2013 NFL Offseason: St. Louis Rams
Draft Grades, Season Previews, Team Needs, Free Agents
St. Louis Rams (Last Year: 7-8-1)
2013 NFL Draft Grade: A-
Please note that the overall grade is not an average of all the individual grades. Other things are taken into account like team needs and goals.
Goals Entering the 2013 NFL Draft: The Rams are stuck with Sam Bradford for at least one more year, so they need to continue to bolster their offensive line to make sure their brittle quarterback is protected as best as possible. Bradford also needs help at receiver and running back. On the defensive side of the ball, St. Louis must find upgrades to its back seven.
2013 NFL Draft Accomplishments: St. Louis pretty much accomplished all of its goals without reaching often, so this has to be considered a successful draft for them.
It started early when the Rams made a big splash to move up to No. 8 for Tavon Austin. There was no way Austin was making it to No. 16 - the Jets were reportedly set to take him at No. 9 - so St. Louis did a nice job of landing the top play-maker in the class. The front office then came back and recouped its traded selections when it moved down from 22 to 30, all while managing to land its intended target, Alec Ogletree. The Georgia linebacker has off-the-field issues, but the Rams have a strong coaching staff that has worked well with these types of players before. If Janoris Jenkins can thrive in St. Louis, so can Ogletree.
I really liked some of the Rams' other choices, most notably Barrett Jones. The versatile Alabama lineman was considered a first-round possibility once upon a time, but his medical sunk his draft stock. He'll eventually be healthy though, so St. Louis was lucky to land him at No. 113. Stedman Bailey, meanwhile, chosen at No. 92, should work well with Austin, considering that the two starred together at West Virginia. It's all up to Sam Bradford now.
St. Louis needed two more upgrades on its defense, both at the safety position. It was able to obtain only one safety, T.J. McDonald, who was chosen a bit too high for my liking because he can't cover. I was also disappointed that the Rams didn't spend an earlier selection on a running back, though Zac Stacy did provide some value at No. 160.
All in all, I really liked what the Rams did on Draft Day. They greatly improved their roster, giving themselves a chance to stay competitive in the NFC West.
2013 NFL Draft Individual Grades:
8. Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia: B Grade
I'm usually not a fan of teams moving up for players because if they end up drafting a bust, their depth is completely destroyed. However, the Rams had the resources to do something like this, and they really needed to find a weapon for Sam Bradford. Tavon Austin is the only player in this draft who has plenty of experience and can go the distance on any play. He'll help Bradford, but hopefully he can stay on the field, unlike Danny Amendola.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
30. Alec Ogletree, OLB, Georgia: A Grade
This is awesome work by the Rams. They would have considered Alec Ogletree at No. 16 if they couldn't move up (for Tavon Austin) or down to pick up some selections. St. Louis gambled and still got its man. The reason Ogletree fell is because of character concerns, but the Rams have shown that they don't care about that. Ogletree is extremely talented and will be a huge asset on the defense if he can stay out of trouble.
71. T.J. McDonald, S, USC: C Grade
The Rams are desperate at safety - they need two starters at the position - but there were better players available. T.J. McDonald probably should have been a fourth-rounder at best because he can't cover very well.
92. Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia: B+ Grade
The Rams already drafted Tavon Austin, but they needed a second wideout, given that they had only three on the roster entering this weekend (Chris Givens, Brian Quick, Austin Pettis). Stedman Bailey, who could have gone a bit earlier than this, is a solid prospect who should be able to push the disappointing Quick for a starting job across from Givens.
113. Barrett Jones, C/G, Alabama: A+ Grade
This is one of my favorite picks thus far. Barrett Jones would have gone much higher than this if he didn't have injury concerns. He'll eventually be healthy though, so this will be viewed as a steal. The Rams were desperate for offensive line help, and Jones can play pretty much every position up front, save for left tackle.
149. Brandon McGee, CB, Miami: B Grade
The Rams have their starting cornerbacks set, but they had absolutely no depth at the position. They had to spend at least one selection on a corner, and Brandon McGee is a fine choice in the middle of the fifth round.
160. Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt: B+ Grade
I thought the Rams would address the running back position earlier in the 2013 NFL Draft, but with solid talents like Zac Stacy available in the fifth round, they could afford to be patient. Stacy could be the starter this season.
*** 2013 NFL TEAM NEEDS BELOW COMMENT BOARD ***
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Real Rams fans
05-15-2013
09:14 am
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Bradford quietly had a pretty decent season last year, but it still hard to deny that the expectations on a number one pick QB are Paidaton Manning/Andrew Luck high. Hopefully the consistency in coaching will show dividends this year, although Fisher's choices of assistant coaches has been the big question mark, and Shotty has yet to prove he can make good things happen for young quarterbacks.
B Mac
05-06-2013
11:29 pm
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What's up with the hatin' on Bradford? Brittle? Really? You try to make things happen with no offense. Now that he has protection & playmakers around him, you'll be singing another tune. Great draft. Stacy is a good pick but he's not beating Richardson out for the starting job. Sorry. And we'll be more than competitive in the NFC West. Do you remember the Rams went 4-1-1 in the division last season with what they had? So keep riding that San Fran/ Seattle bandwagon all you want. This is the team they need to be worried about. Also remember the Rams had a top 10 defense last season too. Keep sleeping on the Rams & down play Bradford if you want to.
Bob
04-29-2013
06:41 pm
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Wow some choice words about Bradford. Still upset that your pick for #1 overall, Jimmy Clausen, is absolutely terrible?
BTW, brittle Sam Bradford played 16 games last year. Try again.
joejoe
04-29-2013
04:56 pm
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Bradford will be start his climb to top tier QB this year. Will be a top 10 QB - better than Wilson, Kapernick and Cameron
joejoe
04-29-2013
04:56 pm
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Bradford will be start his climb to top tier QB this year. Will be a top 10 QB - better than Wilson, Kapernick and Cameron
Mark
04-29-2013
02:10 pm
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Still trying to figure out why Walt can't resist referring to Bradford as brittle every time he writes about him. Where is this coming from? As much as he has been hit the last 3 seaons, I consider him to be one of the toughest QBs in the league.
I used to read Walt's stuff because he was not biased like ESPN and others. Now, I just visit to remind myself how clueless the guy must really be.
Nice Draft
04-29-2013
01:59 pm
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I really like the Rams draft a lot. You guys did a good job adding quality needed pieces. Ogletree reminds me a lot of Lawrence Timmons. -A Steelers fan
T-Ram
04-29-2013
08:33 am
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Great draft. Only concern is T.J. McDonad. He seems slow on tape, and plays when he wants to play.
LOLOL
04-29-2013
01:57 am
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Sam Bradford brittle? How? He started all 16 games last year and as a rookie. His 2nd year was an anomaly because he was getting battered behind arguably the worst O-Line in the history of the NFL.
Sam Bradford's numbers by the way were just as good as Joe Flacco and Eli Manning's last year and in fact Bradford has almost the exact same 3 year average that Eli Manning had yet Eli played with a munch more veteran team with accomplished playmakers. All Bradford has had is a slow RB and a brittle wide receiver to rely on. Get yourself educated Walter.
equinoxia
04-28-2013
09:21 pm
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"The Rams are stuck with Sam Bradford for at least one more year, so they need to continue to bolster their offensive line to make sure their brittle quarterback is protected as best as possible"
what, did sam prove you wrong last season? that why you have your panties in a bunch about him?
Jason
04-28-2013
08:40 pm
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I agree that McDonald cover skills are lees than great but he's been a strong safety at USC where his responsibitly was to support the run and cover the middle. At that he was very good. However I am disappointed they did not get a coverage safety. I hope they find one in free agency.
Danny
04-28-2013
08:25 pm
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Another really good draft for the Rams. Snead and Fisher know what they're doing.
Austin and Ogletree were great picks. They will both make a big impact from the very start. McDonald and Jones are solid prospects at positions of need. I thought selecting Bailey was a little bit of overkill. They have enough young wide receivers. They just need a dependable veteran to solidify the WR group.
I find it humorous how you rag on Bradford...
04-28-2013
07:22 pm
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Yet he posted very similar overall numbers to Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco has weapons, and an offensive line, and been in the same offense for most of his career.
Sam Bradford had no line help his first two years, no dynamic weapons, and three different offensive systems. Flacco- 87.7 RTG----3817 YDS----22 TDS----10 INTS Bradford-82.6 RTG----3702 YDS----21 TDS----11 INTS With the same offense, Bradford should finally progress.
@49er
04-28-2013
06:37 pm
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And yet you guys couldn't beat us in 2012. If we're a bad team, what does it say about you guys?
49er
04-28-2013
05:57 pm
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RAMS have a bad team it will take 5 yrs to fix. go 49er
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Season Summary:
The Rams finished with a losing record, but they were extremely competitive, losing by more than two touchdowns only twice all year. Jeff Fisher did a great job in his first year in St. Louis. Now, he needs to concentrate on building around Sam Bradford because he already has a playoff defense in place.
Offseason Moves:
Team Needs:
- Offensive Tackle: Rodger Saffold actually played pretty well in the second half of the year after missing the first portion of 2012. He could be more effective at right tackle or guard though. Regardless, St. Louis needs an upgrade at offensive tackle. Eric Fisher will be an option with the 16th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Signed Jake Long
- Two Safeties: The Rams have made it known that they plan to upgrade the free safety position this offseason. This has to be a priority because Craig Dahl, a free agent, was brutal in 2012. Meanwhile, Quintin Mikell was released, so a new strong safety is needed as well.
- Wide Receiver: Danny Amendola is a great slot receiver, while Chris Givens served as a dangerous deep threat, but the Rams lacked a No. 1 receiver. Maybe Brian Quick can become that, but he didn't show any signs of being able to do so as a rookie. The front office could take a receiver with one of their two first-round picks.
- Strongside Linebacker: James Laurinaitis and JoLonn Dunbar played pretty well this past season, but no one the team tried at strongside linebacker did very well.
- Left Guard: Another upgrade that must be made up front. Sam Bradford is brittle and needs all the solid pass protection he can get. The front office likes 2012 fifth-round pick Rokevious Watkins, but he looked terrible in his only game last year. Re-signed Chris Williams
- Tight End: Lance Kendricks was chosen in the second round two years ago, but he has been a disappointment thus far. Another tight end could be an option early on this April. Signed Jared Cook
- Defensive Tackle: Kendall Langford signed with the Rams this past offseason, but disappointed in his first year with his new team. The front office should bring in competition for him.
- Running Back: Steven Jackson has a voidable year on his contract, so he'll be a free agent. If he doesn't come back to St. Louis, the team with have to add a veteran running back to compete with Daryl Richardson and Isaiah Pead.
- Defensive End: Depth will be needed if William Hayes isn't re-signed. Re-signed William Hayes
2013 NFL Free Agent Signings:
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Jake Long, OT, Dolphins. Age: 28. 
Signed with Rams
Jake Long has regressed just a bit over the past couple of years because of nagging injuries, but he's still considered one of the better left tackles in football.
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Jared Cook, TE, Titans. Age: 26. 
Signed with Rams (5 years)
Jared Cook has tons of potential, but has never developed. He hauled in 49 receptions for 759 yards in 2011, but regressed this past season. That could be blamed on poor quarterbacking though, so some team should take a chance on him.
St. Louis Rams Free Agents:
Salary Cap: TBA.
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Steven Jackson, RB, Rams. Age: 30.
Signed with Falcons
Steven Jackson ran like he had plenty left in the tank this past season, averaging 4.1 yards per carry behind a battered offensive line. However, he turns 30 and has 2,385 career attempts under his belt. He could fall off at any moment.
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Danny Amendola, WR, Rams. Age: 27.
Signed with Patriots (5 years)
Danny Amendola is one of the top slot receivers in the NFL, but he's incredibly brittle. He can't be trusted with a big contract.
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Quintin Mikell, S, Rams. Age: 32.
Quintin Mikell will be 33 in mid-September, but he's still a very solid safety. He was released because he was due $6 million. He can still start.
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William Hayes, DE, Rams. Age: 28.
William Hayes could start for some teams, but he can't crack the lineup in St. Louis because of Chris Long and Robert Quinn. He's terrific against the run and can get to the quarterback on occasion.
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Titus Young, WR, Rams. Age: 24.
There's no questioning Titus Young's talent, but he's a major head case. He started off last season by punching teammate Louis Delmas. He then sabotaged a game against the Packers by intentionally lining up in the wrong spots. And to top it off, he continued to mouth off on Twitter during the offseason, indicating that he hadn't learned his lesson. I wouldn't touch him, but there might be a coach out there who can turn him around.
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Barry Richardson, OT, Rams. Age: 27.
Kansas City fans remember Barry Richardson as an inept right tackle, but he actually improved with the Rams. I still wouldn't be comfortable with him as my starter, but he at least established himself as a top-notch backup and quality spot-starter.
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Rob Turner, C/G/OT, Rams. Age: 29.
Signed with Titans
Rob Turner had a decent 2012 campaign for the Rams. He played center and guard, and he's capable of lining up at right tackle as well.
- Craig Dahl, S, Rams. Age: 28. -- Signed with 49ers (3 years)
- Brandon Gibson, WR, Rams. Age: 26. -- Signed with Dolphins
- Bradley Fletcher, CB, Rams. Age: 27. -- Signed with Eagles
- Rocky McIntosh, OLB, Rams. Age: 30.
- Chris Williams, G/OT, Rams. Age: 28. -- Re-signed with Rams
- Matthew Mulligan, TE, Rams. Age: 28. -- Signed with Packers
- Wayne Hunter, OT, Rams. Age: 32.
- Kellen Clemens, QB, Rams. Age: 30. -- Re-signed with Rams
- Trevor Laws, DT, Rams. Age: 28.
- Steve Smith, WR, Rams. Age: 28. -- Signed with Buccaneers
- Darian Stewart (RFA), S, Rams. Age: 25.
- Mario Haggan, OLB, Rams. Age: 33.
- Justin Cole (RFA), OLB, Rams. Age: 25.
2013 NFL Free Agent Positions:
QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | OLB | ILB | CB | S | K/P | FA Grades
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 25
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22
2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
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