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znModeratorAaron Donald—IMO: There’s about 6-8 dudes in the #NFL that impact every single snap the Monday before the actual game. A week before. The way the offense game plans every single snap is impacted by Donald. Run of pass. Not many guys can say that. He knows his worth. #rams
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) July 26, 2018
znModeratorIan Rapoport@RapSheet
The #Seahawks placed safety Kam Chancellor on the Reserve/PUP List, officially ending his season and his career.Important note, as #Seahawks S Earl Thomas continues his holdout: Thomas & his reps were informed prior to offseason activities that the team was not going to address his contract, I’m told. It was specific and clear. Whether or not Thomas came in to camp has zero impact on it.
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Sam Monson@PFF_Sam
OK, I’m tired of hearing about players looking in the best shape of their careers.I’m all here for tweets on the guys that are rolling in looking like they just peeled themselves off a couch.
znModeratorWell, i have a weird embarrassing unexplainable weakness for….’radar love’. So, I suppose I could watch it.
znModerator10 Observations from Day 1 of Training Camp
Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-day-1-of-training-camp
1) First observation is uniform related: The Rams got new practice jerseys. Gone are the royal blue practice jerseys the offense has been wearing for the last few years. In are darker navy blue jerseys with white numerals. The defense is still wearing white.
2) There’s also a new feature at camp — a small video board on the far end zones closest to the biergarten. It displays a high view of the plays just after they’re completed for on-field review.
3) After beginning with a special teams period — where the club appeared to be working on kickoff drills — Los Angeles’ offense began the session with ball security work. Head coach Sean McVay often began offensive sessions this way during the offseason program, too, signifying the importance of keeping possessions.
4) A McVay practice doesn’t seem to really start until the head coach gets on the field and starts covering receivers when they’re running routes against air. McVay did that early in the season on Thursday afternoon, seeming to work against crossing routes in particular to get his steps in.5) Another staple of a McVay practice is tempo. The head coach was encouraging the quarterbacks and wide receivers to keep moving quickly in order to make the most of the allotted time in each drill.
6) For the first one-on-one drills of the year, Los Angeles’ quarterbacks and wideouts seemed to get the better of the secondary. Jared Goff completed passes short passes to Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods against Marcus Peters, Nickell Robey-Coleman, and Aqib Talib, respectively. Each time, Goff had to fit the ball into a tight window, and he did.
7) Also in one-on-one drills, wide receiver Mike Thomas went up and snagged a pass over cornerback Sam Shields down the left sideline. It was a nice play for the third-year wide receiver out of Southern Miss.
8) It’s a small detail, but in 7-on-7 drills, Peters tried to rip the ball out of Cooks’ hands after a pass that would have moved the chains for a first down. It was a short throw — the offense needed only three or four yards — and Cooks had enough for it and had secured the ball. But it’s that kind of effort on the first day of camp in 7-on-7 that makes Peters such an elite defender. He does have five career forced fumbles — including three in 2017.
9) Also during 7-on-7 drills, linebacker Ramik Wilson made an athletic, juggling interception on a pass from Goff to tight end Tyler Higbee down the seam. The ball was well thrown, but safety Lamarcus Joyner, Wilson, and Higbee all converged toward the ball at the same time. With the ball tipped, Wilson nearly picked it off, couldn’t secure it, fell to the ground, and still couldn’t quite secure it. Though Talib almost picked up the still-live ball and ran with it, Wilson finally secured the pick.10) It’s difficult to evaluate the run game when the team doesn’t have on pads. But there were a couple runs in 11-on-11 drills where Gurley burst through a solid hole from the offensive line and sped down the field for big gains. Goff joked in his press conference that there’s maybe a reason Gurley’s had a touch more pep in his step over the last couple days.
znModerator==
Don’t tell me the 36yo has lost a step. #LARams pic.twitter.com/8y82sxtRdl
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) July 26, 2018
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Defense making plays on day 1 of #RamsCamp!@WilsonRamik with the juggling INT! (Nice try @AqibTalib21 😂) pic.twitter.com/f18wzoL7D9
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 27, 2018
znModeratorVincent Bonsignore@DailyNewsVinny
An interesting observation from #Rams camp: CB’s Marcus Peters & Aqib Talib – who are roommates – seem joined at the hip. Talib has clearly taken Peters under his wing, and it’s obvious Talib is happy to oblige as he’s already raved about Peter’s love & respect for football
Also, Jared Goff talked about working against Peters and Talib in practice, and how good they are not just talent wise but their savvy understanding of the position and how they’ll cleverly go off script to mess with QB’s/WR’s
That said, Goff dropped some dimes today against an aggressive e and competitive secondary
znModeratorLebron? Machado? This LA trend was started by the Rams https://t.co/JnMseMR3vK
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) July 26, 2018
znModeratorA very odd moment at @titans practice between Taylor Lewan and the OL coach who was not happy with his effort. Language from both dictate this was NOT a playful moment, IMO. pic.twitter.com/dqHFAC0ARX
— Big Joe (@BIGJOEONTHEGO) July 26, 2018
znModeratorA middle-aged woman just walked out of a rest room in a Green Bay restaurant, spotted @Hasselbeck and told him, “We want the ball and we’re going to score.” #neverforget
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2018
znModeratorThe Eric Reid thing is pretty shameful. No way should he be unemployed for football reasons https://t.co/8lSUCDDGWY
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) July 26, 2018
znModeratorJoe Curley@vcsjoecurley
Todd Gurley on signing his $60 million contract extension: “I’m pretty sure I can buy a whole lot of shoes now.” @CVRamsClubRich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
Rams’ Jamon Brown said today that his 2-game suspension was related to a speeding violation and marijuana possession. According to records, he was arrested in Feb. 2017 on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence, marijuana possession and paraphernalia possession.Brown still practicing with first-team offensive line in scrimmage drills, even though he faces 2-game suspension.
znModeratorJoyner Comes Off Non-Fooball Injury List
Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/joyner-comes-off-non-fooball-injury-list
Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner has passed his physical and come off the non-football injury list.
Joyner was placed on the list on Wednesday. The starting safety is immediately eligible to participate in practice.July 26, 2018 at 5:29 pm in reply to: time for Rams to just pay Donald? and…possible numbers both sides are asking #88557
znModeratorNo need to vilify @AaronDonald97 or the @RamsNFL on the contract stalemate. It’s part of the Pro Sports Culture. Not agreeing to approx $21M bcuz you want approx $25M is par for the course. It’ll get done. It’s just something most of us can’t fathom. #PayAD99 #NFLTrainingCamp
— Eric Geller (@ericsgeller) July 26, 2018
July 26, 2018 at 9:34 am in reply to: time for Rams to just pay Donald? and…possible numbers both sides are asking #88537
znModeratorThis sounds more like hope from around the league this happens. https://t.co/uJQ8BhSvcm
— Downtown Rams (@DowntownRams) July 26, 2018
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On #Rams DT Aaron Donald: If he doesn’t report by Aug 7, he doesn’t get an accrued season for free agency and he’d be restricted in 2019. I’m told that date is not considered relevant by those involved — in part because they may just franchise him, anyway. This should be lengthy.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2018
July 25, 2018 at 9:22 pm in reply to: time for Rams to just pay Donald? and…possible numbers both sides are asking #88525
znModerator
znModerator“We’ve had Medicare since 1965, and Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy.” https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2009/8/1/759773/-
znModerator
znModeratorJoe Curley@vcsjoecurley
Todd Gurley on signing his $60 million contract extension: “I’m pretty sure I can buy a whole lot of shoes now.” @CVRamsClub
znModeratorRams place Lamarcus Joyner on non-football injury list
Rams place Lamarcus Joyner on non-football injury list
The Los Angeles Rams announced on Wednesday that safety Lamarcus Joyner was placed on the non-football injury list. It’s unclear what exactly the injury is, but Joyner is eligible to come off the list and practice whenever he’s medically cleared.
Joyner will play the 2018 season on the franchise tag, earning $11.3 million. This is likely a non-issue considering he wasn’t placed on the PUP list with a designated injury, so expect him to return relatively quickly.
Last season, Joyner picked off three passes and forced a fumble in 12 games, his first season as a full-time safety in the NFL. He’s a big part of the defense, which is why the Rams opted to tag him and not Sammy Watkins.
Keeping Joyner healthy will be crucial for Los Angeles.
July 25, 2018 at 5:05 pm in reply to: time for Rams to just pay Donald? and…possible numbers both sides are asking #88512
znModeratorREPORT: Aaron Donald’s agent “insulted” by Los Angeles Rams contract extension offer
In quite an interesting development, the Rams and Aaron Donald’s camp still have some work cut out for each other
If you’ve felt completely out of the loop when it comes to the Los Angeles Rams negotiating with star defensive lineman Aaron Donald’s camp on a contract extension, it’s because you have been.
But not anymore.
Per a report from Eric Geller – a freelance multi media sports journalist – the Rams have made some substantial offers:
Eric Geller@ericsgeller
Just got confirmation. SOURCES: L.A. @RamsNFL offering @AaronDonald97 4 yr. $21M per making AD highest paid D player in NFL history. AD’s agent “insulted” by offer. He’s looking for north of $25M per for AD which is QB $$. Not going to happen, nor should it. #MobSquadNow, this is just a report and could be incorrect, but it’s nice to finally hear some news on the ongoing negotiations. It makes the situation of Donald skipping the start of training camp for a second-year clearer.
As the tweet notes, the Rams are more than willing to make Donald the highest paid defender in NFL history, though Donald’s camp isn’t satisfied. Not only are they searching for number one defender money, but they actually want quarterback money, per the report.
We could argue forever about whether Donald is worth it or not, but one thing’s for certain, neither side should want a divorce. Donald is arguably the best player in the entire league with the accolades piling in every year: four-time pro bowler, three-time first-team all-pro, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and so forth.
Let the negotiations continue.
July 25, 2018 at 1:02 pm in reply to: Rosenthal; Barnwell … effects of Rams new contracts, on them & on the NFL #88504
znModeratorAll the potential fallout from Los Angeles Rams’ spending spree
Bill Barnwell
It took just seven days in July for the Los Angeles Rams to lock in their offensive identity for the remainder of the decade. What happens next is less certain. A week after signing Brandin Cooks to a five-year, $81 million extension before the former New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots wideout had even played a game for the franchise, the Rams followed up by giving star back Todd Gurley a four-year, $60 million extension with $45 million in guarantees.
In terms of talent, you can’t fault Rams general manager Les Snead for making these bets. Gurley was a legitimate MVP candidate last season. Cooks has benefited from playing with two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in a pass-happy era, but he has the sixth-most receiving yards in history for any wideout through the age of 24. Any team in the league would want two young players entering the prime of their careers with the pedigree and recent production of Cooks and Gurley.
Once you get the price tags involved, though, there are fair questions to raise about what the Rams are doing. What they did in 2017 with the arrival of Sean McVay and the ascension of Jared Goff came absolutely out of nowhere, but there are some elements that might not be sustainable. And while the Rams’ ceiling is certainly at its highest with Cooks and Gurley, they might be neglecting a critical element of the game in the process.
Not enough (out of) Cooks?
Let’s take these one at a time. The Cooks contract is about what you would expect for a wide receiver who is one year away from unrestricted free agency, especially given the amount of money spent on wideouts in free agency this offseason. The Oregon State product gets a five-year extension on top of the $8.5 million he was set to receive this season on his fifth-year option for a total of six years and $89.5 million. The $81 million in new money is just behind Mike Evans’ $82.5 million mark.
What’s unique about the deal isn’t the price tag but, instead, the structure. Cooks gets only $11 million in 2018 (from a $7 million signing bonus and a $4 million base salary), but that figure rises to $27.5 million in 2019 thanks to both an option bonus and a roster bonus, netting him $38.5 million through two years. As OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald pointed out, that’s $30 million in new money over the next 12 months, which is more than any other wideout in the league. Unless the Rams cut Cooks after this season and eat $9.5 million in dead money, Cooks will be in line to make a minimum of $50.5 million over three years, which would be the second-largest figure behind Evans.
Cooks will have to be a true No. 1 wideout to justify that money, which means he will need to take another step forward. He has played with Drew Brees and Tom Brady, but those are two quarterbacks who have been extremely aggressive about spreading the ball around and not focusing on any one target, which has kept Cooks’ numbers down. He has yet to top 130 targets or 1,200 receiving yards in a single season. Cooks will be taking over the Sammy Watkins role in the Rams’ offense, but Watkins was targeted only 70 times in 15 games last season. Nobody on the team was targeted more than Cooper Kupp’s 94 passes.
Goff probably will throw more than 477 times in the years to come, but can Cooks get the sort of target volume to justify this deal? He adds value as a player who can win one-on-one and occupy safeties to keep them away from the running game, but so do the likes of Evans, DeAndre Hopkins and Antonio Brown, and they’re also more productive.
The Gurley extension, and the fallout
If the Rams plan on throwing more as Goff grows more experienced, it would theoretically come at the expense of carries for Gurley, who signed a four-year extension that reportedly has $45 million in guarantees. It’s not a surprise that the Rams would want to re-sign their former first-round pick, but the timing of this deal is out of left field. Gurley still had two years and just under $12 million remaining on his rookie deal, so even if the Rams needed to franchise him in 2020, they could have had him for the next three years at less than $30 million.
While we don’t have the specifics of his deal as of yet, Gurley is certainly going to make more than that $10 million per year figure, given that it should break down as a six-year, $72 million pact. Teams generally don’t make those sorts of offers years in advance, as I mentioned last summer in breaking down would-be Odell Beckham Jr. and Aaron Donald extensions. Gurley is the 12th player to sign an extension to his rookie deal after three years under the new CBA, a list that includes former Rams Tavon Austin and Robert Quinn, neither of whom lived up to expectations after signing their new contract.
It would be unfair to compare Gurley to Austin and Quinn just because they were Rams, but let’s consider the veteran market for running backs. The largest multiyear annual average for any running back before this Gurley deal was the $8 million given to LeSean McCoy. The largest annual average for a back in league history was the $14.4 million Adrian Peterson got on his second deal, back in 2011. We don’t know how the deal will actually be paid out, but in terms of average annual salary, Gurley’s deal is nearly 50 percent higher than any other running back on the market.
The Rams reasonably feel as if it’s a good thing to keep around a guy who was the best back in football. Gurley’s skill set is certainly versatile enough to justify the move, given his abilities as a receiver and a pass-blocker. He won’t turn 24 until next month. He improved dramatically upon a dismal 2016 season, and a 2015 campaign that had been built upon an unsustainable number of long runs. Gurley’s rushing yards per game were roughly similar between his rookie campaign and last season, but he ranked 36th in success rate in 2015 and fifth a year ago.
Simultaneously, though, it’s also a reality that teams who pay a star player after one MVP-caliber season and expect to get multiple seasons at that level rarely get their money’s worth. Gurley was a mess in 2016, and if he does that while making $12 million per year, the Rams would be underwater on his contract. There isn’t much of a precedent for even the best backs in a given season staying atop the charts again the following season, and Gurley already has suffered a noncontact torn ACL in college that cost him the end of his final season at Georgia and part of his rookie season for the Rams. If the Rams get the 2017 version of Gurley, they’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. If they get a lesser — or injured — version of the same player, the value proposition on this extension will be far dicier. And history suggests that they’re more likely to get the latter than the former over the course of this extension.
In one form or another, this deal should reset the running back market. If you think David Johnson is as good as Gurley — and in his breakout season in 2016 he had more yards from scrimmage and touchdowns than Gurley last season — he’s in line to get $13 million or so per year when the cap rises next offseason. Ezekiel Elliott might have three seasons like his 2016 campaign on the books by the time he hits free agency in 2021.
And as for the guy everyone’s thinking about next, Le’Veon Bell turned down more than $12 million per year from the Steelers, but if you think he’s better than Gurley, $15 million per year doesn’t seem as outlandish anymore. Even before this deal, it seemed likely that a healthy Bell would end up getting something in the $15 million per range this offseason, if only because there were going to be too many teams with money to spend in a free-agent period where the best wide receiver available might be Kelvin Benjamin if Odell Beckham Jr. and Stefon Diggs stay put. The league might not have valued Bell north of a $15 million annual salary, but with 32 teams, one would have been able to talk itself into paying him twice as much as any other back in football. Now, unless both Bell and Gurley totally flop in 2018, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see multiple teams talking themselves into that sort of deal for Pittsburgh’s star back.
Should anyone be resetting the RB market?
I’m not so sure. The reason running back salaries collapsed was because teams realized they could get nearly as much production from cheaper backs on rookie contracts as they could from veterans at a fraction of the cost, while a series of expensive free-agent backs failed to move the needle for their new teams. Has any of that changed?
On the broadest possible scale, running backs handle less of the workload in a pass-happy league than ever before. From 2005 to ’07, running backs were responsible for 41.2 percent of all yards from scrimmage. Fast-forward a decade and look at 2015-17, and that’s down to 37.4 percent of all yards from scrimmage. In a typical season, that’s about 8,000 yards — or more than 9 percent of all running back production — that has shifted from backs to receivers. The number ticked up slightly in 2017, probably thanks to the quarterback injury rate, but backs play a smaller part than they did a decade ago.
Younger, cheaper backs are playing a much bigger role than they did a decade ago. From 2005-07, 32.2 percent of running back yards from scrimmage came from backs who were in the first four years of their pro career who were not first-round picks. From 2015 to ’17, that figure rose to 54.3 percent. Those backs averaged 4.1 yards per carry, 8.2 yards per catch, and turned 22.4 percent of their touches into first downs or touchdowns. The league’s other backs averaged 4.0 yards per carry, 8.2 yards per catch, and turned 23.6 percent of their touches into first downs or scores. Teams don’t appear to be missing out on much by going with backs on their rookie deals.
Teams also haven’t been worried about grabbing talent at the top of the draft, although there has been one back taken in the top five in each of the past three classes. Compare that to 2005, when three backs were taken among the first five picks. From 2005-07, the NFL used 10.7 percent of its draft capital on backs, including nine first-round picks. From 2015-17, the league dropped that figure to 6.9 percent and used five first-rounders on running backs, although we saw three come off the board in the first round in 2018.
Are contracts for veteran backs turning out more positively? Not really. Since the current CBA was signed in 2011, the vast majority of large running back contracts have turned out to be inconsistent or worse. Peterson won an MVP title, but he also missed chunks of two seasons because of injuries and suspensions, leading the Vikings to restructure his deal after 2014. Chris Johnson went downhill after signing his extension in 2011. The Panthers spent years trying to save their cap from the extension given to Jonathan Stewart and the deal they signed to keep DeAngelo Williams. DeMarco Murray lasted one year before the Eagles traded him away. Doug Martin signed a five-year extension and was arguably the worst back in football before being released by Tampa. Second-tier signings such as Chris Ivory and Lamar Miller have been disappointing.
On the brighter side of the ledger, in addition to that one incredible Peterson season, there’s Marshawn Lynch’s 2012 deal with the Seahawks, although the two-year, $24 million extension he signed in 2015 ended up amounting to nothing. The best-case scenario is LeSean McCoy’s five-year, $45 million deal with the Eagles, which then became a five-year, $40 million extension with the Bills after Chip Kelly dealt away his star back. The jury is still out on the recent deals for Devonta Freeman and Jerick McKinnon, but teams haven’t gotten consistent production from highly paid backs, even after proving themselves to be star-level contributors.
Are productive backs lasting longer? Consider it this way. Let’s go back five years to 2013 and look at the top of the charts at each offensive category. If you look at the top 15 quarterbacks by passing yards, 12 of the 15 signal-callers are still in the NFL. Take the top 15 receivers by receiving yards and 10 of them are still in the league, a number that could rise to 12 if Dez Bryant or Eric Decker find work.
If you look at the 15 leading rushers in the NFL from 2013, only three are still in the league: McCoy, Lynch and Frank Gore. Four of the top five backs — Peterson, Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles and Alfred Morris — are either retired or unsigned. Even guys who were 25 or under like Morris, Murray, Eddie Lacy and Zac Stacy are out of the league. From 2005 to ’07, there were 11 backs who either started, continued or finished a streak of two or more seasons with 1,200 rushing yards or more. Over the past three seasons, the only one to accomplish that has been Bell. It’s a selective endpoint, but the lack of consistency is clear.
This isn’t the whole story on backs, of course, but there isn’t some obvious, overwhelming piece of evidence suggesting that running backs are suddenly much better bets to deliver significant impact and age well over the course of their second contract than they were a decade ago, or that top-tier backs are worth more. The NFL got to this point with backs because it found that rookies on modest contracts were about as effective as veterans making top-level salaries. Recent history seems to suggest that’s still true.
YAC to YAC? Don’t count on it …
You could very well make a case that the Rams should be better on offense in 2018 than they were in 2017. Goff will be in his second year under McVay in a scheme that flummoxed the NFL last season. Cooks should be an upgrade on Watkins. Kupp should improve in Year 2. Robert Woods, who missed four games, should be healthier. The Rams don’t have a skill-position player older than 26. In a division in which the Cardinals and Seahawks defenses took a step backward this offseason, the Rams absolutely could score more points in 2018.
There are a few things I’m concerned about in thinking about the 2018 Rams offense, though. I mentioned above how the track record for leading backs like Gurley isn’t to stay atop the fantasy charts year after year. The Rams got a healthy season from Gurley, and he delivered about as much as any running back can offer in the modern game. How much better can the former Georgia star be than 2,093 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns in 15 games? The Gurley from 2016 is hopefully confined to the Jeff Fisher bin for eternity, but it’s more likely that Gurley is a very good back in 2018 as opposed to the MVP candidate we saw last season.
There’s another way the Rams stood out in 2017, although it was more subtle than Gurley’s incredible campaign. If you watched Los Angeles destroy teams on screens in 2017, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the Rams led the league in yards after catch per reception last season.
The Rams sat their stars in Week 17 in advance of the playoffs and did little on offense against the 49ers. Through 16 weeks, McVay’s offense averaged 6.82 yards after catch. Over that time frame, the second-best team was the Saints at 6.27 yards per catch. ESPN has YAC data going back through 2006, and over that period, the Rams would have had the most YAC of any team in recent memory. When you throw in that Week 17 game, they fall to 6.60 yards after catch per reception, which is the fifth most since 2006.
YAC isn’t entirely random from year to year — about 11 percent of a team’s YAC in a given year can be predicted by how they performed a year ago — but the Rams are an outlier. Twenty-three other teams over that time frame averaged 6.0 or more YAC per reception, and the following year, their YAC per reception dropped by an average of 0.7 yards. Their offense fell off by just under 1 point per game, which isn’t going to make or break the offense but could mitigate some of the gains from adding Cooks. It was perhaps worth noting that the Falcons held the Rams to a season-low 2.6 YAC in Los Angeles’ 26-13 playoff loss during the wild-card round.
The Rams were also the league’s healthiest team on the whole last season, and despite losing Woods for several games, they were the NFL’s healthiest offense by adjusted games lost. Their offensive line would have made it through all 16 games as one unit if it weren’t for the senior cut day in Week 17, and that played a huge role in making this Rams offense work.
Right guard Jamon Brown is already suspended for the first two games of the 2018 season, but the Rams are also likely to need their backup linemen for at least a spot start or two after Brown returns. Center John Sullivan missed 2015 because of a back injury and was limited to reserve work in Washington before playing a full-time role last season. Guard Rodger Saffold has missed 30 games over eight seasons in the league. Star tackle Andrew Whitworth has been healthy for the vast majority of his wildly underrated career, but he’ll turn 37 this season, and that’s simply uncharted territory for tackles. The last tackle to start 12 or more games during his age-37 (or older) season was Ray Brown, who did it in 2004 at the age of 42. Before him, it was Lomas Brown in 2001 and Mike Kenn in 1994.
Though Whitworth was a major upgrade on the tackles who came before and still played at a high level, he slipped some as a pass protector last season. Stats LLC credits him as allowing six sacks after Whitworth allowed a total of only four over the previous three seasons combined. Offensive line statistics are essentially educated guesses, but that also jibes with what I saw from watching Whitworth and the Rams.
If Whitworth or fourth-year right tackle Rob Havenstein can’t go, the Rams don’t have many options. Their backup linemen are three rookies (third-round tackle Joe Noteboom, fourth-round center Brian Allen, and sixth-round utility lineman Jamil Demby) along with a pair of waiver-wire claims in Austin Blythe and Cornelius Lucas, each of whom would be a step down from the Los Angeles starting five. It was remarkable that the Rams didn’t need to go to their backup linemen for any length of meaningful time last season, but the chances are that they’ll be forced to throw an inexperienced player into the fire in 2018.
What these deals mean for the Rams to come
That issue of depth and leaving the subtler elements of the game untouched would be my concern with the Rams going forward. The Rams had 11 picks in this year’s draft, but only one of them was in the top 100, thanks to the trades for Cooks and Watkins. They’ll have two high compensatory picks in the 2019 draft, but they’re already down a second-round pick in 2019 from the Marcus Peters trade. Snead & Co. have been aggressive in trading draft picks for veteran players who can make an immediate impact, even given that that the Rams’ core is relatively young. That’s going to come back to bite them, although it’s a bigger long-term ailment than it should be in the short term.
For 2018, though, their lack of depth has to be troubling. I covered the offensive line concerns, but their backup to Gurley is Malcolm Brown, who hasn’t been an effective back during his pro career. The guy behind Goff is 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion, who averaged less than 5.0 yards per attempt in that meaningless Week 17 game last season, which doesn’t tell us much. If one of the wideouts gets hurt, the next guy up will be return man Pharoh Cooper or 2017 fourth-rounder Josh Reynolds, who might not be ready to start the season after undergoing labrum surgery.
The Rams actually did rank atop the league with the fewest adjusted games lost in 2016, but as Football Outsiders noted in their new book, there hasn’t really been a team with a consistent ability to avoid injuries, let alone one that overhauled its coaching staff and personnel as much as the Rams have from 2016 to ’18. If the Rams can stay as healthy up and down their roster in 2018 as they did in 2017, their incredible core is as talented as anyone else in football. The chances of them staying that healthy just aren’t very high.
Aaron Donald, the league’s top interior pass-rusher, held out during training camp last year and probably will do it again in 2018. AP Photo/Jim Mone
It does seem strange that the Rams have a certified offensive genius at coach and have decided to spend significant amounts of money on a running back and a wide receiver. They have cap space after using their draft picks as capital to acquire Goff, but McVay might already be the best coach in football in creating space for his wideouts with picks, motion and the timing of his playcalling. If you have a coach who can make magic out of weapons Fisher seemed to render impotent, wouldn’t it be better to use your cap space on positions with which he can’t do as much?That, as with all things Rams-related, leads to Aaron Donald. Maybe we make too much of players being offended by the order in which their contracts are addressed. When Donald gets paid, I suspect nobody will be grumbling about how it came a month or two after the Rams paid their offensive stars. It also can’t feel great to hold out, win Defensive Player of the Year, and then see a guy who hasn’t played a snap for the franchise get a new deal before you. With Gurley getting a new contract, fellow 2015 classmate Marcus Peters might also be wondering when the Rams are going to commit to him on an extension. Re-signing Gurley two years before his contract expires opens up the same can of worms the Falcons are trying to keep closed with regard to Julio Jones at the moment.
The Rams are going to be one of the three most fascinating teams in football in 2018. No team has a more combustible, promising mix of star-caliber talent on both sides of the ball. They probably have the highest ceiling in the league outside of the Eagles if everything breaks right. Their floor is also lower than you might think, as the second seasons as a head coach for offensive gurus like Adam Gase and Chip Kelly might remind you. This might be the start of a Rams dynasty. It might also reveal that Los Angeles fell too hard for its own plan.
znModeratorThe base value of Todd Gurley‘s four-year extension with the Rams in $57.5MM, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, who confirms previous reports that Gurley can max out at $60MM from 2020-2023. Gurley is now the NFL’s second-highest-paid running back to the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell, as Gurley will earn $14.375MM annually compared to Bell’s franchise tag value of $14.544MM. Of course, Bell is only playing on a one-year tag, so Gurley now holds the most lucrative multi-year deal in the league. Gurley reportedly received $45MM in guarantees, although it’s unclear whether that total refers to injury guarantees or full guarantees at signing.
July 25, 2018 at 2:08 am in reply to: tweets & other bits .. 7/24 .. (w/ lots on TG, what it means for AD, etc) #88496
znModeratorJim Everett@Jim_Everett
From all my years as an @nfl fan as well as being a player…I don’t recall any previous year 11 win @nfl team…making as many off season splashes as these @RamsNFL!==
Scott Barrett@ScottBarrettDFB
Last season, Todd Gurley— Accounted for 36.2% of his team’s total yards (most among all players)
— Scored 42.2% of his team’s offensive touchdowns (most among RBs)
— Pass blocked on 74 dropbacks, surrendering zero sacks
znModerator
znModeratorHome Depot Fires Black Employee Targeted in Trump Supporter’s Racist Rant, Offers His Job Back After Backlash
“I am not going to accept racist behavior at work, home, the streets or anyplace else,” Maurice Rucker said.Maurice Rucker, a 60-year-old Black man working at a Home Depot, was following store policy when a customer subjected him to a racist rant. Rucker responded to the customer and Home Depot fired him last week. But after backlash, the company now wants to give him his job back.
Based in Atlanta, The Home Depot Inc. is lead by chairman, CEO and President Craig Menear and has no Black men on its executive leadership team or its senior leadership team.
Rucker was working a booth in the garden center at an Albany, N.Y., store when a customer approached with an unleashed dog.
“I said to him, ‘Sir, when you have your dog in here we prefer that you keep it on a leash,'” Rucker said of the incident that occurred on July 12, according to WNYT.
The customer turned around and said, “F**k you. You’re an a*****e you’re a piece of s**t,” Rucker explained.
The customer then brought up Donald Trump.
“If Trump wasn’t president, you wouldn’t even have a job,” Rucker said the customer told him. “You’re from the ghetto, what do you know?”
Rucker mentioned, “I’ve lived all over the country and I’ve had no one talk to me the way that this guy talked to me.”
So, he decided to stand up for himself. Rucker left his booth, walked up to the man and demanded he leave the store, according to the Albany Times Union.
“You’re lucky I’m at work, because if I wasn’t, this wouldn’t be happening, or you wouldn’t be talking to me like this,” Rucker said he told the man.
“I’m a Black man, and I have dealt with all levels of racism all my life,” he told the Times Union. “I am not going to accept racist behavior at work, home, the streets or any place else.”
The customer left the store, but came back because he left his dog. He then insulted Rucker once more before leaving again.
Five days after the incident, Home Depot fired Rucker.
“We take any termination very seriously and we’re careful to ensure associates are treated fairly,” Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes said in a statement.
“In this case, we’re appalled by the customer’s behavior and no one should have to endure verbal abuse, but we also must require associates to follow proper protocol to defuse a situation for the sake of their safety as well as the safety of other associates and customers.”
Rucker, employed by Home Depot for 10 years, worked at the store in Albany for seven years and prior to that worked at both a Vermont and Boston-area store. His hourly salary when he began with the company was $12 and his salary was only $12.78 when he was fired.
After word spread of Rucker’s termination, Home Depot faced backlash.
Shannon Berndt@Berndttoast
I bought $340 worth of stuff from Home Depot last weekend. I’ll be returning every. single. item.Qasim Rashid, Esq.@MuslimIQ
This is how @HomeDepot rewards white supremacy
•Rucker (Black man,60) was a 10-year-employee
•A racist white man racially abused him, left, then returned & abused Rucker more
•Rucker told customer to back off. Home Depot fires Rucker—Customer goes free
https://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Churchill-When-the-customer-is-terribly-wrong-13086310.php …Qasim Rashid, Esq.@MuslimIQ
In 10 years, @HomeDepot gave Mr. Rucker only an 86 cent raise. Then they fired him after an angry racist racially abused himIf y’all can, pitch in a few bucks for Mr. Rucker at this @IndivisibleNet fundraiser for him. Let’s help right this wrong https://fundly.com/help-fired-60-year-old-maurice-rucker-1
Click here to support Help Home Depot fires 60-year-old Maurice Rucker after Trump supporter…
The retailer has now decided to rehire Rucker.
“We’ve taken another look at this and we are offering Maurice his job back,” spokesman Stephen Holmes said Friday evening in an email to the Times Union.
Whether or not Rucker has accepted Home Depot’s offer is unclear.
July 24, 2018 at 8:51 pm in reply to: Sean McVay and Les Snead Pre-Training Camp Presser … vid & transcript #88488
znModeratorRams General Manager Les Snead and Head Coach Sean McVay Training Camp Press Conference – July 24, 2018
(Opening remarks)
Snead: “We’ve got breaking news. We do plan to sign three wide receivers this afternoon. We haven’t totally agreed yet, but one of them is Aaron Lacombe, who played his college football at Cal Lutheran. Obviously, there’s other breaking news. I’m sure we’ll get to that. (Head Coach) Sean (McVay) will allude to that, with (RB ) Todd (Gurley) agreeing. I do want to stress though, anything from this presser, this is one of our favorite times of the year because this is when we start gelling to become the 2018 Rams. It’s a fun time of year. It’s when all of us become, as Sean likes to say, ‘We’. It all starts right here and that’s why this is great to be back.”
McVay: “No, it’s exactly right, feel exactly the same way. Couldn’t be any more excited about getting going. Veterans will start reporting tonight and tomorrow. Like (General Manager) Les (Snead) mentioned, we were able to agree to an extension with Todd, and what a special player he is. I think last year’s production isn’t really a reflection of the value that he provides because he did such a great job, but he’s so much more than that to our team. The way that he competes in protection, the way that he works, and the way that rubs off on his teammates. It’s a great reflection of the job by Les, (Vice President, Football and Business Administration) Tony Pastoors, and (Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer) Kevin Demoff to be able to target a lot of these core guys. This doesn’t have any effect on some of the (DT) Aaron (Donald) things. I know that’s going to be a question, but these are things that these guys have done an excellent job of trying to have some foresight into the future and locking up some guys that we feel like have earned that and this is somebody that they invested in a while ago, and he’s done an excellent job and feel fortunate to be able to work with players like Todd. Happy for him that he earned this.”
(On if the timing of Gurley’s new contract was planned to be completed early in the season)
Snead: “The answer’s yes. We started talking with Todd and his representation, really, this spring. To get ahead of the curve, think ahead and like Sean mentioned, big part of who we are and where we’re going. It’s not only Todd, but a lot of other guys that we want to make Rams for a long time and be a part of the core that we’re building here.”
(On if Gurley and WR Brandin Cooks’ contracts will help create more clarity for DT Aaron Donald’s contract)
Snead: “I think you said it. Each situation is different, different players, different agents and all of that. You work on everything simultaneously, but you really don’t know when you’re going to get something done or not because it’s case by case.”
(On where the situation with Donald stands)
Snead: “We’re simultaneously working to make Aaron a Ram a long time – that’s the goal. I know we’ll get questions about him, but Aaron’s a big part of who we are, where we want to go. But I think the details and all of that, I think we’re going to continue the course of keeping them in-house. We’re going to continue working to get something done with Aaron.”
(On if Snead anticipates that Donald will show up to training camp at any point)
Snead: “I can’t answer that. Don’t want to get into the details, but I do know we still got time to get something done as well.”
(On what kind of calculations go into the signing of a running back like Todd Gurley and the perceived value of that particular position)
Snead: “I mean Todd was NFL Offensive Player of the Year. So, I think from the big picture standpoint, he’s a big weapon for us. In terms of the calculus, it does help when you lock up some of your core players and from there you have anchor points of what you do as we continue to build the Rams.”
(On how excited they are to sign Gurley and coaching the 2018 Rams)
McVay: “Yeah, really excited. I think the thing, too, just going in to year two there’s a comfort level of at least feeling like you know your players. Obviously, (WR) Brandin’s (Cooks) a newer addition, but getting to work with him through an entire offseason program. Really with offense, defense, special teams, we feel really good about the core group of leaders, veterans and then really, some younger players that we’re going to ask to continue to grow each and every day, and step into some of those leadership roles. But, it’s a great group of guys. Got a lot of high-character guys that love football and really couldn’t be more excited about working with this coaching staff and our players. We’re chomping at the bit to get going.”
(On if it’s safe to say that if something isn’t reached by Thursday that they would not expect Donald to be report)
Snead: “That might be unfair because I really don’t know. We’re going to continue trying to work to get something done and we’ll adjust from there.”
(On how they respond to fans who want Donald to be signed)
Snead: “Probably agree with the fans and that’s what we’re trying to do. But, I understand this day and age with social media and tweets and all that, but it’s a little more complicated than that. Definitely agree with the fans. We want to definitely try to pay Aaron what he’s deserved and make him a Ram a long time.”
(On if RB Todd Gurley’s game has evolved from last year)
McVay: “I think you can always – even as great of a player as Todd is – there’s always room for improvement. I think he’s mentioned it a couple times, extremely conscientious. I think it’s something as simple as understanding exactly what we’re trying to get done, how I can set up the blocks and the combinations. I think those rare backs do a great job of setting their blocks up, cutting on the heels of the linemen and really making the players around you even better. You could see even just with his understanding and continued mastery of what we’re trying to get done, whether it be some wide zone concept, some tight zone, whether he’s displaced from the core in the pass game. There’s always going to be things that we can continue to emphasize and improve on. Similar to what we talk about with (QB ) Jared (Goff) as far as having an ownership of the offense in a very similar manner, I think Todd can do that. He demonstrated that there was improvement in the offseason. It’s always hard to evaluate the backs in terms of being consistent with the landmarks, pressing and setting up some of our combination blocks up front, understanding the intent of the play, if you will. That’s one of the things that I think we’ll emphasize. He’s mentioned it himself. Like we said, excited to get going with him and really happy for Todd as well.”
(On what he’s seen from WR Brandin Cooks to keep him for the long term)
McVay: “Well, I think it was a consistent thing with our organization. The first thing that you see is just the production. When you flip the tape on, you see the ability to win on short routes, you see the intermediates, good in the screen game. He had some jet sweeps and some touchdown rushes – well really, they were receptions because (Patriots QB Tom) Brady was flipping it to him last year – and obviously the deep threat with the consistent ability to track the ball down the field. For a guy that’s supposedly small, he plays big when the ball is in the air. Then when he came here, just the way he immediately fit into the culture, endeared himself to his teammates. The way he works consistently day in and day out. The type of character that you hear consistently talked about with him. He kind of just did everything the right way. In a lot of ways, I know people talk about, ‘Well he didn’t really play a snap yet and we already paid him,’ but I think what they did such a job of was we acquired him. He’s really in the last year of his deal and then the way that he played throughout the offseason program and kind of what he did. It was almost more similar to a free agent acquisition than anything else because you felt like he fit in perfectly with that receiver room, the way that it allows us to operate offensively. You really can’t say enough about what he’s done so far in this short time that we’ve been with him.”
(On his concern level with OG Jamon Brown’s situation and which players could help fill the void in his absence)
McVay: “Yeah, Jamon did a great job last year. Jamon, this was something that we’d kind of known for a while, and to Jamon’s credit, which you respect, he took full ownership and accountability for it. We know that he’s going to respond the right way, but I think it gives a great opportunity for some guys like an (C) Austin Blythe, who has demonstrated some flexibility inside – even (OT) Joe Noteboom. You kind of draft him as a tackle where he played at TCU, but he’s got that athleticism to play some interior spots. (C Brian) Allen and (OL Jamil) Demby, both. It’s going to provide a great opportunity. Coach (Aaron) Kromer does such a great job of really cross-training a lot of our guys and making sure that they understand, really, those interior three spots. Joe is kind of one of the rare players that does give you the flexibility to play some guard as well. But right now, if we had to play a game you feel really good about what Austin Blythe has done, but certainly there’s a lot of work to be done until we get to that game against Oakland.”
(On the expectations for this team)
Snead: “You know what, right now we get to practice one, keep evolving as a team. We evolved last year and that’s really all you focus on is practice one and continue doing what we did last year.”
(On the cohesion with the new players and personalities on the defense)
McVay: “Yeah, well it starts with getting to know these guys. We always talk about being a connected team, building and developing relationships. You’ve heard us say it over and over but we’ve been really pleased with both the corners and with (DT) Ndamukong (Suh) and the way that they’ve fit in so far. I think (Rams defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) and our defensive coaching staff as a whole do a great job of understanding how can we connect with players and how we can find ways to accentuate their skill set. They’re great competitors. We’re excited about having them. What has been fun about it for me is, really, my first year in coaching with the (Tampa Bay) Bucs was when (CB ) Aqib (Talib ) was a first-round draft pick. Just watching the maturity, the growth, the way that he’s taken on a leadership role in the back end, especially having some familiarity and some history with Wade’s defense and how we want to operate. Then (CB ) Marcus (Peters) has been extremely coachable. Unbelievable natural ability and talent. You’ve seen the production he’s had. Then Ndamukong’s consistency over his career kind of speaks for itself. But it’s all about building and developing relationships and that’s what we’re going to try to do to become a connected team and figure out how we can be the best unit on defense.”
(On how much of a distraction it would be to not have Donald present for training camp)
McVay: “I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction because, certainly like Les mentioned, we’re constantly working towards finding a solution to make Aaron a Ram for a long time. But in the meantime, we’ve got to do a great job of, ‘Life goes on, camp moves forward.’ We’ve got to do a great job of coaching the guys that are here, developing them and making sure that we’re putting our best foot forward one day at a time to be in the best position we can be when that Oakland Raiders game opens up for us on Monday night. It doesn’t take away from the respect and appreciation and how much we value Aaron, but we do have a lot of confidence in those guys’ ability to step up. You’ve seen (DT) Michael Brockers. I think he’s a guy who has kind of gone under the radar in terms of you add a great player like Ndamukong but what a great player Michael Brockers is as well. You get to see some of these younger players like a (DL) John Franklin (Myers) and (DT) Sebastian (Joseph) Day do some good stuff throughout the spring. (DL) Ethan Westbrooks has shown out really well. We’re excited about the guys that’ll be here and we’re not quite sure what the situation is going to be with Aaron until everybody fully reports.”
(On if the start of this training camp feelings different from the past years)
Snead: “I think we’re farther along in the process, the progression and the evolution of who we want to be. That’s a fact. Sean was still installing an offense this time last year. Now, he’s fine tuning it. So, we’re farther along in the process and we got to continue evolving.”
(On what he’s most excited about and if it’s different from last year’s training camp)
McVay: “The biggest thing is people talk about the expectations, different things like that. Our approach as a team and as a coaching staff doesn’t change. We still have the same core values, the same principles. We’re a little bit more familiar with the players having worked with them, and they’re a little bit more comfortable in the systems – offensively, defensively and with what (Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel) ‘Bones’ has done, there has been some continuity over the last handful of years. For us, our players have an appreciation that, ‘Hey, we have confidence in our players. But they also know and respect that there’s 31 other teams that are working hard. You have to wipe the slate clean.’ What we did last year, the caliber of players we have, won’t get us a first down, won’t get us a sack, a point and we have to earn it every single day. I think our players appreciate and respect the consistent grind that it takes to make sure that you do build the right way, one day at a time, in order to get to the places that you want to get. That was the way our guys worked this offseason. We have a confident team, but you like that, you like that confident swagger. But you also want to make sure that there’s a humility that exists where you understand you got to earn it every single day with how competitive this league is with great players and coaches.”
(On if he can give us a preview of the HBO Sports that is airing tonight)
McVay: “I don’t know. It was a lot of film for what will probably be an eight minute segment. So we’ll see, hopefully it turns out good.”
(On if there is anything he wants to see QB Jared Goff do stepping into year two of the offense)
McVay: “You know, can’t say it over and over again, and this will be something that will be consistent with what (Quarterbacks Coach) Zac Taylor is coaching him right now, and what we’ll consistently say really to that group as a whole. When we’re throwing the football it’s going to be about the decision, timing and accuracy. Consistently making those right decisions and understanding the intent of each play. I think the biggest thing that you appreciate is really as the season progressed, but even getting into spring, when we did some unscripted periods in a lot of ways he can anticipate some of the play calls coming in. When you talk about being connected with your coaches, being an extension of that coaching staff – that’s exactly what you talk about. There’s so many different things involved in the quarterback position. From the fundamentals, from understanding the mechanics of the run game, to some of the checks, the audibles, the different tempos and the way we want to utilize our cadence. I just think it’s that continued mastery and he’s done a great job of that. Like I’ve always said, he’ll be the first to tell you we have a lot of room to grow and we’re excited about doing that together.”
(On the excitement in Mexico about the Rams vs. Chiefs game and about QB Luis Perez)
McVay: “I think it’s a great opportunity for the NFL to go get some exposure to some great fans that get excited. You know that’s certainly a longs way away for us, but we’re excited for the opportunity to go play against the Chiefs there, when that game comes. With Luis, couldn’t really be more impressed with the person. He comes in, you hear a little bit about his background and just the way that he carries himself on a consistent day-to-day basis. A couple times he kind of pissed me off because be beat me into the office. He’s already in there studying tape (laughs). I’m like, ‘What the heck are you doing in here already man.’ But really impressive. He’s got a nice natural stroke too, really has a good feel for picking things up. You see the consistent work ethic, but really we’ve enjoyed being around him so far. He’s done a really nice job competing, and he’ll continue to get that opportunity throughout the course of camp.”
(On if they’re expecting full participation from a health perspective)
McVay: “Yes, there will be a couple guys that we have a specific programs with. As far as right now is concerned the only guys right now we anticipate starting on the (physically unable to perform) PUP list are (DT) Dominque Easley and (OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo) ‘Obo.’ We’ll be smart. We expect to take Obo off it sometime based on (Senior Director of Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie and our medical staff’s ability to evaluate where he’s at. He is making good progress. Then, obviously with Dominque coming off the knee. Those guys are in a good place. We’ll be smart with some of those other players, but those are the only two that we anticipate starting on the PUP list.”
(On if there’s any concern about the triple digit heat)
McVay: “I didn’t know about the triple digit heat (laughs). No, but you know what’s nice is that I think we’ll always do a good job trying to be mindful of making sure guys are doing a great job with the hydration. (Head Team Dietician) Joey (Blake) our nutritionist and then really Reggie and his staff and (Director of Strength Training and Performance) Ted (Rath) do an excellent job of kind of putting those guys in position. We have a lot of different ways that we’re monitoring that to try to avoid any of the heat issues that could occur. We can only really practice once a day now too, so we should be alright.”
Snead: “No one ever mentioned triple digit heat in Southern California, maybe in the valley. We’re used to it.”
July 24, 2018 at 8:17 pm in reply to: tweets & other bits .. 7/24 .. (w/ lots on TG, what it means for AD, etc) #88487
znModeratorWelcome to GurleyWood.@TG3II's 10 BEST plays from last season! 🐏🔥 pic.twitter.com/yFF6o6gU96
— NFL (@NFL) July 24, 2018
July 24, 2018 at 8:01 pm in reply to: tweets & other bits .. 7/24 .. (w/ lots on TG, what it means for AD, etc) #88483
znModeratorEvan Silva@evansilva
Firmly believe key to unlocking Gurley was hyper usage in passing game. @greggrosenthal banged drum this would happen after visiting #Rams camp last offseason. (Narrator voice: It did.ESPN Stats & Info@ESPNStatsInfo
Todd Gurley turns 24 years old on Aug. 3. He has the 5th-most yards from scrimmage of any player before turning 24 years old in NFL history behind Barry Sanders, Clinton Portis, Edgerrin James and Emmitt Smith.==
Running backs have historically earned the short end of the stick when it comes to contract negotiations. But Todd Gurley’s extension sets a new bar for that market https://t.co/oVP5HUjtvD
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) July 24, 2018
==
From one RB to another. pic.twitter.com/KSaxEeBUm2
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 24, 2018
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