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znModeratorRecently, Rams defensive back Alex Johnson spoke about what the Rams do to set players up for success. Johnson, an undrafted free agent, was on the Rams’ practice squad in 2025. Speaking with FootballbyNikko, Johnson broke down his perspective.
“You know, it’s really, it’s really interesting,” stated Johnson. “When I first signed on with them last season, and the first team meeting I sat in, it’s really hard to explain, but there’s just this feeling and this energy around the people in the building and the coaches, and especially Coach McVay, that there’s just this belief that everyone around this program and this organization is going to succeed.
“I feel like that’s really rare, and that’s something that I honestly had never really been around because we didn’t really win much. We didn’t have a winning culture when I was at UCLA, and being on the Giants, and being on the Titans for short [stints], and being on the Colts even, there’s flashes and glimpses of that, but it’s never been solidified. This is our foundation, and how do we build upon that? The first week I was with the Rams, you could feel the energy around the building, you could feel that around the players, and I think that is the reason that they have had so much success with these late-round draft picks, these undrafted guys who are making contributions on special teams, playing heavy roles on defense, on offense, and they just have this utmost belief from top to bottom that everyone that we bring in here is going to succeed, and they are going to push all their energy towards that goal.”
znModeratorI want to comment on something in a Stu Jackson article in another thread (here: https://theramshuddle.com/topic/podcasts-on-the-rams-starting-6-13/#post-164519). Jackson quotes McVay as saying this:
[Associate Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach] Dave Ragone does such a good job with those guys as a whole but both he and Ty have had good growth. Stetson especially, I think he’s had a really good last couple of weeks, and I’ve been proud of him.”
Some Rams fans worry that McVay has never developed a young qb. In fact in 2017 and 2018, that kind of work with Goff was left up to 2 different qb coaches who had real authority as position coaches (both left). McV didn’t appear to have issues with Goff until he personally became the de facto qb coach in 2019.
From what I quoted, it sounds like the young qbs are being primarily handled by coach Ragone. If that’s true it’s a return to the 2017/18 way of doing things.
Ragone has a lot of experience.
znModeratorFive things learned from 2026 Rams OTAs
Stu Jackson
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Rams’ offseason workout program is complete, which means training camp is on the horizon.
Here are five things learned from the last nine weeks, including OTAs.
1) Secondary making progress, versatility a strength
Head coach Sean McVay has been pleased with the teaching progression of the secondary, and also likes the positional flexibility they will have in the defensive backfield.
“Guys are learning really all the spots on the back end, no different than really when (offensive line coach) Ryan Wendell cross trains our guys from the inside to outside,” McVay said earlier in OTAs. “You’re seeing Trent McDuffie all over. There are certain guys that’ll play just safety or just play outside corner, but then you got a lot of guys that can play safety, they can play the star position, they can play dime, money. But we’re teaching concepts and so that flexibility and that understanding of what are the core coverage contours that we want to play? What does that look like out of three-down, out of four-down front mechanics out of some of the known rush packages? But I’ve really been pleased with the trajectory of the teaching progression and then the guys’ ability to be able to give the feedback, show it in some of these jog-throughs, and then we’ve done some seven on where that’s tilted towards the offense.”
The new additions at cornerback and the depth and experience at safety, and really for the group as a whole, continue to make it one to watch when training camp opens.
2) A spring of “tremendous growth” for fourth-year QB Stetson Bennett
Between last year’s backup Jimmy Garoppolo being unsigned and contemplating retirement, and the plan the Rams had for Stafford this spring, Bennett received more reps than he normally would. Although evaluations from OTAs must be taken with a grain of salt – rules prohibit live contact during this time of the offseason, and with the majority of the Rams’ true team drills being 7-on-7, McVay said “this is not real football” – McVay was pleased with what he has seen out of Bennett.
“I’ve seen tremendous growth,” Obviously, with Matthew not being out here based on the plan and the schedule that we’ve kind of thought was going to be best for him for now and for the long term, Stetson’s gotten a lot more reps than he would’ve otherwise. I think he’s done a really nice job. He’s earning the confidence of his teammates in terms of commanding the huddle. Then, he’s done a lot of good stuff in terms of reading with his feet. [Associate Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach] Dave Ragone does such a good job with those guys as a whole but both he and Ty have had good growth. Stetson especially, I think he’s had a really good last couple of weeks, and I’ve been proud of him.”
3) Better idea of Myles Garrett’s impact on defense in training camp
Given the new Rams defensive end arrived toward the end of OTAs, the primary focus was getting him acclimated. He only did individual drills, watching team drills during the two OTA workouts open to media. Thus, it was too early to get a sense of how Garrett would be used – we’ll likely learn more during training camp as Garrett gets more comfortable.
Because Garrett started out working with outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio’s group, defensive coordinator Chris Shula was asked if – given Garrett has always been a 4-3 defensive end – whether Garrett’s arrival changes how he thinks about the structure of the defense, or if Garrett is an outside linebacker now.
“Obviously, we’re still going to have our principals with that stuff, but we’re going to let him do what he does best and we all know exactly what he does best,” Shula said. “You’re not going to take Michael Jordan, LeBron (James), all those guys and pull them out of their comfort zone. We’re going to work with him and put him in the best spots that we think for him and the defense to succeed.”
‘Getting great people, great vets we can all learn from’: Chris Shula excited about how Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson’s experiences can shape Rams defense
4) Garrett and McDuffie’s value not just in skill sets, but also what they can teach teammates and coaches
Much has been rightfully discussed about the potential schematic impact of players of Garrett of McDuffie’s caliber, but Shula also brought up how both players are vets that both players and the coaching staff can learn from. It is ultimately Shula’s defense, but he tailors it to the strengths of the players, which is where those learnings and input will come in.
5) Ty Simpson (unsurprisingly) has the right attitude
Simpson understands the quarterback room he’s in, and more importantly the shape of the roster overall, so he’s content with learning from Stafford, Bennett and Los Angeles’ coaching staff. He’s also committed to putting in the extra work necessary outside of practice when it comes to familiarizing himself with the Rams’ playbook
znModeratorAaron Donald is a different kind of BEAST 😤🔥 pic.twitter.com/EXQ6PqusqL
— 4th and South (@4thAndSouthPod) June 16, 2026
znModeratorCoachLync | Tools & Playbooks@CoachLync
INSIDE SEAN McVAY’S OFFENSEInside this playbook:
• Formations & Personnel Packages
• Motion & Shift System
• Run Game Concepts
• Play-Action Package
• Dropback Pass Game
• Protection Schemes
• Situational Football
• Play Calling StructureznModeratorHillary Clinton says when she was Secretary of State there was “constant” and “relentless” pressure by Prime Minister Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak to secure U.S. backing for a military strike against Iran.
Clinton recalled hours-long phone calls where Israeli… pic.twitter.com/JRT0pdx8VP
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 16, 2026
znModeratorPuka Nacua toughness is one that could thrive in ANY era of the league
Nacua was busted open week 1 at Houston last year. That didn’t stop him from a 130 yard performance. Puka was clutch picking up a big 1st down to give the Rams play to run out the clock to victory pic.twitter.com/XRk0KWyqXT
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) June 16, 2026
znModeratorTexans are only eighth best. I watched em. They were the havoc-ist defense i saw all year.
w
vI still think Garrett is a top havoc-itizer.
znModeratormore on this
from Albert Breer, https://www.si.com/nfl/albert-breer-takeaways-rising-quarterback-salaries-myles-garrett-kyler-murray#inline-text-65
SoFi Stadium (named Los Angeles Stadium for the World Cup, which is another story) hosted the U.S. team on Friday night and the grass glittered for the Americans’ rout of Paraguay. The translucent roof, believe it or not, allows for enough sunlight to effectively grow grass in the indoor stadium. And I’ve heard that if the stadium were a one-team stadium—if it had been just the Rams there—then they very well may have gone with a grass surface.
znModeratorI interpreted as more of the usual bullshit. Its not about the chargers, its about all the other activities that take place there. The plastic grass makes it easier to make money on all the other stuff. At least thats what they usually say.
Outside of football season, So-fi books events an average of 30 to 45 major non-football events annually. That’s according to one source (another source has an implausibly larger number). According to yet another source, that’s a lot more non-football events than you see in other NFL stadiums around the league. But then, major MLB stadiums like with the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox host multiple non-baseball events annually, and they all use grass not turf.
30 to 45 major non-football events annually is a lot, but in addition to that, as I say above, So-fi is the only other stadium (besides MetLife in NY) that hosts a football game every single week of the season. The Rams themselves, according to Farrar, would make it a grass stadium if they had a normal NFL schedule, where half the games are away, so the stadium is not in use every single week. Baseball shows that you can host other major events outside the sport and still have a grass field. The problem with football is that the game damages grass fields, which requires maintenance. Maintenance is harder if every single week your stadium hosts a home game.
Now it could be that the Rams who told Farrar that are just making excuses. Can’t rule that out. But still, I think the “home game every week” model does cause issues.
znModeratorkatsu@katsuxbt
Kevin Garnett reveals a recruiter tried to hand him a bag of cash as a teenager until his grandma pulled out a shotgun“I got offered a lot of cash for my mother and my family to have better opportunities. To meet some of the most powerful people in the world, whatever that meant”
“I had a certain recruiter come see me, and he offered me some cash in front of my grandma. And she went and got a shotgun, and told me to always set the tone with people that you could never be bought”
“If you can be bought once, you can be bought always. And that stuck with me forever… The quicker she put the shotgun together, the quicker we ended the conversation”
“That guy’s still around, I just wink whenever I see him, it’s just between him, myself, God and my grandmother”
znModerator3 Biggest Offseason Questions Still Looming for the Los Angeles Rams
The 2025 Rams nearly made it to Super Bowl LX, and they’ve been building with authority ever since. Have they done enough to put themselves over the top in the 2026 season?Doug Farrar
https://athlonsports.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams-myles-garrett-trade-matthew-stafford-puka-nacua
With all 32 NFL teams preparing for OTAs and mandatory minicamps, Athlon Sports is going under the hood to see what key questions remain for each team before training camps open in July. These questions might not get answered at minicamps, but any opportunity for new coaches to get familiar with their roster, rookies to get a feel for life in the NFL and free agents to get comfortable with a new team can be helpful.
The focus today is on the Los Angeles Rams, who came very close to the third Super Bowl appearance of the Sean McVay era, and have been fortifying their roster with big-time moves ever since their NFC Championship loss came down.
Five points.
That’s all that separated the Los Angeles Rams from Super Bowl LX.
The Rams and the Seattle Seahawks had tangled twice in the regular season, splitting the NFC West series by a total of three points. So, when the two teams met at Seattle’s Lumen Field for the NFC Championship Game on January 25, 2026, anything could have happened.
In the end, the Seahawks took the Rams’ defense to school just enough to come out with a 31-27 win in a game that was far more difficult than their 29-13 beatdown of the New England Patriots in the actual Super Bowl.
With those three games, the Rams and Seahawks established themselves as the main characters in the NFL’s most compelling rivalry.
Keep Watching
To enhance that defense in the offseason, the Rams went all-out as you would imagine from an aggressive front office led by general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay. They traded for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, and signed McDuffie’s Chiefs teammate Jaylen Watson, to build up a positional group in need. Then, the trade for Myles Garrett, which should put that defense all the way over the top.
If these Rams don’t get all the way to Super Bowl LXI, which by the way is set to be played at SoFi Stadium — which is their home — it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.
“I think the biggest thing is that we want to be inside out,” McVay said on June 8 of the expectations. “The reality is that we’re not naïve to the things that are said, but that doesn’t affect us and we have to be humble. We have to stay connected. Inevitably, there is going to be some adversity that we have to be able to deal with and the separator is going to be handling those storms and not allowing any of those external things to affect our ability to be in the moment right now, to be present, to be grateful and to continue to be courageous. That’ll be a very important thing, to make sure that, hey, you don’t ignore some of those different things. You acknowledge it but you also understand that that means absolutely nothing. Whether we had none or whether there is some, it’s about how do you come together as a team.
“This is the greatest team sport that there is, 11 moving parts on each side of the football at all times. The enemy does have a say. We know that those things really mean nothing. It’s fun because there is attention and people pay attention to this league, but that doesn’t affect our ability to be inside out.”
So, the Rams are seemingly set for an all-time run. Here are three questions they’ll need to answer if all the work is going to pay off.
What if there’s an offensive drop-off?
This seems like an insane question, right? McVay is one of the best offensive minds of his generation. Matthew Stafford is the defending NFL Most Valuable Player. The Rams finished first in Offensive DVOA by an absolutely crushing margin, and everything seems set for a re-run of the only NFL offense that gave the Seattle Seahawks fits over and over last season.
Ah, but there be potential dragons. Stafford is coming off that amazing season, but he also turned 38 on February 2, and that season was a bit of an outlier. Including the postseason, he threw for an NFL-best 52 touchdowns (Drake Maye of the Denver Broncos finished second with 37), but Stafford also threw for 60 touchdowns total from 2022-24. Injuries have been an issue before, as has been the potential specter of Stafford’s retirement. Any regression from 2025’s amazing results could fall hard.
Puka Nacua, who amazed in 2025 with 153 catches on 200 targets for 2,047 yards and 12 touchdowns (again, including the postseason), entered a rehab facility in March following a number of off-field issues, and though he was present at recent OTAs, one never knows how much things will affect somebody on the field until the games begin. Again, it’s a case of any regression after a season where there’s almost nowhere to go but down.
And McVay’s in-season turn to 13 personnel set the entire league ablaze and affected personnel philosophies to an extreme degree this offseason, especially in the draft, but what happens if enemy defenses learn to counter those schematic and personnel conceits?
We are not suggesting the Rams’ offense is going to fall completely apart, but if there’s any kind of precipitous drop in efficiency from a season in which everything came together in ways it usually doesn’t, that could complicate things in ways the team would obviously prefer to avoid..
How much will the new defensive pieces pay off?
Of course, McVay and Snead prepared for any regression on one side of the ball by adding serious talent on the other side. The defensive overhaul could indeed be the thing that brings the franchise its third Lombardi Trophy, but is this an automatic thing?
In Steve Spagnuolo’s Chiefs defense, both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson were among the NFL’s most prominent press cornerbacks, because that’s what Spags demands. The Chiefs had at least one cornerback in press coverage on 87% of their snaps last season, by far the league’s highest rate — the Chicago Bears ranked second at 76%. Well, last season, the Rams had no cornerbacks playing in press coverage on 44% of their snaps. Perhaps that was an adjustment by defensive coordinator Chris Shula and his staff based on the guys they had, but that could be an adjustment that takes a minute.
Myles Garrett is one of the NFL’s rare scheme-transcendent players; the only real concern there would be that he’s now on the wrong side of 30… though the 2025 tape would blow those potential worries out of the water. The linebacker and safety rotations are less certain, but when you add Garrett to a defensive line that was already ridiculously loaded, and you paste McDuffie and Watson into a defense whose cornerback play was the clearest liability that kept the Rams from the Super Bowl last season, it all should be good over time.
Will the Ty Simpson draft pick upend the Rams now and in the future?
It was a rather interesting move for the Rams, who once again went all-in on the short term, to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft. Whether you believe in Simpson’s NFL attributes or not, taking a quarterback you hope won’t be a starter for at least two seasons because you want Stafford to be at his best over that time? Well, that was a thing.
It was also a thing because the Rams could have availed themselves of talent at more prominent positions of need that could have put them even more over the top. Imagine if McVay had added Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq (who went 16th to the New York Jets) to his ever-expanding tight end room. Or USC receiver Makai Lemon (who went 20th to the Philadelphia Eagles) to amplify the passing game in a different way. How about Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling (who went 19th to the Detroit Lions) to add in for recently retired right tackle Rob Havenstein? A first-round tackle would look even better right now given left tackle Alaric Jackson’s recent arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
Part of creating a championship team is creating contingency plans for the worst possible scenarios. Do the Rams believe that Simpson would be able to sub in right away for Stafford should the unthinkable (but possible) happen, and the superstar was to miss time?
“We’ll see,” McVay said after the pick was made. “He’s going to compete with Stetson.”
That’s backup quarterback Stetson Bennett, selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.
Maybe Simpson turns out to be the quarterback the Rams hope he can be over time, but it’s not an automatic slam-dunk, and if he’s not, that’s quite a different way for the team to “F them picks” than they usually do.
znModeratorThey collected their extravagant Super Bowl rings last week, the latest reminder of a dominant February title run, but know a plateau in 2026 will crater their chances of repeating.
A plateau that craters?
A sea of mixed metaphors darkens the sky.
znModeratorRams Wire@TheRamsWire
NFL coach says Myles Garrett trade wasn’t Rams’ most impactful move of 2026***
Rams or Seahawks? NFL execs size up NFC West after Myles Garrett blockbuster
Jeff Howe
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7362507/2026/06/16/rams-seahawks-myles-garrett-trade-super-bowl/
As the Los Angeles Rams continue to bask in the glow of their honeymoon phase with star pass rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks have somehow slipped into the shadows of the ultra-competitive NFC West. They collected their extravagant Super Bowl rings last week, the latest reminder of a dominant February title run, but know a plateau in 2026 will crater their chances of repeating.
After acquiring Garrett and two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie in high-profile offseason trades, the Rams have emerged as the betting favorites to win Super Bowl LXI. Rams general manager Les Snead moved seven draft picks, including two first-rounders, along with 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse to inject a turbo boost into a group that’s already displayed marked improvement in its first two seasons under coordinator Chris Shula.
It’s apparent the Rams sensed two key elements from 2025 — that they believed they were just a handful of plays short of their own Super Bowl run, and that they didn’t just want to catch the Seahawks, but blow past them.
“They’re competing their a— off,” said an NFL executive, granted anonymity so he could speak openly, of the Rams’ offseason. “In their minds, they were a 2-point conversion away from winning the Super Bowl. It’s a smart way to build their team. They’re trying to maximize their roster with an aging QB. They should think that way.”
The Seahawks wrestled the division from the Rams in Week 16 when quarterback Sam Darnold completed a do-or-die 2-pointer to tight end Eric Saubert for a 38-37 overtime victory. From there, the Seahawks claimed the No. 1 seed and held off the Rams, 31-27, in the NFC Championship Game.
Whether the Rams were truly a couple of plays away, they were close enough to be viewed around the league as a viable threat. Now, they’ve all but maxed out their resources with the visions of a better fate, and they don’t intend to waste time with reigning MVP Matthew Stafford turning 38 in February.
“I think the Garrett trade can put them over the top,” a second executive said. “It gives them the closer on defense that they needed.”
While the Rams’ pass defense wasn’t bad in 2025, it was their greatest vulnerability, so they acquired McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs and signed ex-Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson to a three-year, $51 million contract.
“The (Garrett) trade isn’t as big as the McDuffie trade and the signing of Watson,” a coach said. “Those additions will impact their defensive unit more than Myles.”
To that point, the Rams’ pass rush was already relatively strong. It tied for seventh last season with 47 sacks, and Verse is an ascending talent with a seemingly high ceiling. But Garrett might be peerless in his ability to impact the game — as well as the way teams prepare exclusively for him during the week.
Garrett, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year who turned 30 in December, has raced up the all-time sack list. He’s tied for 20th now with 125.5 and has a chance to crack the top 10 by the end of the season. If he maintains his career-long, 14-sack pace through 2031, Garrett will seize the sack crown from Bruce Smith (200).
Plus, coach Sean McVay got a firsthand look at future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald for six years, so he can appreciate the impact of a generational juggernaut on the defensive front. And if Garrett’s arrival does actually woo Donald from retirement, this could go down as one of the most memorable trades in NFL history.
Then again, 32 teams think they’re winning the Super Bowl right now.
“I don’t get too hyped on this stuff,” a second coach said, “because it all gets sorted in the fall.”
A third coach added, “I’m really not much into favorites at this time of year. A lot can happen before you actually get to Week 1. (But) I get the hype with L.A. It sure looks like they’re going all in.”
That’s the admirable approach when the Super Bowl champs reside in the division. While the Seahawks had a much quieter offseason than their neighbors to the south, they’re understandably banking on coach Mike Macdonald’s program truly blossoming in his third year on the job.
Make no mistake, the Seahawks outpaced even their own timeline, so there’s expectation for improvement. Darnold should be more comfortable now that he’s found a home, and his offensive line has built continuity, too.
Safety Nick Emmanwori and defensive tackle Byron Murphy, among others, will make a greater impact on defense. Macdonald’s defense, which surrendered the fewest points in the NFL last season, has realistic potential for improvement. They should again be strong on special teams.
The Seahawks’ disciplined roster reconstruction has been jolted by an incredible run of draft success. General manager John Schneider was the PFWA Executive of the Year in 2025, and assistant general manager Nolan Teasley was just hired as the Minnesota Vikings GM.
“Schneider deserves a ton of credit for their roster,” the second coach said.
The third coach added, “Seattle doesn’t get enough credit for their trajectory under Macdonald. I’m guessing they like that, because all the talk is on L.A., as opposed to them repeating.”
Both teams have concerns, no doubt. The Rams are facing a tenuous situation at offensive tackle, while new Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is a first-time play caller, though he shares some roots with ex-OC Klint Kubiak. The Seahawks have uncertainty at running back, as Kenneth Walker signed with the Chiefs, and Zach Charbonnet is recovering from a torn ACL. To that end, Seattle drafted Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price in the first round.
It’s hardly a two-team race in the West, either. The San Francisco 49ers, winners of 12 games last season, have been to four NFC championships and two Super Bowls since 2019, and they’re consistently dangerous when healthy.
There’s minimal letup in the strongest division in the league.
“You have to be at your best to compete and make the playoffs in (the NFC West),” the first executive said. “You’ve got really good front offices in terms of aggressiveness and acquiring players, three of the best coaches in the NFL. If you’re not on it, you’re going to get left behind.”
znModerator> save $15M a year by cutting a screwworm monitoring program
> screwworm outbreak almost immediately
> $1B to combat it
Government efficiency https://t.co/EHeY9if26V
— Luke Miani (@LukeMiani) June 15, 2026
znModeratorWorld Cup tourists are getting fully 'America pilled'
Grown adults losing it over real yellow school buses screaming, filming, even chartering them. pic.twitter.com/n1vPTyMS6u
— TaraBull (@TaraBull) June 15, 2026
i rode a yellow school bus to the world cup with Scotland fans
it was the experience of a lifetime pic.twitter.com/AM9eQwJR3M
— Jeremy Siegel (@jersiegel) June 15, 2026
znModeratorSūmerSports@SumerSports
2025 QB EPA/play when blitzed (min. 100 plays):1. Drake Maye: 0.33
2. Jordan Love: 0.32
3. Lamar Jackson: 0.30
4. Matthew Stafford: 0.27
5. Caleb Williams: 0.27
6. Bo Nix: 0.27
7. Jared Goff: 0.24
8. Trevor Lawrence: 0.22
9. Dak Prescott: 0.16
10. Josh Allen: 0.15znModeratorAm I to understand that if it were up to the Los Angeles Rams, SoFi would have natural grass, but the fucking Chargers won’t have it? And they have a vote?
No.
It’s that with 2 teams in the same stadium, you do not have any non-home games to repair a grass field and keep it in shape. SO-FI hosts an NFL game every single week and therefore there is no breathing space to tend and keep up a grass field.
znModeratorRams Wire@TheRamsWire
Albert Breer says he’s heard that if only the Rams called SoFi Stadium home, the field could be grass instead of turf.WTF do they call it, if not home?
If it were ONLY the Rams. That is, no Chargers. (He wasn’t very clear.)
znModeratorRams Wire@TheRamsWire
Albert Breer says he’s heard that if only the Rams called SoFi Stadium home, the field could be grass instead of turf.znModeratorThe Browns were 3rd in the regular season in defensive 'havoc' – a combination of negative plays caused by a defense.
This was in part due to their defensive leader, Myles Garrett — who will not only help with pass rush but also with his run defense prowess. pic.twitter.com/ixeNAjQnfw
— Josh (@JoshiosTweets) June 12, 2026
znModeratorAdam Schefter@AdamSchefter
Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. returned to the team’s Flowery Branch training facility today for the first time since being charged with aggravated battery and fleeing law enforcement on Feb. 7.. Pearce is expected to take part in this week’s mandatory minicamp, but he is not anticipated to address the media.Me note: this is of course the player Atlanta traded up with the Rams to get in 2025. That’s the #1 pick that landed Ty Simpson for them.
znModeratorPuka Nacua’s best catches from the 2025 season 👐
(video: NFLPerformances)pic.twitter.com/7vkbeFfHAr
— Kalshi Football (@KalshiFB) June 14, 2026
znModeratorICE Is Targeting the Lawyers of Immigrant Children
Katya Schwenk
After freezing payments and demanding client data, the Trump administration attempted to raid the nonprofit offices of attorneys for unaccompanied immigrant children last week as its anti-migrant campaign increasingly turns its focus toward minors.
The Trump administration has escalated its intimidation tactics in an attempt to collect sensitive data on children in the US immigration system. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to raid the offices of attorneys for unaccompanied migrant children this week, lawyers tell the Lever, the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s attempt to collect sensitive data on children in the US immigration system.
As the Lever first reported last week, the legal services providers for unaccompanied migrant children — who represent the youth in deportation proceedings — have been locked in a standoff with the Trump administration over requests for sensitive case data on their clients.
Now, ICE agents are arriving at their doors.
Dozens of nonprofits and law firms around the country provide critical legal representation to migrant children under the Unaccompanied Children Program, which is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. The program has become a central focus in the Trump administration’s ongoing targeting of immigrants.
As a result of the dispute between the primary program contractor, the Acacia Center for Justice, and the US Department of Health and Human Services, many nonprofit organizations around the country that provide legal representation to these children have not been paid for their work in months, the Lever revealed.
Providing sensitive client data to the federal government could represent a serious violation of attorney-client privilege and put vulnerable children at risk, attorneys say. Already, the immigration courts are expediting children’s cases in an apparent attempt to deport children as fast as possible.
On Thursday, two agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the primary investigative arm of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, arrived at the Washington, DC, offices of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, which represents unaccompanied minors.
According to the organization’s executive director, Michael Lukens, security guards turned the agents away when they did not present a valid warrant.
The agents asked for “financial records relating to the Unaccompanied Children Program,” Lukens said.
“We are not intimidated,” he said. “We continue to do the work.”
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to the Lever’s request for comment.
The incident was one of at least three attempted raids within forty-eight hours, all in the DC area. Ayuda and Kids in Need of Defense, two other organizations that work under the Unaccompanied Children Program, both issued statements on Friday confirming that they, too, had received visits from federal agents on Wednesday and Thursday.
The operation “is consistent with ongoing administration efforts targeting nonprofit organizations operating in the immigration space and undermining legal services for unaccompanied children seeking safety in the United States,” wrote Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense.
Lukens noted that the federal government could easily request the information through standard channels. The Amica Center and other nonprofits are all subcontractors of the federal government. “There are audit provisions in our subcontracts, you know,” he said. “Send us an email.”
Instead, ICE took a more confrontational approach.
The attempted raids came as President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice staged a news conference on Thursdayannouncing new efforts to “safeguard unaccompanied alien children.” At the press conference, acting attorney general Todd Blanche announced the indictments of three Guatemalan immigrants for smuggling children.
The event was timed with a simultaneous event held by the right-wing dark money nonprofit the Heritage Foundation on unaccompanied minors supposedly “lost” under the Biden administration — another sign of the Right’s increased focus on children in the US immigration system.
At the press conference, Blanche claimed that the White House was “committed to protect the children who suffered the consequences of open borders” under former president Joe Biden. But under Trump, the White House has been seizing resources of programs meant to safeguard unaccompanied children — including the legal services program — and holding children in Health and Human Services custody for far longer than in the past.
“This idea that [the Unaccompanied Children Program] is rife with fraud and trafficking is just fallacious,” Lukens said, adding that he believed it was an excuse for the Trump administration to ramp up its targeting of legal services organizations.
The Department of Homeland Security has also been encouraging unaccompanied children to self-deport amid its accelerated deportation proceedings, as the Lever reported last week. These developments have alarmed advocates, who say that such measures could force children to return to unsafe conditions in their home countries.
znModeratorThe Rams have major O-line questions to answer, and not just about Alaric Jackson
Nate Atkins
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams have spent this offseason loading up on defensive talent and balancing out a roster that was as loaded as they come on offense. They have one goal in mind, and it’s the Super Bowl that SoFi Stadium will host next February.
But that doesn’t mean the moves haven’t come without risk.
A closer look shows that risk is concentrated in one area of the team. It’s one of the most critical to two different quarterback timelines.
The Rams have four starting offensive linemen entering contract years. They have just one signed through 2027, and that player, left tackle Alaric Jackson, is now facing the possibility of a second suspension under the league’s personal-conduct policy.
It’s easy to look at the blockbuster trades for two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, in addition to spending the No. 13 pick on a quarterback of the future in Ty Simpson, and see costs the Rams can stomach. After all, McDuffie and Garrett are under contract for four more years each, and the Rams are Super Bowl favorites even after spending their highest draft pick in a decade on a stashed quarterback. The picks they sent out could very well be late selections, too.
But all big moves hold an element of opportunity cost. And as time has gone by, the opportunity cost keeps showing up on the offensive line.
LT Alaric Jackson
As the Rams entered an offseason with four starting linemen approaching contract years, they could at least take solace in the most critical of those five spots looking like a franchise cornerstone. Jackson doesn’t turn 28 until July and has 51 career starts and two years remaining under contract. He isn’t a Pro Bowler, but he made the front office feel like it had the blindside protector for Matthew Stafford’s back issue in place for at least two seasons and likely the remainder of Stafford’s career.
But Jackson was arrested last week on suspicion of domestic violence. He has been released on a $50,000 bond. He faces a felony charge punishable by one to four years in jail or prison.
According to a TMZ report, a 38-year-old woman alleged in a temporary restraining order that Jackson left her with bruises, scratches and cuts after grabbing a cell phone she was recording him with. The woman claimed she told Jackson she was pregnant, to which he responded, “I don’t give a f—,” according to the TMZ report.
In 2024, Jackson was suspended for two games under the NFL’s personal-conduct policy for an undisclosed incident. Last fall, a woman filed a lawsuit against Jackson alleging he recorded sexual acts with her on his phone without her consent, lied about deleting the video and used the video to taunt her. The lawsuit stated that the woman reported the incident to the NFL.
The legal process could take time to resolve last week’s felony charge against Jackson, but the NFL’s personal-conduct policy works on a different timeline, independent of the criminal case.
“In cases in which a player is not charged with a crime, or is charged but not convicted, he may still be found to have violated the Policy if the credible evidence establishes that he engaged in prohibited conduct,” the policy reads.
The policy also states that “players with a prior history of misconduct, including misconduct occurring prior to their association with the NFL, will be subject to enhanced and/or expedited discipline, including banishment from the league with an opportunity to reapply.”
If the league finds that Jackson violated the policy with this incident, it could punish him as a repeat offender. The personal-conduct policy also cites violence against a pregnant woman as an aggravating factor when considering the severity of punishment.
The Rams now have to consider whether they have a backup they trust if Jackson is suspended for a string of games. Last year, he missed one game with an injury, and DJ Humphries stepped in and struggled mightily, as the Rams lost to the Atlanta Falcons while pressure forced Stafford into a rare three-interception game.
Los Angeles re-signed David Quessenberry to be its swing tackle, but the Rams did not go to him last season when Jackson or right tackle Rob Havenstein missed time. Quessenberry has started 30 games in his nine-year career, but the most recent came in 2023, and he will turn 36 in August.
The Rams drafted just one offensive lineman this year, despite having four starters entering contract years. That was third-round Missouri product Keagen Trost, who spent his multi-school college career mostly at right tackle. The Rams view Trost as a utility man this season with capabilities at tackle, guard and center. But asking him to start multiple games this early on Stafford’s blind side could be a risk.
Los Angeles will also need to evaluate Jackson in a future context. He will turn 30 before a new contract could kick in for the 2028 season, and he has now been accused in two incidents related to domestic violence. Coach Sean McVay has said that treatment of women is one of the core non-negotiables in his team culture.
The Rams could consider a pivot. The free-agent market has one strong left tackle option available in Taylor Decker, who served as Stafford’s blindside protector on the Detroit Lions from 2016 to 2020. A 2024 Pro Bowler and 2016 first-round pick, Decker requested his release to avoid a pay cut from the Lions, and he is likely looking to sign with a contender now that he’s turning 33 in August.
Given that Decker chose to leave the only NFL home he knows to avoid a pay cut, it’s hard to imagine him signing up to be just a fill-in on a fill-in’s salary. If the Rams are interested, they might have to choose between Decker and Jackson rather than trying to have both. Releasing Jackson would save only $1.95 million of his $25.4 million cap hit for 2026, with $23.4 million in dead money in 2026 and $5 million of dead money into 2027, according to Over the Cap.
Interior offensive line
The Rams have two guards primed to push the top of the free-agent market. Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson were catalysts for the Rams’ zone-blocking schemes in the run game and also held a firm pocket for Stafford to operate in without having to scramble last season. The drop-off from both was noticeable when they missed six combined games last season.
Teams don’t often pay market value to extend two guards at the same time. Those that do often either feature run-heavy schemes or have starting quarterbacks on rookie contracts. If Stafford were to retire after this season, that could be the Rams’ situation. But it’s impossible to project right now with Stafford set to make between $55 and $60 million next season and the possibility that he plays even longer. Spotrac.com estimates that Avila and Dotson will each command more than $13 million per season on their next deals.
Los Angeles has a solid backup in Justin Dedich, who has nine starts in two seasons and could be an option to replace either guard in a cost-saving move. Losing both would be a challenge for an offense that wants to remain strong in the run game as Stafford ages, and for whenever Simpson needs to step in.
And then there’s Coleman Shelton. The Rams missed his play at center enough in 2024 that they brought him back after a one-year stint with the Chicago Bears. He has become a rock at center, with three consecutive seasons of 17 starts, and he’s built strong chemistry with Stafford in handling protection changes and audibles on the fly to bring McVay’s scheme to life.
Shelton has 66 career starts and will turn 31 next month. The Rams have this spot fairly insulated right now, with Avila’s ability to slide over in case of an injury. Teams often feel comfortable drafting and starting a young center if they have the guard spots solidified, so looking to next year’s draft could be sensible if Dotson or Avila is retained.
RT Warren McClendon Jr.
McClendon enjoyed a breakout season almost out of nowhere last year, and now he looks like one of the bigger wild cards in the Rams’ future planning. He entered last season as a backup but needed to step in early when Havenstein suffered an ankle injury that later sent him to injured reserve. McClendon thrived enough to take the job and start 13 games between the regular season and postseason. He was a star in pass protection, allowing just two sacks with seven blown blocks on 383 pass-blocking snaps, according to Sports Info Solutions. The Rams insulated him well in the run game between the elite play of Dotson at right guard and the use of three-tight-end sets.
Now, the 2023 fifth-round pick is just one more strong and durable season away from cashing in on a major payday. That’s reality for proven tackles who hit the open market in this passing league, where more than 20 tackles are making at least $20 million per season.
If the Rams have questions about Jackson’s short- and long-term status, they might need McClendon even more. But if he wants to maximize his earning potential, he needs to play out this season to reap the rewards of the open market, even if it means re-signing. That’s the path safety Kam Curl took last year with Los Angeles, allowing him to sign by far the biggest deal of his career.
Why the present and the future weigh so much
The Rams’ offensive line was a collective unsung hero last season. For all the accolades that made headlines with Stafford winning his first MVP trophy, Puka Nacua leading the NFL in receptions and Davante Adams leading in receiving touchdowns, the glue that turned dreams into reality for the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense was the five men blocking up front.
They helped pave the way for Kyren Williams and Blake Corum to combine for 1,998 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 4.95 yards per carry. They allowed Stafford to manage a degenerative back issue that held him out of most of training camp and play all 20 games with a sack rate of 3.71 percent, his lowest in a season since 2013. They sold the run and the pass well enough to let Stafford thrive on play-action in three-tight-end sets that saw four different tight ends score three times each.
As loaded as the Rams’ roster is on paper, it’s easy to see a kryptonite, too: If the offensive line isn’t available enough, and Stafford takes more hits and suffers an injury, Los Angeles would be down to playing either Simpson or Stetson Bennett at quarterback in a highly complex offense with championship expectations.
But the real concern for this group, and the contract situations at hand, is about the future. Garrett and McDuffie carry combined cap hits of $57.4 million in 2028 and $73.2 million in 2029. It’s possible the Rams could re-sign players like Dotson and Coleman on shorter-term deals, but it could be challenging to offer competitive four-year contracts. Los Angeles is also down first- and third-round picks in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-round pick in 2029 to replenish the cupboards, though it could receive some compensatory picks to help soften the blow.
The biggest question at hand for this group, beyond Jackson’s availability this season, is: What it will look like whenever the time comes for Simpson to step in? That version of Simpson will still likely be incredibly raw in experience. If he sits this season and starts in 2027, he’ll have started one football season in five years. It’s the kind of circumstance that begs for a run game to insulate him and an offensive line that can protect him and also set its own protections and checks to limit all that an inexperienced young quarterback has to manage.
znModeratorfrom Albert Breer: https://www.si.com/nfl/albert-breer-takeaways-rising-quarterback-salaries-myles-garrett-kyler-murray#inline-text-19
Myles Garrett
I did have one last note from the Garrett trade, and that’s what the Rams saw on film of him. I asked a couple different guys in Los Angeles what they saw when they actually sat down and studied him in a way you wouldn’t if you were just getting ready to play against the Browns.
They all, of course, already knew the top-line stuff, what a freakish athlete he was, how his motor ran and how he could beat almost anything an offense threw at him.
What they learned a lot more about while doing the full vetting was just how smart a football player Garrett is. As one Rams evaluator put it, you could see “how football is something of a science to him.” It became apparent to the team, in the evaluation, in breaking down the kitchen-sink list of looks offenses would give him, and how it wasn’t just “I’ll out-athlete everyone” for Garrett. They saw he knew the opponent well and was prepared for anything.
It’s an interesting thing because Garrett has a bit of a different personality and wasn’t necessarily a first-in-the-building/last-out-of-the-building guy in Cleveland.
I don’t think many would consider him a gym rat, necessarily. He has a lot of interests outside of football. But the proof was in the obvious—he always kept himself in ridiculous shape (just look at him) and, again, he was always very ready to play on Sunday.
Which is just another reason why the Rams had the conviction they did to make the move.
znModeratorI don’t know much about other sports.
But apparently there’s this new game called socker, and it has exploded all over the US. It had a championship series featuring 2 teams, the Knacks and the Spars.
All I know is, one of the 2 teams won.
…
Though having said that, there’s this (a real comment).
The Knicks demonstrated that the “clutch gene” is real.
…
znModeratorI don’t know much about other sports.
But apparently there’s this new game called socker, and it has exploded all over the US. It had a championship series featuring 2 teams, the Knacks and the Spars.
All I know is, one of the 2 teams won.
…
znModeratorAaron Donald closing out Super Bowl 56 with one of the greatest defensive performances ever 😤
(video: NFLPerformances)pic.twitter.com/NawK5cLgi5
— Kalshi Football (@KalshiFB) June 13, 2026
znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Most go-ahead pass TD in the 4th quarter/OT in NFL history, including playoffs…1. Matthew Stafford – 43
2. Tom Brady – 42
3. Drew Brees – 41
4. Eli Manning – 36
5. Ben Roethlisberger – 34
5. Russell Wilson – 34
7. Johnny Unitas – 31
8. Aaron Rodgers – 29 -
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