bnw wrote:

You really take the cake. Your lack of sincerity and my wasting my time addressing it sure makes me the fool. Have you been living under a rock since Obama was elected?

You’re making it personal, bnw. I’m absolutely sincere in what I’ve written.

No you’re not. You’re playing rope the dope and I’m the dope.

Rules say, posters do not make conflicts over issues personal.

Address arguments, don’t personalize differences.

Best-, worst-case rookie projections for Rams’ Jared Goff

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/29754/best-and-worst-case-rookie-projections-for-jared-goff

OXNARD, Calif. — Last month, we used our corner of cyberspace to offer up some realistic best-case projections for what the Los Angeles Rams can reasonably expect to get from quarterback Jared Goff in his rookie season.

If things go well and the Rams protect Goff, statistics in line with what Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did his rookie season (2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 regular-season starts) would go a long way toward helping the Rams get over the hump to a winning record for the first time since 2003.

Over at NFL.com, Bucky Brooks recently provided his list of the best- and worst-case scenarios for some top rookies, including Goff.

Brooks wrote that in Goff’s best-case scenario, the Rams can lean on running back Todd Gurley to take the pressure off, and when teams load up to stop Gurley, the Rams can allow Goff to use passing concepts that require him to get the ball out quickly and stay upright. The worst case, according to Brooks, would be teams stopping Gurley consistently and forcing Goff to try to carry the offensive load against the stout defenses of the NFC West.

All told, Brooks predicted a season with 3,300 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Those numbers would be comparable to Roethlisberger’s rookie season and more than acceptable for a rookie making the transition to the NFL.

zn wrote:

IMO we have to get used to seeing a guy or 2 walk every year.

Agamemnon wrote:

The Rams hit that point this year. They had to let a couple guys go that they wanted to keep, Jenkins and McCleod

Yeah see I was thinking that. Every signing now means more money against the 2019 cap.

Though, in other discussons of this, while I stressed 2019 here, IMO 2018 is critical too, because they ought to have signed Donald by then. 2018 is his 5th option year, and they either extend him then or before then, or he becomes a market FA. If he becomes a unrestricted FA, it is entirely possible the price of the deal goes way up as teams compete for him.

Another way to look at it is who do you want in your “top 8-9” in 2019, which is what I did here. So far it’s 4 … Quinn, Barron, Goff, Donald. That’s 19 M (Barron/Quinn), 22 M? Goff, 21 M? Donald, which is 62 M (I know my numbers are slightly different in the post above, I am just guesstimating it slightly differently this time). But they have to sign guys by then and will have to choose a top 8 or 9. Meaning, every guy who comes up (Tree? Tavon? GR?) you have to ask, is he one of the 2019 8-9 players in our 50% club?

I don’t count Hekker as a 8-9 club guy…his deal is not big enough to count toward that. When I look at what teams do, I have putting the 8-9 limit at 6+M so far.

Here’s Seattle;s way of handling that, this year:

This year, that’s about 90.4 in 10 guys, which is about 58.7% of this year’s 153.9 M cap.

That’s why they had to let Okung walk and traded Unger. They needed a priority list and those 2 didn’t make it, according to how they want to do things.

When you get past the 2 big contracts (Wilson, Sherman) with the remaining 8 guys, it goes from 9.9 M to 6+ M, averaging around 7.1 M per.

Donald + Goff in 2019 ought to cost more by a few million than Wilson + Sherman (33.3 M) do now for Seattle.

Why this matters.

Some day, both Donald and Goff will have new contracts.

Usually teams have around 8-9, sometimes 10, guys who take up 50% to say 55%, 56% of the cap.

So let;s use the 2019 cap, and let’s say (with no evidence) that by 2019 the cap is 180 M. 50% of that has to go to that 8-9 guys. That;s 90 M of they hypothetical 180 M.

Well at that point, the average cap hit for a starting qb in his 2nd year will probably be around 22-25 M. Donald, in turn, is not only going to become one of the highest paid DTs in the league (and right now with Suh that’s 19 M), he will be able to command an offer for one of the highest paid DEFENDERS in the league, regardless of position. In a couple of years that will probably be around 21-22 M.

So already, you’re talking about 43-47 M a year (leaving structure out of it for now) for just 2 guys.

Barron already is averaging around 10 M and Quinn is already averaging around 12 M.

So some day just for those 4, it’s 65-69 M.

(Assuming they’re all here but this isn’t a prediction it’s a rough look at what would be the case if they ARE all here.)

Usually other top contracts, the already-mentioned 8-9 guys types, get anywhere from 6-7 M to 10 M.

And think who has to come up for longterm deals before then. Johnson, Austin, Ogletree, Robinson, McDondold, and possibly Gaines. And Gurley. And who knows yet who else.

I already named 4 of the 8-9 (Goff, Donald, Barron, Quinn). That’s 7 more. So it won’t be all 7. But let’s say it’s 5. Let;s imagine that averages out to 9 M per player. That means you add 45 M or so to 43-47 M. That’s somewhere around 88-92 M. That’s your “around 50%” of a 180 M cap (if it even is 180 M by then).

IMO we have to get used to seeing a guy or 2 walk every year.

…

Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher — June 8

(Opening remarks)

“We just completed OTA 5. Quite pleased with where we are. Still have some things that need to go in. We did some situational stuff today, which we’ll repeat again before we finish, as well as in camp. Have some guys that we backed down a little bit today. (RB) Todd Gurley got the day off. He’ll be back on the field on Friday. We’re kind of monitoring their bodies and just want to make sure that everyone recovers. He’s been working really hard, so he got the day off. Got a couple minor things going on with a couple of the rookies, but they’ll be back on the field on Friday, I’m sure. Beyond that, quarterbacks are making progress. (QB) Jared’s (Goff) learning. Had some interesting situations out here that he hadn’t seen before in our offense, and he’s learning. Progress is good right now. As it was reported yesterday, we made a roster decision on (WR) Stedman Bailey. He’d been here since the start of our offseason program. With specifics to the roster move, the league requires us to subject him to waivers and then, once he clears, and I believe he’s cleared – we’re going to put him back on a non-football list and then we’re going to decide what we’re going to do with him this year. He will not be able to play. He’s not been cleared. As I’ve said numerous times, he’s lucky to be alive. So impressed he’s gotten back into shape. Willing to play, but really at this point, there’s no medical research that will permit him to play. He’s seen several specialists. With that being said, we’re going to take care of Stedman.”

(On how he would describe WR Tavon Austin’s development)

“Tavon’s just getting better every year. He’s focused in on the offense, the changes in the offense. Once he gets comfortable in the offense, we’ll see a lot of big plays out of him.”

(On the combination of Austin’s size and talents in a league dominated by physicality)

“The reason we drafted him, number one, is we didn’t want to have to defend him. Secondly, he’s just an explosive athlete. He has great quickness and vision. He’s hard to get down. His acceleration – he can stop and start on a dime. Great hand-eye coordination. I think he’s one of the top punt returners in the league. He’s had numerous returns called back or he would be, early in his career. Then, you see him when he gets the ball in his hands – however that is – he’s got the potential to go the distance.”

(On what type of role Bailey may end up taking on with the Rams)

“There’s a lot of different things. I’m going to be selfish and try to bring him over on the coaching side and have him help. He’s done some of that already out here. He’s worked with some of our punt-cover guys. ‘Sted’ was an outstanding special teams player for us, and an outside gunner. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that needs to be done. We’ll put him behind the desk and bring him out on the field and see how he likes it.”

(On what extent OTAs can impact the depth chart)

“I’ll give you an example. Several times a week, we’re going to meet as a staff and each individual coach is going to rank their players from 1 to however many, top to bottom. Well, that ranking changes every time we meet and it’s based on our experience that we’re having out here. So a guy will go from two to three or six to four on a weekly basis, so that’s good for the guys that are rising and not so good for the guys that are falling. But, we’ll do that before we leave and so we’ll have a good feel before we go to camp. As you guys will find out, those things take very quickly, so this has an impact. Again, you have to keep training and re-training your mind that there’s not pads on, and pads are certainly going to be different. Often times, the coaches say, ‘Well, I can’t wait to see him when we put the pads on.’ But, then I say, we have to wait a couple months.”

(On how DE Ian Seau is doing so far)

“He’s doing well. He’s a very instinctive player. He understands a lot of things along the defensive line, mainly pass rush. He’s having a blast right now. He’s having fun and improving. I think he has a chance to play some special teams in the preseason.”

(On his stance on how the heat in Irvine, Calif. can affect a player’s body versus the cooler climate in Oxnard, Calif.)

“Well, recovery is probably…aside from the reps, recovery is important. We want to make sure that they are recovering. Obviously, it’s a different challenge when you’ve got heat and humidity and things like that. But still none the less, you have to address muscle recovery. It’s going to be significant. In years past, every third practice was an evening practice. But then we also would have a noon practice, just to get them ready for the regular season if we were starting some place with heat. It’s a mental thing, it’s a physical thing. But, obviously, we’re going to have a tremendous break in the weather considering what we’ve been used to. We’ll adjust to that. Fortunately, we’re opening at San Francisco in the evening. If we were opening at Miami atone o’clock, it would be different.”

(On if the running back depth chart has become more unsettled with Tre Mason’s absence)

“No, it’s settled right now. I’m pleased with where it’s going. Malcolm’s (Brown) done a great job there as the third, and Chase (Reynolds) is always a guy that you can count on. And we have a couple young guys that we’re going to let play. In our minds, we just have to prepare ourselves that Tre’s not going to be here.”

(On his impression of the new wide receivers)

“Well, when you look at the receiver depth chart, you have to be sure that you’re playing them in the right spots. Sometimes you have a guy that you call that ‘slot receiver’ so he has to get most of his reps there. Then, you have the stationary guy, then you have the move guy. What we’re doing, as far as the younger guys are concerned, is we’re trying to plug them in the right spots right now and get them reps so they know what to do, so they can compete. Nothing worse than having a young receiver running the wrong route, especially when you have a young quarterback expecting him to be there and the ball hits the defensive player in the chest – that’s a waste of a rep. You want to make sure you have the young guys in place to compete.”

(On what he has seen from the free safeties and if he sees that as a competition that can last through camp)

“Yes, it’s a good group. Christian Bryant is coming on, really taking advantage of this opportunity. Cody (Davis) understands the position; he’s got some game experience. We’ve got a couple young guys that we’ll have to look at in a game, when things are live and they are in a pressure situation.”

(On what he is looking for in a quarterback beyond consistency)

“Beyond consistency, it’s production. You’re looking for production, you’re looking for leadership, you’re looking for quality decision-making and that all comes with reps. Really, that all comes with reps. As I started with earlier, Jared (Goff) saw a couple things out here that he hadn’t seen before. The ball ends up in the defensive player’s hands and the best thing about the play was, watching the huddle and he goes, ‘Hey, that one’s on me. That one’s on me, let’s go to the next play and we’ll go on.’ He doesn’t dwell on those things.”

wv wrote:

And….just to throw in more weirdness — what if Mannion outplays
the other two

He;s still the #3 no matter what. Keenum has more experience and Goff is the guy they traded an infinity of draft picks for so they could take him BEFORE the first pick.

Goff would have to have a Full Metal Foles meltdown for Mannion to move ahead of him.

Rams can’t wait any more for Greg Robinson to take next step

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/29711/rams-cant-wait-any-more-for-greg-robinson-to-take-next-step

OXNARD, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams left tackle Greg Robinson is well aware of the importance of his third NFL season.

As the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Robinson has yet to live up to the lofty expectations that go with that status. After accumulating more holding penalties than any player in the league and struggling in pass protection for much of the 2015 season, Robinson has left outside observers unafraid to use the “B” — as in bust — word when describing him.

But as Robinson goes through the team’s organized team activities, he isn’t allowing the chatter about his early career struggles to bother him. That’s because he has too many other things to worry about, like opening holes for prized running back Todd Gurley and keeping No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff upright in the pocket.

“I really won’t allow myself to put any pressure on myself before I need to,” Robinson said. “So it is a big role, I think the most important thing is just between now and September when we have to play is just prepare myself as best as possible and eliminate all the things I struggle with and try my best to provide the best protection possible for him.”

A strong argument could be made that for the Rams to improve offensively in 2016, there’s no more important player than Robinson. Sure, Goff is taking over the most important position and Gurley is the focal point of the system, but Robinson is vital in giving both of them an opportunity to maximize their success.

It’s a notion that isn’t lost on Robinson and has been apparent to the coaching staff.

“The entire offensive line has doubled in size here in the weight room,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “They’re all bigger and stronger and quicker, so that’s a good thing. Greg is throwing around a lot more weight. He has a much better feel for what we’re doing. He’s sitting at the front of the classroom. He wants to prove something, and that’s a good thing for him.”

Another good thing for Robinson is that he’s back to full strength after toe surgery. Its lingering effects slowed him considerably last offseason and into the regular season. Having a full offseason to work out puts Robinson ahead of where he was a year ago at this time, though that offseason work has brought on some mixed results.

On one hand, Robinson was able to use a chunk of that time focusing on refining his technique and fundamentals. He spent six weeks training with former NFL offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley in Arizona.

“It’s not super-aggressive workouts, it’s just mainly technical work,” Robinson said. “He does a great job of it. Just in that small period of time where I was in Arizona, I felt like I made a lot of progress.”

Assuming that technical work aligns with what Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau has been working to teach Robinson, it should help him avoid some of the issues that threw him off balance and led to penalties in his first two seasons. Robinson drew 16 flags in 2015, with 13 of those infractions accepted for a whopping 114 yards. In two seasons in the league, Robinson has been flagged for 24 accepted penalties for 209 yards.

But Robinson and the Rams believe that he made substantial progress over the final quarter of the season. He was penalty-free in the final two games, and his pass protection improved as the Rams yielded just three sacks total in the final five games.

“I feel like throughout the year there was ups and downs but the last four games, I feel like I made really big strides and it [still] wasn’t my best and this year I really just want to focus on picking up where I left off,” Robinson said. “Mentally and physically, I was working a lot smoother and just creating a lot of room on the back end. Just focusing on my technique work and just going and listening to Coach Bou, it really helped me out.”

While Robinson spent most of his offseason focusing on fundamentals, he didn’t exactly come back in top shape. He played last season between 316 and 321 pounds and though he wouldn’t tip his hand on where he’s at now, he did acknowledge that he has some work to do to get back into the 315- to 318-pound range by the start of the regular season in September.

“I came in a little heavy,” Robinson said. “Right now, I’m just monitoring what exactly I put into my body. But as long as I feel good at my weight then I can prove to them that I’m capable of moving at whichever weight I’m in. I don’t think it’s a problem because I won’t allow myself to get sloppy.”

zn wrote:

avg, 2 years, 15.2 starts

That was the Rams OL last year…and the standard for good lines is 4.1 years and 44.8 games started.

And then it had 5 injuries: Saffold, Hav, Brown, Donnal, and Williams. Those 5 injuries meant 3 spots were shuffled: Reynolds had to play ROT instead of guard, and then they needed 2 guards. It settled down when Hav came back and Reynolds shifted to LOG, where he was better than he was at OT.

…

Ex-Oregon State QB Sean Mannion working hard at L.A. Rams OTAs

Tim Brown | The Oregonian/OregonLive

http://www.oregonlive.com/nfl/index.ssf/2016/06/ex-oregon_state_qb_sean_mannio.html

Former Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion is getting an opportunity to show what he learned during his rookie season in the NFL.

The Los Angeles Rams have three quarterbacks participating during offseason workouts and OTAs, and Mannion is enjoying the chance to display his talent in combination with the year of experience he now possesses.

“It’s one thing to know it in the meeting room, but then to execute it and to not think twice about anything, just reacting out on the field — I think that takes a little bit more time and a little bit more reps,” Mannion told therams.com.

Mannion has been sharing reps with Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick of the 2016 NFL draft and backup Case Keenum. Nick Foles has been skipping the team’s voluntary OTAs and is looking to be traded after the Rams selected Goff.

Mannion worked with the first team last Friday.

“It felt good to get a lot of work, and get to go with the first group. I try to prepare every day as though I’m the starter, and I got a lot of chances today,” Mannion said. “I feel like I did a good job. I felt prepared. I felt comfortable out there. And I thought I made the most of it.

“I’ve gotten a lot of reps. I feel more and more comfortable just going out there and playing. I think that’s what I did.”

The 6-foot-6 Mannion hardly played in 2015 after he was selected by the Rams in the third round (89th overall) of the 2015 NFL draft. He was on the healthy inactive list for most of the regular season, appearing in one game. He completed six of seven passes for 31 yards during the Rams 31-7 loss at Cincinnati Nov. 29.

Mannion’s performances were limited to work in practice during the 2015 season and don’t expect to see Mannion on the field very often during the 2016 season as well.

The Rams are grooming Goff to eventually start either at the beginning of the regular season or sometime during the season. Foles looks like he’s on the way out and Keenum is the backup to either Foles or Goff.

Regardless of his status at the position, Mannion said he will continue to work hard on improving his fundamentals.

“Keep making good decisions with the football, be accurate,” Mannion said. “Just, really, always try to focus on the fundamentals — footwork, accuracy. Make sure I’m going through all the reads the right way. I feel like I’ve done a good job of that so far for three OTA practices. We’ve got six more left and I just want to keep building off that day by day.”

from NFL rookie projections: Will Ezekiel Elliott live up to the hype?

By Bucky Brooks

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000667087/article/nfl-rookie-projections-will-ezekiel-elliott-live-up-to-the-hype

Gared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Best-case scenario: The Rams ease their franchise quarterback into the role by relying heavily on Todd Gurley to carry the offensive load. The 2015 Offensive Rookie of the Year sets the table for the offense with his electric running skills, which forces opponents to use eight-man boxes (or seven-man fronts against one-back sets) to slow down the Rams’ new shotgun-heavy attack. With the team featuring a number of quick-rhythm pass concepts designed to get the ball out of Goff’s hands quickly, the one-on-one matchups created by Gurley’s presence could help the rookie get off to a fast start in Hollywood as he quickly develops a strong rapport with Tavon Austin and Kenny Britt in the passing game.

My projection: 3,300 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Mackeyser wrote:

Why am I not surprised? /sigh

Mannion has been mentioned. But right now he’s going to be the #3. How many #3s get a lot of attention?

I believe Fisher when he says Goff will not start if he isn’t ready. I don’t think that’s a bluff. Heck even Donald had to wait a few games before starting.

Dominique Easley looks for fresh start with Rams after turbulent two years with Patriots

JACK WANG

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/easley-718516-defensive-rams.html

OXNARD – “Locker room cancer.”

“Disrespectful and irresponsible.”

“Entitled.”

This is how Dominique Easley was described eight weeks ago in the Boston Globe, with anonymous sources lambasting the former first-round pick shortly after the Patriots released him. The article detailed a turbulent two-year stint in New England, one marked by clashes with the team over his rehab routine, reliability and other off-field issues.

Combine that with concerns over his long-term health, and his sudden availability as a free agent becomes more understandable.

Which is how the Rams, looking to add depth to their line, found themselves a low-risk addition in the form of a 6-foot-2, 285-pound defensive tackle. As for Easley, he gets a chance to put his NFL career back on track.

Asked about the Globe article during the Rams’ organized team activities, the former Florida standout initially sounded unperturbed: “People are people. I can’t be mad at who they are. If they feel like that, they feel like that.”

But a minute or so later, the 24-year-old’s voice took on more of an edge.

“They don’t know who I am,” he said. “They didn’t grow up with me. They didn’t live with me. They didn’t live through things that I’ve been through. So how are you going to tell me who I am?”

To be fair, Easley has his share of defenders too. In an interview with the Boston Herald, Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch disputed the “locker room cancer” description and praised Easley’s work ethic. Third-year Rams cornerback Marcus Roberson, who also played with Easley in college, said the two of them had only mutual respect for each other in the Florida locker room.

More than a week into OTAs, the Rams’ biggest defensive star also likes what he’s seen of Easley.

“He’s an explosive guy, and he’s been making plays,” defensive tackle Aaron Donald said. “He can pass rush, and he can stop the run. He’s an extra piece, a great piece for this defensive line. He’s going to help us a lot.”

Easley wasn’t entirely surprised when the Patriots cut ties with him, but denied there was any friction between him and the rest of the team. Instead, he cited his medical history: tearing both his ACLs with the Gators, as well as knee and quadriceps injuries in 2014 and 2015. Even in limited action, however, he has shown flashes of promise.

While his statsheet lists only 24 tackles and three sacks over two seasons, those numbers may not fully capture Easley’s impact. On a per-snap basis, Pro Football Focus graded him as the most productive pass-rushing defensive tackle in the league last season – ahead of even Donald, whom the site ranked as its best overall player.

That potential is what made Easley an attractive option for the Rams, particularly at a one-year contract worth $600,000 – none of it guaranteed. They don’t need him to necessarily play like the No. 29 overall pick he was once; they would just like him to become a useful part of the rotation.

As for his reputation, Easley understands if some think he’s trouble.

“That’s what life is now,” he said. “Media, social media. What the fans read, they kind of believe until you show them otherwise. That’s the only thing I can do, is just show them otherwise.”