St. Louis Rams team needs
by VanRam on Mar 20, 2010 7:17 AM CDT
in 2010 St. Louis Rams offseason
30 comments
Free agency season is far from over, and the Rams seem to be a little more active lately, at least in terms of their visits with free agents, in an attempt to shore up team depth at certain positions. Given the lull, I thought this was a good time to take another look at the specific team needs for the St. Louis Rams.
1. Quarterback
The Rams averaged slightly more than 10 points a game last season. There were lots of reasons for that. Not even halfway through the season calls for Keith Null to start turned into demands. When die-hard fans start clamoring for a rookie QB who threw played his last game at the Division II level, it can be said that the team needs a QB. Marc Bulger gave the team some solid seasons, but the overall decay around him proved to be too much. No position has the impact on a team that the QB does, and the franchise can't continue the rebuilding process much longer without addressing that need. Where the Rams next QB comes from is subject to some debate, but the glaring need the team has at this position is not.
2. Defensive end
The Rams need a pass rusher...an every down pass rusher to play opposite Chris Long. Leonard Little and James Hall, hardly locks to come back to the team in 2010, can have success in limited duty, but they're role players at this stage. The addition of Fred Robbins gives the Rams a competent group of defensive tackles, not that they still couldn't use another, but the need for a defensive end is much greater...think about the old days with Wistrom and Little starting at DE. It would be great to see the team able to nab a guy like DE Corey Wotten would be a score in the second round, and give Spagnuolo the kind of DL who can lineup on the inside when the matchup is right. Or do the coaches think they can get Carlos Dunlap, should he fall to the 33rd pick, focused on the game? Is it too much to ask for Derrick Morgan to be available when the second round starts? Probably.
3. Weakside linebacker
Personally, I think the run defense lacks as much here as it does at defensive tackle. A good WLB playing alongside James Laurinaitis would vastly improve the Rams defense, both against the run and in covering tight ends or running backs. Na'il Diggs, if the Rams end up signing him, gives the team better depth than Paris Lenon, but he's not the answer.
4. Tight end
The need for a speedy pass catcher has been evident for some time, and could be especially useful if the Rams end up having a rookie QB. A threat at TE would help Rams receivers too. It's tough to rank the needs at DE, WLB and TE for me because I can easily see why each one is of critical need.
5. Backup running back
We can argue about what exactly what kind of running back we want to see here, but the need is obvious. A better offense all around will help reduce the workload on Steven Jackson, but the right backup running back could not only save tread on his tires but give the offense another dimension entirely.
6. Right tackle
The Rams probably don't have a need here immediately, assuming they don't trade Alex Barron. Eventually, they will have a need here...like next season. Finding that player now would be of benefit because it would give the Rams quality depth at OT.
7. Cornerback
If the Rams sign Kevin Dockery, they will have immediately improved their depth at this position, a weakness that was really exposed last season. Bradley Fletcher Bradley came on strong as a rookie, and we're hopeful that his rather serious leg injury won't stunt his growth. Playing with Ron Bartell gives the Rams a decent pair of starting CBs.
8. Wide receiver
Yes, the Rams could use a true blue number one WR, a real playmaker type guy. However, they have some intriguing young talent at this position that could complement each other quite well with Laurent Robinson, Donnie Avery and Brandon Gibson. Give these guys a season with a better QB situation and pass catching TE. However, there are big injury questions among that group, making another WR a useful component.
Alright, there is plenty of room for argument here, so weigh in with your thoughts.
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Gee, where does Suh fit into this?
Is the thinking here to convert him to a DE? Or would he just be considered the best player available and take him anyway?
By the way, I agree 100% with your analysis…..regarding the need for a QB.
Suh could be the BPA
So could McCoy, Bradford, Berry… it’s all up to what the FO thinks. If you look at ‘Question for a Dolphins Fan’ fanpost you will see most of this is being discussed, which may have prompted this post.
Regardless, we have 7 DT on the roster. 7. If Carriker moves to DE, which is his natural position, we have a 6 man rotation. Its not a big need for the Rams. Where as we have 2 TE’s, and either 1 or none OLB. I believe C. Chamberlin is our lone OLB, which is very sad. [It was pointed out in this article, if we sign Diggs he’ll provide depth, but he will be our lone OLB].
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we have 7 DT on the roster … Its not a big need for the Rams. Where as we have 2 TE’s, and either 1 or none OLB.<.blockquote>
Well I don’t think you can determine the need by simply watching at the sheer number of bodies at each position. We could have 5 TEs on the roster tomorrow, by simply offering contracts to guys on the street.
Better watch the quality of the players manning each position.
How many DTs do we have of Suh’s (potential) caliber ? Zero is my estimation.
If you draft only to fill needs, you’ll quickly have a complete roster, but you probably won’t have the best talent at many positions. The ‘Need board’ rarely coincides with the ‘BPA board’.
If you draft BPA, it will take longer to have a complete competitive roster, but you will have more talent on your team.
If you have an overcrowded position, you can still trade away the surplus.
Sorry I didn't point out
that you need a dose of common football sense when reading that post; of course the bodies alone don’t count. But if you spend the time to investigate those DT’s you’ll see they are all on the active roster and recieved playing time last year. If Spags didn’t think those players have a good shot at making the team they wouldn’t have been offered a contract. We had quite a few players not tendered an offer cause they just weren’t good enough. That doesn’t mean we can’t use a player to improve that position. It means other needs are a higher priority: TE, RT, QB, OLB, WR.
how about
how many qb’s do we have of bradford’s (potential) caliber? if a qb is 1st pick worthy and your biggest need is a qb, it’s pretty obvious that you should grab him with that pick. bradford and clausen are the two most underrated franchise qb prospects ever. did you know that jimmy clausen had possibly the greatest junior season by any pro-style quarterback statistically?
http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/jimmy-clausen-best-nfl-ready-junior-quarterback-league-history-40326/
yet people don’t think he’s good enough to play in the nfl. he’s definitely good enough, how he develops from here on out though depends on how much work he puts in.
drafting suh will get us talent that’s needed but it won’t get us any closer to winning. drafting clausen or bradford gives us hope for the future, a possible super bowl winning quarterback.
See, the problems is that Clausen is better imo
Yet, no qb is worthy this year for the overall 1st selection.
The Rams need either Okung, McCoy, Suh or Berry!
That’s all folks!
QB is not biggest need
You can’t throw a pass from your back when nobody is open. We have no #1 WR, no proven TE, and an offensive line that has small children thanking God every night that they are not the QB for the Rams. The only purpose of drafting Bradford is: you don’t like him and you want to see him dead from head traumas before his 23rd birthday. I think we should address other offensive issues first.
by Drunk Keebler on Mar 21, 2010 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions
You are supposing we would start Bradford
right away. I don’t think that would happen. I suspect we would start Feely for a time while allowing Bradford to become accustomed to the pro game. Let’s face it, better to get Feely mangled than Bradford. By 2011 we should have the line problems resolved.
You say Chamberlin
would be our only outside LB. What about Vobora? He was our starting SLB most of the season and he wasn’t bad. If you mean WLB, then I’m with you.
Carriker is a bit big for a 4-3 DE isn't he?
i thought he was around 300 pounds.
i mean i’m sure he could lose the weight, just saying
I think that Rams team needs are so great at several positions and just needy at even more positions that if we were to grab the Best Available Talent we would in effect be making great additions no matter what, that is the only positive i can think of with the roster we have had, imagine if we took all the BAT no matter what position, then mixed in some of our ok guys then we would be vastly improved until we could complete the big picture.We obviously wont be completing the big picture in 1 off season or 1 draft, thats why i say to keep taking the best talent we can and in 1 or 2 years we will be a dominating team,imho
If practice makes perfect....
Yet nobodies perfect.....
Then why practice ???
I agree
but it is like the voters in this country – out to lunch after the Magical Mystery brainwash tour.
Stupidity just exponentially manifests itself as world-population increases – even if only sports!
Gee whiz, am I living in the wrong century or what, darn it!
Why not make it easier and list "don't needs?"
First String RB – Jackson
LT – Smith
C – Brown
WR – Robinson, Avery
Punter – Jones
Kicker – Brown
KR – Amendola
DE – Long
MLB – Lauranaitis
Safety – Bartell, Atogwe?
Corner – Butler
Every other position is questionable relying on players like Feeley, Robbins, Carriker, Dahl, Darby, Barron, McMichael, Burton, Ryan, Gibson, Fraley, Setterstrom, Little, Hall, etc.
excellent point!!!
A different way to analyse the current rumblin’ and bumblin’ Rams – a good angle I’d say, yep what we don’t need!
My additions would be (2 I disagree with you on)
LG – BELL
FB – Karney
WR – L. Robinson
WR – Gibson
DE – Carriker
DT – Ryan
DT – Scott
CB – Fletcher
A few of things wrong with that list
1. Bartell is a CB
2. Butler is a safety
3. Fletcher should be on the Corner list.
4. You have DE as a “don’t need” but it is arguably one of our biggest needs since you need two of them.
And not so wrong:
5. We probably do need a WR but I agree that we don’t need one in this year’s draft, because it these guys prove to not be able to do a good enough job then theirs next years draft loaded with #1 Receivers, like Julio Jones, Michael Floyd, AJ Green, or Jonathan Baldwin. All of these guys are at least 6’3’’ and projected to be first rounders or early 2nd rounders next year. This is where we get a WR.
I did transpose Bartell and Butler. My mistake.
We definitely need another DE unless Carriker somehow recovers and takes over that position. But my guess is that he will be traded for a high draft pick like Tye Hill was. Hall and Little are both too old. We need someone that can play the whole game at DE. I’m still not sold that we have adequate DT’s either. I think of Robbins as more of a backup than anything else. And, Ryan and Scott have a lot to prove as NFL starters. I’m sure JL would love to have Suh upfront and a credible OLB beside him. But it’s becoming quite obvious the Rams’ brass wants to make a splash with a franchise QB instead of a BPA DT. Maybe they will at least take an OLB with the 2nd pick.
gangsta
i love suh, i want him dearly, and i made my old man a suh rams jersey for christmas, but we have wayyy more pressing needs
And with the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft...
Please Rams DO NOT take Sam “Overrated-Injury Prone” Bradford…Suh is the pick!!!!
If he went into the draft last year and was drafted by the Lions first overall
Would he have been overrated then?
He will be the pick. I bet you an Ed Hardy t-shirt from goladymall.
And that ad below is now gone so the joke doesn't work anymore
But I was kidding about the t-shirt thing if yo didn’t catch that.
Ranking the need at DE, WLB and TE is tough for me
the only good thing about that at this point of this season is the draft should bring hope for improvement no matter what position they take. I can’t imagine they’d end up with someone who doesn’t play significant downs.
The blind stares of a million pairs of eyes, lookin hard but won't realize, that they'll never see the C. And when I'm rollin by, you can't see me!
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