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330 pounds of run stuffing ability. Pass rush not very important. A guy that can suck up a center and a guard and allow Donald and Brockers to wreak havoc at the end spots.
Williams and Hankins are both guys available. Looking for that Alvin wright type. Remember him? Was a physical guy in the 3/4. Not a household name but a guy that can anchor the inside with our ILB to be named later.
I don't know what plans the Rams have from here in FA, and I won't worry about that. I am only focusing on the Draft in this mock. Trades
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #23 and Round 4 Pick #35
Browns trade Round 2 Pick #4 and Round 2 Pick #32
The Browns are looking for a CB to pair with T.J. Carrie. It looks likely that there will be a CB run near the end of the 1st, so the Browns trade up to land Josh Jackson or Jaire Alexander, both of whom are great fits for GW's scheme. Trader Les continues to be active, especially with Harold Landry going before Pick #23.
Analysis: Dallas Goedert is a tremendously productive TE from a small school. Some will ask, "Why not Mike Gesicki?" Gesicki is a great talent. I would compare him to Jimmy Graham. However, my perception is that McVay wants more of an inline TE to pair with Gerald Everett, who will play the Jordan Reed role. Regardless, I still rank Goedert over Gesicki. Why? Gesicki looks like a future elite receiving TE, but he's a poor blocker. Goedert has the ability to be a great receiving TE and a great blocking TE. I'd compare him to Travis Kelce. At 6'5" 256 pounds with 34 inch arms and 10 inch hands, Goedert possesses ideal dimensions for the position. As a blocker, Goedert has the length and strength to bully corners, handle LBs, and hold his own against DLs. Goedert uses his hands well, demonstrates great leg drive, and plays with a real mean streak. He needs to do a better job of rolling his hips into blocks instead of bending because it causes balance issues, but Goedert already appears to be a quality run and pass blocker on tape. He could become great as he polishes his technique. As a receiver, Goedert shows the athleticism to win at all three levels. He has the speed to climb over the top, and he has the agility to separate underneath. As it stands now, Goedert's route running needs polish, as he tends to give defenders hints by leaning before breaking and needs to clean up his route footwork. Nevertheless, he's a very dangerous receiving threat on more linear routes at this point in time (drags, intermediate and deep overs, fades, posts, corners, etc.). Goedert's hands and body control are tremendous. He has shown the ability to make incredible catches. He does suffer from a concentration drop every now and then, but he'll win in traffic and is a major red-zone threat. He's the type of TE whom you can split out and throw fades to in the red-zone. All in all, as Goedert polishes up his game, he has the potential to be a 1000+ yard 10+ TD threat as a receiver while helping out in a major way in the running game. He is my #1 TE in this class.
Analysis: At 6'3" 335 pounds, Settle certainly has the sort of size that you expect out of a 3-4 NT. However, Settle's size isn't his only redeeming feature. He moves and plays like a DT who is 30 pounds lighter. Settle is explosive off the ball with great agility for his size and a lot of energy. His motor is highly impressive out of such a big guy. He combines the strength you expect out of a 330+ pound NT with the explosiveness you expect out of a 295 pound UT. Settle is still young at 20 years old, declared after his sophomore year, and is still raw. He needs to learn how to use his hands better as a pass rusher, he needs to play with better leverage in the running game, and he needs to show better awareness when it comes to blocking schemes. Nevertheless, Settle shows the ability win quickly with an arm-over swim move, he often forces teams to double him in the running game, and he's willing to chase players to the sideline. His potential is through the roof. He's been compared to Vince Wilfork, but I really like Jamal Williams as a comparison, who thrived in Wade's scheme (two All Pros in three years). The great thing about Wade's scheme is that he'll let Settle attack instead of forcing him to read and react, which isn't Settle's forte at this point in his career. Settle is exactly the type of player we need inside and is a perfect fit for this scheme. Plus, he'll have the opportunity to work with Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. I can't think of a better duo to learn from as a young DL. If Settle isn't available here, I'd draft Derrick Nnadi.
Analysis: You may not have heard of Jeff Holland as he only has one year of starting experience, but he made the most of that year by posting 45 tackles, 13 TFLs, 10 sacks, and 4 FFs in his only year starting in the SEC. What stood out to me while watching Holland is all of the stats that won't show up on the box score. I don't know if I've seen another guy in this class who pressures the QB as much as Holland. Watching his bowl game against UCF, he pressured the QB on almost every single passing play. At 6'1" 249 pounds with 33.5 arms and 10.5 hands, Holland has very long arms and big hands for his size. He definitely fits the mold of a 3-4 OLB. Holland uses his long arms and big hands to win consistently as an edge rusher. He has some of the most polished hand usage and sophisticated pass rush plans in this class. Holland actually has taken martial arts training to improve his hand fighting ability. As it stands now, his go-to moves are the two-handed swipe and the rip and run. Holland consistently wins off the edge by using his advanced hand usage, outstanding punch timing, natural leverage, and polished body positioning to thwart the attempts of tackles to push him past the pocket. Holland's powerful lower body and great balance also allow him to flatten out when turning the corner and prevent OTs from riding him past the QB. Young pass rushers should watch Holland's film to learn how to use their inside arm to soften the edge. Simply put, Holland won't be a workout warrior and doesn't have the prettiest looking body, but he wins as a pass rusher with technical skill, football IQ, heavy hands, power, balance, and tenaciousness. He actually posted comparable production to Carl Lawson, who posted 8.5 sacks as a rookie with the Bengals in 2017. As a run defender, Holland uses his natural leverage, power, and advanced hand usage to set a hard edge. He has some tightness in his lower body which limits his ability to drop into coverage and prevents him from reaching his full potential as a finisher and as a run defender in space, but Holland is a tenacious pass rusher who should drive NFL QBs crazy with his constant pressure.
Analysis: Tegray Scales has been a tremendously productive LB for Indiana with 214 tackles, 36.5 TFLs, 13 sacks, and 3 Ints over the past two years. At 6'0" 230 pounds with nearly 31 inch arms and 9 inch hands, Scales is on the small side for a 3-4 ILB. However, Scales plays the game with a ferocious brand of physicality and a real mean streak. While his timed speed is nothing special, Scales plays fast and absolutely flies to the football. There are times when Scales knows where the play is going before the ball is even snapped. It is clear that he invests a lot of time into film review. He is rarely in the wrong spot, he rarely takes false steps, and he is always around the football. In coverage, Scales is adequate but not elite. He doesn't possess overly fluid hips and is a bit stiff in his backpedal. Nevertheless, he looks better in man coverage because of his short-area quickness and instincts. Scales truly shines as a run stopper and a blitzer. As a blitzer, he times his blitzes incredibly well, uses his hands to fight off blocks, and is relentless in his pursuit of the QB. As a run stopper, Scales is fearless taking on blockers and flies to the football. Scales is a bit limited by his short arms and lack of size. This makes it difficult for him to come unglued once OLs latch onto him. However, he's a strong and physical players who will stack up blocks and tenaciously fight to get off blocks. I've seen him stand up and fight off Billy Price. He also has absolutely no fear when it comes to meeting pullers and lead blockers in the hole. Scales is undersized, but he loves to bang and finds the ball quickly. Scales looks like he's shot out of a cannon once he determines where the ball is going. He does need to do a better job of bringing his feet with him as a tackler, as he'll miss tackles at times by coming in a little too hot, but he brings bad intentions when he hits, and guys usually go down quickly.
Analysis: Cichy is just a really good football player. The problem for him is his injury history. He missed all of 2017 with a torn ACL, and he missed half of the 2016 season with a torn pectoral muscle. However, I think it's worth the risk because he's a Day 2 talent on tape. Cichy is a very smart and sound football player who possesses good athleticism for his size. At 6'2" 238 pounds with solid arm length, Cichy has the dimensions of a NFL ILB. While Cichy won't overpower blockers, he is quite adept at slipping blocks due to his advanced hand usage and agility. He sifts through traffic well, plays with consistent gap integrity, and tackles well, even in space. Cichy also reads his keys well and rarely takes false steps. The thing that stands out the most is Cichy's ability to close when he gets a path to the runner. He may not run a 4.4 40, but he plays fast. As a blitzer, Cichy is highly effective due to his outstanding anticipation of the snap count and his hand usage when rushing the passer. He puts a lot of pressure on the QB when used on A-gap blitzes. His cover skills are good; although, he's a better zone defender than man defender. Cichy also has that sort of annoying style that gets into the heads of offensive players. He plays through the whistle, is constantly buzzing around opposing players, and has a non-stop motor. All in all, Cichy checks all the boxes and should contribute in the NFL if he stays healthy. He'll be great depth at ILB and can contribute on special teams.
Analysis: Will Clapp started at OG for his first two seasons before moving over to Center this year for LSU. Clapp is an average athlete, but he's an experienced and durable player who can play any position on the interior. At 6'5" 311 pounds, Clapp has the size to play inside in the NFL, but he does have short arms (31.25 inches). Clapp has the skill-set to be an effective Center for us down the line and could fill in as a starter if Sullivan suffers an injury. Clapp has good power with nice leg drive in the running game, and he's quite effective at blocking on the move and in space. He has strong hands and really latches on in both the running and passing games. He's an extremely smart player who is capable of helping his QB out by reading the defense pre-snap, recognizing pressure looks, and making sure the OL is on the same page. Clapp is a consistent and reliable player from snap to snap. However, he does play a little too tall, he doesn't have special movement skills, and he can be exploited by long-armed defenders. The good news for us is that Kromer's scheme does a lot to help out the Center. The most important attributes for Centers in our scheme are intelligence, reliability (especially with assignments), and the ability to block on the move and in space. These are all strengths of Clapp's. He offers us immediate depth with starting potential down the line.
Analysis: Greg Senat is a ball of clay for Aaron Kromer to mold. He'll get to start off as a swing OT for us, which is for the best for Senat. It'll allow him to bulk up and get stronger. Senat was arguably the best OT on the field during the E-W Shrine Game and surprised a lot of evaluators with how quickly he improved and caught on. Senat's film at Wagner is uneven. He's a very raw OT who needs to get stronger, but his smoothness, length, and overall athleticism are easy to see on tape. Senat started his career at Wagner on the basketball team and didn't join the football team until after his sophomore year. Thus, it is understandable that he's raw and needs to get stronger because he only has two years of football experience at a small school. Still, Senat has starting OT potential down the line, and we have one of the best OL Coaches in the game to develop him. At 6'6" 305 pounds with nearly 35 inch arms and 10 inch hands, Senat has all the dimensions of a starting NFL OT, and nobody doubts his movement skills. He's a worthwhile project. Desmond Harrison is another name worth keeping in mind as a project OT in the 6th round.
Analysis: Phillip Lindsay's nickname is the "Tasmanian Devil" because of his endless energy, toughness, and refusal to let his size limit him. At 5'7" 185 pounds, Lindsay is definitely undersized, but that didn't stop him from rushing for 2726 yards and 30 TDs over the past two seasons at Colorado. He also caught 76 passes during that time. Lindsay is a fearless pass protector who will stonewall edge rushers despite his small stature. He saved his QB from a number of hits in college. He's actually been compared to Chris Thompson by some, and there's validity to the comparison. Lindsay is small with good speed (4.39 40 at his Pro Day), great pass protection skills, and good pass-catching skills. He won't break a lot of tackles as a runner, but he'll get what's blocked. He has the potential to be a valuable HB on passing downs.
Analysis: David Bright lives up to his name. He's a very intelligent player with great intangibles who started at all every spot on the OL for Stanford except Center. However, he practiced at Center and was capable of playing the position if needed. Bright started at LT in 2017 after being Stanford's starting LG in 2016. At 6'5" 307 pounds with 33 inch arms and 10 inch hands, Bright has the length to play OT in the NFL. He also has enough athleticism to stick outside. However, I'd be drafting Bright as a utility OL in the short term and as a guy to develop to compete with Clapp as our future Center. Bright has a higher center of gravity than you'd expect from most Centers and isn't overly powerful, so he might struggle a bit with the power of great nose tackles, but Bright has the athleticism, length, and football IQ to really thrive in the position. In our scheme, he's a great fit because the Center is rarely asked to drive block. Instead, his job is typically blocking on the move. Bright blocks well in space and on the second level, he pulls well, and he does a nice job when zone blocking. Bright doesn't get much push when power blocking, but he uses angles and positioning well to wall his man off. As a pass blocker, Bright needs to improve his punch timing on the interior as he tends to be late with it. As a tackle, Bright is athletic enough to do the job, but he'd struggle with the elite edge rushers who have the ability to both beat him with speed and overpower him. All in all, I see a kid who can be a backup for every position on our OL and possibly develop into a starting Center down the line while being a positive influence in the locker-room and a guy who will push others in practice.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Gerald Everett
TE: Dallas Goedert
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein
SDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Tim Settle
DT: Aaron Donald
WOLB: Matt Longacre
WILB: Mark Barron
SILB: Tegray Scales
SOLB: Samson Ebukam
LCB: Marcus Peters
RCB: Aqib Talib
SLCB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: John Johnson III
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
On Saturday March 17 everyone's cash was reset to $10K. On Sunday March 25 2018 we will again reset all the cash to $10K. That means you have 7 days to spend as much of your money as you can in the Sportsbook in the knowledge that whatever ROD$ you spend will be effectively given back to you.
So...free bets! Use it or lose it!
Not dabbled in the Sportsbook before? Now is the perfect time to play around with the options and have a flutter on whatever you like. There are currently 4 NFL Sportsbooks available. Some more events will be posted on Sunday March 18 2018.
What is the album you own, or used to own that was the most solid for you? You know what I am talking about. Before we could carry around electronic devices that played miscellaneous song after song. What album could you put on and listen to it all the way through. I have a lot of them so I am not going to post them all here. I want to see what you guys come with as well. I will say that the album I probably listened to all the tracks on consistently was Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue"
The Colts, who will be switching to a 4-3 base defense in 2018 under new head coach Frank Reich, released defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on Saturday. Hankins is back on the market less than a year after he signed a three-year, $30 million contract that included a $10 million guaranteed payout.
Outside of Ndamukong Suh and Vinny Curry, Hankins might be the best run-stuffer available in free agency. He'll surely draw interest from teams running the 3-4 that have salary-cap space to spare.
I don't know much about either DE Curry or DT Hankins but maybe one of them could be the answer at NT on the DL in free agency. I'm just wary of paying too much for either option when the draft seems to be able to provide some appealing options.
Half the NFL could have a different Week One starting quarterback in 2018
Starting quarterbacks in the NFL don’t last for long.
Two days into the league year, it’s already clear that at least a dozen NFL teams will be starting a different quarterback in Week One of 2018 than in Week One of 2017. Two other teams currently have questions about their Week One starter, and that’s before any surprises in the draft, or injuries in the preseason.
Assuming we do have some surprises in the coming months, it’s easy to see half of the teams in the NFL beginning the 2018 season with a different starting quarterback than they had in the beginning of the 2017 season. Here’s a look at each team’s quarterback situation, this year and last year:
Teams with different Week One starting quarterbacks
Arizona: Carson Palmer in 2017, Sam Bradford in 2018.
We will receive two 3rd round compensatory picks for Watkins and Johnson
If so, then this extremely smart and shows how well our front office is functioning.
If we want to extend our Superbowl window, then we need to replicate the Patriot and Ravens model. The most important thing is to build a championship winning defense and an offensive line that can protect Goff. Then build him into a QB who can make hay with a constantly evolving cast of skill players. Thus, I would not be surprised to see even Gurley traded before his contract ends
We made some big mistakes in the draft under Fisher, which I put down to arrogance. While we as fans do not have access to all the information, nearly all of those 'head scratching' picks did turn out to be a disaster. We were not unlucky with Quick, Robinson, Pead, Mason & Austin. There were better players, with better CVs and film - sometimes at the same position. I will not bring the pain, by revealing who we might have picked in their place, but will say that last year was more even, less flashy and importantly, solid...
We have some of the biggest stars in the game under one roof, we just need to keep adding solid-quality pieces, because even average players can elevate their game considerably when they sense something special is happening around them...
I was just perusing twitter and I saw a tweet from an nfl site that said something to the effect "LA rams in play for Ryan Grant". And the whole march madness thing happened and it disappeared when i went back to find it and now I can't find anything about it. So no idea if true. There are rumors that the RAvens failed his physical only because Crabtree became available right after he signed.
Either way, not really sure I care to have him. McVay certainly knows him so i guess it's up to his judgement. I couldn't believe the contract he got before the failed physical.
NASA 'unable to stop' enormous asteroid Bennu which could hit Earth in 2135
NASA will be unable to stop an enormous asteroid which could crash into Earth in 2135, scientists have warned.
It is estimated that Bennu, which is the size of the Empire State Building, would unleash 1,200 megatons of energy on impact, 80,000 times the energy of the Hiroshima bomb.
Members of a US ‘national planetary defence team’ have published a study warning of the potentially “dire” consequences of the huge space rock smashing into the planet.
Scientists based at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have been working with NASA on a spacecraft called HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response vehicle).
The 9 metre tall, 8.8 tonne craft is able to deflect asteroids away from Earth and destroy them with nuclear bombs.
In the case of Bennu, scientists have deemed HAMMER “inadequate” as it would be unable to nudge the massive asteroid off course.
The rock is 500 metres in diameter – as wide as five football fields – and weighs about 79 billion kilograms, making it 1,664 times as heavy as the Titanic.
Academics concluded that "using a single HAMMER spacecraft as a battering ram would prove inadequate for deflecting an object like Bennu."
This leaves only the dangerous nuclear option, which is not preferred as it could result in the Earth being showered with radioactive rock fragments.
Bennu has a 1 in 2,700 chance of striking Earth on September 25, 2135.
Kirsten Howley, who is a physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and co-author on the paper, said: “The chance of an impact appears slim now, but the consequences would be dire.
“This study aims to help us shorten the response timeline when we do see a clear and present danger so we can have more options to deflect it. The ultimate goal is to be ready to protect life on Earth.”
The study said it would take a minimum of 7.4 years to reach Bennu if the decision was made to send a craft and "many years for the small change in speed to accumulate into a sufficient change in trajectory".
Ms Howley said: "The probability of a Bennu impact may be 1 in 2,700 today, but that will almost certainly change – for better or worse – as we gather more data about its orbit.
“Delay is the greatest enemy of any asteroid deflection mission. That’s why there’s urgency in getting viable deflection platforms on the shelf today.”
Take this fwiw, since it’s based on things that I’ve heard and read here and there. From sources I respect, however.
But, here goes...
Rams don’t need all that many FA’s, really. They have few “holes” at starting positions. And the draft will be counted on to fill a couple of them, at least.
I don’t think Wade wanted a Ngata or Poe type NT in the first place. I think he prefers smaller and quicker types. Second tier FA or later in the draft should suit him just fine.
Sounds like they really like Ebukam at one OLB. If so, scratch one OLB starter need off the list.
I suspect that they plan on taking the other needed OLB at #23 in the draft, but Barwin could be Plan B.
Barron just might be Wade’s preference for one ILB. Wouldn’t be my choice, but I’m no future HOF DC, soooo...
Wade historically has utilized ILB’s from deeper in the draft or FA. This draft is reportedly rich in such types later on, so that just might be the Ram plan.
Apparently, they flirted with Eifert. Personally, I’m glad that they were jilted. But it does indicate that McVay is determined to upgrade his TE corps, one way or another. None of us should be surprised by that at all. Stay tuned.
I am still hoping for a Sully signing. He was a top 10 C for us last year, so why not reward the guy with a commensurate contract for a couple of years? Would be difficult to replace his brains and experience. Sigh... Blythe might be an adequate consolation prize, and who knows? They might pluck a C that Kromer really likes in the draft. I’ll feel better once this is settled.
I guess they’re gonna roll with some combo of second tier FA, Reynolds, Thomas, Cooper, or later draft pick to replace Watkins. My money is on Reynolds ( but not very much money).
That’s my take on filling starter “holes”.
So, like I said, three things seem apparent to me.
First, not really that many holes need to be filled, certainly by comparison with last offseason.
Second, they likely prefer to utilize second tier FA’s for new starters and not very many, at that.
Third, the above two probably means that we will see a fairly slow Ram FA period early on, although many more will ultimately come as needed depth is added.
At this time of year, fans of all 32 teams clamor for the names they recognize as potential upgrades to their rosters. We scour the draft for players that will be available to fit a respective team’s needs. The easy thing for fans to do is wish their GM would just play Madden with the roster and pursue an All Pro team. The media drives this with reports of how every big name acquisition will transform their new team. It’s what every fan wants to hear. Simultaneously, the fans of the other 31 either lament the loss or degrade it with sour grapes.
Enter the 2018 Rams offseason. Snead says he doesn’t want to enter the draft with screaming needs that cause a team to reach for anything other than a reasonable BPA. Therefore, we all deduce he should get the best edge rusher, DT, and middle linebacker available in free agency. He should pay whatever it takes to keep Sully in the fold for OLine continuity. We should target an X receiver to replace Sammy. It seems so obvious, right?
But what every good capologist does is set a standard for how much the team can budget for each position, and position group. When you exceed the budget for one player, you have to determine which positions must be reduced to accommodate the transaction and how that plan will affect the budget in future years. The plan has to have a four year projection to be effective. Good drafts can mitigate gambles, but an organization who gambles on that too often will likely only exacerbate the problems created by overspending. Therefore, the coaches and GM compile a list of priorities to accommodate existing contracts and positional importance based on the coordinators schemes. For instance, the presence of AD, Gurley, Goff, and Joyner means 9 million a year for Poe is untenable and 15 mil for Sammy too great a sacrifice. The “holes” on the roster must be filled within a pre-determined budget...one with very little variance. They have to target qualities that fit the scheme that may not have shown up on tape for other teams. That’s why Webster, a backup for Wade was acquired last year. It’s why Woods was paid more than other teams valued.
The presence of Aaron Donald softens the blow Wade feels of not having bookend pass rushers like Von Miller and Demarcus Ware available through any avenues. They will need to be able to contain the ends, rush the passer, run down screens, and occasionally cover inside receivers. It’s a tall order that very few ever master. Perhaps a SUITABLE player will be available in the draft but there are precious few available in FA. Therefore, look for the Rams to load up with several linebackers that have varied skill sets. Significant capital should be spent for a DT but with Brockers and Donald scheduled to eat up so much cap space, what can we really afford? That’s what makes Dickerson’s suggestion of Suh asinine. I expect the solution to come from the draft.
The primary point of this post is that the cap is the reason the Rams were far more aggressive in the trade market than they have been in free agency. Wade will adjust by having anchors in the DLine and backfield. He will fill in from there with B level players. The loss of Sammy will be spread throughout the offense. A plan is in place even if the next month seems mundane.
Any time a new defensive coordinator is hired, he typically makes a number of changes. It could be as drastic as going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 front, or simply deploying more man or zone principles in coverage.
With Wade Phillips, it involved an entirely new philosophy and scheme. He loves aggressive cornerbacks who can match up one-on-one in man coverage, run-stuffing inside linebackers and dynamic edge rushers on the outside.
So after storming out the gate and adding some serious secondary talent in Peters and Talib and also loosing some talent in Quinn Tree and Trujo Watkins .. How do you feel the rams are faring so far in FA
are you content to see how the rest of FA period and draft plays out ?
are you wringing your hands because it seems like the rams are sitting on their as FA talent is snapped up ?
do you believe that the rams are in the plus or minus column so far in terms of talent gained Vs talent lost ?
honestly im in the McSnead we trust camp .. but also the thought crosses my mind that have we let too much talent go to be as good as we were last year (years of being a rams has crushed my optimism )
Nothing Like an Irishmen having a Son Born on Patty's Day!
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