One Thought About the Next Left Tackle.

[Loyal]

I fear that other more apparent needs with less value will be addressed before we are ready to replace Andrew Whitworth. He was good-great this year, but for how long? We know how important and Hard it is to pick a LT in the draft, and finally after two high 1st round busts in a row (Jason Smith and GROB) and free agent bust Jake Long, we lucked out in signing Whit. Andrew Kromer did a great job this year with the Oline, but I also know that Havenstein and Brown have commented on the advice Whitworth gave them that made them better. We need to pick a LT in this draft, so that Whit can help train his replacement.

I fear that we will push this off, thinking we can milk another year out of an old veteran when the end comes. Without a legit LT, we are SOL.

 

[Afro Ram]

I completely agree with this post. Whitworth had a solid year but his play definitely declined slowly as the season went on. I think it's a stretch to expect him to play as well as he did for another year. Unfortunately the Rams have so many other issues to address , mostly on the defensive side I agree this will go unaddressed. I think this is a cross your fingers and hope for the best scenario. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a real answer here. The Rams are just going to have to play it out. Maybe they'll find a hidden gem somewhere. Don't stress yourself out by over thinking it.

 

[Corbin]

This is true but I fear there might not be a LT that is BPA with our picks unfortunately. However just like jumping the gun that 'Goff is a bust', I'm jumping the gun that there might not be any LT talent when we pick. It's waaaaaay to early to know and I KNOW Snead has his shit together to recognize talent and BPA. It will be interesting to say the least.

 

[fearsomefour]

Even with his fall off in play he was much better than any LT the Rams have had post Pace.
Remember when he tweeked his knee?
I don't know how much of his drop in play related to that or if it just tbe reality of a guy with grey in his beard playing a 16 game NFL schedule.
We need to draft a LT but probably wouldn't be able to justify a pick until the mid rounds.....hard to find a start g LT that late.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I fear that we will push this off, thinking we can milk another year out of an old veteran when the end comes. Without a legit LT, we are SOL.

I believe we can put this off for one more year while managing Whitworth's time better. We were fortunate to have a BYE week in the middle of the season for 2017, not sure that luck will last, but we can control Whit's down time by allowing him to sit perhaps for 2 games against the lesser ranked teams we'll be facing. If we can improve upon our depth, just maybe a couple games off + the BYE week will have him well rested & ready for the play-offs next season. The following year (2019) we will finally have our full complement of draft picks for the first time in the McVay era, ... I'd like to wait and see how McVay/Kromer address this future problem while seeking out talented middle & lower level draft picks for OL depth before it becomes necessary to use a 1'st rounder, ... at least until 2019. jmo.

 

[TexasRam]

I think no doubt we need to get our next LT in here ASAP to start learning from Whitworth.

But I also think Whitworth's decline was much less than people think. I think Jared got really used to holding onto the ball for longer than he should due mainly to the Lines great protection and also to Jared's ability to get confident in the pocket and fearless to an extent. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a knock on Jared because I think he is a great QB and I am one of his biggest supporters. But I do think as the season went on he took advantage of the great protection to hold onto the ball longer when needed. In many of these scenarios is where you see Whitworth's protection finally break down.

Towards the latter half of the year when Jared held the ball longer is where you started to see Whitworth so called decline. Not only does this result in more sacks and pressures given up, but this also wears on a Olineman during the course of the game.

But yes, get a future LT in here. For depth now and for future replacement

 

[Karate61]

Well, after LT failure after failure after failure; I don't trust the draft as much as fishing through Free Agency. At least with free agency you have a good idea what you're getting; examples Whitworth & GRob (haha Lions!). I hope some reasonably studly LT comes available and we snag a good one like with Whitworth.

 

[UKram]

i think whit is good for another year ... a year in the system and he will be able to manage is rest better less reps in practice and back to beasting it

 

[den-the-coach]

I believe Whitworth is good for another year along as he stays healthy and I also believe the Rams will add an Offensive Tackle in waiting with an early draft choice, the latest being the 4th round. Also do not rule out a trade, but most likely the Rams will draft a player to learn under Whitworth and JFYI in the game against the 49ers Cornelius Lucas played very well at RT and did not render a sack or pressure, so if the Rams keep Lucas there is hope.

Again I don't believe the Rams will be caught napping on the OL, Aaron Kromer won't allow it and the regime realizes that the offense is predicated on protection for the Quarterback combined with the ability to run the football they will work on depth this season.

 

[Rod De Kruyf]

Drafting an o-lineman early is high risk. I believe Snead and Kromer will scoure free-agency. They came close with a Buffalo guy last year, but Buffalo gave him a contract. Think the safe thing for the Rams is free-agency where they get more of a book on the guy. Drafting a college guy just proposes too much risk. I don't know who their pro-scouting director is.

 

[NERamsFan]

Well, after LT failure after failure after failure; I don't trust the draft as much as fishing through Free Agency. At least with free agency you have a good idea what you're getting; examples Whitworth & GRob (haha Lions!). I hope some reasonably studly LT comes available and we snag a good one like with Whitworth.

I can understand your concern based on prior experience, brotha, but with Kromer and co. in town, I’m confident we can find a developmental, diamond-in-the-rough prospect to sit behind big Whit.

 

[NERamsFan]

One other thing to quickly mention too, McVay mentioned in his presser he and Les spent some time the following morning talking scenarios to start gameplanning for the off-season. He said they felt blessed to be relatively healthy all year, but that they would look at areas of improvement with a sense that if injuries did hit our team, where would be the areas where it would press us the most, making those respective positions off-season priorities (I.e. God forbid Big Whit going down).

I expect us to keep majority of our guys, with a few maybe surprising cuts/moves, and a left tackle on board via draft in top 4 rounds.

 

[Psycho_X]

Whit should be good for one more year but I would definitely like to grab someone they think might be a sleeper in the middle of the draft. We need serious depth at tackle anyway so maybe that person ends up being the guy in a year or two and if not maybe they can be solid depth at the very least and we go all in trying to draft a blue chip LT in a future draft.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Don't count out the guys behind Whitworth who have been under the tutelage of Kromer this year and into next. Honestly the thought of drafting a kid to groom as our future LT isn't something I care to see - i prefer we nab some 25 year old cut from another team or in Free agency that can be coached up - like what they tried to do with the center from Buffalo

Center of the future is the more pressing position on the oline to me

 

[WestCoastRam]

Well, we really have no depth at tackle either so we need to draft a swing tackle/left tackle apparent. We'll definitely draft one, I guess the question is where we do it.

 

[sjm1582002]

Consideration for Saffold as a potential interim option?

Played well as a rookie at LT.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Consideration for Saffold as a potential interim option?

Played well as a rookie at LT.

Saffold had perhaps his best year ever as a Ram at LG. Could you move him out there in a pinch, sure... but at this point I think you do everything to keep him at guard.

My money is on the Rams drafting a guy mid-rounds as a backup tackle and heir-apparent. Chances of that guy taking over someday are small but I think you end up hedging your bets with Whitworth one more year before taking a tackle high.

That being said, Whitworth's decline down the stretch was noticeable and given his age, I don't think there's any reason to believe we won't see the same thing next year. It is an issue.

 

[BonifayRam]

Don't count out the guys behind Whitworth who have been under the tutelage of Kromer this year and into next. Honestly the thought of drafting a kid to groom as our future LT isn't something I care to see - i prefer we nab some 25 year old cut from another team or in Free agency that can be coached up - like what they tried to do with the center from Buffalo Center of the future is the more pressing position on the oline to me

I am with you that it would be foolish to count out the groomed interior OL reserves that Kromer has been working with this entire season. But I do not have any faith in the two reserve OT's as being legit future starting LT for the Rams.

I also agree on your comments of utilizing our top selection for the LT is uncomfortable. Most members sit here today think Whitworth will play out his contract & be here through 2019, but I believe that to be highly doubtful.

Now that would be a serious blow to this offense & Goff. Current reserve OT's Darrell Williams & Cornelius Lucas are pure back up @ best from what I have seen thus far. Plus both are involved in free agency in less than 2 months & will need new contracts. Fact is it takes many seasons to develop average playing OL'ers. LT takes longer.

The center position may be in better condition that we think if John Sullivan decides to make more $$$ & play elsewhere. Kromer has been working with Austin Blythe (who was signed immediately after he was released by the Colts) since May 2017. I have learned to really like Iowa OL products. Austin will be 26 yrs old & will enter his 3rd season in 2018. He has 24 NFL games under his belt has starts @ RT,LG & OC but he is an interior OL due to his size.

Besides Blythe Kromer has been developing several other WWC's. Aaron Nearly is 25 yrs old & has been on several teams like the Eagles & Broncos. He is a former teammate of Cooper Kupp @ Eastern Washington & was the starting OG with 46 starts. When Nearly was released from Kromer signed him on 9/3/2017. He was signed to the Practice Squad till he was signed to the master roster on 12/2717 & started @ center for us that Sunday. He is 6-4 302 lbs.

Another interior OL that has been hanging around for a while is Jake Eldrenkamp. A 6-5 302 interior type athletic OL'er.Kromer brought him in back on 5/2/17 from Washington Huskies. He was a OT but appears to be an athletic zone-scheme fit at guard or center for the Rams. Signed to the PS on 9/3/17 & has remained there ever since.

Bottom Line here is Blythe is contracted till 2020 & Nearly is contracted till 2019 so there's a very good chance both interior OL'ers will be here in 2018 begins. I would expect the same for Eldrenkamp.

 

[Ramrasta]

I heard Greg Robinson is available.

 

[Ellard80]

i here people say Whitworth declined during the year. I'm not saying that its false or true.

But anyone have any evidence to support that conclusion? Seems likes its turning into a word of mouth type thing.