Rams Signing Davin Joseph

[jjab360]

In case you guys were wondering, it's official now:

 

[ZigZagRam]

When did he play LG? I'm pretty sure they plugged him in at RG his rookie season and he never moved.

He doesn't fit the mold of the mobility that's typically looked for in LGs.

 

[Bluesy]

How do you grade offensive tackles then? I didn't say he was great, but he certainly was very good.

He was among the best in limiting sacks, QB hits, and hurries.

He took one penalty all of last season. One.

He was a solid run blocker.

If that doesn't make a player more than OK at RT, I'm not sure what you grade him on. Perhaps he should do tricks with animals at half time? Maybe lead a pep band while the defense is on the field?

Did he play the whole season though? Thought he didn't start at RT til part way through the season.

 

[BonifayRam]

Just think the Raiders allegedly failed Saffold's physical on the shoulder that Saffold separated in the first series in the first 2013 pre season game .....Rams Org a week later passed Saffold & this same shoulder that was the primary weapon in pile driving defenders into the turf as Saffold blew open holes for Stacy while playing ORG last year. If that shoulder is in such bad shape I wonder just how good Saffold will be after a full year of healing flv?

 

[DaveFan'51]

This is the guy that will solidify this unit going into training camp. I was skeptical thinking the Brandon Washington could be the guy that provides the kind of depth they would be comfortable with.

Now when you look at this unit they have the depth and flexibility that Boudreau loves.

Offensive Linemen (14)
61Tim Barnes ( C ) 6'4 300 3 Missouri
63Scott Wells ( C ) 6'2 300 11 Tennessee
64Sean Hooey - OL 6'9 295 1 Cincinnati
65Demetrius Rhaney ( C ) 6'2 301 R Tennessee State
66Mithcell Van Dyk (T) 6'7 313 R Portland State
67Barrett Jones (G/C) 6'4 306 1 Alabama
70Brandon Washington (G) 6'2 318 3 Miami
72Joe Barksdale (T) 6'5 329 4 LSU
73Mike Person (T) 6'4 299 4 Montana State
76Rodger Saffold (T) 6'5 314 5 Indiana
77Jake Long (T) 6'7 319 7 Michigan
79Greg Robinson (G/T) 6'5 332 R Auburn
XXAbasi Salimu (T) 6'5 292 R Nichols State
XXDavin Joseph (G) 6'3 313 9 Oklahoma

Coach O, I figure 12 of these Players make the final Roster. What say you?

 

[CoachO]

Coach O, I figure 12 of these Players make the final Roster. What say you?

If you are including the Practice Squad, then I can see that. I would have a hard time thinking more than 9/10 make the 53 man roster.

 

[ZigZagRam]

Did he play the whole season though? Thought he didn't start at RT til part way through the season.

He played more than 80% of the teams snaps at RT. I'd say that's a pretty significant sample size.

 

[Memphis Ram]

i don't see all the love for JB. he was ok. I hope Joseph is great and starts at OG and Robinson is ready to play RT. Event Wagoner and JT said JB is overrated by some fans

I'm not sure what to think, but I don't believe that the Rams were interested in trading up for Zack Martin or looking to select Jack Mewhort in the 3rd round because they are thrilled by having Barksdale starting at RT. And if the team does plan to stick with a run-first play action type offense, a better run blocker at RT would help out quite a bit.

 

[ZigZagRam]

I'm not sure what to think, but I don't believe that the Rams were interested in trading up for Zack Martin or looking to select Jack Mewhort in the 3rd round because they are thrilled by having Barksdale starting at RT. And if the team does plan to stick with a run-first play action type offense, a better run blocker at RT would help out quite a bit.

If they weren't thrilled with Barksdale at RT, I doubt they'd be playing their #2 overall pick at guard. Robinson is more than capable at starting at RT from Day 1. I doubt Barksdale is the long-term answer anyway. As you know, they're not drafting only for this season.

Someone had said they were considering Martin at center. It's clear with the Donald and Mason picks that they were weighing BPA more than filling holes this year. Martin was just that good in their eyes that they wanted to bring him on board.

Where'd you hear we had interest in Mewhort?

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I'm not sure what to think, but I don't believe that the Rams were interested in trading up for Zack Martin or looking to select Jack Mewhort in the 3rd round because they are thrilled by having Barksdale starting at RT. And if the team does plan to stick with a run-first play action type offense, a better run blocker at RT would help out quite a bit.

Rams being interested in Zack Martin and Mewhort (who Dee Ford blew up at the senior bowl) is not an indication of how much they like Barksdale. I mean they drafted neither....
I mean just to show you what I mean -- is the drafting of Donald an indication that they somehow aren't thrilled with Langford, Brockers, Carrington, or Conrath?
I don't thinks so

 

[jjab360]

Rams being interested in Zack Martin and Mewhort (who Dee Ford blew up at the senior bowl) is not an indication of how much they like Barksdale. I mean they drafted neither....
I mean just to show you what I mean -- is the drafting of Donald an indication that they somehow aren't thrilled with Langford, Brockers, Carrington, or Conrath?
I don't thinks so

In a way, it does. Clearly they weren't impressed with our team's interior pass rush otherwise they wouldn't have targeted as many 3 techniques as they did during the pre-draft process.

 

[A55VA6]

I like this guy. He was outstanding before his injury in Tampa Bay. Hopefully he's healthy and can give us much needed depth.

 

[RamBill]

Rams officially sign free-agent guard Davin Joseph
By Nate Latsch

http://msn.foxsports.com/midwest/story/rams-officially-sign-free-agent-guard-davin-joseph-052814

- The St. Louis Rams officially announced the signing of free-agent guard Davin Joseph to a one-year deal Wednesday.

Joseph, who will turn 31 in November, comes to the Gateway City with a resume that includes two Pro Bowl selections (2008, 2011) but also a reputation that he's probably not the player he used to be following a knee injury that wiped out his 2012 season.
The 6-foot-2, 313-pound former Tampa Bay Buccaneer adds depth and experience to an offensive line in need of both as he is likely to back up the guard combination of Rodger Saffold and No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson.

St. Louis has seen a shakeup at those spots this offseason.

Veteran Harvey Dahl, who began last season as the starting right guard, was released, starting left guard Chris Williams signed a free-agent deal with Buffalo and backup guard Shelley Smith signed with Miami.

The Rams re-signed Saffold to a new five-year deal worth more than $31 million to play right guard, where he excelled in 2013, and then selected Robinson, a left tackle at Auburn, with the first of their two first-round picks earlier this month. All indications are St. Louis will start out the 332-pound Robinson at guard in his rookie season.

Joseph also affords the Rams the ability to move Saffold back to left tackle if veteran Jake Long is not sufficiently recovered from knee surgery. In that event, Joseph could start at right guard.

Before Joseph's signing, the Rams had only youngsters Brandon Washington and Barrett Jones and the recently signed Travis Bond as reserves at guard. Bond was a seventh-round pick by Minnesota in 2013 and was on the Vikings' practice squad when the Panthers signed him. He appeared in two games for Carolina last season but was released and claimed by the Rams last week.

Joseph, who was with Tampa Bay for eight seasons, becomes the third-oldest player on the St. Louis roster, behind only 34-year-old backup quarterback Shaun Hill and 32-year-old center Scott Wells.

Joseph, a 2006 first-round pick from Oklahoma, started 16 games for the Bucs last season but was released in March before the beginning of free agency, which saved the team a $6 million cap hit.

This was a good offseason for offensive linemen, with seven tackles signing contracts worth more than $20 million and six guards, including Williams, signing deals worth more than $12 million.

So it is telling that Joseph, who originally made a free-agent visit to St. Louis in March, was still available to sign with the Rams in late May.

The website ProFootballFocus.com rated Joseph as the second-to-worst guard, No. 80 out of 81 players, in its 2013 season evaluations. PFF rated Joseph as the 46th best (out of 78) in 2011, 82nd (out of 82) in 2010, 75th (out of 84) in 2009 and 57th (out of 74) in 2008.

But even if Joseph can't become the player he was in his two Pro Bowl seasons, he can help the Rams as a backup at an area of need. He will also bring the experience of 99 starts over his 100 career games with the Bucs, something that should help a group of young Rams linemen, including Robinson, to mature.

From: Tyoka Jackson @Tyknowsfootball

The @STLouisRams signing Davin Joseph is another good off season move. If everyone's healthy on opening day the OL/DL combo is SB quality.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

In a way, it does. Clearly they weren't impressed with our team's interior pass rush otherwise they wouldn't have targeted as many 3 techniques as they did during the pre-draft process.

Not sure you can read too much into who they targeted in pre-draft process - especially what they think of Barksdale
They brought in a lot of receivers too but Fisher didn't draft one, moreover in this article he states clearly is good with his WR's

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/5...eceivers-tavon-austin-stedman-bailey-year-two

The fact is Barksdale is our starting RT in 2013 and will be in 2014 -
Fact is they moved Saffold inside as oppose to having him play RT. They must be happy with Barksdale at RT because this off-season they resigned Saffold to a nice contract to play G -- I mean so basically with your logic wouldn't they have let Saffold walk and drafted Martin (which they did not) ? Or better yet had Saffold play RT? just not sure about that

 

[jjab360]

Not sure you can read too much into who they targeted in pre-draft process - especially what they think of Barksdale
They brought in a lot of receivers too but Fisher didn't draft one, moreover in this article he states clearly is good with his WR's

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2014/5...eceivers-tavon-austin-stedman-bailey-year-two

The fact is Barksdale is our starting RT in 2013 and will be in 2014 -
Fact is they moved Saffold inside as oppose to having him play RT. They must be happy with Barksdale at RT because this off-season they resigned Saffold to a nice contract to play G -- I mean so basically with your logic wouldn't they have let Saffold walk and drafted Martin (which they did not) ? Or better yet had Saffold play RT? just not sure about that

I never said anything about Barksdale, just that our interior pass rush could use a lot of improvement which is part of the reason why we drafted Donald.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I never said anything about Barksdale, just that our interior pass rush could use a lot of improvement which is part of the reason why we drafted Donald.

I see that - just got a bit confused since my original comment was in regards to Memphis Ram posting this -
I'm not sure what to think, but I don't believe that the Rams were interested in trading up for Zack Martin or looking to select Jack Mewhort in the 3rd round because they are thrilled by having Barksdale starting at RT.

But doesn't my point still stands in regards to interior pass rush ?

 

[Memphis Ram]

Rams being interested in Zack Martin and Mewhort (who Dee Ford blew up at the senior bowl) is not an indication of how much they like Barksdale. I mean they drafted neither....
I mean just to show you what I mean -- is the drafting of Donald an indication that they somehow aren't thrilled with Langford, Brockers, Carrington, or Conrath?
I don't thinks so

Mewhort interest reported here.
http://www.ramsaddiction.com/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-snead-fisher-demoff-panel-discussion

Once the formalities were in place, Savard asked Snead and Fisher for their general take on the draft and their draft philosophy. Snead expressed Fisher’s desire to build through the trenches. Fisher concurred, explaining that the point of emphasis in the draft was to counter the strong defensive fronts of the NFC West. That’s why they took Robinson. That’s why they tried to trade back into the first round to take Zack Martin.

Snead affirmed this philosophy further when he revealed that they were targeting “The Ohio State lineman” in the 3rd round (presumably Jack Mewhort, who was drafted 59th overall by the Colts) before eventually selecting running back Tre Mason of Auburn. In fact, according to Snead, the running back position was not part of the draft plan at all, but once Mewhort (and perhaps Noth Dakota State’s Billy Turner and Virginia’s Morgan Moses) was off the board, the value of Mason was too great to pass up.

If so, he wasn't drafted because he wasn't on the board when the 3rd rounder came up.

And from what I've read Martin wasn't drafted because the Cowboys selected him ahead of the Ravens who they were working with on the trade up.

ZigZagRam
Trading back up for Martin to move him to a position he hasn't played sounds kind of funny. And I'd guess they wouldn't want Mewhort for the same position switch. He might be the tallest center in the league.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Funny, 2 months ago everyone was worried about the line...not we're not sure if guys will make the team.

I am still concerned.

We need Long, Saffold, and Wells to emerge healthy out of TC. But agree there is reason to be optimistic.