Random Ramsdom: Robert Rochell provides his thoughts on an interesting hypothetical

Robert Rochell names his Rams 4x100 team and it’s a fast group (RamsWire)

“Even if the Rams’ roster is looking thinner than usual right now, this team still has some speed to burn. There are some fast players on both sides of the ball, from Tutu Atwell to Cobie Durant.

Pro Football Focus posed the question of which team could put together the fastest 4×100 team and Robert Rochell chimed in with his picks for the Rams.

He went with himself, Van Jefferson, Atwell and Durant, feeling confident in that group against the rest of the NFL. It’s a pretty fast team, too.

Jefferson hit 21.5 mph at the Senior Bowl when he was coming out of Florida, while Atwell ran a 4.32 at his pro day. Rochell ran a 4.39, which is impressive at his size, and Durant had the 11th-fastest speed of any ball carrier last season (21.5 mph), according to Next Gen Stats.”

Contract Comparison: Titans’ Jeffery Simmons vs. Rams’ Aaron Donald (SportsIllustrated)

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“Over the past two seasons, the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald and Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons have been two of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.

And now, their salaries reflect it.

Last offseason, Donald received the largest contract given to a non-quarterback in league history at three years, $95 million ($31.67 million annually) in a restructured deal.

On Friday, some 10 months after Donald’s raise, Simmons ascended to second on the list of highest-paid defensive tackles in the league, getting a four-year, $94 million extension that will net him $23.5 million annually.

Additionally, Simmons’ contract includes $66 million fully guaranteed and comes with a $24 million signing bonus.

It’s merely the continuation of a strong offseason of contracts for defensive tackles, as Daron Payne (Washington Commanders) and Javon Hargrave (San Francisco 49ers) earned $22.5 million and $21 million contracts this spring, respectively.

Still, it’s the 31-year-old Donald who leads the market by over $8 million annually, and for good reason. One of the most dominant players of his generation, Donald has nine Pro Bowl’s, seven All-Pro’s and three Defensive Player of the Year’s to his name ... in only nine seasons.”

NFL Draft Analyst: Rams Need ‘Every Position’ (SportsIllustrated)

“The Los Angeles Rams are in the midst of a critical offseason, fresh off a disappointing 5-12 campaign but only 14 months removed from winning the Super Bowl.

Rams general manager Les Snead dubbed the start of the offseason “boring” as he’s battled the salary cap and been forced to part ways with key contributors, most notably cornerback Jalen Ramsey, inside linebacker Bobby Wagner and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd.

Due to its cap-related inability to be aggressive in pursuit of players, Los Angeles will be dependent on the 2023 NFL Draft to improve its roster.

The Rams are set to have 11 picks in the draft, the first of which comes at No. 37 overall. According to ESPN, they will need every last one of them.

Los Angeles’ biggest “draft needs” were listed as cornerback, defensive end, defensive tackle, receiver and quarterback - but ESPN writes that “we could have listed every position and been fine.”

Rams mock draft roundup 4.0: Post-free agency projections for LA (RamsWire)

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“The draft is rapidly approaching with just over four weeks to go until the big event. The Rams are once again without a first-round pick, but plenty of experts have gone two and three rounds deep with their mock drafts, so we’re getting a sense of which prospects might be available for Los Angeles in the top 100.

In our latest mock draft roundup, a common theme has emerged: defense, defense, defense. Many mock drafts have the Rams taking DBs and pass rushers in Rounds 2 and 3, with Julius Brents being the most popular pick.”