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znModeratorRams complete coaching staff with John Lilly as new tight ends coach
Nick Wagoner
INDIANAPOLIS — The Los Angeles Rams no longer have any vacancies on Jeff Fisher’s coaching staff.
Fisher confirmed Wednesday that he has filled all of the openings he intends to fill with the final addition of John Lilly as tight ends coach. In addition to Lilly, the Rams previously added Mike Groh as the receivers coach/passing game coordinator and Skip Peete as the running backs coach. Fisher also finally made it official that Rob Boras will be the offensive coordinator full time, a move that had long been clear but hadn’t yet been confirmed.
“The coaching staff is complete,” Fisher said. “I was really pleased with what Rob Boras was able to do down the stretch. I’m excited about Mike Groh, who has come in as our passing-game coordinator, and he’s going to coach receivers. We’re really excited about him. We’re very appreciative of Coach Fox and the Bears organization allowing him to move on and join us. The rest of the guys, Skip Peete, his stuff speaks for itself. He’s an outstanding running backs coach, an experienced coach with a lot of good runners.”
Lilly comes to the Rams from Georgia where he coached tight ends from 2008 to 2015. He was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Florida State from 1998-2007.
“Then Coach Lilly is going to move over and coach tight ends,” Fisher said. “So everything was done on the offensive side of the ball, and I can assure you they’re working very hard right now.”
znModeratorAnd then there is a guy like Tony Romo who wasn’t drafted at all.
Yeah, though, unfortunately, it’s hard to do the numbers on UDFAs like Warner or Romo, because while you can trace out how many made it and started in the league, you can never name the entire field of them so you can’t do the percentages on it. What percentage of UDFA qbs made it? Don’t know, there’s no mechanism to count all the ones who signed so you can’t do a percentage.
znModeratorThis coming Saturday or last Saturday?
NM – HB ZN – HAGBW!!
Last, the 20th.
February 25, 2016 at 5:17 pm in reply to: 2016 NFL Scouting Combine:Les Snead Press Conference Transcript #39576znModeratorJust a summary
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Rams GM Les Snead says re-signing corners Janoris Jenkins, Trumaine Johnson is top priority
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/snead-705712-rams-combine.html
By RICH HAMMOND / STAFF WRITER
INDIANAPOLIS – Others in the Rams organization are charged with moving equipment and setting up offices and fields in Los Angeles. General Manager Les Snead would like to bubble-wrap and pack his two cornerbacks.
Snead, in town for the NFL Scouting Combine, has used the week to connect with the agents of Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Both are set to become unrestricted free agents next month, so the days are dwindling for Snead to reach deals and avoid having to replace major parts of his defense.
“If I were to prioritize what is going on in our building – and there’s a lot of things going on – that is Priority A at this combine,” Snead said Thursday. “We will meet with their reps, maybe more than one time at this combine. I’m not saying anything gets done. We have a lot of things going on, but that’s Priority A.”
Jenkins, 27, has been a full-time starter since the Rams drafted him in the second round in 2012. Johnson, 26 and a third-round pick in 2012, played himself into a full-time starting role last season.
Given that the Rams, last week, chose to release two defensive veterans, end Chris Long and linebacker James Laurinaitis, it might be increasingly important to bring back at least one of the cornerbacks.
The Rams can still choose, before Tuesday, to use their “franchise tag” on one of the cornerbacks and bring him back for the 2016 season at a pre-determined salary. Snead said Thursday that he hadn’t decided on whom he might use the franchise tag, or if he would use it at all.
Snead said talks with the agents of Jenkins and Johnson would continue, but also indicated that the players might take advantage of the “legal tampering” period, just prior to the opening of next month’s free-agency period. That’s when potential free agents are able to negotiate with other teams, but not yet sign contracts.
Before then, Snead will attempt to get something done.
“Right now, it’s us saying, ‘We’d like your guy back,’ and them saying, ‘We’d like to be back,’” Snead said. “I think we’re stuck on the number, as we all go through this. Really, everybody is trying to find out what the realistic value is.”
In his news conference at the combine, Snead touched on a wide variety of issues but, not surprisingly, did not tip his hand in regard to what the Rams might do with the No. 15 pick in the draft.
It has been widely thought that the Rams will target a quarterback in the first round, but Snead went into great detail about the strengths of incumbent Case Keenum and the potential of Sean Mannion, last year’s third-round draft pick.
Snead also talked about making upgrades at receiver in the draft.
February 25, 2016 at 8:10 am in reply to: 2016 mocks & rankings & general draft commentaries, thread 2 #39563znModeratorDrew Boylhart
The Huddle Report
2016 TALENT BOARD
znModeratorIndex of /archive/2016profile
znModeratorBoylhart likes Paxton Lynch. The Huddle Report is no longer a pay site, BTW.
Paxton Lynch QB Memphis
http://www.thehuddlereport.com/archive/2016profiles/Paxton.Lynch.htm
STRENGTHS
Paxton is a bigger version of Aaron Rodgers. He has excellent arm talent to make all the throws. He stands in the pocket and throws under duress with accuracy. He can throw with accuracy on touch throws and on the run, making him the type of quarterback for the next level that has the athletic and arm talent to become a franchise quarterback. Paxton has a very strong arm and can throw the ball down the field with velocity and power that will cut through a defense like a lance slicing through the enemy on the field of battle. He has those long strides when he starts to move down the field covering a lot of ground quickly. What makes Paxton remind me so much of Aaron Rodgers is his agility and athletic talent to slide in the pocket, extend plays and throw with accuracy from any release point. Along with this athletic talent and excellent arm talent, Paxton shows in his play on the field to have excellent leadership skills and the ability to deal with pressure on the field, but also stay humble with confidence and deal with the pressure off the field. If you’re a team that needs a potential franchise quarterback, I suggest you don’t pass on selecting Paxton in this draft. He has the potential to re-write some of the passing records in the NFL.
CONCERNS
Although Paxton is ahead of the curve with his athletic talent and arm strength, he will struggle to not turn the ball over at the next level until he gets used to the speed of the defenses he will be up against. Others will suggest that the competition level is also a concern, but really Paxton just has to keep his head on straight and keep improving in reading defenses and getting use to the speed of the defenses at the next level.
TALENT BOARD: ROUND 1
If you need a quarterback, I suggest you trade your mother, wife and your dog to move up in this draft to select Paxton. Remember, your dog will find its way back to you anyway so that’s a no brainer. Like I said, Paxton has Aaron Rodgers-type talent to throw the ball from any release point with accuracy on the run or standing in the pocket. He has the size that makes it very difficult to sack him with just one player and the agility to slide in the pocket or leave the pocket to extend the play. He has those quick feet to go along with long strides to cover a lot of ground quickly if he needs to run for the first down. Yes, he will have some growing pains, but the fans will see the potential the first play he runs after he is selected and they will wait patiently for Paxton to improve. Paxton can play under center or in the shot gun. He is smart and although the defenses he has been up against in college are not as difficult to read as the ones at the NFL level, he will learn quickly. Paxton is a franchise quarterback waiting to happen so don’t be dumb and not select him or that “happening” will be “happening” for some other team. In any draft all you can do is select players with the information you have in front of you at that time. My information says that selecting Paxton Lynch is obvious.
znModeratorBut why did he START OUT so well,
(Seattle game, for instance) ? If he
was having trouble learning the new system
it would have showed up early, noSome speculations
Remember, #1, it was more than learning a new system. Basically, except for his rookie year, he mostly played a spread out of the shotgun his whole career. Even dropping back from center while reading a defense was new to him (Kelly puts and keeps his qb in a shotgun).
In terms of it showing up early, that’s training camp. They just ran plays they had been working on. It’s when he had to adjust to new things that it started to unravel.
Plus I think JF is being protective. I think he got mentally dinged in the GB game, which also corresponded with OL injuries flaring up.
Either way you have to account for the fact that he quite simply does not have a meltdown mode in 2014. So you have to ask, where did it come from then.
znModeratorSaturday.
But close enough!
Thanks.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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DESERT RAM
Polians interview on serious radio today was brief but enlightening. I respect his view as he was elected this past year to pro football hall of fame in his capacity as general manager (bills/colts). Anyway he maintained that None of the top 3 quarterbacks should get near the field this year I.e. play as they aren’t anywhere near ready to play in NFL and needed to sit and learn for a year or more.
After Polian left both commentators agreed that Conner Cook might be only quarterback in this years draft who might be OK to start do to his experience.
February 24, 2016 at 9:33 pm in reply to: Fisher, 2/24 – 2/26– transcripts, audios… ie. several JF interviews #39546znModeratorThis is just one of those articles that simply summarizes the press conference. So I put it here.
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Fisher Names Boras Offensive Coordinator
Myles Simmons
INDIANAPOLIS — In an expected move, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher officially named Rob Boras offensive coordinator in his media availability on Wednesday afternoon at the NFL Combine.
“I was really pleased with what Rob Boras was able to do down the stretch,” Fisher said.
Boras assumed the duties of offensive coordinator prior to the Rams’ Week 14 contest against the Lions. With Case Keenum as the club’s starting quarterback and Boras as the playcaller, the Rams went 3-1 in the final quarter of the 2015 regular season.
Despite the progress made, the Rams still finished No. 32 in both total and passing offense. To that end, the Rams hired Mike Groh to serve as the passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach. Groh coached wide receivers for the Bears, where he worked under noted offensive minds Adam Gase and Marc Trestman.
“We’re excited about Mike Groh, who has come in as our passing game coordinator [and] he’s going to coach receivers,” Fisher said. “Very appreciative of [Chicago head coach John] Fox and the Bears organization to allow him to move on and join us.”
Elsewhere on the offensive staff, the Rams hired Skip Peete earlier in the offseason as the club’s running backs coach. A veteran coach, Peete’s last two stops have been with the Cowboys and Bears.
“Skip Peete, his stuff speaks for itself,” Fisher said. “He’s an outstanding running backs coach, experienced. Coached a lot of good runners over the years.”
Finally, Fisher said the Rams have hired John Lilly as their tight ends coach. Lilly most recently served in the same position at the University of Georgia.
With Boras, Groh, Peete, and Lilly, the Rams’ offensive staff is now settled for the 2016 season.
“Everything is done on the offensive side of the ball,” Fisher said, “and I can assure you, they’re working very hard right now.”
znModeratorThe Rams will have to overpay to keep him. Pass…..NEXT!
That might be.
That could be how it plays out.
.
February 24, 2016 at 5:35 pm in reply to: Fisher, 2/24 – 2/26– transcripts, audios… ie. several JF interviews #39537znModeratorFisher: ‘We have a great future with this football team’
Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher sits down with NFL Media’s Melissa Stark and Steve Mariucci to talk about the team’s move to Los Angeles and the future of the quarterback position.
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from off the net
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Rampage2K-
Good interview with Fish just now on NFL Net
Mooch and Melissa interviewed him at the combine today… Talked about the move and what it means, hard cuts and a few other things… Says he stepped down from the comp com due to all the stuff going on with the move. Players meeting in LA a week from Friday to discuss logistics. Hated cutting JL and CL. Says there is a chance to get them back. Talked about hitting back to back home runs in the draft with two RoYs.. Says there will be a new QB in camp from either this draft or FA. They tried to get him to talk about the FAs but he wasn’t biting. Mooch says they are a franchise QB away from being right there and said they have the ammo to move up to get one of these young guys.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by
zn.
znModeratorAccording to various reports.
Including this one:
FISHER–Re: Stepping down from Competition Committee
link: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/fisher-224/
Two weeks ago I had a conversation with the commissioner and I stepped down for the committee, for obvious reasons. I spoke to some of the other committee members, and just the time required of me as far as this move is concerned makes this really difficult to commit 100 percent. I look at it as hopefully being a leave of absence. But I’m not participating right now.
znModeratorJim Thomas @jthom1
Rams have meeting scheduled w/Ogletree’s agent this week @ Combine. Extension looming. https://twitter.com/jthom1February 24, 2016 at 2:36 pm in reply to: 2016 mocks & rankings & general draft commentaries, thread 2 #39529znModeratorNew Orleans Saints’ draft board deeper than in most years
The New Orleans Saints have a draft board with 20 to 30 more players than Jeff Ireland is accustomed to seeing at this time of year, he said in a podcast posted to the team website.
Ireland, the Saints assistant general manager and college scouting director, said the team completed a draft board prior to the NFL Scouting Combine this week “so we don’t make decisions based on players running around in shorts or players that interview well or interview poorly.”
Ireland said “there are some defensive positions that are strong,” and the additional 20 or 30 players on the draft board as a result of this year’s depth being “a little better than maybe in some years.” Ireland also lauded the offensive line talent available in this draft.
znModeratorOxnard approves temp site deal with Rams
by Vincent Bonsignore
link: http://www.insidesocal.com/nfl/2016/02/24/oxnard-approves-temp-site-deal-with-rams/
The Los Angeles Rams will hold a one-day team meeting March 4 in Manhattan Beach to update players on the relocation process to Los Angeles, with a heavy emphasis focused on where the Rams will set up a temporary site for minicamps and OTA’s through midsummer and identifying a training camp site.
At least one of those sites is close to being official.
The Oxnard City Council on Tuesday night approved a deal with the Rams to set up temporary headquarters at the same site the Dallas Cowboys hold training camp. If everything goes as planned, the Rams will set up shop in Oxnard in early April and stay through the middle of June. Soon after, the Cowboys will return for training camp.
“It’s a turn key facility with what the Cowboys have done up there,” Rams president and CEO Kevin Demoff said. “From there — the Cowboys will be coming back in July — we need to find a new training camp home and we’ve talked to a number of different universities about that opportunity.”
Although nothing is official on training camp, the Rams are leaning strongly toward UC Irvine.
Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks remains a possibility, though.
In addition, the Rams are scouring the Southern California for a temporary headquarters and practice facility site they can use throughout the 2016 season.
“We’re looking for what I call permanent/temporary space all around Los Angeles, with a focus on the (San Fernando) Valley area, and trying to get a handle on what that might look like and where that might be. And from there, where can your get office space.” Demoff said. “And of course, finding the permanent practice facility is an ongoing process, which will probably take most of 2016 is my guess.
“But hopefully by March 1st, we’ll have nailed down most of this.”
The Rams’ long-range plans for a team headquarter site is in the West San Fernando Valley region around Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills.
The agreement with Oxnard calls for the Rams to lease the fields for $510 per day from April 18 to June 17, a total cost of $31,110. The team will also lease the locker rooms at a cost of $680 per day from March 28 through June 24, a total cost of $59,840.
February 24, 2016 at 8:45 am in reply to: Kiper sees possible value in Rams waiting to draft a quarterback #39510znModeratorI understand the argument as well about there being no plug-and-play QB in this draft, the argument that using those picks to select better players around the QB is more prudent, and the perils of reaching for a QB in the first round and how that can set a team back significantly. But I just get the feeling the time is now to make that move. I think they will try to get Goff or Wentz if they can, pay the price, and try to re-create what Oakland has done with Carr.
Isiah 58
I have no idea which is the better move…moving up for a top pick, or staying put (or even moving down) and taking one of the many intriguing developmental qbs that are in this draft. (This is supposed to be an interesting draft for that.)
But IMO they will do one or the other.
And, they will probably start Keenum at first, either way.
Anyway.
What does it mean to say there’s more to look at in the 2nd and 3rd rounds this year? What does better than ordinary mean? To check that, here are the 1st round v. 2nd + 3rd round qbs from 2011-2015. I bold the ones who are hits–that’s anywhere from came through at a high level to still starting to still considered viable so far:
Year round pick player
1st round
2011 1 1 Cam Newton
2011 1 8 Jake Locker
2011 1 10 Blaine Gabbert
2011 1 12 Christian Ponder
2012 1 1 Andrew Luck
2012 1 2 Robert Griffin
2012 1 8 Ryan Tannehill
2012 1 22 Brandon Weeden
2013 1 16 EJ Manuel
2014 1 3 Blake Bortles
2014 1 22 Johnny Manziel
2014 1 32 Teddy Bridgewater
2015 1 1 Jameis Winston
2015 1 2 Marcus MariotaSo far it’s 8 of 14. Which is 57%
2nd + 3rd round
2011 2 35 Andy Dalton
2011 2 36 Colin Kaepernick
2011 3 74 Ryan Mallett
2012 2 57 Brock Osweiler
2012 3 75 Russell Wilson
2012 3 88 Nick Foles
2013 2 39 Geno Smith
2013 3 73 Mike Glennon
2014 2 36 Derek Carr
2014 2 62 Jimmy Garoppolo
2015 3 75 Garrett Grayson
2015 3 89 Sean MannionNear as it’s possible to tell so far, that’s 3 hits (25%), and a few we know nothing about yet (eg. Garoppolo & Mannion).
But what’s promised this draft is more genuine prospects in the 2nd-3rd round range. It’s supposed to be a rare good draft for that. That ought to mean the hit rate should be better than 25%.
.
znModeratorNFL Network Analyst Mike Mayock Weighs in on NFL Draft QB Prospects – 2/22/16
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams close to finalizing deal to hold spring practices in Oxnard
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sn-rams-oxnard-20160222-story.html
Nathan Fenno and Sam FarmerContact Reporters
After weeks of weighing their options, the Rams are beginning to finalize plans for their first year back in Los Angeles.The Oxnard City Council will vote Tuesday on an agreement with the team to hold spring practices in the city – on the same site where the Dallas Cowboys stage their training camp.
The River Ridge fields would host the Rams from April 18 through June 17, according to the proposed contract between the team and city.
“We have zeroed in on Oxnard for our initial off-season football operations as it is the most turn-key site available given the field access and the adjacent hotel space,” Kevin Demoff, Rams executive vice president of football operations, told The Times. “The goal is to allow our coaches, players and football staff to be able to concentrate on football without having to worry about an environment that has never hosted an NFL team.”
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
Because the Cowboys are coming back to Oxnard this summer, the Rams need to go elsewhere for training camp. Demoff said the club has talked with a number of universities in Southern California “to find a training camp site that meets the needs of both our team and our fans.” He hopes to decide on a site by the end of March. He said the franchise has had discussions with UC Irvine, which previously hosted the Rams.At the end of training camp, the Rams plan to move into what they will call their “permanent temporary facility,” which will serve as their base for football operations for the next few years while their permanent football facility is being built. That is not expected to be located in Inglewood, where a new stadium is on track to be constructed by 2019.
“The searches for both the temporary facility and permanent facility are underway,” Demoff wrote in an email. “The most important consideration for our organization from a relocation standpoint right now is finding a training site that can become a home community for our players, coaches and staff for years to come.”
At the moment, the Oxnard agreement is closest to completion. According to the contract with the city, the Rams would use the locker room facilities from March 28-June 24. Oxnard would receive $510 a day from the Rams for use of the grass practice fields, $680 a day for use of the locker rooms.
The agreement calls for the Rams to maintain the fields and provide bleachers and security. The cost of fencing in and around the fields would be split by the team and city.
“We’re looking forward to it,” said Scott Whitney, Oxnard’s assistant city manager and point person on the deal. “It just really worked out for [the Rams].”
Whitney said that language about one or more practices being open to the public was put in the contract in case the Rams elected to do so. He isn’t aware of anything that’s planned at this point.
“The Rams really don’t have anything scheduled yet,” he said. “If they’re able to do something, we’re ready.”
The Rams participated in two days of practices with the Cowboys in Oxnard last August. Whitney does not anticipate a long-term relationship between the Rams and Oxnard.
“They’ve indicated this is going to be a one-year agreement,” he said, “but I don’t know if they’ve found a permanent home for spring practices, so you never know.”
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znModerator====
Evan Mathis rips Chip Kelly, his former coach in Philadelphia
After winning his Super Bowl ring with the Denver Broncos, Evan Mathis broke his silence about Chip Kelly, his former coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com reports.
In an email exchange with 9News in Denver, Mathis took shots at Kelly, now the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
“There were many things that Chip had done that showed me he wasn’t building a championship team,” Mathis wrote. “Two of the main issues that concerned me were: 1. A never-evolving, vanilla offense that forced our own defense to play higher than normal play counts. 2. His impatience with certain personality types even when they were blue-chip talents.
“The Broncos team I was on would have eaten Chip alive. I don’t think he could have handled the plethora of large personalities.”
Kelly released Mathis last June, just before the Eagles were scheduled to hold a mandatory minicamp. The veteran guard signed with the Broncos, who went on to win Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers.
With the Broncos, Mathis started 12 regular-season games and three playoff games, including the Super Bowl.
“It is just all part of the story,” Mathis said after the Super Bowl. “Everything that happened is what led me to where I am now. Ultimately, I am thankful for every single thing that happened.”
Mathis, 34, said he was scheduled to have ankle surgery on Wednesday and was unsure whether he would play next season. In his email to 9News, Mathis offered conciliatory words about his former coach.
“I hope Chip learns from his experiences in Philadelphia and grows as a coach,” Mathis wrote. “Maybe he’ll find some constructive criticism from this.”
February 23, 2016 at 9:25 pm in reply to: Kiper sees possible value in Rams waiting to draft a quarterback #39497znModeratorThis just came from Mayock:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cb8dFzTUUAA6Nhk.jpg
I feel the exact same way.
znModeratorRams will be looking at more than quarterbacks at combine
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rams-nfl-combine-20160224-story.html
During more than two decades as a scout, player personnel director and general manager, Les Snead has watched the NFL scouting combine morph into an off-season spectacle, replete with television coverage and an overwhelming media presence.
Despite the potential distractions, the weeklong event remains purposeful for talent evaluators.
“It’s our one chance when you’ve got 300 players in the draft in one place,” said Snead, preparing for his fifth draft as the Rams’ general manager, his first with the Los Angeles Rams.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour>>
A Rams contingent of about 65 people, including Snead and Coach Jeff Fisher and his entire staff, will be present this week to observe and interview prospects at the combine as part of the run-up to April 28-30 draft.
The Rams have the 15th overall pick.
After finishing last season with a 7-9 record — and the NFL’s worst passing offense — the Rams are expected to take a long look at quarterbacks and receivers this week at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Case Keenum replaced Nick Foles as the Rams’ starting quarterback for five of the final seven games last season, and Fisher and Snead have said that Keenum, who is set to become a restricted free agent next month, would go into training camp as the starter. Former Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion also is on the roster.
But Fisher said last month that “We’re always looking,” so the Rams could seek alternatives via trades, free-agent signings and the draft.
Asked if his focus this week would be on quarterbacks and receivers, Snead said the Rams would not be limited.
“We’ll look at QBs, we’ll look at wide receivers, but we’ll look at every other position as well,” he said during a phone interview last week.
California’s Jared Goff, North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and Michigan State’s Connor Cook are part of a quarterback class that also includes Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, Stanford’s Kevin Hogan, Oregon’s Vernon Adams Jr., Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, and USC’s Cody Kessler, among others.
Snead observed Wentz and others during workouts leading up to last month’s Senior Bowl, but this will be an opportunity to see Goff, Lynch, Cook and the complete class for the first time in the same setting.
“It’s a deep class,” Snead said. “There’s more numbers, from top to bottom, that have the ability to find spots on a roster.”
He added that “95% of where they’re at on your board is from what they did” during their college careers. But combine performance and interviews, for all players, “may help you break a tie” when deciding who might be selected and when.
“There’s going to be one QB we’re not talking about that’s going to end up starting for someone,” he said. “It happens every year. I tell our staff, ‘Tell me which one that is.’ ”
Identifying a playmaking receiver could also be a priority for the Rams.
Tavon Austin, a 2013 first-round pick, had a team-best 52 catches last season for a receiving corps that otherwise lacked production.
Mississippi’s Laquon Treadwell, Baylor’s Corey Coleman, Ohio State’s Michael Thomas, Texas Christian’s Josh Doctson and Notre Dame’s Will Fuller are among the receivers in this year’s draft.
The Rams, of course, have other holes to fill as they attempt to put together a winning season for the first time since 2003.
The team recently released middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Chris Long and tight end Jared Cook, in part, because of salary-cap considerations. So the Rams might seek to augment those position groups through the draft. Cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson are among several key defensive players who are set to become free agents. The Rams are expected to make a push to keep both, but it would seem prudent to prepare for a possible departure.
Snead pointed to two recent examples of how information gathered at the combine translated to draft-day success.
Two years ago, Snead said defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s outstanding performances in agility drills negated any lingering questions about size. “He had numbers that were close to some big corners and safeties in our league,” Snead said. The Rams chose tackle Greg Robinson second overall and then selected Donald — who has become a two-time Pro Bowl player — with the 13th pick.
Last year, running back Todd Gurley was coming off knee surgery and did not participate in the on-field combine drills.
Snead said the Rams evaluated the results from his combine physical, interviewed him for 15 minutes, “and closed the book” on Gurley.
“We never talked to him again,” Snead said, until the Rams drafted Gurley with the 10th overall pick.
Gurley finished third in the NFL in rushing, made the Pro Bowl and was voted the league’s offensive rookie of the year.
znModeratorStedman Bailey, Rams
Rams WR Stedman Bailey dishes on being shot in the head last year, what it feels like to sustain a gunshot wound, his recovery and when he plans on returning to football.
znModeratorStedman Bailey talks recovery, potential return to NFL
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey was shot in the head twice on Nov. 24, 2015.Kevin Boilard
After he was shot in the head twice last November, doctors told Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey that his days in the NFL were most likely over. Today, he is defying the odds and making his way toward a comeback.
In a six-minute documentary called “Steddy Ambition,” Bailey detailed the events of Nov. 24, 2015, and provided an update on his recovery.
In the video above, Bailey describes how his son — Stedman Bailey Jr. — has served as a motivating factor in his rehabilitation. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound pass-catcher is also seen working out and lifting weights. He admits that there has been a “huge drop-off” in the amount of weight he can lift since the accident.
Bailey, who played in eight games before finishing this past season on the reserve/non-football injury list, has spent three seasons with the Rams.The former third-round draft pick out of West Virginia still aims to have “at least” a ten-year career in the NFL, per the interview in the video embedded above.
znModeratorSam Bradford Expected To Re-Sign With Eagles, May Have To Take A “Prove-It Deal”
link: http://nfltraderumors.co/143043-2/
Jason Cole of B/R has spoken to multi NFL teams who expect free agent QB Sam Bradford to re-sign with the Eagles this offseason. However, Bradford will not receive the Eagles’ franchise tag.
Cole mentions that Bradford had a strong finish to his 2015 season, but it’s still unlikely that he’ll receive a massive contract in line with the recent quarterbacks deals. Instead, Cole believes Bradford may have to sign a one-year, “prove-it deal” in 2016 and test the open market again in 2017.
Eagles executive Howie Roseman recently said on a recent podcast with Dave Spadaro that they want to have Bradford back next year if it “makes sense on both sides.”
“We’ve all been clear that we like Sam, and we’d like to have him back. It goes then between all of us and whether we can figure something out that makes sense on both sides,” said Roseman, via PhillyMag.com. “Sometimes we get into a situation where we sit here and it will make sense from the team’s perspective but when you’re talking about a negotiation, it’s also got to work for the other side and the player, and we understand that. But hopefully this will all work out and we’ll look at that depth chart when we line up here in July and be really excited about the position.”
Bradford, 28, played out the final year of his six-year, $78 million contract that included $50 million guaranteed.
The free agent market for quarterbacks isn’t very deep with Bradford, Kirk Cousins, and Ryan Fitzpatrick being the most notable players, so it will be interesting to see where he ends up and the kind of contract he signs.
In 2015, Bradford threw for 3,725 yards while completing 66 percent of his passes to go along with 19 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 12 quarterback out of 37 qualifying players.
znModeratorRounds 4-7
Brandon Allen, Arkansas
Size and hand size be damned, Allen put together one of the best second halves in the nation, including two monster games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State. His quick release and intermediate accuracy was on display in those games and he carried that into a strong bowl game and Senior Bowl week. He’s a little too quick to leave the pocket – also on display when he continually tried to scramble during team drills at practice – but the plays he’s made within the scheme are impressive enough to warrant a mid-round pick.IMO? Allen goes higher than 4-7.
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znModeratorPFF’s rankings of qb prospects
Our positional rankings kick off with a look at the quarterbacks — perhaps one of the deepest positions in the draft. While the QBs at the top end of the range are not flawless, there are both starters and developmental backups to be found in this draft class. It’s an intriguing group at the bottom range as many of the QBs came into the season with previous warts or little hype, yet they developed just enough in 2015 to possibly warrant a late-round flier.
The NFL has an exclusive club of backup quarterbacks bouncing around the league, but this class may shake things up a bit as there are a number of players who appear best-suited to sit for a few years with hopes of developing into a starter down the road.
Here are the top quarterbacks in the 2016 draft class:
Round 1
Jared Goff, Cal
There’s a lot to like about Goff’s game, from his pocket presence to his game-changing throws under pressure, to his ability to elevate an overmatched Cal team in the Pac-12. He posted the top grade among all quarterbacks in 2015 after ranking eighth in 2014, showing well whether pressured or facing the blitz. He can throw his receivers open with anticipation and creativity, and he’s fearless in making these throws even when getting hit. Goff’s short area accuracy could stand to improve, and his decision-making was questionable at times in 2015, but his overall body of work and three-year progression at Cal are too much to pass up for a QB-needy team at the top of the draft.Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
One of the biggest stories of the draft, Wentz ticks all of the boxes in the “looks-the-part” department. He’s much more than that though, as we’ve done an initial grading of his 2015 and there’s plenty to like on film as well. His arm strength jumps out as a positive, and he often needs it as his timing in the passing game is not always up to par. His deep comebacks are a thing of beauty, and his entire skillset screams “vertical passing offense.” If put into that type of scheme, Wentz looks like a quarterback that can win a game by pushing the ball down the field, but at this point, he can also lose it for you with questionable decision-making. He has better touch than other quarterbacks that possess his type of arm, though his accuracy wanes at times when using the change up. Wentz’s athleticism is icing on the cake, and it should be an effective tool at the next level. Wentz’s upside is immense, and he’s best-suited to sit and learn before seeing the field, and that proposition will play an important role in his development. There’s some inherent risk with banking on upside, but the combination of current on-field play and the physical skillset may be too much to pass up.Rounds 2-3
Paxton Lynch, Memphis
The first thing to note about Lynch is his development from two-star high school recruit to NFL prospect as he’s done an impressive job of improving every year since entering college. His +30.5 overall grade ranked seventh in the nation in 2015 as he did a fine job of taking care of the football while flashing the big-time throws you’d like to see from a future NFL quarterback. He’s athletic for 6-foot-7, throwing well on the move (a huge part of Memphis’ offense) and moving the chains as a runner both in the designed game and as a scrambler. The athleticism isn’t a game-changer at the next level, but it certainly won’t hurt. There are some accuracy concerns, particularly at the intermediate level outside the numbers where Lynch posted one of the worst accuracy percentages in the nation. Lynch only averaged 7.9 yards per target — one of the lowest numbers in the nation — so while he has the arm to challenge the intermediate and deep level of the field, he was only asked to do so sparingly at Memphis. He only attempted three passes beyond 40 yards on the season, two of them were well-placed post routes that showed Lynch’s potential. Quarterback stock will always be inflated on draft day, and while Lynch feels more like a second-round prospect, we wouldn’t frown upon his name being called in the first.Rounds 4-7
Brandon Allen, Arkansas
Size and hand size be damned, Allen put together one of the best second halves in the nation, including two monster games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State. His quick release and intermediate accuracy was on display in those games and he carried that into a strong bowl game and Senior Bowl week. He’s a little too quick to leave the pocket – also on display when he continually tried to scramble during team drills at practice – but the plays he’s made within the scheme are impressive enough to warrant a mid-round pick.Matt Johnson, Bowling Green
Speaking of size issues, as our own Sam Monson points out, Matt Johnson does everything “wrong” before the snap, but everything after is excellent. He’s too short, he plays in a Baylor-like offense that resembles a teenager playing Madden, and he rarely has to make anything close to an NFL read. But when he throws the ball, magic happens, to the tune of a +53.9 overall grade and the second-highest “big-time throw” total in the nation with 41. His downfield accuracy is breathtaking at times, dropping 40-plus yard bombs into buckets with regularity. Coming from an offense that is 40 percent bombs and screens is not an ideal translation to the NFL, but the term “arm talent” comes to mind when watching Johnson and he’s simply a player we’d like to see in an NFL camp to develop in the coming years.Brandon Doughty, WKU
Back-to-back years of strong grades put Doughty higher than most, but he’s shown accuracy to all levels of the field. He shows the pocket movement and decision-making to be a capable NFL player, and he led the nation with an accuracy percentage of 81.8 percent while ranking fifth in deep-pass accuracy percentage at 53.1 percent.Cody Kessler, USC
While the physical tools will never impress, Kessler did a fine job of distributing the ball accurately in 2014, leading to one of the highest passing grades in the nation. Unfortunately, he took a step back in 2015 as he remained one of the nation’s most accurate in the short ranges, but anything over 10 yards was below the national average, and that’s concerning. Kessler’s regression raises questions about whether or not the lack of physical tools caught up to him, but it’s difficult to ignore his 2014 play which rivaled the top QBs in the country. The upside may not be huge for Kessler, though he had the lowest percentage of negative grades of any QB in the country, so there is a skillset to work with at the next level.Connor Cook, Michigan State
Week-to-week consistency has been an issue for Cook who posted four games “in the red” in 2015, but also had two of the better quarterbacked games we saw all season against Rutgers and Indiana. The potential is there as Cook pushes the ball down the field with a clear conscience, often putting the ball in tight, NFL windows in the 11-30 yard range. He’s less accurate on the short stuff, missing too many throws, particularly when pressured where his accuracy percentage of 53.4 percent ranked 55th in the nation. There are plenty of off-field concerns and rumors surrounding Cook, but if any of that checks out, there is enough to like from his on-field play to warrant a pick for a developmental role.Trevone Boykin, TCU
The NFL wants Boykin to play wide receiver, but we’d love to see him get a shot to play QB. He’s still relatively inexperienced at the position, and he sprinkled in enough “wow” throws to keep us intrigued. He posted the seventh-best grade in the nation in 2015, a year removed from ranking 14th, so the arrow is still pointing up in his development.Kevin Hogan, Stanford
Hogan’s development was the opposite of Kessler’s as he struggled for much of 2014 before finishing strong and carrying it into 2015. He struggled on a number of intermediate and deep throws, but his progression is intriguing and we’re working through our second pass watching that development.Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech
Competition level aside, Driskel’s one year at Louisiana Tech was a huge improvement after three uneven seasons at Florida. Consistency can still be an issue as he’ll mix in impressive throws with passes that miss by a wide margin, and his 71.6 percent accuracy percentage (15th in draft class) is concerning. It was only a step up from last year’s 67.2 percent mark, so while the arrow is pointing up in his development, he’s also just a year removed from not even being considered a draftable prospect.Undrafted free agents
Jacoby Brissett, NC StateBrissett’s two-year passing grade is well below most of the other quarterbacks on the list though he’s done a fine job of using his legs to move the chains. If you catch the right Brissett games, there’s plenty to like, but the bad ones occur far too often. That inconsistency is too much to risk with a draft pick.
Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Strides were made in the passing game, but Prescott still sits behind most of the passers in this draft class. He does add an intriguing element as a runner, particularly in the designed run game, but there are still too many questions about him as a passer to warrant a draft pick.
Jake Rudock, Michigan
We’re still working through our re-watch of Rudock, but his trend is one of the most interesting in the country. Through week nine, he was the 44th-ranked QB in the draft class at -13.5, but from week 10 and on, his +24.0 grade led all QBs in the class. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has lobbied hard for Rudock behind the scenes, and he’ll be one to watch during the draft process.
Vernon Adams Jr, Oregon
More work is still to be done on Adams as well, and he has a similar profile as Rudock’s. Adams battled a thumb injury early in the season that likely hindered his performance, but his +14.7 grade since Week 10 and an impressive performance in the East-West Shrine game have our analysts intrigued to break down exactly what changed in his game.
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
“Looks the part” is the nicest thing that has been said about Hackenberg the last two seasons, and we’re not really sure how much that’s worth. The on-field play has been subpar by every measure, and most point to 2013 as the glimmer of hope in Hackenberg’s upside. We are in the process of going back to grade every play from that season, but the last two years of evidence that saw him rank among the worst quarterbacks in the country is not encouraging.
Nick Arbuckle, Georgia State
Another player we are going back to re-watch, the grades were strong this season and our analysts always came back impressed after watching him play.
znModeratorMike Mayock thinks Carson Wentz compares to Andrew Luck
Darin GanttMike Mayock thinks Carson Wentz compares to Andrew Luck
With the NFL world settling into Indianapolis for this week’s Scouting Combine, the fascination will turn first and foremost to the quarterbacks.
And the guy who breaks them down for the NFL’s own network seems to have a clear preference.
During his annual conference call with reporters Tuesday, Mike Mayock raved about North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, comparing him favorably to Colts quarterback and former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck.
“When I look at him, I see a kid that’s as athletic or more athletic than Andrew Luck,” Mayock said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He’s bigger than Andrew Luck. He’s got arm strength comparable to Andrew Luck. He just doesn’t have the experience that Andrew Luck had at a high level that Andrew had coming out of college. So I see a ceiling for this kid similar to Andrew Luck. That’s why I believe in this kid so much. But it’s going to take a little bit of time.”
Mayock has ranked Wentz first among this year’s quarterbacks, ahead of Cal’s Jared Goff.
(Of course, he also preferred Blaine Gabbert to Cam Newton in 2011, so take it for what it’s worth.)
Wentz has captured the early draft buzz in part because he played in the Senior Bowl and Goff didn’t, and partly because as a non-Division I player, there’s a certain Joe Flacco quality that makes many want to bestow elite qualities upon him.
“The way I look at Wentz, the first tape I put in, I went ‘Wow,”’ Mayock said. “I didn’t even know who he was. He was just a quarterback on my list. No clue. And I watched I think Northern Iowa and I watched this big kid sling the ball around a lot and on top of it, was athletic enough that they planned quarterback runs for him.
“So you do some homework and you find out he’s 6-5, 235. And I put the second tape in hoping it would be as good as the first — and it was better. So you start doing homework on the kid and yeah, he’s only got 23 starts but he’s 20-3 as a starter at a great program in Division I-AA, [with] five consecutive national championships.”
Mayock also hailed Wentz’s “character,” giving him the “smart, tough, loves the game” stamp of approval, while suggesting that Goff may be closer to being ready to play immediately (though that might be a subliminal function of his playing at a more established program).
As the week progresses and Goff gets a turn in the spotlight, there will doubtless be plenty of people lining up to say nice things about him as well. But at the moment, Wentz is the poster boy for the coming draft.
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