Rams mailbag: Draft analysis, McVay-Snead, salary cap and podcast requests

The Rams are preparing to welcome new players at next week’s rookie minicamp.

Eight draftees — tight end Gerald Everett, receivers Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds, fullback Sam Rogers, defensive lineman Tanzel Smart, linebackers Samson Ebukam and Ejuan Price and safety John Johnson — and more than a dozen undrafted free agents are scheduled to participate.

Now, on to your questions. Keep them coming at @latimesklein or gary.klein@latimes.com.

It’s too early to make any sweeping judgments about differences. The sample size with Snead/McVay is too small.

But it’s probably not a coincidence that players linked closely to former coach Jeff Fisher — receiver Kenny Britt, tight end Lance Kendricks and tight end William Hayes and Eugene Sims — are no longer on the roster.

In free agency, Snead/McVay identified a glaring need at left tackle and went out and signed a proven and expensive veteran in Andrew Whitworth. They did not pay for receiver Pierre Garcon, but acquired Robert Woods.

Clearly, McVay identified specific needs for his offense and Snead and the scouting department tried to accommodate him. It was not a surprise that the Rams drafted a tight end with their first pick. McVay’s offense is tight-end heavy.

Rookies arrive next week for a rookie minicamp that begins on Friday.

The Rams did not have a first-round pick, so they did not hold a news conference like last year for Jared Goff.

But I don’t get a sense that the Rams are “promoting” one player over another. The Rams’ website and social media team, it seems to me, makes a concentrated effort to post items about a broad range of players.

The website contains several items about Everett.

Projecting the career arc of NFL draft picks is a sport unto itself.

I have not seen Josh Reynolds, or any of the Rams’ picks, on the field with NFL players yet. So it’s difficult to give you an informed opinion.

Reynolds, of course, plays a position that often produces highlight-reel plays. And he showed in college that he might give the Rams a tall target with deep-ball capability.

But players such as tight end Gerald Everett, who played without much fanfare at South Alabama, might get even more of an opportunity to develop and shine in McVay’s offense.

After covering college football for 14 years, I have only covered the NFL for one. This much is clear, though: Standout college receivers often do not enjoy similar success — or separation — in the NFL because they no longer have the advantage of mismatches against less talented cornerbacks most weeks.

I’m looking forward to seeing Reynolds and all of the rookies next week. Let’s revisit the question in a future mailbag.

A record of success certainly works in a player’s favor.

Despite all the hyperbole about 40-yard dash times and other measures in the buildup to the draft, most coaches, scouts and personnel people tell me that the most important component of their predraft evaluation is what they see on video from a player’s college career.

But it’s hardly an exact science.

Consider: The Rams selected record-setting receiver Cooper Kupp in the third round after he played in 52 games for Eastern Washington.

The Chicago Bears made quarterback Mitch Trubisky the second overall pick after he started 13 games for North Carolina.

You are not dreaming.

A new coach and staff to impress? Jobs possibly on the line?

It would a surprise if the Rams don’t play hard. But that’s also a subjective term. The Rams did not lose games last season because they didn’t play “hard” enough. They lost, most of the time, because they failed to execute and make plays, especially on offense.

Some of that was on the coaches as well as the players.

For the short term, the “hope Sullivan stays healthy” plan is in play.

John Sullivan was a reliable player for the Minnesota Vikings until back injuries forced him to sit out the 2015 season. Last season, he played for McVay in Washington.

McVay has said other interior linemen would get work at center. Demetrius Rhaney practiced at center last season. The Rams did not draft a center but they signed New Mexico State’s Anthony McMeans. They also signed Jake Eldrenkamp, who played guard at Washington. Perhaps he will get a look at center as well.

We are scheduled to record a podcast early next week.

We’ll discuss the Rams’ draft, the schedule, make predictions and go off on tangents to address all kinds of other things that always come up.

Watch my Twitter account, and Lindsey’s, for the request for podcast questions. Answering them is usually the most entertaining segment for us.

Hmm. Apparently there is high interest in the Rams Overtime podcast.

Please see above.

NFL teams must be in compliance with the salary cap on the first day of the new league year. For 2017, that was March 9.

Only the 51 highest cap numbers on a roster count against a team until the week before the first game.

Cody Davis started three games last season and will probably be a reserve and special teams player again in 2017.

Davis, a fifth-year pro, is scheduled to earn about $1.7 million in salary and bonuses this season in the final year of a two-year contract.

With the departure of T.J. McDonald, the Rams will move cornerback Lamarcus Joyner to free safety and make Maurice Alexander the strong safety. The Rams also drafted safety John Johnson from Boston College.

After one of the Rams’ initial offseason workouts, McVay said he was pleased with the way Goff got the offense in and out of the huddle and lined up. It was a starting point.

Goff is learning a new offensive system for the second time in two years. So, at this point, it’s difficult to gauge how he is translating what he’s learning. We’ll get a clue during organized team activities and a much better sense during training camp.

The Rams opened only one practice to the media, and the offense worked out on the field farthest from where it could be viewed. Goff’s mechanics looked fine from a distance, but he was not under the duress of a rush.

With the signing of left tackle Andrew Whitworth, Greg Robinson was moved to right tackle. That would seem to be a better fit for Robinson because it removes the highly visible responsibility of protecting the quarterback’s blind side.

Rob Havenstein moved from right tackle to right guard.

“It’s not huge — it’s still offensive line,” Havenstein said of the transition after the first offseason workout last month. “We’re still using some of the same techniques. There might be little nuances that are a little different. But, kind of from what I hear and what I’m learning, is things happen a little quicker. There’s not as much space, so it’s just the little things that change.”

Most rookies are eligible to practice with the team during organized-team activities, which begin May 23. Last year, linebacker Cory Littleton could not participate because classes were still in session at Washington.

The first day of last month’s voluntary minicamp was open to reporters.

Here is the link to the story I posted that day.

Former coach Jeff Fisher regularly opened practices to reporters. He was one of the only NFL coaches that did so.

Training camp practices will remain open to the press but McVay will adopt the NFL model of limiting access during the regular season to the first 15 or 20 minutes.

The coaching staff has sounded enthused about third-year quarterback Sean Mannion.

But Mannion will not start unless Goff suffers an injury, is sidelined because of an off-the-field issue or is consistently ineffective and error-prone for a long period.

That’s not a knock on Mannion. That’s economics. When a franchise invests as much as it has in Goff, he is going to play.

Asks DWalkerWinMan via Twitter: Do you get the feeling that the Rams are making inroads and reconnecting with fans from the previous Coliseum or Ram Time in Anaheim days?

The Rams made a pretty big push to reconnect with Southern California Rams fans upon their return last season.

The momentum of those efforts no doubt slowed as the team stumbled to a 4-12 finish.

Going 1-6 at the Coliseum and playing wretchedly on offense did not help.

I’m sure there will be fan-friendly events in the runup to the season, but drumming up excitement is going to be a tougher sell until they put an entertaining and successful product on the field.

And there it is, the weekly inquiry regarding Nelson Spruce.

Spruce played the first preseason game last season and then was sidelined because of injuries. The Rams did not put him on waivers, in part because they feared another team would claim him.

If Spruce is physically sound and catches the ball the way he has his entire career, he’ll be in the mix.

Tavon Austin, Robert Woods, Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas and rookies Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds are among the receivers who will be competing for playing time.

McVay told Snead what he wanted for his offense, and Snead tried to accommodate him.

That’s my main takeaway.

I was a bit surprised that the Rams did not draft a cornerback. The lack of an offensive lineman was mildly surprising.

The Rams’ draft lacked the flair and star power of teams such as the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and even the Chargers.

But we won’t know if it was productive until we see how the players perform.

The Rams have not announced any scouting department hires.

Last month, the Rams informed Ran Carthon, director of pro personnel, and scouts Evan Ardoin, Danton Barto and Sean Gustus that their contracts would not renewed.

Joe Hortiz is the Baltimore Ravens’ director of college scouting and has been with that organization since 1998. He is expected to be among those getting consideration by the Rams.

Had a young version of me been drafted at No. 132, the Philadelphia Eagles this year would have opted to pass on record-setting San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey.

The experienced version of me might have a chance as an undrafted free agent if the position of need was Christmas cookie eater.

Thanks, everyone, for the questions. Let’s do it again next week.

gary.klein@latimes.com

Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @latimesklein