NFC West Notes: Wilson, Seahawks, Rams
Multiple reports have indicated that the Seahawks are offering Russell Wilson $21MM per year. However, Mike Florio of PFT hears from one league source that they might actually be offering $21MM in new money rather than $21MM annually. If the Seahawks are offering Wilson a five-year deal with $21MM per year in new money, that average applies to the four new years, making the total value in the range of $85.5MM ($17.1MM per year).
Here’s more on Wilson, the Seahawks, and a couple of Seattle’s division rivals in the NFC West:
- If the Seahawks don’t give Wilson roughly $25MM per year, there are six or seven teams lined up that will, tweets Benjamin Allbright of 1340AM in Denver.
- The best chance for Kam Chancellor and Michael Bennett to get new deals with the Seahawks is to go for a rare tandem holdout, opines Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Legendary Dodgers pitchers Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax employed this technique decades ago but it has rarely been attempted since in any major sport.
- The Rams are currently on track to have more than a dozen players eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016, and many of those players are starters or top reserves, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. While extension discussions take time, the club would ideally like to have a few of those contract situations resolved before the end of the season, says Thomas.
- In the wake of the Cardinals‘ addition of Jen Welter to their coaching staff – detailed here by Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic – other teams around the league are interested in identifying other potential female coaching candidates, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Rams Sign Rookie Isaiah Battle
The Rams have signed rookie Isaiah Battle to his rookie deal, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Rams selected the Clemson offensive tackle in July’s supplemental draft.
The Rams used a fifth-round supplemental pick on Battle, which means that they will give up their 2016 fifth-round pick. The team made the young lineman the first player selected in a supplemental draft since the Browns used a second-round pick on wide receiver Josh Gordon back in 2012.
Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a child due this summer. Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”
Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft, Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder. As it turns out, Battle was the only player taken in this year’s supplemental draft.
The offensive line was viewed as one area the Rams figured to address this offseason, and while they were perhaps not as active on the free agent market as expected, the club has added several young players to its group up front. Battle represents the fifth offensive lineman St. Louis has picked in a draft this year — the Rams were the only one team in the NFL to add as many as four offensive lineman during back in May, selecting one in the second round (Rob Havenstein), third round (Jamon Brown), fourth round (Andrew Donnal), and sixth round (Cody Wichmann).
Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Greg Robinson, projects as the Rams’ long-term left tackle, but Battle figures to provide depth on both the left and right sides, and could challenge the team’s other young players, including Havenstein, for playing time at the right tackle spot.
Rams, Janoris Jenkins Talking Extension
The Rams and Janoris Jenkins are engaged in discussions regarding a contract extension, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). Jenkins and his representatives would like to get a deal done with the Rams by the time the season starts, Getlin adds (link).
There’s optimism that a deal could happen between now and Week 1. If that doesn’t take place, then Jenkins would likely play out the season and re-visit his contract in January (link).
Jenkins, 26 (27 in October), has played in 45 games with 43 starts across the last three seasons for the Rams. Last season, Jenkins racked up 59 total tackles with five pass deflections, two interceptions, and two touchdowns. Jenkins also returned nine punts, taking them back for a total of 46 yards.
Last season, the advanced stats at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) cast Jenkins as a slightly below average cornerback. Jenkins’ overall score of -1.5 placed Jenkins as the No. 50 corner out of 108 eligible players. PFF has never been a fan of Jenkins over the course of his three year career., ranking him No. 61 in 2013 and No. 101 in his rookie year.
Extension Candidate: Nick Foles
Quarterback Nick Foles burst on the scene as a member of the Eagles in 2013, appearing in 13 games and totaling league bests in yards per attempt (9.12) and and rating (119.2 rating) on the strength of an astounding 27:2 touchdown:interception ratio. As a result, expectations with Foles were sky high entering last year, but he missed half the season because of a broken collarbone and his numbers took a significant step back (6.96 YPA, 13 TDs, 10 INTs and an 81.4 rating).
Eagles coach and football czar Chip Kelly decided Foles wasn’t an ideal fit for his offense, so he traded the 26-year-old to the 
Rams in a deal involving draft picks and, more importantly, Sam Bradford – another QB who has battled inconsistency during his career – earlier this offseason.
In St. Louis, Foles will try to rebound from a mediocre 2014, give the Rams their first taste of consistently above-average QB play since Marc Bulger’s heyday nearly a decade ago, and help the team break its 10-year playoff drought. If Foles accomplishes those things – or, at the very least, reestablishes himself as a legit starter – he’ll be in line to cash in by next offseason as a free agent. There’s a chance it could happen before then, though, as the three-year veteran and the Rams have both expressed interest in a contract extension. Head coach Jeff Fisher acknowledged discussions on a new deal, USA Today’s Howard Balzer tweeted in June, after NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported (via Twitter) that the initial talks between the two sides would “ramp up” prior to the season. Foles has already stated both a fondness for St. Louis and a desire to remain there, but noted that his agent would handle contract negotiations, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner tweeted last month.
Given the fact that he has put up less-than-stellar numbers in two of three seasons, it would be a gamble for the Rams to give Foles an extension prior to ever seeing him throw a pass in their uniform. But, considering how important quarterbacks are and how badly Rams QBs have struggled during their playoff drought, it might be a worthwhile risk for general manager Les Snead to lock up Foles now instead of waiting and possibly seeing his price rise exponentially thanks to a bounce-back season.
The question is: How much is it going to cost for the Rams to keep Foles long term? Wagoner took a look at the issue earlier this month and concluded that the Bengals’ Andy Dalton could be used as a comparable for a hypothetical Foles contract.
Dalton signed a six-year extension worth up to $115MM (with a guaranteed $17MM, which has already been paid out) last summer. At the time, Dalton had three things in common with present-day Foles: three years’ experience, one Pro Bowl appearance, and career-best outputs in 2013. In terms of counting stats, Dalton – unlike Foles – had three straight seasons of at least 3,300 yards, including a 4,200-plus-yard campaign in 2013, three consecutive years of 20-plus touchdown passes (33 in ’13) and quarterbacked three playoff teams in a row. Incidentally, Dalton and Foles were one spot apart in Pro Football Focus’ ranking system for QBs in ’13 (Dalton was 16th, Foles 17th – subscription required).
Foles hasn’t accomplished enough to earn a deal in Dalton’s neighborhood in terms of total value, but Dalton’s contract isn’t as enormous as it looks. Given the fact that Bengals have already paid Dalton his guaranteed money, his deal isn’t an anvil going forward. That allows the Bengals to evaluate Dalton on a year-to-year basis and decide whether to continue on with him. Wagoner notes that a similar structure would make sense for the Rams on a hypothetical Foles deal.
As far as length, annual value and guarantees go, Wagoner wrote that something in the range of $12MM to $14MM per annum for four years (with roughly $20MM in guarantees) might get an extension done. If Foles signs a contract in that vicinity and pans out, he’d be a steal for the Rams. Those financial numbers would be relatively modest for a solid starter, as the yearly salary and total guaranteed money would place just inside the top 20 among today’s QBs, according to Over The Cap. For Foles’ part, accepting a contract along those lines would allow him to secure himself financially now and, if he fares well, give him another crack at a hefty payday in a few years.
There would be risk on both sides if they were to strike a deal, clearly. If the two are realistic about Foles’ worth, though, the reward should outweigh any wariness.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On St. Louis Stadium Effort
The St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, the task force spearheading the charge to keep the NFL in eastern Missouri, will request $50MM in state tax credits in an effort to fund its open-air stadium project, the Associated Press reports, as new details emerged on an updated plan.
The $50MM, which will go to fund a now-$998MM project that will attempt to persuade the Rams or another franchise to play football in St. Louis, will be spread over a three-year period. This authority will request these funds to the Missouri Department Finance Board on Tuesday, according to Tim Bryant of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The $998MM represents a new figure, a $13MM hike from the previous estimate in January, reports Bryant.
This updated proposal calls for construction on a 62,500-seat venue to begin next year and be ready for an inhabitant by August 2019, Bryant reports.
Since the $50MM exceeds the Finance Board’s limit by $40MM, it will require special approval from Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s cabinet. For these funds to be approved, the latest application states “tax-related contributions” and “tax credit issuances” would be contingent on an NFL team playing in this facility, notes Bryant.
NFL executive vice president Eric Grubman met with Nixon and additional stadium task force officials Thursday, with stadium financing, land acquisition and the proposed 88-acre north riverfront structure’s design headlining the issues, Bernie Miklasz of the Post Dispatch reports.
Construction costs will occupy the lion’s share of this project, currently tabbed for $820MM, with another $60MM going toward securing the land.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who’s had a plan for an Inglewood, Calif.-housed stadium in the works for months, has not met with Nixon or this task force, showing no interest in this riverfront project, according to Miklasz. Just one of many moving parts to this high-stakes Los Angeles derby, this project has been encouraged by Grubman and Roger Goodell, as the league’s backing of a St. Louis plan depends on this stadium project.
Miklasz notes this expedited stadium push in St. Louis could prevent the Rams from moving or induce another franchise to base itself there. Conversely, the the longtime columnist offers that this plan’s failure could accelerate Kroenke’s request for a move and torpedo St. Louis football.
Goodell has said the league will select only one of the two L.A.-based stadium projects — with the Raiders/Chargers joint venture in Carson, Calif., representing the other option in this fluid process.
NFC West Notes: Washington, Rams, Seahawks
The NFL’s four unsigned franchise-tag players are dominating headlines this week, but it’s fairly quiet elsewhere in the league, such as in the NFC West, where no teams or players are involved in that franchise-player drama. Still, there are a handful of updates trickling out of the West, so let’s round up the latest from the division….
- According to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link), Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington applied for reinstatement from his indefinite suspension way back on May 8. The NFL’s substance abuse policy dictates that the league must issue a decision on an application for reinstatement within 60 days, so it’s not clear what the holdup is in Washington’s case. Yesterday, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told Jurecki (Twitter link) that “there is no change” in Washington’s status.
- In response to a report indicating that Rams games don’t create enough tax revenue for the city of St. Louis to cover the city’s annual debt and upkeep payment, regional leaders have suggested that various conventions booked at the Edward Jones Dome help cover those debt payments. David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the details on the tax issue, which could be a point of emphasis in talks involving a new St. Louis stadium.
- Gregg Bell of The News Tribune examines the Seahawks‘ crowded race for wide receiver jobs on the 53-man roster, noting that Jimmy Graham‘s ability to line up on the outside could be a factor as the team makes its decisions.
Sunday Roundup: Bills, L.A., Dalton, McClain
Among all the chaos surrounding Aaron Kromer in Buffalo, the Bills are more than likely going to be looking for a new offensive line coach for the upcoming season. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report is asked if the organization could convince former Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally out of retirement.
McNally spent 28 seasons as an NFL offensive line coach, retiring in 2007 after a four-year tenure in Buffalo. He semi-unretired in 2010 to serve as a consultant to the Jets under Rex Ryan for two years, before taking on a similar role with the Bengals, where he began and spent most of his NFL career.
Cole notes that at 71 years old, McNally isn’t a prime candidate for the job, but that he does have the background to make him an interesting option (via Twitter).
Here are some more notes from around the NFL:
- With all the excitement surrounding the possibility of a team coming to Los Angeles, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times makes several predictions about what to expect in the coming months from the NFL regarding the potential move. Among them, he opines that San Diego and St. Louis will present their cases at the owners’ meeting in New York but Oakland will not, that the league will sign leases with one or two temporary stadiums by the end of the year, and that the NFL will begin counting potential season ticket holders this fall.
- Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton took some swings during the Legends and Celebrity Softball Game as part of All-Star Weekend in Cincinnati, but he arrived to a mix of boos and cheers among the hometown fans, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com. Dalton was not worried about the reaction, and went on to hit two mammoth home runs during the game, to which brought the cheers in the stadium, and plenty of snark from the Twitter faithful, many of which Dehner compiled in his piece.
- With linebacker Sean Lee set to return for the Cowboys and Rolando McClain suspended for the season’s first four games, Bob Strum of the Dallas Morning News says he wouldn’t assume McClain will stick with Dallas all year, suggesting the club may decide at some point that the off-field issues aren’t worth it.
- The Broncos have until Wednesday to reach a long-term deal with franchise player Demaryius Thomas, leading Benjamin Hochman and Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post to debate as to the receiver’s value. Noting that Denver has a limited Super Bowl window given Peyton Manning‘s age, the scribes agree that the club will want to work out an extension, ultimately landing on a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $65-70MM. PFR’s Luke Adams projected the exact same figures last June.
- Staying in Denver, Broncos general manager John Elway is still positive that the disappointing 2014 draft class will have a bigger impact, even with a brand new coaching staff, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Only Bradley Roby saw significant snaps, with a number of the players selected not seeing any action at all. Second-round pick Cody Latimer saw only 37 snaps at receiver for the season, but the group should see significantly increased roles in 2015.
Luke Adams and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Washington, Panthers, Rams, 49ers
On Wednesday morning, a federal judge in Virginia ordered the U.S. Patent Office to cancel registration of the Washington Redskins‘ trademark registrations, upholding an earlier ruling by the federal Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Responding to the news, team president Bruce Allen released a statement soon after.
“I am surprised by the judge’s decision to prevent us from presenting our evidence in an open trial,” Allen said in the statement (via CSNWashington.com). “We look forward to winning on appeal after a fair and impartial review of the case. We are convinced that we will win because the facts and the law are on the side of our franchise that has proudly used the name Redskins for more than 80 years.”
No one expected Washington to roll over and allow its trademark registration to be canceled without a fight, so Allen’s statement didn’t come as a surprise. As we wait to see how that case plays out, let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFC….
- Greg Hardy‘s reduced suspension is good news for the Panthers, who will be eligible to receive a compensatory draft pick in 2016 if Hardy is on the Cowboys’ roster for 10 games, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. Under the terms of the initial suspension, Hardy wouldn’t have been active for more than six regular season contests in 2015.
- The Rams were wise to bolster their offensive line depth by taking Clemson tackle Isaiah Battle in Thursday’s supplemental draft, Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. Battle joins 2015 draft picks Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal, and Cody Wichmann as part of a rookie-heavy unit for the Rams, and while he’s green, Battle is said to possess serious upside. The cost of selecting the underclassman was a fifth-round choice in the 2016 draft, a small price to pay in Gordon’s estimation.
- The 49ers have made a habit of using some of their draft picks in recent years on “redshirt”-type players who are coming off injuries So far, those draftees haven’t made a real impact for the team so far, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who examines a few players who fit the bill.
- Tom Benson‘s lawsuit seeking to cut his daughter and grandchildren out of ownership of the Saints will continue in New Orleans, after U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo denied a motion to dismiss the case. The Associated Press has the latest details on the Benson family feud.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Largest 2015 Cap Hits By Team: NFC West
Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, we’ll be taking a closer look at the top 2015 cap hits for teams around the league. We began our series in June by focusing on the NFC East and AFC East divisions, before looking at the NFC North, AFC North, and NFC South last week. Earlier this week, we recapped the AFC South, and today we’ll head back to the NFC to examine the West division.
Listed below are the top 10 cap hits for the coming season for each of the four NFC West franchises, accompanied by some observations on the spending habits of those clubs. Let’s dive in….
Arizona Cardinals:
- Patrick Peterson, CB: $14,791,491
- Calais Campbell, DL: $14,750,000
- Larry Fitzgerald, WR: $10,850,000
- Jared Veldheer, LT: $8,500,000
- Carson Palmer, QB: $7,375,000
- Mike Iupati, G: $6,700,000
- Daryl Washington, LB: $6,500,000
- Jerraud Powers, CB: $5,350,000
- Jonathan Cooper, G: $3,967,909
- Drew Stanton, QB: $3,866,668
Total: $82,651,068
Nearly every team in the NFL has one quarterback amongst their top 10 cap hits, but not many have two. The fact that Stanton sneaks into the top 10 shows how much the Cardinals value Palmer’s backup, who held his own when forced into action last season. Of course, by season’s end, neither Palmer nor Stanton was healthy.
While Arizona hopes to get more bang from its buck from its top quarterback in 2015, the team is also waiting to see if it will get anything from Washington, who has yet to be reinstated after being suspended for the entire 2014 season. At $6.5MM, Washington’s cap number is substantial, but it’s not clear yet whether he remains in the club’s plans.
One longtime Cardinal had his contract restructured this season to stay with the team — had he not reworked his deal, Fitzgerald would’ve easily had the highest cap charge on this list, since he initially counted for more than $23MM against the cap. The new figure, less than half that, is much more manageable for Arizona.
San Francisco 49ers:
- Colin Kaepernick, QB: $15,265,753
- NaVorro Bowman, LB: $7,654,000
- Joe Staley, LT: $7,600,000
- Ahmad Brooks, OLB: $7,055,000
- Vernon Davis, TE: $6,967,920
- Anquan Boldin, WR: $6,909,000
- Aldon Smith, OLB: $4,854,875
- Antoine Bethea, S: $4,750,000
- Ray McDonald, DT: $4,609,971 (dead money)
- Phil Dawson, K: $4,134,000
Total: $69,800,519
The one silver lining of all the unexpected retirements that dominated the Niners’ offseason? Many of those players were very well-compensated, so the team’s books look a little cleaner without significant cap charges for veterans like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and Anthony Davis.
While those players were removed from San Francisco’s cap, Kaepernick shot up to the top of the list, with his cap hit jumping from $3.767MM in 2014 to $15.266MM this year. The 49ers quarterback has a contract that’s considered very team-friendly, but as long as he remains on the roster, those charges will continue to increase — he’ll be up over $19MM by 2017.
Meanwhile, most teams around the NFL didn’t touch the contracts for players with fifth-year options in 2015, but the Niners took advantage of the fact that those fifth-year salaries weren’t guaranteed by reworking Aldon Smith’s deal. Smith can still earn up to the $9.754MM he was initially set to make, but to maximize his payday he’ll have to stay on the field, earning roster bonuses and incentives.
Seattle Seahawks:
- Richard Sherman, CB: $12,200,000
- Marshawn Lynch, RB: $8,500,000
- Cliff Avril, DE: $8,000,000
- Michael Bennett, DE: $8,000,000
- Jimmy Graham, TE: $8,000,000
- Earl Thomas, S: $7,400,000
- Russell Okung, LT: $7,280,000
- Percy Harvin, WR: $7,200,000 (dead money)
- Brandon Mebane, DT: $5,700,000
- Kam Chancellor, S: $5,650,000
Total: $77,930,000
A look at the names on the Seahawks’ top-10 list shows why the franchise has been one of the league’s most successful in recent years. Many of the players here are Pro Bowlers, while virtually all of them are above-average contributors at their respective positions. And, with a cap hit under $1.7MM, the team’s two-time Pro Bowl quarterback – Russell Wilson – doesn’t even come close to making the cut here.
Even the Seahawks make mistakes though, as the presence of Harvin on this list suggests. The extension he got from the club after being acquired from Minnesota was one of GM John Schneider‘s few missteps, and even after sending the injury-plagued wideout to the Jets, the Seahawks still have to stomach his leftover cap charges for one more year.
As well as the Seahawks have managed their cap, it’s also easy to see why a huge deal for Wilson would upset the balance. With so many players in the $7-8MM range, adding a cap number in the neighborhood of $20MM would make the club’s cap very top-heavy and compromise its flexibility, which makes those extension negotiations even more fascinating.
St. Louis Rams:
- Robert Quinn, DE: $16,744,110
- Chris Long, DE: $12,500,000
- Jared Cook, TE: $8,300,441
- Rodger Saffold, G: $8,250,000
- Lance Kendricks, TE: $5,600,000
- Greg Robinson, LT: $4,837,295
- Nick Fairley, DT: $4,750,000
- William Hayes, DE: $4,480,000
- Kenny Britt, WR: $4,300,000
- James Laurinaitis, LB: $4,275,000
Total: $74,036,846
When discussing the Cardinals above, I noted that Arizona is the rare team with two quarterbacks amongst its top 10 cap hits. The Rams achieve a feat that may be even more unusual, with a pair of tight ends in their top five cap charges. Kendricks’ deal is frontloaded, but it’s still an odd usage of cap room — the guaranteed money on Cook’s deal runs out this year, so I wonder if 2015 will be his last season in St. Louis.
Elsewhere, the Rams’ dedication to their defensive line is obvious here. Besides Quinn and Long at the top, Fairley and Hayes also earn spots on this list, and it’s only a matter of time until Defensive Rookie of the Year Aaron Donald earns a massive deal of his own — of course, by that point, Long, Fairley, and Hayes may no longer be in the picture.
The other name here that jumps out at me is Saffold. When the Rams signed him to a lucrative five-year contract last year, I expected him to be used at tackle, but he’s settled in at left guard instead. An $8.25MM cap charge is extravagant for a guard, especially one like Saffold, who probably won’t be earning a Pro Bowl spot anytime soon. But since St. Louis has opted not to spend heavily elsewhere on the line, turning to young, inexpensive players instead, it’s a hit the team can afford.
Information from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.
Rams Pick Isaiah Battle, Lose ’16 Fifth-Rounder
1:13pm: The NFL has confirmed that Battle was the only player selected in the supplemental draft, meaning the other six eligible players are now free agents (Twitter link).
12:56pm: As expected, former Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle has come off the board during today’s supplemental draft. According to the NFL (Twitter link), the Rams used their fifth-round pick to snag Battle after no players were drafted in the first four rounds. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the pick St. Louis used on Battle was No. 8 in the fifth round.
By using a fifth-round supplemental pick on Battle, the Rams will give up their 2016 fifth-round pick. The team also makes the young lineman the first player selected in a supplemental draft since the Browns used a second-round pick on wide receiver Josh Gordon back in 2012.
Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, decided to enter the supplemental draft instead, citing “family” reasons, including a child due this summer. Earlier in the year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com had identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”
Of the seven prospects eligible for the supplemental draft, Battle was considered the one most likely to be picked, with some pundits suggesting that a team could go as high as a third-rounder for the lineman. However, teams were reportedly wary of Battle due to possible off-the-field concerns, so he ultimately cost the Rams only a fifth-rounder.
The offensive line was viewed as one area the Rams figured to address this offseason, and while they were perhaps not as active on the free agent market as expected, the club has added several young players to its group up front. Battle represents the fifth offensive lineman St. Louis has picked in a draft this year — the Rams were the only one team in the NFL to add as many as four offensive lineman during back in May, selecting one in the second round (Rob Havenstein), third round (Jamon Brown), fourth round (Andrew Donnal), and sixth round (Cody Wichmann).
Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Greg Robinson, projects as the Rams’ long-term left tackle, but Battle figures to provide depth on both the left and right sides, and could challenge the team’s other young players, including Havenstein, for playing time at the right tackle spot.