Even after strong rookie season, Rams’ Gaines still sports a chip on his shoulder

Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest

http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/story/even-after-strong-rookie-season-rams-gaines-still-sports-a-chip-on-his-shoulder-061115

ST. LOUIS — This session of organized team activities, admittedly, looks a little different for Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines.

After a breakout rookie season following his sixth-round selection by the Rams in 2014, Gaines is entering this year’s OTAs with less of a learning curve, but still with something to prove. Despite his impressive 2014 campaign, he’ll likely be battling Trumaine Johnson for a starting spot at corner.

Gaines isn’t bothered by it.

“I feel like competition is for the better, for the whole team — not just the defense,” he says. “Coming out and competing every day will help this team, and help us all get better as a unit.”

Besides, regardless of position battles and a stellar rookie season, playing with a chip on his shoulder fits Gaines’ style.

“I feel like everybody should play like they have something to prove,” he says. “That’s just my type of game, so I’m just definitely coming out with a chip on my shoulder and just trying to get better.”

Those words likely won’t come as comfort to some of the offenses Gaines may end up facing this fall — not after a rookie season in which he made 70 tackles over 15 games. But he knows his ceiling is higher.

“I feel I played OK, played at a pretty high level,” he says. “I just feel like I have so much more to prove and a lot more room to grow.”

Still, the past year hasn’t been all work and no play. Gaines says on the advice of several veterans, he took a “big break” between the end of the regular season and starting his offseason program.

“A lot of the vets told me to do that, take a month off just to myself, because coming as a rookie out of college, you really don’t have a break for a good two years,” he says.

So he took a few trips with Rams teammates, relaxed at home and now is back on the field — playing like he has something to prove.

Battle for Rams’ center job likely to last into training camp

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/19144/battle-for-rams-center-job-likely-to-last-into-training-camp

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Depending on the day, the St. Louis Rams have a different starting center at every organized team activity.

One day it’s Tim Barnes, another it’s Barrett Jones and the next it’s Demetrius Rhaney. It’s a three-person competition that figures to continue deep into training camp and perhaps all the way through the preseason.

“We’re not going to make a decision real early,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “We’ll let them all play. We’re rotating them. They’re all getting opportunities to work with Nick (Foles), so he’s familiar not only with the exchanges but also the communication. We’ll make that decision when somebody shows us he’s earned the job.”

In other words, don’t expect that decision to come any time soon.

When the Rams released veteran Scott Wells before the start of free agency in March, they parted ways with the only center on the roster with substantial starting experience. Wells had struggled in recent seasons, but he at least started all 16 games in 2014 and 19 more for the Rams in the previous two seasons.

Upon re-signing Barnes and choosing not to pursue outside options in free agency or the draft, the Rams committed to finding Wells’ replacement in house. Each of the options brings something different to the table, but none really offers much playing experience. In fact, Barnes’ four starts account for all of the starting experience among the three contenders for the job.

Because of those four games, Barnes got first dibs on working with the top offense at the team’s first OTA. Jones came second and then Rhaney, and the Rams have continued to mix it up through the first two weeks.

For Barnes, the time is now to prove he belongs. He’s been on the Rams’ active roster since 2012, appearing in 45 games along the way, but most of that work has been limited to special teams. He filled in for an injured Wells in 2013, stepping in for those four starts and playing a career-high 257 offensive snaps in the process.

This offseason, the Rams declined to tender Barnes as a restricted free agent, allowing him to explore his options. He visited Kansas City, but ultimately the chance to compete for the starting job with the Rams brought him back.

“That was the main factor was, it was kind of like being a free agent out of college again as far as you want to find a place you are going to be able to compete for the job,” Barnes said. “I have been a backup for a few years now, and I know I’m getting older and it’s time. It could be do or die, you never know. So this was a great opportunity, and that was our goal to find a place to give me an opportunity to start and play.”

While Barnes’ playing experience is limited, he’s a seasoned veteran compared to Jones and Rhaney.

Jones came to the Rams in the 2013 NFL draft out of Alabama as one of the most decorated college linemen of all time. But a litany of injuries, including a 2014 back surgery, has kept Jones on the sideline. In two seasons he’s played in 10 games, but only against Kansas City last year did he appear on offense — and that was for just 22 snaps. That’s the extent of his experience aside from special teams.

The Rams view Jones as one of their most intelligent players, and from that standpoint he might be the most prepared to take over the job. The key for him is proving his body is ready to hold up for the grind of a 16-game season. To that end, he took advantage of his first healthy offseason by adding muscle and showing up leaner for OTAs. He says this is as healthy as he’s felt since he arrived in the NFL.

“I definitely wanted to be 100 percent,” Jones said. “When I had back surgery last year, I wasn’t able to work out for a long time, so I wanted to put a lot more muscle on. I feel really good about where my body is, make-up-wise, and getting to work out a whole offseason healthy.”

Rhaney represents the wild card in the mix. Although he’s even more unproven than Barnes and Jones, the second-year center has his share of supporters in the organization. After a knee injury cost the 2014 seventh-round draft choice his rookie season, Rhaney said he’s added about five pounds of muscle in the offseason.

It should help Rhaney’s cause that the Rams offense has a few tweaks coming that seem to play into his skill set. Rhaney said he played in a zone-heavy scheme at Tennessee State and that new Rams offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti is adding wrinkles to the scheme that fit his style of play.

“The stuff we are running now is similar to what I ran in college, so that’s probably why I’m so happy about it,” Rhaney said. “Once I get the plays completely all the way down, I’ll feel real good. It’s exactly what I did in college. My quickness and stuff, that’s what made me stand out more.”

With three candidates to sort through, it’s safe to expect the Rams to take their time to figure out who gives them the best chance.

“We are all working hard and we have three good candidates,” Jones said. “It’s pretty open. You have got to make the most of your opportunities, for sure, and obviously it’s one of the interesting things about the NFL. It’s two of your good buddies on the team and you are competing for spots and jobs, and it’s just what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to go out there and work hard and compete.”

canadaram wrote:

I wonder if it’s possible that Rhaney or Barnes end up starting at C and Jones ends up starting at one of the G spots? To answer my own question, sure I guess it’s possible, lots of things are possible. I guess it’s more of a “what are the chances?” type of question. Jones doesn’t have the size of Brown, so he might not have the physical upside as a run blocker, but in the short term I wonder if he ends up getting a chance at guard?

I really think Reynolds is the other guard, and IMO probably ahead of Brown.

Jones one of three competing for Rams’ center job

By Howard Balzer

http://lindyssports.com/nfl/st-louis-rams/column/nfl-player-news/jones-one-of-three-competing-for-rams-starting-center-job/319279

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams selected four offensive linemen in this year’s draft, and it’s possible two will be starters on the right side when the season opens.

Second-round pick Rob Havenstein has been working with the first unit at right tackle in OTAs, and third-round pick Jamon Brown has been doing the same at right guard.

It’s possible free-agent addition Garrett Reynolds could end up starting at guard, but either way the right side will feature newcomers after right tackle Joe Barksdale signed with San Diego and right guard Davin Joseph wasn’t re-signed.

There will also be a new starter at center after the March release of Scott Wells, and while none of the current candidates is a rookie, there isn’t much game experience either. That’s why line coach Paul Boudreau has been rotating all three players — Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney — during OTAs on a daily basis among the first, second and third units.

A fourth-round pick in 2013, Jones arrived in St. Louis with a Lisfranc injury to his foot suffered in the SEC Championship Game that required surgery. He played just three games as a rookie, and then played only seven last season after undergoing back surgery.

Barnes has been with the Rams since 2011 and played 45 games, mostly on special teams. He did get his feet wet as a starter for four games in 2013 when Wells was injured. Rhaney was a seventh-round pick last year and missed the entire season after suffering a knee injury in training camp.

Obviously, whoever starts on Sept. 13 against Seattle won’t have a lot of games under his belt.

Said Jones, “We have three good candidates from what I see, and I think it’s pretty open. You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities for sure. We’re all working hard, and grinding. On different days we get work with different groups.”

During the Rams’ first full week of three OTAs, each had a practice working with the first unit, and each also worked with the twos and threes.

“As far as I know it will continue that way until somebody says otherwise,” Jones concluded.

Head coach Jeff Fisher said, “We’re not going to make a decision real early. We’ll let them all play. We’re rotating them. They’re all getting opportunities to work with (quarterback) Nick (Foles), so he’s familiar, not only with the exchanges, but also the communication. We’ll make that decision when somebody shows us he’s earned the job.”

Barnes entered the offseason as a free agent after the Rams elected not to tender him as a restricted free agent. He talked to a few teams, but ended up back with the Rams on a one-year deal worth just over $710,000, significantly less than what the restricted tender of $1.542 million would have been.

He has described taking “a do or die” approach to this offseason and training camp, knowing that it’s possible he could be the starter, backup, or off the roster.

Rhaney is the wild card in the competition. He worked to add at least five pounds of muscle in the offseason, and is comfortable with some of the zone blocking philosophy that has been added to the offense because it’s what he experienced at Tennessee State.

Jones said the new concepts on offense are working well because the coaches “have done a great job of making things simple for us. Everyone’s on the same page. There was a learning curve, but that’s why we have this time together now. We’re right on schedule and we’re learning a lot every day.”

He also hopes what he learned from Wells will help in his quest to win the starting job.

Said Jones, “He embodied the word veteran. I learned a lot from him on how to approach the game week by week. How to break down film and learn the things that make you a pro; that separates you in this league. I’m very grateful for that. After he left, I texted him to say how much I appreciated all the time he took and taught me some of the tricks of the trade.”

The mental side of being the center and making the calls are also important aspects of playing the position.

As Fisher noted, “It’s really important. Scott did a really good job with it. Scott was really smart. There’s no indications at this point that there’s going to be limitations from the mental standpoint with the guys that are competing. They all understand.”

NOTES, QUOTES

–With the Rams in their second week of OTAs, six other NFL teams will be holding their three-day minicamps. Next week, when the Rams wrap up their OTAs, 25 other teams will have minicamps.

It has become head coach Jeff Fisher’s philosophy to not have a minicamp. This year, the Rams entered the offseason with a new offensive coordinator (Frank Cignetti), a new quarterback (Nick Foles) and with the certainty of having three new starters on the offensive line, two of whom could be rookies.

A minicamp would result in three additional practices, but Fisher said he never reconsidered his stance on conducting one.

“No, I didn’t think it was necessary,” Fisher insisted. “I think when you look actually at the veteran minicamp, it’s really no different than an OTA. You’re allowed to go on the field once. You get to have a walk-through. You get to keep them in the building for 12 hours rather than six. I personally think that’s too much and too long during the offseason. There’s a distinct difference between what we can do with the rookies and what we can do with the veterans. There’s a six-hour time limit window on OTA day and two hours on the field. There’s no restrictions with the rookies.

“We’re getting a lot of extra time with the rookies in the afternoon. We’re getting caught up. I’ve just always been one of those that has been opposed to the mandatory minicamp, especially back in the days when you’ve got to go on the field twice a day. It just made no sense to me that you’re taking professional athletes and making them practice twice a day in the middle of the offseason. It didn’t make sense, probably because I hated it (when I was a player).”

Rams’ Foles Taking Charge, Earning Praise

Shane Gray

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/STLSports/STLRams/tabid/137/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/17888/Rams-Foles-Taking-Charge-Earning-Praise.aspx

It has not yet been three months since quarterback Nick Foles was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for Sam Bradford, but in his short time in the Show-Me State, the 26 year old signal caller has exhibited plenty of in-demand qualities — both on and off the field.

On the field, Head Coach Jeff Fisher says the 2013 Pro Bowl honoree almost instantly begin taking charge and building a rapport with his teammates after arriving in St. Louis.

“That’s what he’s done since he got here,” Fisher said during last week’s OTA’s. “He walked in the door and he went out of his way to meet everybody. They did some individual things together. He took charge. In the phase one where the coaches can’t be present, he took the players out — the skill players and offensive players — and threw and did those things. Since then, he’s been doing great. Everything that we heard is true, and I’m sure we’re going to be surprised as we move ahead with him because we’ve been really pleased.”

Off the field, Foles has made a concerted effort to build camaraderie with the men he will battle alongside this season.

“The way we’re going to be successful on Sunday, or whatever day we end up playing on, is the relationships,” Foles asserted last week. “Come the fourth quarter, we have to know each other. We have to care about each other. That’s where you stick together through adversity. Just getting to know the guys in the workouts, in the film room, in the training room… whatever we do is a key part of it. I’ve really enjoyed it. Like I said, we have a great group of guys here that love to work hard and love to have a good time.”

Foles, for his part, does not find the task of relationship-building to be a difficult one.

“I really don’t think it’s a challenge,” Foles said in regard to building chemistry and cohesion, particularly with his pass targets. “It’s just fun. It’s a day-to-day thing. It’s getting to know them. It’s getting to know who they are as people. It started in the weight room — lifting together, working out together, pushing each other on the run. Then, when you’re going out here, it’s just communicating. It’s all about communication. What they see on the routes, how they’re going to run their routes (and) what they see in the defenders. When I see my receivers run routes I can tell who’s good at what, so then you get an idea where to throw the ball to different guys. They’ve been awesome. The receivers have been awesome. They’re buying in. They’re working hard and they’re going to make some plays.”

Speaking of Foles’ receivers, they have apparently been as impressed with him as he has been with them.

“We love him,” wide receiver Kenny Britt told R.B. Fallstrom of the Associated Press last week. “Great deep ball (and) he puts it on the money every time. He can throw every pass in the book.”

“I’m so glad he’s here. I love that he’s here,” tight end Jared Cook said Friday. “I love what he brings to us, and I love the fact that he’s just an up-tempo, positive guy.”

Although Foles is still very new to the Rams, one would be remiss not to note that his persona and approach has been a little different than that of Bradford.

Whereas Bradford always seemed somewhat reluctant to take on the role of a prototypical vocal leader — even after being nudged in that direction by coaches — Foles seems to naturally be a take-charge type of guy.

“Nick’s been great, not only in the team stuff but in the individual days with the receivers and everybody,” Fisher said. “He’s taken charge.”

According to this feature from Myles Simmons and the Rams official website, Foles’ natural leadership qualities have made an early impression upon the likes of the aforementioned Britt and Cook

“A couple of days ago, I was down on myself, not feeling well,” Britt said, “and he was the first one to come to me and say, ‘Hey Kenny, I see it in your face. Let’s go… we can’t have it right now.’”

Furthermore, Foles’ confident demeanor has clearly made a positive impression on the likes of Cook.

“That’s what you like to see,” Cook said of Foles’ personality. “Just having a little swag, a chip on your shoulder — that separates you from the rest. He’s cool as a fan, man. He’s everything that you want in a quarterback — everything that you’ve always wanted. It just feels like he belongs here, and it feels like he’s been here for a while, which is a good piece. It’s what we need.”

“And just think, once he gets this offense down, and once we all get this offense down — it’s going to be cake, man,” Cook added. “It’s going to be cake. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

Without question, Foles has made a strong early impression upon both his teammates and the coaching staff. That, of course, is a major plus.

If Foles can revert to something close to his 2013 Pro Bowl form, the Rams should have a great shot at making their first postseason appearance in over a decade.

The defense should be strong. A deep running game should be rugged. The kicking game and special teams play should be sound.

If St. Louis can get some consistency from the quarterback position, then this could be — and perhaps should be — the franchise’s finest season since the close of the Greatest Show era.

Foles will not necessarily need to be fabulous to win, considering the fact that he should be surrounded by a potentially dominant defense and a very good run game, but he will need to thrive off of play action, consistently make the plays that are there and thrive in crunch time.

As Foles said during OTAs, the extra time he is putting in now with his teammates — both on and off the field — should help the offense succeed in the fourth quarter once September rolls around.

And if they can do that, the defense and ground game should put Foles in position to win a lot of games this fall.

Eagles QB Sam Bradford confident in his recovery from injury

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20150609_Eagles_QB_Sam_Bradford_confident_in_his_recovery_from_injury.html

TAKING COMMAND of a group that hasn’t seen you lead it through a game – or even a practice – can be tricky, Sam Bradford acknowledged.

“It is a little bit difficult,” the Eagles quarterback said yesterday, after again throwing in seven-on-seven sessions during OTAs. Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow quarterbacked for all the full-team reps. “Yeah, I wish I were out there taking every rep. I think it’d make it a little easier to take on that leadership role and develop some of those relationships.

“But there’s other ways to do that – pulling guys aside after practice, in the weight room. You’ve got to look for different ways to do it, when you can’t do it on the field.”

Bradford said he has been working on building relationships with teammates who might know him only as the guy who tore his left ACL two straight seasons in St. Louis.

“I think that’s what it’s about,” Bradford said. “I think the stronger the relationships you have on the team, the closer the team is, the more you want to fight for each other on Sundays.”

Bradford’s new teammates have seen him throw the ball well in drills.

“Let me tell you, the accuracy I’ve seen out of him so far, it’s looking good,” said outside linebacker Brandon Graham, whose early Eagles career was derailed by a serious knee injury. “That knee stuff is serious, but [it can be] all in your head, too. When it’s finally healed, it’s all about where your mentality is. I think he’ll be all right.”

Running back DeMarco Murray played with Bradford at Oklahoma and was attracted to the Eagles in free agency this spring partly because Bradford was here. Murray seemed reluctant to assess Bradford’s status yesterday, to compare this version with the guy who was taken first overall in the 2010 NFL draft.

“Smart player,” Murray said. “He’s getting better, but I don’t know what he’s doing and where he’s at, or whatnot . . . He’s definitely a great quarterback . . . What he’s been able to do out here since he got here has been pretty good, so we’ll see how it goes.”

At least two important pieces of information came from Bradford’s chat with reporters yesterday, only his second media session since he took the field with the Eagles.

First, though Bradford said he didn’t want to make any proclamations that could come back to bite him, he acknowledged that he’s hoping to be full-go when training camp starts Aug. 2.

“That’s a great question,” Bradford said, after being asked when he thinks he’ll be 100 percent. “If I knew, I’d tell you guys. I really don’t know.”

Later, when a reporter noted that when Bradford was introduced in March, he said he hoped to be ready for the start of training camp, Bradford said: “I hope so . . . If I knew I was going to be ready, 100 percent, I would tell you guys, but I’m excited about that date. I think if everything continues the way it has, I’ll be ready for that . . . In this process, it’s tough. You don’t want to set concrete dates. You set a concrete date and then you don’t make it, you feel like it’s a setback or a disappointment. We’ve continued to take it day by day.”

Not declaring the first day of training camp as his goal might be a sign of justified wariness over media reaction; Bradford seems mindful that, for the first time in his football life, he is not in the Midwest.

“It’s East Coast, it’s big city,” Bradford said, speaking to a crowd of a few dozen reporters and camera operators. “I think there’s more media here than we’ve ever had [at Oklahoma or in St. Louis] at training camp or after a game. So, I’m getting used to that.”

Second, Bradford said he did not suffer cartilage damage in either ACL tear. As Dr. Art Bartolozzi, the former Eagles and Flyers team orthopedic surgeon, told the Daily News last week, the extent of cartilage damage often is the key element in determining how a knee holds up after ligament repair. Without the cushioning cartilage, there often is swelling and pain. Bradford said he has had no swelling after his OTA throwing sessions.

Cartilage “is an important factor,” Bradford said. “If there were more damage, you’d be looking at even a longer recovery time.”

Another point Bartolozzi made was that because of the back-to-back tears, Bradford hasn’t spent much of the last two years in top shape, working full speed. This is something Bradford certainly seems to understand: There is more to being ready to play than having a successfully repaired knee.

“Obviously, when you don’t play football for a year, I think the mind slows down a little bit,” said Bradford, who reinjured his knee in last year’s third preseason game. He suffered his initial injury in the seventh game of 2013. “You can watch as much tape as you want, you can try to simulate as many things as you want, but to get out there and actually make those decisions in a split second – I’ve noticed that each day I’ve gotten out here, it’s gotten a little bit better, it feels closer to normal.

“Last week, I was a little rusty; I felt like everything was going about a hundred miles an hour. But I feel like each day, it comes back.”

Eagles coach Chip Kelly said last week that the way Bradford works, he won’t be hindered by missing these reps as he tries to learn a new offense. Quarterbacks coach Ryan Day said Bradford was a strong presence in meetings and in the film room.

Bradford noted yesterday that this is “my fourth or fifth offense in six years,” given the turnover in St. Louis.

“I’ve seen a lot of different plays, a lot of different offenses,” Bradford said. “I’ve run variations of all the plays that we’re running now. I think it’s just a matter of getting out there and developing the chemistry with the guys who are out there with me.”