Rams' OT Rodger Saffold deserves your rookie of the year praise too

by Ryan Van Bibber on Dec 6, 2010 12:12 PM CST in 2010 St. Louis Rams season

St. Louis Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford has a lock on the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, barring some sort of Kafka-esque false accusation based on his time wearing this mustache.

Without a doubt, Bradford really deserves the award, but another rookie is having a stellar year for the Rams and without his performance Bradford's just wouldn't be what it is either: LT Rodger Saffold. SI's Peter King made a nice mention of Saffold's work this season in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

Here's King:

But almost as impressive at his position has been Bradford's road-trip roommate Rodger Saffold of Indiana, who was chosen with the first pick of the second round -- the first pick of the second day of the draft -- and who, entering Sunday's victory at Arizona, had allowed only two sacks in 11 games. "I thought it was one,'' Saffold said the other day. "I'm pretty sure it's one. Stylez White of Tampa. That's it.'' The Rams have him down for a second, but let's not quibble.

He then relates an anecdote from Steve Spagnuolo noting that once the Rams saw Saffold was available with the Rams' first pick of the second round, they did not seriously entertain trade offers. That's probably a good thing.

Compare Saffold's rookie season to the other offensive tackles selected this year, or even last year. Russell Okung has played well, when he's been on the field and not dealing with injuries. Go back a year, and Jason Smith is doing as well or better than the other OTs picked in the draft, and he's playing on the right side.

Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey and 49ers LG Mike Iupati are also getting mentions in the ROY vote - nothing like Bradford, obviously - but given the results Saffold has shown at the challenging left tackle position, the Rams rookie deserves as much if not more consideration.

Plenty of draft watchers and fans scratched their heads when the Rams picked Saffold; "they already have two starting tackles," they said. The pick stunned even more people given the Rams' needs and the players still available at that point.

Hindsight being 20/20, does anyone think the Rams would be where they are this season if Alex Barron were still protecting the blind side?

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Alex Barron

Just reading that name gives me chills.

by Sam Godford on Dec 6, 2010 12:14 PM CST reply actions

Rodger Saffold

I don’t think it was any surprise pick. Rodger was projected as a 1st round pick and fell to us. Everyone knew Spags was trying to get rid of the knuckleheads (Barron). While, Rodger has done a great job for a rookie in pass protection his run blocking needs a lot of work. The rams rarely run to the left side and when they do the stats are not good.

by Bradford911 on Dec 6, 2010 1:10 PM CST reply actions

Really?

I don’t really remember anybody calling him for higher than the second round.

by Spielman on Dec 6, 2010 2:21 PM CST up reply actions

He was projected by everyone to be a late first rounder.

Most people expected the Colts to pick him up…

"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.

by douchiedude on Dec 6, 2010 3:59 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, he was supposed to go bottom 1.

I was quite happy we took him despite our other missing pieces. At the time, I just thought it was getting depth for this year and an early replacement for Barron. Who knew it was an immediate replacement for Barron?

Sure glad we got him. We need to protect Bradford and give him lots of toys. We’re protecting him this year. Next year … toys. :)

I can take a beating ... I'm a Rams fan.

by Midasknight on Dec 6, 2010 4:56 PM CST up reply actions

Great choice

Saffold has been a great addition.

I do wish we had something to show for trading Barron, though. I still think we could have received some value back. Too bad Carpenter didn’t work out.

by Oski Bear on Dec 6, 2010 1:19 PM CST reply actions

They did get some value

See here

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Dec 6, 2010 1:33 PM CST up reply actions

LOL....yeah, there's that.

We made a lot of good moves lately, mostly through the draft. That is the preferred method, but we can always improve. It would have been nice to have an extra late round pick AND the added value of watching that bonehead wear a star on his helmet.

by Oski Bear on Dec 6, 2010 6:58 PM CST up reply actions