Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › more on Sensabaugh & Coples
- This topic has 2 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 9 years, 11 months ago by
zn.
-
AuthorPosts
-
March 22, 2016 at 7:29 pm #40931
znModeratorFormer coaches offer insight on Coty Sensabaugh, Quinton Coples
Nick Wagoner
BOCA RATON, Fla. — The Los Angeles Rams have signed just two outside free agents since the new league year began on March 9. Cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and defensive end Quinton Coples came over in the second wave of free agency after the wild initial surge.
After spending their first four NFL seasons in the AFC, Coples and Sensabaugh aren’t exactly familiar for Rams fans. So with the AFC coaches all gathered in one place Tuesday morning for media availability, it seemed like a good time to check in with them on what, exactly, the Rams are getting with their newest additions.
The reviews were a bit mixed.
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Mularkey noted Sensabaugh’s overall knowledge of the game as a benefit for the Rams.
“Coty is smart, very smart, diligent, he knows a lot of things that are going to happen before they happen,” Mularkey said. “He studies film much more than a lot of guys I have been around at that position. He can play inside in the nickel if needed, he’s a good blitzer, good cover guy and a really good person in the locker room.”
Sensabaugh figures to compete with E.J. Gaines for a starting job on the outside, and could factor into the mix in the nickel, where the Rams also have Lamarcus Joyner. But Mularkey said Sensabaugh is at his best in the slot.
“I think he’s probably more productive inside, yeah, I would say that,” Mularkey said. “But he can play outside, which is good to have a guy that versatile.”
As for Coples, Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan is a little more unsure of where Coples is in his development. Ryan was the head coach of the New York Jets when they drafted Coples in the first round in 2012.
Coples never reached his potential or played up to that draft status for Ryan, but the Bills did have interest in Coples when the Jets released him last season.
“I have no idea,” Ryan said. “We’ll see. I think at one point I really thought the kid was going to take off. He had to battle through some injuries. I’m not sure, I haven’t really looked at Quinton. We knew we couldn’t afford him.”
Ryan cited Coples’ injury history as a determining factor in whether he will be able to help the Rams. Coples has dealt with elbow, shoulder and ankle ailments in his time in the league.
Ryan pointed to Coples’ versatility as a reason he could be OK in the Rams’ 4-3 scheme.
“He played a lot of that for us,” Ryan said. “He played outside, played defensive end, did a lot of different things when we had him with the Jets. Hopefully he is healthy. I think that’s the big thing. If he’s healthy, he’ll have a chance.”
March 29, 2016 at 9:08 am #41182znModeratorWhere Coty Sensabaugh, Quinton Coples fit for Rams
Nick Wagoner
Because of his team’s impending move to Los Angeles, Rams coach Jeff Fisher had not been available to discuss his team’s newest additions. That is, until last week’s NFL owners meetings.
The Rams haven’t been too active in this round of free agency, choosing to focus their efforts on re-signing their own key free agents. After the first wave of free agency came to an end, the Rams went shopping for depth on their defensive line and in their secondary. The result was the addition of cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and defensive end Quinton Coples.
Sensabaugh played for Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams when both were with the Tennessee Titans. Under Williams, Sensabaugh had success as a nickel corner, working mostly from the slot. But Sensabaugh has also played outside and after the Rams lost starting corner Janoris Jenkins to the New York Giants, there was clearly a need for help at cornerback.
Last week, Fisher clarified where Sensabaugh fits in the defense.
“Well, Coty is an instinctive, smart, I think productive player that you can plug in and play either side,” Fisher said. “He sees things well, he relates, he doesn’t have any difficulty learning defenses. I mean he just makes plays.”
With Trumaine Johnson set to start on one side, E.J. Gaines returning at one outside spot, and Lamarcus Joyner back as the nickel corner, where does Fisher envision Sensabaugh?
“Outside,” Fisher said. “We’re expecting E.J. to come back, but I think he goes outside and competes with E.J. and/or a draft choice.”
As for Coples, there was a little bit of confusion about where he’d fit after spending most of his first four years as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 defense. In the Rams’ base 4-3 defense, the 290-pound Coples wouldn’t make much sense standing up.
In fact, Fisher believes that giving Coples the chance to play a more natural defensive end spot in the Rams’ base defense could help him reach his immense potential after a disappointing start to his career.
“Coples, we think, is probably better suited with his hand down and rushing in and even front type of thing,” Fisher said. “Now we’ll do some variation stuff with him, but it was just kind of a little out of place. Between his willingness, his lack of production and his ability to spend time with [defensive line coach Mike Waufle], I think that will translate into some good things for him. I think it will translate into some solid production for us as a backup end.”
April 6, 2016 at 9:48 pm #41559znModeratorRams: Quinton Coples could benefit from a scheme change
Vincent Bonsignore
link: http://www.insidesocal.com/nfl/2016/04/06/rams-quinton-coples-could-benefit-from-a-scheme-change/
One of the more under-the-radar moves this offseason was the Rams signing former first-round pick Quinton Coples, who spent most of his first four seasons with the New York Jets before finishing last season with the Miami Dolphins.
It’s easy to discount Coples as a first-round bust considering the Jets released him late in his fourth season and the Dolphins discarded him after playing the final six games with them in 2015.
And just as easy to view the Rams signing him as no big deal.
Going strictly by last season in which he managed just four tackles with two teams, both are valid thoughts. But when you consider how Coples was used his first three seasons with the Jets as a rush end in a 4-3 alignment – which resulted in 16.5 sacks – then understand a new coaching staff in New York meant a switch to a 3-4 scheme in which Coples was used as an outside linebacker, his situation might be more about scheme fit than talent.
And that the switch back to a 4-3 scheme with the Rams, in which Coples can go back to rushing the passer out of a stance – either outside or inside – could result in the kind of production he enjoyed earlier in his career.
“We think he’s probably better suited with his hand down and rushing in an even front type of thing,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said. “Now, we’ll do some variation stuff with him but he was just a little out of place. Between his willingness and his lack of production and his ability to spend time with (Defensive Line Coach Mike Waufle), I think that will translate into some good things for him. I think it will translate into some solid production for us an a backup (defensive) end.”
Here is video of Coples being used in a 4-3 alignment, and as you’ll see, there is plenty to like about his explosiveness out of a stance:
Coples was miscast as an outside linebacker in the 3-4, which resulted in a lost season and losing his job.
But as the video of him playing out of a stance shows, there is reason to believe he can get back on track in the more familiar and comfortable surroundings of the 4-3.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
