Weighing the Pros and Cons of St. Louis Rams' Top Free-Agent Targets
Each year, NFL teams gamble on the free-agent market, looking for the piece that will complete a championship run or the player that will help bring a winning feeling back to the organization.
But many factors must be taken into consideration. After all, teams more often end up with free-agent busts like Albert Haynesworth than they do with players who pan out.
The St. Louis Rams are a team that seems to be on its way to contending for a division title and maybe even more. Making the right decisions in free agency this offseason will be critical to the future of the organization.
Most fans of the Rams would likely agree that the offensive line must be addressed. Here, we have compiled a list that includes several offensive linemen but also some other players whom the team may be interested in.
What are the reasons for which the Rams should consider these players? What are the factors that should lead to them shying away? And do the pros outweigh the cons?
Here are six players the Rams could target when the free-agent signing period begins in just about one week, and whether or not they should offer them contracts.
James Carpenter, Guard
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Pros: At 6'4" and 321 pounds, James Carpenter has the ideal size to succeed in the NFL. He does a good job in pass protection and can be a menace once he reaches the second level as a run-blocker.
Cons: Carpenter has played in just 45 of a possible 64 career games. According to Pro Football Focus, he was ranked No. 62 out of 78 guards as a run-blocker in 2014. He made $2.4 million last season and will be looking for an increase this year.
Conclusion: Though Carpenter is a player the Rams will almost certainly look into, he's an average offensive lineman, and the pros certainly don't outweigh the cons. Other players—such as Clint Boling and Orlando Franklin—could be had at a similar price to what Carpenter will be expecting.
Both of them would be better choices.
Clint Boling, Guard
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Pros: Unlike James Carpenter, Clint Boling was very good as a run-blocker last season, coming in at No. 16 in PFF's rankings. With the way St. Louis is building its offense, Boling would be a better fit. He also gave up just two sacks last season and is only 25 years of age. In addition, Boling has shown the ability to play right tackle in addition to guard.
Cons: With Boling, there aren't many cons. He suffered a torn ACL in 2013 but bounced back very well last year.
"Asked a personnel director of an NFL team his favorite under-radar free agents. He said Pernell McPhee and Clint Boling
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 19, 2015"
Conclusion: Boling should be at or near the top of the Rams' free-agent wish list, particularly if they want to become a team that pounds the ball at defenses with its rushing attack.
Mike Iupati, Guard
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Pros: Mike Iupati is a very strong player who ranked as the No. 2 guard in the NFL in run blocking last season, according to PFF. Much like Boling, he would help the team significantly in that area.
Cons: Though Iupati was great in the running game last season, he also allowed seven sacks. That was tied for the most allowed by any guard in the league, and the Rams don't need a guy who is going to let Sam Bradford take the type of pounding that Colin Kaepernick did last year.
In addition, Iupati will be one of the bigger names on the market, and the Rams could easily get into a bidding war for his services, taking away time that could be used chasing other players who would be better fits.
Conclusion: St. Louis definitely needs interior offensive line help, so says Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
Though Iupati would be a big name for the Rams to obtain, his price tag and tendency to allow sacks should force the Rams to look elsewhere.
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Stefen Wisniewski, Center
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Pros: Stefen Wisniewski is a hard-working, blue-collar player who is both quick and athletic. He is a very technical offensive lineman who has a very good understanding of the game and his position.
He has also been very durable, starting 61 games for the Oakland Raiders over the course of the last four seasons.
Cons: Wisniewski is not as strong as you'd like to see, so he can be muscled around by bigger opponents. He was ranked No. 22 among centers graded by PFF in 2014 and was the second-most penalized center in the league.
Conclusion: Though Wisniewski was ranked No. 22 among centers, he would be a major upgrade over Scott Wells, who was ranked dead last on that same list. Wisniewski could be a Pro Bowl-caliber center, and for the right price, it would make a lot of sense for the Rams to pursue him in free agency.
Torrey Smith, Wide Receiver
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Pros: Torrey Smith is one of those hit-or-miss guys, but so was Kenny Britt, and that worked out. Smith has very good hands and a knack for the end zone. Most importantly, he can stretch the field as a serious deep threat.
He also comes from an organization that knows how to win, and with a good free-agent market at the wide receiver position in front of him, Smith could be a steal.
Cons: Though Smith has the ability to make big plays, he often struggles to separate from coverage. He also has games in which he will all but disappear.
Last season, he caught just 55.1 percent of the passes that were intended for him, a putrid number that ranked him No. 93 out of 110 wide receivers on PFF's list.
Conclusion: The Rams have a bevy of weapons at the wide receiver position, but adding a guy like Smith would be to the team's benefit, particularly if they aren't able to retain Britt.
Smith should be on the Rams' radar—at the very least.
Mark Sanchez, Quarterback
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Pros: Despite being the butt of many jokes from his days with the New York Jets, Mark Sanchez can still lead an offense in the NFL. He proved that last year with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Filling in for an injured Nick Foles, Sanchez completed 64.1 percent of his passes last year—a career high.
Cons: Sanchez is still too prone to errors with the football. He turned the ball over 14 times in just nine games last year.
Conclusion: Sanchez will likely be the most attractive free-agent quarterback when the market opens. Depending on what the team decides to do with Sam Bradford, Sanchez could provide a nice backup plan.
Still, Shaun Hill and Austin Davis know the system and would probably be just as good as Sanchez. The team doesn't have a lot of money to spend and it shouldn't waste any on Sanchez.
If Bradford isn't seen as the future, drafting a player and allowing him to develop would be the better route to take. Let a team like the Buffalo Bills chase Sanchez.
Now, if the Rams could land Nick Foles via trade, that's another story.
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