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znModeratorMyles Simmons@MylesASimmons
#LARams. Bengals. Sean McVay. Zac Taylor. All happens in London in Week 8Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
Week 8 in London, taking an educated guess that means Week 9 = Bye week.April 17, 2019 at 11:56 am in reply to: RAMS draft…articles, vids etc. on just the Rams draft #99992znModerator5 scenarios Rams hope don’t play out in 2019 NFL draft
Cameron DaSilva
5 scenarios Rams hope don't play out in 2019 NFL draft
The Los Angeles Rams enter the 2019 NFL draft without many pressing needs, if any. As their current roster is constructed, they’re very capable of once again reaching the Super Bowl without adding a single other piece.
Fortunately, they do still have the draft at their disposal and could add a starter or two in the big event next week. Things could also go awry and they might not be able to grab any of their top targets at No. 31 overall.
Here are five worst-case scenarios that would be disappointing developments for the Rams in the draft.
Early run on pass rushers
Top pass rushers don’t often slide in the draft unless there are serious concerns. It’s a premium position and teams aren’t afraid to spend top-10 picks on guys who can rush the quarterback. That’ll be the case again this year with guys like Nick Bosa, Josh Allen and Montez Sweat all potentially landing in the top 10.
If there’s another run on edge rushers like Brian Burns, Rashan Gary and Clelin Ferrell early in the draft, that’ll spell bad news for the Rams. That scenario will push other pass rushers into the first round, making it more difficult for the Rams to land one at No. 31 or in a trade back in the second round.
The longer pass rushers remain on the board, the better it’ll be for the Rams.
Interior offensive linemen fly off the board
This isn’t a top-heavy draft on the offensive line, especially with regards to interior players. There isn’t a center or guard deserving of being taken in the first 10 picks, which would seem to make it likely the Rams could get one at No. 31. Not if they fly off the board in the middle of the first round.
Garrett Bradbury, Chris Lindstrom and Erik McCoy could all be first-round picks and might be selected before the Rams go on the clock. Not having a quality interior O-lineman on the board at No. 31 would be disappointing, leaving the Rams to focus primarily on the defense.
If tackles like Andre Dillard, Cody Ford and Jonah Williams start coming off the board earlier than expected, there could be a run on interior linemen, too.
Unable to trade out of 31st pick
The Rams would probably love to trade back from No. 31 overall, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to do so. In order to move down, someone has to be willing to come up. If the top quarterbacks are already off the board by the time the Rams go on the clock, there may not be a team willing to trade up.
Trading back would allow the Rams to land additional mid-round picks, somewhere in the range of Round 3-4. That would be one of the best-case scenarios for them, but if no one wants to trade up, they could be forced to stay put and pick the best available player – one that hopefully fits their needs.
No top safeties fall to No. 94
The Rams could very well pick a safety in the first round, having done extensive work on many of the top prospects. However, if they don’t, they’ll be anxiously hoping one falls to them in the third round. With a 63-pick wait between their first and second selections, there’s a good chance most of the starting-caliber safeties will be gone by No. 94 overall.
Juan Thornhill, Johnathan Abram, Darnell Savage, Deionte Thompson and Sheldrick Redwine are among the safeties they’ve hosted for visits, but it’s far from certain that any of them will be available in Round 3. The Rams clearly want to select a safety early, but they may not get the chance to grab an impact player if they pass in Round 1.
Wide receivers, running backs tumble
If there are two positions the Rams almost certainly won’t address in the first round, it’s running back and wide receiver. Quarterback is also in that group, but for the sake of this argument, we’re focusing on RB and WR. If players at those two spots slide down draft boards, it’ll spell bad news for the Rams. That would mean teams ahead of L.A. are taking players at other positions, which are of greater need to the Rams.
If only one or two wideouts and no running backs go in the first round – which is a real possibility – the Rams might miss out on some of the best safeties, edge rushers and defensive linemen in the draft. They have to hope three or four wide receivers go ahead of them, and maybe a running back or two.
znModeratorVincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Early #NFL schedule alert: The #Rams will play the #Bengals in London on October 27. The rest of the 2019 schedule will be released at 5 pm today.znModeratorfrom: https://www.therams.com/news/rams-sign-countess-five-exclusive-rights-free-agents
With the start of the offseason program on Monday, the Rams have signed restricted free agent safety Blake Countess and the team’s five tendered exclusive rights free agents.
Exclusive-rights free agents defensive end Morgan Fox, defensive back Dominique Hatfield, wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge, returner JoJo Natson, and defensive back Kevin Peterson all signed their one-year deals on Monday.
Of the group, both Fox and Peterson are returning from season-ending knee injuries suffered during the 2018 offseason program and 2018 training camp, respectively.
znModeratorCameron DaSilva@camdasilva
In his career, Russell Wilson has a losing record against only one NFL team (min. 3 games). Can you guess who it is?znModeratorLA might be home to the 2 best uniforms in the NFL pic.twitter.com/RcVM69hv8t
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) April 16, 2019
znModeratorPaul Hembekides@PaulHembo
Russell Wilson career (since 2012)
Pressured 37% of time (highest in NFL)
Hit 386 times on pass plays (most in NFL)
Worst O-line pass protection rate (45%)
Started all 125 games (including playoffs)
Leads all NFC QBs with 83 winsznModeratorTodd Gurley might be ‘feeling pretty good’ right now, but what does that mean?
Vincent Bonsignore
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — As Todd Gurley strolled to a waiting podium at the Rams’ practice facility on Monday, it was immediately apparent: He wasn’t walking with a limp and he didn’t need the help of crutches or a cane.
Whew.
Given everything everyone thinks they know about the condition of Gurley’s left knee — officially or (mostly) otherwise — the sigh of relief from Rams fans could be felt from the Santa Monica Pier all the way to Santa Barbara.
In the two-month aftermath of the confusing use of Gurley during the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots after his return from a late-season knee injury, speculation about his knee has ranged from a career-crippling arthritic condition to him recently leaving a Los Angeles nightclub with a limp so severe he basically had to drag his left leg around like a ball and chain.
Yikes.
Gurley, it seemed, was severely damaged goods. And the timing could not be worse given how the Rams gave him a record-breaking contract extension last summer.
So just to see him walk around without impediment or assistance was a pretty big deal.
On the other hand, if you were hoping Gurley would put to rest all the worst-case speculation — or even confirm it — by laying out a clear and concise diagnosis of what he actually dealt with at the tail end of last season and what he faces moving forward, then consider his talk with reporters on Monday a huge letdown.
And that’s probably not a good thing if you’re hoping that the six months between the 2018 and 2019 seasons will be sufficient for Gurley to permanently move past the issues he dealt with last December and January.
Only time will tell.
But if you listened close enough, you sadly get the feeling Gurley is entering a phase in his career in which his left knee will have to be handled with care in order to get him through future seasons at maximum level. Whatever the issue was, it didn’t require offseason surgery to correct it. That means it’s more of an issue that requires management rather than repair.
And it sounds like Gurley is as anxious as anyone to figure out what the future holds.
“Taking it day by day,” Gurley said when asked about the status of the knee. “Feeling pretty good.”
It’s been 71 days since the Super Bowl. You would hope pretty good would be good by now, right?
When asked if his knee will need continual attention and management, he said:
“All I can worry about is how I’m feeling right now. I don’t know how I’m gonna be feeling six months from now. So like I said, just keep working hard and doing what I’ve been doing these last couple years and communicating with (the training staff) and really just taking it day by day and then just trying to make sure that I feel the best once the season comes.”
That doesn’t exactly sound like a guy who is completely confident his late-season knee injury is a thing of the past.
Meanwhile, head coach Sean McVay hinted he was keeping a close eye on his Pro Bowl running back.
“Our goal is over the elongated period of time, really until the first game. That’s really the timetable that we’re operating with,” McVay said. “How does that specifically affect his workload through OTAs, into training camp. Those are things that we’re going to continue to monitor his progress, see how he’s feeling – communication from both sides.
“He’s in a good place right now. He’s feeling good. I know it was good (for him) to get back in the building. He’s been here doing some things. That’s really something that, as the offseason progresses and then as we get into training camp, he’s a guy that we will continue to monitor, but it’s like that with all of our players.”
Fair enough.
But the truth is, we have no better idea today than we did two months ago what Gurley’s future truly holds. And we probably won’t until the end of the 2019 season.
Will Gurley show up to training camp in late July completely fine? And will the knee present no negative issues over the course of the season? If not, can the issue be managed or mitigated with a detailed practice, treatment and usage plan?
Or are Gurley and the Rams at the continual whim of what the knee feels like when he wakes up each morning? Or after one half of play? Or one quarter? Or every series?
As much as we’d all like answers to those questions — the Rams and Gurley included — it’s unrealistic to expect them.
This one is going to take awhile.
znModeratorVincent Bonsignore@VinnyBonsignore
Michael Brockers said he’s gotten comfortable playing outside in the 3-4 but that he’s told #Rams coaches if they need him to move back inside he’s a OK with it.#Rams Aaron Donald said he took two or three days off after the Super Bowl before getting back to work. (There’s a reason he’ll go down as one of the five best defensive linemen in the history of the #NFL, and talent is just one part of it.)
znModeratorMyles Simmons@MylesASimmons
An announcement about an announcement: The complete 2019 NFL schedule will be released tomorrow at 5 pm PT. We know the #LARams opponents. Now we’ll know dates and times.April 17, 2019 at 12:05 am in reply to: mocking the Rams (what do various mocks or write-ups have the Rams doing) #99968znModeratorDeadpool
I think the Rams are preparing for drafting in the 2nd round. Why?
1. Because they have been meeting with a ton of 2nd round prospects, esp. having them in for private meetings. Once you start meeting guys at the combine, at pro days and having them in for privates, its serious because there are only so many meetings you can get in during those 3 phases. You don’t waste them.
2. I really think they don’t want to draft an OL in the 1st round. It really seems to go against their philosophy. I also think they are prepared to see all the top EDGE rushers gone. (Bosa, Allen, Sweat, Burns and Ferrell). That leaves CB and IDL. I have (and I’m not alone) Tillery, Lawrence and an injured Simmons as 2nd round players. Or very close to it. And if you are happy with all 3, trade down and take the one thats left. THat leaves CB, they have not talked to one 1st round graded CB. So either they are playing it close to the vest or they are off 1st round CBs.
3. So what is left? A QB, RB, TE or WR? Nope. OT? I doubt it. ILB? goodness no, unless Bush Jr. drops down.
Here are all the prospects the Rams have met with from the combine, pro days or private visits that I think are 2nd rounders.
1. Chase Winovich – Edge – pro day
2. Kaleb McGary – OT – Private
3. Elgton Jenkins – IOL – Private
4. Eric McCoy – IOL – Private
5. Jerry Tillery – IDL – Combine
6. Jonathan Abram – S – Private
7. Taylor Rapp – S – Private
8. Darnell Savage – S – Private
9. Juan Thornhill – S – Private
10. Dexter Lawrence – IDL – PrivateSo thats a good amount of 2nd round talent, I think they would love to trade down and are prepping for a move so they can acquire more picks. Just a feeling.
Rest of my thoughts: (no real order)
1. I think if you want a WR or a RB, wait until day 3. I think a ton of talent will slide into the 4th and 5th rounds. I think RBs could be had all the way to UDFA.
2. Get ready for a defense heavy 1st round. I think 3-4 QBs, 2 WRs, 2 TEs, 3 OTs, and 2 IOL are taken in the 1st. Thats 12 or 13 tops. Making it 19 to 20 defenders going in the top 32. Thats alot IMO.
3. I think the Rams are targeting a S or IDL early. I don’t know why, its just a feeling I am starting to get. I just cannot shake Adderley, Thornhill, Abram and Rapp at S and Tillery, Simmons and Lawrence at IDL.
4. If I were a GM in need of a starting QB to save my job, I would punt, update my resume and hope I survive the season to draft 1 next year. I know everyone says wait until next years QB class and its never that good, but this one is just brutal.
5. I think the Rams like Polite in the 3rd. Its the end of the round, so not much damage done and if he gets his head on straight, its another in a nice line of middle round home runs.
6. If the Rams draft a TE, its going to be on day 3. Just too many needs to mess with a TE before that. 1 guy I would pay attn to is Trevon Wesco from WVU. Rams talked to him at SB, so he fits the bill profile wise and he is versatile enough to add some value as a blocker from anywhere in the formation and doing a bit of damage underneath in the passing game.
7. I think the Rams definitely come away with a IDL, IOL, Edge, CB or S. Thats 5 of their current 7 draft picks. After those 5 its anyone’s guess. IDL, IOL or Edge double up and OT would be my other guesses.
8. 1 spot I haven’t mentioned is ILB. I think if the Rams draft an ILB, its going to be an OLB that they move inside.
9. After looking at who the Rams have interviewed or met with as far as CBs, I am lost on what they are looking for. But they have met Derrick Baity twice, and he is a big, press man CB and will be around on day 3.
10 I think anyone hoping for Dexter Lawrence in the 1st round is going to be disappointed. If they do go IDL in round 1 its Tillery IMO. I said that last week and I haven’t changed my mind. Why? I think the Rams like Saunders in the 3rd and if they pass on IDL it will be because Saunders is the target later on.
11. i also think anyone hoping for Bradbury at IOL will be disappointed, simply because he will be gone.
12. The one wildcard in the 1st round is Greedy Williams. Its so weird a guy with as many questions as he has with as much talent as he has, has not had a single visit. The only thing I can think of is that teams that are interested are playing it close to the vest. He makes a ton of sense for the Rams. I just wouldn’t bet too much money on him being the pick.
Anyhow, just some things to think about for a day or 2.
znModeratorAll the key players are gravitating to Winterfell.
I tivo-ed it. Haven’t watched anything yet.
znModeratorDane Brugler (@dpbrugler) from The Athletic breaks down "the Beast" + why he's higher/lower on guys like Haskins, M. Sanders, H. Butler, Metcalf, M. Sweat, J. Taylor than others on today's COLLEGE DRAFT podcast:https://t.co/CbEvM3zHga pic.twitter.com/fNjQRkGyZc
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) April 16, 2019
znModeratorFrom Brugler’s draft guide: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/link-to-bruglers-pdf-2019-draft-guide/
—
9. CHASE WINOVICH | Michigan 6026 | 256 lbs. | rSR. Jefferson Hills, Pa. (Thomas Jefferson) 4/19/1995 (age 24.03) #15
BACKGROUND: A four-star linebacker recruit out of high school, Chase Winovich (WIN-o-vich) was a three-year starting linebacker at Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson Hills, which is a southern suburb of Pittsburgh. He posted 57 tackles, 13.0 sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior, finishing his prep career with 149 tackles, 22.0 sacks and one interception. Winovich also saw time at running back and added starting quarterback duties to his resume as a senior, recording 210 passing yards, 981 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns. He also played basketball all four years at Thomas Jefferson. Winovich was the No. 24 rated linebacker in the 2014 recruiting class and committed to Michigan over Ohio State and Pittsburgh. He signed as a SAM linebacker, but was moved to tight end before moving back to defense and the defensive line as a junior. Winovich’s father (Peter) played basketball at Bethany College (1977-81); his mother (Nina) received the presidential fitness award; his older brother (Peter) played tight end at Bowling Green. Winovich accepted his invitation to the 2019 Senior Bowl, but was unable to participate due to a foot injury.
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT NOTES
2014: Redshirted
2015: (6/0) 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 0
2016: (13/2) 35 9.5 5.0 1 0 0
2017: (13/13) 77 18.0 8.0 2 0 0 Second Team All-Big Ten
2018: (13/13) 69 17.0 5.0 0 1 0 Second Team All-American; First Team All-Big Ten
Total: (45/28) 183 44.5 18.0 3 1 0HT WT ARM HAND WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 6026 256 32 3/4 10 78 1/2 4.59 2.69 1.57 30 1/2 09’08” 4.11 6.94 18PRO DAY N/A (stood on Combine numbers; positional drills only)
STRENGTHS: Times the snap well and finishes with closing burst…arc speed and flexibility to win the corner…violent swipe and effort allow him to stay unattached mid-rush…his tape is a clinic of chasing down plays from the backside…competes with consistent play speed through the whistle…matured play recognition and nose for the ball…balanced in space…drops his pads and drives through his target as a tackler…toughness isn’t a question mark and plays through pain…crazy competitive drive and won’t take a snap off, playing with a touch of insanity to him…consistent production as a starter.
WEAKNESSES: Doesn’t have ideal size or length by NFL standards…relies more on timing than natural explosiveness as a rusher…inconsistent edge-setter and can be knocked off-balance…tunnel vision in pursuit and doesn’t anticipate speed bumps…lacks ideal range and redirection skills at linebacker and inexperienced dropping in coverage…will attract flags in the NFL with his propensity to arrive at the quarterback out of control, diving below the knees or hitting late…wasn’t voted a senior captain and it isn’t in his nature to dial things back (NFL scout: “he’s an attention grabber and that act wears thin on some teammates and coaches”)…suffered foot injuries against Ohio State (November 2018) and Florida (December 2018) and underwent thumb surgery (March 2019).
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Michigan, Winovich grinded his teeth on the scout team for three years (including some reps at tight end) before becoming a fulltime starting defensive end the past two seasons, standing up and putting his hand on the ground. He finished his career ranked No. 8 in Michigan history with 44.5 tackles for loss. Winovich’s ability to rush with angled bend while fending off blockers is the key to his game, crediting his training in ballet, jiu-jitsu and boxing to his growth as an edge rusher. His extroverted personality will rub some the wrong way, but his competitive drive also fuels his disruptive effort. Overall, Winovich doesn’t have the size, length or explosive traits that NFL teams desire on the edge, but he finds ways to detach from blockers with his flexibility, active hands and relentless play style, projecting as a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 scheme.
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (#60 overall)
April 16, 2019 at 2:16 am in reply to: different Rams & McVay talk to the press (vids) … 12/15 #99946znModerator#LARams LIVE: Aaron Donald offseason program press conference https://t.co/f1CcbNL8h8
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 15, 2019
April 16, 2019 at 2:16 am in reply to: different Rams & McVay talk to the press (vids) … 12/15 #99945znModerator#LARams LIVE: Michael Brockers offseason program press conference https://t.co/ZOR8sHsINu
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 15, 2019
April 16, 2019 at 2:15 am in reply to: different Rams & McVay talk to the press (vids) … 12/15 #99944znModerator#LARams LIVE: Jared Goff offseason program press conference https://t.co/lmgl0I2pGE
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 15, 2019
April 16, 2019 at 1:37 am in reply to: NFL Network no longer available now from certain venues #99942znModeratorI am still getting it from the local cable company.
Yeah my title is wrong so I will change it.
Here’s a post about it:
MamaRAMa
AT&T’s Uverse just now dropped NFL Network
RAMbeau and I were watching the NFL Network earlier today and everything was hunky-dorey. Then this afternoon we turned it to NFL Network only to see this:
This channel is no longer available.
We regret any inconvenience.
Please visit tvpromise.com for more information.I don’t know if it’s coming back or not. I’m not gonna worry about it too much until training camps start. If I don’t have it then, that’s when I’m gonna start sweating. There’s no way I want to try and get through a football season without the NFL Network. This sucks!!
znModeratorfrom Quotes & Notes 4/15: Donald on hand and looking to improve after career season, Gurley “feeling good” as offseason program opens in L.A.
“Same old me, back in Pittsburgh, doing the same stuff I always do — just working out.”
-DT AARON DONALDDonald said he actually took “about two or three” days off following the Super Bowl loss — a vacation compared to the one day of rest he originally set aside while cleaning out his locker once the plane landed back in L.A. back in February.
Donald said he hopes to get in better shape and improve his game to do more for the defense — more than last season’s NFL interior lineman and Rams’ record 20.5 sacks, plus 41 quarterback hits, 25 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles.“Having these two guys — great edge rushers, I think that’s going to open up a lot more one-on-ones for us inside.”
-DT MICHAEL BROCKERSSpeaking of sacks from the interior, 2018 team captain, defensive tackle Michael Brockers says he hopes the Rams re-signing OLB Dante Fowler Jr. and adding LB Clay Matthews to the L.A. defense will make life easier for him and Donald next season.
Brockers had a relatively quiet 2018 — posting just one sack along with a career-low four quarterback hits, and four tackles for loss. He started in all 16 games.“I want to continue to get the completion rate up.”
-QB JARED GOFFAlong with improving his footwork, quarterback Jared Goff says he hopes an improved completion rate leads to more wins, when laying out his goals for year four.
Goff’s completion percentage has improved in each of his three seasons — most dramatically from 54 percent his rookie season, to 62 percent in year one under McVay.
Goff’s equation checked out in 2018. He completed a career-high 64.9 percent of his passes and the Rams won 13 games for the first time since 2001.“Days like today help getting past it of course, where you’re with the guys and you’re able to start moving forward in a different direction and towards a new goal.”
-QB JARED GOFFGoff said the Rams are putting their best foot forward, after admitting it’s been challenging to “mend” the Super Bowl loss without an immediate opportunity to respond on the playing field.
Likely later this week, Goff will learn his opponent for Week 1 of the 2019 season — his first chance to bounce back from his Super Bowl LIII performance, which amounted to 229 yards passing and one interception with no touchdowns.znModeratorwell. like i’ve said before. he may very well regress at some point in the next 2 seasons. but that would actually be normal for a lot of qbs.
i don’t think it means you give up on him. and i think mcvay and snead are too smart to do that.
My own opinion? He already regressed in the games at the end of the season (and that was largely circumstantial)—and will come back from it. He already done had his regression.
What do I mean by it was largely circumstances? The OL regressed. They played some defenses that could take it to them. In the superbowl add that cagey old BB was just going to have the advantage over a comparatively much younger McVay.
znModeratorWV: when you post a twitter url, you can’t attach any writing to it.
Yours (before I fixed it) began this way: ND:https etc.
I just took out the “ND:” and the twitter appeared.
It would also work to out the url on a different line from your addition, like this:
ND: https://twitter.com/JSCCounterPunch/status/1117869067992322049That’s just “code” showing what it looks like. But if you just post it that way without the code, it would appear like this:
ND:
For the last 18 years or so, Notre Dame has been encircled by automatic rifle carrying French security services, trying to protect the Cathedral from "terrorists," ignorant that the real threat came from cost-cutting private contractors.
— Jeffrey St. Clair (@JSCCounterPunch) April 15, 2019
…
znModeratorRams RB Gurley says knee ‘feeling pretty good’
Lindsey Thiry
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26532400/rams-rb-gurley-says-knee-feeling-pretty-good
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Running back Todd Gurley reported Monday for the first day of the Los Angeles Rams’ voluntary workout program prepared to answer numerous questions about the status of his left knee.
“It’s feeling pretty good,” Gurley said. “Taking it day by day.”
Gurley said there was “not really” any discussion about the possibility of an offseason procedure on his knee, and that his immediate focus was on the present when asked if a long-term management plan was in place.
“All I need to worry about is how I’m feeling right now,” Gurley said. “I don’t know how I’m going to be feeling six months from now. So like I said, just kind of keep working hard, doing what I’ve been doing these past couple of years.”
When asked if he was able to confirm reports that he had a degenerative knee or arthritis, Gurley avoided any such label.
“I mean, all I can focus on is how I’m doing right now,” Gurley said. “Feeling pretty good, like I said, taking it day by day and just trying to get better, get ready for the next season.”
Gurley’s left knee, which was surgically repaired in 2014, kept him sidelined for Weeks 16 and 17, after he rushed for 1,251 yards and scored a league-best 21 touchdowns in 14 games.
Gurley returned for the playoffs and rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in a divisional-round win over the Dallas Cowboys.
However, his performances in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LIII led to continued speculation that his knee continued to cause discomfort.
Against the New Orleans Saints in the conference title game, he gained only 13 total yards on five touches. And in a loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII, he rushed for 35 yards on 10 carries.
Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday that Gurley, who last July signed a four-year, $60 million extension, would remain a central part of the offense.
“Todd has shown that he is capable of carrying the workload,” McVay said of Gurley, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. “Todd is a guy that’s been a focal point of this offense. He’s going to continue to be.”
znModerator2019 NFL Draft: Why Josh Rosen is safer in Kliff Kingsbury’s system than Kyler Murray
Maybe the Cardinals should stick with the guy they have instead of making a change to Kyler MurrayThe Arizona Cardinals remain the central storyline for the 2019 NFL Draft, with no one willing to give an inch about their plans at the quarterback position. Just when there’s starting to be buzz about Arizona sticking with Josh Rosen, they decide to bring Kyler Murray in for a visit and have his agent come with him, causing many people to wonder if there might be some kind of contract negotiation going on between the two parties.
Cards coach Kliff Kingsbury continued to throw people off the Murray scent, noting that Rosen is actually a great fit for his system and a better athlete when he ever was. Do we believe him? To break it down, Brady Quinn joined me on the Pick Six Podcast to talk about how Rosen would work in Kingsbury’s Air Raid attack.
And Quinn actually believes that Rosen might be a better fit for what Kingsbury likes to run than Murray.
“I think what people fail to realize is, what was Kliff Kingsbury? He was a dropback quarterback. And he played within the system,” Quinn pointed out. “So was Graham Harrell. So was essentially every other quarterback who played in the system, including Gardner Minshew who played in the system up in Washington State this year.
“The entire offense is based upon pocket passers. In fact, you can look at the entire Air Raid system and make the case that Josh Rosen is a better fit than Kyler Murray is. I just think people look at the Air Raid now and think, ‘Oh, spread,’ because you see a lot of spread formations. And you think about Kyler Murray playing within that system and his ability to run with a field that is so spread out and with some of those running lanes that are available even in the passing game, and you see why people think it would make sense.”
Brady believes either Murray or Rosen can be good given the setup, but that Rosen might be “a little bit safer” than his younger counterpart.
“Both quarterbacks can play in and excel in the system. I don’t personally think they would be handicapped by Josh Rosen and, to be perfectly honest with you, I think Josh Rosen is probably a little bit safer within the offense than Murray is, only because he’s got NFL experience so far,” Quinn continued. “Looking at the history of NFL quarterbacks, they tend to be guys who have the history of the skillset of Josh Rosen than the skillset of Kyler Murray.”
This is the fascinating choice the Cardinals are facing — do they believe they have enough in Rosen to keep pressing with their second-year quarterback in Kingsbury’s system? If they do, it would make all the sense in the world to draft Nick Bosa or Quinnen Williams with the first overall pick, improve the defense and try to build around their 2018 first-round pick.
Ultimately it comes down to who is the best fit with Kingsbury’s system and who provides them the most value. If they believe it’s Rosen, as Quinn does, they should pass on Murray and try to land a blue-chip player at another position.
April 15, 2019 at 4:38 pm in reply to: mocking the Rams (what do various mocks or write-ups have the Rams doing) #99923znModeratorShould the Rams trade out of the first round of the NFL draft?
Trading down in the draft has proved valuable, and the depth at a certain position could suit the Rams well
RYAN KARTJE
Fourteen years ago, in a paper first published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, two economists posited that NFL teams had failed to understand the value of their top draft picks. Thousands of hours of work spent by scouting departments had made them overconfident in their own judgment.
As such, these teams routinely overvalued their highest selections – and even made irrational deals to accumulate even higher picks, when it made far more sense to do the opposite. The NFL draft’s best value, the economists found, always came from trading down.
Several NFL analytics departments took notice at the time. The Patriots, as one might expect, became masters of such draft manipulation. But most teams continued to ignore this logic entirely. In an interview, one of the paper’s authors, Richard Thaler, spoke of his experience working with Washington owner Dan Snyder, who heard Thaler out, before promptly ignoring all of his advice during the draft. Years later, in a fitting twist, Thaler would go on to win the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in predicting irrational behavior.
“Market forces have not been strong enough to overcome these human failings,” the authors concluded.
Even smart franchises have fallen victim to these failings during draft season. Last year, the Saints traded away a future first-round pick, along with their No. 27 overall pick and fifth-rounder, to move up 13 spots to 14th overall. That pick became pass rusher Marcus Davenport, who finished with five sacks and showed some promise as a rookie. But was it enough promise to match the value of two first-round picks? Unless Davenport becomes a perennial Pro Bowler, how could it be?
It almost never is. The smartest NFL teams, instead, take advantage of their overconfident peers’ worst instincts and use them to exploit inefficiencies in the market. They trick other teams into trading up, pile up future picks, and then choose a player with an almost identical chance of success as the one they would’ve drafted.
Take the Colts, for example. Last season, they moved down three spots, from third overall to sixth, netting two second-round picks in 2018 and a future second-rounder in 2019 from the Jets, who coveted USC quarterback Sam Darnold.
The jury is still out on Darnold, but there’s no denying the historic haul the Colts received in return for his draft rights. The Colts used the sixth overall pick to draft All-Pro rookie guard Quenton Nelson. Then, with back-to-back picks early in the second round, one from the Jets and the other their own, the Colts took another All-Pro – and defensive rookie of the year – linebacker Darius Leonard, followed by their starting right tackle, Braden Smith.
Had they stayed put, the Colts could’ve added a Pro Bowl corner in Denzel Ward or a talented pass rusher like Bradley Chubb. But by trading down just three spots, the Colts added two additional high-level starters, and in less than two weeks, they’ll add yet another. Thanks to the Jets, they also own the 34th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
The Rams are slated to pick just three slots before that. But unless one of the top prospects on their board tumbles to the end of the first, they should explore every possible option to trade down, out of the round.
The Rams haven’t picked in the first round since trading up to take Jared Goff with the top overall pick in 2016. They could definitely use another first-round talent on either the defensive or offensive lines.
But by trading down a few picks, the Rams could potentially address both lines. When the Eagles traded the 32nd overall pick last season to the Ravens, they selected tight end Dallas Goedert 17 picks later, moved up seven spots in the fourth to choose a starting corner and, for good measure, added a second-round pick (53rd overall) in the 2019 draft.
The Rams don’t even have to trade down that far to add serious value. In 2017, the Seahawks moved down just four spots from No. 31 and got a fourth-round pick out of the deal.
There’s no reason to think the Rams couldn’t see at least that value – and perhaps even more. Considering the team’s recent success rate with third- and fourth-round picks – receiver Cooper Kupp, safety John Johnson, linebacker Samson Ebukam, etc. – that additional selection could make a significant difference.
The difference between the 31st and 35th pick in this draft, meanwhile, could prove negligible. The draft is deep with defensive talent into the second round, and the Rams’ needs happen to correspond to where the draft is deepest – most notably, on the defensive line. It’s not unreasonable to think Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence could be available with the 34th overall pick or that DeAndre Baker, the Georgia cornerback, could keep sliding all the way to 37.
It’s impossible to predict just how the draft will unfold, but the only true formula for drafting better players is to have more draft picks. Unless there are compensatory selections Les Snead has somehow failed to already unearth, trading down from the first round is the Rams’ most economical path to piling up those picks.
znModeratorDeadpool’s Top 10 List by Position
IDL:
1. (2) Quinnen Williams – IDL – Alabama – 6′-3″ 303 lbs. – Explosive, with a great first step, nice lateral mobility and a high end motor. No glaring weaknesses.
2 (5) Christian Wilkins – IDL -Clemson – 6′-3″ 315 lbs. – Another quick, penetrating DT with added size to hold his own against the run. I didn’t see a player with better pad level then Wilkins. Ultra high character from all reports.
3 (7) Jeffery Simmons – IDL – Mississippi State – 6′-3″ 301 lbs. – Graded strictly on on-field play. A quick, penetrating DT, best suited for a 1 gap scheme. A punisher when he gets home.
4. (11) Ed Oliver – IDL – Houston – 6′-2″ 287 lbs. – Ultra athletic with enough strength to force the issue against the pass and the run. Lives in opposing backfields. 1 gap 3 tech.
5. (27) Dexter Lawrence – IDL – Clemson – 6′-5″ 342 lbs.- A true NT that can dictate the LoS against the run and has rare athleticism for a man his size to press the gaps as a pass rusher. Immediate 2 down starter.
6. (38) Charles Omenihu – IDL – Texas – 6′-5″ 280 lbs. – great length with a great get off, really put pressure on offensive lineman with his blend of size, strength and athleticism. He was a DE, but if he grows a bit into that frame, he could be another penetrating 3 tech.
7. (70) Dre’Mont Jones – IDL – Ohio State – 6′-3″ 281 lbs. – lack of an anchor against the run pushes him down the board, his burst, athletic ability and a nice changeup of pass rush moves gives him a place to rush the passer from the inside on passing downs.
8. (72) Daylon Mack – IDL – Texas A&M – 6′-1″ 336 lbs. – Size, strength and surprising explosiveness. He’s a NT that can anchor at the point of attack or use that 1st step to disrupt a gap. Not going to be a real pass rush threat.
9. (74) Gerald Willis – IDL – Miami – 6′-2″ 302 lbs. – runs a bit hot and cold, but when hot he is tough to stop. has shown multiple pass moves, has decent get off at the snap and his power is decent for the position.
10. (77) Khalen Saunders – IDL – Western Illinois – 6′-0″ 324 lbs. – Length is an issue, but he is a stout anchor with his built in leverage and strength. Has enough athletic ability to rush the passer, although its not his strong suit. Wore down in the games I saw. FCS level of competition.
Note 1: Tillery was overlooked – would be IDL #5 (37) Jerry Tillery – IDL – Notre Dame – 6′-6″ 295 lbs. – Great size and strength to handle the run and get after the QB. When he puts everything together, he is tough to stop. I thought he ran too hot and cold to be a first round pick.
Note 2: on the IDL prospects. The top of this list is very good. First break point is after Omenihu. Speaking of Omenihu, I know he played DE and DT, but to me 3T seems like the position he will grow into considering he is already 280 lbs. at 21 years of age. I like how the list lined up, but i think I am too high on Jones. Note on Simmons, I do not include redflags or injuries when I score, so he is where he is, judge him as you will.
znModeratorhttps://www.rotoworld.com/football/nfl/player-news/headlines/8980151
Rams coach Sean McVay said the goal for Cooper Kupp is to have him ready for Week 1.
Kupp has been setback-free in his rehab from ACL surgery thus far and is currently considered questionable for training camp. If the goal is to have him ready to play in Week 1, though, it’s likely the team holds him out for their four preseason contests against the Raiders, Cowboys, Broncos, and Texans. Jared Goff stands to benefit the most with Kupp back as he averaged a breezy 329.6 yards and 2.1 touchdowns in eight games with his stud slot wideout on the field compared to 256.3 and 1.8 in the eight outings Kupp missed last year.
SOURCE: Ryan Kartje on Twitter
znModeratorJoel Corry@corryjoel
Seattle preserved their team policy or precedent on contract structure with Russell Wilson’s 2015 deal. If I had a dollar for every time a team told me something couldn’t be done contractually because of precedent while I was an agent, I could have already bought an NFL team.J.B. Long@JB_Long
As off-season program begins, defending NFC West is top-of-mind. Only have to be better than 3 teams to reach playoffs.McVay’s two year mark vs. division (with starters playing): 10-1
In the loss (2017 SEA), #LARams committed 5 turnovers & dropped game-winner in the end zone.
Lindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
The Rams took care of some housekeeping Monday and signed several of their young players who were RFA or ERFA to one-year contracts.The Rams announced Monday that they signed restricted free agent S Blake Countess and exclusive rights free agent DE Morgan Fox, DB Dominique Hatfield, WR KhaDarel Hodge, returner JoJo Natson and DB Kevin Peterson to one-year contracts.
znModeratorDugar, Michael-Shawn@MikeDugar
The day is April 15, 2019. The #Seahawks are coming off a 10-win season. Russell Wilson, still in his prime, just had one of the best years of his career. And we’re debating whether Seattle should pay him.Around The NFL@AroundTheNFL
Carson Wentz’s back not yet fully healed: “It’s still getting there”znModeratorfrom NFL stars who could fade this coming season
#5. Jared Goff, quarterback, Los Angeles Rams
If the end of last season is any indication, it’s quite possible that we’ve already seen Goff’s best. Playoffs included, he threw seven touchdowns compared to eight interceptions over his final eight games. The Rams decided against extending him this offseason, a move critics will argue suggests the team may think Goff has already hit his ceiling.znModeratorYear 3 of the Sean McVay era officially gets underway today as the players get back to work for the first time since the Super Bowl.
A chance to see some new recruits in action as well as some familiar faces! And by action, we mean probably doing some stretching.
— Los Angeles Rams UK (@LARams_UK) April 15, 2019
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