[PARAM]

I don't see any rookies coming in and making the offensive line better right away. Most times they need time to get up to NFL speed. So I would be thinking more down the road. I would be willing to see if these guys can get better. No need to start over unless you think these guys will never improve. I don't think that is the case.

I would like to see a receiver somewhere in that mix. Maybe not with the first pick. I think edge rusher is top priority. Running back would be next. I like Henderson and Brown with their change of pace to each other. But we don't know if they can handle a whole season's load.

After that I think receiver and ILB. Maybe a receiver who can take the top off the defense. A guy who can return punts too. Jet sweeps, etc. We've been needing a LB or two in the middle for a few years. I'd love to see a thumper in there.

But all of that with the idea of not necessarily needing immediate help but for the future. I would draft another offensive lineman on day 2. A project with raw talent in case one of those guys just doesn't have it and we have to move on from him down the road.

If the edge rusher from Notre Dame is there at #52 or #57, whichever is our first pick , I would have no problem taking him. The problem with thinking he's going to help us any more than Obo is based on what? His college production? Obo came to the Rams with 9 and 8 sacks his last 2 years in the NCAA.

What I'm getting at is this. In 2018, the Bears (under Fangio) had 50 sacks, #3 in the NFL. Mack had 12.5, Hicks 7.5 and Roquan Smith 5. They were the leaders. In 2019, Hicks got hurt (5 GP, 1 sack), Smith missed time (12 GP, 2 sacks) and Mack played 16 and had 8.5. Is it possible Fangio schemed a lot of those sacks in 2018? They had 37 in 2016, 42 in 2017, 50 in 2018 and 32 in 2019.

It's not that I don't think Edge production isn't important. It's that I don't think we're going to get anybody in the draft who's going to make a huge difference.....more than Floyd, Obo and Ebukam. If we were drafting in the top 10 of the first round, sure, we could get somebody who might have double digit sacks.

Now can we get a WR or RB who's going to contribute on a limited basis? We live and die with our offense.

[snackdaddy]

If the edge rusher from Notre Dame is there at #52 or #57, whichever is our first pick , I would have no problem taking him. The problem with thinking he's going to help us any more than Obo is based on what? His college production? Obo came to the Rams with 9 and 8 sacks his last 2 years in the NCAA.

What I'm getting at is this. In 2018, the Bears (under Fangio) had 50 sacks, #3 in the NFL. Mack had 12.5, Hicks 7.5 and Roquan Smith 5. They were the leaders. In 2019, Hicks got hurt (5 GP, 1 sack), Smith missed time (12 GP, 2 sacks) and Mack played 16 and had 8.5. Is it possible Fangio schemed a lot of those sacks in 2018? They had 37 in 2016, 42 in 2017, 50 in 2018 and 32 in 2019.

It's not that I don't think Edge production isn't important. It's that I don't think we're going to get anybody in the draft who's going to make a huge difference.....more than Floyd, Obo and Ebukam. If we were drafting in the top 10 of the first round, sure, we could get somebody who might have double digit sacks.

Now can we get a WR or RB who's going to contribute on a limited basis? We live and die with our offense.

Obo does have potential. But Ebukam just doesn't move the needle for me. Floyd is a question mark. The talent is there. Plus, he's pretty good in run support. The hope is that a change of scenery and being in a system with a DC he's familiar with will help. I don't think he'll be anything like a dominant edge rusher. But he could be good enough.

If they can do better against the run will definitely make things easier. Run defense was never all that good under Wade. The addition of Robinson and Floyd could make us better in that area. Shut down the run and you make them more predictable. The 49ers and Seahawks were good running teams. Shut that down and you probably beat them.

I still like the idea of finding a good edge rusher for long term. Donald needs some relief from all those double/triple teams and he's still got some good years left. I'd hate to see them waste those good years but not giving him help on the edge.

[PARAM]

Donald doesn't need any help if they have good coverage in the secondary. Two years ago he had 20.5 sacks and Suh was #2 with 4.5. Last year he had 12.5 with Fowler 11.5, 7 in 3 and 4.5 in 13 other games. I like Ebukam because he plays the run fairly well. Obo? Don't know what we have there but we're going to find out I would think.

I'm not opposed to Edge help in the draft. I just think the RB, WR and S positions are in more dire need. I wouldn't care if they took RB, WR, S (Ashton Davis in the 2nd or Julian Blackmon in the 3rd or 4th). I keep saying this but one guy who would supplement both the RB and WR positions is Antonio Gibson. If you need him to play RB, he can. If you need him to play WR, he can. Plus he's a return guy too. Les Snead needs to figure a way to get that guy (in the 4th?) if he's going Edge and or OL with 2 of the first 3 picks.

[snackdaddy]

Ebukam had 4.5 sacks last year and played about 50% of the snaps to Fowler's 80-ish. Increase Ebukam's snaps by more than half and you end up with about 8. I don't think that's unreasonable, at all, to expect from him. Floyd? I'm going to project him to have a career year with sacks because I'm feeling generous and because they did that with Fowler last year and got it. Nothing outrageous.. let's say 10. Donald.. you'd expect at least 12. That's 30 sacks right there and a fantastic base for the rest of the D. Optimistic? Sure.. but I don't think expecting 30 sacks out of those three players is unrealistic.
Obo got 1.5 sacks in 10% of the snaps played.. expecting 4 out of him as a part-timer is totally realistic. Brockers? Give him 3.. Robinson? Give him 3. SJD? Give him 3. You're up to 43 sacks without projecting anything crazy.

So.. I think they could go either way on Edge.... ESPECIALLY if they think Polite can really play.

Can't disagree with any of that. Maybe a little less of Ebukam and more of Obo? Like I said, Ebukam just doesn't move the needle for me. Maybe he does more than this untrained eye sees though? He's been a part of the defense for a few years now and he's gotten his share of playing time. They see something in him I don't.

[safer]

Purely as a pass rusher, Obo has an ability that reminds me of a young Robert Quinn. Moving quickly, he has the ability to really dip his inside shoulder while turning the corner at the top of his pass rush.
Not many guys can make themselves that small of a blocking target for tall, LT's. Of any one on our roster, I think he has the highest sack ceiling of any of them (olbers, not Aaron). He should be on the field in all long situations (even over Samson) IMHO.

[actionjack]

How many guys taken in the first two rounds last year had significant sack production?
#2 Bosa - 9, #7 Allen - 10-5, #16 Burns - 7.5 and #26 Sweat -7. Ebukam had 4.5 behind Fowler (11.5) and Matthews (8.0). Are we going to get a pass rusher at #52 or lower who is going to make a significant difference? More than Ebukam or even Obo?

We did lose a lot of sacks from last year.....Fowler 11.5, Matthews 8.0 and Littleton 3.5.....that's 23. Who can we draft in the 2nd round who is going to make up for that?

We have 2 effective RB's who just need to show they can play a season? Sounds a lot like "none of those pass rushers are proven".

The way I look at it at RB Brown has proven he can be a starting RB from a talent standpoint. We used a high draft at RB last year on Henderson. Hopefully them both playing 50% would allow them both to survive the whole season. I dont think Obo has proven from talent standpoint. Ebukam has shown flashes, maybe more playing time will resolve that. I would hate to add high draft pick at RB unless he provides a significant upgrade to what we already have.

You are right we might not find a difference maker on the Edge at 52, I dont want to force anything. Maybe we trade up to grab one or trade down to get more shots on goal. Anyone they select in round 2 & 3, need to be ready NFL ready. We just dont have that luxury of waiting on guys to develop.

[actionjack]

Ebukam had 4.5 sacks last year and played about 50% of the snaps to Fowler's 80-ish. Increase Ebukam's snaps by more than half and you end up with about 8. I don't think that's unreasonable, at all, to expect from him. Floyd? I'm going to project him to have a career year with sacks because I'm feeling generous and because they did that with Fowler last year and got it. Nothing outrageous.. let's say 10. Donald.. you'd expect at least 12. That's 30 sacks right there and a fantastic base for the rest of the D. Optimistic? Sure.. but I don't think expecting 30 sacks out of those three players is unrealistic.
Obo got 1.5 sacks in 10% of the snaps played.. expecting 4 out of him as a part-timer is totally realistic. Brockers? Give him 3.. Robinson? Give him 3. SJD? Give him 3. You're up to 43 sacks without projecting anything crazy.

So.. I think they could go either way on Edge.... ESPECIALLY if they think Polite can really play.

Floyd has 7 sacks in 2 years, I dont think there is anyway to expect him to get 10, way optimistic to me, maybe 6-7 IMO. Ebukam I think is in the same 6-7 area at best. Obo is the one guy who could see a big jump. It will be interesting to see who ends up starting and how the playing time is dispersed. The rest I agree with.

[actionjack]

Sure.. but Floyd had 7 as a rookie, so it's not like it's crazy to think he could get to 10. Again.. Fowler was a cast off whose career high had been 8.
Obo, I like, high-effort.. but doesn't have near the physical traits of the other two.

I think you are selling Fowler really short. He had 8 sacks, 11 TFLs and 10 QB hits in 2017 with the Jags and was in a rotation.

Floyd's best year was in 2016 when he had 7 sacks , 6 TFL's and 9 QB hits, his stats have decreased each year..... in 2019 3 sacks, 3 TFL's and 12 QB hits

[PARAM]

The way I look at it at RB Brown has proven he can be a starting RB from a talent standpoint. We used a high draft at RB last year on Henderson. Hopefully them both playing 50% would allow them both to survive the whole season. I dont think Obo has proven from talent standpoint. Ebukam has shown flashes, maybe more playing time will resolve that. I would hate to add high draft pick at RB unless he provides a significant upgrade to what we already have.

You are right we might not find a difference maker on the Edge at 52, I dont want to force anything. Maybe we trade up to grab one or trade down to get more shots on goal. Anyone they select in round 2 & 3, need to be ready NFL ready. We just dont have that luxury of waiting on guys to develop.

I don't think either of those matter. Brown has carried the ball 197 times in 5 years. I like him. I believe he can play. But he's unproven as a starter.

You can't go by "we chose that position last year, so we're not going to this year" (unless it's a QB, PK or P). Last year we had Gurley AND Brown and they still went for a RB, albeit a home run hitter....supposedly. We can say, "yeah they chose a RB because they knew Gurley was done" but I don't buy that. If that were the case they probably would have taken Miles Sanders in the 2nd after they traded out of the first.

This is a problem. We can't expect to begin our draft with pick #52 and expect to get 2 or 3 NFL ready players. I haven't seen that happen very often. What we can do is pick guys who are expected to be starters in a year who will contribute significantly this year.

That's why I want to see them get a RB, WR (or combo of the two), a safety who can also play the slot and an edge rusher who can play special teams and take 12-16 or so snaps per game.

[actionjack]

I don't think either of those matter. Brown has carried the ball 197 times in 5 years. I like him. I believe he can play. But he's unproven as a starter.

You can't go by "we chose that position last year, so we're not going to this year" (unless it's a QB, PK or P). Last year we had Gurley AND Brown and they still went for a RB, albeit a home run hitter....supposedly. We can say, "yeah they chose a RB because they knew Gurley was done" but I don't buy that. If that were the case they probably would have taken Miles Sanders in the 2nd after they traded out of the first.

This is a problem. We can't expect to begin our draft with pick #52 and expect to get 2 or 3 NFL ready players. I haven't seen that happen very often. What we can do is pick guys who are expected to be starters in a year who will contribute significantly this year.

That's why I want to see them get a RB, WR (or combo of the two), a safety who can also play the slot and an edge rusher who can play special teams and take 12-16 or so snaps per game.

Im fine with contribute significantly this year, basically that is what I mean. Last years draft of Rapp and Evans. I believe 100% the Rams selected RB because they knew they couldnt count on Gurley longer term. I rather not draft our 3rd RB and 4th WR high with our 2nd or 3rd pick, unless they believe they have significant more upside than what we already have in place. JMO