2012 NFL Offseason Prospectus: St. Louis Rams

If there is a team picking in the top 10 capable of a quick turnaround, the St. Louis Rams are that team.

St. Louis will have massive roster turnover from the 2011 to the 2012 season, which is a good thing for a team finishing with just two wins last season.

Jeff Fisher was brought on board to bring some credibility back to the Rams and with Sam Bradford healthy, along with a sizable influx of free agent talent, St. Louis is poised for a bounceback season.

Will they make the playoffs? I doubt it, but when you go from an 8-8 team to a 2-14 team, thanks in large part to injuries, it's not hard to make a return to .500 a realistic goal.

The Rams offense was one of the worst in the league last year with Sam Bradford and Stephen Jackson hurt much of the year.

Bare cupboards at the skill positions were the biggest problem for St. Louis and with the injuries, there wasn't time for the below average players to develop any rhythm or continuity.

Some veteran talent was brought on board and the Rams have three picks in the top 40 thanks to the trade with the Redskins.

A full offseason with better talent surrounding him should help the development of Sam Bradford who still has a chance to be an elite quarterback in the league.

His development hinges on this draft, particularly with the glut of picks the Rams have at their disposal. They've played the free agent market well: let the lackluster players leave and seek good value at other positions.

Now, we'll see if they can do the same in the draft.  

Offense
The Greatest Show on Turf is a distant memory when you look at the players on this offense. Brandon Lloyd, the team's best receiver last year signed with the Patriots in the offseason.

Former Eagle Steve Smith was signed coming off injury, but if he is healthy he'd be a solid possession receiver. That being said, getting some explosive talent on offense remains the biggest focus of the team for this season and beyond.

There are plenty of talented receivers, a few quality tight ends and some good running backs to choose from in this draft. St. Louis would be wise to grab one of each and maybe a few of the pass-catchers to facilitate the development of Bradford.

Along the front, the Rams should be an improved team, signing Scott Wells from Green Bay and Quinn Ojinnaka from Indianapolis. Wells is one of the best centers in the game and Ojinnaka does have some starting experience.


St. Louis has a franchise quarterback and running back, but essentially nothing else on offense. They could spend their first three picks on offense and still need help.

Key Free Agents:Danny Amendola WR, Billy Bajema TE, Jacob Bell G (signed w/ Bengals), Jason Brown C, Mark Clayton WR, Kellen Clemens QB (re-signed w/ Rams), A.J. Feeley QB, Adam Goldberg OT, Mark LeVoir OT, Brandon Lloyd WR (signed w/ Patriots), Jerious Norwood RB, Stephen Spach, Cadillac Williams RB, Tony Wragge C

Defense
This front four was a big reason why the Rams finished 7th in the league in passing. That stat though, is a little misleading because the Rams were behind so many games late, teams ran the ball to protect leads.

When it came to keeping teams from scoring, the Rams were 26th in the league in points allowed. St. Louis has quality pass rushers with Chris Long and Robert Quinn. Long-time defensive end James Hall was cut to give Quinn more playing time and the ultra-talented, former Tar Heel is poised for a break-out season.

Trevor Laws, Kendall Langord and Williams Hayes were all signed to bolster this defensive front and improve on a defense that was second to last in stopping the run. A continued push through the draft to get better along the front seven should be expected.

Corner and linebacker are the two major areas of concern for the Rams. Cortland Finnegan, a Pro Bowl corner in Tennessee, was signed to improve a horrendous secondary. Jo-Lonn Dunbar was signed from the Saints to bring some veteran leadership, but he's hardly an elite talent.

With a deep corner class, the Rams should be able to find some young talent to fill the holes in the secondary. It's worth it to spend an early pick on a linebacker because the depth of this class falls off considerably after the first few players.

The holes on this team are as obvious as they are numerous and St. Louis can't go wrong with whichever positions they chose to address.  

Key Free Agents: Mikail Baker DB (signed w/ Chiefs), Justin Bannan DT (signed w/ Broncos), Ron Bartell CB (signed w/ Raiders), James Butler DB, Chris Chamberlain OLB (signed w/ Saints), Craig Dahl SS, Gary Gibson DT, Al Harris CB, Roderick Hood CB, Bryan Kehl OLB (signed w/ Redskins), Justin King CB, Ben Leber OLB, Brady Poppinga OLB,

Draft Targets

Needs: WR,DB,OL,OLB,DT


Round 1 (Pick 6 F/ Redskins): Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma State (Pos. Rank: 1, Overall Rank: 6)

Silly season has thrown out a lot of ideas to what might happen with this pick. Some believe the Rams could even trade back up to get Trent Richardson to replace Stephen Jackson. St. Louis is reported to be very high on Richardson and Mississippi State tackle Fletcher Cox and there are teams apparently willing to trade up with Tampa Bay to snatch Cox before the Rams. Blackmon, though, makes the most sense here under just about any circumstance. He's the best receiver in this draft and is just a step below elite. Especially on turf, he's explosive enough to be a #1 receiver and I think he is physical enough to overcome some of his athletic deficiencies. The talk about Blackmon being overrated, to me, is silliness. 

Round 2 (Pick 33): Janoris Jenkins CB North Alabama (Pos. Rank: 4, Overall Rank: 35)
As there tends to be at the start of the second round, the Rams will have a first round talent to pick from here. Jenkins was long considered a first round pick, but off the field concerns have scared some teams away. Needs in the secondary might just be too pressing for the Rams to pass here and with another second round pick just six selections later, St. Louis can afford to take a calculated risk here. Jenkins, as a strict coverman, is without peers in this draft. His quickness and instincts are terrific, but he's not a great tackler and his work ethic is a question mark. This is a boom or bust pick, but one that the Rams can afford to make.

Round 2 (Pick 39 F/ Redskins): Zach Brown OLB North Carolina (Pos. Rank: 2, Overall Rank: 38)
After going after a high risk/high reward player at 33, a pick like Brown doesn't make as much sense, but the value is right and Brown's athletic skills are unquestioned. Brown just might be the best athlete at any position in the draft. His unmatched speed is actually a hindrance occasionally, because he'll overrun plays, but if he can throttle down a little and play more under control, he can be a difference-maker. Running back Lamar Miller or offensive tackle Mike Adams could also make sense here, but Brown has the most upside of that group and plays a position of extreme need.

Round 3 (Pick 65): Orson Charles TE Georgia (Pos. Rank: 3, Overall Rank: 66)

I love this pick for the Rams because Charles is the kind of player who could be a monster in this offense. On turf, his speed and strength would be amplified and with a quality running game, Charles could be extremely dangerous in the middle of the field. From an athletic standpoint, much like Brown, Charles is peerless in this draft. He definitely passes the eye test, but his strength doesn't make up for his relative lack of size. That means blocking won't be his forte, but as a receiver, Charles could be devastating. It wouldn't take much for him to become Bradford's favorite target in short order, particularly since Bradford loved to use the tight ends at Oklahoma (the last time he had quality tight ends).

Overall
Four picks in the top 70 should net you at least two starters and this group could have four and this class would undoubtedly have the most upside of any in the NFL. The athletes in this draft would be terrific on the field turf at the Edwards Jones Dome and with the veteran talent brought in this offseason, would create a great balance of you and experienced players. Jeff Fisher wasn't brought to St. Louis to not make an impact. He was part of the decision makers when the Titans took Vince Young and more recently Chris Johnson, when it was obvious their biggest needs were at wide receiver. Young had one of the best rookie years for a quarterback in recent memory and CJ2K turned into one of the most explosive players in the history of the league (last season was the exception not the rule). Fisher is here to make an impact and he'll get impact players in this draft. 

Final Thought
Again, I think the Rams are a bounceback team in 2012. If they gave an award for comeback team of the year, I think St. Louis would have to be considered a favorite. I'm not sure they can win enough games to make the playoffs ahead of the teams in the East and North, but they're going to be much improved. With a draft like this, the Rams could quickly become one of the most athletic and explosive teams in the league. For this team, though, 2012 isn't the end goal. They can't and won't compete this upcoming season for a title, but in the next three or four years, I think there's reason to believe they can. Bradford and Long form the same kind of offensive/defensive cornerstone duo like Stafford/Suh, Rodgers/Matthews, Romo/Ware and the other elite combo's in the NFC. A solid draft would put the Rams on the right track to take the proverbial next step.

2012 NFL Offseason Prospectus: Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are at it again. Every year, it seems, they try to make a big splash, spend millions on free agents and yet only rarely make the playoffs.

For years now, the only thing Washington has won is the offseason.

It certainly doesn't help playing in a division with perennial power teams. In the 1990's, there was the Cowboys dynasty. In the early 2000's, Philadelphia was making a deep run every year, and now the Giants have won two Super Bowl titles in the last five seasons.

But Washington, instead of rebuilding through the draft and setting a solid foundation, has tried quick fixes to remain competitive.

Now, finally, the Redskins have made an offseason splash that may also serve to set that foundation.

They gave up a lot to get him, but trading up with the Rams to draft Robert Griffin III may be a seminal moment in this franchise's history.

RG3 is one of the most unique talents we've ever seen come out of college and has a chance to be special in the NFL.

Owner Daniel Snyder made a few moves to bolster the receiving core and the defensive backfield, eschewing the big names, while aiming for the kind of role players you need to compete every week in the league.

This somewhat new approach may not pay off this season, but could pay long-term dividends for the Redskins. 

Offense
Despite what Donovan McNabb says (try to stifle your laughter), Griffin III will be an ideal fit for this offense. Roy Helu appears to be a solid running back and with a new group of receivers, RG3 will use play action and roll-outs to put defenses on their heels.

Just how much this offense will be tailored to fit the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, we'll find out once practice begins. I doubt we'll see much speed option, but you can expect some designed runs for Griffin as well as frequent use of boot options and read plays.

Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon were signed to bring some consistency to this skill group. Santana Moss is getting older, but can still be explosive at times. Getting a deeper group of receivers should take the pressure of him and open up more lanes for him to make big plays down the field.

There are some concerns with this offensive line group although Trent Williams has been ad advertised when he's been healthy. Getting some protection for RG3 should be a perennial focus from now on.

Adding a pass-catching tight end would also give Griffin III a security blanket and a red zone threat. There is a solid group of tight ends in this class, and the Redskins, despite not having a second round pick, could still pick one up. 


Key Free Agents: David Anderson WR, Rex Grossman QB (re-signed w/ Redskins), Tim Hightower RB, Malcolm Kelly WR, Kory Lichtensteiger G (re-signed w/ Redskins), Sean Locklear OT, Will Montgomery C (re-signed w/ Redskins), Mike Sellers TE, Donte' Stallworth WR (signed w/ Patriots), Ryan Torain RB

Defense
While Snyder didn't break the bank on one of the big fish in free agency, he did stockpile defensive backs after losing both his starting safeties in free agency along with two other role players.

Washington will bring in Madieu Williams, Brandon Meriweather and Tanard Jackson, all who have been impact safeties at various times in their respective careers.

Out of those three, you'd hope Washington could find two who play well enough to emerge as starters. Jackson is the biggest playmaker in coverage of the three, but was the worst defensive back in football last year making tackles according to Pro Football Focus.

Leigh Torrence and Cedric Griffin (assuming he still has working ligaments in his knees), should provide some depth behind DeAngelo Hall at corner for a defense that finished 12th last year against the pass.   

The Redskins are in good shape when it comes to pass rush with Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, but the defensive interior is weak to say the least and getting some beef in the middle should help secure a defense that game up more than 117 yards per game on the ground last year.

Key Free Agents: O.J. Atogwe S, Phillip Buchanon DB, Adam Carriker DE (re-signed w/ Redskins), London Fletcher ILB (re-signed w/ Redskins), Keyaron Fox LB, Kedric Golston (re-signed w/ Redskins), Chris Horton DB (signed w/ Giants), LaRon Landry SS (signed w/ Jets), Rocky McIntosh ILB, Byron Westbrook DB

Draft Targets

Needs: QB,DL,OL,TE,DB
Round 1 (Pick 2 F/ Rams): Robert Griffin III QB Baylor (Pos. Rank: 2, Overall Rank: 2)

We know this is the pick and what the Redskins gave up to make it. We also know that Griffin III is the most athletic quarterback to come into the league since Mike Vick, but doesn't have the same run-first mentality. In some ways, RG3 is the quarterback we always thought Vick should be, using his feet to keep defenses honest and creating problems when the play breaks down. This is a make or break moment for the Redskins. If Griffin III is the player the 'Skins think he is, it was well-worth the price they paid and ironically, he has a much higher ceiling than Sam Bradford, who happens to play on the team Washington traded with to get this pick.

Round 2 (Pick 39): Traded to Rams for #2 pick

Round 3 (Pick 69): Alameda Ta'amu NT Washington (Pos. Rank: 8, Overall Rank: 69)

Washington did re-sign Adam Carriker, but there are currently only three defensive tackles on this  roster. Ta'amu has dominant physical skills, was unblockable at the Senior Bowl, but much like fellow nose tackle Dontari Poe, the film doesn't show him to be a consistent force. Luckily, he doesn't have the baggage that Albert Haynesworth had and as such, should be much more coachable at the next level. This probably isn't who I'll have have in my final mock, only because I think Daniel Snyder will want to get more weapons for RG3. That's why to me, Orson Charles seems more likely even if Ta'amu makes more sense.

Overall

The value of this draft is dead on (0), but you have to remember what the Rams gave up to get Robert Griffin III. It seems like the Redskins might have given up one first round pick too many if you go by the charting, but if you look at next year's draft would RG3 have been rated about Matt Barkley? Maybe, but Barkley is the presumptive #1 overall pick next year, not to mention Griffin III has a higher ceiling. He certainly ranks about where Landry Jones would have been, which means if you were going to pick a year to get a quarterback, this is it. Either Ta'amu or Orson Charles could be impact rookies and either would be a welcome upgrade to what the Redskins have at the position already. 

Final Thought
Even if Robet Griffin III can step in and be as good as Cam Newton as a rookie, the Redskins will be extremely lucky to win 8 games next year. In a division where the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys all appear to be stronger than last year (with the possible exception of the Giants), the Redskins will have an uphill battle trying to make strides. To me, you can't judge the Redskins based on 2012 however, because the move to get RG3 signals a shift to make long-term improvements. Six or seven wins would be outstanding, particularly given that the 'Skins have the NFC South and the AFC North teams on their schedule. Four or five wins with RG3 at quarterback seems much more likely, landing the 'Skins back in the top 10 of next year's draft. I know it won't make the fans happy, at least during the season, but that could actually be a good thing and would give Washington the ability to continue this rebuilding project through the draft, adding young talent around their franchise quarterback.