Gridiron Rams

Rams Wide Receiver Review

2011-08-13T17:43:00.001+08:00

It's been a while since I posted an update because of the lockout. Now that football is back, the St. Louis Rams wasted no time upgrading the key areas that need attention. The wide receiver position was the focus of the draft as the Rams drafted a potential red-zone threat with TE Lance Kendricks and two sure handed wideouts in Austin Pettis and Greg Salas. On the free agency market Rams signed to a one-year deal Mike Sims-Walker adding more sure hand recievers for Sam Bradford. On the mix is Mark Clayton which was Bradfords favorite target aside from slot receiver extraordinaire Danny Amendola.

Who is the heir to Adam Timmerman?

2011-05-15T14:05:00.001+08:00

The Rams has been having problems holding fort at the right guard position since All-Pro Adam Timmerman retired. Since then it was a revolving chair on that position Richie Incognito man the position but character issues cut his stay in St.Louis short; Mark Setterstrom also did good manning the position but injuries keep creeping up and decided to let him go as a free agent. Then there is the project on using utility man OG/OT Adam Goldberg and OG John Greco. With the Rams tendering Greco shows that they still have some confidence on him and as football expert says "he just need some competition to prove himself".

Personally if given the chance to compete, John Greco might have found their answer to that position within the roster all along. Not drafting an interior lineman during the 2011 NFL draft has only enforced that Greco will be given a chance to compete although the Rams will try to add another veteran via free agency to add some depth.

The Rams basically need to upgrade the interior as a they where able to draft the Rams bookend tackles in Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith and they will be holding fort for quiet sometime. Center Jason Brown has been the anchor and the de-facto leader of the group since he was signed as a free agents in 2009 as he has shown consistency with his play.

Rams 2011 Draft Review

2011-05-05T21:34:00.000+08:00

If I were to sum up the the first two days of the 2011 NFL Draft, it would be like this: a lot of surprises, and a lot of steals. Yes folks this year NFL draft has a lot of surprises which includes the chance for the Rams to pick the best pass rusher in this years draft class in North Carolina DE Robert Quinn.

Round 2 of the Rams draft was also a surprise even to the fans as Bill Devaney trade up with the Denver Broncos for the Rams to able to pick Wisconsin TE Lance Kendricks. Some would say this is a Josh McDaniels pick as McD likes to pass catching TE's with a good set of hands and Kendricks is one of the few with the best hands in his position. Sam Bradford will have another toy to play with.

Round 3 was also a surprise to most fans as the Rams drafted Boise State WR Austin Pettis. A big wideout 6' 3" with good route running skills and good hands (which is now becoming the trend of the Rams draft).

In Round 4 Rams got basically a similar wideout in Hawaii WR Greg Salas. The Rams continue to upgrade Sam Bradford's supporting cast with the addition of Salas. He is a highly productive receiver with great hands and outstanding toughness. He should compete for time as a slot receiver in their three- and four-receiver sets

The rest of the picks

Round 5: DB/LB Jermale Hines, Ohio State
Round 7: DB/Returner Mikail Baker, Baylor

Round 7: LB Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin

Round 7: FS Jonathan Nelson, Oklahoma

Countdown to the 2011 NFL Draft: Julio Jones or the D-Linemen

2011-04-14T12:55:00.000+08:00

It's obvious that the whole Rams' draft strategy will depend on 14th overall pick. It's a consensus by most draft experts that the Rams that Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones fills the urgent need "if" he's available by the time. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a knack on developing quarterbacks and wide receivers so if the Rams where lucky enough to pick Jones, Sam Bradford' will be one happy camper.

If in case Jones is not availble, draft experts has said that the Rams will turn to drafting Defensive Linemen to atleast prepare for the eventual leaving of aging players DT Fred Robbins and DE James Hall. Prospect like defensive end Missouri's Aldon Smith, California's DE/DT Cameron Jordan and Illionois defensive tackle Corey Liuget are basically the Rams can afford to choose from. It's common knowledge head coach Steve Spagnoulo loves to using multiple defensive ends on passing downs to which disrupts opposing teams as part of defensive packages. Drafting any of the three prospect will surely upgarde their need on their defensive line. Imagine having Chirs Long, Fred Robbins, James Hall, George Selvie plus any of those three prospect rotating every now and then will surely make those opposing offensive coordinator lose their mind.

Grid Iron Mock Draft

2011-03-30T14:53:00.003+08:00

Regardless of the lockout, I would like to give my very first mock draft.

Round 1 - Sure pick : DE Aldon Smith, Missouri; DL Adrian Clayborn, Iowa; DT Corey Lieuget, Illinois;
If in case: WR Julio Jones, Alabama

Round 2 - Guard: Danny Watkins, Baylor or Marcus Cannon, TCU

Round 3 - Outside Linebacker: Mason Foster, Washington or Bruce Carter, North Carolina;
Wide Receiver: Torrey Smith, Maryland; Leonard Hankerson, Miami.

Round 4 - Free Safety: Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple or Jeron Johnson, Boise State

Round 5 - Runningback: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; JacQuizz Rogers, Oregon State.

Round 7 - Anything goes OLB and WR

Rams 2011 Draft Overview

2011-03-10T16:32:00.000+08:00

The NFL draft is forth coming (regardless of there's a new CBA or a lockout) and this year the Rams have the 14th pick to which the team management has a wide range of choices unlike last year that team picks number 1 overall ( to which the Rams did good by pick franchise QB Sam Bradford). This year the key areas that the Rams need are as follows: WR, DT, DE, OLB, RB depth, OG, Secondary depth.

Wide Receiver: It's evident the Rams need some talent on this area as they need someone that can REALLY stretch the field. Unless the Rams signs a very good veteran wideout, Bill Devaney will draft the next Torry Holt and/or Isaac Bruce. Most draft expert expect the Rams would pick Alabama's Julio Jones IF he's available if not then they might settle for either Miami's Leonard Hankerson or Torrey Smith on the second round.

Defensive Tackle: The Rams needs to upgrade this area as Fred Robbins is not gonna be there for long, and Gary Gibson maybe solid but he's a free agent. This year's draft has a lot of prospects for the position of defensive tackle which includes Corey Liuget and Stephen Paea.

Defensive End: This area is also in need of an upgrade as James Hall is 34 and he too won't be playing long enough. Spagnuolo likes his DE who can play inside and outside and the draft has at least three prospects that can do so: Iowa's Adrian Clayborn, Wisconsin's J.J. Watt and California's Cameron Jordan.

Outside Linebacker: This has been a pressing need as the Rams has been doing a musical chair on the weakside position. Veteran Na'il Diggs was solid but injuries (and age) has caught up. David Vobora and Chris Chamber where able to hold fort but they are not enough. This year's draft only one prospect that I think the Rams should pull some strings to ensure he is pick in the 2nd round is Washington's Mason Foster Foster can play all three linebacker position, has leadership skills and has good coverage and blitz skills.

Runningback: Steven Jackson has been the main man for the Rams yet he has not been given some quality back up. With Josh McDaniels handling the offense, expect some passing plays for the Running backs too and the draft has several prospects for that which includes Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray and Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers.

Offensive Guard: Interior lineman depth is also a key area as the John Greco and Adam Goldberg are now unrestricted free agents. If the Rams are planning for a trade down then they could target Florida's Mike Pouncey. If not they can pick Wisconsin's John Moffit, or Baylor's Danny Watkins.

Secondary: This became a need when O.J. Atogwe decided to sign with the Redskins and also GM Bill Devaney has been "eyeing" some good defensive back prospect like Colorado CB Jimmy Smith, UCLA Safety Rahim Moore and Texas DB Aaron Williams can also be included on this list.

DT Barry Cofield would make sense with the Rams

2011-02-26T17:26:00.000+08:00

If the free agency starts today and GM Bill Devaney should at least sign players that are familiar with Steve Spagnuolo's defense which is why free agent defensive tackle Barry Cofield would be a significant upgrade to the Rams D-line since Cofield is only 26 years old, he knows the system and a solid run-stopper.

Rams has vast options at pick #14

2011-02-22T14:02:00.002+08:00

Unlike the last year, the Rams will be picking virtually in the middle of the draft. At picked no. 14, the Rams has vast options on which prospect to pick. The Rams will decide on who would to they pick once the finished scouring the free agency market for more proven/serviceable veterans before drafting the unpolished but potentially talented players.

Assuming there is no free agency coming in, here are the list of prospect that the Rams could possible picked at no.14: Wide Receiver Julio Jones, Defensive Ends Ryan Kerrigan, Aldon Smith, Adrian Clayborn and Defensive Tackles Corey Liuget and Stephen Paea.

Rams Off-Seasons Starts Anew

2011-01-26T15:46:00.003+08:00

The Rams almost got in to the playoffs this year but felt short because of the lack of deep passing game in the offense. It was evident that the Rams needed to upgrade the offense and there were calls for a change on the offensive coordinator position as Pat Shurmur offense is deemed "no longer fit".

Fortunately, days after the end of the regular season, the Cleveland Browns hired Shurmur to be their new head coach. This saved the Rams management the trouble of "relieving" Shurmur (although there was no real plans to replace Shurmur but a dire need to "turn up volume" of the offense was in order). The Rams then found his replacement in former Broncos head coach and offensive guru Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels hiring had some mix reactions to some of the fans and football experts as McDaniels has been known to be a "pass-happy" coach and is not a "West Coast Offense" guy which is good for Sam Bradford in some ways because this would benefit his skills but this also mean he will learn a brand new scheme. However during his press conference and after talking to both Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson, he has emphasized that both Bradford and Jackson will be the focus of his new "balanced but aggressive offensive scheme" which is remain to be seen until training camp and pre-season.

The next thing on the agenda for the Rams will be the free agency which will start around March 2011. the team needs to address the following positions: Wide Receiver, a backup running back, Offensive Lineman (the right guard in particular), the weakside linebacker, depth on the defensive line and in the secondary.

Rams lost to the Cardinals 17-13

2010-09-13T08:24:00.000+08:00

Even though the Rams lost, the whole team showed some poise especially the Rams defense. DE Chris Long and DT Fred Robbins showed some early presence to the game. Sam Bradford performed nicely despite the 3 interceptions which is not a common outing for a rookie quarterback. New Ram WR Mark Clayton played like he has played with the Rams for a long time as he has a career high 10 catches in the game.

On the other hand, Rams should keep SS James Butler on the bench as he got burned on the winning touchdown pass from Anderson to Larry Fitzgerald for the win which only show his weakness for the pass. Craig Dahl should cement his position as the Rams starting strong safety.

Overall the Rams did well on their first outing and I expect some

Sam Bradford Era in St. Louis starts tomorrow

2010-09-12T15:37:00.001+08:00

After missing out on most of the pre-season due to a busy personal schedule I am now back in blogging before the start of the Sam Bradford era of the St. Louis Rams 2010 regular season.

After a very impressive outing during the preseason, Sam Bradford now enters the season the the starter for the Rams basically unseating veteran QB AJ Feeley.

Experts and NFL Analysts are expecting the Rams to win the NFC West this year because of some of the clear improvement that where made during the offseason specially the run defense. But the question remains if the Rams offensive line can hold opposing defense so that Sam Bradford can do his thing and also give running back Steven Jackson the running lanes he needed. I would hope Roger Saffold lives up to the jersey number that he was given to be a once great left tackle for Rams named Orlando Pace.

OT Alex Barron traded to the Cowboys for LB Bobby Carpenter

2010-05-18T15:23:00.002+08:00

Personally, I consider this trade a good one since both teams are in need to fill those positions in need: Cowboys need some help at offensive tackle after the release of Flozell Adams and the Rams needs upgrade their linebacker corp. To some football experts Bobby Carpenter is a bust but I my opinion, he's in a wrong system. the Cowboys ran a base 3-4 system on which the OLB's mostly rush the passer and the ILB's are to stop the run and do some coverage. the Cowboys are basically set with Bradie James and Keith Brooking manning the ILB's position which relegated Carpenter as a coverage linebacker on nickel and dime situations. Carpenter's coverage skills is an asset for the Rams since he's been covering All Pro Jason Witten during practice and with that he significantly improve on that area. He will battle David Vobora , Na'il Diggs and Larry Grant for one of the outside linebacker positions.

Rams 2010 pick-by-pick Draft analysis

2010-04-26T13:50:00.000+08:00

Needs Analysis: It's not every year that a team in need of a franchise QB gets a shot at one, but the Rams could get their chance with Sam Bradford. With how well he performed at Monday's workout, and if the doctors clear him, he will be the No. 1 overall pick. After that decision, it might be a good idea to move down in the other rounds and get multiple picks to fill up the roster. At least one wide receiver is a must, and a third-down running back would help if they don't add one in free agency. The defense needs help at left defensive end.

Rd	Sel. #	Player	Pos.	School
Rams' draft picks
1	1	Sam Bradford	QB	Oklahoma
2	33	Rodger Saffold	OT	Indiana
3	65	Jerome Murphy	CB	South Florida
4	99	Mardy Gilyard	WR	Cincinnati
5	132	Michael Hoomanawanui	TE	Illinois
5	149	Hall Davis	DE	La.-Lafayette
6	170	Fendi Onobun	TE	Arizona
6	189	Eugene Sims	DE	West Texas A&M
7	211	Marquis Johnson	DB	Alabama
7	226	George Selvie	DE	South Florida
7	254	Josh Hull	LB	Penn State

Rams pick by pick analysis

Day 2 Summary: Rams solidify O-Line picked OT from Indiana

2010-04-24T20:10:00.001+08:00

Day 2 of the NFL draft started with a not so spectacular yet a very solid pick as the Rams picked Offensive Tackle Rodger Saffold from Indiana. This pick shows that they will protect Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson. It also signals Alex Barron's upcoming departure as Scaffold might start opposite Jason Smith.

Round 3 was a bit of a surprise for me a the Rams drafted cornerback Jerome Murphy of South Florida. This pick is obviously influenced by coach Spagnuolo as he likes big and physical defensive backs (Jerome Butler and Ron Bartell are above 6 feet in height).

Rodger Saffold At a Glance

Jerome Murphy At a Glance

No Surprise: Rams picked QB Sam Bradford

2010-04-23T08:14:00.000+08:00

"With the number 1 overall pick, The Rams pick --- Sam Bradford, Quarterback from Oklahoma". There's no surprise for this pick. The Rams now have a franchise quarterback they can build over for years to come.

There's a caution though, the Rams should address the offensive line and the wide receiver spots on the remaining rounds. If not, Rams should sit him for a season.

Top 3 Quarterback Prospects

2010-04-11T21:24:00.000+08:00

A Run down on the Rams top 3 QB prospects

The NFL draft is fast approaching and the St. Louis Rams will be on hand for the top overall pick. And with the release of Marc Bulger the Rams are gonna draft a quarterback regardless of which round. I'm gonna do a brief review of the top 3 QB prospects that the Rams have recently scouted.

Sam Bradford (Oklahoma)
Pros: Strong Arm, Accuracy, Smart
Cons: injury concerns
Projected Round: 1

Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame)
Pros: Knowledge of the pro system, Accuracy
Cons: Attitude, Mobility ( injured toe)
Projected Round: 1 or 2

Colt McCoy (Texas)
Pros: Very Accurate, good arm strength
Cons: Height and some injuries
Projected Round: 2

Draft Scenario Number 3: Trading down and get more picks

2010-04-04T02:27:00.000+08:00

I'm leaning more with this scenario since the Rams has a lot of areas that needed to be addressed. I can predict at least three possible trade down scenarios:

Rams trades #1 overall pick to Tampa Bay for the #3 pick and the #42 pick (Round 2): The Bucs are in dire need of an upgrade on their defensive front they get to draft either Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy while the Rams can draft Sam Bradford on pick #3 (the Lions will either pick McCoy or OT Russell Okung). As of late the Rams have some success drafting potentially good player on the second round (Ron Bartell, James Lauranaitis, Donnie Avery) possible pick #33 WR Arrelious Benn (Illinois) and #42 Outside Linebacker or OL

Rams trades #1 overall pick to Cleveland or Washington and an additional 2nd round pick: This scenario would be considered unconventional but still possible if the Rams considered addressing the offensive line first and address the quarterback spot in the 2nd round. A possible pick here would be Oklahoma OT Trent Williams who is considered best to play Right Tackle which is one position the Rams need to address. For the additional 2nd Round would be Jon Asamoah of Illionois or Sergio Render or Virginia Tech on which both can address the Right Guard spot.

Draft Scenario Number 2: Drafting either Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy on pick #1

2010-04-01T22:18:00.000+08:00

Here's another draft scenario that was brewing before Sam Bradford rose his stock. Drafting either Suh or McCoy will upgrade the defensive line unit which struggles to stop the run because of injuries specially in the middle. If this is the direction that GM Bill Devaney would take then it's a clear indication that they will take a quarterback on Round 2. It's been reported that the Rams will host a private workout for Texas QB Colt McCoy before the draft keeping their options open on that position.

Draft Scenario Number 1: Drafting QB Sam Bradford at pick No.1

2010-04-01T21:58:00.001+08:00

This scenario would be what most would people expect as the Oklahoma star quarterback is viewed as a potential franchise quarterback because of his cannon of arm strength combined with his uncanny accuracy as well as his leadership skills which is rare for a college prospect.

Pros: The Rams gets their future franchise quarterback with all those intangibles they are on the right track on their rebuilding process.

Cons: Bradford has a history of injuries which includes injuries to his throwing shoulder. It would be foolish for him to start right away unless the offensive line has been given attention.

Rams To Work Out Colt McCoy Before Draft

2010-04-01T21:39:00.000+08:00

The Rams plan to take a closer look at their options for drafting a quarterback, including Texas’ Colt McCoy.

St. Louis will hold a private workout — date unknown — for McCoy in Austin before the NFL draft begins April 22, according to an ESPN.com source.

McCoy is working out today during the Texas Longhorns’ pro day, and NFL.com reports more yhan 75 coaches and scouts representing 30 teams (Rams and Lions are not represented) are in Austin.

The Rams could still be considering taking one of the stellar defensive tackles, Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy, with their first overall pick and then look to pick up the Texas QB in the second round (No. 33 overall).

Rams Draft scenarios

2010-04-01T11:35:00.001+08:00

It's only weeks until the 2010 NFL Draft and there's no clear idea on which draft prospect will the Rams take for the top overall pick. Would it be Oklahoma's Sam Bradford or would it be either defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh (Nebrask) or Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma) or would there be a trade-down to get additional picks .

I will be posting a series of blog post on each scenarios and explain my take on that particular scenario and what would be the possible benefits that the team would gain.

Rams Re-signs DE James Hall and 2 ex-Giants

2010-03-23T11:24:00.000+08:00

The Rams brought back an important piece of their defense Monday afternoon, re-signing valuable defensive lineman James Hall.

Bringing Hall back provides the Rams with a veteran presence that might otherwise have been missing.

Hall established himself as the team’s most versatile defensive lineman, starting 14 games at defensive end. But as part Spagnuolo’s scheme, defensive linemen are expected to be able to play multiple positions along the line.

Nobody did more moving around than Hall, who would regularly shift to the inside in passing situations.

Rams sign 2 ex-Giants

Continuing to add to their offseason roster, the St. Louis Rams on Monday signed cornerback Kevin Dockery and tight end Darcy Johnson to one-year deals. Both players are former New York Giants who were not tendered as restricted free agents this offseason.

Dockery, 5-10, 188, had 10 career starts in four seasons with the Giants and has three career regular-season interceptions. He should compete for the nickel back job in St. Louis and be a core player on special teams.

Johnson, 27, spent most of his rookie season (2006) on the Giants’ practice squad, and then missed the entire ‘07 season after suffering a knee injury in training camp.

Off Season Transactions Update

2010-03-22T15:47:00.000+08:00

As of this writing the St. Louis Rams has signed and re-sign key players that would provide needed depth on key positions

Former Eagle and Browns Center/Guard Hank Fraley signed a three-year deal with the Rams. He is possibly penciled as a starter at the Right Guard spot. Rams also re-signed G Mark Setterstrom to provide competition and depth on the interior.

The Rams also has re-signed veteran long snapper Chris Massey for 4 years reportedly for $4.4 million. Making him the richest long snapper in the NFL to date.

And finally linebacker David Vobora, has signed his one-year tender offer with the team. Vobora adds depth to the position that is in need of an upgrade

Rams starts free agency: Familiar Faces joins the Rams

2010-03-09T10:44:00.001+08:00

Rams started free agency by signing veterans: quarterback A.J. Feeley (ex-Eagles) and defensive tackles Fred Robbins (ex-Giants). Although not spectacular but solid and reliable veterans that knows the systems. Feeley knows Pat Shurmur's system very while he was with the Eagles. Robbins has played for Spagnuolo with the Giants and he will provide mentorship to the young defensive linemen.

Sign good free agents

2010-02-15T03:16:00.000+08:00

Everybody is raving about the Rams should draft Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh on the first overall pick on the upcoming NFL Draft in April. Others says the Rams should draft a future francise quarterbacks either Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) or Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame). Other draftnicks also say the Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is a safer pick than Suh.

Personally, I would be watching more on who are the Rams are sign during the free agency. I just recently read that Jacksonville just recently released former Rams WR Torry Holt which in my opinion should the Rams sign back to provide a solid foundation on a young and inexperienced receiver corp. Sure Holt has slowed done because of age but Holt has a good rapport with current QB Marc Bulger and at least take off the pressure on Steven Jackson. If signed, Holt can take the pressure of Donnie Avery and help other budding wideouts like Brooks Foster, Brandon Gibason and Danny Amedola (who is also the Rams best return guy since Az-Zahir Hakim).

Other areas that the Rams need to address are the backup running back, outside linebackers, offensive line should also be addressed on both free agency and the draft.