Path to the draft, 3/5/2009: RB breakdowns

T.O. had just been cut, so they WASTED a bunch of time going on about that.

Straight to the Giants’ draft needs: WR, S, LB, o-line. Their beat writer wants to go after a big WR like Hakeem Nicks, or an ILB like James Laurinaitis (6’2” 244) if no attractive WRs are available.

RB breakdowns:

Knowshown Moreno: energetic player, has good balance and is good receiver out of the backfield. Ran 40 in mid-4.5s. His lateral quickness, toughness and ability to finish runs trump his lack of sub-4.5 speed. Mike Mayock considers him one of the top ten players on the board.

Donald Brown: very productive RB for UConn. Has good instincts and an excellent change of direction. Can help a team as a receiver; has good hands and runs well after the catch.

Chris Wells: 6’1” 235, wasn’t 100% this season and questions have arisen about his durability.

Andre Brown: ran a 4.49 at 229 lbs, had a good Senior Bowl, improved throughout his senior season.

Rashad Jennings: Mayock’s sleeper RB prospect. Transferred to Liberty from Pitt. Performed well in combine drills, showed good hands. He’s only a little smaller than Wells.

Shon Greene is also one of Mayock’s top RB prospects. He ran poorly at the combine but is a big, tough inside runner.

In case Brian Orakpo hasn’t suitably impressed everyone yet, he ran a 4.70 40 and has the Nagurski and Lombardi Awards on his proverbial mantle. I say this is a guy who’s a candidate for best player available.

In old news, Jeremy Maclin missed Mizzou’s pro day due to the knee injury he suffered at the combine. He is expected to work out for scouts March 19^th.

Wisconsin pro day: TE Travis Beckum ran in the mid-4.6s and caught the ball well despite being only 60-70% back from an unnamed injury.

All till next time.

Path to the draft, 3/4/2009: WR talk

Notes from the March 4th show on NFL Network:

WR talk.

Michael Crabtree: surgery to fix his injured foot was successful. Recovery is expected to take 8-10 weeks. Crabtree was advised by at least one team picking in the top 10 to go ahead and get the surgery, meaning, they’re not concerned about it. (Then again, that could have been Seattle, who just signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh anyway.)

Crabtree is still Mike Mayock’s top wideout. He can create separation with his first step. He understands how to get open in the zone. Runs well with the ball and is a willing blocker. Great burst, acceleration, suddenness. Who he’s not is Larry Fitzgerald. He has neither Fitzgerald’s size nor his ball skills.

Top 5 WRs: Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Kenny Britt, Darrius Hayward-Bey. Hakeem Nix and Brian Robiskie are also in the mix.

Kenny Britt: 6’3”, 218, ideal WCO receiver. Big, tough, physical, excellent size. Has size and speed to break tackles in secondary. Ran at combine in low 4.5s. Had 1300 yards receiving as a senior, 1200 as a junior. Dropped too many easy balls early this season but improved as the year went on.

Hakeem Nicks: 6’1”, 212. Strong, physical, strong after the catch. Very good hands. Transitions from receiver to runner quickly.

Brian Robiskie: 6’3” 209. Work ethic and professionalism beyond his years. Raised to be a WR. Knows how to run routes and set up defenders. Catches everything, and his 4.49 at the combine was faster than it was thought he’d run. Can work underneath all day and then shock you with his deep vertical speed. Has the IQ, work ethic and ability to develop into a #1 WR. Should be an immediate contributor for whoever drafts him. Should go early 2^nd round. (How about #35?)

Darrius Hayward-Bey: His sub-4.4 40 was the fastest at the combine. He can outrun everybody, and his speed translates to the field. He’s not afraid of contact or going over the middle. Caught well at the combine and gets up to speed quickly after the catch. Minuses: Rarely saw press coverage. Inconsistent hands. Route-running is an unknown quantity. (Charles Davis echoed my thoughts exactly by describing him as a bigger Donnie Avery.) Davis and Charlie Casserly projected Hayward-Bey as a late first-round pick; Mayock says he’s just second-round quality.

Tennessee draft needs: WR, DT, CB, OLB

Writer from scout.com projects their pick as Georgia Tech DT Michael Johnson. Fittingly for Jevon Kearse’s old team, Johnson’s described as a “freak”, 6’7”, 266. He wasn’t productive in college this year but impressed in the drills and the 40 at the combine. Another possibility named was Utah CB Sean Smith (though at 6’3”, 214 and a high 4.5s 40, he sounds more like a safety to me).

Texas A&M pro day: RB Mike Goodson came in at 6’0”, 208, and got in 4.42 and 4.46 40s before tweaking a hamstring and failing to finish his workout. Plus, those times will be discounted because A&M has a fast track. QB Steve McGee threw accurately but struggled with the deep ball.

All till next time.

Path to the draft, 3/3/2009: Jason Smith pro day, Mark Sanchez, QB talk

Notes from the March 3^rd show on NFL Network:

Quarterback talk:

Mayock’s top 5: Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Rhett Bomar, Pat White. The first three should come off the board in the first round. Stafford’s mobility has caught people off guard in a good way.

White will work out at QB and WR at West Virginia’s pro day. He’s intriguing the whole league, per Mayock, because he throws a beautiful ball and has the athleticism to take the “Wildcat” offense to the next level. Mayock feels White will have to be a “slash” type WR/PR/QB to be a pro. Questions about his college play are that he’s one of many QBs who worked exclusively out of the shotgun, and like another West Virginia QB we all know (AHEM), he’s soft-spoken and doesn’t stand out as a leader.

Nate Davis’ stock is dropping after coming in 10 lbs. heavy at the combine and not running or moving well. He’s still considered a third-round pick despite rumored learning issues. A QB who has to be developed; won’t come in and play right away.

Freeman’s stock is apparently rising. Davis cited his “intriguing”, elite arm and agility. He also interviewed very well. Minuses are that he’s slow at reading the field and shows questionable accuracy and decision-making. (Is that all? Actually, he sounds perfect for Scott Linehan up in Detroit.) Should come off the board late in the first round.

Big Dead draft needs: RB, LT, defensive line, LB. Their radio announcer stumped for Alex Mack at #31.

Mark Sanchez got the once-over from all three analysts.

Pluses: strong arm, quick release. Mobile in pocket. Good, vocal leader. Tough guy, had a good combine and can make every throw. Mayock calls Sanchez the safest QB to draft, emphasizing his competitiveness, work ethic and experience in a pro-style offense.

Minuses: Inexperience, just 16 starts. Wikipedia reveals a dismissed sexual assault charge against Sanchez as well as incidents with underage drinking, use of a fake ID and breaking a window at a frat party.

Charlie Casserly feels that Sanchez would be served best if he went to a team where he could ride the bench for 2-3 years like Aaron Rodgers or Matt Cassel.

Jason Smith pro day:

Measured 6’5”, 309. Only three teams sent offensive line coaches to his workout: Seattle, Cincinnati, Jacksonville. Not the Rams? Suggestion was that teams like the Rams would likely have Smith in for individual workouts. His arm length came in at a short 33 1/8, shorter than he measured at the combine. He struggled at the push and pull drill, leading Casserly to question his lower body strength and ability to handle the bull rush.

Casserly then left a stink bomb for Rams Nation with the opinion that NONE of the tackles in this year’s draft are true top ten draft picks.

All till next time.

Path to the draft, 3/2/2009: Crabtree, LB talk

Notes from the March 2nd show on NFL Network:

Andre Smith – per Adam Schefter, needs an impressive pro day but should still expect to be drafted in the top half of the first round.

Detroit is supposedly deciding between Stafford, Sanchez and Aaron Curry with the first pick overall.

Michael Crabtree – Seattle’s signing of T.J. Houshmandzadeh seems to mean they’re not planning to draft Crabtree. Despite missing the combine with a Jones fracture, Mike Mayock and Charles Davis both still consider him a top draft pick based on his productivity and toughness. Teams will want to see his doctors’ report but should put concerns about his potential 40 times aside.

Mayock’s Top 10 overall, post-combine:

1. Aaron Curry – tremendous quickness, footwork, technique in LB drills
2. Crabtree
3. Jason Smith
4. Brian Orakpo
5. Eugene Monroe
6. Matthew Stafford
7. Knowshon Moreno
8. Brandon Pettigrew. Despite a 4.85 40, Mayock likes his hands, blocking and route-running.
9. Jeremy Maclin
10. Mark Sanchez

Davis’ Top 10:

1. Crabtree (!)
2. Curry
3. Orakpo
4. Stafford
5. Jason Smith
6. Sanchez
7. Monroe
8. Pettigrew
9. Maclin
10. Donald Brown (RB, UConn)

Davis was most impressed with tackles Jason Smith, Monroe and Michael Oher because they showed up for the combine and didn’t mind competing.

Steelers draft needs: They’ll put each team “on the clock” with a local beat writer. The Steelers should look to fill out their offensive line and aging defensive line, especially guards and defensive tackles. Fili Moala and Duke Robinson were mentioned as players they could target. With Bryant McFadden still unsigned, cornerbacks also come into play, such as Sean Smith or Darius Butler.

Linebacker talk:

Mayock’s top 5:

1. Curry: passionate, relentless player
2. Orakpo
3. Brian Cushing: prototype Sam, 6’3”, 243, four-year starter
4. Larry English (3-4 rush end)
5. Clay Matthews (4-3 Will, or 3-4 rush end)

Disappointment of the combine: Aaron Maybin, came in 15 pounds heavy, showed poor speed and was poor in the cone drills.

Under the radar:

John Parker Wilson, QB, Alabama: has improved into a 2^nd-day pick. Adaptable player who’s already had several offensive coordinator and has good prospects as a “system” QB.

All till next time.

Rams release Torry Holt

News just came over the proverbial wires that the Rams have released Torry Holt.

For good or bad, both, actually, that closes the book on a glorious past for this franchise.

It's a whole new Rams world now.

The Rams cut a tight end...

and he's NOT Joe Klopfenstein! They just announced that they've cut Anthony Becht. A justifiable move; Becht wasn't an offensive threat and wasn't the impact blocker the Linehan brain trust thought they got when they originally acquired him.

Given that this offense is going to need productivity out of the TE position, I can't see the Rams going into the season with just McMichael, Daniel Fells and Klop on the roster. It's the quality of the TEs, not the quantity. It doesn't make any sense not to try to upgrade on Klop. It'll be interesting to see if they have any interest in L.J. Smith, the former TE at Philly under Shurmur. He's still unsigned.

Hot to trot for... Frerotte?

Having fired their big guns, the Rams are now making some small-arms fire noises in free agency. It looks like Mike Karney will be the new fullback. The note I saw on the Rampagers list is that he got a 3-year, $3.6 million deal. So they've gotten a center, a strong safety and a fullback in free agency, while by this time next week, they'll be minus their starters, their best players and Hall-of-Famers at the more critical positions of LT and WR. If their replacement plans at those two positions were better, it'd be one thing, but as it stands, I'm sorry to say, Rams Nation, the 2009 offseason for the Rams so far has been a negative.

And getting worse, because the Rams are apparently eager to bring back Gus Frerotte to back up Marc Bulger. Frerotte is barely younger than Trent Green, who they let go. He poses no challenge to Bulger's starting role, so no push for Marc there. And I defy the people at Rams Park to claim skill at watching tape when there should be plenty lying around showing how awful Frerotte was for the Rams two years ago. They assure us Alex Barron will be fine at LT because of how he looked on tape but they can't figure out Gus Frerotte is a total stiff? Charlie Batch, Jeff Garcia, Byron Leftwich, Patrick Ramsey, Kyle Boller, JP Losman, hell, even Rex Freaking Grossman would be better QBs than Frerotte, with most having enough skill to challenge Bulger for the starting spot. Sure, they'll all want more money than Gus would.

Didn't the Rams just clear a bunch?

New Rams LT: Alex Barron?

As it no doubt will be with Torry Holt, the Rams' release of Orlando Pace was all but unavoidable. Though they are still the best players the team has at their respective positions, Holt and Pace's increasing age, decreasing skills, increasing physical breakdowns (especially Pace) make them easy targets for the Rams' front office scalpels given their high salary cap charges and the willingness of neither to renegotiate their deals. The team's moves are/will be regrettable, on and off the field, but also logical.

But as inevitable as these changes have been, as far away as the Rams' front office has seen them coming, they sure have had some piss-poor succession "plans" in place. A lot of history, a lot of production, a lot of character has been allowed to walk out the door at Rams Park, and been replaced by... well, you tell me.

They ran Isaac Bruce out of town and replaced him with Drew Bennett.
They're going to let Torry Holt go, making Donnie Avery a #1 WR that he isn't, and relying on Keenan Burton to be the #2 WR when he can't stay on the doggone field.
And they're going to replace a future Hall-of-Famer in Orlando Pace with a knucklehead like Alex Barron. Plus with NO OTHER TACKLES ON THE ROSTER, they're kicking borderline free agent LG bust Jacob Bell out to RT.

I'd call this re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, except in the Rams' case, the ship has already sunk and most of the chairs are broken.

Of course, if this were the Titanic, Alex Barron would be safe since he jumped early.

Rams release Orlando Pace

Just came across as a bulletin from stltoday.

The Rams' front office is on its way to a solid "C" this offseason. They've appeared to make good moves by signing Jason Brown, Ron Bartell and James Butler.

At the same time, they just let the first or second best lineman in team history, who as of noon today was STILL their best overall offensive lineman, go without either talking to him or getting anything in return for him, a pattern they're no doubt about to repeat with Torry Holt, the first or second best receiver in team history and STILL their best overall WR as of noon today.

They're jabbing well but taking, I feel, some major body blows.

Rams looking for fullbacks

I thought it was pretty cool to hear the Rams were talking to a carney about playing fullback here next year. I wonder if he can eat fire, or pound a nail into his nose with his fist.

Actually, it's Mike Karney, the fullback the Saints let go a couple of weeks ago in favor of Heath Evans. Karney would be a heck of an addition if the Rams can pull it off. He's a solid goal-line / short-yardage runner and a good blocker.

Might even make everyone forget apparent future Hall-of-Famer Madison Hedgecock.

Rams sign James Butler

The strong safety got a 4-year, contract worth up to $17 million (Bill Coats) and the Rams got, we hope, the decent in-the-box run defender they've lacked since about 1999.

And the secondary continues to take shape:
SS - Butler backed up by Todd Johnson
FS - OJ Atogwe backed up by Classy Eric Bassie, David Roach
CB - Ron Bartell, Jonathan Wade, Tye Hill, Justin King, Quincy Butler

But at CB, there's still a lot of shaping up to do. According to kffl.com, there are plenty of UFA CBs still out there, including Dre Bly, Leigh Bodden, Chris McAlister, Chris Gamble, Karl Paymah, Keiwan Ratliff, Justin Miller and Eric Green, among others. There's also the Rams' "own" UFAs in Jason Craft, who they're reportedly trying to retain, Ricky Manning Jr. and (gulp) Fakhir Brown.

At a minimum they need to sign Craft to play nickel. I'm crossing my fingers they can also add a cheap veteran to start alongside Bartell. However, if that means bringing Brown back, I'd just as soon let Wade and Hill fight it out for the other starting spot in training camp. As good a time as any to find out what exactly Wade's got and/or if Hill can bounce back from his 2008 debacle.

Holt wants out

Jim Thomas reports this morning that Torry Holt has asked the Rams for his release. He has a bonus due from the Rams March 17, so a move before then seems certain. Holt believes he no longer fits into the Rams' plans. And that's certainly true for the 32-year-old playing with bad knees, playing without a LOT of his old speed, grousing about playing somewhere else all last year, coming off a career-worst season last year, if he's not willing to restructure his contract and help the Rams avoid an $8 million cap hit.

At the same time, though, if Holt isn't in the Rams' plans, then they don't have a very good plan, at least at wide receiver. Even with career lows, Holt was the Rams' most productive WR in 2008. (Donnie Avery was close; then again, he had Holt to draw attention away from him.) The roster's not well-prepared for Holt's departure at all. And there is nothing left in the free-agent WR market unless you want to replace Holt with a WR older than he is, i.e. Marvin Harrison, Joey Galloway, Bobby Engram, Amani Toomer, Terrell Owens.

That leaves Donnie Avery as the team's top receiving threat on opening day, which I just can't see. Defenses won't need to double-team him, and he'll certainly never get open if they do. And this makes Keenan Burton a starting wideout? A one-catch game was a huge week for the guy last year! There isn't even a third WR on the roster! Who, Derek Stanley with nearly as many blown knees last year as catches? Dane Looker, who they've made no effort to re-sign? A bunch of street free agents?

Are the Rams planning to take the broken-footed, shorter-than-advertised Michael Crabtree in the draft to replace Holt? Are they planning to rrrrrrrrrrreach for Jeremy Maclin with the #2 pick in the face of major needs (and better players available) at LB and offensive line? Can't say those ideas exactly fire me up. How much is a second-round-quality WR likely to help?

Torry Holt's been a wonderful player here in St. Louis and has done nothing but represent the team and its city well. His request deserves to be honored, and there's any number of good teams he could play for and help to, and in, the playoffs. But even as they do the right thing by letting Holt go, the Rams have been badly wrong to be so ill-equipped for a departure they knew would be coming.

The Rams better be able to run this season, because with no open receivers, it's going to be mighty hard for Marc Bulger to pass.

Free agent coups for the Rams

The new Rams administration is off to a terrific start. Over the weekend they added one of the top young offensive linemen available and gave the offensive line an anchor when they signed center Jason Brown. (5 years, 37.5 million, 20 million guaranteed)

And just now they have really pulled a rabbit out of the hat, signing Ron Bartell after he had visited at least one other team, the Saints. (Not sure if he ever made it to Denver.) Jim Thomas reports it's 4 years, 28 million, 13.6 million guaranteed. Sounds like that's pretty much the going rate.

There has to be some gifted salesmanship going on at Rams Park to get a starting lineman off of a team one win from the Super Bowl to come to a 3-13 team (that and about 40 million bucks), and to get a promising young CB to stay in town after other teams have had plentiful opportunities to give him their pitch.

They haven't had to do anything regarding Torry Holt and Orlando Pace yet, but if they're to make any additional free agent moves, something may have to give with one or both of those two veterans. Rams are kind of behind the 8-ball here, though. They need a SS. They need a SLB. A run-stuffing DT. (Seattle got Colin Cole.) The draft hasn't looked promising at those positions. But at the same time, I'm not exactly going to be thrilled to hear lines like "We had to cut Orlando Pace to be able to sign James Butler!" or "We had to cut Torry Holt to be able to move forward with Ronald Fields!" Any move now has to be big not to be a PR mess.