Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 939
Notice: Trying to get property 'count' of non-object in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 1008
Share
Share
Share
Email
The St. Louis Rams had flashes of greatness despite coming off yet another subpar season. At times it appeared that the only upgrade the Rams needed was at quarterback to advance into the playoffs in 2015. However, looking back at the final three games of the season, it’s clear that the Rams need to address other areas of the team too. Here’s a look at the questions that the Rams need to answer in the 2015 offseason:
1. Who will be the starting quarterback? Some of these questions are reoccurring but none as much as this one. Sam Bradford was selected number one overall in the 2010 NFL Draft with the hope that he would be the franchise quarterback. Five years later and the Rams are still uncertain what he brings to the table. Injuries, ineffective coaching, lack of weapons and poor blocking are among the reasons why Bradford has been given countless chances. With Bradford scheduled to make $16,580,000 in 2015, a decision needs to be made quickly.
Head coach Jeff Fisher has mentioned that he would like to see Bradford back and potentially compete for the starting role. But, his ridiculously large contract could alter that plan. Unless Bradford restructures his contract, it would be a shock to see him on the team next season. But even if Bradford takes a pay cut, will he be physically ready at the start of next season? He is recovering from his second torn ACL, a tough injury to recover from.
Another thing to consider, is if the Rams do part ways with Bradford who will replace him? Shaun Hill had some decent games and some forgettable ones too. At the very least, he should be brought back as a backup. The Rams could also seek other quarterbacks looking for a change of scenery such as Jay Cutler, Mark Sanchez or Ryan Mallet. None of which really scream “franchise quarterback.”
The 2015 NFL Draft is another option which the Rams currently have the 10th overall pick. This year’s draft is pretty slim-pickings when it comes to the quarterback position. The Rams could try and trade up to get Oregon’s Marcus Mariota or Florida State’s Jameis Winston (Considering both will enter the draft), but neither will come cheap. There are other options such as UCLA’s Brett Hundley, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson or Oregon State’s Sean Mannion, all of which are considered “project players.”
2. What free agents should the Rams resign? Currently, the Rams have 16 free agents: G Davin Joseph, QB Shaun Hill, DE Alex Carrington, WR Kenny Britt, TE Lance Kendricks, T Michael Person, T Joe Barksdale, S Rodney McLeod, FB Cory Harkey, QB Austin Davis, C Tim Barnes, RB Chase Reynolds, LB Will Herring, G Brandon Washington, RB Calvin Middleton and FB Todd Anderson.
The salary cap is pretty low so the Rams have to be smart shoppers during the offseason. In other words, don’t expect a huge splash in free agency and some of these free agents will just be too expensive to sign. For example, Barksdale had a good first half of the season and just vanished in the second half. He may be a decent option as a backup, but in an offensive line-hungry league, he is sure to be offered a large, multi-year contract in which case it’s better for the Rams to avoid. Britt, McLeod and Kendricks are among the other tougher decisions.
3. What players should the Rams cut? The salary cap is going to be a huge task for general manager Les Snead. One way of alleviating some of that money is by cutting players, but that doesn’t always go without consequence. Guaranteed money can still chip away at the salary cap if still owed to the players. Snead has had some success asking some players to take pay cuts or restructuring contracts. All three tactics will be needed in order to free up some cap space.
Bradford’s contract is one the Rams will definitely need to consider. It may not be such a bad idea to keep him on the roster, but not at over $16 million. Restructuring or cutting his contract will free up plenty of cash.
Offensive tackle Jake Long is another top-tier contract that will need to be considered. Long has two more years left on his contract with a little over $20 million, cutting him would save a considerable amount. Long hasn’t had an injury-free season since joining the Rams back in 2013 and is currently recovering from a torn ACL. Even when healthy, he wasn’t playing as well as the Rams hoped for. Rookie Greg Robinson has stepped up and Fisher has made it clear that he will be the starting left tackle next season. Long may be cut considering he doesn’t retire.
Others that should be considered are: defensive tackle Kendall Langford (one year, $7 million left) and center Scott Wells (one year, $4.75 million left).
4. Should the Rams address the offensive line? One of the biggest problems with the offense this past season was poor blocking. Some of it can be chalked up to injuries and aging players, but depth in particular is a concern too. Only Robinson and Rodger Saffold are really worth keeping as starters next season. Priorities in the upcoming offseason should be finding a right tackle, a right guard and a center. It’s not just the starters either, the entire depth chart needs to be shaken up. Don’t be surprised to see the Rams drafting multiple offensive linemen in this year’s draft, especially since it’s loaded with offensive tackles.
5. Will the Rams keep Brian Schottenheimer? The offense lacked creativity, a fast-paced offensive scheme and a pulse in 2014. Snead has acquired players that are quick and agile and yet they haven’t been used to their full potential. In fact, Schotty’s playbook slows down the entire offense which defeats the purpose. The Rams’ offense is ranked 28th overall in total yards with just 5,035. This is supposed to be a team that can stretch the field and provide big numbers and we aren’t seeing it under his leadership. In his defense, the offense did suffer from multiple injuries but that doesn’t justify the complete ineptness in the play calling. Fisher continues to support Schottenheimer but if Fisher makes himself a packaged deal, then it may be time to cut ties with him too. Loyalty should be with the Rams, not with Schotty.
Source: Pro-sports-reference.com, Spotrac.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
2010 NFL Draft, 2015, 2015 NFL Draft, Alex Carrington, Austin Davis, Brandon Washington, Brett Hundley, Brian Schottenheimer, Calvin Middleton, Chase Reynolds, Cory Harkey, Davin Joseph, Garrett Grayson, Greg Robinson, Jake Long, Jameis Winston, Jay Cutler, Jeff Fisher, Joe Barksdale, Kendall Langford, Kenny Britt, Lance Kendricks, Les Snead, Marcus Mariota, Mark Sanchez, Michael Person, Rodger Saffold, Rodney McLeod, Ryan Mallet, Sam Bradford, Sean Mannion, Shaun Hill, St. Louis Rams, Tim Barnes, Todd Anderson, Will Herring
Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 939
Notice: Trying to get property 'count' of non-object in /var/www/wp-content/themes/flex-mag/functions.php on line 1008
The St. Louis Rams had flashes of greatness despite coming off yet another subpar season. At times it appeared that the only upgrade the Rams needed was at quarterback to advance into the playoffs in 2015. However, looking back at the final three games of the season, it’s clear that the Rams need to address other areas of the team too. Here’s a look at the questions that the Rams need to answer in the 2015 offseason:
1. Who will be the starting quarterback? Some of these questions are reoccurring but none as much as this one. Sam Bradford was selected number one overall in the 2010 NFL Draft with the hope that he would be the franchise quarterback. Five years later and the Rams are still uncertain what he brings to the table. Injuries, ineffective coaching, lack of weapons and poor blocking are among the reasons why Bradford has been given countless chances. With Bradford scheduled to make $16,580,000 in 2015, a decision needs to be made quickly.
Head coach Jeff Fisher has mentioned that he would like to see Bradford back and potentially compete for the starting role. But, his ridiculously large contract could alter that plan. Unless Bradford restructures his contract, it would be a shock to see him on the team next season. But even if Bradford takes a pay cut, will he be physically ready at the start of next season? He is recovering from his second torn ACL, a tough injury to recover from.
Another thing to consider, is if the Rams do part ways with Bradford who will replace him? Shaun Hill had some decent games and some forgettable ones too. At the very least, he should be brought back as a backup. The Rams could also seek other quarterbacks looking for a change of scenery such as Jay Cutler, Mark Sanchez or Ryan Mallet. None of which really scream “franchise quarterback.”
The 2015 NFL Draft is another option which the Rams currently have the 10th overall pick. This year’s draft is pretty slim-pickings when it comes to the quarterback position. The Rams could try and trade up to get Oregon’s Marcus Mariota or Florida State’s Jameis Winston (Considering both will enter the draft), but neither will come cheap. There are other options such as UCLA’s Brett Hundley, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson or Oregon State’s Sean Mannion, all of which are considered “project players.”
2. What free agents should the Rams resign? Currently, the Rams have 16 free agents: G Davin Joseph, QB Shaun Hill, DE Alex Carrington, WR Kenny Britt, TE Lance Kendricks, T Michael Person, T Joe Barksdale, S Rodney McLeod, FB Cory Harkey, QB Austin Davis, C Tim Barnes, RB Chase Reynolds, LB Will Herring, G Brandon Washington, RB Calvin Middleton and FB Todd Anderson.
The salary cap is pretty low so the Rams have to be smart shoppers during the offseason. In other words, don’t expect a huge splash in free agency and some of these free agents will just be too expensive to sign. For example, Barksdale had a good first half of the season and just vanished in the second half. He may be a decent option as a backup, but in an offensive line-hungry league, he is sure to be offered a large, multi-year contract in which case it’s better for the Rams to avoid. Britt, McLeod and Kendricks are among the other tougher decisions.
3. What players should the Rams cut? The salary cap is going to be a huge task for general manager Les Snead. One way of alleviating some of that money is by cutting players, but that doesn’t always go without consequence. Guaranteed money can still chip away at the salary cap if still owed to the players. Snead has had some success asking some players to take pay cuts or restructuring contracts. All three tactics will be needed in order to free up some cap space.
Bradford’s contract is one the Rams will definitely need to consider. It may not be such a bad idea to keep him on the roster, but not at over $16 million. Restructuring or cutting his contract will free up plenty of cash.
Offensive tackle Jake Long is another top-tier contract that will need to be considered. Long has two more years left on his contract with a little over $20 million, cutting him would save a considerable amount. Long hasn’t had an injury-free season since joining the Rams back in 2013 and is currently recovering from a torn ACL. Even when healthy, he wasn’t playing as well as the Rams hoped for. Rookie Greg Robinson has stepped up and Fisher has made it clear that he will be the starting left tackle next season. Long may be cut considering he doesn’t retire.
Others that should be considered are: defensive tackle Kendall Langford (one year, $7 million left) and center Scott Wells (one year, $4.75 million left).
4. Should the Rams address the offensive line? One of the biggest problems with the offense this past season was poor blocking. Some of it can be chalked up to injuries and aging players, but depth in particular is a concern too. Only Robinson and Rodger Saffold are really worth keeping as starters next season. Priorities in the upcoming offseason should be finding a right tackle, a right guard and a center. It’s not just the starters either, the entire depth chart needs to be shaken up. Don’t be surprised to see the Rams drafting multiple offensive linemen in this year’s draft, especially since it’s loaded with offensive tackles.
5. Will the Rams keep Brian Schottenheimer? The offense lacked creativity, a fast-paced offensive scheme and a pulse in 2014. Snead has acquired players that are quick and agile and yet they haven’t been used to their full potential. In fact, Schotty’s playbook slows down the entire offense which defeats the purpose. The Rams’ offense is ranked 28th overall in total yards with just 5,035. This is supposed to be a team that can stretch the field and provide big numbers and we aren’t seeing it under his leadership. In his defense, the offense did suffer from multiple injuries but that doesn’t justify the complete ineptness in the play calling. Fisher continues to support Schottenheimer but if Fisher makes himself a packaged deal, then it may be time to cut ties with him too. Loyalty should be with the Rams, not with Schotty.
Source: Pro-sports-reference.com, Spotrac.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
Recommended for you