The Rams have a very good opportunity to draft & develop a couple of OL for the upcoming season. 4 starters return, they will sign another center. Backups they currently have certainly are replaceable. Suspect we will see a T and G drafted, one in the first 3 rounds, other in the final 4 rounds. Draft/Develop is the best way to continue to have an excellent OL going forward. Find them, draft them, and put Coach Kromer to work.
Rams May Build Depth on OL in 2018 Offseason
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Really trust Offensive Line Coach Aaron Kromer and feel confident the Rams will improve in this area. I believe that Austin Blythe & Cornelius Lucas are keepers, now the question looms, do they bring back John Sullivan? The Rams could draft somebody like Billy Price (Ohio State) or Frank Ragnow (Arkansas) and if that is the case, they might decide to not sign Sullivan.
Also all of us want a Left Offensive Tackle in Waiting, so the Rams need to address defense too, but again I now trust this regime to get it right and I believe the Rams go defense with the first & third picks and in the 4th round my sleeper pick is Brandon Parker, OT, North Carolina A&T, big kid that Kromer likes 6-8 and I'm hoping he is there in the 4th as he's never given up a sack in his career.
Also all of us want a Left Offensive Tackle in Waiting, so the Rams need to address defense too, but again I now trust this regime to get it right and I believe the Rams go defense with the first & third picks and in the 4th round my sleeper pick is Brandon Parker, OT, North Carolina A&T, big kid that Kromer likes 6-8 and I'm hoping he is there in the 4th as he's never given up a sack in his career.
I want to see if Kromer can coach up Corey Lucas. Lucas is 6'8" and 330lbs. has a huge wingspan, good strength and quick feet. Drawback is he's never put it together. Enter Kromer. Can he get Lucas to play LT?
I hate to see another LT with all the tools get tossed because they can't put it together on the field.
I hate to see another LT with all the tools get tossed because they can't put it together on the field.
You don't know how far an elite team is from a first round wildcard exit is...do you?
That should always be the goal...who drafts guys that they don't think could/can start?
Great points overall bubba....On Lucas, I think he's a natural RT....always has played RT in the pros...started as a RT in college.
Next LT I want....better be lefthanded.
They should be in win now mode, if they draft a LT high why would he start? I understand the need for depth on the O line but this team is in more need of help on the defense.
How versatile do the Rams coaches think Hav and Brown are?
Hopefully, they resign Saffold and he stays healthy at LG. I don't know where a new lineman (future LT) would fit in. I doubt an OC that could replace Sullivan would not be a potential LT. Austin Blythe, Cornelius Lucas and Darrel Williams haven't played much for us to know what they have. I think they did ok against the Whiners. Outside of Blythe playing both OC and OG the OT don't seem versatile. Seems they could use a swing OG/OT. At this point it sounds good to draft someone to groom for LT.
Who would be the odd man out?
Hopefully, they resign Saffold and he stays healthy at LG. I don't know where a new lineman (future LT) would fit in. I doubt an OC that could replace Sullivan would not be a potential LT. Austin Blythe, Cornelius Lucas and Darrel Williams haven't played much for us to know what they have. I think they did ok against the Whiners. Outside of Blythe playing both OC and OG the OT don't seem versatile. Seems they could use a swing OG/OT. At this point it sounds good to draft someone to groom for LT.
Who would be the odd man out?
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Not sure Ram65...we do know that Kromer preferred Rob Havenstein moving inside to RG but he was halted on that plan when GRob RT plan to RT went into the toilet. I would think that IF a RT prospect did happen to get drafted or Cornelius Lucas was resigned & then made great strides of improvement with Kromer's direction, we could see Rob Havenstein be tried inside again. But right now I sure do not see Rob being moved in 2018.
Jamon Brown is more versatile IMO he has played four OL positions thus far LT & RT in college & both OG posts in the NFL. No way of knowing what Kromer thinks but we do know that he wanted Havenstein in @ RG over Brown early this season. I do believe that Brown is a much better natural left side OL'er than right side.
From all that the information I have consumed on OL'er Austin Blythe he is a solid starting Center & LG prospect & should be here for many seasons. Aaron Nearly played more OG than OC in college but in the NFL he may be just a OC prospect. Jake Eldrenkamp is a little different than Blythe & Nearly due to Jake's over 6-5 thin frame plus he has RT starting experience.When we first heard bout Jake it was suggested that he would be a OC prospect. Appears Kromer has 3 OC prospects on the roster signed @ the moment.
Kromer does not have any OT reserves under contract at the moment.:eek:. Then you review the Ram Mock drafts & you see most of them have interior OL'ers being mock selected but not OT? :huh:
Now Kromer might push for LT Darrell Williams to be offered up a 2nd rd. tender here shortly but why?
The big negative here on DW is he is not a good Swing OT prospect which is the real need here & he is no future starting LT replacement for Andrew Whitworth either so wheres the up side to spending cap cash on a single post reserve? that does not fill the top two priorities @ reserve LT?
That would be smart. I'm hoping for a starting LB'er and NT some where in the offseason with heavy OL depth acquisitions who can compete for starting in the next 0-2 seasons. Free agency, particularly our entire secondary free agents, might influence that list greatly though lol.
Kromer is not a magician Den. As much as I like how well Blythe showed for us, he's a marginal guy, and Lucas needs to show me more. Depth is a real concern on the OL irt 2019 FA period. As to that OT-in-waiting, yes, I think that would help but it won't necessarily be a LT type. Most of those guys end up being RT it seems, many of them at least.
Re: Sully... Yes, they're going to keep him around because he's a vet assist to the young QB on the line calls and played well for us.
Thought Blythe showed quite a bit actually, more than marginal and I was very critical of him just inquire to @OldSchool as to Lucas, I agree I need to see more, but again, in the only action I watched, he was one of the few bright spots in the last game of the year. Need to move on from Williams as he is what he is and when called upon had not stepped up.
Blythe could be kept for his versatility and if they draft Ragnow & Parker for example, it would give the Rams good young depth in 2018 so they are ready for the transition in 2019 with hopefully new uniforms.
fearsomefour
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I liked Blythe.Thought Blythe showed quite a bit actually, more than marginal and I was very critical of him just inquire to @OldSchool as to Lucas, I agree I need to see more, but again, in the only action I watched, he was one of the few bright spots in the last game of the year. Need to move on from Williams as he is what he is and when called upon had not stepped up.
Blythe could be kept for his versatility and if they draft Ragnow & Parker for example, it would give the Rams good young depth in 2018 so they are ready for the transition in 2019 with hopefully new uniforms.
I thought Neary played ok at C in week 16 too.
Thought more of both of theM than what we saw from the rookie interior lineman last year.
Could Blythe be a 16 week starter? I have no idea. Big difference between fill in work or starting one game and being a week in week out guy the other team can study.
I would still be looking for FA cheap guys and later round draft pick/undrafted Fa guys to pick up to look for a diamond.
fearsomefour
Legend
He was good that year but not better than the guys they have starting now or better than Blythe.
No but he's valuable depth and I'd like to have him on our roster. Rams should have kept him IMO.