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znModeratorSo is Aaron Donald “not living up to his contract” ?
I read that from time to time.
When a player comes out of college does he have much choice about what kind of contract he is going to sign? Doesnt the NFL-corporate-policy kinda lock players into rookie-contracts basically? Or not? I dunno.
Do rookies really have much say in their contracts these days? Isnt it kindof a take-it-or-leave-it situation now for rookies in the NFL?
So, I’m not sure its totally fair to say a player like Donald is “not living up to his contract”
w
vYou may hear that but the people saying that have a VERY selective view of the situation.
The Rams bought into the extension and openly said two things that make all his “leverage/contract” talk moot:
from Rams uncertain whether Aaron Donald will report for start of training camp
RICH HAMMOND
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/27/rams-uncertain-whether-aaron-donald-will-report-for-start-of-training-camp/“These are delicate situations,” Snead said.
“I think you have to respect Aaron and his side, in that business move. It’s really all about respect. Yes, we’d love for him to be here. Hope he’s here. It would help if he were here. But if he decides not to, then it’s a thing you have to respect.”
The next bit is Demoff from a 7/30 ESPNLA podcast.
Here;s my transcript. I weave paraphrase in with direct quotes. The “special player/special contract” remark is a direct quote:
* How do you pay AD and still construct the team with other guys you sign? KD: #1, AD is a special player and deserves a special contract. Though sometimes that’s harder to structure when you have 2 years left as opposed to 1 or as opposed to a free agency year. In terms of other guys, it’s harder to evaluate who the other longterm signings should be when you have a new coaching staff. You need Wade and Sean to say, this is the guy we want longterm (2nd contract). So there’s a feeling out period. Maybe a guy who didn’t play a ton last year emerges this year in the new systems and the coaches want HIM. A star last year may not be a fit this year. You don’t have to ask that question with AD—Wade keeps telling KD, hey this is the guy. They have 45-50 M in cap space next year and more beyond that, so there’s plenty of room to take care of others (like Tree and Joyner).
They respect his decision if he stays out of camp.
He is a special player who deserves a special contract.
The minute the Rams said all that, then, “honoring” his old contract is moot. They already admitted that contract is outdated.
There’s just a type that defends management when it comes to contracts, no matter what. The irony is in this case, management is not talking like they are.
And like we’ve seen so many times in the past it’s hard to keep up, the assumption among many is that the team has a fair offer and Donald is disdaining it.
Not only is there no evidence of that, IMO from the few signs and signals we do have, it’s far more likely that the team is lowballing Donald.
….
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znModeratorI wouldn;t blame Tyrian too much. He comes from a spread offense warrior mentality background. That means his meetings with siblings where they talk about him murdering their father will, as a rule, be rushed and ineffectual. Plus, there’s the holdout.
BTW. How did Tyrian get ahold of Bronn. And then convince him to bring Jaimie to a meeting.
znModeratorI have to admit, I have no patience for 9/11 conspiracy theories.
August 15, 2017 at 10:29 am in reply to: Sammy Watkins highlights/scouting reports etc. thread #72557znModeratorznModeratorEither take it out or add more.
The issue is, they couldn’t change the jersey. That has to do with NFL contractual obligations to the companies that sell jersies. You can;t just void their stock overnight.
So all that happened is, they changed the helmet but could not change the jersey.
znModeratorI don’t know how different all these WCOs are—Hackett, Roman, Dennison, McVay—but, they are probably not “like learning a 2nd language” different.
And…….this gets answered by McVay:
(On if the plan is to get Watkins game-ready for this Saturday)
...he’s way behind in terms of the installation and getting familiar with our verbiage and things like that. There is a little bit of carryover from what he was doing in Buffalo with (Bills offensive coordinator) Coach (Rick) Dennison, because kind of the verbiage and the foundation of it, there are some similarities with it. So, it won’t be quite as steep, but we’re really just kind of getting him acclimated and we’ll see how it goes the rest of the week.”
znModeratorMcVay only used the word “mindful” 4 times this presser. Last time was 14. Still that’s 18 times in 2 days.
znModeratorTraining Camp Report: Everything You Need to Know From Day 13
Kristen Lago
Less than 48 hours after playing in their first preseason game, the Rams were back on the practice field to finish up their last week of training camp at UC Irvine. Following this Saturday’s matchup against the Raiders, Los Angeles will resume training at its regular-season facility at Cal Lutheran.
In this afternoon’s non-padded session, much of the practice was focused on unscripted situational drills and technique. After fumbling the ball six times in the Rams’ win over the Cowboys, ball security was one of the main points of emphasis on offense. While on defense, the team centered the majority of its drills on man-coverage and pass deflections.
Here’s everything you need to know from Monday’s practice:
TOP TAKEAWAYS
1. Ball security as a point of focus
Day 13 of training camp featured a new portion of practice — ball security drills. While preseason football can sometimes be sloppy as teams work out kinks in their systems, Saturday’s fumbles left much to be desired from the Rams’ offense.
Although the preseason opener was Los Angeles’ first taste of live tackling all year, head coach Sean McVay said taking care of the football would be a point of emphasis moving forward.
“When you are able to get tackled with live hits, [the] ball gets a little bit loose when you’re not as conscientious about it,” McVay said after Saturday’s win. “Those are things that I as a coach have to do a better job of finding ways to creatively implement a more structured environment, so that it can be something that we do a better job with.”
Today, the team stressed controlling the ball through a couple of drills aimed at the receivers, tight ends, and running backs. The staff hit the players with a variety of dummies, would-be blocks, and other distractions in an effort to promote ball protection as a necessary skill. The running backs and quarterbacks also participated in exchange drills aimed at reducing the number of fumbles and turnovers.
2. Working in Watkins at wide receiver
Wide receiver Sammy Watkins made his Rams camp debut this afternoon, taking the field for the first time as a Ram, since he was traded from the Bills last Friday.
The receiver did not fully participate in today’s practice, spending the majority of his time watching from the sidelines. But he did see some action during the position drills and one-on-one sessions. McVay said the staff wanted “to be mindful of his workload” in this first practice, especially with all Watkins has had to deal with in the last week.
“He was going to go through individual, he’s getting some routes right now just to get some timing and get a feel for what’s going on,” McVay said. “But, with all the traveling that he’s done [and] a little jet lag, we’ll start to work him into practice starting tomorrow.”
Although Watkins has yet to fully familiarize himself with the Rams’ offense, he is still expected to play in the team’s second preseason game against the Raiders. After practice, the Rams’ newest wide receiver said that it may take him about “a week and a half to get everything dissected and master the playbook,” but that he will be prepared for “whatever the coaches have for [him]” come Saturday. “I’m just trying to help win games and that’s the main thing. Whatever the coach needs me to do, whatever position, I’m just out here trying to help, learn the playbook and get acclimated,” Watkins said.
While with the Bills, Watkins had 153 career receptions, 2,459 receiving yards and 17 scores in 37 games. Once fully integrated into the Rams’ offense he is expected to provide the team with a dynamic, vertical threat.
3. Defense impresses
After a strong showing in Saturday’s preseason opener, the Rams’ defense under Wade Phillips was on full display once again this afternoon. Though Day 13 was a non-padded session that did not feature any live tackling, the secondary was very impressive throughout the afternoon, recording three interceptions and a slew of pass deflections.
The defensive backs group started off strong in the one-on-ones with cornerback Mike Jordan rising high into the air to force an incomplete pass, and corner Dominique Hatfield beating wide receiver Brandon Shippen for a great deflection on a would-be touchdown.
Cornerback Troy Hill also raised some eyebrows in today’s session. Hill began practice with an impressive deflection during red-zone drills, knocking the ball out of its path on a pass from quarterback Jared Goff to wide receiver Justin Thomas. A few minutes later, the corner recorded the first interception of the day, picking off Goff in the endzone. Later this afternoon, cornerback Kevin Peterson had a nice read, intercepting a pass from Goff and taking it to the house for a pick six.
“I thought it was a great job by the defense forcing a lot of turnovers. They did a great job creating pressure,” McVay said. “Certainly, we can always try to help put our guys in good positions, but I credit the defense for getting their hands on some balls and they make it tough on the offense.”
FIELD-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS
• Not participating in today’s practice: cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, outside linebacker Ejuan Price, and wide receiver Nelson Spruce. Linebacker Samson Ebukam and wide receiver Tavon Austin remained out with injuries.
• Earlier today tight end Johnny Mundt was taken off of the PUP list after passing his physical. This afternoon was Mundt’s first active practice of training camp.
• Running back Todd Gurley had some exciting plays today, both in the run and passing game. During the 11-on-11 drills he cut across the field for a first down play along the outside and also recorded a nice one-handed catch in the end zone over middle linebacker Alec Ogletree during one-on-ones.
• Wide receiver Cooper Kupp also had a solid practice today. Both Goff and quarterback Sean Mannion connected with Kupp on a variety of different routes, showcasing off the receiver’s good hands and quick speed.
• Tight end Temarrick Hemingway had two great grabs from Mannion during the unscripted portion of Monday’s practice. The quarterback threaded the needle on a touchdown pass to Hemingway, before recording another completion on the following drive for a first down.
• The entire team, McVay included, participated in wind sprints at the end of the day to cap off Day 13 of practice.
PLAY OF THE DAY
Today’s play of the day came from tight end Gerald Everett. The Rams’ second-round draft pick out of South Alabama has shown a lot of development throughout the course of training camp. And while he recorded a series of catches in this afternoon’s practice, there was one particular grab that stood out.
During the team’s red zone drills, Everett jumped above his defender, Isaiah Johnson, to snatch the touchdown on a fade route from Goff, much to the delight of both his coaches and the nearby crowd.
PRESS POINTS
After practice Watkins spoke to the media about reuniting with his former teammate Robert Woods. Catch up on his most interesting points from Day 13 and watch his full press conference below:
SAMMY WATKINS:
On if he is excited to play with WR Robert Woods again: “Definitely excited. I never thought I was going to be playing with him again. He’s a great leader. I had him for three years and he just helped my game out mentally. He’s a great guy to be around because every day he comes out and works. Even days when I didn’t want to work I’ve seen him working so it’s like we both feed off of each other.”znModeratorRampage2K camp report 8/14
Not a good day for the offense.
I’m sure being in shells doesn’t help but both QBs were off as was the o-line… they just can’t block like they’re supposed to when wearing shells. Defense was swarming today. Goff had a couple TD’s as did Mannion but both had a couple picks also.
Everett and Kupp continue to shine as did Woods. Sammy just worked out with the WR’s in drills. Not in the 11 on 11 or 7 on 7, but did do a little red zone drill.
Seemed like they try to cram too much into a two hour practice. Horn would seem to blow just as they were getting going in a certain drill and then it was off to the next one… this is definitely a fast paced practice for the most part.
Also seems like the ones and twos got the same amount of reps in the team drills.
Goff had a nice long TD to Kupp as I posted earlier. Mannion has a nice TD in short yardage to Hemingway that was a laser.
Sammy is a nice sized WR and looked good, caught everything thrown to him it seemed in drills.
Can’t wait to see him on the field in a game soon.
Talked to Lindsey Thirry. She basically said that Goff hasn’t looked bad, it’s just that he hasn’t “wowed” her yet.” But admits that he’s still trying to learn the new playbook and new receivers and that it was still very early…I just get he sense that she isn’t sold on Goff yet..Super cool gal and got a picture with her.
DB is def a strength on this team right now as they’re feisty and fast.
MIKE Jordan is a big kid… if he can continue to develop he could be a stud. Joyner also flashed today and Tru had a couple picks.
Near the end of practice McVay ran over to the endzone to tell the DJ to put on some music as it seemed there was a bit of a lack of energy in the late team drills.
At the end of practice, he lined the whole team up on the sideline, including coaches and ran sprints to end the practice… pretty cool to see how involved McVay is with this team.
That’s all I got for now…
znModeratorOCRamRef68 camp report 8/14
I attended todays practice. I just wanted to give everyone an eyewitness account. I just want to preface my remarks by saying that I don’t have an agenda when it comes to Goff. I just want to give you my honest assessment. This is my 7th practice including the joint practice with the Chargers. This wasn’t one of Goff’s better days. I feel he’s s made great strides in the practices I’ve attended, and has done a really good job of taking care of the football and avoiding turnovers. That wasn’t the case today.
The 1st pick came on a red zone 11-11 segment. Connor Barwin lined up as though he was going to rush the QB, and at the snap, ran right to the middle of the field in coverage. This took away Goff’s first read. As he reset his feet, he decided to force the ball to the outside LATE. Tru jumped the route for the pick. This is a situation were he needs to run the ball or throw it away and take the three points. This is a great situation to learn from.
The second pick came on a throw in to the end zone from about 35 yards out. This one was just tough luck. He had his receiver up the seam. It was a pretty good throw but the DB made a good play and knocked it away. The ball bounced off the receiver into a teammates arms. I’m OK with that one. I think they have to take some shots down the field.
The third pick came on an out route by Kupp. It looked like the play was designed to go there. It wasn’t the best route by Kupp,, but Goff needs to pull that one down and go to the next read. BTW, Mcvay pulled Kupp aside after the play and discussed the route. I’m not saying it was Kupps fault, but to be fair each shared some blame on the play.
I was standing on the rail right next to Alden Gonzales as Goff had a nice TD to Kupp. I told him to write something positive about Goff. He said “when he gives me something positive to write about” jokingly. I said “what about that one?” He laughed. Well…….. he never seemed to mention that play in any of his post game notes. Just saying!
There was one other good throw by Goff down the seam for about 30 yards. The throw had nice touch over the LB and in front of the safety. So it wasn’t all bad
Mannion had an up and down day. He did have some good throws including a nice throw to Everett in the end zone and a little dump off to J Davis who walked into the end zone untouched, but he also had three throws that should have been picked. 2 were dropped and I don’t know how the other one was completed for a TD to Hemingway. He was double covered and the DB just missed the ball.
I really think our defense is going to be good. Mike Jordan was a beast today and Troy Hill made some nice plays. I think the Rams felt Gaines was expendable because of the play of some of our DB’s. Every practice I’ve been to, the secondary has been buzzing. Having to go against our Defense every day, has to make our offense better. I hope!
Tavon Austin was doing some work with a trainer on the sideline. I think he’s getting close to coming back.
Ebukam was also out there doing some side work, but didn’t participate. He looks close to coming back as well
J Reynolds and M Thomas were both back and full go
Goff stayed after practice to work with Watkins
In closing, I wouldn’t over react one way or another in regards to Goff. Everyone seems to have an agenda when it comes to their assessment of him. From what I’ve seen in the practices I’ve attended, there are some real positives that you can take from his play, but he’s not at the level we need him to be at yet. I personally think he’ll get there. Let’s let the process take place before we pass judgment. Completing 3 of 4 passes in a preseason game doesn’t make him the greatest thing since sliced bread and 3 picks in a practice doesn’t mean he’s a bust either. We should know by about week 6 or 7.
Sorry I couldn’t remember the name of every person involved in the plays I was describing. There was a lot to digest and I wasn’t writing anything down.
znModeratorHighlights from Monday’s Rams practice
RICH HAMMOND
A brief look at the Rams’ training-camp practice on Monday:
BIG MOMENT
Which interception to choose? Quarterback Jared Goff threw three, but the most impressive play might have been made by cornerback Trumaine Johnson, during a red-zone drill. Goff’s throw was a bit telegraphed, but Johnson made a perfect move to jump in front of receiver Robert Woods for the interception.
INJURY REPORT
Linebacker Robert Quinn continues to be held out of most full-team drills because of an undisclosed issue, and Quinn said the maintenance program will continue for a while.
“They’re just taking it slow,” Quinn said, “and trying to make sure I’m ready, God willing, when the season comes around.”
Linebacker Mark Barron and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner returned to practice, but players such as cornerbacks Kayvon Webster and Nickell Robey-Coleman were held out.
Receiver Tavon Austin, running back Lance Dunbar, offensive lineman Andrew Donnal, linebacker Samson Ebukam and receiver Josh Reynolds also remain out.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Credit the defense for getting their hands on some balls and they make it tough on the offense.” — Coach Sean McVay, on Goff’s three interceptions.
DEPTH CHART
The Rams practiced for the first time without E.J. Gaines, who had been their primary backup at cornerback before he was sent to Buffalo in the trade that brought in receiver Sammy Watkins.
The Rams held Webster and Robey-Coleman out of practice, but the cornerbacks got some good work. Johnson got the goal-line interception, and reserve cornerbacks Troy Hill and Kevin Peterson also picked off Goff.
HOLD ON
Two days after the Rams had six fumbles in their preseason opener against Dallas, the team did some early-practice ball-security drills involving running backs and receivers.
Players attempted to catch and run with balls while coaches hit them with foam pads and distracted them. In one sequence, McVay snuck up behind rookie receiver Brandon Shippen and stripped the ball.
znModeratorAaron Donald’s absence felt in victory over Cowboys
Lindsey Thiry
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-aaron-donald-20170814-story.html
Rams coach Sean McVay was not constantly smiling Sunday.
That, McVay said, should have been the telltale sign that no deal had been struck with star defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
Donald has been a holdout through two weeks of training camp and a preseason game.
“We’re hoping that we can figure this out because Aaron’s a very important part of what we want to do,” McVay said.
Donald, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is entering his fourth season and the Rams have picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
Donald wants a renegotiated contract that would make him among the highest-paid players in the NFL. He is scheduled to make $1.8 million this season and $6.9 million in 2018.
Lineman Michael Brockers said Donald’s absence was felt Saturday in a 13-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Brockers, Ethan Westbrooks and Louis Trinca-Pasat started on the line in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme.
“He’s probably working somewhere, working out, and he’s probably sick to his stomach, he wants want to be out here with us,” Brockers said about Donald. “You’re missing that dynamic element in his defensive front.
“But you know he’s going to be there sometime soon.”
That, at least, is the Rams’ hope.
znModeratorAlden Gonzalez
ESPN Staff Writerhttp://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/lar/los-angeles-rams
Rough day for Jared Goff. Threw three interceptions that I saw, and it easily could’ve been five. But, hey, this is why they rehearse.
Sean McVay on Jared Goff’s interception-filled day (he threw three; could’ve had two more): “I thought it was a great job by the defense, forcing a lot of turnovers. They did a great job creating pressure.”
New Rams WR Sammy Watkins only took part in individual drills and watched 11-on-11, then did some light work with Jared Goff after practice. “It’s my first day,” Watkins said. “I’m just trying to really catch up on the formations and concepts.”
Gerald Everett, the Rams’ 44th overall pick, going up to get one.
Sammy Watkins has been taking part in drills, but has been last in line, trying to take in as much as possible.
znModeratorSame as the last one ag put up, just a vid not a still
==
Hey look @JaredGoff16 to @sammywatkins @RamsNFL pic.twitter.com/nvrIm9DXMT
— Christopher Dowell (@pikebishop) August 15, 2017
znModeratorVeteranRamFan
While doing up downs with the ball Mcvay walks behind #12 and slaps the ball out.
Everyone now holding it a little tighter
znModeratorznModeratorGary Klein @LATimesklein
New Rams WR Sammy Watkins wearing No. 2 for preseason. WR not allowed single digits in regular season.Alden Gonzalez @Alden_Gonzalez
CB Mike Jordan made lots of plays Saturday and continues to look good in training camp. Just dropped an easy INT, but he’s been everywhere.For those wondering why Jared Goff only took eight snaps in the preseason opener: Sean McVay only wanted him under center with the first-team offensive line, and he did t want to overwork veterans Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan. If you consider how much pressure the second-team offensive line allowed, it was probably a good idea.
Rich Hammond @Rich_Hammond
Not surprisingly, Rams going through some ball-security drills in practice. Sean McVay just stripped Brandon Shippen.Myles Simmons@MylesASimmons
Only one rep for Watkins in one on ones, and it fell incomplete.Did see Gurley made a really nice catch in the corner of the end zone over Ogletree. 30 does have that receiving ability
Downtown Rams @DowntownRams
Mike Thomas is getting a look with the first team offense. He’s on the field with Kupp and Woods #RamsCampKevin Peterson and Mike Jordan are working as the 2nd team corners. #RamsCamp
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Here's your Sammy Watkins fix. pic.twitter.com/y9nJxzMLR4
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) August 14, 2017
Sean McVay going over a route with Sammy Watkins. pic.twitter.com/3SnwyCDYSH
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) August 14, 2017
New Rams WR Sammy Watkins w Sean McVay. pic.twitter.com/UHowPjol4i
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) August 14, 2017
#Rams Head coach Sean McVay looking on as Watkins goes over his new routes before practice pic.twitter.com/FXGdeZgyKk
— Kristen Lago (@kristennlago) August 14, 2017
Sammy Watkins in action for the Rams. pic.twitter.com/TdHIPPai9J
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 14, 2017
==
znModeratorOkay, then. Do you know why some wights are still kinda fleshy and some are just skeletons?
They are creatures entirely of magic that simply arise from a body where a person or animal once had been. They can be decayed but should have enough tissue to at least hold them together and allow mobility, even if they are all leathery and rotted.
Any previously living thing can be reanimated as a wight, which is what the walkers ride as horses–dead horses.
..
znModeratorgreg roman offense. only thing i know about him is that he coached under harbaugh for many seasons from stanford to the niners. very run heavy offense.
it’s probably mostly a matter of learning the terminology. i can’t imagine the concepts being so vastly different. it’s probably just learning the verbiage.
In 2014 SW was in a WCO under coordinator Nathaniel Hackett
In 2015-6, SW was in a WCO under coordinator Greg Roman, and then after Roman was fired early in the 2016 season, under Anthony Lynn, now the head coach of the Chargers. But of course Lynn had no choice but to run Roman’s system after taking over.
In 2017, before being traded,SW was under coordinator Rick Dennison, a Shanahan disciple who of course runs a WCO
Kromer btw was in Buffalo from 2015-16 too. As was Robert Woods. From 2013-14 Kromer btw was the coordinator in Chicago and ran a WCO.
I don’t know how different all these WCOs are—Hackett, Roman, Dennison, McVay—but, they are probably not “like learning a 2nd language” different.
BTW the only Coryell offense in the NFC west right now is Arizona. All 3 other teams (Rams included of course) run WCOs.
…
znModeratorAs for finding a way to lure one white walker down south . . . Yeah, that’s pretty crazy. Cersei won’t believe it anyway.
And I hope the writers aren’t going to try to follow the “Last Hero” prophecy to the bitter end, cuz, while it has a lot of ambiguity about it, it may well mean the end of everyone in that troop beyond the wall but one.
No not a walker, a wight.
And you call yourself a GOT fan.
znModeratorSee–we really are out there. Just gotta know where to look.
Not here. I travel incognito among hordes of Patriots fans. They’re everywhere. It’s like the nature documentaries where you see magnified shots of insect hordes, swarming. There are some Giants fans, admittedly. So it’s a blue sea of … blue. In the world of the blind, the one-eyed man has to keep it to himself.
August 14, 2017 at 2:15 pm in reply to: articles & highlights & everything else re: Dallas game #72502znModeratorREWIND: Rams vs. Cowboys
Check out a video recap of the action from the Rams’ preseason-opening win against the Cowboys.
http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/REWIND-Rams-vs-Cowboys/156387d5-31d1-4a50-9ea2-794edf9c9fa3
August 14, 2017 at 6:11 am in reply to: John Oliver on Trump's failure to disavow Nazis & on North Korea #72494znModeratorznModeratorBy my count, McVay uses the word “mindful” 14 times in that one presser.
We’ll see if that’s a norm or a record for him.
znModeratorRams Head Coach Sean McVay – August 13, 2017
(On if everybody came out of yesterday’s game healthy)
“Yeah. Everybody came out healthy, so that was a good thing for us. There’s a couple guys that just – little tweaks here and there, but nothing that’s going to be of major concern right now, so that’s good news for us.”
(On if OLB Rob Quinn, LB Mark Barron and CB Kayvon Webster’s absences were just precautionary)
“Yup. Those are guys that are part of that – we’ve been extra cautious with some of our veteran guys that we have big expectations for. Whether it be a tweak here or something like that, part of that maintenance program that we discussed, that’s where all three of those guys fit.”
(On if RB Todd Gurley’s workload will increase as the preseason goes on)
“Yeah, that’s the plan and we discuss those things as the preseason progresses with our coaches. But, the plan is right now for our starters to get progressive work through the third preseason game and (RB) Todd (Gurley’s) a very important part of what we want to do. I also think this preseason offers us a unique opportunity to get him some touches, being mindful of that we do want to allow him to be at his best by the time we play the Colts. But, especially being in a new system and just for the overall continuity of our offense, I think it’s important for him to be out there with those guys and that’s the goal and that’s the plan right now.”
(On if there was anything that stood out to him after his first game as an NFL head coach)
“I think the biggest thing is anytime, especially when you are as involved in the offense as I am, you’re always going to want a couple decisions back, you’re always going to wish you put the players in better situations and that’s something that I’m sure I’ll feel every single week. But, I thought in terms of the flow of the game, I thought it was very comfortable. I think the biggest thing too, like I mentioned yesterday is being able to trust that with (defensive coordinator) Wade (Phillips) and with (special teams coordinator) John Fassel, the game kind of operates seamlessly with the way that they run special teams and defense and I’m just going to have to figure out the rhythm in between series. That’s going to be the biggest thing that you navigate is, making sure that you’re mindful of getting ahead for that next series and have a couple thoughts in mind that you can communicate to our offensive position coaches in terms of how we want to attack the next drive, but also being involved with what’s going on, on defense, if there’s a penalty is it something that we want to accept. But, I think the collaboration and the communication overall as whole for the first time was very smooth. There’s a couple things that we’ll change going into next week, but I feel very good about it for the most part.”
(On if he constantly has a back and forth with offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur during the game)
“Yeah, it’s a good dialogue. (Offensive coordinator) Matt (LaFleur) and I have worked together in Washington and we’ve got a great rapport and a relationship, so Matt’s the guy that I would say I am communicating with the most, especially with the coaches that are up top. The nice thing is, when you have those headsets everybody’s on the line and there’s dialogue that can exist between myself and (quarterbacks) Coach (Greg) Olson, (tight ends) Coach (Shane) Waldron, (offensive line) Coach (Aaron) Kromer, (wide receivers) Coach (Eric) Yarber, so we’re all kind of in constant communication while being mindful of, ‘Here’s how we want to attack this drive.’ But, in between those series is where I’ll have to figure that out because there is a lot of communication that goes on that I might be on the defensive side of the ball with. Just kind of figuring out that dynamic is going to be something that will be really beneficial to figure out during these next three weeks of the preseason.”
(On how excited he is to have WR Sammy Watkins out on the practice field tomorrow)
“I think it will be exciting to just see him move around. We’ll start to try to meet with him and get him going and up to speed as quickly as possible with some of our offensive verbiage and the different things that we’ll ask of him. It is exciting to add a player of his caliber, like we’ve talked about, then to be able to see him out on the field with our team is something that I know our coaching staff and it seems like (WR) Sammy (Watkins) is excited about it as well.”
(On if QB Jared Goff has relayed anything to him about how he feels about the addition of Watkins)
“You know what, he really hasn’t just because of the way that everything went down and how quickly it took place and we’ve just been mindful of focusing on getting him ready for that preseason game and then the first time that Sammy was here was right before kickoff where he’s kind of getting into that mode and that mindset and then afterwards, you know how things go with the postgame. But, I know that he’s excited to add another good receiver to that room and it can only help us as an offense.”
(On if it’s his understanding that Watkins is a full-go in practice tomorrow)
“He is full-go. He checked off, he got all that stuff cleared, so he’s full-go. We want to be mindful of just the fact that he did a lot of traveling coming from the East Coast to the West Coast. He was getting everything checked out last night where we kind of got the thumbs up, so just getting him back to where his body feels recuperated and things like that. We’ll monitor his workload, but in terms of just his pace and things like that, he’s full speed, fully released and he’s healthy.”(On if he made the decision increase RB Todd Gurley’s preseason workload and if Gurley is comfortable with it)
“I think it was a combination of both. Out of respect for (RB) Todd (Gurley) we’re always going to communicate clearly and open with our players in terms of what our expectations are and how we want to operate and the nice thing about Todd is that as special of a player as he is, he doesn’t ever put himself above anything else. To him, his expectation is, ‘Until I’m told otherwise, I’m playing and I want to go compete.’ That’s what makes Todd a great competitor. So, I think for our offense as a whole, like I was saying earlier, just getting comfortable with the first year in the system being a little bit different and what a focal point of this offense we anticipate Todd being – I think it’s important for him to get some work in the preseason, so that we’re careful about that workload. It’s a delicate balance that we do want to have with that, but also mindful of, we’re getting him ready to roll for that Indy game where he can be at his best version of himself.”
(On if Gurley made it seem like that not getting enough game reps in the preseason last year made it difficult for him to get going last season)
“I think it’s important to be able to get those game reps and I think each guy has a different approach in terms of what allows them to get ready. I think Todd, going into his third year, he’s a great competitor that he’s always going to want to play if you allow him to. It’s not like he’s ever saying, ‘Hey, don’t let me play this preseason.’ He wants to compete. You watch the way that he works day in and day out at practice. He’s one of those guys that you have to be mindful of protecting himself from himself because he works so hard. That’s a good problem to have with one of your key players and I think he’d be the first to tell you, he wants to be out there with his teammates to compete and that’s something that we anticipate doing these next couple weeks.”
(On how he felt about the run blocking in the first couple series)
“Well, I think yesterday, especially when you just talk about the runs that we got off with our first unit, it’s a great example when you go back and watch the tape of why the run game takes all 11. It’s about one single block, if we miss at the point of attack and a defensive lineman spikes inside and now there’s penetration and the back doesn’t have a chance to press his landmark where everything else is in coordination, now you’re talking about a minus three yard gain where if one person does their responsibility we could be talking about a plus 13 (yard gain) or a big, explosive type run. I think Todd will have that ability to be able to make some free hitters miss, but as long as we get guys covered up, everybody’s contributing where it’s up front, to the tight ends, to the quarterback making sure he’s making the right decisions with the runs we’re running versus defense and then our receiver’s willingness to compete on the perimeter. It’s a great example and that will be something that we’ll look at with the team and just show that, ‘Hey just like anything else that’s what’s so great about football, it’s a great team sport and it takes all 11 and when one person doesn’t do their job these are the results.’ But, if this does get taken care of and everybody else, all 10 are on the same page and that guy that maybe messed up his assignment, look at what this run result could have been as oppose to what it was. That’s kind of the mindset that we have.”
(On if anyone jumped out at him on film)
“I think one of the guys when you really look at it – I thought just from an offensive standpoint, clearly we have got to take better care of the football. This is a guy whose shown up in practice, but I thought (RB) Justin Davis showed his explosion. Clearly, you have to be able to take care of the football though if we’re going to put it in your hands. What I like the most about it is after he kind of has the two that he puts on the ground – we’ve got to get that fixed and that’s going to be a focal point for us moving forward with (running backs coach) Skip (Peete) and his whole room and really our offense as a whole. But, what impressed me the most about Justin was his ability to respond. A lot of guys, you can let that affect you, but I didn’t sense that those two plays affected him, he came out and created some explosive runs after that, did a good job competing in protection. We can continue to clean up some of the technical things, but I thought he did a nice job. And then I think (LB) Cassanova Mckinzy on defense continues to show why he’s a physical player. He’s got the ability to run and hit and he’s done a nice job throughout the course of camp and then really our guys that we’re really counting on kind of showed why they’re guys we’re really counting on, so that was encouraging for us.”
(On if there’s hope that RB Lance Dunbar will get on the field)
“That’s something that we’ve really been closely monitoring with (Director/Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott). Obviously everyone is familiar with the history in terms of the knee injury that he sustained a couple years ago and it’s something that we’re monitoring every single day. He’s on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) right now. It doesn’t look like there’s any resolution to that in the near future. So, our anticipation is that you’d love to have (RB) Lance Dunbar. When that time is, we don’t really know. But that’s why it’s important for us to be able to evaluate some of these other backs because we went out and got Lance in free agency because we know what he’s capable of and what the expectations if he’s available we would have for him. But in the meantime, just like anything else he isn’t available. He’s doing what he can control in terms of the rehab and staying sharp with the mental aspect of it, but I think it offers a unique opportunity for some of those guys behind Todd to step up and get some opportunities that maybe they wouldn’t have otherwise.”
(On if WR Tavon Austin is expected to be back during training camp)
“You know, that’s something with his hamstring. We’re really trying to figure out exactly when that is that he’ll be back. I think ideally, you’d like to say he’ll get some preseason work, but you also want to be mindful of, if you’re ever pressing it to the point where he might re-aggravate it and then it puts him back another six weeks, those are things where you got to really rely on (Director/Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) and (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) Ted (Rath) in terms of their suggestions on how we handle a player like (WR) Tavon (Austin). The hamstrings are always very difficult injuries for those skilled players to evaluate, because the grade-one the grade-two, the difference ends up being a couple of weeks. So, ideally I’d like to say Tavon will get a chance to play in the preseason, but the goal and the main thing that we have in mind is making sure he’s ready for that Colts game.”
(On if Austin is scheduled to practice this week)
“Not right now. No, the expectation is that he’ll probably at least be out another week. Again, it’s a day-to-day update, but kind of the word and the feeling that I get is that it won’t be least for another week until he’ll be available.”
(On the challenge that it presents Austin has been unavailable for offseason workouts)
“It is. It’s a big challenge. The one thing that I’ve been pleased with Tavon is whether it’s the wrist or the hamstring, he hasn’t really allowed it to effect his demeanor and the way that he goes about every single day. Is this something that we want to deal with in an ideal world? No, absolutely not. But you got to make the most of this situation. He’s doing what he can control in terms of the mental approach and the rehab. It does make it a little bit more difficult, because you certainly have plans for a player like him and he’s still a part of our plans, but to be able to see those things come to fruition on the practice field has been a little bit more difficult for us to envision just based on him not being available. But, like anything else, as coaches, you’ve got to always have contingency plans in place. This isn’t something where we know he’s going to be out for an extended period of time, so while you’d like to have Tavon available when he is he’s certainly a part of what we want to do and an important part of our offense.”
(On if he sees Austin being an option out of the backfield when he returns)
“I think he’s done a lot of things like that in his past and I think that’s one of the skills that he does have. Whether that’s something that we explore, will be predicated on when he’s available, what the (RB) Lance Dunbar situation is, but I think the biggest thing that I would say is that you want to be mindful of getting your playmakers touches. Tavon is one of our good playmakers. When the ball is in his hands, good things happen. We’ve got to do a good job as a coaching staff of finding creative ways, whether that be through the pass game with him as him as a receiver, the jet sweeps, the screens, the runs – just getting him those touches. There’s a reason why he’s had such good production throughout the course of his career and I know a lot of it is predicated on when the ball is on his hands, he’s able to create afterwards.”
(On holding some veteran players out on defense in yesterday’s game and if he was pleased with the defensive play)
“I thought they did a good job. Clearly, when you’re looking at some of the guys that have been a staple for this defense over the last handful of years, you notice (OLB) Robert Quinn’s not out here, you notice (DT) Aaron Donald, you notice (LB) Mark Barron. Those are three key members of what we anticipate being our starting seven-man front, when we’re in our base defense. The Cowboys are a great offense. They didn’t play a lot of their key guys, but you still see some great linemen in there when you look at it. Really, you look at (Cowboys G) Zack Martin, you look at (Cowboys C Travis) Fredrick, you see (Cowboys T) La’el Collins who’s an up and coming player. They didn’t have (Cowboys T) Tyron Smith, but there’s still a lot of quality players that played in that game. I’ve always had a lot of respect for (Cowboys RB) Darren McFadden and what he brings to the table. Any time that those guys we’re counting on, we’re able to have them go two three-and-outs, and then we’re able to get the (CB) Trumaine’s (Johnson) and those guys out of the game, the (Alec) Ogletree’s. I think that was the goal of what we wanted to see those guys accomplish and I think they did that.”
(On clarifying his postgame comments regarding OL Rob Havenstein being a starter at right tackle and evaluating G Jamon Brown at right guard)
“No, you know what I think that kind of came off…because what I wanted to do is be mindful of…I’ve talked to those guys and told them that this is more likely than not the way that we’ll go with Jamon being our right guard and Rob being our right tackle but until you fully get a chance to communicate in a clear way with those guys, I’m just mindful of how that’s delivered. But I didn’t mean for that to come off in a manner where Jamon isn’t a starter. He’s definitely going to be one of those five guys right now. That’s for anybody all five of those guys those are our five starters. That’s always subject to change because we always kind of preach the theme of competition. But, I didn’t mean it as a slight to Jamon in any sense. It was more of a, ‘Rob’s playing good at right tackle’ I think Jamon’s doing a nice job at the guard position. I think when you look at those guys’ skillsets, it’s probably conducive for them being at their best and really for our line long term when you’re projecting some of these younger guys as starters this year and what they’re going to be able to do for you for years to come.”
(On a lot of Cowboys getting around the edge with the second unit offensive line in last night’s game and if he has any concerns with back-up tackles at this point with Andrew Donnal being cut)
“It’s tough because Andrew’s done a lot for this organization and he’s played in a lot different spots and offers you that versatility you’d love for him to be able to be available. Clearly, we’ve going to do a better job you know really as a whole – offensively. Any one play you can point to a specific position, but there were a couple times on our edges that we did get loose and those are things that we’ll clean up with (Offensive Line) Coach (Aaron) Kromer and myself and (Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Matt) LaFleur and we’ll do a good job addressing that. But, I think they expectations that our players have for themselves, that we have for them – has got to be higher than what we performed at down in and down out last night and that’s the way we’ll approach this week for sure.”
(On any updates regarding DT Aaron Donald)
“No, because if I did, you’d see a lot of smiles on my face right now and hopefully it’d be good news. No its kind of a lot of the same. We’re hoping that we can figure this out because Aaron’s a very important part of what we want to do and respectful of the negotiations and the things that are going on, but I know that (General Manager) Les (Snead) and his staff are tirelessly working to figure it out and I’m sure he’s tired of me asking him about it as well.”
(On what the hardest part was for him in his first game as head coach with regards to handling all head coach responsibilities and the dynamic of also calling the offensive plays)
“The hardest part of what kind of like that part I talked about the transition in between series where you’re typically accustom to ‘ok let’s gather our thoughts, let’s quickly look at the pictures in terms of what the defense was presenting and if maybe you didn’t see something as clear as you’d like, but just being mindful of being able to do that, because you don’t ever want to make it…because you have such a good staff you can rely on (defensive coordinator) Wade (Philips) and (special teams coordinator) John (Fassel) like I was saying which is great, but I also want to be mindful of being involved in the game figuring out whether we want to take a timeout here or accept a certain penalty. Those are things that present the biggest challenges. I think what’ll allow it to be a great opportunity is learning through the preseason and then also having a great coaching staff that you can lean, on where guys are doing a great job within their role and that frees you up to be able to kind of be more mindful of trying to focus on the head coaching thing as well.”
(On DB John Johnson performance during training camp)
“I think John is a guy that continues to emerge. You know really over the last week, I think he’s done a really good job on special teams and defense. There was a situation where he had a little tweak in the rookie mini-camp and then it forced him to miss the whole offseason program. John’s clearly a talented athlete that had that versatility at Boston College, which is what we like so much about him. And, I think now that you’re seeing him getting into a rhythm in training camp where he’s practicing. He’s getting a feel for the tempo of practices and how they’re ramped up a little bit. Guys have challenged him, because you know how talented of a player he is. I think he’s conscientious enough to take things in the right way and I think you’ve seen him make some plays both as a gunner. He’s shown some really good things as a safety where he’s getting more comfortable with the communication – the calls, because, we do have a lot of different adjustments based on certain things that an offense presents to a defense. He’s a guy that I know our defensive staff and really our…(special teams coordinator John Fassel) ’Bones’ and (assistant special teams coach) Tyrone McKenzie are special teams coaches have been pleased with the emergence of John over this last week, so he’s been a bright spot.”
(On CB Nickell Roby-Coleman being a real option as an outside corner, now that CB E.J. Gaines is gone)
“Yeah, you know I think the way that he’s played throughout the course of camp…(cornerbacks) Coach (Aubrey) Pleasant has done a good job of giving him some opportunities that maybe he hasn’t had in his career. What I think you see a good football player. He’s tough, he consistently finds ways to get his hands on the ball. From an offensive perspective you certainly feel him as a defensive player and he’s gotten a chance to play at that nickel spot, but he’s also had a chance to play outside a lot. Last night offered that opportunity, as well. I think the more experience he’s able to gain and show that ‘Hey I’m not exclusively a nickel’ – the more confidence that our coaching staff will have in him. Up to this point he hasn’t done anything to make us feel otherwise.”
znModeratorBTW another detail. Gendry tells Davos that he prefers the warhammer as a weapon. That’s an allusion. When Robert Baratheon, obviously Gendry’s father, killed Rhaegar Targaryen in the rebellion that made him king, he did it with a warhammer. The warhammer is a Baratheon “thing.”
August 14, 2017 at 2:15 am in reply to: how fare Brown & Havenstein? …including a detailed look at JB v. Oakland #72488znModeratorAm I the only one extremely annoyed by this?
I’m not that worried about it. Guys switch between tackle and guard all the time on teams. Sometimes an injury will force a tackle to become a guard during the season even though he had minimal practice at it before that. It’s just one relatively minor adjustment on a set front 5. Switching 2 guys from the same already set 5 is not like bringing in an entirely new starter. Meanwhile Whitworth, Saffold, and Sullivan–which btw is also the name of my favorite brokerage firm–have played together so much by now RS refers to their communication as “telepathic.”
Brown has to get it together but IMO the Rams have had worse right sides before.
…
znModeratorvon used 2015 style in an offense dominated by Watkins means more space for Tavon, which means more big plays.
And…that’s pretty much how McVay is talking about him, too. That’s in today’s press conference (ie. Sunday).
LaFleur had a guy like that in Atlanta–Taylor Gabriel. He didn’t run as much as Tavon but they did use him in that Tavon the uber-gadget kind of way. So LaFleur is probably in on this a little bit.
Here’s McVay from today on Tavon:
znModeratoralyoshamucci wrote:
my PS game write-ups are generally more focused on the younger players struggling to make the team … or new players form FA.
The Good
1) Mike Jordan and the final CB spot … (not just him but the depth behind him) … I liked him last year and see him as a possible eventual starter after some more reps .. and his play was pretty stellar, even though in the second half. The passes he got his hands on to break up were good passes. the INT was great instincts coming off his man to track down an errant throw.
2) Omarius Bryant … Looks like our backup NT. He is a big, powerful dude. I was hoping he’d look like what I remembered, and he did. He obviously can’t handle high reps yet … but his pocket pushing is a good sign.
3) Everett. Guy moves like a WR. I’m excited. Im drafting him in fantasy this year for sure.
4) Kupp … the first down he somehow got, more than anything … balance, power and enough burst to beat an angle. I do not like him dropping the ball, but I’ll chalk that up to jitters.
5) Whitworth. Mountain of a man.
6) Ejuan Price … Showed me what I wanted .. that somehow he possesses speed and moves that do not show up in testing.
7) Longacre and Fox … guys look like they were built for a 3-4 …
8) Aggressive defensive back play. Across the board.
9) Llorens … not his burst, but he seems slippery … hope he makes the PS.
10) Davis’ speed (JUST HIS SPEED)
11) Robey Coleman … playing like he’s fighting for his life.
12) Goff looked comfy to me. But two series is not enough for me personally.
13) Spruce … intelligent and reliable.
14) Shake Ryan looked good on punt duty.
15) Marqui Christian was a hitter man … whew.
16) No injuries.
The Bad
17) Brown at OG gets creased too often.
18) Pace Murphy has one good rep to 2 terrible ones.
19) I wanted to see Eldrenkamp at OC, not Blythe .. and Blythe got beat a few times and had that terrible snap.
20) Orlovsky should be out of football.
21) Woods, hold the ball.
22) Mannion, you can’t stare down the receivers like that.
The Ugly
23) 6 fumbles. What? How? Justin Davis? What the heck, man?
Overall I was happy .
znModeratorIn short, we got brand new info tonight that may mean he actually has rights to the throne before Daenarys. That could be a problem down the road.
Yeah yer right. This was the first indication that he is a legal born Targaryen. If that;s true btw, and it absolutely no doubt is, then that puts Robert Baratheon’s war against the Targaryens in a different light. That war was based on Robert’s misplaced sense that Rhaegar had kidnapped Lyanna and held her against her will.
Which is why it’s important to announce a wedding in the papers. Every single battle fought since Robert declared war, from his time to the present, was just based on a misunderstanding.
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