Weatherspoon, Gresham or Best at 33 ?

[berg8309]

Consider it as more than just an insurance policy.

The reason that Best looks to be so suited to St. Louis is that physically, he doesn't appear to be ready to carry the ball 20 times a game. He'll absorb too much damage for his frame to handle. Best is considered a true home-run threat by many scouts, and in my opinion he's the player best suited to that title this year.

I don't want to make a Trung Canidate comparison, but I feel like they had similar skillsets. Maybe a more apt comparison is Felix Jones from Dallas, who has averaged nearly 6 YPC in a spell role for the Cowboys over his career.

The point is that if Jackson is going to continue to receive as many touches as he currently receives, he's going to wear out faster than anyone around here would like. The problem that we had last year was that the offense was virtually anaemic. As good as Jackson is, he didn't score until the ninth game of the season last year. When you're talking about adding Best, you're not only talking about giving Jackson a breather- you're talking about adding a player who is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. More or less you're factoring the potential for instant points into the equation, which we really haven't had since Marshall Faulk.

The only other player worth the that high of a pick with the potential to do something similar, in my opinion, is Demaryius Thomas. Of course, he hasn't run this offseason, (To the best of my recollection, Best clocked an unofficial 4.28 but was listed in the 4.3's) but in my opinion he's the only WR outside of Dez Bryant who could develop into a true #1 target. Returning to the subject matter of this thread for a second, I don't think Thomas will be available when we draft. This, of course, leads me back to Best as the best skill position pick we could make at #33 overall.

If you're looking outside of skill position players for our offense, I'd love to land Mike Iupati or Maurkice Pouncey. I think both will be gone by the mid 20's, so it would inevitably require a trade up to land either player. In turn, that factors Thomas, Graham and Weatherspoon back into the equation. It is definitely a twisted web we're weaving.

But you are speaking from the position of an already developed team. Sure we need a homerun hitter, but we don't need one that only sometimes touches the ball. Jones was a good pick for Dallas because they had assembled a good team and could use a high pick on a guy like that. We have a bad team, and can't use a high pick on a once-in-a-while guy. We are so full of holes we need starters, not good backups. You can talk all you want about having a guy with a homerun threat, but all you are saying to me is "He's not just a backup, he's a really good backup" he's still a backup, and we NEED starters, not extra depth at our best position.

[Goldenfleece]

But you are speaking from the position of an already developed team. Sure we need a homerun hitter, but we don't need one that only sometimes touches the ball. Jones was a good pick for Dallas because they had assembled a good team and could use a high pick on a guy like that. We have a bad team, and can't use a high pick on a once-in-a-while guy. We are so full of holes we need starters, not good backups. You can talk all you want about having a guy with a homerun threat, but all you are saying to me is "He's not just a backup, he's a really good backup" he's still a backup, and we NEED starters, not extra depth at our best position.

I have to agree. It's kind of like buying this rocking new motorcycle to go along with your SUV when the roof of your house leaks, the computer is 10 years old, the dog has worms, and the kid needs braces. Sure, the motorcycle is more than just a back-up for when the car is in the shop, but is it really the best use of resources?

[#39 Fan]

But you are speaking from the position of an already developed team. Sure we need a homerun hitter, but we don't need one that only sometimes touches the ball. Jones was a good pick for Dallas because they had assembled a good team and could use a high pick on a guy like that. We have a bad team, and can't use a high pick on a once-in-a-while guy. We are so full of holes we need starters, not good backups. You can talk all you want about having a guy with a homerun threat, but all you are saying to me is "He's not just a backup, he's a really good backup" he's still a backup, and we NEED starters, not extra depth at our best position.

Word.

Just say no to a back(up) in round two... Terrible, this idea.

[#39 Fan]

Best to me is a fairly less-talented, slighty more fragile version of weggiebush.

I'd hope if we were to drop essentially a first rounder on a running back, that he would at least have the ability to step in and be an every-down back in our offense, should the beast go down.

I say again: terrible, this idea.

[Nick]

I don't think either Gresham or Weatherspoon will be there in the 2nd, and I think we are wasting a pick in the 2nd to grab a backup RB when we are in position to fill a starter hole that has a backup playing in it.

I don't think they'll be there either, but for the purposes of the hypothetical in this thread, let's assume they are.

I'd probably go with Weatherspoon, and then come back in the third or fourth round and look for a tight end. I think the depth in this class is better at tight end than it is at linebacker, and while it would be very tempting to reunite Bradford with Gresham, my hunch is we'd get a better pair going LB/TE than TE/LB.

[tomahawk247]

i think if they are there (although i doubt they will be) then i think the team will jump all over Weatherspoon. He is currently projected to go in the mid to upper first round, and would be a steal in the second round.

[Bar-bq]

But you are speaking from the position of an already developed team. Sure we need a homerun hitter, but we don't need one that only sometimes touches the ball. Jones was a good pick for Dallas because they had assembled a good team and could use a high pick on a guy like that. We have a bad team, and can't use a high pick on a once-in-a-while guy. We are so full of holes we need starters, not good backups. You can talk all you want about having a guy with a homerun threat, but all you are saying to me is "He's not just a backup, he's a really good backup" he's still a backup, and we NEED starters, not extra depth at our best position.

That's fair enough, I respect your opinion.

Truth be told, I'd be leaning heavily toward Thomas or Weatherspoon if they were available. But I'll stand by what I said. I think that if Best is the BPA when we pick at 33, then we should take him on the basis that he has the potential to put points on the board whenever he touches the ball and that's something that nobody on the 2009 edition of the Rams could muster. Seeing as we haven't added any skill position players this offseason, I think that it's a need that we should address at some point, be it with Best, Thomas or even a player like Dexter McCluster in a later round.

[Damned Ramz]

I voted Gresham, but I would be happy with any of the three.

I have to agree. It's kind of like buying this rocking new motorcycle to go along with your SUV when the roof of your house leaks, the computer is 10 years old, the dog has worms, and the kid needs braces. Sure, the motorcycle is more than just a back-up for when the car is in the shop, but is it really the best use of resources?

I don't want to go rb in the second but are people undervaluing the need for a back-up rb?
Jackson is getting old...look at how long brandon jacobs lasted, 4 years?? Jackson should last longer, but bruising backs don't last long and if the rams don't add a capable back-up soon to lower those carries, I don't see him being around when the rams are competitive.

[Goldenfleece]

I voted Gresham, but I would be happy with any of the three.



I don't want to go rb in the second but are people undervaluing the need for a back-up rb?
Jackson is getting old...look at how long brandon jacobs lasted, 4 years?? Jackson should last longer, but bruising backs don't last long and if the rams don't add a capable back-up soon to lower those carries, I don't see him being around when the rams are competitive.

Personally, I think it's the speedy runningbacks who don't last that long. Jerome Bettis, for example, had a long career. So did Eddie George. And did Jacobs just retire and I didn't hear about it? He had one down season. The big guys can still be productive when they lose a step, but all the burners have is their speed. Jackson is 26. Even if you talk about guys hitting the wall at 30, he's still smack dab in the middle of his prime.

It's just a matter of opinion as to whether one is overvaluing or undervaluing a position. When we have a dozen or so starting positions up for grabs, I'm going to say that the backup runningback really isn't a great concern. If we're worried about whether Jackson is going to be around when the team is competitive again, we should be focusing on getting it competitive again as fast as possible--rather than looking ahead to whether Jackson will be too worn down to start in 2015.

[Damned Ramz]

Personally, I think it's the speedy runningbacks who don't last that long. Jerome Bettis, for example, had a long career. So did Eddie George. And did Jacobs just retire and I didn't hear about it? He had one down season. The big guys can still be productive when they lose a step, but all the burners have is their speed. Jackson is 26. Even if you talk about guys hitting the wall at 30, he's still smack dab in the middle of his prime.

It's just a matter of opinion as to whether one is overvaluing or undervaluing a position. When we have a dozen or so starting positions up for grabs, I'm going to say that the backup runningback really isn't a great concern. If we're worried about whether Jackson is going to be around when the team is competitive again, we should be focusing on getting it competitive again as fast as possible--rather than looking ahead to whether Jackson will be too worn down to start in 2015.

lol well i hope the rams are competitive before 2015! but good points nonetheless. I would argue that a power back can still be productive in getting 1 or 2 yards, i.e George in dallas, or bettis as a goaline back in pittsburgh, but as an everydown back i would disagree.
Maybe I am just biased in wanting to keep jackson healthy because I'd like to see him around when the rams are actually good...whether that is best for the rams remains to be seen...

regardless can't wait for this draft I remember when I saw the nfl ticker at over 100 days

[RockinRam]

A claim people use to support our need of Best (or a reliable running back) because if we have Best, Jackson gets more rest and is less likely to wear out by the end of the year.

This is true. No one can argue the fact that if we had a reliable back-up, Jackson will get less touches which means a healthier Jackson.

BUT,

My claim is that, if we picked Gresham, that would give us more variety in our passing schemes will means more passing which ultimately means Jackson gets less touches, which THEN means a healthier Jackson.

Mind boggling eh?

[berg8309]

I don't want to go rb in the second but are people undervaluing the need for a back-up rb?

I don't think so. It is a position of value, but it is still a backup position. Is having a running back to spell Jackson more important than a starting DE, OLB, TE, or WR? I would say no, and we will be in position to get one of those at the start of the 2nd day. Backups can be found later, but starters will be harder to find.

Back on subject, I would go with Weatherspoon, but I think the Rams would go with Gresham.

[RockinRam]

People are also forgetting about Chris Ogby. He is going to be a big factor in our offense next year.

[eric2810]

I don't know, its just me, but I'd rather not select and have another OLB named Weatherspoon on the team. Plus, Gresham or Best are great options and can be solid players for years to come, and can help Sam's transition into the NFL.

[Bar-bq]

I don't know, its just me, but I'd rather not select and have another OLB named Weatherspoon on the team.

Will ... WItherspoon?