Offensive line

[Sum1]

Ok...I think it is more than fair to say this is (other than QB) our most urgent need.

I don't think I can go through another season of high snaps from Scott Wells without getting ulcers. I really think we need to improve starting at the center moving to the right.

I think Barksdale is good enough to be a starter as long as he is our weakest lineman...but when he is our most durable and 3rd best blocker I think that is a problem. I think this season has proved he is a capable starter but would probably be great as a swing tackle/3rd tackle. I wonder if he has the body and skills that perhaps he could move inside to guard...knowing that he seems to struggle with pass rushers I just wonder if he'd be a better option inside.

I really hope the Rams sign a player (and not just some aging veteran) and use the draft as well.

Thoughts?

 

[Yamahopper]

GRob and Saffold but after them replace the rest. It's not going to get any better with the same parts. 3 high draft picks and 3 midrange picks over the next couple years. That is if you believe you have the right position coach.

Last time the Rams had a dominate line they were a dominate team.

 

[TheDYVKX]

My basic offseason plan for OL:

Cut Long, Joseph, Wells
Try to resign Barksdale at reasonable price (if not possible, 2nd round OL comes in)
Resign Person
Sign Wiz from Oakland if possible under cap (if not possible, I believe Jones can take over adequately)
Sign a depth guy for 6th OL
1st round OL
2nd round OL (if Barksdale cannot be resigned)
A few depth UDFAs to compete at bottom of roster

Something to that effect. We need to put a lot of work into this thing, because it's full of aging injury prone terrible vets.

 

[BigRamFan]

My basic offseason plan for OL:

Cut Long, Joseph, Wells
Try to resign Barksdale at reasonable price (if not possible, 2nd round OL comes in)
Resign Person
Sign Wiz from Oakland if possible under cap (if not possible, I believe Jones can take over adequately)
Sign a depth guy for 6th OL
1st round OL
2nd round OL (if Barksdale cannot be resigned)
A few depth UDFAs to compete at bottom of roster

Something to that effect. We need to put a lot of work into this thing, because it's full of aging injury prone terrible vets.

I agree with all of this but I would still draft 2 OL early even if Barksdale is resigned.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I agree with all of this but I would still draft 2 OL early even if Barksdale is resigned.

Fine by me. I'd love to finally fix the offensive line. Pour draft picks and young talent into it like Dallas. It works.

 

[Rmfnlt]

GRob and Saffold but after them replace the rest. It's not going to get any better with the same parts. 3 high draft picks and 3 midrange picks over the next couple years. That is if you believe you have the right position coach.

Last time the Rams had a dominate line they were a dominate team.

Yes, those two are the only absolutes to me.

Maybe Barksdale as well, but I'm not as sure about him.

Lots of work to be done on the line in the off season.

And, I don't think it's out of bounds to wonder if Boudreau is as good as we thought he was.

 

[TheDYVKX]

And, I don't think it's out of bounds to wonder if Boudreau is as good as we thought he was.

You can wonder, but I completely disagree. Look at what he's done with Robinson. Came in raw as hell, needed a ton of work, and now he's lightyears ahead of where he was in the beginning of the season. He has made mental mistakes but so do all rookie LTs, he already blows Fisher, Joeckel, and Lane Johnson out of the water. The actual blocking part he's looked pretty good at besides two probable HOFers Dwight Freeney and DeMarcus Ware getting the better of him. And with Wells/Joseph, those guys you can't really fix, but he's put them into situations that negate their badness as much as possible. I think Boudreau has done an amazing job with the lack of talent he's had. He's that well respected for a reason.

 

[Username]

Yep. Offensive line and quarterback. Not much has changed over the past decade.


Just pray Gaines can stay healthy in the future or else we can probably continue to put corner on that list again too.

 

[Robocop]

get TWO first round linemen. trade back into the first round for the 2nd. I want first round draft picks stacked on both sides of the ball. this QB priority is getting old. it doesn't matter if it's Aaron Rodgers back there if there's no line! can't get Marriota can't get Winston so what's the point? Hundley? ha. just stack the line with monsters and gamble on Bradford and Hill

 

[Rmfnlt]

You can wonder, but I completely disagree. Look at what he's done with Robinson. Came in raw as hell, needed a ton of work, and now he's lightyears ahead of where he was in the beginning of the season. He has made mental mistakes but so do all rookie LTs, he already blows Fisher, Joeckel, and Lane Johnson out of the water. The actual blocking part he's looked pretty good at besides two probable HOFers Dwight Freeney and DeMarcus Ware getting the better of him. And with Wells/Joseph, those guys you can't really fix, but he's put them into situations that negate their badness as much as possible. I think Boudreau has done an amazing job with the lack of talent he's had. He's that well respected for a reason.

Fully understand the rookie mistake thing...

Just not sure Boudreau helped him by having him play multiple positions along the line in camp and pre-season.

He even said he got confused by that.

 

[TexasRam]

Barksdale is fine. Try to re-sign.

Wells and Joseph MUST be replaced.

Wisnewski and uipati I'm FA.

Let the longs and Bradford go.

Move up and get marioti or Winston.


I want a mobile QB.

Domination.

 

[TheDYVKX]

Fully understand the rookie mistake thing...

Just not sure Boudreau helped him by having him play multiple positions along the line in camp and pre-season.

He even said he got confused by that.

I don't necessarily disagree, but it was the best option at the time and gave us the best chance to win. We needed him to play LG, but we had to have him prepared at LT because Jake Long is injury prone, and we were right, him going down was inevitable. In the end we just decided it wasn't necessary to throw him in there until he's 100% ready, and I honestly have my doubts whether he would have been ready to play even if he had focused on LG the entire time. And while yeah, he might have played LG sooner, we would have had no chance the rest of the season if Robinson didn't know how to play LT at the NFL level. It's just how the circumstances went, it had to be done in my opinion.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Sorry for forgetting names but rams need to double dip early on the oline

1. G/T from Norte Dame
2. Cameron Erving Florida state

 

[LACHAMP46]

Personally, and I hate to say this, but it may be time to blow this thing up....I couldn't tell who had a decent game yesterday despite all the stats....Wells should be gone...So should Joseph....Can't tell if Barksdale is just having a tough time, or is this his level...We already have Saffold, a very average lineman signed to a nice contract...no need to do that again with Barksdale. G-Rob struggled, but gets a rookie pass....
I say, grab 3 rookies...and start them, take our lumps, run the ball more...
@Ram_Rally , you're thinking of Stanley from Notre Dame...immensely talented, but a lil raw...think he's 20 years old. He'd be excellent....

 

[Sum1]

Personally, and I hate to say this, but it may be time to blow this thing up....I couldn't tell who had a decent game yesterday despite all the stats....Wells should be gone...So should Joseph....Can't tell if Barksdale is just having a tough time, or is this his level...We already have Saffold, a very average lineman signed to a nice contract...no need to do that again with Barksdale. G-Rob struggled, but gets a rookie pass....
I say, grab 3 rookies...and start them, take our lumps, run the ball more...
@Ram_Rally , you're thinking of Stanley from Notre Dame...immensely talented, but a lil raw...think he's 20 years old. He'd be excellent....

Yeah, I don't think Saffold is just an average player. I think he'd be a more known player around the league if he played for a more known team. The only thing with Saffold is health.

 

[den-the-coach]

The Rams Offensive Line = The Big Dig:

Construction began in September 1991 on a Bypass Road through South Boston to take truck traffic off neighborhood streets and on the third tunnel to cross Boston Harbor. The first major milestone, the opening of the tunnel - dedicated and named after baseball legend Ted Williams. Substantial completion was reached January 13, 2006. Three major milestones opening were reached in 2003.

The Big Dig was the most expensive highway project in the U.S. and was plagued byescalating costs, scheduling overruns, leaks, design flaws, charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials, criminal arrests, and one death. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 1998[5] at an estimated cost of $2.8 billion (in 1982 dollars, US$6.0 billion adjusted for inflation as of 2006).[6] However, the project was completed only in December 2007, at a cost of over $14.6 billion ($8.08 billion in 1982 dollars, meaning a cost overrun of about 190%)[6] as of 2006. The Boston Globeestimated that the project will ultimately cost $22 billion, including interest, and that it will not be paid off until 2038. As a result of the death, leaks, and other design flaws, the consortium that oversaw the project agreed to pay $407 million in restitution, and several smaller companies agreed to pay a combined sum of approximately $51 million.

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TheBigDig.aspx

 

[Ram_Rally]

Personally, and I hate to say this, but it may be time to blow this thing up....I couldn't tell who had a decent game yesterday despite all the stats....Wells should be gone...So should Joseph....Can't tell if Barksdale is just having a tough time, or is this his level...We already have Saffold, a very average lineman signed to a nice contract...no need to do that again with Barksdale. G-Rob struggled, but gets a rookie pass....
I say, grab 3 rookies...and start them, take our lumps, run the ball more...
@Ram_Rally , you're thinking of Stanley from Notre Dame...immensely talented, but a lil raw...think he's 20 years old. He'd be excellent....

I'm with you 100 percent. Let's give our qb a nice pocket. That interior is just leaky and it all goes downhill from there

 

[Amitar]

My basic offseason plan for OL:

Cut Wells, and Joseph.
Restructure Long's contract or cut him.
Resign Barksdale only as a backup.

Draft OL in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds.
Sign at least two good OL.

The OL must be the #1 #2 and #3 priority.

I am also starting to think if trading back and drafting Martin would have been a better move If Robinson does not play way better next year then the Rams are in trouble.

 

[Sum1]

I don't see any reason to bring Jake Long back next season. I think Jake would be wise to call it a career.

 

[StevenG-BR]

Sign Wise or DLP in FA. Replacing Wells should be the only goal in FA. That, and re-signing Barksdale, who I'm not disappointed in at all considering who he has manning the two spots to his left.

For RG, I think you look for a starter in round 2 or 3, and then sign another Barksdale-like project to compete. Those two, combined with Jones, should give us a nice three man competition for the spot.

And that's it. Literally all other resources should be focused on finding a QB. Hopefully, between Bradford and the new QB, someone can step up and give us better production than the BULL CRAP we've seen under center all year.