https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/04/12/nfl-draft-trade-value-chart-rams-picks-2019/
Trade value of every Rams pick in the 2019 NFL draft
By: Cameron DaSilva | April 12, 2019
Les Snead has never been shy about making trades before, during or after the draft, doing so regularly since he took over as general manager in 2012. The Los Angeles Rams hold the 31st overall pick in the draft – the first time they’ll pick in the first round since 2016 – but don’t be surprised if Snead trades out of the selection and down into the second round.

If the Rams do make a deal with someone in Round 2, it’s important to know the value of each pick in the draft. Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson came up with a trade value chart years ago, which is still used today.

Les Snead has never been shy about making trades before, during or after the draft, doing so regularly since he took over as general manager in 2012. The Los Angeles Rams hold the 31st overall pick in the draft – the first time they’ll pick in the first round since 2016 – but don’t be surprised if Snead trades out of the selection and down into the second round.

If the Rams do make a deal with someone in Round 2, it’s important to know the value of each pick in the draft. Former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson came up with a trade value chart years ago, which is still used today.

And here are the values of every Rams pick in the draft.

• 1st round (31): 600 points
  
  • 3rd round (94): 124 points
  • 3rd round (99): 104 points
  • 4th round (133): 39 points
  • 5th round (169): 23.4 points
  • 6th round (203): 9.8 points
  • 7th round (251): 1 point

The Rams are unlikely to trade up from No. 31 this year, considering they don’t have a second-round pick. But if a player they covet begins to slip, Snead could pick up the phone and make some calls. Here are a few reasonable trades the Rams could make to move forward in Round 1.
Rams receive: No. 27 from OAK
Raiders receive: No. 31, 133 (4th), 169 (5th) and 2020 5th-round pick
Rams receive: No. 26 from IND
Colts receive: No. 31 and 99 (3rd)
Rams receive: No. 23 from HOU
Texans receive: No. 31, 94 (3rd) and 133 (4th)

If the Rams were to trade down, here are a few deals that could make sense for them, with even more outlined here.
Rams receive: No. 37 and 108 (4th) from NYG
Giants receive: No. 31
Rams receive: No. 39, 107 (4th), 208 (6th) and 215 (7th) from TB
Bucs receive: No. 31 and 203 (6th)
Rams receive: No. 41, 125 (4th), 148 (5th) and 156 (5th) from DEN
Broncos receive: No. 31

I’m without a doubt in the trade down camp. I think it gives the Rams the best option to add depth and talent at the same time.

The trade down scenario I would like to see most is the Rams trading their 1st round pick (31st overall) to the Raiders for their 2nd round pick (35th overall) and 4th round (106th overall). I still don’t think this trade down achieves the balance of talent and depth. To strike that balance, I would then want the Rams to trade their first 3rd round pick (94th overall), and newly acquired 4th rounder (106th overall) with a 2020 3rd rounder to the Texans for their 2nd rounder (55th overall).

The Rams would now have the 35th overall, 55th overall, 99th overall picks. There are so many ways the Rams can go from there it’s incredible. The Rams could do something like Dalton Risner at 35, Rock Ya-Sin at 55, and Khalen Saunders at 99. That’s not necessarily my preference for players selected, but it seems like that’s where we could expect those guys to be chosen.

The other trade scenarios that make sense are The Rams trading their 1st to the Browns for their 2nd rounder (49th) and 3rd rounder (80th). I still prefer my first scenario to this one, but it would give the Rams 4 picks in the Top 100.

The final scenario I could see is pretty similar to the one with the Browns. Rams trade their 1st to the Dolphins for their 2nd rounder (48th) and 3rd rounder (78th). I see this scenario being the least likely due to the talent on the Dolphins roster.

I think Cleveland would be a willing trade partner because the Browns roster is really coming together. While the Browns would be giving up quantity, they would be getting a higher quality player. The Browns are probably only a few players away from having a really good roster. This trade allows them to grab one of those players.

I think the Raiders would be more than willing to make a deal with the Rams as well. Having 4 1st round selections would go a long way in helping overhaul their roster, but I’m not sure how willing the Texans would be to agree to the second part of this trade scenario though.

Which scenario do you guys like best if given the choice? Is there another scenario that you guys have thought about? Or do you just prefer the Rams keep their 1st round pick?

https://www.therams.com/news/daily-dose-five-2018-draftees-set-to-contribute-next-season

Daily Dose: Five 2018 draftees set to contribute next season

Each weekday, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top Rams headlines of the day.

2019 CONTRIBUTORS

Many of the Rams rookies hardly saw the field in 2018, but ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry says drafting 11 players last April and developing them largely on the practice field was all a part of the plan for general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay.

On Thursday, Thiry picked five players who could quickly become contributors in 2019.

Joe Noteboom, OT, TCU: “Noteboom's development received rave reviews from the coaching staff throughout the season and he is penciled in as Saffold's replacement, though that could change given an upcoming first-round pick.”

Brian Allen, C, Michigan State: “Allen, 6-2 and 300 pounds, played 35 offensive snaps as a rookie, but like Noteboom, started throughout the preseason and received a significant amount of practice reps because of Sullivan's rest schedule.”

John Franklin-Myers, DE, Stephen F. Austin:“Franklin-Myers' presence, coupled with the versatility of veteran defensive lineman Michael Brockers, could lessen the blow from the departure of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is not expected to re-sign in free agency because of budgetary constraints.”

Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia: “Kiser did not play on defense last season, though he was a significant contributor on special teams.”

Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT, Rutgers: “Joseph-Day remains a work in progress and was inactive throughout the regular season and postseason. However, he remains in play to take over at nose tackle.”

Franklin-Myers led all rookies in playing time, seeing 238 snaps on defense. The young defensive lineman’s strong rookie showing ended with a sack on quarterback Tom Brady in Super Bowl LIII.

For Thiry’s full breakdown of each player, click here.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...d-their-helmets-officially-banned-by-the-nfl/

Tom Brady among 32 players who just had their helmets officially banned by the NFL

If Tom Brady wants to play in the NFL in 2019, he's going to have find a new helmet to wear.

In a joint announcement on Friday, the NFL and NFLPA released a list of helmets that have been approved for play in 2019, and Brady's didn't make the cut. Of course, the announcement likely didn't come as any surprise to Brady, and that's because his helmet was actually one of 10 that was put on the banned list last year.

As a matter of safety, the 2018 season marked the first time the NFL started legislating which helmets could be worn on the field. Although Brady's helmet was banned, the Patriots quarterback and several other players were given a one-year grace period where they were allowed to wear their old helmet while they started the search for a new helmet. There are a total of 32 players, including Brady, who wore an illegal helmet last season and will have to make a switch for 2019.

Back in May, Brady kind of hinted that he probably wouldn't end up making a helmet change until he had to.

"I still wear a very old helmet, probably out of habit," Brady said, via ESPN.com. "You talk about behavioral changes are hard; I've tried new helmets and I'm like, 'Doesn't work, get that out of here!' You just have to get comfortable with it."

Brady actually tried to wear a new helmet last season, but he ended switching back to his beloved Riddell VSR-4 to finish out the year.

According to Jeff Miller, the NFL's executive vice president of health and safety initiatives, teams will be punished if any player is caught using a banned helmet.

"The prohibited helmets will not be allowed in the locker room," Miller said Friday, via the Washington Post. "A player will not be allowed on the field [wearing such a helmet]."

Although Brady will have to make a helmet switch, he'll have plenty of models to choose from, and that's because there are a total of 34 helmet models that have been approved by the NFL, including 11 that were added to the approval list just this year after undergoing extensive laboratory testing.

Once Brady starts practicing with the Patriots -- whenever that may be -- he'll have to switch over to a new helmet, but until then, it looks like he's going to continue to wear old faithful while doing workouts away from the team.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ggesting-that-hell-be-the-next-cowboys-coach/

Saints' Asshole Face responds to rumors suggesting that he'll be the next Cowboys coach
Would the Saints coach leave New Orleans to take the Cowboys job?

If there's been one rumor this offseason that won't completely go away, it's the idea that Asshole Face might quit his job with Saints and eventually become coach of the Cowboys.

Although this story seems to pop up from time to time, it's been gaining some steam this offseason for a multitude of reasons. For one, Jason Garrett's contract is set to expire after the 2019 season and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn't really given any indication that he plans to offer an extension to his current coach.

It's not clear why Garrett hasn't been given a new deal, but one theory being tossed around is that Jones is holding out because he's secretly hoping to hire Payton away from the Saints. Payton was once an assistant with the Cowboys (2003-05) and he currently owns a home in Dallas, which is part of the reason why his name keeps coming up when people talk about the Cowboys coaching job.

Not to mention, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in March that Teddy Bridgewater was hesitant to sign a long-term deal with the Saints because there was a belief in his camp that Payton might eventually jump ship for the Cowboys job.

Bridgewater's camp seems to think that Payton will stay in New Orleans, but only until Drew Brees decides to retire.

So what does Payton think of all these rumors?

The longtime Saints coach finally revealed his thoughts during an interview with WWL-AM in New Orleans this week. Basically, Payton pointed out that the Cowboys rumor is something that he's had to deal with for the past few seasons.

"I'm in my 13th year. I don't know how to answer it," Payton said of the rumor, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "I feel like it's every other year; it's on the odd number years, so 2019 it comes up and then we'll hear it in 2021."

Payton also pointed out that he's not going anywhere because he has the Saints logo tattooed all over his body.

"I've got fleur-de-lis tattoos that can't be erased," he said.

Although tattoos are nice, they're not permanent, which means Payton could take the Cowboys job and hit up a laser removal place on his way to Dallas. After kind of dancing around the Cowboys' coaching questions, Payton was eventually asked to be a little more specific about his future plans.

"That's clearly the plan [to stay in New Orleans]," Payton said.

The 55-year-old coach has been in New Orleans since 2006 and is currently the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL, behind only Bill Belichick. During his 12 seasons with the Saints, Payton has won a Super Bowl and amassed a regular season record of 118-74 .

https://www.vividseats.com/blog/nfl-schedule-release-date

My guess is the 18th!!!!

I lost my Dad back in 2005 and I am sad to say that I shed no tears. I didn't hate him or anything, but we were never buddies, if you know what I mean. I missed him when he was gone, and it was bad news for my Mom when it happened because of how her life changed.

I came home to Portland,OR from Kansas, to visit Mom and Mom had some things she wanted to give me of his. Seeing Righteous Brothers soundtracks/cassettes shocked me somehow. I learned that singers like they were, were called "blue eyed soul" in the 60's. I knew he loved Elvis, but Elvis was never my thing. I heard "You've Lost that Loving Feeling" in Top Gun and loved it. It opened my mind to other blues/soul singers/Musicians like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Robert Parker. I was shocked that my Dad really loved them back in the day. It opened my mind a little bit about the person that he was that I never saw when he was alive.

Did you discover something about a lost loved one that opened your eyes as to they were, aside from just being Mom or Dad?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...fenses-scared-but-draft-promises-help-aplenty
NFL's Passing Revolution Has Defenses Scared, but Draft Promises Help Aplenty

Mike TanierApril 11, 2019

Let's say the Cleveland Browns line up one day early next season with three receivers on the left side of the formation: Antonio Callaway wide, then Jarvis Landry, then Odell Beckham Jr. closest to the offensive line. Tight end David Njoku is on the right side, but he's also split out like a wide receiver. Nick Chubb is in the backfield. Beckham has that look in his eyes. Baker Mayfield is licking his chops dangerously.

You're the defensive coordinator. How do you prevent a disaster against that formation?

If Beckham burns a safety (or, heaven forbid, a linebacker) while your best cornerback covers someone else, you're fired. If Njoku posts up some 5'10" defender over and over again, you're fired. If all your defensive backs are 185-pounders who cannot tackle and Chubb runs up the gut for 250 yards…you get the idea. And if you don't have a solution for stopping the New Browns on the Block, good luck with the Chiefs, Patriots, Rams, Saints, etc.

NFL defenses face these mismatch headaches with increasing frequency every year: tight ends who run like receivers, running backs who catch like receivers and smash the line like battering rams, receivers who end up dancing in the end zone before the defense knows what blurred past it.But this may be the year defenses can finally catch up. The 2019 draft is loaded with defenders who provide solutions to the problems that lead to 54-51 final scores and defensive coordinator migraines. Here's how this year's draft class can help put an end to the NFL's offensive revolution.

Pass Rushers by the Bundle
The best way to stop a receiver like Beckham is to make sure the ball never reaches him.This is the best draft in recent memory for pass-rushers, and while only the teams at the top of the board will have access to Ohio State's Nick Bosa or Kentucky's Josh Allen, potential double-digit sack generators like Mississippi State's Montez Sweat, Clemson's Clelin Ferrell and Florida State's Brian Burns will be available later in the first round.

There will even be bargains available on Day 2. Intriguing talents like Michigan's Chase Winovich (a top athlete overshadowed by teammates), Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson (a kick-down-the-door type), Old Dominion's Oshane Ximines (a crafty, slippery small-school guy) and others may slip through the cracks, especially if there's a run on this year's so-so quarterbacks.

Teams should take advantage of the talent surplus and draft edge defenders two or three at a time this year. That way, a Mayfield or Patrick Mahomes can't just scramble away from trouble. At the same time, teams can't just load up on 240-pounders with nifty spin moves, or the Patriots will run the ball down their throats.

Luckily, this year's edge defenders come in all shapes and sizes, and later rounds of the draft will be full of high-motor defensive ends with funky moves (Eastern Michigan's Maxx Crosby, Wyoming's Carl Granderson), stout tough guys who do the dirty work as run defenders (Iowa's Anthony Nelson, TCU's L.J. Collier) and other mix-and-match options.

"James Gang" Safeties
If you still think in terms of 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, it's time to put your CD collection in the attic and retire the old dial-up modem. Nickel defense is now base defense, and "heavy nickel"—a third safety instead of a third cornerback—has been a trendy buzzword for so long that it's not trendy anymore.
Derwin James of the Chargers is the new prototype safety who hits like a linebacker and blitzes like a defensive end. And while players like James don't come around every year, there's a lot of the next best thing in the 2019 draft class.

Mississippi State's Johnathan Abram is the best known of this year's James Gang: a walloping hitter who can handle fast tight ends and running backs in coverage. Maryland's Darnell Savage is similar, with a knack for blowing up wide receiver screens and other plays designed to get the ball to Tyreek Hill-types in the open field. Iowa safety Amani Hooker plays the run like a linebacker and ran a 4.48-second 40 at the combine, making him fast enough to cover just about anyone.

These safeties should not be thought of as backups or "hybrids." Offenses move their tight ends and running backs all over the formation. Defenses need to abandon the 3-4/4-3 mindset and find players who can move with them.

Cornersafetybacks
Slot receivers aren't all 5'10" waterbugs these days. Some are tight ends like Njoku, Travis Kelce or Zach Ertz. Others are moonlighting running backs. In many formations, the slot receiver is someone named Beckham, Antonio Brown or Keenan Allen.

Moving the star receiver inside now and then to exploit a mismatch has been a successful tactic since you first figured out how to do it in Madden NFL 2004. But defensive coordinators, with their static formations and outdated counting-based coverage systems (outside cornerback covers the No. 1 receiver, nickelback takes the No. 2 and whichever safety or linebacker is left covers the No. 3, whether that's Julian Edelman or Rob Gronkowski), are still playing catch-up.

Just as "heavy nickel" safeties need to bridge the linebacker-safety gap, modern nickelbacks must be part cornerback, part free safety. Good thing this class has several players who fit that bill.Want a cornerback who can hit like a safety in the running game? There's Temple's Rock Ya-Sin or Vanderbilt's Joejuan Williams. Want a safety who won't get melted if matched up against a quality receiver in the slot? There's Delaware's Nasir Adderley and Florida's Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.

There are also plenty of traditional safeties and corners in this draft class: Washington's Byron Murphy (cornerback) and Taylor Rapp (free safety), LSU cornerback Greedy Williams, Alabama safety Deionte Thompson and so on. Teams need plenty of these guys, too. Someone has to run deep with Beckham or Brown.

Don't Forget the Middle
Defensive tackles and linebackers still matter, and this is an excellent draft to stock up on the types of interior defenders who can make life easier for the guys on the perimeter. This is a banner year for interior disruptors at defensive tackle: Alabama's Quinnen Williams (tough guy and technician), Notre Dame's Jerry Tillery (big/quick/smart/scary), Houston's Ed Oliver (basically Sabretooth), Western Illinois' Khalen Saunders (lovable small-program thumper) Central Florida's Trysten Hill (huge, ornery to a fault), Ohio State's Dre'Mont Jones (maybe the best pass-rusher of them all) and so on, down to guys who will be available in later rounds.

Heck, Daylon Mack of Texas A&M weighs 336 pounds and bursts off the ball like he's on ACME rocket skates; NFL.com projects him as a fourth-rounder.

As for linebackers, this draft class is thin once you get past the Devins: LSU's Devin White and Michigan's Devin Bush, a pair of hyper-athletic speedsters. Later-round talent is out there—smart, fast thumpers like New Mexico State's Terrill Hanks and BYU's Sione Takitaki should be on the board Day 3—but defenses trying to match up with modern offenses should focus on those nickel defenders if they can't draft a Devin.

Quelling the Revolution
A team that stockpiles edge-rushers, acquires starting-caliber nickel safeties and corners and seeks middle-of-the-field disruptors is ready for anything a top NFL offense can throw at it.Hiding a Beckham or Brown in the slot? The nickel cornerback can follow him without getting broiled, at least long enough for the edge-rushers and interior disruptors to get to your quarterback.

Attacking the perimeter with Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley? The nickel safety can chase him down. Moving a tight end all over the place? Our extra defensive backs have him covered. Want to hammer the middle of the line from a spread formation? Those extra defensive backs can hit harder than you think, and the defensive line is stacked.

Got any more bright ideas, offensive gurus?The only downside to this defensive draft is that most teams only have about seven selections. Even with so much depth, no team will be able to draft all the defenders it needs or wants.But teams hoping to halt the offensive explosion—and upgrade their defenses for the modern era—will find lots of what they are looking for this April.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/04/11/nfl-rams-pass-rush-samson-ebukam-stats/
Rams bolstered their pass rush, but don't forget about Samson Ebukam
By: Andrew Ortenberg | April 11, 2019

All last season, there was talk about how outside pass rush was a weakness for the Los Angeles Rams. Too often, Aaron Donald was doing it all by himself, and there were games when Donald was the only player on the Rams who could even get near the quarterback.

General manager Les Snead clearly saw it as a big issue and made upgrading the unit a top priority. He made a big trade with the Jaguars to land Dante Fowler Jr. at the deadline last year, which paid huge dividends. Fowler came alive at the end of the season, making some huge plays in the playoffs including landing the hit on Drew Brees that essentially sent the Rams to the Super Bowl.

Fowler was set to be a free agent last month, but the Rams locked him up just before free agency opened. Then they went out and made another big splash, signing Clay Matthews to a two-year contract. But while Fowler and Matthews have been getting most of the attention, one player has been flying mostly under the radar. His name is Samson Ebukam.

Ebukam just finished his second season in the pros after the Rams took him in the fourth round back in 2017. He hasn’t been getting a ton of attention, but he played a lot better than most people realize last year, and he has a chance to play a very big role in 2019.

In fact, Pro Football Focus gave him the highest pass-rushing grade of any Rams defender other than Donald. He only had three sacks, but he got after the quarterback much more than those numbers indicate. Sacks often don’t tell the full story, and Ebukam should improve on those numbers moving forward.

Edge Defender Samson Ebukam had the highest Pass Rush grade for #Rams not named Aaron Donald in 2018

He looks to step into his 3rd year by improving on his impressive Run Stop & Pass Rushing abilities to find time in a rotation that now includes Clay Matthews & Dante Fowler Jr. pic.twitter.com/RdFsBQOZGT

— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) April 10, 2019

He also found himself around the ball often last season, returning an interception for a touchdown and recovering two fumbles, including one that went for another touchdown.

Ebukam hasn’t been lights out his first couple of years in the league, but nobody should’ve expected that. The Rams drafted him in the middle rounds out of the FCS school Eastern Washington, and he was always going to need time to develop his raw talent.

Some observers have been too quick to write him off, and he shouldn’t be neglected just because the Rams have added a couple of bigger names with larger pedigrees. Ebukam has already shown he can hold his own at the NFL level, and he’s still only 23.

Not many 23-year-olds who didn’t even play FBS college ball could make the level of impact rushing the passer that he already has. The Rams’ outside linebacking group was a weak spot for most of last season, and there wasn’t anyone teams needed to pay too much attention to.

If anything, the acquisitions of Fowler and Matthews will only help Ebukam in year three. Teams will be game-planning more to stop those two, which should open things up for Ebukam.

He only played around 33 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie, and last year was his first season getting consistent opportunities. He should be given the chance to build on that next year.

Wade Phillips has a great track record of developing pass-rushers, and the coaching staff has always been high on Ebukam’s potential. Rams fans should be patient as he continues to grow, and nobody should forget about him in favor of the newer, shinier acquisitions.

Yeah, ROD has a Discord (social media like Skype except better) server, and I was wondering if any of y'all would like to come discuss the first round picks on Draft Day.

I'd also like to ask mods if it would be all right as well.

So, what do you guys think?

I saw a mock today that had the Rams going center at 31, the reasoning was that even if they like Allen, Blythe got abused in the SB and may need replaced.
Blythe, and everyone else for that matter had one of their worst games of the year, did the Pats somehow crack the code on how to beat this o line which had been one the best in the league all year? Or did they just not rise to the occasion and play their worst at the worst possible time? Boom and Allen are basically rookies and you’re probably not going to put another inexperienced draftee on the line with them, and if you’re not looking to start him why not wait.
They are woefully thin though, do they have time to develop someone to backup and hopefully be ready when Boom moves out, or do they need to spend a higher pick ?

Kristin Cavallari Says Jay Cutler Unclogged Her Milk Ducts By 'Sucking Harder Than He's Ever Sucked'
https://jezebel.com/kristin-cavallari-says-jay-cutler-unclogged-her-milk-du-1833986228

Reading the headline pretty much gives all the information to which I am privy, but the manual siphoning of blocked milk ducts is a thing that happened in the Cavallari/Cutler household.

For those who weren’t aware, Kristin Cavallari, former star of The Hills, has another reality show on the E! network that seems to center around Southern yelling. In a recent promo for an upcoming episode, Cavallari tells her dinner companions that she had “Major clogged ducts. Jay had to get them out for me, sucking harder than he’s ever sucked.”

A boozy dinner with friends, where people are ready to be entertained and also a tiny bit drunk, is the best possible place share a story like this. Furthermore, having experienced the events of this tale without using them to make a friend gape would just be suffering in vain. And finally, it’s kind of sweet to not only trust a partner to perform a task like this, but also to see him so unfazed by the act that he continues casually drinking a margarita during the event’s retelling. Or is clearing a partner’s milk ducks a common parental act of which I, a childless thornback, am simply unaware?

All your Disney shows on Netflix , will soon disappear

[www.cinemablend.com]

Star Wars The Mandalorian TV show , produced by Jon Favreau will be ready from day one

Marvel will be getting into the act as well , Loki , Scarlet Witch and Vision, Hawkeye , and Falcon and Winter Soldier will all be getting their own big budget mini series on Disney + as well

should also point out that these shows will be played by the same actors as in the movies , Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany , etc , and will all be part of the MCU

https://www.ocregister.com/2019/04/...re-departures-than-arrivals-this-time-around/

Rams free agency review: More departures than arrivals this time around
Some of the losses will be felt, but there could be no repeat of last year's spending spree
By Ryan Kartje | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2019 at 12:52 pm

Compared to their last few offseasons, in which the Rams completely revamped their franchise from top to bottom, Les Snead understands this offseason might seem a bit anti-climactic. There were no blockbuster trades or big free-agent swings. By the Rams’ recent standards, the last few months have been especially quiet.

“But I like to say that’s a good thing,” the Rams general manager assured reporters last month, “because all those things have kind of put us in a situation where we’ve got this foundation built and can move forward from here.”

That foundation, which carried the Rams took the Super Bowl a year ago, has taken a bit of a hit this offseason. Most notably along the offensive line, as both Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan will play elsewhere next season. But without much cap flexibility following last year’s extension spree, the Rams didn’t have much of a choice. There wasn’t exactly room for them to go “all-in” again.

Instead, last year’s Super Bowl runner-ups settled for a rational, conservative approach in free agency, adding a handful of veterans on below-market deals, while relying on young rotation players to fill vacant roles.It might not have made for the sexiest offseason strategy. But with their eyes on the Super Bowl again, it could wind up being the smartest one.

DEPARTURES

Rodger Saffold, OG. Signed with Titans for 4 years, $44 million.
C.J. Anderson, RB. Signed with Lions for 1 year, $1.5 million
Lamarcus Joyner, S. Signed with Raiders for 4 years, $42 million
Mark Barron, ILB. Signed with Steelers for 2 years, $12 million
Sean Mannion, QB. Signed with Vikings for 1 year, $900,000
John Sullivan, C. Rams declined option, remains unsigned

Analysis: One of the NFL’s most consistent offensive lines now faces the prospect of replacing two key veteran starters on the interior with two unproven, inexperienced linemen. How the Rams weather that turnover could determine how far the offense goes in 2019. Anderson’s exit, too, could affect the Rams consistency on that end – especially if Todd Gurley’s knee falters. Defensively, Joyner and Barron were both expected to leave, but while Joyner’s spot has been filled, Barron’s inside linebacker spot remains perhaps the defense’s most glaring hole.

ARRIVALS
Eric Weddle, S Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 195 Contract status: Signed through 2020
Acquired: March 8 The price: $10.5 million, $1 million signing bonus, $6.252 million guaranteed

Analysis: Weddle may be 34 years old, entering his 13th NFL season, but the veteran safety hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down yet. He went to the Pro Bowl in each of his past three seasons in Baltimore, and in Los Angeles, Weddle steps into a perfect scheme fit, next to ascending star safety John Johnson. His leadership in the locker room should also be invaluable; general manager Les Snead compared Weddle’s signing to that of left tackle Andrew Whitworth on offense. Considering how inflated the safety market became after his signing, Weddle’s deal is the Rams’ biggest steal of the offseason.

Clay Matthews, EDGE

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 255 Contract status: Signed through 2020
Acquired: March 19,The price: $9.25 million, $5.5 million guaranteed

Analysis: Matthews is no longer the terrorizing sack artist he once was in Green Bay, when he made six Pro Bowls in seven seasons to start his career. But he’s still an effective player in space, who can disrupt plays on occasion. The Rams will try to take advantage of his versatility, moving him inside and outside, depending on the situation. Paired with Dante Fowler, it’s feasible that Matthews could rediscover some of his pass-rushing prowess.

Blake Bortles, QB Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 236
Contract status: Signed through 2019
Acquired: March 18 The price: $1 million, fully guaranteed

Analysis: It wasn’t all that long ago that Bortles was drafted No. 3 overall and seen as a future franchise signal caller. His futility over five seasons in Jacksonville didn’t do much to inspire confidence. But for the Rams, at his minuscule asking price, the risk far outweighs the reward. Bortles is far more proven than previous backup Sean Mannion, having just led the Jaguars to the AFC championship following the 2017 season. Maybe Sean McVay is the one to unlock his full potential.

STAYING PUT
Dante Fowler, EDGE. Re-signed on 1-year, $12 million deal.
Malcolm Brown, RB. Offer sheet from Lions matched, signed 2-year, $3.3 million deal.

Analysis: Bringing back Fowler on a one-year, prove-it deal was a no-brainer given the promise he flashed at the end of last season. If he can make the leap, Fowler has the potential to rack up double-digit sacks in the Rams defense. If he doesn’t, the Rams will simply move on next season. The Rams chose not to let Brown leave for Detroit over bringing back C.J. Anderson, which means they foresee him stepping into a much larger role in 2019. He had his most efficient campaign yet last season before an injury ended things prematurely.

STILL UNDECIDED
Ndamukong Suh, DT
Sam Shields, CB
Dominique Easley, DL/EDGE
Ramik Wilson, ILB
Bryce Hager, ILB
Ethan Westbrooks, DL

Analysis: For financial reasons, the Rams hopes of retaining Ndamukong Suh are basically nil. But the fact that he’s still on the market, without even a hint of buzz about where he could play next, is curious. The other four unrestricted free agents here could wind up with the team eventually. Both Wilson and Hager have proven to be useful rotation linebackers and special teams players, while Shields stepped in at key moments a year ago, as well. Westbrooks, who took a step back in 2018 and Easley, who has dealt with injuries for years, are likely on their way elsewhere.

Yeah, he might be kinda tempted if certain players are falling, but I think he will just let the 1st round come to him.

Here’s my thinking...

Rams don’t have any gaping holes with the possible exception of DL. That gives Snead enormous flexibility to select his perceived BPA for the Rams.

There will be terrific football players sitting there at #31. It’s inevitable. Snead can pick his favorite from among maybe 11 different positions. What a perfect situation for an excellent evaluator to find himself.

A trade up would not only cost Snead a precious premium pick, but it would also forfeit any possibility of a modest tradedown into the top of the 2nd while adding another 4th, maybe even a 3rd if the trade partner has fallen in love with a player that fell to #31 (and the 5th year option). That would be a double whammy to Snead, I imagine.

Many pundits have declared that there is a plateau from around pick 25-45, give or take. Meaning that evaluation-wise there is little difference among these 20 players. If true, then Snead would have a powerful incentive to agree to a modest tradedown.

Anybody doubting my “plateau” comment need look no further than a random selection of top 50-100 player rankings to see the wild variation in perceived value for numerous players. Bradbury and Winovich being two excellent examples. So it’s no stretch to say that perhaps the 32 GM’s might also have widely different opinions about the value of many different players for their 32 different teams.

More I think about it, the more convinced I am that Snead is NOT gonna trade up. He will be happy to stay at #31 or maybe even hope and pray for a tradedown offer that makes sense.

These 23 prospects will attend the 2019 @NFLDraft in Nashville! #NFLDraft

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Pass-Rushing Value May Be Changing in the NFL. What Does That Mean for the 2019 Draft Class?

The Patriots have long built their edge-rushing group around versatile players on cheap contracts. This spring, the Chiefs followed suit. Will other teams catch on to this strategy? And if they do, how will that affect one of the strongest pass-rushing draft classes in recent memory?

By Robert Mays Apr 4, 2019, 7:54am EDT

Positional value has remained relatively static in the NFL in recent years. Aside from the running back market crash and a small dip in the demand for safeties in 2018, conventional wisdom about where teams should allocate resources hasn’t changed much. Quarterbacks still matter above all else, and a few select positions typically come next in the hierarchy.

Pass rushers have been near the top of that list for years, and that’s shown in the league’s contract numbers. At $23.5 million per season, the Bears’ Khalil Mack is the only non-QB whose deal ranks in the top 10 in the league by average annual value. The franchise tag for defensive ends, which sits at $17.1 million, is the second-highest franchise-tag value in the NFL. Playing on the franchise tag for the second straight year, Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence will make $20.6 million in 2019. That figure ranks 19th in the NFL by AAV; Broncos edge rusher Von Miller comes in at no. 20 at $19 million per season. Other than QBs and all-world outlier Aaron Donald, the highest-paid players in the NFL make a living by chasing QBs. But some teams have started to change how they value the position, and come draft time, that shift could affect how clubs look at the best class of edge rushers in recent memory.

Smart franchises that are trying to crack the league’s elite examine the most successful teams and try to mimic their strategies. And if you want to learn how to win, there’s no better place to look than New England. The Patriots are the paragon of smart NFL team building. They exhaust every possible resource in pursuit of finding value and inefficiencies, and postmortems on their rosters year to year can provide valuable league-wide insights. For example, anyone who studies how Bill Belichick and Co. allocate resources can see that New England never, ever breaks the bank for a pass rusher. When star defensive end Trey Flowers hit free agency this spring, Belichick was content to let him sign with the Lions on a monster five-year, $90 million deal with a whopping $56 million guaranteed (that AAV comes in just behind Miller at no. 21 in the league). In 2016, when former first-round pick Chandler Jones was entering the final year of his contract, the Pats dealt him to Arizona for reserve guard Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick.

And Belichick doesn’t limit his frugality to players he drafted, either. New England often looks for edge rushers in the free-agent and trade markets, but rarely dabbles in high-end talent. The Patriots have been to four Super Bowls in the past five seasons. None of those Super Bowl teams ranked higher than 23rd in percentage of the cap allocated to true edge rushers (i.e. Dont’a Hightower’s number is excluded from 2016), and twice, they’ve finished dead last (2017 and 2014). In 2018, they ranked 30th at 5.7 percent.

Part of the reason the Patriots do this is because they value flexibility—and they achieve that by employing multifaceted players. Hightower is nominally an off-ball linebacker, but New England regularly uses him as an edge rusher in passing scenarios. The same goes for Kyle Van Noy. New England prefers to spend its money on players who can fill multiple roles depending on the situation, rather than shelling out for a single rusher who makes a living on the edge. Belichick and his staff will take Michael Bennett and Hightower for the price of Trey Flowers any day, and armed with a deep, interchangeable group of front-four players, they’re still able to wreak havoc with a combination of twists and line stunts.

The Chiefs got a close-up view of that strategy in last season’s AFC championship game. New England used an array of line stunts to record nine quarterback hits and four sacks, with eight different players notching at least one hit on league MVP Patrick Mahomes II. By contrast, Kansas City was locked into a more traditional defensive roster construction last season, due in large part to Justin Houston’s $20.6 million cap hit. The Chiefs allocated 22.9 percent of their cap to edge rushers—the third-highest figure in the league. Despite shelling out all that money, Tom Brady’s quick release and the Pats’ stellar offensive line held Kansas City’s vaunted pass-rushing pair of Houston and Dee Ford in check (neither recorded a QB hit), and New England won the game 37-31.

Brady’s lightning-fast decision-making may seem like an exception, but release times have decreased across the league in recent years. In 2018, 13 quarterbacks finished with an average time to throw of 2.5 seconds or less. In 2011, there were only six. As quarterbacks continue to get rid of the ball quicker, edge rushers could see their impact diminish. And though defenders who play closer to the ball—like Aaron Donald and Fletcher Cox—have become more valuable, it’s arguable that edge rushers are having less of an impact than at any point in the modern era.

If teams start to follow New England’s lead, and the overall pass-rushing market declines, where will all that extra money go? For the Patriots, those resources go toward beefing up the secondary. New England rarely makes aggressive forays into free agency, but the two notable exceptions to that rule have come in its pursuit of top-tier cornerbacks. The Pats made a splash in 2017 by handing Stephon Gilmore a five-year, $65 million contract (with $40 million guaranteed) that made him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in football. That deal came three years after New England landed Darrelle Revis on a one-year, $12 million contract; Revis was named first-team All Pro that season and played a pivotal role in the Patriots’ run to a fourth Super Bowl win. And though Belichick’s expensive moves in free agency have been reserved for corners, he hasn’t been afraid to spend at safety, either: Devin McCourty has carried at least the third-highest cap hit on the roster for each of the past two seasons.

All of that spending combined to give New England the second most expensive group of defensive backs in the league last season (21 percent of the cap was allocated to DBs, behind only the Ravens at 22.2 percent). Kansas City ranked 11th at 13.8 percent, but that number is a bit misleading. Of the $24.8 million the Chiefs spent on their secondary, $13 million went to safety Eric Berry, who played just three games (including one in the playoffs). No one else in the secondary counted for more than $5.2 million against the cap in 2018, and no Chiefs cornerback had a cap hit higher than $2.1 million. Take Berry’s contract out of the equation, and the Chiefs spent less on their secondary than all but a handful of teams.

This spring, the Chiefs have been making moves—and while their AFC championship game loss may not be the catalyst behind it, the team’s plan so far has been noticeably Belichickian. First, Kansas City released Houston and avoided his $21.1 million cap hit for 2019. Then, after giving Ford the franchise tag, general manager Brett Veach elected to trade the 28-year-old Pro Bowler to San Francisco for a second-round pick. (Berry was also released in a move that had become all but certain after he played in just three regular-season games over the past two seasons.) With plenty of cap space available from those moves, the Chiefs gave a market-setting deal to safety Tyrann Mathieu; they were also in play for cornerback Ronald Darby, who eventually signed a one-year deal to remain with the Eagles. Rather than spend a huge chunk of their available dollars on Houston or Ford, the Chiefs were content to ship both out of town and replace one with former Browns edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, who will count for about $1.3 million against the cap in 2019.

Two of the top teams in the league eschewing expensive edge rushers in order to fortify other position groups doesn’t necessarily constitute a trend. The Eagles devoted 19.9 percent of their cap to edge rushers when they won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, which was the second-highest mark in the league at the time. San Francisco was happy to grab Ford from the Chiefs and hand him $33.4 million guaranteed in the process. And we’re less than a year removed from the Bears trading a pair of first-round picks to Oakland to land Mack and make him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.

Many teams are still looking for a premium pass rusher as one of their franchise cornerstones, and this year’s draft comes with no shortage of those players. With guys like Ohio State’s Nick Bosa, Kentucky’s Josh Allen, and Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat all near the top of many draft boards (and about three to four other edge rushers who could also go in the first round), this month’s draft will likely be dominated by big-name pass rushers. The NFL’s conventional wisdom may not have shifted enough yet to stop those guys from flying off the board early, but as the smartest team in football continues to find bargains up front—and other successful franchises start to follow suit—it might be time to wonder if they should.

Any sell the farm prospects out there this year in your mind?

Is there any player in this draft that you would give up this year and next year’s first for? Bosa? Allen? Williams?

Any of those guys worth the 31 this year and the 32 next year?

• Rams will draft a defensive lineman, but will it be at No. 31?
  Lindsey ThiryESPN

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams addressed their most pressing needs in free agency when they signed outside linebackers Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews and safety Eric Weddle.With about $4.8 million remaining in their salary cap, according to ESPN Roster Management, the Rams must supplement a roster primed to make a repeat Super Bowl run.

The Rams have seven selections in the 2019 draft and are expected to pick in the first round for the first time since 2016, when they moved from the 15th pick to first overall to select quarterback Jared Goff.

A look at the defensive linemen whom the Rams will -- and won't -- have a shot to select with the 31st pick:

No chance:
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
Montez Sweat, DE, Miss. State
Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan

There's a chance, but not a good one:

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

It's a possibility:
Jeffery Simmons, DT, Miss. State
Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
Brian Burns, DE, Florida State
Jaylon Ferguson, DE, La. Tech

It remains a possibility -- and wouldn't be surprising, given their recent history -- that the Rams could trade out of the 31st pick. Last year, they sent their first-round pick (23rd overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for receiver Brandin Cooks. Then the organization engaged in a flurry of draft-day moves to acquire a bundle of late-round selections.

In 2017, the Rams waited until Round 2 to make a pick after sending their first-round choice in the trade for Goff.

If the Rams hold on to their first-round pick on April 25, it seems increasingly likely that they will use it to fill the void left by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who played last season on a one-year deal worth $14 million and whom general manager Les Snead said was unlikely to be re-signed because of budgetary constraints.

"I do think because it's a good defensive line draft, our goal is to come out of the draft with probably a young defensive lineman," Snead told ESPN at the NFL's annual meetings in Phoenix. "That can happen, or guess what, I'll say there are 31 other enemies that may decide to hinder our vision."

A late first-round pick doesn't leave much room for planning, and Snead certainly left open the possibility that the team could pick a lineman with any of its later picks. The Rams have two third-round picks, as well as a fourth-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round pick.Regardless of which pick the Rams use to bolster their line, their current personnel situation, coupled with a draft deep in defensive line prospects, could create a fortuitous situation.

The Rams return two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, who last season led the league with 20.5 sacks and is under contract through the 2024 season after he signed a six-year, $135 million extension in August. Michael Brockers, a first-round pick in 2012, also returns in the final season of a three-year, $33.25 million

While Donald is a one-man wrecking crew who last season faced more double teams than any other defensive player in the league, Brockers has a proven ability to play multiple positions, including the five-technique and nose tackle, and that could be key for the Rams as they prepare for the draft.

"What [Brocker's] flexibility allows you to do is maybe pick the best player, and not necessarily we have to have a nose tackle, but you can pick maybe the best five-technique," Snead said. "It does give you some flexibility, and it's looking like that's what we're going to do there."

Brockers' contract situation and the uncertainty of whether he'll return in 2020 could prompt the Rams to invest a first-round pick in a long-term solution on the line.

The Rams also return several players who are expected to play supplemental, if not larger, roles, including Morgan Fox, who tore his ACL during offseason workouts last year and was sidelined for the season, John Franklin-Myers, who had a promising rookie season, and Sebastian Joseph-Day, who was inactive every game last season but whose development the Rams continue to invest in.

Snead said each could be in the plan in 2019, though roles are far from settled. "A lot of that is going to be determined draft, post-draft, OTAs, into training camp," Snead said. "Because you're not going to decide all those things in OTAs."

Okay, it’s the offseason, I’m bored, and I have too much time on my hands. Can you name the current Ram based on the image provided?

They’re all easy, not intended to be challenging, just meant to give a chuckle. Please don’t give the answers, just tell me, “Yep, I got ‘em all.” Only one that should be even a little difficult should be number 8.

If anyone else is as bored as I am and wants to add their own, feel free to go ahead, but I won’t hold my breath!

Okay, here we go. I’ll do it in two posts, numbers 1-4 and 5-8. Here’s the first four:

One:


Two:

Three:

Four: