Five moves the Rams should make this offseason

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To read about the other NFC West teams click the link below.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/pag...e-moves-nfc-west-team-make-2017-nfl-offseason

Five moves each NFC West team should make this offseason
Bill Barnwell/ESPN Staff Writer

Many NFL teams script their first 15 (or more) plays before a game starts to focus on getting a few fundamental concepts right. Whether they want to attack a particular defensive player or scheme, exploit a perceived weakness or simply drill down on the offensive elements they think are most critical to winning, they pay particularly close attention to the plays they'll start with on Sunday as they wrap up the week.

Likewise, organizations need to pay attention to the first few critical things they do during the 2017 offseason, as those might end up defining the year to come. Some teams have a lot to do before the new league year begins March 9, while others won't have to make critical calls until the first day of the NFL draft on April 27.

In this two-week series for ESPN, I'll be running through the first five things that should be running through each team's mind as it prepares for the 2017 offseason.

Let's get to the NFC West, where we have a near-dynasty, a team that unexpectedly fell apart last season and two teams that overhauled their coaching staffs in a hope to return to relevance ...

Los Angeles Rams

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Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

1. Pick up Aaron Donald's fifth-year option. Send the paperwork in twice, just in case.

2. Re-sign Trumaine Johnson. Los Angeles probably regrets letting go of Janoris Jenkins, who had an excellent season with the Giants. The Rams can't afford to lose both Jenkins and Johnson, their other starting cornerback -- but keeping him won't be cheap.

The Rams already franchised Johnson a year ago, so a second consecutive franchise tag would take Johnson to $16.5 million, which would make him the second-most expensive cornerback in the league behind Josh Norman.

The Rams won't want to do that, and Johnson's representation will know as much. Jenkins received $39.7 million over the first three seasons of his new deal from the Giants, and Johnson's going to top that mark. New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips made his hay in Denver with a trio of great cornerbacks -- Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby.

And while the Rams will try to develop Lamarcus Joyner and E.J. Gaines, neither has looked to be on Johnson's level. Even if it means letting free-agent safety T.J. McDonald leave town, the Rams probably need to commit to Johnson.

3. Try to gather compensatory picks. Rams general manager Les Snead doesn't have a lot of flexibility, given that his first- and third-round picks are on their way to Tennessee as part of the Jared Goff trade. The Rams weren't contenders last year, but they need to resist the urge to go after veteran free agents in the hope of a quick fix. They're going to need to rebuild around Goff with young talent.

To that end, the Rams probably need to avoid signing players who will infringe upon the formula for compensatory selections. They'll also want to let a few of their veterans leave, which means McDonald and Kenny Britt could hit the market.

Johnson would recoup the highest pick, likely a third-rounder, but McDonald and Britt should get the Rams started with extra selections in 2018.

4. Build an offensive line around Goff. Snead and his predecessors have spent more than a decade trying to construct some sort of protective bubble for their quarterbacks, but it hasn't worked. Some of the problems were Goff's fault, given how the first overall pick looked lost for most of his abbreviated rookie campaign.

The Cal product poasted a staggering 11.3 percent sack rate in 2016; that's the seventh-worst era-adjusted sack rate since 2000 for guys with 200 attempts or more. Case Keenum posted a far more plausible 6.3 percent sack rate.

The most notable failure on the line is 2014 second overall pick Greg Robinson, who has committed a league-high 35 penalties over the past three seasons and became a healthy scratch at points in 2016.

New coach Sean McVay might move Robinson off Goff's blindside, but that just leaves a crater at the line's most important position with no obvious replacement or path to one.

Realistically, the Rams are going to have to use their second-round pick on a lineman or shop in the bargain bin for offensive linemen who were cut by other teams. They should seriously consider Branden Albert if the Dolphins part ways with their starting left tackle.

Signing Albert, 32, doesn't exactly fit with Los Angeles' long-term timeline, but the Rams desperately need to create an infrastructure within which Goff can develop. They otherwise run the risk of turning Goff into the next Tim Couch or David Carr, quarterbacks who developed bad habits and lengthy injury histories while under fire at the beginning of their careers.

5. Be patient. Los Angeles is in a tough spot. It surely wants to develop a competitive team to attract fans in its new home, but the moves it has made haven't panned out. Goff was a mess as a rookie. Todd Gurley was wildly disappointing during his second season.

Tavon Austin's contract is horrific, one of the worst in football given his production. The Rams are stuck in a division with a dominant Seahawks team and a Cardinals squad which should be better in 2017. They feel years away from the playoffs.

Whatever the Rams do this offseason probably isn't going to make a huge difference, and that should be OK. Goff will be better as a sophomore. Gurley will break off more big runs in 2017. Austin might thrive in the Jamison Crowder role under McVay.

They still have a great defensive line, and in Phillips, they have arguably the best defensive coordinator in the league. Los Angeles will probably be better in 2017. That should be enough for now.
 

JackDRams

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#5 is horseshit. What the team does this offseason won't make a huge difference? If you do it right, it will.
 

Zodi

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Im tired of hearing about Tavons contract. He's explosive and a proven playmaker. It's not his fault he's spent the last few years in a middle school offense.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Tavon eclipses 1500 total yards this season.
 

bubbaramfan

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Guy has no clue. Didn't do his homework. Puts most of the sack on Goff? If he did his research, he would know most of the sacks came from up the middle or over RT, NOT form GRob's side. Havenstien played hurt and gave up a lot of sacks and hurries. Rams couldn't call a running play up the middle because defenders were thru the line getting the handoff before Gurley.
Bill Barnwell has no fu*kn clue what 5 things the Rams need to do. Is ESPN now getting their writers from TST?
 

Elmgrovegnome

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I don't see the wisdom in letting Britt go. He has to be in consideration to stay after his best season. He could be cheaper than some of the other options that he performed as well as.

Tru is the real conundrum. Maybe he plays better in Wade's defense. Maybe Wade doesn't think his style fits. We will find out soon enough.

TJ seems expendable. Strong Safety types usually are. The Rams already have two other players that could play there. I don't think either is as good as TJ but they have different attributes that help balance it out.

Free Safety is the weak link in the back end. Most think Joyner would be ideal if he was moved there. Mo looks more like a SS. Barron looks better as a light OLB, but could move back to SS. There is a need at free Safety IMO. I don't like Joyner's lapses or shortness.

Tavon is never going to be Jameson Crowder. He doesn't run good routes, his hands are small, and he is too easily knocked off his route to play inside consistently. He lacks physicality. His best role could be the Desean Jackson role. His one main attribute is his speed. Use it. Ultimately I don't think he plays out his contract.
 

CGI_Ram

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1. Pick up Aaron Donald's fifth-year option. Send the paperwork in twice, just in case.

That line made me chuckle... and while a no brainer, I don't think we have to do this until after the 2017 season. Correct?

If so, might as well let it play out as there would be no benefit to do it early outside of building relations with Donald.

I could be wrong.
 

Limey

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I agree with #1 and the sentiment behind #4 (we do need to fix the line). Apart from that, it's poorly researched and annoying. He preaches collecting compensatory picks in #3, but despite bemoaning us losing Jenkins in #2, forgets to mention that we won't have to send our 3rd round pick to Tennessee as they will get the comp pick we get for losing Jenkins. In Gaines' rookie season, he arguably played better than Johnson. He didn't look as good last year, but after another 12 months recovering from the serious injury he got before his sophomore season, I'm hoping he could be as good as he was as a rookie. No guarantees on that, but the statement "neither (Joyner or Gaines) has looked on Johnson's level" makes the situation sound worse than it is. For me, Johnson disappointed last year when he got the opposition No 1 WR. He did well opposite Jenkins the year before, when Gaines was injured, but Gaines did as well (or better) opposite Jenkins the year before when Johnson had his own problems. Bottom line, Johnson probably isn't as good as he looked in 2015 and Gaines probably isn't as bad as he looked in 2016. Is Johnson better? Probably. Is he >$40m over 3 years better? I'm not convinced.
 

fearsomefour

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Guy has no clue. Didn't do his homework. Puts most of the sack on Goff? If he did his research, he would know most of the sacks came from up the middle or over RT, NOT form GRob's side. Havenstien played hurt and gave up a lot of sacks and hurries. Rams couldn't call a running play up the middle because defenders were thru the line getting the handoff before Gurley.
Bill Barnwell has no fu*kn clue what 5 things the Rams need to do. Is ESPN now getting their writers from TST?
A mix.
The O line was its usually disaster.
Goff was slow, indecisive and held the ball.
 

Zodi

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That line made me chuckle... and while a no brainer, I don't think we have to do this until after the 2017 season. Correct?

If so, might as well let it play out as there would be no benefit to do it early outside of building relations with Donald.

I could be wrong.

I believe you're correct. And in that case, why not just give the dude the contract he deserves? Better to lock him in now when we have the cap space. He's more integral to this teams future success than any FA in 2017 imo.
 

RamsJunkie

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It sure does suck we didn't sign Jenkins last year now were gonna have pay just as much or more to hold on to Johnson. Hes got us bent over the barrel with our pants around our ankles
 

Zaphod

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I would hate to see McDonald go, because I think it's equivalent to letting Long go, you don't know what you have until you lose it.

Yeah, the Tavon Austin contract hurts this team because it's money that could have been used elsewhere. Another contract that bothers me, and I really liked the player in William's defense is Barron. I mean just who knows how he fits in with this new defense.

I'm also not so sure about Johnson with regard to this team maybe overvaluing because of it's current depth at secondary. Keep him and you still have to sign/draft a corner, let him go and you have to acquire two. Either way, it's a weakness left over from the previous staff's (somewhat justified) overconfidence in their ability to take risks at the corner position. I lean toward drafting two and signing depth. It will be very interesting to see how the new defense can be resuscitated under Phillips to include the free safety position, that sticking point I've been going on about since Fisher took over, hopefully not to the point of being annoying.

Then yes, of course the offensive line performance needs to be addressed. But this is quite a staff that McVay put together, and in them I trust to evaluate their current roster and make adjustments as they can towards their long term goals; hence addressing the request for patience, which I don't have a lot of after this abysmal season.
 

DaveFan'51

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That line made me chuckle... and while a no brainer, I don't think we have to do this until after the 2017 season. Correct?

If so, might as well let it play out as there would be no benefit to do it early outside of building relations with Donald.

I could be wrong.
No matter when we resign Donald it won't be CHEAP!!(y) It might be better to do it this year and save the Rams 10 mil or so!!:D
 

LACHAMP46

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Repairing the offensive line should be the #1 priority.
In no way, shape or form should Tru Johnson be re-signed for anything over $7 million dollars a year. Hell, I'd probably offer his ass 5. Oh double hell, I'm drafting his replacement and telling him to kick rocks.
Donald & Ogletree don't need contracts right now...just hand shake agreements to take care of them once we can clear up some awful contracts....wink wink. But keeping those two should be priority #2.
I think the talent in the udfa pool is richer than ever. We need to get better at scouting and finding talent. Simple fix.
I don't know who's more patient, us older fans...or you young bucks that thought the GSOT happens all the time. ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!

I actually agree with most of this article.
 

lordbannon

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I'll never understand the idea of letting people walk solely to get compensatory picks. Lose proven talent now for possible talent later?

I wholeheartedly endorse having a team with the depth to let people walk. And in that scenario, collecting extra picks is great. But we aren't there. And we won't get there through subtraction of good players.
 

RamDino

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At first I didn't care about losing Jenkins. We still had Tru, and I trusted Fisher to make the right call. Unfortunately, I now believe Fisher made the wrong call! And it is a downright shame that we have to let guys like TJ walk, when we are paying Tavon Austin and Mark Barron 10 and 9 million/year respectively. I'm a homer, but Tavon certainly hasn't played well enough to make 44 million, and there is no linebacker in the league making 9 million/yr. JMHO.
 

BonifayRam

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Guy has no clue. Didn't do his homework. Puts most of the sack on Goff? If he did his research, he would know most of the sacks came from up the middle or over RT, NOT form GRob's side. Havenstien played hurt and gave up a lot of sacks and hurries. Rams couldn't call a running play up the middle because defenders were thru the line getting the handoff before Gurley.
Bill Barnwell has no fu*kn clue what 5 things the Rams need to do. Is ESPN now getting their writers from TST?

I agree with you on the writers form ESPN are stinky & have been for years now. But I do not share your optimism on GRob. I can't erase what GRob in 14 games had.... 14 penalties, 10 holding, 3 false starts, allowed 8 sacks & 40 total QB pressures .

In his 3 seasons as a starter GRob has 42 penalties, 27 holding, 7 false starts & permitted 20 sacks. There was some improvement in GRob game when he finished second in the NFL for offensive-holding penalties in 2016 after leading the league in 2015. Some recent articles on GRob reported that he was no#1 in the NFL for the most penalties recorded by an offensive lineman since 1999. GRob has been quoted saying the referees is the reason. But I am just Tainted.

When you have a low rated reserve OL'er named Andrew Donnal who was involved in the first benching of GRob in 2016 when he replaced LT Saffold in the 1st quarter.....took over the LT post & ended the one game with Zero holding calls, Zero false starts, Zero Sacks & Zero QB hits. That performance came from a OL'er who had not started any game @ LT since high School.
 
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psxpaul

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What a worthless list - 3 of the 5 aren't moves at all, and one of them is a no-brainer. Why not just write 'play better football' 5 times?
 

bubbaramfan

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All of that is true Bonifay, but it's also true GRob played almost the whole last half of the '15 season WITHOUT a penalty or allowing a sack. Six straight games. That's not something to dismiss, its a not an anomaly. To me its proof GRob can play LT at a high level. Lets see if Kromer can get him to play consistent LT like that again.

For me this is GRobs last chance at LT.
 

lordbannon

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All of that is true Bonifay, but it's also true GRob played almost the whole last half of the '15 season WITHOUT a penalty or allowing a sack. Six straight games. That's not something to dismiss, its a not an anomaly. To me its proof GRob can play LT at a high level. Lets see if Kromer can get him to play consistent LT like that again.

For me this is GRobs last chance at LT.

Additionally, did you watch Jake Matthews in the Super Bowl? Robinson couldnt have played that poorly if he tried...