Rams 2018 receiver corps

Brandin Cooks makes a strong first impression on Day 1 of OTA’s

VINCENT BONSIGNORE

link: https://www.ocregister.com/2018/05/22/bonsignore-brandin-cooks-makes-a-strong-first-impression-on-day-1-of-otas/

THOUSAND OAKS — As first days of OTA’s go, the Rams workout Monday was about as telling as a table script read upon cast members of a television series gathering back together after a long hiatus. It all looked and sounded good, but there’s a long way to go before the director declares “Action!!!” let alone “That’s a wrap!!!”

About all anyone can say for sure is that the process is now officially underway. But trying to glean anything definitive or conclusive is pure foolishness.

Not that a two-hour practice on the second-to-last Monday of May can’t yield a nugget or two to file away,

Which is why it was impossible for the eyes not to follow the long flight of a Jared Goff-thrown football as it cut across the gray sky hovering above the Rams Thousand Oaks practice field. Or how it fell perfectly into the outstretched hands of wide receiver Brandin Cooks who, thanks to some nifty line of scrimmage scheming by Sean McVay, was able to get an immediate leg up on his defender before exploding down the sideline.

Open. Available. And more than capable of gathering the reception in as he barreled untouched for what would have been a certain deep ball touchdown connection.

And why it was equally impossible for anyone who saw the whole thing unfold not to go, “Hmmmmm. Interesting.”

The Rams don’t appear to have many critical concerns offensively as they transition to year two in McVay’s offense – which defensive newcomers Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters have already declared “crazy good” – but getting Cooks and Goff on the same page as quickly as possible certainly falls under the Must Do list.

All the better if it means a consistent connection on deep balls, which, for as good as Goff was at throwing them last year, you can’t help wonder if he ever came close to maximizing it given the on-and-off chemistry he had with Sammy Watkins.

According to Pro Football Focus, Goff had the NFL’s ninth-best adjusted completion percentage of 42.1 on deep passes last year, and had the 11th-best deep-ball passer rating at 99.5 His 767 yards off long balls was also 11th best in the NFL.

Those numbers were accumulated with just a minimal amount of help from Watkins, who was brought in last year to be the home run threat the Rams have been looking for for years. But while his presence helped direct defensive focus away from other receivers – providing them more room to operate – Watkins didn’t make the major impact the club hoped for upon trading for him. Watkins finished fourth on the team in both in receptions (39) and receiving yards (539) and when he left the Rams in free agency last month, there was an unsatisfied feeling all the way around.

It wasn’t bad. But you were expecting so much more.

Enter Cooks, who is coming off three straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons with 24 touchdown receptions to show for it. With his speed, explosiveness, hands, route running and positional understanding he appears the perfect fit to lift Goff’s long-ball ability to another level..

“If there is one thing that Brandin has done a nice job of, specifically the last few years, it’s being able to go get that deep ball,” McVay said.

Which brings us back to the 60-yard connection between Goff and Cooks on Monday on an otherwise uneventful first day of OTA’s. The cynic will proclaim it amounts to nothing at all, just a couple of NFL players playing pitch and catch in shorts and helmets.

The optimist would counter it’s a tease of what’s entirely possible: Cooks and Goff developing into a dangerous combination to add an explosive new layer to an already dangerous offense. Not just because Cooks brings an elite skill set to the table, but also because of his willingness to bury his head in the playbook and engage with coaches and teammates. A process that actually got a head start earlier this offseason when Goff, Cooks and the members of the Rams receiver group got together for throwing sessions.

“It’s already paying off.” Cooks said.

Still, there’s nothing like live action against fellow NFL players – and in Monday’s case that meant the Rams revamped defensive backfield led by new Talib and Peters, two of the best cornerbacks in the league.

“You can do as much film study as you want, but the beauty is, this is football, so to be able go out there and make some of those mistakes in live action that’s when you really start learning,” Cooks said.

That work ethic – and his intellectual manner – is part of the reason Cooks made immediate impacts in his previous two spots – and in creative, sophisticated offenses for that matter – in New Orleans and New England. And how, based on his approach thus far with the Rams, he should make a rapid transition in his new offense while playing with equally cerebral wide receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.

“He’s a sponge,” is how Goff described his new teammate. “He wants to be great.”

The feeling is mutual.

“With Jared you talk about a guy who’s a natural born leader who works hard,” Cooks said. “Throughout the offseason we were throwing with each other before all this started and now transitioning into OTA’s. I think it’s been great for (all of us)”

That doesn’t mean what happened on Monday is guaranteed to happen throughout next season. But you might want to file it away just in case.

I was not a Chris Carter fan as a football player, but he has impressed me as an analyst every time I’ve heard him talk.

leafnose sez

There’s little doubt that Cooks certainly brings hyper-pace to the field.
I’m not positive I’ve got him coming off the line faster than Watkins, but the movement in the change of direction is a thrill to watch.

Long speed appears to be at least equal to Sammy. There’s aspects to Watkins game that I’ll miss, but the eye popping “whiz by you” quickness of Cooks is very exciting.
Also, there’s a focused approach mannerism that Cooks shows. This is where Cooks should shine on game day. Knowledge of what McVay’s offense expects his position to be in and execution is paramount to success.

Meanwhile, Straight up…….the guy is a cat/squirrel out there.

This is the type of offseason stuff that does get the blood up!!

Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods? Rams like their new receiving corps

Lindsey Thiry

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/38561/brandin-cooks-and-robert-woods-rams-like-their-new-receiving-corps

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Brandin Cooks is fast. Just ask Sean McVay. He can’t stop talking about it.

“How fast was Brandin Cooks? … How about how fast Cooks looked on that strike? … How about how fast Cooks is? Is that awesome?”

Cooks, his new receiver, showed some speed.

In a series of offseason moves, the Rams sent their first-round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for Cooks, who is expected to provide a deep target for quarterback Jared Goff in a receiving corps that returns starters Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, as well as Pharoh Cooper, Josh Reynolds and Mike Thomas.

“If there is one thing that Brandin has done a nice job of specifically the last few years,” McVay said before the start of the offseason program, “it’s being able to go get that deep ball.”

Cooks has caught 27 touchdowns in four seasons and his ability to stretch the field, along with Woods’ sure hands and return to health, will be paramount as the Rams seek to repeat as the NFL’s highest-scoring team and win a second consecutive NFC West title.

“He’s going to fit in very nice,” Woods said of his new teammate. “You know you seen him the first couple of days tearing things up. You see his speed already. I think he’s a big impact for this offense.”

The Rams prioritized keeping safety Lamarcus Joyner with the franchise tag over receiver Sammy Watkins, leaving Watkins to sign a three-year, $30 million guaranteed deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Last season Watkins became a reliable target for Goff in the red zone, but never developed into a reliable deep target after he was acquired from the Buffalo Bills late in training camp. Watkins finished the season with 39 receptions for 593 yards and eight touchdowns.

Following rumors that the Rams were interested in acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants, they traded for the 24-year-old Cooks, who last season caught 65 passes for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns for the Patriots.

“It’s a great, great guy to have in the room with those other guys,” Goff said. “I think you can’t ask for much more with Brandin, Robert, Cooper, that combination.”

Kupp, during his rookie season, led the team with 869 yards and was second with 62 receptions while catching five touchdowns.

But it was Woods who set the tone for the receiving corps.

After four seasons with the Bills, Woods established himself as a veteran presence and leader among a group that needed a turnaround from the 2016 season.

Widely considered a No. 2 receiver when he was acquired, Woods looked the part of a top playmaker in a victory over the New York Giants, when he took a screen pass on third-and-33 and turned it into a 52-yard touchdown.

And against the Houston Texans, Woods caught a deep pass in stride for a 94-yard touchdown.

He led the Rams in receptions until suffering a shoulder injury during a Week 11 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that kept him sidelined for three weeks. Woods finished the season with 56 receptions for 781 yards and five touchdowns.

But now Woods, a sixth-year pro in the second season of a five-year, $34 million contract, is fully recovered and said that he — and the receiving corps — are further ahead in their development than they were last offseason as they prepare for the start of mandatory minicamp.

“Big improvements from last year,” Woods said. “Just our timing with Jared, the offense is more advanced than where we were at this point, but just moving forward and still trying to grasp more of the concepts.”

With Woods and Cooks, McVay’s offense could display more of the explosive passing game that the Rams demonstrated in a Week 3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, when Woods caught six passes for 108 yards and Watkins caught six for 106.

The duo’s combined performance was thought to be the first of what would be a long season working in tandem with Goff. But as the weeks passed, it became apparent that the Goff-Watkins connection, outside of a reliable slant in the end zone, would never materialize. The Week 3 contest was the only game in which Woods and Watkins each surpassed 100 yards receiving.

Some of Watkins’ shortcomings were attributed to the coverage defenses dedicated to him; others pointed to his inability to develop a rapport with Goff after his arrival last August.

Time to develop chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for Cooks, who was acquired in April.

“The more time they get to be comfortable and familiar with each other,” McVay said of Cooks and Goff, “I think the better we’ll be served as an offense. I think the learning curve won’t be quite as steep.”

Goff and the receivers worked together before the offseason program began. And Goff already was familiar with Cooks, who starred at Oregon State, while he played at California.

“I actually played him in college once and I’ve seen him obviously across the league in the last three to four years and understand his versatility,” Goff said. “I know Sean will come up with ways to use him and put us in the best situation possible.”

For Cooks, he said it’s too soon to tell exactly how he’ll fit in the offense, but said he was confident McVay would figure it out.

“McVay does such a great job of calling plays and putting their players in their best spots and as far as that, players coming out, executing and trusting the process,” Cooks said. “That’s what I think makes this offense special — there’s no selfishness.”

Speed_Kills sez:

First, Brandon Cooks v Antonio Brown. They are very similar in stature and each speed demons

What are the differences you see here in terms of what they do as receivers. What are the similarities? Let’s kick it.

AB:

BC:

Brandon Cooks From the Saints

Cooks getting outmuscled here by Howard.

The deep ball int was outstanding…Cooks had to slow down and wait for the ball from Brady but Howard just took it. A couple of times he simply would not allow Cooks to come back for the ball. How much of that do you think was Brady throwing short or Howard getting Cooks out of position?

Looks like Cooks did much better against Howard at home in NE. 6 catches 83 yards

Cooks v Jax’s Ramsey and Bouye

They are very physical with him here. He wins some and he loses some. I will tell you in listening to Romo here and Gruden in the other clip they blame Cooks a lot when things dont go well but many times it is Brady that is under or over throwing the ball. There are reason for that as he is having to get rid of th eball quickly but just listening to the audio its interesting how reluctant they are to critical of Brady

Back to Cooks -you can see some of the physical limitations he might have… but they are the same that a Henry Ellard may have had as well

Which receivers excelled against press coverage in 2017?https://t.co/J5kIUQgpxR pic.twitter.com/mIbeK4jc5S

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) June 28, 2018

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from PFF: Top NFL receivers by WR Rating against press and off-man coverage

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-top-nfl-receivers-against-press-and-off-man-coverage?utm_content=buffer87e9a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=nfl

3. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams, 147.7 WR Rating

Kupp had a really encouraging rookie season in 2017 and heads into his sophomore campaign as one of the league’s most promising slot receivers. Kupp rarely faced press coverage last season, but when he did, he used his shiftiness and athleticism to produce great results. Kupp caught 18-of-23 targets for 320 yards against press coverage, posting a WR rating of 147.7 and recording a catch rate of 78.3 percent, both of which ranked third among receivers with at least 10 targets. Even more impressive is the fact that a whopping 65.0 percent of Kupp’s press targets were positively graded, which was second only to Sterling Shepherd a season ago.

from AGAINST OFF-MAN COVERAGE

3. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams, 134.3 WR Rating

Woods took advantage of defenders giving him a cushion at the line of scrimmage in 2017, as he gained 608 receiving yards on 44 receptions against off coverage. He averaged 2.43 yards per route run against off-man coverage, ranking sixth among receivers with at least 20 targets and generated a WR Rating of 134.3, ranking third among receivers.

After ‘suit up,’ Robert Woods and other Rams receivers ready to gear up

GARY KLEIN

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-receivers-woods-20180630-story.html

Preparing for his sixth NFL season, Rams receiver Robert Woods is staying busy this summer.

Individual workouts are on the schedule. He will also participate in informal sessions with teammates.

But after helping the Rams achieve several notable milestones in 2017, Woods is preparing for one of his own before training camp opens late next month.

On July 7, Woods will wed Alexandra Barbee.

“Time to go suit up,” Woods said, chuckling, as he exited the field after the Rams’ final minicamp practice a few weeks ago.

Marriage is another major step for the 26-year-old Woods, a USC All-American who in 2017 signed a five-year, $34-million contract with the Rams after four seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

“When I’m not training, I’ll probably be doing something involved with the wedding,” Woods said. “It’s fun. It’s something we’ve been planning for a long time.”

Woods caught 56 passes for a career-best 781 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games last season. He sat out three games because of a shoulder injury and was among starters held out of the regular-season finale so they would be physically sound for a wild-card playoff game.

Woods is expected to once again be the dean of a receiver corps that lost Sammy Watkins to free agency but gained Brandin Cooks in a trade.

Woods, Cooks and second-year pro Cooper Kupp will begin training camp as starters, with Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas and Josh Reynolds competing for playing time.

Cooks, 24, was acquired in a deal with the New England Patriots. The four-year veteran had more than 1,000 yards receiving twice in three seasons with the New Orleans Saints and also last season with the Patriots. He has 280 receptions, 27 for touchdowns, in his career.

Second-year coach Sean McVay, receivers coach Eric Yarber, passing game coordinator Shane Waldron and teammates raved about Cooks during organized-team activities and minicamp.

“He just elevates everyone around him in the facility, whether it’s the weight room, the film room or out here [on the field],” Kupp said.

Cooks embraced the opportunity to join a team that averaged a league-best 29.9 points last season. He is expected to add deep-threat capability that Watkins flashed but did not consistently provide in his only season with the Rams.

“Coming here from a distance, you knew this offense was special,” Cooks said. “You always wonder why. And now, you get here and you’re finding out all the reasons why that’s the case. It’s great to be able to come in here and have some freshness to it.

“It makes you want to learn more and become a better player.”

Kupp, 25, steadily improved throughout his rookie season, bouncing back from several dropped passes and ascending into a starting role. He finished with 62 catches, five for touchdowns.

Kupp worked nearly nonstop before and during his final college season at Eastern Washington, in predraft preparation and during his first NFL season. He said he would “not do anything” for a short time after the conclusion of minicamp but would soon return to preparation “to fix the things I didn’t think were good enough” in 2017.

“There were a lot of things I really wanted to change,” he said, “and things that I was almost embarrassed where I was last year.

“You have to make strides to make sure those things are fixed coming into this year. Obviously, there are some good things that you can be proud of but never be content with.”

Woods also is seeking to build on his 2017 performance.

He helped the Rams win the NFC West for the first time since 2003 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The Rams, he said, should be even better with a year of experience in McVay’s offense. They spent offseason workouts and minicamp refining it. That will continue when they begin training camp July 26.

“It’s how can we improve in other ways just to be ready for the season,” Woods said. “We’ve got it. We’re loaded up and just fine-tuning.”

from PFF: NFL’s top wide receivers on 3rd and 4th down

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-top-nfl-wrs-on-money-downs

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4. ROBERT WOODS, LOS ANGELES RAMS — WR RATING: 131.1

With Sammy Watkins gone, its Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp (and Brandin Cooks) at the top of the Los Angeles Rams depth chart – and they’re both on this list. Woods had the best hands on third/fourth down among wide receivers in 2017, snagging more than 80 percent of the balls thrown his way. Efficiency was the name of the game for Woods, as he also caught 8-of-11 targets on third/fourth down of 10 or more yards. Keep an eye on the Rams’ receivers and their ability to be silent assassins in a league filled with flashy pass-catchers.

5. COOPER KUPP, LOS ANGELES RAMS – WR RATING: 129.7

The Rams knew what they were getting when they drafted Kupp in the third round of the 2017 draft, but it’s hard to tell if other teams knew just how good he could be. The shifty receiver put up four touchdowns on third and fourth down and finished sixth in yards after the catch on those downs (165). He admittedly had the most drops (six) of any receiver on a drive’s crucial downs, but he was generally efficient, catching 23 of his 36 targets. His shiftiness was on display with his yards after the catch on third/fourth down, with an average of 7.17 (fifth).