Pre Free Agency Mock

[lynyrdsghost]

All mock drafts are influenced by the guy doing the mock, so I'm not gonna say this one isn't but I tried to base it on what I think Fisher might do. This mock anticipates the Rams losing Janoris Jenkins, Rod McLeod and Nick Fairley to Free Agency. It's also based on Tru Johnson playing the year with the 13.952 Franchise tender cap hit. I also believe the Rams will either cut or trade Saffold once he can pass a physical.

Rams tender or re-sign:
QB Case Keenum - 2.553 tender.
QB RG3 - 11.000 one year prove it deal with 16.000 mil option in 2017.
RB Benny Cunningham - 1.671 tender.
TE Ladarius Green - 5.000 (5 year/30 mil) To replace Cook.
TE Marcedes Lewis - 3.000 (2 year/6 mil) Great inline blocking TE with size.
WR Brian Quick - 2.000 one year prove it deal. Don't think Fisher will give up on him.
C Tim Barnes - 3.000 (2 year/7 mil)
PK Greg Zuerlein - 2.500 (3 year/9 mil) Don't think Fisher will give up on him.
DE Will Hayes - 6.500 (3 year/20 mil)
DE Eugene Sims - 3.500 (2 year/7.0 mil)
LB Mark Barron - 6.500 (4 year/28 mil)
LB Daren Bates - .700 one year deal

DRAFT:
01- WR Laquon Treadwell - Mississippi - I like Doctson more but think Rams will take LT if he's there.
02- DT Chris Jones - Mississippi State - May not be there but Fisher likes tall DTs and this kid's gonna be very good.
02- OC Nick Martin - Notre Dame - Barnes probably ain't the answer but if he is, Martin can play OG.
03- FS T.J. Green - Clemson - He's big and fast (4.30s) and likes to hit. Gotta replace McLeod.

Rams trade Nick Foles and 6th rounder to Miami for 4th round pick.

04- CB Rashard Robinson - LSU - The kind of CB Fisher can turn into a starter.
04- FS Tyvis Powell - Ohio State - Another candidate to replace McLeod. Big and fast. Makes plays.

Anticipated 53 man roster:
QBs- Griffin (11.0), Keenum (2.553), Mannion (.739)
RBs - Gurley (3.142), B. Cunningham (1.671), Mason (.800), Watts (.600)
TEs- Kendricks (4.5), Green (5.0), Lewis (3.0)
WRs- Britt (4.85), Treadwell (2.5), Austin (4.058), Quick (2.0), Marquez (.528)
OL- Robinson (5.805), Reynolds (2.0), Martin (1.0), Brown (.765), Havenstein (.903)
OL- Battle (.525), Wichmann (.548), Barnes (2.0), Donnal (.650), Williams (.528)
ST- Zuerlein (2.5), Hekker (2.374), McQuaide (.875)
DL- Hayes (6.5), Donald (2.765), Brockers (6.146), Quinn (11.158)
DL- Westbrooks (.607), Trinca-Pasat (.525), C. Jones (1.0), Sims (3.5), Longacre (.525)
LBs-Barron (6.5), Ogletree (2.337), Ayers (3.00), Bates (.700), Hager (.543), Lynch (.527)
DBs-Johnson (13.952), Green (.900), McDonald (.893), Gaines (.627)
DBs-Joyner (1.372), Bryant (.525), Alexander (.717), Powell (.600), Roberson (.605), Robinson (.600)

CAP TOTALS:
QBs- 14.292
RBs- 6.213
TEs- 12.500
WRs-13.936
OL- 15.724
STs- 5.749
DL- 32.726
LBs- 13.607
DBs- 20.791
Dead- 17.634

Total: 153.172
This is cutting it close but Rams can juggle the dead cap if they need to or adjust cap hit numbers on the contracts. Personally, I probably wouldn't go after RG3 but Fisher needs to win now and a rook QB ain't gonna help him do that. It doesn't solve all the problems but I think it would be a team that could win now...if either one of the QBs plays a little above average. JMO.

[poplarbluffman]

Rashard Robinson would be a perfect replacement for Jenkins....talented with even more baggage..be interesting to see when/if he gets drafted

have TJ Green my 5th rated fs but have concerns about his wonderlic/ability to learn a NFL playbook
Powell already has his degree and love that personality..great later rd pick

also like Chris Jones..wonder if the rams will be looking for a pass rushing lde to replace C Long. Shilique Calhoun, Shawn Oakman or Nassib? have run stoppers. you did a lot of work ....wish Snead/Fisher did as much

[Wildflecken]

Have to agree with Poplar, you put in a lot of work on this one, impressive. Someone mentioned Oakman, think he is an absolute scheme fit talent. Rams having him high on their board would not be a huge surprise

[RamFanFor55]

All mock drafts are influenced by the guy doing the mock, so I'm not gonna say this one isn't but I tried to base it on what I think Fisher might do. This mock anticipates the Rams losing Janoris Jenkins, Rod McLeod and Nick Fairley to Free Agency. Rams tender or re-sign:
QB Case Keenum - 2.553 tender.
QB RG3 - 11.000 one year prove it deal with 16.000 mil option in 2017.
RB Benny Cunningham - 1.671 tender.
TE Ladarius Green - 5.000 (5 year/30 mil) To replace Cook.
TE Marcedes Lewis - 3.000 (2 year/6 mil) Great inline blocking TE with size.
WR Brian Quick - 2.000 one year prove it deal. Don't think Fisher will give up on him.
C Tim Barnes - 3.000 (2 year/7 mil)
PK Greg Zuerlein - 2.500 (3 year/9 mil) Don't think Fisher will give up on him.
DE Will Hayes - 6.500 (3 year/20 mil)
DE Eugene Sims - 3.500 (2 year/7.0 mil)
LB Mark Barron - 6.500 (4 year/28 mil)
LB Daren Bates - .700 one year deal

DRAFT:
01- WR Laquon Treadwell - Mississippi - I like Doctson more but think Rams will take LT if he's there.
02- DT Chris Jones - Mississippi State - May not be there but Fisher likes tall DTs and this kid's gonna be very good.
02- OC Nick Martin - Notre Dame - Barnes probably ain't the answer but if he is, Martin can play OG.
03- FS T.J. Green - Clemson - He's big and fast (4.30s) and likes to hit. Gotta replace McLeod.
Rams trade Nick Foles and 6th rounder to Miami for 4th round pick.

04- CB Rashard Robinson - LSU - The kind of CB Fisher can turn into a starter.
04- FS Tyvis Powell - Ohio State - Another candidate to replace McLeod. Big and fast. Makes plays.
.

Wow, ton of work 'ghost--interesting read, much appreciated.
Agree about 100% with your re-signs, though I wish the Rams could keep Fairley and tuck a LB into that 2nd round slot. Love it if they can re-sign Hayes, Barron. Interesting you have them picking up two TEs.
Re draft, I'd go the other way, going with Ragland and a WR in the 2nd (Fuller?), but I'm okay with Treadwell. Love a center in the 2nd, but I'm thinking Kelly will be there, and he's grading better than Martin--best C in the draft.
Lots of DTs in the top 50. NFLDraftScout Brugler's got 9, so there should be a good one at 43 or 45, if Fairley goes.
Trading Foles and signing RGIII would make camp truly interesting.

All in all, if it shakes out this way I'm fine with it. Let's go June!

[lynyrdsghost]

Appreciate your thoughts/input guys. I've had a lot more free time lately since being forced into a semi-retirement. Doubt very much of this mock actually happens but I've been a draftnik for over three decades and usually put together 2-3 every year. This time of year has always been very interesting to me because of the combine, pro days, free agency and the draft. I really enjoy watching videos of the players, reading their evals and checking out all the mocks because it's fun to speculate how the Rams might improve during the off season. Unfortunately, it seems like there are more people on these message boards that can evaluate talent better than the Rams.

[RamFanFor55]

Appreciate your thoughts/input guys. I've had a lot more free time lately since being forced into a semi-retirement. Doubt very much of this mock actually happens but I've been a draftnik for over three decades and usually put together 2-3 every year. This time of year has always been very interesting to me because of the combine, pro days, free agency and the draft. I really enjoy watching videos of the players, reading their evals and checking out all the mocks because it's fun to speculate how the Rams might improve during the off season. Unfortunately, it seems like there are more people on these message boards that can evaluate talent better than the Rams.

I'm fully retired--by choice (and, at 70, 53 years of hard work)--but don't have the time/inclination you do to thoroughly vette players, Ghost, so I'm delighted you do. I look forward to additional postings as we get further into pre-season, especially as FA signings (and re-signings) happen, or don't. Draft days are pretty fun for me, though often frustrating, given the Rams' history over the past decade. Great to get others' perspectives.

This is probably a "make-or-break" off-season for Snisher, so (per a couple other threads) I hope they don't do something desperate and idiotic for short-term gain...leading to more long-term failure. Building for 2018-19-20 is more important than 2016-17, But given the attention span of LA fans, I'm not hopeful.

[England Ram]

Excellent piece of work ghost. :R