[actionjack]

Rapp getting paid, Von restructuring to give some money back, what kind of upside down world are we living in?

I was surprised Von didnt get cut due to age, what is going on in his life etc. Rapp played fairly well for them. David Edwards got a contract too. Interesting.

[Elvis]

I was surprised Von didnt get cut due to age, what is going on in his life etc. Rapp played fairly well for them. David Edwards got a contract too. Interesting.

For a team that doesn't want to be like the Rams, they're a lot like the Rams...

[Elvis]

FA 2005 style, i remember thinking Claiborne and Coakly we're gonna shore up the defense...

Claiborne, Coakley help LB corps
-09-05-2005, 04:11 PM
By Jim Thomas
Pro Football Weekly

Editor's note: These grades were assigned by the individual correspondent and not by Pro Football Weekly.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where the Rams went wrong in 2004. Simply put in the tape of last season's 47-17 playoff loss to Atlanta, and watch Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick running circles around the St. Louis run defense, and return man Allen Rossum making a mockery of the Rams' anything-but-special teams.

So with the makings of a potent offense already in place, the major offseason thrusts for the Rams were defense and special teams.

Despite somewhat limited salary-cap space, the Rams still managed to cough up $25 million in contracts for veteran LBs Dexter Coakley and Chris Claiborne. Never one to mince words, coach Mike Martz gets right to the point: "I felt that we played pretty well in the defensive line last year," he said. "I felt like our linebacker play wasn't what it needed to be. We made the personnel changes."

In the secondary, the Rams went for quantity, drafting three defensive backs in Rounds 2-4 and signing several discount veterans. The Rams don't need all of those guys to click, but they'd like to get a starter out of that group and some help on nickel and dime packages, as well as some special-teams players with an attitude.

A year ago, the defense and special teams held the Rams back in a big way. If those units are even respectable in '05, the Rams should return to their 10- or 11-victory ways of the past. Or more. The offense, potentially, is that good.

Quarterbacks: Marc Bulger took a couple of steps toward elite status last season by cutting down on his interceptions and improving on the long ball. The last step is better play in the red zone, where Bulger still makes bad decisions at times. Otherwise, the whole package is there, at least in terms of what Martz is looking for in the "Air Martz" attack.

Bulger has accuracy, good pocket poise, toughness and enough mobility to sidestep the pass rush. But if something happens to Bulger, there's a big drop-off with Jamie Martin as the No. 2. Although accurate, Martin has less than ideal arm strength. Despite his long NFL career, Martin also has very little game experience. He has thrown only 340 regular-season passes since entering the league in 1993. Grade: B.

Running backs: It's Steven Jackson's time. Martz named Jackson his starting running back early in the offseason, ending any suspense over the backfield situation and giving Jackson plenty of time to get his mind right for the upcoming season.

Jackson is an intriguing blend of speed and power. At times, he can make moves like a scatback, but he also can muscle up and run over people. Very rarely does he go down on first contact. He's one of those backs who seem to get better the more they get the ball, so it will be interesting to see whether the pass-happy Rams are committed to giving him 20 carries a game.

Future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk has taken his demotion well and continues to be a positive influence in the locker room. He will have a larger role than most observers realize, spelling Jackson and working with him in two-back sets. The FB and TE positions are almost interchangeable in the St. Louis offense.

TE Brandon Manumaleuna, for example, frequently will line up in the backfield as a lead blocker. Rookie Madison Hedgecock, who's battling incumbent Joey Goodspeed for the FB job, will move up to the line at times in a TE spot. Goodspeed is a solid performer but lacks Hedgecock's size and versatility. Grade: B-plus.

Receivers: St. Louis boasts one of the top WR quartets in the entire league in Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald. Holt continues to put up big numbers year after year and has improved as a deep receiver and in catching the 50-50 balls. Although slowed by injuries late last season, Bruce is hardly past his prime as some offseason reports suggested. He remains ultracompetitive and a master of the deep-in routes and specializes more in underneath patterns while Holt runs deep.

The real improvement comes in No. 3 and No. 4 options Curtis and McDonald. Their development gives the Rams the best set of complementary receivers they've had since Az-Zahir Hakim and Ricky Proehl during the "Greatest Show on Turf" days.

Manumaleuna is a strong in-line blocker with soft hands, although the Rams don't throw to the tight end much. The offseason acquisition of Roland Williams gives the Rams two tight ends who can move bodies at the line of scrimmage. Williams was a pleasant surprise as a pass catcher during minicamps and training camp. Grade: A.

Offensive linemen: There is plenty of potential but still some unanswered questions in this unit. OLT Orlando Pace is one of the best in the business. With a multiyear contract finally in hand, he benefited from a full offseason and training camp for the first time since '02.

C Andy McCollum is a steady, underrated performer who is rarely out of position and almost never embarrassed on the field. But the other three line spots remain unsettled entering the regular season. Alex Barron's two-week absence from training camp in a contract stalemate probably will prevent the first-round draft pick from starting at right tackle for a while.

As of this writing, the front-runners at that position were veterans Rex Tucker and Matt Willig. ORG Adam Timmerman, a two-time Pro Bowler, has been slow to recover from offseason foot surgery. Rookie Claude Terrell might begin the season as the starting left guard. Grade: B-minus.

Defensive linemen: DTs Ryan Pickett, Jimmy Kennedy and Damione Lewis -- all former first-round draft picks -- have had impressive training camps and preseasons. Although slowed somewhat by a back injury, Pickett is an underrated run stuffer. Kennedy appears poised for a breakout year starting opposite Pickett. Lewis has never lived up to his lofty draft status, No. 12 overall, but is healthy and will be an integral part of the team's line rotation.

His legal troubles behind him, DLE Leonard Little appears ready to resume his status as one of the league's top pass-rushers after seeing his sack total dip to seven last season. The key to the line is DRE Anthony Hargrove, who has some of Little's explosiveness and athleticism but remains raw and inexperienced. Grade: B-minus.

Linebackers: The Rams need a big year out of Claiborne, or else their plans for an improved run defense won't pan out. At 6-3, 259, Claiborne has the kind of size the Rams haven't seen in the middle for years.

Undersized OLBs Coakley and Pisa Tinoisamoa look like munchkins lining up next to Claiborne. But both play with intensity and have the kind of sideline-to-sideline speed that is a must in today's NFL. Claiborne will be used strictly as a two-down player but can be effective as a blitzer on mixed downs. The Rams have better depth than usual here, as well, with former first-rounder Robert Thomas able to play all three positions. Grade: B-minus.

Defensive backs: The loss of CB Jerametrius Butler to season-ending knee surgery hurts. An emerging player, he accounted for five of the team's paltry total of six interceptions in '04. His replacement, DeJuan Groce, has the athleticism and ball skills to become a playmaker but was slowed by several nagging injuries last year and is not a proven player. The other starting corner, Travis Fisher, is a tough customer with good closing speed who has had his share of injury problems in the past, too.

Either Corey Ivy, a spunky former Buccaneer, or rookie Ron Bartell will handle the nickelback chores. Despite ending the '04 season with a herniated disc in his back, Adam Archuleta returns at strong safety. The team is still looking for a starting free safety, with former Packer Michael Hawthorne and rookie OJ Atogwe the leading candidates. Grade: C.

Special teams: Other than the usually stellar work of Jeff Wilkins, who remains one of the league's top kickers, the Rams' special-teams play was abysmal last year. The Rams were at or near the bottom of the league in kickoff coverage, punt coverage, kickoff returns and punt returns.

It looks as though the Rams are going with a rookie punter, Reggie Hodges, who has been inconsistent in the preseason. At least the team made several offseason moves, particularly the signing of veteran DBs Hawthorne, Ivy and Michael Stone, that should aid the coverage units. But the return game has the same cast of characters unless veteran Terry Fair can regain some of his old return magic. Grade: C-minus.

[Elvis]

[actionjack]

DAMNNNNN

[ramsww]

IMO you need to be aggressive while you have Stafford and hopefully AD. Once Stafford is done we have a massive whole to fill to remain competitive. So I still want a EDGE that can help significantly THIS SEASON. I dont like drafting EDGE in the 1st round unless they can get Dallas Turner or Verse, not sure that will be possible.

I’m thinking after trading back from 19 but yeah, they may outright trade their 1st round pick. I just don’t want to repeat 2022 or become Buff 2.0 in 2025.

[PARAM]

Well the Chiefs would 100% not won the SB this year if it wasnt for their defense. The Defense saved them most of the season and was the difference in the playoffs.

Maybe. But they still had Mahomes. And without Mahomes, definitely 100%, they don't win 1 Superbowl.

[/zn/]

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
The Rams have about $29 in cap space and more in functional space pending a potential Noteboom pay restructure or release.

The second I sent it I was like, sigh ... MILLION

[69RamFan]

This is how are see it:

As of right now,

we have 30mil in cap space.

17mil should go to the drafted & PS

I foresee the RAMs restructuring Stafford, AD, Kupp & Noteboom contracts,

In which case it should put us in the roundabout of about 80mil of cap space.

The RAMs are not going to trade any of their picks for a Vet from another team.

I can see them picking up a quality FA instead.

Most likely an edge rusher like:

Danielle Hunter

and resigning some of our FA:

I see these are the mains player we should sign back.

QB/Wentz: 3mil
CB/Witherspoon: 5mil
LT/A.Jackson: 3mil (RFA)
S/Fuller or Johnson: 3mil

So thats around 31 mil between drafted, PS and these players listed above.

So that gives us 49 mil to at least pick up that edge rusher/Hunter for 20mil.

Giving us at least 25mil +/- left to play with.

Drafting some very good quality players from the draft.

Should put us in the SB contention!!!!

[/zn/]

This is how are see it:

As of right now,

we have 30mil in cap space.

17mil should go to the drafted & PS

I foresee the RAMs restructuring Stafford, AD, Kupp & Noteboom contracts,

In which case it should put us in the roundabout of about 80mil of cap space.

The RAMs are not going to trade any of their picks for a Vet from another team.

I can see them picking up a quality FA instead.

Most likely an edge rusher like:

Danielle Hunter

and resigning some of our FA:

I see these are the mains player we should sign back.

QB/Wentz: 3mil
CB/Witherspoon: 5mil
LT/A.Jackson: 3mil (RFA)
S/Fuller or Johnson: 3mil

So thats around 31 mil between drafted, PS and these players listed above.

So that gives us 49 mil to at least pick up that edge rusher/Hunter for 20mil.

Giving us at least 25mil +/- left to play with.

Drafting some very good quality players from the draft.

Should put us in the SB contention!!!!

Those are all interesting points. And I like what you came up with. I have one small disagreement though. I don't see how they could get anything close to 80 M in cap space. At most I see them getting something like 20 M more if they do all the re-structures you're talking about. The drawback being, restructures subtract future cap space, which makes it actually harder to sign FAs in the year you're already in.