Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
znModeratorRams Brothers@RamsBrothersTanner Ingle is a football player — sticking his nose in just about everything. Want him on the roster as depth. If he’s going to scratch and claw to earn snaps in sub-packages, so be it. Seemed to be doing a little of everything. Plays so much bigger than his size..Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigueOne of my preseason sleepers! Really brought it every day of practice when he had the opportunities..Stu Jackson@StuJRamsSean McVay on Stetson Bennett’s performance: “I thought there was a lot of good opportunities for him to be able to learn from, and you could see some of the things that excite us about him.”.Rams Brothers@RamsBrothersEthan Evans is going to be good. He’s going to be very good. And rookie LS Alex Ward hasn’t snapped a ball over his head, so we’ll chalk that up as a win.znModerator— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) August 13, 2023
znModerator— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) August 13, 2023
znModeratorRodrigue: 5 things I think after the Rams’ first preseason game of 2023
Jourdan Rodrigue
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The No. 1 rule of the preseason, any preseason — even such a weird one as the Los Angeles Rams are having — is to not jump to any full conclusions.
How about partial conclusions?
The Rams’ 34-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night hinted at some positive trends, and some concerning trends, too.
Five developing thoughts:
1. The more backup quarterback Stetson Bennett plays, the better he can get.
Bennett didn’t start the game, but after entering in the second quarter, he finished it.
Similar to how he has been in training camp, Bennett’s play fluctuated, especially in his early minutes. He was nearly intercepted twice and held on to a throw where he had receiver Ben Skowronek in the flat. But after an ugly few minutes in the red zone late in the second quarter — including discombobulation in the huddle that would have led to a delay of game penalty if the Rams had not called a timeout, and Skowronek getting smacked in the head by Chargers safety JT Woods (and holding on the next play) — Bennett helped reset the group and hit rookie receiver Puka Nacua for an 11-yard touchdown.
Through the third quarter, Bennett seemed much more poised and it was clear where he and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur (who was calling the game), were problem-solving and seeing things better. A free pressure on a bootleg that led to Bennett getting ripped to the ground early on was corrected by the end of the game, where Bennett quickly found the underneath outlet player to beat a similar pressure. He made a couple of really impressive throws, including a 17-yard pass to veteran receiver Tyler Johnson on third-and-10 that eventually led to a Royce Freeman rushing touchdown a few plays later.
“It’s the first NFL game that you’re playing in, you’re gonna come in and be a little nervous (and) try to make a play when sometimes plays aren’t there,” Bennett said. “But then, as we started to groove, we started calling plays and just started to settle in. Once you get hit first, honestly, it’s like everything else. …
“I thought there were some bone-headed plays that I made, and I thought there were some good plays that I made.”
Bennett went 17 of 29 for 191 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers.
“Didn’t turn the ball over even though I tried to a few times,” he said, drily. “Gotta clean that up a little bit.”
2. The Rams are small along their defensive line, and technically inexperienced. This can be fixed, but it’s hard to deal with both at the same time.
The Chargers probably could have run the ball every play, if they didn’t care about getting their quarterbacks or receivers work in the passing game. It sounds harsh, but they were averaging over 5.9 yards per carry against the players who figure to make up the first-team defensive line (minus Aaron Donald, of course). They finished the game with 214 rushing yards and would have gotten close to 300 had a 71-yard touchdown run not been called back for a hold.
Now, the Chargers also were playing their two starting guards, Zion Johnson and Jamaree Salyer, to open the game. But that’s less of an excuse against a group of interior defensive linemen who the Rams will need to start for them. Without Donald, the opening front featured (with some rotation) Marquise Copeland, Earnest Brown IV and Bobby Brown III.
The yards-per-carry (which ballooned to 6.9 by the end of the game) looked bad. But one play in particular could be a little ominous foreshadowing for what is to come, if the Rams don’t find a solution: Early in the game, Chargers running back Josh Kelley stayed upright and moving his legs against a pile of Rams defenders … and as his teammates joined Kelley, that pile got moved for a first down. It’s one thing to have a lot of technical work to clean up, and another thing to get bullied.
“It just takes one guy to be able to get out of a gap,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said after the game. “So, especially some of the stuff early on, it felt like they were getting some good surges. I felt like we could use our hands overall better. We talk about trying to be able to gap-and-a-half, play with some violence up front. Didn’t feel like we played the way we were capable of.”
Byron Young started opposite Michael Hoecht at outside linebacker, which is how the last week-and-a-half or so of training camp has looked. This could mean that Young has leapfrogged second-year outside linebacker Daniel Hardy on the depth chart.
While the interior defensive line looked problematic against the run at the beginning of the game, the outside edges had trouble sealing against the run late in the game.
“Some of the late ones that they hit, we just lost the integrity on the edge of our defense,” McVay said, “(that was) the main culprit there.”
3. Rookie cornerback Tre Tomlinson and rookie receiver Puka Nacua will contribute sooner rather than later.
In the early days of training camp, it seemed like Tomlinson couldn’t make a play without a referee flagging him for pass interference. Each time, defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant would sprint over to him and coach him through it — making it clear that the aggressive play style was a plus, but Tomlinson had to learn how officials would call the game at the NFL level.
Saturday night, Tomlinson was certainly a bright spot on for the Rams’ defense. He got a significant workload at outside corner — an “OK, prove it” nod from the coaching staff because Tomlinson is 5-foot-9 — and played smart, physical coverage including credit for a pass breakup against former TCU teammate Quentin Johnston.
He was, through the last few weeks of camp, encouraged to be “himself” while also learning the more technical sides of the NFL game.
“I feel like it’s just my mentality,” Tomlinson said. “Aggressive, feisty, competitive. It’s just in me. … Most of it is just my mentality. I can’t change my style of play, because that’s what got me here. Just making the adjustments, understanding the calls and how things would be called in the NFL versus college, that was the biggest thing. But once I finally get it down … I feel like I can make a lot of plays.”
Meanwhile, Nacua had three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown, carrying forward a workload that has stood out from previous Rams rookie receivers of the last couple of seasons.
4. Some offensive line questions will take a little longer to answer than others.
Alaric Jackson and Steve Avila, both of whom could be respective starters for the Rams at left tackle and left guard, played some of the first quarter. Interestingly, Joe Noteboom — who McVay said is now competing at right guard after spending the majority of training camp competing at left tackle — did not dress out.
“Just coming off the Achilles,” said McVay, of why the Rams did not play Noteboom (who tore his Achilles last year but has been a full participant in training camp). “I think Joe has had an excellent camp. We’ll get an opportunity against the Raiders to get two competitive practices. We’ll get two more against the Broncos. And if we feel that Joe has gotten the amount of work that is necessary to start the season and be ready to go, he’s going to be an important part of this team.”
McVay added that at some point, the Rams need to establish their best five players and stick with them. That could mean no longer rotating Noteboom, though McVay was sure to praise Noteboom’s experience at both tackle and guard.
However, I also suspect it’s an indication of how the Rams are in fact leaning at right guard … especially after Tremayne Anchrum, who essentially stayed on the first team at the position through most of training camp, played nearly the entire preseason game at right guard. While the Rams are treating preseason a little differently this year, they still didn’t keep other likely starters in the game that late. If Noteboom ends up winning the starting right guard job, Anchrum has played right or left guard and even a little tackle, so he could be a swing-depth player.
Logan Bruss, who switched back to right tackle full-time in training camp (the position he played in college), gave up two sacks and had a false start. He also played essentially the entire game, because he’s re-learning the position at an NFL level after the Rams moved him to guard his rookie season (and he blew out his knee in the first preseason game in 2022) and he needs to make up for lost reps.
I talked with Bruss after the game about his first night back. He was pretty honest in his self-evaluation, which I’ll share below (lightly edited for clarity):
Can you take me through the ups, downs, and what you’re going to take from this?
“The biggest thing I wanted to get out of this game was getting confidence, feeling good again. There’s confidence in playing fast, full-speed, and just to come out of this game feeling healthy — last time I was on an NFL field, things didn’t turn out so well. Just getting that mental confidence and getting past that mental block of, ‘I’m not hurt anymore, I’m healthy (and) feeling good,’ that was the biggest thing for me. … Moving back out to tackle, I had not done that in a game in the NFL. Made some mistakes in the pass pro (protection). All things that are easily correctible. I learned some lessons, I know how I can be better.”
On how he felt about his run blocking
“I think most of my mistakes came in the pass. I think that’s just mental, how I’m approaching things. How I’m taking my set. Overall, I felt more calm out there (and) more powerful. Healthy. It’s good to get back out there again and play some football. Obviously a lot of things to clean up, so I’m looking forward to doing that.”
On what he wants to show next week in joint practices and the preseason game
“Progress and improvement. More consistency in the pass game. I think when I have a good rep, it feels really good. Sometimes, like today, I let a few get away from me. It’s a consistency thing, mentally. Taking the right approach every snap.”
5. As expected, special teams could be a bumpy ride.
With an all-rookie specialist operation, this was pretty much a given. Rookie kicker Tanner Brown missed a 46-yard field goal, but made a 39-yarder and hit both of his extra-point attempts. Is distance possibly an issue for Brown? Part of the journey with such a young kicker is getting a large enough sample size to decide whether it is, or isn’t.
Meanwhile, the Rams tried punter Ethan Evans out on kickoffs late in the game (this was previously his specialty before he picked up punting). He had a touchback. Evans averaged 51.3 yards per punt with a 62-yard long and seemed to have control of his angles; unfortunately for him, one of them was returned for an 81-yard touchdown after breakdowns in the coverage. The Rams aren’t just playing rookies at the specialist spots…they also are playing a lot of inexperienced guys on their coverage units.
znModeratorStetson Bennett Best Plays vs. Los Angeles Chargers
znModeratorFive takeaways from Rams’ 34-17 Preseason Week 1 loss to Chargers: Stetson Bennett settles in, Puka Nacua and Tre Tomlinson’s first halves, and more
Stu Jackson
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Although the Rams fell to the Chargers 34-17 on Saturday at SoFi Stadium, the performance of quarterback ?Stetson Bennett? and others provided several noteworthy observations.
Here are five takeaways from the contest:
230812_FiveTakeaways_16x9
1) Rypien starts, Bennett finishes at quarterbackBrett Rypien got the start at quarterback for the Rams and played the first three series before being replaced by rookie Stetson Bennett.
Rypien finished 3 of 6 for 11 yards across those three series, also rushing once for 6 yards. Bennett had a couple near-interceptions on his first series, but settled in to finish 3 for 7 for 37 yards and one touchdown, connecting with wide receiver Puka Nacua for the 11-yard score that gave the Rams their first points of the night.
Bennett completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for 191 yards and one touchdown overall, finishing out the game at quarterback after taking over on the Rams’ fourth offensive series.
2) Extensive time for Rochell, Tomlinson at cornerback
Starting at each of the outside cornerback spots, Robert Rochell and Tre Tomlinson both saw extensive action in the first half. Rochell played three defensive series before being replaced by defensive back Cameron McCutcheon, while Tomlinson played all four defensive series in the first half.
Tomlinson had a strong third-down pass breakup against former college teammate and current Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston, and was also in coverage on an incomplete deep ball for Johnston.
3) Bruss sees lots of time at right tackle, Anchrum at right guard
Moved to right tackle in the spring and remaining there throughout training camp, the 2022 third-round draft pick out of Wisconsin played at that position through the third quarter before being replaced by offensive lineman Warren McClendon Jr. later in the fourth quarter.
Tremayne Anchrum Jr. played right guard until being subbed out late in the third quarter.
4) Learning experience for rookie specialists
For two of the Rams’ rookie specialists, it was a night of learning – understandable, of course, given it was their first NFL game action.
Punter Ethan Evans averaged 53.2 yards per punt with a long of 62, with two of his six punts landing inside the Chargers’ 20 (both fair caught) and another landing in the endzone for a touchback. Two of Evans’ punts were returned – the first 81 yards for a touchdown and the second just one yard. The fifth was returned for zero yards.
Kicker Tanner Brown converted on his first extra point attempt, but missed his first field goal attempt – a 46-yarder – wide left. However, he bounced back to make his second – a 39-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter.
Three of Brown’s five kickoffs went for touchbacks; one was returned 17 yards and another for zero yards.
5) Nacua shines in first half, Johnson and Trammel in second
Nacua had a promising first half, recording three receptions for 32 yards in addition to the aforementioned touchdown. Those numbers led all Rams receivers at halftime.
Johnson had a big second half with five catches for 70 yards, including a 34-yard catch-and-run over the middle. He also drew a defensive pass interference penalty early in the fourth quarter
Austin Trammel chipped in four catches for 36 yards on the Rams’ second scoring drive of the game.
znModeratorI liked Bennett and Zach Evans. There were others who made plays but those 2 stood out the most to me. The run defense is embarassing so far.
znModeratorStetson Bennett in his first game as a Los Angeles Ram:
• 17/29 passing (58.6%)
• 191 passing yards (led both teams)
• 1 passing TD
• 0 INT’s
• 89.9 passer rating
• led three drives that ended in either a TD or FGBennett with an impressive first performance as an NFL QB.… pic.twitter.com/TZbjUV9bc1
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) August 13, 2023
znModeratorThe Stetson Bennett-to-Puka Nacua touchdown: pic.twitter.com/KJcU5UK008
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 13, 2023
znModerator8 takeaways from tonight's loss by the Rams, which was kind of what you'd expect from a team that young https://t.co/2xtjRn7HIq
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 13, 2023
August 12, 2023 at 7:44 pm in reply to: 1st pre-season game is on national tv, sat 8/12 at 6 pt 9 et #144830znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigueOC Mike LaFleur and DL coach Eric Henderson will call tonight’s game, with Chris Shula and Aubrey Pleasant expected to call the defense next couple weeks per team spokesman. Sean McVay and Raheem Morris have historically given assistants those opps in preseason..JAKE ELLENBOGEN@JKBOGENSOURCE: Brett Rypien is expected to start for the #Rams preseason game tonight. Stetson Bennett will come off the bench in his first NFL action..Rams Wire@TheRamsWireSean McVay says Van Jefferson has put together his best practices this week, which is encouraging as the season approachesznModeratorThat was a great segment
+1
znModeratorARTICLE: There aren’t a lot of 300-pound edge linebackers out there, but it would be fun if Hoecht made some noise this season.
He apparently dropped his weight this year to 275. According to draft reports on him back in 2020, what stands out about him is his speed. He is unusually fast for his size.
znModeratorFrom Ted Nguyen, NFL players to watch in a new scheme or position: https://theathletic.com/4752444/2023/08/11/nfl-players-new-scheme-position/
…
Rams OLB Michael Hoecht
Hoecht signed with the Rams in 2020 as an undrafted free agent. He was a 6-foot-4 310-pound defensive tackle coming out of Brown. He didn’t play much until last season when he was forced to move to outside linebacker out of necessity. The Rams were running out of healthy bodies midseason and moved him. Initially, he was only supposed to be a rotational player but ended up playing a majority of snaps when Terrell Lewis got hurt against the Chiefs in Week 11. The next week, he had two sacks against the Seahawks and finished out the season with 4 1/2 sacks in the final seven games. This season, he’s slotted in as a starter.
Hoecht has powerful hands and surprising closing speed. Right now, all he has is a bull rush. Presumably, he’s been working on adding moves to his repertoire — a long arm and a swim move would go a long way for him. There aren’t a lot of 300-pound edge linebackers out there, but it would be fun if Hoecht made some noise this season.
August 11, 2023 at 1:34 pm in reply to: 1st pre-season game is on national tv, sat 8/12 at 6 pt 9 et #144818znModeratorPreseason Week 1 notebook: McVay on OL Joe Noteboom competing at multiple spots, deciding between Stetson Bennett and Brett Rypien as starting QB for preseason opener
.
Stu Jackson
.
https://www.therams.com/news/preseason-week-1-notebook-joe-noteboom-stetson-bennett-brett-rypienTHOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom will be in the mix for more than just the starting left tackle job.
Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed that Noteboom, who had been rotating with Alaric Jackson at left tackle throughout training camp, is getting reps and competing at right guard.
“We feel like he’s one of our better players, want to be able to move him around,” McVay said after Thursday’s practice. “You’re just figuring out kind of the best way to mix and match. Joe’s the guy that can play inside and outside, and so it’s one of those deals that we kind of had planned initially. He started at guard for us before, whether or not he ends up doing that or playing tackle, we’re still kind of working through that.”
Sean McVay on Joe Noteboom getting reps at RG, deciding between Stetson Bennett and Brett Rypien as starting QB for 2023 preseason opener
Guard is not entirely foreign to Noteboom. He saw time at right guard – and both tackle spots as a rookie during the 2018 preseason. Throughout his rookie year, he practiced at both tackle positions and both guard positions.
In 2019, Noteboom started six games at left guard before suffering a season-ending knee injury in that sixth game. He was also the starting left guard for the first three games of the 2020 season before suffering a knee injury in that third game. Later that 2020 season, he filled in for an injured Andrew Whitworth at left tackle.
McVay indicated competing at right guard won’t prevent Noteboom from competing at left tackle. When McVay was asked by a reporter if he would like to see Noteboom hold down the left tackle spot given the investment the team made in Noteboom in the spring of 2022 – a three-year contract – McVay said he did not have a preference.
“You’d like to be able to see him continue to earn his role with our team,” McVay said. “We want to find the best five, but I think every one of those positions is incredibly valuable. And really, whatever we deem is kind of the best fit for the five players at the two tackles, two guard spots and center. But I think Joe is a guy that can start at guard or tackle, and he’s played at a high level, and so players like him are very rare that have the ability to do that.”
Still deciding whether Bennett or Rypien starts at QB on Saturday
McVay said the team is “still working through” whether Stetson Bennett or Brett Rypien starts at quarterback on Saturday against the Chargers.
“There’s a lot of layers (to that decision),” McVay said. “I think it’s, exactly who are we going to play? We kind of have an idea, but we’re going to finalize that and I want to make sure I talk to our players about that first. And then, just what are some of the things we want to do? Those are some of the things that go into it.”.
znModeratorField Yates@FieldYatesMy updated fantasy WR rankings for 2023: 1. Justin Jefferson 2. Cooper Kupp 3. Tank Dell 4. Ja’Marr Chase 5. Tyreek HillznModeratorRams risers, question marks, predictions, camp MVPs as team enters preseason
Jourdan Rodrigue
IRVINE, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams broke down training camp this week, and now the real roster answers will start to take shape.
Here are some closing thoughts, quotes, question marks, hot takes (gasp) and predictions as they move through the next few weeks of the preseason:
Camp MVPs/established standouts
Matthew Stafford: It wasn’t just that Stafford was healthy for his first full spring OTAs and camp with the Rams this year that gets him an “MVP” vote from me. It’s also because it was abundantly clear day in and day out to those at practice that Stafford was teaching and fully communicating with deeper parts of the roster well past Cooper Kupp and the first-string players.
Aaron Donald: Donald may be entering his 10th NFL season, but he has faced new wrinkles at practices (not just because he’s playing alongside largely inexperienced teammates as the Rams rebuild their defense). In order to introduce more “game-like” situations for the younger defensive linemen and also their counterparts on the offensive line, the Rams are sliding double- and triple-teams over to Donald like he’d experience against an actual opponent. He noted good-naturedly that it makes him “kind of mad” but that it’s realistic to what he’ll see in the season and motivates him to study and practice even harder.
Tyler Higbee: I have only seen four of the veteran tight end’s eight total training camps (including this one), but of those this was his best. Higbee especially looked quicker in short-area opportunities like red zone or goal-line sequences. It’s a good time for him to have a great camp: There are several younger players breathing down his neck (such as Hunter Long, who was included in the trade that sent star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Miami, and rookie Davis Allen — though neither practiced at all in camp because of soft-tissue injuries). Higbee, 30, is also in a contract year and working with a new tight ends coach in Nick Caley.
“I want to be great,” Higbee said. “So I try to push myself and always feel like I should be doing something to reach greatness, or try to.”
Demarcus Robinson: Robinson isn’t an “established” player specifically with the Rams — he signed as a free agent this spring — but he is one in the NFL after six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and one with the Baltimore Ravens. The Rams’ pro scouts used to track Robinson when they would advance either Kansas City or one of their opponents who was playing the Chiefs, and his combination of steadiness and explosive-play ability always stood out to them.
In Rams camp, Robinson immediately popped as a receiver and when blocking in the run game. He has also been praised behind the scenes by teammates and assistant coaches for how well his personality fits with the group.
“I’m gonna bring it every day, and show I have just as much energy as the young(er) guys,” he said. “It’s been a fun ride. … Being in the league eight years, it’s not easy. You won’t get the ball all the time. Even now, I may not be the No. 1 or No. 2 receiver. But at the same time, (it’s about) going out and showing that you can do it, and that you want to do it, and you want to be able to help any way you can.”
Honorable mention: Inside linebacker Ernest Jones, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.
Previously unestablished risers
Kyren Williams: Williams, who was hurt for much of his rookie season in 2021, was outstanding in both the run and pass game in camp. As a runner, Williams looks confident and concept-multiple, and he didn’t miss many opportunities when the ball was thrown his way.
Quentin Lake: The second-year safety made multiple plays on the ball throughout camp, and played safety and dime linebacker (an important sub package in the Rams’ defense, as noted by defensive coordinator Raheem Morris).
Puka Nacua: Nacua does not communicate or play like a rookie receiver, especially not one selected in the later rounds of the draft. He’s been in the mix often since OTAs began, and coaches and personnel people are excited to see if his touted yards-after-catch ability manifests when defenders are making real contact with him.
Tutu Atwell: When star receiver Kupp suffered a hamstring injury and was sidelined a few days into camp, Atwell didn’t blink. Unlike the more speculative praise coaches have given Atwell in previous seasons, this year there’s more substance to their comments: He can now play each of the receiving positions in the offense and exhibits confidence and control in each of them. Whether it was in the “X” (filling in for Van Jefferson on Jefferson’s rest days), the “F” (a signature Kupp role) or anywhere else, Atwell impressed.
Earnest Brown IV: The third-year defensive lineman appears to have grown into his frame since his rookie season, and while he is relatively inexperienced compared to the linemen who departed the team in free agency, Donald mentioned Brown as someone who has taken a step forward.
Byron Young: The third-round rookie outside linebacker was already working his way into the rotation opposite position leader Michael Hoecht, when fellow rookie Ochaun Mathis hurt his knee (he will be out for a few weeks). Young’s opportunities appeared to increase after that, and he’ll have a chance to put it all together in the preseason.
Brycen Hopkins: Hopkins has had his moments every now and again in his three seasons so far with the Rams, but has never consistently gotten a ton of snaps. The Rams are an 11 personnel team, but Hopkins had a strong camp and if he continues to play well he could at least make a case for more playing time.
Question marks
What happens to the loser of the left tackle and center battles?
Joe Noteboom and Alaric Jackson are competing at left tackle while Coleman Shelton and Brian Allen are competing at center.
Whoever loses the left tackle battle could take on a new role as the game-day active “swing” player, so depth at either tackle spot and guard, in a pinch. But keep in mind, Noteboom, now healthy after an Achilles tear last season, is the more veteran player who got a contract extension in 2022. Would the Rams really take the ego-punch of moving a player they invested significant contract dollars in into a reserve role? Or … would they perhaps find another starting role for him at another spot? Especially if, over the next few weeks, Noteboom shows he can compete elsewhere? More on that in a moment …
Meanwhile, Shelton can play guard or center while Allen has largely just played center with the Rams. Both have experience with Stafford, but Shelton’s relative durability and position flexibility may make him a more viable starter. I can still see the Rams keeping Allen as a backup center, even if he doesn’t win the job.
Will John Johnson III’s arrival change anything for Jordan Fuller, Lake or Russ Yeast?
Johnson’s snaps were limited in his first practice back with his old team Tuesday, as expected since he didn’t have spring OTAs. As those snaps increase, his role in the defense will become apparent. He and Fuller started alongside each other through some of 2020 but is it a given that they will again three years later? They could, but that won’t be clear until a few more practices unfold. Second-year safeties Yeast and Lake had strong camps. Fuller entered OTAs as a team leader poised to take over the No. 1 spot. Unlike the younger players, though, he is in a contract year where he’s scheduled to make $2.785 million thanks to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement’s Proven Performance Escalator (PPE) clause. Fuller earned that bonus because he averaged 55.3 percent of defensive snaps since his rookie season (a year in which he started; Fuller was then a team captain in his second season). This is also a year in which the Rams are blatantly going as cheap as possible on mostly the defensive side (outside of Donald’s contract; seriously, take a look at the discrepancy on Over the Cap). Fuller’s contract appears as a small outlier within the current financial structure of the rest of the Rams’ defensive roster. On the other hand, if Fuller cements his status over the next few weeks as the sure No. 1, his 2023 cap number is relatively low within the context of the safety position overall. One counterpoint the front office could pose: The current cap number is comparable to a little more than two veteran minimum deals, of which the Rams have used to sign multiple free agents this spring, including Johnson at about $1.08 million.
It’s fair to wonder what ripple effect adding Johnson could have for all of the younger safeties, but nothing can be definitively assessed or should be assumed yet because the group is still taking shape after signing him this late into camp. As the Rams get him up to form and continue to evaluate all of their safeties through the preseason, the position group overall — from the eventual starters, to the depth players — bears monitoring.
Which ‘sleepers’ could become preseason darlings*?
My guesses on a few players: Defensive tackle Kobie Turner, receivers Lance McCutcheon (for the second year in a row), Austin Trammell and Xavier Smith, punter Ethan Evans, inside linebacker Kelechi Anyalebechi, safety Tanner Ingle.
*I would also say players such as Nacua, Young or other relatively unknown rookies could be listed here, but among the players who have taken on significant roles in training camp it’s unclear how much they’ll play in preseason games.
Hot takes and predictions
Caveat: This could all change as the preseason unfolds … as we saw in 2022, anything can happen. Anything!
• There are two possible directions, in my opinion, that this offensive line could most likely take: Jackson, Steve Avila, Shelton, Tremayne Anchrum, Rob Havenstein. Or, Jackson, Avila, Shelton, Noteboom, Havenstein.
And yes, the latter is an eyebrow-raising combination — and would be quite a plot twist — especially after we didn’t see Noteboom getting any right guard reps until the later part of camp (fans in attendance at those practices also noticed). But the Rams extended Noteboom in 2022 … so if you’re the team, would you open up competition at another spot through the preseason to see if he can win it? Or would you just play him at swing tackle/the extra player in jumbo sets?
When the Rams started camp, it seemed like they had two real competitions along the offensive line, left tackle and center, because Anchrum and Avila were very clearly in the lead at the guard spots. Could it be that by solving one of those two battles they will create a third competition? We’ll get more clarity in the coming weeks.
• Derion Kendrick is still recovering from a hamstring issue and missed all of training camp, but I don’t believe that he’s out of the running for a starting job depending on how the next few weeks go — in part because none of the players who filled in for Kendrick at one of the two outside cornerback spots seemed to seize full command of it, though rookie Tre Tomlinson and third-year player Robert Rochell both got opportunities. Meanwhile, Cobie Durant is playing at the “star” and would be the third starting cornerback across from Witherspoon and (insert winner of CB2 preseason competition here).
• My best guess (as of now) on the receiver order: Kupp, Jefferson, Atwell and Nacua, Robinson, Ben Skowronek, Tyler Johnson. And if they keep eight receivers (hard to imagine), either Xavier Smith or Austin Trammell could stick as return specialists. It is perhaps more logical that they keep fewer receivers in the initial cutdowns and then bring one or more back as games actually start.
• This isn’t a so much a “take” as a question: While rookie kicker Tanner Brown has had some positive moments and also some misses through camp (as to be expected), are the Rams really prepared to field an all-rookie special teams unit in 2023, or will they keep a close eye on veteran cuts around the league?
***
Jourdan RodrigueI just think “unproven” is the right word for the other CB spot just because Kendrick has not played yet this summer. Still, they lack length and we’ll see about the rest of the coverage quotients when the games start.
I wish more people remembered that the only times Floyd’s productions dropped while with LAR was when he blew out his ankle (2021) or knee (2022) and played through both. I thought he was outstanding during his time here. There is a really significant size, length and experience difference between what the Rams had in him and what they are trying to do now. Now, that isn’t to knock anybody – let me be quite clear. It’s rookies, mostly. And they are not long. The quality the Rams have gone with is clearly speed. We will see how that goes, and again, to be clear, I’m not sinking anybody before they even get started. It’s just different.
…needing to show real competition is the step before we can say anything definitive about a potential move for Noteboom, so that’s why I offered a few possibilities of the steps that would have to occur first such as possibly (not definitely) opening up a new competition in the first place…we just won’t know until the preseason continues, this article frames possibilities based on clues and not definites as we can’t possibly know results before process first occurs ??
Wendell is a great coach, from everything I see and hear, but ultimately it’ll come down to the higher ups on the team making the call with what you *hope* is a large amount of tape and context including feedback from him. We’ll see what happens, like I said, just outlining informed potential scenarios and questions, not writing the law ??August 11, 2023 at 12:22 pm in reply to: 1st pre-season game is on national tv, sat 8/12 at 6 pt 9 et #144815znModeratorRoster bubble watch continues with the Rams' first preseason game coming up on Saturday. These 8 guys need a strong showing in the next three weeks as they fight for a roster spot https://t.co/3rDC9qqISb
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 10, 2023
August 11, 2023 at 12:19 pm in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #144814znModeratorJust a few months ago, we didn't know who 4 of the Rams' 5 starting offensive linemen would be. With camp wrapped up and the depth chart out, it's beginning to take shape
LT: Jackson
LG: Avila
C: Allen/Shelton
RG: Anchrum/Noteboom
RT: Havenstein https://t.co/DzOMw9o9Cl— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 11, 2023
znModeratorLes Snead says the Rams are using this year to reset before getting back to “doing exactly what we have done in the past” in 2024 https://t.co/7oRA642CnY
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 10, 2023
znModerator“I’ve been on teams where you couldn’t really trust the guy behind me, and I had to play like the whole game.” https://t.co/LzSFUCQwPE
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 11, 2023
znModeratorHow much should #RamsHouse be concerned about Cooper Kupp's injury? Will Matthew Stafford return to form? Can they overcome the youth movement?@AndrewWhitworth gave us a full report from his time at Rams Camp:#NFL #NFLPreseason @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/LtAjboGNCS
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 8, 2023
…
from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/10/rams-matthew-stafford-andrew-whitworth-elbow-injury/
Andrew Whitworth is the latest person to come out and reveal just how much it impacted Stafford and the Rams as a whole. He said on the “Rich Eisen Show” that he wishes Stafford was on Netflix’s “Quarterback” series just so everyone could see what he was going through last year.
“I think people really don’t understand because he is such a private guy and somebody that would never complain or even ever let you know when he’s going through something,” Whitworth said. “Last year was a really, really tough year. It’s unfortunate he wasn’t on the ‘Quarterback’ series that just came out because it would’ve crazy for people to see just how intense his arm issues and things that were bothering him.”
Whitworth was almost baffled by Stafford’s limited offseason in 2022. He can’t believe he went into the season getting in so little work throughout the spring and summer, not being able to go through his typical offseason regimen.
“He’s a private guy but I mean, to not throw a football with your guys the entire offseason basically,” Whitworth continued. “And then to get into camp and be like, ‘Hey, you can only throw so many balls a day and only so many times a week. To really have zero opportunities as a quarterback to throw passes to receivers and then walk into an NFL game and say, ‘All right, I’m gonna go out here and perform.’ One, you know that your arm is obviously not in a great place in how it’s feeling. And two, just having that ability to throw passes in practice and work at your craft. And that’s what every quarterback does. You see them after practice constantly working on certain things. To not have the ability to do that, man, just the mental state he had to be in of struggling. Like, ‘Hey, I want to go out here and perform. I want to live up to the expectations, but right now, I’m in a situation I can’t.’”
znModeratoraccording to pff, jj3 ranked near the top among safeties in 3 of his 4 years in los angeles, parlaying a #3 ranking in 2020 into a big browns contract – but he's dropped considerably the last 2 years, making him now very affordable – can he regain 2017-2020 form in 2023? pic.twitter.com/UcHL29Vk6J
— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) August 10, 2023
August 11, 2023 at 5:17 am in reply to: The Rams may be the youngest team in the NFL, but . . . . #144805znModeratorI think the numbers in this case are a bit misleading. Not entirely, but a bit.
On offense, really only one rookie has a chance to start–Avila. Everyone else on offense is a 2nd through 4th year guy with some playing experience, with a few good long-term vets mixed in (Hav, Higbee, Kupp, Stafford).
On defense, probably only one rookie starts (Young) though he will most likely be in a rotation. There are 3 or 4 returning vet starters (depending on how you count Johnson). All the other candidates are 2nd through 4th year guys with playing experience.
znModerator𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Many within the #Rams building expect 2023 to be a breakout season for WR Van Jefferson, per @caplannfl
Jefferson had 802 yards and 6 touchdowns when the #Rams won the Super Bowl, he’s been close.
He’s set to hit free agency next offseason, so will need a strong… pic.twitter.com/z9xivbKpxK
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) August 8, 2023
znModeratorAaron Donald has accomplished everything he can in the NFL. He has nothing left to prove to anyone – except himself.
"I feel like I've got to kind of remake my name all over again," he says.
It's a ridiculous thing to say but he's just built different https://t.co/2L7yeWGhYg
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 9, 2023
znModeratorJohn Johnson’s return to Rams is latest move in scaled-back free agency approach. The Rams have added five veterans at a total cost of just over $5 million. https://t.co/Yzpsr4IBfc
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) August 9, 2023
.
[link above]
Rams add safety net to defense with addition of John Johnson
GARY KLEIN
In his first stint with the Rams, safety John Johnson was a 21-year-old rookie playing for a rookie head coach in Sean McVay.
The Rams, with a roster that included running back Todd Gurley and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, had added free-agent receiver Robert Woods and offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth — and then made Johnson part of a draft class that included receiver Cooper Kupp.
Six years later, Johnson is back with the Rams.
“It’s like nostalgia,” Johnson said Tuesday after his first workout. “It feels good.”
Johnson, however, has returned to a Rams organization in a different operational mode.
Donald, Kupp and quarterback Matthew Stafford, all of whom received massive extensions after the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory to end the 2021 season, are the only remaining stars for a team that this offseason shied from its typical headline-grabbing ways.
Two years after winning the Super Bowl, and then experiencing the biggest Super Bowl hangover in NFL history, the Rams broke from their tradition under McVay. They traded star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. They cut star linebacker Bobby Wagner and edge rusher Leonard Floyd. And they passed on the opportunity to re-sign other starters.
Instead, they waited for free-agent bargains.
Johnson, released by the Cleveland Browns in March, is the latest and perhaps most high-profile example of players signed to veteran-minimum contracts.
In May, the Rams signed receiver Tyler Johnson, in June receiver Demarcus Robinson and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. After running back Sony Michel retired a few days into training camp, the Rams signed running back Royce Freeman.
And on Tuesday, they welcomed back John Johnson. The seventh-year pro, who collected $24 million from the Browns the last two seasons, signed a one-year deal for $1.08 million..
Total investment for the Rams for five players: slightly more than $5 million.
“They’ve all played significant snaps in this league and they know what it looks like,” McVay said, adding, “We’ve been able to acquire good players that are going to come in and have a chance to really impact this football team.”
John Johnson’s skill level and how he fits in Raheem Morris’ defense will be assessed in the weeks leading to the Sept. 10 opener against the Seattle Seahawks. But his leadership and experience should bolster a secondary that during the offseason included only one key player with more than a year of NFL experience, safety Jordan Fuller.
Fuller and second-year safety Russ Yeast took first-team snaps during the first few weeks of training camp, with second-year pro Quentin Lake also getting significant opportunities The Rams selected rookie Jason Taylor II in the seventh round of the draft.
Now add Johnson to the mix.
“To be able to get a guy that’s familiar with the culture, has played a lot of really good football … we felt like it was a chance to be able to upgrade our secondary,” McVay said.
Johnson indicated he has much to prove.
When he left the Rams after the 2020 season, he was at the top of his game — and he cashed in. But he said that during his two seasons in Cleveland, he did not meet his expectations, or those of the Browns.
Two years later, he agreed to return to the Rams for the minimum.
“You want to go out there and show that you can still go. I’m young,” Johnson, 27, said. “I feel like I’m in my prime.
“I just needed a place and opportunity to do it.”
znModeratorJohn Johnson’s return to Rams is latest move in scaled-back free agency approach. The Rams have added five veterans at a total cost of just over $5 million. https://t.co/Yzpsr4IBfc
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) August 9, 2023
znModeratorRams training camp is somehow already in the books. Here are 10 things we learned https://t.co/wWBJp6QLoB
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) August 9, 2023
znModeratorfrom https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2023/08/08/rams-roster-sean-mcvay-patience-young-players/
McVay is trying to be as patient as he can, enjoying each day of practice and work he gets with his players.
“I think the patience is an important thing. I’m not a very patient guy, but hopefully I’ll continue to be a little bit more patient,” McVay told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. “But we’re going to compete. We’re going to continue to strain and I think it’s going to be a really fun group to watch the way that these guys compete and hopefully continue to get better every single day, every single week when you guys are seeing us playing these games that count. Man, I’m just enjoying it and it is a blessing.”
-
AuthorPosts
