articles on some new Rams players: Keenum, Gaines, Joseph

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  • September 5, 2014 at 2:19 pm #6170
    RamBill
    Participant

    Keenum settling in to new surroundings

    By Nick Wagoner

    http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11326/keenum-settling-in-to-new-surroundings

    EARTH CITY, Mo. — Newly acquired St. Louis Rams quarterback Case Keenum was born in Brownwood, Texas. He played high school football at Wylie High in Abilene, Texas, and his college ball at the University of Houston. He spent his first two seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans.

    In short, everything Keenum’s ever known and accomplished in football has been for Texas and in Texas. Until now.

    When the Rams claimed Keenum off waivers from the Texans on Monday afternoon, it meant Keenum was, for the first time, going to have to leave his comfortable Texas environs for something altogether new.

    “It hasn’t really set in yet,” Keenum said. “I’m just trying to stay at it. I’ve got the grind going and just continue to work. But I’m excited to be in a new place, be out of Texas, be out of my comfort zone and grow a little bit.”

    If all goes according to the Rams’ plan, Keenum will have plenty of time to go through that growing process. When starting quarterback Sam Bradford was lost for the season to a second torn ACL in as many seasons, the Rams insisted they’d be patient before adding some depth behind new starter Shaun Hill.

    The Rams followed through on that plan, waiting for Keenum to be released and then claiming him off waivers with no expense other than the corresponding roster move. In adding Keenum, the Rams picked up a young quarterback with eight games of NFL starting experience.

    It’s that experience that made Keenum appealing to the Rams.

    “Because of injury, Case got a lot of experience last year, started eight games,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “You look at the body of work — no, he didn’t win any of those games — but there was some really good things that you saw out of a young player. We spent a lot of time evaluating those games and felt like he’d be a good option to come in here and try to develop as a three or a two. We just wanted him in the mix.”

    For now, there’s no need to rush to get Keenum up to speed. Even if he wanted to, it would be awfully difficult for Keenum (or any quarterback, really) to attempt to come in and be ready to play. The Rams are committed to Hill as the starter and have Austin Davis penciled in as No. 2. Things should remain that way for the foreseeable future while Keenum works to learn coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s offense.

    Where Keenum brings game experience that Davis doesn’t have, Davis possesses knowledge of the offensive system that Keenum currently lacks.

    Keenum said he hit the ground running upon arrival in St. Louis and is spending most of his waking hours attempting to narrow that learning curve.

    “Any system in this league is tough,” Keenum said. “This game is obviously pretty tough. I’m excited to learn some new stuff. It’s just kind of trying to be able to translate what I know and how I’ve run things and get terminology. Obviously that’s like speaking another language, so I’m just trying to learn another language as fast as I can.”

    • This topic was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by RamBill.
    • This topic was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Avatar photozn.
    September 5, 2014 at 2:33 pm #6172
    RamBill
    Participant

    New Rams quarterback Case Keenum speaks on the difficulties of learning the Rams offense after arriving from Houston.

    http://www.rams-news.com/case-keenum-on-learning-rams-offense-video/

    September 5, 2014 at 4:23 pm #6187
    RamBill
    Participant

    Davin Joseph jumps into starting role
    By Nick Wagoner

    http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11346/davin-joseph-jumps-into-starting-role

    EARTH CITY, Mo. — From the moment soft-spoken guard Davin Joseph signed with the St. Louis Rams he began going about his business as he always does: in the most professional way possible.

    Joseph signed with the Rams on May 28 after his original team, Tampa Bay, released him during the offseason. At the time, Joseph said he weighed his options and ultimately believed St. Louis would be the right place to get a fresh start after eight years with the Buccaneers.

    Upon arrival in St. Louis, Joseph sounded like a man content to do whatever the Rams asked of him, and though he wanted to prove he still has some gas in the tank, he looked poised to be the team’s only veteran backup option.

    As it turns out, Joseph did much more than offer some experience behind the starters. Heading in to Sunday’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, Joseph is to start for the Rams at his familiar right guard position.

    “The goal was to make the football team, and then of course make an impact,” Joseph said. “So whatever that may be, however I can help, that’s what I’m here for.”

    To open the season, how Joseph can help is by providing a steady presence on an offensive line that seems to be in a perpetual state of flux. Throughout the preseason the Rams went stretches of time without the services of left tackle Jake Long, center Scott Wells and left guard Rodger Saffold. With rookie Greg Robinson struggling to settle in and bouncing between left guard and left tackle, Joseph joined right tackle Joe Barksdale in providing some semblance of stability on the right side.

    Unexpected though it might have been, Joseph’s ascent probably shouldn’t surprise. After all, aside from Long he is the most accomplished lineman on the roster. Once considered one of the league’s premiere guards, the 6-foot-3, 313-pound Joseph has played in 100 games and earned a pair of trips to the Pro Bowl.

    The past two seasons have been a nightmare for Joseph as he has dealt with a serious knee injury and a staph infection. The former cost Joseph the entire 2012 season, and the latter kept him from returning to form in 2013.

    As the difficulties of those two seasons piled up, the Bucs decided to part ways with Joseph, who also believed it best to start over. In St. Louis, Joseph said he has found exactly what he was looking for.

    “I think being a Ram has been the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time, so it’s strange how things happen,” Joseph said. “When you get released by one team and picked up by another team, you don’t quite know what your role is, you just come to work, shut up and do your job. You just learn every day. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve arrived here. I’ve really enjoyed the journey so far.”

    Joseph played 70 snaps in the preseason as the Rams reconfigured things based on who was available each week. It became apparent when he started the third preseason game against Cleveland that he was in line to nail down a starting spot. His experience certainly works in his favor, even if he has struggled the past two years.

    “I think last year he was kind of coming back of some bumps and bruises things like that,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “Wow, what a pro. Comes to work every day, probably one of the strongest guys we have up front in terms of just the sets he uses and getting his hands on people, things like that. But consummate pro.”

    At just 30 years old, Joseph believes he has plenty of football in him and is out to prove he can still perform at a high level. In the Rams’ run-heavy offense, they will need him to at least become a reasonable facsimile of the player he once was for the group to have success.

    “When you enjoy going to work, it’s a lot better than just going to work,” Joseph said. “When you actually look forward to going to work every day, there’s a lot of positive energy. So that’s been a major difference is that since I’ve been in St. Louis, I’ve really looked forward to going to work every day. That’s been a lot different than some of my years in Tampa, not all, but some, where it wasn’t really that enjoyable experience.”

    September 6, 2014 at 1:54 am #6231
    RamBill
    Participant

    Cool and collected Gaines ready for first NFL start
    • By Jim Thomas

    http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/cool-and-collected-gaines-ready-for-first-nfl-start/article_4bb0595b-e239-526e-823a-07d0ba902695.html

    Cornerback E.J. Gaines is not the sort to crank up the iPod and bang his head against the locker during pregame.

    “No,” he said, laughing. “I definitely won’t be having a concussion or anything like that. I just like to stay calm. I’m a relaxed-type guy. I’m not really hooting and hollering or anything like that.”

    And that’s just fine with Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. With Gaines, the rookie from Missouri, expected to make his first NFL start Sunday, Williams likes his cool head and calm demeanor.

    “If you guys focus on him during the game, you don’t ever see him get rattled,” Williams told reporters Friday. “And that’s extremely important when you play the corner position. A lot of times we talk about how high strung a corner or wide receiver is.

    “That can be good, but you’ve also got to be able to keep your wits about you. E.J. has been very impressive in the games I’ve seen so far, on staying composed and doing what corners have to do.”

    That includes having a short memory, being able to forget the bad play that just happened and focusing in on the next one.

    “Been real impressed with how he’s gone about his business,” Williams said.

    Granted, Gaines has yet to play in a regular-season game, but nothing about the NFL seems too big for him. He seems far from overwhelmed, particularly for someone drafted in the sixth round, No. 188 overall.

    “Nothing is too big,” Gaines said. “It’s just the next level. It is what it is, really. I like to look at it like that. And never to be too overly dramatic about it or anything. I feel if I do that I’ll make the coaches nervous, and make everybody else nervous. Make myself nervous.”

    Gaines gets this starting chance because of the knee injury Trumaine Johnson suffered Aug. 23 in Cleveland during the Rams’ third preseason game. Johnson is expected to miss at least this month, so Gaines has the opportunity to get valuable NFL playing time to open his career.

    After an impressive performance in the preseason opener against New Orleans, Gaines suffered a hamstring injury and missed the next two games. But he returned against Miami in the exhibition finale and played well.

    The fact that Gaines came back from the hamstring injury one week before teammate Brandon McGee returned from an ankle injury may have helped him win the job. McGee, who was on the team in 2013, might have gotten the job ahead of Gaines because of that experience edge.

    But McGee suffered the ankle injury when he got pulled down from behind in the team’s second preseason game against Green Bay.

    “I got my jersey pulled by a receiver trying to make a tackle,” McGee said. “Got my ankle caught under me and twisted it. High ankle sprain.”

    As a result, McGee missed the final two preseason games. He’s healthy enough to play, although not 100 percent.

    “E.J. did everything that he had to do (to win the job),” McGee said. “We’ve got faith in him to be able to step in. But at this level, that’s kinda what you have to do. It’s a long season, though, so we’re just getting started.”

    As he gets ready for his first NFL start, Gaines has been all about preparation. He’s been hanging around with cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety T.J. McDonald, asking a bunch of questions.

    “Probably more than (they) want,” Gaines said. “I’m bothering everybody, really. I even talked to Chris Long the other day for a while and he plays D-line. I’m sure I’m getting on their nerves.”

    No, Long isn’t giving Gaines pass-rushing tips.

    “Just something pertaining to being a rookie, and getting my first start,” Gaines explained. “Chris, he’s definitely had my back since I’ve been here. … He gave me some advice on staying calm, doing everything I can to prepare for this game, and stuff like that.”

    Other than being excited, Gaines has no idea what the game-day experience will be like as the Rams open 2014 with a noon kickoff at the Edward Jones Dome against the Minnesota Vikings.

    He’ll undoubtedly be matched up at times against Minnesota wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, whom he faced in college while Patterson was at Tennessee.

    “Great athlete. Great player,” Gaines said. “Lot of respect for the man.”

    Gaines is known as a sure tackler, and run support also will be key for him against running back Adrian Peterson, perhaps the best back in football. He’ll probably test Gaines more than once coming around end.

    “Just one of those things,” Gaines said. “You know, getting your head on right, strapping up, and getting ready for a battle as far the running game. And really, the passing game because they’ve got some receivers out there, too.”

    He will have some personal support in the stands because a caravan of family and close friends is heading east this weekend from his hometown of Kansas City to take in the game.

    They’ll be the ones wearing the No. 33 Gaines jerseys.

    “Oh definitely,” Gaines said. “You’ll see them all in the stands. And you’ll hear them, too.”

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