from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/07/12/rams-matthew-stafford-quarterback-rankings-nfl/?taid=60ed724342801a0001ff1072&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

He’s always been talented, but Stafford is now being vaulted into the conversation as a top-10 quarterback. Mark Schofield of Touchdown Wire sees him as just that, ranking him No. 9 on his list of the best quarterbacks in football.

There is a case to be made that all of the throws and plays that Patrick Mahomes makes on a weekly basis were things that Matthew Stafford was doing during his time with the Detroit Lions. On a traits basis, Stafford remains one of the most talented passers in the league. His ability to make any throw to any level of the field, as well as how he can drop the arm slot to adjust to pressure in his face and/or off the edge, is an elite trait that keeps him atop lists like this one.

Schofield argues that in McVay’s system that’s filled with play action and misdirection, it “could lead to some of the best football of Stafford’s career.”

The cost to be a decent person is 0.00. pic.twitter.com/aXHR5BzBHp

— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) July 12, 2021

NFL suffers setback in Rams relocation litigation

* https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/07/12/nfl-suffers-setback-in-rams-relocation-litigation/

The massive lawsuit filed by St. Louis against the NFL over the relocation of the Rams will (barring a settlement) culminate with a full-blown trial, which is due to begin just as the Rams prepare to host a Super Bowl in their new stadium. Along the way, the two sides will engage in many battles. Today, St. Louis scored a major victory in one of them.

Via Randy Karraker of 101 ESPN, a judge has ruled that the plaintiffs in the litigation shall have access to information regarding the financial worth of Commissioner Roger Goodell and five NFL owners: Rams owner Stan Kroenke, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Giants owner John Mara, and former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.

The outcome has significance in large part because really rich people never want to be forced to disclose details about what they have. For a judge to tell six of the wealthiest men in America that they must turn over that information represents the kind of slap in the face that folks holding that kind of power and money rarely if ever experience.

The reason for the conclusion has significance as well. The judge, who made the ruling from the bench (which means the evidence pointing to it was clear), concluded that clear and convincing proof exists to support a finding that those individuals operated in a fraudulent manner. As to the rest of the owners, St. Louis has 10 days to present evidence supporting that they should be forced to surrender their financial information as well.

The financial information has relevance as to the question of punitive damages. If a jury ultimately decides that the NFL and one or more owners operated in a way that justifies an award over and above the money actually lost by the St. Louis plaintiffs because of the move, the financial worth of the defendant becomes critical to determining proper punishment. The more money someone has, the greater the award needed to punish those individuals for engaging in bad behavior and deterring others in the future from conducting themselves in a similar manner.

So, in other words, the judge is satisfied that enough evidence exists as to the individuals listed above for a reasonable jury to conclude that an award of punitive damages should be entered against them. That conclusion alone suggests that plenty of evidence exists to support that someone from the NFL and/or one of its teams said or did something that he shouldn’t have said or done in connection with the relocation of the Rams.

Part of the evidence includes a phone call from 2013 between Kroenke, Goodell, Mara, and Steelers owner Art Rooney (it’s unclear based on Karraker’s tweets whether Rooney is required to surrender his financial information at this point). During the conversation, Kroenke said, “I’m going to buy two parcels of land and build a stadium in L.A.,” and that he’s trying very hard to stay under the radar screen and keep it hidden. Goodell said, “We will respect your confidentiality.”

Rams COO Kevin Demoff later gave Goodell talking points regarding the land purchase for his pre-Super Bowl press conference in 2014. Here’s part of what he said, at a time when Goodell already knew that Kroenke intended to build a stadium on the land he had purchased:“Stan is a very successful developer. He has billions of dollars of projects that are going on around the country in real estate development. So I think instead of overreacting, we should make sure we do what’s necessary to continue to support the team locally as the fans have done in St. Louis. And make sure we do whatever we can to make sure that team is successful in the St. Louis market. . . . There are no plans to my knowledge of a stadium development.” (Emphasis added.)

Also, Jones admitted during his deposition in the case that he urged Kroenke to move the Rams. One day after the vote approving the move happened, the Rams signed a contract with Legends Hospitality (partially owned by Jones) to sell PSLs and luxury suites.

Pre-1982 sack totals have been updated and Rams Hall of Famers Deacon Jones, Jack Youngblood are two of the greatest beneficiaries.

Deacon Jones had three seasons of 21.5-plus sacks and is unofficially 3rd all-time in career sacks. https://t.co/zgYwiBLkFf

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) July 12, 2021

Brandon Staley on Jalen Ramsey, from https://theathletic.com/2700823/2021/07/12/brandon-staley-qa-chargers-coach-on-developing-player-relationships-justin-herbert-otas-install-and-more/

I use that word — “express themselves” — because I mean it. It’s a partnership. That’s why I love the NFL. You have to make sure that that guy has a big voice in how you do things, because he can help you. He can see a lot of things that are happening out there that can really help you. You can say, “Hey, we can do this one of two ways.” And then he makes the way that he wants work. We’re always going to be wired that way. “We’ve got two really good solutions. What are you more comfortable with?”

I just think that’s the best way to do business. And then you’re always current during the week, and then when you get to the signal caller meetings that he and I had all the time, they were like quarterback meetings where he’s ranking the third downs. “Hey, these are the coverages I like the best. This is where I want to be in the red area.” So he’s fully aware of why we’re doing everything and there’s no surprises for him on game day. I think that collaboration is ultimately why we had the year that we had. He had a huge impact on me.

The Rams are making a high-stakes bet along the offensive line this year, in more ways than one position switch. Plus, a “prediction” about your backup alignment. Preview series continues this week: https://t.co/fT1OniSkPP

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) July 12, 2021

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Rams position preview: OL betting on position switch at center and big year from Andrew Whitworth

Jourdan Rodrigue

The Los Angeles Rams’ rookies and quarterbacks report to training camp on July 25, and the veteran players arrive shortly afterward. In the weeks leading up to the return of football — and a “normal” preseason, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team, so we can tide you over with football tidbits until we get there. Previously, we talked about quarterbacks. Today, we’re talking about the Rams’ offensive line.

If the Rams’ offseason bet on quarterback Matthew Stafford gets all the flash and headlines, the one they made on their offensive line entering 2021 might quietly be just as important. With one position change — moving former right guard Austin Corbett to center — they have created two questions, in Corbett and in Bobby Evans, who is slated to take over Corbett’s old spot.

They also have a new offensive line coach in Kevin Carberry, who previously held the same role at Stanford. Head coach Sean McVay has been blending more power concepts with his trademark outside zone scheme for the past couple of years, and in part that has meant shifting the physical prototype of his interior offensive linemen to be a little more stout, and have a little bit more downhill strength, as opposed to the lighter-framed and perhaps quicker guys previously in the position. Between that — seeing his role lose its long-term sustainability — and a low offer from the Rams last spring, former starter Austin Blythe actually took an even lower offer from Kansas City in free agency, setting up the position shift before a training camp competition could have potentially happened.

The Rams clearly had decided to go all-in on their offensive line bet with Corbett in the early spring because despite a lauded 2021 draft class of interior offensive linemen, they didn’t draft one. While Corbett, who was a really solid right guard, could be the answer at center despite never playing a snap at the position in a Rams jersey, the simple fact is that we just don’t know whether this move will work or not — and without a draft pick developing in-house, there’s not a huge range of viable options as a contingency plan.

Additions: (wind whistles through the trees)

In all seriousness, the Rams did add a couple of undrafted free agents, tackle Alaric Jackson and guard/center Jordan Meredith, as well as International Pathways Program player Max Pircher, who is learning the tackle position. These players aren’t likely to make an impact in their rookie season, however, since they’re in need of some development.

Subtractions: Austin Blythe (center)

Projected starters (not reflective of a 53-man cutdown): Andrew Whitworth (LT), David Edwards (LG), Austin Corbett (C), Bobby Evans (RG), Rob Havenstein (RT)

One neat detail, and probably a pretty important one, was that all of the offensive linemen — yes, even the grizzled veterans — were present through the voluntary portions of the spring workouts. This was a good head start that the Rams didn’t have last season (granted, they weren’t featuring new names at two positions) because they will need to build as much continuity as possible and develop an innate sense for how Stafford operates and communicates behind them.

Projected backups (in order, and not reflective of a 53-man cutdown): Joe Noteboom (LT), Chandler Brewer (LG), Brian Allen (C)/Coleman Shelton (C), Jamil Demby (RG)/Allen (RG), Tremayne Anchrum (RT)

I’m not a total downer — I do think that the Rams’ starting offensive line, on paper, has a ton of potential. But the big concern is a lack of trusted depth at a couple of positions, and particularly at center — where Allen spent the entirety of last season rehabilitating a serious leg injury (plus is more in the mold of the centers McVay and the Rams previously slated for the role, versus their new schematic direction), and Shelton has no meaningful experience.

When I advocated for the Rams to draft a center, that player certainly was unlikely to start in his first season (it’s a hard job!) — but could have been good depth, and an heir to the position should the Corbett experiment not work out.

2021 outlook: If this offensive line can stay healthy, there is a lot of upside here because of the general continuity between players (outside of the position change). But it all predicates on the invaluable reps Corbett gets with Stafford in training camp, when the Rams are actually practicing against guys in pads (and Aaron Donald arrives on the scene). The spotlight won’t just be on them in pass protection, either — the Rams’ offensive line was consistently solid in its run-blocking last season, and will welcome back second-year running back Cam Akers into the lead role.

Long-term outlook: Whitworth will turn 40 during the 2021 season, which is simply … remarkable. Even after the knee injury that sidelined him for eight games last season, there’s no reason to think that Whitworth’s excellent play will slip. But it bears repeating that he has an “out” in his contract after this season and has recently remarked on former Rams defensive end Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast that this season could be his last (the caveat being that he’s felt that way for the past seven years or so, but kept playing).

“I was like, if I get through this, I want to try to play until 40,” Whitworth said while discussing a 2013 knee injury with Long. “And that was just like — I didn’t think that was realistic or that it’d ever happen. But I was like, I want to try to do that.

“So this year, to me, it feels like this is it. This is like, I’ve put everything into trying to play this season and play at the level I want to. I feel like this will probably be the end, but I mean, all my closest friends would tell you that I’ve said that for about seven straight years. So I don’t know how believable that is, but it feels like it is.”

The Rams could entrust Noteboom with taking over once the AW era begins (“After Whitworth”), but they face a bit of a complication there, too — he’s in the last year of his contract. If he’s slated for that role in the future, he and his agent have all of the leverage — and good left tackles are hard to draft with no first-round picks, or to find in free agency, as the Rams have known very well since the year they, well, signed Whitworth.

Twitter tells CNN it has removed more than 1,000 Tweets and “permanently suspended a number of accounts” following the online abuse racist abuse directed at some England players following Sunday’s Euro 2020 final defeat.

— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) July 12, 2021

“So anytime I rush…I want to get to the back of his (shoulder) pad…once you get (to the back of his shoulder pads), you can just push him past and just bend the corner; he can’t recover.” – @AaronDonald97 #passrush

via @210ths pic.twitter.com/CVEEuOUeAV

— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) July 12, 2021

zn wrote:

Bucky Brooks: “Given more weapons and a creative play-caller, the one-time Pro Bowler could finally earn MVP talk from the football world.”

Not to mention–given a good defense (MS had that with the Lions only 3 out of 12 years). And, given a good running game (measured by yards per carry MS had that with the Lions only 1 out of 12 years).

And give the fact that the Rams have played from behind far, far less than MS did in Detroit.

All these things add up.

…

Capitol rioter who demanded Pelosi be turned over to be lynched,… cites Bible in court defense https://t.co/fFlrEwsgPE

— Roshan Rinaldi (@Roshan_Rinaldi) July 11, 2021

bobby tree, such a badass, here he is decking pro-bowler jaylon smith who outweighs bobby by 50 pounds! pic.twitter.com/SNWlX379aP

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) July 11, 2021

zn wrote:

For the last 3 seasons, Robert Woods 427 rushing yards (and 4 TDs) is the most of any WR in the league

I’ve said this before in the chat room. But more than any Rams receiver I can remember and even more than most NFL receivers across the years, Woods runs like a running back.

I don’t mean the he has the fancy elusiveness (like Akers) or that he is tough at the point of contact, or any other running back characteristic that involves sheer physical ability.

I mean that he has vision and sees lanes and moves like a running back. It’s just in him, you can see it, both on the jet sweeps and WR screens plus also as a downfield receiver after the catch.

If he were a running back he would have good vision and otherwise be pretty vanilla. As a receiver, though, it’s a plus–not many receivers see the field like a back when the ball is in their hands.

Sean McVay was a first year coach with the @ramsnfl .

Matt Lefleur was the OC. And wouldn’t stop talking in “install” meetings. @bengals HC Zac Taylor was great on “Flying Coach” Episode 4.

“I feel like Matt would intentionally piss me off.” @ringer @gmfb pic.twitter.com/nVV6Rpi6x2

— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) June 9, 2021