Rams “trying like hell” to trade pace

[Azul e Oro]

But are they at the point that Orlando Pace is right now? I'd hope you say no. I'm not saying there aren't good players to be had in the draft, I'm just saying that I think it's unwise to dump a talent like Pace if we don't have to, and we can still rebuild our team in the process.

Also, for every Long, Baker and Clady, there's a Chris Williams, Gosder Cherilus and Duane Brown.

I'm afraid you hope in vain, sir! LOL

Given his durability problems and high salary, I'd rather have any of those 3 than Pace for the future success of The Rams.Again, drop the 5 spot on a week of NFL Rewind & watch the games. Just because the middle of the o-line was awful doesn't mean Pace was good. O-line play is one of the few things you can really assess,imo, on tv tape. Pace lumbers around,slow out of his stance,rarely gets a good punch or push,in fact gets pushed back a lot or taken off his feet, a good inside move beats him regularly, and he gets a ton of TE/RB help. It's not dreadful but it's not 9 mill pretty,either.

I'm curious, would you have been upset if we'd taken Jake Long last year?

As to your examples, Cherilus' numbers, who played on a rotten team, are no worse than Pace's in his first 3 yrs. Williams was injured in preseason-back surgery,I believe & wasn't available till Nov. Brown sucked, I'll give you that, but another team's bad choice on an individual player doesn't mean we will make the same mistake.

And ALL picked after the the elite OT prospects were gone,right?

Unless both Monroe & J. Smith are taken by Detroit or hit by a bus, I don't see the comparison for our "OT as first pick" discussion.

See above post for good 2nd round OTs taken in the last year or two to support my hope/belief that we go OT in either rd 1 or 2 and get good immediate & longterm value at a lower price than Pace.

[Azul e Oro]

FYI, I just heard from a Raider friend that Pace is a rumor.
Confirmed last Mon(3/2) in The Sacramento Bee who got it elsewhere so who knows...

"The National Football Post reports the Raiders are interested in making a deal for St. Louis offensive tackle Orlando Pace, who is reportedly on the trading block along with wide receiver Torry Holt. The Raiders would have loved to have been the team to draft Pace out of Ohio State in 1997. But after the Raiders had moved up to No. 2 in the first round, the Rams jumped ahead of the Raiders to get the first pick and select Pace.
The Raiders settled for defensive tackle Darrell Russell.
Pace is a seven-time Pro Bowl pick. He played in 14 games in 2008 after injuries limited him to nine total games in his previous two seasons.
The additon of a player like Pace would probably move Mario Henderson to right tackle or make him the backup tackle on both sides if the team signs another veteran or drafts a player like Andre Smith or Michael Oher and puts him at right tackle.
Meanwhile, the Raiders remain interested in free agent tackles Marvel Smith and Khalif Barnes."


I think Marvel & Khalif are still unsigned. May be worth watching them for hints of Pace's future.

[Azul e Oro]

If we cut or trade torry we will save close to 10 million in cap room, maybe more. I think we can keep Pace for one more year and then go after a top O-line prospect next year. we would be taking Two steps Back after we just got finished taking one step in the right direction with the Jason brown signing.

I think we save 8 mill on Holt. Not sure if his 1.25 bonus due next week is inc. or forces that number up or down.

What The Raiders might offer, depends on whether Al Davis' Depends are chafing or not on the day, but would you feel it was less of a step back with a draft pick included in trading Big O?

[Azul e Oro]

I've gassed way too much about my view on Pace's current value. Although an excellent OT at his best, I think Ogden and Jones fans might argue whether OP was THE best.'Nother can of worms,though.

I notice that OAK doesn't have a 5th pick(who did they get from ATL?). #8 in the 4th looks good to me. Doubt, with that hefty contract, that anyone would go higher.

[shower beers]

I'm afraid you hope in vain, sir! LOL

Given his durability problems and high salary, I'd rather have any of those 3 than Pace for the future success of The Rams.Again, drop the 5 spot on a week of NFL Rewind & watch the games. Just because the middle of the o-line was awful doesn't mean Pace was good. O-line play is one of the few things you can really assess,imo, on tv tape. Pace lumbers around,slow out of his stance,rarely gets a good punch or push,in fact gets pushed back a lot or taken off his feet, a good inside move beats him regularly, and he gets a ton of TE/RB help. It's not dreadful but it's not 9 mill pretty,either.

I'm curious, would you have been upset if we'd taken Jake Long last year?

As to your examples, Cherilus' numbers, who played on a rotten team, are no worse than Pace's in his first 3 yrs. Williams was injured in preseason-back surgery,I believe & wasn't available till Nov. Brown sucked, I'll give you that, but another team's bad choice on an individual player doesn't mean we will make the same mistake.

And ALL picked after the the elite OT prospects were gone,right?

Unless both Monroe & J. Smith are taken by Detroit or hit by a bus, I don't see the comparison for our "OT as first pick" discussion.

See above post for good 2nd round OTs taken in the last year or two to support my hope/belief that we go OT in either rd 1 or 2 and get good immediate & longterm value at a lower price than Pace.

I think you're misinterpreting what I'm pulling for. I support them drafting an OT this year, and I'd like them to do so. I'm not in denial about Pace's declining skills. I'd like for him to remain a Ram because he has experience and leadership skills that are still valuable to the team. But you certainly bring up a good point about monetary value at this point in his career, and our plans for the future.

And naming those other lineman wasn't meant as an argument, or comparison.

Also, I think ultimately I would have been upset if we took Jake Long, as he was a wolverine, but after counseling, I would have been ok with it.