pisa moving to SS; archuleta to FS

[rampete]

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
02/17/2005

The free agency and trading period is still two weeks away. The NFL draft is a good two months down the road. But the re-tooling of the Rams defense is in full swing.

To wit, the Rams are switching linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to strong safety and moving Adam Archuleta from strong safety to free.

"Pisa's got such terrific range," Rams coach Mike Martz said Wednesday. "He reminds me of Carnell Lake and Darren Woodson, some of those people. He's got the stature to be very effective there."

Woodson and Lake were big safeties, playing at 215 to 220 pounds during their NFL careers. Although Tinoisamoa was listed at 235 pounds, Martz said he played at closer to 220 pounds last season.

"Size has nothing to do with it," Martz said. "If he was 280 pounds and could run like he does, who cares?"

While it's debatable whether Tinoisamoa has the pass coverage skills to play strong safety, that's a position in the secondary where run support is the primary responsibility. Teams made it a point to bring their lead blocker at Tinoisamoa on a consistent basis when he played outside linebacker. While Tinoisamoa was more than willing, his shoulder was worse for the wear.

"He dislocated his shoulder eight times last season," Martz said.

As a result, Tinoisamoa needed offseason shoulder surgery.

Martz said Tinoisamoa was excited about the switch. Martz also feels that Archuleta, who was slowed by back problems last season, could handle the extra coverage responsibilities at free safety.

"There's no question he can cover the ground," Martz said. "Adam and Pisa are playmakers, and this will put them in position to make even more plays."

Tinoisamoa, who finished with 145 tackles in 2004, has led the team in tackles in both of his NFL seasons.

[ZigZagRam]

ok, Archuleta's pass covering skills at...free safety? Is Martz nuts?

This better mean 3 new linebackers since we don't have to spend money on a starting safety.

Crowder - Hartwell - Cowart

[maineram]

WOW, We were all wondering what was up at Rams park in recent weeks. Does this mean that Hargrove is our new MLB ???
I'll be away on vacation for the next 10 days, when I return I'm afraid what of what the team might look like.
At this Pace,(no puhn intended), I'll come back and Orlando will be a starting DT next to Pickett !!!!

Rams in 2005 - :ramlogo:

Maineram

As a long time supporter of both martz and management, i have to admit i am puzzled by this move. I think both archuletta and pisa are lousy in pass coverage. I guesss the move is intended to strengthen the run defense and indicates that we think it will be easier to get linebackers via free agency than a safety.

It also means antuan edwards wont be back for sure, leaving the lasting memory and really my only rams memory of him dropping the ball that hit him right in the hands in the flat for a sure TD in the atlanta playoff game, thereby changing the entire tenor of that game.

Bring back isiah robertson!

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[Nick]

I don't like this move at all, but I'll be happy to eat a big plate of crow if it works out. That said, I'm not confident in Archuleta's ability to play the field as a free safety, and by moving Pisa to safety, we've now weakened an already poor linebacker unit.

The Rams had better plan to actively and aggressively pursue some options during free agency and the draft to make up for this, because a linebacker unit of Chillar-Faulk-Thomas or the like isn't going to scare anyone.

On a somewhat less important note, I wonder if Pisa will be changing numbers...? And also, what does this say about Archuleta's health if he's being moved to a somewhat less physical position? Will the Rams try to resign Antuan Edwards to compete with Arch at the FS spot?

[psycho9985]

Believe me Martz and Marmie aint done yet.Wait untill the draft is over to see what the positions look like.I know its hard to have faith when wierdness like this is happening,but the wash isnt finished.

[HUbison]

Holy out of left-field, Batman! I've got a shiny new quarter for anyone who can provide evidence that they saw this one coming. Let me get this straight:

1. Our worst coverage safety takes over in the position that requires the best coverage skills.
2. Our only playmaker LB is removed from the LB corp.
3. Our two starting safeties are both converted LBs.

So what can we take from this move?

1. Aeneas is going to retire
2. Edwards has no intention of re-signing
3. Martz & Marmie are certain that the LB corp can be re-stocked from FA and/or draft.

Honestly, this sounds like a Marmie move. His style of defense requires large bodies, not the lightweights of the Lovie mold. I mean, what was Marmie's first move when he got here....fatten up his DTs. Now what has he done....."fatten" up his safeties. I wouldn't be surprised to see our LBs all 15-30 lbs heavier this year.

[RamWraith]

Before everyone gets to bent out of shape, here is what I believe.

The Rams are going to be make a HUGE attempt to beef up this small, but fast defense. I think they will move Thomas to outside, draft another outside backer to play with Chillar and find a stud free agent for the middle. This I believe is the only way to beef up a sorry ass defense. Pisa is to damn good to get rid of and is really a little small (220)l for linebacker if they indeed what to go a different direction.

As long as they make aggressive moves in the off season to fix the linebacking corp. this move might work out ok.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by HUbison

Holy out of left-field, Batman! I've got a shiny new quarter for anyone who can provide evidence that they saw this one coming. Let me get this straight:

1. Our worst coverage safety takes over in the position that requires the best coverage skills.
2. Our only playmaker LB is removed from the LB corp.
3. Our two starting safeties are both converted LBs.

1) Well, Arch is no Rich Coady, but he's no Aeneas Williams either. So yeah, it would seem that way.

2) Indeed. A weak LB unit becomes even weaker.

3) Yes, and I don't know if any other team can say the same.

Originally Posted by HUbison

So what can we take from this move?

1. Aeneas is going to retire
2. Edwards has no intention of re-signing
3. Martz & Marmie are certain that the LB corp can be re-stocked from FA and/or draft.

1) Seems to be the case. Even if he wasn't, he didn't look like a great free safety last season in limited time. He really looked as if he'd lost something, and now that he's a FA, I'd expect him to retire.

2) Well, I don't know if I'd say he has no intention. Perhaps the Rams just weren't that impressed with him, and would like to see what he'd get in free agency and talk with him then to try and get as low a deal as they can.

3) It would seem that way. Perhaps they've tipped their hand a bit, because now linebacker has shot up even more on our list of needs. I imagine this means we're going to aggressively pursue at least one or more linebackers in free agency, and perhaps even resign Polley.

Originally Posted by HUbison

Honestly, this sounds like a Marmie move. His style of defense requires large bodies, not the lightweights of the Lovie mold. I mean, what was Marmie's first move when he got here....fatten up his DTs. Now what has he done....."fatten" up his safeties. I wouldn't be surprised to see our LBs all 15-30 lbs heavier this year.

This could certainly be the case, and with this out of the way, I wouldn't be surprised if we brought in that McKinnon guy from Arizona.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by RamWraith

Before everyone gets to bent out of shape, here is what I believe.

The Rams are going to be make a HUGE attempt to beef up this small, but fast defense. I think they will move Thomas to outside, draft another outside backer to play with Chillar and find a stud free agent for the middle. This I believe is the only way to beef up a sorry ass defense. Pisa is to damn good to get rid of and is really a little small (220)l for linebacker if they indeed what to go a different direction.

As long as they make aggressive moves in the off season to fix the linebacking corp. this move might work out ok.

I agree. While this might take a chaser to get down, it certainly could work out. This team is small and gets pushed around pretty easily. Putting Pisa in the secondary will allow him to make plays without having to take on a lead blocker like he was as a linebacker. The only question is his coverage skills.

I think a lot of people suggested that the Rams needed to get bigger, and it seems that the front office/coaching staff is at least aware that changes need to be made. I think we're going to have to wait and see all the pieces of the chess board before we can really attempt to grade whether we think this is going to work. I'm very anxious to see what Pisa will do in camp as a safety.

And also, who knows if this is what we're going to see during Week One of the season. Remember, Martz announced that Arlen Harris was going to move to fullback during the second day of the draft. I don't think he ever played a down of fullback during the regular season. Their announcement in February might not even see the light of day in the regular season.

[adarian_too]

Digging into the obscure quotes files, one finds the following:

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." - Hunter S. Thompson

I guess this tells us that Marmielade's scheme is better served by the S covering the TE. And the only way to keep his scheme and cover up the weakness was to move a LB back to S.

But since Hawaii 5-0 was the best LB, despite the shoulder, moving 5-0 makes the LBing corp that much more exposed. Now if the Rams had secured 2 FA LBs already I could understand some of the weirdness, but ...

it is still frightfully clear that the Electric Acid Koolaid Bus Trip has not left Rams Park yet.

The Rams are so depleted at WR that they have to experiment with a 5 year baseball player? The Rams are so depleted at S that they have to convert their best LB? The Rams are so depleted in Public Relations that they had to have one of the SpecialEd Teams craft the transition plan for Faulk?

At this point one is reminded of RiffRaff's comments in The Rocky Horror Picture Show:

"It's astounding;
Time is fleeting;
Madness takes its toll."

[Nick]

Originally Posted by adarian_too

The Rams are so depleted at WR that they have to experiment with a 5 year baseball player?

I would hardly call the Rams WR unit depleted. Also, Looker was a nobody until the Rams gave him a chance as well, and now he's at least a solid possession #3-4 target.

Perry's signing seems to just be adding another guy for camp, where the roster can be substantially larger. Why not see if the guy can play?

[adarian_too]

Originally Posted by NickSeiler

I would hardly call the Rams WR unit depleted. Also, Looker was a nobody until the Rams gave him a chance as well, and now he's at least a solid possession #3-4 target.

Perry's signing seems to just be adding another guy for camp, where the roster can be substantially larger. Why not see if the guy can play?

One of my points in commenting about the Perry move is that there are many more concerns the Rams need to address than WR. If you want to fill roster spots with bodies, why not start with RT, LG, OLB, MLB, S, KR, Page Ranking? Priorities seem misplaced to me.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by adarian_too

One of my points in commenting about the Perry move is that there are many more concerns the Rams need to address than WR. If you want to fill roster spots with bodies, why not start with RT, LG, OLB, MLB, S, KR, Page Ranking? Priorities seem misplaced to me.

Well one, free agency hasn't started yet, so they don't have a huge pool to pick from. Two, Perry very well could work out as a return man - I don't know enough about him to say one way or the other. Three, from what I've read, the Rams are trying to sign OG Khiawatha Downey. Four, they signed some of their guys already, including OT Matt Morgan and LBs Tony Newson and LB Drew Wahlroos.

I'm sure the other positions will be addressed considering teams are allowed to take a much larger number of players into camp.

[adarian_too]

Let's be clear. In theory, I have no objection in trying to find "an athlete" and then mould him into a specialist. In practice, the Rams have professed their ability to make those kinds of judgments about talent repeatedly. In reality, Harris is not a KR, Crouch is not a WR, Bellasari is not a S.

Repeated failures at experimentation doesn't mean that one should stop seeking athletes that might be better suited to play a different position. But when there are numerous question marks that need answers before WR, I would prefer to see staff address them 1st.