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June 15, 2018 at 5:04 pm in reply to: PFF: NFL's prototypical defensive linemen for each DL technique #87387
znModeratorI would have thought you’d plumb the depths of the Silent Era for that
Well 2 things. One is, I always see silent era acting as theatrical and stagey. I just prefer the more naturalistic imagery of the golden era of talkies. And, it has to be Jimmy Stewart. To me, JS is the representative classical american movie guy (for many others it’s John Wayne, for me it’s JS). Plus I admire him. While most other actors were getting out of active duty in WW 2, Stewart was insisting on flying bombing missions over Nazi occupied Europe. From the wiki:
After several weeks of training missions, in which Stewart flew with most of his combat crews, the group flew its first combat mission on December 13, 1943, to bomb the U-boat facilities at Kiel, Germany, followed three days later by a mission to Bremen. Stewart led the high squadron of the group formation on the first mission, and the entire group on the second. Following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944, Stewart was promoted to major. Stewart was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing on the first day of “Big Week” operations in February and flew two other missions that week.
On March 22, 1944, Stewart flew his 12th combat mission, leading the 2nd Bomb Wing in an attack on Berlin. On March 30, 1944, he was sent to RAF Old Buckenham to become group operations officer of the 453rd Bombardment Group, a new B-24 unit that had just lost both its commander and operations officer on missions. To inspire the unit, Stewart flew as command pilot in the lead B-24 on several missions deep into Nazi-occupied Europe. As a staff officer, Stewart was assigned to the 453rd “for the duration” and thus not subject to a quota of missions of a combat tour. He nevertheless assigned himself as a combat crewman on the group’s missions until his promotion to lieutenant colonel on June 3 and reassignment on July 1, 1944, to the 2nd Bomb Wing, assigned as executive officer to Brigadier General Edward J. Timberlake. His official tally of mission credits while assigned to the 445th and 453rd Bomb Groups was 20 sorties.
Stewart continued to go on missions uncredited, flying with the pathfinder squadron of the 389th Bombardment Group, with his two former groups and with groups of the 20th Combat Bomb Wing. He received a second award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in combat and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He also was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.Stewart was one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years during the Second World War.
znModeratorMike Clay@MikeClayNFL
here are the updated NFL Unit Grades==
znModeratorWhich NFL player deserves a new contract first?
— Spotrac (@spotrac) June 12, 2018
June 15, 2018 at 3:58 pm in reply to: PFF: NFL's prototypical defensive linemen for each DL technique #87383znModeratorWhat is the Marvel origin story for that?
Serendipity. Initially I just used any famous old stars pics to convey any number of ideas, just for fun. Then I discovered something I guess we all kind of know unconsciously—that there is not a single emotion or facial expression you can name that Stewart does NOT represent in some kind of quintessential way. You can find a pic of Stewart embodying virtually any mood, feeling, or attitude. He just had an endlessly elastic ability that way. So it just became this signature thing. Like, search: jimmy stewart quietly thinking. (And I never thought of that one till just now so the pic I come up with will be one I have never used.)
June 15, 2018 at 2:22 pm in reply to: PFF: NFL's prototypical defensive linemen for each DL technique #87379znModeratorI doubt that any computer programmer, shooting for the perfect defensive lineman, would give us an Aaron Donald before he had actually played an NFL down.
I one of the many who believe that the combination of Donald, Suh, and Brockers is going to be a joy to watch.
I know everyone thinks that. It’s just fun to anticipate it out loud.
znModerator
znModeratorThat was predictably good.
.
znModeratorVincent Bonsignore@DailyNewsVinny
The #Rams concluded their offseason work this week, but before going their separate ways until training camp next month, they made a brief stop over in their not-so-distant future. What they saw was inspiring==
Photo gallery from the today’s Rams tour of the Inglewood stadium site (Hard hat not included) https://t.co/Qc5iHcNijb pic.twitter.com/ZriT2blldc
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) June 14, 2018
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Rams head coach Sean McVay standing on his future home field: “You get in here and I think you can really get a feel for the magnitude of this project and what a special thing it is.” @DowntownRams @usatodaynfl @CVRamsClub pic.twitter.com/DxU9yXcfbd
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) June 14, 2018
znModeratorRams Visit L.A. Stadium to Conclude Offseason Program
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Taking over the Rams on SnapChat: SnaptheRams to see the new stadium and players 🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/nls1QZxrmG
— Sarina (@sarina) June 14, 2018
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Specialists ready for the tour of #KroenkeWorld pic.twitter.com/d5abrjHozT
— Johnny Hekker (@JHekker) June 14, 2018
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A great day checking out what's to come for the #LARams!
Photo gallery 📸 » https://t.co/LhRKLFa6fn pic.twitter.com/hFcVrcVmOp
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 15, 2018
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Thank you to all the men + women who work so hard to get our stadium built!
Good to know it’s in great hands! @JaredGoff16 😉🏈🙌 pic.twitter.com/4gvqrK8Pbl
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 14, 2018
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.@JaredGoff16 finds @robertwoods wide open in the endzone! TOUCHDOWN #LARAMS! 🙌
The first touchdown at our future home. Can’t wait for it to count in 2020! pic.twitter.com/rkFW7dBjR0
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 14, 2018
znModeratorI dunno man. People have been saying that about ROT for a little while now. That ROT is the new LOT and so on. But if you look around the league, the premier OTs are always on the left. Nothing really has changed over the last few years yet over the last few years you keep hearing it has changed.
It just could be that Lane Johnson can’t play left OT the way you need it to be played. That he’s an ideal ROT but not athletic/nifty enough to play LOT?
Or the Eagles just do things differently.
I don’t see a trend, honestly.
znModeratorGood stuff! Thanks for posting it zn.
Yeah this was a good one.
znModeratorAqib Talib calls Rams secondary ‘probably the best’ he’s played in
Cameron DaSilva
Aqib Talib calls Rams secondary 'probably the best' he's played in
Aqib Talib knows a good defense when he sees one. Having played for two top teams in the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, Talib is familiar with lining up in some of the best secondaries in the league.
Now a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Talib has a chance to carry on that tradition by joining Marcus Peters, Lamarcus Joyner, John Johnson and several others in the secondary. Despite parting ways with Trumain Johnson, Kayvon Webster and Cody Davis this offseason, the Rams are absolutely loaded in the defensive backfield and look even stronger on paper than they were in 2017.
Talib was asked how this unit compares to the Super Bowl-winning group he was a part of in Denver, but he didn’t take the bait.
He did, however, say this is probably the best secondary he’s ever been in.
“I’ve been in some great, great secondaries, but top to bottom, with depth, this is probably the best one I’ve played in,” Talib said, via USA TODAY. “The sky’s the limit, we just have to be on our stuff. Be in meetings on time, get sleep at night. The talent is there, you just have to do the extra stuff.”
Considering the amount of talent the Rams have at both cornerback and safety, it’s hard to argue against Talib’s point. Add in the fact that they also have Sam Shields, Troy Hill and several others deeper down the depth chart and you’d be hard-pressed to find a group better than this one.
Whether that translates to wins or another Super Bowl title for Talib remains to be seen, but the talent is absolutely there. They just have to capitalize on it.
June 14, 2018 at 2:59 pm in reply to: informal poll: go ahead & guess…if healthy do the Rams have a top 5 offense? #87358znModeratorAlbaNY_Ram sez
there might be more balls to go around this year ...
What if the offense converts a couple more firsts downs a game and the defense gets a couple more stops a game … then the offense will be able to run more plays!
In 2017 the Rams ran on average 62.6 plays per game. That was 19th in the league. The top 8 team averaged between 66.1 and 67.5 plays a game. What if the Rams landed in the middle of that bunch: 66.8 plays per game. That’s an additional 4.2 plays per game … which works out to 67 more plays over the course of the season. The Rams could target Cooks more than they targeted Watkins and also feed a lot more balls to the TEs in 2017 without taking any touches away from anyone else!!
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/plays-per-game
Additionally, Goff was 16th in the league in completion percentage among players with at least 200 attempts at 62.1. http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=1&season=2017&seasonType=REG&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-p=1&statisticPositionCategory=QUARTERBACK&qualified=true&d-447263-s=PASSING_COMPLETION_PERCENTAGE If he cracks the top 10 (64.2%) and throws 67 more passes his number of completions will go from 296 to 349. That’s 53 more receptions to divvy up among Cooks and the TEs without taking a single catch away from anyone else.
znModeratorIf Gurley is as good as Faulk, you keep Gurley.
Otherwise I agree with you that good RBs are easier to find. I believe they can play earlier at a higher level than most positions.
How about we pay Goff 28; Donald 21; cooks 15; Peters 14 and we keep Joyner, Brockers and Kupp.
Well the 2nd contract number for qbs has already reached 28. When Goff comes up it will be more.
znModeratorIn his presser today, Kyle Shanahan was asked if he felt defenses had figured out the zone read. His answer was fantastic pic.twitter.com/dSa9FfGGHn
— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) June 13, 2018
znModeratorFox News now says criticizing Kim Jong Un amounts to criticizing Trump
With Trump lavishing praise on Kim, a host pressed Marco Rubio to “clarify” his criticism of the dictator.
link: https://thinkprogress.org/fox-news-rubio-clarify-kim-jong-un-trump-f49a8ef169bc/
During a Fox News interview on Wednesday morning, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) was pressed to a clarify a tweet he posted on Tuesday calling totalitarian dictator Kim Jong Un “a total weirdo who would not be elected assistant dog catcher in any democracy.”
One more thing about KJU. While I know @potus is trying to butter him up to get a good deal, #KJU is NOT a talented guy. He inherited the family business from his dad & grandfather. He is a total weirdo who would not be elected assistant dog catcher in any democracy.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 12, 2018
Rubio’s tweet came while President Trump is lavishing praise on the North Korean dictator as “a strong guy” with “a very good personality” who is “very strategic” and “very impressive.”
During the interview, Fox News’ Sandra Smith took her cue from Trump and pressed Rubio to “clarify” why he’s tweeting mean things about Kim.
“You’ve been tweeting a lot over the past 24 hours, and some have looked at your tweets as not only a criticism of Kim Jong Un, but some have seen them as a criticism as the president,” host Sandra Smith said. “As you just did now, you called Kim Jong Un a ‘weirdo,’ you said, ‘he’s a total weird who would be elected assistant dog catcher in any democracy.’ The president, he sits down with Sean Hannity, he’s talking about Kim Jong Un as someone who appeared to be funny, he’s smart, the president has said of him. So, could you clarify?”
Rubio responded by saying he has “nothing to clarify.”
“The president is the president of the United States. He was democratically elected by the people of this country, and in two and a half years people will have a chance to vote for him, or vote against him,” Rubio said. “Kim Jong Un’s never been elected to anything. He inherited from his father and his grandfather a dictatorship, he has murdered people, he has put people in death camps — deep suffering by the people of North Korea.”
“He has nuclear weapons, he has long-range missiles, he kills people abroad, including his own brother and others, and on top of all that, you know, this whole cult that they’ve created in their own country,” Rubio added. “Their government is a cult, it’s almost religious-like in its cult-like elements, it’s a very strange and weird place. It is what it is, and I’m not going to ignore that reality. That’s just a fact, these are not things that I’m making up, they are real.”
As the Sydney Morning Herald detailed, in North Korea, “an estimated 100,000 political prisoners are held in fetid gulag-style prisons, ‘re-education’ camps and forced-labour centers. Many are killed through torture or starved to death, according to defectors who have fled North Korea.”
More from the Herald:
In this year’s human rights report by the US State Department, North Korea stands out for the deplorable conditions described.
“Mothers were in some cases reportedly forced to watch the infanticide of their newborn infants,” the report states. Rape and other forms of torture, beatings and brutal interrogations were also common for people whose alleged crimes might have been nothing more than falling asleep at a political event or playing foreign music.
The North Korean people, the report said, also face “rigid controls over many aspects of [their] lives, including arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, and correspondence, and denial of the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, religion, and movement; denial of the ability to choose their government.”
But in his comments about Kim, Trump has avoided mentioning the words “human rights,” and has instead emphasized North Korea’s potential for “commerce.”
There is no limit to what NoKo can achieve when it gives up its nuclear weapons and embraces commerce & engagement w/ the world. Chairman Kim has before him the opportunity to be remembered as the leader who ushered in a glorious new era of security & prosperity for his citizens! pic.twitter.com/Xbup4Zyz33
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
During his interview with Trump, Hannity asked the president if humanitarian issues “came up” during his summit with Kim in Singapore. Trump immediately pivoted to ranting about the Korean War.
“That was a rough fight,” Trump said. “They were buried along the roadways, they were buried as, you know, soldiers were going back and forth into battle and they were burying them along roadways.”
During a news conference held immediately after the summit, Trump acknowledged that human rights were “discussed relatively briefly compared to denuclearization.”
June 13, 2018 at 8:47 pm in reply to: Minicamp & post-minicamp "so how did they look" reports #87343znModerator10 Observations from Day 2 of Rams Minicamp
Myles Simmons
Team insider Myles Simmons shares his top 10 observations from the last practice of minicamp.
1) Special teams coordinator John Fassel began the session by practicing kickoff return with the group. Fassel had said in his press conference earlier in the day that the new return rules will necessitate more changes than the new kickoff rules.
2) Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh stood next to each other and ostensibly had a long conversation along the sideline while special teams got its work done on the field. There was certainly a good amount of knowledge and experience going on in that talk.
3) On the second field, kicker Greg Zuerlein was practicing field goals with the entire operation of long snapper Jake McQuaide and holder Johnny Hekker. There were no goalposts on the field, but it was still a good sign to see him launching the ball off his right leg.
4) As head coach Sean McVay said it would be during his Tuesday press conference, Wednesday’s session was fairly light to cap the offseason program. The offense and defense stayed on separate fields throughout the short session, which meant there was no 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 work.
5) The offense started individual drills with running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers catching a quick pass in the flat from the four quarterbacks. The receiver then had to run past a pair of tackling dummies and stiff arm each of them to get through the drill.
6) The same group also went through a red-zone drill, where each quarterback had to scramble out of the pocket and then throw to a receiver on the run in the end zone. That can be a tough pass for a quarterback to complete in live-game situations.
7) The offensive skill players went through plays in their group drills very quickly — averaging about 10 seconds between snaps as McVay barked out formations and plays.
8) On the other field, the defense worked on covering routes with a split squad in order to maximize the individualized attention and reps for the players. One pair of inside linebackers was working with a corner and safety on one field side of the field, with the same thing happening in somewhat of a mirror image on the same field.
9) The defense also worked on a pursuit drill, with different coaches stationed at different places on the field to represent various wide receiver routes. After the coaches mocked the snap, the defensive players had to find the coach with the ball raised above his head, and then run to that spot. There were swing passes, deep passes, and midrange passes for the defense to pursue.
10) Overall, McVay seemed satisfied with the day’s mental work, saying in his press conference he was “pleased with the focus and concentration” from the walk-thru and practice.
znModeratorWade Phillips Press Conference 6-13
Rams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips addresses the media on the second day of mini camp.
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John Fassel Press Conference 6-13
Rams Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel addresses the media on the second day of mini camp with an update on kicker Greg Zuerlein and more
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Talking defense with Coach Phillips!
One-on-one with @sonofbum 🗣 pic.twitter.com/bMZlxX9Pgb
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 13, 2018
znModeratorRich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
Speaking of linebackers, Wade Phillips said Samson Ebukam “certainly” will be a starter on the outside, and indicated Matt Longacre would be in line for the other spot when healthy.Joe Curley@vcsjoecurley
Phillips on the LB depth chart post Fox injury: “We’ll have some young guys who will have to play, Samson certainly will have one of the starting positions. Hopefully Longacre comes back. I think we have good possibilities for players to come through for us.”Wade Phillips on LB corps: “I think training camp is going to show which ones step up. We’ve got some good-looking players. I think the strong-side linebacker needs pads on to be able to play the tight end… We’ll see if any of those young guys can do that.”
Wade Phillips says Cory Littleton, having been moved to MLB, has been calling the defensive signals in practice.
Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
Wade Phillips, on Aaron Donald’s absence and heavy on the deadpan… “We feel like it will happen sooner or later. Hopefully sooner. He didn’t come until late last year and he did OK. I guess he fit in the 3-4. Everybody was worried about that.”Asked to identify leaders who have stepped up on defense, Wade Phillips named Michael Brockers, Aqib Talib and Mark Barron. “I think we have at least one leader in all of the groups,” Phillips said.
Special teams coach John Fassel opined that Greg Zuerlein probably could kick in a game this week if the Rams had one. Full speed for camp, it seems, after December back surgery.
Joe Curley@vcsjoecurley
Asked about the Aaron Donald situation and his potential contract issue on the horizon, Todd Gurley responds “I play football, man, and let the rest take care of itself. There’s no reason to think about 2019 until it’s (here.)”Asked if there’s any room to improve as a receiver, Todd Gurley deadpans “So I’m a receiver now?”
McVay says he’ll take a vacation immediately and get back because as training camp approaches the “itch” sets in.
Coach Fassell says P Johnny Hekker is working on a few specific things in the offseason. “He recognizes that there’s still a lot of room for him to get better, which may seem crazy.”
“I like personalities, because they’re independent to do things on their own… You don’t want a player who does everything you say. You want guys to show some initiative.” — Wade Phillips on his star-studded defense
“We’ve got a lot of versatility there. We can matchup guys. Both corners can play either side. Robey is a tremendous nickel inside player. And the two safeties are outstanding. I’d be surprised if we weren’t really good.” — Phillips on his secondary
Ryan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje
Wade Phillips said that Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, the Rams two new starting corners, will be able to switch sides of the defense. Wade said it gives them a ton of versatility to create ideal matchups.Wade Phillips on his new weapon on the Rams defensive line: “Ndamukong has so much power. You can see it. He just holds guys off with one arm.”
Phillips adds that with CB Marcus Peters, there were a couple of examples last year of him playing man-to-man, the ball goes to another receiver, but Peters intercepts it anyway. Phillips says that’s not a trait he wants to take away from a guy like Peters.
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Wade Phillips had a typically great answer today when asked about managing the strong personalities the Rams have added on defense: pic.twitter.com/cTfqDGIlfN
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) June 13, 2018
znModeratorAfter a tumultuous offseason, the Rams’ starting linebackers appear to be set
Rich Hammond
THOUSAND OAKS — It hasn’t been evident on the field during the offseason program, but the Rams seem to have settled on their group of four starting linebackers, three of whom will be new.
That’s a scary proposition. The Rams will turn to, in no particular order, a converted safety, two former undrafted free agents and a second-year guy who primarily played special teams in 2017.
“We have a lot of strengths,” defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said after Wednesday’s practice at Cal Lutheran. “We just need some guys to come through, and it looks like they have that ability.”
The Rams concluded their offseason program Wednesday, and for the first time, Phillips publicly pieced together the group of starting linebackers in his 3-4 defense. Look for Mark Barron and Cory Littleton to play inside, with Samson Ebukam and Matt Longacre outside.
That’s a big change from seven months ago, when the Rams ended 2017 with Barron and Alec Ogletree inside, flanked by Robert Quinn and Connor Barwin outside. During a dizzying month-long series of moves, the Rams traded Ogletree and Quinn and allowed Barwin to leave via free agency.
So, it’s time to turn to the kids, but nobody knows exactly how they will look together.
Littleton, 24, and Ebukam, 23, were two of the standouts of the Rams’ OTAs practices, but neither Barron nor Longacre participated in full-team work because of injury precaution. Longacre underwent back surgery last December and Barron struggled late last season with injuries, particularly to his knee.Chemistry could be an issue in training camp, when presumably the quartet will debut together. There is, as Phillips indicated, plenty of ability and potential, but little track record.
Barron, 28, is the only known quantity and has been a full-time starter with the Rams since 2015, but he has had difficulty staying on the field because of injuries. Longacre, an undrafted free agent in 2015, had 5.5 sacks in a backup role last season. Littleton, an undrafted free agent in 2016, was a special-teams star in 2017 but now will be asked to replace Ogletree as the middle linebacker and signal-caller.
Then there’s Ebukam, who might have the highest ceiling. A fourth-round draft pick out of Eastern Washington last season, Ebukam also played well on special teams as a rookie and played increasingly well as a fill-in for Barwin at outside linebacker.
Phillips and Coach Sean McVay had strong praise for Ebukam throughout the offseason program, and Phillips said Wednesday that Ebukam definitely would capture one of the starting spots.“They’ve told me all that good stuff,” Ebukam said, “but I don’t really pay attention to it. I’m just here to earn my spot. It’s another year, and I’ve got to earn it just like everybody else.”
Linebacker is the only position on the Rams’ defense in any type of flux, though.
Once star defensive lineman Aaron Donald returns from his contract holdout, he will settle nicely alongside Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers. The secondary is set, with cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, safeties Lamarcus Joyner and John Johnson and nickel back Nickell Robey-Coleman.It all seems to be coming together. Some league pundits shuddered during the offseason when the Rams traded for Talib and Peters, then signed Suh. None of them are exactly wallflowers, and concern was raised about whether the strong personalities would clash in the Rams’ locker room.
McVay expressed confidence that Phillips, who has more than 40 years of coaching experience, would be able to handle things, and indeed, Phillips seems under control. This week, Talib and Peters praised Phillips’ leadership style and Suh referred to him as a “fun-loving grandfather.”
Phillips, known for a wry sense of humor and a low-key demeanor, chuckled softly when asked about dealing with players who aren’t shy about speaking their minds.
“As far as strong personalities,” Phillips said. “I explain what I want and how I want it done and why we want it done that way, and they understand those things. I like personalities, because they’re independent enough to do things on their own, and they’re independent enough to be great players too. You don’t want a player who does everything you say, you know? I mean, you want guys who have some initiative.”
znModeratorznModeratorClass is cognitive.
Which reminds me that a lot of cognition is socially and culturally wired.
znModeratorIt’s another year and another new set of coaches for Rams quarterback Jared Goff
By Rich Hammond
THOUSAND OAKS — Pay attention to your coaches, Jared Goff. At least for 12 months or so.
In what is becoming an unofficial rite of late spring, the Rams’ quarterback is adjusting to a new set of advisors. For a third consecutive year, Goff has a new position coach and a new pass-game guru.
Zac Taylor is the Rams’ new quarterbacks coach, promoted in January to replace Greg Olson, who got hired as Oakland’s offensive coordinator. Shane Waldron is the Rams’ new pass-game coordinator, promoted to replace offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, who left for the same job in Tennessee.
“It’s exciting. It’s fun,” Goff said after Tuesday’s minicamp practice at Cal Lutheran. “I think they’ve done a tremendous job. I have already learned a lot of Zac and learned his spin on things, and same with Shane. They both have their take on things and it’s different and I have enjoyed it.”
Not since his junior season at Cal has Goff returned to team with an intact set of quarterback-related coaches. That is, in part, a reality of life in the NFL. A coach’s life is transitory, and those who do their jobs well, such as Olson and LaFleur, tend to move on to jobs with greater responsibilities.
What, if anything, does this mean for Goff? A year ago, he made the Pro Bowl as the league’s most-improved quarterback. Plus, if anything, his relationship with Coach Sean McVay should be stronger in its second season, and Goff’s surrounding cast of talent is arguably better than last season.
Still, a quarterback is an extension of his coaches, each of whom has his own voice, preferences and nuances. As Goff entered the final phase of the Rams’ offseason program Tuesday – the start of a three-day minicamp – the Rams seemed unconcerned about the latest round of coaching flux.
“He’s had a few new faces,” Waldron said, “so the biggest thing is keeping that consistency in what the messaging has been in the meeting room. Zac Taylor has done a great job of picking up where (Olson) left off, and ultimately Coach McVay is the lead voice of our offense, and his message is the same.”
That’s the bottom line, even though McVay attempted to downplay it Tuesday as he heaped praise on Taylor and Waldron. McVay is a former high school quarterback and he is the Rams’ play-caller.
A position coach is important, but Goff’s tightest bond always will be with McVay. The two seemed to bond quickly in 2017, after McVay took over in January.
“I think quarterback and play-caller is one that has to be tight,” Goff said, “and our relationship continues to grow and I feel good about it.”
After three years of college consistency at Cal, with veteran head coach Sonny Dykes and coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tony Franklin, Goff arrived in the NFL in 2016 and got handed to Coach Jeff Fisher, who had a defensive background, and a support staff with little experience.
Rob Boras, a longtime tight ends coach, had never before been a full-time NFL offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke had a Heisman Trophy on his shelf but had only one year of experience as a coach beyond the high school level.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that Goff struggled as a rookie, then thrived in 2017 under Olson, a quarterbacks coach with 30 years of experience at the NFL and college levels, and LaFleur, a first-year but well-regarded coordinator. Most importantly, Goff had McVay, the play-caller who transformed the Rams’ offense from dormant to dominant in a short period.
Goff isn’t a stranger when it comes to his new coaches, and that helps.
Taylor, 35, spent last season as the Rams’ assistant receivers coach, and previously was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Miami Dolphins. Waldron has retained his previous duties as the Rams’ tight ends coach, and he also worked with the tight ends in Washington and New England.
“I think it’s about everybody having a great relationship,” McVay said. “There’s a lot of times when I might not be in that quarterbacks room or the offensive meeting, but when you have the confidence in Zac and Shane and Coach Kromer and the other coaches, you feel really good about stepping away.”
znModerator[Note: Seattle just hired Ex-Colts general manager Ryan Grigson to work with Seattle GM Schneider in an undisclosed role in personnel]
Pat Thorman@Pat_Thorman
Grigson: “Don’t worry about the shitty O-line. Real franchise QBs can take a beating.”
Schnieder: “Finally, someone who gets me.”znModeratorRobert Klemko@RobertKlemko
You don’t need to do this to get recruited as a DT or win a job as a TE. It sure helps to travel to camps and pay to train at a higher level, but it’s not essential. It has become essential for QBs. Who gets left out? Poor kids. Black kids. Kids who might have thrived in the NFL.Bucky Brooks@BuckyBrooks
The private training business for QB can be exclusive. Price points for QB training greatly exceed what parents pay for skill players (RB/WR/DBs). If the nuances of the position matter, QB from disadvantaged situations have to a tougher road.. No doubtznModeratorHas Earl Thomas played his last game with the Seahawks via @CBSSports. https://t.co/rGuYR97v9i
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) June 13, 2018
znModeratorBrandin Cooks and Robert Woods? Rams like their new receiving corps
Lindsey Thiry
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Brandin Cooks is fast. Just ask Sean McVay. He can’t stop talking about it.
“How fast was Brandin Cooks? … How about how fast Cooks looked on that strike? … How about how fast Cooks is? Is that awesome?”
Cooks, his new receiver, showed some speed.
In a series of offseason moves, the Rams sent their first-round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for Cooks, who is expected to provide a deep target for quarterback Jared Goff in a receiving corps that returns starters Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, as well as Pharoh Cooper, Josh Reynolds and Mike Thomas.
“If there is one thing that Brandin has done a nice job of specifically the last few years,” McVay said before the start of the offseason program, “it’s being able to go get that deep ball.”
Cooks has caught 27 touchdowns in four seasons and his ability to stretch the field, along with Woods’ sure hands and return to health, will be paramount as the Rams seek to repeat as the NFL’s highest-scoring team and win a second consecutive NFC West title.
“He’s going to fit in very nice,” Woods said of his new teammate. “You know you seen him the first couple of days tearing things up. You see his speed already. I think he’s a big impact for this offense.”
The Rams prioritized keeping safety Lamarcus Joyner with the franchise tag over receiver Sammy Watkins, leaving Watkins to sign a three-year, $30 million guaranteed deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Last season Watkins became a reliable target for Goff in the red zone, but never developed into a reliable deep target after he was acquired from the Buffalo Bills late in training camp. Watkins finished the season with 39 receptions for 593 yards and eight touchdowns.
Following rumors that the Rams were interested in acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants, they traded for the 24-year-old Cooks, who last season caught 65 passes for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns for the Patriots.
“It’s a great, great guy to have in the room with those other guys,” Goff said. “I think you can’t ask for much more with Brandin, Robert, Cooper, that combination.”
Kupp, during his rookie season, led the team with 869 yards and was second with 62 receptions while catching five touchdowns.
But it was Woods who set the tone for the receiving corps.
After four seasons with the Bills, Woods established himself as a veteran presence and leader among a group that needed a turnaround from the 2016 season.
Widely considered a No. 2 receiver when he was acquired, Woods looked the part of a top playmaker in a victory over the New York Giants, when he took a screen pass on third-and-33 and turned it into a 52-yard touchdown.
And against the Houston Texans, Woods caught a deep pass in stride for a 94-yard touchdown.
He led the Rams in receptions until suffering a shoulder injury during a Week 11 loss to the Minnesota Vikings that kept him sidelined for three weeks. Woods finished the season with 56 receptions for 781 yards and five touchdowns.
But now Woods, a sixth-year pro in the second season of a five-year, $34 million contract, is fully recovered and said that he — and the receiving corps — are further ahead in their development than they were last offseason as they prepare for the start of mandatory minicamp.
“Big improvements from last year,” Woods said. “Just our timing with Jared, the offense is more advanced than where we were at this point, but just moving forward and still trying to grasp more of the concepts.”
With Woods and Cooks, McVay’s offense could display more of the explosive passing game that the Rams demonstrated in a Week 3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, when Woods caught six passes for 108 yards and Watkins caught six for 106.
The duo’s combined performance was thought to be the first of what would be a long season working in tandem with Goff. But as the weeks passed, it became apparent that the Goff-Watkins connection, outside of a reliable slant in the end zone, would never materialize. The Week 3 contest was the only game in which Woods and Watkins each surpassed 100 yards receiving.
Some of Watkins’ shortcomings were attributed to the coverage defenses dedicated to him; others pointed to his inability to develop a rapport with Goff after his arrival last August.
Time to develop chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for Cooks, who was acquired in April.
“The more time they get to be comfortable and familiar with each other,” McVay said of Cooks and Goff, “I think the better we’ll be served as an offense. I think the learning curve won’t be quite as steep.”
Goff and the receivers worked together before the offseason program began. And Goff already was familiar with Cooks, who starred at Oregon State, while he played at California.
“I actually played him in college once and I’ve seen him obviously across the league in the last three to four years and understand his versatility,” Goff said. “I know Sean will come up with ways to use him and put us in the best situation possible.”
For Cooks, he said it’s too soon to tell exactly how he’ll fit in the offense, but said he was confident McVay would figure it out.
“McVay does such a great job of calling plays and putting their players in their best spots and as far as that, players coming out, executing and trusting the process,” Cooks said. “That’s what I think makes this offense special — there’s no selfishness.”
znModeratorReynolds Out to Prove His Versatility Beyond Red Zone
Kristen Lago
At 6-foot-3, Josh Reynolds is the tallest wide receiver on the Rams roster. And with that long, angular frame, it’s easy to see why many have dubbed him as a potential key red-zone target for the upcoming season.
But while the label is something Reynolds is very familiar with, it’s not all he hopes to be known for.
Throughout OTAs and heading into training camp, the second-year player is out to prove he is much more than just a lengthy goal-line target.
“Anything in the red zone, that’s always been my specialty, but I’m definitely looking to broaden my horizons
[and] broaden my role,” Reynolds said Wednesday. “Yeah, I’m a big target, so red zone comes kinda naturally to me, but everything else is something I have to work at.”
Specifically, Reynolds has been working on his speed and ability to run various routes. And because he comes into this year more familiar with the Rams’ scheme and system, he has been able to play more freely — with a focus on improving his overall technique.
“It’s a lot more smooth than last year,” he said. “I just feel confident. [It’s] definitely slowing things down and trusting your training.”
Last season, Reynolds showed flashes of his potential when called upon. He stepped in admirably for wide receiver Robert Woods through two games last season, scoring his first NFL touchdown in one such contest.
But this year, the Texas A&M product said he is hoping to fill in for a different receiver.
“[We’re] missing Sammy Watkins in the picture, where he was a big red-zone target last year, so I’m hoping to be able to fill in with that,” Reynolds said of his ideal role. “I definitely can bring more to the table.”
And although the club did bring in another wideout, Brandin Cooks, during the offseason, Reynolds is not intimidated by the amount of talent in the receiving room.
Instead, he looks at the group as a unique opportunity for development.
“Competing with a whole bunch of guys that are great dudes, great players, it just makes everybody better,” Reynolds said. “Being able to take different techniques from each other and just being able to learn from the different experiences they’ve been through throughout their years and the stuff they’ve seen. To have the guys we do in our room, it makes everyone better.”
znModeratorWell @AaronDonald97 might not be at mini-camp but he's a Pitt making sure he's good to go when that extension gets finalized. https://t.co/6GW7nfKVTF
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) June 12, 2018
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