Showcase of Gordon Paid Off

[AvengerRam]

I'll admit... I'm surprised.

I would not have guessed that the Rams would have been able to acquire a 3rd Round pick for Gordon.

Not that Gordon doesn't have potential. He could prove to be a 1,000 yard back for the Dolphins.

But with the Rams, he was a third string back with only moderate production in the past and a recent surgery.

So how did the Rams get such a high price for him?

Obviously, part of the reason is the Dolphins' deperate need for a back after Ricky Williams decided that the grass at Pro Player Stadium does not compare to the kind you buy in Amsterdam.

But the Rams also played this one very well.

First, Martz publicly chastised himself for suggesting that Gordon was soft after it was revealed that Lamar needed surgery to remove a bone chip. While I believe that was a sincere expression of regret by Martz, he also made sure that other teams heard his confession.

Then, in the final preseason game, Gordon was deliberately showcased, as he was given the ball 24 times (22 carries, 2 receptions). He showed productivity and the ability to be a workhorse - and the Dolphins paid a higher than market value price because of this.

While the Rams could regret the trade this year if the injury bug hits, in the long run, this should be a good trade for the Rams (and, for Lamar's sake, hopefully for the Dolphins as well).

[Nick]

Good points, Av. You have to wonder if Gordon saw such a heavy workload because the Rams wanted to show him off and show he was healthy to try and bait other teams like Miami.

[AugustaRamFan]

I would agree - seems like this is a win-win deal (something you do not see a lot of these days). Of course, that could all change, the injury bug bites both ways.

Overall - I LIKE IT!

[coy bacon]

Av, I think you hit the nail on the head. I'll bet that Martz planned to unload him all along, so along with the good verbal PR, he let him play a bunch. Advantage: Martz.

[adarian_too]

Advantage: Martz.

If the pick had been conditional, yes. Otherwise, at best it's a wash and at the worst, inflation will cost the Rams more to sign and keep a 3rd rounder next year.

[ZigZagRam]

Don't forget, if Gordon has a great season in Miami, we could be getting a decent compensatory pick.

[tanus]

we wouldnt get a compensatory pick for a traded player. that only applies to free agents.

[AvengerRam]

No, but we will probably get a 3rd round compensatory pick for Wistrom, which would give us three picks in the third round.

[tanus]

I hope we get a third for Wistrom, but I'm guessing it will be a 4th rounder. I don't understand how we didn't get a 3rd for Bly last year with the numbers he put up in Detroit.

[txramsfan]

Hmmm, maybe the Rams are looking at this more than just in real time. Package maybe two of those picks for a number two or one....

Hmmmm.....

[HUbison]

Hmmm, maybe the Rams are looking at this more than just in real time. Package maybe two of those picks for a number two or one....

Hmmmm.....

Absolutely. Trade our 3rd and Miami's 3rd for a decent 2nd. Package our 2nd and the newly acquired 2nd for either a top 2nd or maybe low 1st. Use that pick to acquire a top O-lineman and still have our 1st to pick the proverbial "best player available".

[Nick]

Absolutely. Trade our 3rd and Miami's 3rd for a decent 2nd. Package our 2nd and the newly acquired 2nd for either a top 2nd or maybe low 1st. Use that pick to acquire a top O-lineman and still have our 1st to pick the proverbial "best player available".

Not a bad idea. I think we'd be able to get one of the top tackle or guard prospects either at the late first or early second round. But is it worth giving up our entire third round? I probably couldn't say until a day or so before the draft. But I think there's enough good depth, especially at guard, to get someone on the first day who's going to make an impact.

[DJRamFan]

The package idea is a good idea, but the Rams can't afford it. Taking the 3rd rounders are better off than the 2nd or 1st because we can get more bodies for less money. I don't see the Rams taking the trade because we have more question marks than needing just one body here or there.

[adarian_too]

Absolutely. Trade our 3rd and Miami's 3rd for a decent 2nd. Package our 2nd and the newly acquired 2nd for either a top 2nd or maybe low 1st. Use that pick to acquire a top O-lineman and still have our 1st to pick the proverbial "best player available".

I use this strategy in Madden and its easy to stockpile draft picks that way ... 1st you take in FAs that you can bundle under the cap and then trade them for draft picks ... then you bundle the picks for a higher pick ..., repeat, ... if its in the game, it must be in the NFL ...

[HUbison]

I use this strategy in Madden and its easy to stockpile draft picks that way ... 1st you take in FAs that you can bundle under the cap and then trade them for draft picks ... then you bundle the picks for a higher pick ..., repeat, ... if its in the game, it must be in the NFL ...

That is a nice trick. Do it right and you can wind up with the top 5 draft picks, if not more.

Unfortunately, in the real world, it would take a low 3rd (ours), a middle 3rd (Miami's), and a low 2nd (ours) to get a top 2nd or maybe (but I doubt it) a low 1st.

That would leave us with a low 1st (ours), probably high 2nd (from trade), & a very low 3rd (comp, w/ AV's assumption of Wistrom's value).

I could live with that.