Claude Wroten proves everyone right

by Ryan Van Bibber on Jul 23, 2008 10:24 PM CDT in News

Idiot. Claude Wroten threw away his season and leaves the Rams short of a DT. Substance abuse violation numero dos. Definitely not ideal, but also purges the character question marks in the locker room.

Hurts depth-wise. They'll have to find a reliable enough replacement, which filling in for Wroten shouldn't be that hard. Here's the list of free agents. The Rams were fine w/out Kennedy last season and his release provoked similar questions about depth in the middle of the d-line. On the other hand, they'll be leaning on Glover more, upping his injury risk.

I'm just shooting from the hip here, so I have idea who's available... but if someone out there wanted to unload a DT for some, mmmmm draft picks...

0 recs | 6 comments

Comments

Oh, Claude

I love my Louisiana brothers, but damn, we make hard for ourselves, don’t we? Fakhir Brown, if you’re listening, you’re on watch.

3k - July 24, 2008 reply

Really?

You trade away draft picks at this point for a DT? Maybe if we get a star, but I don’t. The Rams desperately need to get younger at a few positions and the draft is the best way to do that in the NFL. I’d say sign someone to a one year deal to be the 4th DT and then go ahead and draft more next year…maybe one will pan out (have we been saying that for over a decade?)

stlfan - July 24, 2008 reply

but with so many holes, do we use draft again for d-line?

STLfan,

I agree that the draft is the best way to inject youth and talent, but I would offer two concerns.  One is the lack of experience to judge on.  Sure, the noticeable ones are generally QBs (Ryan Leafs, Akili Smiths, etc.), but it belies the truth that so much of pro sports drafts are crapshoots.  Keep in mind that since 2001, we have drafted 3 DT's in the first round: Damione Lewis and Ryan Pickett in 2001, and Jimmy Kennedy in 2003.  And that's not counting Adam Carriker who technically was drafted as a DE.
  My other concern with using the draft at DT would be the fact that it would be the umpteenth time we've used the draft to upgrade the d-line.  Let's be real: with Carriker and Long on the line, we have youth and talent.  In 3-4 years, we should have a pair of Pro-Bowlers.  Little can still be a force and La'Roi looks capable.  I see no reason why we can't patch our line over the next 5-8 years (as Little and Glover retire) with players to play beside Carriker and Long and focus our defensive draft picks on LBs, and a safety, two positions that I think we could draft at over the next two drafts.

3k - July 25, 2008 reply

UGH, let me try again

The comment read as such:

My other concern with using the draft at DT would be the fact that it would be the umpteenth time we’ve used the draft to upgrade the d-line. Let’s be real: with Carriker and Long on the line, we have youth and talent. In 3-4 years, we should have a pair of Pro-Bowlers. Little can still be a force and La’Roi looks capable. I see no reason why we can’t patch our line over the next 5-8 years (as Little and Glover retire) with players to play beside Carriker and Long and focus our defensive draft picks on LBs, and a safety, two positions that I think we could draft at over the next two drafts.

3k - July 25, 2008 reply

ouch

This hurts. Pick up the best available now and try to work a trade over the next few weeks if we have too.

vladtheimpaler - July 25, 2008 reply

like i say

i don’t know who’s out there, but a 2nd or 3rd round pick if the return’s a solid starter at DT to pair with Carriker and Ryan. of course, i they can probably get by with those two as the starters and fill in behind them

Ryan Van Bibber - July 25, 2008 reply

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