Rams going with blue-collar outside linebackers

by Ryan Van Bibber on Oct 21, 2009 12:17 PM CDT

Over at his NFC West blog, Mike Sando talks to Matt Williams from Scouts, Inc. about some of the issues surrounding the St. Louis Rams rebuild.

One of the things I found particularly interesting about it is Williams' take on Spagnuolo's approach to the defense. Here's a pretty elightening statement about Spag's history with linebacker and DLs in light of yesterday's Witherspoon trade:

If you look at the Giants' defenses, they never had a lot of money tied into linebackers. They were fourth- and fifth-round picks, journeymen. I don’t disagree with that, especially running a 4-3. That is the place you can get bargains. It wouldn't shock me if they took that money and got a killer defensive end, using the Giants' formula of, 'Let's beat your tail up front with our defensive line.' "

If they harvest a bunch of defensive linemen, I'm cool with that. It's a terrific formula. Defensive linemen are gold. I tend to think Steve Spagnuolo thinks that as well.

He's referring to getting a DE with the $6 million or so of cap space that Witherspoon would have cost the Rams in 2010. It would certainly seem that strategy is at play with Spags and Co. this season, since they've now jettisoned the Rams two most experienced and costly starting LBs in trading Witherspoon and releasing Pisa Tinoisamoa in the spring.

The Rams are using a journeyman in Paris Lenon this season, a seventh-round pick in David Vobora (once he returns after this week) and another seventh-round pick in Larry Grant to complement keystone MLB James Laurinaitis.

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hey rams fans....

would love an outside opinion. both sides are biased….

http://www.battleredblog.com/2009/10/21/1094523/wayne-vs-johnson

You are banned from Music City Miracles. (twice)
You are banned from Blogging The Boys.

by chrisd21 on Oct 21, 2009 12:49 PM CDT reply actions

Johnson

hands down

Reserved-- been waiting 6 weeks to have this sig, I guess I can wait 1 more

by Carneros on Oct 21, 2009 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not biased...much

Spags never promiced us a Rose garden, He said from the onset that it would be a rough year and that he was prepared to do what was necessary to build a winning franchise. GO SPAGS, GO RAMS!!!!!!!!

by Knoxfan on Oct 21, 2009 1:42 PM CDT reply actions

im really likeing the moves

and i think we are defiantly heading in the right direction. i think linehan tried to make a struggling team better by just adding big name players and hoping they’d have immediate impact. spags is really just separating those who fit and those who don’t why waste time? i see progress plain and simple say what you will about the busts and the level of play by some players it will get sorted out and every position is up for grabs so the level of competition always makes a player better even a big star such as witherspoon isn’t safe. I like spags and so far alot of the moves.

by keeperskillz24 on Oct 21, 2009 1:58 PM CDT reply actions

linebackers

i would say that in today’s game, in a 4-3 if you HAD to rank the d-line, the linebackers, and the secondary in importance, i think we can all agree that the linebackers would rank 3rd (not saying they don’t contribute anything, but would you rather have an amazing d-line, an amazing group of linebackers, or an amazing secondary?)

It makes sense to pool our resources in going after positions that are very hard to find, such as a pass-rushing DE, a lock-down corner, a monster DT.

by jb22 on Oct 21, 2009 2:13 PM CDT reply actions

Ndamukong Suh

PLEASE! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLUau5jlNNE&feature=related

"I was just letting the shots fly. You know, I don't leave any bullets in the chamber."

"Everything negative- pressure, challenges- is all an opportunity for me to rise."

-Kobe Bryant

A mantra for all athletes.

by TrojanRam on Oct 21, 2009 2:41 PM CDT reply actions

suh's pretty good

But this draft is going to be so confusing i really think (especially this year) we can’t lose if we get the highest skilled players because look at all the spots that need filled. And also the off season hasn’t happened so alot of those holes will be filled due to Free agents. And does anybody know when jacob bell’s contract ends? He hasn’t impressed me at all and i wouldnt mind somebody like jason smith at the guard position til he gets the hang of things, just a thought though and a stupid one at that haha. ugh so many problems its frustrating It’s like finding a needle in a hay stack where to begin?

by keeperskillz24 on Oct 21, 2009 11:08 PM CDT reply actions

Bell contract ends after the 2013-14 season I believe

Signed 6 year deal the offseason before last.

Reserved-- been waiting 6 weeks to have this sig, I guess I can wait 1 more

by Carneros on Oct 22, 2009 7:56 PM CDT up reply actions

at this point

i would say that while continuing to improve the OL is definitely necessary, it is not our primary need of concern. We need to focus on our pass rush (DE, DT), getting a reliable weapon outside for Bulger to play well (WR), and IF we stumble upon a QB that we really like, then we should take him too. After that, it’s really BPA for any position.

by jb22 on Oct 22, 2009 10:31 AM CDT reply actions