/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58878829/898089602.jpg.0.jpg)
As with last week’s slack chat, the same group of guys (3k, BMule, myself) got together to talk about the 2018 NFL Draft. This week, we started with the Los Angeles Rams’ trade for Kansas City Chiefs CB Marcus Peters, to the impact it’ll have on the draft, and we take a look at free agency.
Hittman (TST Contributor Sosa Kremenjas): 1) What is your opinion on the Marcus Peters trade, and does it impact the draft in your opinion?
Joe McAtee (TST Managing Editor 3k): Who?
Hittman: Who what?
BMule (TST Contributor BMule): I love it
Joe McAtee: Slack chats! The most profound analysis out there!
Hittman: Let’s restart
You assholes
Joe McAtee: (This is all going in there)
Hittman: stop making my god damn job harder!!!!!
BMule: I think the Peters trade opens up the door wide open for the Rams in the draft. And rather than “does it prevent CB for Rams early in the draft?” I think it brings more CB prospects into play
Joe McAtee: Yeah, I don’t know that it wipes CB off the board (even in the first), but it at least gives us comfort that the CB1 slot has been filled in a post-Tru depth chart
BMule: Trumaine Johnson leaving was kind of a foregone conclusion for most. Still needing a CB1 heading into the draft would have been dicey because there seems to be a ton of CB2 types available
Joe McAtee: Agreed
Hittman: I definitely agree there. I wouldn’t be against continuing to add a CB (even in the first round), but it at least opens the idea of going elsewhere at pick #23 too
BMule: There’s CB prospects that become even more attractive now with Peters in the fold. Guys like [Auburn CB] Carlton Davis, [Louisville CB] Jaire Alexander [and LSU CB] Donte Jackson for example.
Joe McAtee: We were at like 90% in the mocks that had us taking a CB in the first. I’m going to be very interested to see what that number is coming out of the combine
Because mocks are life
BMule: But now you don’t have as much of a need which gives us more flexibility
Chances of drafting OL or EDGE get a boost
Joe McAtee: Which makes me quite happy
Hittman: I guess by that you mean there won’t be as much pressure on a rookie CB to come in and be “the man”, and he can instead come in and be the #2 and learn from a bonafide pro bowler?
BMule: Yup
Hittman: Agreed for sure.
Joe McAtee: Then I need to switch it up to disagree with you jackamoles
Hittman: haha
Joe McAtee: THE RAMS MUST SIGN TWO CORNERBACKS IN FA FOR TOP MONEY
OR THEY AREN’T SERIOUS ABOUT WINNING
Hittman: This next question ties in with the first one, so here we go:
2) Are the Rams set at CB#2, and if not, would you prefer to hit the spot with an FA or a draft choice?
Joe McAtee: BTW, here’s the FA market (From Andy Benoit’s piece)
Trumaine Johnson (28), Rams
Malcolm Butler (28), Patriots
Aaron Colvin (26), Jaguars
Kyle Fuller (26), Bears
Patrick Robinson (30), Eagles
Morris Claiborne (28), Jets
Rashaan Melvin (28), Colts
E.J. Gaines (26), Bills
Nickell Robey-Coleman (26), Rams
Prince Amukamara (28), Bears
Nevin Lawson (26), Lions
Bashaud Breeland (26), Washington
Leonard Johnson (28), Bills
Dontae Johnson (26), 49ers
Ross Cockrell (26), Giants
Davon House (28), Packers
T.J. Carrie (27), Raiders
Brent Grimes (34), BuccaneersPotential Cap Casualties (in alphabetical order): Brandon Carr (Ravens), Marcus Cooper (Bears), William Gay (Steelers), Adam Jones (Broncos), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants), Sean Smith (Raiders), Aqib Talib (Broncos)
BMule: No they’re not set
Joe McAtee: They’re not.
BMule: People expecting substantial impact from Webster this year are the most optimistic fans in the universe
Joe McAtee: That dude’s Instagram stories are great
Hittman: I 100% agree there. I wouldn’t expect anything from Kayvon Webster. Not only that, but NRC is a free agent and Troy Hill is a RFA
BMule: I see a lot of names in the FA market I’d be more than happy to have but money could be an issue. I’m a big fan of some of the draft prospects
Joe McAtee: Let’s get some. Who in FA yall feeling?
Worth pointing out Vontae Davis and David Amerson have already signed. Davis on a one-year deal to the Bills and Amerson on a one-year deal to the Chiefs
BMule: Cheaper options I’d be okay with are Grimes, Melvin, and House. Cockrell at Nickel,
Hittman: Man... out of the choices in the FA pool, the guy that is most intriguing to me is Bashaud Breeland from Washington
Joe McAtee: Worked with McVay before
Hittman: He’s obviously got ties to our coaching staff, he’s only 26 years old, and now can come in and be a CB#2 and not pigeonholed into a top dog
BMule: He’s a solid player. What’s his market? Not sure yet
Hittman: I’m not sure. Somewhere in that 2nd tier CB market. Maybe 7-9M APY roughly?
BMule: How about draft options?
Who do you like?
Hittman: That’s the intriguing spot to me. If they go CB in Round 1, I like [Colorado CB] Isaiah Oliver (as I suspect [Ohio St. CB] Denzel Ward will be gone). If they choose to wait until say Round 3, Anthony Averett from Alabama is an interesting prospect to me
Joe McAtee: Mandatory Turf Show Radio plug on Misone’s behalf for Florida St. CB Tarvarus McFadden...
BMule: I think I’ve reached a point where I like too many prospects at CB
Joe McAtee: Do we think they need to replace Tru’s size at all?
BMule: If they do then Carlton Davis is the absolute perfect fit and excels in press coverage.
But I’m not sure they need a big body because Peters is here now
Hittman: I haven’t seen Davis yet. Isn’t he a perfect fit for Wade?
Joe McAtee: Wade can make anybody fit
I love Grandpa Wade
I need his tweets back in my life
BMule: He really can. Troy Hill was a guaranteed cut to one of the best performers in playoffs
Rams DBs are gonna be good
Hittman: Yeah that gives me all the hope in the world
Anyways, onto question #3:
3)Is Tru gone? Can he even be brought back if they wanted to?
Joe McAtee: Who?
BMule: Welp
I think yes and yes.
Joe McAtee: He gone
But yeah, agreed on both fronts with Mule
BMule: He’d have to take a big discount
Hittman: I think Tru is as good as gone. In my opinion, if they wanted him back, they would have dealt OLB Robert Quinn who was reported to be wanted by KC
BMule: Exactly
Joe McAtee: If they wanted him back, they would have signed him in either of the last two offseasons.
BMule: Exactly times 2
Hittman: Right
Onto our final question:
4) McVay mentioned the OL at the combine. Is that a draft option, and if so, any position/prospect in particular?
Joe McAtee: Who?
(sorry)
BMule: So first off, everyone is going to assume Center and I get it.
Joe McAtee: It’s an obvious issue
BMule: But Rams are about to have zero guards under contract after 2018
Joe McAtee: Yup
BMule: So I think either G or C is definitely in play earlier than anyone wants to think about
Joe McAtee: I do wonder if they look to FA this year
Hittman: Yeah, I mean, in one years time we will have one offensive lineman under contract and he’ll be 37-years old
The offensive line is a huge need going forward
Anyone you guys like in the draft or in FA?
I really love the idea of adding [Georgia] OG Isaiah Wynn in round one. Or even if they trade back from #23, I think a OT would absolutely be in play
BMule:
I’ve focused most of my attention on defense but OG/Cs I hear pop up all the time are Wynn, [UTEP G] Will Hernandez, and [Ohio St. C] Billy Price early in the draft.
Joe McAtee: I’m a bit surprised we haven’t heard more about Taylor Hearn out of Clemson
Hittman: With Aaron Kromer’s ability to coach offensive linemen a factor too, they should definitely look at some depth guys on day 3 too
Joe McAtee: [G Scott] Quessenberry out of UCLA too
Hittman: Interesting. Haven’t heard much about either, but I do know Quessenberry has a brother in the NFL who beat cancer
BMule: And we still have an offensive minded HC after all. Offense has to be drafted at some point, right?
Joe McAtee: One angle I think I find interesting
Under Fisher, we clearly prized offensive linemen with versatility
Guys that could move around...and move around they did
I wonder if that’s a Lester Snead thing
BMule: As did the defenders move around them
Joe McAtee: Hahaha
Quessenberry played some center
Is that something they value?
Hittman: No idea. Offensive lineman with versatility are always coveted
Joe McAtee: I got a piece up today from SBN that suggests the Rams should look at NYG OL Justin Pugh
He’s bounced from tackle to guard
Hittman: I mean you can only carry 7 on game day, so guys better be able to move around
Joe McAtee: I just wonder if that’s attractive to the Rams to the same degree it clearly was in years past
Hittman: Pugh is amazing, but I cannot see anyway the Rams make that cap space available
Joe McAtee: Also, Lamar Jackson is not a WR
I feel like that needs to be said randomly every 15 minutes or so just to make sure we all stay pure
BMule: I trust Bill Polian.....
Hittman: Lamar Jackson gives me all kinds of life
BMule: .......
Hittman: DONE!!!!
We done
BMule: ......
Word!
Hittman: Thanks for tuning into another edition of Slack Chat. Check back next week for more interesting topics to be discussed!
Joe McAtee: Who?
What say you, Rams fans? Is there anyway Trumaine Johnson returns? What do you do at pick #23? Chime in!