St. Louis Rams Draft Backup Plan for Potential Free-Agency Misses

Free agency is an opportunity to address holes in the roster, but the St. Louis Rams still have vacancies at several major positions. If those spots remain empty, the team must sort through the draft class in search of backup plans for each position. 

St. Louis has generated headlines since the start of the new league year, particularly with the trade of Sam Bradford for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, as reported by Nick Wagoner of ESPN. But the free-agency aspect has been quite slow. 

The team has made some minor additions. Wagoner reported that the Rams re-signed tight end Lance Kendricks and inked New England Patriots linebacker Akeem Ayers to a two-year deal. However, some glaring needs must be addressed. 

There's still time for the Rams to make some moves and find some veteran help. If they don't, the team will be forced to rely heavily on the draft. 

This article will outline several remaining needs that have yet to be filled in free agency and identify possible backup plans from the 2015 draft class. 

Find a Starting Center at All Costs

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It was announced recently that the Rams cut starting center Scott Wells, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The 34-year-old's tenure in St. Louis was plagued with injuries, so the Rams parted ways with the veteran and saved about $4 million in cap space. 

The decision to cut Wells was obvious enough, but finding his replacement won't be so easy. 

Stefen Wisniewski, formerly of the Oakland Raiders, is the best remaining candidate on the free-agent market, and according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he's a target for the Rams.

However, Wisniewski is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks, per Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, and it'll be difficult to lure him away from a championship-caliber team—unless the Rams offer a much larger contract. 

The second-best option would be 33-year-old former Houston Texan Chris Myers. At his age, he's not a long-term answer. However, he could hold down the fort for two or three years until the Rams are able to groom another option. 

If neither veteran is signed, the only centers left on the roster will be 2014 seventh-round pick Demetrius Rhaney and 2013 fourth-round selection Barrett Jones. Rhaney is too raw and Jones, while highly decorated coming out of college, is unable to stay healthy and has been a disappointment. 

St. Louis desperately needs a new starter at the position. It doesn't appear to be happening in free agency, so that'll force the Rams to make a move in the draft. Unfortunately, the upcoming class is rather thin. 

Auburn's Reese Dismukes and Oregon's Hroniss Grasu are solid mid-round selections, but it would be a major gamble to assume either player can be an immediate starter at center. Dismukes in particular saw his stock drop after an underwhelming Senior Bowl. 

The only rookie center worth rallying behind is Florida State's Cameron Erving. Not only is he a tremendous talent, but he's also a four-position player on the offensive line. If the Rams combine Erving with Jones and Rhaney, that should settle the center position for years to come.

The downside of turning to the draft for a center is that it handcuffs the team. The Rams will be forced to walk away with a top-notch center by the end of Round 2, or else the offense will suffer for the entire 2015 season. 

Such limitations can absolutely kill a draft. 

Right Guard Is Still a Glaring Need

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Assuming the Rams lock up a promising veteran at center, the offensive line woes are still far from over. The team will need a starting right guard to replace Davin Joseph. 

As of now, Jones and Brandon Washington are the only guards on the roster other than Rodger Saffold, who is locked in at left guard. Neither player has started a game at the NFL level. 

The market is currently limited on guards, but some of the available candidates can certainly upgrade the roster. 

Former Atlanta Falcon Justin Blalock is still at large. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Rams are in the mix for Blalock, but he's also drawing interest from the Detroit Lions. The 31-year-old guard is hardly a long-term solution, but he has missed just three starts in eight seasons. He's proven his durability over the years—something St. Louis has been lacking on the line. 

Another potential target is Evan Mathis of the Philadelphia Eagles. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Eagles are shopping Mathis, and Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch initially hinted that the Rams were in the mix, though he contradicted the statement shortly after. 

Mathis is a 33-year-old veteran and would surely be a one-year rental. However, he was a Pro Bowler in 2014 and his age will likely drive down his asking price. 

The other options at guard are bland. Former Miami Dolphin Shelley Smith—who started eight games for the Rams between 2012 and 2013—is available and could be an option, but there have been no reports of interest. 

With so few options in free agency, the Rams will almost be forced to address the position through the draft. 

The top candidate is LSU's La'el Collins. He's a versatile player capable of playing multiple positions. He's a mean run-blocker—like a less athletic Greg Robinson—and also excels in pass protection. 

The problem with Collins is that the Rams are not in a great position to draft him. He'd be quite a reach at No. 10, but there's little chance he'll fall to Round 2. However, if the Rams trade down for whatever reason, he'd be an excellent target. 

Another option would be to draft Erving—who plays guard as well as center—in Round 2. He's a Day 1 starter at right guard and can also serve as the backup center, and that makes him a solid pickup.

If the Rams are determined to find a guard with the No. 10 pick, the best option is Iowa's Brandon Scherff, who plays both guard positions and right tackle. 

Teams typically avoid drafting guards in the top 10, but Scherff would only play guard temporarily. He'll start out at right guard and eventually transition to tackle. Much like Robinson, who was drafted No. 2 overall in 2014. 

Unlike the center position, there are actually some appealing guards in this draft class. As a result, it'd be better to sign a center through free agency and turn to the draft for a starting guard. 

Joe Barksdale Is a Necessity at This Point

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Believe it or not, even if the Rams find both a guard and center in free agency, that's still not enough. If Joe Barksdale doesn't re-sign with the team, there will be a major need at right tackle as well.

The current free-agent class was thin with offensive linemen. Now that the initial feeding frenzy is complete, the class is even more depleted. In fact, it's possible that Barksdale is the top tackle currently on the market.

The news has been absurdly quiet. There have been no reports of Barksdale visiting other teams, and there's been no reported dialogue between him and the Rams. At this point, it's impossible to form an educated guess on where Barksdale will land. 

The lack of interest seemingly gives the Rams some leverage. With no other teams hosting the 26-year-old right tackle, it'll surely drive down his asking price. Due to the lack of competition, there's really no excuse for letting Barksdale slip away. The offensive line is in a desperate state and the Rams cannot allow that to happen. 

If another team emerges from the dark and inks Barksdale to a deal, it'll be difficult for the Rams to find an immediate replacement without spending their No. 10 pick. 

At No. 10 overall, there are numerous options at tackle. Iowa's Scherff, as mentioned in the previous slide, is an ideal option. He's an excellent run-blocker and likely an upgrade over Barksdale. 

Miami's Ereck Flowers is another intriguing choice. He had an excellent combine with 37 reps on the bench press. He's a talented pass protector, and he's powerful enough to handle top-notch pass-rushers. 

Stanford's Andrus Peat is yet another option at No. 10 overall. He lacks the nastiness and athleticism of Scherff and Flowers, but he's a capable pass-blocker with an excellent frame. 

All three players would make ideal replacements. However, if the Rams are planning on finding a replacement beyond Round 1, that's a risky proposition. 

The safe move is to re-sign Barksdale and be done with it. 

Rams Must Remain Vigilant at Wide Receiver

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Kenny Britt was the top St. Louis receiver in 2015 and is now testing free agency. Michael Silver of NFL.com reported that Britt is expected to re-sign with the Rams, but nothing is concrete.

If another club swoops in and offers Britt a deal, the Rams will suddenly find themselves in a desperate position.

Youngsters Brian Quick and Stedman Bailey have flashed some promising potential, but neither player can be totally depended on. Quick is coming off a serious shoulder injury, and Bailey has yet to prove that he can consistently contribute on a weekly basis. (He had five or more catches in just three of 14 games last season.)

With few known commodities at the position, it's possible the Rams will target the position in the draft if Britt walks. 

Amari Cooper is the ideal choice in the first round. The Alabama product is a superb route-runner, a deep-ball nightmare and produced against stiff SEC competition. It was initially assumed that he'd be long gone by the time St. Louis is on the clock at No. 10, but the emergence of West Virginia's Kevin White could cause him to drop. 

If not, White is the next-best first-round option. He blew away the competition at the combine with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash. He also turned in a highly productive 2014 campaign at West Virginia with 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

If the Rams would rather use the top pick to solidify the offensive line, there are other options beyond Round 1. Oklahoma's Dorial Green-Beckham has the talent of a No. 1 receiver, but off-field issues will likely force him to drop to Day 2 of the draft. 

If the Rams can ink Britt to a fair deal, it will help the offense immensely. If not, the Rams must find Foles a go-to guy in the draft.