Rok Watkins Cut

[jacobarch]

Rams cut OG Rok Watkins : Sports

The Rams have released offensive guard Rokevious Watkins, a fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft out of South Carolina. Watkins reported to Rams Park weighing well over the team’s proscribed target weight, according to league sources, and that was enough for coach Jeff Fisher.

A year ago as a rookie, Watkins reported to camp overweight and out of shape and was held out of practice for the first several days of practice. He got no such leeway this year. Neither Fisher nor Watkins could be reached immediately for comment.

Watkins was considered to have starter’s potential because of his size, strength, and powerful hands. Even last year it was thought he could challenge for a starting job at left guard. But that challenge never materialized. After finally working his way into shape last year in camp, Watkins suffered a severe ankle sprain in the regular season opener, and was placed on the injured reserve list.

After working through his rehab, and following hours and hours of work with head athletic trainer Reggie Scott, Watkins was in pretty good shape by the end of the spring practice period in June. He vowed to stay in St. Louis all summer to continue his training and conditioning, but obviously, something went awry with those plans during the five-week break between the end of the OTAs June 14 and the start of training camp. (The first full-squad practice is Thursday.)

As an organization, the Rams spent a lot of time and effort with Watkins over the last year, setting him up with a nutritionist, working on weight management, conditioning, and life skills _ but to no avail.

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How does some one gain so much weight in 4 or 5 weeks they get cut from it? Ridiculous!

 

[Retroram52]

And yet they by-passed on talented O-lineman this year like D.J Fluker. They just refuse to get top-flight talent when its available to them. This is going to come to bite us as it already is beginning.

 

[SJ76]

I agree Retro, what do they expect in the 5th round? But I also am happy that Fisher's not wasting time and expects these guys to come into camp on time.

 

[SJ76]

In shape as well.

 

[Retroram52]

Yep SJ. Fisher expects players to show up with instructions completed and ready to practice or your ass is out the door. Snead is eventually going to stop this insanity of by-passing the BPA and going after projects and potential reaches or it is going to kill us because the niners and seahags ARE taking the BPA and talent and they will leave us behind!!

 

[jacobarch]

wasn't fluker a OT? I don't think we need a tackle. We're pretty much set with Saffold and Long.

Jones, Williams, (forgot our centers name) , S Smith, Dahl, Long, and Saffold will be fine. Plus you can only fill so many holes at once when it comes to one area on the team. Being so bad for so long really put us in a bind because it created problems in many area's not just one.

 

[Retroram52]

Fluker was and is a tackle. The other guy we passed on was Chance Warmack because Fisher and Snead wanted Austin. Fluker may end-up in a guard spot and is looking pretty good at the end of OTAs.

The point being we have had a history of passing on BPA taking reaches especially last year where there are only three members of that draft left on this year's 90-man roster. One of which is Pead who may or may not be around after the final cut-down.

 

[Clayton]

One of which is Pead who may or may not be around after the final cut-down.

We shouldve drafted Bobby Wagner but woulda shoulda coulda and now we have Ogletree who has unlimited potential

 

[Clayton]

And yet they by-passed on talented O-lineman this year like D.J Fluker. They just refuse to get top-flight talent when its available to them. This is going to come to bite us as it already is beginning.

We looked at Fluker before any other team and more than any other team, IIRC. If there is any team that knows about Fluker other than the team that drafted him, its the Rams. So yeah...hopefully we know what we are doing.

 

[Retroram52]

I hope so especially just signing safety Rashard Hall this morning!!

 

[fastforward]

I never expected Watkins to pan out after the way he performed in pre-season games last year. I don't see this as any great loss. If the team thought he was likely to pan out they wouldn't have been so hasty. For some time Smith & Dahl have been the projected starters on the official team depth chart. The only curious thing to me is that Rotoworld were reporting that Watkins was in shape and weighing 315 just a short while ago.

A word of caution to some. 5th round, (and lower), picks often fail to produce - so don't expect too much from Stacy.

 

[NorthsideRamFan]

This is the one thing I hate about new news....... a lot of you take it and run with it. TOO FAST if I might add. Ok, Rok didn't pan out.... big deal. He was a 5th round pick. Win some lose some. It still doesn't change the fact that the O-line should be better than last years even without him. We have a few able bodies that will compete for that spot. And retro we have a lot more than 3 players left from last years draft..... hell 4 of them are starters with 2 to 3 more scheduled to possibly start this year. Don't jump the gun fellas. This is the best we've looked on paper in a while. Let's just sit back and see if it translates into wins.

 

[jacobarch]

This is the one thing I hate about new news....... a lot of you take it and run with it. TOO FAST if I might add. Ok, Rok didn't pan out.... big deal. He was a 5th round pick. Win some lose some. It still doesn't change the fact that the O-line should be better than last years even without him. We have a few able bodies that will compete for that spot. And retro we have a lot more than 3 players left from last years draft..... hell 4 of them are starters with 2 to 3 more scheduled to possibly start this year. Don't jump the gun fellas. This is the best we've looked on paper in a while. Let's just sit back and see if it translates into wins.

+1

 

[DK7000]

Disagree completely on this last draft. Austin and Ogletree give us playmakers on both sides of the ball. Guards are a dime a dozen and you can find competent starters at any point in the draft. Not to mention that Barrett Jones, when he gets healthy, is a better prospect than Watkins and is a proven grader in the SEC. We're going to be fine along the O-line. We'll need to add a RG and possibly a center this off-season, but that's ok.

 

[jacobarch]

Well I think Jones will be playing center once Wells is finished. Jones excelled at the center position in college.
I agree tho with two bookend Tackles, Williams and Smith coming a long I see us being a very good Oline this year, barring injury of course.

 

[Clayton]

Well I think Jones will be playing center once Wells is finished.

I do, as well, but we might not have that luxury this year assuming that Wells is healthy and that guard spot will be wide open

 

[TEB11]

Jeff Fisher isn't a baby sitter. Rok has been a disappointment since being drafted. Let this be a lesson learned to anyone who might think about stepping out of line under this new management.

 

[Vitamike]

How does some one gain so much weight in 4 or 5 weeks they get cut from it? Ridiculous!

I'm gonna guess he wasn't in 'great' shaped in the first place for OTA's just better than expected after last season however with the one game suspension looming I think there is a clue.

Dude's probaby a pot head and probably just eats and gets stoned and eats some more...

Just so you all know, I like this!

It sends a great message and considering all the work the Rams have done with Rok, I can't blame them for cutting their losses ala 'Throwing good money after bad'. Any further and we may find ourselves with a sunk cost fallacy as in years past <cough, cough> Jason Smith!

Who knows, maybe the Rams are clearing some space to try and steal Eric Winston from the Cards?

That would kill more than two birds with one stone.

1. Cut your losses with Rok
2. Steal a potential starter from a Divisional rival
3. Acquire a potential starter at Tackle for a reduce price tag.

Last I heard, Tackle Winston was on his way to Zona to sign a one year deal.

BTW- None of the NFC West 5th rounders from last year are panning out ....

STL 150 Rok Watkins
ARI 151 Senio Kelemete
SEA 154 Korey Toomer
SF 165 Darius Fleming

 

[ksudodger]

Sorry Vita, Winston officially signed with the Cards....besides, I am good with Saffold at RT. We now need another Guard for the rotation. I also think this opens the door for Barrett Jones to start this year.

 

[Vitamike]

Oh well... cie la vie

I too am good with Saffold at RT and bringing in another RT would push Saffold over to Guard for sure but I still think there is another shoe to drop, since Watkins was in essence cut from the 53 man rather than the 90 man currently allowed (In other words, he was projected to make the final cut and probably start before all his shenanigans).

Problem is Rok was a cheap hit to the cap!

So KSU, do you know if I'm right about the pot?

LOL who really knows, it could have been speed to 'help' him keep from eating.

I read on another message boards (NFL?) that 'food' should be on Rok's substance abuse list.