MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

Kirk Cousins has gone to Las Vegas…And the Rams and Jimmy G, think they’ve got leverage over the other.

Garoppolo has very few options—maybe Pittsburgh…And the Rams have very few options for an experienced #2 QB.

The best outcome would be getting Jimmy G. Back, but if not I’m willing to run with Stetson Bennett. The Rams have kept him for a reason, and he knows the offense.

Or, here’s another option…What about Derek Carr? Earlier in the offseason he expressed that he’d be willing to come out of retirement to play for a contender.

He could come to SoFi and in the best case scenario never take a meaningful snap, while providing solid insurance, on the way to winning a Lombardi.

If Stafford decides to hang it up after winning a second Super Bowl, could Carr be the bridge that carries them to their next franchise quarterback?

If the Rams don’t bring Garoppolo back, don’t trust Bennett, and have no desire to roll the dice on Carr…these are the most experienced options on the table:

Russell Wilson
Tyrod Taylor
Josh Dobbs
Cooper Rush
Taylor Heinicke

Talk about fright night.

***
Dan O. is a regular participant of “RamView” early this week he sent me Swing Tackle draft options for the Rams.

1. Max Iheanachor — Arizona State
LT/RT: 30% / 70%
Pressures Allowed: 0 sacks, ~3 QB hits
Rams Fit Score: 9 (High)
Round: 2–3 | Likely Pick Slot: Early–Mid Round 2
Notes: Elite athleticism, minimal pressures, true swing potential. Technique still developing; may start as RT. Top priority.

2. Caleb Tiernan — Northwestern
LT/RT: 60% / 40%
Pressures Allowed: Minimal / very low
Rams Fit Score: 8 (High)
Round: 3–4 | Likely Pick Slot: Mid–Late Round 2 / Early Round 3
Notes: Technically polished, reliable pass protector, mainly LT exposure. Slightly less athletic than Iheanachor. Safe mid-round selection.

3. Drew Shelton — Penn State
LT/RT: 80% / 20%
Pressures Allowed: Average
Rams Fit Score: 6 (Moderate)
Round: 3–4 | Likely Pick Slot: Late Round 2 / Early–Mid Round 3
Notes: Traditional LT starter, limited swing exposure, developmental pick. Pass-pro efficiency average. Depth / developmental target.

4. Austin Barber — Florida
LT/RT: 85% / 15%
Pressures Allowed: ~62 pressures, ~10 sacks
Rams Fit Score: 5 (Low)
Round: 3–4 | Likely Pick Slot: Mid–Late Round 3 / Early Round 4
Notes: Prototype size, SEC-tested, higher pressures allowed, primarily LT. Depth / developmental pick.

Draft Strategy Summary:
Prioritize Max Iheanachor, then Caleb Tiernan.
Shelton and Barber are backup/developmental picks later in Day 2/Day 3.
Focus on two-sided swing ability, pass-pro efficiency, and zone/movement scheme fit when making selections.

***
On this date, April 4, 2020, former Rams kicker Tom Dempsey died at the age of 73.

He is best remembered for his record-breaking 63-yard field goal in 1970 that helped the New Orleans Saints beat the Detroit Lions.

Later he went on to kick for the Philadelphia Eagles.

On April 22, 1975, the Rams—now out of the David Ray business—sent a fourth-round pick to Philadelphia for Dempsey. He played two seasons with the Rams, with mixed results.

But what happened to that fourth round pick?

The Eagles sent that fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers. 

The Packers then traded that same fourth-round pick to the Houston Oilers in April 1976, along with John Hadl, Ken Ellis, and a third-rounder (who turned into a productive fullback named Tim Wilson), for quarterback Lynn Dickey.

The Oilers took a wide receiver with that fourth-round pick (#117 overall) in the 1976 draft, but he flamed out in camp. Houston waived the receiver before eventually trading him to the Seattle Seahawks for an eighth-round pick.

Who did the Rams fourth round pick for Tom Dempsey eventually turn into?

Hall of Famer, Steve Largent.

…And now you know, the rest of the story.