Right Now We Pick 6th....

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oldnotdead

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I don't see them intentionally tanking. Like I said you want to see intentional tanking look no farther than AZ. They traded away their starting QB and the playcalling for Tune was god awful. He's got zero support and was sacked repeatedly. That is tanking.

If Stafford plays coming out of the bye he plays the rest of the season and the team has a chance to get a wildcard spot. IMO if he doesn't play coming out of the bye and they don't sign another QB Tuesday then they aren't playing for the playoffs they are simply going to use the games to season the roster and firm up exactly where they need help with win or loss be damned.

Case in point do they need another edge or can Mathis fill that role? Do they need a NT especially if they are going to stay with the 0T. They played very limited two gap NT since Brown got hurt. Brown played better as a 1T truth be told. Is it going to be Durant or Tomlinson opposite Witherspoon or do they draft two CBs. They assume they will be drafting a WR but they are playing Robinson to see if he can fill the need for depth through 2024 or even as a rotational player. Is Freeman the #2 behind Williams at RB? Do they need to draft a PK or is Havrisik the guy?

My feeling is that they will IR Stafford and save him for next year. IMO that will be his final year and last chance at a second ring. They will also have a legit QB2 behind him and it won't be Bennett. I think they view Bennett as a potential long term backup but he will be #3 next year on the PS.

The problem with staying with Rypien and Winn they will have a very disgruntled fan base who won't like tanking because that is what it will be. It won't sit well with their vets either. Why risk their health when the QB gives you zero chance to win. It will really be unhealthy for the locker room.

If they do that it signals that McVay probably won't be back in 2024. It's not in his DNA to tank. If you go down, you go down fighting. That's why I expect them to sign a legit vet QB. A lot would be willing to play half a season with the Rams after how it helped Mayfield turn his career around. Guys like Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, Trevor Siemian and Nick Foles are all available last time I looked. Any of those guys give this team a chance to win in all of their remaining games. Had any of them been on the roster other than Rypien the Rams win in Pittsburgh.
 

Alaskan Ram

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With the 8 game win streak to end the season followed by a wild card victory over the 9ers in the playoffs we'll likely be trading up to realistically get a high pick.

But fingers crossed.
No whammies, No Whammies.

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den-the-coach

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I could get on board with Alt and then McCarthy, I do have concerns about both and you better get a perennial top 5 or 10 at their position with one and a high quality starter minimum with the other. Lots of road to travel first but that is at least realistic as things stand now
I don't think you can get both as IMO, both of them are first round picks. Joe Alt has quite a bit to like, but against Louisville, he was actually knocked on his ass a few times.
 

rdlkgliders

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I don't think you can get both as IMO, both of them are first round picks. Joe Alt has quite a bit to like, but against Louisville, he was actually knocked on his ass a few times.
Agreed! I have my concerns Alt is about 2" too tall and it hurts his game at times. McCarthy is likely first round talent but do you think he may fall to the 2nd due to possibly being behind Williams, May, Nix & Penix.
 

den-the-coach

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Agreed! I have my concerns Alt is about 2" too tall and it hurts his game at times. McCarthy is likely first round talent but do you think he may fall to the 2nd due to possibly being behind Williams, May, Nix & Penix.
I actually believe after the season plays out, he will be the 3rd option at QB in the 2024 NFL Draft. Possibly even above Maye. Everyone keeps communicating how young Maye is, but McCarthy is younger by several months. McCarthy will turn 21 in January.
 

rdlkgliders

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Jonathan Ogden was even taller; he wasn't too shabby.
Truth! I think Alt plays a little clumsier for lack of a better term than Ogden. Ogden was a bit of an enigma and what a beast. If Alt winds up like that I am all in
 

Merlin

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I actually believe after the season plays out, he will be the 3rd option at QB in the 2024 NFL Draft. Possibly even above Maye. Everyone keeps communicating how young Maye is, but McCarthy is younger by several months. McCarthy will turn 21 in January.
Age is overplayed with QBs. If you draft a QB who can develop into a player who can win from the pocket and benefit from the protections and rules, then his window of playing has a good chance to be very long. If you draft a QB who will need to run to move the chains, he's probably looking at a much shorter window.

So two or three years' difference in a guy when he is drafted means nothing really. Because if you're doing it right you're taking the guy who will have a long window and time to develop to that highest level of the game. That last 8 or so years from early 30s to 40 is really the window for a pocket QB where they should have seen everything, and are able to easily gameplan for different aproaches no matter what defenses cook up.

And I say "pocket" QB but really it's just a guy who can win from the pocket, and who is not an idiot who will run when he doesn't need to but rather utilize the forward pass which will always be faster than any player can run. In that equation there's of course a lot to it, but bottom line is the Rams should be asking themselves of this class "which of them project to win from the pocket." Top of that list are things like pocket movement, fast reads, good vision, and in my opinion big balls, because it is the big moments that define the greats.
 

den-the-coach

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And I say "pocket" QB but really it's just a guy who can win from the pocket, and who is not an idiot who will run when he doesn't need to but rather utilize the forward pass which will always be faster than any player can run. In that equation there's of course a lot to it, but bottom line is the Rams should be asking themselves of this class "which of them project to win from the pocket." Top of that list are things like pocket movement, fast reads, good vision, and in my opinion big balls, because it is the big moments that define the greats.
I urge you to watch McCarthy over the next several weeks. Penn State, then closes out with Ohio State. Big Ten Championship Game and then the final four. Again, I would like nothing better then to see Ohio State kick their ass and knock them the hell out, but McCarthy made me a believer last year and I believe his performances over the next several weeks, will determine if he goes to the NFL or decides because of so many QB's stays one more year. I believe Michigan will win the National Title.
 

oldnotdead

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I think at worst they finish 8-9 but I think it could be 9-8 meaning they would land right in the middle of round one. I think that is why Snead hoarded his first round picks. I think at worst he will need 3 ones to move to where they need to be at 9-8. At 8-9 I think it would take 2 first round picks and probably a 3rd in 2024.

All this because McVay wouldn't tailor his offense to fit Goff. Look how different this team would have been. They would be a contender this year. That is why IMO Kroenke told Stan to do it the old fashion way as he did with Goff. Stafford will be a very expensive 4 year rental. If they can get another Lombardi next season then it would have been a magnificent trade. If not it was a good move as a all in run.

With Nix or Penix this team will be set for a sustained run at multiple Super Bowls.

If the Rams don't make the playoffs then I hope Goff gets his ring. Starting next year however, all bets are off because the Rams will be back in the hunt. Jared has an interesting record against Mahomes at 2-0.
 

rdlkgliders

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A TE with Cooper Kupp running quite a bit of his routes and an Edge player who was medically retired a year or so ago due to a neck injury.

That seems kind of scary to me.
Yeah, high draft pick always come with a risk of failure or not living up to expectations. Latu has been extremely impressive and hey let's relieve Kupp of some of those routes it may extend his career
 
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Malibu

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I really think if the Rams are that high, QB is the must pick. Go get your LT in round two. Again, Williams will be gone, but Maye could be there along with my choice J.J. McCarthy.
Only 1 or 2 will be good to great. Unless we pick 1st or 2nd we are not getting the pick.

I seriously doubt Murray stays in AZ he wasn't drafted by this regime and he is auditioning imo these last 8 games.

Chicago had the opportunity to draft a future starter but traded down. They have a good handle what they have in Fields and doubt they stick with Basion as their starter backup sure not starter. So elboth of these teams are drafting QBs and they will try and auction off Fields/Murray and not care what they get for them - me I hate both so I would not entertain either whatsoever.

No trade deal is going to work this off season for the #1 pick and maybe not the #2.
 

Malibu

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I wouldn't be surprised if THIS IS THE SEASON the League sets in motion the comings of a Draft Lottery. Has the potential to be really bad down the stretch with lots of teams wanting to lose. For instance, Chicago plays Arizona, could get really ugly.
We play the Giants could get really ugly in NY
 

snackdaddy

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We should be picking somewhere in the top ten. Maybe top 5. But dammit! Arizona will be the reason we're playing a 3rd place schedule next year instead of last. Again.
 

Merlin

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I have to hand it to Arizona... That trade of Dobbs to Minnesota was brilliant. Allows them to look at Tune while also tanking for the highest pick. Those bastids will probably get the top pick.