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canadaramParticipantI really think Reynolds is the other guard, and IMO probably ahead of Brown.
Yes, that’s my best guess to start the season. It’d be great to see Jones stay healthy and grab a position somewhere on the line. He’s got the potential to be a pretty versatile contributor.
canadaramParticipantI wonder if it’s possible that Rhaney or Barnes end up starting at C and Jones ends up starting at one of the G spots? To answer my own question, sure I guess it’s possible, lots of things are possible. I guess it’s more of a “what are the chances?” type of question. Jones doesn’t have the size of Brown, so he might not have the physical upside as a run blocker, but in the short term I wonder if he ends up getting a chance at guard?
canadaramParticipantI say this with nothing but admiration and a hint of jealousy, this RamzFanz fellow might be the biggest Rams nerd I’ve ever come across. Right now he’s the leader in my “Rams Fan Nerd of the Year” rankings.
Fun to read that. I’m looking forward to camp reports.
canadaramParticipantI guess I see things differently than the OP. I see Quick’s progress last year as reason for optimism. I don’t think that he is a “total bust.” He’s started to play physically last year. Now if his shoulder is permanently shot then all bets are off.
I don’t agree about Bailey either. Bailey’s route running makes his game speed plenty fast enough in my book.
Neither of those guys have had the benefit of stability at QB to fairly evaluate.
No idea what the record will be this season. I stink when it comes to making such predictions.
May 19, 2015 at 5:08 pm in reply to: Joe Barksdale agrees to terms on one-year deal with San Diego – INTERESTING. #24895canadaramParticipantHe didn’t get the money that he wanted, but playing in front of a solid veteran like Rivers can only make Barksdale look better, IMO. Not playing beside a rookie, or Davin Joseph is probably going to serve him too. The San Diego climate ain’t so bad either. It’s not what he wanted, or expected, but it’s better than a kick in the pants.
Were I prone to nail biting, I would now be biting mine when thinking about the relative inexperience of the Rams current crop of offensive linemen.
canadaramParticipantI hope it’s raining while he’s there.
May 18, 2015 at 4:50 pm in reply to: a surprise or 2 on the new official depth chart? (granted it's early n all…) #24786canadaramParticipantfwiw I corrected it.
Thanks. That also never happened when I was a kid.
May 18, 2015 at 3:26 pm in reply to: a surprise or 2 on the new official depth chart? (granted it's early n all…) #24782canadaramParticipantI just saw that my iPad autocorrected Saffold to Scaffold. That kind of stuff never happened when I was a kid writing letters to the LA Rams asking for free stuff.
canadaramParticipantI had an old Top Ten List book that I kept in the john for years for a few laughs. Sometimes I remember one randomly. Like in Top Ten Least Impressive Superpowers, one of them was: Ability to always shake out exactly two aspirin.
I had a couple of those books too! I remember some as well. Top Ten Numbers Between 1 and 10: Number 10. Seven. Top Ten Least Popular Pepperidge Farm Cookies, one of them was: Johnny Bench’s Nut Cups.
May 18, 2015 at 3:11 pm in reply to: NYTimes: Finnish Pancakes With A Side of Canada's Labor History #24778canadaramParticipantI like stories like this, putting an historic perspective on a local treasure. Good to see they saved the place. I’d like to try a Finnish pancake. Might have to search for a recipe.
Here’s my mummu’s (grandma) recipe.
2 cups of milk (no less than 1%)
2 eggs
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of sugarLow to medium heat.
Use butter to grease your pan for full effect.Super simple, but super tasty. Not exactly recommended by nutritionists I’m sure, but I grew up loving them and still do. My kids also love them.
I like the Hoito’s better. I’m not quite sure what they’ve got in theirs, however.
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This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by
canadaram.
May 18, 2015 at 12:44 am in reply to: a surprise or 2 on the new official depth chart? (granted it's early n all…) #24726canadaramParticipantSaffold back at RG. Good. I thought he was better two years ago, when he played, than he was last year. Could have been the shoulder giving him more problems last year, or it could be that he’s just a better RG than LG. It would be a very inexperienced left side in that scenario, but a Havenstein/Brown right side would have even less experience. Come to think of it, inreally hope they sign a veteran olineman of some sort. I’d prefer Barksdale, but will settle for almost any vet other than Davin Joseph.
canadaramParticipantLove the old clips of Dave. I never watched his appearances on Carson. I’m glad that somebody saw him and recognized Letterman’s potential to be a great host himself.
canadaramParticipantNorm MacDonald was pretty terrific last night. His tribute to Dave at about the 6 minute mark was sincere and heartfelt.
canadaramParticipantHere’s hoping that the bitterness leads to dysfunction that lasts into week one of the season.
canadaramParticipantHe has a Rams deal any time he wants one, right? Or presumably. It may not be how much he wants, but it’s there.
Ya. I keep hoping. I really would like to see him return.
canadaramParticipantBarksdale has to be wondering what else can happen to make my bargaining position worse???
Maybe the woman he just married could turn out to be a long lost relative of the 49er GM Trent Baalke?
Maybe he’s going to wait for a training camp/preseason injury. That might be one way he could get some kind of leverage.
canadaramParticipantMaybe JB didn’t want a 1-year deal.
C’est vrai.
Although, if that’s true he’s quite the gambler.
canadaramParticipantBrugler on Hagen:
23. JACOB HAGEN | Liberty (Va.)
2010: Redshirted
6023|207 lbs|5SR Orange Park, Fla. (Orange Park HS) 3/15/1992 (age 23) #27 GRADE Priority Free Agent
MEASUREABLES Arm: 31 1/4 | Hand: 10 1/8 | Wingspan: 76 1/2
COMBINE Not invited
PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.55 | 10-YD: 1.62 | 20-YD: 2.66 | BP: 22 | VJ: 36 1/2 | BJ: 10’04”
2011: (11/0) 2012: (11/10) 2013: (12/11) 2014: (14/14) Total:(48/35)
30/0.0/0.0/4/0 46/3.5/0.0/4/1 61/2.5/0.0/13/6 108/5.5/0.0/15/8 245/11.5/0.0/36/15SUMMARY: A three-year starter, Hagen developed into one of the most productive safeties in the country, finishing his senior season with a team-best 108 tackles, 15 passes defended and eight interceptions. He is a football junkie with a natural feel for the game, flashing controlled instincts with quick eyes to diagnose and put himself in position to make plays. Hagen hits with a heavy shoulder and looks to separate man from ball at the contact point, but that also leads to missed tackles when he doesn’t properly wrap or overpursues the action. He has above average ballskills with the length to give him a large catching radius, showing smooth feet to flip his hips and track the ball. Hagen has excellent height with NFL toughness, but lacks ideal muscle tone and functional strength. He isn’t an elite athlete and tends to be feast or famine on tape, but the natural ballhawking instincts are there – offers special teams experience with NFL upside as a valuable reserve safety.
canadaramParticipantBrugler on Claiborne:
34. IMOAN CLAIBORNE | Northwestern State 5095|189 lbs|5SR Alexandria, La. (Alexandria HS) 7/20/1992 (age 22) #18
2010: (5/0) 0/0.0/0.0/0/0 2011: Redshirted
GRADE 7th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 32 | Hand: 09 1/8 | Wingspan: 77 1/4
COMBINE N/A (not invited)
PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.56 | 10-YD: 1.65 | 20-YD: 2.69 | BP: 13 | VJ: 39 | BJ: 10’00” | SS: 4.58 | 3C: 7.28 PRONUNCIATION EH-mon
2012: (9/0) 2013: (11/11) 2014: (11/11) Total:(36/22)
18/0.0/0.0/3/1 37/2.0/1.0/6/2 47/2.0/1.0/11/4 102/4.0/2.0/20/7BACKGROUND: A two-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Claiborne committed to Northwestern State over Louisiana-Lafayette in order to stay closer to home. He moved to cornerback and played sparingly as a true freshman in 2010, seeing action on special teams, and was forced to redshirt in 2011 because of poor academics. Claiborne returned in 2012 and made an impact off the bench, recording 18 tackles, three passes defended and one interception. He became a full-time starter in 2013 as a junior and recorded 37 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, six passes defended and two interceptions, earning All-Southland Second Team honors. Claiborne started 11 games in 2014 as a senior and finished with career-bests in tackles (47), passes defended (11) and interceptions (four), earning All-Southland First Team honors. He earned an invitation to the 2015 Senior Bowl.
STRENGTHS: Adequate muscle tone and functional strength for the position…above average length to match up with bigger targets…disrupts routes in press coverage with a mug-and-tug mentality at the line of scrimmage…stonewalls receivers off the snap to disrupt routes and destroy offensive rhythm…coordinated footwork in small spaces…finds the football fast when he gets his head turned…playmaking instincts when the ball is in his stratosphere, using a large catching radius and ballskills to attack – seven career interceptions, averaging 10.6 yards per return…extensive special teams experience…good head on his shoulders with improved work ethic and strong family roots – fiancée (Ashlee) and two-year old daughter (Addison).
WEAKNESSES: Shorter than ideal with a limited frame to add bulk…routinely a step behind and lacks ideal make-up speed to recover after burned…ordinary burst and doesn’t show multiple gears in his movements…leggy and upright in his pedal and doesn’t look comfortable moving in reverse…undisciplined eyes and doesn’t recognize routes, allowing too many comebacks and underneath completions…doesn’t have the quick-thinking reflexes to collect himself and drive…too physical downfield and doesn’t have a great feel for what he can get away with…inexperienced in off-coverage, playing mostly zone and press-man in college…forced to redshirt in 2011 due to poor academics…minor durability concerns, missing one game as a senior with a spleen injury (Oct. 2014) after he took a shot to the abdomen.
SUMMARY: A baseball player growing up, Claiborne didn’t start playing football until high school and had only two years of experience before college, choosing Northwestern State over other offers in order to stay close to his mother, who has heart problems. He was considered a better wide receiver as a recruit, but had the physical nature needed for cornerback and moved to defense for the Demons, starting the past two seasons. Claiborne lined up mostly in press coverage and was asked to jam and bail, but did his best work when he played nose-to-nose at the line of scrimmage and used his length and aggression to disrupt receivers. While he can locate quickly with ballskills when he turns, he still doesn’t have a great feel at the position downfield and will need to make a living on special teams while he develops on defense – late round player.
canadaramParticipantI think that with the ACL injuries to Fowler and Heuerman it’s pretty obvious that teams should avoid drafting guys with healthy knees. The Rams got this one right.
canadaramParticipantAs always, I listened to most of the draft on Sirius Radio. When the Jets were near the end of their allotted ten minutes at pick six, Gil Brandt said that they were looking for a way to trade back and still take Gurley. I guess they didn’t like him that much, or the knee was a worry, or they just liked Williams better, or all of the above, or whatever.
May 5, 2015 at 7:58 pm in reply to: now that the dust has settled a bit, how do you feel about this draft? #24150canadaramParticipantI liked the draft as well. Mostly for all the reasons stated already. They clearly had a plan and they stayed the course. I’ve never been one of the “a team needs a specific identity in order to be successful crowd,” but with this draft it would seem that Fisher is really try to build a clear identity.
The thing that pleased me most about this draft is that the Rams did not feel any pressure to pick an average-to-good G, OT or G/OT with their first pick. A line can be built in the later rounds.
canadaramParticipantA couple of Rams rookie free agents that I forgot to mention earlier. Arkansas-Pine Bluff WR Isiah Ferguson; Northwest Mo. DE Matt Longacre.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) May 5, 2015
Longacre had quite a career at Northwest Missouri State, a Div. II power. Holds school career records for sacks (30 1/2) and TFLs (47).
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) May 5, 2015
Longacre named defensive conference player of the year in MIAA last season. He's 6-3, 270.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) May 5, 2015
@jthom1 Very respectable 3 cone and Shuttle. 7.07 and 4.26 respectively. Both faster than #3 overall Dante Fowler.
— ThatAintFalco (@FakeLoneRangers) May 5, 2015
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This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by canadaram.
canadaramParticipantin retrospect we shoulda seen it a long time ago.
it’s the jeff fisher way. he’ll almost always go for the special playmaking talent in the first round. offensive linemen are usually taken in the later rounds. he got his stud left tackle. and he’s going to fill in other positions with lunch pail types.
Yes, given Fisher’s history none of the mocks projecting OT/G types at ten never quite felt right to me.
canadaramParticipantI am pleased with how they executed this draft. They opted for a special talent over a good lineman in the first and then attempted to build their line with later picks. Throw in an extra pick that allowed them to take a developmental QB, and this draft had almost everything that I wanted. If they could have found a MLB earlier that would have made it the perfect draft for me.
canadaramParticipantOT Andrew Donnal improved his bench reps from the combine today, going from 17 to 23 (225 pounds as many times as you can).
— marcmorehouse (@marcmorehouse) March 23, 2015
canadaramParticipantBrandon Scherff and Andrew Donnal were part of the same recruiting class at #Iowa. Donnal waited his turn to start and impressed in 2014
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) May 2, 2015
May 3, 2015 at 11:33 am in reply to: reactions to Havenstein Pick … + conference call transcript #23846canadaramParticipantPre-draft article:
Badgers football: Rob Havenstein nears end of up-and-down NFL draft process
It took a while for Todd McShay to take University of Wisconsin right tackle Rob Havenstein seriously.
The ESPN NFL Draft analyst, like many others, was initially fooled by the 6-foot-7, 320-pounder’s unathletic frame, and his on-field play with the Badgers didn’t always look pretty.
Then McShay studied the game tape. Havenstein always found a way to get the job done.
“You look at the combine pictures and you’re like, ‘Ugh, is this guy really a legitimate prospect?’” McShay said. “You look at his numbers, they’re not great. But then you put on the tape and it’s just, over and over and over again, he finds a way to get in position, he takes the right angle and he’s just grinding it out and figuring out a way to finish.”
After thinking he would slap a late-round grade on Havenstein and move on, McShay wound up giving the tackle a mid-third-round grade.
Like McShay’s change of heart, Havenstein’s draft stock has taken a few wild turns in the months leading up to this week’s NFL Draft, which will run Thursday-Saturday at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago.
He’s one of two UW players, along with potential first-round pick Melvin Gordon, sure to be selected in one of the draft’s seven rounds, and Havenstein will hope to be selected Friday night, when Rounds 2 and 3 are completed.
The concerns surrounding Havenstein elevated at the NFL Combine in February, when he didn’t show much athleticism and benched 225 pounds just 16 times, a low number for an offensive lineman.
It was a performance that seemed to wash away his fantastic showing at the Senior Bowl in January.
“He’s a much, much, much better football player than he is athlete,” McShay said. “I would say, there may be the greatest discrepancy in terms of just raw athleticism and combine numbers versus tape that there is in this draft.
“I think he belongs in Day 2 of the draft, and I think he’s got a chance to become a starter in the league. It’ll be interesting to track his career and see if he can overcome some of the physical limitations. I’m not going to bet against him. I’ll put it that way.”
Havenstein bench pressed again at the Badgers’ Pro Day in March, upping his total to a more respectable 20 reps.
“My numbers are my numbers, and it was the best I could do,” Havenstein said. “I thought I could do more than what I did at the combine. I was pleased with it. It was improvement.”
While Gordon and Havenstein know they’ll be drafted at some point this week, other former UW players are simply hoping for an invite to training camp.
McShay said he has free-agent grades on defensive lineman Warren Herring and offensive lineman Dallas Lewallen. Wide receiver Kenzel Doe and defensive back Peniel Jean were also at UW’s Pro Day hoping to impress enough to earn a contract after the draft.
Herring has the best chance to sneak into the last couple of rounds Saturday, according to McShay.
He’s a versatile player who showed impressive athleticism for a defensive lineman at the Badgers’ Pro Day.
Some believe he played a bit out of position last season as a nose guard and could excel as a 4-3 defensive tackle or 3-4 defensive end.
“I feel like anywhere they put me is going to work,” Herring said. “But I feel like probably a 4-3 defensive tackle, 3-4 end, one of those two (would be best).
“I feel like I can play anywhere. I’ve played everywhere across the defensive line, and I feel very comfortable. That’s one thing teams can expect out of me — 100 percent effort wherever they put me.”
canadaramParticipantBrugler blathers bout Brown:
19. MALCOLM BROWN | Texas
10/21/2.1/0 15/112/7.5/1 17/195/11.5/2 16/58/3.6/0 58/386/6.7/3
2011: (10/7)
2012: (8/1)
2013: (13/4)
2014: (13/13)
Total: (44/25) 561/2,332/4.2/23
103/396/3.8/4 61/324/5.3/4 214/904/4.2/9 183/708/3.9/6BACKGROUND: A five-star running back recruit out of high school, Brown was considered the top prep player at the position and collected dozens of offers, ultimately deciding to stay in-state with the Longhorns. He saw the field right away as a true freshman, starting seven games in 2011 and leading the team with 396 rushing yards, earning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year as the first true freshman to lead Texas in rushing since Cedric Benson. Brown missed five games in 2012 with an injury, but returned strong in 2013, sharing the backfield duties (four starts) and leading the team with 904 rush yards and nine touchdowns, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors. He started all 13 games as a senior in 2014, rushing for a team-high 708 yards on 183 carries, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors. Brown earned an invitation to the 2015 East-West Shrine Game.
STRENGTHS: Looks the part with a rock-solid build, forward lean and natural power…lowers his pads to absorb contact with the body strength and balance to shake off single tacklers and play lower than defenders…runs tough with a head of steam, not afraid of contact…follows his blocks and wastes little time once he sees an opening, anticipating well to get north-south quickly…runs tough and determined with consistent play speed, showing spurts of energy…not very shifty, but shows concise plant-and-go quickness to square his pad level to the line of scrimmage…shows reliable hands out of the backfield with natural receiving ability…consistent base strength to hold his ground and sustain in pass protection…protects the ball like a pit bull (only one career fumble) – lowest fumble rate in this draft class (619.0)…goal-oriented type with reliable work ethic and preparation habits.
WEAKNESSES: Limited explosive qualities, lacking sudden footwork and loose hips which limits his change of direction skills…only average speed and won’t run away from anyone at the next level with ordinary acceleration and burst…gets himself in trouble when he hesitates at the line of scrimmage, taking wasted steps in the backfield and allowing defenders to close when he doesn’t trust what he sees…his power and balance don’t necessarily translate to broken tackles…too easily slowed by contact and doesn’t consistently push the pile, slowing himself at times before the contact point…needs to do a better job selling fakes and focusing on details…durability has been a minor issue, dealing with ankle, foot and shoulder injuries in the past.
SUMMARY: Not to be confused with teammate defensive tackle Malcom Brown at Texas, Brown led the Longhorns in rushing three of the last four seasons, but never eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season and didn’t live up the massive hype out of high school. He has the body strength and balance to run through arm tackles in space, but doesn’t show the same power or effectiveness between the tackles and needs to pack more of a punch at the point of attack. Brown isn’t a home run threat and there isn’t much that separates him, but he’s a solid all-around back with the traits to earn draftable grades and survive on third down in the NFL – trustworthy meat and potatoes back with late round potential.
canadaramParticipantOurlads on Malcolm Brown:
Started 25 games over his four year career. From Cibolo, TX. a tough three down north/south runner. Runs with a low centre of gravity. Flashes good quickness and cutting ability. Played with a whole new line in 2014. Many times he got hit in the backfield or before he could get started. Productive over his Longhorn career despite rotating with a variety of backs. A good inside zone runner with vision and running skills. Finishes his runs by lowering pad level and driving his legs on contact. A willing pass protector who step up and attack an inside or outside blitzer. Catches the ball well out of the backfield. A good athlete with good foot agility with the ability to step through a tackle. Brown upgrades the quality of depth of an NFL backfield. An East-west Shrine game participant. 2014 stats: 708 yards, 3.9 upcoming, 6 TD, 16 rec, 58 yes. OSR: 10/34. Seventh round/PFA. (A-32 3/4, H-10 1/4, BP-19, SS- 4.15).
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