really only has two more years beyond this year. AD will retire in 2024. This whole roster will flip in 2025.

No, I think Stafford finds he can make more money in the booth and he can be happy as a husband and father. With Baker here in LA I think he will see his time as done. They will have to get creative with a contract for Baker because if Stafford does retire even if they split his dead cap over 2 years they will be on the hook next year for more than he would have gotten paid. His dead cap will really hurt. But there are about 16 UFA next year with only about 7 projecting as priority extensions. A'Shawn Robinson & Troy Hill should clear enough to sign Baker as a starter. He would likely sign a 3 year deal (2 years by structure) as a prove it contract which will get them through the time needed to clear Stafford off the books.

Baker is no dummy he knew coming out here that the odds were good if he stayed he'd be the heir apparent on a winning organization and a good team. After seeing him in action, he's a mid-tier one QB. Definitely good enough, let's face it, he carried the team on Thursday night so just imagine if he didn't have to.

Yep Baker could be the cure for the Stafford retirement blues. Gotta laugh at the rest of the NFL. The Rams went all in last year with OBJ, Miller, and Stafford and it worked to win a Super Bowl. Now they have a potential franchise QB fall into their laps at no cost. LMFAO

This allows them to wheel and deal to get an elite edge to pick up the slack when AD retires. Yeah, who says it isn't sustainable as long as you have an open mind and are a good judge of talent. If Baker does pan out it will kick the SB window wide open....assuming he validates what he showed on Thursday night. IMO there is no reason to think he won't. Right now Caroline and Cleveland are kicking themselves. It's the difference between good organizations and losers.

Well, he clearly cares about competing.
He loves, like most of these guys, he loves competing and playing.
He has made well over $100 million to this point in his career so its not about money. Hes been a Pro Bowler, NFL Comback Player of the year, the fastest QB to 20,000 yards, fastest to 30,000 & 40,000 yards as well and is now a Super Bowl Champion and widely loved by two fan bases. He is likely to end up a HOFer. Hes done a lot and certainly has nothing to prove to anyone.
Who knows what he will do?
I hope he plays at least a couple of more years.
A friend of mine who ended up playing 18 years of pro baseball all around the world decided to play yet another year, in a foreign league, for not a ton of money....$60,000 US.
When someone asked him why he was still doing it after so many years he said, "I love the game....and I have the whole rest of my life to not play."
I bet Stafford is back to compete.

 

[fearsomefour]

IMO Snead and McVay are going to talk to Stafford at the end of the season. What they say will be predicated upon how well Mayfield plays the last 4 games. If he plays as well as he did Thursday, I think they will tell Stafford that his window of play is open through 2024. But he can opt to be a non-starting mentor to Mayfield through 2023 and retire in 2024. His other option would be to start through 2024 and retire in 2025. If he chooses that route he must understand that should he incur another concussion as bad as these past two, they will shut him down permanently be it in 2023 or 2024.

This will allow them to tell Baker that if he stays with the Rams under the above-stated conditions he's their starter in 2025. With that there is no way Baker walks away. There is no way McVay walks away anytime soon, which is IMO more important. Snead sold the farm once to get Stafford to keep McVay happy. If Baker is the QB he wants then Snead & Co will do what they must to make it happen.

McVay is the engine of this machine that makes it function. Snead provides the fuel for that engine. If Baker is what McVay wants then Snead will do what he can to make it happen.

Regarding the OL. I think people are underestimating what they have in Noteboom and Jackson. Noteboom when healthy is as good as some of the best LT's in the NFL. I didn't say that but Whitworth and Havenstein have and IMO they should know. If anyone of them is going to play OG it will be Jackson but IMO that would be only for one year. I think the Rams see both Noteboom and Jackson as their LT and RT of the future. Thomas was a targeted acquisition. I think the Rams see an OG of the future in him in the same way they look at Bruss. That completes their starting OL going into the future. The only thing is whether or not Allen stays. He's signed through the 2025 season but the Rams have a contractual out in 2024. So I think they keep him for one more year. If he stays healthy they keep him into 2025. Shelton is their other option as he can start all along the interior OL.

With Nsekhe and Anchrum they have a backups swing OT and OG next year. Arcuri looked terrible and it wouldn't surprise me if they brought in OTs and OGs this year to compete for backup positions.

I think they draft or sign a FA RB to give them a long term option to Akers.

Rumor has it that backroom talks between Asshole Face and the Chargers have occurred. If Staley gets fired McVay better hire him and dump Morris. IMO that would make this a Super Bowl winning contender again.

I can see asshole face in Arizona....soon to be joined by Tysom Hill.
There is talent on that offense and I think another midget QB (although very differently skilled), Hopkins, Conner and the other pieces that he can team again with Hill would entice him.
Although that Charger gig would be great too. An uber talented young QB without the physical limitations of Murray (now with a blown knee) could be hard to pass up.
If asshole face does take the Chargers gig the Rams need to enforce a ban from the building for Greg Williams.

 

[PhillyRam]

I can see asshole face in Arizona....soon to be joined by Tysom Hill.
There is talent on that offense and I think another midget QB (although very differently skilled), Hopkins, Conner and the other pieces that he can team again with Hill would entice him.
Although that Charger gig would be great too. An uber talented young QB without the physical limitations of Murray (now with a blown knee) could be hard to pass up.
If asshole face does take the Chargers gig the Rams need to enforce a ban from the building for Greg Williams.

Yeah, was thinking the same thing. Go play for one of his former college coaches if he doesn't get fired.

 

[oldnotdead]

Right after I posted that a friend of mine who lives in Louisiana texted me saying Payton has said publicly if there were two teams he would want to go to who would it be. Apparently, he didn't hesitate, his answer was Chargers or Rams that's it. Not sure how I'd feel about being a fan under Payton I dislike him so much. Both teams have a solid core of elite players. Not sure Snead would like Payton's willingness to cheat to win.

IMO he also sees a GM and ownership he could bully. Spanos is known as a weak owner. As long as he's making money he doesn't care.

 

[fearsomefour]

Have you watched Skura? The guy is a Blythe clone and you want to replace Allen or Shelton with him? Skura was a scrub before he got here and he still is.

Ive watched every snap.
I don't want to replace anyone with Skura. Ive said I would resign him for depth. Hes a vet guy with a lot of starting experience who knows defenses and knows how to prepare.
He has holes in his game....if he didn't he would have been starting somewhere week 1 of the season.
He isn't better than Allen or Shelton. But, he is measurably better than the guys the Rams have run out there this season once those guys went down with injury.
He gives up a sack and a pressure or two a game. But, he gets some work done in the run game. He is a solid vet depth guy. Something the Rams severely lack and that point was made obvious this season.
Hes also a cheap depth addition.
Is a no risk depth improving signing if they do it.

 

[BonifayRam]

Ive watched every snap.
I don't want to replace anyone with Skura. Ive said I would resign him for depth. Hes a vet guy with a lot of starting experience who knows defenses and knows how to prepare.
He has holes in his game....if he didn't he would have been starting somewhere week 1 of the season.
He isn't better than Allen or Shelton. But, he is measurably better than the guys the Rams have run out there this season once those guys went down with injury.
He gives up a sack and a pressure or two a game. But, he gets some work done in the run game. He is a solid vet depth guy. Something the Rams severely lack and that point was made obvious this season.
Hes also a cheap depth addition.
Is a no risk depth improving signing if they do it.

Matt Skura has value IMO to this team due to his veteran experience & his ability to play 3 posts in a reserve capacity. MS has started 4 gms & if he can remain healthy MS should have 8 starts this season. Giving MS close to 75 starts in the NFL in 6 seasons. MS is only 29 yrs old.

Rams could keep Shelton as a starting RG since he has begun to settle in & playing much better since his time at OC in place of Allen. Rams might think that MS might be a stop-gap VETERAN interior reserve in 2023 to blend in with the inexperienced OG's Bruss, Brewer & Anchrum.

If they continue in 2023 on the same route with Allen/Shelton then MS would make good sense as a low-cost reserve who can back up the center whereas the other 3 OG's above can not. Carberry prefers MS over Abushi @ LG. Aboushi is primarily an RG and does not have a strong future foothold position as MS due to his only OG position.

 

[BonifayRam]

Yeah the LT position is a complete mess. I agree neither of our first two options are likely to be available to start next season. Nsekhe is learning the offense and barring him being injured, he’d be a good insurance policy.

What do our make of Pircher? Is he strictly a RT? With the disaster we’ve seen this ear he didn’t sniff the field. I just don’t get what the long game is for him.

Noteboom might be more of a known than Jackson. When you are over 6-5 320 plus pounds OL'er full recovery from a torn Achilles that required surgery in September of 2022 is one very big mountain to climb. Noteboom has always had very slim lower legs. The Rams certainly will need to find some stop-gap LT's to be available until this mess gets cleared up.

AJ Arcuri who is under contract has many starts @ LT in college plus he has started 1 NFL game & taken many practice snaps @ LT his rookie season. However, Arcuri is not LT material. That's just one reason I have been posting on signing a true LT in Ty Nsekhe for a long time. They could use RT Max Pircher as defensive fodder meat in practice too.

Snead might end up with NINE 3rd day draft selections when the compensatory draft awards plus the 5 he has now, in over 4 months from now. He should just draft a couple of pure LT & get them in here with Ty Nsekhe to soften the blow of not having Noteboom & Jackson in the 2023 training Camp.

On Max Pircher, Some of the ROD members who attended TC the last 2 yrs might have some personal input who what they have seen.

I have no idea what the situation is with this International Player Pathway Program. OT Max Pircher from Italy. MP signed with the Rams on May 4th, 2021. MP has spent two seasons with the Rams on the Practice Squad. I know he is the lowest-paid Ram player. MP is considered an RT prospect.

Rams Players Roster | Los Angeles Rams - therams.com

The Rams added offensive tackle Max Pircher to their 90-man roster via the International Player Pathway Program. Pircher's professional football journey began with the Swarco Raiders in Austria, after attending one of their games. He experimented at tight end and defensive end before settling on the offensive line and was later named the starting right tackle for the Swarco Raiders during the 2019 season. He also played on the Italian National Team (Blue Team).

 

[fearsomefour]

Matt Skura has value IMO to this team due to his veteran experience & his ability to play 3 posts in a reserve capacity. MS has started 4 gms & if he can remain healthy MS should have 8 starts this season. Giving MS close to 75 starts in the NFL in 6 seasons. MS is only 29 yrs old.

Rams could keep Shelton as a starting RG since he has begun to settle in & playing much better since his time at OC in place of Allen. Rams might think that MS might be a stop-gap VETERAN interior reserve in 2023 to blend in with the inexperienced OG's Bruss, Brewer & Anchrum.

If they continue in 2023 on the same route with Allen/Shelton then MS would make good sense as a low-cost reserve who can back up the center whereas the other 3 OG's above can not. Carberry prefers MS over Abushi @ LG. Aboushi is primarily an RG and does not have a strong future foothold position as MS due to his only OG position.

Exactly what Ive been saying.
He certainly has value for the reasons you've stated.
For maybe a little more money, compared to the likes of Evans, the Rams get a much better player with a lot of experience and can play all three spots. Resigning him as depth is a no brainer to me.

 

[BonifayRam]

Exactly what Ive been saying.
He certainly has value for the reasons you've stated.
For maybe a little more money, compared to the likes of Evans, the Rams get a much better player with a lot of experience and can play all three spots. Resigning him as depth is a no brainer to me.

Let's hope that McVay will begin the 2023 season with more than the 8 MR53 OL'er he started this season with.

The void left by Whitworth & Corbin was much more massive than any of us could imagine.

At some point, this Org. will need to seriously increase the talent level in this OL if they want our aging worn-down damaged QB to earn his extra large contract.

It seems highly unlikely they will be able to do it anytime soon.

 

[Packfan18]

Suddenly, Stafford retiring with injury designation, may not be the worst thing in the world.

A question for you guys is what won you the championship last year. Would you give Stafford the credit or McVay, O line or your defense?

 

[Tano]

A question for you guys is what won you the championship last year. Would you give Stafford the credit or McVay, O line or your defense?

Stafford to Kupp along with a tough defense

 

[Packfan18]

Stafford to Kupp along with a tough defense

I remember watching that game vs the Bucs last year in the playoffs. We got eliminated from the playoffs the night before so I was pulling hard for you guys. I was really biting my nails in the second half of that game as you guys were trying to blow a huge halftime lead. I was so happy when Stafford threw a deep pass to Kupp to set you guys up for the game winning FG.

 

[Tano]

I remember watching that game vs the Bucs last year in the playoffs. We got eliminated from the playoffs the night before so I was pulling hard for you guys. I was really biting my nails in the second half of that game as you guys were trying to blow a huge halftime lead. I was so happy when Stafford threw a deep pass to Kupp to set you guys up for the game winning FG.

I was so pissed in the second half. We were basically saying here Bucs - take the ball and go into the end zone to tie this game up. We will just hand the ball right to you.

A Kupp fumble
A bad hike
An Akers fumble

What more could happen

And then the pass

 

[So Ram]

I was so pissed in the second half. We were basically saying here Bucs - take the ball and go into the end zone to tie this game up. We will just hand the ball right to you.

A Kupp fumble
A bad hike
An Akers fumble

What more could happen

And then the pass

Just as long as the above isn’t blaming the defense. This last Buc’s game sucked as well as that Hags(NO’s) game.
Right now though looking back is only going to help for in the long run.I think it’s building character as well.
We can all look at it in different ways. The Akers fumbling & walking away from the team is frustrating.
—Having Mayfield really helps Mcvay get back to X & O’s.It also allows players to just concentrate on there assignments because Baker will handle his own & keep The Rams WR focused(honest).