Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Thomas Passes Physical, Marquez Waived, Rams lack vertical threat? Is it Thomas?
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August 7, 2017 at 2:42 pm #72028znModerator
Thomas Passes Physical, Marquez Waived
Myles Simmons
The Rams executed a pair of roster moves Monday morning, taking wide receiver Mike Thomas off of the physically unable to perform list after passing his physical, and waiving wide receiver Bradley Marquez with an injury designation.
A 2016 sixth-round pick out of Southern Miss, Thomas played mostly special teams in his rookie season but also caught three passes for 37 yards. He appeared headed for a larger role during the offseason program, but was served a four-game suspension to open the 2017 season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Thomas opened training camp on PUP but passed his physical, which means he’ll be able to practice with the team.
At the start of camp, head coach Sean McVay called Thomas’ suspension unfortunate, but a situation that the club will deal with.
“He won’t be available for those first four games, but we have confidence that Mike will work,” McVay said on July 27. “I thought he did a great job this offseason demonstrating his ability he’s a guy that can go down the field and then also contribute in the intermediate game and underneath. When the ball is in his hands, good things happened this offseason. I thought his confidence grew, and this is something that we’ll navigate through together, but when he’s back we’ll be excited to have him.”
Marquez recently suffered a knee injury and had not been practicing over the last few days. The wideout originally signed with the Rams and undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech in 2015 and has been a special teams mainstay ever since. But he’s also contributed some in the pass game, making 16 receptions for 125 yards in his first two pro seasons.
Should Marquez clear waivers, he may be placed on the Rams’ injured reserve list.
August 7, 2017 at 2:44 pm #72029znModeratorThe poster here doesn’t give a source but he’s routinely dependable and the comment is no doubt based on a source, just uncited (he does that).
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CROMWELL21
Marquez Waived Injured, will revert to IR
August 7, 2017 at 7:24 pm #72034znModeratorRams still lack a vertical threat for Sean McVay’s offense
Alden Gonzalez
IRVINE, Calif. — Josh Reynolds ran short sprints between the two practice fields at UC Irvine. Mike Thomas caught passes from punter Johnny Hekker in the end zone. Tavon Austin just stood there, watching while Jared Goff and the rest of the first-team offense navigated through a light, one-hour practice on Sunday afternoon. Another day went by without the three guys — the only three guys, really — who are expected to be vertical outside threats for the Los Angeles Rams. They were heavy on slot receivers before, but it’s even more so the case now.
Thomas has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but he is nonetheless suspended for the first four regular-season games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Reynolds has a quad injury, but the 2017 fourth-round pick is still a little raw for the NFL. The one that hurts the most is Austin, who spent the entire offseason program recovering from wrist surgery and has sat out the past five practices because of a tender hamstring.
The Rams will be counting on receiver Tavon Austin to give them an explosive threat on the outside. Paul Rodriguez/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
“It’s a little bit of a setback,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “But the way we look at it is a setback is a setup for a comeback, and I think he has a good mindset about it.”McVay called Austin’s hamstring “a day-to-day thing,” something the Rams will be extra cautious about given his reliance on speed and quickness. When Austin does return, he’s going to have a lot of catching up to do. The Rams are installing a completely different offense and want Austin to play a different role as an outside vertical threat, a skill set he hasn’t really flashed in four prior NFL seasons.
“Tavon is a smart guy; he’s played in this league a long time,” offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. “The thing that you’re missing out on is just getting that timing down with your quarterbacks. I think that’s kind of a big deal. But we have a lot of faith in his ability to bounce back and he’s very attentive in our meetings and when we’re out on the field, so he’s getting those mental reps.”
The Rams were also without Bradley Marquez, who had been nursing a knee injury and was waived on Monday. They were so shallow on receivers recently that they were forced to sign three new ones in a span of two days last week: KD Cannon out of Baylor, C.J. Germany out of Notre Dame College and former quarterback Justin Thomas out of Georgia Tech. They now have 13 receivers on the roster, 11 of whom are first- or second-year players.
And none of them is named DeSean Jackson.
Jackson is one of the game’s greatest vertical threats, and McVay benefited from his presence greatly while serving as Washington’s offensive coordinator the past three years. Having a reliable downfield target who can take the top off defenses “softens coverage,” McVay said, “and it eliminates you having to go 12, 15 plays down the field because of the ability to create explosives. We’re always looking for ways to create explosives.”
With the Rams, McVay doesn’t really have a player who can consistently beat defenses over the top. It’s why his offense will probably look completely different. It was evident during Saturday’s joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers, when the vast majority of Jared Goff’s completions traveled 10 yards or fewer, with a sizable amount coming after play-action rollouts. Receivers like Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Pharoh Cooper thrive in the short-to-intermediate passing game, as do tight ends like Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett.
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“I know we have a lot of slot-body guys,” Woods said, “but I feel like our guys can definitely roll. And if we hit them on intermediate routes throughout the whole game, something’s going to pop, because they’re going to have to step down eventually and play us honest. And that’s when we just run right by them.”Longtime defensive coordinator Wade Phillips faces off against McVay every day and will tell you his offense “creates a lot of problems.” Woods believes McVay’s concepts will keep defenses honest and prevent them from jumping routes.
“We do have a lot of slot guys,” Cooper said, “but our offense lets everybody play every different position.”
Cooper is a perfect example. He’s 5-foot-11, carrying the label of a slot receiver from his collegiate days at South Carolina. But Cooper has been receiving the bulk of the first-team snaps in Austin’s absence, lining up as an X and Z receiver on the outside, positions Cooper said he feels “very comfortable” playing.
“They teach it very well, so I know the concepts,” Cooper added. “I plan to play a big role.”
Cooper might, but given a clean bill of health, the Rams will seemingly go with Austin, Woods and Kupp on three-receiver sets. They’re hoping the 5-8 Austin can be that vertical threat on the outside. Perhaps not to Jackson’s level, but close enough so that opposing teams aren’t stacking the box to stop running back Todd Gurley. They believe Austin’s straight-line speed alone will make him a weapon downfield.
But they need to see it play out on the field.
“I know he’s anxious to get out there,” McVay said. “We’ll see if he can do some of those things when he gets back out for us.”
August 7, 2017 at 7:36 pm #72039
AgamemnonModeratorA look at what's happening from #RamsCamp on snap and Insta. Follow msmmns210 to check it out. pic.twitter.com/5Os95d1TTD
— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) August 7, 2017
AgamemnonAugust 7, 2017 at 11:34 pm #72064znModeratorThey liked Thomas in OTAs and were praising him before the suspension was announced.
Thomas had a rough rookie season (as rookie WRs often will) and then got suspended. Maybe these things weigh too much in our minds? Maybe it’s all drowning out what McVay was actually saying about him before the suspension. And in fact some draft gurus singled him out as a steal and potential sleeper.
Now I ain’t sayin he’s the new DeSean Jackson.
But it SOUNDS like he could just turn out to be a better deep threat role player than Avery or Givens. Which isn’t saying that much but heck, the Rams got something out of those 2 for a bit. It’s just that they were not complete enough receivers to get over the one trick pony problem…and maybe Thomas is more than that.
Here’s Goff on Thomas from BEFORE when the suspension was announced:
from Rams rookie receivers could push second-year pros for playing time
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-receivers-20170619-story.html
Thomas impressed during offseason workouts. He avoided drops and made several difficult catches.
“It’s all about relaxing,” he said, adding, “Last year, I was a little hesitant. … In Year 2, you got to step up.”
Thomas has done that, Goff said.
Goff again:
(On how much WRs Mike Thomas and Pharoh Cooper have grown)
“Tremendously. It’s the same type of thing that I was talking about with Todd. Maturity and continuing to grow. In talking about Mike, he’s kind of found a role for himself. He’s one of our faster receivers and can stretch the defense. I think he enjoys that role and understands that he’s going to be an over the top guy. It’s just a perfect role for him.And McVay:
from Five Questions for Rams Minicamp
By Myles Simmons
McVay has spoken highly of second-year wideout Mike Thomas, saying he’s been impressed with Thomas’ speed.
August 8, 2017 at 12:24 am #72067znModeratorThey liked Thomas in OTAs and were praising him before the suspension was announced.
STUFF ON THOMAS FROM JUNE:
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McVay on Mike Thomas from: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/mcvay-vid-65/#post-69740
think he’s getting more and more confident with his hands and just becoming a more polished player – with just his routes and increasing that route versatility. What we’ve seen from Mike so far has been encouraging and he’s made plays down the field. You can feel him, he’s got some speed that gives you the ability to stretch the top-shelf of the defense and that’s what he’s done so far….What we’ve seen from Mike has been good stuff and you really like his demeanor and his disposition. He’s been a joy to be around so far.
…
…Flipper336 wrote:
Thomas has a good shot for two reasons
1. He’s talented. One of my favorites in the draft last year.
2. Rams need an X receiver to show up. They are stacked at slot and have Woods basically locked in as the starter at Z, need someone to beat CBs at the line.
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Thomas Feeling Confident Heading into Year 2
By Myles Simmons
For many NFL players, one of the most significant jumps comes between Year 1 and Year 2.
There are plenty of reasons for it. From a comfort standpoint, most rookies are just 21 or 22 years old and entering a high-stress, competitive workplace. Plus, through no fault of their own, these players are behind in learning the playbook because they don’t get drafted until teams’ offseason programs are well underway.
And so for someone like wide receiver Mike Thomas, there’s a much different feel to his second OTAs.
“Honestly, just the experience — the experience of how players move, how players play on the field, how the game speed is,” Thomas said on Tuesday. “I feel like I caught up with the tempo of practice and the game. And I’m just playing fast without thinking and just trying to seize every opportunity that comes my way.”
With wide receiver Tavon Austin unable to fully participate in OTAs after undergoing surgery, Thomas has received more practice snaps. And he’s taken advantage of them, having made a number of downfield and contested receptions. Head coach Sean McVay said this week he’s been impressed with Thomas’ speed.
“He’s a competitive player,” McVay said. “I think he’s getting more and more confident with his hands and just becoming a more polished player — with just his routes and increasing that route versatility.
“You can feel him,” McVay continued. “He’s got some speed that gives you the ability to stretch the top-shelf of the defense and that’s what he’s done so far.”
Thomas’ specialty was being a downfield threat at Southern Miss, where he averaged 19.6 yards per reception and caught 14 touchdowns in his senior season. But as a sixth-round pick in the 2016 draft, Thomas was mainly a special teams contributor as a rookie, making only three receptions in his limited offensive snaps.
“Your rookie year is always a little hesitant coming off college — different speed, different tempo. You’re playing with grown men now and that’s a lot on this level,” Thomas said. “So coming in for Year 2, like I said, you adapt to it. You know what to expect. You know how to prepare for games. You know how to prepare for practice and training camp. So it’s only right that you come in confident knowing what to expect.”
Thomas spent a lot of time working on his craft in the offseason, he said, catching plenty of balls and running numerous of routes. And the wideout trained with quarterback Jared Goff to improve their rapport.
“This offseason we connected well. We were doing a lot of routes together — throwing, catching, learning together,” Thomas said. “At the end of the day, we both came in as rookies, and we’re learning a new offense together, so it’s only right that we all get better together.”
With a new playbook to learn, Thomas has been working with Goff to master it both on the field and in the classroom.
“We ask questions. I ask a lot of questions and when I have a question, I go right to Jared because at the end of the day he has to know it, too,” Thomas said. “We’ve just been trying to get the chemistry to 100 percent.”
What’s likely aided in that process is the way McVay and his staff have installed the offense. Thomas said he feels like the unit has picked it up quickly and well, in part because everyone has a complete picture of the scheme.
“The way they’re teaching it is incredible. Everybody’s getting it fast,” Thomas said. “It’s all about concepts. And when you know what everybody else is doing on the field, it makes you play way faster because you know what I have at the end of the day, and what the tight end and the other receivers have.”
Armed with that knowledge, Thomas has been working to take advantage of every opportunity during the offseason program. Given the way he’s performed on the field, combined with the feedback from his coaches, Thomas has reason to be confident heading into Year 2.
“What we’ve seen from Mike has been good stuff and you really like his demeanor and his disposition,” McVay said. “He’s been a joy to be around so far.”
“Now I know what to expect,” Thomas said. “I adapted to it — to the speed of the game, practice — and I’m coming out strong and confident.”
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2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Southern Mississippi WR Mike Thomas
2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Southern Mississippi WR Mike Thomas
One of the more exciting and dynamic wide receivers in the country this past season, Southern Mississippi’s Mike Thomas was one of the bigger combine snubs in recent memory, and will look to showcase his athleticism during the Golden Eagles’ pro day on March 24.
WR Mike Thomas
College: Southern Mississippi
Year: Senior
Birth Year: 1994
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Arm Length: 33 3/8
Hand Size: 10 1/2Pro Day Results
40 Time: TBD
Bench: TBD
Vertical: TBD
Broad: TBD
3-Cone: TBD
Short Shuttle: TBD
60-yard Shuttle: TBDMike Thomas is one of the more underrated players in the 2016 class. Southern Mississippi’s Thomas is a little bit smaller and more raw than his Ohio State colleague, but offers tons of translatable tools and traits that should help him develop into a fine NFL receiver.
One of the first things I look at in small school receivers is how advanced their route tree and route running abilities are. Transitioning from a spread offense to a pro-style system has given plenty of receivers issues in the NFL, but Thomas ran a pretty complete tree at Southern Mississippi, showing the ability to create separation at all levels of the field.
He’s able to consistently create separation on post routes by selling vertically before stemming inside, giving his quarterback a suitable throwing window. Thomas isn’t Sterling Shepard in the short-intermediate game, but his short-area quickness is more than adequate enough to detach from man coverage on a regular basis.
One area of Thomas’ game that will need to improve (and will help his routes) is his releases off the line of scrimmage, especially against press coverage. They aren’t all bad, but Thomas tends to seek an outside release too late, allowing corners to set up comfortably to defend the sideline.
Thomas can also get crowded to the boundary due his lack of vertical explosiveness off the snap. Because he isn’t the quickest accelerator, Thomas will need to rely on deceptive footwork to get his opponent to drop his inside foot so Thomas can counter back to the perimeter. But there are reps where Thomas puts it all together and fights off jams flawlessly. He’s a well-built and physical receiver, but just needs to work on putting his technique and footwork to use consistently.
Which brings us to the most exciting part of Thomas’ skill set, his ability to make high degree of difficult catches on a regular basis with outstanding athleticism and body control. His ball skills are some of the finest in the entire draft, as Thomas knows how to use his body and time his adjustments to snag poorly thrown balls down the field.
Thomas’ my-ball mentality is evident in contested catch situations, as he shows the concentration and aggressiveness to hang on despite contact from defensive backs.
Thomas is absolutely fearless over the middle of the field too, willing to take a big shot to hang onto the football.
Thomas’ elusiveness with Corey Coleman’s, but the big receiver is fully capable of making an impact due to his vision and physicality in the open field. Thomas constantly fights for every possible yard after each reception, rarely going down without a struggle. elusiveness with Corey Coleman’s, but the big receiver is fully capable of making an impact due to his vision and physicality in the open field. Thomas constantly fights for every possible yard after each reception, rarely going down without a struggle.
The bottom line is that Thomas is an extremely aggressive playmaker who will attack the football in the air, win contested catches, and make plays vertically down the field and after the reception that not many receivers in the NFL can match. You want that on your team.
The question will be, how quickly and efficiently can Thomas put himself in position to make plays of that nature at the next level. I think the tools are there for him to create separation in his route stem and releases more consistently, but that will absolutely need to be the no. 1 area of concentration for Thomas at the next level. Physically he’s capable of defeating press coverage regularly, he just has to be taught how to speed up his process in taking on jams at the line of scrimmage.
Is he a burner deep? Probably not, but Thomas has enough speed to be able to get over the top of a defense at the next level, and can separate in the air when he doesn’t get a step on his defender. The Southern Miss receiver’s hands fail him on simple catches at times, but you’ll sacrifice a few drops for the ridiculousness he offers on plays where you think he has no chance, yet comes up with the football. Also, he’ll block the crap out of opponents in the run game, showing the willingness and physicality you want to see.
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yeah. mike doesn’t have tremendous deep speed, but he’s got tremendous body control, very good explosion. that makes for a good catch radius and he makes some ridiculous catches.
he just needs to get some confidence and consistency. i think consistency is a big knock on him as he’d drop easy catches but make the difficult ones in college.
I watched Matt Waldman video on Thomas. They mentioned that Thomas can play both sides and the slot. Now we have 3, Woods, Kupp, and thomas that can play all 3 WR positions. Thomas seemed to play mostly on the left side of the formation, X-WR. Spruce can probably play all 3 positions too.[/color]
August 8, 2017 at 12:25 am #72068znModeratorMike Thomas admits ‘mistakes,’ grateful for another chance with Rams
By RICH HAMMOND
IRVINE — No matter what happens going forward, the Rams paid their highest-possible compliment to receiver Mike Thomas in mid-July, when they didn’t cut him.
Thomas, a physically gifted but mistake-prone rookie in 2016, received a four-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Thomas didn’t feign surprise about the positive test, which perhaps is one reason why the Rams gave him a second chance.
“I kind of knew it was coming,” Thomas said of the suspension. “I just knew it was coming, so I just had to take full responsibility for it and learn from my mistakes and move forward from it.”
Thomas only wanted to go so far with his mea culpa on Monday, shortly after he completed his first training-camp practice at UC Irvine. Thomas missed the first nine days of camp with a foot injury.
Thomas politely and patiently answered questions about the injury, about his potential role on a Rams team that is short on receivers and about the suspension, but Thomas hesitated and winced a bit when asked to elaborate on the “mistake” that led to the suspension.
“I don’t want to talk about it, because it’s in the past already,” Thomas said. “I just have to watch what I take and be more responsible and more observant and just learn from it.”
It seems as though the Rams will give him a chance to do so. To make room for Thomas on the active roster Monday, the Rams waived Bradley Marquez, who, with two years of NFL experience, had been one of their most veteran receivers and also was a special-teams contributor.
The subtext seemed clear. Even though Thomas must sit out the first four games of this season (without pay), the Rams still value Thomas and intend to keep him on their roster at the end of camp.
“I think you feel that vertical speed that he has,” Coach Sean McVay said. “That gives us a nice element and option in our pass game. We’re looking forward to progressing and building with him as we move toward the season, even knowing we won’t get him until Week 5, but it’s good to get Mike back out here.”
It’s already been quite a journey for Thomas, whom the Rams drafted in the sixth round in 2016 out of Southern Mississippi, because of his potential as a 6-foot-1, 195-pound speedster.
Thomas made the Rams’ roster out of camp last year and contributed on special teams, but totaled just three catches, and his two most notable plays were errors: a fumbled kickoff return against Atlanta and a wide-open drop against Seattle.
Thomas came into the Rams’ offseason program with a new number (88) and looked good in team workouts, even though he apparently was dealing with the foot injury. Thomas established himself as a possible deep target for quarterback Jared Goff, but then came the suspension.
Given that receivers Tavon Austin and Josh Reynolds, two of the Rams’ fastest receivers, are out with injuries, the Rams need Thomas, and McVay said he intends to play Thomas in the preseason, even though he can’t be a part of the offense again (even in practice) until Oct. 2.
“Knowing that I’m not going to be on the field and not going to be around the team, it’s very disappointing,” Thomas said. “I’m just going to keep working like it’s another offseason for me, those four weeks, and when I come back I’ll be ready to work when my number is called, and make plays.”
August 8, 2017 at 7:46 pm #72115znModeratorReceiver Mike Thomas boosts playing chances in Rams’ new offense
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-report-20170807-story.html
For the first time since training camp began, Mike Thomas on Monday ran routes and caught passes with other receivers.
The second-year pro showed the speed that boosts his chances of contributing to the Rams’ new offense, and he said he was happy to be back on the field with teammates.
But Thomas, who had been sidelined because of a foot injury, will sit out the first four games of the regular season because of a suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. The suspension was announced in July, about two weeks before training camp began.
“I just knew it was coming so I had to take full responsibility of it and learn from my mistakes and move forward,” Thomas said.
Thomas declined to specify the circumstances that led to his suspension.
“I don’t want to talk about it because it’s in the past already,” he said. “Just got to watch what I take and be more responsible and be more observant and just learn from it.”
Thomas’ return to the field gives quarterback Jared Goff a potential deep threat, at least for practices and exhibition games.
Tavon Austin and rookie Josh Reynolds, also regarded as potential deep threats, remain sidelined because of injuries.
“You feel that vertical speed that he has,” coach Sean McVay said of Thomas, a sixth-round draft pick last year. “That gives us a nice option, an element in our pass game and looking forward to just kind of progressing and building with him as we move towards the season.”
Kayvon Webster works his way into starting cornerback role in Rams defense
McVay said Thomas would play in exhibition games even though he will sit out regular-season games against the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.“You still want to get him that work knowing that he’s a part of our plans for the season if things go the way that we anticipate and getting him back Week 5,” McVay said. “So, it’s a delicate balance of making sure that he gets the work that he can, but you’re also mindful that you’re not going to have him for the first part of the season.”
Thomas caught only three passes and was a standout on special teams last season.
After he was cited, Thomas said he was worried about his status with the Rams. But he impressed McVay during offseason organized team activities workouts and minicamps.
“In OTAs, I knew I was still going through this thing, I just never let it get to me,” he said. “I still made plays during OTAs.
“I just couldn’t let it get to me mentally because … negative stuff is going to build on each other and then I was just going to overthink stuff and lose my mind.”
Thomas said it was “very disappointing” that he won’t be able to help or be around the team in the first four regular-season games.
“I’m going to just keep working like it’s another offseason for me, those four weeks, and when I come back just get ready to work when my number is called and make plays,” he said.
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