[PARAM]

I'm sure Snead will simply see how the draft develops. I doubt if he's excluding any possibility. One thing about drafting a QB in the first round is they can afford to let him play QB2 and develop for 2 years and still control his contract rights for 3 more years. So if he sits and learns for two years so be it.

One thing that has been indicative of the Rams over the past few years is they aren't adverse to redshirting a rookie to allow him to acclimate and develop that first year. As such Snead will draft a year in advance depending upon the player and roster circumstances.

I doubt that Snead is closing off any of his options and will go in with a plan but also stay flexible enough to allow the draft to come to him.

The Ram's willingness to invest in their OL is long overdue. IMO it reflects their commitment to make this a year in which they will be true SB contenders, not just playoff contenders. I applaud their willingness to pay the big uglies as long overdue and necessary.

One recurring theme is how the Rams are reshaping the team from being finesse to being tough. Nothing could reflect that more than having WR starters like Nacua and now Robinson. So does that mean Atwell's time is ending? This is his contract year. Do they keep him angling for a comp pick? Or do they view him as trade bait? Probably both, in that they would trade him if the right opportunity presented itself.

I know it's common for fans to claim they haven't invested in the OL but that's not true. Originally, they signed Whit and Sullivan. They along with Saffold and Havenstein stayed together 2 years. They drafted Noteboom (3rd) and Allen (4th) in 2018 with their first two selections and put them in the starting lineup in 2019. In 2019 they drafted Evans (3rd) and Edwards (5th). Then when injuries occurred, they traded for Corbett and Edwards became a starter. In 2020, with all those guys still on hand they drafted Anchrum in the 7th. In 2021 they didn't draft any O lineman and won the Superbowl. In 2022, they extended Noteboom and Allen. In 2022 they also used their first pick on OL (Bruss) and their last pick on Arcuri. In 2023 they drafted Avila (with their first pick), McClendon (in the 5th) and traded for Dotson. They have continually invested draft capital and money in their OL. The fact some of them haven't worked out doesn't mean they haven't invested or have neglected OL. This year they sign two huge free agents, one they traded for last year.

Over the 7 years together they've drafted 10 OL, 3 times with their first pick.
They've traded for 2 OL and they've signed 4 free agent OL.
They found UDFA's like Alaric and FA Shelton (a UDFA of SF in 2018).
That's 18 guys in 7 years.
Certainly doesn't seem like neglect or ignoring the position to me.
This is the first time in 7 years they've invested big with 2 guys in free agency but one is, in reality, actually an extension for a guy they already had. They have continually tried to improve the OL over those 7-8 years. To suggest otherwise IMHO, is incorrect.

As far as drafting a QB and letting him sit 2 years (probably more if Stafford is protected well by a beast OL the next 2 years) is a waste of draft capital IMHO. Next year? Maybe.

With Tutu it all depends on what they do in the draft. If they take a WR, he's vying for the #4 position with Tutu, who has displayed a toughness the last year and a half (supposedly that he didn't possess), great hands and reliability on 3rd down. I wouldn't be surprised if they rolled with Kupp, Puka, Robinson, Tutu and a rookie, as well as Skowronek for ST. What's the chances one of them misses time? It would be nice to have an extra who knows the playbook and has excelled in the offense. Plus, between Puka and Atwell they have just 2.8 mil invested for 2024. What's the rush to unload him? I don't see teams lining up to bid on his services. He's probably more valuable to the Rams than any draft capital or cap relief they could get in a trade anyway.

It's also not surprising he's connected to an OL discussion as he has been since being drafted.

FWIW, I'm hoping they take an OT high in this draft.

[Dare]

Noteboom IIRC was the highest recently drafted OL pick other than Avila and Joe was taken as a LT in the third round. Don't get me wrong Noteboom IMO was the best of the lot (Noteboom, Allen, Edwards) but his career got derailed by injuries.

My point about the OL was where was the commitment to make the OL a major priority? Both Edwards and Allen were third day picks. They traded for Corbett but where was the commitment to keep him?

They relied upon trades for Saffold, and Sullivan but allowed them to walk. They claimed Austin Blythe a 7th round Colt pick off of waivers. Granted they struck gold with Whitworth but only at the end of his career.

Dotson was a 4th round pick and they again struck gold when they played him at his natural position of RG.

Finally last year they took Avila early and traded for Dotson showing enough commitment to extend him after an outstanding year. Now they sign Jonah Jackson a 3rd round pick who hopefully will be another Dotson type of acquisition.

My point is, Jackson and Dotson aren't waiver claims like Blythe who they started at RG. The Rams are finally making the OL a priority as opposed to an afterthought. Signing players who seem to be on the rise like Jackson and Dotson reflects a newfound commitment to build an OL that will give them the offense they want.

[snackdaddy]

The age old debate. BPA or need? They'll have their final board set by draft day. Probably a combination of both BPA and need. And who they think will be available at 19. Also taking into consideration any trade scenarios.

Draft day is very fluid for all teams. They have their boards set. But players go early. Players are still available. Some teams are involved in a trade up/down. And they have 15 minutes to make that final decision.

Considering they signed a guard, tight end and CB, if they are looking at need I have to think edge rusher would be high on the list. A. Jackson is tendered at a second round now. Its likely he'll be returning. Making edge even more of a need.

[ramsman34]

I'd like to see two trades 1. If possible, get either K Mack or Hassan Reddick/Sweat. Not as high on Bosa due to injury history. DON'T use a first rounder to get this done. 2. Trade up in the first for one of the top LT's. Use the rest of the draft to target corner, safety, WR, RB2, DT based on BPA and who the Rams are targeting in their "pods" of players at each pick. Release Boom, keep A Jax as your swing for one year and let him compete in camp with the rookie for the starting job.

[Elvis]

The age old debate. BPA or need? They'll have their final board set by draft day. Probably a combination of both BPA and need. And who they think will be available at 19. Also taking into consideration any trade scenarios.

Draft day is very fluid for all teams. They have their boards set. But players go early. Players are still available. Some teams are involved in a trade up/down. And they have 15 minutes to make that final decision.

That's the thing i've learned over the years watching the Rams. Everything is fluid, depends on what happens. The plan is to take best advantage of the opportunities that present themselves and that can be a lot of different things. It unfolds in real time.

People out there making predictions just have no idea what's gonna happen. They can't. It hasn't been decided yet.

I also don't think the board is quite what we think it is either, have heard Snead talk many times about buckets of players, might have 3 guys they like at 19 who they think have a good shot of being there, several guys at any pick. So if more than one is there, you trade back of break the tie by need, or positional value etc.

If someone you didn't think would fall that far is there, well that's something else again.

And so on and so on...

[PARAM]

That's the thing i've learned over the years watching the Rams. Everything is fluid, depends on what happens. The plan is to take best advantage of the opportunities that present themselves and that can be a lot of different things. It unfolds in real time.

People out there making predictions just have no idea what's gonna happen. They can't. It hasn't been decided yet.

I also don't think the board is quite what we think it is either, have heard Snead talk many times about buckets of players, might have 3 guys they like at 19 who they think have a good shot of being there, several guys at any pick. So if more than one is there, you trade back of break the tie by need, or positional value etc.

If someone you didn't think would fall that far is there, well that's something else again.

And so on and so on...

I don't get how you (a GM/HC) can narrow it down to 1 player. I like the idea of buckets of players.

So with our free agency so far, have our needs changed? I keep seeing EDGE. We signed a CB, IOL, WR, TE. How about RB? ILB? OT? With Havenstein having 2 years left on his deal and Alaric on a 1 year tender, I believe OT jumps over CB, TE, IOL and WR. Unless they think very highly of McClendon or Noteboom. Can't wrap my head around keeping him at that price....the cap hits for Alaric 4.9, J.Jackson 13.7. Dotson 12.7, Havenstein 14.7, Avila 2.1 come to 48 mil and chump change. And Noteboom carries a 20 mil hit? He's gonna need to come in way under Dotson IMHO. That won't happen. Resign Shelton at 3.5 or 4 mil as a backup G/C. Draft an OT in the first two or three picks.

[ramsman34]

There will probably be 2-3 players they like and meet the value at 19, if they stay there. Heck, they could trade the pick for Josh Allen. Who knows. They could also trade down as they probably have a muck bigger bucket of players they think they like in the second and third rounds. They could drop out of the 1st altogether and have 5-6 selections in the 2nd and 3rd. Like Elvis opined, it is very fluid and no one knows. Not even the Rams…yet.

[PARAM]

There will probably be 2-3 players they like and meet the value at 19, if they stay there. Heck, they could trade the pick for Josh Allen. Who knows. They could also trade down as they probably have a much bigger bucket of players they think they like in the second and third rounds. They could drop out of the 1st altogether and have 5-6 selections in the 2nd and 3rd. Like Elvis opined, it is very fluid and no one knows. Not even the Rams…yet.

Yeah, I'm stoked for the draft. I have mixed feelings about trading down or staying put. Of course trading up would excite me. Nobody knows and like you say, not even the Rams. But 4 of the first 100 players is a good haul. I liked reading that guy from Texas, I forget his name...Rick something? He used to have his top 100 player list and most years he would nail above 90. The top 100 is prime picking territory. If they did move down to pick up another in that area, we could be dancing!!!

[ramsman34]

If they stay, they can’t really go wrong at LT, WR, Edge, corner. Any other pick, except maybe Bowers, would be a head scratcher. Do you think there are 19 can’t-miss surefire difference makers in the first round? How many of them are in the draft altogether? I am all for getting great players and as many as possible. Don’t care how or where. Just get them. I too am pumped about this draft.

[/zn/]

That's the thing i've learned over the years watching the Rams. Everything is fluid, depends on what happens. The plan is to take best advantage of the opportunities that present themselves and that can be a lot of different things. It unfolds in real time.

People out there making predictions just have no idea what's gonna happen. They can't. It hasn't been decided yet.

I also don't think the board is quite what we think it is either, have heard Snead talk many times about buckets of players, might have 3 guys they like at 19 who they think have a good shot of being there, several guys at any pick. So if more than one is there, you trade back of break the tie by need, or positional value etc.

If someone you didn't think would fall that far is there, well that's something else again.

And so on and so on...

The exception to that was 2023 where in the time between round 1 and their pick in round 2, they re-did the board and agreed that the absolutely top ranked player on their new re-worked board was Avila. Obviously they had a #2 on their list they would have taken if Avila went before they picked.