What is the best plan for the OL?

[Loyal]

"All we need to do is dump Havenstein." ~ OND

 

[Loyal]

Hey mods, if someone lies all the time, can we call them a liar?

"No, but you can call him a prevaricator " ~ MODS

 

[RamDino]

Damnit… I knew someone would call me out for shoddy logic! Still doesn’t excuse bad pass blocking.

I don't think that's shoddy logic. Dotson was in the last year of his rookie contract when the Steelers replaced him and then traded him. He has had 1 good year. I don't believe he is deserving of a 15-18 million dollar multi-year deal. If he signs for that much with another team the Rams will get a nice comp pick. The other players that were mentioned were free agents that were signed to multi-year deals so that example does not count. And if his pass blocking is truly not that great, that's another reason why I would not resign him to a big deal. Lastly, this talk about signing guys but keeping their cap hits low in the early years sounds reasonable but it should not discount the fact that the big cap hits will come later. Sure, Dotson may only cost 3 or 5 million his first year but then his cap hit might balloon to 30 million after that. See Noteboom for example.

 

[PARAM]

Draft Creed Humphrey!!! Wait......wrong year....

 

[AvengerRam]

I’ve seen a couple of comments using the Detroit game as a basis to condemn the pass blocking of the right side of the OL. While they did have trouble containing Hutchinson (a top pass rusher), in the end Stafford was only sacked 2 times and he passed for 367 yards and 2 TDs.

Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to mess with something that, though not perfect, is working.

 

[Allen2McVay]

"No, but you can call him a prevaricator " ~ MODS

I hate posts that make me look-up the meaning of a word.

Prevaricate ... to speak or act in an evasive way

 

[OnceARam]

I’ve seen a couple of comments using the Detroit game as a basis to condemn the pass blocking of the right side of the OL. While they did have trouble containing Hutchinson (a top pass rusher), in the end Stafford was only sacked 2 times and he passed for 367 yards and 2 TDs.

Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to mess with something that, though not perfect, is working.

In the Detroit game he had to rush throws, specifically the three chucks and ducks to Robinson. The two times that 350 monster hit him damn near ended him.

The bottom line is, we can do better than Dotson for the last few seasons of Stafford`s career.

Yes, I realize I am in the minority on this but at least I am loud about it.

 

[Ramstien]

What players are available that may be considered to be an upgrade over Dotson and will cost less?

 

[OnceARam]

What players are available that may be considered to be an upgrade over Dotson and will cost less?

Outside of the draft, I don't know. Great question though. Hopefully, someone smart will answer it.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to just look at the guards that were signed last year and their deals in 2023 as that's where the market is. The above seems good for looking at the historical nature of things (like looking at the Dow over 10 years) but doesn't really say much about what the market's doing year over year.

Actually, it's probably wise to look at 2022-23 as we'll get a better cross section of guards signed (good/bad/great) and it will still be recent enough to get a sense where contracts are and you'll prob have to add the markup of whatever that cap is going up (I don't have the numbers in front of me).

Sportrac estimates 16 and change average salary per year which seems high. Back of the envelop: I imagine he'd be averaging 13-14 a year but I could be underestimating how much the cap going up will cause inflation here.

I haven't figured out how to focus in like that but I don't see any new contracts that have a higher APY than the top reknown Pro Bowl guys.

Scherff's contract is fairly new (signed in 2022) and his APY is $16.5M, so my point is that Dotson may not get more than that unless a team gambles on his potential.

 

[AvengerRam]

Outside of the draft, I don't know. Great question though. Hopefully, someone smart will answer it.

It comes down to a question of probability. If we knew, with near certainty, that we could obtain another Steve Avila in Round 2 or 3, it might make sense to let Dotson go and use the money on another position. As it stands, though, Dotson is much more of a known commodity compared to any draft prospect, hence the consensus “if it ain’t broke” viewpoint.

 

[Malibu]

History would suggest they let Dotson go in free agency.

How'd did that work out for us with Corbett and especially Saffold. We historically have not spent on our OL but we have a non mobile QB who if you want to see him stay for the rest of his contract which is through 2026 you need to insulate him with a premier OL getting rid of Dotson weakens the OL and hurts the running game.

We pay Dotson hopefully a hometown discount say 60m for 4 years and upgrade the C position in the draft. I like Jackson enough to keep him can't see us using #19 on a LT with 2 bigger needs at OLB and especially CB.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I haven't figured out how to focus in like that but I don't see any new contracts that have a higher APY than the top reknown Pro Bowl guys.

Scherff's contract is fairly new (signed in 2022) and his APY is $16.5M, so my point is that Dotson may not get more than that unless a team gambles on his potential.

I agree, he won't get more than that. And that's about sportrac's estimate but seems high. Not that high but high.

 

[WestCoastRam]

"No, but you can call him a prevaricator " ~ MODS

You lost me at the third syllable

 

[AZRams]

That's great value right there

Not uncommon sight at many urban intersections...

 

[Allen2McVay]

The two times that 350 monster hit him damn near ended him.

Alim McNeill had an outstanding season, and Dotson did struggle against him in that game.

 

[Merlin]

In the Detroit game he had to rush throws, specifically the three chucks and ducks to Robinson. The two times that 350 monster hit him damn near ended him.

The bottom line is, we can do better than Dotson for the last few seasons of Stafford`s career.

Yes, I realize I am in the minority on this but at least I am loud about it.

Detroit had the top pressure % per snap in the league last year. Their defense had a lot of issues but they stopped the run well and got after the QB as well as anyone. Hutch is a beast.

I think you are underestimating how well the OL played in that game. What the Rams need to do is at least attempt to return this OL intact for 2024 while adding to the defense. Because even though I admit there is risk in signing Dotson, there is also a big difference in his play vs a guy like Corbs who we let walk. We knew Corbs wasn't all that talented and it showed in Carolina. But Dotson eliminates physical interior DL in pass pro. There's a difference in level of player here.

Now whether Dotson puts his feet up the moment he's paid is another conversation. So if the Rams let him walk it means they don't trust him to not do that. But he's in that range of quality of the type of player you want to retain if possible.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Detroit had the top pressure % per snap in the league last year. Their defense had a lot of issues but they stopped the run well and got after the QB as well as anyone. Hutch is a beast.

I think you are underestimating how well the OL played in that game. What the Rams need to do is at least attempt to return this OL intact for 2024 while adding to the defense. Because even though I admit there is risk in signing Dotson, there is also a big difference in his play vs a guy like Corbs who we let walk. We knew Corbs wasn't all that talented and it showed in Carolina. But Dotson eliminates physical interior DL in pass pro. There's a difference in level of player here.

Now whether Dotson puts his feet up the moment he's paid is another conversation. So if the Rams let him walk it means they don't trust him to not do that. But he's in that range of quality of the type of player you want to retain if possible.

And a bigger difference between him and Anchrum/Bruss/McClendon/whoever else is waiting behind him.

 

[dieterbrock]

I haven't figured out how to focus in like that but I don't see any new contracts that have a higher APY than the top reknown Pro Bowl guys.

Scherff's contract is fairly new (signed in 2022) and his APY is $16.5M, so my point is that Dotson may not get more than that unless a team gambles on his potential.

Scherff is an interesting comp, but it supports a pretty hefty contract for Dotson.
Just on value alone, 3 years 49.5 mill in 2022 equates to a significantly higher number today. He signed that deal when the cap was roughly 208 mill, and now it is to exceed 240 mill. That's a 15% increase.
Even at a modest 3-5% annual increase, that would put Sherff closer to 18 mill per

 

[WestCoastRam]

Detroit had the top pressure % per snap in the league last year. Their defense had a lot of issues but they stopped the run well and got after the QB as well as anyone. Hutch is a beast.

.

Wow, I would not have guessed that at all!