from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/11/rams-sean-mcvay-better-mood-offseason-goff-stafford/

[McVay on Stafford]

“So this guy, he’s a special guy,” McVay said. “I think one of the best ways that I can describe him, when you hear people that have been around him, there’s a known confidence where when he walks into a room, you always feel his presence. But he’s got a great humility about himself that everybody loves being around him. He’s one of those guys that I think is a true igniter. Makes everybody around him better. I feel like I’ve become a better coach in the few months that we’ve been able to spend together and we’re looking forward to doing a lot of good things together.”

…

After the Rams wrapped up practice, McVay met with members of the media for his usual press conference. And while he said he was still in a good mood, he opened the media session by saying his words were taken out of context and his comments weren’t about Goff being gone.

He clarified that he’s excited about the team as a whole, and it’s not exclusively about the quarterback change.

“I hate that I even have to say this, but I think I made a comment earlier that was definitely taken out of context. I am very excited, I have been in a good mood because of the confidence that I have in this team,” McVay added. “But by no means is that a slight to anybody like Jared, who has done a phenomenal job for the last four years here. I hated that I even have to address that, but I do think out of respect for him and all the good things he’s done. I am in a good mood, but that doesn’t mean it’s not because we’re working together, or because of just Stafford exclusively. There’s a lot of good things going on that I feel really good about and I’m confident about.”

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/10/rams-bengals-zac-taylor-cooper-kupp-jamarr-chase-similarities/?taid=60c31811a6698a0001b8760f&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=twitter

Bengals coach Zac Taylor spent two years with the Los Angeles Rams on Sean McVay’s staff in 2017 and 2018, first as an assistant wide receivers coach and then as the quarterbacks coach. He worked closely with Cooper Kupp during his time in L.A. and now he’ll get to coach Ja’Marr Chase, the star rookie out of LSU who was the first receiver drafted this year.

[Taylor said Chase is] … “Similar to Cooper Kupp in the sense that he’s got unbelievable body control. He’s running full speed but when he judges where the ball is at, he can shut his body down and have that great control to have that great run after the catch to maximize it. Oh yeah, and is hard to bring down on first contact just like Cooper. He usually makes that first guy miss or pulls through the tackle and then he’s got the top-end speed.”

from Rodrigue: https://theathletic.com/2645361/2021/06/10/rams-finally-reunite-with-fans-in-sofi-sean-mcvay-comments-on-his-new-qb-and-practice-observations/?source=emp_shared_article

Two players who made a consistent impression

Lots of players flash during these limited, lighter workouts, but two up-and-comers have specifically left a strong impression on McVay.

Third-year cornerback David Long moved with impressive speed and intentionality through drills on Thursday night, and has been getting a ton of work at first-team outside cornerback in seven-on-sevens throughout OTAs and minicamp (which I am now able to report, since McVay discussed it publicly). Part of this was due to sheer need, because largely starters Darious Williams and Jalen Ramsey had not been participating in the on-field work (Ramsey did through minicamp). But when his number was called, Long showed up — and McVay has high expectations for him this season.

“I think he’s done a great job,” said McVay. “He’s really done a nice job elevating his game at the outside location. He has been a guy who has some position flexibility inside, but I think he’s done a really nice job of growing. … You’ve seen him tangibly improve throughout the course of this offseason because the one thing that we have done full-speed is a lot of seven-on-seven.

“I’ve been really pleased with David, and he is a guy that we are going to count on — and we’re expecting him to be a big-time contributor for us.”

Long could step into fill the role held by Troy Hill in 2020. Hill, who signed with Cleveland in free agency, was able to move inside and outside as needed in order to help unlock Ramsey’s flexibility in the Star package and on the outside, depending on the matchup.

Meanwhile, tight end Jacob Harris is breathing some rare air for a rookie fourth-rounder — and it’s not just hype and circumstance, according to McVay. Harris has been taking the bulk of first-team tight end reps along with Johnny Mundt in what media is able to watch (again, now able to report this since McVay has since discussed it publicly). Part of this is due to Tyler Higbee’s absence in live team activities (Higbee is present and undergoing his own programming). But there are a few other tight ends on the roster who have more experience — whom Harris got reps over especially in the last week of work.

“I think he’s just earned it,” said McVay of Harris’ increased role over a rapid period. “Obviously Tyler is the lead dog … he’s one of the most complete tight ends in this league, and when he’s feeling good, Tyler Higbee can do it all for us. Jacob Harris is a great addition to that room.

“I think he’s a guy that has a tremendous amount of upside. (Tight ends coach) Wes Phillips has done a really nice job of getting him up to speed. His natural range, catch radius, body control for a player of his size is pretty rare. I think you guys can see — for NFL guys to stand out the way that he has done, in some of these limited settings, in shorts and in helmets, he’s definitely made a positive impression.”

Harris has worked pretty exclusively with Phillips through the spring, so that is the indicator he’ll be a “tight end” — which I’ll say with a wink, because McVay made it clear that he’s a player they can move all over the place in the passing game outside of the traditional tight end assignments.

Catch of the day

The best throw and catch of the day came in individual drills, off a tightly wound 40-yarder down the sideline from Stafford to veteran receiver DeSean Jackson — who happened to secure the catch right in front of team owner Stan Kroenke, who attended the day’s events.

Quick notes from the workout

• Receiver and second-round draft pick Tutu Atwell continued to get some work on punt return, as did Trishton Jackson, Landen Akers, J.J. Koski and running back Raymond Calais. Special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis worked his way throughout the drills, and his energy was palpable (and audible). Veteran punter Johnny Hekker mentioned that it’s more helpful to have a “live leg” on punt return reps, particularly with the Rams attempting to establish a full-time player in that role; Brandon Wright handled those duties and also pegged in a few kickoffs.

• Harris did drop one ball — after a catch on a quick slant and a little contact that surprised him — but it’s clear that McVay has taken a great interest in the rookie because he immediately went up to him individually and made a ball-security tucking motion with his arm, then patted Harris on the back before moving on through the drills.

• Left tackle Andrew Whitworth was present, though not practicing, so Joe Noteboom naturally took the starting left tackle snaps. Interestingly, during the quarterback/offensive line warmups, Brian Allen moved to right guard on the second team while Coleman Shelton took center snaps. Allen and Shelton are still considered by McVay to be depth at center as the Rams try out former right guard Austin Corbett at center through the summer. Whitworth did get pretty involved all the same, taking extra time to coach up young tackles Chandler Brewer and Max Pircher — the latter of whom joined the Rams via the International Pathways program from Italy.

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Sean McVay on Jacob Harris as an all-over tight end or in-line tight end: “It’s a little bit too soon (to determine), but what would I would say is the smart thing would be if he can play in a variety of spots, that’s going to be the way we can put the most pressure on people.”

McVay said they’ll get a better chance to evaluate that once the pads come on in training camp.

As DB drills get underway (Raheem Morris and Jonathan Cooley involved as the passers), McVay goes over to catch up with Jalen Ramsey – who is now wearing No. 5: pic.twitter.com/OhrLpMedQO

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) June 11, 2021

Stafford (far portion of frame) to Jackson pic.twitter.com/FtIYXwhSF9

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) June 11, 2021

Merlin Olsen plays his last game in L.A.#Rams pic.twitter.com/7idTVgrUzD

— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) June 10, 2021

DeSean Jackson receives strong signals about Rams’ potential​

* https://www.ocregister.com/2021/06/08/desean-jackson-receives-strong-signals-about-rams-potential/

THOUSAND OAKS — In 13 NFL seasons, DeSean Jackson has caught passes for very good teams and very bad teams.

Knowing what makes certain teams championship contenders, he already sees the 2021 Rams in that class.

“First day I came here, man, I could see there was something different about this team. The camaraderie, the mentality, you could tell it’s something special,” Jackson, the L.A. native and former Long Beach Poly star who signed with the Rams in March, said Tuesday after the first practice of a three-day minicamp.

“I’ve been on teams where certain individuals had contract issues or personal issues or had a situation with the GM or (another) player. When you come here, you don’t feel none of that. You feel like everybody’s on the same page, everybody has one common goal. All the personal stuff, the outside world, none of that matters.”

Jackson sees it starting at the top with the coach and star players.

“(It’s) Sean McVay setting the tone, and having guys like Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford, Robert Woods, Coop (Cooper Kupp), I could go on and on. The energy is great here,” Jackson said of his head coach and new teammates.

He compared these Rams to the team he joined as a second-round draft pick from Cal. Those were the 2008 Eagles coached by Andy Reid and led by Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Brian Dawkins. They went to the NFC championship game, only to be upset by Arizona.

“They had a demeanor,” Jackson said of the veterans. “Those guys held accountability for every player from top to bottom.”

One test of the all-for-one culture Jackson sees could come in the wide receiver group, which has more hands competing for touches since Jackson, 34, and second-round draft pick Tutu Atwell joined Kupp, Woods and Van Jefferson. (Josh Reynolds departed.)

Jackson calls it a “scary group,” and is counting on the maturity of the receivers to embrace their roles as McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford decide who gets the ball.

“In the NFL, there’s always other great guys. It’s not me, me, me,” Jackson said. “As you get older, you understand the Patriots of the world, the Steelers. They have a system, and once you understand that system, it’s kind of interchangeable. Every guy can be the next man up.”

Jackson’s comfort with the Rams is enhanced by his familiarity with the playbook, since McVay was Washington’s offensive coordinator when Jackson was there.

Said McVay of Jackson: “He’s always been a really smart player. And fortunately, because of our pre-existing relationship, if I’ve changed the vernacular or verbiage on some things, (I can) say, ‘Hey, what you knew as ‘NASCAR’ is now ‘spear.’”

Said Jackson of McVay: “The only thing I can say has changed about him is he’s got a lot more smarter. And he already was smart.”

Jackson hopes the team spirit he has seen so far continues from June to January.

“It’s all pieces to the puzzle,” he said, “and if everybody plays their part, you have something special.”

Rams expecting 30,000 fans to attend minicamp practice at SoFi Stadium https://t.co/Tw8GSr5WCU

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) June 10, 2021

Matthew Stafford can’t pass on complimenting Rams’ versatile receiving corps

Gary Klein

https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2021-06-09/matthew-stafford-receivers-rams

He broadened his knowledge of coach Sean McVay’s offense. Timing with receivers and other skill players began to come together. Teammates now have a feel for their new leader.

But Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said Wednesday that when he arrived in Southern California for offseason workouts — after 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions — he did so without specific expectations about how the first phase of his transition would unfold.

“I just showed up here, tried to be myself every single day, know I was going to make mistakes, try to get better along the way,” Stafford told reporters after the team’s penultimate minicamp workout, “and then I’ll try to do that for as long as I’m in this uniform.”

Stafford, acquired in a January trade for quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round draft picks, will practice in front of Rams fans Thursday at SoFi Stadium. Stafford, 33, will use the final workout to familiarize himself with sight lines, the scoreboard and play clocks in the $5-billion Inglewood stadium.

“All that kind of stuff you’ve got to get used to at a home stadium,” he said during a videoconference.

After Thursday’s workout, the Rams will break for summer and reconvene for training camp in late July. Stafford said he would continue to work with teammates during player-organized throwing sessions.

Trying to get in sync as much as we possibly can be heading into training camp,” Stafford said. “Trying to really just dive in and make sure that when we come back, I’m ready to lead this thing and go.”

Receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Van Jefferson and rookie Tutu Atwell will be among Stafford’s principal targets in an offense that is expected to approach or surpass production that characterized the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

After two weeks of organized-team activities and the minicamp, Stafford was impressed.

“We’ve got a lot of talented guys in that group,” he said. “Some veteran guys that know what they’re doing and some young guys that are learning quickly as well.”

Woods, a ninth-year pro, is a “proven player,” Stafford said.

“He does a great job of slash running after he catches the football,” Stafford said, “He’s really smooth in and out of his breaks.”

Kupp, entering his fifth NFL season, caught Stafford’s attention with his understanding of defenses.

“It’s something, as a quarterback, that is a lot of fun to have, a guy out there you know is thinking and seeing the game the same way that you are,” Stafford said.

Jackson, 34, shows no sign of slowing down after 13 seasons, the last two in Philadelphia marred by injuries.

“He still has the long speed that I see,” Stafford said. “He’s running great.”

Stafford said Jefferson, a second-year pro, has size to create mismatches and speed to separate from defenders. The speedy Atwell catches the ball away from his body well.

Jefferson, 24, first met Stafford in 2009. Stafford was selected No. 1 overall in the draft by the Lions, who employed his father, Shawn Jefferson, as a receivers coach.

“He remembered me from being a little kid,” Jefferson said, adding that it was “ironic” their paths crossed again.

Jefferson said Stafford and the receivers were getting more comfortable.

Rams defensive players also have welcomed the opportunity to be tested by Stafford.

“Very experienced, very seasoned, so he knows how to manipulate safeties’ eyes — all that stuff,” third-year safety Taylor Rapp said, adding that Rams defensive backs are “always trying to compete against the best.

“To be able compete against him in practice, and all of training camp, that’s something that we’re looking forward to.”

When training camp opens at UC Irvine, Stafford will begin preparing for a season that marks a new beginning. Stafford led the Lions to the playoffs three times but never won a postseason game.

Now he will lead a team that is expected to contend for a berth in the Super Bowl, which will be played at SoFi Stadium.

Stafford is looking forward to the next phase of his career.

“I know I have a big challenge in front of me, to make sure that I’m leading this team as best as I possibly can,” he said. “All they want from me is to play at a high level and do things the right way, so that’s what I’m going to try and do.”

The NFL will spend up to $1 million funding studies that will examine how to better help players ease their pain and find alternatives to opioids. Potential alternatives include marijuana and other cannabis-derived products.

by @teresamwalker
https://t.co/go6SQGvZXO

— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) June 8, 2021

from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/06/09/rams-rankings-pff-secondary-top-10/

Johnson and Hill are both gone after signing with the Browns in free agency, leaving the secondary a bit thinner.

However, Pro Football Focus still views it as one of the 10 best in football, ranking the Rams’ secondary ninth in the NFL.

The Rams would rank higher here had they been able to bring back John Johnson III and Troy Hill from the league’s most efficient defense last season. Instead, both took their talents to Cleveland.

Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams are still in place, though, and they formed one of the best cornerback tandems in the league last season. Of the 100 cornerbacks to record at least 250 coverage snaps in 2020, 20 players allowed fewer than one yard per coverage snap. Ramsey (0.5) and Williams (0.9) were both among that group. Los Angeles just needs younger players, such as Terrell Burgess and David Long Jr., to step up and replace the starters lost in free agency.

Matthew Stafford passes to DeSean Jackson as the #LARams kick off minicamp at their facility in Thousand Oaks. Only notable absence, albeit an excused one, is Aaron Donald. Team spokesman says he’s dealing a family issue that had been communicated in advance. pic.twitter.com/4ttC2cZtB1

— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) June 8, 2021