If Long is having setbacks in being back Week 1, the Rams will have that info. We don't. People are assuming it's the case, but we don't know.
Much like we didn't know with Wells. The coaches were saying he would be ready. And in reality, there was no reason to believe otherwise after a simple procedure. I really don't think the coaching staff kept saying next week, next week, next week in an attempt to blow smoke up our asses. They believed he'd be ready. He wasn't. Now Long is supposed to be ready. Hopefully so because he would be one of two players along a 5 man line that we are counting on starting.
Since Watkins would be drafted to be a #1 type, he'd be given time to show it. The only WR drafted as even possibly a #1 type is Quick, and his window is closing quickly (pardon the pun). Whereas we just got a new LT last year.
Why is it ok to give Watkins time to contribute when it is not ok to give a future LT time and reps at Guard? At least a future starting LT is going to give you very good minutes at Guard while he is getting it. A WR that is not getting it from day one (and I'm not saying Watkins definitely won't) gets us no where for another couple years and we just keep saying 2016, 2017, etc...
Meanwhile, we have an LT
now that is going to be starting to drop off and may not even be able to start the year, a RT that was released by the Raiders - a team that NO ONE can say has talent on their O-line - yet he is better than any of
our other options, a 30-something Center that has been injured more than not, a FA Guard that wants to play LT and is looking for a big pay day so likely won't be back with us, another RG that is likely to be cut, a LG that would barely stick with other teams' practice squads if he was eligible, a second year, fourth round Guard/Center that couldn't see the field with that kind of depth in front of him, and a back-up Center.
If you're calling Watkins mediocre, a lot of people are going to disagree with that. And at the same time, Robinson/Matthews don't seem to be Pace "must grab" level either.
I didn't call Watkins mediocre (ok - maybe I intimated it) but he has mediocre measurable - yet great stats. And actually, people are referring to Robinson on that level of upside and his measurables fit. Matthews is being talked about as a can't miss very good - not elite prospect. And the measurable are there.
I really don't see Long staying on past 2014 regardless of how well he plays if there's an early 1st rounder waiting to take his spot at LT, and making too much to be a RT. I could be wrong, but I don't see it.
Even more reason to grab one NOW. Let the kid learn for a year and be a big active body at Guard - then if you decide to cut Long (which I don't think they do) you have $2.4 mil going against your cap. That's very manageable.
It's only "virtually nothing" on the O-line if you only look at the draft. We've been very active there in free agency.
And we see the ROI there don't we? How many games missed by those FAs? What kind of talent do we really have there? Coach Bou can put together a decent O-line with the parts and talent level he's been given. I personally don't think we stand a chance in hell winning this division let alone any SBs with this kind of O-line and an offense built around a pocket passer.
And yes, I acknowledged that a #1 WR *could* come out of what we already have. A hidden gem *could* come out of what we already have on the line (and on the safe assumption Long is returning, we already have someone very talented there.) Neither is likely though. The OL does need help, I freely admit that. I just think we can get a stud WR (*if* the Rams view him as such) AND fix the main problem, which is guard. Then if Long needs to be replaced next year, draft a tackle then. I'm sure they'll be another "once in a decade" guy then too.
We have skill players with the numbers to back-up the notion that they could make for a very explosive offense. We have a LT and virtually nothing else to suggest that we have the makings of a very good offensive line. We went O-line in the 4th round over the past couple of seasons. And we have received basically one series of downs out of them. Just like WR, you are not going to get true starting or elite talent with later round picks. But we have used several high picks on skill players/WRs of late on a position that may have three to four on the field at most while the O-line is ALWAYS on the field.
I would agree that you can get depth and find an occasional diamond in the rough in later rounds for the O-line. Same can be said of WRs. We let DA and Gibby hit FA because what we had was likely going to be better. Let them get better before we already start to take snaps away from them by taking yet another skill player that needs the ball and likely won't get it if our QB is on the turf or having to throw within 2 seconds again.