Any doubt that McVay is damned serious about the OL?

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Rams43

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Rookie HC or not, he's shown evidence that he knows the importance of OL play to his team's O success.

Something that Fisher never quite seemed to fully grasp, btw.

Consider...

Aaron Kromer hired asap. One of the top OL coaches available.

It was quickly determined that an upgrade at LOT and C simply had to be made. No more "settling" could be afforded at those 2 positions. The importance of the new coaches to readily determine this can scarcely be overstated. Gotta give Goff and Gurley a fighting chance.

Whitworth signed to secure that LOT position with a Pro Bowl player. Huge upgrade.

Sullivan signed to secure that C position. Tried Groy, but wouldn't overpay. Knew that they could upgrade via draft and/or FA. Looks like they succeeded. We can expect a C from this draft, also, probably mid rounder.

Kromer is gonna have a 3 way battle for RG and RT among Hav, GRob, and Brown at a very minimum. And who knows what other player might surprise by stepping up big under Kromer's direction? He's got a history of doing just that with players before.

These are all positive, confidence building moves quickly made by the new staff. They immediately recognized fatal OL shortcomings that Fisher/Boudreau failed to recognize.

Don't know about you, but I've got a more peaceful, easy feeling about our OL under McVay.

Hot Damn!
 
I agree!

You forgot about Andrew Donnal being involved in that right side battle. AD was starting on that right side (3 @ RG & 1 @ RT) & trending positive while the three you mentioned were trending downward. AD started the last four games on that right side. AD also finished 3/4 of the Saints game @ LT & the following week he finished the following weeks game @ RG, So AD finished the last 6 games of the 2016 season as the starter.I should add that both Havenstein & Donnal were playing injured. Jamon Brown had broken his hand about a month earlier & Robinson was still having brain connection issues.
 
I agree!

You forgot about Andrew Donnal being involved in that right side battle. AD was starting on that right side (3 @ RG & 1 @ RT) & trending positive while the three you mentioned were trending downward. AD started the last four games on that right side. AD also finished 3/4 of the Saints game @ LT & the following week he finished the following weeks game @ RG, So AD finished the last 6 games of the 2016 season as the starter.I should add that both Havenstein & Donnal were playing injured. Jamon Brown had broken his hand about a month earlier & Robinson was still having brain connection issues.

Good catch, Bonifay.

Donnal is a strong candidate for dark horse to maybe surprise on this Kromer OL. He kinda won me over last year, you know?
 
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Only certainty are Whitworth and Sullivan as starters. McVay and Kromer inherited the rest and have no stock in them. Throw out what they've done and what position on the OL they played for Boo. The other 3 OL spots will be given based on TC and pre-season. Havenstien and Saffold are no locks. Donnal, Williams and Murphy could very well emerge as starters. (not saying they will, just that its wide open).

There's going to be some serious surprises how the OL is going to sort itself out. OL will be fun to watch during TC because of the competition. Will be some surprising cuts too.

I thought for sure the OL would be strength of the team last year until I attended TC and witnessed some questionable coaching by Boo, and a lot of standing around by the OL instead of getting reps.

With this HC coaching change and a new OL coach, 2 vet additions, I have hope the OL will be better than last year. I'm not so hopeful that it will be average. Kromer has a lot to overcome, the OL was a mess.

Projected starters? LT Whitworth, LG Saffold, C Sullivan, RG Havenstien, RT Robinson.

(I bet 10,000 ROD bucks that's not the game 1 starting OL). :shocking:
 
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McVay will be our HC for the next 30 years and lead us to mutliple sb's or he will flame out after a few years. Or something in between lol, don't matter cause right now I'm excited as hell! Haven't been this excited about a new HC since Martz.

We will rally around Sean McVay, and we will play good football!!
 
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Rookie HC or not, he's shown evidence that he knows the importance of OL play to his team's O success.

Something that Fisher never quite seemed to fully grasp, btw.
I think he may have realized the importance,It was the the whole
implementation thing, that kinda threw him.;)
 
I don't think it's fair to say Fisher neglected the oline position.
They drafted many oline the past 3 years. They also tried a few FA signings in an attempt to solidify the position.
The problem, is that most of the picks or moves didn't pan out.

I am ecstatic that McVay has put a premium on this position this year to get this offense moving, though.
Very ecstatic.
 
Left tackle is easily the most important position on the offensive line.
Second would easily be the Center.

Two out of our top three offensive lineman or now the Left Guard and Center.

Barring injuries, there are now 4 locks to make our offensive line when before there was only two. (Saffold and Havenstein)

Our O line looks a lot stronger than it did when they canned Fisher.

A LOT STRONGER.

I can't begin to tell you how well that bodes for us. :D
 
Only certainty are Whitworth and Sullivan as starters. McVay and Kromer inherited the rest and have no stock in them. Throw out what they've done and what position on the OL they played for Boo. The other 3 OL spots will be given based on TC and pre-season. Havenstien and Saffold are no locks. Donnal, Williams and Murphy could very well emerge as starters. (not saying they will, just that its wide open).

There's going to be some serious surprises how the OL is going to sort itself out. OL will be fun to watch during TC because of the competition. Will be some surprising cuts too.

I thought for sure the OL would be strength of the team last year until I attended TC and witnessed some questionable coaching by Boo, and a lot of standing around by the OL instead of getting reps.

With this HC coaching change and a new OL coach, 2 vet additions, I have hope the OL will be better than last year. I'm not so hopeful that it will be average. Kromer has a lot to overcome, the OL was a mess.

Projected starters? LT Whitworth, LG Saffold, C Sullivan, RG Havenstien, RT Robinson.

(I bet 10,000 ROD bucks that's not the game 1 starting OL). :shocking:

We are all looking forward to more of your outstanding camp reports, bubba.

And now, your observations of OL drills will be near the top of my list.
 
I respectfully disagree Soul. Havenstien and Saffold are far from being "locks" McVay and Kromer have no investment in any O linemen except Whitworth and Sullivan. The rest will have to battle for a roster spot in TC and preseason. Havenstien has to prove he's back form his foot injury. GRob has to prove he can learn from Kromer. Saffold has to prove he's not made of glass and is worth several mil.
 
I think there is no doubt that the new staff is trying to fix areas they deemed deficient. The same thing Fisher and that staff did when they got here and throughout their time. Thinking any staff at this level was not trying to maximize their win total is nonsense. Did they hit on all their picks or FAs obviously not but a lot of that is on the players. As it sits we won't get a chance to see if Kromer can do any better at getting Grob to play LOT and I hope to God Whitworth pans out better than Long did.

I'm looking forward to the day we get to see threads that have everything to do with this staff and this team and we don't have to compare everything to Fishers teams, it could just as easily be Spag, Linnehan or Martz. Let's move on.
 
Only certainty are Whitworth and Sullivan as starters. McVay and Kromer inherited the rest and have no stock in them. Throw out what they've done and what position on the OL they played for Boo. The other 3 OL spots will be given based on TC and pre-season. Havenstien and Saffold are no locks. Donnal, Williams and Murphy could very well emerge as starters. (not saying they will, just that its wide open).

There's going to be some serious surprises how the OL is going to sort itself out. OL will be fun to watch during TC because of the competition. Will be some surprising cuts too.

I thought for sure the OL would be strength of the team last year until I attended TC and witnessed some questionable coaching by Boo, and a lot of standing around by the OL instead of getting reps.

With this HC coaching change and a new OL coach, 2 vet additions, I have hope the OL will be better than last year. I'm not so hopeful that it will be average. Kromer has a lot to overcome, the OL was a mess.

Projected starters? LT Whitworth, LG Saffold, C Sullivan, RG Havenstien, RT Robinson.

(I bet 10,000 ROD bucks that's not the game 1 starting OL). :shocking:

Baring injury ?? I think it is obvious the talent the starters have.

Who is going to cross train for Center ? Whichmann , Donnal ??
 
I intend to make OL my top priority 43. Going to be a challenge to keep on em though. with 2 fields, they change ends and fields often and with large crowds its hard to follow. I learned from last TC. No more taking notes, I'm bringing a voice recorder. Easier to talk and watch than write and watch.
Last year I didn't move around much and just took notes of whatever position group was in front of me. This TC I'm going to try and follow the OL around. I think it's the most important group that's the least sorted out. I will mix in the WR;s and of course everyone wants to get an update on QB's. Defense and ST are in good hands and pretty much set. I will be taking a look at how they adjust to 3-4 and how the backfield shapes up.


So Ram they still have Rhaney and probably will drat a c
 
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I respectfully disagree Soul. Havenstien and Saffold are far from being "locks" McVay and Kromer have no investment in any O linemen except Whitworth and Sullivan. The rest will have to battle for a roster spot in TC and preseason. Havenstien has to prove he's back form his foot injury. GRob has to prove he can learn from Kromer. Saffold has to prove he's not made of glass and is worth several mil.
I didn't mean locks to start, I mean, locks to make the team.

Havenstein based on his rookie years production and Saffold as a productive vet (two of which they already brought in).

But Saffold might not be a lock when you consider his salary and the need to get under the cap for the 53.

I rarely take salary and the cap into consideration when I look at the team as a whole.

I let Demoff worry about that.
 
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RG and RT will be interesting for sure. I think C will be interesting as well taking for granted one is drafted relatively highly.
 
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McVay is serious about all aspects of the game:
  • Offense via overhaul on system, addressing leaky O-line, adding viable receivers
  • Defense via hiring Wade Phillips, who has a track record of success in transitioning 4-3's to 3-4's
  • Special teams via retaining John Fassel, one of the finest ST coordinators in the game
  • Adding veteran presence with the youngest team in the NFL
  • Emphasis on a decentralized role to delegate coaching staff, front office, on following their specialties. Basically no meddling in aspects of the game he isn't entirely familiar with.