Jrry32 Fix the OL Mockstravaganza

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jrry32

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I've seen some interesting mocks pop up in the last few days as well as some interesting commentary (such as the Rams letting Trumaine walk). I figured I'd take a stab at what we could in such scenarios. I'm not trying to guess what the Rams will do; I am simply giving my take on what would strike me as a good off-season for the Rams. This offseason assumes that we hire Aaron Kromer or another coach who runs a PBS.
Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
TE Lance Kendricks
DE Eugene Sims
C Tim Barnes

Re-sign
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $7.5 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $4.5 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DT Louis Trinca-Pasat - ERFA Tender

Trades
Rams trade DE William Hayes and SS/OLB Mark Barron
Browns trade ILB Christian Kirksey and Round 6 Pick #1

With us moving to the 3-4, Hayes just isn't a great fit. Gregg Williams seems to love Barron. This trade makes sense for both sides. Kirksey is a good fit for what Wade looks for in his ILBs. Barron steps into Kirksey's spot in GW's defense. The Browns have a ton of cap room, so Barron's contract isn't an issue.

Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS

Joyner moves to FS with Maurice Alexander moving to SS. Phillips reportedly likes having safeties he can use interchangeably. Both Alexander and Joyner can handle playing in the box or dropping into coverage. Both guys will bring the lumber.

Cody Wichmann - OG -> C

I heard that Wichmann has worked on snapping to prepare to play Center in the past. We have him transition to Center where his lack of power is less of a problem. He'll be our backup Center behind Tretter.

Free Agency - Big Money Acquisitions
Larry Warford RG - 5 years $40 million

The Redskins run a PBS under Jay Gruden. It is my hope that McVay brings that with him. If he does, Warford is a great signing for our team. Warford is a rock in pass pro and a people mover in the run game. He's been a steady player for the Lions over the years. At his worst, he is a solid OG. At his best, he's been a top tier OG. He gives us a rock on the interior.

J.C. Tretter C/OG/OT - 5 years $32.5 million

Tretter has had some durability issues in his career, but he's been a stellar player while on the field. He can step in and provide us Pro Bowl caliber play at Center. He's also capable of playing any other position on the OL. It is my belief that he could be a serviceable LT if asked to be. Tretter is a highly intelligent and technically skilled player who excels at blocking on the move and on the second level. We're taking a risk on his injury history, but he's well worth it imo with our OL transformation. We need to protect Goff.

DeSean Jackson WR - 3 years $24 million

Initially, I had some concerns about Jackson coming to LA because of his reported ties to gang members. However, it genuinely seems like McVay and Jackson have a very close relationship. With Jackson being from LA, I think he'd be willing to come here if we match his best offer. He definitely offers us a nice skill-set. He put up 1000+ yards in McVay's offense this year and should pair nicely with Kamar Aiken and Tavon Austin.

Brandon Carr CB - 3 years $22.5 million

There were brief talks of Carr retiring after the Cowboys loss, but those seemed to be more reactionary than anything. Carr loves the game of football and is a high IQ player. He fits what Wade looks for in his boundary CBs (long, physical, and great at pressing). Carr played at a high level this year for the Cowboys. He has limitations, but if you use him correctly, he's a fringe #1 CB.

Andrew Whitworth LT - 2 years $20 million

Whitworth played under McVay's mentor, Jay Gruden, in Cincy. That means Whitworth has some familiarity with McVay's scheme. We toss a lot of money at Whitworth to temporarily fill our void at LT. Whitworth is still playing at a very high level despite his advanced age. It seems like Cincy might be ready to move on to one of their young OTs.

Kamar Aiken WR - 4 years $18 million

Aiken became a bit of an afterthought this year after leading the Ravens with 944 receiving yards in 2015. Steve Smith and Breshad Perriman both returned from injury, and Mike Wallace was signed to provide a deep threat presence. Ultimately, the Ravens chose to give many of Aiken's snaps to former first round pick Breshad Perriman. Personally, I think he's a great under the radar signing. Aiken offers us a possession WR across from DeSean Jackson with his 6'2" 215 pound frame. In 2015, he had one of the lowest drop rates in the league according to PFF. He's a sure-handed kid who has enough speed (4.45 40) to threaten vertically. Think Jermaine Kearse.

Captain Munnerlyn CB - 3 years $15 million

Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the NFL. He steps into Joyner's role in the slot with Joyner moving to FS. Luckily for us, slot CBs are undervalued around the NFL. Munnerlyn is small but very physical. He tackles well, sticks his man in coverage, and blitzes off the edge well. He'll be a major contributor to our defense.

Free Agency - Bargain Signings
Terrell McClain NT - 3 years $6 million
Dekoda Watson ILB/OLB - 2 years $2 million
Sean Lissemore NT - 2 years $2 million
Dwight Freeney OLB - 1 year $1 million
Lerentee McCray OLB - 1 year $850k

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #5 - T.J. Watt OLB Wisconsin
Summary:
The brother of J.J. is also a very talented kid in his own right. Watt possesses a NFL frame with growth potential at 6'5" 245 and long arms. He has the strength and punch power to push tackles around along with the speed to threaten the edge. Watt uses a variety of moves to keep OLs off guard and does a nice job of finding the ball. Watt has an extremely high ceiling despite not being an overly raw player. The comparison that springs to mind while watching him is Clay Matthews.

Round 3 Pick #5 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Summary:
Ahkello is one of my favorite under the radar prospects in this draft. He was one of the national leaders in passes defensed in 2016, and his coverage metrics when targeted were off the charts good. Ahkello is 6'2" 195 with outstanding ball-skills, impressive quickness and hip flexion for his size, and the long speed needed to play outside the numbers in the NFL. He's a tad raw in terms of technique, but he has gobs of upside at CB.

Round 4 Pick #5 - Jeremy Sprinkle TE Arkansas
Summary:
Prior to his arrest for shoplifting, I think Sprinkle would have gone Round 3. This is a deep and talented TE class which helps him drop further than he should (along with his dumbass arrest). Sprinke's blocking ability will get him on the field early in the NFL. Like any player, his technique can improve, but he's already an impact blocker in the running game. Listed at 6'6" 256, Sprinkle has prototypical size for an inline TE. He's an athletic pass catcher with reliable hands (although, he needs to work on ball security). Frankly, he is the full package as a TE. In most TE class (without the arrest), he's a second round pick.

Round 4 Comp Pick - Ishmael Zamora WR Baylor
Summary:
Frankly, Zamora is a scummy person. He was suspended for 3 games by Baylor this year for beating his dog. That makes me sick. But the guy is also a freakish athlete. If you want the next Josh Gordon, Zamora looks like he might be that guy. He's listed at 6'4" 220, has blazing speed, attacks the ball in the air, and plays with physicality. Crappy person but has the potential to be a dominant NFL WR with the right coaching.

Round 5 Pick #5 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
Summary:
Holsey is another guy on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage.

Round 6 Pick #1 - Obi Melifonwu SS Connecticut
Summary:
Melifonwu checks in at 6'3" 220. While you'd expect him to be a bigger hitter with that size, he's not. However, he's a reliable tackler who is a versatile player on the back-end of the defense. He can play deep zone coverage, he can man up in coverage and hold his own, and he can play zone-under. He's a solid all-around player.

Round 6 Pick #5 - Joey Ivie DE Florida
Summary:
Ivie is an underrated player in this class. He's an underrated athlete with a relentless motor who has the ability to be a productive rotational interior DL at the NFL level. Ivie uses his hands well and does a nice job of stacking and shedding blocks in the run game. He's athletic enough to disrupt plays in the back-field and pressure QBs in the passing game. I think there's a strong chance that Joey Ivie's best football is ahead of him.

Round 6 Comp Pick - Javarius Leamon OT South Carolina State
Summary:
Leamon is a project for the new OL Coach to develop. He has all the athletic traits to be a starting NFL OT but is sushi raw. At 6'6" 310, Leamon possesses the length, strength, feet, and flexibility needed to play at the NFL level. However, his technique is just a total mess. He's going to need a lot of work in pass protection before he's ready to play. Good thing we have Andrew Whitworth.

Round 7 Pick #5 - Joe Williams HB Utah
Summary:
Add another guy to the draft with an interesting background. Williams falls this far for only two reasons: 1) this is an insanely talented HB class and 2) he retired from football briefly this year. Williams opted to walk away from football after the first two games this year. After four games of retirement, Utah begged him to come back due to injuries at HB. Williams did and managed to rush for 1300+ yards and 10 TDs over the final 7 games. Williams is listed at 5'11" 205 with reported 4.3 speed. He combines that explosive speed with impressive vision, the ability to get skinny through holes, good agility, and a willingness to finish runs. This kid is a very talented runner.

Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kamar Aiken
ZWR: DeSean Jackson
SLWR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
C: J.C. Tretter
RG: Larry Warford
RT: Rob Havenstein

LDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Terrell McClain
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: T.J. Watt
LILB: Christian Kirksey
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Brandon Carr
RCB: Ahkello Witherspoon vs. Joshua Holsey vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander

K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin
 

Memento

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I can't get behind the Zamora pick. Anyone who hurts animals is worse than scum and should never have success in life.

I'm fine with the rest of it.
 

NateDawg122

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I like the offensive line. We really do need to sign some significant free agent help there. We cannot fix it in just the draft. Whitworth is a good LT and a pure professional. He should be helpful in the development of whoever our future LT is.
 

LACHAMP46

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I can't lie...I immediately scan to your draft picks and comments. Man, I like some of those dudes. I keep looking at Watt hoping to see a lil Clay M....A little JJ...I don't
that cb from Colorado can ball
We shoulda drafted Warford 3 years ago.
Trust me, Desean Jackson isn't a gang member...not affiliated...nothing..unless smoking the green stuff makes you a gangsta.
@Memento
I personally think people that overfeed dogs, never take them out for walks & exercise, or don't really have enough space to keep them are selfish people too, but what are you gonna do? Same with kids...but I'm getting into sticky territory.
there is a lot of talent on that Florida Gators defense...
Williams from Utah is a baller. He's the reason I saw Garrett Bolles. No chance we can grab him with our 2nd round pick?
I can't believe a young fan like yourself @jrry32 isn't scared of FA's? I wasn't until that center from Green Bay, then just looked back at all the misses...the troubles with injuries...Trust me, when we grabbed Joe Willie N. I was pumped. Bert Jones too....And a few of us know how that worked out.
Keep pumping these out...I'm sure Kevin Demoff & McVay probably go over this stuff and chuckle to themselves...
 

Memento

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@Memento
I personally think people that overfeed dogs, never take them out for walks & exercise, or don't really have enough space to keep them are selfish people too, but what are you gonna do? Same with kids...but I'm getting into sticky territory.

Which is why I don't want to have a dog, even though I'm in a wheelchair. I simply don't have enough space for one. But beating dogs, cats, pets...I can't get behind scum who do that.
 

jrry32

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I can't lie...I immediately scan to your draft picks and comments. Man, I like some of those dudes. I keep looking at Watt hoping to see a lil Clay M....A little JJ...I don't

Watt is a baller. He's a kid you have to project because he has a lot of growth potential. He's the type of guy who is going to gain 15 pounds in the NFL and get significantly stronger. At this point in time, he already has the ability to attack the corner. He already has the hand use and a variety of pass rush moves. He already has the football IQ and natural instincts for how to rush a passer. And he has powerful hands and a lot of length.

There's so much potential there. This is a kid who played against a number of OLs who will play in the NFL and beat them. Western Michigan has two OTs who will play in the NFL. Their RT is expected to be a 3rd or 4th round pick. They were still doubling J.J. on most snaps in that game because their OTs could not handle him one-on-one.

that cb from Colorado can ball
We shoulda drafted Warford 3 years ago.
Trust me, Desean Jackson isn't a gang member...not affiliated...nothing..unless smoking the green stuff makes you a gangsta.

Agreed. Agreed. I hope he isn't.

there is a lot of talent on that Florida Gators defense...
Williams from Utah is a baller. He's the reason I saw Garrett Bolles. No chance we can grab him with our 2nd round pick?

I think he'll go somewhere in the first. He'll blow up the combine with his athleticism.

I can't believe a young fan like yourself @jrry32 isn't scared of FA's? I wasn't until that center from Green Bay, then just looked back at all the misses...the troubles with injuries...Trust me, when we grabbed Joe Willie N. I was pumped. Bert Jones too....And a few of us know how that worked out.
Keep pumping these out...I'm sure Kevin Demoff & McVay probably go over this stuff and chuckle to themselves...

No fear of FA. We just have to structure the contracts to protect ourselves. You know coming in that you'll hit on some and miss on others. But if we want to be a good football team next year, we're going to have to fill some holes in FA.

I can't get behind the Zamora pick. Anyone who hurts animals is worse than scum and should never have success in life.

I'm fine with the rest of it.

He's a piece of shit. But sometimes you just have to accept having a piece of shit on your team.
 

Memento

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He's a piece of shit. But sometimes you just have to accept having a piece of shit on your team.

I can get behind a lot of players, depending on what they did was a one-time thing (i.e., DUI, assault, theft, drug possession, vandalism, other misdemeanors). What I can't get behind are three things: crimes against women and children (i.e., domestic violence, rape, child abuse), killing people (including DUIs, manslaughter), and animal abuse. The lattermost is because animal abusers will likely become people abusers.

I can accept a Trumaine Johnson or a Janoris Jenkins on my team. I cannot accept an Ishmael Zamora.
 

jrry32

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I can get behind a lot of players, depending on what they did was a one-time thing (i.e., DUI, assault, theft, drug possession, vandalism, other misdemeanors). What I can't get behind are three things: crimes against women and children (i.e., domestic violence, rape, child abuse), killing people (including DUIs, manslaughter), and animal abuse. The lattermost is because animal abusers will likely become people abusers.

I can accept a Trumaine Johnson or a Janoris Jenkins on my team. I cannot accept an Ishmael Zamora.

Understandable. I don't blame you for feeling that way.
 

dolphinlover123

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Thx. I could read stuff like this all day. I wish there were more sportswriters doing stuff like this rather than spreading BS rumors. I like this more than draft mocks because there isn't much substance in them.
 

TexasRam

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This is a dream scenario. Bring in 3 proven OL and at least one Proven WR while finding answers at CB and addressing most of the rest in the draft.

Looks to fit within the 40+ mil in cap so is feasable.

I can't emphasize how strong I feel that we need to go out in free agency and plug the Oline with 3 new highly productive veterans. I see this as the only guaranteed way to turn this offense and team around.

I don't like seeing Grob as a starter but there is plenty of guys to plug that hole in Brown, Wichmann etc if Grob picks up where he left off with the penalties and missed blocks. He does have an outside chance of being a solid Guard in the vain of Leonard Davis and other tackle busts who successfully found their niche as a guard. But have a backup prepared because the odds are Grob is heading to the pine.

I think the possibility that we land this many free agents is wishful thinking. For that reason I'm keeping Saffold and possibly paying Tru.
 

shaunpinney

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Loving this mock @jrry32 apart from getting rid off Kendricks (I'm just sentimental and I think he's due a breakout!) and the Zamora pick -

I'd gladly swap the Zamora pick for Noah Brown and I'm with you
 

Jorgeh0605

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That Barron/Kirksey trade blew my mind. That would be an awesome deal all the way around!
 

TexasRam

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I would love to get Barron's 11 mil off the books but besides Cleveland don't see a home. But given their cap room and fit with Williams it almost seems a done deal.

I wonder if trading Tavon is possible. 14 mil cap hit is so steep. imagine getting Jackson and Garcon. Already know the system. Or keep him and get those two.
 

OnceARam

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I would love to get Barron's 11 mil off the books but besides Cleveland don't see a home. But given their cap room and fit with Williams it almost seems a done deal.

I wonder if trading Tavon is possible. 14 mil cap hit is so steep. imagine getting Jackson and Garcon. Already know the system. Or keep him and get those two.

We got TA for one more year before he doesn't hit out cap. If he pans out its a great contract for us.
 

JonRam99

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OC hire bump

With the coaching staff assembled, I think this is my favorite mock so far. The Rams need a very strong, experienced OL to protect Goff, him being the focus of our team now -- the coaching staff has been practically custom-built to develop him. And with Whitworth next to him to show him how it's done, and Tretter on the other side, maybe Grob can be a plus-rated LG & learn how to be a good LT. He seems to be the kinda guy who needs a lot of mentoring.

Do you see this OL mock geared towards a PBS? I think Gurley needs it, he's a 1-cut back, he just needs to see a nice gap & he's gone.
 

jrry32

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OC hire bump

With the coaching staff assembled, I think this is my favorite mock so far. The Rams need a very strong, experienced OL to protect Goff, him being the focus of our team now -- the coaching staff has been practically custom-built to develop him. And with Whitworth next to him to show him how it's done, and Tretter on the other side, maybe Grob can be a plus-rated LG & learn how to be a good LT. He seems to be the kinda guy who needs a lot of mentoring.

Do you see this OL mock geared towards a PBS? I think Gurley needs it, he's a 1-cut back, he just needs to see a nice gap & he's gone.

Yes.
 

jrry32

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Why exactly are you sure Kromer will run a PBS? I don't know if he does or not, but I've just found more stuff about him running a ZBS online.

I'm not sure, but I'm basing it on his track record. He ran a PBS in New Orleans and Buffalo. I'm not sure what they ran in Chicago, but my bet is that it was a PBS.

Where did he not run a PBS?