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These guys played in 16 games with LA last season but need to earn a spot on the 2021 roster
www.turfshowtimes.com
7 Rams who must earn their spot on the 53-man roster again
It’s something that Jared Goff, Michael Brockers, Jalen Ramsey, Cooper Kupp, and Tyler Higbee all failed to do last season: none of those players appeared in all 16 regular season games for the LA Rams in 2020. An NFL roster is comprised not only of stars and starters though, but of many more men beyond that who serve as key rotational players, backups, special teamers, and “break glass in case of emergency” reserves.
Some of those players become starters and even stars down the line, but that is not what the Rams are necessarily asking of them. They are tasked with filling in the gaps between the 0 snaps and 1,100 snaps of a typical NFL season at any given position. Thanks to the 17-game season, those roles will be more important than ever in 2021.
These players are not stars like Ramsey. They are not necessarily even starters like Higbee. But the following seven players played in 16 games for the LA Rams in 2020 and they must fight to earn those roles again in 2021.
Greg Gaines, DT
2020: 16 games, 18 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 201 defensive snaps, 65 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Bobby Brown III, Earnest Brown IV, Eric Banks
After appearing in 10 games as a rookie — 4th round, 134th overall out of Washington — Gaines appeared in all 16 games and had the fifth-most snaps among Rams defensive linemen in 2020. With Michael Brockers and Morgan Fox now departed, there would seem to be an opportunity for Gaines to increase his workload, but the 2021 draft suggest that Sean McVay might not be sold on him as a future regular.
The Rams picked BB3 in the fourth and EB4 in the fifth, adding two big bodies to compete with Gaines and the other holdovers for those front-seven defensive snaps. There are also some former undrafted free agents who we can’t completely rule out, such as Banks, Jonah Williams, Marquise Copeland, and Michael Hoecht. LA added one more UDFA this year as well, signing George Silvanic.
With Aaron Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and A’Shawn Robinson as the top three defensive linemen, there’s not a ton of need in that area quite yet. But when Raheem Morris needs to spell those players with his depth, will Gaines be the first man up?
Justin Hollins, LB
2020: 16 games, 28 tackles, 3 sacks, 349 defensive snaps, 189 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Ernest Jones, Travin Howard, Christian Rozeboom, Chris Garrett
Kenny Young, LB
2020: 16 games, 52 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 471 defensive snaps, 53 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Ernest Jones, Travin Howard, Christian Rozeboom, Chris Garrett
Troy Reeder, LB
2020: 16 games, 81 tackles, 3 sacks, 423 defensive snaps, 204 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Ernest Jones, Travin Howard, Christian Rozeboom, Chris Garrett
I see no reason to split up the three choices at linebacker here, as they are all fighting against each other — and against the newer, younger options at linebacker. The only person guaranteed a job right now is Leonard Floyd. That leaves three starting jobs open, but also several key reserve roles behind the starters too.
As we saw last season, any moment could be “your turn” at linebacker.
Reeder made the most starts of any of these three players, but Young and Hollins might have greater odds to become full-time starters in the future. Reeder and Young are 26, while Hollins is 25. But the Rams have others who are ready to take on those opportunities.
Ernest Jones was drafted in the third round, which is relatively high for an inside linebacker. Especially given how the Rams have often avoided expending a lot of money or draft capital at the position. Howard was a potential starter going into 2020 until suffering a season-ending injury before the season even started.
I think all of Hollins, Reeder, and Young are capable of starting for LA next season, but I could also see how with the change at defensive coordinator and the lack of real evidence to show that any of them are exceptionally good pros, any of the three could also be playing for a different team in 2021.
Not mentioned, but not forgotten either: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Derrick Moncrief, Micah Kiser, Terrell Lewis, Justin Lawler, John Daka, and UDFA Maximilian Roberts.
David Long, CB
2020: 16 games, 7 tackles, 116 defensive snaps, 260 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Robert Rochell, Terrell Burgess
I wrote about Long not long ago, and it is still the case that it is kind of “now or never” for the third-year cornerback. Though training camp has not yet begun, it appears that Burgess could be leading to win the number three cornerback job that was previously occupied by Troy Hill.
Long played in every game last season, mostly on special teams, but those are snaps that could be replaced by anyone. Not necessarily even a cornerback. He could lose those special teams snaps to a receiver or a running back, like rookie Jake Funk. The snaps at corner are his bigger concern and the team also drafted Rochell in the fourth round this year.
Johnny Mundt, TE
2020: 16 games, 4 catches, 53 yards, 121 offensive snaps, 266 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Brycen Hopkins, Kendall Blanton
I’m not putting Jacob Harris here because I do not believe that Harris is going to be playing any tight end next season. Mundt served as the third tight end in 2019 and 2020 but there are clear limitations in his ability to go any higher than that. With Higbee as the number one, potentially Hopkins as the number two, it’s possible that McVay will feel comfortable in releasing Mundt to open up a spot for someone with more potential at a different position.
Again, his special teams snaps could be replaced by someone who doesn’t even play tight end and instead LA could keep Harris as a pseudo “tight end” and Blanton as a blocker. Tight end might also turn out to be a position that the Rams look for after final cuts are made. Or they could stick with Mundt, a guy who did prove capable of serving that role and he’s been around the Rams for just about as long as McVay has been around. That counts for a lot.
Nsimba Webster, WR/PR
2020: 16 games, 25 punt returns, 16 kick returns, 8 offensive snaps, 257 special teams snaps
“I’m coming for that job” - Tutu Atwell, DeSean Jackson, Landen Akers, Jeremiah Haydel, Jake Funk, Raymond Calais
It seems impossible that Webster would win a job as a wide receiver with the Rams. His key component is in the return game and that has to concern the third-year pro out of Eastern Washington. Webster’s been fine at the position, but he also had three fumbles last season. He was lucky to recover two of them.
The team is trying out Atwell, their second round pick, and that’s probably the guy fans most want to see out on the field as often as they can. But he’s not all, as Akers and Haydel returned punts in college, Jackson was an elite punt returner once upon a time, and Funk, Calais are both experienced in kickoff returns.
You would think it is Webster’s job to lose, but now it looks like he’s going to have to be exceptionally fantastic just to win it back.
We're in the midst of another heat wave at or near record temps. Normally, in my area of the Central Valley we get long stretches of triple digits and you can count on one had how many times it gets close to 110 or higher. This is the 4th time this season we're seeing a system come in with excessive heat warnings. I don't recall ever seeing that before mid July.
At noon the weather app says its 104. I went to the store and my truck said 106. We're still about 5 hours from hottest part of the day. This heat wave is affecting a lot of areas in the western U.S. It was 112 here yesterday.
In LA Rams News: The Rams face a significant number of potential new NFL QBs, but need just one reason to compel teams to bench them: Aaron Donald.
ramblinfan.com
Rams need just one reason to hide your new quarterback
By rough count, the LA Rams may face a bevy of NFL hopeful rookie quarterbacks this year. There is rookie quarterback Justin Fields who is raising eyebrows for the Chicago Bears. The San Francisco 49ers went all-in on rookie quarterback Trey Lance, who they seem to be quite happy with. The Jacksonville Jaguars are tripping over a chance to welcome rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence to the fold.
Then there are the transplanted quarterbacks. The Indianapolis Colts have veteran quarterback Carson Wentz. The Detroit Lions boast former Rams quarterback, Jared Goff. And the quarterback controversies at the Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks could mean that they will entrust the team to a new face under center.
In the now-longer-17-game season, it appears as though the LA Rams have been designated to the official welcome-to-the-NFL committee for a number of marquee class of 2021 rookie quarterbacks trying to make their name in the NFL. And also for a host of other teams who plan to try their luck at winning it all by reclaiming the somewhat tarnished reputations of veteran quarterbacks.
How will the LA Rams counter all of these new NFL faces? Simple enough, All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
By now you probably know the Aaron-Donald-effect, and how it has helped bolster the play of his teammates, particularly in the category of quarterback sacks. But now, let’s look at the Aaron Donald effect through a different lens. How do new quarterbacks far against him? In 2020, the Miami Dolphins started rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. While the Dolphins won that game, Tagovailoa was harassed all day. He was 12 of 22 for just 93 yards, one touchdown pass and he was sacked once, by you guessed it, Aaron Donald.
Pitting a rookie quarterback to face an Aaron Donald-led defense might be considered a right-of-passage by some. Other might considered a sure-fire way to derail the career of a rookie. While that debate might take place on the back burner, the issue has come to the forefront of NFL talking points as former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka believes that the Bears should start rookie QB Justin Fields on day one. Of course, the Bears open their season by traveling to face the Rams in SoFi Stadium. Those contests always seem to bring out the best in McVay against that defense.
But a funny mention of this topic was proferred by CBSSports.com John Breech in his 2021 NFL Divisional Power Rankings:
“Coach Matt Nagy has been insisting that Andy Dalton will be the team’s Week 1 starter, which actually might be for the best, because the Bears are playing the Rams. If the Bears start Justin Fields in the opener, he might take so many hits from Aaron Donald that it will scar him for life.”
That actually sounds like sage advice. After all, why put up a newcomer against one of the most dominating NFL players of his era? To be honest, I’m certain that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had games against the Rams that he hoped he had the chance to watch from the bench.
Yes, there may be many sound reasons to start a new quarterback. And you will no doubt encounter many of them before the start of the 2021 NFL season. But the Rams only need to give opponents one reason not to start their new quarterback: Aaron Donald. I am willing to bet that at least two rookies will be on the bench for that very reason when they face the LA Rams.
I really liked the player, Robert Quinn when he played for us. Until Aaron Donald was drafted, he was our best pass rusher. Four times in his career, he posted double digit sack totals, with 19 sacks in 2013. I was curious about Will Hayes and did not know he retired a couple of years ago, but then I was curious about Quinn. He is still on a roster for the Bears, or was in 2020. He has played for 10 years, with last year being his worst for sacks by only getting two sacks for 2020. Quinn has played in the NFL for 10 years and Aaron Donald has played for 7 years. They play different positions, DE/OLB vs DT, but do you think? Who has more sacks in his career?
Aaron Donald - 7 years, 5 of which had double digit sack totals. He has 85.5 sacks.
Robert Quinn - 10 years, 4 of which had double digit sack totals. He has 82.5 sacks.
I think AD could pass 100 sacks this year. I think Rob is about done and will never earn 100 sacks in his career.
Actor William Smith, known for playing bikers, cowboys and brawlers in a series of television shows and hit movies, has died. He was 88.
Smith's wife, Joanne Cervelli Smith, said the star of "Laredo" and "Rich Man, Poor Man" died Monday at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. She declined to give the cause of death.
With his chiseled, mustachioed face and bulging biceps, Smith was a constant, rugged presence on screen in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, amassing nearly 300 credits.
He played bareknuckle boxer Jack Wilson, who grappled with Clint Eastwood in an epic brawl in "Any Which Way You Can," one of the top-grossing movies of 1980.
“It has to be one of the longest two-man fights ever done on film without doubles," Smith said in an interview for the 2014 book "Tales From the Cult Film Trenches."
Smith starred as Texas Ranger Joe Riley in both seasons of the NBC Western "Laredo" from 1965 to 1967.
He also played Anthony Falconetti, the menacing nemesis of the central family in the 1976 ABC miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man," and returned for its sequel.
And he played Detective James "Kimo" Carew in the final season of the original "Hawaii Five-O" on CBS in 1979 and 1980.
Born in Columbia, Missouri, Smith would begin acting at age 8, playing small uncredited roles in 1940s films, including "The Ghost of Frankenstein" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."
He would later become an elite discus thrower at UCLA, a martial arts black belt and a champion arm-wrestler.
He served in the Korean War and acted in bit parts in television shows throughout the 1950s before landing a regular role as a police sergeant in the 1961 ABC series "The Asphalt Jungle."
Smith would take part in another classic screen brawl, this one with Rod Taylor, as a bodybuilder in the 1970 film "Darker Than Amber."
He would also play Arnold Schwarzenegger's father in 1982's "Conan the Barbarian," after being considered for the title role, and a Soviet general in 1984's "Red Dawn."
In addition to his wife of 31 years, he is survived by a son, William E. Smith III, and a daughter, Sherri Anne Cervelli.
In LA Rams News: After HC McVay vowed competition 'at every position', but retracted that over a starting P. will there or won't there be any competition?
ramblinfan.com
Will there or won’t there be competition for starting punter?
The LA Rams ended the 2020 season with a pledge from head coach Sean McVay. That pledge? To improve every aspect of their team with the introduction of competition. Even at quarterback? Yes, especially at quarterback.
And that marked the beginning of the end of the LA Rams relationship with starting quarterback Jared Goff. The LA Rams paid Goff to perform among the best of the NFL, to generate the type of production to ensure that the Rams offense remained among the Top-10 scoring offenses of the NFL. But perhaps even more than that, the Rams paid Goff to secure the football and minimize errors that would create turnovers.
In 2020, Goff was unable to deliver in either category. Not a mere slip, but an outright regressive freefall. And it happened despite the Rams coaching staff emphasizing the need to improve at the quarterback area in several key areas. And when the 2020 season opened, there was reason to believe that some critical improvements were addressed.
The objective for Goff in 2020 was to learn how to throw off-sequence and from multiple platforms. Goff had gotten into the bad habit of throwing without velocity and off his back foot. That was a problem that needed correction. The problem was, after showing signs of improvement early in the season, Goff fell back into the horrifying bad habits once more. McVay had seen enough.
That underachievement set a number of events in motion that began with the surprising comments from head coach Sean McVay. It may have been fueled by disappointment or frustration, but the words are now a matter of public record. That’s a very important point for what comes next. Crucial, in fact.
Drop back and punt
The statement made by LA Rams head coach Sean McVay was shocking but final. Whether deliberately or without forethought, the Rams placed 53-players from the roster on notice. The 2020 season ended with disappointment, and the Rams were determined to ensure that anyone on the roster deemed ‘good enough’ was no longer good enough. Huh? Well, don’t take my word for it. McVay started it.
You see, statements from a head coach, whether calm or so livid that his face turns purple, carry significant weight and meaning when uttered.
That particular statement uttered by a very frustrated and angry LA Rams head coach Sean McVay cut across the entire roster, perhaps even more than originally intended. But when he was afforded the opportunity to restate his intentions, he doubled down by repeating the claim.
The statement was put out there into the media that the LA Rams would be competing at each and every position, but was the team prepared to see that through? Well, the front office certainly seemed to take it all at face value because they added the NFL’s best punter, Corey Bojorquez, off waivers this offseason. Bojorquez is very good, folks. He’s also rather young.
Pairing his addition to the Rams roster with the head coach’s statement of competition at every position, the logical conclusion was that the LA Rams was creating competition for the punter role. After all, Hekker was one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL. Until 2020, he was worth every penny. However, last season? Not so much.
Saving dollars with some change
As with every competition on an NFL roster, the criteria involve production on the football field, as well as the strain on the pursestrings. In any contrast and comparison, that ‘how much will he cost” component is always part of the roster build. The key to success at the NFL GM level, therefore, is to fit the best cohesive roster under the annual NFL salary cap.
Paying too much for a player can be as fatal as not obtaining enough talent. And so, the financial impact of Johnny Hekker’s contract became a talking point for the ‘compete at every position’ 2021 Rams. Behold, there were substantial savings to the team if the Rams found reason to promote another punter to the starting role.
Why would the Rams even consider starting any punter in the NFL? Well, Corey Bojorquez is not just any ole punter. He was the best punter in the NFL in 2020. For comparison purposes, Johnny Hekker was ranked 21st among NFL punters in 2020. That is significant because the 5.2 yards improvement in gross yards was nearly matched by 4.3 yards in net yardage. If you factor that in on the number of punts over the course of a season, and suddenly the Rams added nearly 300 additional yards that opposing offenses needed to claim on the football field.
Better production for a cheaper cost? That is often enough incentive to push an NFL team to move quickly. But this is Johnny Hekker after all, right? He is still deserving of some patience. After all, he is the last holdout to ST coordinator John Fassel’s regime with the Rams.
Even Hekker admits underperformance
Why would anyone dare to hold LA Rams star punter up for any discernment or scrutiny? Think back to the comments made by head coach Sean McVay. Competition on the entire roster. But surely that doesn’t apply to Johnny Hekker, right? Tell that to Hekker, who took it all in stride. Does he deserve competition? Yes. Why?
Well, perhaps because as he admits himself, 2020 was one of his worst NFL seasons:
“I definitely did not perform to the best of my abilities,” Hekker said. “There were a few games that I really, I don’t know, just kind of got just may be ahead of myself mentally. . . . There were definitely some kicks out there that I would have liked to have seen go better for the team. When I don’t put our team in good positions, that’s the stuff that really bugs me.” –per Johnny Hekker via ProFootballTalk NBCSports Charean Williams
And as far as competition? Surely a tried and tested veteran doesn’t want to go back to square one and fight for his job, does he? What is Hekker’s perspective on the sudden surprising addition of the NFL’s best punter from 2020?
“When push comes to shove, they have to make the best decisions for this roster. And there’s no running around the financial aspect of it. So, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to put together the best roster that you can.” ” –per Johnny Hekker as reported by LA Times Gary Klein
And there is the whole narrative, laid out rather neatly. Practically anyone attached to a special team’s specific role for the LA Rams under ST coordinator John Fassel has been scooped up by the Dallas Cowboys. Johnny Hekker is the last remaining holdout. Will the Rams do the unthinkable, and part ways from Johnny Hekker? Well here comes another unexpected twist in the road.
Retraction
Despite the pledge to compete at each and every spot on the roster, once the evidence was assembled and the logic was presented back to the LA Rams regarding any plans to create competition at the punter position, the Rams head coach Sean McVay retracted his earlier pledge to create competition everywhere.
While he agreed with McVay, Snead pointed out that training camp is filled with competition by its very nature. And by hinting at such, Snead was leaving the door open for any future decisions to go either way.
So here we are, trying to gauge the potential of the LA Rams roster, and trying to understand what roster decisions have yet to be made, and which roster positions are still undecided. As popular as punter Johnny Hekker might be with the entire fanbase of the LA Rams, I am not convinced that he is an automatic starter in 2021. Loyalty? I get it. Hekker has done great things for the Rams over the years.
Still, Jared Goff is gone because good enough is no longer good enough at quarterback. Austin Blythe is gone because good enough is no longer good enough at the offensive center. Michael Brockers is gone because good enough is no longer good enough at defensive lineman. Johnny Hekker was ranked 21st out of 32 punters in the NFL in 2020. Is that good enough for the LA Rams? Good enough wasn’t good enough for three other veterans who were very loyal to the team. This could be a very intriguing developing story throughout this training camp.
Richard Lane was born on April 16, 1927 in Austin, Texas.
Lane’s mother was a prostitute and his father was a pimp by the name of ‘Texas Slim.’
When he was only a few months old, Lane’s mother placed him in a dumpster and left him there.
Fortunately, a woman by the name of Ella Lane was passing by.
She heard what sounded like a cat, looked in the dumpster and saw a baby wrapped in old newspapers.
She picked up the baby, brought him home, and adopted him.
“My father was called Texas Slim. I never saw him – I don’t know if he’s the one that told my mother to throw me away. A pimp told my mother I had to go. They put me in a trash can and took off. Some people heard me crying. They thought it was a cat,” Lane said years later.
“I never made any attempt to meet my dad. I figured if he didn’t want me around, I didn’t want to meet him, either,” Lane said.
As Lane got older, he helped his adopted mother by working odd jobs around Austin.
Lane also played football with the neighborhood children, though Ella was not particularly thrilled with the idea.
When Lane came home one day after playing football, his mother noticed his tattered clothes, evidence of yet another game on the gridiron.
Ms. Lane then proceeded to spank her son with a leather belt.
“He became familiar with that leather strap many times,” Rick Cantu of the Austin American-Statesman wrote.
Lane said, according to Cantu: “I’m screaming and yelling so hard, some people yelled over the back fence, ‘Ella, what are you doin’ to that boy?’ I’m sure they thought I was being murdered.”
In addition to his football hijinks, Lane acquired the nickname “Cue Ball” when he was young after a spirited game of pool.
“I was in a pool hall in 12th street. We were playing for money, maybe a dime. As soon as I made the eight ball, the other guy took off running. He didn’t want to pay. I grabbed that cue ball and just as he made the corner I threw it and hit him upside the head. The guy didn’t know what had hit him. I’d never seen a cue ball thrown like a curve,” Lane said.
When Lane finally got to high school, all his pent up energy was put to good use in athletics.
While at L.C. Anderson High School in Austin, Lane played in three sports. He loved basketball, but there was no denying Lane’s football skills.
In 1944, Anderson High won the state championship. In 1945, the team was a state runner up.
Negro Leagues, Junior College, and Military Service
By the time Lane graduated from high school, he had met and reconciled with his birth mother, Etta Mae King.
King had relocated to Council Bluffs, Nebraska where she and an acquaintance had opened a tavern.
Lane moved to Nebraska to be with his mother.
Then, while in Council Bluffs, Lane was spotted by a Negro Leagues baseball scout.
He was signed and played for a while with the Omaha Rockets, a farm team of the Kansas City Monarchs.
In 1947, Lane wanted to enroll at nearby Scottsbluff Junior College.
King helped pay his tuition and Lane played football that year with Scottsbluff.
He was the only African-American on the team, though his skills were quickly recognized.
“He is outstanding for his vicious tackles, hard running and pass snatching,” said a clipping of Lane in the college’s newspaper.
Scottsbluff went 5-3-1 in ‘47 and finished in third place in the Nebraska Junior College Conference.
Lane was chosen as a member of the All-Nebraska team and the NJCAA All-American team.
After only one year at Scottsbluff, Lane left Nebraska and joined the Army.
He served four years and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
While in the Army, Lane continued to play football.
At Fort Ord in Monterey Bay, California, Lane garnered Second-team All-Army in 1949 and First-team All-Army in 1951.
During the ‘51 season, he caught 18 touchdown passes for Fort Ord.
The Career that Almost Wasn’t
When Lane’s four-year military commitment ended, he made his way to Los Angeles to work at an aircraft plant.
His job at the plant was to lift heavy sheets of metal out of a bin and place them on a press.
It wasn’t long before Lane could see there was no future in the job.
If he was to alter his life, he would have to take it upon himself.
Each day when he went to work, Lane’s bus would pass by the LA Rams team facility.
One day in 1952, Lane had the bus pull over as it passed by the Rams’ offices.
He walked into the building and asked for a tryout.
The only proof Lane had that he had played football was a scrapbook he kept of his newspaper clippings from Scottsbluff.
Thankfully, a former Fort Ord teammate, Gabby Sims, was already with the organization and also vouched for Lane.
Lane first tried out as receiver, a position he had played in the Army.
However, the Rams coaching staff moved him to defensive back, a position where he could best utilize his 6’2” frame.
During the Rams’ first scrimmage, Lane attacked each play as if it was his last.
His speed helped him track down and tackle teammate Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch.
When the scrimmage concluded, LA head coach Joe Stydahar was blown away by the skills of his unknown rookie.
“Lane came out here to make the ball club. Well, last night he got himself a job.”
The Birth of “Night Train”
Lane became an immediate hit with his new teammates.
The rookie wanted to learn his new position and he frequently sought advice from many of the Rams vets.
One veteran, receiver Tom Fears, helped tutor Lane on the finer points of pass patterns and defensive schemes.
During some of Lane’s visits to Fears’ room during the 1952 training camp, Fears could be found playing a favorite song of his from singer Buddy Morrow.
The song would eventually become a nickname as Lane explained years later.
“Fears liked to play records, and his favorite was ‘Night Train,'” Lane recalled of the Buddy Morrow tune, as quoted in the New York Times . “Every day I’d be going in his room and he’d be playing it. He roomed with a guy named Ben Sheets, and whenever I’d walk into the room, Sheets would say, ‘Here comes Night Train.’ He started calling me that, and it stuck.”
1952
It would be understandable if Lane had to struggle through a period of adjustment.
After all, he was learning a new position and adapting to the game of professional football.
However, Lane was a quick study and started right away for the Rams.
His rookie season of 1952 would become one of the single best seasons by a defensive back in NFL history.
That year, Lane picked off no less than 14 passes, which became an NFL record.
Even more remarkable, the NFL at that time played a 12 game season.
Lane also had 298 interception return yards and two touchdowns.
Despite his new found success, Lane downplayed his numbers.
“I probably dropped 10 passes the year I caught 14,” he recalled to Cantu. “But I kept getting hit in the head with the ball.”
The fun began during Lane’s first NFL game. In Week 1 versus the Browns, Cleveland crushed LA 37-7.
However, Lane played very well from his backfield position.
The LA Times noted that day that Lane played, “a positively sensational game at defensive halfback (he made about 50% of the tackles).”
During a December game against Green Bay, Lane intercepted three passes.
The next week, Lane picked off three more passes, one of which he returned for a score.
Unfortunately, after his third pick, Lane badly sprained his ankle.
The injury knocked him out of LA’s playoff game against Detroit which the Rams ended up losing 31-21.
1953
All the pressure in the world was on Lane in 1953 to repeat his ‘52 performance.
During a July scrimmage, it looked like Lane had picked up where he left off when he blocked two field goal attempts.
New Rams head coach Hamp Pool could not get used to the sight of Lane dominating as he did.
“Night Train has the reflexes of a cat. It just doesn’t seem possible that a man can come in from so far out and get in front of the ball in a matter of a couple of seconds.”
Before the 1963 season, Lane married jazz singer Dinah Washington and became her manager.
It was thought that his decision to manage Washington’s career meant that Lane was retiring.
However, he signed a new contract with Detroit during the summer.
As he played his 12th pro season, Lane struggled with injuries yet managed to haul in five interceptions for 70 return yards and two fumble recoveries.
He was selected for the seventh time as a First-team All-Pro but did not make the Pro Bowl.
Detroit struggled on the field and fell to 5-8-1 for the year.
The Lions improved to 7-5-2 in 1964, but Lane was absent for the first part of the year.
In a preseason game, he had surgery on his knee and was limited to seven games, starting only four.
The reduction in play led to Lane’s lowest interception total of his career, one pick for 11 yards.
In September of 1965, Lane had another knee surgery and was released by the Lions.
He returned to Detroit after no other team claimed him.
That season, Lane started only three games and could produce only one fumble recovery.
Retirement, Legacy, and Death
Once the ‘65 season concluded, the writing was on the wall.
Lane’s age caught up with him and he retired from the NFL.
In 14 seasons with the Rams, Cardinals and Lions, Lane had a total of 68 interceptions, 1,207 return yards, and five touchdowns.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and was named a First-team All-Pro seven times as well.
Additionally, Lane was the NFL’s interception leader in 1952 and 1954 and was selected to the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time teams.
He was later placed in the Cardinals and Lions Rings of Honor.
After his retirement was official, NFL receivers breathed a little easier.
Facing Night Train was a dubious task.
Not only could he pick off passes, Lane was known as a ferocious tackler.
His standard tackle was basically a clothesline (unofficially called the “Night Train Necktie” by opponents) where Lane would grab the ball carrier by the neck and head and slam him to the turf. The move was later banned by the league.
“I told him once, ‘Night Train, you need to tackle a little lower—for my health,'” Hall of Fame wide receiver Tommy McDonald told the Chicago Tribune.
Lane later explained the reason for tackling the way he did.
“My object is to stop the guy before he gains another inch. … f I hit them in the legs they may fall forward for a first down. … I grab them around the neck so I can go back to the bench and sit down.”
In retirement, Lane stayed with the Lions for a few years and served in an administrative role.
He left Detroit in 1972 and was an assistant coach for two years at Southern University and Central State University.
Lane was officially recognized as one of the NFL’s all time greats when the Pro Football Hall of Fame came calling in 1974.
In 1975, Lane was hired to manage Detroit’s Police Athletic League, a position he held until 1992.
His second wife, singer Washington, died of a suspected overdose of sleeping pills in December 1963.
Lane remarried the following year, but divorced his third wife ten years later.
Lane was eventually worn down by complications from diabetes and reduced mobility from numerous knee surgeries.
He died of a heart attack at an assisted living center in Austin on January 29, 2002. He was 74 years old.
Even long after his passing, Lane is still remembered with fondness.
“He’s one of the guys who transformed the cornerback position: a physical cornerback who could also make plays on the ball,” said Aeneas Williams, a frequent all-pro at that position during his NFL career from 1991 through 2006. “He’ll always be remembered as one of the great cornerbacks who played this game,” Williams said.
“He was like a magnet,” his niece, Dorothy Yancy, told the Austin American-Statesman . “You would fall in love with him the moment you met him. If you didn’t, something was wrong with you. He had a twinkle in his eye and a smile that lit up the place.”
Humble but motivated Chris Garrett driven by family
At CSP, Garrett set the NCAA Division II record for career forced fumbles with 15, finished third in NCAA Division II history with 1.30 sacks per game, set the CSP career record and finished 13th in Division II history & second in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) history with 36.5 sacks. He also finished 14th in Division II football career history with 1.73 tackles for loss per game.
That production overlapped with D2CCA, Associated Press, D2Football.com and Don Hansen All-America First Team recognition, AFCA All-America Second Team honors in 2019, as well as All-America First Team by the AFCA and Associated Press, All-America Second Team by D2CCA, Third Team All-America honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette and honorable mention by D2Football.com in 2018.
On and off the field, Garrett developed into the best leader Currier said he's ever had in two decades of coaching, a comment prompted by the behavior Garrett modeled while with the program.
Currier said people automatically respected Garrett because of the way he lived, with a relentless work ethic, selfless attitude and likeability, as well as conversations about faith (Garrett was a Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader for the program).
"I've had so many people on the team he would text me or talk to me in my meetings with them and just tell me how much Chris Garrett inspired them," Curriers aid. "It could be from the weight room, or it could be from a conversation about about faith in the dorm room."
He also came to CSP to make a difference.
"I know a part of it was finances, but I also know he wanted to come to this program, because he had told me a variety of times throughout the time he was here, to change this place and this program and be part of that change and lead the change," Currier said. "When he's in the locker room, there's no doubt that he'll never be negative if something's not going his way. He's a positive person."
The chance to build on that production in a fourth season, however, went by the wayside after COVID-19 concerns canceled the 2020 fall sports season.
Chris said he never entertained the idea of transferring out of CSP to a Division I school to try to play last fall. However, the conversation with Ambretta and his now-wife Mikayla about whether to declare for the draft or use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA was a difficult one – even if he later determined coming out was the right call.
"(Having the season cancelled) was tough," Chris said. "I was expecting to go and play, I was just going to go back to school and play that extra year. But just from the feedback I was getting, it almost seemed best to come out. And then also, I'm just wanting to constantly keep developing my game, and I knew that taking this risk and coming out now probably would be the best opportunity for me to get better, quicker, and to make those strides that I know I need to make."
Garrett also had an idea of where he stood in the eyes of league evaluators thanks to Kelly Kleine – now the highest-ranking woman in scouting in NFL history as executive director of football operations for the Denver Broncos.
Prior to that ascension in May, Kline spent nine years in the Minnesota Vikings' scouting department and helped organized a Zoom call in early August 2020 to help NFL scouts learn more about Garrett. Every team was represented on the call, which included Garrett, the CSP's strength coach and the main 4-5 CSP coaches who worked closest with him – "40-some people" in total, according to Currier, with "a bunch" of scouts following up for more information.
Eventually, Garrett made his mind up about pursuing his NFL dream and declaring later in the fall.
While continuing to navigate the pre-draft process, Garrett also got an assist from his now brother-in-law Sean Smith, whose wife is sisters with Garrett's wife.
The two of them had formed a connection from working together on a tree crew for a couple summers in college, Garrett being a family friend of Smith's wife and being raised by divorced parents. So when Garrett decided to declare, Sean stepped in as his "pseudo-agent" to help him with the early stages of the process, serving as a sounding board while Chris vetted potential reps.
Smith said Garrett wanted to move back to Milwaukee after declaring for the draft, so he and his wife and their two young daughters opened up their home to him, giving Chris a place to stay for a couple months before he moved into a place of his own. Sean's home was about 15-20 minutes from NX Level, the facility where Garrett would train prior to the draft and where current Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt trains.
Competing in the Hula Bowl in early February offered additional exposure. Garrett also made a Twitter page to share highlights. When his Pro Day performance at the University of Minnesota didn't go his way, Garrett did another at Concordia St. Paul with the Vikings scouts and increased his broad jump from 9 feet to 9 feet 6 inches, his 40-yard dash time from 4.83 seconds to 4.72.
Collectively, the work Garrett put in was enough to earn a surprise phone call from Rams general manager Les Snead in the seventh round of the NFL Draft after expecting to be picked up as a priority free agent.
"It's kind of like how I address everything," Garrett said. "I do what I can to put myself in the best position. And after that, whatever happens, happens. It's not in my control. I always prepare myself for the best and the worst. Obviously it's not the worst thing to be a priority free agent, it's still a pretty cool thing."
"When he made the decision to not take his senior year and just go into the draft, I think he really just made it and went all in," Mikayla told theRams.com in a phone interview last month. "Seeing him work towards this goal has been amazing, because honestly, he's one of the hardest workers I know, and when he sets his mind to something, he does it. So that's just been really, honestly fun to watch, because I just love seeing him achieve this goal. Obviously the work is not done and anything can happen, but just for him to even make it this far has been really cool to see for him because I just I know how bad he wanted this."
Chris kept getting calls all throughout Day 3 of the draft – he told St. Paul Pioneer-Press more than 20 NFL teams reached out about signing him as an undrafted free agent – so when Snead called, he thought it was just another club wanting to discuss that.
"I couldn't believe they wanted to draft me," Chris said. "It was unbelievable."
Just a curious question (and a topic I'm interested to see answers to; we can never have enough food topics): what would be your last meal if you were on death row?
I already posted mine in the breakfast thread, so I'm very curious to see what all of yours would be.
There is one ROD tool I use everyday… a tool that a lot of members may not know about.
Its the Plain Text tool. Seen here.
What that tool does is allow you to paste in copied content cleaner. It removes formatting and hyperlinks, as well.
But, the main benefit is adding content that you’ve copied and want to paste in. It might help make that easier.
One Important Note: that button remembers the last selected position. What that means is… if you click it, it stays clicked (and makes your formatting tool bar greyed-out).
So... if you click it to turn on, you need to click again to turn off.
With camps on the horizon… all we can do is evaluate teams on paper and make guesses. Based on what we know today; Who looks like a potential surprise team? A team that emerges and suddenly is stronger than we thought.
Some contenders in the article below. Others?
What about the Cowboys, Patriots, Saints? These teams don’t have a ton of buzz right now.
The Cowboys play in the NFC East and a team could eat that division up if they get hot.
The Pats made a ton of off-season moves. Mac Jones, his fall to the Patriots, sounds like a story waiting to be written (unfortunately) if he gets some starts.
The Saints were 12-4 last year and without Brees expectations seem lower in 2021. Nobody is talking about the Saints. They could be sneaky if Winston shows more consistent play a year under Drew Brees.
The Chargers will be a lot of people’s dark horse pick.
All signs point to a rebound for Minnesota, as well as surprise success in other cities
www.cbssports.com
NFL's most underrated teams ahead of 2021 season
Training camp is right around the corner, which means so is real football. You don't have to be an expert to know teams like the Buccaneers and Chiefs are expected to be among the best of the best in 2021, a year after going head to head in the Super Bowl. But what about the teams flying under the radar? The potential contenders who aren't getting nearly enough attention?
Below, we've identified four of the most underrated teams going into the 2021 season. Not all of them should be considered realistic candidates to win it all. But we'd be surprised if these four didn't surprise plenty of people this year:
Note: Projected win totals courtesy of William Hill Sportsbook.
Despite going 12-20 under Vic Fangio and 32-48 since winning the Super Bowl with Peyton Manning, the Broncos are considered top-11 favorites to win it all this year. That has almost everything to do with Aaron Rodgers, who's drawn their interest even though the Packers refuse to deal the star quarterback. If/when Rodgers rumors are put to rest (and assuming he doesn't leave Green Bay), Denver will be widely projected to either challenge the Chargers for a wild card or miss the playoffs altogether. But there's a reason Rodgers would seemingly put them over the top; unlike, say, the Jaguars or Jets or even Raiders, they're built well enough to compete with A-Rod. Neither Drew Lock nor Teddy Bridgewater is a surefire top-15 starter, but between Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, Bradley Chubb, Kyle Fuller and a healthier Von Miller, they've got play-makers on both sides of the ball.
Indianapolis Colts
2020 record: 11-5
Projected win total: O/U 10
How in the world can a team fresh off 11 wins -- a team that's won 28 games and made the playoffs in two of Frank Reich's three seasons as coach -- be underrated? For one, the national buzz is still lagging. The Buccaneers, Chiefs and Packers all have more firepower as Super Bowl favorites, but considering Reich's track record, Indy deserves more love. They've got the coach. They've got a ground game. They've got a stingy defense. And then there's new quarterback Carson Wentz, who steps in after a premature exit from Philadelphia to replace Philip Rivers. For many, the pendulum has swung so far to the "he's broken and/or bad" side of the argument, when in reality it'd be surprising if Wentz didn't rebound to be at least a top-15 QB with fresh scenery. At the very least, he gives the Colts offense more upside. Couple all that with a winnable division, and they're capable of really challenging in the AFC.
Both their coach and quarterback have built a reputation as predictable mid-tier performers: never bad enough to bottom out, but rarely elite enough to get over the hump. How else do you explain the Vikings literally going in, then out, then back into the playoffs every year since Mike Zimmer took over, or Kirk Cousins posting Pro Bowl numbers without also posting a signature postseason run? And yet, even if Aaron Rodgers stays in Green Bay, they're poised to bounce back. Not only because Zimmer's due for his biannual playoff ticket, but because Cousins has more motivation (hello Kellen Mond), the offense has bona fide play-makers (Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson) and, best of all, Zimmer's defense is both deeper and healthier (welcome back, Danielle Hunter!) after an uncharacteristically porous year. They may not win the division, but the Vikings have the makings of a sneaky contender.
Philadelphia Eagles
2020 record: 4-11-1
Projected win total: O/U 7
How can a team that just won the Super Bowl a few years ago already be one of the NFL's most underrated teams? Feast your eyes on the Eagles' 2020 season, when organizational dysfunction and a historic regression from a former MVP candidate resulted in a total overhaul of both the team's staff and QB spot. It's back to square one in Philadelphia, where first-time head coach Nick Sirianni has been tasked with injecting creative energy into a plan that quickly went stale under Doug Pederson. Almost no one, from a national perspective, seems to be buying the possibility of the ex-Colts coordinator surprising out of the gate, with young Jalen Hurts under center. But couple the fresh staff with Hurts' mobility, a healthier offensive line, a new No. 1 wideout in DeVonta Smith and some decent veterans on "D," and a late challenge for the always-open NFC East title isn't nearly as crazy as it sounds.
The Los Angeles Rams didn’t give the Jacksonville Jaguars two first-round picks for Jalen Ramsey with the expectations that he would simply be a top-10 cornerback in the NFL. They made that trade believing he was the best player at his position.
And after a full season in L.A., that’s exactly what Ramsey has become. He was a true shutdown cornerback last year, taking away everyone from DK Metcalf to DeAndre Hopkins to Allen Robinson. In doing so, he was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler, shining as the best cornerback in football.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled NFL executives, coaches, scouts and players to find out who’s viewed as the top corner in the league and Ramsey came in at No. 1, up from the second spot a year ago. One NFL head coach even told Fowler, “There’s Jalen Ramsey, and there’s a line,” separating him from the rest of the league’s best cornerbacks.
Marlon Humphrey of the Ravens was No. 2, followed by Xavien Howard and Stephon Gilmore. You might be surprised to see Jaire Alexander all the way down at No. 6, despite him being viewed by many fans and analysts as one of the two best corners in the NFL.
Darious Williams didn’t make the list, which isn’t all that surprising. But if he puts together another season like the one he had in 2020, he could at least find himself in the honorable mentions section next year.
The Rams made the offseason's first big splash by trading for Matthew Stafford, but what else have they done to boost their offense heading into 2021?
www.espn.com
Better, worse or the same? How the Los Angeles Rams' offense has changed this offseason
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Better, worse or the same?
That's the question facing the Los Angeles Rams as they attempt to improve on a 10-6 season that resulted in a divisional playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Two weeks after the season, the Rams completed a blockbuster trade that sent quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick to the Detroit Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
In free agency, the Rams signed DeSean Jackson to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, then selected Louisville receiver Tutu Atwell with a second-round pick in the NFL draft. Both playmakers are expected to provide speedy targets for Stafford.
On defense, re-signing Leonard Floyd was a top priority after the outside linebacker turned in a career-best season that included 10.5 sacks. The Rams got the deal done with a four-year, $64 million contract.
So now, with free agency mostly in the rearview, the NFL draft complete and the offseason program over, it's time to look at the Rams' roster to determine if, based on personnel changes, they improved this offseason.
Let's start with the offense.
Quarterbacks
Additions: Matthew Stafford (trade), Devlin Hodges (one-year, $780,000 deal)
Losses: Jared Goff (Detroit Lions), Blake Bortles (Green Bay Packers)
These guys are back: John Wolford, Bryce Perkins
Better, worse or the same: Better
When Stafford requested a trade from Detroit after 12 seasons, Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead thought it was too great an opportunity to pass up.
In four seasons under McVay, Goff helped the Rams to two division titles, an NFC championship and Super Bowl LIII appearance. The hope is that Stafford can lead the Rams to a Super Bowl victory.
"I want to be playing in those big games and those big moments," Stafford said when asked about Super Bowl expectations and pressure. "It's an opportunity more than anything."
Stafford, 33, owns every all-time passing record in Detroit but has not won a playoff game in three appearances.
"He's a special guy," McVay said about his new QB. "I think one of the best ways that I can describe him when you hear people that have been around him, there's a known confidence where when he walks into a room, you feel his presence but he's got a great humility about himself, everybody loves being around him and he's one of those guys that's a true igniter. He makes everybody around him better."
Stafford will be backed up by Wolford, who proved himself as a capable NFL backup in a Week 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals last season that clinched a playoff berth.
Running backs
Additions: Jake Funk (seventh-round pick)
Losses: Malcolm Brown (Miami Dolphins)
These guys are back: Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., Xavier Jones, Raymond Calais
Better, worse or the same: Same
The loss of Brown could be felt early given the six-year veteran's reliable availability, pass protection and goal-line play, but expect any growing pains for the running back group to be short-lived.
Akers is the feature back of the future. He burst out of the running back committee in the final two months of his rookie season to rush for 625 yards and two touchdowns on 145 carries. He's proven to have great run instincts and is a talented pass catcher.
The biggest question is whether Akers improved his understanding of the playbook and pass protection. "Everything is a lot easier for me," Akers said during the offseason program. " understand the playbook a lot more, I understand blocking schemes."
McVay also expressed confidence in Henderson, who was slowed during the offseason program with an undisclosed injury. "He's feeling better and better," McVay said. "We expect him to be full speed by the time training camp rolls around."
Receivers
Additions: DeSean Jackson (one-year, $4.5 deal), Tutu Atwell (second-round pick), Ben Skowronek (seventh-round pick)
Losses: Josh Reynolds (Tennessee Titans)
These guys are back: Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Nsimba Webster, Trishton Jackson
Better, worse or the same: Better
The Rams entered 2020 without a true deep-threat receiver and ultimately were unable to stretch defenses. They will not make the same mistake in 2021 after adding speed this offseason via the acquisitions of Jackson and Atwell.
Jackson is the frontrunner to earn the No. 3 receiver spot to start alongside Woods and Kupp. Entering his 14th season, there are concerns whether the 34-year-old can remain healthy after he spent the past two seasons slowed and sidelined with injuries. But there's no doubt that he still has deep-play capabilities.
"He can still run," Stafford said about Jackson. "I know that. He can still go."
The Rams also have high expectations for second-year pro Jefferson, who caught 19 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown last season. "You can see he's really put the work in," McVay said. "He's come back establishing himself as a legitimate dude, a guy that we're counting on for big things and I think the future is so bright for this guy."
Tight ends
Additions: Jacob Harris (fourth-round pick)
Losses: Gerald Everett (Seattle Seahawks)
These guys are back: Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Johnny Mundt, Kendall Blanton
Better, worse or the same: Worse
Everett wasn't a consistent contributor every week but was capable of big-time plays when needed. His absence will be felt, at least temporarily, as there's no clear-cut answer who will play behind Higbee.
The Rams selected Hopkins with a fourth-round pick last year to eventually replace Everett, but Hopkins had a quiet offseason program as Harris earned repetitions with the starters during minicamp (Higbee attended but did not participate).
"His natural range, catch radius, body control for a player his size is pretty rare," McVay said. "For NFL guys to stand out the way that he's done in some of these limited settings in shorts and in helmets, he's definitely made a positive impression."
However, it remains to be seen how Harris and Hopkins perform in a live setting.
Offensive line
Additions: None
Losses: Austin Blythe (Kansas City Chiefs)
These guys are back: Andrew Whitworth, David Edwards, Austin Corbett, Bobby Evans, Rob Havenstein, Joe Noteboom, Brian Allen, Jamil Demby, Coleman Shelton, Chandler Brewer, Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
Better, worse or the same: Worse
The Rams did not add linemen in free agency or the draft (with exception of signing several undrafted free agents), which was somewhat surprising given Blythe's departure in free agency.
Throughout the offseason, McVay remained adamant that a replacement center was in house. Corbett, Allen and Shelton will compete for the job, which Blythe held down the past two seasons.
Corbett, who's played left and right guard since the Rams sent a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 to acquire him, appears to be the frontrunner. "He's an extremely smart player," McVay said about Corbett, a second-round pick in 2018. "He's got a good feel for the game."
If Corbett wins the job, watch for Evans to step in as his replacement at right guard.
www.turfshowtimes.com
