5 Needs/5 Assets: How Do You Spend The Rams' Personnel Capital?

[AvengerRam]

Assume that the Rams' top 5 needs (in no particular order) are: (1) starting WR; (2) back-up RB, (3) starting outside LB, (4) offensive guard, and (5) defensive lineman/pass rusher.

Assume further that your only assets are (1) money to sign a "premium" FA, (2) money to sign a "second tier" FA, and (3) draft choices in Rounds 1 - 3 of the NFL draft.

How would you spend your personnel capital to address the Rams' needs?

[AvengerRam]

My solution:

Starting WR: Julio Jones (Draft, Rd. 1)
Back-up RB: Jordan Todman (Draft, Rd. 3)
Outside LB: Bruce Carter (Draft, Rd. 2)
OG: Davin Joseph (Premium FA)
DL: Barry Coefield (Second Tier FA)

You should try this exercise. Its harder than you might think.

[BarronWade]

Outside LB: James Anderson (Premium FA)
Back-up RB: Julius Jones (Second Tier FA)
DL: Corey Liuget (Draft, Rd. 1)
Starting WR: Leonard Hankerson (Draft, Rd. 2)
OG: Orlando Franklin (Draft, Rd. 3)

[HUbison]

Premier FA - Chad Greenway, LB
2nd Tier FA - Barry Cofield, DT
Draft (rd. 1) - Julio Jones, WR
Draft (rd. 2) - Danny Watkins, OG
Draft (rd. 3) - Derrick Locke, RB

[39thebeast]

Premier FA- Barry Cofield (One of the best run stoppers in the league, decent pass rusher, and he is 27 this guy will get payed no way he is 2nd tier)
2nd Tier- Jerious Norwood (would rather have Derrick Locke round 4, but thats against the rules)
Round 1- Julio Jones, WR
Round 2- Bruce Carter, LB
Round 3- Will Rackley OG,

[HUbison]

Premier FA- Barry Cofield

Personally, beast, I think you're right about this. But when I saw AV classify him as 2nd tier, I couldn't help but do the same. The idea of two "top tier" free agents sounds good to me. And since AV made the rules to this game anyway......

[Judaxi]

Premier FA -Barry Cofield, DT (I would love for this to be Chad Greenway but all indications say he will get the franchise tag while Rice gets the transition)
2nd Tier FA - Rocky MaCintosh, OLB (I like the idea of having a solid starter at OLB who has experience but is still young.)
Draft (rd. 1) - Julio Jones, WR
Draft (rd. 2) - Rodney Hudson, OG
Draft (rd. 3) - Demarco Murray, RB (I feel he offers the best combination of speed and size at this point for a RB and we know he can catch the ball which is important in a McHoodie offense. On a side not he is from Las Vegas like another Rams RB....)

[AvengerRam]

Personally, beast, I think you're right about this. But when I saw AV classify him as 2nd tier, I couldn't help but do the same. The idea of two "top tier" free agents sounds good to me. And since AV made the rules to this game anyway......

It depends on how you define your terms. I don't think Coefield will command the kind of money that Albert Haynesworth received, or that Haloti Ngata would have received had he not been franchised, so for a DT I consider him a "second tier" FA.

[HUbison]

It depends on how you define your terms. I don't think Coefield will command the kind of money that Albert Haynesworth received, or that Haloti Ngata would have received had he not been franchised, so for a DT I consider him a "second tier" FA.

I agree, he won't get Ngata or Haynesworth money. But he might well be the best 4-3 DT (Brandon Mebane and Mike Patterson fans might disagree) on the market.

[#39 Fan]

Premier FA -Barry Cofield, DT (I would love for this to be Chad Greenway but all indications say he will get the franchise tag while Rice gets the transition)
2nd Tier FA - Rocky MaCintosh, OLB (I like the idea of having a solid starter at OLB who has experience but is still young.)
Draft (rd. 1) - Julio Jones, WR
Draft (rd. 2) - Rodney Hudson, OG
Draft (rd. 3) - Demarco Murray, RB (I feel he offers the best combination of speed and size at this point for a RB and we know he can catch the ball which is important in a McHoodie offense. On a side not he is from Las Vegas like another Rams RB....)

I really like this one

[bruce4life]

1) Mathius Kiwanka( premium Fa) - helps the pass rush greatly and gives long/hall helo
2) Bob Sanders( 2nd tier) -The only things guarenteed in life are taxes, death, and Bob Sanders getting injured hahahah ... he has to have some good luck eventually and stay healhty right?
3) number one receiver- Julio Jones- its a cop out pick but i'm going with it...
4) Offensive Guard- Maurice Pouncey- gives up depth at OG/C and great value in rd.2
5) Back up RB- Demarco Murray- I don't understand why everyone is hating on this guy... All he did was produce at one of the most prestige school in college footbal...

I would love for this to happen... You get proven players and your adding players from college from big time schools who have played in big time games... Recipe of success if you ask me...

[TylerBishop]

(Kiwanuka) - 1st
(Steve Slaton) - 2nd
1 Jones
2 Hudson
3 Murray

[Shan the Ram Man]

Everybody has some good opinions on 5 needs/5assets.

Heres my opinion:
1) No premium Free agents, but two second tier free agents.
Manny Lawson OLB "strongside" isn't a great 3-4 rush the passer OLB, but would be a good 4-3 OLB. Good player and save money. Also will hurt "whiners".
Justin Blalock "G" from Falcons. Help protect our Franchise QB under a new spread system with McDaneils.

Now start with the draft.
I don't think WR Julio Jones will be there at 14. So trade down to San Diego. San Diego will jump ahead of Miami (15), Jaguars (16), & Pats (17) all AFC teams with some of the same needs. Rams receive San Diegos 3rd round pick #18. San Diego will still have 2 2nd round picks and now only 1 third round pick.
RD 1 : 1a DT Corey Liuget 1b Torrey Smith WR
RD 2 : 2a Leonard Hankerson WR 2b Bruce Carter OLB "weakside"
RD 3 : 3a DeMarco Murray RB 3b DT Jarvis Jenkins
RD 3 : 3a DE Greg Romeus 3b OT Joseph Barksdale
RD 4 : 4a Richard Sherman CB/FS 4b DeAndre McDaniel S
RD 5 : 5a Terrance Toliver WR 5b Quizz Rogers RB

These are some of the players I Like.
Undrafted free agents OLB Michael Morgan USC , Dom DeCicco OLB, Chris Prosinski FS

[Nick]

"Premium" FA: DL (Charles Johnson)
"2nd tier" FA: OLB (Rocky McIntosh)
Round One: WR (Ex. J. Jones)
Round Two: OG (Ex. M. Pouncey, D. Watkins, R. Hudson, B. Ijalana)
Round Three: RB (Ex. K. Hunter, D. Murray, J. Rodgers, D. Locke)

[Goldenfleece]

Premium FA: Mathias Kiwanuka, OLB
2nd Tier FA: Tim Hightower, RB
Round 1: Julio Jones, WR
Round 2: Brooks Reed, DE
Round 3: Danny Watkins, OG

Notes:
I would have liked to put Pouncey down in the second, but I think with the success of his twin, he won't last that long. On the other hand, I am speculating that Watkins will still be there in the third on account of the fact that teams won't want to use a 2nd round pick on an older but less experienced player.

Kiwanuka makes too much sense not to put him in there. On the one hand, you've got a player coming back from injury concerned about losing playing time and on the other you've got the guy who coached him to his initial success in the league in the market for a player with that skill set. Hightower is young (turns 25 this spring), has plenty of experience catching passes (which fits well with McDaniels' spread attack), and is at just about the right level to be offered a change-of-pace back role and salary.