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How the Rams ‘misfit toys’ pro scouts found high-level veteran contributors
Jourdan Rodrigue
https://theathletic.com/5150022/2023/12/26/rams-pro-scouting-success/?source=emp_shared_article
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Twinkle light-adorned cutout characters from the 1964 Christmas stop-motion animated classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” line one hallway of the Los Angeles Rams’ practice facilities during the holiday season. The knee-high characters are all from the “Island of Misfit Toys” scene in the movie, apt for that section of the building because that is what general manager Les Snead calls his pro scouting and personnel staff.
In a way, the nickname also echoes the Rams’ strategy for pro scouting veterans: See the “superpowers” in players that other organizations are willing to part ways with, and maximize those qualities.This season, many of those players — all on minimum deals or acquired via low-capital trade, a necessity for a team that is currently sitting on $80.3 million in dead money — are contributing significant snaps for the 8-7 Rams:
John McKay and Matt Waugh lead the on-site pro scouting department in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Unlike some teams across the NFL, the Rams split their pro personnel evaluations by position, not by team or even division.
“We have done it that way, probably since 2018,” McKay said, “so that we really have people who are experts in that position and are able to stack (weigh) players within that position, have multiple years doing the same position, the same guys. You have a lot of built-up history and knowledge, especially with guys who have been in the league for multiple years. … We’ll have a whole body of reports, all of the information we need from an analytics perspective, from (GPS data), we have all of those different resources (including traditional stats and metrics). We are very comfortable, by the time we get to the point of bringing someone in, that we know who they are.”
McKay takes receivers, cornerbacks and outside linebackers. Waugh handles offensive line, tight ends and safeties. Senior personnel executive Chris “Cub” Driggers, who works remotely from the East coast, has inside linebackers, running backs and interior defensive linemen.
Kicker and backup quarterback (where the Rams believed in the offseason they’d fill out their roster via the draft, but were unsuccessful) are all-building efforts between scouts and coaches. Those candidates usually have some background with or have previously been worked out in person by the coordinators/assistant coaches.
McKay and Waugh also work with data and analytics director Jake Temme on player evaluations, as well as vice president of football and business administration Tony Pastoors and a scouting/football finance staff that includes Nicole Blake, Kassandra Garcia and Matthew Shearin. Everyone’s office is in the same hallway, with Snead’s in the middle.
“The ‘Island of Misfit Toys’,’” said Waugh, laughing. “This hallway. We find a way to keep it fun. … Les dubbed the hallway that. Now we’ve got the decorations.”
The pro personnel calendar is a continuous loop. In training camp, they scout preseason players and comb media reports as well as gather intel from contacts at other teams to ascertain who “fringe” players or movable players may be. Around that time, they create a “street list” for players to sign in case of an emergency such as an injury (or in running back Royce Freeman’s case, the sudden retirement of Sony Michel in training camp). As the season begins, they advance-scout the Rams’ opponents as well as the previous opponents of that opponent. As the season ends, they work through the free-agent evaluation process within their own roster as well as the 31 other rosters. They create reports about potential cap casualties. Then they work through the “non-advance” group, which includes players they didn’t see in the in-season advance scouting process. By July 1, they have added new reports to their ongoing evaluation of every player in the NFL and the loop begins again.
“We’re able to see every guy, every year,” McKay said. “I think the cool thing is that all the guys we brought in this year, we hit them in different parts of the pro calendar. (Kevin) Dotson was more trade, non-advance. … Demarcus (Robinson) was in the UFA portion, Royce (Freeman) was more of a short-list type. … The whole calendar came to light in the few guys we brought in.”
Players such as safety John Johnson III, who regained a starting spot midway through the season and has two interceptions, and Freeman, who became a dependable No. 2 running back especially when starter Kyren Williams was on injured reserve, have made key contributions throughout the season for the Rams. But three of the team’s veteran acquisitions have particularly excelled: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who leads the team in interceptions (3), pass breakups (13) and fumble recoveries (2), right guard Kevin Dotson, who is one of Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked interior offensive linemen, and receiver Demarcus Robinson, who emerged in the No. 3 role after the bye week and has a touchdown in four consecutive games.
Health concerns about former Rams receiver Van Jefferson, who played their “X” position, and veteran No. 1 receiver Cooper Kupp last offseason led to the team signing Robinson in mid-June. He had long been on McKay’s watchlist after six seasons in Kansas City and a season in Baltimore. Robinson was initially the “backup X” and his highlight reel unfolded during training camp and in closed practices as the season began. He scaled up into a more prominent role first in practice throughout November after the Rams traded Jefferson to Atlanta, and then after the Week 10 bye.
Waugh tracked Dotson for years before the Rams and Steelers swapped late-round pick bundles in 2024-25 for him in late August. Rams coach Sean McVay had changed his run scheme from mid and wide zone to predominantly gap and power so the Rams needed bigger, stronger guards, and there was also a need to better protect the interior of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s pocket after a disastrous 2022 season. The Rams drafted left guard Steve Avila at No. 36, their top pick last spring, and he immediately became their starter.
“You felt you had four out of the five pieces up front,” said Waugh, “and that one spot, that right guard spot was maybe kind of a question mark (entering camp). …
“I collected notes from my advance work, non-advance work, free agency, our team needs from the draft and basically compiled an executive summary of the league in terms of interior line and tackle groups. Went team-by-team, hey these 10 teams are really strong and potentially have some surplus guys based on who they acquired in the offseason, who they drafted.”
Waugh presented that report to Snead, McKay and McVay. As the Rams continued through camp, and competition at right guard continued to rotate between two players (Joe Noteboom and Tremayne Anchrum), they pared down their targets to eliminate smaller-sized players.
“It seemed like Les and (Steelers GM) Omar Khan had a free-flowing line of communication,” said Waugh, “and so when we pared it down … what was the starting point for (a deal), if they were even open to it? I think 2020 was my first year doing offensive line, and that was Kevin’s rookie season. Through the non-advance, you always have first- and second-year players who pop out to you. I can still remember watching him versus like, Fletcher Cox. Sheldon Richardson. … I texted John, ‘Man, Pittsburgh has this rookie guard who is pretty good.’ … kind of shows you the life span (of the process).”
McKay and Waugh say that without ongoing and specific communication with Rams assistant coaches about traits, scheme and fit, they wouldn’t be able to narrow down their candidate pools.
Witherspoon, for example, was a player with whom McKay and the coaching staff had been familiar for years because he spent his rookie contract in the division with the San Francisco 49ers before playing in Pittsburgh from 2021-22.“I had probably evaluated him seven or eight times,” McKay said, “knew exactly what kind of player he was, what he could bring that we didn’t have. And then another benefit was that he had a lot of crossover (with our coaching staff).”
Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris noted the Rams’ own position group was a little “height-challenged” (his words; prior to Witherspoon the Rams didn’t have a cornerback above six feet) and opened a project with McKay to see if they could find a good addition within their salary cap constraints. Morris wanted to cover more aggressively than the Rams had in 2022. Additionally, because whoever the Rams brought in would be added after spring OTAs (when veterans in their price range would be available following other teams’ cuts) so be behind in picking up the scheme, that player had to have a football acumen that could handle the role along with the necessary on-field traits.
“It’s a true collaboration and what is really helpful is those guys (in pro scouting) do a great job of diving deep, having a good feel for the landscape. Then what’s also unique is, so do we because we are watching the film,” McVay said. “I think you have to have a vision for every player. And when you have a vision for how they fit, you’re more invested in trying to see that come to fruition. You have to obviously have some flexibility and agility as it relates to if it doesn’t go down exactly the way that you want. But you know, that’s part of our job is to be able to paint that picture to make sure that you’re identifying where those holes (are).”
It still took some time. Morris had to convince Witherspoon to sign a low-cost deal, after McKay and Witherspoon’s agent had an open conversation about the Rams’ 2023 financial limitations just hours after Witherspoon’s release from Pittsburgh. Morris and cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant were in constant communication with Witherspoon, who pressed them on scheme fit, role and more. The Rams liked that Witherspoon asked a lot of questions and felt that personality trait would be good for their young defensive backs room.
“He’s such a good fit. I think the heartbeat of pro scouting is really being dialed in on your own team, your own ecosystem of what kind of human beings work in here, what kind of players work,” McKay said. “What works for our coaches, what do they want? When you have that kind of understanding, it makes bringing in players a lot easier. … Ahkello has been all of that, and then more.”
When Witherspoon finally signed his contract in late June, the Rams’ staff had broken for vacation. The small portable trailers where the Rams’ football operations are housed were empty, except for McKay, who stuck around to shake the cornerback’s hand and officialize the contract. It was another reminder of the constant cycle of pro scouting.
“He and his fiancee and their daughter came up, and we were hanging out at the facility and it was just empty,” said McKay, laughing. It’s customary for the team to get a picture of new players signing their contacts, for media purposes. In Witherspoon’s case, McKay was the one who took it.
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