49ers reportedly want a first-round pick for Jimmy G. https://t.co/Bn3Qfu8Xbb #WishInOneHandCrapInTheOther

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 4, 2021

New vid on Darious Williams, assessing him very highly. In this thread: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/darious-williams-2/#post-128826

Assessing the draft needs for the NFC West https://t.co/RCStVQSyqc

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) April 3, 2021

This Gaetz story has it all: photos of orgies with underage prostitutes, extortion, Iran, hostages, wiretapped fathers, ill fitting suits, panic tweeting, and that thing where a skeevy Republican congressman blames everyone but himself. #MattGaetzIsAPervert pic.twitter.com/PVCc561kF7

— dailyL (@dailylaney) April 2, 2021

from https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/news/la-rams-options-at-center-with-austin-blythe-in-kansas-city
Here are some options at center for the Rams now that Blythe is in Kansas City.

CURRENTLY ON THE ROSTER

Brian Allen — A fourth-round selection in the 2018 draft by the Rams, Allen started center for nine games in 2019 before suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. Allen was on the active roster last season, but never played as he worked his way back from a torn MCL, torn meniscus and fractured tibia. The Michigan State product is only 25 years; proving that he’s healthy will be a priority for the upcoming season.

Coleman Shelton — The University of Washington product was an All-Pac 12, first team performer his final season with the Huskies two years ago. Shelton was active for all but one game last year, playing exclusively on special teams. It’s interesting that the Rams kept Shelton on the active roster in 2020, perhaps an indication of how they value the versatile offensive lineman moving forward.

Tremayne Anchrum Jr. — A seventh-round selection last season, Anchrum mostly worked at tackle last season, but was viewed by some draft analysts as a candidate to kick inside and play guard in the NFL. Other tackle prospects like Justin Britt of the Houston Texans have moved inside to play center during their NFL careers. If the Rams want to get the team’s best five lineman on the field, it could make sense to move Anchrum. The Rams like the Clemson product and he could be groomed as a developmental center prospect to create more versatility up front.

FREE AGENCY

Austin Reiter — With the Chiefs signing Austin Blythe, Kansas City’s starting center from last season in Reiter is available and could be an inexpensive option for the Rams if they want to add veteran experience in free agency.

James Ferentz — A part-time starter at center for the New England Patriots last season, the Iowa product could be a training camp body that adds experienced competition at a position of need for the Rams.

DRAFT

Quinn Meinerz — One of the top-rated interior offensive linemen in the draft, it’s possible the small-school product out of Wisconsin-Whitewater could be around when the Rams select at the end of the second round. And it appears the Rams are doing their homework on the interior offensive line prospect, reportedly holding a virtual meeting with him in February.

Drew Dalman – Rams new offensive line coach Kevin Carberry coached Dalman at Stanford las year, so he’ll have an intimate knowledge of his skill set. At 6-3 and 300 pounds, Dalman was a two-year starter at center and guard. He played in a pro-style offense for the Cardinal.

Just a reminder that the Rams iLB’s were also ranked the worst heading into the 2020 season and they still had the #1 defense.

Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t improve the position. Think we’re all on board for that in some capacity. https://t.co/SSCe79UKxm

— Rams Brothers (@RamsBrothers) April 2, 2021

matt gatez being escorted to prison pic.twitter.com/yDT7NMYBm5

— Scott Weinberg (@scottEmovienerd) April 1, 2021

Rams QB Matthew Stafford had a procedure on the thumb of his throwing hand that was characterized as "elective" and "minor", per source. More: https://t.co/vt02YYTiUX

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) April 1, 2021

Fate of Chargers’ ownership at stake as Dean Spanos’ sister asks court to force sale

https://www.latimes.com/sports/chargers/story/2021-04-01/dean-spanos-sister-asks-la-court-force-chargers-sale

In an attempt to force the sale of the Chargers, a sister of controlling owner Dean Spanos filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday arguing that mounting debt has imperiled the family’s finances and the only solution is to put the NFL franchise on the market.

The petition by Dea Spanos Berberian, who serves as co-trustee of the family trust along with her brother, alleges the trust’s debts and expenses exceed $353 million. In addition, according to the filing, the trust doesn’t have a plan to pay more than $22 million it has pledged to charities.

“Every day that passes increases the risks that the charitable beneficiaries and the Spanos family legacy will suffer irreparable financial and reputational damage” the petition said.

When the Chargers moved to Los Angeles in 2017 after 56 seasons in San Diego, they faced the daunting task of paying off a $650-million relocation fee to the NFL and building a fanbase in a market crowded with college and professional sports. They now have an emerging superstar at quarterback in Justin Herbert and share the $5-billion SoFi Stadium with the Rams.

But the 156-page filing raises questions about the future of the franchise owned by the Spanos family since 1984 and reveals a family dispute that until now had played out in private.

In a November 2019 letter included with the court filing, Dean Spanos vowed to his three siblings that he would retain an investment bank at the end of the 2024 season in an effort to find a new owner. Berberian contends the situation is too dire to wait.

According to the filing, Berberian “attempted numerous times and numerous ways” to resolve the dispute. That included mediation with a retired L.A. County Superior Court judge that didn’t work.

“Dean refuses to consider a sale of the Trust’s Interest of the Chargers, insisting that the Co-Trustees continue to borrow more and more, and to force the charities and beneficiaries to wait for years and to ‘hope’ while Dean speculates further on a football team,” the petition said. “Dean has failed to present any plan to address the Trust’s bleak financial picture, because there is no other plan than the one urged by [Berberian]. Dean simply refuses to discuss it. … His plan is hope.”

Though Forbes valued the Chargers at $2.6 billion last year, the petition described the team as a “rare trophy asset” and noted that “the price a buyer is willing to pay is often not dictated by any economic metric.” The NFL recently finalized massive new media rights deals that could be worth more than $10 billion per year, something the filing asserts “will certainly attract potential buyers.”

The petition noted reports that Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, worth an estimated $180 billion, is interested in becoming an NFL owner and said “the Chargers could be a perfect opportunity.”

Nearly four decades ago, the family patriarch, Alex Spanos, purchased a majority interest in the San Diego Chargers for $40 million.

His four adult children — Alexandra Spanos Ruhl, Michael Spanos, Dean Spanos and Berberian — each owns 15% of the Chargers. The family trust controls 36% of the team with the remainder owned by nonfamily members. After Alex Spanos and his wife Faye died in 2018, Dean Spanos, the oldest of the four children, and Berberian were left as the sole co-trustees.

The stake in the Chargers makes up 83% of the trust’s holdings. The petition paints a bleak picture of its finances, estimating an annual shortfall of $11 million with little cash flow or reason to believe the numbers will improve. The debt includes $164 million “associated with the Trust’s Interest in the Chargers” and at least $75 million in estate tax.

“Rather than seeking to monetize illiquid assets in order to pay debts and liabilities, and make distributions to beneficiaries, the Co-Trustees have principally been borrowing, including borrowing money from one bank to pay another,” the petition said. “Meanwhile, the trust is so heavily concentrated in owning a minority stake in a professional football team that beneficiaries have no choice but to depend almost solely on the rise or fall of the Team.”

The petition asks the court to order Berberian and Spanos to take steps to sell the trust’s share of the Chargers and invoke a provision of trust law that would require the team’s other shareholders to do the same.

Dean Spanos has controlled the team’s day-to-day management since 1994. His sons have key roles, too. John oversees the team’s football operations and A.G. heads the business side.

“Dean will likely contend that if he is only allowed to use his position as a Co-Trustee to be a speculator … to double and triple down on bad decisions of the past, he can turn things around because there are positive developments at the NFL level that should benefit the Chargers as well,” the petition said. “He also has support from other family members and beneficiaries (though not all).”

Before the Chargers moved to L.A. — the relocation led one columnist to brand Dean Spanos as the “most hated man” in San Diego — he kept a copy of his father’s autobiography in his office. A page was dog-eared for quick reference. It underscored the importance that family played in his decisions.

“A solid family foundation: This is the basis of everything,” the essential passage said. “Without family, you will be left emotionally empty, no matter how fabulous your accomplishments.”

they must be steelers fans https://t.co/pu84rXWR6A

— Steven Ruiz (@theStevenRuiz) April 1, 2021

NFLPA continues to push hard for no in-person work this spring.
Says NFLPA President J.C. Tretter: "The NFL doesn’t get to decide when the pandemic is over, or when we get to stop caring about COVID."

— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) March 31, 2021