Thoughts on drafting OT and C with 1st two picks

[TexasRam]

This is silly. Talking about the draft because of week 3. Did anybody notice Noteboom playing for the Ravens Monday night? Not injured and it's 3 games into the season. Why would you use draft assets to take a tackle this past draft when you have Hav and Jackson as your starters? To back up?

Absolutely.

Would you rather have a 4th TE or a backup OT that can replace Havenstein next year and fill in this if a starter goes down?

Less then 10% of teams have all Olineman start every game. It's a reality you need to plan for or you lose to lesser teams like we saw in that Bengals game when AJ went down and several other games such as last week are classic examples of the IOL need as well.

Deidich and Limmer are scoring less then serviceable levels and its not acceptable to have terrible backups at IOL as well.

You can skimp at certain positions but not Oline with a 37 year old QB. That is insane.

 

[OnceARam]

We should have kept that guy we signed in FA from Detroit last season, but our team (unlike Philly) abides by something called the salary cap.

 

[So Ram]

Of course who wouldn't want Mahomes or Stafford as their QB? But getting and paying an elite QB is super difficult and super expensive. And drafting is such a crap shoot.

I always have this argument with my buddies, but I think the value method to build a championship team is to focus on a stud O-Line through free agency and the draft. The QB can be a mid round pick or a former first rounder down on his luck, like Darnold or Daniel Jones for example. Behind a stellar O-line, I think most NFL caliber QBs would become stars. And if they don't, there's plenty more to choose from.

So yes. Draft O-line. Pay O-line. Then find a QB that will stick.

WOW - just WOW

Sort of dumb founded all the way across.All I have to say is The Rams have a quality group of O”Lineman.
—Maybe the preseason makes it seem like they’re deeper than they are. I’d say though in a question of why isn’t Quess playing? How many OT’s do The Rams have ?

Wyatt Bolyes was impressive & KT looked like he had a future.The Rams have 2 backups that we haven’t seen play at all that are filling up a roster spot.

My question has always been about Sean Mcvay as a HC knowing his personnel & rotation.This week when he ran a 4th down play towards Beaux side instead of the Left side.

 

[I like Rams]

Our oline has only struggled when both Dotson and Avila are out, which Avila has been out 2 games and Dotson in and out every game so far. Are we saying we need to replace these guys who we pretty much just acquired the last couple seasons or are we advocating spending 2 first rd picks on players who are going to sit the bench? Neither makes sense to me.

 

[Ramstien]

No when healthy Dotson and Avila are top notch, what the Rams need is to replace the center position!

 

[fearsomefour]

Yeah it's 'bud'. But speaking of messing up phrases like your mom my wife still says, "KIT" gloves instead of "KID" gloves.
And no amount of reminding her has had any effect.!!

~ArkyRamsFan~

We should have kept that guy we signed in FA from Detroit last season, but our team (unlike Philly) abides by something called the salary cap.

It its allowed its not cheating.
They front load their big contracts with bonuses and it lessens the cap burden. With so many good young players that will demand new, big contracts in the next couple of years, if Stan doesn't get on board with this the Rams will be losing a lot of their young core.

 

[fearsomefour]

No when healthy Dotson and Avila are top notch, what the Rams need is to replace the center position!

Avila has been below average to average since his rookie year.
He is bad in pass pro.
I would be watching him closely when he comes back to see if he improves, if not, time to start looking for his spot in my opinion.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Avila has been below average to average since his rookie year.
He is bad in pass pro.
I would be watching him closely when he comes back to see if he improves, if not, time to start looking for his spot in my opinion.

Avila's only one year out from his MCL repair. Not sure if that could be a factor, but these guys also play through injuries, like I believe Dotson is.

 

[Ramstien]

Solution move Avila to center and get another OG.

 

[RamBradford85]

Because Jackson isn’t a problem. Draft a center and get Big Robs replacement in the second or third.

All this draft two first round lineman stuff is kind of knee jerk IMO. Rams went up against a top line and the one that got abused on the highlight special teams play was only in there because of injury. Stafford wasn’t running for his line or getting abused. The Runningbacks had holes. It’s like we’ve forgotten what a bad offense line is.

We need a center and a rt like last year Rob suck now he was part of the problem with pass blocking to on that 4th down … Jackson is a decent lt but if we get a tackle early in draft get the best one and make jackson a rt… we also need center and another guard… Avila and Dotson always banged up

 

[RamBradford85]

Solution move Avila to center and get another OG.

They tried that and and they end up moving the guy we traded to center and he lost his job to limmer

 

[RamBradford85]

im on the Trade deadline instead of Draft boat. Trade both picks for weapons, and go smash Philly in NFCCG on our way to SB! Our window is now and next year. New QB will do nothing for us right now. At least get another SB before #9 hangs up the cleats . We have Stafford for at least 2 years. 4 more with void years if needed. The QB is gonna do nothing for 4 years min if we draft one. JimmyG will take over if Stafford retires.

I think this will be Stafford a last year

 

[HitStick]

We need a center and a rt like last year Rob suck now he was part of the problem with pass blocking to on that 4th down … Jackson is a decent lt but if we get a tackle early in draft get the best one and make jackson a rt… we also need center and another guard… Avila and Dotson always banged up

Jackson is not a RT. Moving him just creates another hole. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

 

[Allen2McVay]

… we also need center and another guard… Avila and Dotson always banged up

Kevin Dotson was named the starting Right Guard for Game 4 in 2023, and started the next 14 games.

Last year he started 16 games before being rested in Game 17. He played 100% of the snaps in games 1-16.

Even in 2022 ... with the Steelers ... he started all 17 games and played 100% of the offensive snaps.

You can look this stuff up. Pro Football Reference is one source.

 

[Merlin]

Absolutely.

Would you rather have a 4th TE or a backup OT that can replace Havenstein next year and fill in this if a starter goes down?

Less then 10% of teams have all Olineman start every game. It's a reality you need to plan for or you lose to lesser teams like we saw in that Bengals game when AJ went down and several other games such as last week are classic examples of the IOL need as well.

Deidich and Limmer are scoring less then serviceable levels and its not acceptable to have terrible backups at IOL as well.

You can skimp at certain positions but not Oline with a 37 year old QB. That is insane.

Hindsight is definitely leaning to "we should've prioritized OL." But then that is most years with McVay. I can't recall a season that started out where I was happy about the OL. Only 2017/2018, because his scheme took the heat off the OL and he solved LT with Whit. But the OL was what led mostly to his offense coming up short in that Super Bowl. Patriots bullied that unit up front and we didn't have the QB or the pass game weapons to overcome it.

I will say that all OL have JAGs mixed in to greater or lesser extent. The GSoT had an elite LT and an elite RG with JAGs around them. 2021 title team had two plus tackles with a JAG interior. I think if you can get three plus starters or better on a line you're in business. If it's only two then they need to be real anchors. And from there the others can fall in step and get the job done.

But I agree that it is absurd to not prioritize the OL when you have an old QB. And the same applies to young QBs, who are best served by a strong OL and a defense that can limit their mistakes. Problem is that McVay is so good at masking weaknesses that he gets away with less than what other teams have, and he can overcome that to some extent. So it's a strength of course too. But I am really tired of watching this team face top units and wilting like a high school front.

Looking at the quality of the current front my key would be Elite, Plus Starter, Starter, JAG:

LT: Jackson
LG: Avila
C: Shelton
RG: Dotson
RT: Havenstein

OT depth: McClendon / Quessenberry
iOL depth: Dedich / Limmer

The starter quality is not too far off if they are healthy. But that's the rub I think. Rams knew Jackson had the blood clot issue. Avila not being able to stay healthy has been a problem, and also if he could string a long run of games together he could be a plus starter for them. I put him at starter level because in between his missed outings his game has suffered, to my eye at least. What we don't have is an elite lineman, and thus far this season the revolving door at OG has made Shelton's weaknesses visible because he can't be protected by JAGs.

So if health could happen for this OL then it is possible they reach that December form we are used to seeing from a Rams OL under McVay. Where Shelton is the weak link but is protected by good OGs and his calls allow them all to play on one sheet of music snap to snap. But whatever happens it sure would be nice to see a young stud pivot added in the draft, and a young OT with good feet on that depth chart too.