I am honored to have VanRam post my diary as the main blog for the topic of conversation.  Class move.  I hope I am not stepping on any toes by posting any more but I am in full throttle for a deep draft that could change the Rams outlook for YEARS. The last 4-5 years have been so dismal as a fan that the offseason has become my favorite time.

The defensive line has probably been the most underacheiving area on the St. Louis Rams since they moved here.  We had some good years during the Greatest Show Era but it is a lot easier to rush the passer when you know they have to play catch up the entire game.  

Besides 99-01, maybe a little in 03, can you think of any Ram team that got persistent pressure during a season?  We're talking New York Giants 07 type pressure.  I can't and it infuriates me everytime I watch this team play.  To be honest, we could pretty much run the same players outside of a better D-Line and be amazingly better.

I know that we have some Chavous haters (I have been a member) and our linebackers play a little small, but, if you really think about it, this team is geared to swarm and attack pending a killer D-Line.

Thanks to great draft position, we can really do some things to shore up the D-Line starting with overall pick number 2.

The only way I would trade this pick is if we could stay in the top 5 or 6 and get an additional second rounder or multiple third anf fourth rounders. Al Davis has been dead for years so maybe I would call the Raiders first and try to challenge their manhood into making a stupid mistake.

If we stay at #2 then we are sitting in a sweet spot.  We will have a choice of these three in my preferential order:  Dorsey, Long, Ellis

Dorsey and Long are both winners with special skills, high motors and higher character.  No brainers.

Ellis apparently took on the entire 11 on the other side of the ball and won during Senior Bowl week. Coaches and prognosticators are going flat out batshit for this guy right now.  My biggest problem with Ellis is that he plays Clifton Ryan's postion at true NT.  Ryan was the steal of our draft last year and he is only going to get better  with his rookie season out the way.  Plus, I have problems with guys who turn it on late for the cameras and scouts.  

Dorsey turned it on all year and then played his BEST game on the biggest stage.  He's a winner and we need winners.  The same goes for Howie's boy.  You know he will give it his all every play.  It makes it sooo much easier on coaches to not have to babysit (I'm talking to you Wroten!).

So let's look at what we have on our roster:

LDE Little: Getting older but a better supporting cast could make a world of difference. We might even cut him.  Until the front office has a plan, I don't know, guys.  He's a proven player.

LDE: Adeyanju: Decent motor and solid against the run.  A good role player.

LDE: T. Johnson: Meh, shouldn't be here.

NT: Carriker:  A very solid player for years to come. A core piece.

NT: Ryan: Ditto.  A great find.

UT: Glover:  His last year.  With plenty of rest and fewer reps he proved that he's still got some.

UT: Wroten: Goodbye, motherfucker.  You and Claude Terrel and Dominique Byrd are just coach killers.  I would be shocked and pissed if you or Byrdcrap stuck.

RDE: James Hall: What a bad year.  His bumbling against Romo summed up his play this year. I don't know his cap hit is, but, if he stays, he should be backing up whoever else comes in.

RDE: E. Moore: See (above) Trevor Johnson.

As I see it there are 5 keepers:  Little, Glover, Carriker, Ryan, and Adeyanju.  Hall is on the bubble.

Carriker's versatilty helps a great deal being a NT and a DE.

Possible Free Agents (realistic shots): Jared Allen, Justin Smith, Terrel Suggs, Corey Williams

Although Jared Allen would make me throw a kegger,  it won't happen.  Let's say Justin Smith for the purpose of keepin' it real, yo.

That leaves us with a spot or 2 to shore up in the draft.

Let's say we get Dorsey.  It is a very real possibilty.  He plays Glover's position and he would make an immediate impact.

Projected starters:

LDE Little          Res. Adeyanju
UT  Dorsey          Res. Glover
NT  Carriker        Res. Ryan
RDE Smith           Res. Hall

I HAVE to think these guys could do exponentially better than any line we've had before and it is quite a possibility.

Your thoughts?