I apologize for asking this when I am sure it has been covered/explained many times but it seems like every time I see an article or message about the Rams updated Draft picks they are different. Can someone please give me the Rams current list of Draft picks?

Thanks!!!

I told y'all that I was going to get another mock out pretty quickly with FA right around the corner. With FA next week, we should have a lot of clarity on what the Rams' plans are for the off-season and the Draft. Here are my thoughts on a possible scenario for us:

Cut
WR Tavon Austin
ILB Mark Barron

I don't see anyone trading us anything for Austin. Barron played well for us, but we can find a better fit for our scheme.

Re-Sign/Extend
DT Aaron Donald - 6 years $120 million
CB Nickell Robey-Coleman - 4 years $20 million
S LaMarcus Joyner - Franchise Tag (5 years $45 million extension)
S Cody Davis - 3 years $4.5 million
C John Sullivan - 1 year $2 million
CB Troy Hill - ERFA
HB Malcolm Brown - ERFA
OLB Matt Longacre - RFA
LS Jake McQuaide - 3 years $3.3 million

We let Trumaine walk. Sammy gets a better offer and also walks. The rest of it is consistent with what I've done before in past mocks.

Free Agency
WR Paul Richardson - 5 years $35 million
ILB Corey Nelson - 3 years $7.5 million
ILB Korey Toomer - 2 years $5 million
OLB Pernell McPhee - 1 year $3.5 million
TE Niles Paul - 1 year $1.5 million

Paul Richardson is a speedy WR who has shown the ability to get vertical in Seattle. He's also sure-handed and a quality route runner. He made a number of big plays for Seattle, including a few difficult catches in coverage. Like Robert Woods, I think Richardson is a guy who could really benefit from Sean McVay's scheme and Goff's more traditional QBing. Richardson's injury history will scare some teams away, and his lack of top notch production should keep the price tag reasonable. The terms are quite similar to Robert Woods' contract from last year.

Corey Nelson played for Wade Phillips in Denver. He steps into the WILB role in our defense. Nelson actually looked quite good when he had to step into the starting lineup due to injury for Wade in 2016. He recorded 32 tackles over 4 starts for Wade over the final 4 games of 2016. At 6'1" 226, Nelson isn't the run stopping force we're after. Rather, he brings range and cover skills to replace Barron at a fraction of the cost. Nelson is also an excellent special teamer, so that should endear him to Coach Bones.

Korey Toomer comes in to provide the run-stopping presence that we've been seeking at ILB. Toomer actually played for the Rams for a brief time under Fisher as a special teamer. He's grown into a talented ILB who really flashed ability in 2016 in San Diego in their 3-4 defense. In his 8 starts, Toomer posted 63 tackles and 3 FFs and was very impressive as a run defender. San Diego moved to a 4-3 defense under Gus Bradley this year, who didn't use Toomer as much.

Pernell McPhee flashed a lot of ability in Baltimore and Chicago and has a lot of experience in the 3-4. He can replace Barwin in our scheme. He's had some injury issues the past few years, but I think he could do well platooning with Samson. He's a big OLB who can set the edge, but can also get after the passer. If he's able to stay healthy, he could provide us solid play at SOLB.

Niles Paul played under McVay in Washington as his 3rd TE. Paul is a great athlete who can block and contribute on special teams. He replaces Carrier as our 3rd TE.

Trades
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #23 and Round 4 Pick #11
Browns trade Round 2 Pick #1 and Round 2 Pick #32

The Browns are looking for a CB to pair with Randall. 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.

Rams trade Round 2 Pick #1
Cardinals trade Round 2 Pick #15 and Round 3 Pick #33

The Cardinals draft their QB of the Future in Round 1, so they move up to the top of Round 2 to grab a WR or TE to develop with that QB.

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #15 - Harrison Phillips NT Stanford
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Analysis: Harrison Phillips was a ridiculously productive NT at Stanford posting 98 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, and 7.5 sacks as a Senior in a scheme that asked him to do a lot of two-gapping. Phillips capped that off with a strong Senior Bowl week where an assortment of the best OLs in college football tended to get manhandled by Phillips one on one. Phillips is an interesting player to watch because he's kind of unconventional. He wouldn't be a great NT in a normal 3-4 because he isn't squatty (6'3" 307 pounds with nearly 34 inch arms and 10.5 inch hands), has a higher center of gravity, and spends a bit too much time on the ground. However, he's a perfect fit for Wade's more aggressive, one-gap heavy scheme. Phillips is a former wrestler who shows the incredible upper body and core strength and outstanding hand usage that you expect of a wrestler. He's a very difficult player to keep blocked because he's always fighting to reestablish his hands even if the OL gets an initial win. Phillips is extraordinarily strong in both the upper and lower body with a vicious punch. He gave college OLs fits with his heavy hands and polished hand usage. He also showed the ability to use body position and strength to hold up against and defeat double teams with some consistency. However, Phillips is a bit heavy-legged and not a fast athlete. This limits his range and closing ability. Nevertheless, he moves well laterally, has great instincts, and understands how to attack and defend blocking schemes. I think Phillips actually has a lot of room to grow as a pass rusher because he doesn't have a lot of moves in his arsenal other than an arm-over swim move for players where he wants to win quickly and the bullrush when he's asked to play more conservatively. With his heavy hands and powerful upper body, he could give NFL OLs fit if he learned to use the bull-pull. Overall, Phillips is a disruptive players who makes life miserable for blockers trying to handle him one on one.

Round 2 Pick #32 - Obo Okoronkwo OLB Oklahoma
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Analysis: Obo Okoronkwo shared Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year with Malik Jefferson after posting 75 tackles, 17 TFLs, and 8 sacks in 2017. In 2016, he posted 71 tackles, 12 TFLs, and 9 sacks. Okoronkwo played a role at Oklahoma that is fairly similar to the one he'd be playing for the Rams. Oklahoma dropped him in coverage quite a bit but also asked him to rush the passer and set the edge against the run. Okoronkwo thrived in all three areas; although, he needs to do a better job of disengaging from blocks while setting the edge. In the NFL, he would offer similar versatility. Why is he not going higher in the Draft? Only being 6'1" 253 with a 4.7 40, Obo is scheme-limited and doesn't offer the guaranteed pass rush potential to go in Round 1. While Okoronkwo is very quick and explosive, he doesn't really show the great bend and dominant edge rushing ability or the power and heavy hands needed to be an impact NFL pass rusher. Instead, he wins with his quickness, smarts, and balance. His go-to move right now is a spin move or an inside move (after feinting to the outside). He shows sophisticated pass rush plans and uses his hands well, but there are legitimate questions as to whether he can get consistent pressure. Still, he's a physical player with a great motor, his versatility, and the athletic traits to be a solid NFL OLB and a great special teamer. There is potential for him to be a good pass rusher if he continues to develop his hand usage, pass rush plans, and power, but it's not guaranteed. I'd really like to see him do a better job of using his inside arm to flatten the edge.

Round 3 Pick #23 - Shaquem Griffin ILB/OLB UCF
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Analysis: Griffin checks in at 6'0" 227 with surprising power and elite burst/speed. Griffin closes like few can at the LB position, and his 4.38 40 at the Combine reflects his freakish speed. He's been a highly-effective pass rusher because of his ability diverse set of rush moves and evolved pass rush plan along with his elite speed and quickness off the edge. He doesn't have the size to hold up as an edge, but he should be an effective blitzer. Griffin has had plenty of snaps in coverage and shows the athleticism to handle M2M coverage responsibilities in the NFL. In the running game, he's a sideline-to-sideline LB who will sift through traffic to make TFLs. He can also close from the backside due to his incredible speed. Despite his small stature, Griffin has shown the ability to work off of and through blockers. Griffin's missing hand can limit him at times. It can make it harder for him to disengage from blocks and can cause him to miss tackles. However, Griffin's unique blend of elite speed for his position along with top-notch instincts means that the tackles he generally misses due to his hand are tackles that few other LBs would have been in a position to make. Griffin is a film room junkie who went as far as to put his mattress in the facility during camp to allow himself to stay overnight to watch more film. It shows in his play through his tremendous instincts, tendency to be in the right place at the right time, and his evolved pass rush plan. Simply put, if Griffin had two hands, I think he'd be considered one of the top players in the Draft. He's been highly productive the past two years at UCF and won the Senior Bowl Practice Player of the Week Award. His game reminds me of Lavonte David and Deion Jones.

Round 3 Pick #33 - Orlando Brown Jr. OT Oklahoma
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Analysis: Orlando Brown Jr. is quite the lightning rod for criticism after his Combine. I know myself and many others don't see eye to eye on the kid. Personally, I think he's amazing value in the 3rd round and am not scared off by his Combine. At 6'8" 350 pounds with 35 inch arms, Brown is a very big and long man. His father, Orlando Brown, was a Pro Bowl caliber NFL LT who had similar size. Brown Jr. had a highly productive career at Oklahoma where he was consistently considered one of the best OLs in college football. He could have declared last year for the Draft, but he made a promise to his father that he'd get his college degree, which he obviously couldn't break after his father tragically died in 2011. Brown is an incredibly powerful player who manhandles smaller defenders in the running game and cedes next to nothing to bull-rushes in the passing game. Brown is surprisingly good at blocking on the second level and in space. He also does a nice job of mirroring in pass protection and preventing guys from beating him with inside moves. Brown is susceptible to speedy edge rushers attacking the corner. He relies on his length to try and push them past the QB, but his flawed kick-slide (not enough depth) and his slow feet make it difficult for him to prevent the best of the best speed rushers from turning the corner and flattening to the QB against him. Brown also plays high because he doesn't possess great flexibility due to his size and weight. However, Brown's strength and length allows him to get away with his lack of leverage. He displays outstanding hand strength and a powerful punch that stops pass rushers in their tracks. Brown's punch timing and placement are quality for an OT of his age, but they can both be improved. All in all, Brown is a supremely talented OT with size, power, and length that you simply can't teach. If he can clean up his body in the NFL with better nutrition and a great S&C program, he ought to be able to unlock more speed than most think he has, which will help him protect against explosive edge rushers. He's a bit of a project, but with our veteran OLs (Whitworth, Saffold, and Sullivan), our great OL Coach, and our ability to take our time with him, I think this is the perfect situation for Brown. Plus, Kromer's scheme loves big, powerful OTs.

Round 4 Pick #35 - Hercules Mata'afa OLB Washington State
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Analysis: Mata'afa was an incredibly productive player in his final year at Washington State posting 45 tackles, 22.5 TFLs, and 10.5 sacks as an undersized DT. At 6'2" 252 pounds, Mata'afa will not be playing DT in the NFL. With a strong Combine, I felt Mata'afa could boost himself into the first round like Melvin Ingram did by proving he was a 3-4 OLB instead of a tweener. Unfortunately for Mata'afa, he had an underwhelming Combine which have only made the belief that he's a tweener intensify. Still, Mata'afa's film shows a kid with elite get-off who anticipates the snap count well and can play under blockers. Mata'afa has a non-stop motor, the strength to set the edge, and a nose for the football. He has great football character, outstanding overall intangibles, and a will to be the best. Mata'afa may not have the athleticism to win on the edge in the NFL, but I think it's worth a try. He's the type of kid who will work as hard as anyone to try and make it happen. With his special traits, I think there's certainly a chance that he can develop into a dangerous pass rusher in the NFL.

Round 6 Pick #2 - Javon Wims WR Georgia
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Analysis: Javon Wims is a project WR with a lot of upside that we take a shot on here. At 6'3" 215 with a 4.5 40, Wims is a good athlete who only has two years of college experience after going to a JUCO out of high school. Wims had a productive final season at UGA with 720 receiving yards, 16 yards per catch, and 7 TDs in an offense that was run heavy. He made his money at UGA winning 50/50 balls when isolated down the field. Wims displays great hands, outstanding body control, and a great ability to track the ball and time his jumps. As a route runner, Wims has some experience with a NFL route tree from UGA's offense, but he still has a lot of development to do. He has to be especially careful with his route tempo as he has a tendency to tip his routes. Wims is a physical run blocker who brings it on every snap. Overall, Wims has a lot of upside and is worth trying to develop.

Round 6 Pick #9 - Jack Cichy ILB Wisconsin
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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.

Round 6 Pick #20 - David Bright OL Stanford
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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 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 do 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.

Round 6 Pick #21 - Phillip Lindsay HB Colorado
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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.

Round 6 Pick #22 - Brett Toth OT Army
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Analysis: Brett Toth stood out at both the E-W Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl in a big way. Measuring in at 6'6" 303 pounds with 33 inch arms and 10 inch hands, Toth has all the dimensions of a NFL OT. After playing in a triple-option offense, Toth impressed with his pass protection skills in the off-season bowl games. Toth can also get after it in the running game. On top of that, Toth is graduating from Army with a degree in Physics. Originally recruited as a Tight End, Toth added weight and ended up at RT for Army helping them to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in quite awhile. You must be asking yourself, "Why is a such a smart and gifted player with LT traits falling this far in the Draft?" Toth has to serve two years in the military before he can play in the NFL. Last year, the DOD change the rules to prevent athletes from getting waivers allowing them to play immediately in the NFL. It's possible the DOD could change its mind and grant Toth an exception, but it seems unlikely. Due to that, any team that drafts him must wait two years for him to play.

Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
XWR: Paul Richardson vs. Josh Reynolds
ZWR: Robert Woods
SLWR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Gerald Everett
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein

SDE: Michael Brockers
NT: Harrison Phillips
DT: Aaron Donald
WOLB: Obo Okoronkwo vs. Matt Longacre
WILB: Corey Nelson vs. Shaquem Griffin
SILB: Korey Toomer vs. Jack Cichy
SOLB: Pernell McPhee vs. 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

Well the excitement of last week's moves had died down so lets do a new mock. I'm not going to list the moves already done just stuff I'd do moving forward. According to Spotrac.com we currently have $36.7 million in cap space.

First thing we'll do is cut Tavon, he has reportedly drawn interest from a few teams but we aren't able to pull off a trade and release him freeing $3 million more.

Next we extend Roger Saffold. Give him 3 more years at $20 million. Moving his roster bonus into guaranteed, $6 million over the 3 years. Give ourselves an extra $1.5 million this year but secure our LG for the next 3 years at a reasonable rate.

Next we extend Aaron Donald. I'm sticking with the $20 million a year for 6 years with $70 million extension. We take a cap increase of $10 million this year but lock up the monster in the middle.

Resign:
Connor Barwin 1 year $3 million
Cody Davis 2 years $5 million
Nickell Robey Coleman 3 years $15 million
John Sullivan 2 years $5 million

After those moves we have $15 million left.

Free agent signings:
DaQuan Jones NT 3 years $15 million (going with numbers similar to what Ellis got). I've had him in the past and I'm keeping up with him with Ellis having signed.
Zach Brown ILB 4 years $15 million (changing up the ILB free agent target). Familiar with some of our defensive coaches from their days in Washington as well as with McVay. A veteran who might only see 2 or 3 years of the deal it all depends on how he ages and how healthy he is.

I went kind of mild with it after our big bang early. Extend both Saffold and Donald which are 2 big priorities. Retained Barwin for a vet at OLB and somebody familiar with Wade. Resigned center and backup FS as well as keep NRC for one of the best secondaries in the league. Added a NT and ILB as well. Left us with about $8 million.

Draft:
Round 1(23): Harold Landry OLB Boston College - We've done great with BC picks of late. He makes too much sense with value and a position of need. He steps in and starts in Quinn's place.

Round 3(87): Geron Christian OT Louisville - Many here won't like me taking an OT here in the 3rd but this guy has the ability to play either tackle spot. With a year or two behind Whitworth he can be groomed to be the long term successor. He also could step in as a rookie to spell Havenstein and even take over for him next year if we don't retain him. This is drafting more for the future than for the now.

Round 4(111): Micah Kiser ILB Virginia - A 4th round pick that will step in and start next to Brown at ILB. A tackling machine he'll help our run defense tremendously.

Round 4(135): Dante Pettis WR Washington - I didn't have us resign Watkins and I'm counting on Reynolds, Cooper and Thomas to take those snaps. Pettis is a burner with return abilities.

Round 6(176): Kalen Ballage RB Arizona St - A nice compliment to Brown to back up Gurley

Round 6(183): Taylor Hearn G Clemson - Big bodied and powerful blocker. Needs to work on consistency with Kromer.

Round 6(194): Josey Jewell ILB Iowa - Depth at ILB another big run defender

Round 6(195): Cole Madison G Washington St - More depth and youth at the interior of our line.

Depth Chart:

QB: Goff, Mannion, Allen
RB: Gurley, Brown, Ballage, Davis
WR: Woods, Kupp, Reynolds, Cooper, Thomas, Pettis
LT: Whitworth, Christian
LG: Saffold, Hearn
C: Sullivan, Blythe, Eldrenkamp
RG: Brown, Madison
RT: Havenstein, Lucas
TE: Higbee, Everett, Hemingway, Mundt

DE: Donald, Fox
NT: Jones, Smart
DE: Brockers, Westbrook
OLB: Landry, Price
ILB: Brown, Hager
ILB: Kiser, Littleton
OLB: Barwin, Ebukam, Thompson
CB: Peters, Talib, Shield, NRC, Webster, Hill, Peterson
FS: Joyner, Davis
SS: Johnson, Johnson

Yeah, I think he was a great get. An example of Snead taking full advantage of an opportunity that presented itself.

But here’s the thing. We’ve got to remember that he’s probably only gonna be a 2 year solution. Although it looks like it might be a helluva 2 years.

Very similar to the Whit signing. First year was fabulous. But probably a short shelf life.

Both Whit and Talib are elite types at premium positions. VERY useful in a short SB window for an ascending team.

But S&M know very well that plans for their respective replacements must soon be implemented.

My point? CB and LOT might just be on the table if certain players should fall to us at either #23 or #87. Just sayin’.

Paul Richardson Jr@prichiejr

One thing I do know is I had a ball in Seattle!


Ryan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje

An L.A. native, could Richardson be on the Rams radar if Watkins’ price is too high?

Aqib Talib excited to join Marcus Peters in Los Angeles

[www.nfl.com]



Talib on trade reaction, Broncos era and 'final chapter' in L.A.

Newly acquired Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib talks with NFL Network's Jame Palmer about his initial reaction to being traded, whether he had a rift with Broncos coach Vance Joseph, and what he's looking forward to about playing in Los Angeles.

[www.nfl.com]



What will Aqib Talib add to the Rams? | Film Review

NFL Network's Brian Baldinger takes a look at the type of play cornerback Aqib Talib will add to the Los Angles Rams.

[www.nfl.com]

What? No blockbuster moves today? I thought maybe Snead would of raped some poor GM by now.

I thought I'd just give a snapshot of where we're at, I think it's kinda interesting to take a look right now as we head into FA and draft. This is all subject to change if Barron goes but I'm getting the feeling he actually may stay right now.


Sam LB:
- Previous starters: Conor Barwin
- Existing players: Samsun Ebukam
- Depth: Ejuan Price

Mike LB:
- Previous starters: Alec Ogletree
- Existing starters: Bryce Hager
- Depth: Cameron Lynch

MO LB:
- Previous starters: Mark Barron
- Existing starters: Mark Barron
- Depth: Cory Littleton (possible starter)

Will LB:
- Previous starters: Robert Quinn
- Existing starters: Matt Longacre (coming off injury)
- Depth: Carlos Thompson

Notes:
- Ogletree has been playing the Mike or strongside inside LB which is the traditionally stouter LB in Wade's 3-4. We do not seem to have a good answer right there right now as we stand. I would not like to have to rely on Hager at all. That being said, this might be the easiest spot to replace with talent in the draft as the skill-set here is limited (run D and taking and shedding blocks). This position does not need to be as pass coverage savvy and any pass rush you get from it is just icing on the cake.
- Barron aside from his health, is the perfect guy for MO LB or weakside inside LB where you need to be rangy and capable of pass coverage. You do not need to be able to stack and shed blocks as much as the Mike LB role. In the end, Ogletree could have taken over here if we cut Barron and while he may have been even rangy-er, I don't think he was as sure a tackler.
- In limited action, Cory Littleton looks like he's a great fit at MO LB too. He's excellent depth there and if we cut Barron, I actually don't think you look to replace Littleton, just promote him and seek depth behind him. Littleton is ONLY a MO LB and will not play any Mike at all. Not a fit. He may be a more sure tackler than Ogletree but I highly doubt he can stack and shed blocks.
- Longacre's injury is nothing to sneeze at (might throw out your back . We definitely need to find some depth at OLB and FA pickings look slim. I could see us possibly bringing back Barwin actually as his production wasn't that far off from even an Aaron Lynch. Draft is where we got to pick some guys up here.

I'm just gonna go back to the last two iterations of his defense:

Wade Phillips ILBs:

Denver:
Danny Trevathan 6th rnd
Brandon Marshall 5th rnd
Todd Davis Undrafted
Andra Davis 5th rnd

Houston:
Brian Cushing 1st rnd
Darryl Sharpton 4th rnd
Tim Dobbins 5th rnd
Keyaron Fox 3rd rnd
Jo Mayes 6th rnd

I'm sure this isn't an exhaustive list of the LBs he used in the last two defenses but I think I've hit on most of the starters. Please add any I've missed. I would argue though that we will not look to fill ILB with a high end draft pick or a big FA ILB pickup. My guess is that we may pick up an ILB in the second wave of FA (per Bonsignore) or grab a few ILB's late in the draft.

This is a separate post but my guess is they keep Barron for his leadership in the linebacker room and ability when healthy. Honestly, if the guy could keep healthy, I think he's a star for us at that weak-ILB spot. It's simply due to his health and ability to hold up that I'd consider cutting him.

Sure, if some crazy good ILB is there in the 1st, I guess the Rams take a look but my guess is that all things being equal they take a similarly rated player at 23 at another position of need (say OLB - which will be hard to fill in FA or later in the draft) or look to trade down if ILB is the BPA at 23.

Just some Sat morning thoughts m'boys!

I'm just gonna go back to the last two iterations of his defense:

Wade Phillips ILBs:

Denver:
Danny Trevathan 6th rnd
Brandon Marshall 5th rnd
Todd Davis Undrafted
Andra Davis 5th rnd

Houston:
Brian Cushing 1st rnd
Darryl Sharpton 4th rnd
Tim Dobbins 5th rnd
Keyaron Fox 3rd rnd
Jo Mayes 6th rnd

I'm sure this isn't an exhaustive list of the LBs he used in the last two defenses but I think I've hit on most of the starters. Please add any I've missed. I would argue though that we will not look to fill ILB with a high end draft pick or a big FA ILB pickup. My guess is that we may pick up an ILB in the second wave of FA (per Bonsignore) or grab a few ILB's late in the draft.

This is a separate post but my guess is they keep Barron for his leadership in the linebacker room and ability when healthy. Honestly, if the guy could keep healthy, I think he's a star for us at that weak-ILB spot. It's simply due to his health and ability to hold up that I'd consider cutting him.

Sure, if some crazy good ILB is there in the 1st, I guess the Rams take a look but my guess is that all things being equal they take a similarly rated player at 23 at another position of need (say OLB - which will be hard to fill in FA or later in the draft) or look to trade down if ILB is the BPA at 23.

Just some Sat morning thoughts m'boys!

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...window-and-are-aggressively-pursuing-a-title/

The Rams identified a Super Bowl window and are aggressively pursuing a title

Success is cyclical in the NFL and Super Bowl windows are short. Just ask the Seattle Seahawks, who saw what was just a few years ago the best core of players in the NFL dissipate before their very eyes this offseason. Seattle pried open a half-decade-long opportunity to secure titles thanks in large part to smart drafting and aggressive free agency moves, but also largely because it had franchise quarterback Russell Wilson on a cheap rookie contract.

Now the Los Angeles Rams are taking that mantle and running with it, trying to seize their window.

The Rams changed their identity almost wholesale last offseason by replacing Jeff Fisher with Sean McVay, an NFL coaching wunderkind who injected life into the Rams offense. Wade Phillips was his usual defensive revelation self when he arrives in a new landing spot. Everything the Rams did worked, from grabbing multiple Bills wide receivers to signing Andrew Whitworth in free agency.

It all culminated in an incredible 2017 season that saw the Rams upend the NFC West, win the division and host a playoff game. They would lose to the Falcons, but it became obvious they were part of a changing guard in the NFC. L.A. isn't sitting on its laurels either, spending the offseason at the center of an aggressive trade market, swinging a deal to send Robert Quinn out of town and a pair of deals to bring in cornerbacks Marcus Petersand Aqib Talib.

What's become obvious is that, following the 2017 season, GM Les Snead and McVay let the smoke clear, looked around and saw a serious window of opportunity for the Rams to take hold of the NFC West and aggressively pursue a Super Bowl run.

For starters, the division flipped overnight.

The Seahawks not-really dynasty is dead, with Seattle trading Michael Bennett, releasing Richard Sherman and expected to move on from Kam Chancellor and Cliff Avril. The Legion of Boom is no more and we don't know what the Seahawks will look like in 2018. Even if you trust John Schneider and Pete Carroll (and I do), it's impossible to have the same expectations as years past. The defense is hemorrhaging major talent, and there is no clear-cut answer to the offensive line woes.

The Cardinals don't have a quarterback on their roster. They'll find one, and they'll still be competitive because of Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson and an underrated defense. But it appears we're seeing the end of Tyrann Mathieu in Arizona too; the changeover from Bruce Arians to Steve Wilks isn't guaranteed to be smooth.

The 49ers solved their quarterback problem by trading for Jimmy Garoppolo and everyone is extremely high on San Francisco. It's understandable, but it might be premature. There's no guarantee the 49ers are magically a 10-win season next year.

It should be obvious, but the Rams are by far and away the front-runners for this division in 2018 barring something very surprising (Drew Brees to the Cardinals?) happening.

Secondly, they recognized a clear trend for NFL teams to succeed in the modern NFL: the underpaid franchise quarterback.

We just saw it happen with the Eagles and Carson Wentz, even though their star QB suffered a season-ending injury late in the year (coincidentally, against the Rams). Philadelphia drafted Wentz second overall in 2015, which means he's still on a cheap, four-year rookie contract, with a fifth-year option coming. The Eagles could invest heavily in other areas of their roster because the economic efficiency of Wentz on the roster was so high. He came at a paltry cost relative to the salary cap for his production.

Sound familiar? It should, because the Seahawks won a Super Bowl several years ago that way as well. When Seattle snared Russell Wilson in the third round and inserted him as a productive starter out of the box, they were able to build around him and aggressively invest in other areas of the roster knowing Wilson came at an extremely cheap cost.

The Rams are in the exact same position right now with Goff. Look at this graph from Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Stats, detailing the percentage of cap space each NFL club's quarterback currently takes up.

All of those teams at the bottom have found their franchise quarterback, in one form or another. Goff might not turn into a Hall of Famer, but he showed in 2017 he is a more than capable starter. He could be great -- we just don't know for sure. He can engineer McVay's offense at a high enough level to produce big numbers and win football games. At the very least, he looks like an above-average starter in the NFL.

Even though he was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Goff is still dirt cheap in terms of salary-cap space.

The Rams, with the cap leaping another $10 million this offseason, are able to be aggressive as a result. They could have held onto Quinn if they needed because of the wiggle room they had. Instead they flipped him for picks.

Tagging LaMarcus Joyner was a no-brainer, and now the addition of Talib and Peters gives Phillips a whole lot of aggressive defensive backs to work with in his defense. Los Angeles is going to be dangerous on both sides of the ball next year, and that's before we see what they can do in free agency and the draft.

Landing a quarterback, finding the right coach and putting building blocks around them was the first step. But the Rams just got handed a huge opportunity thanks to the rest of the NFC West being forced to churn their rosters and/or identify new personnel to help them succeed.

The window for the Rams to make a run is wide open, and they are taking advantage in a big way already this offseason.

www.behindthesteelcurtain.com

It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers are showing some interest in Tavon Austin. Not sure if they will trade for him.

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Looking at FA LBers to fill the void in leadership left by Ogletree and Quinn, plus I think he could be a good fit.

Dan Patrick: “The Rams Will Be a Legitimate Super Bowl Team” –Video

Dan Patrick: The Rams Will Be a Legitimate Super Bowl Team this year. This is a Rams team not staying put.

Watch Patrick Talk Rams

Why the Rams Are Shedding Defensive Players –Video

The Alec Olgetree and Robert Quinn departures leave holes in the Los Angeles Rams’ defense. However, the moves free up money to sign Aaron Donald to a long-term deal. SI.com’s Andrew Brandt breaks it down.

Watch Brandt Talk Rams Moves

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2018/...pears-with-possible-drugs-in-viral-video.html

Odell Beckham Jr. appears with possible drugs in viral video

New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was not making any winning catches on Friday.

A viral video that circulated on social media Friday night appeared to show Beckham lying in bed with a brown cigarette in his hand, the New York Post reported.

The NFL star was talking to a young woman sitting beside him who appeared to be holding a credit card near lines of a white substance. A pepperoni pizza, which appeared to be untouched, was also caught in the video.

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Beckham was heard saying to the woman, “Trying to get you to sleep with someone.”

The video, which was taken on the popular messaging app Snapchat, showed a woman turning the camera to herself with a filter covering most of her face.

The Giants said they were “aware of the video’s existence” but did not comment more.

It was not immediately clear when the video was taken and if Beckham is the person involved.

The video comes at a crucial time for Beckham, 25, who is looking for a multimillion-dollar extension to his NFL contact. He is playing his last year on his rookie contract with the Giants where he is guaranteed to make $8.5 million.

The wide receiver was reportedly looking for a long-term contract extension around worth around $100 million, NJ.com reported.

However, Beckham’s successful NFL career has not been without controversy.

The NFL star came under fire in January 2017 after it was reported that he and other members of the team went out partying a few days before a playoff game. Pop star Justin Bieber was also reportedly in attendance.

The team lost that playoff game to the Green Bay Packers and Beckham punched a hole outside the locker room’s wall out of frustration following the loss. Former General Manager Jerry Reese said the NFL star “needed to grow up."

• 2018 NFL FREE AGENCY
  
• NFL

The cost of franchising a WR is keeping teams from committing to good players

A windfall of money for wide receivers in 2015 is still affecting the market three years later.
By Adam Stites Updated Mar 9, 2018, 3:51pm ESTSHARE
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
When the franchise tag deadline came Tuesday, the biggest surprises were the players who didn’t receive the tag rather than the few who did. Among those who are less than a week from becoming a free agent are wide receivers Allen Robinson of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Sammy Watkins of the Los Angeles Rams.

The only receiver to get the tag was Jarvis Landry of the Miami Dolphins, but that was little more than a tactic to facilitate a trade.

There were perfectly sound reasons for the Jaguars, Rams and Dolphins to shy away from diving into long-term, pricy deals with each receiver. Robinson tore his ACL in 2017, Watkins caught just 39 passes, and Landry predominantly lines up in the slot, which negatively affects his value.

If the franchise tag was a more affordable price, all three of those receivers likely wouldn’t be going anywhere. But at $15.982 million, the cost of franchise tagging a receiver is chasing teams away.

That number was much more affordable just a few years ago, but launched through the roof when several pass catchers cashed in big in 2015.

The 2015 offseason was very good to receivers
Both Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas received the franchise tag in 2015 when it was valued at $12.8 million. Hours before the July deadline for a multi-year deal, Bryant and Thomas got nearly identical five-year, $70 million extensions.

In the next couple months, Julio Jones received a five-year, $71.25 million extension and A.J. Green signed a four-year, $60 million extension.

Nearly three years later, those deals are still among the highest-paying deals for wide receivers. Only eight contracts at the position average at least $14 million per year and four were signed in 2015.

But the windfall of money for receivers that offseason launched the franchise tag price from $12.8 million to $14.599 million in 2016. The more than 14.1 percent increase is the second biggest jump for a position in the last three years, behind only a 22.2 percent increase for defensive tackles between 2015 and 2016 — thanks mostly to Ndamukong Suh.




It ultimately set the price for the franchise tag at a place few receivers are actually worth. Especially after another jump of more than $1 million between 2016 and 2017.

Players dictate the prices
In the last three years, larger percentages of teams’ salary cap spending has been allocated to keeping quarterbacks. Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers became the highest-paid player in NFL history in February, taking the title from Matthew Stafford who took it from Derek Carr who took it from Andrew Luck and so on and so forth.

But wide receiver contracts haven’t kept up because there just haven’t been many players with the ability and production to warrant a huge pay day like Bryant, Thomas, Jones and Green all did in 2015.

In 2017, Antonio Brown and DeAndre Hopkins received the first two contracts for wide receivers to eclipse an average of $16 million per season.

The second tier of wide receiver contracts has paid players such as T.Y. Hilton, Alshon Jeffery and Doug Baldwin between $11-13 million per year. It’s a group consisting of productive, No. 1 receivers that are worth paying, but aren’t quiet among the elite, upper echelon group at the position.

The concerns surrounding Robinson, Watkins and Landry put them in that group.

At other positions — like defensive end and cornerback — the franchise tag has been a worthwhile option to keep second-tier players. At receiver, the pay gap has scared teams away.

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers committed to Mike Evans in a big way with a five-year, $82.5 million deal. It’s the second-highest contract for a wide receiver behind only Brown.

With Odell Beckham Jr. among the other young receivers approaching the end of their rookie contracts, the franchise tag may soon be a reasonable option again to keep wide receivers. But for now, that number is still higher than the Jaguars, Rams or Dolphins were willing to commit to the position.

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https://www.whittierdailynews.com/2...that-knows-its-on-cusp-of-super-bowl/?src=rss

Bonsignore: Aggressive Rams acting like team that knows it’s on cusp of Super Bowl

By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: March 9, 2018 at 2:17 pm | UPDATED: March 9, 2018 at 3:38 pm

The best track and field coaches will tell you races begin long before the actual gun goes off. Training. Mental preparation. Strategic planning. All of those lead-up factors play a major role in the eventual outcome. And while no race is ever won before it actually starts, many have certainly been lost.

Clearly, the Rams are trying to avoid the latter.

And they are doing it by acting every bit like a franchise situated in the second-biggest market in the country, one that genuinely believes it’s on the cusp of Super Bowl contention and is confident in the leadership and culture in place to add difference-making players with the kind of bold, combustible personalities that sometimes accompany them.

The new league year doesn’t technically begin for another five days, but when the gun sounds to set off free agency and the opportunity for teams to reshape their rosters and fill needs and better position themselves for the 2018 season, the work general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay and Vice President of Football Operations Kevin Demoff have put in prior to the actual frenzy has already given them a major leg up on the process of building off last year’s surprising 11-5 season.

The Rams are thinking big.

Like Super Bowl big.

And they are doing so with a level of intelligence and calculation often lacking when teams take big, mighty swings for the fences only to be undone by their own aggressiveness.

The Rams are being bold and smart. That’s a fine line that often gets crossed.

By agreeing to trade for Chiefs and Broncos Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Taliband trading away linebackers Robert Quinn and Alec Ogletree and using their franchise tag to guarantee the return of safety Lamarcus Joyner, the Rams have already addressed a major area of need while preserving the financial flexibility to do even more.

Peters and Talib provide Wade Phillips with two critical components for his 3-4 defense: A pair of elite cornerbacks whose coverage skills will create more opportunities for the front seven to pressure the quarterback. And they make as much money combined (about $12 million) as it likely would have cost to retain free agent to be Trumaine Johnson by himself.

Meanwhile, both are under contract for the next two seasons on their base salaries. To put that in perspective, just imagine what it would cost in salary and signing bonuses to reel in players of Peters’ or Talib’s caliber on the open market. Let alone two.

Yes, both come with big personalities and emotional levels that sometimes need checking, but the Rams believe they have the necessary leadership in place to manage them accordingly.

Joyner’s return keeps intact a young, effective safety pairing — along with John Johnson — equally adept in pass coverage and run support. Throw in former Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Shields, who is returning to football after sitting out all last year recovering from multiple concussions, and the Rams have the foundation of a dominant secondary.

Maybe even the best in football.

And while trading away Quinn and Ogletree is certainly a net loss in the locker room and, to some extent, defensive production, neither were ideal fits in the 3-4 scheme, and their departures preserve salary cap flexibility while increasing the Rams draft arsenal.

When all the dust settles once the trades are officially recorded — and the likely release of veteran wide receiver Tavon Austin is added — the Rams will have a shade under $40 million in cap space, and ten picks in the upcoming draft.

Think about that for a second: The Rams have already dramatically improved their secondary — an area that required the most attention this offseason — and increased their draft picks by one, while remaining net neutral on cap space. They have just as much money to spend under the cap as they anticipated, only with far less needs to address.

No longer in need of another cornerback to play opposite Johnson — or two if he left as a free agent — the Rams can focus on finding replacements for Quinn and Ogletree and beefing up the interior of their defensive line either in free agency or through the draft.



And keep in mind there are young players on the current roster they believe are ready to step in as starters. Samson Ebukam and Cory Littleton will be in the mix at outside linebacker and inside linebacker after both flashed last season in their first and second years.

Most importantly, they have the flexibility to match any prudent contract offer free agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins might get on the open market (provided it isn’t an irresponsible overpay) and, peeking ahead down the line this year and beyond, they are well positioned to retain core players Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Jared Goff and Peters on eventual long-term deals.

The Rams are acting big — and shrewd — all right.

And the race hasn’t even started.

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy not to have to wake up having my mind blown for the umpteenth day in a row.

Still, feels weird now. Like it might be a normal day after surviving a hurricane...

I’m gonna make a coffee and try to sort all this out.

We didn’t make a blockbuster trade or signing last night. *deep breath*

Wonders will never cease...

In the 68th episode of the podcast Jake is joined by Joe Curley to make sense of an unbelievable week for the Los Angeles Rams. The two discuss the pros and cons in depth then Jake gives you his Draft prospect spotlight. Auburn Safety & Rams fan Tray Matthews (53:27) joins the show!

Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/user/downtownrams/dtr-podcast-68


iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast...s-franchise/id1233567831?i=1000405001756&mt=2

With the need of a pass rusher, even though he’s getting up there in age, I wonder if we pick him up? If I remember correctly he played for Wade in Denver, just throwing it out there, as I haven’t seen it posted yet...

Thoughts? Enlighten me if he’s terrible now, I didn’t watch him play last year, 9ers fans don’t seem too happy they didn’t keep him though

I just ran across this & thought it might be interesting to the forum. Its about a month old. I hated to see Dom go down again in TC last year. I have no ideal if the Rams will bring him back. I would hope he would join back with the Rams @ a econo price but there is no reason to do that if he gets better offers elsewhere.

By: Cameron DaSilva | February 14, 2018
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...-rams-dominique-easley-recovery-knee-running/

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Dominique Easley was supposed to be a huge part of the Rams’ defense in 2017 after putting together a strong season one year prior. He played all 16 games for the first time in his career, recording 35 tackles and 3.5 sacks despite not starting a single game.

Unfortunately, he suffered yet another knee injury, tearing his ACL in the Rams’ first full practice of training camp. He, of course, missed the entire season, and now he’s set to be a free agent. It’s hard to know what the Rams will do with him this offseason, but he’s on the road to recovery.

Easley posted a video of himself running at the Rams’ facility Tuesday, showing he’s well into the rehab process.Easley would be a nice rotational player on the Rams’ defensive line, joining Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. Of course, that’s only if he can stay healthy, which is a big question at this point in his career.He’s played just 38 games in four seasons, so durability is a major concern.