Dilip Vishwanat - Getty Images
10 months ago: EARTH CITY, MO - JULY 31: Members of the St. Louis Rams offense and defense line up against each other during training camp at the Russell Training Center on July 31, 2011 in Earth City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Jeff Fisher must have seen some video from the St. Louis Rams disastrous 2011 season. That would have included a separate highlight reel of the Rams quarterbacks being abused behind a shaky offensive line. Fisher noted an emphasis on protecting the quarterback in his remarks at Tuesday's press conference, and it's hard not to consider those remarks in the context of what the Rams will do in the 2012 NFL Draft.
"It's a team that's going to run the football and protect the quarterback and play good defense and get the ball back," Fisher said on Tuesday.
Injuries forced the Rams to use a variety of offensive linemen. They lost both of their starting tackles, Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith, neither of whom were playing well before injuries put them on IR. They need a tackle, and with the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, they have a chance to draft USC's Matt Kalil, considered the best OT prospect to come along since Jake Long in 2008.
Their second spot in the draft also figures to be prime real estate for teams looking to draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Trading down offers the Rams the chance to pick up even more draft picks, something they could really use based on the holes throughout the roster. It would also take them out of the running for Matt Kalil.
Wherever they end up in the first round, if they trade down, there's likely to be a tackle prospect for the taking. Iowa's Riley Reiff is probably the second best, and a possible top ten player. Mike Adams of Ohio State could jump into the top 15 with a big week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl next week. Stanford's Jonathan Martin and Zebrie Sanders look like late first rounders.
Fisher's comment was really nothing more than a restatement of his basic principles for running an offense. Something else worth noting is that the Oilers/Titans never drafted an offensive lineman in the first round during Fisher's time there.
Looking back at the Titans' draft results while Fisher was there, they had a solid track record for finding good offensive linemen in the middle and late rounds of the draft. They drafted LT Michael Roos in the second round of the 2005 draft and David Stewart in the fourth round in 2006.
0 recs | 22 comments
you cant see me...but im smiling.
Mark Jaramillo - January 19, 2012
The more and more I think about it
the more and more I keep realizing how badly we need matt kalil.
stuman89 - January 19, 2012
its inevitable...
that o-line needs to be addressed and right away. that should be the 1st priority over any other position. and drafting kalil and maybe even decastro in the 1st. i would be exstatic with that.
Mark Jaramillo - January 19, 2012
those 2 plus Lamar Miller in the 2nd and grab D/V Jackson in FA.
jmo53 - January 19, 2012 via Android app
OL and more
I think we need to look at OL from an offense that was run-heavy and a premier program, like Stanford per se. Not saying we can attribute success to any one of them in particular but fact is they have history of being part a collective group that had success as a tough physical unit, and understand what is required to be successful at a high level…
Martin or Sanders after we trade down from 2 would make sense to me, plus we can land some WR help as well in the 1st round this way
GothamKnight - January 19, 2012
the wisconsin badgers always were known for there huge physical lines as well...
my dream is to finally see steven jackson have the same success as marshall faulk did to highlight his career. a super bowl would be nice too! lol.
Mark Jaramillo - January 19, 2012
You want a great running game?
That also means we gotta have WRs who can get open down the field to keep the defense honest.
Although I’m OK with either pick.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 19, 2012
aside from anquan boldin...
the ravens seemed to get by just fine with mediocre wr’s, and there running gm is there bread and butter. so again, im not on that “sexy” pick as the ultimate need for the rams. and to be honest pekka, if the rams did trade down and say drafted kalil? i would go one further, and drat another top 10 G, in the same round. theres wr’s to be had everywhere in this draft, i havent soured on the current wr core the rams have just yet in salas, amendola, and lettis. and if they resign brandon Lloyd? 2nd, 3rd round for wr.
Mark Jaramillo - January 19, 2012
This
ravens still don’t have a great group. Just a decent group that can run the ball and defend
Ram_Redemption - January 19, 2012 via mobile
Mark, I don't think the Rams can do both, trade down AND get Kalil unless
we could trade down and have the Vikings also trade down. And even then, he’s just too damn good a player to stay on the board to fall very far at all.
Nbr1RamFan - January 19, 2012
Then you take martin or reiff
Ram_Redemption - January 19, 2012 via mobile
Aside from Anquan?
I agree that IF our WRs can stay healthy, guys like Danny, Salad and Lettis can be pretty good. And if we can resign Lloyd, then that’ll also be a huge plus. But Blackmon with those guys would make our WRs really good.
I’m with you though that we could go either way and I’d be happy taking Kalil and an OG early in the draft as well. But I’ve thought for the past two years that defenses have not taken our WRs seriously, which allows them to crowd the line of scrimmage, which leads to pressure and sacks and the absence of a good running game. Having Blackmon with Lloyd AND Danny/Salad would force them to be honest, thereby opening up our running game, which could be very good.
Like WRs, there’s OL to be had in the 2nd and 3rd rounds too. The absence of a playmaker on offense hurts us a lot, which is why I’m thinking Blackmon. Dudes a stud.
Pekka for Predator Pontiff - January 19, 2012
Jason Smith
Left a bad taste in every ones mouth,seems like there where around 3 or 4 other OTs that where rated just as high as Smith(at the time) If no one offers a good package than draft Kalil,hes a beast and will be a stud for a long time(and I hate USC)
RAMIFICATION - January 19, 2012
I wouldn't be shocked to see multiple trades to stockpile picks.
Trade with the Browns for their 2 fist rounders and what ever else, maybe move down again for another first and second. Trade with New England for their 2 first rounders. It is actually feasible (but not likely I admit) to have 4 first and 4 second round picks in this draft before it is all said and done. With Fisher’s success with late round players, it could turn into a goldmine.
David5264 - January 19, 2012
+1
GothamKnight - January 19, 2012
Would it be out of the question for us to trade down with the Browns and get Blackmon with the 4th pick
and get one of the above mentioned OT’s with the 22nd pick in the first round?
To me, that seems like the most ideal situation. What do you guys think?
Horcrux7 - January 19, 2012
agreed
SooneRams Fan - January 19, 2012
I have a feeling that the Fish is going to take Kalil with the second pick...
If it was my choice? I’d trade down, grab ourselves a playmaker and an OT further down the draft. It’s very rare that a guy who’s no.1 in a chosen position is the only guy to make a telling contribution in the NFL.
Either way, I’m real excited to see what our new set-up does in the 2012 draft.
JoolzMF - January 19, 2012 via mobile
Trade with the Browns
Take Blackmon at #4, the best OT or OG available at #22 and then a RB or DT with the first pick in Round 2, or maybe an OLB.
Mister T - January 19, 2012
I think o line is priority 1 for fisher
So I can’t see him taking the best guard or ot available after already padding up on lineman
Ram_Redemption - January 19, 2012 via mobile
Mario Manningham is also a FA after this season.
Horcrux7 - January 19, 2012
Hmmmm....
If we can pick up a WR via free agency, then maybe the Vikes would be afraid we’d pick Kalil. Then they’d want to trade picks with us (for some extra picks of course). Then Cleveland would still be afraid someone would want to swap with us for RG3 and also swap with us again for even more picks. We could trade down twice and still have the 4th pick. (I like dreaming)
RAMbunctious - January 19, 2012
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