Linebacker Competition Fierce

[RamCub]

I count 16 linebackers battling for 6/7 spots on the roster. Barring injury the following will make the opening day roster:

Laurinaitis
Dunbar
Ogletree

That leaves the following 13 fighting it out for 3/4 openings:

Aldridge
Armstrong
Bates
Brown
Cole
Gillard
Hull
LeBeau
Myles
Robinson
Steward
Stewart
Williams

Let me know if I missed someone or if a player listed is no longer with the Rams.

The sleeper appears to be Bates who was turning heads at OTA's.

 

[Jermaine133]

eh.....the quality outside those top 3 ramcub drops off tremendously.....

 

[Retroram52]

Yea I agree with Jermaine. Alot of these guys are not going to survive past the first cut.

 

[mutigers1fan]

eh.....the quality outside those top 3 ramcub drops off tremendously.....

Agreed, its like 3 contributors and a bunch of bodies.

 

[RamCub]

If these backups don't step up, then we'll only keep 3 of them and have an extra DB on the roster.

Hopefully, they'll be an upgrade from MacIntosh, Haggans, Vroboda, Chamberlain, Leber, et. al.

 

[ksudodger]

At the end of the day, you will have Ogletree,Dunbar and JL55 starting and probably 4 of those others listed as reserves/special teams guys. My money after some of the rookie practices is on Ray-Ray, Stewart (from Texas A&M) and Bates with Hull also making the roster.

 

[Jermaine133]

At the end of the day, you will have Ogletree,Dunbar and JL55 starting and probably 4 of those others listed as reserves/special teams guys. My money after some of the rookie practices is on Ray-Ray, Stewart (from Texas A&M) and Bates with Hull also making the roster.

What sucks is that we don't have any verteran depth at the LB position. Its just a bunch of practice squad scrubs; such as Josh Hull; here's to having a healthy season on defense!!!

 

[Retroram52]

Hey Jermaine: Word out of Rams Park is Takeo Spikes is meeting with the Rams on Wednesday. If anyone is looking for veteran depth this guy may be waht you are looking for. He has been in the league for 16 seasons, so I am not sure how much gas is left in the tank.

 

[ksudodger]

Retro, that is correct. IMO, Spikes would be a terrific one or two year stop gap to let the kids get their feet wet and figure out who is going to step up. He has gas left to be part of a rotation...

 

[Retroram52]

Well let's hope so KSU. It does have a ring of another worn out vet being brought in to have influence but it did not work last year with the 2 aging vets we had at the outside LB slot and both are gone. So I am not sure what this move is going to accomplish?

 

[Jermaine133]

I actually wanted Spikes 2/3 yrs ago when he was released from Buffalo, however I forgot what team he signed for. So now he comes to St. Louis 3 yrs older and more than likely 3 yrs slower. I don't know how much he can contribute other than being a mentor for Ogletree.

 

[dredinis21]

I actually wanted Spikes 2/3 yrs ago when he was released from Buffalo, however I forgot what team he signed for. So now he comes to St. Louis 3 yrs older and more than likely 3 yrs slower. I don't know how much he can contribute other than being a mentor for Ogletree.

He's an extremely smart ILB that has gained a step in anticipation for almost every step he lost physically. He can still get the job done and with his familiarity with the Niners D having played with us already, I would have loved for him to be a backup to Bowman and Willis.