[sloramfan]

i'm hearing about some centers that actually were drafted in later rounds, that do start, so if any of the ones drawing press are had by the rams, possibly a day one starter is not out of the question...

go rams

slo

[PARAM]

I'm always leery of putting all our eggs in the rookie basket. Especially on the line. We hear of guys who can come in and start right away. But is that common? Or do the majority need more time? I'm fine with drafting a center with our first pick. But we better have a veteran ready just in case.

I've posted this before......in the last 5 years 8 rookie centers have played 12 or more games for their team. 2 were 1st round picks. 3 were 2nd round picks. And 3 were third round picks.

I'll go back and find who they were and what teams they played for as I'm sure some played for 2nd tier teams. But the difference with the Rams is, they've got a 13 yr vet at QB who won't feel over burdened with the extra responsibility. And let's face it.....by week 12 the guy's not a rookie anymore.

[Jerseydevil]

Some of these posts make Matt Stafford sound like Tom Brady! Call me a skeptic, but even Tom Brady isn't Tom Brady without help. I would like to see a few games from Stafford before I get excited or make any predictions. I have a theory that has nothing to do with qbs. I think the league has caught up with our coach. He isn't a one hit wonder, but he isn't the genius many made him to be a few years ago either.

[PARAM]

I've posted this before......in the last 5 years 8 rookie centers have played 12 or more games for their team. 2 were 1st round picks. 3 were 2nd round picks. And 3 were third round picks.

I'll go back and find who they were and what teams they played for as I'm sure some played for 2nd tier teams. But the difference with the Rams is, they've got a 13 yr vet at QB who won't feel over burdened with the extra responsibility. And let's face it.....by week 12 the guy's not a rookie anymore.

Actually it's 9 rookies centers. 3 from the first round, 3 from the 2nd and 3 from the 3rd. Some have played for crap teams, some have played for playoff teams. Here's the list.

2016 Cody Whitehair (2nd #56) 16 GS for the Bears #
2016 Ryan Kelly (1st #18) 16 GS for the Colts #
2017 Nick Martin (2nd #50) 16 GS for the Texans
2017 Pat Elflein (3rd #70) 14 GS for the Vikings $
2018 Frank Ragnow (1st #20) 16 GS for the LIONS********#
2018 Mason Cole (3rd #97) 16 GS for the Cardinals
2019 Garrett Bradbury (1st #18) 16 GS for the Vikings # $
2019 Erik McCoy (2nd #48) 16 GS for the Saints. # $
2020 Lloyd Cushenberry (3rd #83) 16 GS for the Broncos

# means they started with a veteran QB under center...(Cutler, Luck, STAFFORD, Cousins, Brees)
$ means they made the postseason....(Minnesota with Keenum 13-3, Saints with Brees 13-3, Vikings with Cousins 10-6)

So it's not such a daunting endeavor as it may seem. Like Jersey Devil said about QBs, what's surrounding them is equally important. Not only is Stafford extremely experienced but he's had experience breaking in a rookie C, just 3 seasons ago. On a crappy Lions team. I'd like to think the Rams have more surrounding a rookie center than the Lions did.

@Jerseydevil.....yeah, we gotta see it with our eyes. If you watch Stafford with Detroit, he can make all the plays. He also threw some pretty crappy interceptions. It seems he's expected to be the savior.....the guy who is the missing piece on a Superbowl caliber team. A lot has to go right in any case. On your theory about our HC, yeah that could be dead on the money. SF seems to have figured out his approach. So has the New England coaching tree. I think he thinks, with Stafford under center, that won't be as easy to do regardless of the past couple of years. In other words, it's not his offense stupid, it was the QB. I hope that's the right approach but I'd still like to see him change some tendencies that they may have figured out. Regardless whether he does or doesn't, if the Rams are much more successful this year, the moniker 'genius' still applies.