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By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
04/28/2010
It is hard to type these words, but . . .
The Rams would be silly to trade offensive tackle Alex Barron. If he is willing to play the 2010 season under the offer the team tendered him -– and his agent told the Post-Dispatch he would -– then this team needs to take him back.
Injuries have prevented the Rams from assembling and maintaining a strong offensive line in recent seasons. Barron has been the team’s most durable blocker. So he has that going for him.
So why would the Rams subtract depth now, when proven offensive tackles are in such short supply around the National Football League?
True, Barron is prone to false starts. He could play until he’s 50 and he would still lurch out of his stance from time to time, for reasons nobody will ever understand.
It’s just what he does. It’s who he is.
True, Barron isn’t the hardest-working player in Rams history. He has been absent from Rams Park during this offseason. His coaches probably chuckled at the “personal boot camp” comment agent Roosevelt Barnes used to describe Alex’s off-site work.
True, Barron is an enduring symbol of the previous regime, which was a miserable failure. Jay Zygmunt's staff didn’t draft well and Scott Linehan’s staff didn’t coach well.
But here is what Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo should have learned last season: Unloading established players is a bad idea unless you have viable replacements on hand.
They offloaded many fading or failed players last season . . . only to lose 15 games in the process, owing to injuries and their glaring lack of depth.
Everybody applauded when the team dumped undisciplined guard Richie Incognito, but the Rams kept losing in his absence.
Perhaps the Rams improved their work ethic and team spirit by making changes, but they also suffered loss after loss after loss with assorted street free agents and practice squad types playing big roles.
Unloading Barron would be a popular decision among Rams fans, but would it be the most pragmatic route to go?
Spagnuolo seems ready to move Jason Smith to left tackle. The 2009 first-round pick showed some signs of mastering right tackle last season, thanks to his run-blocking ability. He is smart, physically imposing and hard-working.
But can he protect Sam Bradford’s blind side? Smith started five games as a rookie last season. He played in eight. He was hardly airtight during preseason play. His overall work sample was too small to judge.
The coming preseason would do little to prepare him for the left tackle role, since opposing defenses won’t throw the most aggressive pass rush schemes at him.
A nasty concussion cut short Smith’s ’09 season. He butts heads for a living. The Rams are confident that his concussion woes are behind him, but there are no guarantees. We’re not talking about muscle and ligaments here, we’re talking brain cells.
The Rams drafted collegiate left tackle Rodger Saffold. This selection drew almost universal praise, since he appears to have first-round talent.
But he lacks Barron’s pure athleticism, which is why some scouts wondered if Saffold would end up at guard. Perhaps he can play right tackle, but left tackle at this level sounds like a stretch.
Veteran Adam Goldberg filled in nicely at right tackle last year. But isn’t he better suited to play guard? Isn’t he more valuable as the utility lineman, filling in where needed when injuries hit?
The Rams drafted John Greco to play tackle. But isn’t he better suited to play right guard?
Jacob Bell can play tackle. But shouldn’t he master left guard before taking on a bigger challenge?
The current Rams roster lists luminaries like Ryan McKee, Phil Trautwein and Eric Young as depth tackles. Is anybody eager to see any of them pressed into starting duty with a $50 million rookie playing quaterback?
The Rams need to get Barron back in the fold. They need to coach him. They need to challenge him. They need to remind him that he could write himself a huge contract ticket by playing 16 strong games at left tackle.
Who knows, it might work -– since Barron tends to play his best when pushed by superior defensive linemen. Even if he doesn’t take the challenge, he could be a better depth guy than anything else the team can pull off the waiver wire.
This Rams regime made its point last season. It sent a lot of guys packing. It also lost 15 games.
These guys can keep cleaning house to make things easier for the next owner and the next regime -- or they can try to win some games and extend their stay.
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
04/28/2010
It is hard to type these words, but . . .
The Rams would be silly to trade offensive tackle Alex Barron. If he is willing to play the 2010 season under the offer the team tendered him -– and his agent told the Post-Dispatch he would -– then this team needs to take him back.
Injuries have prevented the Rams from assembling and maintaining a strong offensive line in recent seasons. Barron has been the team’s most durable blocker. So he has that going for him.
So why would the Rams subtract depth now, when proven offensive tackles are in such short supply around the National Football League?
True, Barron is prone to false starts. He could play until he’s 50 and he would still lurch out of his stance from time to time, for reasons nobody will ever understand.
It’s just what he does. It’s who he is.
True, Barron isn’t the hardest-working player in Rams history. He has been absent from Rams Park during this offseason. His coaches probably chuckled at the “personal boot camp” comment agent Roosevelt Barnes used to describe Alex’s off-site work.
True, Barron is an enduring symbol of the previous regime, which was a miserable failure. Jay Zygmunt's staff didn’t draft well and Scott Linehan’s staff didn’t coach well.
But here is what Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo should have learned last season: Unloading established players is a bad idea unless you have viable replacements on hand.
They offloaded many fading or failed players last season . . . only to lose 15 games in the process, owing to injuries and their glaring lack of depth.
Everybody applauded when the team dumped undisciplined guard Richie Incognito, but the Rams kept losing in his absence.
Perhaps the Rams improved their work ethic and team spirit by making changes, but they also suffered loss after loss after loss with assorted street free agents and practice squad types playing big roles.
Unloading Barron would be a popular decision among Rams fans, but would it be the most pragmatic route to go?
Spagnuolo seems ready to move Jason Smith to left tackle. The 2009 first-round pick showed some signs of mastering right tackle last season, thanks to his run-blocking ability. He is smart, physically imposing and hard-working.
But can he protect Sam Bradford’s blind side? Smith started five games as a rookie last season. He played in eight. He was hardly airtight during preseason play. His overall work sample was too small to judge.
The coming preseason would do little to prepare him for the left tackle role, since opposing defenses won’t throw the most aggressive pass rush schemes at him.
A nasty concussion cut short Smith’s ’09 season. He butts heads for a living. The Rams are confident that his concussion woes are behind him, but there are no guarantees. We’re not talking about muscle and ligaments here, we’re talking brain cells.
The Rams drafted collegiate left tackle Rodger Saffold. This selection drew almost universal praise, since he appears to have first-round talent.
But he lacks Barron’s pure athleticism, which is why some scouts wondered if Saffold would end up at guard. Perhaps he can play right tackle, but left tackle at this level sounds like a stretch.
Veteran Adam Goldberg filled in nicely at right tackle last year. But isn’t he better suited to play guard? Isn’t he more valuable as the utility lineman, filling in where needed when injuries hit?
The Rams drafted John Greco to play tackle. But isn’t he better suited to play right guard?
Jacob Bell can play tackle. But shouldn’t he master left guard before taking on a bigger challenge?
The current Rams roster lists luminaries like Ryan McKee, Phil Trautwein and Eric Young as depth tackles. Is anybody eager to see any of them pressed into starting duty with a $50 million rookie playing quaterback?
The Rams need to get Barron back in the fold. They need to coach him. They need to challenge him. They need to remind him that he could write himself a huge contract ticket by playing 16 strong games at left tackle.
Who knows, it might work -– since Barron tends to play his best when pushed by superior defensive linemen. Even if he doesn’t take the challenge, he could be a better depth guy than anything else the team can pull off the waiver wire.
This Rams regime made its point last season. It sent a lot of guys packing. It also lost 15 games.
These guys can keep cleaning house to make things easier for the next owner and the next regime -- or they can try to win some games and extend their stay.
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