The Stud v. the Trade Down

What I have been hearing a lot, including Jim Thomas on Bernie's radio show, is the Rams will either take Suh, or trade down if someone offers them a great deal.

The question I have is how often does the trade down work. It didn't work so well for Bill Parcells when he trade away the pick to the Rams for Pace. But it did work well for the Chargers when they trade Eli Manning the #1, for Philip Rivers and several other picks including Merriman.

I think it's usually better to keep the pick if it's a super stud like Pace, or Earl Campbell, or John Elway.

So do we think Suh is that super stud guy? If so we should not be taking offers. I mean, they would have to be ridiculous. I would want at least 3 additional #1's. And that ain't happening.

Stud guy. Difference maker.

Go Cards and whiners. Just play them close Rams but for the love of everything Ram holy......lose.

I don't think JT or Bernie really knows anything. They are just speculating as we are.

That said, I think that Suh is, and will continue to be, viewed as the clear No. 1 pick in this draft. For the Rams to give up an opportunity (assuming they continue to hold the first pick) to take a guy like him, some team would have to make an overwhelming offer. I don't expect that to happen.

Frankly, if the rules allow it, I'd be fine with the Rams signing Suh in March.

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Originally Posted by AvengerRam

I don't think JT or Bernie really knows anything. They are just speculating as we are.

That said, I think that Suh is, and will continue to be, viewed as the clear No. 1 pick in this draft. For the Rams to give up an opportunity (assuming they continue to hold the first pick) to take a guy like him, some team would have to make an overwhelming offer. I don't expect that to happen.

Frankly, if the rules allow it, I'd be fine with the Rams signing Suh in March.

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March!?!?!? January for all I Care :D

If we could get something like what the Chargers got in trading their #1 pick for the Giants' #4 pick and a first rounder the next year I would do that in a heartbeat. The problem is that I don't think anybody would do that unless McCoy was also off the board.

My dream:
Tampa Bay wins another game or two and picks around 5. Suh, McCoy, Berry, and Okung are the first four picks. Tampa Bay doesn't like their available draft options so they trade their first and both seconds for Suh. Rams pick Bradford, and have three early second rounders to attempt to fill some of their many wholes. Yay!

I think it depends on how rare the top tier prospects are in a given draft. If the Rams owned the first pick in last years draft, I'd say absolutely trade down for more picks. There wasn't that once-in-a-decade DT like Suh. I'd be very hesitant to pass on someone like that, when is such a clear cut best player.

I like everything I hear about Suh and I am hoping that he is our selection. But, I wonder if one player can really make that big of a difference. I had high hopes for Carriker when he came in and again I had high hopes when Long was selected. I realize that Carriker has been injured, but my point is when he did play there wasn't a dramatic improvement in our pass rush or our ability to stop the run. Will the same be true with Suh?

He is being referred to as the best DT to come along in a decade. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what they said about Dorsey last year? I'm not hearing that about Dorsey anymore, is anybody else?

I hope I'm wrong because we really need our defensive front four to start gettng penetration and stop the run if we ever want to get to the next level. If Suh is capable of making a difference in those regards, I wouldn't want to trade the pick unless it was a very attractve deal. It all starts on the line.

Remembering Pickett, Lewis, Kennedy, and Carriker doesn't make me feel so great about picking a DT. Spags I believe had a 2nd and a 4th rounder playing for him at DT last year. Umenyiora and Tuck were 3rd rounders. Just sayin...

Don't include Pickett. Pickett got a bad rap in STL. He played well, but DLew and Arch didn't. Pickett was a mistake to let go....the others weren't.

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Originally Posted by Rawr

Remembering Pickett, Lewis, Kennedy, and Carriker doesn't make me feel so great about picking a DT. Spags I believe had a 2nd and a 4th rounder playing for him at DT last year. Umenyiora and Tuck were 3rd rounders. Just sayin...

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I think Pickett was a keeper. Linewho and Haslett missed the boat when they let him go. He's playing good football right now and he wasn't the problem when he was a Ram.

I think the book is still out on Carriker. He's been injured too much to make any final conclusions on him. It also depends on who is on the line with you.

Lewis and Kennedy are head scratchers. From what I hear they aren't doing too bad. Kennedy was played out of position here. I'm not sure what the deal was with Lewis (aka "the nutcracker"). :)

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Originally Posted by viper

He is being referred to as the best DT to come along in a decade. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what they said about Dorsey last year? I'm not hearing that about Dorsey anymore, is anybody else?

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Actually Dorsey was drafted 2 years ago but you have a valid question.

From what I have been able to ascertain he is playing out of his normal position as a DE in a 3 - 4 defense.

Therefore it is difficult to grade his play in that he is much better suited for the under tackle role in a 4 - 3.

I'm not sure that Suh would be all that successful as a DE in a 3 man front either.

WHAT SAY YE?

dorsey would be very good in a 4-3 defense..i don't know what the chiefs are doing, i would expect them to trade him this offseason.

as far as the original question, if we can find an excellent deal with multiple picks (including a high first) it might be worth it, but i don't think anything overwhelming will be offered. regardless, i would lean towards taking suh.

Even if reports start to surface that Suh has congenital heart murmurs, bones spurs in his feet, arthritic knees, has a IQ or whatever the NFL test is -- score of 2, runs a 23.2sec 40 yard dash, and benches 95lbs for 6 reps, we have to take him.

His on the field performance is what matters, and any extraneous things that may surface need to be ignored.

Keep dreaming!!! Being both Bucs n Neb fan over 20 years I wouldn't trade up 1 spot giving more than 1st n top 2nd round pick! Rams suck more n need more than Suh!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Rawr

Remembering Pickett, Lewis, Kennedy, and Carriker doesn't make me feel so great about picking a DT.

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Why is that? Not only were those picks made by different regimes, but Suh is his own person whose eventual success or failure isn't going to be determined by the past.