Tomorrow, an off day for the Rams, is the deadline for players under contract to report in order to earn an accrued season for free agency. So, Aaron Donald will technically lose an accrued season. But it isn’t a big deal for him. Players need four accrued seasons to be unrestricted free agents. Donald entered this year with three and already had his fifth-year option picked up. He would basically have to also hold out past that deadline next year, too, for it to really affect him.

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer: http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0686350300168065471-4

Rams still lack a vertical threat for Sean McVay’s offense

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/34614/rams-still-lack-a-vertical-threat-for-sean-mcvays-offense

IRVINE, Calif. — Josh Reynolds ran short sprints between the two practice fields at UC Irvine. Mike Thomas caught passes from punter Johnny Hekker in the end zone. Tavon Austin just stood there, watching while Jared Goff and the rest of the first-team offense navigated through a light, one-hour practice on Sunday afternoon. Another day went by without the three guys — the only three guys, really — who are expected to be vertical outside threats for the Los Angeles Rams. They were heavy on slot receivers before, but it’s even more so the case now.

Thomas has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but he is nonetheless suspended for the first four regular-season games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Reynolds has a quad injury, but the 2017 fourth-round pick is still a little raw for the NFL. The one that hurts the most is Austin, who spent the entire offseason program recovering from wrist surgery and has sat out the past five practices because of a tender hamstring.

The Rams will be counting on receiver Tavon Austin to give them an explosive threat on the outside. Paul Rodriguez/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
“It’s a little bit of a setback,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “But the way we look at it is a setback is a setup for a comeback, and I think he has a good mindset about it.”

McVay called Austin’s hamstring “a day-to-day thing,” something the Rams will be extra cautious about given his reliance on speed and quickness. When Austin does return, he’s going to have a lot of catching up to do. The Rams are installing a completely different offense and want Austin to play a different role as an outside vertical threat, a skill set he hasn’t really flashed in four prior NFL seasons.

“Tavon is a smart guy; he’s played in this league a long time,” offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur said. “The thing that you’re missing out on is just getting that timing down with your quarterbacks. I think that’s kind of a big deal. But we have a lot of faith in his ability to bounce back and he’s very attentive in our meetings and when we’re out on the field, so he’s getting those mental reps.”

The Rams were also without Bradley Marquez, who had been nursing a knee injury and was waived on Monday. They were so shallow on receivers recently that they were forced to sign three new ones in a span of two days last week: KD Cannon out of Baylor, C.J. Germany out of Notre Dame College and former quarterback Justin Thomas out of Georgia Tech. They now have 13 receivers on the roster, 11 of whom are first- or second-year players.

And none of them is named DeSean Jackson.

Jackson is one of the game’s greatest vertical threats, and McVay benefited from his presence greatly while serving as Washington’s offensive coordinator the past three years. Having a reliable downfield target who can take the top off defenses “softens coverage,” McVay said, “and it eliminates you having to go 12, 15 plays down the field because of the ability to create explosives. We’re always looking for ways to create explosives.”

With the Rams, McVay doesn’t really have a player who can consistently beat defenses over the top. It’s why his offense will probably look completely different. It was evident during Saturday’s joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers, when the vast majority of Jared Goff’s completions traveled 10 yards or fewer, with a sizable amount coming after play-action rollouts. Receivers like Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Pharoh Cooper thrive in the short-to-intermediate passing game, as do tight ends like Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett.

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“I know we have a lot of slot-body guys,” Woods said, “but I feel like our guys can definitely roll. And if we hit them on intermediate routes throughout the whole game, something’s going to pop, because they’re going to have to step down eventually and play us honest. And that’s when we just run right by them.”

Longtime defensive coordinator Wade Phillips faces off against McVay every day and will tell you his offense “creates a lot of problems.” Woods believes McVay’s concepts will keep defenses honest and prevent them from jumping routes.

“We do have a lot of slot guys,” Cooper said, “but our offense lets everybody play every different position.”

Cooper is a perfect example. He’s 5-foot-11, carrying the label of a slot receiver from his collegiate days at South Carolina. But Cooper has been receiving the bulk of the first-team snaps in Austin’s absence, lining up as an X and Z receiver on the outside, positions Cooper said he feels “very comfortable” playing.

“They teach it very well, so I know the concepts,” Cooper added. “I plan to play a big role.”

Cooper might, but given a clean bill of health, the Rams will seemingly go with Austin, Woods and Kupp on three-receiver sets. They’re hoping the 5-8 Austin can be that vertical threat on the outside. Perhaps not to Jackson’s level, but close enough so that opposing teams aren’t stacking the box to stop running back Todd Gurley. They believe Austin’s straight-line speed alone will make him a weapon downfield.

But they need to see it play out on the field.

“I know he’s anxious to get out there,” McVay said. “We’ll see if he can do some of those things when he gets back out for us.”

wv wrote:

So i guess Jamie will be captured now? And that sets up the meeting between the King-slayer and the Slayed-King’s daughter?

w
v

Hope not. I think we’ve seen enough of Jaimie as a prisoner.

Jared Goff provided a glimmer of hope Saturday for Rams

VINCENT BONSIGNORE

link: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/05/bonsignore-jared-goff-provided-a-glimmer-of-hope-saturday-for-rams/

Through the haze of the early-evening sunset Saturday at StubHub Center, a glimmer of hope emerged for the Rams.
t came and went as fast as Melvin Ingram bursting off the edge of the line of scrimmage toward an opposing quarterback. And it will be long forgotten by the time the Rams return to practice Sunday at UC Irvine, let alone when they kick off next week against the Cowboys in their preseason opener or when they welcome the Colts to the Coliseum the second week of September to open the regular season.

In the whole scheme of things, it was nothing more than a footnote in a 16-game NFL season.

But it was there nonetheless, witnessed by the several thousand Chargers season-ticket holders who showed up at StubHub Center to watch the Chargers and Rams practice together.
Toward the last half of practice, the two teams lined up 11 on 11 in a two-minute drill. It was first-team offense against first-team defense, the ball being set down 70 yards from the opposing end zone.

First up was the Rams and second-year quarterback Jared Goff who, operating exclusively out of the shotgun, marched the Rams down the field while completing 8 of 10 passes.

The drive ended short of the Chargers goal line when Goff threw out of the end zone on third down rather than try to force the ball into tight coverage. His phase of the drill was done at that point, but the work he put in and the results it elicited were not lost on anyone.

The Rams have invested heavily in Goff, and it goes well beyond even the six draft picks they traded to move to the top of the 2016 draft to select him first overall. They hired a new coach in Sean McVay with an offensive background and experience in developing quarterbacks. And he, in turn, surrounded himself with an offensive staff heavy on offensive and quarterback development.

They reached into the free agent market to add a reliable wide receiver in Robert Woods and an elite left tackle in Andrew Whitworth. They took a deep dive at wide receiver and tight end in the draft with Gerald Everett and Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds.

These were necessary moves to try to inject life into an offense that ranked dead last in far too many NFL categories. But also to help expedite the development of Goff, for whom so much was invested and so much is expected.

And while his performance Saturday will soon fade from memory, it was one of those signposts teams like to see on the often bumpy road from which quarterbacks are either or made or broken.

The last time we saw Goff share the field against a team other than the Rams, he was was a shell-shocked, beaten-down rookie whom the Arizona Cardinals terrorized with seven sacks. It was the seventh and final leg of a demoralizing rookie season in which Goff continually operated under pressure behind a hapless offensive line and alongside wide receivers who struck little fear in anyone.

On Saturday, playing behind a rebuilt offensive line and a retooled receiving corps, Goff looked confident and decisive as he smartly and prudently moved the Rams down the field connecting on short passes to Woods and second-year wide receiver and tight end Pharoh Cooper and Tyler Higbee.

With the Chargers scheming to take away the big pass, Goff didn’t try to force the issue by driving the ball into dangerous areas and tight windows.

“Taking what they gave us,” Goff said afterward. “They were playing their base defense, and with what they brought the underneath stuff was open so when it’s there you keep taking it.”

Or, as McVay put it: “Being smart with the football.”

Those are sacred words for a head coach, especially one with an offensive background like McVay. No need to try deliver ball into nearly closed windows when targets are bound to be open somewhere on the field.

Sometimes they’re identified on a pre-snap read, sometimes by taking the necessary time to survey the field. Point being, there’s usually a safe place to throw a ball on any given play. Even if it’s out of the end zone to preserve a shot at a field goal.

In fact there’s a drill McVay puts his quarterbacks through in which they slowly, methodically scan from one read to the next on their read progression before finally throwing the ball. It forces them to slow down and look at every potential receiving target.

Goff did that Saturday in the two-minute drill. The reward was a segment of practice tape he’ll be satisfied to scour over.

“There were a lot of things I thought we did good, there were a lot of things I feel we need to work on,” he said. “Off the top of my head I can point to a couple, but I thought for the most part we moved the ball pretty good especially in that two-minute drill.”

It helped that, for the most part, the rebuilt offensive line he’s playing behind gave him pockets to work from.

“I was really happy with what we were doing up front. Really confident, really felt good.”

Goff is by no means a finished product. Coming from a spread offense in college in which he operated mostly out of the shotgun, he still looks more comfortable in that setting than under center. Balancing that out is a constant point of emphasis in camp

“That’s the biggest thing is figuring out a way to transition some stuff where you’ve been in the gun and then operating under center with some of the play actions and bootlegs and just dropping back from under center,” McVay said. “But I think he’s doing a nice job finding his rhythm, getting more comfortable every day.”

Saturday was one of the more comfortable days.

It was provided just the tiniest glimmers of hope.

But it was a glimmer of hope nonetheless.

Rams may make changes to offensive line

By Rich Hammond,

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170806/rams-may-make-changes-to-offensive-line

IRVINE >> For most of the offseason, the Rams believed they had discovered the correct mix on their offensive line. Now, with less than five weeks until the regular-season opener, they want to verify.

In a brief, breezy practice Sunday afternoon at UC Irvine, the Rams switched up their line and flipped Jamon Brown, who went to right guard, and Rob Havenstein, who went to right tackle. Coach Sean McVay indicated the Rams would explore that new look at practices throughout this week.

“Just like we always do, we’re really just trying to figure out the best combination, in terms of how we want to do things,” Coach Sean McVay said after practice. “I think we feel really good about what Jamon and Rob have done on that right side, but with Rob’s history playing tackle and Jamon’s history playing guard, we also want to have contingency plans in place, if one of them were to go down.”

It’s not really a new look. Brown and Havenstein have played the bulk of their respective NFL careers at guard and tackle, respectively, and in one of the Rams’ most productive offensive games last season, at Detroit, they started next to each other in those roles.

It is, however, a departure from the Rams’ offseason program, when things appeared to be settled.

The first domino fell in March, when the Rams signed veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth. That sent oft-maligned Greg Robinson to right tackle, which sent Havenstein to right guard.

Then, after the Rams demoted (and later traded) Robinson, they moved Brown, a former part-time starter at guard, to right tackle. It was a curious choice, given that Havenstein had thrived at right tackle as a rookie in 2015, but the Rams seemed pleased with the development of both players at new positions.

There’s a chance that this only is a short-term experiment, but given that the Rams open their preseason schedule Saturday against Dallas at the Coliseum, it’s an interesting time to experiment. The Rams practice Monday, have an off day Tuesday, then scrimmage against the Chargers on Wednesday.

“This was something we had talked about as a staff last week,” McVay said. “We just didn’t want to make that move before the practice (against the Chargers on Saturday), but I think we’ll get an opportunity over the next couple days to explore those guys playing guard and tackle, and see how they do when we practice against the Chargers on Wednesday.

“So I think it will give us an opportunity, as we’re moving closer to the season, to find that best mix.”

The Rams certainly need some continuity and stability before their Sept. 10 season opener against Indianapolis. The middle and left side of the line seem settled, with Whitworth, left guard Rodger Saffold and center John Sullivan,

McVay said Sunday’s change had nothing to do with Saturday’s scrimmage, in which the Chargers’ defensive front had some success. In fact, most of that damage was done by Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram, who lined up against the left side of the Rams’ line.

“They have a lot of good rushers,” McVay said of the Chargers. “The biggest thing is, now that we’ve seen a few things they do, we’re ready to adjust if they give us the same thing (on Wednesday). I think it was a great opportunity to test some of our guys up front, with the way that they attacked us, and it was great to go up against a different defense and discuss some things.”

There’s a camp report from that practice at the end (or the end as of this moment) of the camp report thread: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/camp-reports-728-1-so-far/#post-71959

Merlin … some follow-up

On Goff. I’m going off the speed and decisiveness of him dishing the ball. Some plays are crisp and fast and the way you want them, others not so much with him holding that ball past the 2-3 second mark. Those plays I was mentally logging as defensive wins.

Only ones who could probably tell you the truth on that are the Rams’ offensive staff. From my perspective I’d say he’s gotta be quicker on his reads. I’d say there were times he should have thrown it away. And again I’d like to see the ball come out faster overall as well as things like him controlling the safeties with his eyes/looking off and whatnot. Tbh he might be doing that already but I couldn’t see it.

Training Camp Report: First Joint Practice with the Chargers

Kristen Lago

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Training-Camp-Report-First-Joint-Practice-with-the-Chargers/07325dfb-31c5-4290-8b85-c6f34debbe8f

On the same day in which football legends LaDainian Tomlinson and Kurt Warner were enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, their former teams took the field at the StubHub Center for their first of two joint practices. In what proved to be a very big teaser to the start of NFL gamedays, the Rams kicked off Day 7 of Training Camp with a competitive and exciting afternoon on the field.

Today’s practice featured a variety of different drills ranging from full-team work to individual drills and just about everything in between. All 180 players from both sides were in high spirits, showcasing their athleticism and energy throughout the two-hour practice. Here’s what you missed from Rams Camp Day 7 – Joint Practice Edition:

TOP TAKEAWAYS

1. A friendly neighborhood matchup:

Even though the Rams and Chargers did not participate in live tackling, the intensity remained high throughout the entire afternoon. The practice began with a series of individual drills taking place at both end zones, with each team working on various positional warm-ups and stretches.

Then it was game-time… Sort of.

The field was split in half as each side got the chance to work on red zone drills and midfield work, switching off at each end. The Rams’ offense opened up their run-game routes, letting running back Todd Gurley loose on a selection of different plays. During one portion of the 11-on-11 drills Gurley managed to misdirect the Chargers’ defense running straight up the middle before cutting back to his left and taking it in to the endzone.

McVay was happy to let Gurley stretch his legs against another team’s defense, describing the back as a “violent runner,” impressed with his ability to power through the gaps and break would-be tackles.

“He did a great job getting it out into the open field and there was a couple where he’s reading it one gap at a time on some of the schemes we have and you can feel his speed once he gets to the corner,” McVay said of Gurley’s work during Day 7. “He’s a guy that has been motivated and has been a standout throughout the offseason program and it’s been the same throughout camp and we’re expecting big things from Todd.”

.@JaredGoff16 ➡️ @Ty_Higs19 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ub4gbF8BFC

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 6, 2017

Both teams finished off with an assortment of situational drills taking up the full length of the field. It was during this portion of practice that the sidelines really came alive, giving the stadium a true game-like feel, specifically during the two-minute drills. The Rams’ hard work on the field allowed the team some valuable experience going up against another system and will be very helpful in evaluating what the Rams will need to work on throughout the next phase of training camp.

“I think there was some good stuff that we saw and until you really get the chance to go back and look at the tape – especially because we were doing some two-spot stuff and I was a little bit more involved in the offense,” McVay said of the joint practice. “There was some good, some bad, some things we need to clean up, but I thought it was great work that we got today.”

“It will be a great opportunity for us to get back and look at the tape,” McVay reiterated. “The Chargers have some great players on the corner, so I thought it was great work where it’s a little bit of a different structure than what we’re typically accustomed to seeing from our defense every single day. This work is invaluable for us.”

2. Goff showing improvement in game-time situations:

Saturday’s practice also gave us an inside look at quarterback Jared Goff’s improvement from Year One to Year Two in a game environment. Though the Rams did emphasize the run game there was plenty of passing to be seen from the second-year quarterback.

During the 11-on-11 drills, Goff recorded a nice completion to tight end Gerald Everett, rolling out of the pocket to his left before drilling the ball up field for a would-be first down. In his first red zone drill of the day, the quarterback found wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the endzone. Although Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa shook up the quarterback on the next play stripping the ball from his hands after the blitz, Goff recovered well – throwing to wideout Pharoh Cooper in the endzone on the following play.

But Goff’s biggest bright spot of the day came in the tail end of practice during the team’s two-minute drill. Goff went 8/11 for about 75 yards, taking the Rams offense all the way to the three-yard line before being held to a field goal. After practice Goff said the joint practice proved very effective, allowing him to get some good looks at another team’s defense, especially with preseason just a week away.

“I felt good. [There were] a lot of things I thought we did good and a lot of things that I thought we can work on,” Goff said. “Off the top of my head, I can point to a couple. But I thought for the most part, we moved the ball pretty well, especially in that two-minute drill there. I was really happy with what we were doing up front. Seeing something different today was good. It was refreshing.”

McVay was also pleased with his quarterback noting Goff’s football savvy during today’s scrimmage along with his confidence throughout the situational drills.

“I thought he settled in, I thought he did a nice job in the two-minute drill taking completions, being smart with the football and then at the end where we did a little bit of move the ball, he made some good third down throws,” McVay said of Goff. “I think he’s doing a nice job finding his rhythm, getting more comfortable every single day.”

3. Secondary proves its worth:

After yesterday’s practice Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips mentioned that the secondary would be the most surprising part of the Rams defense. And so far throughout the last seven days of training camp, the defensive back group alongside the linebackers have truly proved their worth.

Robey-Coleman (@slotgod23) with some good reps out there against Chargers third down plays.

— Dani Klupenger (@daniklup) August 6, 2017

In the joint practice today, the secondary, led by cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant and and safeties coach Ejiro Evero, played well, getting the chance to go up against the deep threat of a veteran quarterback in Philip Rivers. In training camp, Phillips’ emphasis thus far has been on pass deflection and cutting down the vertical threat and today that was put on display.

Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman continues to impress during camp. Today, Robey-Coleman had a great pass deflection stopping a long ball to the ten yard line. Linebacker Kevin Davis had the Rams’ first interception of the day, placing his toes carefully in bounds for the pick. Overall, the secondary continues to be a bright spot of improvement for the Rams. Though McVay focused mainly on the offense in today’s scrimmage, he made sure to give high praise to the intensity of the secondary as a whole.

“I can’t wait to go back and see how the defense did,” McVay said. “Because we did so many two-spot drills, I was a little bit more involved in the offense, so I can’t wait to go back and look at the tape. But anytime I’m kind of peeking over my shoulder just from what we’ve seen throughout the offseason program – it kind of carried on today where guys were flying around, doing a good job of playing smart. I thought they did a nice job from what I saw just kind of on the brink.”

FIELD-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS

– Wide receivers Tavon Austin and Josh Reynolds along with linebacker Samson Ebukam missed today’s practice, out with minor issues. They all remain day-to-day.

– Defensive tackle Michael Brockers and outside linebacker Robert Quinn were limited in today’s practice while safety Lamarcus Joyner did not participate at all. McVay said they were held out as part of the team’s management program, meant to keep all of their athletes healthy and performing at their best.

– Cornerback E.J. Gaines had a nice one-handed grab during the warm up portion displaying solid hands even on the sidelines.

– The defense struggled a bit with the mobility of Rivers who was able to cut up the middle on a few early routes. Later in practice the D-Line was able to hold down the run a bit more, adjusting well to the Chargers’ offense.

Chargers Melvin Ingram vs #Rams LT Andrew Whitworth. #RamsCamp pic.twitter.com/mXguzMIb5W

— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) August 6, 2017

– Left tackle Andrew Whitworth held his own on the line, blocking well for the majority of the day against the Chargers’ Melvin Ingram.

– Linebacker Mark Barron had a nice play during the midfield drills forcing the incomplete pass from Rivers in man coverage.

– Tight end Tyler Higbee had a nice grab in the endzone for the touchdown during red zone drills. Has connected well with Goff for the last few days.

– Wideouts Robert Woods, Paul McRoberts, Cooper and Kupp saw a lot of action today taking the majority of the first-team reps at the receiver position.

PLAY OF THE DAY

Today’s play of the day was brought to you by veteran inside linebacker Alec Ogletree. During the last portion of this afternoon’s practice Ogletree showcased his quick speed on display, blitzing Rivers for the sack.

Rivers did not even have the chance to step back and settle into the pocket before Ogletree was all over him. The defensive play was a great example of the added mobility and aggressiveness in Phillips’ new hybrid 3-4 scheme.

PRESS POINTS

After practice McVay spoke to the media about how he felt Day 7 went for the Rams, but also took the time to honor new Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Catch up on his best point from Day 7:

SEAN McVAY:

On if the practice went like he expected it would: “I also wanted to just congratulate former Rams quarterback Kurt Warner on his Hall of Fame induction last night. What an important part of this organization he’s been. I reached out and connected with him a little bit, but what a great player, what a great person and a great representation of this organization.”

Kurt’s induction speech

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-hall-of-fame/0ap3000000826451/Kurt-Warner-s-Hall-of-Fame-speech

===

Kurt Warner singles out Trent Green in helping him get to Canton

Charean Williams

Kurt Warner singles out Trent Green in helping him get to Canton

Kurt Warner’s circuitous route to the NFL is well documented, but Warner singled out a former teammate who was as important as any other in getting Warner to Canton.

It wasn’t Marshall Faulk or Isaac Bruce, though both earned mention in Warner’s speech. It was Trent Green, the quarterback Warner backed up in 1999.

If Green hadn’t torn up his knee during a 1999 preseason game, Warner acknowledged he might never have become a starting NFL quarterback. The Rams reluctantly turned the job over to Warner, who wrote the ending to a storybook tale with a Super Bowl title that season.

“In the ultimate team game, I’m not much for singling guys out because of all of you played a special role in my being here,” Warner said. “But I would like to recognize one teammate who had a more profound impact on me than any other – Trent Green. Our paths crossed in the most incredible of ways, and I acknowledge you could easily be the one standing up here tonight, but the class that you showed while dealing with the toughest of situations is etched in my mind. Your willingness to share your football secrets so I could succeed was incredibly valuable, but the character you displayed and the way you modeled the definition of teammate was priceless. Those lessons followed me the rest of my career. Thanks for sharpening my character with your own.”

Warner named far fewer people in his speech than the six other inductees Saturday night, instead speaking of “team” as a thread throughout.

“For a long time, I convinced myself that I could will my way to a dream,” Warner said. “As long as I wanted it bad enough, I could make it happen. But if there is one great truth I learned from this great game, it’s that no great accomplishment is ever achieved by yourself. Being successful is contingent on others, and it always starts with someone taking a chance on you.”

McVay on the practice: "There was some good, some bad, some things we need to clean up." @CVRamsClub pic.twitter.com/7VPCYFXJ1p

— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) August 6, 2017

InvaderRam wrote:

yes. great job. nice reading the tweets and then seeing it happen on the videos. great stuff.

And thank you too!

—

J.B. Long‏@JB_Long
Joint practice over. #Rams win.