Rams RBs

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NCRamGuy

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ManmadeRam

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Zack Evans can win the starting role if Akers does his normal slow start or get injured, AGAIN.
 

snackdaddy

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This is Akers contract year. If he's ever gonna have that season we thought he would have after his rookie season, this is it. He can play himself into a nice contract. Somewhere. I'm be hesitant to give him a good contract when you see his previous couple years.

But a good season from him might be the shot in the arm that the offense needs if they want to compete this season. Another 3 yards per carry injury riddled season would probably ruin any chance he as at a multi year deal.
 

Merlin

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Relying on Akers again comes with a lot of risk. But I agree him being in a contract season is key here. Not that I think the guy isn't trustworthy to give a full effort, but that puts the best kind of pressure on him. Contract and fear for one's job are the best form of that pressure.

Concern is no real bellcow type behind him. Evans is potentially that kind of guy (he does have the raw ability to do both roles) but there is a lot of risk in selecting him to be the option they fall back to if Akers can't go. Williams I do like but it just feels like the same old backfield depth types, with change of pace covered but no bellcow backup role to keep the offense moving if required.

If Akers can't go it's gonna be down to Evans to move the chains. IMO. Williams is definitely a change of pace at this level. This is a "boom or bust backfield" for sure though if there is one position where you should be able to pick up guys off that waiver wire during the latter days of camp cuts when you're claiming at 6 it is RB. So if they don't like what they're seeing there will be options for supplementing that room.
 

Ram Ts

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If Akers kicks butt, the Rams may simply keep him around for another year at a reasonable price ($4mish) in 2024 with his RFA status.
 

Merlin

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If Akers kicks butt, the Rams may simply keep him around for another year at a reasonable price ($4mish) in 2024 with his RFA status.
Agreed. But if it were me I would cash in on his success and get what I could from him and deal him. Because bottom line is in this offense we cannot afford to be paying a RB. McVay prioritizes his pass catchers and I would rather pay linemen than a RB because every year there are loads of options deep into drafts.

What the Rams need to do is figure out a way to draft the position and keep the stable full with late round picks. This is the way.
 

den-the-coach

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I feel much better about this group then last year.

  1. Cam Akers...After moving on from last year issue with the RB Coach, this is a contract year and Akers should be ready to produce accordingly combined with a better Offensive Line.
  2. Kyren Williams...Will be the 3rd down back as he is a great receiver out of the backfield and is stellar in pass protection.
  3. Zach Evans...Provides the Rams with a homerun threat and will be ready for addional carries if called upon.
  4. Tiyon Evans...Adds some size to the backfield along with maybe the ability to punch it in from the goal line.
 

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Agreed. But if it were me I would cash in on his success and get what I could from him and deal him. Because bottom line is in this offense we cannot afford to be paying a RB. McVay prioritizes his pass catchers and I would rather pay linemen than a RB because every year there are loads of options deep into drafts.

What the Rams need to do is figure out a way to draft the position and keep the stable full with late round picks. This is the way.
Next year we could. Did I hear we would have 70 million open to use? Spend that cash, Snead! I think the opposute if there is an Eric Dickerson, Adrian Peterson, Earl Campbell (types), you take that SUMBICH wherever he falls in the 1st round. Tide that baby for 10 years like SJAX!
 

Merlin

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Next year we could. Did I hear we would have 70 million open to use? Spend that cash, Snead! I think the opposute if there is an Eric Dickerson, Adrian Peterson, Earl Campbell (types), you take that SUMBICH wherever he falls in the 1st round. Tide that baby for 10 years like SJAX!
Having cap space doesn't mean it's smart to piss it away on positions you don't prioritize. What would happen is they'd pay him and then the next year when it's tighter and they want someone at another position they need to cut bait on the RB and salary dump/trade him.

Good as the Rams are in many ways they have not been too good in their contracts. They waste a lot of resources on poor decisions and it goes way back. The year they inked McVay the front office signed Ogletree to a stupid contract then had to move him immediately thereafter when Wade (or so I presume) let them know that wasn't his kind of player. They did hit a grand slam on Whit but they tend to pay guys then move on quite a bit. And I don't mind them paying guys, I think it's great to be a team that pays the players willingly but it's an area where they could improve a great deal and it would save them futures picks in not needing to sweeten deals to get rid of guys in salary dumps.
 

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Having cap space doesn't mean it's smart to piss it away on positions you don't prioritize. What would happen is they'd pay him and then the next year when it's tighter and they want someone at another position they need to cut bait on the RB and salary dump/trade him.

Good as the Rams are in many ways they have not been too good in their contracts. They waste a lot of resources on poor decisions and it goes way back. The year they inked McVay the front office signed Ogletree to a stupid contract then had to move him immediately thereafter when Wade (or so I presume) let them know that wasn't his kind of player. They did hit a grand slam on Whit but they tend to pay guys then move on quite a bit. And I don't mind them paying guys, I think it's great to be a team that pays the players willingly but it's an area where they could improve a great deal and it would save them futures picks in not needing to sweeten deals to get rid of guys in salary dumps.
But you didn't say that in the other post. You said something like we can't afford Cam next year and that's fine because I don't think of him as any answer at all to the RB position. I strongly disagree with you about the importance of having a bell cow back. If a Walter Payton clone is there in the first round, you take him if you can and screw the RB by committee approach! I hate having three trash backs...
 

Merlin

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But you didn't say that in the other post. You said something like we can't afford Cam next year and that's fine because I don't think of him as any answer at all to the RB position. I strongly disagree with you about the importance of having a bell cow back. If a Walter Payton clone is there in the first round, you take him if you can and screw the RB by committee approach! I hate having three trash backs...
Are you really gonna make me go back and read my post. Nah fuck that. My point was that RB is a position we can't afford to pay when we have a coach like McVay who prioritizes the pass game like he does. So yes it is true we have room next year but they would just end up needing to move Akers if they were to sign him.

Also and btw I am not against taking a RB up high if he's good enough to warrant it. I would not have complained one bit had we taken Charbonnet for example. As an oldschool guy when it comes to RB I agree having one stud is preferable but it simply doesn't make sense to pay that stud in this offense. I have to recognize that McVay is > than my own RB issues.
 

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Are you really gonna make me go back and read my post. Nah fuck that. My point was that RB is a position we can't afford to pay when we have a coach like McVay who prioritizes the pass game like he does. So yes it is true we have room next year but they would just end up needing to move Akers if they were to sign him.

Also and btw I am not against taking a RB up high if he's good enough to warrant it. I would not have complained one bit had we taken Charbonnet for example. As an oldschool guy when it comes to RB I agree having one stud is preferable but it simply doesn't make sense to pay that stud in this offense. I have to recognize that McVay is > than my own RB issues.
Cranky old bastid...
 

Merlin

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MadGoat

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If Akers kicks butt, the Rams may simply keep him around for another year at a reasonable price ($4mish) in 2024 with his RFA status.
Yep. If Akers is even reasonably competent this season, $4M is pretty easy to pay for a RB for a single year. In AAV, it's in the Perine, Mattison, Jeff Wilson range with the benefit of not having to give him a long-term deal.
 

WestCoastRam

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What if... hear me out... McVay's depression and anxiety over last season combined with a weak RB coach led to pushing Akers away and the problem didn't have much to do with Akers at all who just wanted the rock and was super vocal about it.

Okay... the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. I will say, I'm far more concerned with Akers holding onto the ball this season than if his head's on straight though.
 

snackdaddy

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If Akers kicks butt, the Rams may simply keep him around for another year at a reasonable price ($4mish) in 2024 with his RFA status.
I thought he was gonna be a UFA after the season?
 

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We gotta roll with Akers. Potential to have him have a bitch fit again if we dont, is still a possibility and Zach Evans is a prospect with a fumbling problem. When is the last time we nailed it on a prospect?
 

OnceARam

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What if... hear me out... McVay's depression and anxiety over last season combined with a weak RB coach led to pushing Akers away and the problem didn't have much to do with Akers at all who just wanted the rock and was super vocal about it.

Okay... the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. I will say, I'm far more concerned with Akers holding onto the ball this season than if his head's on straight though.

Yeah, and in Akers defense, I'm sure it didn't help that the RB coach was younger than him. That was a questionable hire that didn't work out.