We need to get younger and trim some fat contracts

[RamsSB99]

I normally like to be optimistic. However the more I look at what players we have the more I think we are in need of a major overhaul. We are in a rebuilding phase and stop gap players will not help. I think we need to trade or release some of our high priced aging/injured vets and get younger. I think its time to draft an OT in round 1 or 2. Get rid of Pace, Little, Pisa, Chavous, Glover, McCollum, Frerotte, Wilkins.


The following is what we would have as starters next year without adding new players to the roster form the 2008 free agency and draft.

Starters with analysis:
Green - Need backup depth
Yellow - Need to plan for replacement
Red - Needs replaced now

Offensive Starters:
QB Bulger
WR Bruce
WR Holt
RB Jackson
FB Leonard
TE McMichael
OT Barron
OG Incognito
C Romberg
OG Setterstrom
OT Steussie?? needs upgraded

Defensive Starters:
DE Hall
DE Adeyanju
DT Ryan
DT Carriker
LB Chillar
MLB Witherspoon
LB Draft
CB Brown
CB Hill
FS Atogwe
SS Chavous

Special Teams:
P Jones
K ???
L.S. Massey
K.R. Hall
P.R. Hall



QB - We need a young #2 QB that can take over eventually.

WR - We need a young WR that has potential to be a #1 or #2 WR. Bennett has one more year to prove his worth. He put up good #'s in Ten. I don't see him being much more then a #3.

FB - We need a better starting option at FB I think Leonard is a decent backup at both RB/FB.

OC - Romberg's young and I am not sold on him long term. However we have bigger needs. Besides Incognito could slide into this spot if we upgrade at guard or injuries dictate.

OG - Setterstrom I like his potential. However we could use a vet maybe Steussie or some one else on the cheap to back up the young guys on the line.

OT - Steussie was put as the starting OT. But we should draft an OT this offseason. I don't care if it was LT or RT since Barron could play the other.

DE - We need to replace Adeyanju with a speed rusher and look for a young DE in the later rounds as an understudy to J. Hall.

LB - I would not be against replacing Draft. But I think he could get us by for a year or two while we fill other glaring needs.

CB - I like Hill and Brown's good for the next year or two. IMO we have serious issues in the nickel and dime and would like to see us get a proven solid vet. Brown will need replaced probably in couple years.

SS- Chavous needs replaced yesterday he came here as a smart safety and his skills where marginal. Those skills look like they have left him.

K - Go to the kicker store and find a new one.

LS - I would like to find a long snapper that can help the team out in other ways (maybe backup OL).

K.R/P.R - D. Hall is good but he is aging and injured. Might take a late round flyer on an understudy in one of the next two drafts.

[jquarando]

I normally like to be optimistic. However the more I look at what players we have the more I think we are in need of a major overhaul. We are in a rebuilding phase and stop gap players will not help. I think we need to trade or release some of our high priced aging/injured vets and get younger. I think its time to draft an OT in round 1 or 2. Get rid of Pace, Little, Pisa, Chavous, Glover, McCollum, Frerotte, Wilkins.


The following is what we would have as starters next year without adding new players to the roster form the 2008 free agency and draft.

Starters with analysis:
Green - Need backup depth
Yellow - Need to plan for replacement
Red - Needs replaced now

Offensive Starters:
QB Bulger
WR Bruce
WR Holt
RB Jackson
FB Leonard
TE McMichael
OT Barron
OG Incognito
C Romberg
OG Setterstrom
OT Steussie?? needs upgraded

Defensive Starters:
DE Hall
DE Adeyanju
DT Ryan
DT Carriker
LB Chillar
MLB Witherspoon
LB Draft
CB Brown
CB Hill
FS Atogwe
SS Chavous

Special Teams:
P Jones
K ???
L.S. Massey
K.R. Hall
P.R. Hall



QB - We need a young #2 QB that can take over eventually.

WR - We need a young WR that has potential to be a #1 or #2 WR. Bennett has one more year to prove his worth. He put up good #'s in Ten. I don't see him being much more then a #3.

FB - We need a better starting option at FB I think Leonard is a decent backup at both RB/FB.

OC - Romberg's young and I am not sold on him long term. However we have bigger needs. Besides Incognito could slide into this spot if we upgrade at guard or injuries dictate.

OG - Setterstrom I like his potential. However we could use a vet maybe Steussie or some one else on the cheap to back up the young guys on the line.

OT - Steussie was put as the starting OT. But we should draft an OT this offseason. I don't care if it was LT or RT since Barron could play the other.

DE - We need to replace Adeyanju with a speed rusher and look for a young DE in the later rounds as an understudy to J. Hall.

LB - I would not be against replacing Draft. But I think he could get us by for a year or two while we fill other glaring needs.

CB - I like Hill and Brown's good for the next year or two. IMO we have serious issues in the nickel and dime and would like to see us get a proven solid vet. Brown will need replaced probably in couple years.

SS- Chavous needs replaced yesterday he came here as a smart safety and his skills where marginal. Those skills look like they have left him.

K - Go to the kicker store and find a new one.

LS - I would like to find a long snapper that can help the team out in other ways (maybe backup OL).

K.R/P.R - D. Hall is good but he is aging and injured. Might take a late round flyer on an understudy in one of the next two drafts.

Romberg is not young. He is almost 29.

[Rams4Life]

Very well thought out. I agree with most except for Pace and Tinoisamoa. Those guys won't be cut, IMO. Cap hit would be to much. Don't think to many teams would trade for them either coming off injuries.

I really don't think Bruce will want to return in a reduced role. Just a hunch, but I could be wrong. I believe the Rams will push for Bennett to start and prove he wasn't a bust. Little is also gone, IMO. Unfortunately the Rams will probably keep Chavous and Glover around another season.

I will end with this. I will be really upset if the Rams take Jake Long with the 2nd pick. I live in Ohio and watched him on TV alot and he is not worth the 2nd pick, IMO. He wouldn't even start his 1st year with the team IMO and the Rams really need that pick to start right away.

Whoever the Dolphins don't take out of Dorsey and C. Long should be the Rams pick. With the depth chart you have, this team still has no pass rush. Long would be a nice upgrade, and Dorsey could create mismatches inside and free up some other guys.

[Goldenfleece]

No way Pisa is leaving. We just signed him to an extension last season. If we can get Little to take less money, we kind of need his contribution. Even if we draft a speed rusher, we need the depth. Chavous does need to be replaced. Frerotte, Wilkins...go or stay, either way.

[rams 24/7]

adeyanju has been a good backup at DE...very hard working. I say we keep him to compete with others. I remember reading that the Colts were in love with him as a prospect and were dying to draft him...maybe there coaching/learning would have helped him out alot more then we can. because I'm sure if he would have been drafted some place else ("chargers")-("steelers")-("giants") you know just to name a few good D-LINE places, we would probably want him in free-agent to come and start here.

[Keenum]

Some very interesting thoughts. I do think Pace, Little, Wilkins, can still play well for another few years, but if Pace and Little get hurt again next year, I'll go with you. Safe for if Wilkins struggles again.
Good points.

[HUbison]

Get rid of Pace, Little, Pisa

I'm with you on the big picture, but I believe (I'm no cap expert) that tossing these three will create a significant cap hit. Accelerated bonuses and dead money can be a real buzzkill to any re-building efforts.

[Mooselini]

Some very interesting thoughts. I do think Pace, Little, Wilkins, can still play well for another few years, but if Pace and Little get hurt again next year, I'll go with you. Safe for if Wilkins struggles again.
Good points.

I'd hate to say it too, but if Pace gets hurt next year, its time to cut.

[Chris58]

Nice job Jquarando. Very well thought out. I do think that Pace, wilkins and Glover are worth bringing back for one more year. Wilkins was a disappointment but he got better in the second half of the season (accuracy wise). Pace is probably on his last leg, but if we don't get a replacement in the draft this year (for '09), I'm not sure we can just cut him free this year.

I think you have done in one year what will probably take two years to accomplish.

[prof22693]

i think we should trade little. also barron ruins too many drives, we need tackles desperately. mabi we could trade around so we could get c. long or a veteran, while still getting chris long/dorsey. chavous should have been given a young guy to teach at the end of last year, now he just plain out needs to be replaced. more depth in the DB field, i agree. KEEP BRUCE, THE MAN CAN PRODUUUUCE!

[Chris58]

Oops! Sorry RamsSB99. Meant to compliment your post.

[rams 24/7]

Are We Forgetting That Orlando Pace Is Concidered To Be The Best LT In Football. C'mon Guys. I'm Really Glad Some Of You Aren't Running The Team, We As Ram Fans Tends To Give Up On The Players That Are The Face Of This Franchise. And Why Does Every Body Consider Olando Pace To Be Old...he Is "32" Which Is Still Good Age For A Lineman. After Reading And Watching Highlights Orlando Pace Is In Fact The "BEST" Offensive Lineman In The History Of College Football Is What Experts Say, And Could Have Wen't In The First Round Nfl Draft His Senior Year Of High School. And Coaches Often Worried About There Players Up Against Him, They Say There Surprised He Never Killed An Opposing Player With His Vicious Play. And Also Where Do You Guys Think The Name "PANCAKE" As In Pancake-block Came From Hmmmmmm?????. And Little, Little Had "13"sacks A Year Ago "13".....he Just Got Freakin Injured Like Everybody Else This Season ...c'mon!!!, Some Of Us Fans Are Just As Pathetic As Our Front-office. 0h and please type up "ORLANDO PACE" on youtube for highlights.

[Goldenfleece]

I doubt you'll find many who say Orlando Pace is the best LT in football right now. Sometimes you'll hear people quip that the NFL stands for "Not For Long". Of course Pace was an excellent offensive tackle for a number of years, but I wasn't impressed with what I saw in the first half of 2006, and then he missed 23 of the next 24 games with injury. There's no magic number where all of the sudden every player suddenly becomes old. Pace was having a down year last I saw, and now he's coming back from two consecutive season-ending injuries. I can certainly see why one might consider moving on.

Personally, I'd stick him in with the players that we can't afford to part with yet because we don't have anyone to replace them.

[RamsSB99]

As some people said cap wise it may not benefit us to cut some of them just yet. I am not up on how much each would cost us to cut them. However I don't see us making a bid for the Superbowl in the next two years we have to many holes. Maybe in 3 years if every thing falls into place. But I don't see Chavous, Pace, Little, Bruce, Pisa (injury prone), Wilkins being there in three years. If we could trade them for younger players or dump their salaries and sign younger players I would be all for it. I realize we need to keep some of the vets around but I don't think if we keep all these guys it will help us get to where we want to be. We need to set our sights at the SuperBowl and for that to happen you have to rebuild and go young not a lot of big salaries for guys on the downward slop of their careers. If we keep looking at improving our record to get into the playoffs yeah sure we might make it every other year but we will always be a middle of the pack or slightly above team. We need to stop trying to fill in spots here and there and look to the future.

[HUbison]

However I don't see us making a bid for the Superbowl in the next two years we have to many holes. Maybe in 3 years if every thing falls into place.

Sounds about right to me. This is a quick change league, but still, what we saw in '99 is once in a lifetime for a franchise. We may just have to settle in for a couple of "Thank you, sir, may I have another" kinda years.