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Snapshots From Camp – Jul 31 2015

To see the pics, go here —>
http://www.realramsfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=86789

Football is back!

Day one of camp proved to be a scorcher. The humidity wasn’t terrible, thankfully. Still you could see the guys were a little conscious of possible cramping. The crowd turnout was pretty good, though noticeable was the lack of anyone under the season ticket holder tent..

– Tavon Austin is wearing #1 in camp this year.

Gregg Williams. Allegedly.

– Am I the only one that thinks that DC Gregg Williams is in the witness relocation program or something? His hairstyle and beard/patch/fu manchu/biker goatee change so often that I start to wonder if they’re all just disguises and if one day I’ll look at him and see Jaqen H’ghar standing there wishing my valor some morghulis.

– Not a lot happening early on in running scrimmage. Some late breaks on the draw game with Tre Mason flying off left guard for a long gainer.

– Seemed like a lot of attention being paid to WR’s blocking on the edges.

– Foles predictably had some trouble with hitches and timing routes. Pretty much something I’d expect on a day one with a group of receivers he’s only worked with in OTAs

..

from Scout Picks Packers-Patriots Super Bowl, Breaks Down Every Team

By Mike Freeman

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/…rs-patriots-super-bowl-breaks-down-every-team

…

Arizona Cardinals: “With Carson Palmer back, they have a really good shot at unseating the Seahawks in the division. They’re the only team that can do it because of their quarterback play. They also have the defense to slow down that running game. But I think [there’s a] good chance they win the division this year.”

San Francisco 49ers: “I know Jim [Harbaugh] could be a pain in the ass. He’s an odd guy. Really bright guy also. One of the smartest in all of football. The 49ers won’t be [the] same without him. That whole situation could implode pretty quickly.”

Seattle Seahawks: “I’m not convinced the addition of Jimmy Graham will transform that offense the way so many people seem to believe. The Saints always threw the football. The Seahawks won’t do that. They’ll still give it to Marshawn [Lynch]. They’ll use Graham to loosen up things for Marshawn, not the other way around. I also think we’re going to see just how good a coach Pete Carroll really is. He has [the] toughest job in the sport next year. Getting the team to recover from that Super Bowl loss will not be easy. I don’t care how talented they are.”

St. Louis Rams: “I think Nick Fairley will be good, if not really good. I know him. He has pride and doesn’t want to be known as a bust. That’s also a very professional locker room he’s going to. I don’t think the one in Detroit had as many true pros when Nick played there. Big problem for the Rams is that offense. It will be one of the bottom five in football.”

Healthy again, Rams’ McDonald eager to become leader on defense

By Joe Lyons

http://www.chatsports.com/st-louis-rams/a/Healthy-again-Rams-McDonald-eager-to-become-leader-on-defense-0-11631391

After sitting out organized team activities (OTAs) in the spring with what he described as an injury “that lingered from last season,” Rams strong safety T.J. McDonald was back where he belonged Friday as the team opened training camp at Rams Park.

“It just felt good to be back out there with the guys, good to be back on the field and working to get back in the groove,’’ the 24-year-old said. “You never want to miss practice because every rep is important, but the key is to be ready when it counts. I feel like we took the right steps during OTAs and I felt good out there today.”

A third-round draft pick in 2013 out of USC, McDonald started 10 games as a rookie, missing six weeks at midseason with a broken leg. A year ago, he started all 16 games and led the secondary with 136 tackles. He also had two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Missing OTAs, he said, was tough, but he tried to make the most of it.

“I love to play this game,’’ McDonald said. “I never like to sit out, but at least I was able to take mental reps, to learn and to help coach up some of the other guys.”

McDonald, who stands 6 feet 2 and weighs 217 pounds, is excited about the Rams’ defense and his expanding role.

“The big thing for me is technique, to make sure I’m doing what needs to be done with no wasted movements,” he said. “I need to improve in coverage and my communication. I want to be a leader for this defense, a guy that can be counted on.

“We know there’s still a lot of work to put in, but we’re definitely excited about this team and especially the defense.”

McGEE HEALTHY AGAIN

Chosen in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, cornerback Brandon McGee played in 15 games and showed some promise, mainly on special teams, as a rookie. But a foot injury basically cost him his sophomore campaign.“It’s part of the game, but it’s definitely frustrating because you know what you’re capable of,” said McGee, 24, after being limited to just two games a year ago. “I think we all believe in ourselves to the highest level. We’re all confident in our abilities. That’s really all I want is to get out there and get a chance to showcase my talents.”The University of Miami product said mental reps allowed him to appreciate the game from a different perspective, but …

“There’s nothing like being out on the field and making plays, making mistakes and learning from those mistakes,” he said.

The Rams have added significant secondary depth in recent seasons, a fact that McGee is keenly aware of.

“Every day you come to practice you have to be ready to compete,” the 5-foot-11, 193-pound McGee said. “The best ability is availability. This is a great defense and I want to be a part of it. For me, the key is staying healthy and giving myself an opportunity to play the type of football I know I’m capable of.”

RAM-BLINGS

• A decent crowd of 1,181 witnessed the Rams’ first training camp workout in Earth City. Last year’s first workout, also on a Friday, drew 1,484.Both the Saturday (3:30 p.m. start) and Sunday (5:30 p.m. start) workouts are also free and open to the public.A sign spotted in the crowd Friday: “Don’t Do It Stan.”

• Quarterback Nick Foles, acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, received the majority of reps and looked solid during Friday’s workout. Lots of high-percentage screen passes were thrown, but Foles also hooked up with tight end Jared Cook on a nice touch pass down the seam.

Foles’ father, Larry, flew in from Austin, Texas, to watch Friday’s workout.

• RB Todd Gurley, selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the spring’s draft, did some work in individual drills and said he’s excited about taking part in football activities again. He said there’s no timetable for his full return.

• Rookie guard Cody Wichmann, a sixth-round draft pick from Fresno State, is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with a calf injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said he’s expected to be back at practice in the next seven to 10 days. Defensive end Chris Long did not practice Friday because of stiffness in his back. Safety Mark Barron (knee) did some work on the side with trainers.

#RamsCamp Practice Report: Day 1

Rams Insider Myles Simmons talks about Todd Gurley practicing on Day 1 of Training Camp.

http://www.stlouisrams.com/videos/videos/RamsCamp-Practice-Report-Day-1/f55a3e12-921b-4909-b1cd-00a9b7510373

Jim Thomas ‏@jthom1

Jeff Fisher liked what he saw on Day 1, had some praise for undrafted rookie DE Martin Ifedi of Memphis.

Safety Mark Barron, still coming back from a knee injury in the spring, worked on the side.

And rookie OL Cody Wichmann (calf) who begins camp on PUP list, is expected to miss first 7 to 10 days of practice.

Chris Long doesn’t practice because of some tightness in his back.

Pretty good crowd at first practice of training camp; we’ll have head count in a bit. One sign in the stands: Don’t Do It Stan.

Otherwise, everybody else practiced. QB Nick Foles threw the ball pretty well. Brushed off questions about his contract, saying he’s. . . . .leaving that up to his agent.. .

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Myles Simmons ‏@MylesASimmons

Gurley said he was feeling comfortable on his knee making lateral cuts, wasn’t thinking about it as much. To my eyes, looked like it, too.

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Nick Wagoner ‏@nwagoner

#Rams off the practice field Friday night. Coach Jeff Fisher pleased with work today. Team going through acclimation period, pads on Monday.

One cool note: Bud Sasser is guest of the team this weekend, checking things out, observing various jobs. A job with team his if he wants.

QOTD-Fisher: “I failed them from the standpoint of I talked to them about wave runners, 4-wheelers, forgot to talk to them about fireworks.”

A small new thing at practice: #Rams had music playing on the field during individual drills. They’ve dabbled in past but not like Friday.

#Rams RB Todd Gurley did some individual drills. Says he’s excited to be doing football activities again. No timetable for full return.

Should add that S Mark Barron also did not practice. Did some work on the side, Fisher said he’s a few days away from a return.

Fisher said #Rams DE Chris Long had some back tightness. He was held out of practice today. OL Cody Wichmann (PUP) only other not involved.

Ten questions as Rams open training camp

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/ten-questions-as-rams-open-training-camp/article_751cd515-9e4d-5e52-91ea-e352e481d279.html

The Rams open training camp Friday with a new quarterback, a new offensive coordinator, and lots of new offensive linemen. By the end of the 2015 season, they may have a new address.

The defense, which returns intact, could be dominant. Both the head coach, Jeff Fisher, and general manager Les Snead feel this not only is the best Rams team they’ve had to work with but also a team that can legitimately compete for a playoff berth.

There are always questions surrounding every NFL team this time of year, and the Rams have their share. We pose 10 questions facing the 2015 Rams as they enter their 21st — and possibly last — season in St. Louis.

1. IS FOLES THE ANSWER?

In the midst of a contract dispute the Rams finally gave up on oft-injured Sam Bradford, shipping him to Philadelphia in March for Nick Foles in a trade that also included an exchange of draft picks. Which Foles are the Rams getting? The guy who threw 27 TD passes and a mere two interceptions en route to a Pro Bowl season in 2013? Or the so-so performer of a year ago who missed half the 2014 season with a broken collarbone? With only 24 starts, or the equivalent of 1 ½ seasons, it’s a small sample size. Learning the playbook and getting to know his teammates is the first order of business.

2. WILL YOUTH BE SERVED ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE?The Rams opened the 2014 season with a combined 366 career regular-season starts among their five O-line starters. Or an average of 73 starts per man. This year the Rams could easily open with just 72 career starts on their entire starting line. There could be an all-rookie right side of Rob Havenstein at right tackle and Jamon Brown at right guard. At center, Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes, and Demetrius Rhaney are all in the mix for the starting spot. Only Barnes has any starting experience among that trio, and we’re talking about only four starts in his case. This unit must grow up quickly.

3. WHEN IS IT TODD’S TIME?

The good news earlier in the week was that rookie RB Todd Gurley passed his conditioning test and begins training camp on the active roster. Just how much Gurley will contribute early in the season remains to be seen as he finishes off his rehab from knee surgery as a Georgia Bulldog. Look for the Rams to ease Gurley back into action, and it’s still questionable if he’ll play in the opener. There could be setbacks along the way, and players coming off ACL repairs frequently are better in their second season back. So don’t expect early-season miracles from the No. 10 overall pick.

4. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM CIGNETTI?After three seasons of Brian Schottenheimer running the offense for Jeff Fisher, former quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti has been bumped up to the coordinator’s position. Known as Cig or Cigs to the players and coaches, Cignetti has extensive coordinator’s experience at the college level but this is his first bite of the apple in the NFL. The Rams are emphasizing simplified terminology in play-calling, and in general a streamlined playbook. No doubt, Cignetti will have tweaks and wrinkles of his own, but the overall run-oriented philosophy comes straight from the Book of Fisher.

5. IS THERE ENOUGH AT WIDE RECEIVER?

The Rams finally have some seasoning in their WR corps, and this is a key year career-wise for several members of the unit. Tavon Austin has had some dazzling moments in his first two seasons but hasn’t lived up to his draft status (No. 8 overall) at this point. Is this the year he becomes fully integrated into the offense and enjoys a breakout campaign? And what about late-bloomer Brian Quick? He looked to be finally reaching his potential last season and was on pace to become the franchise’s first 1,000-yard receiver since Torry Holt in 2007. Then came a season-ending shoulder injury in Game 7.

6. CAN THE DEFENSE DOMINATE?This could be the year. In a league where personnel turnover is a way of life, all 11 starters are back on defense. That’s all but unheard of in the age of free agency. Not only that, but most of the key backups return as well. Free agent pickups Nick Fairley at defensive tackle and Akeem Ayers at outside linebacker bring even more talent to the mix. Over the final eight games of the 2014 season, the Rams were fifth in scoring defense, fourth in rushing defense, tied for fourth in sacks, and tied for sixth in takeaways. There’s no reason to think they can’t pick up where they left off.

7. HOW ABOUT WINNING IN SEPTEMBER FOR A CHANGE?

Slow starts have doomed the Rams in their first three seasons under Jeff Fisher. To a large degree, they’ve been out of the playoff hunt by the first frost. In all three seasons they’ve been 3-5 at midseason, and started 1-3 in 2014 and ‘13. The Rams need to reverse those numbers to win back at least some of the fans and give themselves a legitimate chance for a postseason berth. Fisher and his staff should have a better feel for what they have entering the season. And most of the young players have some seasoning. But 4 of the first 5 contests are against 2014 playoff teams, and three are on the road.

8. FISHER’S FUTURE IN DOUBT?Another slow start could mean a fourth consecutive losing season for Jeff Fisher, and not many coaches survive such a track record. The Rams have pulled off some memorable upsets under Fisher, and after the worst five-year stretch in NFL history from 2007-2011 under Scott Linehan, Jim Haslett, and Steve Spagnuolo (15-65), Fisher has gotten the franchise back to at least the neighborhood of respectability. Does Stan Kroenke want Fisher around to lead the team’s potential transfer to Los Angeles in 2016 no matter what? Or does Fisher, whose three-year mark here is 20-27-1, need to win in 2015?

9. WHO STAYS? WHO GOES?

Interwoven with what happens on the field in 2015 will be the business of football. The Rams have more than a dozen players scheduled for free agency after this season, including several starters. The volume of prospective free agents is something the team hasn’t had to face during the Les Snead-Jeff Fisher regime; it’s a byproduct of all the draft picks that came via the Robert Griffin III trade and assorted spinoff deals. Obviously, it takes more than a few minutes on the phone to work out new contracts. So the more players the Rams can re-sign before the end of ‘15, the better off they are.

10. CALIFORNIA DREAMING?No matter how much the coaches or players try to downplay it, the team’s potential relocation to Los Angeles will be the elephant in the room all season. In the big picture for the St. Louis area, it overshadows anything that will happen on the field this season. There will be key league meetings in August and October to discuss the topic, and by the end of the regular season we should have a pretty good idea of whether the Rams are staying or going. Who knows what developments will crop up before, after, and in between those league meetings? It’s difficult to imagine it not being a distraction.

Ten burning Rams questions: Is Nick Foles enough to get to playoffs?

Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/19789/ten-burning-rams-questions-is-nick-foles-enough-to-get-to-playoffs

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Training camps around the league are either already underway or will be before the end of the week. The St. Louis Rams officially get underway on Friday.

In the days leading up to the start of camp, we’ll take a look at 10 burning questions facing the Rams as they head toward the 2015 season.

No. 2: Can Nick Foles be enough of an upgrade at quarterback to make the Rams contenders?

If nothing else, the Rams’ decision to trade Sam Bradford for Foles in March injected some new life into an offense desperately in need of some. From here, comparisons between Foles and Bradford will be unavoidable as Bradford takes the reins in Philadelphia and Foles does the same in St. Louis.

But really, for those attempting to evaluate Foles’ impact on his new team, Bradford comparisons shouldn’t be the baseline. Foles isn’t really replacing Bradford, who didn’t play a regular-season snap for the Rams after the midpoint of the 2013 season. Rather, Foles should be held up against the likes of Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis and Shaun Hill.

In that regard, it would be a surprise if Foles doesn’t exceed the productivity of the backups that have been under center for the Rams in the past season and a half.

The question then becomes will having Foles be enough of an upgrade — given all the other moving parts on the offense — to elevate the Rams to playoff contention?

Assuming Foles is able to stay healthy, he should be a good fit for what the Rams expect of their quarterback in a run-heavy offense. Foles won’t be asked to carry the load for the offense by throwing 40 to 50 times a game. His primary focus will be on keeping turnovers to a minimum and taking advantage of deep ball opportunities when they arise.

More specifically, much of what the Rams hope for from Foles will come in the play-action game. That could be an ideal match considering Foles’ success in that area. Since 2013, Foles leads all quarterbacks with 23 touchdowns on play-action passes. If Todd Gurley and the running game can get rolling, Foles should have ample opportunity to take advantage of play-action.

In 2014, Davis and Hill each went 3-5 as the starter, combining for 3,658 yards, 20 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. The yardage and touchdown totals are probably reasonable expectations for Foles but to get the Rams into playoff contention, he’ll need to reduce the interception total by about half. Even more to the point, he’ll need to cut down on the type of back-breaking turnovers that turned into touchdowns for the defense.

Rams quarterbacks threw six interceptions and coughed up two fumbles that were returned for touchdowns in 2014, miscues that often either proved the difference on the scoreboard or allowed a close game to get away.

Foles’ job won’t be easy, especially with three new starters on the offensive line and a new coordinator in place but if he proves capable of taking care of the ball and offering the occasional big play in the passing game, it would go a long way toward getting the Rams back to the postseason for the first time since 2004.

Snead believes this could be the Rams’ year

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/snead-believes-this-could-be-the-rams-year/article_0b16badf-ab07-585c-9486-3f4e1b38f712.html

Last year at this time, Rams general manager Les Snead talked about the third year being the charm, citing examples of other rebuilding jobs in past NFL seasons around the league that clicked in Year 3.

Well, you know the story. Quarterback Sam Bradford suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Rams’ third preseason game, and things went downhill from there. The result was a 6-10 record, the worst finish in the three years of the Jeff Fisher-Snead regime in St. Louis.

Year 4 for that tandem is now upon us, and Snead remains as optimistic as ever.

As Fisher told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, Snead told a media gathering Thursday at Rams Park that he feels the 2015 edition is the most talented of the four Fisher-Snead squads.

“You know what? I actually do,” Snead said. “I’m not going to speak about it a ton because you’re tired of hearing about it. But you started in a pretty deep hole here.”

That was a reference, of course, to the roster he and Fisher inherited after the 2011 season and the fact that the Rams had gone 15-65 from 2007-11.

“But since ‘12, we’re third in win-percentage improvement, only behind Denver and Seattle,” Snead said. “It’s an interesting stat – we just started a lot lower down the hill than they did. But it has shown some progress.

“And there’s some adversity. You didn’t plan on 25 straight (games) with your backup quarterback. You’ve gotta always overcome it. The league usually wins about 26 percent of the games with a backup QB, and in that time we won 40 percent. And we’ve done all this with a young team.”

Those are interesting numbers. But the only numbers that matter are the wins and losses – more precisely, having more wins than losses.

“We’re close,” Snead said. “I can feel it. . . . I anticipate us contending for the West. I’m planning on it, expecting it, and not scared.”

The thought of facing Seattle, Arizona, and even a depleted San Francisco roster twice a year in the NFC West can be scary. But with a defense that returns basically intact, a new quarterback in Nick Foles, and a roster than can be characterized as young but seasoned, Snead feels this can be that long-elusive “over the hump” year for the Rams.

With a healthy Foles, Snead feels the Rams can be a legit playoff contender.

“I would anticipate that,” Snead said. “Nick’s won 63 percent of his games. . . .Once Nick became available (via trade), that made it very intriguing because the guy, he’s actually taken a team to the playoffs.”

Snead, by the way, said contract extension talks with Foles are ongoing and that it’s “definitely realistic” to think Foles could have a new Rams contract by the end of the 2015 season.

Switching to defense, Snead said he expects to see a dominant group.

“They did a heck of a job last year, when they tipped and turned and got to gel,” he said, referring the second-half surge last season. “It was fun to watch. The goal is to carry that over into this year, and sooner rather than later. . . . I don’t know if I’ve been around a defense like this one.”

The defense may have to carry the squad early in the season as Foles settles in, Todd Gurley completes his knee rehab at running back, and the ultra-young offensive line adjusts to life in the NFL.

“You would love for them, as we gel on offense, to be the bell cow,” Snead said. “Just on paper, that would be the ideal scenario. The defense kind of pulls some weight as our offense gels, and then once they gel – let’s roll.”

But as is the case with Fisher, Snead could feel job pressure if the team doesn’t contend in the West or make a legitimate playoff push.

“Never think about,” Snead said. “I get what you’re saying: It’s Year 4 of your tenure. But you’re actually more jacked about it because you actually feel good about the foundation and where we’re going. It just hasn’t occurred yet.”

With a 20-27-1 record over three seasons here, there’s no time like the present.

Jim Thomas Talks Rams’ Training Camp, Todd Gurley and Young Offensive Line

http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/STLSports/STLRams/tabid/137/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/18503/Jim-Thomas-Talks-Rams-Training-Camp-Todd-Gurley-and-Young-Offensive-Line.aspx

St. Louis Post-Dispatch beat writer Jim Thomas joined The Wendy’s Big Show on Thursday to discuss several Rams topics on the eve of 2015 training camp, including the health of first-round pick Todd Gurley.

Read notable quotes and listen to the full interview below:

On Todd Gurley passing his conditioning test:

“Tuesday they had their conditioning test and it’s a pair of 300-yard dashes. But you do them in 25-year intervals…up to 300 yards. And then you get to rest for three or four minutes and you do it all over again. It was brutally hot day…Gurley lit it up there. He looked very impressive there. He’s going to be on the active roster on the start of training camp. That’s an indication he’s a little closer to playing on opening day, but I don’t think it guarantees it. But at least he’ll be doing some practice work Friday afternoon. He’ll be doing some of the individual drills, maybe some of the seven-on-seven stuff. It’ll help him get indoctrinated into NFL football. There’s always an adjustment period when you learn what the NFL is like.”

More on Gurley:

“He’s had more of a pro-style and more exposure to pass-blocking (in college), so mentally he should be fine. Physically is a different matter. I can’t even stay for sure…that he’s going to be playing in any of the preseason games or opening day. We’re not going to see Todd Gurley get 20 or 25 touches in September. They’re still going to be pretty conservative with him.”

On the inexperienced Rams offensive line:

“My time of covering the team…they’ve never had a line this young. They firmly expect Rob Havenstein – the second-round pick – the starting right tackle. Jamon Brown – the third-round pick – he’s the starting right guard. At center, you’re going to have either Demetrious Rainey, Tim Barnes or Barrett Jones. That’s a very inexperienced group as well. You’re almost talking about three rookies on the offensive line. I have a little bit of skepticism on how it’s going to work out. But that’s what they planned to do and let’s see how it works out. You’ll see these rookies play more in the preseason than a normal starting lineman would. And they have one of the best defensive lines in NFL going against them every day in practice. If they don’t get demoralized doing that, that’ll be a great learning curve.”