Rambos draft rounds 1-3 and free agency

[Rambos]

First Round Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville

Second Round Tim Crowder, DE, Texas

Third Round Earl Everett, OLB, Florida



Free agent break the bank and get Nate Clements, CB, Bills
While CB is not the biggest need, Clements is a true cover corner. We are not going to get a top D lineman from FA they are getting tagged or signed. Our secondary started to play well towards the end of the year, lets take it to the next level. A few cover sacks would go a long ways.

Nate Clements, Tye Hill and Fakhir Brown, would give the Rams a very good set of CBs.

Along with Tino, Spoon, Jon Alston and Everett gives us a young solid group of LB’s.

With veteran Little along with Wroten, Okoye, Adeyanju and Crowder, there is a lot of young talent. We would still be missing a NT big body run stopper; hopefully we could get that need filled in 08. Kennedy will be here maybe, nah in 08 we get the NT.

[RamsFan16]

About the Cornerbacks. Where does Bartell fit in?

[Rambos]

I see Bartell playing the nickel back and a solid option if someone goes down. Look at last year how many guys went down, you can never have enough good DB’s. I certainly did not mean to leave him out he has hugh up side.

[viper]

Overall I like the concept. I don't know anything about Everett, perhaps someone can provide some info and measurables on him. If we looked for a big NT in the 4th I could get excited about this one!

[Rambos]

PRO PROSPECTS: OLB Earl Everett - He's a combination of size (6-2, 232) and speed (4.56)

A true senior linebacker…

HONORS: Named to the 2005 SEC Coaches' second-team Preseason All-SEC Team…Named to the Watch List for the Chuck Bednarik Award for Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year…

CAREER: Has seen action in 36 games, including 29 starts…Was the first Gator to have two interceptions in a game since Kyle Jackson had two against South Carolina on Nov. 13, 2004…

From Scouting report...

Strengths:
Excellent athlete...Has very good speed and quickness...Outstanding range and makes plays sideline-to-sideline...Smooth in coverage and has fluid hips...Has the frame to get bigger...Can rush the passer and makes some plays behind the line of scrimmage...Productive with a ton of experience against elite SEC competition.

Weaknesses:
Undersized and lacks the bulk that you look for...He is not overly physical and has trouble taking on blockers...Does not have great instincts or read and react that well...Arrives on the scene an instant too late at times...Is he a workout warrior?

Notes:
Played quarterback, tight end, middle linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive end, safety and kick returner in high school...An impressive physical specimen but doesn't always play up to those measurables...Will more than likely be one of the top senior linebackers available...A candidate for the weakside at the next level.

[Nick]

Our biggest defensive need is arguably the NT position, someone to stop the run and keep blockers off of our linebackers, but you don't have us addressing it on either Day One or in free agency. Frankly I don't think we can afford to put that off until 2008.

As for Bartell playing the nickel back, you already have Clements, Hill, and Brown as your top three corners. That makes Bartell the dime 'back at best.

[Rambos]

Our biggest defensive need is arguably the NT position, someone to stop the run and keep blockers off of our linebackers, but you don't have us addressing it on either Day One or in free agency. Frankly I don't think we can afford to put that off until 2008.

As for Bartell playing the nickel back, you already have Clements, Hill, and Brown as your top three corners. That makes Bartell the dime 'back at best.

I agree with NT being our biggest need, is there someone in FA that is clearly going to be better then Kennedy that I over looked. Kennedy will still be here he takes up space; Spoon had 116 tackles behind him not to bad. I wish there was a FA that we could get, like Pickett.

Taking Amobi Okoye at one is not a NT we would love to get now, but he is an outstanding DT who will create a push up the middle. Lets look at Glovers play for a second; he did not deliver steady pressure. I only went 3 rounds if we grab a big body lets do it later not early. I would not take a NT in rounds two or three; maybe we get a vet in FA.

As far as Bartell, he will see time as a nickel back, not starting.

My definition of nickel back:

Definition: An extra defensive back that is used mostly in obvious passing situations.
Examples: A defensive back is referred to as a nickel back when he is the fifth defensive back on the field.

“In the offseason Bartell bounced from cornerback to safety to cornerback. When Travis Fisher was lost for the season because of a forearm injury, Bartell moved a step closer to returning the field. When safety Jerome Carter suffered an ankle injury, things really opened up for Bartell, who began working as a nickel back”.


I guess we have a different interpretation of the term “nickel back”.

[Country]

I like the idea but a few problems

1. SLB: Everett is way to soft to play the SLB spot and someone would have to be signed to fill that need.

2. NT: The need is the greatest on the team so someone has to be signed, Ian Scott is way better than Kennedy or we wait for a relaese like Kris Jenkins or Albert Haynesworth.

3. CB: I am fine if the Rams bring in Clements we have money and need to spend that and the NFC West is becoming a pass happy division.

Draft Picks are good the free agents need to be changed.

[RAMMAN68]

Weaknesses:
Undersized and lacks the bulk that you look for...He is not overly physical and has trouble taking on blockers...Does not have great instincts or read and react that well...Arrives on the scene an instant too late at times...Is he a workout warrior?

This sounds like a project player to me; we need an impact LB.

[Rambos]

NT: The need is the greatest on the team so someone has to be signed, Ian Scott is way better than Kennedy

Ian Scott
Position: DT
Height: 6-3
Weight: 302


Is a DT not an NT he only weighs 302 pounds I don’t see him playing NT. At DT he played 15 games and only had 15 tackles and 7 asst. Not sure how he is “way better”.

wait for a relaese

I say we don't just sign a body to try and fill the need, I know we have a hugh need, someone show me a NT that has the size to fill it.

SLB: Everett is way to soft to play the SLB spot and someone would have to be signed to fill that need.

That has some merit, but he has the frame to get bigger...

[Rambos]

This sounds like a project player to me; we need an impact LB

He's not a project, he has weakness all players do.


Just looked an our own Nicks board, he has him higher then I do.

69. Arizona Cardinals: Earl Everett, OLB, Florida
Arizona has Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes but need the third piece of the puzzle, making Everett a likely choice.

[RAMMAN68]

He's not a project, he has weakness all players do.


Just looked an our own Nicks board, he has him higher then I do.

69. Arizona Cardinals: Earl Everett, OLB, Florida
Arizona has Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes but need the third piece of the puzzle, making Everett a likely choice.

Let Zona have him, it will improve SJ's stats against them.

[Nick]

I guess we have a different interpretation of the term “nickel back”.

Even if that were the case, Bartell still isn't a nickel back even by your own definition of the position.

You define a nickel back as the fifth DB on the field in obvious passing situations.

In a standard 4-3 alignment, there is already four DBs on the field - two corners and two safeties. If we signed Clements, our standard 4-3 secondary would be Nate, Tye Hill, OJ Atogwe, and Corey Chavous.

When defenses go to the nickel, they add an additional corner to the field. In your scenario, that would be Fakhir Brown. That means that Brown is the nickel back because he's the fifth DB that comes on the field on passing downs.

Unless Bartell moves ahead of Brown on the depth chart, then according to your definition, Bartell is the #4 corner, and thus serves as the dime back, not the nickel back.

Is a DT not an NT he only weighs 302 pounds I don’t see him playing NT.

He may not be a big 330-lbs space eater, but it's my understanding that he's been serving as a NT in Chicago and played very well for them at the position down the stretch.

Other options include Keith Traylor, who is older but fits the need for a big bodied run stuffer. Someone like Kenderick Allen is a player the Rams were interested in last year and would be good in a rotation if he can stay healthy. Neither Traylor nor Allen are full time starters, so signing Scott and one of the latter two would make for a nice rotation at the position.

Besides, trying to use stats to compare nose tackles represents a misconception about the position. The job of the nose tackle isn't to make a lot of plays and wrack up the numbers. It's to clog the inside and take on blocks so others are freed up to make plays. If you're trying to find the best nose tackle by seeing who has the best stats, you're looking at it from the wrong perspective.

[Rambos]

Nickel or Dime Defense -- A nickel defense is any formation where a 5th defensive back, called the nickel back, replaces a linebacker on the field. A dime defense is where two nickel backs, the 5th and 6th defensive backs, replace linebackers. A defense brings in these extra defensive backs to increase its pass coverage when it is likely that the opponent will call a passing play such as on third-and-long. However, these formations take defenders away from the front line, making the defense more vulnerable to running plays.

When defenses go to the nickel, they add an additional corner to the field. In your scenario, that would be Fakhir Brown. That means that Brown is the nickel back because he's the fifth DB that comes on the field on passing downs.

I will say it again I see Bartell playing the nickel back and a solid option if someone goes down. Who knows he might beat brown out.

but it's my understanding that he's been serving as a NT in Chicago and played very well for them at the position down the stretch.

The bears gave up what 180 yards in the SB. Not sure how well he played when the Bears got run over in the SB.

If you're trying to find the best nose tackle by seeing who has the best stats, you're looking at it from the wrong perspective.

I agree with that and that is why I pointed out Spoons numbers.


Nick, Spoon had 113 tackles, which is 20th in the entire NFL. Which is not terrible playing behind Kennedy.

Again nor sure how he is “way better" then Kennedy.

From what I have read Haslet wants to get bigger at NT 302lbs is not bigger.


Lets get back to what the post is about. Take the best player in FA available; Nate would make the secondary better and deeper. He would have an impact on our defense. If there was a pro bowl NT that is not tagged, I surly would not say go get a DB. But there is not one out there this year. We dropped the ball when we did not pay Pickett. Get some beef in round 4-7 in the draft; we might get lucky like we did with seventh-round pick (242nd overall) Setterstrom.

[Nick]

Nickel or Dime Defense -- A nickel defense is any formation where a 5th defensive back, called the nickel back, replaces a linebacker on the field.

Exactly, and unless you project Bartell as the #3 cornerback over Fakhir Brown, then he's not going to be the 5th DB on the field. Instead, Ron would be the 6th, which by definition makes him the dime back.

A dime defense is where two nickel backs, the 5th and 6th defensive backs, replace linebackers.

That's inaccurate. A dime defense is where two additional defensive backs, yes. But they're not both called nickel backs. One is the nickel and one is the dime.

The bears gave up what 180 yards in the SB. Not sure how well he played when the Bears got run over in the SB.

Are you suggesting that since the Bears as a team gave up a number of rushing yards, no one on that team is worth adding to our defense? If that's the logic, then no one on our current D is worth keeping because we gave up our fair share of rushing yards this season as well.

From what I have read Haslet wants to get bigger at NT 302lbs is not bigger.

This is the most legitimate argument against the Scott signing. The problem is there aren't very many huge starting-caliber NT's out there on the free agent market, nor does this draft appear to be very deep at the position either. I don't think the Rams would have a problem signing a guy like Scott, who is known as a quality run defender who keeps blockers off of his LB's, if they could also sign a bigger guy to be part of a rotation with a bigger body.

Lets get back to what the post is about. Take the best player in FA available

So if that player was a quarterback, you'd go out and take him as well?

Would I like to have Clements on the team? Sure. And if we should happen to sign him, it's definitely going to be a big upgrade to the secondary. I just think our money may be better spent by signing players at other positions where we have more of a question mark, such as the front seven, wide receiver, or even the offensive line.