St. Louis Rams Free Agent Options: Demetrius Bell
by papapegasus on Feb 12, 2012 5:32 PM CST
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The offensive line is the cornerstone of a good team. If a quarterback cannot stay upright long enough to progress through his reads and find the open man, the team will fail. If a running back doesn’t have an open gap to hit consistently, the team will fail.
There is no mystery surrounding the poor play of the Ram’s offense this past season. The offensive line simply could not pass or run block effectively. Enter Demetrius Bell from the Buffalo Bills. Bell is 6’5" and 311 lbs. The Louisiana native attended Northwestern State and was drafted in the 7th round of the 2008 draft. Having only played football in college, the Bills took the time to develop him, sitting him out of the entire 2008 season. Bell is one of those rare talents a team dug out of the late rounds who actually has made a good contribution to the team on something other than special teams.
Bell started at Left Tackle for the 2009 season, only to be on the sidelines after week 10 with a knee injury. Bell went on to recover well from surgery and started all 16 games in 2010. Bell was on and off the field for the 2011 season. He suffered another knee injury and a shoulder injury, only starting 6 games and playing in 7. Bell was part of an offensive line this year that was credited for helping the Bills start off very hot and allowing Ryan Fitzpatrick to pick apart defenses like he can pick apart a SAT test. Not surprisingly, the Bills started their decline soon after he left the field for the season.
While Bell may not be the sexy pickup in free agency, he could come in and play a role on a retooled offensive line.
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I think I'd rather have Gaither
Both come with injury potential, but Gaither’s more proven and 1 year younger.
Wolf. Wolfgang Wolf
What about McNeill? I hear SD is going to release him in a CAP move?
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If they do, and they don't try to outbid us in resigning him.....
Then yeah we’d have to consider him. I’d be as concerned about his health as much as I would Gaithers, though
Wolf. Wolfgang Wolf
I see a lot of potential
with the guys you are mentioning. Any one could help. My only concerns is that none of these three, Gaither, McNeill or Bell played 16 games last year. I think Fisher knows he needs an OT this year. wouldn’t be surprised if thats our first FA signing. After Cortland of course….lol
by fearsomefoursum on Feb 12, 2012 5:05 PM CST up reply actions
I think McNeil on a games played incentive deal for 2 or 3 years is ideal.
When the guy plays he is one of the best blind side protectors. Beast of a man.
He's basically another Saffold
can get a better guy in the draft. Pass
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Atlanta is about to cut Sam Baker according to the Falcon's SBN site.
Looks like we we’re the only ones to waste a 1st round pick on a bust OT
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But he wasn't 2nd overall
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Bell's injury history revolve around knee and shoulder problems.
A lineman with bad knees & shoulder are of no interest to a team that had linemen out for a significant amount of time. He’s not much of an improvement if any over Saffold IMO.
So you say get rid of one OT made out of glass (Jason Smith) & have him replaced with another one (Demetrius Bell)? No thank you.
lol
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Sources say that DeSean Jackson will be franchised by the Eagles.
2 men enter 1 man leaves. THOSE ARE THE RULES OF THUNDER DOME!
"I learned that Madonna will be singing at the Super Bowl. I thought this was football not the soundtrack to your menopause." ~ RAMpage28
YES!
Don’t like his attitude or hands. Gimme Johnson and Blackmon teamed up.
WE SUCK. THAT IS ALL.
by RAMSALLTHEWAY on Feb 12, 2012 9:47 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Johnson? Like Stevie Johnson?
Guess his hands aren’t too much worse….
2 men enter 1 man leaves. THOSE ARE THE RULES OF THUNDER DOME!
"I learned that Madonna will be singing at the Super Bowl. I thought this was football not the soundtrack to your menopause." ~ RAMpage28
better than deseans.....
WE SUCK. THAT IS ALL.
by RAMSALLTHEWAY on Feb 12, 2012 10:48 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
No Thanks
His injury history worries me. We’ve had enough OT’s on IR lately. Bad knees and shoulders for O linemen should set off alarm bells ringing. I’m sure someone will take a risk and overpay but I really hope it isn’t the Rams!
Same logic that applies to the draft
Bell is one of the top FA OTs, and the Rams need an OT, so it makes sense in theory. But… he is not very good. The team would be overpaying for a FA in a seemingly WEAK FA OT group. FA needs to be approached like the draft and funds, like picks, need to be allocated judiciously for the players that will most benefit the team.
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