Hear me out.

Haven’t been for quite some time, actually.

They’ve been negotiating with the respective agents. The agents are committed to maximizing their clients contracts and neither is in a big rush. Time is certainly on their side.

I hope that we posters understand the distinction because it’s a huge one.

So, it behooves us to be patient right now because these wheels can grind very slowly.

Take Joyner, for example. He’s tagged so the whole world knows what he’s gonna earn until and unless he agrees to an extension. There are big advantages for him with an extension, not the least of which is the g-jack which provides injury insurance. There are others, as well, but what’s the rush? Camp isn’t until July same as his negotiation deadline. If it had been strictly up to Joyner I think that he would have signed long ago. But he was smart enough to listen to his agent. As a result, he will make millions more.

My larger point is that the respective agents for our various UFA’s have a different agenda than the Rams or we fans. Expect some time consuming and difficult negotiations over the next few months. They know that the Rams want to keep their core intact. And that the playoff window is now open and the Rams want to take full advantage. Lastly, they also know that Demoff has wisely maintained considerable cap room and each agent wants his fair share (and then some). All this will take time.

As an aside, this trend is more problematic on a team such as the Rams with so many talented UFA’s coming up every year. A nice problem to have, as McVay said, but still...

Excellent drafting is necessary to keep the pipeline full with incoming future starters that ensure inexpensive alternatives to these expensive FA auctions each year. Sigh...

if Sammy is already starting with " I thought I did a good job" "it's just a business" blah blah blah those comments indicate to me he took it personally another season with the Rams under a franchise tag is very good cause he gets to stay with a winning team or a team on the rise but raises his price tag automatically regardless of his season basically like tru......but now that there was no tag my gut tells me he will bolt to the highest bidder for the cash as well as his feelings are hurt. So we might as well start throwing that Pitty party for Sammy as I believe he is gone. Now onto Robinson I think a prove it deal to him or even a bridge type deal would be a better option injury or not they are both injury prone regardless but Robinson is a good deep threat and to me a better route runner and most importantly better at the jump balls I think it would make goff better instantly. He might come cheaper and he has never really had a qb and still put up some very good seasons. Thoughts?????

Sory that I have been less active this year but school takes up most of my time. I'm sure draft trades will happen, but with all the variables they are hard to project for mock purposes so I'll leave them out. Long winded as usual, but I hope it sparks some discussion about players that haven't been talked up on the board. As always I try to post some of their tape when available, so people can see their skills with their own eyes. Tear it up!

Mark Barron (-$7m): Personally I think would keep him over Ogletree because of his ability to cover and his fit in today's NFL, but it doesn't seem like the Rams agree with me. I don't see the Rams spending big on his replacement in terms of capital in Free Agency or the draft. The Rams project to have an expensive defense and they can save some money with Littleton or a mid-round rookie. I'm higher on Littleton than most. He has started games every year of his career and just makes plays whenever he gets to play in the preseason or regular season through sacks, forced fumbles, interceptions, punt blocks etc. Let's not forget Littleton is a natural edge rusher and is just scraping the surface as an off the ball LB

Tavon Austin (-$3m): duh


Sammy Watkins WR, Rams (1yr/$10m): Doesn't have $10m stats, but he has at least $10m talent and that sort of impact on the Rams. I imagine this deal being like the incentive-laden deal Alshon Jeffrey signed last offseason. Taylor Gabriel and John Brown are names to look at if the Rams cant get something done. Both would be good fits with their speed platooning with Reynolds who would replace Watkins size and red zone ability.

Bashaud Breeland, CB, Redskins (4yr/$10m): CB core with Breeland and Peters two CBs who are allegedly hard to deal with? Good thing the Rams have the Breeland whisperer on their coaching staff in Aubrey Pleasant. Pleasant's and Breeland's relationship runs deep. Breeland used to watch hours of film with Pleasant when he was just a quality control coach and word is Plesant was the only guy who could reach him. Barry and McVay also have experience with him as members of the Skins staff. From a football perspective, he is a great compliment to Peters. Where the CBs line up will be matchup dependent, but it helps that Breeland spends most of his time at RCB while Peters plays on the left like Tru and Talib. Breeland is also at his best in press man while Peters plays more off, so they compliment each other in that way as well.

Junior Galette, EDGE, Redskins (2yr/$4m): Another guy with a ton of connections to the Rams staff. Bill Johnson was his DL coach in his best years with the Saints and Barry and McVay were on the team that brought him in before his Achilles. Coming off two Achilles injuries Galette still had a pretty good year. At the least, he gives the Rams a designated pass rusher and someone they can rotate in at OLB.

Nickell Robey-Coleman, CB, Rams (3yr/$3.5m): The final piece of a potentially elite secondary.

John Sulivan, C, Rams (2yr/$2.5m): Rams need to start developing his replacement, but he can still play and his veteran presence is crucial

Tenders to: Troy Hill, Matt Longacre, Malcolm Brown
1. Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College
Login to view embedded media Landry fits the profile of a Wade Phillips edge rusher to a tee. At this stage of his career, he kind of wins like a younger Robert Quinn because his go-to move uses his elite speed, bend, and quickness off the edge. Unlike Quinn he has some experience dropping in coverage, playing standing up, and is equally as effective playing on the left or right side of the line. When healthy Landry is an edge rushing beast and the Rams are lucky they get him at 23 coming off a down injury ridden 2017 season. I think he starts immediately at WOLB

3. Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF
Login to view embedded media Talked up Littleton just to draft his replacement? Not necessarily, Griffin is moveable chess piece who can fill many roles in Phillips defense. Griffin plays with a great motor and you can tell he watches hours of film, but what truly makes him special is his acceleration. He closes on ball carriers like a missile and brings bad intentions. Sometimes he closes too fast and he overruns the play, but he is still disruptive. With his elite acceleration, I can see him playing ILB, OLB, even box safety depending on the situation. Wade has said in the past "the really good ones can accelerate" so I'm sure he will find snaps for Griffin. That closing speed was on display all game against Snead's Alma matter where he was used as a pass rusher and a spy on the QB. Additionally, when Keyshawn asked Snead on the radio who he was looking forward seeing to even before his incredible workout Snead mentioned he wanted to shake Griffin's hand because it was inspirational how he turned his disability into a strength. Stars are lining up on this one and he plays his twin twice a year.

4. Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hayes State
Login to view embedded media Many people on the board have advocated for spending significant resources at NT. I couldn't disagree more. IMO as currently constructed NT is the least valuable starter on the roster. Rams rotate their DL and don't play the NT all 3 downs, so the starting of NTs only play 20-30 snaps by far the lowest snap percentage of any starting position and fewer than some backups. Maybe you could justify a third interior lineman playing more passing snaps, but that guy is playing behind Brockers and Donald. Fox and Westbrooks are underrated depth pieces who deserve snaps as well. What the Rams really need is a guy to come in and play a role. Now that nose tackle rant is over on to Shepherd. In his short time in the senior bowl before he was injured Shepherd showed he could hang playing at a higher level. Shepherd is raw, but powerful and can 1 and 2 gap. If he reaches his ceiling Wade can use him how he used Jay Ratliff in Dallas. I could see him going earlier, but he is an older prospect which isn't a good combo with how raw he is. He situation and frame remind me of David Onyemataa and Akiem Hicks two big strong, athletic small school DTs that DL Coach Bill Johnson coached into solid starters.

5. Geron Christian, OT, Louisville
Login to view embedded media By now everyone should know there is very little long-term stability on the Rams OL. Christian is a bit of a project, but Snead and Kroemer seem to like what Louisville does with their OL. In Louisville's system, their tackles get experience on both sides of the line, which is good for the Rams who need a swing tackle. Even if Christian cant develop into something more than a swing tackle this pick will be worthwhile since swing tackle is probably one of the most important depth positions.

6. Colby Gossett, OG, Appalachian State
Login to view embedded media Gossett is a big guy with power who can move. Exactly what the Rams look for in their OL.

6. Marquez Carter, RB, Grambling State
Login to view embedded media I could see the Rams selecting an explosive compliment RB to Gurley as soon as round 3. McVay has mentioned several times keeping Gurley fresh, so RB is an underrated need. Dunbar couldn't stay healthy long enough to make an impact and Tavon wasn't a perfect fit there either. Carter gives McVay a Chris Thompson like talent who has the speed, explosiveness, and quickness to to impact the game out of the backfield as a receiving and running compliment to Gurley.

6. Desmond Harrison, OT, West Georgia
Login to view embedded media Harrison has a lot of talent, but also alot of baggage. I'm projecting him as the 10th lineman, so he may not make the final 53. At the least, his talent is worth developing as a member of the practice squad.

6. Dejon Allen, OL, Hawaii

Allen played all along the line, most recently tackle where he was one of the better pass protectors in college football. At 6'2 295 he is moving inside in the nfl. He has the movement skills to play either center or guard in the rams zone scheme.

QB: Goff, Mannion, Allen
RB: Gurley, Carter, Brown
X WR: Watkins, Thomas
Z WR: Woods, Reynolds
Y WR: Kupp, Cooper
LT: Whitworth, Christian
LG: Saffold, Allen
C: Sullivan, Blythe
RG: Brown, Gossett
RT: Havenstein, Harrison

DE: Brockers, Fox
NT: Westbrooks, Shepherd
DT: Donald, Smart
SLB: Ebukam, Galette
MIKE: Ogletree, Hager
MO: Littleton, Griffin
WLB: Landry, Longacre, Price
LCB: Peters, Robey-Coleman, Peterson
RCB: Breeland, Hill, Webster
FS: Joyner, Countess
SS: Johnson, Christian

....notification from nfl.com

Plus Ogletree might be playing out of position. So you might say that Wade has 4 1/2 “holes”.

Assuming that Joyner is extended and the other outside CB is filled with either a vet FA, my proposed Talib trade, or premium draft pick, plus an NRC extension? Well, then our secondary would be beyond solid. I mean, it would be excellent, including MP and JJ.

But that front 7? Got some work to do there, y’all.

NT
Both OLB spots
Barron looks like an oft injured non scheme fit for Wade’s D. Quinn was traded, in part, because he was a kinda non fit, himself. Sooooo...
Ogletree might fit better in Barron’s current spot.

That’s a pretty big to-do list even for a DC like Wade. Challenging, but doable if S&M are willing to commit resources to those 4 positions.

I sense, based upon the already made MP and Quinn moves, that S&M are fully committed to “finishing” Wade’s D. I mean, All In committed. I’m predicting 4 new faces as starters on our front 7 plus that position switch for Ogletree.

How’s that for ballsy? Lol.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/3/6/17083438/nfl-best-free-agents-at-every-position-2018

The Best NFL Free Agent at Every Position
Here are the names you should know before football’s offseason spending spree begins next week
By Danny Kelly

The March 14 start to NFL free agency is just around the bend, and with a league-wide surplus in salary cap space (there are 21 teams currently projected to have more than $20 million to work with this offseason), bidding wars on the top players set to hit the open market could get intense.

Spending aggressively in free agency is always a risky venture, but as we saw last year, using big bucks on outside talent has the power to transform a team and change the complexion of the league.

Just ask the Jaguars, who went from a punchline to a contender after inking game-changing defenders A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell to mammoth deals last March; or the Eagles, who picked up a playmaking no. 1 receiver in Alshon Jeffery en route to their first Super Bowl; or the Rams, who signed elite left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who helped quarterback Jared Goff put together a breakout year.

This year’s crop of free agents could similarly shift the balance of the league, so let’s take a look at the best available player at each position. We’ll exclude locks for the franchise tag. This isn’t a list of players who will provide the best value, either. These are the big-money free agents with the most potential to make an impact on the league in 2018.

Quarterback: Kirk Cousins, Redskins
Yeah, Drew Brees is technically a free agent, but he’s not going to be playing for anyone but the Saints next year.

That makes Cousins the easy choice for top quarterback of this free agent class. While I wouldn’t rank him among the truly elite at the position, Cousins has posted top-10 numbers in many of the key passing categories over the past three years, and in 2017 he finished seventh in passing yards (4,093), eighth in touchdown throws (27), tied for ninth in yards per attempt (7.6), and put together four game-winning drives—tied for most among quarterbacks.

Cousins is durable, competitive, and dynamic—capable of playing from the pocket, throwing on the run, and working all three levels of the field as a passer. Signal-callers of Cousins’s quality rarely hit free agency. He’s the type of player who could turn a cellar dweller into a playoff team, or a contender into a Super Bowl squad.

Runners-up: Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, and Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings; Josh McCown, Jets

Running Back: Dion Lewis, Patriots
Barring a last-minute contract extension, Le’Veon Bell’s going to get franchise-tagged for the second straight year. That leaves Lewis as the best of a talented group of running backs set to hit free agency.

The 27-year-old landed New England in 2015 and quickly established himself in the running back rotation. After two injury-shortened seasons, he broke out in 2017 as the team’s bell cow, averaging 5.0 yards per carry on a career-high 180 totes, totaling 896 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, he finished second among all running backs in Football Outsiders DVOA(value per play), first in DYAR (total value), and fourth in success rate.

Lewis is slippery in the open field and runs with surprising power for a player listed at 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds: He forced 42 forced missed tackles on the year (good for fifth league wide, tied with Marshawn Lynch) per Pro Football Focus, averaging 3.2 yards after contact per rush (fourth)—and of all running backs who played at least 50 percent of their team’s snaps, he ranked first in the NFL in PFF’s Elusive Rating. Oh, and he didn’t fumble the ball once.

Lewis wasn’t featured as a pass-catching back in New England’s scheme in 2017, reeling in 32 passes for 214 yards and three scores, but he’s efficient and capable as a receiver out of the backfield. Running back committees consisting of a handful of specialized players are more common these days, but a guy like Lewis, who plays on all three downs and does a little of everything, can be a major upgrade to an offense looking to disguise its intentions or play up-tempo, no-huddle football.

Runners-up: Carlos Hyde, 49ers; Isaiah Crowell, Browns; Jerick McKinnon, Vikings; LeGarrette Blount and Darren Sproles, Eagles

Wide Receiver: Allen Robinson, Jaguars
Teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to place the franchise tag on impending free agents. Usually, a 24-year-old über-athletic deep threat with size and speed like Robinson would be a prime candidate for that tag—except it’s looking likeJacksonville may let him hit the open market.

If he becomes a free agent, Robinson will be the highest-upside option in an intriguing and deep receiver class. There’s reason for concern, sure: Robinson had a down year in 2016 and tore his ACL in 2017. But in 2015, Robinson caught 80 passes for 1,400 yards and tied for the league lead with 14 touchdowns. Robinson’s still just 24 years old, and he could easily return to a Pro Bowl level. A downfield threat like him could transform an offense for years to come.

Runners-up: Sammy Watkins, Rams; Marqise Lee, Jaguars; Paul Richardson, Seahawks; Danny Amendola, Patriots; Albert Wilson, Chiefs; Terrelle Pryor, Redskins; Jordan Matthews, Bills

Tight End: Jimmy Graham, Seahawks
Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, who’s younger and more explosive and offers more as a pass catcher up the seam than Graham, was a tempting option for this spot, but Eifert’s heath is still a major question mark. Eifert is coming off back surgery and has missed 22 games over the past two seasons. That gives Graham, who hasn’t missed a game in the past two years, the edge.

The 31-year-old former Seahawk wasn’t much of a factor between the 20s last year, averaging a career-low 9.1 yards per reception, but by employing a combination of size and body control was unstoppable inside the 10-yard line, leading all tight ends with 10 touchdowns. In the right system and with the right quarterback—back in New Orleans with Brees, for instance, it’s easy to imagine Graham going for double-digit scores again in 2018.

Runners-up: Tyler Eifert, Bengals; Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jets; Trey Burton, Eagles

Offensive Tackle: Nate Solder, Patriots
Solder is the most experienced, durable, and dependable left tackle on the market—it’s not close—and the soon-to-be 30-year-old veteran is due for a big payday. Solder struggled in the early part of 2017, but locked down Tom Brady’s blind side as the year went on, allowing just one sack over the second half of the season and playoffs.

Runners-up: Justin Pugh, Giants (also plays guard); LaAdrian Waddle, Cameron Fleming, Patriots; Chris Hubbard, Steelers

Offensive Guard: Andrew Norwell, Panthers
Norwell was First-Team All-Pro at guard in 2017, and per Pro Football Focus, the 26-year-old was the only offensive lineman in the league (who played at least 50 percent of his team’s snaps) to not surrender a sack or quarterback hit all year. Which … just … holy crap! He pass-blocked on 564 snaps! Here’s my analysis: Norwell is good. Look for him to get a massive long-term deal and provide an immediate upgrade to his new team’s line.

Runners-up: Jack Mewhort, Colts; Josh Sitton, Bears

Center: Weston Richburg, Giants
Richburg played in just four games in 2017 after suffering a concussion early in October, so health is a concern for potential buyers. But with an ever-increasing infusion of super-athletic interior defensive linemen to the NFL, center may be more important now than ever before, and two seasons ago, Richburg was one of the best centers in football.

The former Giant registered a pass-blocking efficiency of 98.6 in 2016, per Pro Football Focus (fourth best, league-wide) surrendering just 11 pressures all year (fifth fewest). He’s bound to find himself a sizable market once free agency opens.

Runners-up: Ryan Jensen, Ravens; John Sullivan, Rams

Edge Rusher: Adrian Clayborn, Falcons
The free-agent edge rusher class is a relative barren wasteland, especially with the top two players who would have been available at this spot, Demarcus Lawrence and Ezekiel Ansah, both getting the franchise tag. That leaves two others vying for the top spot on this list, the 38-year-old Julius Peppers and the 29-year-old Clayborn, who gets the advantage here because he’s nearly a decade younger. Clayborn is probably the least sexy name on this list.

He also is the beneficiary of misleading numbers, at least when it comes to sacks: In 2017, he got 6.0 of his 9.5 sacks in one game. But Clayborn was a consistent factor for the Falcons in a rotational role last season, notching 54 pressures—one more than Jason Pierre-Paul generated, but on 157 fewer snaps.

Clayborn finished tied for 10th among 4-3 rushers in Pro Football Focus’s pass rush productivity metric (10.9), registering a better per-snap pressure rate than big-name rushers like Chandler Jones, Justin Houston, Jadeveon Clowney, Cameron Jordan, Myles Garrett, and Michael Bennett, just to name a few.

Runners-up: Julius Peppers, Panthers; Junior Galette and Trent Murphy, Redskins; Pernell McPhee, Bears

Defensive Lineman: Sheldon Richardson, Seattle Seahawks
Richardson finished tied for seventh among defensive tackles in PFF’s pass-rush productivity last year, ahead of guys like Ndamukong Suh, Grady Jarrett, and Dontari Poe. He racked up 28 quarterback hurries (12th among interior defensive linemen), seven quarterback hits (16th), one sack, one forced fumble, and one interception. Plus, he’s still just 27 years old, can play all along the defensive line, and is an excellent run defender.

Runners-up: Muhammad Wilkerson, Jets; Bennie Logan, Chiefs; Star Lotulelei, Panthers; Kyle Williams, Bills

Off-Ball Linebacker: Nigel Bradham, Eagles
There’s a handful of strong run-stuffing linebackers in this group, but for me, the edge goes to Bradham for his superior combination of experience, versatility (to play outside or in the middle), and chops as a coverage defender.

The 28-year-old graded out sixth among inside linebackers in coverage, per Pro Football Focus—and, over the past two seasons, showed that he can run with tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. It’s a passing league, and offenses are utilizing backs and tight ends more and more in the passing game. Defenses need middle-of-the-field coverage defenders like Bradham to counter that evolution.

Runners-up: Avery Williamson, Titans; Navorro Bowman, Raiders, Zach Brown, Redskins; Preston Brown, Bills; Todd Davis, Broncos; Tahir Whitehead, Lions

Safety: Lamarcus Joyner, Rams
After making the switch from nickel corner to full-time safety in 2017, Joyner thrived in Wade Phillips’s scheme, finishing third in coverage at that position per PFF, and surrendering just one touchdown in coverage all year. The 27-year-old former Seminole picked off three passes, deflected another five, and gave up a passer rating of just 31.8 on passes to his area (fourth best among safeties).

At 5-foot-8 and 184 pounds, Joyner isn’t a big-time physical force against the run, but he was dependable as a tackler, missing just three tackle attempts all year (tied for second among safeties who played at least 50 percent of their team’s snaps).

Joyner may end up getting tagged before Tuesday’s deadline, but top-tier coverage defenders are at a premium, and if he hits the open market, he’ll get plenty of interest.

Runners-up: Eric Reid, 49ers; Kenny Vaccaro, Saints; Morgan Burnett, Packers

Cornerback: Kyle Fuller, Bears
This year’s free-agent cornerback class is stacked, but Fuller still stands head and shoulders above the rest. The former first-rounder was thrown at a league-high 119 times in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. But the 26-year-old held his own, allowing just two touchdowns while finishing the year tied for second in the NFL with 22 passes defensed.

Fuller surrendered a passer rating of 69.0 to opposing quarterbacks (15th out of 84 qualifying corners who played 50 percent of snaps), and gave up a catch rate of just 51.3 percent (14th).

Runners-up (and there are many): Trumaine Johnson, Rams; Rashaan Melvin, Colts; Bashaud Breeland, Redskins; E.J. Gaines, Bills; Malcolm Butler, Patriots; Patrick Robinson, Eagles; Travis Carrie, Raiders; Brent Grimes, Buccaneers; Aaron Colvin, Jaguars; Prince Amukamara, Bears

Is there anyone worth moving up for in the first? What what you offer to move up?

Me is Vea. The Rams between FA and a good draft can cover almost all the needs of the Rams. We are on the verge of greatness. We have a very solid nucleus. Now is the time to get the great player to me trading up Max 5 spots is worth it to me . To me we come out 3 really good players in the draft we should be stoked.

Login to view embedded media View: https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/970811683970211840


That’s puts us at approximately $48 million in space. This is less than the early estimates of $184 million.

Figured we need a thread to discuss rumors and news since FA is coming in a week. I couldnt find one yet so I apologize if i missed it and mods can move this where it should be thanks.

CB Sam Shields visiting Rams on Tuesday

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/Michael_Cohen13/status/970756617808556037

Sam Shields visiting the Rams this week. He's a good player when healthy.

Will be on in minutes on NFLN.

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For his short film , Dear Basketball

And I see The Shape of Water won best picture , I wonder when the last time a monster movie won best picture

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I am. Most years I’m very anxious, but not this year.

Several reasons:

S&M convinced me last year that they definitely know what they’re doing during the offseason madness. We’re in very good hands.

I’m confidant that they will make smart decisions in FA which will enable them to just take BPA available from maybe 4 position groups. Child’s play compared to this time last year.

Clearly there will be quality players at our pick at #23. It’s just a matter of them choosing one.

So, I’m certainly interested in seeing how this all plays out. At least as much as in years past. But just not all that anxious because of my confidence in this regime.

What a great feeling...

Early reports on some tags.

Login to view embedded media View: https://mobile.twitter.com/uSTADIUM/status/970680555686780928

These are excerpts. To read the whole article click the link below.
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https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/03/05/nfl-combine-2018-news-josh-rosen-shaquem-griffin-mmqb-peter-king

Deciphering Josh Rosen: What the QB Has to Say for Himself at the NFL Combine
Josh Rosen works to set straight preconceived notions; Shaquem Griffin claims his spot atop every NFL draft risers list
By Peter King


Josh Rosen
ZACH BOLINGER/ICON SPORTSWIRE VIA GETTY IMAGES

INDIANAPOLIS — UCLA quarterback/lightning-rod Josh Rosen, unplugged, in a few moments. Then the story of the weekend, Shaquem Griffin. But first, news niblets from the lobbies and convention hall and bars:

• Barkleymania. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley put some distance between himself and the field for the best player in the draft. “He’s the best running back prospect I’ve seen in 25 years,” Saints coach Asshole Face told me. Another team, which had given only four draft prospects perfect grades in the last 20 years, told me Barkley is the fifth.

• Beware, Tannehill. Miami, picking 11th in the April draft, is looking hard at quarterbacks, and several people I spoke with here think it’s likely they’ll go quarterback in the first round. Word already leaked that Miami officials will dine with Baker Mayfield the night before his March 14 pro day. The night before a pro day is prime time for teams interested in a player, and the Mayfield camp surely believes Miami is a strong contender to pick him.

So what of Ryan Tannehill? In the immortal words of Bill Parcells, “I can only go by what I see.” Tannehill has missed the last 19 Dolphins games with injuries. By opening day this year it will have been 21 months since Tannehill played football. Adam Gase needs a challenger for Tannehill, and he needs him now.

• Goodbye, going-to-the-ground. “Going to the ground is going away.” That’s what I was told about the Competition Committee’s early study and deliberations over the NFL’s catch/no-catch rule. The committee had long meetings here, and more study is due before the committee briefs commissioner Roger Goodell on its recommendations on March 25 in Orlando, but the best chance—as of now—of a revised rule seems to be this: catch, two steps and doing something with the football that needs to be further defined.

After those three elements, if the player falls to the ground and the ball is jarred loose, it’s a catch. That would make the infamous Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson plays catches. The Jesse James play in Pittsburgh? A catch too, because he took two steps and turned to pierce the goal line with the ball. That would qualify, however it’s finally defined, as doing something with the football.

• Happy Hue. This comes from an executive with a historically reliable ear to the ground: Cleveland, with four picks in the top 35 of the draft, is still exceedingly interested in signing free-agent quarterback A.J. McCarron after the trade-deadline-day debacle last fall … and then backstopping him with a rookie quarterback in the draft. I’m hearing that’s coach Hue Jackson’s preference, having coached McCarron in Cincinnati as Bengals offensive coordinator.

• Just Joshing. Cute, embarrassing moment for a nice kid and good prospect. Wyoming QB Josh Allen, excited to meet a Hall of Fame quarterback during his meeting with the Dolphins, called Dan Marino “Mr. Elway.” Oops.

• Pensive Gronk. I’m told that as of now New England tight end Rob Gronkowski hasn’t made a decision about continuing his football career. And after 115 starry and injurious NFL games, he is no hurry to make one.

• Top 10? Asked several GMs/scouts/coaches for their top 10 in the draft as of today. Here’s the consensus, in an order close to this: Barkley, USC QB Sam Darnold, North Carolina State pass-rusher Bradley Chubb, Allen, Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield, UCLA QB Josh Rosen, Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson, Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State CB Denzel Ward, Georgia LB Roquan Smith.

• Bird droppings. The Eagles continue to be confident that Carson Wentz will be healthy enough after Dec. 13 knee surgery to play the Sept. 6 NFL opener, and have had at least one respectable (the word I hear to describe it) trade offer for Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles …

The Eagles got first- and fourth-round picks for Sam Bradford 17 months ago and feel Foles is better, so it’ll likely take at least that to pique their interest, and that’s likely not happening … Philly expects to lose defensive tackle Beau Allen, linebacker Nigel Bradham and tight end Trey Burton in free agency. The Eagles want Chris Long back, and Long intends to play another year in Philly.

• Love this story. Follow the bouncing compensatory draft pick:

March 13, 2017: Eagles sign Chiefs free-agent quarterback Nick Foles.
Feb. 4, 2018: Foles leads Eagles to Super Bowl 52 win, cops Super Bowl MVP.
Feb. 23, 2018: Chiefs awarded sixth-round compensatory pick, No. 209, for loss of Foles in free agency.
Feb. 23, 2018: Chiefs agree to trade 209th pick to Rams as part of Marcus Peters deal, but that trade can’t officially happen until the March 14 opening of the 2018 league year.
March 2, 2018: Rams agree to trade 209th pick to Dolphins as part of Robert Quinn trade, but that trade can’t officially happen until the Rams acquire the 209th pick from Kansas City, which can’t officially happen, obviously, until the March 14 opening of the league year.

To sum up: A pick that was invented because of the Super Bowl 52 MVP, a pick that did not exist until 10 days ago, was traded twice in a week.
-----------------------------------
DECIPHERING ROSEN

A big story at the combine: trying to divine the good, the bad, the ugly and the remotely important about UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.

I had never met Rosen before Saturday, but this is what I was led to believe listening to the proverbial NFL grapevine:

1. Football isn’t that important to him, because he’s a rich kid whose mom is the great-great-granddaughter of the founder of Penn’s prestigious Wharton School of Business, and whose dad is a renowned spinal surgeon, and who once put a hot tub in his college bedroom. Rich kids can’t have the same drive as lower-middle-class kids.

2. He’s a crappy leader, he questions authority, and his teammates roll their eyes at him.

3. He’s too smart for his own good.

When we met, I relayed a story to him that seemed relevant. In 2014 the Vikings were considering a number of players, including Johnny Manziel, with their first-round pick. A Minnesota contingent, led by coach Mike Zimmer, dined with Manziel during the decision-making process, and Zimmer asked him, in essence, If we pick you, I have to be convinced you’re not going to screw me. Can I trust you?

“What would you say if a coach looked into your eyes and asked you that?” I said.

“I would say, ‘I’m going to be the best decision you ever made,’” Rosen said, staring at me intently.

Good answer. After speaking to three coaches and two respected personnel people with an interest in quarterbacks in this draft, I can say this: Rosen helped his cause this weekend, both as a thrower of the football and in getting his point across that being well-rounded and smart is not poisonous to a football team. “Very smart,” said one coach. “Helped his cause. But will his teammates gravitate to him? And he’s not a very big kid—can he be good enough in the pocket and avoid sacks?”

But I also will say this: He’s not beloved, not like the more humble Sam Darnold of USC and Josh Allen of Wyoming. I just can’t tell if it’s because of the pre-combine NFL whisper campaign. I do think Rosen has work to do in the eight weeks left before the draft.

He has to convince teams with big quarterbacks needs—Cleveland, the Jets, the Giants, Arizona—and almost exclusively conservative team management—that he’d be a good fit with them and would be sufficiently all-football.

Rosen was pretty buttoned up during his 25 minutes with me on Saturday afternoon. When speaking with Pete Thamel—formerly of SI,now with Yahoo!—in 2016, he was outspoken (“I’m not going to pretend to be 50”) and a little snarky.

I’m not sure Rosen’s much different today than he was a couple of years ago. But there’s more at stake now. He’s still thoughtful and sincere, but maybe a little more calculating. It’s best for Rosen to be respectful. I asked him about what stood out from his meetings with teams in Indianapolis.

“Meeting John Elway and Dan Marino was pretty special,” he said. “It was cool to actually shake their hand and get to say hi to them in person. Just seeing these faces that you've only seen on TV actually become real people was really cool. I was sitting in the Giants meeting room, and I was saying, like, ‘Wow, Mr. Shurmur [Coach Pat Shurmur]. You look a lot like you do on TV.’

“In each room, with each team, you could kind of tell the team’s objective. Some people wanted to ask me about some of the things I have said on social media, like my hot tub and whatnot. Some people wanted to focus on that, and some people were like, hey, whatever, we want to know about football.

“I was never really bothered when anonymous people said that my teammates don’t like me, or I’m a selfish guy, or too smart. But if it persists after this, it might bother me a little bit, because these teams have actually met me now. If that narrative continues, then there might be some substance to it, and that would bother me, but up until this point it has all kind of been noise.”

You could see how annoyed Rosen was about the perception that affluence would soften his drive to be great, or cause him to quit at his first benching.

“This narrative has kind of taken off on its own,” he said. “My family is not buy-a-Ferrari-for-my-16th-birthday wealthy. I’ve just never had to worry about things that a lot of my teammates have. That’s why I love football so much. It’s exposed me to some of the disparities in this world.

“Using the point that I don’t have to play football is an indication to why I actually love the game so much. The fact that I have dedicated my heart and soul to this game that I may not financially need, I mean, I think that actually proves why I love this game so much. I am not forced to play it.

My family raised me incredibly academic. They are both Ivy League grads and take great pride in it, and I had to convince them to let me drop out of college because I want to pursue this at the absolute highest level, and it took some convincing but hopefully it will work out.”

Rosen’s different. Traditional NFL people will have to decide if they can get comfortable with him.

I hope Rosen is judged on his ability to play quarterback, not on what he might say or do or participate in aside from the 65 hours a week from August to January that he’ll need to spend on his craft. And I hope he’s judged on who he is when coaches and club officials meet him and dissect him in the coming weeks before the draft.

The 15-minute speed-dating sessions with quarterback-needy teams in Indianapolis (that’s the time teams have with players they choose to interview) can give a first impression, but no couple gets married after a 15-minute date. Same thing with Rosen. He’ll have time in the next eight weeks to try to convince a team in the top 10 to fall in love with him.

The right team is likely to find he’s more competitor than politician. He threw a beautiful, arcing, in-stride, 58-yard rainbow to the best receiver in the draft, Calvin Ridley, during the on-field portion of the Saturday workout on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf. When I asked him about the throw, he said, “Yeah, but I threw two absolutely abysmal balls. My gosh, those were awful.”

Rosen might be an enigma. But he also might more of a driven worker bee—just different—than you think when you stop listening to the whispers.
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AJ MAST VIA AP IMAGES

THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Coming into the NFL scouting combine, I don’t know a soul who thought that Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin, the 2016 American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year, would be the star of the show. But that started to happen on Saturday, when he attached his prosthetic left hand to the stump below where his forearm ended, clicked the prosthesis to the bar holding 225 pounds and began pressing. The bench press is a big part of the combine—proving how strong you are based on how many reps you can do.

“My goal was six reps,” Griffin said.

He did 20.

Griffin is a fast guy—quick enough to run the 40 in about 4.45 seconds, observers thought. On Sunday, he lined up for the 40 and ran a 4.38, the fastest by a linebacker in 15 years.

Griffin became the star of the combine the same way he became a standout player at Central Florida—by being a metronome, by never giving up, by proving that the left hand he had amputated at age 4 because of a congenital disease would not hold him back. And it didn’t. A marginal combine prospect who got a late invitation to be one of the 336 participants here, Griffin may have vaulted out of the sixth or seventh round to be a third- or fourth-round pick now.

The guy’s going to be an inspiration to whatever team picks him, first of all. He could be able to rush the passer as a sub-package player; as Pro Football Focus noted Sunday, he was the second-best edge-rusher among the draft-eligible players in 2018, with seven sacks, seven quarterback hits and 37 hurries in 236 pass-rush snaps. He’ll captain the special teams for three or four years. What’s not to like?

As Asshole Face pointed out, you see a few players each year play with an injured wrist or hand wrapped so they can make it through a game. Griffin’s been playing this way since he first played football. He’s accustomed to it. He played at a high level at a good football school. He had three interceptions, five fumble recoveries and 16 passes defensed at UCF. He’s figure out how to play with his disability. And he’s fast as a greyhound.

At the combine, Griffin described how he got fitted with the prosthesis early in his college career. Just listen.

“We went to go get it fitted for me, and when I started lifting, I could barely bench the bar,” he said. “I mean, I’m shaking all over the place and the bar is falling, and I can’t lift 45 pounds. But it just goes to show how much work I put in to get to this point. From shaking with the bar, I remember doing my first pull-up. My mom saw me do my first pull-up my freshman year, and she’s emotional and she started crying. She walked out, and I thought, ‘You’ve got to let her be sometimes.’ She does that.

“But it's amazing to see how far I came, from not being able to bench the bar to throwing up 20 reps at 225, and being able to compete with the best here.”

I can think of another place where Griffin can compete with the best.

Want to learn more about Shaquem Griffin? Check out Andy Staples’s profile of the inspirational UCF linebacker on SI TV.
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POD PEOPLE

This week’s conversations: NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock and ESPN analyst Todd McShay.

McShay on Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, who had a poor 56.0 completion percentage as a college quarterback: “The thing that scares you is Matt Stafford is probably the only QB who has had sustained success over his career that has come in the league with sub-60 percent accuracy. [Josh Allen] is another one that is going to have to defy some odds. He has an arm that I don't know if I have seen one like it in five years... He’s a playmaker.

I can put together a tape of ten of his best throws and it would be better than any other prospect in the last five years in terms of ‘wow’ throws, but then there are throws and decisions and misses that I could put together that would make you want to puke. He’s a tough one. He has to land in a spot where there is a good quarterback coach.”

Mayock on USC quarterback Sam Darnold: “Last year my No. 1 quarterback was Deshaun Watson, but I only had him at No. 20 on my top 100 list. Here’s how I will rank the quarterbacks for you. I think Lamar Jackson is the most electrifying talent in this draft. If I was a GM I’m not sure I’d take him, but he is going to make plays in the NFL. Every week there is going to be one person in this country more petrified than anyone else, and that is going to be the defensive coordinator of whatever team he is playing.

You have to think outside the box and commit yourself offensively to a different philosophy, but the kid is going to make plays. I think the QB right now that I am most committed to is Sam Darnold. He is a prototypical dropback quarterback, he has plus arm strength, he can make plays inside the pocket, and he can also extend plays, which is critical in today's NFL.

And when he scrambles, he scrambles with his eyes up looking to make throws down the field to beat you. The issue with him, and trust me they all have issues, is turnovers—both fumbles in the pocket and interceptions in the red zone.”
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THINGS I THINK I THINK

1. I think I’d love to be able to give you some great intel on where Kirk Cousins is going to sign, but I can’t. I believe Cousins and his agent, Mike McCartney, have not gone too far down the road in separating the wheat from the chaff. I believe there are more than the four currently publicized teams (Denver, Minnesota, New York Jets, Arizona) involved in the Cousins derby, and I do not believe that Cousins and McCartney have whittled down the list yet.

Why? Because they want to be sure that when the real offers come in, they haven’t cut anyone out. It would be folly to think Cousins doesn’t have a gut feeling about the one or two teams that are in the lead now, but I think he’ll remain open about it until he and McCartney have a more serious discussion a few days before the March 14 opening of free agency.

2. I think this was the theme of my discussions with GMs and coaches about free-agency, which begins in nine days: there’s a silly amount of cap money available (almost $1 billion) for a mediocre crop.

3. I think moving the combine to Los Angeles or Las Vegas or to someplace new each year is:

a. Inevitable, because some city will offer some nice deal so the NFL can make marginally more on the combine;
b. Stupid, because there are very few NFL events left for the efficiency of football people and the sport;
c. Really ticking me off, because football people always are the last ones the NFL thinks of.

4. I think I come to this event, year after year, and see the proximity and the central location and the incredible convenience, and I think, Can the NFL really care about making what will be, in the end, a couple hundred thousand per team, max, by moving the combine? And can the NFL really think that will be better for football? It won’t be. But I doubt that will matter. It rarely does.

5. I think I loved this story on Jonathan Martin written by Tim Rohan of The MMQB this week. It’s the only attempt—and an excellent one—I’ve seen anywhere to figure out what happened between the time Martin left the NFL in 2014 and two weeks ago, when he posted a concerning photo of a gun and ammunition on Instagram, tagging the names of several former teammates from high school and the NFL, along with the names of his high school and the Miami Dolphins. He’s reportedly been in a mental-health facility since. It’s such a complicated and compelling story.

6. I think this was a revelatory story for me to read—Robert Klemko of The MMQB on the question most teams ask every player they interview at the Combine. The question is some version of this: If you could pick one college teammate to be on your team in pro football, who would it be? (Or, put another way, pick the best player on your college team).

It puts players who would normally say nice things about every teammate on the spot. Because they can choose only one. “Sometimes you know there’s one guy on the team who’s the best player, and you ask everybody that question,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told Klemko. “And if no one says that No. 1 guy, that means the guy is not liked. Then you consider what position he is and you have to decide if you can live with that. We’ve definitely been turned off from a guy if a number of his teammates don’t like him.”

7. I think that I do not care that Sam Darnold did not throw at the combine. Teams should also not care. And they may say they care, but they don’t really care when it comes to draft day. Never, ever, ever in my life covering the NFL, and that’s 34 years, have I heard a team official say about a quarterback after the draft: We were thinking of taking him, but since he didn’t throw at the combine, we soured on him, and we downgraded him and didn’t pick him because of that. I will guarantee that Darnold not throwing here will have zero to do with whether Cleveland GM John Dorsey picks Darnold first overall.

8. I think the favorite to sign the best offensive lineman in free agency, Carolina guard Andrew Norwell, is the New York Giants. It makes sense in all ways but financial. The Giants have but $23.6-million available in cap space, and their needs are significant.

9. I think the prayers and well-wishes of everyone in the NFL—and certainly from me and those who I work with at The MMQB—wish Jim Kelly and his family well in his battle against cancer. “We are shocked, heartbroken, sad, angry, confused and just darn tired,” Kelly’s wife Jill wrote on Instagram.

Hard to blame her, and the family. Jim Kelly has had two very public and challenging cancer fights, with the cancer in his jaw and lower face, and now he’ll have to fight it again. Our best to him and his supportive family.

Let’s for a second, consider what we could do with the extra money if we don’t resign Watkins. But first, I’m going on the record as saying that I want him to be a Ram for a long time.

But, if we didn’t resign him, what direction would you want that money to go?

FA Nose Tackle (D. Poe anyone?)FA LBer (N. Bowman anyone?) Both?

Jimmy Graham, anyone already think we need an upgrade at TE (I don’t)

FA O Lineman who’s either in their prime or for depth?

You play GM for a minute and tell me what you would do IF Watkins leaves. I think Reynolds gets more work next year regardless. Pharaoh Cooper as well.

Let’s hear your scenarios

My fear is the San Francisco 49ers offering a ransom to go to 1 and take Saquon Barkley, that is the one team I don't want to get their hands on. 49ers have the draft capital to do so, I only hope the Browns, who have plenty of draft picks and do not need anymore take Sam Darnold, who, IMHO, is head & shoulders above the rest of the QB's or take Barkley for themselves, as he's the best player in the draft.

Giants won't pass on Barkley and I would like him out of the conference, but I don't want him in San Francisco, that being posted, Barkley played at Penn State and I never feared him when my Ohio State Buckeyes played the Nittany Lions, funny how that works.

Shaquem Griffin 4.38

Lorenzo Carter 4.46 ( @ 250 lbs)

Tremaine Edmunds 4.55

.....half way through the first run through

I haven’t seen Da’Ron Payne’s name mentioned too much on this forum. I know we have a need for a run plugger/NT. Would Payne be a good fit for the Rams defense? He is projected to be selected around the Rams first round pick. Any thoughts? I don’t know much about college football so I will have to defer to the experts on this board.

... Outside of the QB, DE, and maybe the CB position, are you better off drafting very good players at other positions than dradting a great player?

What I am getting at is are you better off having a Kwami Short that will cost I think half of what Donald will get, vs having to tie up a 1/6th of your cap into one DT? Or same with RB. Is it better to have a RB by committed like the Eagles vs tying up a huge percentage of your cap into one RB?

It's almost like getting penalized if your player becomes a top 3 at his position vs a top ten or 15 guy.

In the end you can afford 10 top ten or 15 guys vs 2 or 3 top 3/5 guys.

Just a thought.

I haven't seen this posted and the source is the Rams Nation Facebook page but interesting rumor. Tavon for Dante Fowler Jr. What do you guys think ? Possible ? Like/Dislike ?

Don't shoot the messenger. It's a rumor.

https://www.facebook.com/NationRams/

Yes, the LT out of Oklahoma had a horrible combine.
Let's assume by all accounts he's a good kid. Let's also assume that he's not a gym rat, but he's not considered lazy, either.

*minimal reps on the bench press - some would say he's not strong. I would say that some guys are good at pushing around a bar, and some guys are able to use leverage to push around opposing players.
*it's said that the 1st 10 yards of his 40 yard dash was particularly bad (2 seconds).

Still, to me, watching him play - he looks good! Quick off the snap, fairly agile.
So, would you want the Rams to take a shot at 23?

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez Talks Quinn and Peters Trades –Audio

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez joined the fellas to talk about Rams LB Robert Quinn getting traded to Miami. Plus, Alden give his reasons why the Rams got Marcus Peters via trade.

Listen to Gonzalez Talk Rams