In the SB Sully and Blythe were getting abused and Goff had dudes in his face a lot, so were the Pats 2 gapping and still getting pressure ?

No cap for 1 year. Solved.

Brockers is a better 4-3 defensive tackle than he is in the 3-4. He is durable, will get you 5-6 sacks every year, and is great against the run. And he's a leader type of guy in the locker room. What more could you ask for.

Gurley's effort last year reminded me of Sammy's in 2017

Tano said:

I wouldn't have minded the Brian Leonard pick if he was selected in the sixth round.

But in the second, I was like who the frick is making these picks for the Rams.

First we take two tight ends the year before and now Brian Leonard in the second.

2006 and 2007 draft years were epitome of really bad drafts.

I don't think they could have done worse if they threw a damn dart at a board of top players those two years.

Click to expand...

They might have accidentally found a good player or 2 in those drafts with the darts system...

I like the idea that the Rams are getting the most out of their few lower draft picks by picking guys that fell in the draft due to injury.
As long as we don't need them right away they can have a year to learn in the system, a year to heal up and then be ready.

That's really the way we stole Edwards.

2020 Offseason Opponent Breakdown: Philadelphia Eagles

Now that the Rams' 2020 schedule is officially out, it's time to resume our offseason opponent breakdowns on theRams.com. Up next is Los Angeles' Week 2 road game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

2019

The Eagles were a 5-4 team going into their Week 10 bye, but three consecutive losses after the break put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. Still, they rallied to win their final four games of the season – including a Week 16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys which paved the way for an NFC East-clinching win over the New York Giants in Week 17 to earn the fourth playoff seed in the conference.

Unfortunately for Philadelphia, starting quarterback Carson Wentz sustained a head injury on the first play of its second offensive series in its Wild Card game against the Seattle Seahawks. Despite veteran backup Josh McCown's best efforts, the Eagles fell to the Seahawks 17-9.

That bad injury luck followed a challenging regular season in which 32 different Eagles players dealt with injury at various points, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com. Wide receiver was the position hit hardest, with starters Alshon Jeffery (six games), DeSean Jackson (13 games) and Nelson Agholor (five games) all missing time. Defensively, starting defensive tackle Malik Jackson suffered a season-ending foot injury in the opener against the Washington Redskins.

Changes

The most notable transactions occurred on defense, highlighted by the Eagles trading a third-round pick and fifth-round pick in this year's NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions for three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay. Slay received a three-year contract extension from the Eagles as well. They also signed former Rams slot cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman to a one-year deal.

On offense, Philadelphia said goodbye to Agholor, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an unrestricted free agent, and hello to former TCU star Jalen Reagor, who it selected with its first-round pick in this year's draft. To further bolster their wide receiver depth, the Eagles also acquired WR Marquise Goodwin and pick No. 210 in the 2020 NFL Draft from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for pick No. 190.

Head coach

Doug Pederson enters his fifth season as head coach of the Eagles, compiling a 38-26 regular season record through his first four years with the franchise. Philadelphia went 13-3 and won Super Bowl LII in 2017, Pederson's second season.

What to watch for

The quarterback battle

This game will pit the 2016 No. 1 overall pick (Rams quarterback Jared Goff) against the 2016 No. 2 overall pick (Wentz).

Through their first four seasons in the league, Goff has completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 14,219 yards and 87 touchdowns with 42 interceptions, while Wentz has completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 14,191 yards and 97 touchdowns with 35 interceptions.

The two previous matchups between Wentz and Goff have been high-scoring affairs, producing a combined 78 points in 2017 (a 43-35 Eagles win) and 53 points in 2018 (a 30-23 Eagles win). Both took place in Los Angeles.

NJRamsFan said:

We are lucky boys. Don’t get caught up in the politics of the game and forget to enjoy the fact we are probably watching the most dominant player to ever suit up

Click to expand...

Yes. He is a game changer like LT was.

At least he is still a Ram. Normally its a new jersey & new team altogether.

I just helped my son move out of his apartment at college.

He had a Gurley jersey hanging in his room. Another kid had a Cam Newton Jersey hanging in his. And the third kid had a Brady jersey. So 4 yrs later now all on diff teams. Kind of funny.

I know how I would handle this...."Hey Coach, you want to see how fast I am?" Sure. "Want to see it again?"

Juggs said:

I really thought Evans did a great job subbing in. I hope to get 2018 Hav back, but if not, for the savings, i feel good about Edwards and Evans on the right side. Not sure how Goff feels...but I'm okay with it!

Click to expand...

Me too. I have read the comments about that he got help & stuff but overall in the end I thought the RT play was better with Evans than with Havenstein. If throughout TC/PS Kromer concludes Evans & Hav are working & practicing @ the same grade, I'm hope he would go with Evans as starter & build on the OL'er with more tread & who is undamaged. I do think Evans was made to play RT in the NFL. But that only if Noteboom is fully healthy to back up the LT post.

Havenstein with his modest salary cap cost contract could then become Sneads future high value trade tender for teams who have just experienced the loss of their starting RT due to injury in preseason or in the first 6 regular season games before the trading deadline. In the 2021 Rams draft have no draft selections in the first, fourth & fifth rounds. Due to the cost of trading for Jalen Ramsey & Austin Corbett during the regular 2019 season.

Snead has provided Kromer with plenty of young OL'ers who have played OT in college who may be good RT reserves prospects. Besides the fact that Noteboom most likely being the top swing OT reserve..... there is David Edwards, Chandler Brewer, Newly drafted Tremayne Anchrum, Jamil Demby, Coleman Shelton & even UDFA rookie Cohl Cabral was a starting OT.

PFT Monday mailbag question No. 1: The future of the quarterback market

Lately, I’ve asked for questions and answered 10 of them on Sundays. This past Sunday, I could say I took a break in deference to Mother’s Day. The truth, however, is that I forgot.

So let’s do it today. At first I thought it made sense because things would be starting to slow down. But the truth is they still aren’t, that a lot is still happening, and that when it comes to the NFL plenty still will, with the pandemic actually creating a net gain in news items.

But I’ve asked for the questions, so I’m now committed to providing the answers. That’s not some warped sense of honor talking, just the slight case of OCD.

Of course, I’m not committed to answering them all at once. After hunt-and-pecking more than 500 words in response to the first question, I decided to turn it into a stand-alone item.

From @PFTPMPosse: “With the influx of young franchise QBs rapidly rising in the NFL, where it feels there’ll be MORE franchise QBs than teams very soon, do you see contracts for franchise QBs starting to level off, or even going down? How will this play out?”

Contracts actually had leveled off for three years, from 2013 through 2016, to the point where the market wasn’t keeping pace with the ongoing increases in the salary cap. Starting with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, that changed in 2016.

Luck, entering the fifth year of his rookie deal, pushed the bar to $24.6 million per year on a new-money averaged. One year later, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr nudged the reverse-limbo stick a little higher, to $25 million.

Carr held the title of enviable highest-paid player in league history for roughly two months. That’s when Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford jumped Carr, landing at $27 million per year. After the 2017 season, the 49ers gave quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo $27.5 million per year to avoid the franchise-tag dance with the player they’d acquired during the 2017 season for a second-round draft pick.

Then, Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins hit the open market after a two-year tag two-step, getting $28 million per year on a three-year deal from the Vikings. Only a few weeks later, Cousins (and everyone else) saw Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan become the league’s first $30 million man.

Ryan was able to wear the belt from early May . . . through late August. That’s when Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers blew the curve to the tune of $33.5 million. Rodgers surrendered the title the following April, to Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, at $35 million per year.

Dak Prescott seems destined to get more than Wilson, unless Dak and the Cowboys fail to work out a long-term deal before July 15. With $31.4 million due this year under the franchise tag in 2020 and $37.68 million in 2021, failure to sign him to a long-term deal now will make it even more expensive next year.

Either way, the next guy to set a new bar (before or after Dak) will be Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who should always be the highest-paid quarterback for as long as he’s in the league, frankly.

In time, Mahomes (absent a clause ensuring he’ll always be the highest-paid quarterback or that he’ll receive a set percentage of the cap) will yield to someone. Whether that’s Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson or Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray or the next Russell Wilson contract or Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow or Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert or Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence remains to be seen. Or maybe Mahomes will move the bar so high that the next five or six quarterbacks who aren’t Mahomes will fall in under him (like Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Rams quarterback Jared Goff have behind Wilson) on the overall quarterback scale.

Ultimately, it has nothing to do with the proliferation of franchise quarterbacks. Every team that has one will want to keep him, and keeping him will mean paying him — even if it means entering into an ultra-expensive franchise-tag formula, like the Cowboys have done with Prescott. (As explained this morning, the sooner a team signs a young franchise quarterback, the cheaper it will be.)

Would Prescott get more than $35 million on the open market? The Cowboys didn’t want to find out the answer to that question the hard way.

Eventually, someone will be willing to say “no thanks” to their current quarterback and find a new one, or at a minimum to let him see what else is, or isn’t, out there with the transition tag or truly unfettered free agency. Teams will continue to cling to the best ones, however. To do so, they’ll have to pay them.

Where the Rams' defense and special teams stand after draft and FA

Over the course of three days, the Rams drafted nine players to address eight different positions and signed 22 undrafted free agents as part of their continued roster construction for the upcoming season.

The following is a position-by-position breakdown of where the team's defense and special teams currently stand after those transactions.

DEFENSIVE LINE
2019 starters: Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day
2019 contributors: Greg Gaines, Tanzel Smart
2019 reserves: Marquise Copeland
2020 newcomers: A'Shawn Robinson, Eric Banks, Michael Hoecht, Sam Renner, Jonah Williams

After signing A'Shawn Robinson and re-signing Brockers in free agency, the Rams left their defensive line untouched over the course of this year's draft. Already with one of the top run defenders up front in Brockers, the addition of the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Robinson should help in that category too.

Gaines and Smart each appeared in 10 games last season.

Copeland mainly spent time on the practice squad last year.

Banks (Texas-San Antonio), Hoecht (Brown), Renner (Minnesota) and Williams (Weber State) were signed as undrafted free agents.

LINEBACKER
2019 starters: Troy Reeder, Samson Ebukam
2019 contributors: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Travin Howard, Natrez Patrick
2019 reserves: Justin Lawler, Kenny Young, Jachai Polite, Micah Kiser
2020 newcomers: Leonard Floyd, Terrell Lewis, Clay Johnston, Daniel Bituli, Bryan London II, Greg Reaves, Christian Rozeboom

Given the departures of inside linebacker Cory Littleton and outside linebackers Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews, it made sense that the Rams chose to address this position through both free agency and the draft. In free agency, they signed Floyd as an unrestricted free agent and added Lewis and Johnston through the draft.

Ebukam, Okoronkwo, Patrick and Howard all saw playing time last season while Reeder started alongside Littleton. Kiser suffered a season-ending chest injury in the preseason, while Lawler's preseason foot surgery ended his season prematurely. Polite mainly spent time on the practice squad, while Young – who was acquired in the Marcus Peters trade with the Ravens – saw action in nine games.

Floyd officially signed with the Rams as an unrestricted free agent on April 24.

Bituli (Tennessee), London (Texas State), Reaves (South Florida) and Rozeboom (South Dakota State) were signed as undrafted free agents.

CORNERBACK
2019 starters: Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill
2019 contributors: David Long Jr., Darious Williams
2019 reserves: Dont'e Deayon, Adonis Alexander
2020 newcomers: Dayan Lake, Tyrique McGhee, Levonta Taylor

The Rams also left the cornerback position untouched during this draft, though fourth-round pick Terrell Burgess (listed as a safety below) is also capable of playing the nickel back or slot cornerback position in the secondary.

Hill had a strong 2019 season starting opposite Ramsey, but the key for this group leading into the 2020 season will be who replaces Robey-Coleman as the primary slot corner.

Alexander was on the practice squad starting November 14, 2019. Deayon mainly spent time on the practice squad as well, but did get called up to appear in three games.

Lake (Brigham Young), McGhee (Georgia) and Taylor (Florida State) were signed as undrafted free agents.

SAFETY
2019 starters: John Johnson III, Taylor Rapp
2019 reserves: Nick Scott, Jake Gervase
2020 newcomers: Terrell Burgess, Jordan Fuller, Juju Hughes

Johnson started alongside Eric Weddle last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, with Rapp filling his role the rest of the season. Scott and Gervase can help provide depth after gaining experience on special teams last season.

Burgess (fourth round) and Fuller (sixth round) were added through the draft, while Hughes (Fresno State) was signed as an undrafted free agent.

SPECIALISTS
2019 starters: Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide
2020 newcomers: Austin MacGinnis, Lirim Hajrullahu, Samuel Sloman

Working together since 2012, Hekker and McQuaide will welcome a new starter into the mix as seventh-round pick Sloman battles free agent signings MacGinnis and Hajrullahu for kicker Greg Zuerlein's old job.

ESPN analyst Matt Bowen on how the Rams' newest rookies fit into their offense and defense

Last month, the Los Angeles Rams added new pieces to their offense and defense by drafting running back Cam Akers, wide receiver Van Jefferson, tight end Brycen Hopkins, offensive guard Tremayne Anchrum, outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, safety Terrell Burgess, safety Jordan Fuller and linebacker Clay Johnston.

For more on how their skillsets fit what Los Angeles like to do on both sides of the ball, theRams.com spoke with ESPN's Matt Bowen, who writes about the NFL for ESPN.com and is an analyst on the network's NFL Matchup show. Bowen is also a former NFL defensive back who played seven seasons in the league with the Rams (2000-01), Green Bay Packers (2001-02), Washington Redskins (2003-05) and Buffalo Bills (2006).

Cam Akers

Bowen said he has already written about Akers a couple of times for ESPN.com, recently including him on his list of 10 rookies who landed with perfect teams in terms of scheme fit (ESPN+ subscription required to read).

"I was very impressed with Cam Akers," Bowen said in a phone interview with theRams.com last week. "I love the fit here. I called him a professional runner because that's what I believe he is. When you watch his film at FSU, he has the traits of a pro running back. It's the contact balance, the size, the power, he's got enough wiggle and shake to make defenders miss at the second level."

According to Bowen, Akers also showed he could be an asset as a receiver out of the backfield – for example, on screen passes – due to his vision in the open field. Akers also has a "natural feel" for finding the endzone from inside an opponent's five-yard line.

From a scheme standpoint, Akers will see some similarities between Florida State and the Rams. According to Bowen, Florida State used both power and zone running schemes. While Rams head coach Sean McVay's offense is more zone-based, Bowen said Akers will still be a fit for that.

"Running an outside zone scheme where he can press the ball on the edge, look for a cutback lane or head straight up inside," Bowen said. "So it's a really good pick and with Todd Gurley moving on, allows them to have great competition there with (Malcolm) Brown and Darrell Henderson from last year's draft."

Van Jefferson

Widely regarded as one of the best route-runners in his draft class, Jefferson's ability to create separation from defensive backs and get open is one of the traits which immediately made him stand out to Bowen.

"We talk about all these traits – athleticism and movement skills, that stuff all matters," Bowen said. "But the number one thing in the National Football League is, can you get open? Can you beat man coverage? Do have a feel for zone coverage? Do you have strong hands at the point of attack to catch balls outside of your frame? That's what Van Jefferson gives you. So much detail to his game."

Jefferson's game isn't that of a receiver who will stretch the field vertically with his speed, according to Bowen, but rather one who excels at getting open on short to intermediate routes.

"Now let's put that in Coach McVay's offense," Bowen said. "What do we see? A lot of play-action, middle-of-the-field throws, running those skinny posts, those deep square-in routes, running the isolation routes versus off-man coverage. I think he's an excellent fit."

Brycen Hopkins

Although the Rams already had Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett and Johnny Mundt in their 2020 tight end room, Hopkins was so highly-rated that they couldn't afford to pass on him at pick No. 136 in the fourth round. Bowen said Hopkins' skillset is most similar to Everett as a move tight end who can stretch the middle of the field vertically.

"Really, you're drafting him to improve your passing game, create matchups in the passing game," Bowen said. "You can get him open on boot(legs), you can get him open on crossers. Especially in the Rams offense, you can get him open stretching the seams on those high-percentage throws from (quarterback) Jared Goff where he can catch it and run with the football afterwards."

Bowen said Hopkins will need to work on his drops – Hopkins also previously said this himself during the Rams' Day 3 post-draft show – and while he won't be a tight end blocking at the point of attack in the run game like Higbee, the hope is that he can see the backside of a zone run.

Most importantly, though, Hopkins will at least provide depth to a key position.

"You need depth to positions to get through a 16-game season," Bowen said. "You need multiple tight ends on your roster."

Tremayne Anchrum

The No. 250 pick and seventh-round selection primarily played offensive tackle at Clemson but spent time learning both guard spots during the Tigers' bowl practices.

"You're looking at a guy who played at a championship program, that's the first thing you see," Bowen said.

Bowen said Anchrum projects as a guard – an evaluation also shared by Rams Director of College Scouting Brad Holmes, who sees him fitting at center as well – who will fit into the offensive line as a run-blocker and provide depth to the offensive line.

"I think he needs to develop a little bit more, in terms of his hand placement and his ability to mirror pass-rushers," Bowen said. "But the foundation is there for someone that can work with pro coaching and start developing and see a career, and wait for that opportunity, to where he becomes a guy that's active on gameday and can provide depth to the offensive line."

Terrell Lewis

What first stands out to Bowen about Lewis is that he came from a championship program at Alabama coached by Nick Saban and played in a pro-style defensive scheme. Despite his injury history in college, his traits as a pass rusher make him an intriguing player.

"Did have some injuries in college, but in terms of the athletic traits, he's got everything you want," Bowen told theRams.com in a phone interview last week. "He's 6-5, 262, he's got the length, he's got speed off the edge. I think he's got great flexibility and bend off the edge."

Even with the addition of outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, Bowen said he could still see Lewis finding his way onto the field during his rookie season as a situational pass rusher in sub packages. Bowen also said he sees traits in Lewis that are similar to former Rams outside linebacker Dante Fowler, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an unrestricted free agent last month.

"(Fowler) had a great first step, he had the twitch, the flexibility to bend off the edge," Bowen said. "I think Lewis checks those boxes and he's a good scheme fit as well. I think he's a very solid draft pick, especially with the draft value where they got him in the third round."

Terrell Burgess

Dubbed by his college head coach as a "football swiss-army knife," the No. 104 pick provides Staley with a versatile defensive back to use in his defense. That skillset also mirrors what safeties are being asked to do in the NFL right now, based on how Bowen evaluates them.

"I always look at three things with a safety in today's game: Can you play the post? Can you cover down in the slot? Can you play in the run front?" Bowen said. "He checks all three of those boxes."

Having a player like Burgess who can play multiple positions in the secondary is valuable for defensive playcallers like Staley because it allows Staley to do different things, according to Bowen.

As an example, Bowen said a playcaller could employ a bigger nickel package – a sub package which swaps the weakside linebacker for a fifth defensive back – by using a third safety as the fifth defensive back instead of a smaller slot corner. Now, the playcaller has a run-defending safety like Burgess who can also cover the slot, something that gives said playcaller an advantage.

"Again, another very good value pick based on draft position, where they drafted him, and how he fits their scheme as that multi-dimensional defensive back," Bowen said.

Jordan Fuller

The sixth-round pick and 199th overall selection from Ohio State plays faster than his combine results may have shown.

"I don't have his testing numbers in front of me, but I know when I watched him on film, he gets to the ball fast," Bowen said. "And if you're a defensive backs coach, that's what matters, right?"

Fuller's 6-2, 203-pound frame also stood out to Bowen, as well as his football intelligence because of how he plays on the field. Bowen said Fuller is at his best when playing downhill with speed, and is physical enough to play in the run front because of his tackling ability.

That skillset should allow him to carve out a role on special teams.

"If he makes the team, he should be one of your top cover guys on special teams," Bowen said. "If I'm the head special teams coach of the Rams, on the first day of camp, when we go into kickoff coverage and punt coverage, I want to see him getting down the field and making plays."

Clay Johnston

Similar to Fuller, Johnston was another Day 3 selection by the Rams, going off the board at pick No. 234. A late-round draft pick himself, Bowen as a former sixth-round selection said Johnston projects as an inside linebacker who will have to make the team through special teams.

That said, it's a good developmental path to allow him to build on the traits he already possess, according to Bowen.

"I think he's very instinctive, I think he sees the field very well, I think he's a good tackler, and I think he has upside at the position in terms of coverage traits the more experience he gets as a pro athlete," Bowen said.

.

I'm hoping to not see teams put 40+ points on the Rams this season.

Ravens and cowboys ran all over the rams d last season.

.

A great listen indeed. We have some pretty bright guys on our team, behind the scenes.

This might be the Makers Mark talkin', and no, I'm not goin' all So Rams on you! (@So Ram just teasin', bro!) The Rams drafting Aaron Donald was for me the most significant draft choice this century. I don't care who else that name to dispute that, but he is that to me. He's the only player on the Rams, who can get me to watch a Rams game in 4th quarter, when it was really over in the 1st, and thoroughly enjoy his play. He will go down as a bright light during this part in Rams history, and will be revered by your children when I am dust. *flexes

Merlin said:

You pussies. I like my coffee like I like my women: dark & bitter.

Don't tell my wife.

Click to expand...

Coffee black.

Whiskey neat.

dieterbrock said:

What is “roadkill”?

Click to expand...

"road kill' is just another way to say, aged meat ~ Merlin

The times we are living in, no one should be picking a Booger, no matter how McFarland you may be from others!!!!!!!!

Who was the Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback before they drafted Trevor Lawrence...Answer Gardner Minshew

den-the-coach said:

Again I love the three kickers the Rams have brought in and still believe that when the dust settles it will be Austin MacGinnis, just like the way he's gone about improving his craft.

Click to expand...

Just from the eye test I agree with MacGinnis. His technique is a lot cleaner and consistent compared to the other two. Sloman is so short and stocky though that he kind of has to have an odd looking motion so wouldn’t be surprised to see him make it if he is better in camp. But Mac certainly looks more the part.

QB - Has to be Goff. Warner and Bradford are dead to me, and Bulger is Bulger
RB - Steven Jackson. My favorite Ram of all time. Obvious pick. Marshall and ED are tied for second.
WR - This is tough. Have to go with Bruce and Holt for a tie because asking me to pick between them is like picking family. Kupp's third.
TE - Ernie Conwell. Just as reliable as they came.
OL - Orlando Pace, although Whitworth has become a close second.
DE - Deacon. Youngblood is a close second with Chris Long as distant third.
DT - AD with Merlin as a close second and Brockers as a distant third.
LB - Pisa Tinoisamoa because I met him in 2006 at a draft meet (where we took Tye fucking Hill). Laurinaitis is second.
CB - Jalen Ramsey. I loved the kid coming out, so I have to pick him.
S - Aeneas Williams. I loved this guy's game, and I'm proud that he was a Ram.
K - Wilkins. Just...automatic.
P - Hekker. He loves Pokemon; he's the obvious pick.

...And looking at the thread starter...reminds me of how much I miss Dave and Rich...