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June 5, 2015 at 5:53 pm #25890
znModeratorNick Foles adjusting to vastly different offense
By Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Since his arrival in the NFL in 2012, quarterback Nick Foles’ view of the field has largely come standing upright from a few yards behind the center. Playing for Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly, Foles’ experience has been limited to one of the most unique offenses in the NFL.
Now that Foles is taking the reins of the St. Louis Rams’ offense, the part of his brain that stores football information is going through a major renovation. Gone are the days of lining up in the shotgun, reading defensive ends on read-option plays and attempting to get in as many offensive plays as quickly as possible.
In its place is an offense that has clearly stated its intentions to be run-first, run-second, pass-third. For Foles, it’s an adjustment that’s just now starting to take shape as the Rams go through organized team activities.
“We really want to have a great running game, but with that we need to have a great balance in the passing game,” Foles said. “We have a lot of talent to really stretch the ball downfield that we’re going to use, but we also have great running backs and an O-Line that’s going to do an outstanding job. It’s a different offense, but I’m loving the offense. I’m learning the offense and it’s going to be a lot of fun to play in.”
Make no mistake, when Foles enjoyed his most success in the league in 2013, the Eagles were ninth in the league in rushing. That rushing attack helped open things up for Foles to throw for 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions. But it’s not so much the results of what Philadelphia did as the approach to how they did it that will cause the greatest adjustment for Foles moving forward.
Take, for example, something as basic as where he takes his snaps. In his two seasons as the starter, Foles lined up in the shotgun on 645 drop-backs and was under center for just 42 snaps in 21 games. As a team, the Eagles had their quarterbacks drop back out of shotgun formation 1,188 times, the most in the league and clear of second-place San Diego by 38 snaps.
The Rams, on the other hand, have had 756 drop backs out of the shotgun over the past two seasons, which is second-fewest in the league. Only San Francisco has spent less time dropping back out of the shotgun formation.
Foles played in a spread-heavy offense at Arizona as well, so while the simple act of taking a snap from under center isn’t completely foreign to him, it’s not something he’s well-versed in, either. That means much of these OTAs will be spent getting back to basics when it comes to footwork and delivery.
“It’s been a little while but I enjoy it,” Foles said. “You can do a lot of things. Being under center and in the gun, you have to be able to do both in the NFL. There’s different situations that you need both. I enjoy doing it.”
As you’d expect with a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator and no pads on in practice, the offense is already lagging behind the defense in these OTAs. That makes Foles’ job that much tougher.
“He’s got a good feel for our offense right now,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s got his hands full, because we have great defensive team speed and they’re doing a lot of things over there right now.”
As for the difference between the Rams and Eagles’ schemes, Foles said he hasn’t spent much time looking at what he used to do. There are some things that are similar conceptually, but overall, there’s not much that’s the same. Which makes Foles’ learning curve that much steeper.
“Yeah there’s different concepts, passing concepts, that are similar, that have similar reads, but it’s a different offense,” Foles said. “We’re going to have different terminology, different things going on, but that’s the fun of it. I get to learn more football. It’s a great offense to play in.”
Whether it becomes a great offense, period, will depend on how quickly Foles can grasp it.
June 5, 2015 at 5:55 pm #25891znModeratorRams center competition just getting started
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18998/rams-center-competition-just-getting-started
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Some thoughts and observations from the St. Louis Rams’ second open organized team activity on Friday afternoon:
Man in the middle: The St. Louis Rams have a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator in Nick Foles and Frank Cignetti Jr. They also figure to have a new starting center, though his identity is unknown at the moment. As it stands, the Rams plan to go through these OTAs and into training camp taking a long look at a group that includes Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney.
I spoke to all three contenders for the job Friday, and though we’re a long way from getting an answer on who will win the job, each expressed optimism about his opportunity. What’s interesting about the battle is that each player has something of a chip on his shoulder. Jones came to St. Louis as one of the most decorated college football players of all time, but injuries have kept him from doing much of anything his first two years. He said he’s returned to these OTAs as healthy as he’s been since he arrived in 2013 and does look noticeably leaner. Barnes re-signed with the Rams after they elected not to tender him as a restricted free agent, and he told me that there’s a “do or die” type of approach to this season. He’s been a backup in St. Louis since 2011 and this is clearly his best chance to win the starting job to date. As for Rhaney, he’s returning from an injury he suffered before last season, but he’s something of a sleeper in this whole thing. He told me he’s added about 5 pounds of muscle since last year and said the addition of more zone-blocking concepts suits his style because it’s something he did in college at Tennessee State. The Rams are rotating centers with the first unit depending on the day. It was Barnes on Tuesday, Jones on Thursday and Rhaney on Friday. It’s an approach Jones said he expects to continue “until we hear otherwise.”
Keenum returns: It’s been a strange trip to these OTAs for quarterback Case Keenum. The Houston Texans released Keenum before the 2014 regular season and the Rams quickly scooped him up off waivers. After a few weeks, the team released him to make room for newly acquired safety Mark Barron and promptly re-signed him to the practice squad. After a series of injuries in Houston had them down to their third quarterback, the Texans signed Keenum to their active roster from the Rams’ practice squad. Keenum ended up starting and winning two games for Houston. When free agency opened in March, the Rams surprised everyone by trading a future seventh-round pick for Keenum. While someone else works on the light rail between St. Louis and Houston for Keenum and his family to use, he’s spending his time starting from a much better spot than when he first arrived in St. Louis. Instead of trying to play catch up, he’s joining a quarterbacks room with nothing but new faces save for Austin Davis. And with a full offseason to learn the offense, Keenum says he believes he will have a better chance to prove himself this time around. Coach Jeff Fisher has already said he expects Keenum and Davis to battle for the No. 2 quarterback job. Simply having that chance represents an upgrade from Keenum’s first opportunity in St. Louis.
Sitting it out: The list of players sitting out Friday didn’t change much from Thursday. Receiver Damian Williams, tackle Greg Robinson, safety T.J. McDonald, guard Cody Wichmann, tight end Alex Bayer and running back Todd Gurley were among those not participating. Wichmann left Thursday’s practice early with an ice pack on his left leg and did not return. Robinson is still recovering from offseason toe surgery but said he’s coming along well in his rehab and says he’s lost 20 pounds from last season, down to 319 pounds. Gurley didn’t do as much Friday as he did Thursday but did do some work on the side with running backs coach Ben Sirmans.
June 5, 2015 at 5:56 pm #25892znModeratorQuick: Rams OC Cignetti ‘has a lot up his sleeve’
By Marc Sessler
Are the St. Louis Rams finally ready to break out of their shell on offense?
Wideout Brian Quick suggested this week that new play-caller Frank Cignetti Jr. has made adjustments to the milquetoast attack we saw under former coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
“Oh man, we have some stuff,” Quick said, per ESPN.com. “It’s going to take some time but it’s coming. He has a lot up his sleeve and together as an offense we are going to put it together and it’s going to be fun.”
The Rams are expected to add zone-blocking elements to their ground game, but Quick appears to be hinting at more. Perhaps the team will find a better way to display the gifts of third-year wideout Tavon Austin, the former first-round pick who has been held to 71 catches for 660 yards over two seasons. Or maybe the reboot will address the entire passing game, which saw its leading receiver catch only 48 passes last season after hauling in just 40 in 2013.
Either way, we still expect the Rams to smash teams with the run. The combination of rookie Todd Gurley and second-year back Tre Mason gives St. Louis an intriguing pair of runners in a division ruled by the ground game.
As the team’s quarterback coach over the past three years, Cignetti knows better than anyone what plagued this team: chaos under center. Sam Bradford played just seven games over the past two seasons, leaving middling arms Austin Davis, Shaun Hill and Kellen Clemens to run the show.
No matter what the newfangled attack looks like, St. Louis desperately needs new quarterback Nick Foles to stay on the field and give the Rams a much-needed dose of stability. That would be new for Foles — who was a hot-and-cold act in Philly — but at just 26 years old, he has plenty of time to change minds.
June 5, 2015 at 6:00 pm #25893znModeratorRobinson: “It should pay off”
Watch Greg Robinson speak to the media about coming back from offseason surgery and progressing with the new offense.
June 5, 2015 at 6:35 pm #25900znModeratorAggressive’ Kenny Britt Has Been ‘Best Receiver’ at St. Louis Rams OTAs
St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt is reportedly impressing at organized team activities, per Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.
Where does Britt fall on the Rams’ WR depth chart? Do the Rams have any concerns about Britt off the field? What do quarterback Sam Bradford and head coach Jeff Fisher think of Britt’s progress?
Watch as Adam Lefkoe and KTGR’s Howard Balzer discuss Britt’s future in the above video.
June 5, 2015 at 6:37 pm #25901znModeratorFoles taking charge of Rams
Howard Balzer
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/foles-taking-charge-of-rams/ar-BBkHIPr
EARTH CITY, Mo. — For St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles, the last three months have been a whirlwind.
There was the shocking trade on March 10 that sent him to the Rams for quarterback Sam Bradford, followed by countless hours learning a new offense and new teammates.
Now, as the Rams opened their OTAs this week, he is on the field putting all that work to use.
“It’s exciting,” Foles said Thursday. “I was injured halfway through last season and just to be under center, it’s really a blessing. You never know what to expect. I didn’t expect to be injured. It’s just fun to be out here with these guys. We have a great quarterback room that’s really helping me along and helping me in the learning process. It’s just fun out here competing, making ourselves better.
“It’s a huge learning process and a huge relationship building process, but I’m really enjoying each day doing that.”
While knowing the offense is the obvious nuts and bolts of hoping to have any success, developing camaraderie among teammates is also crucial.
Said head coach Jeff Fisher, “That’s what he’s done since he got here. He walked in the door and he went out of his way to meet everybody. They did some individual things together. He took charge. In the phase one where the coaches can’t be present, he took the players out, the skill players and offensive players and threw and did those things. Since then, he’s been doing great. Everything that we heard is true, and I’m sure we’re going to be surprised as we move ahead with him because we’ve been really pleased.”
Asked if that relationship building is important, Foles said, “Absolutely. The way we’re going to be successful on Sunday, or whatever day we end up playing on, is the relationships. Come the fourth quarter, we have to know each other. We have to care about each other. That’s where you stick together through adversity. Just getting to know the guys in the workouts, in the film room, in the training room, whatever we do is a key part of it. I’ve really enjoyed it. We have a great group of guys here that love to work hard and love to have a good time.”
As for the challenges of building that trust, Foles said, “I really don’t think it’s a challenge. It’s just fun. It’s a day-to-day thing. It’s getting to know them. It’s getting to know who they are as people. It started in the weight room, lifting together, working out together, pushing each other on the run. Then when you’re going out here it’s just communicating. It’s all about communication.
“What they see on the routes, how they’re going to run their routes, what they see in the defenders. When I see my receivers run routes I can tell who’s good at what, so then you get an idea where to throw the ball to different guys. They’ve been awesome. The receivers have been awesome. They’re buying in. They’re working hard and they’re going to make some plays.”
Guard Rodger Saffold likes what he’s seen from Foles.
“He’s very boisterous, very up-tempo,” Saffold said. “He seems to be really excited about every day, about every opportunity, which is really good. He likes to uplift guys. You see him a lot around the locker room and hear him a lot on the field. It’s very inspiring, and that’s a good thing for us, especially with so many young guys. They need that.”
Of Foles, wide receiver Kenny Britt said, “We love him. He throws a great deep ball, puts it on the money every time. He can throw every pass in the book, every route tree.”
Last year, in his first season with the Rams, Britt was a guy that watched out for his teammates, always pushing guys to work. Now, Britt has been on the receiving end from Foles.
Britt said, “The chemistry has been great since day one. He’s a real guy. He goes in the locker room and pumps people up. If you’re down, he’s the first one to say, ‘You gotta go.’ It’s kind of exciting to see him in there and see how he works on and off the field.”
When it was mentioned to Britt that was the one to pump up the players, he laughed and said, “I know. But there were a couple days where I’ve been down on myself, not feeling well, and he’s the first one that comes to me and says, ‘I see it in your face. Let’s go. Can’t have that right now. It’s the start of a new season right now. Got to get it going.’ He’s the same as me, to tell you the truth.”
June 5, 2015 at 6:44 pm #25903znModeratorRams’ strong pass rush is back under co-ordinator Gregg Williams
By: Joe Harris, The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Rams’ strong pass rush is back under co-ordinator Gregg Williams.
Defensive end Robert Quinn led the team with 10 1/2 sacks and has 29 1/2 the last two seasons. The Rams had 40 sacks in the last 11 games after getting shut out in the first five.
“I think guys just finally got into the momentum of things,” Quinn said. “We had a slow start, not trying to make excuses, but with the playbook and trying to figure where guys are going to fit in and stuff like that, so I think once we got into the swing of things and kind of got our mojo going we didn’t look back. We’re constantly pressing the bar and we finished at the end of the season like we wanted to start.”
For the first time in coach Jeff Fischer’s tenure, the defence will not have to learn a new playbook. Williams settles in for his second season leading the defence, after his son, Blake Williams, and Tim Walton handled the duties in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
“I think coming into this year the guys who have been with him know what to expect,” Quinn said. “We already set our bar high and with his expectations and of course now in his second year, just kind of continue the excellence he wants us to achieve.”
After a slow start, the unit averaged 3.64 sacks in the final 11 games. That average through 16 games would bring the Rams’ total to 58, which would have been tops in the NFL.
“I love the way he coaches,” said Aaron Donald, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. “He’s a coach that wants you to attack and he wants you to be physical and that’s the type of guy I want to play for.”
Donald believes he can improve on the nine sacks he had as a rookie.
“There’s a lot of stuff he throws at you,” Donald said about Williams. “A lot of different schemes we have as a defence, so just to know that and know the concepts of how he wants us to play and how he wants us to attack, I’m just a lot more comfortable this year.”
Chris Long appears healthy, after being limited to just six games last year with an ankle injury. Though William Hayes and Eugene Sims provided quality depth, Long’s injury did factor in the slow start.
“We had a good rotation going and losing Chris kind of jacked up the rotation,” Quinn said. “Knock on wood, everyone stays healthy to get to the season and through the season and hopefully achieve our expectations.”
The Rams also bolstered the unit by signing Nick Fairley in free agency. St. Louis hopes Fairley, added to Donald and Michael Brockers on the interior of the defensive line, will provide even more of a pass rush.
“I think we definitely have one of the most talented D-lines in the NFL,” Quinn said. “We added Nick with what we already had here and I think it’s just constantly adding depth so we can constantly keep our rotation going so everyone can stay fresh. There will be no slow down pays for us. Basically, we’re a tag team as we say. One guy comes off, the next guys is in and keep the production up.”
June 5, 2015 at 6:48 pm #25904znModeratorAyers finds right fit with Rams
By Nate Latsch
ST. LOUIS — Akeem Ayers had plenty of options in free agency this offseason, but the outside linebacker who spent most of his first four seasons with the Titans felt at home when he visited with the Rams.
“I was hearing from a lot of teams, but this was the first place I came and once I came here I got to meet the coaches, I knew a lot of guys on the team — a lot of them I played in Tennessee with — and it just felt comfortable for me,” Ayers said Thursday. “It just felt like the right fit.”
The Rams are hoping that the 25-year-old Ayers, a second-round pick out of UCLA in 2011 by the Titans who helped the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl last season, will be a good fit with their defense, a unit that returns all 11 starters from a year ago.
Ayer’s versatility could make him a Swiss Army knife, of sorts, for the Rams’ aggressive, blitz-happy defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
“I think I add a little more versatility,” Ayers said. “The defense is already stellar. They’ve got guys all across the board. I’ll just be able to come in and add my versatility. I’m able to cover in base. I’ve been a rusher most of the season last season, so if they need me to rush, I can rush. So just allow them to mix it up more, switch it up, do a little bit of different things if they want to.”
When the Rams’ No. 1 defense took the practice field on Thursday for the team’s second OTA session, but first open to the media, the 6-foot-3, 255-pounder was lined up at one of the outside linebacker spots, next to James Laurinaitis and opposite Alec Ogletree.
That spot has been manned the past two seasons by Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who is back with the Rams for his third season. Dunbar had a strong campaign in 2013, but was not as effective in 2014, so now the 29-year-old will have to earn his snaps next season.
Ayers looks like he can be a younger, more versatile upgrade — and maybe even a player who helps take the defense to another level after they finished 16th in points against and 17th in yards allowed last season.
“I like the defense,” Ayers said. “I like the scheme they run. They’ve got players, players all across the board. It was just a great opportunity for me to come in, play in a defense I’m familiar with, play with coaches I’m familiar with. It’s all about me getting back into the linebacker mode because I spent the last almost like year and a half being a defensive end. So it’s getting back in a groove, just working on my drops, working on my reads and all of that. That’s just natural for me, so it will come back easy. I think it fits me very well.”
Ayers is also excited to be reunited with Rams linebackers coach Frank Bush, who coached him in Tennessee for two seasons. That was part of the attraction for the free agent when he was looking for a new team.
“He really helped me develop as a linebacker,” Ayers said. “I was really playing well with him as my coach. The things he taught was able to get me on track as a young linebacker. It’s the type of defense I’m used to playing in. It was all just familiar. I knew some guys on the team.
When I came here, I just got a great vibe from everybody around the building. That was huge for me. I just wanted to come somewhere where I can come in and have an opportunity to contribute. The defense is one of the best. To play around the group of guys we have on defense, I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me.”
June 5, 2015 at 7:07 pm #25909znModeratorTodd Gurley finding ways to participate in Rams OTAs
By Nick Wagoner
ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13019961/todd-gurley-st-louis-rams-progressing-rehab-acl-tear
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Although St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley isn’t technically participating in organized team activities this week, he is doing everything he can to get a reasonable approximation.
Gurley is still rehabilitating from the torn left ACL he suffered in November. For now, Gurley is mostly limited to hanging out on the sideline with the athletic trainers. But he is not just standing around with nothing to do.
Near the start of the team’s Thursday practice, Gurley worked with athletic trainer Byron Cunningham on the side. As his teammates went through individual drills, Gurley did some high leg kicks and running. He was mostly limited to linear work that doesn’t require him to move much laterally, but he was able to do a few agility drills that required change of direction.
Gurley also stayed on the field after practice was over, running a few routes for rookie quarterback Sean Mannion. Gurley worked at about half speed and wasn’t cutting like he would in a game, but he did get some extra repetitions.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in this year’s draft, is progressing well. The Rams have put no timetable on when Gurley will return to practice or games, but Fisher has indicated a willingness to be as patient as necessary.
“Todd’s doing a great job with his rehab,” Fisher said. “He’s very anxious. He’s probably a little frustrated, probably deep down inside not really happy right now, but he’s anxious to get out there right now, so that’s going well.”
During Friday’s OTAs, the Rams appeared to dial it back with Gurley. Near the end of the session, Gurley did get some one-on-one time with running backs coach Ben Sirmans.
Sirmans walked Gurley through some runs, and Gurley ran at about half speed, mixing in a couple of small cutbacks.
“I feel good. I just can’t play football right now,” Gurley said. “I’m running around and doing agility stuff. It’s just day by day.”
When not doing work on the side, Gurley said he is doing his best to stay attuned to what’s happening on the field. When the Rams switched from individual drills to team sessions, Gurley stopped his sideline work and joined his teammates in the huddle, standing close enough to hear the plays and run through them in his mind.
“[It’s good] just being able to get my rehab during practice when they are doing individual, then when team comes, I get those mental reps,” Gurley said.
June 5, 2015 at 7:08 pm #25910znModeratorFor Rams, getting young offensive line together a top OTA priority
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra…ng-offensive-line-together-a-top-ota-priority
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Upon releasing veteran offensive linemen Scott Wells and Jake Long, opting not to re-sign guard Davin Joseph and choosing only to add linemen through the NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams once again committed to being young.
That should be no surprise for a team that has often had no issue with embracing youth in recent seasons. In fact, the Rams have been one of the youngest teams in the league in each of coach Jeff Fisher’s three years with the team. That will likely be the case again this year but nowhere will that be more apparent than on the offensive line.
As it stands, the projected starters on the Rams’ offensive line have an average age of 23.4 years old. If it panned out that way, the Rams would have the youngest line in the league with only the Detroit Lions coming within two years at 23.8.
Taking it a step further, only guard Rodger Saffold comes with even one full season of starting experience. Saffold has 60 career starts to his name. The rest of the team’s offensive linemen combine for a total of 43 NFL starts with projected swing tackle Garrett Reynolds offering 27 of those, left tackle Greg Robinson supplying 12 and center Tim Barnes providing four.
In other words, aside from Saffold, only Robinson is a sure thing to bring NFL starting experience to the table as the Rams wade through these organized team activities (OTAs). While rookies like projected right tackle Rob Havenstein, guard Jamon Brown and guard Cody Wichmann played and started a lot of games in college, it’s still going to take some time to get everyone up to speed at the NFL level.
And though Barnes has the only starting experience among a trio of centers competing for the starting job, it’s not a guarantee he’ll win the spot. Barrett Jones has been in the league for two years and is considered one of the team’s most intelligent players. Demetrius Rhaney missed his rookie season last year but also figures into the mix.
Havenstein is all but certain to take over as the starting right tackle and, as it stands, Brown projects to be one of the starting guards though the Rams may opt for Reynolds in one of those spots until Brown is ready to go. They could also pursue a veteran option such as free agent Justin Blalock but nothing has materialized on that front yet.
All of which is to say that during these OTAs, the most important man in the building might be offensive line coach Paul Boudreau. Boudreau has a longstanding reputation for coaching up young players and getting them ready to go but this might be one of his most difficult challenges yet. Fortunately for him and his young linemen, the Rams hope to be a power running team capable of controlling the line of scrimmage. There’s not a whole lot of thinking that goes into such an approach, which could shorten the learning curve a bit for Boudreau’s young group of maulers.
This is just the latest in a series of attempts to rebuild a unit that the Rams never seem to quite get right. But as OTAs continue and we head toward training camp, all eyes will be on an offensive line that’s starting over once again.
June 5, 2015 at 8:51 pm #25913znModeratorReady to play: Rookie Havenstein an odds-on favorite to start on O-line this fall
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwesthttp://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/rookie-rob-havenstein-ready-to-play-for-st-louis-rams-060515
ST. LOUIS — Yeah, there’s a chance rookie tackle Rob Havenstein may not be starting on the St. Louis Rams’ offensive line come fall. There’s also a chance that Taylor Swift finds true love, Brett Favre unretires or the zombies take over (OK, maybe not the last one).
Havenstein, the team’s second-round draft pick this year, finds himself in this excellent position through hard work, but also by default. There are two gaping holes on the right side of St. Louis’ offensive line, and few candidates with any notable pro experience to fill them. The team did add veteran Garrett Reynolds during the offseason but also used four of their nine draft picks on offensive linemen. Of these, Havenstein is the highest selection, and comes from Wisconsin, a program Rams head coach Jeff Fisher clearly respects when it comes to offensive linemen.
“When you come from programs like Iowa, like Wisconsin — you’re technique-sound,” Fisher says.
That doesn’t mean transitioning to the NFL has been a cakewalk, even for Havenstein. Like a typical rookie, he’s spent the past month trying to master the NFL playbook and adjust to a faster pace of play.
“Speed’s definitely different,” Havenstein admits. “There can be different calls for the same movement, and you’ve gotta be able to decipher between that, and it’s all got to happen like this.”
Since he got to St. Louis, he and offensive guard Jamon Brown, a third-round draft pick this year, have become something of an odd couple on the right side of the offensive line. Working closely together in practice has led to them also meeting outside of it, either downtown or at their hotel, to ensure they’re on the same page when they get on the field.
Havenstein is a Maryland native who spent his college career playing up north, while the 323-pound Brown is Savannah-born and Louisville-raised. Brown found out he loved playing football in middle school, where he had a pretty good career as a right guard and middle linebacker. Havenstein, meanwhile, never even played football until ninth grade — and it took him even longer to figure out he was good at it.
“Maybe senior year (of high school), I thought I was good, but whether or not I was actually good …” Havenstein leaves the question hanging. “Freshman year (of college) was freshman year, and you don’t really think you’re great because you’re going out there and getting your butt kicked on scout team all the time, and trying to get better and better.”
After redshirting and then seeing game action the following season, he got the starting job at right tackle for the Badgers his sophomore year, and never missed a start through three full seasons. As his college career progressed, so did his dream of reaching the NFL. The guys he’d played on a line with, Havenstein noticed, were going to the pros, so maybe he had a shot, too.
“Instead of kind of (being) on the outside looking in and saying, ‘Can I actually do that?’ I had something to kind of base it off of,” Havenstein says.
The Rams thought he was capable. They liked his durability, his smarts, the fact that he came from an offense that ran the ball well. In fact, general manager Les Snead called him “ready to play” when talking to reporters on the day Havenstein was drafted.
Now, the opportunity seems his for the taking.
“This is the dream for a lot of people,” Havenstein said during Rams’ rookie orientation in May. “At least we get a chance to make it a reality here in the upcoming months. That alone is just something absolutely special. It’s the best job in the world, and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”
June 5, 2015 at 10:31 pm #25923
AgamemnonParticipantAll the gossip says, Robinson and Saffold on the left side. It will be awhile before the center position is decided. Fisher would like Brown to win the RG position and Havenstein is all ready penciled in at RT.
AgamemnonJune 5, 2015 at 11:30 pm #25925znModerator -
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