St. Louis Rams: Grading the Strength of Every Position Unit Before Camp Begins

The St. Louis Rams kick off training camp on July 31, which will give fans a chance to analyze each positional group firsthand. 

Some positional groups are stacked with talent and expected to carry the team far, while other groups are thin and viewed as liabilities for the upcoming season. Certain positions will look more or less promising as the season progresses, but overall, the roster is what it is. 

This article will grade each position's strength entering camp. Things can change throughout the preseason, but these grades should serve as a guideline for expectations regarding each position.

Quarterback: C

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This position is rather shaky because the Rams seem to be depending on Nick Foles' ability to return to his 2013 form.

It would be a huge boost if Foles broke out, and it would finally provide the Rams with stability at the position, but few St. Louis fans seem comfortable discussing the alternative—if Foles doesn't live up to expectations. 

If Foles doesn't play adequate football, the Rams are left with an above-average backup in Case Keenum—"backup" being the key word—and a rookie third-rounder in Sean Mannion. Austin Davis is another option, but he totally fell apart at times last season and offers little hope as a long-term starter. 

You can say the St. Louis quarterbacks have potential, but no one can say it's a team strength. There are too many unknown factors, and the success of the position is far too dependent on pure luck. 

Not to mention, the starting quarterback will be playing behind a line where Rodger Saffold is the only proven pass-blocker. Even if Foles is back on track, he'll have a hard time proving it if he's tasting dirt every drive. 

If Foles comes alive and finally provides St. Louis with a franchise quarterback, it could be the final boost that puts the Rams into the playoffs. But in the meantime, let's not pretend there are no hurdles standing in the way.

Running Back: A

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Rookie Todd Gurley's health could slow this group down in the early goings, but that's just a temporary issue. Other than that hurdle, this group is stacked. 

Gurley's combination of power, speed and pass-catching skills are so unique and intriguing that the Rams used a top-10 draft pick on him, despite his injury. He has the potential to grow into one of the NFL's elite backs, and the Rams could start reaping the benefits as early as this season. 

While Gurley recovers, the Rams will lean on second-year back Tre Mason. Mason is a big-play threat and very dangerous on the perimeters. He can even pick up yards in between the tackles, which is impressive for a 207-pound back. 

Benny Cunningham will also play a role as the third-down back. He'll catch passes out of the backfield and take a handful of carries each game. He's not a game-changer, but he moves the chains and knows how to pick up yards. 

Between those three guys and the run-blocking offensive line, the backfield should have a productive year.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: B

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The receivers consist of a wide variety of capable weapons, but there's no Pro Bowl talent or unstoppable force in the mix to really carry the group. 

It's possible that guy will emerge this season—Brian Quick, Kenny Britt and Stedman Bailey are candidates—but until that happens, the Rams will have to deal with a collection of No. 2- and No. 3-caliber pass-catchers. 

If Brian Quick picks up where he left off and Tavon Austin finally becomes the back-breaking weapon he was meant to be, the St. Louis aerial game will take the next step. Along with Quick and Austin, the Rams also need Bailey, Britt and Jared Cook to supplement the passing attack with about 40 to 50 receptions each.

The talent is there. The Rams are just waiting for someone to break out and be the top guy. 

Offensive Line: D+

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There's really no good reason to give this group a higher grade until we've seen evidence of a strong, cohesive unit. 

As of now, only Saffold has any business calling himself a solid starter at the NFL level. Greg Robinson is not far behind and has monster potential, but the second-year pro had a tough time settling in as a rookie. 

The rest of the starting line will consist of an inexperienced veteran center—Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones or Demetrius Rhaney—along with two rookies. 

Among the rookies, Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown are the front-runners for the starting jobs at guard and right tackle. Both are solid prospects, but we won't know what to expect until we see them against real opponents in the preseason. 

Most of the unit is built for run blocking, so that's one aspect the group should be reasonably comfortable with. As for pass protection, things could get really ugly in the early part of the season.

Defensive Line: A+

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This defensive line could not be more stacked. 

I supposes, in theory, the line could be made better by upgrading the left-end spot with a first-round stud in 2016. However, if Chris Long returns to his pre-injury form, that will be totally unnecessary. 

If Long is ready to roll again, this unit is as close to perfection as any football unit in the game. 

Robert Quinn is one of the most feared blind-side rushers around. Pro Football Focus ranked Aaron Donald as the NFL's best defensive tackle last season, and he was just a rookie. Michael Brockers is excellent at occupying blockers and makes Quinn's and Donald's sacks possible. 

Even the depth is frightening. 

Defensive ends William Hayes and Eugene Sims could start for a number of 4-3 teams, especially Hayes. Nick Fairley will also see plenty of action as an interior pass-rusher. 

Not to mention, the Rams have a great utility weapon in Ethan Westbrooks. He's unknown to many, but he's loaded with potential and should see more action in his second year. 

If the secondary is half-competent in coverage, the Rams should lead the NFL in sacks with ease. Not finishing as one of the top two or three teams in sacks would be a monumental disappointment.

Linebacker: B

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Like the wide receiver position, the linebackers have many solid contributors but little star power. 

James Laurinaitis is a capable player and the captain of the defense, but he makes more plays with his brain than his athletic skills. As competent as he is, he's weak at the line of scrimmage and not a very strong run defender. He's reliable in coverage, but hardly a dynamic game-changer. 

Akeem Ayers and Alec Ogletree both have the physical talent Laurinaitis lacks, but neither player has put it all together at the NFL level.

Both players struggle in coverage. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Ogletree ranked second-to-last among 4-3 outside linebackers in receiving yards allowed in his zone (671). 

In run support, Ayers and Ogletree stand their own, but both players are still trying to reach the next level as run stoppers. 

Ogletree—a former first-round pick from 2013—really improved in the second half of last season. If that trend continues, he's the St. Louis linebacker with the best shot at breaking out and establishing himself as a frightening player for opposing offenses.

Cornerback: B-

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The cornerback position—along with the entire secondary—is one of the weaker points on defense, but that stems from a lack of experience rather than the absence of talent. 

Janoris Jenkins is a ball hawk and has as many defensive touchdowns in the last three seasons (six) as the rest of the defense combined. He's the best shot the Rams have at scoring defensive points and will remain on the field, regardless of his habit of getting burned on occasion. 

Trumaine Johnson and E.J. Gaines are more reliable in coverage than Jenkins, but there's only room for one of them to start. The scale is tipping in Gaines' favor after a productive rookie year, where he made the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team, but don't rule out Johnson just yet. 

Lamarcus Joyner and Marcus Roberson will also see playing time. Both saw only limited action in 2014, but both players' upside is tremendous. 

This group featured three rookies in 2014, so there was understandably some rough edges. Now that the group has some experience under its belt, we should see a better product in 2015.

Safety: B-

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The verdict at the moment is that safety is a solid unit, even if it's not great. That could change in 2014 if T.J. McDonald continues his upward trend. 

McDonald's 2014 play was overlooked since most of the media's attention was focused on the defensive line. His run support was tremendous, and while his coverage needs work, he still managed to strike fear in receivers with his bone-crunching impacts. 

The rest of the playing time will be divided up between Rodney McLeod and Mark Barron. 

McLeod can hold his own in coverage and against the run, but he's not the missile in defense McDonald is. Meanwhile, Barron serves mostly as a safety-linebacker hybrid in nickel packages. 

It should be interesting to see how the Rams rotate those three players, along with second-year pro Mo Alexander. 

Safety is a weak point on defense, but it doesn't have to be that way if McDonald continues to grow. 

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and served as the Rams' game-day correspondent in 2014. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or following him on Twitter.