Kendricks Talks Re-Signing with Rams

Listen to what Lance Kendricks has to say immediately following his re-signing with the St. Louis Rams.

http://www.stlouisrams.com/videos/videos/Exclusive-Kendricks-Talks-Re-Signing-with-Rams/40d9e3b0-c641-4deb-9ebd-ed6629686330

Where Nick Fairley fits in Rams’ DL rotation

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17501/where-nick-fairley-fits-in-rams-dl-rotation

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Heading into free agency, the St. Louis Rams had two players in mind when it came to adding to their defense.

While the bigger needs still remain on offense, the Rams apparently checked both boxes by signing defensive tackle Nick Fairley and linebacker Akeem Ayers.

“We actually targeted both Akeem and Nick,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “From a fit standpoint and a need standpoint, those were our top two defensive players. Walking away thinking that we were able to get both of them was really good.”

Last week, we covered where Ayers fits in the defense with Fisher saying that Ayers will be a versatile piece who will have the chance to compete with Jo-Lonn Dunbar for a starting job alongside James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree.

As for Fairley, a starting job probably isn’t in the cards barring some injuries. The Rams already have Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald in place, but Fairley still figures to get plenty of playing time in 2015.

“Yeah, (he’s in) the rotation,” Fisher said. “He was excited about one, coming into the building, and two, meeting (defensive line) coach (Mike) Waufle and watching and seeing what we were doing. They (the Detroit Lions, Fairley’s former team) had watched a lot of tape of ours, as we did of them because they have an outstanding pass rush as well. He was excited about being part of the rotation.”

Fairley is known more for his pass rushing abilities than stopping the run, though he’s struggled with consistency in part because of injuries and also because of weight problems. He had 13.5 sacks in four seasons with the Lions with 11.5 of those coming in 2012 and 2013.

In the Rams’ rotation, Fairley figures to have no shortage of opportunities even if he isn’t a starter. Kendall Langford, whom Fairley ostensibly replaced after the Rams released him, played 467 snaps or about 47 percent of the defensive snaps in 2014. That should give Fairley enough of a chance to make plays and potentially cash in on the free agent market next year.

Although Fairley hasn’t had a chance to be around Rams Park much since signing — the team officially opens its offseason conditioning program on April 20 — Fisher said he came away with a sense that Fairley is ready to meet his vast potential.

“Nick was injured last year,” Fisher said. “(He) was in his view ready to come back and play the final game but he did not. Since then he’s been doing nothing but working out. He changed his diet, his eating habits. His weight is under control. He’s in great shape right now. He’ll admit that he probably didn’t buy into it as best as he could have early in his career. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s buying into it now. He’s serious about his football.”

Cosell thinks this guy can play but doesn’t project him high.

Center
Andy Gallik
Boston College

6’2″
306LBS.

Analysis

Strengths

Fighter and grinder. Plays flat-footed on impact and can anchor. Secures his down blocks with purpose and tries to collapse them. Sinks hips and times his punch in pass protection. Keeps his head out of the pass protection and uses good posture. Nasty. Has the play demeanor that offensive line coaches love. Has necessary sand in his pants to stalemate against power and does a good job of getting his feet in position to wall off defenders. Very good functional strength. Can sustain power blocks.

Weaknesses

Gets a little bit high out of the snap. Linebackers have ability to slip his blocks when he climbs to the second level. Limited athletically and loses a great deal of his effectiveness outside of his snap area. Will spend too much time securing first space when asked to pull.

NFL Comparison Bryan Stork

Bottom Line Gallik won’t win many footraces and he might not look as good in the uniform as some others will, but he’s a street fighter in knee braces and he has the power to handle himself when covered by a 3-4 front. Starting-caliber center in a power running game.

Jeff Fisher expects more from Kenny Britt

By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17484/jeff-fisher-expects-more-from-kenny-britt-in-15

EARTH CITY, Mo. — There’s not a coach in the NFL who�has a better understanding of what St. Louis Rams receiver Kenny Britt is capable of and what he needs to get there than Jeff Fisher.

Fisher drafted Britt in 2009 when he was coach of the Tennessee Titans. It’s why Fisher bet on Britt in free agency last year with a one-year “prove it” deal and why he followed up again with a two-year deal early in free agency after Britt did prove to be a valuable contributor.

Britt landed a two-year deal worth $9.15 million with some incentives that could drive it up to about $14 million. It also has performance clauses that could allow Britt to void the second year of the deal if he performs at a high level in 2015.

Those clauses and incentives technically qualify as “not likely to be earned” because Britt has never reached some of the numbers it entails. In fact, Britt has never exceeded 48 catches, 775 yards or nine touchdowns in a season. He did, however, hit that career-high in catches last year for the Rams while becoming the first Rams pass catcher since 2008 to post 700 or more receiving yards.

Hitting 700 receiving yards or 50 receptions isn’t bad but it’s also not No. 1 caliber receiver production by any means. Which is why both Fisher and Britt believe there’s a lot more that Britt can do in his second go-round with the team.

“It didn’t surprise me because obviously I know Kenny, the production didn’t surprise me,” Fisher said. �”I can kind of share the same issue Kenny does and that’s we think he can be better. I think he can do better. He thinks he can be better. He thinks he can be more productive. He’s looking forward to the offensive changes. I think yeah, we should see a lot more out of Kenny this year.”

While some offensive tweaks should help, it would also help if Britt was able to get some consistent quarterback play. With Nick Foles in place, there should be more opportunities down the field for Britt (assuming that Foles has time to throw, which is a much different discussion). But Britt flashed the ability to make big plays down the field last year, leading the Rams with 13 receptions of 20 or more yards. For comparison’s sake, tight end Jared Cook was next on the team with seven such plays.

The Rams have been linked to a number of top wideouts in this year’s draft and with Brian Quick recovering from a serious shoulder injury, it’s possible the team will look to add a wideout who could be a No. 1 type. But if they don’t, it’s likely because Fisher believes — right or wrong — that Britt can give him what he needs.

The Top 5 Interior Offensive Linemen in the 2015 NFL Draft

By Greg Gabriel NFP

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/the-top-5-interior-offensive-linemen-in-the-2015-nfl-draft/

It wasn’t too long ago that guards and centers were never in the conversation when people talked about potential first round offensive linemen. With defensive coordinators continuing to put quality pass rushers inside on passing downs, the interior linemen have become more important and that shows in where they are now being drafted and the amount of money they are getting paid in free agency.

This year, at least one and perhaps two of my top interior linemen will go in the first round. I expect all five to be strong contributors as rookies.

1) Brandon Scherff – Iowa

Scherff has been a productive three year starter at left tackle for Iowa. He is a tough, physical player who plays with strength and power. He is also a good athlete with good speed for a lineman (5.07).

As a player, he is a smart technician with good hand use. Like most Iowa linemen, he has been well coached. He plays with bend and knows how to get and keep good position. He is a consistent run and pass blocker and has the strength and power to get movement. He is a consistent pass blocker who gets and keeps good position and can anchor.

On the downside, he may not be quite the athlete coaches want at left tackle. There are other linemen in this class who play better in space than Scherff.

Overall, this is a player who knows and understands the position. He can be productive at either guard or tackle spot once he gets to the NFL. I feel he is best suited to play inside at guard where he may have Pro Bowl potential. He is similar to Dallas guard Zack Martin who made the Pro Bowl last year as a rookie. At Notre Dame, Martin was a left tackle.

2) Cam Erving – Florida State

Erving was a two-and-a-half year starter at left tackle for Florida State. Just past midseason in 2014, he was moved to center and looked as if he had played the position his entire life!

Just for the record, Erving was a top prospect as a left tackle. He showed, quickness, strength, power, and range and looked like an early starter at that position. At center, he showed all those traits and more. He took over as the leader of the line and made all the line calls.

At 6’5 – 313 he has excellent size, to go along with rare length for a center (34 1/8” arms). As a player he is a strong run blocker and a very good pass blocker. He is explosive on contact in the run game and is able to get under his opponent and generate movement. In pass protection, he shows quick feet and the slide and recovery skills to mirror speed or power.

He needs some work with his hand usage. When at tackle, he needed to do a better job keeping his hands inside. He also played from a right-handed 3-point stance at tackle, which won’t work at the NFL level.

Erving has the skills to start at any of the five offensive line positions. That versatility will help him get on the field early. He is clearly the best center in this draft and will most likely be a late first round pick.

3) Tre Jackson – Florida State

Jackson is a three year starter at guard for Florida State. He almost came out last year, and if he did, he would have been a high draft choice. I actually felt Jackson looked better on tape in the 2013 season than he did in 2014. He looked too heavy this past season and didn’t move around as well. That was verified at both the Senior Bowl and the Combine. Jackson weighed 323 in Mobile and 330 at Indy.

Despite his size, Jackson moves around fairly well. He has adequate feet and very good balance. He is best as a run blocker where he shows he can consistently get movement. He looked better at getting to the second level in 2013 than he did in 2014 and will need to play in the 320 range this year for him to get that extra quickness back.

In pass protection, he shows a strong punch, and he never gets bull rushed. He uses his hands well and has good overall mirror skills.

Overall, like I mentioned above, Jackson needs to drop to around 320 to be most effective. He can play either guard position and should start as a rookie. I highly doubt he gets drafted in the first round, but he should be a solid second round choice.

4) A.J. Cann – South Carolina

On tape, Cann looks to be as good an athlete as there is in this draft at the guard position. He is a four year starter and has been a very productive player for South Carolina. He has excellent size at 6’3 – 313 to go along with strength and power.

He is best as a run blocker, as he comes off the ball low and is explosive on contact. He is usually able to get movement and can get to the second level. In pass protection, he moves his feet well, plays with bend and can slide and recover. He needs to do a better job using his hands in pass pro and keep them inside on a more consistent basis.

He has all the natural physical traits to excel at the NFL level. He just needs to pay a bit more attention to detail on the little things. He should become a starter early in his career, and if he stays healthy, he can pay for a long time.

5) Ali Marpet – Hobart

This is my surprise selection for this group. Six weeks ago, I probably wouldn’t have listed him here. Division III players rarely get invited to the Senior Bowl, and when they do, they often look out of place. That wasn’t the case with Marpet. From the get go, he showed he belonged with the big boys. He was equal in size and was more athletic and stronger than many of his teammates.

Marpet has excellent size (6’4 – 307) and the frame to get bigger. He was one of the few offensive linemen to break 5.00 in the 40, running a 4.98. He was also among the best in the 20 yard shuttle and 3-cone drill. He did 30 reps on the bench and had 30.5” vertical jump. These are natural traits that few have.

Sure he is raw from a technique point of view, but that is easily corrected with coaching and Marpet takes well to coaching. While he played tackle at Hobart, he played guard at the Senior Bowl and may end up being a center at the NFL level. He is very intelligent and is a strong leader and that bodes well for the center position.

Marpet may not start as a rookie, but in two years, he may be a better player than many of the guys who are drafted ahead of him. He has some special qualities.

Zooey wrote:

There’s a big envelope in the mail on its way to you, but you don’t have to worry about anthrax or anything crazy like that.

I and the other mods just want to remind posters that if one poster openly causes the death of another, it can lead to a 2 week ban and the revoking of all cake privileges…for months.

If anyone needs a reminder on that rule, just go to the rules document and look under the Always Make It Look Like an Accident section.

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from off the net

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I started making a video of all of Foles’ throws over 15 yards from last year and started getting depressed. I may finish it, but I’m not so sure now. There were some good throws in there when the receivers were running free, but there were some really, really bad ones in there as well. I think maybe defensive coordinators got wise to Kelly’s system, identified the areas that Foles struggled with, and threw a whole bunch of new wrinkles at him. Because it’s like night and day between 2013 and 2014.