Article: Les Snead's offseason motto "Addition by subtraction"

[JoeBo21]

and the biggest addition by subtraction was Fisher.

Snead, overall, has been very good for us. definitely more hit then miss which is all you can ask cause you just never know with these players.. and his first offseason WITHOUT Fisher was an absolute homerun

 

[Soul Surfer]

Players are being held accountable for a change, Mo Alexander anyone.

Strange because Mo Alexander wasn't really on my radar as a guy I thought they would ditch.

Ditching Greg Robinson didn't surprise me one bit however.

I was on the keep Kenny Britt bandwagon though on the flip side.
I didn't know he was a "bad locker room guy" though.
I suspect, (just me guessing here) that Mo Alexander may not have been the best locker room guy either.

Because it's not like he was expensive at all.
He would have been a cheap backup but if he is a negative on the locker room?
You can't have that.

 

[RamWoodie]

The next "addition by subtraction" could involve Tavon Austin! With Kupp, Woods and Cooper's play TA's touches are less and less not to mention his turnovers.

Looks like the best cure for TA could be a change of scenery.

 

[Soul Surfer]

I'd take Kevin Colbert and the Steelers brass over anyone, followed by McCarthy and Ted Thompson in Green Bay.

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I have done a 180 on Snead since the season began.
I don't think the problem was our Personnel Department AT ALL and they've come up with some awesome undrafted free agents and late round draft picks. The SCOUTING has been solid.

Other than having every other one of the first and second round PICKS being boneheaded moves.

I will spare you guys with the list.
(we know who they are).

 

[Rmfnlt]

What if Greg, Brian Q., Kenny B., and others (Zack S., that other RB....hell the 2...forgot their names...one had a car accident) ...those wrs....all of them...what if they were brought in here with McVay and his crew...and spent their developmental years under them???? Careers changed?! Maybe...oh yea, that's Daryl Richardson and Isiah Pead...but careers could possibly be changed...because, those dudes could play....Cook...Kendricks...

It is possible that the teams they went to had bad coaches as well... but 0-2 makes me thiink it's more about the player than the coaches.

I have very little doubt that Greg Robinson, in the hands of competent coaches, could have become a dominant run blocking offensive lineman.

So DET has terrible coaches too?

That's all coach Boo messing him up.

Again, so DET's coaches couldn't "undo" the damage that Coach Boo did? I find that a tad hard to swallow. More logical to me is... he's just not that good. If I remember correctly, I was behind the drafting of him but, after years of ineptitude and bone-headed penalties, I had to face facts.

If Fish was still here, I'd bet that G-Rob would still be starting!!! Probably along with Britt and Quick

I have no doubt about this... I don't believe anything would have changed.

And, therefore, the following statement is all you need to know about addition by subtraction:

and the biggest addition by subtraction was Fisher.

 

[LesBaker]

Not sure if Newsome or Harbaugh is losing a step but the Ravens roster has been quietly pedestrian these past few years

They are struggling with one of the "Big Three" components.

The QB. Flacco should have been allowed to walk, but he was resigned and the contract choked their cap. It's one of the rare mistakes Newsome makes. Flacco has been below average for a few years now.

A side note. I heard Newsome talk about drafting and how they work things in Baltimore. It's his show with one exception. He allows the HC to decide what QB he wants to run the system the HC uses. So this isn't all on Newsome. Harbaugh is sticking with his guy. He has a ring because of him.

I'd take Kevin Colbert and the Steelers brass over anyone, followed by McCarthy and Ted Thompson in Green Bay.

Look at their QB's, and ownership. Both of those teams have all three of the big three.

 

[jrry32]

I don't know if he would have been any good but I still don't understand why they didn't at least try him at guard.

Football IQ. In this scheme, the OG needs to have intelligence and instincts. I expect that Kromer didn't believe he could execute his assignments.

 

[UKram]

I really like Snead .. dude seems to make his living in the latter rounds of the draft and with the UDFAs

And he isn’t afarid to wheel and deal

 

[Psycho_X]

Football IQ. In this scheme, the OG needs to have intelligence and instincts. I expect that Kromer didn't believe he could execute his assignments.

Was mostly referring to Fisher and his team of inept offensive coaches last season. But I agree I don't think it would have ultimately made a difference.

 

[So Ram]

I'd take Kevin Colbert and the Steelers brass over anyone, followed by McCarthy and Ted Thompson in Green Bay.

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Snead and The Rams are at a good spot right now with there pro scout personnel.

Wade really liked John Johnson. Snead made a deal to get him for free.

To think Les Snead was able to get both guys with one pick. Sean McVay wanted Gerald Everett & The Rams couldn't wait for the 3rd rd pick.

The fact is The Rams drafted both players before even drafting Copper Kupp as well.

To think Smart is starting & the Sampson kid is going to be a solid pro for awhile.

Gurley was a nice pick up & go around The NFL & see who has a better right side of young offensive lineman like The Rams ?

It's guys like Morgan Fox & Longacre, Littleton,Hekkar,Westbrooks,Malcom Brown that make The Rams scouting that solid.

Darrell Williams is going to be a key example of bringing a very young offensive lineman. His development is going to shine next season.To think he is just 24 . At 6'5 he has time to get bigger & stronger.
There is a reason Snead did not draft any OL man. I know a lot of Ram fans were all over Snead. Les does a good job of listening & a guy like McVay will listen vs. a guy like Fisher.

Tavon Austin was resigned why ? Fisher thought Tavon would catch 80 to 100 passes last season ?

Mo Alexander was a Fisher pick & Snead got lucky to draft EJ Gaines in the 6th rd. --Joyner was another of those smallish guys.

I believe if Les Snead would only trade back & not up & to trust his board The Rams would have already been to the playoffs.
Trading up to get Jared Goff cost a lot in the short term.Then again reorganization is just what the Dr. ordered.

My point is The Rams have the foundation in place to be as good as any team in the NFL for the next decade.

 

[dieterbrock]

exactly this....

Picking players on potential alone is what gets teams in trouble. I couldn't have said this better myself. I don't know how these GM's or coaches get caught up in this. For example i don't know how a players stock rises after the combine. They have all the game film in the world on most players, this alone should be enough to answer most questions. Are there exceptions? Sure, but you don't pick a player like Quick in the 2nd round. You pick him in the 5th round or later.

It still is mind blowing what happened with Grob, I never saw a pure LT when watching his film. I saw a mediocre Guard at best. I remember yelling at my TV when we picked him over Mathews. That pick alone should have gotten Snead fired IMO.

You know that Aaron Donald didnt go top 10 because there were concerns about his size, ability to transcend to the NFL level. Pretty sure that worked out

 

[Rmfnlt]

You know that Aaron Donald didnt go top 10 because there were concerns about his size, ability to transcend to the NFL level. Pretty sure that worked out

Yeah... I was one of those that had concerns over his size... made sense. Glad I was wrong.

There will always be exceptions... just have to hit on a majority.

 

[Jacobarch]

You know that Aaron Donald didnt go top 10 because there were concerns about his size, ability to transcend to the NFL level. Pretty sure that worked out

yeah exactly, but if you looked at his film he was a man among boys. Just like most good players, you look for guys who dominate the competition, not dominating in shorts.
I think most of us logical fans can agree that too much thought is put into potential rather than actual God given talent.

 

[dieterbrock]

Yeah... I was one of those that had concerns over his size... made sense. Glad I was wrong.

There will always be exceptions... just have to hit on a majority.

True, but I also think that "majority" is a subjective thing. Its hard to put a number on what is reasonable. 50%? 80%?
The top 5-10 picks are typically the most "NFL ready" guys and usually 5 of them don't amount to much
Around draft time the debate usually fires up about "drafting need vs BPA" and I think that is where the water gets muddy. I'd say the Fisher/Snead era drafted well enough, and with the consistent failure of the offense its hard to figure if the players who busted may have been successful elsewhere. I still contend that GRob's failure was on the Rams staff. And had the Rams taken Matthews, he'd be the bust and Grob would be the guy "we should taken"

 

[LACHAMP46]

This year draft shows what Senior Bowl players mean to the draft process.

Which is what? Most of the best players don't play in the senior bowl...and shouldn't due to the injury risks involved.

He was not smart enough to do well.

You too ehhh Les?
Ok, he had a 22 wonderlic...similar to one of our most valuable commodities on the team.
http://footballiqscore.com/wonderlic-score-database/greg-robinson
http://wonderlictestsample.com/nfl-wonderlic-scores/
Well, lookie here! Look who scored a 36....my my.....I stand corrected....

I once heard a professor say....if the kids are failing...it's my fault....

So DET has terrible coaches too?

Ummmm, not sure about Detroit....I'll say this, several players, once exposed to the wrong way to do things, cannot simply change overnight, and do the "right" thing. Or definitely not right away. Lets give it some time. I'll always remember, after working with LeCharles Bentley, G-Rob seemed to improve...then progressively got worse over the season....

Again, so DET's coaches couldn't "undo" the damage that Coach Boo did?

Not right away....I watched some highlights of the Lions last game when he was benched...pressure was coming from EVERYWHERE....even that highly touted RT was giving up sacks. Yet, for some reason, Greg was singled out and benched. Did he deserve it? Probably...but so did about 3 others. I still expect Detroit to win that division...with Greg as a starter.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Ummmm, not sure about Detroit....I'll say this, several players, once exposed to the wrong way to do things, cannot simply change overnight, and do the "right" thing. Or definitely not right away. Lets give it some time. I'll always remember, after working with LeCharles Bentley, G-Rob seemed to improve...then progressively got worse over the season....

I dunno... seems like the remaining (I'll say "picked") Olinesmen for the Rams seem to be improving... saw it from game one and they seem to continue to improve.
Guess they're just better at jettisoning all those bad habits Coach Boo taught them...

Not right away....I watched some highlights of the Lions last game when he was benched...pressure was coming from EVERYWHERE....even that highly touted RT was giving up sacks. Yet, for some reason, Greg was singled out and benched. Did he deserve it? Probably...but so did about 3 others. I still expect Detroit to win that division...with Greg as a starter.

Well, first things first... he'll have to get reinserted back as starter. I see that as a huge challenge for him at this point.

Really don't understand your attachment to him but, since he's not a Ram anymore, best of luck in your faith.

 

[Snaz]

I've always felt Greg Robinson would have made a great DT/NT... not much intelligence is needed on DL.
The better athletes play Defense as it's more reaction that anything. Saw it once on NFL Top 100 too, was hilarious.

 

[nighttrain]

I've always felt Greg Robinson would have made a great DT/NT... not much intelligence is needed on DL.
The better athletes play Defense as it's more reaction that anything. Saw it once on NFL Top 100 too, was hilarious.

please, not on Rams D
train

 

[Rmfnlt]

True, but I also think that "majority" is a subjective thing. Its hard to put a number on what is reasonable. 50%? 80%?

Well, just me.. but I'd say you ought to be hitting on at least 50% (talent of various rounds get taken into consideration... ought to be hitting much higher on early rounds, not as much in later rounds... so 50% all in).

I'd say the Fisher/Snead era drafted well enough,

"Well enough" seems fair... defense? Very good. Offense? More hit-and-miss.

the consistent failure of the offense its hard to figure if the players who busted may have been successful elsewhere.

You mean had they been drafted elsewhere initially, right? Yeah... who knows. What I am confident about are the players McVay let go and how they are doing elsewhere. And Robinson and Quick are not doing much of anything, so I'm gonna say it wouldn't have mattered with those two.... I think history is gonna prove they just aren't NFL caliber.

I still contend that GRob's failure was on the Rams staff.

Well, he's going backward in DET, no? Are you of the same theory as LACHAMP46 that he was ruined by the Rams coaches? Do you think he'll recover from that and be successful the rest of his career? I feel strongly he'll fizzle out and disappear from the NFL landscape.

And had the Rams taken Matthews, he'd be the bust and Grob would be the guy "we should taken"

Of course we would... we have that right!! We're silly fans!

 

[dieterbrock]

Well, he's going backward in DET, no? Are you of the same theory as LACHAMP46 that he was ruined by the Rams coaches? Do you think he'll recover from that and be successful the rest of his career? I feel strongly he'll fizzle out and disappear from the NFL landscape.

He was dominant as a rookie when he played guard. Due to need and his salary, I feel he was forced to play OLT.
He wouldnt be the first, nor the last, OT who was drafted high and resurrected his career at OG.
Drafted players get 1, maybe 2 years to produce. In the case of Quick, (whom I've never been a fan) he really had no shot in Washington so I dont think his failure there necessarily "proves" he was a bad choice.
But, he was a bad choice. Lol