Jake Long

[rams24/7]

Imo we need to add insurance for him this offseason, regardless if he can go week 1. If that's resigning Roger to play LT until Jake is healthy, then bouncing out to RG and/or drafting a guy like Jake Matthews.

When was asked on Monday if he'll be ready for week 1 he said, "That's the plan." My question is how realistic is a 9 month timetable coming off an ACL & MCL? Is 6 week PUP list more reasonable? I think I remember someone saying its slightly easier when OL is coming of an ACL/MCL as opposed to a skill position guy because they make fewer sudden cuts at their position. I'd be doing backflips if Long was ready week 1, but that seems extremely optimistic to me.

I think an ideal situation would be drafting Matthews AND resigning Roger. Either one can play LT until Long is ready (likely Matthews). The other can play RG (likely Saffold). Draft a LG. Wells/Barnes/Jones will play C. Barksdale at RT. Once Long comes back, one of these talented OLmen hits the bench, a darn good 6th OL!

What say you?

 

[A55VA6]

I'm not interested in Matthews. I'd rather look in free agency for a solid guy, and then draft other positions early.

 

[duckhunter]

They really won't know the extent and severity of the damage until they open him up and make repairs.

The trend is heading for shorter recovery times. Two years ago, the doctor usually said 12-18 months depending on extent and severity. Now even with difficult cases we are hearing 9 months many times. However, if you look at RGME it was obvious physically and psychologically he wasn't ready. No OTAs or preseason compounded his situation. As he threw his lower body movements were incorrect and possibly physically impaired compared to prior the injury. In so many words, Shanahan alluded to those observations when he sat him down.

I think we have to await for more info on Long after the surgery. Otherwise, we can speculate all day.

Some form of hedging the situation is necessary. After Long, the cubbard looks bare with only Barksdale nailed down to a contract.

 

[Alan]

Draft an OT early and re-sign Saffold.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Operate.

Wrap.

Brace.

Rub dirt on it.

Good to go.

 

[fearsomefour]

I think being ready for day 1 at 100% is fantasy, but, who knows? More realistic would be having him back by week 5 or 6, which may not be a disaster if the Rams make other plans. I would rather wait until week 6 and have him back at close to 100% then rush him back and have another injury out of the shute. Either way, the Rams have to invest in a T early. If Saffold resigns and they extend Barksdale then it isent such a priority, outside of that, we need T.

 

[Angry Ram]

Well everyone is different, but I'd say if he isn't ready week 1, then by week 4 at the most.

Heath Miller had the same issue and he came back. Again, everyone is different but there's a chance.

 

[BonifayRam]

They really won't know the extent and severity of the damage until they open him up and make repairs.

The trend is heading for shorter recovery times. Two years ago, the doctor usually said 12-18 months depending on extent and severity. Now even with difficult cases we are hearing 9 months many times. However, if you look at RGME it was obvious physically and psychologically he wasn't ready. No OTAs or preseason compounded his situation. As he threw his lower body movements were incorrect and possibly physically impaired compared to prior the injury. In so many words, Shanahan alluded to those observations when he sat him down.I think we have to await for more info on Long after the surgery. Otherwise, we can speculate all day. Some form of hedging the situation is necessary. After Long, the cub-bard looks bare with only Barksdale nailed down to a contract.

I agree no way of knowing just how much damage was done or how much previous damage had occurred with Longs previous trial with that right knee. I went in for my first shoulder injury it was supposed to be easy in easy out later that day....I spent the next two days in hospital for all kinds of other issues found inside that shoulder... bone grinds, bone removal, reattachment's of this & that they just missed all the damage but that was 25 yrs. ago too.

Yes shorter times have been trending shorter but I would add those shorter times tend to be of young healthier players that do not have much of a history damage & wear. So we will wait & they (Snead & Fisher)will know the extent of the damage but the full medical information on that damage knee most likely will not be fully disclosed. The Rams org. will know before the March free agency. Thus the Org. may can learn from what happen in Washington DC & then make the plan from that point on the moves they must make so their pocket passer has a valid blind side protector when the 2014 season opens.

One thing we do know is Jake Long will not be doing is a 2014 Training camp & pre season @ OLT. Rehabbing from a ACL is not fun plus he is sure to have a new OLG playing beside him & this entire OL needs upgrading if we want to compete with the other 3 teams in our division. Anyway you look at it Long's injury will effect many things early next season.

If one were to plan on how to make this negative less negative you would prepare to be without Jake until the bye. What that plan will be is the question. But this plan includes two major important players who both have surgically repair ACL's returning to play in 2014 a franchised QB & our best OL & franchised blind side protector. Now that plan will take some serious thought going into it. Me thinks it will have many moving parts to it. I do not think drafting another WR with our top pick would add to that bare OL cubbard you mentioned duckhunter.

 

[Pancake]

The question isn't just will he be ready. The team needs to think about durability with this guy. His whole NFL history is one major injury after another. Can the Rams be a competitor with this guy for 16 games and possibly playoffs?

 

[BonifayRam]

I think being ready for day 1 at 100% is fantasy, but, who knows? More realistic would be having him back by week 5 or 6, which may not be a disaster if the Rams make other plans. I would rather wait until week 6 and have him back at close to 100% then rush him back and have another injury out of the shute. Either way, the Rams have to invest in a T early. If Saffold resigns and they extend Barksdale then it isent such a priority, outside of that, we need T.

Some of us were posting (heavy BEFORE the blindside protector was injured) the super-sized glaring need for this Ram org. to finally commit in investing to youthful skilled & talented OL'ers. You, fearsomefour, Alan & duckhunter who have entered in this Jake Long post plus many others saw it back very early this season. You mention Saffold & Barksdale above & the need to retain both for a much longer time period ....it would be a good ideal to think about extending OT Barksdale now! Saffold well we have covered that matter completely. I do not feel good about Saffolds return, but Saffold knows this offense he been here for four yrs Saffold can be a powerful starting OG & the emergency OLT if needed. Saffold will cost$$$.

Snead & Fisher must invest some of that low cost draft value capital in this OL. The older free agency route has shown us it comes with great risk & cost $$$ with not much Ram rewards i...e. ....Wells having four surgeries & two seasons on IR. Dahl has two major injuries with one IR event in 2012 & has not started since his knee injury back in October of this 2013 season. Now Jake Long's injury & surgery.

We all saw what happened when in our final season game ...Snead & Fisher ended up with the five OL starters, who I will call "The Wavier Wire Contingent" ( Barksdale, Smith, Barnes, Williams, Washington) was fully naked embarrassing flaccid OL without any ability to penetrate the defense of the Seahawks!

 

[Alan]

I disagree Bonifay. Many of us saw this coming LAST year.

 

[fearsomefour]

Some of us were posting (heavy BEFORE the blindside protector was injured) the super-sized glaring need for this Ram org. to finally commit in investing to youthful skilled & talented OL'ers. You, fearsomefour, Alan & duckhunter who have entered in this Jake Long post plus many others saw it back very early this season. You mention Saffold & Barksdale above & the need to retain both for a much longer time period ....it would be a good ideal to think about extending OT Barksdale now! Saffold well we have covered that matter completely. I do not feel good about Saffolds return, but Saffold knows this offense he been here for four yrs Saffold can be a powerful starting OG & the emergency OLT if needed. Saffold will cost$$$.

Snead & Fisher must invest some of that low cost draft value capital in this OL. The older free agency route has shown us it comes with great risk & cost $$$ with not much Ram rewards i...e. ....Wells having four surgeries & two seasons on IR. Dahl has two major injuries with one IR event in 2012 & has not started since his knee injury back in October of this 2013 season. Now Jake Long's injury & surgery.

We all saw what happened when in our final season game ...Snead & Fisher ended up with the five OL starters, who I will call "The Wavier Wire Contingent" ( Barksdale, Smith, Barnes, Williams, Washington) was fully naked embarrassing flaccid OL without any ability to penetrate the defense of the Seahawks!

I agree in total. I also think Saffold is gone. My oppinion is the easier road is to extend Barksdale this year and let Saffold walk. Even if they kept both I would be invest 1 first rounder and a 3rd rounder in T/Olineman.

 

[BonifayRam]

I agree in total. I also think Saffold is gone. My oppinion is the easier road is to extend Barksdale this year and let Saffold walk. Even if they kept both I would be invest 1 first rounder and a 3rd rounder in T/Olineman.

Don't get me wrong here with the sign Barksdale now push...I still am not real happy with Joe's overall play. But I would NOT overpay Barksdale either with a big time contract. So Joe may want to jump into the UFA'cy. The best I can say about him is ....Joe is #1-HEALTHY the other thing was he was #2-NOT injured plus Joe #3- played in all the 16 games. In addition Joe was a very cheap low cost player who was signed off the wavier wire who is still playing on his original Raider 2011 3rd round rookie contract. Finally did I say anything about him remaining fully healthy yet? As far as our 2013 OL'ers who started I believe that 3 of those OL'ers Saffold, Long & Wells played much better than Barksdale did. Barksdale run blocking game is not close to what Long & Saffold is.

 

[fearsomefour]

Don't get me wrong here with the sign Barksdale now push...I still am not real happy with Joe's overall play. But I would NOT overpay Barksdale either with a big time contract. So Joe may want to jump into the UFA'cy. The best I can say about him is ....Joe is #1-HEALTHY the other thing was he was #2-NOT injured plus Joe #3- played in all the 16 games. In addition Joe was a very cheap low cost player who was signed off the wavier wire who is still playing on his original Raider 2011 3rd round rookie contract. Finally did I say anything about him remaining fully healthy yet? As far as our 2013 OL'ers who started I believe that 3 of those OL'ers Saffold, Long & Wells played much better than Barksdale did. Barksdale run blocking game is not close to what Long & Saffold is.

I agree about the run blocking. Barksdale is a solid starter at RT in my opinion. He is not going to make anyone forget Jackie Slater but he is solid and filled a need. Saffold has skills but it barely matters as he cannot stay on the field. Long started in an uneven way but finished playing well, very unfortuanate about his knee injury. The interior line was ok. All had bad moments and good moments. To me resigning Barksdale now is a low risk. He cannot command a super high salary now, however, if he improves by 10% he will. He the Rams pay him a bit and he stays the same guy they have a servicable T at a decent price. Of course, Barksdale may balk at this and take the chance of hitting FA next year.

 

[RamsFan14]

Maybe we can draft someone with our 2nd round pick. Any pick for an OL above the 3rd round, I'll be fine with. If the Rams like someone who can help open up holes for Stacy and protect Bradford, go ahead and get em. Moving Long to LG a possibility? I personally don't think it's dumb if they find someone in the draft who they like at tackle. Long could make to be a dominant guard who doesn't need to kick around as much, could help his health situation like Saffold when he moved to guard. I'm personally not the biggest fan of signing Saffold... He's a good player, and for the right price I guess I'll be fine with him playing guard. He turned into a great guard, I just.. Don't trust his health, which is the same for Long too. Stinks he had to go down late!!! Changes a lot of things!

 

[jap]

Maybe we can draft someone with our 2nd round pick. Any pick for an OL above the 3rd round, I'll be fine with. If the Rams like someone who can help open up holes for Stacy and protect Bradford, go ahead and get em. Moving Long to LG a possibility? I personally don't think it's dumb if they find someone in the draft who they like at tackle. Long could make to be a dominant guard who doesn't need to kick around as much, could help his health situation like Saffold when he moved to guard. I'm personally not the biggest fan of signing Saffold... He's a good player, and for the right price I guess I'll be fine with him playing guard. He turned into a great guard, I just.. Don't trust his health, which is the same for Long too. Stinks he had to go down late!!! Changes a lot of things!

If Big Jake and BeetleJuice are our guards, will we really need to throw the rock?

 

[PhxRam]

I am not so sure I would use Saffold as an insurance policy for Long.

If you do, you better have an insurance policy for the insurance policy.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I am not so sure I would use Saffold as an insurance policy for Long.

If you do, you better have an insurance policy for the insurance policy.

:lol:

 

[jap]

I am not so sure I would use Saffold as an insurance policy for Long.

If you do, you better have an insurance policy for the insurance policy.

Yes, they really need to use Rodger as a dedicated guard where he can become a Pro Bowl, maybe even All Pro talent. Matthews would be the most pro ready to bring in at LT; Robinson would probably require more seasoning at pass protection before he's ready for the big time. It would be nice to add a swing tackle if the other remaining Horn tackles not named Jake, BeetleJuice, or Joe are not deemed up to snuff.

EDIT:

LT Matthews
LG Jake Long
C Barnes/Jones
RG BeetleJuice
RT Joe

How's that for a killer OL? :cheese:

 

[PhxRam]

Yes, they really need to use Rodger as a dedicated guard where he can become a Pro Bowl, maybe even All Pro talent. Matthews would be the most pro ready to bring in at LT; Robinson would probably require more seasoning at pass protection before he's ready for the big time. It would be nice to add a swing tackle if the other remaining Horn tackles not named Jake, BeetleJuice, or Joe are not deemed up to snuff.

I agree. I want them to re-sign Saffold.

I just think they need a backup plan if Saffold is retained to backup a tackle spot in a pinch.

You better pray WHEN Saffold goes down, none of you tackles go down during that timeframe.