The Rams need to make a decision. Do you want Noteboom going into the future or not? If not then they are starting all over again having wasted 4 years on Joe. IMO Noteboom is a starting caliber YOUNG LT and he will be snatched up next year. The Rams also are over the cap and although I see how they can clear that deficit they still need money to lock up the two extensions they absolutely need. They need to extend Floyd and Williams and IMO that will take the release of Whitworth, Havenstein and Brockers. I'd rather have Floyd and Williams than two aging players in Whitworth and Brockers and a JAG in Havenstein. If they are really all in then clear the decks and continue to build this team.
Playing LT is not the same as playing QB and IMO his age is showing. Those 3 will give them the $15-$16M they need to extend Floyd and Williams.IMO the Stafford trade signals that the Rams are all in i.e. win now mentality.
The fact is Joe Noteboom was promoted to be the starting LG starting in 2019. Noteboom only made it through 5 gms as a starter until he injured his knee & was out for the remainder of the season. Kromer in 2020 once again went with Noteboom as the starting LG initially until he was injured again this time in the 2nd gms of the season. That's when OL'er David Edwards who started @ RG in 2019
took the LG post & never gave it back to Noteboom. Noteboom got healthy & when AW went down with a tore up knee in the 9th gm of the season Noteboom was the reliever @ that post. Noteboom did well enough to help the Rams get into the playoffs.
The Joe Noteboom Ram future has
not been made as of this moment & most assuring will not be made into the very early 2022 pre FA'cy. So there is
no need to rush into any final decision here on Noteboom. I do not see Noteboom selection & his employment with the Rams as being wasted. It's just not been finalized at this time.
I agree 100% with you on your thoughts on the trading of veterans
Rob Havenstein &
Micheal Brockers for the reasons: (#1)- To regain over $40 million in future Ram cap funds for 2021/2022 seasons. (#2)- Fact Rams need a critical injection of talented players onto the roster @ low economic prices...... draft selections are the best medicine to heal this need.
Yes, funds must be obtained by some method in order to offer the very good RFA starting CB Williams a First round tender (Approx. $4.8 mil.) then you must figure in the future salary funds to sign him to a long-term contract for the future after 2021. I have not seen any ROD member not agree with this. The problem is what will Williams mandate in high-end $$$ to remain a Ram after 2021. That is a very big unknown. So the Rams must have several young developing corners here just in case. Right now Rams
do not have those corner elements here. 2019 3rd rd pick CB David Long has been close to a bust thus far!
Now let me throw this out .......what if AW is the next Tom Brady as a left tackle in the element when it comes to LONGEVITY & ENDURANCE playing at a high-level way into his 40's? Snead & McVay had plans to have AW here for several seasons, This was also desired by them so they
gave AW a 3 yr contract less than a year ago. A $30 mil/ $12.5 mil guaranteed contract! If the Rams were to cut AW there is close to #6 mil of instant dead funds! That's just not going to happen.
The bottom line from my perspective .....
good effective LT's are much more difficult to find than OLB'ers or Corners.