Let's talk about Alex Barron

[Nick]

We've seen just about two years of the Alex Barron Show. Has he done enough in your mind to lock the right tackle position down, and do you think he's the future for this team at that position?

Consider first of all that the protection on that side of the line is hardly flawless. You could basically say that about any part of the line, even Pace this season. But Alex is allowing his fair share of defenders to get by.

Combine this with the incredible number of penalties he's committed. The Rams lead the league in false start penalties, and that's in no small part due to Barron. In fact, through 23 games not including today, Barron has accumulated 24 penalties, including 17 false starts.

Now it sounds as if Marc Bulger is calling him out without mentioning his name:

"But when you get embarrassed by a 2-9 team and you think its OK and keep making the same mistakes, and its not OK. Address it or don’t address it. But this is a business and if you don’t address it, you shouldn’t be here."

"Repeat mistakes. Making a mistake and it doesn’t bug them."

"Someone makes a mistake once or twice, you can get over that. You can blame it on youth or whatever. Everyone has excuses. But when you keep doing the same things and there’s a nonchalant attitude, that’s what bugs me. And I think it bugs some other guys."

"It’s your job. And when you don’t approach football like a job and just think you’re on scholarship, that’s the problem."

Repeated mistakes sounds an awful lot like Alex (see the penalty numbers), and I don't think Bulger would reference being on scholarship if he wasn't talking about a relatively young player.

Also consider that NFL.com's 2005 Draft profile on Barron said the following: "Needs guidance and structure and lacks that aggressive nature you want in a quality left tackle … Just a marginal worker who will do what the coaches ask, but is not the one who will push himself or do the little extras (needs mentoring) … For all of his ability, he seems to go through the motions too much, drawing comparisons to Washington's Chris Samuels, a player that can excite and frustrate you from one play to the next …"

Now that's not to say the right tackle position has been a complete problem. The situation on that side of the line has by far been much better in terms of efficiency than it was under the John St. Clair era, and you also get the sense that Barron's doing a more consistent job than Blaine Saipaia as well. This was a position the Rams needed to address for numerous seasons, and while Barron has made his share of mistakes, I haven't heard anyone questioning him from a long-term standpoint.

But maybe it's time someone put this up for discussion. Has Barron shown you enough to make you feel confident that he's the future at right tackle? Does potentially wavering confidence from our starting QB make you waver in your own opinion?

Let's hear some thoughts.

[Varg6]

Honestly, for someone to make so many mistakes, he shouldn't be playing right now. At least give some other guys some opportunities because he's really just not doing anything. The penalties kill drives and force us to make 20 yard passes all the time. I don't like him, I thought I would, and I honestly thought he'd have a bright future, but he's just a crappy player, its as simple as that. He's one of biggest troubles on the O-line in my opinion.

[BigGameMN]

If I was the coach I would bench him, send him a message that all his mistakes won't be tolerated.

[r8rh8rmike]

Well, I'm embarrassed that several weeks ago I started a thread about Barron and how quickly he was getting off the snap. I also added that he was becoming an anchor and that his play had improved "exponentially". Ill-advised, pre-mature and off-base to say the least.

He WAS playing pretty well at the beginning of the season, but he's obviously relapsed into past bad habits and is now hurting the team. I'd like to think he can break out of it and rise to the occasion, but today's comments from Bulger paint a picture of a guy with a "bad attitude", which is the kiss of death in football. It appears he's lost all confidence from his quaterback and it sounds like the coaching staff might be at their wits end with him as well.

If he continues to struggle and in fact doesn't care, he should be replaced.

[dgr828]

Ever hear the story whrere the Indianapolis Colts, lead by Quarterback, Peyton Manning, pratice their offensive play calling and timing, over and over, for long periods of time, until the whole unit becomes near perfection.

All the Rams need to look at themselves in the mirror, not just one offensive lineman.

A. B. is fine , yes he's young and needs guidance, but overall, he's been there all year for the Rams (healthy) and doing pretty good job.

the fact is the Rams offensive has sleep walked through training camp, sleep walked through the preseason and continue to sleep walk half way through the regular season.
It takes this offense too long to get going in games, we're always playing catchup and relying on late miracles. Hope lessons are learned for next year.

As Peyton Manning would say: Practice make perfect!
(Of course every time I use Peyton as an example, the Colts lose.):notworking:

[Nick]

A. B. is fine

No offense, but what games are you watching? The guy is a given penalty or two every game, and doesn't make up for that with superb protection or drive in the run game. The Rams lead the league in false starts, Barron the biggest offender, and you say he's fine? I don't follow this at all.

[LA Rammer]

Alex Barron is just a big dumb guy. If he were alittle smarter our line wouldn't stink so bad. "On three, on three, break"!!! Ahhhh duhhhh did he say on two?

LAY OFF THE WEED!!!

[AvengerRam]

Barron is so immensely talented physically, but unfortunately he does not have the head and heart to match. Still, he's so much better than the parade of stiffs that preceded him, I have to believe that he's the man at RT for a long time. Hopefully, he'll mature and his effort and concentration level will improve.

[SFCRamFan]

Barron is still young. He is much better than anyone that we have had there for a while. However, he does need to be taken to task for his lackadasical attitude. I think that it is great that Bulger is (allegedly) ripping him in public. Maybe this is the type of thing that he needs to change his attitude and focus...

[RamsFanSam]

Maybe Linehan should watch that show that was on Friday night...the one about the '99 Rams.

Maybe those 3 hour two a days would help.

At least he'd know who really wanted to work.

[Country]

He is a young guy lets leave him alone and realize that he is still better then anyone playing right now and is still developing. This team needs an overhual but barron is still in the plans.

[ramsbruce]

He is a young guy lets leave him alone and realize that he is still better then anyone playing right now and is still developing. This team needs an overhual but barron is still in the plans.

Sure he's better than the turnstiles we had before, but the amount of false starts he gets are inexcusable, so "leaving him alone" isn't the option if there is to be improvement.

[Fat Pang]

I could well be breaking ranks here a little .

I may be one of the only people who isn't jumping up and down in celebration about the fact that an abysmal loss has resulted in our previously unflappable QB voicing his displeasure in public. Seriously people, it's not a good sign on a team that is meandering it's way to a 6-10 season.

In my experience, which is limited admittedly in terms of sports, but like the rest of us, is more extensive in terms of business and education, non-performance is not likely to be redresssed in this way. Granted, Bulger and the rest of the locker room, will be privy to more information than we ever could be, but the player himself who will also be aware of the target of Bulger's ire (and we're assuming it is Barron) is hardly likely to be gratified by it.

The amount of penalities that Barron attracts are unacceptable and we must question why, over the course of a season, this still hasn't been addressed. This after all, is why we have position specific coaching. If it's a question of indifference, as has been alluded, then that's something that has to be addressed, I'm just not sure that this particular method is the most effective way to do it. He certainly has all the physical tools and has attracted good press from media and opponents at times, so he must be doing something right.

The way that Linehan and Boudreau deal with this will be interesting and perhaps a better indication of Linehan's ability as a coach at this level than his handing of the offensive playcalling reins to Olson.

[tomahawk247]

there is only so much coaching that can be done, the player has to want to change aswell, and i havent seen that from Barron. They have taught him the technique, and have drilled into him about the penalties. The only other thing they can do is bench him. If Barron wanted to do great, he could. But he just doesnt seem to be making the effort, and you cant blame that on coaching.

[chiguy]

He is a young guy lets leave him alone and realize that he is still better then anyone playing right now and is still developing. This team needs an overhual but barron is still in the plans.

I'd just like to point out that this is a losing attitude. This is his job. Either he can do it or not. If he can't, then they need to try to replace him with someone who is willing to do the job.

Also, the list of "young players" who were "still developing" that ended up sucking for the Rams in recent years is pretty long and has contributed to its slow decline toward mediocrity -- Damione Lewis, Adam Archuleta, Robert Thomas, Ryan Pickett, Jimmy Kennedy, Anthony Hargrove, Lamar Gordon, Trung Candidate, and so on. Notice that none of these guys are still with the team and some aren't long for the league either.