Will the Rams ignore conventional wisdom and make offense the priority?

[PhillyRam]

I think I remember Les saying that when you have the chance to make a unit a true strength, you try to do just that while not having a glaring weakness on one side of the ball. That may mean they really try to go after not only an O-lineman but try to make the offense elite while grabbing defense if someone falls in their lap

I think they focus on both lines. An OT & DT early, then maybe a back up interior OL/C late and another DL in the mid rounds, and maybe even a 3rd DL late. Add in an edge and they will be set. And they still could have the option to add at the trade deadline if they need more pass rush help.

Win the LOS, which is something they haven't always focused on,which is why physical teams often beat the Rams up.

Time to get physical on both defense & offense. Play action, pound the ball, while giving Stafford time to take shots down field. On defense, stop the run, and get after the passer.

 

[jjab360]

As long as it's not Xavier Worthy, I'd be fine with going O in the first and then rounding out the defense in the middle rounds. I am a little worried Snead falls prey to the 40 hype and everyone knows how much McVay loves speed even if his best WRs always turn out to be the possession guys.

I'm coming around to BTJ as a guy who could be the whole package at WR. Reminds me of Josh Gordon without the self destructive habits.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I think they McVay learned his lesson gambling on positions of need, like the OL previously and drafting Tutu. Unless it's Bowers, there's no way another receiver will get enough touches to contribute this year unless there's an injury. It takes time to learn this offense and we just resigned Robinson, so that rookie will be WR #4.

Also, McVay likes to have a lot of weapons but on gameday McVay hasn't shown he can consistently call plays for more than 1-2 WRs deep. Tutu, Desean Jackson, OBJ, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, and even Robert Woods and Brandon Cooks their last year with us are guys that could have had more plays called for them.

 

[OldSchool]

I don't know...If you're talking about the 2021 season, Boom only had 89 snaps at LT. The next season, he started the first 6 games and then missed the rest of the season. And I recall him being kind of shaky in the 6 games he did start.

OTOH, I thought Jackson played fairly well last year, particularly in the 2nd half.

For comparison, Boom in 2022 allowed 5 sacks and 23 total pressures in 222 pass blocking opportunities.
Last year, AJ allowed 1 sack with 39 total pressures in 530 pass blocking opportunities.

Pretty stark difference there.

I think an upgrade is a fine idea. AJ was basically league average last year at that LT post and maybe if we want an elite unit an upgrade is necessary. But with a strong interior now, I can see them settling for league average on the edges.

When Boom started the 2 games for Whitworth he played very very well. People like to forget that because it's cool to shit on glass Joe but he played very well that season in his spot starts.

 

[PARAM]

I think they McVay learned his lesson gambling on positions of need, like the OL previously and drafting Tutu. Unless it's Bowers, there's no way another receiver will get enough touches to contribute this year unless there's an injury. It takes time to learn this offense and we just resigned Robinson, so that rookie will be WR #4.

Also, McVay likes to have a lot of weapons but on gameday McVay hasn't shown he can consistently call plays for more than 1-2 WRs deep. Tutu, Desean Jackson, OBJ, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, and even Robert Woods and Brandon Cooks their last year with us are guys that could have had more plays called for them.

He would be WR #5 if he isn't drafted in the first. The thing is, we need a return man and that usually comes from WR or DB. They could trade down and grab DeJean or take a WR in the 1st or 2nd with return skills.

 

[Flatlyner]

As long as it's not Xavier Worthy, I'd be fine with going O in the first and then rounding out the defense in the middle rounds. I am a little worried Snead falls prey to the 40 hype and everyone knows how much McVay loves speed even if his best WRs always turn out to be the possession guys.

I'm coming around to BTJ as a guy who could be the whole package at WR. Reminds me of Josh Gordon without the self destructive habits.

I've at least come around a little bit on 19 being on the offense. The caveat being I'll be very unhappy if its any of these 3: Worthy, Guyton, Mims. Don't want or need projects for a SB run and Worthy (for all the speed he has) is very reminiscent of a rail thin guy we already have, who was broken in two on essentially his first NFL touch (and doesn't contribute much anyway).

 

[gogoat1]

View attachment 65249

Hey, if you are going to go "Get Off My Lawn" at least give me the real guy. Not some SNL skit.
BTW, I was not sure if the actual pic from the movie with ole Clint with a M1 violated some rule so I put up the next best thing.

 

[DzRams]

So the combination of Jackson and Noteboom being on the roster this season, well, maybe they decide to figure LT out next offseason. Then they're free to juice another position instead of taking a shot on LT. Unless one they love falls to them at 19 in which case you say fuck it and take him.

I hadn't really considered this. Between Jackson and Noteboom, there is a cap hit this year of $16.5 mil allocated to that LT position. Maybe next year they move on from both guys and sign a premium free agent LT.

Do we know any LTs scheduled to hit the market in '25?

 

[DzRams]

When Boom started the 2 games for Whitworth he played very very well. People like to forget that because it's cool to shit on glass Joe but he played very well that season in his spot starts.

I agree that Boom played very well in those 2 games. And I actually appreciate Boom more than most. When everyone else was saying he'd be cut this offseason, I was figuring out a way in my mock off-seasons to restructure him and it turns out that's what they did.

That said, when I said he hasn't performed as well as Jackson, I was judging by his more large, concentrated bodies of work. He had a lot of LT snaps in 2020 and 2022. The 2022 tape wasn't so great. What AJ did last year was much better than Boom's 2022 tape.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Hey, if you are going to go "Get Off My Lawn" at least give me the real guy.

You are right. I should have gone with Clint Eastwood. However, could have gone with this one ...

 

[gogoat1]

You are right. I should have gone with Clint Eastwood. However, could have gone with this one ...
View attachment 65255

Here is "The Man" !

 

[Merlin]

I hadn't really considered this. Between Jackson and Noteboom, there is a cap hit this year of $16.5 mil allocated to that LT position. Maybe next year they move on from both guys and sign a premium free agent LT.

Do we know any LTs scheduled to hit the market in '25?

Well when I say figure it out next season I am insinuating drafting the position. And the reason I think our next LT will be drafted is because good answers rarely hit the market. Only guys you get on the market are those who are doubted for different reasons. When we got Whit it was because he was old as hell. But generally you're not gonna have a Whit sitting there and you don't have hindsight to fall back on so you are rolling dice on an older or flawed player stepping up. This year there was a top OT with injury problem history, and the Rams passed on him, electing to address the interior with two big contracts which I think makes the pick likely at LT.

So the combination of rare opportunities to see a top LT on the market, plus the Rams putting so much cap space into the rest of their OL, pretty much spells out the plan. They could of course get real creative and load up another OL contract if necessary. Not saying it is impossible to do that or anything. But I doubt they pay another player at LT for a while.

In the draft they have a shot this year at 19 to find one. The class is quite strong at the top with options. There are going to be project types at 19 at the very least that we usually don't get falling to us where we typically pick in round 2. And maybe one of the better options gets to us, too, though I expect a run on the OTs to occur and as per usual they will fly off that board quickly once that starts. But it could happen for us in this draft.

If not then they're going to need to trade up next year I would think. Just use a futures pick if you need to and get it done. But that's a problem for next year. The advantage of having Boom hanging around still plus Jackson is that we should be ok for 2024.