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11.30.2009 1:17 pm
What are Rams seeking with five to go?
By Roger Hensley
THE WATERCOOLER
QUESTION: Rams general manager Billy Devaney was quoted in a Post-Dispatch story Sunday as saying it is too early for the team to be prioritizing draft prospects. Sitting at 1-10, it would seem like the team would be looking at the big picture more than just taking a one-week-at-a-time approach. So if they are not yet putting much thought into next year’s draft, what do you think the front office and coaches are looking to see in the final five games?
JIM THOMAS
Actually, the front office and the scouting department ARE putting in a lot of thought and effort into the 2010 draft. But they’re in the information-gathering mode on hundreds and hundreds of players at every position. When you’ve lost 37 of your last 43 games, it’s not like you’ve got one or two needs. The Rams won’t even begin to trim their list of draft-eligible prospects until the scouts come in for a week in mid-December, and at that point, they’ll only winnow obvious character risks. As much as some Rams fans might want to fast-foward in 2010, there’s still one-third of the season to play. Does QB Kyle Boller have a future here? Is Brandon Gibson good enough to compete for a top three spot at WR? Do the Rams have another viable NFL defensive tackle on the roster other than Clifton Ryan? Those are just a few of the things that can change between now and January.
BILL COATS
I think they’ll be doing final evaluations of the roster that they have and cementing areas that they must target in the offseason. As for the draft, you really can’t get a clear picture until the underclassmen declare anyway.
JEFF GORDON
The Rams need a run-stuffing DT, a developmental QB, a big WR, a big and physical CB, two starting OLBs, another young pass-rushing DE, another starting-caliber RB, a passing-down RB, a pass-catching TE and at least one developmental OT. How they prioritize all that will depend on how some of the fill-ins play the last five weeks. The Rams also must assess the free agent market — which is impossible now — and see which players come out of college for the draft. If particular positions are deep in the 2010 draft, the Rams could move that position down the draft board a bit.
What are Rams seeking with five to go?
By Roger Hensley
THE WATERCOOLER
QUESTION: Rams general manager Billy Devaney was quoted in a Post-Dispatch story Sunday as saying it is too early for the team to be prioritizing draft prospects. Sitting at 1-10, it would seem like the team would be looking at the big picture more than just taking a one-week-at-a-time approach. So if they are not yet putting much thought into next year’s draft, what do you think the front office and coaches are looking to see in the final five games?
JIM THOMAS
Actually, the front office and the scouting department ARE putting in a lot of thought and effort into the 2010 draft. But they’re in the information-gathering mode on hundreds and hundreds of players at every position. When you’ve lost 37 of your last 43 games, it’s not like you’ve got one or two needs. The Rams won’t even begin to trim their list of draft-eligible prospects until the scouts come in for a week in mid-December, and at that point, they’ll only winnow obvious character risks. As much as some Rams fans might want to fast-foward in 2010, there’s still one-third of the season to play. Does QB Kyle Boller have a future here? Is Brandon Gibson good enough to compete for a top three spot at WR? Do the Rams have another viable NFL defensive tackle on the roster other than Clifton Ryan? Those are just a few of the things that can change between now and January.
BILL COATS
I think they’ll be doing final evaluations of the roster that they have and cementing areas that they must target in the offseason. As for the draft, you really can’t get a clear picture until the underclassmen declare anyway.
JEFF GORDON
The Rams need a run-stuffing DT, a developmental QB, a big WR, a big and physical CB, two starting OLBs, another young pass-rushing DE, another starting-caliber RB, a passing-down RB, a pass-catching TE and at least one developmental OT. How they prioritize all that will depend on how some of the fill-ins play the last five weeks. The Rams also must assess the free agent market — which is impossible now — and see which players come out of college for the draft. If particular positions are deep in the 2010 draft, the Rams could move that position down the draft board a bit.
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