FootballOutsiders take on the Rams
Ben Riley from the FootballOutsiders has re-analysed the NFC West post Free Agency and had the following to say about the Rams:
St. Louis Rams
Biggest hole: Wide receiver
Quick quiz: Can you identify a single Rams wideout not named Donnie Avery? After the release of Torry Holt and Drew Bennett, the current roster consists of the following receivers under contract: Keenan Burton, Derek Stanley, Joel Filani, Travis Brown, Nate Jones, and Chad Lucas. These six players have 24 career catches combined. No wonder Rams general manager Bill Devaney has joked about bringing back the wishbone offense. (At least, we think it’s a joke.)
Given this desperate shortage of receiving talent, the Rams were rumored to be pursuing Nate Washington and Brandon Jones in free agency, but these players signed with the Titans and 49ers instead. The remaining big name free-agency options are geriatric — the Rams really don’t want Marvin Harrison, Amani Toomer, or Marty Booker — but St. Louis could consider Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett, a restricted free agent. This will come as a shock, but Baskett managed to post 89 DYAR and 8.6% DVOA last year, good for 23rd in the league and ahead of guys like Brandon Marshall, Terrell Owens, and Santana Moss. Even more shocking, Baskett is married to Kendra Wilkinson, one of Hugh Hefner’s former concubines on “The Girls Next Door.” Yes, really.
As for the draft, virtually everyone agrees that Devaney will use the second overall pick on a left tackle to replace Orlando Pace (filling one of the many other holes on this roster). Thus, although Michael Crabtree is a tempting possibility, the Rams will wait until the later rounds to find someone to pair with Avery. Maryland’s Darrius Hayward-Bey has the size and the speed to create all sorts of matchup problems at the next level, but the Rams will have to trade up if they want to grab him. Another possibility is Brian Robiskie of Ohio State, who is also big (6-foot-3), but the Buckeyes haven’t exactly produced a lot of offensive stars in the NFL lately, have they? A better option is Oklahoma’s Juaquin Iglesias, a strong possession receiver who won’t be afraid to go over the middle when Avery goes deep.
Free Agency Recap
We might have to stop making fun of the Rams’ offensive line soon. By signing center Jason Brown, formerly of the Ravens, the Rams acquired the best lineman available in free agency this year — and who cares if they had to make him the league’s highest paid center to woo him to St. Louis, or that the NFL invalidated the initial contract he signed? With Brown anchoring the middle and someone like Virginia’s Eugene Monroe at left tackle, Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger could be poised for breakout fantasy seasons, to say nothing of the real Rams team. Brown’s signing also made centers Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg expendable (they signed with the Saints and Falcons, respectively).
By the way, the Rams still have an additional 13 unrestricted free agents on the roster, and most of them will not return. Devaney is clearly pursuing the “blow it up and start over” method of franchise building. It’s somewhat refreshing, if long overdue.
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3 years ago
