Torry Holt made a guest appearance on NFL Total Access over the course of the past two days, perhaps trying out for a new position he may eventually take. I sure hope we resign him in St. Louis. We need him. I don't understand why we released him in the first place, and it is not as if we have an abundance of weapons to work with offensively. Politics will probably keep him from rejoining the team, but I would take him back in a heart beat if I was the GM.
The most interesting feature of Torry's appearance was his Mock Draft. I had no idea that Torry was a draftnick to any degree whatsoever. It turns out that the two of us saw eye-to-eye on all points except one or two. What were these points:
- The Rams should not and will not select a QB with the #1 pick.
- Holt says we will select Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, not Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.
- McCoy will be the selection because coach Spagnuolo is a defensive coordinator at heart, and wants to improve the speed of the DL.
- Holt is concerned about the double injury and surgical repair of Bradford's throwing shoulder
- Holt clearly stated that the Rams offensive line does not do a good job of protecting the QB, and putting and injury prone rookie behind that line is very bad idea.
- Holt did not have any Quarterback going in the top 10 picks in this year's draft.
- When called on this point, Holt answered that he did not believe either of the two candidates were worthy of being drafted in the top 10.
- When Fran Charles pressed him on the question of the Rams selecting a QB, Torry said "Not this year."
- When asked who would be the quarterback in St. Louis, Holt insisted that Bulger is a fully qualified franchise quarterback. The Rams' focus should be on getting Marc his confidence back.
- And now for the bad one... Torry said that if he were going to draft a QB #1 overall, it would not be Bradford, but Clausen.
Egads no! I would let Torry draft if he were planning to take Gerald McCoy but I would jerk the rains in if he were going to reach for Clausen. No, no, no, no to Clausen. This is the one point where Torry and I really part company.
I considered Torry's words carefully, because it accords with some of my ruminations. I know for a fact that Coach Spags was most impressed with McCoy. He made no secret of this fact, saying so to the St. Louis press. Since this time, Ndomukong Suh has been mildly annoyed whenever the name Steve Spagnuolo comes up. I get the impression, Ndamukong Suh believes he will be passed over because Steve likes McCoy better. Torry's prediction of McCoy is in-line with Spagnuolo's thinking. If there is a risk here, it lies only in the bet that Spagnuolo will have his way. Certainly, both Mike Mayock and Charlie Casserly believe McCoy is better that Suh. I am in the uncomfortable position of concurring with Mel Kiper Jr's take. I like Suh.
Certainly, I will not be pissed off if we take McCoy. Rather, I will be entirely relieved. I believe Chris Long & Adam Carriker will prosper next to McCoy. That is important to me. I haven't said much about Gerald McCoy, but I do believe he is totally worthy candidate. McCoy has no real history of injuries, as do Suh and Bradford, and he is a performer.
If I am skeptical of McCoy, it's only because he has been in an attack scheme at Oklahoma. He has been told to shoot the gaps on every play. They ordered him to penetrate the backfield with abandon. Ergo McCoy looks like the more disruptive force. Put McCoy in a conservative scheme like Nebraska, and he won't look like that massively disruptive force. Remember, I know little something about this. I am a nose tackle. I believe Suh can shoot the gaps and be a disruptive force just like McCoy. Suh has had the disadvantage of coming from a sit-and-read scheme at Nebraska. Suh has not been allowed to penetrate and disrupt on every play. However, this is no big deal. All you have to do is tell Suh to attack and he will do what McCoy does. Maybe even a little bit more.
What are the odds that all teams in the top 10 pass on a QB? I would say slim and none. If Bradford falls to the Redskins, I find it difficult to believe they will pass. If Bradford falls to the Browns, I find it almost impossible to believe they will pass. If Bradford falls to the Bills, I think there is no doubt they will take him. It is possible that the Rams and Skins will pass, but after that, I think Bradford goes off the board to Cleveland.
I do think Clausen will fall out of the top 10... if any of these teams know what's good for them... which is unlikely. Regrettably, I could see the Bills wasting more years on Clausen. That would be unfortunate. I don't like that idea at all.
But I have evaded the key question: Will the Rams pass on Sam Bradford. I really hope so. This is nothing against Sam Bradford. As I have said many times, I think he is a terrific kid with a bright future ahead of him... as long as he has a steel reinforced concrete offensive line. This line does not exist in St. Louis. We are not ready to select a starting rookie QB. We need to go for a QB in a lower round, and develop him for year or two, until the line is read. You know who I am talking about.
What then are the Rams doing interviewing Bradford, Clausen, McCoy and Suh? Why does the entire organization signal Bradford? I have ruminated on this many, many hours. I think think the answer is three fold.
- Has the organization signaled Bradford? Not precisely. They are seriously evaluating him, but there has been no super-provocative move, other than skipping Florida's ProDay. That was provocative, but not super-provocative. What you have is a case where a lot of media experts are signalling Bradford.
- By interviewing all four, and opening preliminary negotiations with all four, the Rams may be attempting to drive a certain kind of a bidding war. They may be trying to find out which player will sign the cheapest. Good luck with this. You may save a milion, or two. You may also still windup spending $60m.
- By allowing the speculation on Bradford, and by hearting it up a bid, the Rams may be igniting a match under Holmgren & Shanahan's asses. They may yet smoke out an interest in Sam Bradford and force a trade. Holmgren has already told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he is inclined to make a trade to obtain Sam Bradford.
Anyhow, that is my two cents. Torry Holt's prediction that the Rams will select McCoy is solid. It could happen. We might even select McCoy and McCoy, going for two real McCoys in two rounds. It could happen.
