With the 14th selection inthe 2011 draft: The Saint Louis Rams select; Mark Ingram

I know I know we need a reciever.

But I have the feeling after seeing the offensive scheme this season the coaching staff will try to build on the run first, play hard defense and try to keep it balanced with the dink and dunk.

We all want GSOT back but I don't think that will ever happen under the current staff, nor do I think they strife to become that. If you see the pieces in place at the moment, runningback is where we would get hurt the most if taken out. Hell we suffered through every other offensive change or position being depleted over the season. Still we managed to be competitive with the "weapons" we had at WR, TE.

So I hope and think WR will be adressed in FA and later in the draft. I hope we go RB, OLB, SS, OG in the draft with the latter of the three in a BPA scenario.

I really feel even in Sam's best games he isn't the vertical passer nor do we have even half of the pieces for that (no we are not 1 elite WR away from an open passing attack). I see him more in the roll out play action type of QB with smartness and skills to take apart defenses, helped by a strong running game.

Wouldn't shock me at all. Considering what the Rams did this past offseason, wouldn't be shocked to see the Rams go into next season with a WR corp along the lines of:

Braylon Edwards, Santana Holmes or even a James Jones of Green Bay
Mark Clayton
Donnie Avery
Danario Alexander
Danny Amendola
Mardy Gilyard

Use Edwards as a 2 year stop gap like they did with Fred Robbins this year at DT.

The Rams still have MANY holes to fill and drafting for immediate need isn't what you should do ideally if you are building long term.

This wouldn't be possible considering we're going to take Ryan Williams in the second round. *wishful thinking*

The only way I'll see this possible is if we grab a big name WR in the offseason like Rice, Jackson, Fitz, or Burress (Yes Plaxico Burress because he gets out of jail next season and has familiarity with Spags and such to hopefully add that missing pillar within himself)

I think it's more likely the Rams pick up a SPEED back in the later rounds to balance out the power of Jackson.

Jacquizz Rodgers? Can you have 2 Oregon State RBs on the same roster?
LaMichael James
Noel Devine
Derrick Locke

Why would we use our first round pick on a RB for two-three years in the future when we have much more immediate needs on the lines and the defensive backfield?

Ingram makes 0 sense for the Rams. He adds an extra dimension to a complete offense, which we don't have. This is more like a luxury pick, which we can't afford.

luxury?

I think we need to start thinking of preserving or prolonging Steven Jackson's career. Change of pace isn't always needed, having the replacement ready is. I don't see SJ doing the load he did the last 3 years, the next two or three.

So don't see this as a luxury pick at all, it's an area of need on a pick where we could go BPA (if thats a OLB, SS I'm also fine with that)

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Originally Posted by Rammed

luxury?

I think we need to start thinking of preserving or prolonging Steven Jackson's career. Change of pace isn't always needed, having the replacement ready is. I don't see SJ doing the load he did the last 3 years, the next two or three.

So don't see this as a luxury pick at all, it's an area of need on a pick where we could go BPA (if thats a OLB, SS I'm also fine with that)

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I don't see it as an area of enough need to use a fairly high first on. If we add Ingram onto the team the way it is, I would foresee almost no improvement. We can draft for the future in the future, we are not good enough to use a first round pick on a guy we plan to use in 2 or 3 years. We need a guy who fills a starter role next year, not a backup.

I remember these same arguments for why it was vital we pick a backup running back in the 2nd round instead of a starter at another position. This team is filled with backups. You don't get better by drafting backups when your team is full of them already. Ingram may be a starter in a few years, but if we have a few years to develop our backup RB, why use a draft pick in a round that is usually extremely important for developing teams to get starters out of? It doesn't make sense from a team-building point of view, it is a sexy pick, but we don't need sexy.

I still insist, as I did last year, that drafting a backup RB with a high pick is a luxury on a team with a pro bowl RB. We have gaping holes at WR, at OLB, in DBs, maybe on the DL and maybe on the interior OL. So yes, getting a backup with the 14th overall would be a luxury when the team has so many needs at starter.

Im sorry rammed i disagree with you.

I dont think this will be a run heavy dink and dunk team. It will be a good play action team with more passing than running and the short routes are going to be a huge majority of it. Does that remind you of something. It is the West Coast Offense.

We have some of the pieces we just need that other piece to complete the puzzle. And that other puzzle is a veteran WR that can create separation and can be a trusted 3rd down receiver. Perfect receiver is Vincent Jackson (wild card is Plaxico Burress) So yes i agree with you a veteran receiver would be great.

Honestly the Rams do not need a speed back to balance everything out. If shurmur though we did he would have used Darby more because he did not get enough carries to judge if he is productive or not. But Ingram would be great for this team he is a nice receiving threat. However that is all we need a player that will be good in the pass game and one that is a willing blocker so we can wait for a Runningback.


Ive noticed spags understands value as well as positional need. So if the WR position is addressed at 14 we will probably go for a DL or value linebacker.

Jackson has averaged 3.7 yards per carry right? Thats very good stats for a backup, but not a star running back. So if the price is right, Rams could take Ingram. Jackson was drafted when Faulk was in his prime, remember? But if we're talking RB's, I like Mikel Leshoure...

we need a running back but wr, guard and olb are all desperate needs in my estimation. i don't see it happening, especially if jones is available.

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Originally Posted by The Optimistic Lamb

Jackson has averaged 3.7 yards per carry right? Thats very good stats for a backup, but not a star running back. So if the price is right, Rams could take Ingram. Jackson was drafted when Faulk was in his prime, remember? But if we're talking RB's, I like Mikel Leshoure...

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We weren't rebuilding when we drafted Jackson, and had a later pick. Different scenario. We could afford the luxury pick (or so we thought at the time). It's like comparing apples to lamp shades.

I would feel much better about drafting Ingram if we were picking, say, 24th rather than 14th. I don't think a team with an established top running back can use such a high pick on a back-up, even if they need a second guy in the backfield to help out. Plus, I do believe that if the Rams are going to pursue some RB help, and they should, it should be someone who has the speed to challenge the outside and take it to the house in the open field.

If you want an Alabama RB, wait until next year and get Trent Richardson, who many people (including me), think is better than Ingram. He'll be a junior next year.

If we take a RB in the first round, let alone in the top 15!! I will kill myself. With all the help we need at WR (which i value less than most), DB, OLB!!, and DE, I think backup RB is below all of these.

I agree we do need a RB in this draft maybe a better one then brian leonard, and maybe in the 3rd round, but i dont think in the first 2 rounds.