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znModeratorznModeratorTodd Gurley ran for at least 10 yards on 35 carries last year – the 2nd-most explosive runs in the league pic.twitter.com/HSHIneANjT
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) May 24, 2019
znModeratorAndrew Siciliano@AndrewSiciliano
Aaron Donald turns 28 today with…2x DPOY
5x Pro Bowl
4x All-Pro
DROY
59.5 career sacksMay 23, 2019 at 9:33 pm in reply to: OTAs (including a great final write-up by VB, posted 6/10) #101624znModerator10 Observations from OTA No. 3
Myles Simmons
https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-ota-no-3
1) As expected from head coach Sean McVay’s comments on Monday, outside linebacker Dante Fowler was in attendance for Thursday’s final OTA of the week. During the special teams period to open practice, Fowler was working with outside linebackers coach Chris Shula on concepts and techniques for a little one-on-one instruction.
2) Following the special teams period, the quarterbacks and offensive skill players worked on a ball security drill. In three separate lines, quarterbacks had to evade a rush in a pocket from a coach, before throwing a check-down pass to the wideout, running back, or tight end. The receiver then had to run through two large tackling dummies.
3) In a later period, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers were working on misdirection plays — jet sweeps, counters, etc. — all against air. Quarterback Jared Goff noted on Monday that sometimes it’s remarkable just how much L.A. has in its full playbook, since things become so game-plan specific during the season. This seemed to be an example of just how expansive things can be.
4) On the other field, the inside linebackers were working on their coverage and interception skills. Assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry was using his body — particularly his shoulder movement — to indicate how the LBs should read a potential quarterback. Sometimes he’d then throw it, sometimes he wouldn’t. But Troy Reeder, an undrafted rookie out of Delaware, made a nice one-handed grab at one point.
5) After the offense and defense went through a half-field passing drill, they split up on different fields again. This time, the offensive units split into two groups — the first-teamers on one side of the field and the reserves on another — to run the same sort of misdirection plays from earlier in the session. But this time, the Rams were running them with 11 on offense as opposed to just the skill players. Los Angeles’ practices are often structured like this — position groups do drills alone that correspond to what they’ll be doing as a group later on in the session.
6) Los Angeles went through 7-on-7 red zone drills on Thursday. During that period, Goff connected with wide receiver Josh Reynolds on a short route to the middle of the field for a touchdown. Reynolds used a bit of a head fake to get loose, and Goff delivered a strike right to his hands for a TD.
7) Still in 7-on-7 drills but no longer in the red zone, rookie safety Taylor Rapp got in a few snaps with the defensive unit alongside starters John Johnson and Eric Weddle. With Rapp in just his second week with the club, Johnson was talking to Rapp pre-snap, ostensibly making sure the young safety knew just what to do during the play. Johnson’s only entering his third season, but that’s some solid veteran leadership.
8) In another passing period, Goff connected with tight end Gerald Everett on a deep pass down the left side that would’ve gone for a touchdown. Everett elevated over the defending corner to reel in the pass for a nice red-zone catch.
9) In the same red-zone period, cornerback Aqib Talib showed he’s still got closing speed entering his 12th season in the league. Goff targeted Reynolds in the back-right corner of the end zone, but Talib was able to run up and get a hand on the ball to knock it out of reach for No. 83. But on the next play, Goff was able to connect with Reynolds, with the wideout using his wingspan to snatch the ball over a couple of defenders.
10) Finally, after working with trainers on the side for most of the session, wide receiver Cooper Kupp was in on offense for Los Angeles’ jog-thru 11-on-11 period. Kupp caught a couple of short passes from Goff with the slower-than-game speed.
znModeratorJeremy Nieves@JJSn0w
@VinnyBonsignore What is your take on what Mike Florio said about not being surprised if the #Rams don’t offer Goff a second contract?Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Nonsense.znModeratorHappy birthday, @AaronDonald97!
Exclusive look at his baby pictures 👶😂 #tbt #LARams pic.twitter.com/mwkhJaJwle
— ESPNLosAngeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) May 23, 2019
znModeratorBTW Tampa plays the Rams in LA Sept. 29
znModeratorTampa Bay Buccaneers@Buccaneers
We have agreed to terms with veteran DT Ndamukong Suh.Ian Rapoport@RapSheet
Now official. $9.25M with incentives that can push it to $10M on a 1-year deal.trey wingo@wingoz
So essentially they save about 3 million in cap space for getting a player with very similar production from the departed Gerald McCoy==
znModerator
znModeratorBirthday work with @Coach_Henny 😤@AaronDonald97 | #LARams pic.twitter.com/BwWEKTOWvG
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 23, 2019
May 23, 2019 at 5:01 pm in reply to: informal poll – sign Goff to an extension now or next year #101612znModeratorInteresting note from @ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio: "I'm very skeptical about Jared Goff. I would not be surprised if he doesn't get a second contract with the Rams." pic.twitter.com/4HFspuZb9X
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 23, 2019
znModeratorMyles Simmons@MylesASimmons
Sometimes I think about the fact that Aaron Donald set a DT sack record last year and didn’t have a sack until Week 4 of the season.Absurd.
—
It might be Aaron's birthday, but here's a gift to us all.
5 minutes of greatness. https://t.co/j36sDKI5Yu
— Los Angeles Rams UK (@LARams_UK) May 23, 2019
znModeratoralyoshamucci
Was Rapp’s slow 40 the result of injury? Maybe a tad, but his short shuttle and 3 cone suggest he wasn’t injured …
If you put his 3 cone and short shuttle together, you should end up with 4.45 speed on the 40. But he doesn’t have that kind of timed speed for some reason.
His short shuttle was under 4.0, which is simply elite. Not just for safeties, for anyone. Literally second only to David Long in Indy. 3 cone was 6.78 … top twelve in Indy.
So … the trouble area for him would seem to be if he got beat by a double move and had to engage long recovery speed, so … is he the type to get beat like that? Not that I’ve seen.
znModeratorhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.J._Smith
The San Diego Chargers selected Weddle in the second round (37th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. The Chargers traded their second round pick (62nd overall), third round pick (93rd overall), and fifth round pick (167th overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft, as well as their third round pick (90th overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears in order to move up in the second round and draft Weddle
znModeratorAaron Donald discusses what it’s like to play for ‘genius’ Sean McVay
Cameron DaSilva
Aaron Donald discusses what it's like to play for 'genius' Sean McVay
Sean McVay is widely viewed as one of the best coaches in the NFL despite only being 33 years old. He’s already won two division titles in two years and has led the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl, ranking second in the league in scoring and yards since 2017.
An offensive wizard, McVay has been pegged as a genius by those inside and outside the confines of the Rams’ facility. Aaron Donald is unsurprisingly one of the people who views McVay that way, saying he knows everything about football.
“He’s a genius. When it comes to football, that man knows everything you need to know about football. He’s a genius,” Donald said on SB Nation Radio. “He’s definitely the type of coach you want to go out there and battle for. I love Coach to death.”
McVay is more than just a bright offensive mind. He’s created a culture in Los Angeles that’s predicated on accountability and putting the team first. It’s helped the Rams land free agents such as Eric Weddle, Ndamukong Suh and Clay Matthews in the last couple of years.
Donald has built a close relationship with McVay, saying the coach was one of the reasons he wanted to stay in L.A. long-term when he was going through his holdout.
“When I was going through the contract situation, I sat down with him and told him face-to-face, ‘This is where I want to be. As long as you’re the head coach, I want to be a part of this.’ I knew he built something special and I wanted to be a part of building that with him,” Donald added. “He’s definitely a coach you want to play for, you want to grind for, you want to win for. When you’ve got a coach with the mindset to want to be great himself and never being satisfied, that just pushes you.”
After reaching the Super Bowl last season, the Rams have their sights set on getting back to the big game. They’re taking it one day at a time right now, but the ultimate goal is to be the last team standing in February.
Donald says he has room for improvement and is going to work hard to help the Rams get back to the Super Bowl next season. Having McVay at the helm makes that scenario all the more likely.
znModeratorOgbonnia Okoronkwo is wild card in Rams’ pass-rush rotation
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is wild card in Rams' pass-rush rotation
When discussing the Los Angeles Rams defense, the obvious names always come up: Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Marcus Peters, John Johnson, Dante Fowler Jr. The list goes on. It takes a while to get to the man with arguably the hardest name to pronounce, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo.
He was viewed as one of the steals of the 2018 draft after the Rams landed him in the fifth round at No. 160 overall. Some thought he could go as early as the second or third round, but he slid all the way to the fifth due to concerns about his size and transition to the NFL game.
He didn’t contribute at all for the Rams as a rookie in 2018, landing on the PUP list due to a foot injury suffered in spring practices. It was a significant blow to a team that already faced questions about its pass rush, effectively forcing Okoronkwo to take a redshirt year.
After a year of learning and watching from the sideline, Okoronkwo will be expected to take the next step in 2019. Now healthy, he’s a part of a pass-rush rotation with no shortage of question marks. Fowler is the top outside linebacker and Clay Matthews is expected to rush off the edge too, but the former Packers star will also play inside linebacker.
Other than Fowler, no one at outside linebacker is guaranteed to be a full-time starter – not even Matthews, who will play multiple spots.
With a strong performance in training camp and a standout showing in the preseason, Okoronkwo can carve out a role as a situational edge rusher. After all, that was his specialty at Oklahoma. He had 20 career sacks consistently got after the quarterback, while also tallying 33 tackles for loss. And when he gets near the quarterback, he has a knack for separating the ball, forcing five fumbles in his last two seasons with the Sooners.
Okoronkwo still has a long way to go before he’s considered a starter – and he may never even reach that point. But there was a lot of excitement after the Rams picked him last year, given Wade Phillips’ ability to develop undersized pass rushers in his 3-4 scheme. He may be on the smaller size, and he doesn’t have any NFL experience up to this point – he was inactive every game after coming off the PUP list – but Okoronkwo is a wild card in the Rams’ pass-rush rotation.
If he steps up, it’ll allow Matthews’ role to be more fluid and take some pressure off the Rams to find a complement to Fowler outside. It’ll also solidify the pass rush for several years to come, if he emerges as a consistent contributor.
znModeratorHow much production can the Rams expect at outside linebacker in 2019?
Vinny Bonsignore and Rich Hammond
The Rams face an interesting situation at linebacker, particularly outside linebacker, where they hope youngsters take decisive steps next season. But while the opportunity seemingly is there for Dante Fowler Jr., Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to solidify the outside for the next few years, it’s easy to envision a scenario in which the Rams might have to look to next year’s draft and free-agent classes, or the trade market, for more dependable options.
Fowler, Ebukam and Okoronkwo have youth and enticing skill sets. But there’s a reason the Jacksonville Jaguars traded Fowler, the third pick in the 2015 draft, to the Rams last year and why Ebukam and Okoronkwo were third-day selections in their respective drafts. They have potential, but they’re not sure things.
The Rams must cobble together enough production for this to be a dependable, viable component of their defense. So here’s the question: What can the Rams expect from their outside linebackers in 2019?
Vinny Bonsignore
The Rams were 15th in the NFL last year with 41 sacks but did create 223 quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. Six sacks came from outside linebackers: Samson Ebukam had three, Fowler had two (in eight games) and Matt Longacre, who is no longer on the team, had one. Those three players accounted for 54 of the 223 hurries. Ebukam had 24, second-best on the team, and Fowler had 20 with the Rams and seven with the Jaguars.
Aaron Donald alone had 20.5 sacks and 68 hurries. There is no reason to think Donald will take a decided step back from that production, but it’s presumptuous to expect him to match it. So it’s imperative for the Rams to get more production around him, either to offset any drop Donald experiences or to complement his status quo (or improvement).
Ideally, they’ll find help at outside linebacker, a position Donald greatly helps by occupying so many double-teams and creating so many one-on-one matchups for the teammates flanking him.
Can the Rams confidently count on Fowler and Ebukam to take big steps forward to create a more ominous rush off the edge? Will Okoronkwo emerge as a rush specialist after missing most of his rookie year with a broken foot? Can Morgan Fox, who the Rams had high hopes for heading into last season, rebound from the season-ending knee injury he suffered during OTAs last year? And does Clay Matthews, signed as a free agent, have enough left in the tank to provide pass-rush pressure while being deployed at various spots on the field?
Among edge players, Fowler graded as the 43rd-ranked pass-rusher last year, according to Pro Football Focus, while Ebukam was 59th and Matthews 69th.
The pressure is on Fowler to emerge as a more consistent, productive player. He flashed at various times after arriving in Los Angeles last November — the pressure he got on New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees in the NFC Championship Game forced the overtime interception that led to Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning field goal.
Now Fowler, who the Rams signed to a one-year, $14 million contract last March, has to do it more frequently. His next payday depends on it, and the Rams’ defense would certainly benefit from it. Given the favorable matchups he’ll get playing a full year alongside Donald, it’s reasonable to expect eight to 10 sacks and 30 to 35 quarterback hurries from Fowler in 2019.
Ebukam made strides last year, his first as a starter, in all phases of the game and the tools are there for him to develop into a viable pass-rusher. It’s definitely within reason to expect him to generate six quarterback sacks and 25 to 30 hurries.
As for Matthews, who had four sacks and 19 hurries last year with Green Bay, the added motivation of being discarded by the Packers and returning home to Southern California to play on a championship-caliber team should give him something to prove. The added benefit of playing under Wade Phillips, a master at creating advantageous matchups, and alongside Donald, the most dominant defensive lineman in the NFL, should give Matthews plenty of chances to shine. Provided he stays healthy, it’s reasonable to expect five sacks and 25 hurries.
If the Rams can get 18 to 20 sacks from their three primary outside linebackers, plus 70 to 80 quarterback hurries, that would represent a significant improvement.
Rich Hammond
A lot of this will hinge on Dante Fowler Jr., and that’s a good thing for the Rams. Fowler seemed a little lost, both inside and outside of the football sphere, when he arrived in the Rams’ locker room last season after a trade with Jacksonville. The former No. 3 overall pick had lost his job with the Jaguars and badly needed a reboot.
From the time of his arrival in L.A., Fowler talked about being viewed as a three-down player, not just as a third-down pass-rusher. For the most part, he lived up to that in his half-season with the Rams, as he didn’t look lost in any aspect of the game. He did tend to vanish at times and splash in others, so consistency will be key, but the Rams did the perfect thing by signing him to a one-year contract. Fowler had eight sacks with the Jaguars in 2017. I think he can get to 10 in 2019.
This is a prove-it year for Fowler, and a full offseason of acclimation should help. The Rams are going to need him. This defense is all about Aaron Donald. In 2018, Donald got inside help from nose tackle Ndamukong Suh, who also had consistency issues but always drew attention from offensive linemen. If the Rams are serious about playing rookie Greg Gaines at nose tackle, he’s not going to provide the same level of help for Donald, at least not immediately. That’s why they will need Fowler as a disruptive force on the outside.
I’m less certain what the Rams are thinking at the other outside linebacker spot.
In 2017 and 2018, they invested draft picks in Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, and both players have potential, but then in March, they signed veteran Clay Matthews, who told reporters this week that he will play outside linebacker on first and second downs. So what does that mean for Ebukam and Okoronkwo, and even for Morgan Fox, who showed promise before a major knee injury?
Yes, there will be a rotation, and injuries always happen. It doesn’t necessarily mean the two young guys will be buried. I’m just not sure about Matthews. The lure of bringing in an L.A. native, former All-Pro, ex-Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion is obvious, but Matthews just turned 33 and his production is falling off. Matthews provides an upgrade when it comes to pass coverage, but can the same be said of his pass-rushing skills at this point in his career? Matthews had 3.5 sacks last season; it’s tough to see him exceeding that in 2019.
When Matthews signed, I wondered whether the plan was to move him inside. I’m still unclear about why that isn’t the plan. Presumably, Matthews will move inside on third downs, and that’s probably where and when he will be most effective. But what about first and second down?
The Rams seem to think Cory Littleton and Micah Kiser can handle things inside, but there’s little depth behind them (plus, Kiser was limited to special-teams duty in 2018). Perhaps, once the Rams get a longer look at all this, they will think about Matthews going inside. Ebukam, Okoronkwo and Fox also could force that issue if they play well.
May 23, 2019 at 10:30 am in reply to: UDFAS: videos & write-ups + (continually) updated list of Rams udfas #101601znModeratorfrom Football Outsiders
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/four-downs/2019/four-downs-nfc-west-0Notable Undrafted Free Agents: The Rams signed 14 undrafted free agents. A pair of tight ends might have the best chance of making the club, given that it’s one of the few weak spots on the L.A. offense. Texas State’s Keenan Brown was third in the nation at the position with 51 catches last year, amassing 577 yards and five touchdowns. Houston’s Romello Brooker could be an effective red zone weapon; he had seven touchdowns in only 33 receptions as a senior, and his 4/45/1 statline was good for the MVP award in the Armed Forces Bowl. Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer started 50 games in four years at Middle Tennessee State, making the first-string All-Conference USA team. Texas A&M linebacker Landis Durham has one of the best records pass-rushing production of anyone on the Rams roster, collecting 17.5 sacks in his last two seasons in College Station. Wide receiver Nsimba Webster joins fellow Eastern Washington alums Cooper Kupp and Ekubam on the Rams roster; he had a monster senior season in Cheney, with 84 catches for 1,379 yards and 11 touchdowns.
znModeratori really like kiser. good athlete. good mentality.
having a hard time coming up with a reason why he wouldn’t succeed.
probably only a two down linebacker. but that’s probably all the rams need from him.
My thoughts exactly. It’s really too early for predictions but I will try one anyway. I think he is the starter and plays well as the 2-down ILB.
znModeratorHumanzze@humanzze
Clay won’t move to inside linebacker and put Fowler and Ebukam on the outside?Vincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
As of now they value him more as a movable piece to be deployed at various launch points—
Chris Long@JOEL9ONE
Typical day. Get on an interview to talk retirement. Get asked about NFL drug testing and I end up admitting I smoke the devil’s lettuce sometimes. Worst part is my three year old son sees it on his timeline before I can give him “the talk.” Emotionally drained.Geoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
Players know the time period when the street drug test is administered. You shouldn’t fail it. And also, by this testing process, it’s clear the NFL doesn’t care too much about drug testing for street drugs. Hopefully it’s completely eliminated soon.Chris Long@JOEL9ONE
The NFL only randomly tests for PED’s. The point I made earlier was that we’re tested ONCE yearly for “street drugs” and it seems arbitraryMay 22, 2019 at 8:17 pm in reply to: Podcast: Farr & Simmons share first impressions of OTAs #101592znModeratorBetween the Horns
EP 93: What have we learned from the Rams first OTAs?This is a good one. There are a lot of “Farr/Simmons” moments, but that aside, they have been watching practices and have things to say about that.
Farr and Simmons have high praise for new DL coach Henderson, and in fact (according to them), so do the players.
Sebastian Joseph-Day making strides. Could be a competition at NT with Gaines and in fact, they just might have 2 players there.
They like the options and personnel packages in the secondary. This defense is faster this year than last year. They like their new additions and they like Marquis Christian. A lot versatility. That means deceptive packages…they can change up what individual players do. They expect even more of JJ.
Linebacker. They are interested in the competition at ILB (Kiser and Hager). They like Kiser’s focus.
Kupp looks like he will be just fine. Stats show how valuable he was and how much he was missed.
They talk about Allen and they like him as a physical player but he needs reps to get the mental side down. Farr talks about how important center play is to an entire offense, and it goes beyond just knowing the calls and making the blocks.
May 22, 2019 at 7:17 pm in reply to: OTAs (including a great final write-up by VB, posted 6/10) #101589znModeratorYear 3 of @JaredGoff16 ➡️ @robertwoods 😍 pic.twitter.com/T4MP7VZqMg
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 22, 2019
znModeratorJ.B. Long@JB_Long
I think I finally found the right dentist. She showed me a picture of where her @RamsNFL season tickets are in the new stadium, then started breaking down the other NFC contenders.PFTCommenter@PFTCommenter
Taught mr football genius Sean McVay a play today where Bortles and Goff are on the field at the same time and Aaron Donald is the FB. Best part is he has to remember it forever due to his memory==
from Jay Glazer’s weekly mailbag: https://theathletic.com/989857/2019/05/22/jay-glazers-weekly-mailbag-josh-rosen-will-get-a-legit-chance-with-dolphins/
Is the Todd Gurley arthritic knee a real concern or has it been slightly overblown? – Daniel J.
Nope, it’s not overblown. I think the biggest test will be what happens early in the season. If he runs and it doesn’t blow up and the Rams are able to use him as a workhorse, then a lot of those concerns will go away. If not, they’re going to have to get a little creative. They would be wise to be prepared because the knee has gone through a lot from college to now, so they’ve got to brace for it swelling up again. Gurley does have a very high pain threshold, though, I will give him that. He played with the knee banged up for a while before it became too much at the end of the season and they had to rest him.
==
Tyrann Mathieu's lawyer releases a statement detailing how he was extorted by family members who said they would make false claims against him if he didn't pay them https://t.co/ZdTSbnjDjg
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 22, 2019
==
Drew Brees at QB, T.Y. Hilton at WR, Aaron Donald at DT… @Andy_Benoit’s all-small team would have some pretty high expectations https://t.co/tXG3smBHu9
— The MMQB (@theMMQB) May 22, 2019
znModeratorFeeling comfortable back in L.A., Clay Matthews shares how he fits in with the Rams
For veteran linebacker Clay Matthews, there’s a number of reasons why he landed in Los Angeles and with the Rams for an 11th season.
The list includes the Rams’ recent rise to becoming Super Bowl contenders, head coach Sean McVay’s roster loaded with big-name talent, the proximity of his new workplace to his family’s new home just a few miles from where he played his high school ball, and the club’s culture, which Matthews described as just… different.
“Obviously I’ve only played for one team, but there’s something different — an energy around here and I think that stems from being successful, but that ultimately comes from the right people being on this team,” he said.
“The thing is that when you have a young team, you have to make sure you have that right core of players and veteran leadership,” Matthews added, before rattling off names like cornerback Aqib Talib, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, left tackle Andrew Whitworth, and finally himself.
As for how the six-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ plans to slot into his role as a leader on the defending NFC Champs, Matthews says he’ll stay the course — attend meetings, be at voluntary workouts, meet with coaches and teammates. The new Ram in town plans to go through his routine, despite joining a new team for the first time in his career. Showing a little personality and joining the Rams’ unique culture as a leader will come in due time.
And with five weeks back in Southern California under his belt, Matthews said he’s finally getting comfortable — but at first that wasn’t the case. Upon arrival, the vet backer had questions about where to park, eat, and meet with coaches and the defense at the team’s practice facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif., in addition to what his role might look like in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ defense.
On Monday, as Matthews headed for the locker room, which lies somewhere through the team’s weight room around the winding corners of the temporary facility, he told members of the Los Angeles media exactly where he’ll be on Sundays.
“Yeah as far as base defense on first and second down, I’ll be playing one of the outside linebacker positions,” Matthews said. “As far as third down and pass rusher situations, it’s so flexible as to where I could play on the outside or on the inside, so I think like they said when I first came here, that’s a little fluid. But as far as where they’ll put me in the program, it’ll say outside linebacker.”
znModeratorRam65
Mathews Said He Will Lineup On the Outside On 1st and 2nd Downs.
Just after the 4 minute mark.
We have had speculation on where Mathews will lineup. He answers with on the outside LBer. He said on 3rd downs and passing downs there is flexibility to be in the middle or outside. I’m wondering what snap percentage Mathews gets. I guess this confirms that Kiser gets the inside spot next to Littleton in base defense unless someone challenges him. Who else is there beside 7th round draft pick Dakota Allen who is considered a smart player who that probably needs time to develop. Some have speculated that Ebu gets a shot at the middle.
znModeratorRams Q&A: Vinny Bonsignore
https://theathletic.com/988418/2019/05/21/live-qa-with-rams-writer-vinny-bonsignore-on-wednesday-from-noon-to-1-p-m-pt/Their plan going in [to the last draft] was to move down in order to collect more picks within those first 100 picks. They had multiple positions they wanted to address, and they felt at the end of the first round through pick 100 or so (maybe even further) offered pretty comparable talent. Had someone fell to them that they had a really good grade on, I think they make the pick. But all things being fairly equal in terms of grades from 30 to 100 or so, they wanted to get as many cracks as possible in that range
[Gurley this summer:] I absolutely believe he practices and will get work in during the joint workouts with Raiders and Chargers. I do not believe he plays in a game. I think they are confident they can manage whatever it is this year and beyond. I think the Henderson pick is as much about what he adds to the offense – along with Todd – as it is Todd’s status. But obviously Henderson is also insurance
[For Matthews:] I think 5 to 6 sacks, 25 or so QB hurries is within reason
I don’t think there is any question, provided they stay healthy, this is a Super Bowl-worthy roster. There are four areas I’m focused on (aside from Gurley of course) and that’s LG C ILB and NT. All of which will be manned by newcomers and, in most cases, most likely, second-year players or rookies. If those positions get locked down in a dependable way, this team is poised for another big year. Still an “if” factor, though
Really like how [Littleton] handled himself last year in his first year as a starter. And there is every reason to think he’s only going to get better. Guys like Cory – and the other second/third day draft and UDFA value Les Snead and his staff have uncovered are like finding gold for a football team. So important to be able to hit in that area of the draft and beyond when constructing a great roster.
Gaines is very highly thought of for the role they want their NT to play
[Sullivan] made all the line blocking calls, so it was a huge factor. That’s a void Brian Allen will obviously have to fill. I think skill-wise Allen has a chance to be an upgrade – bigger, stronger, younger etc…etc…but as John showed, the above-the-shoulder aspect is every bit as important.
[The McVay Rams:] The best way to put it is how guys who have played elsewhere have told me it’s so different here than in their previous stops. The culture is about teaching/communication/accountability. But it’s not just coach-to-player its player-to-coach and player-to-player. And dialoge and input isn’t just welcomed from player-to-coach, it’s insisted on and honestly heard and heeded. There is very much an everyone is all in and an active part of the process from Monday through Sunday.
znModeratorRyan Kartje@Ryan_Kartje
The Chargers upcoming contract decision on Melvin Gordon is a fascinating one. The Rams’ situation has already shown the perils of giving a big deal to a top RBznModerator.@AaronDonald97 @RamsNFL #MVP How does he do it; master of destruction. So much to study, so much to gleam and just entering his prime. Still getting stronger, quicker, and smarter. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/ZrEgpiohNh
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) May 22, 2019
znModeratorfrom NFL’S BEST COACHES 2019
Patrick Daugherty
https://www.rotoworld.com/article/goal-line-stand/nfls-best-coaches-2019?page=0
…
3. Sean McVay
Career Record: 24-8 (.750)
With The Rams Since: 2017
Last Year’s Ranking: 9Sean McVay had one of the greatest debuts ever. He then improved upon it in every way for his second season. McVay spiked his wins from 11 to 13 and points from 478 to 527. His team went 6-2 on the road, which does not include an NFC Championship Game victory in New Orleans. Amongst the men he bested were Pete Carroll, Andy Reid and Sean Payton. One who got the better of him? Bill Belichick. The best new coach went up against the best ever coach in the Super Bowl and had his lunch handed to him. Belichick forced the Rams’ big-play, play-action offense to go station to station, and McVay had no answer. Belichick also made one of the most important adjustments you can make against McVay, resetting his defense after the 15-second mark on the play clock. That’s the time at which McVay can no longer bark in audibles to Jared Goff. Belichick, along with his disciple Matt Patricia in Week 13, showed the league how to slow boy wonder down. It means McVay will have even more adjusting to do from Year 2 to 3 than Year 1 to 2. Through two seasons, there is every reason to believe he will be up to the challenge.
znModeratorAdam Schefter@AdamSchefter
Bengals’ guard Alex Redmond, who started 15 games last season, is being suspended four games for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Drug Policy, per @Kat_Terrell and me. Played last season with a torn labrum and hamstring injury, and made bad decision to try to help it.Sam Monson@PFF_Sam
Credit the honesty.While PEDs are never good, I have significant sympathy for a marginal player trying to speed up injury recovery to save/protect his job
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Brandin Cooks working to improve route running, timing with Goff https://t.co/ppyMguscFm via @theramswire
— RamsNewsNow (@RamsNewsNow) May 22, 2019
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It's time for Wednesday Ranks. The RB edition. pic.twitter.com/KvwweEGwUR
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) May 22, 2019
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