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znModeratorRams confident in line, go all-in on adding explosive playmakers to offense
Lindsey Thiry
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Improving coach Sean McVay’s offense has been among the Los Angeles Rams’ top offseason goals.
That became apparent when the Rams completed a blockbuster trade two weeks after a divisional playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick were shipped to Detroit in exchange for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Then in free agency, the Rams signed veteran receiver DeSean Jackson to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, reuniting McVay with one of his top weapons when he served as offensive coordinator in Washington.
And finally, with their first pick in the NFL draft, the Rams selected speedy Louisville receiver Tutu Atwell in the second round.
Now the question looms: Did the Rams do enough to stop the consecutive season decline of their offense and jolt it back to the top of the NFL as they make a push to appear in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium next February?
“There’s no reason that we don’t have very realistic expectations about being a lot better,” said McVay, who is entering his fifth season as coach. “I expect us to be much better and I expect this to be one of the better ones in the league.”
The Rams return eight of 11 starters from an offense that ranked 22nd in efficiency and provided inconsistent support to their top-ranked defense throughout a 10-6 season.
Receivers Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, tight end Tyler Higbee and running back Cam Akers are among the key returners. Receiver Van Jefferson could play an increased role after he flashed during training camp as a rookie, but saw limited game action.
Goff, receiver Josh Reynolds and center Austin Blythe are the starters who have departed.
Despite losing Blythe to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the Rams did not address the position in the draft. McVay said Brian Allen, Coleman Shelton or Austin Corbett could fill the role.
A fourth-year pro, Allen started nine games in 2019 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Shelton has no NFL experience at the position and Corbett’s pro experience at center is limited to the preseason, though he has started 23 games over the last two seasons at guard.
The Rams also did not add any offensive lineman via free agency or the draft despite only adding one linemen in 2019 and with three — Allen, Corbett and tackle Joe Noteboom — set to become unrestricted free agents after the season.
“We’ve got 11 guys who’ve played games that we won,” Rams general manager Les Snead said about the line. “That’s probably as deep a group that’s played as I’ve ever been a part of. So, give those guys credit and they’ve done a heck of a job.”
With the Rams intent on contending for a division title and making a deep playoff run, the positions that came into focus were those that could infuse explosive plays to an offense that fell stagnant a year ago and was considered the Achilles’ heel of a team otherwise poised to make a Super Bowl run.
“We definitely expect to be more explosive,” McVay said, adding “you’ve got to give guys an opportunity to create big plays in a variety of ways.”
Without a true deep-threat receiver last season, the Rams ranked 18th in yards per play (5.54), 21st in passing yards per attempt (7.09) and 26th in passing attempts that were 20 yards more down field (9% of attempts).
With Stafford, McVay is expected to open the playbook and restore an offense that was among the league’s most explosive in 2017 and 2018.
‘There was definitely an intentional approach and process to being able to add a quarterback of Matthew Stafford’s caliber and then surround him with the right pieces,” McVay said about the team’s offseason moves.
Last season in Detroit, Stafford averaged 7.55 yards per attempt (ranked 12th) and 11.7% of his passes were attempts of 20 yards or more downfield (10th).
McVay is expected to call plays that cater to Stafford’s arm strength.
“Sean does a great job of seeing who he has available, who can make plays and getting those guys to football as much as possible,” Stafford said in March. “I feel comfortable with where he’s at, where he is as a playcaller and then making sure he’s going to get us into some great plays.”
After the Rams’ offense shrunk to short and intermediate passes last season, the addition of Jackson and Atwell is expected to create more deep-threat opportunities and create more room in the middle of the field for Woods and Kupp, who each saw their production fall last season after reaching 1,000 receiving yards each in 2019.
“We were able to add guys that bring an elite trade in terms of the ability to stretch the top shelf of the defense,” McVay said. “That’s not exclusive to the ways that you can utilize these guys, but we do want to become a more explosive offense.”
Jackson has recorded the most 60-plus-yard touchdowns (24) in NFL history and ranks sixth all-time in yard per reception (17.4). Though the 34-year-old has dealt with injuries the past two seasons, Jackson expressed confidence he’s on the mend and can remain healthy in his 14th NFL season.
“I’m feeling great, I’m feeling that I’m 100% healthy,” Jackson said in March. “The rehab process has been going very well.”
If Jackson’s injury bug continues, the Rams have an insurance policy in Atwell, who was the No. 57 overall selection and who McVay says possesses some similarities to his more seasoned counterpart.
“He really does an excellent job of tracking the ball effortlessly down the field,” McVay said about Atwell. “I like everything that he stands for, the explosiveness, play-making ability.”
With a mostly virtual offseason, the Rams new-look offense is expected to start taking shape on the field during mandatory minicamp July 15-17.
znModeratorInside the Draft: Adding ‘tough’ Bobby Brown III | Ep. 4
The Rams posted Episode 4 of “Inside the Draft” and Brown was the focus. Senior personnel executive Brian Xanders shared some of what stood out to him about Brown, highlighting his size and impact.
“I was doing some defensive linemen and what was fun about his eval was I got to watch his entire career in one day. Had fun watching it, but what stood out to me was how big he was at 6-4, 325,” he said. “What stood out was really the very good play strength. The other thing was his physical toughness. He hit people, running through people.”
Steve Kazor, the Rams’ Southwest area scout, also described what makes Brown such a fun study, pointing out his versatility as both a run defender and pass rusher.
“If you look at his body, this kid is a man,” Kazor said. “When you look at his lower body, you can see the thickness in his posterior and thickness in his thighs. He can play whatever you want him to play. He can stuff the double-teams in the run, he can shed, he can make tackles. He’ll help us in the pass rush. He had 5.5 sacks, 7.5 TFLs and 11 QB hits and hurries, so you can see the versatility there just from those statistics.”
znModeratorThe Rams have opened as 7-point favorites over the Bears in, which tied for the largest spread of any Week 1 game (SF vs. DET) https://t.co/Klv5S2RJH7
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) May 12, 2021
znModeratorThe Rams now have three long snappers on the 90-man roster. https://t.co/srGuiOhWra
— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) May 12, 2021
znModeratorznModeratorMay 11, 2021 at 10:20 pm in reply to: Rams picks w/ Rams Videos–interviews, players react to being drafted, etc. #129845znModeratorAg–I’ve been stealing your “inside the draft” vids and putting them in the threads dedicated to the players in question. I hope you don’t mind! If you do I can restore it. (And thanks for all the work and effort on this thread.)
znModeratorMay 11, 2021 at 10:14 pm in reply to: interestin stuff (vids, tweets, etc. that fit this & not another category) #129843znModeratorThese Guys with a big truck and big heart use the lift gate to help a senior get into her car without getting her feet wet
humanity ❤️ pic.twitter.com/AwHuloVYr1
— Madeyousmile (@Thund3rB0lt) May 11, 2021
znModeratorfrom NFL players to root for in 2021: One selection from each team
Adam Rank
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford, QB
I can’t tell you how excited I am for Stafford to get an opportunity to play with Sean McVay and the Rams. I mean, we’ve all said things in the past like, “If Stafford could just get on the right team …” Well, now it’s happening. There are no longer any excuses available. I’m of the mind Stafford is going to have the best season of his career. And yes, that might be my fantasy bias talking once again.znModeratorWithout a first round pick, I don’t see the Rams finding their LOT of the future in next year’s draft, but what do I know.
They can trade up into round 1 in 2022. Think of the LOTs who have been picked in the 2nd half of round 1 in recent years. Guys like Duane Brown, Joe Staley, Nate Solder, Anthony Castonzo, Ryan Ramczyk (RR plays ROT w/ the Saints but I think he could play left OT). They can target a guy like that and get into the 2nd half of round 1, which I think is doable.
But…you’re right that the hit rate for finding a college tackle who can play LOT in the NFL is not very good after round 1. I did the math on one 10 year period ending in 2017, and the hit rate was 5%.
You can’t count in free agency either.
…
znModeratorAnticipating the most compelling matchups of 2021
J.B. Long
https://www.therams.com/news/anticipating-the-most-compelling-matchups-of-2021
There’s not a bad game on this 2021 schedule.
Sure, I have my favorites. And hopefully, you do, too.
But no one has to look very hard to find riveting reasons to like each and every showdown.
Below, I’ve ranked the Rams opponents from least-to-most compelling, with a brief blurb on their post-Draft latest. Note that this is not meant to anticipate the strength or competitiveness of the foes; purely just a reflection of my interest level in the associated storylines.
For tough calls, I prioritized home games over road, NFC over AFC, and division rivalries over all (except one).
Let me know where you agree and disagree.
Cannot wait to have the dates and times locked in this Wednesday at 5 p.m. PT.
at Houston Texans
Not many are high on Houston right now, which is why some 2021 mock drafts already have the Texans on the clock.
Coming off a 4-12 season and with uncertainty at quarterback, the Texans didn’t draft until the third pick of Round Three. Having already signed Tyrod Taylor in free agency, Houston also selected Stanford’s Davis Mills.
Who takes the snaps is still to be determined, but at least seeing former Ram Brandin Cooks in person will be something to look forward to.
at New York Giants
Last year’s game at SoFi Stadium against the Giants was a slog, with the Rams needing a late, diving interception from Darious Williams to finally seal it in the fourth quarter.
New York went to work on their passing game – offensive and defensive – in the New Year, adding WR Kenny Golladay from Detroit and using their first draft pick on Florida receiver Kadarius Toney. They also invested in corner Adoree’ Jackson in free agency, while selecting Georgia edge defender Azeez Ojulari and Central Florida corner Aaron Robinson on Day Two.
With these investments, the Giants could be uniquely equipped to combat the Rams talents on the perimeter in 2021, even if 2020 was a grudge match in the trenches.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The NFL’s No. 1 overall selection Trevor Lawrence visits Inglewood as a rookie, and so does one of the biggest names in coaching, as Urban Meyer tests the NFL waters.
Oh, by the way, it’s also Jalen Ramsey’s first opportunity to face his former franchise.
Tennessee Titans
This is one of 15 Super Bowl rematches on the 2021 slate, according to NFL Research, as the Rams and Titans reprise Super Bowl XXXIV. And it’s conceivable this might not be the Titans’ only visit to Inglewood next season.
Tennessee made one of the more significant risk-reward selections of the first round considering Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley’s injury history.
The Titans also handed out the second-biggest contract in free agency. Only Niners offensive tackle Trent Williams ($138 million) signed for more potential money than edge Bud Dupree was offered ($82.5 million) to leave Pittsburgh for the AFC South.
at Minnesota Vikings
If I could place this game on Thursday Night Football right now, I would, if only because of how spectacular the last meeting between these teams was in that same spotlight (Week 4, 2018).
But returning to U.S. Bank Stadium comes with a much different memory, one in which the Rams punched in an opening touchdown, only to see the Vikings score the next 27 unanswered (Week 11, 2017).
McVay and Kirk Cousins always make for good theater. However, the feature film has to be the first career collision between Ramsey and Minnesota phenom Justin Jefferson, who was All-Pro as a rookie receiver.
at Indianapolis Colts
We could go so many directions here, and the trip to Lucas Oil could easily rank higher on this list.
Some see Indianapolis as an AFC contender; Carson Wentz in a new uniform reunited with Frank Reich is a fascinating experiment; the Colts took edge rushers Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo (likely to redshirt after tearing his Achilles in January) with their first two picks, adding to a defensive arsenal that already includes All-Pro tackle DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard (who happens to be the best-case projection for new Rams linebacker Ernest Jones).
But honestly? Just give me a camera isolated on Colts guard Quentin Nelson and Aaron Donald for a full game. That alone would be a ratings bonanza.
znModeratorSo many fun home games on this schedule.
• 49ers @ SoFi, will we see Jimmy G, Lance?
• Goff’s return to LA, Stafford v. home
• Brady @ SoFi – Fuller probably has that one circled
• Lawrence, Meyer, Tebow Time (🤮) @ SoFi
• Another shot to cook Russ/Metcalf @ SoFi https://t.co/sGvAGtaP6j— Rams Brothers (@RamsBrothers) May 10, 2021
znModeratoraeneas1
the 2021 rams will play 8 games against 2020 postseason teams, and 7 games against 2020 teams that posted double-digit wins – comparatively, the 2018 super bowl rams played just 4 games against teams that went to the postseason the previous year, and 4 games against teams that posted double-digit wins the previous year.
rams 2021 opponents, including vegas win total odds (vegas insider), 2020 actual wins, 2020 rankings in offensive points scored and allowed… red text = 2020 postseason teams, blue text = top 10 in rankings:
znModeratorJourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Overall, they don’t seem to spend on center or guard. They seem to spend mid-tier money at RT and invest in LT (if that LT is an elite player). I’m certainly concerned about their long-term plans there after 2022. They did, however, like some guys in this draft class and whether the board just didn’t fall their way or they de-prioritized the long-term future in favor of short-term help on special teams and on o/d (with their first two picks), depends on who you ask. I’m skeptical about the position changes on the OL, if you couldn’t tell lol. Here’s my (educated) pencil-in at the moment, from left to right: Whitworth, Edwards, Corbett, Evans, Havenstein. Depth: Noteboom, Anchrum, Allen/Shelton/Me in a hamster bubble, Anchrum/Demby, Brewer.Do you think the Rams will sign perhaps Austin Reiter to an one year deal?
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
here’s the thing with Reiter: The Chiefs let him walk in favor of Austin Blythe, who the Rams only offered slightly more money to in free agency. They could still bring somebody in, but I’d assume they’d have to see a looming fiasco on their OL if so.What gave the Rams front office confidence that Atwell can succeed despite his size?
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
We haven’t really gotten a straight answer on that specific question, so here’s my parsing of info/tidbits I’ve gotten since the draft: He keeps his lower body really controlled so there aren’t any bad hit angles upon contact, he won’t be schemed through traffic in the ways that Kupp and Woods are (instead there are ways to protect a WR off the line), they’re not going to try to run him against a bunch of press-man or anything like that, they will use him a ton on pre and at-snap motions and sweeps plus work him into space via bunch formations and the like where other receivers are working the more physical stuff (like we’ve seen from Woods for years, for example). I see Atwell in a ton of sweeps/motions packages, and a “bunch” of bunch formations. The thing here is you know you shouldn’t be using him in the physical things like Woods/Kupp can do, so you’ll probably keep him out of the middle of the field. The idea is those two concepts work in complement: Accounting for Tutu takes extra coverage/traffic off Woods/Kupp in the middle of the field while Woods/Kupp working that space helps scheme open Tutu.I do think that Stafford can activate eligible receivers very, very well – and in bulk. But we also have to take scheme and system into consideration – the Rams will not be able to just send Tutu downfield and instead must build pieces into their offense to help him succeed (not a bad thing – you’re supposed to do that with that kind of speed). I also was thinking about how curious it is to not hear a lot of discussion about the concussions Cooks had when he was here. I was on the other side of the country at the time, so maybe that’s a part of why. But it might be something to go back and re-visit. How did their plans for him change when he started missing time, for example? How was he really affected, from any symptoms to the setback of missing practices and games? I’m not making any assumptions here, but seems like these would be valid questions.
In the short term, the Rams do a lot of things with their route concepts that protect the non-blocking receiver, such as bunch formations, sweeps, etc….I see a lot of that in Tutu’s future, plus a little added bulk as the years pass once he’s in with Reggie Scott and Justin Lovett.
defense–they need to replace production from Hill, Brockers, Ebukam, and JJ.
Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
Sebastian Joseph-Day is really going to be a player to watch this year, from what I hear, and we didn’t get to see what A’Shawn Robinson could really do. They may ask Bobby Brown and Earnest Brown to play a situational role earlier than expected…I still am concerned about the OLB rotation opposite Leonard Floyd and it certainly seems like it’ll be a rotation.znModeratorDafoe will be back in the MCU spiderman 3 as the green goblin. In s-man 3, universes get tangled so that spidermen and spiderman villains from other universes end up in ours. That means Toby McGuire and Andrew Garfield are in the movie as other spidermen, alongside Tom Holland. And do are (as said) Dafoe’s Green Goblin and Molina’s Doc Ock.
znModerator
znModeratorI just heard someone breaking down the Rams draft picks on YouTube.
He said Jacob Harris isn’t the fastest WR due to his size but makes up for it by tracking the high point.
A few sentences later he stated he ran a 4.39 at his pro day 🤦♂️🤣🤣🤣#WalkingContradiction 🥴 pic.twitter.com/nqsQEgMTBU
— Tommy (@RamTommyInLA) May 10, 2021
znModeratorIan Rapoport@RapSheet
The #Jaguars are planning to sign QB-turned-TE Tim Tebow to a 1-year dealCharlotte Wilder@TheWilderThings
Tim Tebow is proof that if you’re Tim Tebow and you follow your dreams you’ll end up as a tight end on an NFL team after spending a few years in the Mets farm system after failing as a quarterback for the Broncos after winning the HeismanznModeratorClash Of The Horns@RamfamPodcaster
Bobby Brown is going to look like Fletcher Cox playing with aaron donald next to him. I dont know a team with as much talent as thw rams do in the interior of their defensive line in a 3-4. Donald, Robinson, gaines, brown, SJD. Recipe for a #1 rated defenseznModeratorFifteen minutes into HBO’s Crime of the Century and it’s already clear what a scumbag family the Sackler family is
In @alexgibneyfilm documentary Crime of the Century, Purdue executive Paul Goldenheim angrily testifies *under oath* to Congress that he had no knowledge of spreading OxyContin addiction until 2000. We then see his own emails showing he had known for years. @RexChapman pic.twitter.com/O8AkSPU1Gp
— Keith Humphreys (@KeithNHumphreys) May 11, 2021
znModeratorhow about edwards?
I used to think Edwards could play LOT. I don’t think so anymore though.
znModeratori posted about this earlier, but because the text is in hebrew, its not clear to lots of people whats going on here.
this is a crowd of young israelis cheering, dancing, and celebrating at the western wall as part of the al-aqsa complex, the third holiest site in islam, burns. https://t.co/aQBcRsxwYV
— isi baehr-breen (its pronounced ‘izzy’) (@isaiah_bb) May 11, 2021
znModeratorFifteen minutes into HBO’s Crime of the Century and it’s already clear what a scumbag family the Sackler family is
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) May 11, 2021
=
The Sackler’s/Perdue Pharma came up with the term “pseudoaddiction” and to cure it they told the physician to prescribe more opiates….these people were straight up drug dealers
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) May 11, 2021
znModerator“Rams mortgaged their future and have no 1st round picks.” – 🤡 🤡
Every offseason https://t.co/37ZUbqY7Lt
— Ramuel L Jackson🏁🐏🐍🕙 (@RamuelLJackson) May 10, 2021
znModeratorAnd Whitworth/Noteboom…I guess thats not bad, but…
I am not all that sure about Noteboom. And he’s a free agent after 2021. Whitworth will be okay, I would be surprised if he weren’t. But will he be playing in 2022? So the situation they’re in is, they need to find a left OT for 2022. Is it Noteboom? And it’s LOT we’re talking about. Free agents at the position are rare, trades are expensive, and guys taken after round 1 have a very low hit rate at the position.
znModeratorIan Rapoport@RapSheet
The #Jaguars are planning to sign QB-turned-TE Tim Tebow to a 1-year deal, per me and @TomPelissero, a deal that could be official in the next week or so. Nothing done yet. But he’ll have a chance to make the team to reunite with his mentor and college head coach Urban Meyer.–
Maybe Colin Kaepernick should have changed his position to tight end. pic.twitter.com/YQkAENG5Sg
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) May 10, 2021
znModeratorfrom https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/10/rams-sean-mcvay-matthew-stafford-quote-update/
McVay was asked recently on Mad Dog Radio how Stafford will fit in the Rams offense and how he’ll take advantage of the weapons he has around him.
While that’s still unclear, McVay says it’s been a great collaboration so far with Stafford.
“I think it’s to be determined,” McVay said. “There’s nothing like getting out on the field, working with these guys, getting feedback. You’ve heard me say before, but it all starts with the quarterback. Our offense is going to have him in mind with everything that we do, first and foremost. So you’re going to see some stuff that reflected in a lot of the success that he’s had in Detroit. We would be silly not to implement these things. There’s a lot of concept carryover. He’s had a lot of great experiences with some really great coordinators in different systems, so the inventory that he can draw on, we might call one thing six and he calls it half a dozen somewhere else, but it’s all the same thing. He’s able to communicate that and it’s really been a great collaboration of putting this thing together and ultimately, can’t wait to get out on the field and really work with these guys.”
znModeratorznModerator -
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