ROTATE THE D-LINE, BY HIPA.KANE (Aug 25) Add yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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I hope the Rams plan on doing this.
1. Defensive Tackles
Pass-Rushing DTs
Farr- Super quick, smart, instinctive, reads plays, etc. But he gets worn down and can be buried at POA, though not as much as some people think. He has such good leverage, motor, heart and quicks, he can compensate for his size. A rotation would allow him to be fresher, quicker, so would strengthen his game. On pass rush the better the RDE and LDT, the better Farr.
Hyder- An old teammate of Tucker's & 3x starter for TCU. They practiced against each other for two years (FR & SO, RT was a TE). He has shown an ability to provide an inside rush, which in today's NFL game of passing can make a great difference. If he can provide a rush against NFL starting O-Linemen, then the Rams have solved a huge issue, but I may be overly optimistic. If I am, then the Rams need to find a pass-rush DT off the wire (Mark Smith would do just fine).
Weaver- He has vanished from any info on him, which means he probalby won't make the team.
Run-Stuffing DTs
Agnew--In an ideal line Big Ray would rotate with Farr. He has excellent strength, which matters much more than size. He plays like a nose guard, reads blocks, and has good lateral pursuit. However, in the Ram D, this position makes players look better than they are. Agnew is not going to get many sacks. Don't get me wrong, he is one of my favorite players, I think he is great, but still, he doesn't create the kind of havoc that a DT with great pass-rush skills can. I think in a rotation with a guy who can crash through the pocket, the line becomes superb. The only player with a shimmer of hope of doing that is Hyder, but he has been out of football for two years! The issue everyone complains about is he doesn't have Jerry Ball size, so he doesn't absorb blockers for LBs to make the play. This may be true, because the Ram LB haven't been making plays (but this maybe the partly the LBs fault). I feel he would be best if rotated with a guy who can provide an inside pass-rush (Farr).
Zgonina- Again strong, but not huge. The trouble is he is always injured. This means he probably has too much muscle for his skeleton. He can be a rock on run stuffing with OK pass moves, especially bull-rush. In a rotation for where he is a run-stuffer he may do well, but I doubt he can stay on the field.
Sears- He has received praise lately, but I don't know if he is starting material. He did start in Farr's place the last pre-season game and did at least adequate, I guess. He weighs 300+ and is said to be strong and quick. If he is starting material, then the Rams can rotate Farr/Agnew and he can stuff the run and also get to the passer, and get breathers with Zg(run) and Hyder(pass) BUT this again may be my hope and not the reality (where's Mean Joe when you need him).
English--He is the widebody everyone wanted. Unfortunately, there is more to being a DT than girth.
2. Defensive Ends
Wistrom---There have been mixed reviews. The coaches appear to be excited that he has greatly improved his techniques and playing within the game plan. Many are concerned about his pass-rush skills. If these are legitimate concerns than an ideal rotation would be with a pass rushing role player. The media says he has trouble at the POA. Still he has speed and a great motor. He's kind of like a taller Farr at the end. IMHO, last year, he let blockers get to close to his body---that's why I say the statements about his arms, but it could be poor technique, that have since been corrected. I also thought he didn't fight through blocks, but dodges them like Farr does. However, he is very, very fast and his motor is always full throttle, so he may get blocked initially, but he will not remained blocked. If there can be a great inside rush, he will get plenty of sacks as QBs try to escape the pocket. Going against Pace every day should help. The reason, I suggest a rotation, is because he is a high rev guy, and a rotation would allow him to keep fresh--that would be ideal. This is only if the guy who rotates helps the team, instead of handicaps them or is a fall off without Wistrom, Right now I don't see any player on the team that is worth rotating with Wistrom, but I do have hopes for Barnes.
Barnes---He is an unknown, but early hints were that he had that special skill of a pass-rusher. The big reason I suggest Barnes as a situational pass-rusher is that there is little to think about in this role. Get QB. There are different techniques but one can get by on athletism to a greater extent than on run downs. From what I can glean Barnes is the athletic proto-type of a pass-rush RDE. Because he is so raw and probably lacks lower body strength, you don't want him trying to stuff the run. If so, then he and GW could rotate, which would allow Wistrom to stay fresh, which like Farr would be to his strength. If Barnes can't do it then one of the NFL-Europeans could fill this role.
Carter---The media & fans think he is in route to the Pro-Bowl. There is no need to rotate with him, but if he get's injured, then there will be a gaping hole.
Williams---He isn't special, but he may be smart enough to cover for an injury as a run stopper while Barnes comes in on passing downs. But I think he won't make the the team and the Rams will sign some big run-stuffing DE, pass-rush DT cross. DeVries (on Detriot, but earlier trade rumor) would be perfect, but he has (I think) a broken ankle.