Come for Avila, stay for the entire offensive line

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Westcoast Ram:
During OTAs Jackson made it perfectly clear the ONLY position he would play is LT. Joe was amenable to do what ever he could to be a team player, i.e. RG or RT he was willing to make the transition. That is why Jackson in the LT. His technique issues and footwork issues have arisen though overall he's held up at the position. So the Rams will probably put a second round tender on him to either give him another year or use that second round pick to draft his replacement.

A first round tender would probably mean no one tries to sign him away so the Rams will pay him $9M- $10M this year and see what they have in him. The Rams have to know he will expect an extension of $15-$17M / yr in 2025. He might get that from someone else but I think Les will see him as a 3rd round comp pick, unless he totally kills it in 2024.
I love fucking story time.
 
Starting to think what the Rams do here is play Jackson at LT under that RFA status with a 2nd to 3rd round dev OT from the draft behind him.

Then go straight BPA in round one.


Both Jackson and Stafford have made this off season quite a bit clearer to me:

EDGE - easily the most pressing need. I do NOT like counting on a rookie here.....I would rather spend all our cap dollars on Josh Allen or even over spend for a proven but average player. Love Byron Young but he's clearly hit that rookie wall and if that were to happen again next year with whoever we draft, it likely prohibits us as a Super Bowl contender

CB - Akhello has played pretty well, if they wanted to roll the dice and retain him to see how it goes I wouldn't be mad. Definitely need to draft one in that scenario. My preference would be a vet upgrade though

WR - maybe we re-sign DeMarcus, but even if we do it's probably for one year - that leaves every WR save for Kupp and Puca leaving the team after 2024, and this offense is heavily reliant on WRs

RB - time to get some explosion here. I love Kyren, but his injury put a serious hurt on this season and having a true backup with some playmaking ability would be huge for this offense

T - how many years does Hav have left? Is Jackson legit or just playing well right now? I'd rather not find out the hard way

QB - what can you say except Stafford obliterated this being a need for next season unless someone falls into our laps Aaron Rodgers style


My dream scenario:

Re-sign Dotson and Witherspoon

Create whatever cap space is needed for Josh Allen (backload for the future cap increases plus Stafford's contract coming off the books in a year or two)

1st three rounds - BPA between WR/T, possibly QB

CB and RB later in the draft
 
Josh Allen
Almost certain that he’ll be franchise tagged, surely? Same with Brian Burns. Danielle Hunter is probably going to be the best Edge to hit the open market, and the cost will be prohibitive.

I’d rather we spend our FA pennies on Shelton and Dotson and keep this year’s impressive line intact. If we have to lose one, you let Shelton go and draft a centre in round three or four.
 
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There is no question on that. Only question is what level to tag him at, but that's also not really a question given how strong his play has been during this recent stretch. A one year payday (6 mil or whatever it is for 2024) is appropriate and then we are covered for if some team swoops on him.
Yep. Anything less than a first round tender and someone might take the chance
 
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Both Jackson and Stafford have made this off season quite a bit clearer to me:

EDGE - easily the most pressing need. I do NOT like counting on a rookie here.....I would rather spend all our cap dollars on Josh Allen or even over spend for a proven but average player. Love Byron Young but he's clearly hit that rookie wall and if that were to happen again next year with whoever we draft, it likely prohibits us as a Super Bowl contender

CB - Akhello has played pretty well, if they wanted to roll the dice and retain him to see how it goes I wouldn't be mad. Definitely need to draft one in that scenario. My preference would be a vet upgrade though

WR - maybe we re-sign DeMarcus, but even if we do it's probably for one year - that leaves every WR save for Kupp and Puca leaving the team after 2024, and this offense is heavily reliant on WRs

RB - time to get some explosion here. I love Kyren, but his injury put a serious hurt on this season and having a true backup with some playmaking ability would be huge for this offense

T - how many years does Hav have left? Is Jackson legit or just playing well right now? I'd rather not find out the hard way

QB - what can you say except Stafford obliterated this being a need for next season unless someone falls into our laps Aaron Rodgers style


My dream scenario:

Re-sign Dotson and Witherspoon

Create whatever cap space is needed for Josh Allen (backload for the future cap increases plus Stafford's contract coming off the books in a year or two)

1st three rounds - BPA between WR/T, possibly QB

CB and RB later in the draft
Bryce Huff is the edge to know imo. His pass rush win rate is absurd and the jets used back to back first round picks on edge rushers (one is playing his behind off right how). Huff will almost certainly hit free agency.
 
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Westcoast Ram:
During OTAs Jackson made it perfectly clear the ONLY position he would play is LT.

Two Quotes from Alaric Jackson:

From a Rams-Wire article, dated May 30, 2023
"While the starting group is undetermined, Alaric Jackson shared that he’d prefer to play the left tackle position for the Rams.
“I love playing left side, honestly,” Jackson said, via The Athletic. “Tackle is my thing, for the most part. I understand that they paid Joe, so I get that part.
But whatever I can do for the team, I’ll do for the team.”

From the Rams Team site, dated August 2, 2023
"I'm just blessed, bro, honestly," Jackson told theRams.com this week. "I didn't know how much I loved football until I couldn't play anymore. It really sucked, honestly. But just being here now, just getting the chance to start now, the opportunity I'm getting, I'm just happy as hell to be out here."
"It's amazing, because how these things go, you're usually kind of set where you're at contract-wise in a sense, but they made it clear that open and up for grabs," Jackson said. "I'm loving the chances for me and Joe to compete at the LT1 spot. And that's also my guy, so I want him to do well as well."


Selfish Bastard!
 
Westcoast Ram:
During OTAs Jackson made it perfectly clear the ONLY position he would play is LT. Joe was amenable to do what ever he could to be a team player, i.e. RG or RT he was willing to make the transition. That is why Jackson in the LT. His technique issues and footwork issues have arisen though overall he's held up at the position. So the Rams will probably put a second round tender on him to either give him another year or use that second round pick to draft his replacement.

A first round tender would probably mean no one tries to sign him away so the Rams will pay him $9M- $10M this year and see what they have in him. The Rams have to know he will expect an extension of $15-$17M / yr in 2025. He might get that from someone else but I think Les will see him as a 3rd round comp pick, unless he totally kills it in 2024.
I don't remember that. Do you have a quote? It's definitely not a good look (if it happened).

I have to add that last part because you do have a long history of misrepresenting facts.

I hope you understand.
 
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The Rams historically had bad results with drafting LTs in the first round, e.g. Jason Smith, Alex Barron, Greg Robinson as the draft experts proclaimed those draftees as cannot miss prospects, generational talents.

So when the Rams drafted the LTs as the experts said in the first round, we all saw the results with 1-15 or 2-14. The Horror!

The Rams need to hit on all their draft picks in 2024 by taking BPA.
 
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The Rams historically had bad results with drafting LTs in the first round, e.g. Jason Smith, Alex Barron, Greg Robinson as the draft experts proclaimed those draftees as cannot miss prospects, generational talents.

So when the Rams drafted the LTs as the experts said in the first round, we all saw the results with 1-15 or 2-14. The Horror!

The Rams need to hit on all their draft picks in 2024 by taking BPA.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GUY RIGHT BEFORE THEM!
 
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BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GUY RIGHT BEFORE THEM!
The only one the Rams got right with the first pick in the first round was Orlando Pace. And at that time, the Rams gave a fortune to get him. Other than that, Greg Robinson was the second pick in the first round, and that did not end up too well for the Rams.
 
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Dotson can't be tendered he must be tagged. That said I doubt the Rams want to pay Dotson $16-$17M/yr. I think they will offer about $6M/ yr range. I think some team will pay him closer to $10M.

Shelton will get about $6M-$7M/yr IMO.

OL 2024:

LT Jackson (playing under first or second round tender)
LG Avila
C Shelton
RG McClendon or McAllister
RT Havenstein or Noteboom

The Rams IMO will tender Jackson and whether it's a first or second round tender will reflect what they feel about their chances of extending him in 2025. A first round would mean they feel they can pay him LT money which would probably be $15-$17M/yr in 2025. A second round tender would mean they will probably be drafting his replacement in 2024 with Noteboom as their bridge LT.

I think they draft 2 OTs both in the 5th round and it gives them a redshirt year for both. I feel they will take a QB in rd 1, and a CB and edge on day 2. They don't have a 4th round pick so they would have to trade up for one if they wanted a player.

IMO the biggest question mark is WTF is up with Arcuri?
McClendon was not drafted to be a starter. He’s a developmental depth guy, that’s it. If we’re starting two guys with at RG with no experience, we’re going backwards. Hell naw