After yesterday’s signing of veteran camp arm Dan Orlovsky, the Rams are gearing up for their training camp which starts in less than 10 days. Here we give you a list of veterans the Rams can add to bulk up their depth heading into camp.
DE Jared Odrick
Once a player that was given an enormous payday now turned into a man that eats brussel sprouts out of cardboard boxes. Odrick has been poking fun at himself as an NFL free agent via social media and it all started with his picture he released after the Jaguars had cut him while he was on vacation. That is all fun and games, but I’m sure Odrick is ready to get back on the football field with an NFL team.
If the Rams are looking to add a veteran presence Odrick at 29 years old could definitely bring that. He had quite the disappointing year in Jacksonville last year and likely has lost his credentials as a starter in the NFL, but make no mistake if the Rams could sign him on the cheap Odrick could be a nice addition to a defensive line rotation that already is something special as it is.
TE Gary Barnidge
Rams TE Tyler Higbee avoided jail time, but may not avoid NFL suspension time and that could pose a threat for the Rams. We had Joe Curley of the Ventura County Star on the podcast this week and he brought up a point that the Rams without Higbee would be brining back zero catches between the two presumed starters at Tight end in Temarrick Hemingway and Gerald Everett. That is not all their fault as Hemingway was often underutilized last season and Everett is a rookie yet to play his first season.
However, you insert a respected veteran like Gary Barnidge and he could alleviate the pain of possibly losing Higbee for two-to-four games. Barnidge is one of those solid Tight ends that often has been thrown out as a possible name for the Rams to grab as well as other teams. Make no mistake this a player that is now only two seasons removed from 1,000 yards and even had 600 last year while playing for the Browns. That in itself, is something to consider. Another thing to consider, Sean McVay revitalized Vernon Davis’ career in Washington last year and he had completely looked dead in the water to that point. With Barnidge still being a 600 yard receiver at Tight end for the Browns, there is a chance he could really thrive under first-year Head coach McVay.
RB Rashad Jennings
Rashad Jennings started in the New York Giants hapless backfield last season. He may not be the sexiest running back pickup ever, but the Rams are interested and he would clearly fill some sort of role in the backfield for a Rams team that is deciding between Lance Dunbar and Malcolm Brown for the number two back role.
He’s still a back that has yet to eclipse 1,000 yards, but that doesn’t real matter to much for a guy that would be added as a backup to Todd Gurley. Jennings seems the most likely back to get picked up by the Rams, but if the Rams don’t come to a deal on him there is a chance they could roll with the younger group. One thing that can’t be stated enough is that Jennings is indeed a team player and a locker room guy so the Rams with their new culture in place would definitely welcome in Jennings hard working and humble demeanor.
WR Anquan Boldin
This is one player that most Rams fans have thrown out there as a possible veteran pickup. Anquan Boldin is a perfect veteran presence that would help a team who’s oldest WR is 26-years old in Tavon Austin. Boldin make no mistake can still play and has already announced his desire to play in 2017. Now, he just needs a team and the Rams would be a good fit.
The recent suspension of emerging former sixth-round pick Mike Thomas may make the Rams think about pulling off a pickup like this. Boldin last year caught 67 balls for 584 yards and eight touchdowns so he would likely have a role in some fashion if he came to Los Angeles.
RB DeAngelo Williams
The final player on our list is the cover guy DeAngelo Williams. Now, Williams was spectacular in relief of LeVeon Bell in 2015, but fell off a little bit in 2016 to the point the Steelers decided to draft James Conner and move on from him. Williams still can play football in the NFL even at 34-years old. He would likely be the instant one-year backup to Todd Gurley in L.A. and could thrive in both the backup role and catching passes out of the backfield.
It will be interesting to see how the Rams address these next few weeks. They have some nice young talent at running back, but perhaps offensive evaluators such as McVay and Matt LaFleur may deem it necessary to go out and grab some veteran leadership as this team still is very young and may need one or two more veterans to help guide some position groups moving forward.
If I had to pick one of these to help in the biggest way possible I would say Gary Barnidge in a heartbeat. All of these players could make a difference, but with Odrick that would more so be a luxury, the two RB’s Jennings and Williams may not be necessary barring a couple of breakout young backs this camp and as much as Boldin would help, the Rams are log jammed with youth, upside, uncertainty and potential at the receiver position.
Which one of these five would you pick if you could have one? Let us know!
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