Biggest Need On The St. Louis Rams Roster: And The Results Are In…

December 2, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (8) throws as tackle Barry Richardson (79) defends against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald (91) during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. St. Louis defeated San Francisco 16-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The game against the Minnesota Vikings showed that the much-improved St. Louis Rams defense still has a number of holes, some which need to be addressed immediately if the team wants to avoid a three game losing streak to finish out the season. It also showed what a premier pass rushing team can do against the Rams, especially against the right side of the offensive line. So, Rambln’ Fan asked you, the fans, which position should be the Rams top priority heading into the 2013 NFL Draft. We singled out five key areas of need on the roster, giving these choices:

1. Strong Safety
2. Offensive Guard
3. Offensive Tackle
4. Outside Linebacker
5. Wide Receiver

Typically, we have seen a fairly large discrepancy between which position needs the most help, but this week there is a clear front runner. With over half of the votes in the poll, the fans believe that…. offensive tackle is the largest priority for the St. Louis Rams.

Barry Richardson was graded as one of the worst offensive tackles for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, and was brought in as a depth player behind Jason Smith during the offseason. Smith’s continuously bad play set up the trade with the Jets, handing the Rams Wayne Hunter, another low-grade tackle, and pushing Richardson into the starting lineup. Hunter played well on the blindside in relief of Rodger Saffold, but Barry Richardson has continued to be unimpressive on the right side of the line. With the overall adequate performance from Hunter and claiming ex-Bear Chris Williams off of waivers in the middle of the season, one has to wonder why others have not been worked in on the right side of the line. The simplest answer might be chemistry, but with Harvey Dahl being sent to IR, you might see the coaching staff experiment more with various players at different spots on the line. Clearly, the St. Louis Rams will be looking to upgrade the position in the draft, if not in free agency, with players line Clady and Long set to be on the market.

Make sure to check out our newest poll at Ramblin’ Fan, and continue to stick with us for the most up-to-date news on your St. Louis Rams.