SB Nation - Claude Wroten

What to Make of Chris Long?

kevinramsfan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:21:30 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Will Chris Long keep his eye on the ball this season? (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Ever since I have been following the draft, the St. Louis Rams have had a lot of difficulty finding success in selecting defensive linemen. Defensive tackles in particular have been difficult, with names that make fans cringe like Claude Wroten, Ryan Pickett, Damione Lewis and of course, Jimmy Kennedy . For whatever reason (attitude mostly) these guys have had all the talent in the world, but could not put it together consitstantly in a Rams uniform.

On the other hand, defensive ends have seen mixed results. Before Chris Long, the last true defensive end drafted was Victor Adeyanju in 2006 (Adam Carriker was a d-end in college, but was moved inside by the previous coaching regime). Adeyanju has seen a little bit of the field, but his run-stopping prowess and lack of pass-rush ability has kept him in the specialty category. Tony Hargrove was drafted in the 3rd round of 2004's draft, and well -- like everyone but a certain Steven Jackson from that class -- Hargrove no longer plays for the Rams.

But Long was supposed to break that streak of bad d-linemen. Coming out of college, he looked like a can't miss. He had talent. He had pedigree. He went up against fellow future first round pick OT Eugene Monroe in practice. More importantly, he had the right attitude. What wasn't to like?

Well, here's Long's career stat line to date (according to NFL.com):

Total Tackles: 54
Solo: 36
Assists: 15
Sacks: 4.0

So the inevitable question arises: What to make of Chris Long's struggles? One blogger's take after the jump.

I must confess, the Post-Dispatch sort of beat me to the punch here, but I'm still going to offer my take on the situation.

In short, I think there is no need to panic regarding the performance of the the 2nd overall pick in 2008...yet.

Conisder this. Vernon Gholston, the talented DE from Ohio state who fell to the Jets at no. 6 that year, has yet to record a sack in his professional career (although he was moved to OLB). The other two DE's taken in the first round that year were Derrick Harvey from Florida and Lawrence Jackson from Southern Cal. Those two have combined 8.5 career sacks. A litte more than twice Long's total. But neither Jackson nor Harvey were rated worthy of the no. 2 overall pick. So even with hindsight, I like the pick based on how the draft unfolded. I could argue with a lot of other draft picks, but that's for another day.

Another comparison that I think has merit is to his father, Hall-of-Famer Howie Long. Through his first two seasons in Oakland ('81-'82) he had 5.5 total sacks. That's it. I know, different era, different game. OT's are bigger and faster. But Chris learned from arguably one of the top five sack artists of all time (Howie ended his career with 84.0 sacks and a bust in Canton). There's no need to panic. He's holding his own, particularly against the run. He's learing from Leonard Little and his hall of fame father. He'll get some sacks. That's what I found the consenus to be among the Rams writers at the PD.

But let's not give him a complete pass here. He was drafted to do a job, and start games at DE and rush the passer. So far, he's been a serviceable starter. But he's struggled rushing the passer. He, and the rest of this d-line, must put pressure on the QB this year, or the Rams will be picking high again next year.

The recipie for success? Billy Devaney must make a commitment to get some big bodies in the middle. That will take some blocking attention from Long and make it easier for him to do his job. And Long must learn from Steve Spagnuolo. He has a knack for helping out okay d-linemen and turning them into great ones (see Osi Umenyiora). Those two things combined will help Chris Long erase the d-lineman draft woes of the past and get this defense -- and this team -- back on the winning track.

Of pillars and paucity, part 2 of 2

3k — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:49:08 -0000

There is a difference between the sagas of Leonard Little (above) and Ray Lewis versus guys like Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress and Brandon Marshall. (via cache.daylife.com)

View full size photo »

First, let me offer my apologies for being so late with this. I hate missing self-imposed deadlines, and I definitely did with this one. But the k is back, and I'm getting back into the groove with part 2 of my "role models gone wild" series.

In part 1, I argued that the addition of any of the Vick, Burress or Marshall trio would be a poor element to add to the team, mainly because they have a track record of behavior that suggests they would not make the most out of the opportunity.

There is a difference, however, between those three and athletes who get, and deserve, a second chance.

More after the jump.

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. - Oscar Wilde

I've gone on record saying the characters the Rams add over the next few years as we rebuild ourselves into playoff contention needn't be squeaky clean. No, we cannot afford to bring in guys who exhibit consistent off-the-field problems that interrupt their lives to the degree that it affects their performance on the field as well as the franchise's health. We can, and should, bring in players who are talented whose quirks, misgivings and vices can be controlled to the point where they do not affect their professional outputs.

Consider Ray Lewis. Lewis is one of the most well-respected, feared linebackers in the history of professional football. Lewis is known as a consummate teammate and a ferociously dedicated laborer, a prime example of someone who overcomes a difficult adolescence and rises to highest tier of his sport. For a more profound read into Ray's travails, check out the WaPo's 2004 summation that does more justice to the man, and the story, of Ray Lewis. For the lazier of you (and those who are either under 13 or just got into football with the advent of Turf Show Times), Lewis was implicated in a double homicide in early 2000, nearly a year to the day before he was awarded the MVP trophy for his role in the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV victory over the Giants. How does this make him different than any of the 2009 trio of Vick-Marshall-Burress? That was the first incident in which Lewis was ever known to have been involved in (in the public) that was anything but positive.

And what about our own Leonard Little? One year and three months before he helped the Rams win their only Super Bowl Trophy in SB XXXIV, a drunk Little plowed into Susan Gutweiler, ending her life. Later to everyone's amazement, Little picked up a second DUI, although this arrest cost no lives. Despite his efforts, Little continues to be painted in a negative light, and I suppose that's his cross to bear. But let's compare a 2001 Leonard Little to our trio of today. The prime difference again is someone whose mistake, which is an understatement to say nothing else, was the sole blemish on a life that was otherwise relatively spotless in the public eye.

I'm not saying Lewis and Little are perfect; I don't know them, and I'm not trying to judge them. But what is obvious to me, and what I hope would be obvious to everyone else, is that there is a blatant difference between guys like Vick, Marshall and Burress who have repeatedly exhibited behaviors and extirpated what would have otherwise have been tremendous careers.

This is the difference between Fakhir Brown and Claude Wroten, people who have made mistakes and people who have made mistakes part of their lifestyles. I'm not defending Ray Lewis or Leonard Little in the least. What I'm doing is defending the age old maxim that people who make mistakes deserve a second chance, deserve a shot at redemption. People who squander those second chances (and there's a fair argument to be made that neither Vick nor Burress have received a "true" second chance, and that their previous transgressions were so minor in comparison to their more publicized misdeeds that to apply the term "second chance" to their pasts is unfair), I opine, don't deserve the same breaks as those have yet to receive them.

And with that, I'll let you guys jump on me. And strangely, I missed TST. Hit me up.

Vick to the Rams rumors? Don't buy it.

VanRam — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:37:57 -0000

Let's see, what could we throw on top of the 'for sale' talk to give Rams fans even more of a distraction? I know, start talking about Michael Vick.

Hard-to-believe rumors of the Rams being interested in the hopefully reformed QB cropped up late last week. I'd say that everyone would be talking about the Vick rumor, but then the PD reported that the Rams were officially for sale which changed the discussion. So, is the Vick thing true?

I doubt it. While I sincerely hope the guy has turned his life around (and it's reasonable to assume he has), the Rams have made it a priority to avoid a media circus with regards to their player additions. Vick would bring that, to say the least. More practically, they don't have much room for more salary, especially at a position where they've got lots of dollars already committed to the guy on top of the depth chart, and they also signed a solid backup in Boller and drafted a guy who looks like a fit in the West Coast style offense for their third QB. What little $$ they do have left will be used to address other, more pressing areas of need. I guess you could argue that adding Vick would give the Rams a well-known player (though most people have forgotten about his football ability) raising the level of national attention the team gets, but that might not be the kind of attention a team trying to find a potential buyer is looking for.

This piece at Yahoo! Sports from Michael Lombardi of the National Football Post(who reported the Vick rumor) runs down the case for Vick, which is: 1) Vick's ability improves the offensive line and 2) Devaney knows Vick from his Atlanta days. Well, the offensive line has had a nice infusion of talent, but here's where Lombardi really misses the point:

Anyone who says the Rams organization – or GM Billy Devaney or even head coach Steve Spagnuolo – would be worried about Vick’s character is not in touch with how these three might think. First, the present Rams ownership group has never been afraid to select players with a history of some off-the-field issues. Does the name Lawrence Phillips come to mind? Just recently, they selected Claude Wroten, who had many troubles at LSU. The Rams will select talent and, at times, overlook off-the-field issues.

He's talking about a completely different ownership and team management than we have now. First of all, Georgia's kids own the team now (not for long), and the front office of the Lawrence Phillips/Claude Wroten days is long gone, mercifully. Rams fans know, you can't blindly compare the current era to the Shaw/Zygmunt era of the team. Whether or not they see Vick as reformed remains to be seen, but under Devaney the Rams have gone to great pains to bring in players without issues, save for one draftee with a piddly DUI in his past.

The Michael Vick rumors? Don't believe it. Just another example of how out of touch the national media is when it comes to the Rams.

Poll

Would you like to see the Rams take a chance on Vick?

Yes

203 votes

No

177 votes

380 votes | Poll has closed

Recent Draft History: St. Louis Rams

Jeremy Bolander — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:00:10 -0000

2008 Draft:

1 (2) Chris Long, DE STARTER

While Long's production may not be where many would like to see it, it is generally regarded as acceptable for defensive linemen to take a little time to develop, and in Chris' case, he does all the little things to make you comfortable with giving him that leeway. Reportedly a hard studier and film-room buff, he is a solid guy in practice and hustles on the field. The feeling, and it seems pretty accurate, is that he is well on his way to being a consistent, and possibly stellar, player.

2 (33) Donnie Avery, WR STARTER

Avery contributed immediately to the team, posting good numbers for a rookie WR and flashing some terrific instincts, body control and hands. The Rams liked his efforts enough to name him their rookie of the year, and he has a bright future ahead of him as the team improves around him

3 (65) John Greco, OT Backup

Greco came along slowly, but was moved ahead of G Incognito on the depth chart at the end of the season, where he was adequate. WIth Incognito likely to attempt an "attitude-readjustment" there will likely be a battle in camp for the starting RG spot. While Greco could win the spot in a darkhorse role, Cogs is certainly capable of hanging on to it, and Greco may end up learning to backup the C and LG in order to capitalize on his roster spot, and better position himself for an inevitable move into the starting lineup someday.

4 (107) Justin King, CB Backup

Sidelined by an injury in training camp, he looks to be healthy and ready to return. He will need to catch the coaches eye all over agian, but he was on his way to doing that once ,and he has the confidence to repeat it.

4 (128) Keenan Burton, WR Backup

Burton found himself in and out of the lineup with injuries and inconsistent play, but flashed the ability to play a possession role in a more spread out offense. Unfortunately, if he doesn't get more durable, playing over the middle will drop his value out of sight, and the Rams won't be willing to hang onto him.

5 (157) Roy Schuening, OG Backup

A promising prospect who is being developed very carefully by the Rams. May compete for a backup spot, but could likely end up on the practice squad in 09, with redundant interior depth ahead of him. He got off to a rough start, and the season finished with him not getting in on the "talent scouting" where the team played a lot of their depth in the final games, but in between reporst from the front office for him were favorable, so he seems to be doing the little things behind the scenes.

7 (228) Chris Chamberlain, SS/OLB Backup

After spending the season inactive he was able to get on the field towards the year, but didn't turn any heads while getting reps at OLB. his coverage skills appear to be solid, and he could provide key depth at the SAM position going forward.

7 (252) David Vobora, ILB Backup

Vobora didn't impress with plenty of playing time. He might be best suited to a move outside, as he is a tad undersized, but the Rams will likely try to upgrade the middle,a nd he will end up ahving his work cut out for him to keep a job.

2007 Draft:

1 (13) Adam Carriker, DT STARTER

Too small to be plugged in at NT, Carriker may shift to 34DE in the Rams new scheme, and the hope is that this could avert what looms as a "bust" scenario with Carriker. While DTs take some time to develop, Carriker has proven ineffective against the run, and so his development has been questioned. As a DE his skills may still be underutilized, but at least he would have less expected of him. if he can get his stock back up the Rams may decide that he is better suited going to another team.

2 (52) Brian Leonard, RB Backup

With only two games in two years at an impact position, Leonard may be looking at a ticket out of town, soon. He hasn't shown the ability to backup at RB reliably, and he isn't an effective FB, as evidenced by the FA FB signings. As a high #2, this pick isn't working out, and the disappointment is palpable.

3 (84) Jonathon Wade, CB

Wade was able to get provide a decent contribution as a rookie, but found himself being edged out for a starting spot in 2008. He did come in and replace Fakhir Brown a few times, adequately, and his progress has been noted by his coaches. He will likely be let to develop.

5 (139) Dustin Fry, C Backup/Cleveland

After making the PS and seeing a few actiavtions here and there, he was eventually cut in favor of other OL depth and eventually picked up by Cleveland, where he is signed to a practice squad contract.

5 (154) Clifton Ryan, NT Backup

closer to what the Rams need at NT, he has shown only limited ability to hold up to a double team. While he is not he runstopping answer the Rams are looking for, he still appears to be a solid member of the d-line rotation. With his contract coming up next year, the Rams will have to evaluate his long term viability in their new scheme.

6 (190) Ken Shackleford, OT Out of NFL

After doing nothing in St. Louis he was picked up and alter released by the Kansas City Chiefs, and remains unclaimed after a year.

7 (248) Keith Jackson, NT Out of NFL

Son of former probowler TE Keith Jackson Sr., this underwhelming prospect was out of St.Louis and then SD within a year and a half. He was never resigned by any teams.

7 (249) Derek Stanley, WR/KR Backup

Going into the final year of his contract, the odds are stacked against Stanley. With insignificant contributions on offense, and limited production in inconsistent STs roles, an ACL injury to close out 2008 came at exactly the wrong time. Inlikely to be 100% by training camp, Stanley and his agent should be looking at post 2009 plans.

2006 Draft:

1 (15) Tye Hill, CB Backup

Though he should have a starter's abiltiy, too many injuries ahve sidelined his potential and shattered his confidence. Under new coaching, he may get new life breathed into him, but it may also be too little too late.

2 (46) Joe Klopfenstein, TE Backup

Great talent but epic underachievement equals immense disappointment in this promising prospect. He could very well be the key to what ails the Rams offense, but inconsistency, injuries and an overall lack of "it" have made him a poster child for the Ram's struggles the past three years. He may still dig himselfout of this hole, but at this point, it isn't likely.

3 (68) Claude Wroten, DT Suspended

Another epic failure, but this time in the character department. Wroten never really provided any impact on the Dline in two years of rotating in and out, so his 2008 suspension for the entire season could hardly be said to have hurt the Rams,at least, no more than they were used to. He will be eligible for reinstatement May 30th, but that is likely to mean very little.

3 (77) Jon Alston, LB Backup/Oakland

A promising prospect who never managed to step in in St.Louis, he went to Oakland where he saw his share of deactivations, yet managed to impress the oakland front-office enough to earn a tender during his restricted free agency.

3 (93) Dominique Byrd, TE Out of NFL

Another low-character flyer that bit the Rams where it hurts, he saw himself at the center of infractions for DUI, and hten for criminal conduct and armed battery in a nightclub incident. Rams fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief when the housecleaning swept this one out.

4 (113) Victor Adenyaju, DE STARTER

A rare draft hit for the Rams pre-Devaney front office, Adenyaju provided solid run support depth and was a high-motor, high-character kind of guy. His high tender in 2009 shows that he is someone the team would like to hang onto if they can, and he could be a key free agent re-sign in the future.

5 (144) Marques Hagans, WR/KR Backup/Redskins

Haggans is the prototypical underacheiver, with just enough upside to stick around, but who never manages to step up when he needs to. After the Rams shipped him out after a lingering hamstring injury sidelined him, he was practice squad player for the Chiefs, Colts and now, Redskins.

7 (221) Tim McGarigle, LB Out of NFL

No real sticking power, he was released to make room fo rhis replacement, never a good sign.

7 (242) Mark Setterstrom, G Backup

While he has played well replacing injured players, he himself too often has been injured, including a recent knee injury that is questionable enough for the Rams not to tender him in restricted free agency. After the chips fall where they may, Setterstrom will need to prove he can overcome the latest injury to have a future in the NFL.

7 (243) Tony Palmer, G Out of NFL

After being underwhelming in STL, the Packers picked him up where he never seemed to pick up enough practice reps to get a shot at the lineup, missing practice time, and being deactivated too many times. After a neck injury sent him to IR, the packers waived him when he failed his physical.