OTAs (including a great final write-up by VB, posted 6/10)

Helmets 🔛

It’s time for OTAs! @dakota_allen40 | #LARams pic.twitter.com/rbDZc7dzt2

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 20, 2019

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Dante Fowler Jr. and Todd Gurley were not present during #Rams OTA today, but each is in communication with Sean McVay and all absences were expected

—

Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
1) Yes, I know these are optional.
2) Yes, I know players communicate with coaches and there’s a plan for this stuff.
3) Yes, I know it’s May.
4) I’m still a little surprised at how these seem to be becoming, let’s say, more optional for Rams starters.

10 Observations from OTA No. 2

Myles Simmons

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-2

1) When practice started after the stretching period, Los Angeles’ defense got things going with a pursuit drill, while the offense worked on fundamentals. The offensive line split up into two groups to get some time with the two-man sled — though each player got his work individually. The offensive quarterbacks and skill players went through basic routes against air to warm up.

2) During individual drills, tight ends coach Wes Phillips was active within the position group, using a blocking bag while helping the players with their technique. The tight ends worked through movement and staying in front of defenders on blocks, and also their first steps in run-blocking techniques.

3) Also during individual drills, the defensive line worked on their shock-and-shed technique. The players had to push back position coach Eric Henderson, get his arms off of them, step sideways through the bags, then hit a large weighted ball on the ground. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s power and speed really stood out when going through the drill. Second-year defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day looked good in his reps, too.

4) Wide receiver Cooper Kupp — who is progressing through his rehab from a season-ending ACL tear suffered in Week 10 last year — went through some work on the side from the early portion of practice with trainers. But he also was in for a number of plays during Los Angeles’ 11-on-11 jog through later in the session.

5) Early on in 7-on-7 work — with the first-team offense going against the first-team defense — quarterback Jared Goff threw a nice deep ball down the left side to wide receiver Robert Woods. The pass went just over the outstretched hand of safety Marqui Christian. Woods was thisclose to making the catch, and really it seemed like a play he’d make nine times out of 10. But in this particular instance, he bobbled the ball a few times before it fell to the ground, drawing a couple of “OHHHs” out of his teammates and coaches.

6) Wide receiver/return specialist JoJo Natson made a nice leaping catch over the middle from backup quarterback Blake Bortles during the 7-on-7 period. Natson caught the pass just as he was getting from the second to the third level, securing it as he went to the ground.

7) At one point during the 7-on-7 work when the reserves went in, safety Eric Weddle was behind the offense chatting with third-year tight end Gerald Everett. The veteran safety, headed into his 13th year in the league, had recently been covering the third-year tight end in 7-on-7, and may have had some tips of the trade to share.

8) Undrafted rookie tight end Kendall Blanton made a nice catch at the end of the 7-on-7 work at the right sideline. Goff got flushed out of the pocket to his right by a mock rusher — pass game coordinator Shane Waldron, in this case — and had to make an off-schedule throw. Blanton was open near the first-down marker at the sideline, and made the sliding catch for what would have extended a drive.

9) While a lot of Los Angeles’ 11-on-11 work came in the form of a jog-thru — where Goff was pointing out his reads rather than actually throwing them — the team did do some live-speed, non-contact 11-on-11 drills toward the end of practice. On one play, rookie safety Taylor Rapp was defending the middle of the field and knocked a pass down intended for Natson, receiving some, “Good job, Taylor!” praise from the defensive sideline.

10) Finally, after the full team was dismissed, many of the Rams’ younger players stayed back to get in some more 11-on-11 work. L.A. often does this, particularly during training camp, in order to get those players more comfortable with the offensive and defensive systems through more reps.

10 Observations from OTA No. 3

Myles Simmons

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-3

1) As expected from head coach Sean McVay’s comments on Monday, outside linebacker Dante Fowler was in attendance for Thursday’s final OTA of the week. During the special teams period to open practice, Fowler was working with outside linebackers coach Chris Shula on concepts and techniques for a little one-on-one instruction.

2) Following the special teams period, the quarterbacks and offensive skill players worked on a ball security drill. In three separate lines, quarterbacks had to evade a rush in a pocket from a coach, before throwing a check-down pass to the wideout, running back, or tight end. The receiver then had to run through two large tackling dummies.

3) In a later period, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers were working on misdirection plays — jet sweeps, counters, etc. — all against air. Quarterback Jared Goff noted on Monday that sometimes it’s remarkable just how much L.A. has in its full playbook, since things become so game-plan specific during the season. This seemed to be an example of just how expansive things can be.

4) On the other field, the inside linebackers were working on their coverage and interception skills. Assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry was using his body — particularly his shoulder movement — to indicate how the LBs should read a potential quarterback. Sometimes he’d then throw it, sometimes he wouldn’t. But Troy Reeder, an undrafted rookie out of Delaware, made a nice one-handed grab at one point.

5) After the offense and defense went through a half-field passing drill, they split up on different fields again. This time, the offensive units split into two groups — the first-teamers on one side of the field and the reserves on another — to run the same sort of misdirection plays from earlier in the session. But this time, the Rams were running them with 11 on offense as opposed to just the skill players. Los Angeles’ practices are often structured like this — position groups do drills alone that correspond to what they’ll be doing as a group later on in the session.

6) Los Angeles went through 7-on-7 red zone drills on Thursday. During that period, Goff connected with wide receiver Josh Reynolds on a short route to the middle of the field for a touchdown. Reynolds used a bit of a head fake to get loose, and Goff delivered a strike right to his hands for a TD.

7) Still in 7-on-7 drills but no longer in the red zone, rookie safety Taylor Rapp got in a few snaps with the defensive unit alongside starters John Johnson and Eric Weddle. With Rapp in just his second week with the club, Johnson was talking to Rapp pre-snap, ostensibly making sure the young safety knew just what to do during the play. Johnson’s only entering his third season, but that’s some solid veteran leadership.

8) In another passing period, Goff connected with tight end Gerald Everett on a deep pass down the left side that would’ve gone for a touchdown. Everett elevated over the defending corner to reel in the pass for a nice red-zone catch.

9) In the same red-zone period, cornerback Aqib Talib showed he’s still got closing speed entering his 12th season in the league. Goff targeted Reynolds in the back-right corner of the end zone, but Talib was able to run up and get a hand on the ball to knock it out of reach for No. 83. But on the next play, Goff was able to connect with Reynolds, with the wideout using his wingspan to snatch the ball over a couple of defenders.

10) Finally, after working with trainers on the side for most of the session, wide receiver Cooper Kupp was in on offense for Los Angeles’ jog-thru 11-on-11 period. Kupp caught a couple of short passes from Goff with the slower-than-game speed.

“Holy smokes we’ve got a lot of stuff available.” Year three leading McVay’s offense, Goff has his goals for OTAs

https://www.therams.com/news/holy-smokes-we-ve-got-a-lot-of-stuff-available-year-three-leading-mcvay-s-offens

In his third round of OTAs as the leader of the Los Angeles offense, quarterback Jared Goff has been reminded just how thick head coach Sean McVay’s playbook is.

“You forget how much offense we actually have because weekly it’s so narrow and so focused, and then you come back to this period and it’s like holy smokes we’ve got a lot of stuff available,” Goff said following Day 1 going against the defense.

“It’s good though, it’s good to kind of work out and find out what we like, try different things.”

Different things that sometimes work and sometimes don’t, and do or do not end up on the sidelines in McVay’s bag of tricks on Sundays. Goff stood at the podium at the team’s facility in Thousand, Oaks, Calif. and, without going into specifics, recounted a few plays from the formative OTAs period that wound up working on gameday.

Now in preparation for year four, OTAs represent the chance for the head coach and quarterback to add layers to the league’s No. 2 offense in 2018. And the process is becoming easier for Goff.

“It’s very seamless now to where we can just kind of add little words, little nuances and change things at the line of scrimmage more often. I feel like I’m starting to understand it fully even more,” Goff said.

A greater understanding of McVay’s offense isn’t the be-all, end-all for Goff in the offseason’s first half. An improved completion percentage for the fourth-consecutive year is a personal goal that came to mind for the 24-year-old QB, and with training camp just over two months out, getting through progressions more quickly is the first step.

“I talk about any way to get completions and that’s really a big one, working through a little bit quicker. And continuing to fully understand each concept and understand what we are trying to get done in every play,” Goff said. “That all will lead to more completions and more yards.”

Aaron Donald talks up Greg Gaines: ‘Every day he’s getting better’

Aaron Donald talks up Greg Gaines: 'Every day he's getting better'

Aaron Donald is participating in OTAs for the first time in the Sean McVay era. The Los Angeles Rams star stayed away from the voluntary practices the past two seasons as he held out for a new contract, but now that he’s landed his record deal, he’s back in the fold for his first full offseason since 2016.

Speaking to the media after practice Tuesday, Donald said he’s happy to be back working with his teammates instead of training solely on his own.

“Good to be here with the guys, grinding with the guys, and just been working. It’s been good,” he said.

Donald was then asked about the differences between the team before and after McVay took over. “Well that’s obvious: We’ve been winning,” Donald said with a smile. Donald said McVay changed “the mindset, the culture around here. When you’ve got a coach like McVay that nonstop his mindset is to be the best at what he does, and it just trickles down to us and everybody got that same mindset,” he explained.

Donald was also asked about rookie defensive tackle Greg Gaines, who the Rams have indicated they plan on starting next to Donald.

“He’s good, good player. One of the guys that asks a lot of questions and wants to know things, that’s good. He’s out there working, grinding, and you can see it on film, every day he’s been getting better.”

Gaines had said during his press conference a couple of weeks back that he was starstruck by the veteran, and Donald seems open to taking him under his wing.

“If any guy, anybody got a question they need to ask, if they just want to pick my brain, I’m always [here]. They ask me stuff, I’m giving them feedback, or they want me to watch film and tell them something I see that they need to improve, I try to do that as best as I can,” he said. “So just trying to lead by example and if the young guys need questions answered or just need me to help them work on something, I’m here and they know that.”

Donald taking on such a strong leadership role is a great sign for the team and the locker room. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year also talked about his new positional coach, defensive line coach Eric Henderson, and things seem to be going well.

“I’ve been loving coach thus far, that’s one of the main [reasons] why I wanted to be here, to work with the guys and also work with him. He’s working a lot of different drills that I feel like can help me get better, help me improve my game. He’s pushing me. Like I said, he broke down stuff with me and showed me things I need to correct in my game,” Donald said.

“Having him here, having him coach me, with the different drills he’s got us out there doing, things that I actually needed to work on that I needed to improve, I’m just excited to keep working with him,” he continued.

The new pairing is clearly working so far, and it sounds like the Rams made a nice hire. There’s a long way to go, but with a full offseason under his belt, there’s no reason to think Donald won’t be able to win his third straight DPOY award.

10 Observations from OTA No. 4

Myles Simmons

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-4

1) OTA No. 4 got going at noon on a clear, sunny day in Thousand Oaks, Calif. While the special teams period was ongoing to start the session, quarterbacks were on the second field going through a drill to simulate passing on the run. Jared Goff and Blake Bortles, for instance, were moving in a large circle, throwing the pigskin back and forth.

2) During individual drills, the offensive line worked on double teams with the guards and tackles, while centers had to execute a one-on-one reach block against a player lined head-up against him. Those kinds of combination blocks with the guards and tackles are a foundation of the team’s zone run scheme.

3) With the offense and defense still on separate fields, the offensive unit worked on installing red zone plays, running them against air. Before the offense ran each play, head coach Sean McVay would provide detailed instructions on the routes for each receiver. And each eligible receiver would get a ball — so if there were two receivers going out, two would have to make a catch, same if there were three.

4) The Rams continued working on a number of misdirection plays during a jog-through session with just the offensive unit. With O players lining up opposite the starting 11, the Rams worked in different players to go through plays like regular running back handoffs and jet sweeps to wide receivers.

5) The offense then separated into two different groups to run plays with a full offensive unit against air. For the first-team O, McVay would shout out what the coverage was before the snap. There were a number of different types of screens run during this period.

6) Bringing the offense and defense together for 7-on-7, tight end Gerald Everett displayed his considerable receiving skills by elevating in the back of the end zone to catch a Goff pass over a pair of defenders. The coverage from the first-team secondary was tight at the beginning of the play, so the signal-caller had to roll to his right to create something off-schedule. Because it was 7-on-7, yes, Goff may have been sacked in reality. But it was still a good find in the back of the end zone and a pretty athletic catch by No. 81.

7) Still in 7-on-7 but now in the middle of the field instead of the red zone, safeties John Johnson and Taylor Rapp combined to force an interception. Johnson had tight coverage on the defense’s left, batted a pass up, and Rapp was right there to catch it for a takeaway. The Rams were in a three-safety defensive package for this third-down play, with the veteran Eric Weddle being the final player at the position.

8) Over the course of OTAs during certain periods, the Rams have been running essentially 7-on-7 plays, but with most of the offensive line on the field going against air. On the first play of this Tuesday practice period, Goff hit Everett again over the middle of the field, sneaking the ball just past Weddle, who seemed to turn around in disbelief that the pass made it to the tight end in what was a pretty small window.

9) But, Weddle would make his own play later in the period. On a red-zone play with the safety on Everett, Weddle batted down a pass at the front-right corner of the end zone. Weddle had tight coverage throughout the play, using closing speed to put the pass harmlessly (…for the defense) on the ground.

10) When asked about wide receiver Cooper Kupp during OTAs, McVay has said that L.A. has found some creative ways to get the wideout reps on the field as he recovers from his ACL tear suffered last November. One such way is through the 11-on-11 jog thrus, where Kupp has participated since L.A. isn’t going at full speed. He was in that drill today, and caught a couple passes — one over the middle of the field from Goff.

10 Observations from OTA No. 5

Myles Simmons

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-5

1) As expected, outside linebacker Dante Fowler was in attendance for Wednesday’s OTA. While he was not there for Tuesday’s voluntary session, head coach Sean McVay said Fowler had communicated to the team a travel snafu. Fowler was active throughout the session within his position group and in 11-on-11 work.

2) As Fowler was getting some one-on-one instruction from OLBs coach Chris Shula at the beginning of practice, Los Angeles was putting in work on special teams. On one field, players were drilling kickoff and kickoff return. On the other, players were drilling how to set up a double team for punt return.

3) During the defense’s usual pursuit drill, defensive tackle Aaron Donald fielded a swing pass on the left side, leaving the reserves to chase after him. If that ever happened in a real game….good luck stopping that freight train.

4) On the other field, the tight ends were performing an interesting drill to ostensibly practice their first steps in blocking. One player would wear a long stretch band around their waist, and a position-mate would hold it. The first TE would then get in a stance and take his first couple steps, while the one behind would provide resistance on the band.

5) With the offense working independently, the Rams practiced a number of screen plays — moving down the field against air. Running backs Malcolm Brown and John Kelly rotated at their position. L.A. ran a wide variety of screens to each skill position during the period.

6) Bringing the skill-position players on both offense and defense together, Los Angeles went through a half-field passing drill — essentially 7-on-7 but with fewer players so more could rotate in and get more frequent reps. Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman broke up a short pass to wideout Robert Woods on the defense’s left near the sideline early on in the drill.

7) But during that same period, quarterback Jared Goff connected with Woods deep down the right sideline for a touchdown. It was one of Goff’s better passes on the day, hitting the wide receiver in stride.

8) The No. 16 to No. 17 connection struck again on another deep pass, this time during 7-on-7 drills. It looked like Woods ran either a deep seam route or a post route. And on the next play, Goff dropped in a nice deep out to wide receiver Josh Reynolds on the left side. This came after a set of plays where the defense had great coverage, essentially preventing any completions — showing the competitiveness of both units.

9) During a water break, safety Eric Weddle, cornerback Aqib Talib, and cornerback Marcus Peters were all chatting with McVay. The subject matter was unclear, but it does show how McVay is certainly not just the head coach of the offense — he’s heavily involved on both sides of the ball.

10) Finally, the Rams held a competitive 11-on-11, two-minute period, during which the defensive backs continued to excel. Peters had strong coverage on the defense’s right sideline for an out route, forcing a throwaway. Safety John Johnson had good coverage down the field on a deep route, also forcing an incompletion. And Talib ended the drill by tipping an intermediate pass up and then making the catch for an interception.

highlights from Week 2 of Rams OTAs

Notes and highlights from Week 2 of Rams OTAs

“Aw, he’s trying to break them!” 😂@ClayMatthews52 | #LARams pic.twitter.com/8OOo8tkRfH

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 29, 2019

Tunnel Vision‼️ pic.twitter.com/23QaBGF03a

— Robert Woods (@robertwoods) May 30, 2019

🔜 Year 4@JaredGoff16 puttin' in work! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/o2X523Iacm

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 30, 2019

.@AqibTalib21 gettin' right for 2019. 💯 pic.twitter.com/YblOzxS7cJ

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 30, 2019

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by zn.

10 Observations from OTA No. 7

Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-7

1) During the special teams period to begin Monday’s practice, quarterbacks were working with coaches on the second field. Reserve quarterback John Wolford actually made a one-handed grab while fielding a throw from backup QB Blake Bortles. Bortles was practicing a play-action pass and threw it over the middle of the field, where Wolford stuck his left hand out and snatched it for a nice grab.

2) At the beginning of individual drills, the offensive line worked on recovering fumbles. It’s a sort of “in case of emergency” drill, but ball security is important, and things do happen. The OLs were working in pairs, with one rolling a ball toward the other, and the second fielding the ball by getting on the ground and tucking it.

3) Also in individual drills, defensive tackle Aaron Donald displayed his considerable lateral quickness while running sideways through the bags. It’s almost as if Donald glides where others have to step, his footwork is so precise. And that’s when he moves from either the left or right.

4) The Rams first-team offense and first-team defense were on separate fields for the first 11-on-11 period of the day — with both top units going against a scout team. During that period, quarterback Jared Goff connected with wideout Josh Reynolds on a deep pass down the left side, hitting him in stride.

5) In 7-on-7 drills with the first-team offense competing with the defensive starters, safety John Johnson did a nice job in coverage, staying over the top of a Reynolds double move. Johnson’s coverage induced a reset from Goff, as the QB then settled for an underneath route. Johnson received some praise from cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant after the play.

6) As OTAs continue, rookie running back Darrell Henderson is beginning to emerge on offense. Because the Rams don’t have pads on, there’s only so much you can tell from a RB on a play-to-play basis. But he’s looked more comfortable finding the right hole within the scheme. And he caught a nice swing pass to the left side during 7-on-7.

7) After one segment of the 7-on-7 period, head coach Sean McVay came over to the defensive sideline to compliment safety Eric Weddle on his performance during the drill. McVay has been effusive in his praise of Weddle throughout the offseason program.

8) Wide receiver Austin Proehl caught a couple of passes in a row from Bortles during 7-on-7, one of which was a nice grab over the middle where the wideout had to elevate and reach a bit behind him. It stands to reason the Bortles-to-Proehl connection could get a lot of play during the preseason.

9) Tight end Gerald Everett made a really nice deep catch down the left sideline in the red zone during 7-on-7. He caught the ball in stride from Goff, using his length to reach over the defender. McVay called Everett a bright spot for the club during the offseason program during his Monday press conference — which makes sense as the third-year TE has been making a lot of plays during OTAs.

10) Finally, wide receiver Robert Woods closed out 7-on-7 with a great one-handed catch in the back of the left side of the end zone. He stuck out his right hand, looked like he kept his feet in bounds, and caught the pass from Goff for a would-be touchdown.

10 Observations from OTA No. 8

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-8

1) Los Angeles’ special teams unit got things going on Tuesday afternoon with kickoff return drills. Coordinator John “Bones” Fassel had cones set up to designate where players should be as they ran down the field. JoJo Natson was back to field the kicks — which weren’t exactly kicks as the club was using the JUGS machine to put the ball in the air.

2) As that was happening on one field, quarterbacks were on the other practicing quick screens to the outside. Wideout Cooper Kupp was there to help field them. The signal-callers had to get rid of the ball quickly and in rapid-fire succession, emphasizing how fast the timing has to be in that context.

3) Following the special teams drills, the defense began with an 11-on-11 session against a scout-team offense. Head coach Sean McVay was over with the defense to help run things. The scout team ran both runs and passes against the first-team defense.

4) After that scout-team period, the reserve wide receivers and tight ends came to the other field to work on red zone routes with the quarterbacks. They went through different route combinations, with multiple QBs throwing passes so each eligible receiver could get a ball.

5) Then the offense went through the same kind of 11-on-11 period against a scout defense. As it had been with the offense, the defensive starters remained on the other field going through individual drills. Reserves on the Rams’ offense also were able to get some work in against air, drilling on a separate part of the field. At the same time, reserves are working against air with some of the assistant coaches.

6) With the first-team offense competing against the first-team defense in 7-on-7, quarterback Jared Goff connected with wideout Josh Reynolds on a nice strike over the middle. Goff effectively threw Reynolds open, moving him out of the way of a defender by placing the ball a bit to the left on the intermediate level.

7) Also in 7-on-7 drills, backup quarterback Blake Bortles threw a nice back-shoulder strike to tight end Tyler Higbee for one of the more impressive plays of the session. With all receivers initially covered, Bortles rolled to his right and fired the ball to Higbee along the right sideline. Higbee made an athletic move to shield the defender from the football, then caught it and got his feet in bounds for a completion. Goff looked particularly impressed with the throw, giving Bortles a low five in celebration.

8) Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman has stood out throughout OTAs, and that continued on Tuesday as he broke up a pass in the back-left corner of the end zone to wide receiver Robert Woods during 7-on-7 drills.

9) For some 11-on-11 work, Los Angeles set up a two-minute drill. In this scenario, the Rams were down by five with just over a minute to go. While the offense got into opponent territory, the defense mainly kept the O in bounds, and didn’t allow the unit to get into the end zone.

10) Finally, L.A. finished with a jog-thru 11-on-11 period. The slower speed gives the Rams a chance to work on the details for anything that may not have been clean on the initial play. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp was on the field for a good amount of these plays, after spending most of the session running routes on the side with trainers.

10 Observations from OTA No. 9

Myles Simmons

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-9

1) The Rams held a shorter, lighter practice on Wednesday, giving the session more of an above-the-neck approach. Instead of having a couple of stretching periods for different groups, Los Angeles held just one with the entire roster.

2) During individual drills, the defensive line went through the five-man sled — having to hit it, then rip through before moving on to the next space. In all, each lineman had to hit the sled three times, skipping one spot to keep the line moving.

3) Wide receiver Cooper Kupp was involved with the quarterbacks during individual drills, catching passes in the corner of the end zone for the signal-callers. The rest of the wide receivers were going through a different, more intense set of drills.

4) After the individual drills, both the first-team offense and defense held a jog-thru against a scout team. This is one spot where the above-the-neck approach came through, coaches were giving a good amount of instruction throughout the drills.

5) While the club wasn’t going full speed, tight end Gerald Everett made a nice one-handed catch in the front-right corner of the end zone to cap a red-zone play.

6) After a while, the starters on offense and defense came together on one field to get more work in. On the other field, backup quarterback Blake Bortles was leading the charge against the reserve defense.

7) Given the above-the-neck approach to the day, it’s no real surprise that head coach Sean McVay took a lot of time to provide instruction — taking moment before different plays to ensure all players were on the same page to run things properly.

8) The offense mixed in some different personnel groupings over the course of the period besides the team’s standard 11 (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers), rotating in different players and positions. McVay has previously said that he would like to use some more personnel groups throughout the course of the year.

9) Even at the slow speed, it’s easy to tell the versatility of the defense. The Rams had different players blitzing and were consistently changing things up in coverage. It’s likely going to be tough on offenses to figure out which players are going to rush — especially in known-passing situations.

10) At the end of the short session, rookie safety Taylor Rapp remained on the field for a while with safeties coach Ejiro Evero and cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant to receive a little extra instruction. The Rams’ second-round pick does have a chance to contribute early on in his career.

7 takeaways from Rams OTAs

7 takeaways from Rams OTAs

The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up the final session of organized team activities on Thursday and are heading into mandatory minicamp next week. They got in 10 days of work over the course of three weeks, getting veterans and rookies on the field at the same time.

It’s limited as to what teams can do during OTAs because live contact and pads are not allowed, but it’s better than having offenses throwing against air.

Here are seven takeaways from OTAs.

New veterans are already making their presence felt

Pads haven’t come on and there’s no live contact on the practice field yet, but the Rams’ veteran additions are already making an impact. Clay Matthews and Eric Weddle, in particular, have taken on leadership roles, helping younger players on defense.

Weddle has taken John Johnson under his wing and given rookie Taylor Rapp some tips along the way, while also working with tight end Gerald Everett, who he’s covered frequently in practice.

If nothing else, Weddle and Matthews will make everyone around them better thanks to their experience.

High expectations for Brian Allen and Joseph Noteboom

Allen and Noteboom have been taking first-team reps at center and left guard, respectively, and are in line to be the starters at those spots this season. They have some big shoes to fill by replacing Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan, but the Rams are confident they can step up in Year 2.

Sean McVay said the team is “counting on” Allen and Noteboom being able to step in and make a fairly seamless transition from backup to starter, especially with regards to “the language, the vernacular” on offense.

If Allen and Noteboom can succeed as starters, the offensive line will once again be in great shape.

Todd Gurley isn’t fully healthy

The Rams can say all they want about Gurley being on a specific plan for his knee, but one thing is clear: He’s not 100% healthy. If he were, he’d be doing on-field work and practicing with the team, not on his own in an individual capacity.

Don’t get it twisted: Gurley could very well be fine for the start of the regular season, but at the moment, he isn’t as healthy as he’s been in years past. The Rams are making a concerted effort to preserve Gurley and ensure he’s fresh for the long haul in the postseason and in years to come, but it’s foolish to think he’s his normal self right now.

Hopefully this training regimen will get him on the right track ahead of camp later this summer.

Players love Sean McVay

This isn’t anything new, but there’s been effusive praise coming McVay’s way this offseason. Newcomers such as Matthews and Weddle have discussed the benefits of playing for McVay, while Dante Fowler Jr. expressed real appreciation for the coach allowing him to take care of his family back in Florida during voluntary OTAs.

Blake Bortles also had high remarks for McVay, saying he’s never seen anything like his coaching style. Needless to say, his beliefs about McVay have all been true, which is why he signed with the Rams in the first place.

Cooper Kupp is progressing well

Kupp is making excellent progress from his torn ACL suffered last season. He obviously hasn’t gone full speed in practice yet, but he’s gotten on the field for 11-on-11 jog-throughs and has done individual work on the side.

There’s absolutely no reason to believe he won’t be fully healthy for the start of the regular season, and it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if he’s participating regularly in training camp. It’s great to see him catching passes, running routes – even if at half-speed – and working his way back from a devastating injury.

Gerald Everett is turning heads

This is the year Everett breaks out, right? It seems Rams fans have been saying that every year since he was drafted in 2017, but the young tight ends is on the right track this offseason. Yes, it’s only OTAs and yes, it’s difficult to gauge how well Everett is blocking, but as a receiver, he’s done well so far.

According to reports from those in attendance, Everett has been making plays in practice, including a one-handed grab this week. Highlights put out by the Rams have made him look good, too.

Everett said he feels he’s a “way better blocker” now than he was last year, which is promising as he tries to vault Tyler Higbee for the TE1 spot.

Backup O-linemen are still finding their roles

It’s pretty clear that the starting offensive line this season will be (from left to right) Andrew Whitworth, Noteboom, Allen, Austin Blythe and Rob Havenstein. What’s not as obvious is who will back up each guy.

Jamil Demby got first-team reps at left tackle when Whitworth was resting, as did rookie David Edwards.

Additionally, Demby was tried at center in individual drills, which is somewhat surprising. He played tackle in college and was tried at guard last season, but moving him to center appears to be new.

The good and bad from Rams OTAs, before this week’s three-day minicamp

Vincent Bonsignore

https://theathletic.com/1018707/2019/06/10/the-good-and-bad-from-rams-otas-before-this-weeks-three-day-minicamp/

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Rams have wrapped up the Organized Team Activity phase of their offseason program, and all that stands between them and the opening of training camp in late July is a mandatory three-day minicamp that begins Tuesday.

If recent history repeats, the minicamp likely will be condensed by a day or two, because coach Sean McVay typically cuts it short to reward players for the work they put in during the offseason program. And after observing the Rams during the open portions of OTAs, I suspect that will be the case this year.

Among the many observations from OTAs, one that stands out is how the Rams attacked the program with focus and energy. This isn’t your typical, positive-natured OTAs hyperbole, either. I sincerely wondered what sort of mindset the Rams would have, given the gut-wrenching manner in which their season ended, with a disappointing loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Or whether the obvious disappointment would linger into this season.

That doesn’t appear to be the case, at least not yet. The team I watched the last few weeks looks much more decisive and purposeful than this time last year.

Some poking around behind the scenes revealed that the work ethic, demeanor and spirit has stood out within the Rams’ building. The resulting sentiment, as expressed in a recent text from a team insider, is that while there’s no guarantee they’ll match or exceed their 13-win total from a year ago, there is confidence that this year’s team has a chance to be better overall than the one that reached the Super Bowl last year.

That said, here are some specific observations from OTAs:

The absence of Todd Gurley lingers

No doubt the Rams are pleased with the work they’ve put in thus far, and even just from eyeballing it from the sidelines, it appears their content is warranted. But the notable absence of Todd Gurley, who was held out of on-field activities while adhering to a training program designed to get his left knee through an entire season, cast a definite shadow.

The murkiness surrounding Gurley’s health has been cause for boundless discussion, speculation, worry and frustration among pundits and fans. The manner in which he ended last season — he missed the final two regular-season games and appeared to be a shell of himself in the playoffs (save for a powerful performance in the divisional round against Dallas) – and the lack of clarity ever since has been an ominous stain on an otherwise positive offseason.

Nevertheless, I still believe it’s overly pessimistic to assume the worst about Gurley. Obviously something is up with the knee. All signs are pointing to a condition that needs to be managed, rather than an actual injury that needs to be fixed. Reading between the lines regarding the plan they have in place, it appears the days of Gurley being the undisputed, heavy-load bell cow running back are over.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t still be a hugely significant piece of the Rams’ offense. In fact, by altering his usage rate the Rams hope to avoid reaching a point of diminishing returns, which seemed to be the issue last year.

The Rams created cover for Gurley — no matter the severity of the situation — by re-signing Malcolm Brown and drafting dynamic Memphis running back Darrell Henderson. Brown is expected to reclaim his backup duties after he missed the last four regular-season games and all of the postseason with a knee injury, and Henderson showed in OTAs that his speed, explosiveness and versatility as a runner and pass catcher will add an exciting new element to the Rams’ offense.

The question is, will he do it more as a complement to Gurley or in place of him?

One thing that really stood out in OTAs is the obviousness that this is an offense going into its third year under the same coach.

That isn’t to suggest it has hit some type of plateau, either. In fact, with the foundation of McVay’s offense securely in place, the Rams are adding and building on it.

The face of that familiarity and decisiveness is fourth-year quarterback Jared Goff, who has looked completely in charge with his operation and leadership inside the huddle, at the line of scrimmage and in actual execution. Quite a bit of that has been against zone-coverage looks, which gave him trouble late last season and in particular against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The blame for that is not exclusive to Goff, as the Rams’ coaching staff was slow to make adjustments to the defensive schemes the Patriots utilized. But if OTAs provided any evidence, the Rams seem more prepared, should teams deploy a similar game plan.

Circling back to Goff and the command he’s showing, it makes the idea of the Rams walking away from him at the end of his rookie contract seem all the more ludicrous. It makes no sense, after investing the resources it took to acquire Goff, then developing and grooming him, to simply part ways just as he’s hitting his prime years, in order to start over with a younger, cheaper replacement.

Yes, keeping Goff will be expensive. And there will be salary-cap challenges when it comes to building a championship-caliber team around a highly paid quarterback. But Goff will be in the prime years of his career, with a master’s degree in this offense, and that will provide far more benefit than whatever savings an unproven, younger replacement might provide.

Inside linebacker is still a question, but there are answers

The Rams took a huge leap of faith this time last year by anointing Cory Littleton as the replacement at inside linebacker for veteran Alec Ogletree, a fixture they surprisingly traded. Littleton delivered on the Rams’ faith with a Pro Bowl-caliber season while excelling against both the run and pass.

The Rams hope history repeats this year because they cut veteran Mark Barron in a salary-cap move, which left the linebacker spot opposite Littleton wide open.

Micah Kiser, now in his second year after spending most of his rookie year on special teams, got a bunch of snaps with the first-team defense during OTAs. And while he looks bigger and stronger from this time a year ago – he more than looked the starter’s part during practice – until he actually gets on the field for an extended period, he remains a question mark.

The depth behind Littleton and Kiser is mostly thin, save for Bryce Hager, a veteran backup who can provide capable work in short stints. It opens the door for youngsters such as Travin Howard, in whom the Rams invested a year of development last season, and rookie Dakota Allen, who they drafted in the seventh round this year out of Texas Tech.

The Rams were noticeably quiet on the ILB front during the offseason, which leads you to believe they’re comfortable that a combination of Kiser and others will adequately man the position. Keep in mind, also, the amount of time they spend in their base defense is not extensive. Whatever learning curve Kiser might experience in pass coverage can be mitigated by sub-package looks, in which he yields his spot to a defensive back.

It will be interesting to see how quickly rookie safety Taylor Rapp grasps the defense. You can certainly envision situations where he’s on the field in three-safety looks, in which either he or John Johnson drop down to linebacker. Rapp, much like Johnson, was utilized all over the field at Washington and his versatility was particularly attractive to the Rams.

Lots of numbers on the defensive line

One of the more intriguing positions to watch in OTAs — and into training camp — is the defensive line. Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers are back at tackle and end, respectively, but who lines up between them (in their base defense) and alongside them (in sub packages) remains in question.

The good news is, there are plenty of available options.

The most likely candidate to start at nose tackle in the base defense is rookie Greg Gaines, but don’t sleep on second-year tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, who put in a ton of work in the weight room this offseason and looks ready to earn a role. Joseph-Day was on the 53-man roster for all of last year after being selected in the sixth round out of Rutgers, a sign of the Rams’ confidence that he could deliver if called upon. As it turns out, he was able to take a virtual redshirt season and quietly develop behind the scenes. He has a huge opportunity to forge a role this year, and his work in OTAs shows he’s taken the necessary steps to compete for a job.

Tanzel Smart is also in the mix, but has some work ahead of him with the addition of Gaines and what appears to be an improved Joseph-Day.

On the outside, veteran Clay Matthews took some snaps as a hand-in-dirt defensive end, although he was much more prominent at outside linebacker — usually while rotating with Samson Ebukam — and (at times) at inside linebacker.

Matthews will likely rotate among all three positions during the season, as coordinator Wade Phillips wants to deploy him from various launch points and try to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

When the Rams do line up with four linemen, expect to see a lot of John Franklin-Myers, who showed natural pass-rush skill as a rookie while notching two sacks, and Morgan Fox, who is back at defensive end after missing all of last year with a knee injury.

Fox stood out during OTAs with his speed and athletic ability, which served to remind everyone why the Rams were so high on him before the injury. The combination of Fox, Franklin-Myers and Matthews has a chance to create enticing pass-rush pressure off the bench, and help supplement the heat created by Donald in the interior and Dante Fowler Jr. off the edge.