Point, Counterpoint: who's at two

by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 11, 2009 1:53 PM CDT in 2009 NFL draft

I thought as a change of pace, i'd invite everyone to join 3k and I in a back and forth on who to pick at #2 overall. 3k's going to jump in with a different opinion and we'll debate the issue. Jump right in along with us.

Point, VanRam: By drafting LB Aaron Curry, the Rams get the most talented defensive player in the draft, and maybe the only first round pick who'll be the kind of super star you want with that high of a pick. Can they make him a MLB? Sure. But they can also use him on the outside as well, and get a warm body to play MLB in a rotation with Chris Draft. And, if they can address the NT need, that will eliminate the need to put Curry in the middle, and put him on the strong side where he can use his pass rush too.

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counterpoint, 3k

Of OT, WR, MLB, & OLB, the position we need to upgrade least is OLB. In Witherspoon and Tinoisamoa, we at least have starters who can hold the position for a year, two if needed during the rebuilding process. With the #2 pick, why not go OT or Crabtree? You fill a spot where we lack a true starter and still have a shot at getting a LB with experience playing the middle later in the draft.

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 11, 2009 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

Point, rams since day1

Currys a 4-year starter with validation on production. 400 snaps at MLB over 4 years…100 a season, over 12 games that’s more or less 8 or 9 a game. He can come in and play MLB day one. Im optimistic Barron can flourish playing his natural position. WR is not as big a need because we are going to be a running team with Jackson. We already have fast, young recievers and hopefully bring in a veteran to round out the recieving corp. Lastly, Curry can be a hybrid type player that would raise the level of this defense instantly and give our D a chance to be pretty good next year.

by rams since day1 on Apr 11, 2009 5:39 PM CDT reply actions

OFF THE POINT

We have no depth at the LB position.Not even are starters except for spoon.If Curry is there you take him or BUST!2nd round best available OT,RB,DT,WR.I’m talk in a play maker i don’t care who!

by Magyar on Apr 11, 2009 8:40 PM CDT reply actions

My only concern is who

plays MLB. Curry hasn’t played any MLB, even at the NFL level. Would we be better off moving Spoon back to the middle and letting Curry play OLB?

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 12, 2009 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions

RB isnt as big a need as the other positions…

by rams since day1 on Apr 12, 2009 2:12 AM CDT reply actions

Agreed

I could think of 6 others before RB…

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 12, 2009 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Counterpoint 2

If we can go with the best tackle available, then we can help guarantee that Jackson and Bulger will make it through the year and be productive.

by kickasskeever on Apr 12, 2009 10:28 AM CDT reply actions

Point

just because we draft an OT doesnt mean the line will be great….neither J. Smith or Monroe are gonna be as effective as jake long was last year. Smith is strictly potential and Monroe is very injury prone so neither would guarantee anything about Bulger or Jackson. Take the best player available and thats curry.

by rams since day1 on Apr 12, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know that Monroe is "very" injury prone

Look at someone like Adrian Peterson. That’s very injury prone. I would, probably, agree that Curry is the pick at #2 if you’re going BPA.

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 12, 2009 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions

true he probably isnt very injury prone…definitely not as bad as AP.

And i actually dont know what “BPA” stands for haha im guessing: by past assumptions?

by rams since day1 on Apr 12, 2009 11:30 PM CDT up reply actions

best player available

by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 13, 2009 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Counterpoint 3

I agree with kickasskeever, seemingly the rams are building the team around the running game of SJax. It would make more cents and dollars to draft the best OT

"I always think one step ahead, like a carpenter....the builds stairs"

by sergey606 on Apr 12, 2009 2:57 PM CDT reply actions

Point, small one

Spags is to defense, as Curry is to, well….plays defense.

"I always think one step ahead, like a carpenter....the builds stairs"

by sergey606 on Apr 12, 2009 2:58 PM CDT reply actions

Counterpoint 4

As much “injury history Monroe” has had, he only missed 2 games in four years at Virginia. Its that toughness that Spags and the Rams need on the line. A powerful yet controlled lineman who can play with bruises and scratches to replace the injury filled Pace and show Cogs how to play hard while playing smart.

by kickasskeever on Apr 12, 2009 4:32 PM CDT reply actions

Point I brought up in the 1st episode of Turf Show Radio

If we draft J-Smith/Monroe, who starts at LT? With all the talk at how much better Barron would be if he moved over to LT, would the Rams be better off with Barron on the left and J-Smith/Monroe on the right?

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 12, 2009 9:17 PM CDT reply actions

using the #2 pick in the draft on a RT would not be smart…

We could find a guy in the second round to play RT, someone who is more suited and has more experience at RT.

by rams since day1 on Apr 12, 2009 11:26 PM CDT reply actions

offense wins games, defense wins SUPER BOWELS—draft Curry, and strat building a no-nonsense, smash mouth defensive unit.

by cheftony4182 on Apr 13, 2009 12:36 AM CDT reply actions

hehehe

not trolling, but reading “Super Bowels” made me laugh. Hehe.

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 13, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

“Using the #2 pick on a RT isn’t smart”

If we draft a tackle and Spags et al. think that Barron would be better on the left, then fine if Monroe/Smith plays RT this year. They will get great game experience at the NFL level, and will be the building block for the OL next year as they move to LT. You are right, you don’t draft a RT at 2, you draft an elite pass protector that will be in a year protecting your franchises’ blind side for ten years to come.

They are trying to build the best team and franchise by addressing needs now and building towards the future. NOT just this year.

Curry will help the defense, but if Bulger/Boller/Jackson are all in hospitals because they are broken all over, then who cares how our defense is better. We will only score safeties all year and win that way.

We wouldn’t be drafting a RT with the #2 pick, we would be drafting the cornerstone of a franchise.

by kickasskeever on Apr 13, 2009 12:48 PM CDT reply actions

To add to that point

Barron is coming into a contract year, so the Rams would have the opportunity to move a drafted tackle to LT in 2010 if they decide to let Barron walk.

Jay Zygmunt, now that you have fired yourself, please have yourself hired by Seattle. Thanks.

by 3k on Apr 13, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions

well put kickasskeever…

but you said in a year he will be protecting our franchises’ blind side for years to come, and im guessing your saying he will be the new LT after playing RT this upcoming year. The only problem is that it wont be guaranteed.

Barron is in his contract year and it could push him to play better. Also Barron was a star LT coming out of college, so maybe moving him back to his natural position would do wonders for him. He played very well a couple years back filling in for Pace at LT…he only gave up like three sacks. Soooo im saying there is a very good possibility that Barron could pan out for us at LT and either Monroe or Smith would be stuck at RT. And we both agree that you dont draft a RT at #2 so in my opinion it would turn out to be a waste of the second pick in the draft. Now because there is a good possibilty this could happen, I would take an OT in the second round to play RT. There are guys, like Phil Loadholt, with more experience at RT who are more suited to come in day 1 and play RT. Curry would instantly be an upgrade at MLB and we wouldnt have to wait a year to get the best out of him…we would definitely be using this pick to its fullest potential. We get the best player in the draft and still get a good OT (because our second round pick is so high).

by rams since day1 on Apr 14, 2009 12:40 AM CDT up reply actions

we could keep going back and forth about this till April 25 :)

I think you have alot more confidence in Barron than I do. I also think that if Barron does live up to the expectations, which would be amazing!, I could very well seeing him try to bail out and get as much money as possible.

But if I am proven wrong and the Rams win, I can live with that.

by kickasskeever on Apr 14, 2009 1:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Yea but hey i try to take all things into consideration so i enjoy this kinda argument ;)

and im glad we are talking about this…..because i never took that into consideration. What if Barron did try to bail out??? If he did pan out and plays very well, then i would be hopeful that Billy D could get a deal done. This new front office has been really impressive so i would be opitimistic. Now you make a good point bcuz if he did leave then we would really be screwed.

Hopefully it all works out whichever way we go!

by rams since day1 on Apr 14, 2009 6:15 PM CDT reply actions