One man's junk is another man's treasure

by Josh Wehrle on Apr 14, 2011 8:01 AM CDT in 2011 NFL offseason

This post (and maybe a series of posts) will highlight a castoff (or soon to be castoff) from another team who could potentially help out the rams. These players do not have a very high chance of developing into stars, but they could if given the proper coaching and environment. They are at least worth a training camp invite. Find out the first player after the jump.

The player is........... Vernon Gholston! I'm not just saying his name because I am a buckeye fan, so don't give me the homer comments. I really believe that he can still develop into something useful. For starters, he was drafted way higher than he should have been, so the expectations were too high, especially in New York, where they can grow to resent players pretty easily. Another reason is that he was totally miscast in Rex Ryan's 3-4. I think that a fresh start with the rams could do him some good, as they have Gholston's college teammate in James Laurinaitis, a Jim Tressel-esque coach in Spagnuolo, and a 4-3 defense where he belongs. Let me know what you guys think.

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Agree

I am not a Ohio St fan but always thought this guy was a freak. I think it would be worth a look. No doubt putting him back into a 4-3 would help. Like you said he was a teammate of JL so ask him about VC. Mayeb we can capaitalize on someone else’s bust for a change.

by RWRAMS28 on Apr 14, 2011 8:16 AM CDT reply actions

Elvis Dumervil

was a small @$$ DE in a 4-3 at Louisville and Robert Ayers was a decent sized 4-3 DE at Tennessee and both swithced the OLB in the 3-4 with Denver and the both have been great/decent and way better than Gholston. So whats the deal? can some guys make a better swith than others? arent they all pros? well I would expect good results from him and though it might make decent sense to put him back in 4-3 with a coach like Spags IDK if paying him his contract would be good for us. If we can get a contract worth pennies until he reaches certain expectations then get a bonus yea but other than that I’ll pass.

"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no PLAYOFFS."
Winston Churchill

by SMASH44 on Apr 14, 2011 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions

sign him

i mean this signing would be cheap and it is risk free. its all reward really. he competes for a job and if he makes it he has to be better than what we have and if not maybe our guys give it more.

by RAISEtheDEAD on Apr 14, 2011 8:32 PM CDT up reply actions

No

Absolutely not. Regardless of whether or not he was harshly criticized or drafted too high or whatever, the man still does not have a SINGLE sack to his name. That is pathetic. The man is a DE and his job is to get to the quarterback and he simply cant do that. Looks like some Ohio St. bias to me but it was a good thought. But his stats speak for himself. Even George Selvie has 1.5 more sacks than him.

by richter122 on Apr 14, 2011 8:17 AM CDT reply actions

That is pathetic!

But why not bring him in? And then if Spags thinks he can do something with Gholston, then we get something for nothing. If not, then we get nothing for nothing….ala Bobby Carpenter.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Apr 14, 2011 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions

He doesn't come free as I think you assume he does.

We still have to pay him a contract. I’d rather use that money for a free agent wide reciever or other need rather than on some scrub DE that hasn’t even recorded a sack, which may I remind you is the main reason he is on the field.

by richter122 on Apr 14, 2011 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know the business side of football....

….but I"m sure we can give him a tryout and cut him if we don’t like him. What’s he got to lose? And what do we got to lose?

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Apr 15, 2011 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

You are correct.

You do not know the business side of football.

by betterthanzero on Apr 15, 2011 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I still consider

the Carpenter trade a plus because we got rid of Barron.

THIS year there'll be football. I hope....

by thisguy on Apr 14, 2011 10:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Hence the nothing for nothing comment...LOL!

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Apr 15, 2011 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions

I had the same thought when he was released

If you can sign him to a no guarantee, minimum contract where cutting him would cost nothing. Rex Ryan couldn’t do much with him but said he was a great teammate and a hard worker. We saw how Carriker was useless to the Rams but Washington likes him because he plays in a system better suited to his skills.

by 2cents on Apr 14, 2011 8:56 AM CDT reply actions

Yup.

If he were a cancer, I’d say not to bother, but for a no-risk contract? The most damage he’ll do is take a preseason roster spot away from some other guy with a very low chance of panning out. Try him in a different role in a different system, roll the dice, and see what comes up.

by Spielman on Apr 14, 2011 9:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Exactly

Does not hurt to make an attempt, non-guaranteed.

Besides, Selvie will surpries fans, watch and learn.

South Florida is pumping out some quality athletes for such a short tenured collegiate footbal program.

by jlcdb70 on Apr 14, 2011 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Sign him for minimum

Fellow OSU fan, this guy was a monster in college and I think it’s too early to say he’d be completely useless. Hell, even if we could get him as just another rotation guy, I’d be all right with it. Worth a shot, at least to bring him into camp. That is as long as there IS a camp this year.

by RamsFan28 on Apr 14, 2011 9:13 AM CDT reply actions

what's funny is that so many draft watchers had him as an OLB in a 3-4

he could never get around NFL blockers in that role. I wonder if the burst that was so highly touted coming into the draft could be better used lined up in a 4-3…

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by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 14, 2011 9:24 AM CDT reply actions

I never understood why he was touted as a 3-4 olb

It just shows how misleading the combine can be

Turf Show Times writer and a proud rams fan.

by Josh Wehrle on Apr 14, 2011 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions

cmon buckeye...vernons nothing but a bodybuilder in pads! thats it!

by Mark Jaramillo on Apr 14, 2011 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions

I wasn't a huge fan of his when he first came out

I thought Jake Long, Glenn Dorsey and Chris Long were all better players, but Spags loves DEs. He has turned several of them into studs and I’d be curious to see what VG could do as a rotational guy.
I’m all for it

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by clwxz5 on Apr 14, 2011 9:49 AM CDT reply actions

His athletic ability would certainly upgrade our defense

He can move sideline to sideline extremely well, but does have difficulty getting to the QB right now. Perhaps he just needs to be mentored by someone who knows strong technique (i.e. Long and Hall). He also needs to get his confidence back up, and a place like St. Louis, out of the glare of the spotlight, might help.

by RamBuck on Apr 14, 2011 9:56 AM CDT reply actions

As long as you're willing to cut ties if it's not working

like Bobby Carpenter, I don’t see the harm.

Turf Show Times editor, Mocking the Draft writer, and I gots that Twitter too, yo.
"my keyboard won't corporate, neighter will my smell check." - Knoxfan

by 3k on Apr 14, 2011 10:22 AM CDT reply actions

Bring Him In

I thought Gholston was miscast as an OLB. His strength is as a 4-3 DE. More than a few teams have attempted to take a player and place them in an unfamiliar system or scheme. This is not to suggest that it can not be done: Sam Bradford is a good example. Positioning should be based upon the individual acumen, talents, and versatility of the player. Bradford has the intagibles to play and succeed in different systems. Not every player is as gifted as Bradford in this regard.

by ValdezY on Apr 14, 2011 10:26 AM CDT reply actions

Hey, invite him to camp. Give him a shot.

Maybe he turns into the reverse story of how many of our unproductive past picks ended up contributing elsewhere.

by RadicalRamsFan on Apr 14, 2011 10:50 AM CDT reply actions

I think any player is worth a look

If the team thinks he could help, shoot him a contract…if not, you didn’t really waste anything.

Number 8 is great

by Eric Nagel on Apr 14, 2011 10:50 AM CDT reply actions

Historically, we don't do good with castoffs....

It would be great if half our roster wasn’t castoffs, 7th rounders or perennial backup calibre players.

by RamChop on Apr 14, 2011 11:04 AM CDT reply actions

Are we in a position to turn him away?

If he showed any interest in playing for us, I say no. No commitments, but we can’t afford to just assume he’s a bust, if he’ll come at minimum risk.

Wolf. Wolfgang Wolf

by dbcouver on Apr 14, 2011 11:52 AM CDT reply actions

If Rex Ryan

can’t get anything out of the guy what makes you think Spags can.You can say oh well Spags is the better coach,and although Spags is a good one he’s not better.Plus Ryan is a players coach and he does get a lot from his players,he couldn’t make Gholston be very good.Probably would be a waste of money that could be better spent elsewhere.

by chndlr54 on Apr 14, 2011 12:06 PM CDT reply actions