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August 15, 2017 at 9:17 pm #72595
znModeratorSammy Watkins’ day will come with Rams, but first he must watch and learn
RICH HAMMOND
IRVINE — As the Rams went through scripted, oft-repeated warm-up exercises, Sammy Watkins glanced left and right and tried to mimic his new teammates. This is going to be a process.
In his first day on the field with the Rams, after Friday’s trade that brought him over from Buffalo, Watkins didn’t do much at practice at UC Irvine. Watkins flashed his trademark speed during some basic route-running and 1-on-1 drills as he wore No. 2, which he last sported in college at Clemson.
The Rams believe Watkins, a former 1,000-yard receiver, eventually can be their deep target, and they intend to play him in Saturday’s preseason game at Oakland, but for now, they’re taking it slow.
“One day at a time,” Watkins said after practice. “I’m not going to learn everything in a day. I’m not going to look like Sammy Watkins in three days. I really just got to learn the playbook and the concepts, and just get time with Jared and the offense, and go out there and compete, play fast.”
The Rams apparently kept it simple on for Watkins on his first day. He said he hadn’t spent significant time with his fellow receivers or quarterback Jared Goff, and he spent most of Monday’s practice standing and watching, helmet in hand, as the Rams went through full-team drills.
Coach Sean McVay assigned assistant receivers coach Zac Taylor to be Watkins’ shepherd, and also moved Watkins into a dorm suite with receiver Robert Woods, Watkins’ former teammate in Buffalo.
“I have a question to ask, he definitely helps me out with that,” Watkins said of Woods. “And just how to learn the offense. He tells me to focus on concepts first, and then you focus on formations and kind of tie those in together. So it’s definitely been helpful.”
Watkins, who underwent foot surgery last year, apparently isn’t limited in practice, and he played in Buffalo’s preseason opener last week. McVay said he intends to increase Watkins’ participation in practice as this week progresses and then get him “a handful of snaps” against the Raiders.
“We want to be mindful of, he’s way behind in terms of the installation and getting familiar with our verbiage and things like that,” McVay said. “There is a little bit of carry-over, with what he was doing in Buffalo. With the verbiage and formations, there is some similarities with it, so it won’t be quite as steep, but we’re getting him acclimated and we’ll see how it goes the rest of the week.”
Watkins’ first day on the field with the Rams was a bad one for Goff, arguably his worst of training camp. Goff threw three interceptions and nearly got picked off two other times.
McVay preferred to look at the positive, and praised his defense for making plays.
“They’ve always had a great defense,” Watkins said. “Right now, we have a lot of young guys on offense, particularly the skill guys. Lot of speed. We just got to come together and help Jared, (have him) help us, and really make plays. That’s what it comes down to, making plays and scoring touchdowns.”
August 16, 2017 at 10:54 pm #72683znModeratorRams taking steps to keep Sammy Watkins up and running
Alex Marvez
The Rams are doing what they can to help wide receiver Sammy Watkins put his best foot forward with a new franchise.
Part of that is insuring Watkins has the proper protection while doing the stepping.
Rams general manager Les Snead said Wednesday that the team’s medical staff is working with Watkins and Nike to develop a shoe that provides the best support possible for his surgically repaired left foot.
“The shoe thing is a very big deal,” Snead told co-host Brady Quinn and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “There’s a lot of technology, a lot of smart engineers developing shoes for these athletes, especially based on the type of torque and pressure they’re putting on their bones when you go in and out of a break.”
A lengthy list of leg injuries – plus two procedures on his left foot – has contributed to Watkins missing 11 games the past two seasons for the Bills after a strong rookie campaign in 2014. TheMMQB.com website reported earlier this month that Watkins had stopped wearing adidas, which signed him to an endorsement deal as a rookie, and was working with Nike on a new shoe before being traded last week from the Bills to the Rams.
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Snead said the Rams had an internal discussion about Watkins’ injury history before making the trade and “felt comfortable” with the situation after he passed a team physical.
“When he plays, he produces,” Snead said of a game-breaking receiver who has a 16.1-yard average on 153 career receptions. “What can we do based on what we know to put a plan in place to try and limit those injuries going forward?”
Snead, who first became interested in Watkins in May after the Bills decided not to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract in 2018, admits the timing of the trade several weeks before the regular season opens isn’t ideal. Los Angeles is now trying to balance working Watkins into its offense without slowing the progress being made by second-year quarterback Jared Goff in learning coach Sean McVay’s new system.
“I know what Sean wants to do is get a feel for Sammy and how he’s learning,” said Snead, who sent a 2018 second-round pick and cornerback E.J. Gaines to Buffalo for Watkins and a sixth-round choice. “He’s been doing great so far but I do think what they will do as we get into plans for games is, ‘Where’s Sammy’s at? How comfortable is he? What can he do? How many plays can we actually give him?’
“If you have a 100-play playbook right now and let’s say game-planning it gets down to 30, maybe Sammy only gets 15 the first week (Sept. 10 vs. the Colts) and works his way up. We’ll feel that out over the next few weeks.”
Watkins is receiving extra tutoring from former Bills wide receiver Robert Woods, who was signed by the Rams as a free agent earlier this year. Watkins is expected to make his preseason debut Saturday when the Rams play at Oakland, which will allow him to work with Goff on timing in a game setting.
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“Getting on the same page with the chemistry and rhythm a quarterback has with his receiver, that’s something that’s not going to happen overnight,” Snead said. “I think you see that in basketball when some of these dreams are put together. It takes a little while to get on the same page. But I think for the most part, they do.”
Even if Watkins is healthy, how well he fares and whether a big-money contract looms from the Rams or another interested suitor in free agency in 2018 will be largely dependent on how much improvement Goff can make. Goff lost all seven of his starts last season while completing 54.6 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and seven interceptions.
“With him, it’s as simple as you’ve got to learn (the offense), get through the thinking stage, get through the reacting stage and get to the proactive stage as I like to call it’,” said Snead, who traded six draft picks to land Goff with the No. 1 selection in 2016.
“Jared’s getting there. He’s not there yet. That’s what all of these practices and preseason games are for.”
The same goes for taking a risk on Watkins in hopes of giving Goff a leg up himself.
August 16, 2017 at 11:22 pm #72689znModeratorRams coach Sean McVay is learning a little bit more about Sammy Watkins every day. “You can feel his speed and his juice down the field.” Watkins caught several intermediate throws from Jared Goff today and was constantly matched up with Trumaine Johnson.
Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer: http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0689639133773043987-4
August 16, 2017 at 11:27 pm #72690znModeratorNew Rams WR Sammy Watkins ‘sharp’ in practice, Jared Goff says
Alden Gonzalez
IRVINE, Calif. — Sammy Watkins has been on the field with the Los Angeles Rams for three days and has been an active participant in only two practices. But he has already impressed starting quarterback Jared Goff with his grasp of the offense.
“He’s been sharper than I’ve expected,” Goff said Wednesday. “That’s not saying anything negatively about him, but it’s a new system for anybody. He’s been on it. He’s been sharp. It’s been a really pleasant surprise.”
The Rams officially acquired Watkins from the Buffalo Bills on Friday morning in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick in next year’s draft. Watkins didn’t join his new teammates until Saturday afternoon, three hours before their preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. He had no idea how he would fit then, saying, “I don’t even know the offensive plays yet.”
But Watkins has been a quick study. He’s rooming with fellow receiver Robert Woods, his teammate in Buffalo the past three years. And assistant receivers coach Zac Taylor has been guiding him through the scheme.
Rams coach Sean McVay said he felt confident Watkins could learn the plays relatively quickly because there’s some carryover with what Bills offensive coordinator Rick Dennison implemented. Watkins estimated Monday that it would take him “a week and a half” to get fully up to speed with the way McVay attacks defenses.
By Wednesday, Watkins found himself constantly matched up with Trumaine Johnson, the Rams’ long, big-bodied primary cornerback. They faced one another in red zone drills and Watkins juggled Goff’s throw out of bounds. Watkins then caught a couple of Goff passes deep toward the middle of the field during 11-on-11 work, and the two connected on what was about a 20-yard gain on the far side of the field.
Goff said he found himself in awe at times.
“You try not to,” he said, “but then you kind of turn around and look at everyone like, ‘Everyone see that?'”
“Big, physical, fast — a complete receiver,” Johnson said when asked his impressions of Watkins. “I can’t wait for him to settle down, after a week or two, getting the offense in. I’m trying to work him out as much as I can, trying to match up every time.”
On Wednesday, Johnson intercepted Goff for the second time in three days. He was the underneath corner in zone coverage and Goff threw it right into his chest while attempting to hit Watkins in stride. Johnson also intercepted Goff on Monday while in the red zone during 11-on-11 work when he jumped a curl route from Robert Woods.
Cody Davis, John Johnson, Kevin Peterson and Troy Hill also intercepted Goff on Monday and Tuesday, and Lamarcus Joyner and Mike Jordan missed some easy ones, too.
“I was being a little aggressive the past couple days,” said Goff, who looked a lot better and was more accurate Wednesday. “Some plays I can’t make. And just learning. I’m still learning, still growing. You should test your limits a little bit, I think, but at the same time I have to be smarter than that. I have to take care of the ball better than that, and I will.”
The Rams are already getting excited for what Watkins’ presence can do for Goff and the dynamic of their entire offense. Watkins’ health has been a big question in his career, including two recent foot surgeries. But if healthy, he gives the Rams the vertical outside threat they were missing, someone who can take the top off coverages and open things up for the likes of Woods, Cooper Kupp and Tavon Austin.
Watkins is expected to play with the first-team offense against the Raiders on Saturday in Oakland, a homecoming of sorts for Goff. McVay hopes to get all his starters in the game for at least the entire first quarter, though Watkins’ workload may be a little lighter than that of the other receivers.
“He’s looked really good,” McVay said. “He’s got great hands, an ability to run through the football. You can feel his speed and his juice down the field.”
August 16, 2017 at 11:29 pm #72692znModeratorWatkins making people notice in camp, including quarterback Jared Goff
RICH HAMMOND
IRVINE — Heads turned when receiver Sammy Watkins made a catch on the run during the first play of 11-on-11 practice drills Wednesday. Rams fans noticed and chattered. So did the guy who threw the ball.
“I did a little bit,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “You try not to, but I did kind of turn around, like, ‘Everyone see that? All right.’ It was a good catch and hopefully something that won’t be quite a surprise any more.”
That’s the plan, anyway. Watkins, acquired from Buffalo in a trade last week, practiced for a third consecutive day at UC Irvine and, for the first time, jumped into full-team scrimmage drills. Watkins, a former 1,000-yard receiver, looked comfortable and made a few impressive catches.
Watkins likely will get work with the first-team offense when the Rams play a preseason game at Oakland on Saturday night.
“When the ball is in his hands,” Coach Sean McVay said, “you can feel his speed and his juice down the field. I thought it was good to get him out here. We was comfortable with the things we were asking him to do, so it was great to have Sammy out there and get him in the mix.”
It certainly helped Goff, who threw five interceptions in practice on Monday and Tuesday but looked sharper overall on Wednesday and made better decisions with the ball.
McVay said Goff had “a better day” but also praised the Rams defense for disguising coverages and making things tougher for the quarterback. Goff also benefited from the fact the Rams practiced without injured cornerbacks Kayvon Webster, Nickell Robey-Coleman and Mike Jordan.
It’s also fair to note that the Rams practiced Wednesday without three starting offensive linemen, who rested, yet Goff showed improvement.
“I was being a little bit aggressive the last couple days,” Goff said. “Some plays I can’t make. I’m still learning and still growing. You should test your limits a little bit, I think, but at the same time I have to be smarter than that and take care of the ball better than that, and I will. In practice, you just try some things you might not try other times, but you still have to be smart with it.”
Now it’s on to Oakland, for the second of four preseason games. Goff, like most NFL first-teamers, almost certainly won’t play in the final exhibition, so chances are running short for Goff to get some work in before the Sept. 10 season opener against Indianapolis.
Goff was on the field for only eight plays in Saturday’s preseason opener against Dallas, but he completed 3 of 4 attempts for 34 yards.
“I’ll probably get a little more playing time and have more of a chance to build a rhythm,” Goff said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to doing, just getting out there to string a few completions together and get in a little bit of a rhythm moving the ball, and hopefully get in the end zone a couple times.”
The Rams’ starters are expected to play a full quarter against the Raiders, and that includes Watkins, McVay said.
That’s a pretty quick turnaround for a receiver who hasn’t yet known his new quarterback for a full week. But Goff and McVay both praised Watkins’ work ethic and his ability to pick up the new offense, and Goff said he also has been working with Watkins on off-field chemistry.
“The last couple days,” Goff said, “I’ve just been trying to speak some plays to him, and have him verbalize them for me and have him spit back what he does. He’s been sharp, man. He’s been sharper than I expected, and that’s not saying anything negative about him. For him to be in a new system, he’s been on it. He’s been sharp and it’s been a pleasant surprise.”
August 18, 2017 at 6:15 am #72757znModeratorRams enjoying Sammy Watkins’ speed and juice down the field
Josh Alper
Rams enjoying Sammy Watkins’ speed and juice down the field
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins hasn’t been a member of the Rams long enough to have the entire offense down, but what he’s done in practice with the parts he has grasped has left him with plenty of admirers on his new team.
One catch Watkins made over the middle on Wednesday left quarterback Jared Goff shaking his head and looking around to make sure that everyone else was seeing what he was seeing. Goff said it was “obviously a special play and special player” and coach Sean McVay appears to be on the same page with his quarterback.
“When the ball’s in his hands, you could feel his speed and his juice down the field,” McVay said, via the Los Angeles Times.
McVay said that they’ll get Watkins involved in Saturday’s game against the Raiders and it won’t be a surprise to see him make a few big plays for the Rams in that contest. Talent has never been Watkins’ issue, but staying healthy has been an obstacle that the Rams can only hope will be less troublesome in L.A. than it was in Buffalo.
August 18, 2017 at 6:56 am #72761
AgamemnonModerator
A big part of this is his foot injury. If that is OK, then maybe Sammy is OK?
AgamemnonAugust 18, 2017 at 7:15 am #72763AgamemnonModeratorAugust 18, 2017 at 8:44 am #72766InvaderRamModeratorreminds me a lot of steven jackson. he’d get a lot nicks but usually would be able to play through. it was the foot injury that kept him out of most of those games.
so yeah. if the foot is ok, he should be ok.
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