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August 28, 2023 at 11:16 pm in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #145060
znModeratorRodrigue, from: https://theathletic.com/4813893/2023/08/28/rams-joe-noteboom-stetson-bennett/?source=emp_shared_article
Joe Noteboom
As Noteboom walked out of the training room for his interview, his face still dripped with sweat from his first day back at practice as the team tapers him into a full workload. He also wore a large brace wrapped tightly around his left shoulder and chest. Noteboom missed both sets of joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos earlier this month after suffering what he says is a minor upper body soft-tissue injury (hence the protective brace).
“It was something really small, kind of a maintenance thing,” he said. “They just wanted to be cautious and not make it a longer thing than it is. But I feel great, 100 percent now.”
Noteboom will be competing at right guard now that he’s back on the field. While he was injured, part of his work on the side of the field with athletic trainers included movement drills specific to the footwork he’ll need to adjust for at that position — not only because Noteboom is switching from tackle to guard, but also from left tackle (he also has played some left guard) to right guard.
<p class=”go-deeper-title”>“Anyone that has played (will) say switching sides isn’t easy,” he said. “That’s why I’m doing (those reps) over and over and over again every day. At this point, it feels comfortable now. At the end of the day it is just flipped. Same footwork and technique (as left guard), just flipped. Takes the body a little time to adjust, but I feel 100 percent comfortable at it now.”</p>External speculation has swirled around Noteboom, in part because head coach Sean McVay did not disclose the nature of his injury but also because the Rams traded for Pittsburgh Steelers guard Kevin Dotson this week. Some have questioned whether the Rams were trying to trade him (although it is unlikely that McVay would have even publicly mentioned a new injury at all if that were the case, since teams aren’t required to report them to the NFL this time of year). A league source said Sunday that the Rams view the Dotson addition as a boost to their depth.
Noteboom said he’s more interested in proving himself to his teammates than those outside the building.“I want to be a great player for this team, and for these coaches,” he said. “I have the utmost respect for Sean and all the coaches here. Matthew (Stafford), Cooper (Kupp) and AD (Aaron Donald). Just what they do, I want to be on that level and be the best I can be, for them and for this team — and take a step forward in that aspect.”
While Noteboom is still building into a full practice workload, Monday marked the first time the Rams’ possible starting offensive line practiced together since the start of training camp. If Noteboom does get the starting right guard job, the offensive line will feature Alaric Jackson at left tackle (Noteboom had competed with Jackson there through most of camp), rookie Steve Avila at left guard, Coleman Shelton at center, Noteboom, and Rob Havenstein at right tackle.
znModeratorThe kind of solid vet depth he provides could save Matthew Stafford from getting himself all Bulgerized. w v
I gather that when you say Stafford shouldn’t get Bulgerized, that means that he should not be a lazy non-performer who doesn’t care about the team or the game since he got his new contract, and instead blames his poor play on team injuries, which is just making excuses because all teams have injuries. Also, there’s nothing wrong with Zygmunt.
…
znModerator— Showed more technique than you see from a lot of rookie edge guys with much bigger names
— Went to Ferris State, and who gives a damn? This guy is a PLAYER. Titans made out like banditos here. pic.twitter.com/O3kLuhTIFh
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 28, 2023
znModeratorMatthew Stafford is having a hard time connecting with young Rams roster.
According to wife Kelly, the QB feels like 'a dad' and wants players to stop looking at their phones so much, but doesn't know "how to lead team that I have no connection with"https://t.co/wPkswg9U7e
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) August 27, 2023
znModeratorRams acquire OG Kevin Dotson from Steelers: How injuries factored into trade
Mark Kaboly and Jourdan Rodrigue
https://theathletic.com/4811143/2023/08/27/rams-steelers-kevin-dotson-trade/
The Los Angeles Rams acquired offensive guard Kevin Dotson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the teams announced Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
The Steelers receive the Rams’ 2024 fourth-round pick and 2025 fifth-round pick while Los Angeles receives Pittsburgh’s 2024 fifth-round pick and 2025 sixth-round pick.
Pittsburgh drafted Dotson in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Dotson started 30 of his 39 career games in Pittsburgh.The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Why this makes sense for Los Angeles
Even though Dotson has 30 games worth of starting experience for the Steelers, including 17 games last season, I’m told Los Angeles considers this to be a depth move for their offensive line. Dotson has played some at both guard spots.
The Rams’ offensive line seems mostly solidified…with the pesky exception of right guard. Joe Noteboom, who Los Angeles extended on a three-year, $40 million contract in 2022, is expected to compete for the starting right guard job when he returns from an injury coaches say is unrelated to the Achilles tear he suffered in 2022.
Noteboom was initially competing at left tackle, but was moved to a rotation at right guard with Tremayne Anchrum with a few days left in the Rams’ Irvine, Calif. camp before suffering the undisclosed injury. — Rodrigue
How many offensive linemen will the Rams keep?
With Dotson expected to fill a depth role, larger questions remain about how many offensive linemen the Rams will keep on their roster. They recently moved last year’s third-round pick, Logan Bruss, out of right guard and back to his natural tackle spot, but his play has fluctuated there in practices and games.
Bruss and rookie fifth-round pick Warren McClendon are now training as reserve swing tackles, while Anchrum could be a swing depth player at guard if he loses the position battle to Noteboom. They also have a two-deep at center, but veteran Brian Allen does not also play guard while starter Coleman Shelton does. — Rodrigue
Why Pittsburgh moved on
It made all the sense in the world for the Steelers to move on from Dotson, who was a draft darling three years ago. It was just a matter of what kind of compensation they could get for him. With Isaac Seumalo signed in free agency to start at left guard, Nate Herbig brought in as a free agent in March to play swing guard and Dotson being in the final year of his rookie deal and set to earn $2.75 million, it was pretty much an expected move.
The only twist was Herbig had missed the past two weeks with a shoulder injury but Mike Tomlin said Saturday that he wasn’t concerned with that. — Kaboly
How injuries factored into trade
There is only so much Tomlin and the Steelers deal with injuries before cutting ties. Dotson was at that point. He got hurt in each of his first three years and was nursing a shoulder and ankle injury this preseason. To his credit, he played every snap last year as he battled through nagging injuries.
Dotson was the physical guard they wanted but the inconsistency ultimately was his biggest issue. Dotson committed 12 penalties a year ago including four false starts and four holding calls that frustrated Pittsburgh. The transaction could mean the Steelers keep the much-maligned former third-round pick Kendrick Green on the initial 53.
znModeratorIn terms of the defense, they weren’t playing Donald, Jones, Fuller, or Durant. I expect them to be a little better with those guys playing. I
#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/iZiREvtx0f
— Daniel Leu (@Leuzer6) August 27, 2023
znModeratorYeah, i dunno what to think of Bennett. Has McVay ever developed a young QB, and not then screwed them up? I mean, he developed Goff, but then, ya know. w v
Depends on whether you attribute Kirk Cousins’ development to McVay being the Washington OC. That could also go to the head coach, Jay Gruden. Gruden became the HC in 2014, and that;s the year Cousins emerges as a starter.
We know about Goff. McV clearly got impatient with him and didn’t handle that well, starting in 2019.
znModeratorfrom the wiki
Pittsburgh Steelers
Dotson was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft, 135th overall, by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made his NFL debut on September 14, 2020, in the season opener against the New York Giants, entering the game at right guard to replace injured starter Stefen Wisniewski. Dotson made his first career start the following week on September 20, 2020, against the Denver Broncos. He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the team on November 14, 2020, and activated on November 30. Dotson entered the 2021 season as the Steelers starting left guard. He started the first nine games before suffering an ankle injury in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 20, 2021.
from old draft report
By Lance ZierleinOverviewBackup-caliber guard with the football intelligence, technique and run-blocking ability for eventual starter consideration in the right circumstance. Dotson is a powerful man with experience blocking in zone, gap and power schemes. He’s a little stiff-kneed with sluggish change of direction so slanting fronts and athletic pass rushers could create inconsistencies in his performance. What he can do well outweighs the concerns and he could hear his name called on Day 3..Strengths- Broad shoulders with a barrel chest
- Fundamentals have been drilled into him
- Initial steps are controlled and purposeful as run blocker
- Brute force and leg drive to generate movement
- Good grip strength and strains to sustain
- Well-versed in inside and outside zone
- Takes smart angles up to second-level targets
- Heavy-handed punch
- Balanced posture in pass sets with punch-ready hands
- Plays with recognition of incoming twists
Weaknesses- A little short with top-heavy build lacking proportion
- Has issues keeping balance when he’s cross-faced off snap
- Not a natural knee bender
- Ducks head into contact attempting to create leverage
- Needs to bring feet with him to prevent from falling off blocks
- Average quickness to expedite combo blocks when needed
- Needs to re-set hands more quickly
- Mirror suffers when he loses proper base width
- Feet and agility to recover are below average
znModeratorTo state the obvious, That has to be one of the worst preseason performances in Ram history. I have no idea if it ‘means’ anything. It doesnt lower my expectations for this season. My expectations are that, barring key injuries, the Rams will compete for the last WildCard spot. Hover somewhere around .500. Like most teams. w v
The big disappointment was watching Bennett fall apart. He had some promise in game 1 then regressed.
In terms of the defense, they weren’t playing Donald, Jones, Fuller, or Durant. I expect them to be a little better with those guys playing. I don’t expect a top 10 defense though.
znModeratorznModeratorPredicting the Rams’ 53-man roster ahead of this week’s cutdowns
Jourdan Rodrigue
The Los Angeles Rams are finally through their preseason, and all eyes turn to roster cutdowns. They have to be at 53 players by 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
Below is my best shot at predicting their 53-man roster. Keep in mind: As the Rams are so tight against the salary cap this year, some depth veteran players could be cut (so their full salary isn’t guaranteed) and then brought back after Week 1. Further, the initial 53-man roster often goes through additional churn in the first couple of weeks of the season.
Unlike other projections I do through the year, this is reflective of what I believe the depth chart will look like as well:
Quarterbacks (2)
Matthew Stafford, Stetson BennettIt would be ideal for the Rams to be able to keep just two spots on their initial 53-man roster for quarterbacks. Brett Rypien, currently the No. 3 quarterback in Los Angeles, could be a reasonable emergency option but in a best-case scenario the Rams are able to stash someone on their practice squad.
Bennett played very poorly in Saturday’s loss to Denver. He threw two interceptions in less than two quarters, before he was pulled and Rypien replaced him (Rypien didn’t play all that great either). But it’s important to remember that the Rams evaluate every player’s entire body of work in practices, meetings and games and not just the latter.
Offensive linemen (9)
Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Joe Noteboom, Rob Havenstein, Tremayne Anchrum (RG/LG), Brian Allen, Logan Bruss (RT/LT), Warren McClendon (RT/LT)Actually, Bruss is a little bit of a wild card here. He is a 2022 third-round pick, but still relearning how to play tackle in the NFL after the Rams initially tried him out of position at guard and then he suffered a season-ending injury in the 2022 preseason. It might be harder to sneak through a third-rounder than, say, a second-year seventh-rounder such as AJ Arcuri. Let me be clear, I think the Rams should keep Arcuri. But much about this cut day is reflective of balancing the math and guessing on waivers/practice squad.
As I have been reporting and writing for a couple of weeks (and general manager Les Snead all but confirmed on the Rams-affiliated broadcast Saturday night), the Rams are currently planning to try Noteboom out at right guard when he’s healthy.
Tight ends (4)
Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Hunter Long, Davis AllenLook at that, the Rams suddenly have depth at tight end after Long came off PUP on Saturday. Keeping four tight ends is a rarity for head coach Sean McVay, but I can’t see them cutting either Long or Allen. The fact that all four players can be mismatches in the pass game helps with their receiver numbers.
Running backs (4)
Cam Akers, Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers, Zach EvansAkers and Williams had outstanding camps. Rivers impressed enough to keep an advantage over Evans on the depth chart, for now, and was a bright spot in the preseason games. Rivers can also return kicks and punts. While Evans has seemed like a fringe player so far this preseason, he’s also a draft pick and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams are more focused on his second-year development than what he can do in 2023.
Wide receivers (6)
Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Ben Skowronek, Demarcus RobinsonAtwell and Nacua could eventually be considered WR3 and WR3B. Robinson had an outstanding first few weeks of camp, but didn’t finish the preseason as strongly as Tyler Johnson (or so it appeared), but he can also be an emergency option for Jefferson because of his ability as an X receiver and he can line up in other spots as well. I do think they’ll eventually bring Johnson (or if it’s the other way around, Robinson) back after their initial 53-man is established. Skowronek gives them depth at all of the receiving spots and will probably be a core special teamer, even though his role in the offense seems to have diminished. Nacua and Williams (the running back) can return punts but I wouldn’t totally rule out the Rams surprising us and keeping one additional receiver for this job. In my projection, the numbers balance better with this group I have listed.
Defensive linemen (6)
Aaron Donald, Kobie Turner, Jonah Williams, Bobby Brown III, Earnest Brown IV, Marquise CopelandOK, this group is tougher to figure out than you’d think — in large part because they are one of the biggest areas of concern on the roster and I would think that the front office scours the waiver wire for veteran support. Rookie Desjuan Johnson could also be an under-the-radar addition and really popped Saturday night against the Broncos in the second quarter (but he also may be very returnable to the practice squad, through waivers). It seemed apparent that Larrell Murchison and Copeland were competing for one of the final spots because they both played deep into the game. Johnson looked better than both of them during Saturday’s game, so the question becomes more about the types of skill sets required on the defensive line and general roster math.
Outside linebackers (5)
Byron Young, Michael Hoecht, Daniel Hardy, Nick Hampton, Ochaun Mathis*Mathis (knee) could potentially start the season on injured reserve with a return-to-play designation, but in order to do so he has to make the initial 53-man roster. Depending on how Mathis’ situation shakes out, Keir Thomas or Zach VanValkenburg may end up getting a spot. This is also a position at which the Rams will likely be paying attention to other teams’ cuts.
Inside linebackers (3)
Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom, Jake HummelThe last spots for linebackers and safeties get tricky because these players must also contribute on special teams. Rozeboom and Hummel both play special teams, so this math may work out.
If the Rams keep four inside linebackers, I can see DeAndre Square (who wore the green dot to open Saturday night’s game) making the roster, especially for special teams. Square wore the green dot in the Rams’ final preseason game, so that makes me believe he might have an edge if the Rams keep four.
Three inside linebackers seems thin, but remember, safety Quentin Lake has been playing a ton of dime linebacker through training camp. That seems relevant to each respective position count.
Safeties (5)
Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast, John Johnson III, Quentin Lake, Jason Taylor IIThe Rams could totally keep more than five safeties, especially for special teams, and if they do I think Tanner Ingle and Quindell Johnson are strong candidates. Taylor has been working through a psoas injury, so this is something to monitor.
Cornerbacks (6)
Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, Derion Kendrick, Tre Tomlinson, Shaun Jolly, Robert RochellJolly can play the “Star” position and the Rams really need depth there (they are even training a couple of safeties for the role).
I have been really impressed with undrafted free agent Cam McCutcheon, who has the length they are generally lacking at cornerback and who has demonstrated he is a willing tackler as well as a developing outside cornerback. Rochell had an opportunity to seize command of an outside spot when Kendrick was recovering from a hamstring injury but his play has continued to fluctuate. Still, he can play on special teams and has made a couple of solid plays there in practice. We’ll see how this group shakes out, and I have Rochell still listed here because of his general experience and his special teams ability.
Specialists (3)
Ethan Evans, Tanner Brown, Alex WardWhen the punter is the silver lining of the preseason, that’s … something.
znModeratorthe Rams’ 41-point loss is the largest margin in a preseason game since 2008 when the Panthers beat Washington, 47-3. It’s also the largest shutout defeat since the Patriots also beat Washington, 41-0, in 2006.
znModeratorThe Rams capped off the preseason with a dud, getting blown out by the Broncos by a score of 41-0 https://t.co/ciscY1fkiU
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 27, 2023
znModeratorStetson Bennett threw two ugly picks in the 1st half against the Broncos and fans are quickly losing faith in the rookie https://t.co/X8lzRsRmSV
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 27, 2023
znModeratorJ.B. Long@JB_LongA non-exhaustive list of Rams who’ve been playing this preseason but aren’t in uniform tonight in Denver: Nacua, Skowronek, Avila, Anchrum, Jackson on offense. Rozeboom, Hummel, Hoecht, Young, Turner, B. Brown, Williams, Yeast on defense..Sam Farmer@LATimesfarmerRams have lost this preseason to Chargers and Raiders, and they finish tonight at Denver. In 2021, the year they won the Super Bowl, the Rams lost in the preseason to the Chargers, Raiders and Broncos. Not a prediction, simply a curiosity.Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigueStill developing but I like what I’ve seen from Cam McCutcheon these last couple weeks. Problem is, Rams don’t have a ton of guys who are both inside/outside players and the players who ARE on the outside (Kendrick, Witherspoon, Tomlinson) are locked and where they need depth is.Rams Brothers@RamsBrothersStetson picked on 3rd and 14 — forced into double coverage. Obviously, the Broncos were able to get some pressure around the edge and up the middle with 4 and it rushed the throw..@speed_kills@speedk1llswhy in the world Sean McVay would be setting Bennett up to be Staffords backup? The Rams need a quality veteran backup. It would seem to me McVay would have his choice of the best. Honestly his choices of backup QBs has always been questionable. Bennet is not ready to play that role..Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigueKudos to Ronnie Rivers for a solid camp and preseason. Came into the year knowing he would be No. 3 at best and kept improving and running hard every day. Putting some great tape out there in these preseason games. Also let me try out my “Rivers runs through it” pun.Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva57-yard punt by Ethan Evans downed at the Denver 12 Perfect boot by the rookie, who’s averaging 51 yards per punt tonight.znModeratorMISS THESE UNIFORMS…….
They should have never messed with these uniforms..
They were one of the best uniforms in the league.
( LA.RAMS 1987 ANAHEIM STADIUM). pic.twitter.com/NVrZqPR8jz— HENRY YEP photography (@yep_henry) August 26, 2023
znModeratorThey literally only see women as incubators. pic.twitter.com/t1itu9amlZ
— AskAubry 🦝 (@ask_aubry) August 25, 2023
znModeratorAs teams trim their rosters from 90 down to 53 by Tuesday, 1,184 @NFL players will get released, put on an injured list, or traded.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) August 26, 2023
znModeratorWas asked for my annual deeeeeep fantasy football sleeper pick of the year on @gmfb today…
Here he is.
In all his glory… TUTU ATWELL. pic.twitter.com/1yXyx4CWdZ
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) August 25, 2023
August 26, 2023 at 9:44 am in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #145023znModeratorA possible Rams OL will have 9 players:
Jackson, Avila, Allen, Noteboom, Havenstein, Anchrum, Thomas, McClendon and Shelton. (Not clear what will happen with Bruss.)
As many have noted this could be a very deep OL, though in terms of its quality, much depends on Jackson, as we all know.
There are other OL getting good buzz from camp and the pre-season. The names I have heard are Miller, Thomas, and McAllister. Miller is actually the son of Fred Miller, the Rams ROT in 99. I can’t be certain which of the new OL players who performed well this summer will stick, but I do know the depth will very likely continue into the practice squad.
One of the things that seems to be happening is that, as mentioned, Ryan Wendall is looking like he’s a very good OL coach. Interestingly, Wendall’s background includes being coached as a player by NE’s great (in fact, legendary) OL coach Dante Scarnecchia, and then working with former Rams OL coach Aaron Kromer as an assistant OL coach in Buffalo in 2022. (His stint in Buffalo included, interestingly, working with Rodger Saffold, who was a Bills guard in 2022).
znModeratorChris Jones wants Aaron Donald-type money, which means a salary in the area of $30 million per year https://t.co/Js9QOxNQ95
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) August 26, 2023
znModeratorpost from Quora
.someone has pointed out that Stanley Kubrick had his actors stare into the camera and tilt their heads forward to give the impression that they were utter lunatics on the edge of crazed violence.
.
Trump was presumably trying to project strength and determination, but what he’s actually projecting is the desire to attack the hotel handyman with an axe, or possibly to enjoy a bit of the old ultraviolence all horrorshow, o my droogies.
znModerator10 Observations from Rams’ second joint practice with Broncos: Matthew Stafford, Van Jefferson and Kyren Williams shine, while Byron Young shows his speed
Stu Jackson
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The Rams held their second and final joint practice of the week with the Broncos at Denver’s training facility, highlighted by the playmaking of quarterback Matthew Stafford?, wide receiver Van Jefferson and running back Kyren Williams?, as well as outside linebacker Byron Young showcasing his speed.
Here are 10 things that stood out from the session:
1) Havenstein does not practice: Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (neck) did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Rams head coach Sean McVay had said after Wednesday’s practice they were erring on the side of caution with him. Zach Thomas filled in for him at right tackle.
2) Bruss gets snaps again: Thursday marked the second-straight day offensive lineman Logan Bruss practiced and got reps.
3) Scaled back workload for Kupp, but this week was a ramp-up in workload overall: McVay said Thursday that they limited some of the work wide receiver Cooper Kupp did, but the scope of that work Thursday still represented an overall ramp-up in Kupp’s workload over the last four days. Kupp returned to practice earlier this week after dealing with a hamstring injury since Aug. 2.
4) Big day for Jefferson: The approach with Kupp is likely what led to more opportunities Thursday for Jefferson, who capitalized in a couple big days. The highlight of the day was hauling in a deep ball from Stafford toward the sideline by making an aggressive catch through contact that energized him and the rest of Los Angeles’ offense. Earlier in the day, Jefferson hauled in another deep completion from Stafford, who evaded pressure to make the impressive throw.
5) Kyren the pass-catcher: Just like he did throughout training camp, Williams made a play as a pass-catcher. On Thursday, it was on a deep pass from Stafford, and making a contested catch over the defensive back in coverage for the touchdown. Similar to Jefferson’s aggressive catch, this one likewise fired up Williams and the Rams’ offense.
6) Don’t forget about Akers: Running back Cam Akers also had a good day Thursday, generating some chunk plays both in the run-game and as a pass-catcher.
7) Young bringing the heat: The 4.43-second 40-time by the former Tennessee standout at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine was on display throughout Thursday’s practice. Young used that speed to stop Broncos running back Javonte Williams in the flat after Williams caught a pass from Denver quarterback Russell Wilson.
8) Young bringing the heat, again: A few plays after that stop, Young used that speed to bring pressure on Wilson that forced him to get the ball out quickly on a short pass to Williams.
9) Other pressures of note: Nose tackle Bobby Brown III’s pressure on one particular play forced Wilson to get the ball out quickly, and while it was completed to the intended receiver, defensive back Jordan Fuller delivered a hard “thud” tackle. Outside linebacker Michael Hoecht also got pressure on Wilson that forced him to throw the ball the way.
10) Ending on a high note: A batted Wilson pass by defensive back Russ Yeast in the endzone was corralled by defensive back Quentin Lake for the heads-up interception. Shortly thereafter, defensive back Derion Kendrick broke up a Wilson pass intended for wide receiver Courtland Sutton in the endzone.
znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue·Rams wrap joint practices with spirited showing vs. BroncosThe Los Angeles Rams wrapped up joint practices with the Denver Broncos on Thursday, and the biggest headline (on the Rams’ side) was receiver Cooper Kupp declaring that he’s “on track” for the season-opener in Seattle on Sept. 10. Kupp returned to practice this week after missing almost three weeks with a hamstring issue, and hasn’t lost a step with quarterback Matthew Stafford. More on that coming later in the Los Angeles Rams feed at The Athletic.
Meanwhile, here are some notes and observations specifically from 11-on-11 work in today’s joint practice. I watched a lot of the Rams’ first-team offense and first-team defense. The teams switch fields between periods. The notes I will put here are a product of what I could see, and am able to report under the parameters of the credential:
- Let’s start with first-team 11-on-11s. Rob Havenstein is still out (neck) and Logan Bruss got some time working at second-team left tackle, so Zach Thomas filled in on the right side. The Broncos defense brought more energy and more pressure on Thursday. Stafford hit a pressure-beater pass to Kyren Williams in the flat, and then would have been “sacked” as outside linebacker Nik Bonitto blew through the right side of the line. Stafford also missed Puka Nacua on a route miscommunication on the series.
- On the second team, Stetson Bennett had a pass batted down in the flat by Drew Sanders, then hit Tyler Johnson on a crosser. Bennett’s sidearm under pressure was incomplete, but he then hit rookie tight end Davis Allen in the seam.
- Back to Stafford and the first team. He got a pass off to tight end Tyler Higbee in the seam, but Denver argued it would have been a “sack” by Josey Jewell (quarterbacks can’t get hit in practice, nor is full-on blocking or pass-rushing allowed because of contact rules). Jewell also nearly picked off Stafford on a miscommunication but the play was flagged and didn’t count. Stafford and receivers rallied; he threw a deep ball downfield to Van Jefferson who had a step and a half on his coverage and it would have been a touchdown if the play were allowed to complete. Denver did argue for a “sack” on that play. Stafford then hit receiver Kupp on a well-timed out-breaking route and Kupp toe-tapped ahead of the sideline to end the period.
- During the workout, Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy was carted off the practice field with an apparent leg injury.
- When the fields flipped, I got to see a little Rams defense in 11-on-11s. Michael Hoecht got pressure and pursuit on Russell Wilson, who didn’t have open receivers downfield and threw the ball away.
- Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham hit a red zone touchdown against the Rams’ backup defense.
- When the first team came back onto the field, outside linebacker Byron Young blanketed a Wilson pass to the flat.
- Tight end Adam Trautman gained a handful of yards on a catch-and-run play, and then receiver Marvin Mims caught about a 15-yard pass near the far sideline with Kendrick covering; position coach Aubrey Pleasant did push-ups after the play which indicates the defense played the wrong call. Russ Yeast nearly picked off a missile of a seam ball to Kendall Hinton, but couldn’t connect with it and Hinton secured the catch. This time, the Rams defense argued a sack.
- Wilson targeted a lot of shorter and mid-range concepts through the day, but did unfurl a deep shot to Hinton. Cobie Durant was in tight coverage on Hinton and if the ball was on-target it would have been a great contested catch opportunity for both players.
- On the far field, Jefferson secured another deep catch – this time amid some contact – and was really fired up afterward.
- The Rams’ tandem of first-string running backs, Cam Akers and Kyren Williams, both had one of their best weeks of practice to date. But it was Williams who had the play of the day on the Rams’ side, when he went up and over a defensive back to catch a touchdown late in the day. He punted the ball in celebration as his teammates cheered him on.
- Stidham threw another deep shot for a touchdown against the reserve defense, this time to receiver Michael Bandy over the arms of defensive back Vincent Gray.
- The Rams’ first-team defense ended their day on a positive note in two-minute. Yeast tipped a Wilson pass and Quentin Lake intercepted it; defensive tackle Kobie Turner had the pressure that hastened Wilson’s throw. Kendrick then broke up a pass to end the day’s practice for the offense and defensive units.
August 24, 2023 at 6:48 pm in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #145014znModeratorJourdan doing her part, to lower expec-tations.
If the Rams need Joe Noteboom to be a good player, my expectations are now lowered. w vI didn’t read Rodrigue that way, ie. that they need Noteboom per se. In fact all reports on Rams OL play this summer rate Anchrum’s play very highly. I just thought Rodrigue was getting at the idea that the Rams need to settle who their “best 5” line is sooner rather than later, and the Rams delaying that because of NB’s latest injury doesn’t help things. The Rams also haven’t named a starter yet between Allen and Shelton.
BTW I’m not certain I agree with her that they need to name the starting OL pronto, like right now. I’m not sure that’s as crucial as JR argues it is.
The good news from that article IMO is that everyone is pretty high on the new OL coach, Wendall. Fwiw, no one had spoken of the 2 previous McV OL coaches, Kromer and Cadberry the way they’re speaking of Wendall now (though Kromer did have a long history of success, which continues to this day in Buffalo). We’ll see if the positive buzz on Wendall holds up.
August 24, 2023 at 1:25 pm in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #145012znModeratorRams’ ‘best 5’ O-linemen still aren’t playing together — and that could be a problem
Jourdan Rodrigue
https://theathletic.com/4799764/2023/08/23/rams-offensive-line-problems/
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Like he has for the last few practices, Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Joe Noteboom went through individual drills ahead of Wednesday’s joint practices with the Denver Broncos. Then, still in his pads and helmet, Noteboom stood to the side as team drills began.
Noteboom, who tore his Achilles last season but was cleared for full participation as training camp began last month, is dealing with what head coach Sean McVay says is an unrelated injury (and has declined to share more detail). I have watched Noteboom closely during and after practices, and have noted his effort in workouts with team medical and athletic training staff, as he works to return from that injury.
He’s clearly trying to come back, but Noteboom missing time right now is significant. He may eventually be the Rams’ starting right guard, but he has taken few reps there and when he did, they were in rotation with Tremayne Anchrum. In fact, the Rams moved him away from a competition at left tackle and into a new competition at right guard with just a few days left in their Irvine, Calif., training camp. In everyone’s perfect scenario, Noteboom would have gotten productive snaps in joint practices against both the Las Vegas Raiders last week, and the Broncos this week.
After all, McVay has emphasized, and re-emphasized the importance of getting the Rams’ “best five” offensive linemen consistent snaps with each other, and with quarterback Matthew Stafford. But all of the sudden, it’s late August. And while I think I know what the line will look like into the regular season — Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Noteboom, Rob Havenstein — I haven’t seen that group get any consistent competitive work together.
I asked McVay on Wednesday whether he believes that, when healthy, Noteboom is one of the Rams’ best five.
“I think he’s played that way during camp,” McVay said. “The interesting thing is, to get better at football you have to be able to play football. We want to be able to find that five, and the way it fits together. It’s hard to be able to see that when you don’t have people out here. All we can do is continue to work with the guys that are available. Want to see them continue to take steps in the right direction.
“But,” he added, “I’ve been super pleased with the camp that Joe has had. I think he’s played outstanding at tackle and guard. When he gets back, we’ll have to figure out which one of those spots we want to be able to rep him at.”
Let’s say Noteboom gets back next week. Or the week after. Or in time for the season opener in Seattle on Sept. 10. Based on what McVay is saying, it seems like Noteboom will go to right guard — where he has taken very few reps either in practice, competitive joint practices or in games, and where the language and technique is completely different than at left tackle. Noteboom was rotating with Jackson at left tackle through the first part of training camp. But with a few days left in those Irvine sessions, Noteboom started rotating at right guard and spent little time rotating at left tackle. McVay noted Noteboom’s ability at tackle, too, but moving him to left tackle and Jackson away from the position he’s played competitively for a solid month would be insane, and I’d be really surprised if that’s an option.
It’s a positive thing that, through the injury-riddled chaos of 2022, the Rams discovered undrafted free-agent Jackson’s knack for left tackle. That doesn’t absolve the fact that Jackson was already on the roster when the Rams signed Noteboom to a three-year, $40 million extension ahead of the 2022 season with the intent that he would be their starting left tackle. Previously, in between significant injuries, Noteboom had also played left guard and was the extra tackle in jumbo run-blocking sets. The Rams may not have had enough data back then to discern Jackson as their future at left tackle, but they certainly were aware of Noteboom’s injury history.
Let me be quite clear: I don’t believe their current issues are something Noteboom, Jackson or any of these players should get blamed for. Noteboom can’t help the injuries, and he certainly has very little say in the way he’s gotten moved around from position to position over the last couple of years. He also is more than capable of handling the mental toll such positional whiplash demands. And, lest we forget, Noteboom was prepared to return from an Achilles tear in less than a year, and the effort he had to have put into rehabbing behind the scenes must have been enormous. All Jackson has done is win a job. Offensive line coach Ryan Wendell has been praised by coaches and players alike for his efforts in maximizing the group and especially bringing along young players like Avila, who will likely start at left guard.
No, this goes deeper than the players or assistant coach, or seems to. This reeks of inconsistent position philosophy in a post-Andrew Whitworth world, of fluctuating and perhaps even at times impulsive decision-making by an organization that must figure out what type of personality it wants its offensive line to have, and then to stick with it. The Rams are already learning a big lesson from their need-based selection of lineman Logan Bruss at pick No. 104 in the 2022 draft, who they plugged in at guard because they had to fill the spot despite it not being his natural position; Bruss is now relearning the right tackle job for the first time in the NFL with mixed results. Position flexibility is an applauded quality by coaches toward linemen (Side question: Have we considered whether the linemen applaud it?). But it’s really supposed to be an adjustment to a problem: One player goes down, so another can fill in wherever in a pinch. Too much shuffling is not a way to maximize potential of one player, in the right role that is specific to their abilities. Just because a lineman can play multiple roles, should they have to?
Football is cruel. It will hurt you if it can. It brutalized Stafford last season to the tune of 29 sacks, 63 hits, two trips to the concussion protocol and one bruised spinal cord, all in just nine games. One month ago, McVay said this as the Rams prepared to open training camp: “We want to do everything in our power to make sure we’re protecting him. We left him … whether it was play call, scheme, there (are) a lot of different reasons. … We want to do a much better job of keeping him upright. There’s a lot of things that go hand in hand with that.”
Is McVay concerned that this group still doesn’t have a solidified five players playing every rep together this close to the start of the 2023 season?
“You know what, I’m not going to waste my time with stuff that, hey — is it ideal? No. But it’s not something that I’m gonna waste any sort of time on,” he said. “When those guys are back, we’ll continue to coach them up. But in the meantime, we’ve got minimal opportunities to be able to get better.”
To Stafford’s credit, he’s feeling great and he said directly that he’s not concerned about all of the shuffling.
“I think everybody that has been in there has been doing a great job,” Stafford said, “and I think Wendy (Wendell) is doing a great job getting them ready to go. Whoever we have in there at the time, man, let’s go play. I can’t sit there and think about anything other than what I’m seeing on the back end, or trying to get us into the right play. Those guys have been doing a great job. I think the biggest thing that we’re stressing, and those guys are showing, is just (to) play with an attitude. We’re a big front when we got those guys out there. Go play physical.”
That’s fair and a good comment by a team leader who wants to just “go play.”
But up front, who will be doing that?
August 24, 2023 at 11:03 am in reply to: the 2023 OL thread (w/ definitive article posted on 5/30) #145011znModeratorBlaine Grisak@bgrisakTSTTremayne Anchrum hasn’t allowed a single pressure all preseason while Joe Noteboom continues to not be able to practice.znModeratorQB1 getting his no-look pass repetitions in before regular season 👀🎯 pic.twitter.com/kUerj5XU1N
— Rams Tapes 🥶 (@RamsTapes) August 24, 2023
znModeratorZac Stevens@ZacStevensDNVRHave to imagine Sean Payton was pretty disappointed with the Broncos’ offense today vs Rams. Two of his biggest focuses have been conditioning & discipline, specifically on pre-snap penalties Today, Payton said: “We had too many false starts. I thought we tired pretty quickly”…Payton told reporters that he was not really worried about today but that tomorrow will be a big practice for them because they have a chance to clean up their mistakes.<p id=”yX7506″>“It’s not what I’m hoping to see on film today, it’s what I’m hoping to see tomorrow with the corrections. I thought on the offensive field where I was, we had too many false starts. I thought we tired pretty quickly. They were [playing] a lot of plays, relative to maybe what they’re used to, and even more than what a real game would present. I think it’s good from a conditioning standpoint. Mentally, there’s some mental toughness that’s required to play—poise. All those things are required, not only to play, but to play well and to win. Those challenges came up a little bit. We’ll watch those on tape. The key is making the corrections, and hopefully not having to see the same mistake from the same player again.”</p>
<p id=”EzH0Wz”>Another thing the offense struggled today with was drops. Payton noted that the mental and physical fatigue likely was a cause of this, but he still was not happy about it. He finished his answer on the subject by saying “If your job is a receiver, you’re paid to catch. It’s pretty simple.”.</p>
<p id=”ObHZVQ”>“They’re probably a little bit of both. They come from fatigue, they come from concentration, and at some point, they have to go away. Periodically, I’ve had really good receivers that might drop a pass early in a game and then you wouldn’t see it again. [Former Saints WR] Marques Colston, once in a blue moon, would have an early drop, and he’d always exit the sideline wherever I wasn’t. But then he’d come back and catch 15 balls or 12 balls. There were a few out there today from a handful of different players. If your job is a receiver, you’re paid to catch. It’s pretty simple.”</p>
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