[max]

After listening to Jourdan in a podcast today, and thinking about the draft and the big Goff Stafford trade, my takeaway was that the Rams drafted with a heavy focus on winning the SB this season. They’re hungry to be playing SB in SoFi.

Here’s what I see that they did. Fix the STs. Add D players who will get on field this year. Add speed guys DJackson and Tutu to fix their plodding offense from last year. Dump Goff, add Stafford to run McVays offense without the handholding. No added OL for development and future. That’s what they did this off-season.

They’re all in on being NFC team in SoFi SB. Whether they got it right remains to be seen. But at least I understand their plan and it helps me better understand why they didn’t draft OL. They only wanted guys who had a good shot at contributing to the SB run this season.

[AvengerRam]

I agree with you for the most part, but I'd suggest that they are built for a 2 year run.

In 2022, unlike this offseason, we will have very few in-house UFAs to worry about. The biggest one is Darious Williams. Beyond him, the list includes fairly replaceable guys like Austin Corbett, Joseph Noteboom, Johnny Mundt and Coleman Shelton (DJax is a UFA next year too, but I'm not too concerned about him with our depth at WR).

So let's go to the big game in SoFi this year, then bring the band back together in 2022/23 for Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona!

[CanuckRightWinger]

I think max's theory is plausible.

Question for AR:
Who is the Rams starting LT when we roll into Glendale in February 2023 to defend our 2021 Season NFL Championship (won by us the previous year at SoFi)?

40 year old Andrew Whitworth?

[safer]

Canuck--I agree that LT is the most unknown spot we'll have after this year.
Ol' Whit actually played much better in 20 than he did in 19. I still have to think they're pretty high on Noteboom (and I am too, except for his injury history). I'd love to see other guys we would trot out there this preseason--Brewer, Noteboom, Edwards? I want to think they do have a fairly good idea of who is to replace Whit after this year, but it's not obvious at all, is it?

[AvengerRam]

I think max's theory is plausible.

Question for AR:
Who is the Rams starting LT when we roll into Glendale in February 2023 to defend our 2021 Season NFL Championship (won by us the previous year at SoFi)?

40 year old Andrew Whitworth?

Probably not, but if the Rams don't think that someone like Noteboom or Anchrum is up for the job then, with the $13M we'd save if Whitworth is gone, we could probably put together a package to make a run at a FA to fill the spot.

[max]

I agree with you for the most part, but I'd suggest that they are built for a 2 year run.

In 2022, unlike this offseason, we will have very few in-house UFAs to worry about. The biggest one is Darious Williams. Beyond him, the list includes fairly replaceable guys like Austin Corbett, Joseph Noteboom, Johnny Mundt and Coleman Shelton (DJax is a UFA next year too, but I'm not too concerned about him with our depth at WR).

So let's go to the big game in SoFi this year, then bring the band back together in 2022/23 for Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona!

I see 2022 as a problem for the OL. As Jourdan said “ three currently rostered players (Joe Noteboom, Corbett and Allen) are unrestricted free agents in 2022, Whitworth has an “out” in his contract after 2021...”

If Whit hangs it up after this year (very possible), and Corbett and Noteboom are gone, it won’t be easy to field a good OL. They most likely will have to pay big in FA to replace at least 2 starters. And they won’t have a first round pick to get a stud OL guy to plug in immediately.

There is a clear downside to not drafting OL the past 2 years. And it hits us square in the face next year. There is no getting away with putting lipstick on that pig.

[Elvis]

OL was a big concern going into 2017. A couple FA signings, new coaching staff and it instantly became a strength.

We've been all in ever since McVay got here, big trades, big FA signings. Every year.

You guys keep trying to make it into a thing.

To me it's just the status quo...

[AvengerRam]

I see 2022 as a problem for the OL. As Jourdan said “ three currently rostered players (Joe Noteboom, Corbett and Allen) are unrestricted free agents in 2022, Whitworth has an “out” in his contract after 2021...”

If Whit hangs it up after this year (very possible), and Corbett and Noteboom are gone, it won’t be easy to field a good OL. They most likely will have to pay big in FA to replace at least 2 starters. And they won’t have a first round pick to get a stud OL guy to plug in immediately.

There is a clear downside to not drafting OL the past 2 years. And it hits us square in the face next year. There is no getting away with putting lipstick on that pig.

In 2022, Havenstein, Edwards and whoever emerges as the starting RG this year (Evans, Brewer, Anchrum) will all be under contract. Whitworth will ether be back as a 40 year old, or he'll leave us $13M to spend. Corbett is the only UFA among the likely 2021 starters. If he succeeds at C (looks like he'll get the first crack at the spot), we'll have to retain him. That's entirely doable.

My larger point is that, in addition to having a roster that can compete in 2021, we'll be in a financial position to return in 2022 with the same starting lineup (give or take 1 or 2 players, possibly).

[max]

OL was a big concern going into 2017. A couple FA signings, new coaching staff and it instantly became a strength.

We've been all in ever since McVay got here, big trades, big FA signings. Every year.

You guys keep trying to make it into a thing.

To me it's just the status quo...

Maybe. But I think we were lucky the Bengals let Whit go in 2017. We'll have to hope for that again in 2022. Maybe it happens but no guarantee.

Another difference is the Rams drafted 3 OL in 2015 so they were able to get a solid starter in Havenstein (2nd round) groomed for 2017.

Can they get it done next year? It’s possible. But to say don’t worry we’ve got it covered is a major stretch.

[CanuckRightWinger]

I concur with max, in that "pig" in 2 years looks to be the Ram OL deficiencies.....
but what about 2021? I think that "pig" might be Los Ramos DL deficiencies!

Consider how quickly OL priority was dismissed by McSnead via their:
"Any OLineman drafted now, wouldn't have been able to contribute in 2021, as a redshirt year is required."

ME: But any DLineman drafted now is good to plug-in, play, and contribute in 2021??? Freshly-drafted Rookie DLinemen, even those drafted in the 4th and 5th Rounds ....
....are wired-to-go 100% from the first Regular Season snap????
But Freshly-drafted OLineman are not???
Who knew?

Moreover, also consider that Los Ramos were 2nd in the NFL in 2020 QB sacks after the Steelers. Looked good on the stat sheets......not so good at Lambeau however, where Aaron Rodgers never got touched. Yes, of course AD was nursing bad ribs and all, but we still had Mssrs. Brockers, Fox & Ebukam suited up for us. Via those three et al leaving via Free Agency for 2021, the Rams are missing nearly ONE-THIRD of their 2020 Sack Production (16.5 less sacks from 2020 via departed Ram pass-rushers!!!)

So, the rookie Brown Brothers DL team are gonna make up for those 16.5 sacks???!!! Yeah sure.....and someday pigs will fly!!!

Maybe that's why the emphasis on Offensive playmakers in the Draft AND let's remember the huge STAFFORD TRADE.....so with Stafford moving the chains via McVay's New 2021 Potent Play Book, utilizing all of our uber-skilled Offensive playmakers (including Akers, Hendo et al also catching passes hopefully) to the maximize Los Ramos TOP......
WE KEEP
OUR WEAKENED
2021 D OFF OF THE FIELD!

Obo (1sack), Lewis (2sacks) and Hollins (3sacks) were good for a total of 6 sacks in 2020.....SIX.
....but we are short 16.5 sacks via the Departed.

YIKES!