Per Adam Scheffler it's yet another one year contract.
Heh...the trend among former Rams for single year deals continues.
Discuss....

~ArkyRamsFan~

Now, please bring Grant Haley back.

FMIA: Thursday Night Football flex, Roger Goodell’s contract and the latest from the NFL owners meetings​

PHOENIX, Az. – This morning at the annual NFL Meetings at the Arizona Biltmore hotel, NFL owners and top club officials will hear from the future. The future is a man named David Ellison, the CEO of a film and media company called Skydance Media, which will partner with the league and media arm, NFL Films to create the kind of content the NFL believes is the future.

Imagine a motion picture in theaters, or streaming in your home, with John David Washington and Michael B. Jordan starring as NFL players Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, two of the four men who integrated pro football a year before Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color barrier. It’s the kind of story the NFL believes was never told with the Hollywood flair that the Robinson tale got.

NFL Films has been a vivid storyteller for decades. But the NFL has never been associated with the kind of scripted motion pictures, documentaries and star-driven projects that Skydance—one of the producers of “Top Gun: Maverick”—can do. This is the message Ellison will bring to the league today in a conversation with Ross Ketover of NFL Films. By the way, NFL Films is on board with the new venture, and will be part of the movie- and doc-making.

“We believed,” the NFL’s chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp said Sunday at the Biltmore, “that with how fans are watching the content they love, increasingly on all these streaming platforms, that football and sports was underrepresented relative to the demand that people want. So we said, ‘Let’s find somebody who sees the world the way we do and wants to create the world’s best sports content studio for scripted and unscripted content. Mainly focused on football, but also focused on any sports.”

Skydance debuts “Air,” the Michael Jordan/Nike story, this week. The example I gave of the movie about the Rams and Browns breaking the color barrier in football is just a figment of my imagination, but stories like that one are what the NFL and Skydance want. One other aspect of the partnership will be to spread NFL stories to a global audience, to viewers who haven’t been turned onto the NFL yet. One NFL executive told me the most important part of the partnership will be spreading NFL appeal to the globe.

This isn’t only a long-range plan, Rolapp said. “I think you’ll see some things this year, announcements of things we’re doing. Now we have an infrastructure to actually go make these great projects we’ve been thinking of.”

The annual meetings aren’t overflowing with news this spring. Bringing NFL projects to the big screen, and the small streaming screens, will be a venture worth watching.

On the agenda here and elsewhere, 32 days before the next tentpole event, the draft:

I’m a Thursday flex skeptic. I think it’ll take a lot of Goodell arm-twisting to pass.

I’m a bigger skeptic on football turning into rugby. But I don’t have a vote, and so it goes.

Roger Goodell’s contract will get extended. That should not be a surprise.

I’ve got a not-so-dark-horse for his successor. Likely to be later rather than soon.

Great Dan Snyder line by one team exec here Sunday: “It’s been a pox on our house now for a couple years, and it looks like it’ll continue.” No action on the potential Snyder sale is expected, but I did find out one interesting thing Sunday: As of now, the sale price is shy of the $7 billion Snyder reportedly was hoping for. What a surprise. He’s been such a great steward of this fine franchise.

Hearing good things about Bryce Young after his pro day last week. One team believes he plays bigger than his diminutive size.

Nothing going on with Lamar Jackson. I mean, the trail of news about Jackson has gone drier than an Arizona gulch.

Punters are invisible people too. Man, the league’s trying to make punts and punters and punt returners go away.

RIP, Jerry Green. Dick Vitale got all emotional remembering his friend.

I might argue that Cam Newton talks a much better game than he plays.

Mel Kiper, national treasure.

Eli Saslow, national journalism treasure.

On with the show.

READ MORE HERE

I was sitting watching TV and this commercial came on. I could swear I can smell the BO coming off these two through my screen. I suppose it's somewhat appropriate as it is for a fragrance company. But seriously. Who buys shit based on this commercial?
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/ZK3sBe3osuk

STORY LINK

2023 NFL Free Agency: Which Teams Lost The Most Talent?​

The NFL offseason is generally a time for optimism. Every team is undefeated, while trades and signings are almost always spun in a positive light.

While many fans are busy fawning over their favorite teams' newest additions, others are lamenting losses. That fresh talent has to come from somewhere, and because of factors like the salary cap, coaching preferences and franchise directions, some teams inevitably part with more talent than they acquire.

There's still a lot of free agency left to unfold, along with the entirety of next month's draft, so it's hard to be too negative on teams' early offseason decisions. However, there's no denying that a few squads have lost a lot of talent through the first two weeks of free agency.

Which teams have lost the most? That's what we're here to examine. We'll consider both quantity and quality here, along with factors like past production, potential upside and positional value.

Players who re-signed with their original clubs and any acquired draft capital aren't considered here, as the focus is on net roster gains and losses. Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

Cincinnati Bengals

Key Losses: S Jessie Bates III, S Vonn Bell, TE Hayden Hurst, RB Samaje Perine

Key Additions: OT Orlando Brown Jr., G Cody Ford, S Nick Scott

Don't worry, Cincinnati Bengals fans, your team only narrowly made this list, and given the franchise's goals, it's been far from a bad offseason.

Cincinnati landed four-time Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in a move that should thrill fans. Star quarterback Joe Burrow has been sacked 124 times in just 42 regular-season games, and Brown is a major upgrade over Jonah Williams at left tackle.

Williams was responsible for four penalties and 12 sacks allowed last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Still, the addition of Brown doesn't negate the fact that Cincinnati parted with both starting safeties in Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, along with key offensive contributors in Hayden Hurst and Samaje Perine.

Hurst caught 52 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns this past season as the No. 4 target behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Perine tallied 394 rushing yards, 287 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rotational back and spot starter.

Cornerback Eli Apple, cornerback Tre Flowers and backup cornerback Brandon Allen are among 2022 Bengals contributors who remain unsigned.

Along with Brown, Cincinnati has added one safety in 2022 Los Angeles Rams starter Nick Scott and Arizona Cardinals backup guard Cody Ford. Brown is worth getting excited about in Cincinnati, the rest of the Bengals offseason thus far is not.

Baltimore Ravens

Key Losses: OL Trystan Colon-Castillo, G Ben Powers, S Chuck Clark, TE Josh Oliver

Key Gains: WR Nelson Agholor

The Baltimore Ravens make our list almost by default. For the majority of early free agency, they had added literally nothing. On Friday, Baltimore signed wideout Nelson Agholor to a one-year $3.25 million deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The team traded a valuable safety in Chuck Clark, though with Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams on the roster, that was relatively understandable. Still, Clark was a solid starter in 2022 who finished with 101 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery this past season.

In return, Baltimore got a lowly 2024 seventh-round pick from the New York Jets.

In free agency, the Ravens lost starting guard Ben Powers and rotational tight end Josh Oliver. Powers started all 17 games in 2022 and was responsible for only one penalty and zero sacks allowed, according to Pro Football Focus.

Oliver appeared in all 17 games, made nine starts and had 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns while also serving as an in-line blocker.

That's three key contributors Baltimore has lost this offseason with only a single complementary receiver coming in to offset them—and the Ravens also have a highly publicized contract situation to sort out with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Backup lineman Trystan Colon-Castillo, who appeared in 18 games over the past two years, signed with the Jets, while pass-rusher Justin Houston, defensive lineman Calais Campbell and pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul remain unsigned.

Presumably, the Ravens will reload in the draft, and there's nothing wrong with that. Their lack of moves to this point, though, leaves them with a big gap between losses and gains.

Green Bay Packers

Key Losses: WR Allen Lazard, TE Robert Tonyan Jr., DL Dean Lowry, DL Jarran Reed

Key Additions: S Tarvarius Moore, LS Matt Orzech

The Green Bay Packers are still waiting to resolve the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP isn't out the door just yet, but Green Bay is working to send him to the Jets.

That resolution may not be close.

"The Packers want a lot for Rodgers," Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk wrote. "They want more than they should, frankly. The Jets believe the Packers are being unreasonable. Per multiple sources, the Packers want a first-round pick and more from the Jets for Rodgers."

In isolation of Rodgers' situation, the Packers have still lost quite a bit more than they have gained. Starting receiver Allen Lazard and pass-catching tight end Robert Tonyan Jr. are both gone. So are defensive linemen Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed.

Lowry and Reed combined for 95 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks this past season.

Green Bay's additions have been limited to Rams long snapper Matthew Orzech and backup San Francisco 49ers safety/special-teamer Tarvarius Moore.

Long snappers are important, so fans shouldn't just laugh at the addition. However, adding a specialist and a defensive back who played just 41 defensive snaps in 2022 isn't moving the needle for anyone in Green Bay.

It's clear that Green Bay is waiting on a Rodgers trade before making any other significant moves, and that's logical. Moving him before June 1 will trigger an additional $8.7 million cap hit.

With or without Rodgers, the Packers roster is considerably weaker than it was a couple of weeks ago.

Los Angeles Rams

Key Losses: P Riley Dixon, K Matt Gay, CB David Long, QB Baker Mayfield, LS Matt Orzech, CB Jalen Ramsey, S Nick Scott

Key Additions: TE Hunter Long

Now we're getting into teams that have really lost talent in the early offseason.

The Los Angeles Rams traded star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins, getting a 2023 third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long in return. Long remains Los Angeles' only offseason addition thus far.

Losing Ramsey is big. He's a Pro Bowl cornerback who allowed an opposing passer rating of just 84.5 this past season.

In free agency, Los Angeles lost all three of its top specialists, along with starting safety Nick Scott, quarterback Baker Mayfield—who started the team's final four games in 2022—and cornerback David Long, who played 37 percent of the defensive snaps in 2022.

We must also mention that the Rams released pass-rusher Leonard Floyd and linebacker Bobby Wagner, too, even though both remain unsigned in free agency. Floyd logged nine sacks and 31 quarterback pressures in 2022, while Wagner compiled 140 tackles, six sacks and two interceptions.

Considering both were released, Wagner and Floyd are unlikely to return.

It's been a rough offseason for the Rams, who stumbled to a 5-12 record this past season. If the Rams are looking to rebuild in 2023, it's evident that they're currently in the tearing-down stage of the process.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key Losses: OT Andre Dillard, LB T.J. Edwards, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DT Javon Hargrave, QB Gardner Minshew II, RB Miles Sanders, G Isaac Seumalo, LB Kyzir White

Key Additions: S Terrell Edmunds, S Justin Evans, QB Marcus Mariota, LB Nicholas Morrow, RB Rashaad Penny, CB Greedy Williams

The defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles have lost several key pieces this offseason, though that has less to do with how the team has managed things and more to do with the sheer amount of talent Philadelphia had to begin with.

The Eagles did retain stars James Bradberry, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Darius Slay.

Still, Philadelphia has lost key players in linebacker T.J. Edwards, offensive tackle Andre Dillard, guard Isaac Seumalo, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, running back Miles Sanders and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Edwards, Seumalo, Hargrave, Sanders and Gardner-Johnson were full-time starters in 2022. Gardner Minshew II, meanwhile, was a valuable backup quarterback who took the reins for two games while Jalen Hurts was out with a shoulder injury.

It hasn't been all subtraction for the Eagles, though. They replaced Minshew with Marcus Mariota, added a starting-caliber linebacker in Nicholas Marrow, a young cornerback with upside in Greedy Williams and a pair of serviceable safeties in Justin Evans and Terrell Edmunds.

Philadelphia also took a flier on former Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny, who has been among the league's best runners when healthy over the past two seasons but who has also struggled to stay fit (42 games played in five seasons) as a pro.

General manager Howie Roseman has done about as good a job of maintaining the talent level as anyone could possibly have expected. However, the Eagles aren't as deep as they were a year ago.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Key Losses: QB Tom Brady, S Mike Edwards, G Shaq Mason, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches

Key Additions: RB Chase Edmonds, DT Greg Gaines, QB Baker Mayfield

What does a team do when the greatest quarterback of all-time decides to call it a career? It rebuilds.

That's what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing following Tom Brady's retirement. The Buccaneers have lost safety Mike Edwards, starting guard Shaq Mason, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, defensive tackle Rakeem Nuñez-Roches and Brady.

Mason was traded to the Houston Texans.

Tampa also parted with running back Leonard Fournette, kicker Ryan Succop and left tackle Donovan Smith, though they remain unsigned. Losing Brady is the big one, of course, though all of the other players listed above were either starters or significant contributors in 2022.

Tampa's additions have been limited to running back Chase Edmonds, defensive tackle Greg Gaines and quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield is the big get of the group, as the 27-year-old will compete with Kyle Trask and is young enough to potentially emerge as Tampa's quarterback of the future. However, he won't have the support of the talented roster the Buccaneers boasted in 2022, and it's not even close.

The Rams have a lot of needs so, for the most part, I’m expecting a BPA approach for their Round 2 pick.

The exceptions, in my mind are: QB, WR, ILB and S.

Agree…or do you see a scenario in which we’d take a player at one of those positions?

No @Merlin I don't mean house painters!

One summer semester at University, I thought I'd knock out some required courses in a short semester. One of those was a 2 unit class called Art History, which to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I'm no high fallutin wine swiller like @den-the-coach and I put my pants on one leg at a time. I shouldn't like these paintings done by the Masters, but I do. Here are some of my favorites.
Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh


Ascent of the Blessed, by Hieronymus Bosch


Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, by Georges Seurat


Water Lillies, Harmony in Blue, Claude Monet



If you've read this far, maybe you'll post some of your favorites!

1 yr 7M....Discuss...

~ArkyRamsFan~

NFL owners to vote to start flexing 'Thursday Night Football' games for 2023, per report​

"Thursday Night Football" may have more compelling games on its schedule next season. NFL owners will be asked during next week's league meetings to approve a flex plan for Thursday night games that go into effect for the 2023 season, according to the Sports Business Journal.

The main purpose of passing the flex plan would be to eliminate Thursday night games between losing teams. If the plan passes, the NFL would be permitted to shift Sunday afternoon games to Thursday night from weeks 14-17 with 15 days notice. The league would also be permitted to schedule teams for Thursday night games after a previous Sunday game on two occasions. Currently, a team can only play one game on Thursday night after playing a Sunday night game.

While there is optimism that the proposal will pass, there are reasons to believe that it could be voted down by the owners. NFL coaches, for one, are not fans of schedule changes, especially during the season. Safety also becomes a concern as teams could be asked to play more games on short weeks.

Amazon's first season with "Thursday Night Football" drew an average viewership of 9.6 million, according to Neilsen. While that is a solid number, it was a 46 percent decline from the previous season when Thursday night games were broadcast on Fox and NFL Network. Games that did not have significant playoff implications may have contributed to the decline in viewership.

There's also the issue of fans who purchase tickets well in advance of their game. The possibility of more games being flexed may cause more hesitation from fans who are considering purchasing tickets ahead of the game they plan on attending.

For a proposal to pass, it must receive 75 percent of the vote, meaning that 24 of the NFL's 32 owners must vote in favor of the proposal. Given the NFL's commitment to generating revenue, the safe bet is that the owners will pass the proposal, even if it goes against the wishes of coaches, players and fans.

Yo DB, are they going to roll with Volpe? I liked Jasson Dominguez too. Went to see them down in Florida. Nice park in North Port (Braves) puts Trenton Thunder to shame. Dominguez had a blast.

From my email:


Season Ticket Members,
The consistent hallmark of our team under Sean McVay and Les Snead has been aggressive moves in pursuit of Super Bowl titles. While this year may feel different given the first two weeks of the offseason, make no mistake, we expect to compete for the NFC West division title this season and make a run towards Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
We always knew that there would be a time when we would have to pull back on our typical approach to help continue our sustained run of success. In the past, when we traded for younger Pro Bowl players who would command new contracts – Sammy Watkins, Marcus Peters, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey – we had the long-term salary cap flexibility to take on those new contracts. If we wanted to acquire short-term players such as Dante Fowler or Von Miller, we had the extra draft capital to do so to help us make a Super Bowl push, which happened in both cases.
During the trade deadline this past year, it was clear that in a new era where teams were willing to be as aggressive as we were that we had neither the draft capital nor the salary cap space to win trade conversations and be able to take on top players at the salaries they would command.
As a result, we faced a choice this offseason. We could once again restructure contracts to give ourselves one last shot with our core roster but that would mean a total rebuild would be necessary over the next few seasons. Or we could focus on replenishing our draft capital and improving our long-term salary cap situation, clearing the way for us to compete both now and in the future.
Collectively as an organization, we chose the latter path, believing in the talent on our current roster and the skills of our coaching staff to return us to the playoffs. As we sit today, we have 11 draft picks in this year's draft, including three in the top 77. We have nearly all of our picks in 2024 to both build next year and have as capital to make trades at this year's trade deadline. From a salary cap perspective, while we have had to move on from players who helped us lift a Lombardi Trophy at SoFi Stadium, we have taken all of our salary cap pain in 2023 and project to have more than $60 million in space in 2024, the most salary cap space we have had since our move to Los Angeles.
Let me be clear – our goal for 2023 is to win the NFC West and make a deep playoff run. Change doesn't mean that we expect to take a step back. Our Super Bowl LVI starting lineup featured 19 starters (out of 22) that didn't start in Super Bowl LIII just three years prior. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald all enter this offseason as fresh as they have been in a few seasons and hungry to return to their Super Bowl form. We are excited to have young players such as Cam Akers, Cobie Durant, Van Jefferson and Ernest Jones take on more prominent roles. Sean has assembled a new coaching staff with a focus on great teachers, communicators, and different backgrounds to collaborate and figure out the best way to go win the NFC.

We know what a privilege it is to be Los Angeles' team and with that comes great expectations. It is not enough to win just one championship, even when you win that one at home. Our vision and mandate from ownership has always been for sustained success and multiple Lombardi trophies. Under Sean and Les' leadership, we are confident that this plan will allow us to compete and contend not only for this year but for years to come, and we can't wait to see you at SoFi Stadium this fall to start that journey together.
Thank you for your continued support and Go Rams!
Kevin Demoff
Chief Operating Officer

I had put this mock together about a week ago. While waiting for approval from ROD my first pick for the Rams went from a third round selection to now showing up in some first round mocks. That player was QB Hendon Hooker. I thought he was being overlooked and would provide the Rams with a great opportunity to obtain a starting QB for the future without having to trade up with more top draft picks. With the upcoming 2023 season looking like a semi rebuilding year and the future of Stafford's Rams career lasting another year or two at best it would be a good time to get a QB that had a real chance to be a quality starter for the Rams. I'm going to go ahead with my original mock which is including a trade down with Cleveland in the second round. The Rams would get picks 42 and 111 and Cleveland would receive picks 36 and 191. This would give the Rams a 4th round pick that they don't currently have. So, here's my mock.

#42 - Hendon Hooker QB Tennessee
#69 - Andre Carter Edge Army
#77 - Darius Rush CB S. Carolina
#111- McClendon Curtis G Chattanooga
#167- Payne Durham TE Purdue
#171- Ya Ya Diaby Edge Louisville
#177- Daniel Scott S Cal
#182- Ricky Stromberg C/G Arkansas
#189- Cam Brown CB Ohio State
#223- Hunter Luepke FB N Dakota State
#251- Nesta Jade Silvera DL Arizona State

I think the Rams can get a RB and WR in the UDFA pool. I agree with some on the board that have said the Rams will be an attractive spot for UDFAs.
With only 44 players signed right now there are plenty of positions to fill. The only FA signing I would like to see is John Johnson at safety. Right now the position badly needs some experience. I think JJ would be affordable.
Anyway, that's my thoughts on the draft right now. Looking forward to some feedback.

With all the gnawing of teeth and lamentation... nobody sheds a single tear for David Edwards?

Seriously though, hope his head is okay. Best of luck and thanks for the SB.

Addressing players on the roster, before and after they sign elsewhere:
Login to view embedded media View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=llZkDFuf3Z4

Here is a list of players who are still on the market (excluding players who played for the Rams last year).

With the Rams now sitting on $11M in cap space, any names that tempt you?

QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Kareem Hunt
RB: Leonard Fournette
WR: Odell Beckham, Jr.
WR: Marvin Jones, Jr.
WR: D.J. Chark
TE: Irv Smith
OT: Taylor Lewan
OT: Donovan Smith
OG: Ben Jones
OG: Dalton Risner
C: Will Clapp

DL: Jadeveon Clowney
DL: Bud Dupree
DL: Akiem Hicks
OLB/EDGE: Justin Houston
OLB: Carlos Dunlap
ILB: Kwon Alexander
ILB: Myles Jack
CB: Rock Ya-Sin
CB: Shaq Griffin
S: Rodney McCleod
S: Terrell Edmunds

PK: Robbie Gould
P: Andy Lee

Add $3.2mil to cap space this year.

Per Jason from Over The Cap via Ramswire on Facebook.

This is a long article about Sanders effect on the University Of Colorado in just his first few months as head coach. It is definitely worth the read if you like, College Football, Sanders, or a fan of CU Football. As a Colorado Native, Fan, and Attendee of the school I am excited for the change and energy he’s bringing.

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...how-deion-sanders-changing-direction-colorado

CAN RAMS DESIGN REVAMPED DEFENSE AROUND GREATNESS OF AARON DONALD?​

The cap-strapped Los Angeles Rams will likely have nine key contributors from last year's defense moving on this offseason, including Pro Bowlers in cornerback Jalen Ramsey and inside linebacker Bobby Wagner, along with last year's leading sack guy Leonard Floyd.

However, Rams head coach Sean McVay said his squad's remodel includes building a defense around the team's remaining, foundational players on that side of the ball in perennial All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald and talented inside linebacker Ernest Jones.

But how much longer will Donald play (he turns 32 years old on May 21), and can he once again be the straw that stirs the drink defensively for Los Angeles?

Donald has two years left on a deal that will pay him $63.5 million in total compensation through 2024. The Pittsburgh product also has a no-trade clause. Donald finished 2022 on the injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, missing the last six games of the regular season — the most games he has missed in one season during his nine-year NFL career.

Per Next Gen Stats, the Rams finished with a 20.7 pressure rate when rushing only four rushers last season. Only the Chicago Bears were worse (19.3).

During the Super Bowl season for Los Angeles, the Rams finished with a 27.6 pressure rate during the regular season and a 33% pressure rate in the postseason.

Bottom line: For the Rams to get back to creating an effective pass rush with just four rushers along the defensive line, they need a healthy and motivated Donald.

"The great ones elevate people around them naturally," McVay said, when asked how core players like Donald would help others play better. "And it's not about bearing the weight of feeling like you have to do everything, it's as much your everyday approach, by your enjoyment for this game and by you playing the way that you're capable of — by you just being who you are consistently in the meetings and on the practice field. And then when the games come about, I believe good things will happen with those guys around them. Our job is to figure out how can we surround them."

Most of L.A.'s starting secondary will not return, with Ramsey traded to the Miami Dolphins and safety Taylor Rapp looking for a new home in free agency, along with slot defender Troy Hill.

Leading tackler and green dot communicator Wagner mutually agreed to part ways and Floyd was released. With limited cap space to acquire productive players in free agency, the Rams will have to fill the void defensively with young players already on the roster or in this year's draft.

Change in Rams' plans?

The Rams continue to clean house defensively. Colin Cowherd explains why this shows they are shifting to spending more on offense this time.

And Los Angeles will have to lean on experienced coaches on the defensive side of the ball to get the most out of those young players, including defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, defensive line coach Eric Henderson, defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant and linebackers coach Chris Shula.

However, a lot of pressure will be on Donald to command double teams, be stout in the running game and create consistent pressure in the passing game.

The Rams finished with 22 takeaways last season, tied for No. 17 in the league and also tied for the lowest number during the McVay era with the Rams.

L.A.'s 38 sacks was tied for 22nd in the league last season. Donald finished with five sacks in 11 games, his lowest sack total since registering eight sacks in 2016.

If the Rams were playing a game today, starting next to Donald would be Bobby Brown III and Jonah Williams along the defensive line, with Michael Hoecht and Daniel Hardy at outside linebacker.

Not including Donald, those players have a combined five career sacks. So, it's important for Los Angeles to add some talented pass-rushers through the draft or undervalued options in the second wave of free agency.

Defense was not the issue for the Rams in 2022. Last season, the Rams held teams to a respectable 22.6 points per contest. Los Angeles just couldn't consistently put enough points on offense to compete on a weekly basis during the team's disappointing 5-12 campaign.

For his part, McVay is taking on the challenge of building a competent defense with little resources with his eyes open.

"While there are going to be a lot of tough decisions, I don't expect to not try to put together the most competitive roster that we can do," McVay said. "Or that we can be able to establish and develop, and then let's go see what happens. We do expect to be able to have some really core pieces that you're not asking them to be anybody but themselves, and then there will be a need to develop and go with some younger guys through the draft and through undrafted free agency and have a little bit different approach.

"But those were things that we kind of have known. You work through it and really you try to just be intentional about, ‘All right, what do we really have to do?' And when some of these decisions have to be made just based on those parameters, you have nothing to do but be able to move forward."

Amid roster "re-tool", these 3 LA Rams could enjoy a breakout 2023 season​

For fans of the LA Rams, it's been a rather unusual offseason. For the team that has become known for the mantra "F Them Picks", 2023 has been more about recouping those draft picks. Former Rams DB Jalen Ramsey has been traded to the Miami Dolphins. Former LBs Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd have been released as well. Add those in with the loss of former safety Nick Scott, and there are some pretty seismic voids in the Rams' lineup.

The Rams' roster is far from finished, as they need to double the size of the current roster of 45 players before training camp. One thing is clear though, this roster is going to look significantly different due to the plans of the Rams' rebuild. Or re-tool. I mean remodel. You get the gist. Whatever you feel is appropriate, the LA Rams are certainly going to have a completely new look, feel, and outlook in 2023.

Rams and the Wait, baring walls strategy (pun intended)​

Rams general manager Les Snead has mentioned Rams QB Matthew Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp, and DT Aaron Donald as "weight-bearing pillars" of the organization as they do a makeover of the roster. However, there are three players already on the current roster who have shown flashes and could become players the Rams don't want to lose in their own right.

The Rams roster has not exactly been adding players at the pace of the other 31 NFL teams. In fact, the LA Rams have actually reduced their roster since free agency began. Now only did the team release OLB Leonard Floyd and ILB Bobby Wagner, but the team parted ways with seven players that had just signed Reserve/Future contracts with the team two months earlier.

So far, the team has only re-signed four players: IOL Coleman Shelton, OLB Michael Hoecht, DB Shaun Jolly, and ILB Christian Rozeboom. While the Rams have not extended a number of young players with promising potential, there are several players who the Rams have remained quite high on and who are poised for increasing roles in 2023. Like who?

Here are three potential breakout players for your 2023 Los Angeles Rams.

Player 3: DB Cobie Durant​

As soon as the Rams drafted DB Cobie Durant in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, out of HBCU South Carolina State, he immediately became a fan favorite. He even received a shout-out from NBA superstar Kevin Durant for the two sharing similar sir names. As well as having one of the coolest names in NFL history, Durant can flat-out ball.

Durant stood out at the NFL Combine with a 4.38 forty-yard dash, and he showed off that speed in his first NFL season. In Week 2 Durant picked off a pass from former Falcons QB Marcus Mariota, returning the pass for 54 yards before being brought down. He recorded a sack in this game as well. On Christmas Day against the Broncos, he intercepted Denver QB Brett Rypien and took it all the way for an 85-yard touchdown, a rare NFL achievement we affectionately refer to as a pick-six.

Cobie battled a hamstring injury earlier in the 2022 season which kept him out of the lineup for about four weeks. Upon his return, he was mostly relied on as a special teams player but made a tremendous impact when his number was called on for the defense. In a limited sample size, Durant recorded 22 total tackles, a sack, and was second on the team with 3 interceptions. He also led the entire league in interception return yards with 151. Durant accomplished these feats while only appearing in 7 games on defense.

Standing at 5'10 and 181 pounds Durant isn't the biggest corner, but his tenacious play style and athletic ability certainly make up for whatever he lacks in size. Durant reminds me a bit of former Rams CB Janoris Jenkins. A small school product with an aggressive play style who has a knack for coming up with the football.

Decobie Durant is in line to start at CB for the Rams in 2023, and if his 2022 season was a sign of things to come then Rams fans should be pretty excited. It will take a collection of players to make up for the impact of now Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey. That collection of players starts with Durant.

Player 2: ILB Ernest Jones​

The Rams did release 2022 second team All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner, but there will still be some continuity at that position. Rams LB Ernest Jones is entering his 3rd year in the NFL, and 2nd year as a full-time starter.

While there is still plenty of time to get the roster together, the Rams' defense on paper looks extremely youthful and thin. As the only returning starter on the unit from 2022 not named Aaron Donald, the plan that the Rams had for Jones when drafting him could come to fruition in 2023.

Jones was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the team was extremely high on him. The plan was that he would become a bonafide starter, and eventual cornerstone of the defense and organization. When the Rams signed Bobby Wagner in 2022, a future HOFer who has reached the pinnacle of the position, apart of the reasoning for it was to provide mentorship to a young Ernest Jones. After a year of learning under the games' best, Ernest should be ready to take his game even a step further in 2023.

Jones had an improved year in '22, playing in all 17 games and registering 114 total tackles and an interception. He is a very aggressive, run defender who is a sure tackler and plays with a motor that few guys can match. Areas he could improve in are pass coverage, and over pursuing run gaps.

Ernest Jones has an opportunity in 2023 to stand out and shut up the doubters on a unit that will enter the season regarded as one of the league's worst. With Aaron Donald likely playing some of his last years in the NFL, Jones has a chance to make the Rams' defense his for years to come.

Jones has already reached the 100-tackle season milestone, so what could we expect a breakout year to look like for him? 125+ tackles, a Pro Bowl nod, and possibly an All-Pro nod as well.

Player 1: WR Tutu Atwell​

Rams WR Tutu Atwell has been a polarizing figure in the eyes of Rams fans to say the least. In the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, most fans expected the Rams to draft Kansas City Chiefs OL Creed Humphrey. Instead, Rams head coach Sean McVay opted for the flashy speedster out of the University of Louisville.

Media and fans alike questioned Atwell's size and his ability to take the punishment dished out to NFL WRs. Sean McVay also struggled to get Atwell involved in the offense in 2021 and much of 2022. With the injuries the offense faced toward the end of the season, the more of Atwell we saw. He surely answered some of those questions.

In limited time this season, Tutu showed that he possesses the skills it takes to be an effective receiver. He can take the punishment as well. Whether it was his 62-yard touchdown in New Orleans after burning Saints CB Chris Harris Jr., or his impressive one-handed grab against Seattle in Week 13. Tutu Atwell has definitely flashed his play-making ability for this team.
Atwell caught only 18 passes this season, but the real number to pay attention to is 16.6. That is how many yards per reception he averaged, which would have been good for 5th in the NFL in 2022.

Before the injury to Rams QB Matthew Stafford that ended his 2022 season, he started to develop some in-game chemistry with Atwell. Tutu possesses natural WR skills, he is much more than a gadget guy.

Outside of Rams WR Cooper Kupp, there is not too much to be excited about in that room. The Rams are actively trying to find a trade partner for WR Allen Robinson, and Van Jefferson is entering the final year of his rookie contract coming off an injury riddled season. Pair those things with the Rams' reported interest in FA WR and former Ram Odell Beckham Jr, there could be plenty of opportunity for Tutu to shine in 2023.

The Rams are in need of kick and punt returners in 2023, and Atwell could absolutely fill those voids. With a full sample size next season, I could very well imagine Atwell in a DeSean Jackson-like role. A big play guy who stretches defenses down the field, as well as opening up intermediate passing lanes.

Here is a list of the Rams' 2019 draft picks:

2(61): Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
3(70): Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis
3(79): David Long, Jr., CB, Michigan
3(97): Bobby Evans, OG, Oklahoma
4(134): Greg Gaines, DT, Washington
5(169): David Edwards, OG, Wisconsin
7(243): Nick Scott, S, Penn State
7(251): Dakota Allen, LB, Texas Tech

All but Allen stuck, and (with the exception Henderson, who was waived mid-season last year), played out their rookie contracts. As of now, none of have been re-signed, and only Rapp and Edwards remain candidates to return.

So, factoring in that the Rams didn't have a Top 60 pick, was this a successful draft, or a failure?

To me, it was clearly a success. Rapp, Long, Gaines, Edwards and Scott all became starters or primary rotation players on a team that won the Super Bowl Henderson had a lesser role, but had a few moments worth remembering, including a 25 yard reception in the big game. Evans... well, he played, but not well.

Sure, there's always a hope when you draft guys on Days 2 and 3 that you'll find that hidden gem who becomes a star. That didn't happen in 2019, but the Rams obtained some solid players who helped the teams' stars win a championship.

As we approach this year's draft with a similar (actually, superior) compliment of picks, I will certainly hope to find that diamond-in-the-rough.

We could do worse than 2019, though, if you ask me.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1638625103041953792?s=19


According to twitter

Burgess
Long
Rochell (apparently)

These were all 3rd/4th round picks and all had very high expectations.

There are probably others but these really stand out because of where they were drafted and consequent expectations.

Question. Has Snead and his scouting staff forgotten how to evaluate secondary players after so many successes earlier?

OR…

Has our secondary coaching staff recently failed abysmally to develop players considered at least above average?

We are currently 0 for 3 on these promising kids. Three blown premium draft picks in a row in the secondary and guess what? We still have 2 holes to fill back there somehow this bare bones offseason.

If you think I’m frustrated, you’re right.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/camdasilva/status/1638540701762723841?s=20


No, I'm not clamoring to keep him but how many guys are just gonna walk out the door on defense?

What in the literal fuck is going on...?

KEY: Elite +Starter Starter Depth Shitter

(Using https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/LAR for roster reference)

OFFENSE

OL

LT: Noteboom
LG: Jackson
C: Allen
RG: Bruss
RT: Havenstein

Depth: Shelton (C/OG), Anchrum (OG/OT), Thomas (OT/OG), Arcuri (OT)

- OL has a low talent level but that is nothing new. My hope is the Rams address iOL by taking a C or G but it is possible they go again with most of the same pieces and the only new additions being pipeline types from mid to late rounds or UDFA from this draft. I suspect they're gonna give Boom & Jackson this season and I don't like it any more than you do but in some ways it is unavoidable due to overall roster needs. Things do look very different if Boom & Jackson or just one of them demonstrate an ability to be a starter and it is possible. Also and for the record I am praying they add a cheap FA but running out of hope on that as we speak.

QB

QB1: Stafford
QB2: ???
QBd: ???

- QB clearly is a position McVay is not happy with. Stafford I think would be moved if it wasn't for his contract, just my suspicion on the matter. I love him and don't want him moved for the record. But this is just my read on it. I think the rumors are valid and it makes sense because he did not play well last season, the Rams are in a rebuild, and he is very old with hard miles under his belt. Tough MFer but age beats us all. Expect to see a minor trade made for backup with probably a young QB who is out of favor with his team, and then maybe a pick in the draft for QB development if one they like is there. This pick could happen anywhere though I think midrounds is most likely. Also and btw it may be one or the other, though I do expect them to make a move before the draft.

WR

WR1: Kupp
WR2: Robinson
WRs: Atwell

Depth: Jefferson, Skowronek, McCutcheon

- WR we need Atwell to win that slot job. Period. If that happens and if Robinson knows what he's doing this year it is possible we see a resurgence by this unit. I am of the mind that Robinson's problem is mostly knowing the scheme and reads so if he can fix that then maybe Stafford starts throwing him the ball. This group is not great but they do represent a position where the Rams can stand pat in a rebuild year and still maybe see improvement. So that is my expectation. Only thing is McVay likes his toys so we'll see.

TE

TE1: Higbee
TE2: Long

Depth: Hopkins

- TE might have added a better piece in Long than people realize. Went back and watched his college tape and he's a big target with good hands and catch radius. Not a high quality starter and probably will never be that but he may be able to approach what Higs has been for us which is to say if we are lucky the Rams find a TE2 of even just low starter quality with him. I have no faith in Hopkins and praying we draft a TE in this year's haul.

RB

RB1: Akers
RBc: Williams

Depth: Rivers (RBc)

- RB we have solid starter level type players right now at the bell cow role and change of pace role. Would be nice to do better than that but at a minimum what we need is a backup for the bell cow role. Hopefully with this new RB coach the team can get smart on that.

OFFENSE NOTES

Overall the biggest problem with the offense is too much reliance on iffy players to step up across the board. We can have a good offense IF we get production from a handful of players. If if if. So not feeling confident about them but it is better than the defensive side in roster quality.

DEFENSE

DL

3T: Donald
1T: Brown
5T: Williams

Depth: Brown IV, Murchison, Carter

- DL the main need is a 5T. Generally speaking the ideal 5T is a big/lanky type strong enough to mix it up with the opposing RT but also add a little rush threat on pass downs. They're not easy to find, though not as rare as 3T where we have the best in the business. The NT types at 1T are numerous and easier to find well into drafts in comparison, though the ones who can show some interior rush threat on passing downs in addition to stuffing the run are valued and we just lost one of those in Gaines. Translation for the Rams is they will try to find a 5T or 1T in this draft if one is there at any point that they like. More than that is unlikely due to the fact they have a ton of holes and not enough picks. Also and btw Brown may have enough to him to play 5T but I kept him on the nose for now because like most of these guys he has a ton to prove, the key is him simply becoming a starter on that line which is possible. So this unit is potentially solid if that happens plus AD's presence.

OLB

Blind side: Hardy

Strong side: Hoecht

Depth: Thomas, VanValkenburg

- Edge I have Hoecht on strong side because he is our best option to handle opposing OT/TE combos. He's also our best rusher of the holdovers so no telling what side he ends up on but I am guessing strong side more often than not with a draft pick handling the rush on the blindside. Barring a situation where a good one falls to us at 36 the chances are whoever we draft will be marginal on the rush but with hopefully good contain. At the very least this group must hold up vs the run and contain well. Last but not least with this group I think it is possible that Hardy develops into a guy who can help us. But as we have seen with other positions we are talking rainbows and unicorns which generally are not going to come home for you across the board.

ILB

SILB: Jones

WILB: Hummel

Depth: Rozeboom

- ILB is not as bad as it looks. Jones may not be special as an ILB but he's not gonna be terrible either, he's a starting talent for us there. I think he saw where the bar was while playing back there with Wags (who is not what he was but is still a starter) and hopefully he is working his ass off to become a top player. Would not surprise me to see Jones move to being a +starter and one of the reasons they moved Wags (other than cap) was to clear room for the young ILB they drafted. At that other spot we will see more of a rotation with safety perhaps, though there is a chance Hummel steps up and plays well in that role for us this year because his college tape had similar usage with excellent results. We are actually in better shape than it looks at ILB I think.

CB

CB1: Durant
CB2: Rochell
CBs: Kendrick

Depth: Jolly

- CB is probably our position of greatest need on this roster now that Ramsey is gone. Even with Ramsey they needed another corner. Now that is even more true. But the silver lining in all this is that the Rams got out at a good time with Jalen and it's a good draft to restack this group. At a minimum they require a good starter for outside the hash to pair with Durant. That bumps Rochell down to depth where he should be. Unit still is not ideal because I am not certain Kendrick is fully bought in mentally, but if he is then he is definitely capable of being a good slot corner because you can get away with a lack of athleticism there if the corner has good hand use/control which he does. Some will quibble with Durant being a starter but I think he demonstrated his quality and he is going to get a lot better. He is likely going to be a +starter for us I think and probably this season. I'll feel best if they draft two corners but we only have so many picks so I am expecting one plus a ton of UDFAs.

S

S1: Fuller
S2: Yeast

Depth: Lake, LeCounte

- Safety is really interesting. It is entirely possible they have more here than meets the eye for a couple reasons, those being that first off it's a position where quality can be found anywhere, meaning we probably have enough raw talent in that group. Second reason being our staff was not good last season with this group and changes were made to fix that by bringing back a quality secondary coach. Complicating things is I have no idea what is up with Fuller. Can we count on him next season. If the Rams have any doubts on this then S is a need and they'll take one.

Looking at the rest of the guys who appear to be depth types, are Yeast and Lake capable of pushing for jobs in camp. So if they bring in a good safety in the draft and Fuller is healthy in 2023 it is possible this unit quickly returns to being a team strength.

DEFENSE NOTES

This unit is reliant on too many what-if scenarios to expect a top unit. The question is can we have a solid unit and that comes down largely to the secondary because they are the weakest part of this 11. Chances are this group will be hit and miss game to game and will need to be carried by the offense. But if they can find a starting corner in this draft and get some good breaks in development it is possible this defense surprises by finishing somewhere mid-pack in scoring which would be a miracle from where we are sitting now.

OVERALL

Everyone wants to count us out. Even our own fans. And we can be counted out as Super Bowl contenders. But so long as we have McVay steering this ship we will always be a few games better than people expect.

Unfortunately this season is going to be dependent on the draft, and from that perspective our front office has not shown an ability to consistently find starters. So from where we are sitting now it feels unlikely we surprise by chasing a wildcard and more likely we end up selling players at the deadline. But since we're still early in the FA period I see no reason to throw in the towel quite yet. Will revisit this after the draft and hopefully have a more positive outlook with two or three position groups which may be enough for us to irritate the Foolios of the media circlejerk by putting up another winning season for McVay.