[PARAM]

It is interesting. At first blush seems like a clear no. DC will want too much in the trade and Williams will want too big of a contract.

But the Rams do stuff like this fairly often and he could be more than a 1 year stop gap, so maybe?

What I heard in that podcast was Snead being very vague about the 2020 OL.....other than mentioning that Whit was wanted back.

I'm in the NewOLBodiesPlease! camp.
Trent Williams would be most welcome to this Rams fan.

Whatever camp we are in, we ALL will have to wait and see what McSnead come up with for our 2020 OL personnel.

Absolutely on that last sentence. As far as Snead being very vague about the offensive line, he was very vague about everything, as we should expect. However, he made some statements about the offensive scheme saying 'it's not going to change a whole lot. Like we're not going from a zone scheme to a Steelers-like power run game'.

Hell he was vague on Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe saying 'both Whitworth's side and the Rams want the relationship to continue'; and 'we're currently in talks with Blythe but gotta get through free agency....this time of year a lot of things can change just because there are no guarantees.'

Talk about vague!!! That could mean:

a lot of things can change because Whitworth and Blythe signed somewhere else....
or a lot of things can change because somebody else became available......

.......I think clearly they want Whitworth back at LT. It could be for two reasons. They believe he can still play effectively and they don't have anybody on the roster that can either play there or is healthy enough to play there....currently. My hope is they don't give him a deal that straps them, either this year or next.

Les vague:

"Biggest thing I can say about the offensive line is....from a standpoint of perception, the offensive line has taken a lot of heat...what we did realize over the last couple of years is we need to draft young players and begin to develop them...begin the process of them growing together. Interesting in all this...2 very unfortunate injuries to Brian Allen and Joe Noteboom....which is gonna set back that development process but it's not going to derail their career with the Rams. But every thorn has a rose....(more nonsense on that analogy)....those injuries to Noteboom, Allen and Havenstein allowed David Edwards and Bobby Evans to play and for us to trade for Austin Corbett.....Down the stretch that group solidified and played well. What we have to do is figure out, do we want to continue that process or add new people there...if we do, is it a veteran or a rookie (I assume he meant draft pick)? The message there is, even though the offensive line was much maligned, they led the league in sacks (fewest) and there's a lot of potential there. It's up to us to develop it"

Now I'm sure the different way we view the O line, we're probably going to glean different things from those statements. And that's a good thing because both are possibilities (as well as other possibilities foreign to both our opinions).

Here's what I gleaned from those very vague statements:
Noteboom and Allen were being developed. How? By starting on the O line. Edwards and Evans were being developed. How? On the practice field (like Noteboom and Allen in 2018). Then after the injuries, they began development as starters. According to Snead, though they were much maligned (he didn't mention Kromer, so I guess he doesn't read RFU ), they solidified and played well down the stretch.

So, according to Snead's words and the Rams actions, their MO is..... develop rookies on the practice field and then move them into starting spots the following year where further development takes place in live game action. Noteboom and Allen had already graduated to that point but currently they're both recovering from injury and may or may not be available in camp or to begin the season. However, they aren't going anywhere. Edwards, Evans and Corbett (who joined the team on October 15th) were being developed on the practice field but had to be rushed into the starting lineup because of injury. They played well down the stretch. So their development was sped up a bit.

The only guys who remained healthy last year were Whitworth and Blythe and they're trying to get them back. If they can't sign Whitworth, I gotta believe they will sign somebody else (or trade for somebody else) to play LT. Castanzo would be the best but also the most expensive. There are a few others free agents available. Trent Williams would have to be traded for but he would be expensive too, not to mention cost the Rams draft picks and/or players. I gotta believe they don't have the picks to trade or the money, but like Elvis said, they've done stuff like this before. I do expect them to draft another OL as Snead said, they realized over the last couple of years, that's what they have to do.

So, like you say, we are going to have to wait and see what they do. Do they come to terms with Whitworth (*the best scenario as they were most certainly grooming Noteboom along side him to take over for him in 2020...but that got 'set back')? Do they sign Blythe? Or do they have to go outside the 2019 roster and sign somebody else to play either of those 2 positions? Another possibility is does Noteboom and/or Allen recover enough to participate in camp?

It's sure going to be interesting to watch. What I hope doesn't happen is they have to go out and sign somebody for multiple years and more money.....unless it's Castanzo or Trent Williams, which should solidify the OL for the next few years.

[dieterbrock]

Is the topic Trent Williams now?
Going on the premise that it is, I would hope to god the Rams aren’t interested.
We are talking about a guy who missed 13 games in 3 seasons before sitting out an entire season. And now at 31 you think he’ll be able to play a full season?
And pay him at minimum 12 mill?
And have to give up value in a trade to get him?
Please tell me the alleged Rams interest in him comes from an article in the Sports section of the Onion

[R4L]

Is the topic Trent Williams now?
Going on the premise that it is, I would hope to god the Rams aren’t interested.
We are talking about a guy who missed 13 games in 3 seasons before sitting out an entire season. And now at 31 you think he’ll be able to play a full season?
And pay him at minimum 12 mill?
And have to give up value in a trade to get him?
Please tell me the alleged Rams interest in him comes from an article in the Sports section of the Onion

No speculation that the Rams are interested, just that the skins are allowing him to shop around.

[dieterbrock]

No speculation that the Rams are interested, just that the skins are allowing him to shop around.

Was trying to be funny. Used to be a thing.

[R4L]

Was trying to be funny. Used to be a thing.

Sorry lol. I'm a little slow on the up Chuck lately. My bad Dieter!!

[dieterbrock]

Sorry lol. I'm a little slow on the up Chuck lately. My bad Dieter!!