Will the Rams sign or trade for veteran CB…

[Dirigo]

before the start of the season? I have a hard time believing they’re going to stick with what they currently have on the roster. The young CB group has potential but obviously lacks experience. I would feel a lot better if they added a veteran CB maybe through a trade. Not sure if there are any good veteran CB’s left on the free agent market.

 

[PhillyRam]

before the start of the season? I have a hard time believing they’re going to stick with what they currently have on the roster. The young CB group has potential but obviously lacks experience. I would feel a lot better if they added a veteran CB maybe through a trade. Not sure if there are any good veteran CB’s left on the free agent market.

Guessing if a vet becomes available in the form of a late roster cut, AND they feel good about the progress of the youth on the team in general...In-other-words, they feel they can contend, then they might add a guy at a cheap price.

 

[RamBall]

Time for Rochell to show out and earn a starting CB spot. He has the size and speed just needs the reps to hone his technique and build his confidence. He needs to play so well that Morris can't keep him on the bench.

 

[simonblaze]

Honestly outside of bringing back Troy Hill, I really want to see what we have in the young guys. Grant Haley is a guy that I feel did play well at times too.

Based off of last season Cobie Durant looks like he'll have starter snaps...Hodges-Tomlinson I feel like will be a BALLER for us and the crazy part he was an outside corner in College...maybe he can be our next Darius Williams?

 

[TheTackle]

This is imperative in my opinion! You will not win many games with just kids back there

If it were me I would sign John Johnson with the view that he will be a key contributor in 2024. Having a true FS back there to help in coverage would help, a lot.

Rock Ya Sin is available but we would have to change our scheme to accommodate him. Troy Hill has regressed. So it looks like we will wait to see who comes free when teams cut down

There were a lot of CBs taken so one or two good older ones should be there to be had. I would love to see Rochell beat out a vet but either way it would massively improve our depth on the outside

In the meantime, sign Johnson!

 

[Merlin]

I'd like to see them add a vet corner, though I think I'd sign a NT first. But yeah it would be welcome.

That aside there are benefits to the kids back there in a secondary, the biggest one being discipline and playing the call. For example we don't know what the calls were so cannot say for sure on these things, but when you have a grizzled vet like Ramsey out there wearing different colored socks and blaming teammates whenever he's associated with any sort of failure I think there's a good chance he's not playing the call and the technique they schemed up for the opponent on 100% of the snaps. I suspect he was quite the freelancer, and that's even with the fact Morris probably had loose reigns on him as well and allowed it to some extent. Same with Hill, who has always been a freelancer or bonehead or whatever you want to call it, where one play he's in position and looks great and then the next he looks like Toast Patterson.

Also last year we had Kendrick struggling quite a bit out there. Did he play the call and correct technique with discipline probably not and likely due to learning in year one.

My biggest concern is they're gonna try to play Kendrick outside again. But let's say they put him in the slot. Durant & Tomlinson outside. Now you have two young corners out there who seem to me much more likely to be disciplined in that call & technique side of things. You won't have one guy running free due to lack of discipline rather it will be when they get beat, which will happen but hopefully a lot less often than it has been happening the past couple seasons. Could be that Tomlinson induces error there being in year one, but he seems locked in to me mentally, so we'll see on that one.

Either way I don't want to get into a Morris thing here but I don't think he was set up for success in that regard. Some of that is on him btw, not absolving him or anything since discipline of your defense is squarely a DC responsibility. But he also had a LB coach under him running his secondary. And the bigger point is these young corners might do quite well in certain ways, with the big one being lining up where they are expected to be and playing the right techniques to funnel the action correctly per the call.

 

[den-the-coach]

I am praying that this is the season for Robert Rochelle plus he is 6'2. @OldSchool communicated a relax Francis moment to me regarding Derion Kendrick's inability to cover anyone so I am hoping to see him improve over his rookie year.

I also am anxious to see Shaun Jolly who was very good in press coverage when playing in college for Appalachian State and I have high hopes for UDRFA Tyon Davis out of Tulsa.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I fully expect it, and a Safety.

 

[Flatlyner]

Interestingly, they have Jason Taylor II listed as nickle (as well as our KR/PR). I'd be surprised if we didn't sign some vet who ends up being a camp cut, as those tend to be cheaper. There isn't much on the FA list currently that are under 30 or super effective still. Ourlads is showing we have 11 CB's on the roster at this time too.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Doesn't sound like there's any room in the cap for even a cheap vet FA without a restructure of a contract. I don't think it's likely but not out of the realm of possibility.

 

[Merlin]

Just sign Lamarcus Joyner.
~ Fish

 

[oldnotdead]

I doubt the Rams are looking at vet CBs. In fact they have two UDFA CBs worth watching, either of which could replace Kendrick.

Cameron McCutcheon is 6'3" and runs a 4.5 with his transitions smooth and fluid. This guy has size and talent.

Jordan Jones is about 5'11" times in the mid to upper 4.5 range (average speed) but he quick, agile and plays aggressively. If you are going to play a zone heavy scheme he's a very good fit.

Both of these guys will give Derion something to think about this year in the camps. McCutcheon especially as he's bigger and faster making him more versatile in how he's played. Also, from what I can tell neither comes with Kendricks' attitude issues. Both of the UDFAs are known to play hard to the whistle. Jones has a rep as a ball hawk.

I'm hoping that Pleasant will have the authority to dictate who plays and who doesn't. If he does then I'm hoping he will resurrect Rochell from the bench where Morris buried him. Rochell came into the NFL as a somewhat raw player. To now hold that against him seems strange and a bit petty (something Morris is known for, just ask Ramsey).

IMO either one of these guys can replace Kendrick as they offer athleticism, especially speed and quickness he doesn't. Remember Kendrick refused to do a full workout i.e. drills like the shuttle and 3 cone, both of which would have exposed his problems with agility and change of direction. Why the Rams ignored that is beyond me other than Kendrick was Morris' draft pick. Derion's coverage limitations were on full display last year. McCutcheon is bigger, faster, quicker and more agile than Kendrick he's a better matchup against the trend towards taller WRs.

With both Durant and Hodges-Tomlinson, the Rams have found two of the three CBs they need. IMO Rochell is the logical answer for that third spot but both Jones and McCutcheon offer the Rams two good alternatives.

 

[Tano]

Tomlinson and Durant are really short to be playing both outside CB spots.

Some teams with tall WR (Cincinnati for one) will destroy them in the red zone.

 

[Tumak61]

I doubt the Rams will make any trades this season. If the Season doesn't go well they'll want as many high picks as they can for the 2024 draft. We could be picking in the top 10

 

[blackbart]

I don’t think they will.

The guys they have now will be able to get it done if the front can get some pressure. If not, anyone can stand 10 yards off and let the opponent catch the ball.

Really hoping with the changes in the coaching staff that is a thing of the past and RR becomes the baller they thought he’s capable of being.

 

[Loyal]

This is a learning year. We dumped a lot of veterans who’s contract took cap space and we gained lower level draft picks this year. We were quiet in the veteran free agent market and we currently have 1st rounder next year which I believe Snead plans to keep, until the 2024 Draft. Why dump Ramsey, Gaines and other starters to gain cap space, only to get another veteran CB, unless it’’s very cheap. I think they to roll with the 14 rookies, UDFA’s and returners to see how good they are. McVay wants to win within this framework. If we win, win. If we lose, higher draft pick in th first round, which will allow Les to trade for more pick in the Top 100.
It’s not science

 

[TheTackle]

This is a learning year. We dumped a lot of veterans who’s contract took cap space and we gained lower level draft picks this year. We were quiet in the veteran free agent market and we currently have 1st rounder next year which I believe Snead plans to keep, until the 2024 Draft. Why dump Ramsey, Gaines and other starters to gain cap space, only to get another veteran CB, unless it’’s very cheap. I think they to roll with the 14 rookies, UDFA’s and returners to see how good they are. McVay wants to win within this framework. If we win, win. If we lose, higher draft pick in th first round, which will allow Les to trade for more pick in the Top 100.
It’s not science

I agree that we would probably trade back but it depends whose there when we pick and perhaps more importantly where we pick

I don’t believe McVay can handle losing so imagine they are being honest about winning now. That will probably require one or two more veterans - but as you say not high price ones in 2023

Let’s hope we pick dead last in round one even if it takes a miracle

 

[TheTackle]

Doesn't sound like there's any room in the cap for even a cheap vet FA without a restructure of a contract. I don't think it's likely but not out of the realm of possibility.

Would someone take a pay cut? Just putting it out there if they want to win as many games as possible. We have seen that elsewhere but not on the rams for some reason