Jared Goff’s strong finish a good sign for 2020

J.B. Long

https://www.therams.com/news/jared-goff-s-strong-finish-a-good-sign-for-2020

By any objective measure, 2019 was the least productive of the three seasons Jared Goff has played for Sean McVay.

And just about everyone associated with the Rams – from the coaches and staff, to the media who cover the team, to QB1 himself – spent a decent percentage of last year trying to sort through why that was the case.

So, we won’t delve too deeply into it again here.

It was disappointing to be the only winning NFL team not to make the playoffs, but now that some time has passed, it might be worth extracting some optimism from the way Goff performed in December.

These were his metrics in the Rams final five games of 2019:

7.8 AY/A (adjusted yards gained per passing attempt)

5.1 TD%

1.9 INT%

98.2 Rating

Compare those categories to what he did in his Pro Bowl seasons of 2017-18:

8.5 AY/A

5.8 TD%

1.8 INT%

100.8 Rating

Hardly a dire discrepancy.

In fact, from Weeks 12-17, Goff ranked eighth in the NFL in AY/A, comfortably ahead of peers like Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Deshaun Watson, just to name a few.

It’s also worth noting that after fumbles plagued Goff and the Rams for the better part of the season, he only put one on the ground after the trip to Pittsburgh in Week 10 (thankfully, it was recovered by L.A.), and he did not fumble at all during this December turnaround.

So it seems that Goff and McVay and last year’s coaching staff deserve credit for identifying and addressing the myriad reasons why the Rams quarterback play was not up to par for a good portion of 2019.

And even though I said we wouldn’t go down this road, at least one remedy was readily apparent, even to us laymen.

Offensive linemen who made at least one start from Weeks 1-11: Nine, including six who were making their first or second NFL start.

Offensive linemen who made at least one start from Weeks 12-17: Just five.

Indeed, during that December uptick, Goff had the same starting line in front of him each time out. That’s not to say that the combination of Andrew Whitworth, Austin Corbett, Austin Blythe, David Edwards, and Bobby Evans is the final answer and must return intact for Week One in 2020.

Rather, it’s only to point out that the health and stability of that group gave McVay and Goff a foundation to build on, and they did so successfully.

Adam Schefter@AdamSchefter
There are now multiple NFL teams waiting to make roster moves based on the potential of a new CBA. If a new CBA is approved in the days to come, a flurry of roster moves will follow.

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
The Rams don’t need Darius Slay and they shouldn’t even consider trading more assets for yet another cornerback

==

Big Michael Brockers has been a team leader & Rams mainstay. Those who don’t have unrealistic sack expectations for an interior lineman know he impacts the game in the trenches. Coming off his highest combined tackle total of his career last season (63) Brock hits free agency…. pic.twitter.com/EMuzFDZwji

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) February 20, 2020

Rohrabacher confirms he offered Trump pardon to Assange for proof Russia didn’t hack DNC email

https://news.yahoo.com/rohrabacher-confirms-he-offered-trump-pardon-to-assange-for-proof-russia-didnt-hack-dnc-email-131438007.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=tw

WASHINGTON — Former California Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher confirmed in a new interview that during a three-hour meeting at the Ecuadorian Embassy in August 2017, he told Julian Assange he would get President Trump to give him a pardon if he turned over information proving the Russians had not been the source of internal Democratic National Committee emails published by WikiLeaks.

In a phone interview with Yahoo News, Rohrabacher said his goal during the meeting was to find proof for a widely debunked conspiracy theory: that WikiLeaks’ real source for the DNC emails was not Russian intelligence agents, as U.S. officials have since concluded, but former DNC staffer Seth Rich, who was murdered on the streets of Washington in July 2016 in what police believe was a botched robbery.

A lawyer for Assange in London on Wednesday cited the pardon offer from Rohrabacher during a court hearing on the U.S. government’s request to extradite the WikiLeaks founder.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham immediately denounced the claim about a pardon discussion with Assange as a “complete fabrication,” adding that the president “barely knows Dana Rohrabacher” and has “never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject.”

Rohrabacher said that not only did talk of a Trump pardon take place during his meeting, but he also followed up by calling then White House chief of staff John Kelly to discuss the proposal. He did not, however, ever speak to Trump about it, he said.

“I spoke to Julian Assange and told him if he would provide evidence about who gave WikiLeaks the emails I would petition the president to give him a pardon,” Rohrabacher said. “He knew I could get to the president.”

When he spoke to Kelly, the then chief of staff was “courteous” but made no commitment that he would even raise the matter directly with the president. “He knew this had to be handled with care,” Rohrabacher said, and that it could be spun by the news media in ways that would be “harmful” to the president. In fact, Rohrabacher said he never heard anything further from Kelly about the matter, nor did he ever discuss the subject directly with Trump.

Rohrabacher, who was defeated when he ran for reelection in 2018 and is now a consultant to the cannabis industry, long had a reputation as one of the few members of Congress willing to defend Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also was a strong defender of Trump on the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. He said the president personally called him to thank him for one of his TV appearances during which he said that Trump was right to be angry with then Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself about all matters relating to the investigation.

Rohrabacher also emphasized in the interview that he only wanted “truthful” information from Assange and never suggested that he “lie.” But he said he believed then — and even more so now — that the information he was seeking would prove that WikiLeaks got its DNC emails from Seth Rich, a claim that if true would undercut the findings of U.S. intelligence agencies and Mueller’s prosecutors that Russian agents had hacked the Democratic Party and stolen the emails.

“Seth Rich’s name came up a couple of times” during his meeting with Assange, Rohrabacher said, although he acknowledged that the WikiLeaks founder never confirmed to him that Rich was his source. Still, Rohrabacher added, he believed the media is covering up the late DNC staffer’s supposed role in the theft of the party emails. “The whole thing stinks,” he said.

A Yahoo News podcast, “Conspiracyland,” revealed last summer that Russian intelligence agencies first planted the conspiracy theory that Rich was murdered by gunmen hired by Hillary Clinton. It also reported that Russian trolls later repeatedly boosted claims on Twitter and other social media platforms that the former staffer had leaked the material to WikiLeaks.

In fact, a top Washington police commander overseeing the investigation into Rich’s death said during the “Conspiracyland” podcast that law enforcement had found no evidence that Rich’s death was in any way related to his work at the DNC or that he played any role in the leaking of party emails.

Kurt Warner@kurt13warner
Of course we’ll watch & players will play, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing 4 players in long run? So the point is be quiet bc we’ll watch?? We’ve got guys retiring earlier now than last couple decades 4 health reasons, but hey shut up & go back 2 something that matters?

Andrew Brandt@AndrewBrandt
Re questions on NFL CBA: (1) Nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to; (2) the Players want a lot but the only thing of true value they have to offer are extra games; (3) the Players need to focus on higher team minimum spending; Cap increases are hollow without that.

More playoff teams expected under new NFL CBA, sources say

Adam Schefter

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28739375/more-playoff-teams-expected-new-nfl-cba-sources-say

If and when a new collective bargaining agreement is finalized — and there is now mounting optimism it could be done sometime in the next week — it is expected to include a transformational change to the NFL’s playoff structure as it is currently constituted for next season, league sources told ESPN.

Under the current CBA proposal that NFL owners are pushing for, the playoff field would be expanded to seven teams from each conference, while the regular season would be increased to 17 games per team and the preseason shortened to three games per team, sources said.

As part of the proposed playoff format, only one team from each conference would receive a first-round bye as opposed to the two that currently do, league sources said. That would mean a revised postseason schedule that includes six games on wild-card weekend, with three on Saturday and three on Sunday.

The changes to the NFL’s playoff format would take effect for the 2020 season, assuming the new CBA is ratified beforehand. Had the proposed format been in place this past season, the Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers would have been the next teams included in the expanded playoff field.

“That’s been agreed to for a long time,” one source familiar with the CBA talks said about the NFL’s new playoff structure. “There wasn’t a lot of disagreement to that issue.”

Additionally, the players on the teams that earn a first-round bye will receive postseason pay for that weekend. That was not the case under the current CBA, which has always rankled some players.

Now the sides are trying to work through the final issues, including getting the players to sign off on a 17-game regular season. That has yet to be agreed to, and would not take effect until 2021 at the earliest.

“The new CBA’s not done, there’s no term sheet yet, there still are issues being negotiated, but I’d be very surprised if there’s not a new CBA for the new league year,” the source said.

NFL owners to meet Thursday to discuss CBA talks

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001102482/article/nfl-owners-to-meet-thursday-to-discuss-cba-talks?campaign=Twitter_atn

NFL owners will meet in New York on Thursday to discuss the status of labor negotiations with the NFL Players Association, NFL Network’s Michael Silver reported Wednesday. The players will discuss the owners’ proposal via conference call on Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero added.

If all goes well during the next 48 hours or so, Silver added, a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NFLPA could be ratified before the start of the new league year on March 18.

The new deal, however, would be predicated on implementing a 17-game regular season that would launch between 2021 and 2023, Silver reported.

Adding a game to the regular-season schedule has been a point of contention between the sides. Some players — including 49ers receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who played 17 regular-season games this year because of a midseason trade — have already spoken out strongly against it.

The central issue throughout negotiations has been the revenue split, and players are expected to receive an uptick from the 47 percent of total revenue they are guaranteed under the current CBA, which was approved in 2011, Pelissero and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported in January. The union has long hoped to achieve that increase without adding games, but the league has pushed all along for a lever that would allow them to add games as part of the next TV deal.

The CBA, if agreed to in the next month, could go into effect in time for the new league year, potentially altering the salary cap and state of free agency, among other things.

The league, the NFLPA executive committee and player representatives were scheduled to meet Thursday in Washington, D.C., as Rapoport and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported last week.

The current CBA between the NFL and the NFLPA expires following the 2020 season.

from Ranking the top 50 NFL rookies of 2019: https://draftwire.usatoday.com/gallery/nfl-rookies-2019-rankings-nick-bosa-josh-jacobs-kyler-murray/

#27 | Taylor Rapp | S | Rams

Silver mentions Henderson was set back by minor inuries. Here’s VB on that:

Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Just an FYI: When I was at the scouting combine I heard there were a couple of instances where he got dinged early in games that he was expected to be featured more prominently. Both of which set him back a bit.

Nate Tice@Nate_Tice
I think (and I hate I’m about to use this phrase) in the “modern NFL” that a Center is much more important than a Guard. Protections and blitz packages are more sophisticated than ever and I’d rather have someone shoring down the rest of the OL.

Brandon Thorn@BrandonThornNFL
Yeah I definitely think that’s the case in certain schemes especially (where young QBs are, heavy OZ). But then again guards usually have much tougher roles post-snap facing off against what I think is the most talent-rich position in the sport (3T). Case by case basis really.

Rams could make changes on offense following disappointing 2019

Lindsey Thiry

https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/41385/la-rams-could-make-changes-on-offense-following-disappointing-2019

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams’ offense lost its way last season but will attempt to correct course in 2020.

Following a 9-7 season, the offense will continue under the direction of Rams coach Sean McVay but will also receive plenty of input from new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.

Similar to last season, the Rams are scheduled to return each skill position starter. It wouldn’t be shocking, however, if some shake-ups are made this offseason.

The offensive line, like in 2019, is the biggest concern as it could potentially undergo another round of changes because of two experienced player who are scheduled to reach free agency next month.

Here’s a look at questions facing each offensive position group this offseason.

Quarterbacks

Can quarterback Jared Goff return to form? And who will back him up?

There’s no debate, last season was a disappointment for Goff, who passed for 22 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions and had a total QBR of 48.5, which ranked 23rd in the NFL.

Goff’s upcoming fifth season is already notable because of his $36 million salary cap hit — the largest cap hit in the NFL. While Goff, who turns 26 in October, attempts this season to find the path he set in 2018 — when he passed for 32 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions, and helped lead the Rams to Super Bowl LIII — he must do so in the midst of another transition.

O’Connell represents the fourth change at offensive coordinator since Goff was drafted in 2016 and the new OC also will work closely with Goff as a quarterbacks coach — his fifth in five seasons.

The Rams signed Blake Bortles last season to a one-year, $1 million contract and Bortles is scheduled for free agency next month. It’s uncertain how much Bortles can earn on the open market after five uneven seasons starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars, followed by minimal playing time last season.

Running backs

Perhaps no group caused as much confusion about the Rams’ offensive identity last season than the running backs. An unstable offensive line was part of it, but the game plans, which relied on Goff and a platoon of backs, did not provide the group any favors. That must change in 2020.

Todd Gurley is unlikely to ever appear as the same breakaway, hurdling star that he was in 2018, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be the offensive focal point. The Rams’ chances of winning correlate directly to the number of touches Gurley receives.

Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson were expected to play significant supporting roles last season, but both were hindered because of an unstable offensive line and injuries. It will be interesting to monitor how touches are dispersed between the three backs moving forward.

Receivers

The Rams are scheduled to return their trio of starting receivers — Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp — for a third consecutive season, but it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if this group underwent change.

Cooks is in the midst of a five-year, $81 million contract, and while his speed provides a dynamic difficult to replicate, his production last season (42 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns) did not match that of a No. 1 receiver. That was, in part, because of the multiple concussions he sustained, causing him to miss three games. Cooks’ history of head injuries could play a part in the Rams’ decision about his future.

After experiencing a midseason lull, and missing a game because of what he cited as a family issue, Woods took his play to a new level in the final six weeks of last season. He is expected to return as a go-to target for Goff.

Kupp shined through the first half of last season, highlighted by a 220 receiving-yard performance in a Week 8 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, as he enters the fourth and final season of his rookie contract, the former third-round pick is due a lucrative extension.

Josh Reynolds remains as a solid option as a fourth receiver. He also is entering the final season of his rookie deal.

Tight ends

The 4-year, $29 million contract the Rams awarded Tyler Higbee before last season raised a few eyebrows, until Higbee produced a breakout December that included four games with more than 100 receiving yards. He is now one of the most intriguing Rams players to watch entering next season.

Higbee’s extension and subsequent breakout leaves Gerald Everett’s future with the Rams in question as he enters the final season of his four-year rookie contract. After overcoming a knee injury that sidelined him three games, Everett played a minimal role in the final two games.

Offensive line

The Rams’ offensive line struggled last season and could be a concern again in 2020, especially since veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard/center Austin Blythe are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next month.

Without a clear-cut choice to replace Whitworth, the Rams must consider re-signing the 38-year-old. Last season, Whitworth earned a $10.3 million base salary. Finding a number that works for both sides must be a priority, but the Rams can’t overpay. Whitworth has some leverage given the Rams have no clear choice to replace him.

Blythe, who has played left guard, right guard and center in his three seasons with the Rams, is expected to test the free-agent market.

It remains to be seen how the Rams handle the situation at right tackle. Rob Havenstein regressed last season before suffering a knee injury that kept him sidelined several weeks. Havenstein returned to practice as a full participant in Week 15 but remained inactive for the final three games.

As for the rest of the line? Bobby Evans showed steady improvement at right tackle in seven games and it appeared that David Edwards solidified a future at right guard and Austin Corbett provides an option at left guard.

Left guard Joe Noteboom, who was drafted in 2018 as the eventual replacement for Whitworth, and center Brian Allen are expected to return from season-ending knee injuries.

Expect this group to be under construction deep into training camp.

Jackie Slater was a model of consistency and one of the best offensive lineman of his era! Which spanned across two decades! 20 seasons with 1 team! A rare breed. pic.twitter.com/LhVfpF2JoV

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) February 19, 2020