The following article is a year old… What do we have in Evans?

Bobby Evans is getting his chance to start this year.

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Bobby Evans looks to prove that the LA Rams made a good choice in not drafting more competition​

The near-term future of offensive linemen may simply be in peril. That’s not a statement specifically directed at the LA Rams, but the sport of football in general. And if the tackles and guards keep getting worse just as the edges and interior pass rushers are getting better, mobile quarterbacks with a quick release and speedy running backs who can forced missed tackles may be more valuable than ever.

In which case, many teams could be in trouble.

The Rams are looking for at least three starting offensive linemen to appear by the start of next season. They don’t have any plan at left tackle other than Andrew Whitworth (and if the 39-year-old misses any amount of time, the problems are exacerbated to levels we can’t comprehend right now) but the other four positions will have camp battles. We can it ‘very likely’ that Rob Havenstein starts and ‘probable’ that Austin Blythe is somewhere too.

But perhaps the best case scenario for right tackle is not Havenstein, but second-year pro Bobby Evans. Were Evans to beat Havenstein for the job, an outcome that seemed likely at times towards the end of 2019, then maybe Sean McVay will get an upgrade at two positions for the price of one, with Havenstein sliding inside to guard.

Maybe the biggest thing standing between Evans and success at tackle is simply that he is an offensive tackle at all.

Bobby Evans was Rivals’ 25th-ranked offensive tackle in the 2015 recruiting class out of Allen High School in Allen, Texas. He was 6’5, 270 pounds, and in spite of his massive size had the smile of someone who is going to be “the fun uncle” at the family picnic one day.

Typically when you see that a player is ranked 25th at his position five years ago that there are a number of pros ahead of him on that list. Let’s take a quick glance at the wide receivers ranked in the top-25 in 2015: Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Van Jefferson, Miles Boykin, K.J. Hill, Auden Tate

Weakside defensive ends: Josh Sweat, Clelin Ferrell, Darrell Taylor, Arden Key, Charles Omenihu.

Defensive tackles: Da’Ron Payne, Christian Wilkins, Neville Gallimore, Jerry Tillery

But of the 24 offensive tackles ranked ahead of Evans in 2015, I don’t recognize any names. It doesn’t mean that they’re nobody, but I think I’m fairly aware of what’s going on and there weren’t any players I’ve seen drafted this year or remember getting drafted in the previous two years. Don’t worry, I did my research.

The top-ranked tackle (Martez Ivey) most recently played in the XFL. Austin Clark (8th) gave up football only one year after going to Virginia Tech. Jack Jones (6th) had a neck injury in 2018 that ended his career. Then there’s Grant Newsome, the 12th-ranked tackle of 2015: he intentionally took a bad hit to his knee against T.J. Watt and Wisconsin in 2016 and the decision nearly cost him his leg and he too retired. And out of 24, I can find seven players who have made the league:

Tyree St. Louis, Mitch Hyatt, Keaton Sutherland, Ryan Bates, and Willie Sweet were undrafted free agent signings. Isaiah Prince was a sixth round pick and was waived as a rookie. Dru Samia was a fourth round pick of the Minnesota Vikings last year and it appears he may have gotten snaps in one or two games.

I think that gives us perspective on two fronts: One is that believe it or not, Bobby Evans emerged from that top-25 as the highest-drafted player in the class when he went to the LA Rams 97th overall last year. And number two is trying to understand the reason behind that.

That either scouting good high school tackles is more difficult than ever or that colleges aren’t doing a good job of developing them or that the finite amount of “big man talent” that we have in America is mostly headed to the defensive side of the ball. It’s a combination of all three.

I’m not going to give you the same amount of research on the players ranked after Evans, but I’ll tell you that again, out of 60 tackles, I only recognize two names: 2020 UDFAs Trey Adams and Calvin Throckmorton. Actually, I recognize a better offensive tackle prospect when you slide over to the 2015 strongside defensive ends: Prince Tega Wanogho, a sixth round pick at tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles.

I suspect you are going to see more and more conversions from the defensive side of the ball if that’s where the talent is. but the inherent problem there is that if they are really talented then they’re too successful at rushing the passer to then switch them over to offense and expect a dramatically different result as far as value.

I say all that to say that if Bobby Evans succeeds, if any offensive linemen succeeds, he is overcoming longer odds today than maybe ever before in football. Especially if that offensive lineman isn’t a first round pick. In the last 10 years, 346 offensive linemen have been drafted between rounds 2-7. Of those, there are 14 players who have made a Pro Bowl. Just nine of those have made multiple Pro Bowls. Just four of those were drafted later than Evans was drafted. And only one player in the last decade in this group was drafted later than Evans (which wasn’t all that late, as you’ll soon see) and made multiple Pro Bowls: David Bakhtiari.

Making a Pro Bowl is not the benchmark of being “good” and many players make a Pro Bowl when others were more deserving, but it is fair to say that colleges haven’t produced many elite offensive linemen in the last decade and especially not after day one.

Evans was the 25th-ranked offensive tackle in 2015 and out of more than 80 names on the list, he actually has a chance to emerge as the best NFL lineman in that group. Yes, I’m talking about the Bobby Evans on the Rams. Who was the Bobby Evans prior to that?

Evans grew up in a die-hard Oklahoma Sooners household in Allen, Texas. His father, Bobby Joe Evans, was a Texas high school basketball star in the mid-90s and he went on to have a short career playing for Oklahoma (5.6 points per game over two seasons), but to be fair he had two kids in that time. Bobby was born in March, ‘97, and he also has an older brother, Tay.

The pair played at Allen High School, one of the most dominant football programs in the country. Not only were the Evans’ brothers highly-ranked prospects in their respective classes, Tay a senior linebacker and Bobby a junior tackle in 2013, but teammate Greg Little was the top-ranked tackle in the country for 2016 and for some, the top overall player in the nation. That’s not all.

Little and Evans were blocking for an elite baseball prospect: Kyler Murray.

In 2019, Allen High School had more players drafted in the first two days of the draft than any college in Texas did.

Their selections mark a staggering three former Allen standouts to have been picked through the first three rounds in the 2019 draft. For comparison’s sake, Texas A&M and TCU both had two players selected during the first three rounds – the only colleges in Texas to do so.

But first came choosing a college, which wasn’t even a thought process for Tay and Bobby Evans. The sons of Bobby Joe both committed to Oklahoma in 2013 and at the time Tay was probably a better prospect, or at least a more well-known one as Bobby hadn’t had much time with varsity yet.

Also along for the trip was Bobby, who, despite not receiving an offer at the same time as his brother, was on the Sooners’ radar.

“I called them afterwards and they said that they wanted to meet me personally,” Bobby said. “He said I seemed like the kind of guy that he would want to offer, but he had to meet me in person.”

Eight days after Tay’s commitment, Bobby made the trip to Norman for an unofficial visit. Also weighing interest from Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Oregon State, those schools fell by the wayside the moment the Sooners made an offer.

“I wasn’t even thinking they were going to offer me, but when they did that was really cool,” Bobby said. “I think me and my brother have a chance to do something pretty special together.”

Bobby’s commitment comes on the heels of a sophomore campaign where he emerged as a diamond in the rough for the Eagles. Not called up to varsity until the playoffs, Bobby served as a blocking tight end for Allen and immediately earned playing time en route to the Eagles’ Class 5A Division I State Championship.

Although varsity film on Bobby is scarce, scouts took notice as the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder ranks No. 210 in the Class of 2015 ESPN national rankings.

“With a lot of kids, I think some of them get offered early and feel like their job is done and they don’t have to work as hard anymore,” Bobby said. “I’ve got to keep working to make sure I keep that scholarship.”

After Tay left for Oklahoma (Tay Evans dealt with injuries and recorded 18 tackles over two seasons in Norman and his current job is rooting for the Sooners and his brother), Evans became a key blocker for Murray, who committed to Texas A&M in May, 2014 to play football and baseball. I can’t say for sure what Evans’ involvement in all these games was because people don’t track linemen like they track QBs who win Gatorade Football Player of the Year, but Murray went 42-0 in high school with three straight state championships in Texas. And Evans was there too.

Here’s tape of Evans as Murray’s left tackle:

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And here’s bonus tape of him as a tight end prospect:

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Going into college, Evans was listed at 265 pounds, needing to either perhaps bulk up to become a tackle or slim down and become more aerodynamic and fast to be a tight end.

At 6’5, 265 pounds, Evans has plenty of necessary development before he ends up as an offensive tackle in college, making him a developmental project at the next level.

Evans made the move to left tackle as a junior after working as a blocking tight end as a sophomore and appeared to noticeably add mass to his lower body, which helped him drive block opponents off the line of scrimmage. In fact, Evans has good strength for his size, as many high school offensive tackles at his weight struggle to create displacement.

His mobility that allows him to pull and acquire defenders in space also makes him an effective pass protector because of his body quickness. And once he gets his hands placed and extended, it’s difficult for opponents to disengage.

He enrolled early at Oklahoma (as a tackle) but that didn’t stop him from redshirting in 2015. As a redshirt freshman the next year, Evans ended up starting 12 games at right tackle opposite of Orlando Brown, a player who similarly emerged as a better NFL prospect than he was a college prospect. Brown may also, perfectly enough, be the best third round tackle draft pick of at least the last 10 years.

Evans was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick, as well as making the Academic team, in both 2016 and 2017. The pair bookended the offensive line for quarterback Baker Mayfield in both seasons as the team went 23-4, the second of which came in the first year of the Lincoln Riley era. That offense in 2017 featured Mayfield winning the Heisman, Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb at receiver, Mark Andrews at tight end, and an offensive line room with at least five future NFL players.

Oh, and the backup was Kyler Murray.

Wanting to escape a situation with the Aggies and head coach Kevin Sumlin, Murray transferred to Oklahoma, joining his former left tackle (slash tight end) in high school.

You could’ve gone to a number of places. Why did you choose to transfer to Oklahoma?

Murray: It was a no-brainer for me with Coach (Bob) Stoops, Coach Lincoln (Riley). Just the trust I had in them, the stability here. Coach Linc is one of, if not the best OC in the country. Then you look at the guys around you that you’re playing with. We have all the talent in the world here. Add that with Coach Schmitty (strength coach Jerry Schmidt) in the weight room and it doesn’t get much better. Playing in a city like Norman, where it’s all about Oklahoma football. A no-brainer for me.

Before Murray would take over for Mayfield in 2018 and win a Heisman of his own, Evans was making strides as a right tackle and perhaps one with higher upside than Brown.

With his family cheering him on, it’s already been a special season for Evans, who OU coaches say is grading out as well as anyone on the offensive line, including mammoth NFL draft prospect Orlando Brown.

Evans was a starter last season as a freshman, but Brown says he’s seen Evans make two years’ worth of progress in one offseason. Evans says he knew he was reaching a new level when fiery offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh started yelling at him more.

“Bobby is just so steady,” coach Lincoln Riley said last week. “He’s kind of sneaky good. Orlando gets a lot of the attention out there, and rightfully so. He’s a great player. But Bobby’s been just as valuable.”

But after Evans’ redshirt sophomore season, with Brown now as a rookie tackle on the Baltimore Ravens set to start blocking for Lamar Jackson soon enough, expectations were high that Bobby’s move to the left side would result in a boost to his draft stock for NFL teams. I didn’t have to look far to find a “way too early mock draft” (which are very useful, you’ll see) that had Evans getting drafted in the first round.

CBS Sports projected him to the San Francisco 49ers at pick 18.

Riding high expectations in 2018, the Sooners ended up making the College Football Playoffs behind the Heisman performance of Murray, who threw for 42 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 4,361 yards, and rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 touchdowns. Evans and company also blocked for Kennedy Brooks (1,056 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns) and Trey Sermon (947 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns) that season. The Oklahoma offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for the best o-line in the country.

Oklahoma was the number one scoring team in the nation at 48.4 points per game (in the Big-12) and 101st in points allowed. They spotted Alabama a 28-0 lead in the Orange Bowl though and couldn’t complete the comeback. Evans had started the whole season at left tackle, displaying durability and versatility over his three years with the team.

He declared for the draft on January 9, 2019.

Five days later, Murray declared for the draft, making it clear by that point that as a legitimate NFL prospect now that he would forego his other opportunity to be one of the top-ranked prospects for the Oakland A’s, who had selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft.

Over at Walter Football, Evans was ranked as the 20th-best offensive tackle prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft, projected go to “rounds 4-6.”

4/24/19: Evans was an okay college blocker, but when I spoke to team sources, they weren’t high on him for the NFL. They saw Evans as more of a third-day pick even though he had received some projections of going in the top half of the 2019 NFL Draft. While he played left tackle for Oklahoma, sources say that Evans moves like a right tackle and does not have left-tackle athleticism. He also is not powerful, and that makes him a poor fit at right tackle in the NFL for running the ball. Evans will probably have to move inside to guard as a pro, but he is going to need developmental time to get stronger. Evans looks like a pick for Day 3 during the 2019 NFL Draft.

He was ranked behind such players as:

3. Cody Ford, his college teammate at Oklahoma
5. Greg Little, his high school teammate at Allen
11. David Edwards, a respected run blocker from Wisconsin
16. Ryan Bates, remember him?
19. Mitch Hyatt, remember him?

SI agreed, also ranking him 20th. All of those players were still ranked ahead of him, but they minced words a bit on his abilities in run blocking.

He was a little better at right tackle his sophomore year than he was at left tackle last year. Evans is at his best mauling in the run game and could end up inside, but his length (343⁄4-inch arms) mitigates his lack of elite athleticism and gives him a chance to stay at tackle.

CBS Sports had him 17th and in the “useful swing tackles, depth, developmental blockers” tier.

But one place that was higher on Evans than those publications was ProFootballFocus. They ranked Evans 12th in the class, noting that he allowed “just 20 total pressures across his 441 pass-blocking snaps in 2018” and that he he earned similar grades as a right tackle in 2016 and 2017.

One place he could have changed some minds, better or worse, was at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Perhaps surprising athleticism, or more length than expected, would boost his stock. Instead, I can’t say that much was gained.

Evans measured 6’4, 213 pounds, ran a 5.2 in the 40-yard dash, and did 22 reps on the bench. Evans was listed among the guards, his projected NFL position, and he was tied for fourth-fastest in the 40, but his reps were towards the bottom of those who did the bench, and he didn’t participate in any other drills. He is roughly the same height, weight, and speed of Zack Martin, but also plenty of players who aren’t great.

Most of them definitely are interior offensive linemen. There aren’t many tackles who are the size that Evans was as the combine.

What Evans did gain perhaps was a little bit of that length he desired: 34.75” arms. That may give him an edge necessary to maybe compete at right tackle at the next level. NFL.com compared him to Daryl Williams, a starting right tackle for the Carolina Panthers. Tackle? Guard? Center?

The LA Rams were interested.

13 offensive linemen were drafted in the first two rounds, including Little and Ford going back-to-back at 37 and 38. In round three, after 32 players and four more offensive linemen were drafted, the Rams picked Bobby Evans with the 97th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

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During the pick, they call Evans “sticky at the second level” but a solid, pulling run blocker. He was the Rams fourth pick of the draft and in the fifth round they would pick David Edwards, the tackle out of Wisconsin.

At the time he was drafted, there were not many expectations for Evans to contribute as a rookie. LA was most set at the two tackle positions, but there also wasn’t nearly as much concern for another season of Austin Blythe at right guard. Joseph Noteboom, a third round pick a year before Evans, would end up winning the job at left guard.

Evans had to wait his turn at Allen. He had to wait his turn at Oklahoma. He worked with some of the best tackles at those levels both times. And now he was going to be taking notes from Andrew Whitworth. It wasn’t a bad situation, even if it was one where again he would have to wait.

“Coming out and being on the same field as these guys like Aaron Donald and all those guys, it’s crazy. Like, ‘Wow, these guys are superstars, but I’m on the same field as them.’ So it’s been a pretty cool experience,” Evans said.

Evans also talked about the Rams’ offensive line group and the guys like Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein, who he’ll be learning from.

“I know that I respect their game and those are some big ole’ dudes – like 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7,” Evans said. “I respect them a lot and I know they’ve been playing ball a while, so just to learn from them is a good experience.”

Les Snead was most excited about his versatility when he selected Evans.

“We still needed depth, so that’s where we added Evans tonight. And he’s the guy who’s played right and left tackle for Oklahoma, and as you know, Aaron Kromer – he’s going to slide him in at left guard and right guard, too. So, there’s some versatility there. He’s a really smart and intelligent player there that can learn all four,” Snead said after Day 2.

Kromer too.

“Any time a guy can play two positions like that, starting right and going to the left, you got to love his versatility and his athleticism that he’s showing,” Kromer said following the third-round selection.

But Snead and Sean McVay saw 2019 as purely a developmental year for Evans and Edwards, but as often happens in football, that wasn’t going to be possible because of injuries.

After making the final-53 as one of the three o-line backups next to Edwards and Jamil Demby, Evans stayed out of the games until October 20 against the Atlanta Falcons. He played four snaps in that game on offense and nine on special teams. He’s play the next week on special teams, but it wasn’t until November 17 that Evans would have to be counted on as a starting NFL tackle.

An injury to Havenstein forced McVay to start Evans at right tackle against the Chicago Bears. His first assignment: Khalil Mack. The Rams allowed zero sacks and won 17-7.

Evans started the final seven games of the season at right tackle, playing in every snap over that period of time save for a few in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers. Other than a 45-6 loss to the Ravens, LA was able to put up points like they were accustomed to before Evans.

“I’ve been really impressed with him, you look at some of the players that he’s gone against, the caliber of big-time guys and the way that he’s been able to perform,” McVay said. “He’s got great play energy. If you watch him, the excitement, the way that he helps his teammates up, finishes blocks, gets excited when guys score. He’s got a nice enthusiasm about himself that you get excited about. I’ve been very pleased with Bobby.”

Evans was an adequate player, but nobody came away with extraordinary confidence that he had a short or long-term future at right tackle. However, the Rams can instead focus on the fact that Evans was a) considered a project who needed time to develop and instead started seven ‘OK’ games and b) has probably always been more of an NFL guard than a tackle.

The performances of Evans, Edwards, Havenstein, Noteboom, Blythe, Austin Corbett, Brian Allen, and even Whitworth left LA fans wanting more o-line chips added to the pot from the 2020 NFL Draft, but Snead steered clear of that group until round seven. There is no more competition coming this year except most likely from within.

How does Evans fit within that within?

Havenstein is a clear favorite to be the starting right tackle, but obviously Kromer, McVay, and Snead had hope at the time of Evans’ selection for him to be a potential starting left or right guard anyway. The other option being that if Evans is as good as Havenstein — even if that just means that Havenstein isn’t as good as he used to be — then he could start at right tackle and Havenstein might have a higher ceiling as a guard. Plus, the team may choose to release Havenstein next year if he doesn’t bounce back, so that gives Evans more of a head start.

At guard though, not much is in Evans way if he wants to prove that he can be just as solid and versatile in the NFL as he was at Oklahoma. There’s not a single player on the roster who looks like the obvious choice to start on either the left or right side and Evans now has a few hundred professional snaps under his belt. And he only turned 23 in March.

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I sense there is not a lot of hope in the ten or so guys who are competing to start on the offensive line for the Rams next year, including Evans. I would stress that there probably isn’t a ton of hope floating around for offensive lines on many teams right now. The talent there has been depleted and that is especially true of taking tackles on days two and three. But Evans has survived the 2015 recruiting class. He’s survived living the shadows of other tackles over and over again. He’s seen Little’s stock go down just as Orlando’s stock went up. I don’t know where his stock really is right now ...

But the fact that he’s still got some buying power is an accomplishment in and of itself.

This is a more well rounded view of McVay on his opinion of Stafford and his good mood.

Why wouldn't the head coach be in a better mood when he upgrades the QB position?



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One on One with Ben Skowronek

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Let’s talk NFC East…

With a good chunk of free agency complete and draft behind us… Who do you see emerging as the winner?

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2021 NFC East Team Futures - Division Winner and Win Totals Outlook​

As the most popular pro sport in America, the NFL is relevant 365 days a year. For the first time since 1978, when the slate went from 14 to 16 games, the NFL lengthened the regular season again this year. The 2021 NFL schedule was released on May 12 and all 32 teams will play 17 games over the 18-week season. That means NFL fans get an extra week of NFL betting and fantasy football action. It will also affect win total wagering.

Week 1 opens with Dallas visiting defending NFL champion Tampa Bay on September 9. The week ends with Las Vegas hosting Baltimore in the Monday Night Football fight. Regular season action concludes with Seattle visiting Arizona on Jan. 9, 2022. Wild Card Weekend, Divisional Round playoffs, and Conference Championship Sunday follow. The season ends with Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Cali.

NFC East Division Futures Odds

Following a sub-par 2020 season, by all four teams, which squad will claim the 2021 NFC East Division championship? Washington was first, with a 7–9 record, but will The Football team repeat? Plagued by injuries last year, will Dallas or New York rebound from 6–9 records? Rounding out the weakest division, in the NFL last season, will Philadelphia get back into contention after finishing last overall with a 4-11-1 mark?

Those are a few questions to consider prior to wagering on the NFC East champion and team win total odds. With Offseason Team Activities underway, and preseason games still to come, the futures odds and prices shown below are subject to change. That said unless there’s an earth-shaking trade (or injury) the lines won’t move much prior to NFL 2021-22 Kickoff Thursday. The most notable moves will likely be the prices.

For just the third time, in Super Bowl era history, a team “earned” a playoff berth with a losing record. The first time it happened has an asterisk attached to it as Detroit and Cleveland made the playoffs with 4–5 records during the strike-shortened 1982 season. Washington matched Seattle, who won the NFC West Division title with a 7–9 record back in 2010. The Football Team snapped a four-year playoff drought but was quickly eliminated after a 31–23 loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC Wild Card round. It’s wise to wonder how far the WFT will get with 38-year starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

New York and Dallas both suffered a big blow when they lost star players early in the season last year. Giants’ RB Saquon Barkley tore his ACL in Week 2 and Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 5. While both players are expected to return, at full health, Prescott is arguably the more important player for the respective teams. The Carson Wentz experience is over in Philadelphia and second-year QB Jalen Hurts will lead the Eagles' offense this season. Betting on Prescott staying healthy, and their defense improving, I am backing Dallas to win the NFC East title.

NFC East Champion Prediction: Dallas Cowboys (+125) moneyline

Dallas Cowboys – NFC East Win Total Futures

After posting their worst record, since they went 4–12 back in 2015, Dallas (6–10) is aiming to avoid back-to-back losing seasons. The Cowboys have not recorded two straight sub-.500 seasons since they went 5–12 over three years from 2000 to 2002.

Dallas is hoping RB Ezekiel Elliott returns to form. Elliott averaged 107.4 total yards, with six touchdowns, over five games with Prescott under center. He averaged 78.0 total yards, and scored just twice, over 10 games without him. The entire offense gets a boost with Prescott’s return. I am betting on Dallas winning at least 10 games this season.

Key Players Resigned: QB Dak Prescott, CB Jourdan Lewis, ST/DB CJ Goodwin

Key Additions: DL Brent Urban, OT Ty Nsekhe, EDGE Tarell Basham

Key Departures: QB Andy Dalton, CB Chidobe Awuzie, LS L.P. Ladouceur

Key 2021 Draft Picks: LB Micah Parsons, CB Kelvin Joseph, DT Osa Odighizuwa

Dallas Cowboys Win Total Prediction: OVER 9.5 (+107) wins

Washington Football Team – NFC East Win Total Futures

Following a 2–7 start, Washington won five of their final seven games to claim the NFC East title with a 7–9 record. Including a gutsy start by QB Taylor Heinicke, during the NFC Wild Card playoffs, four different quarterbacks started at least one game for the Football Team last season. A revolving door, at the QB position, is never a good thing.

Following two seasons in Miami, 15-year NFL veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick signed with the WFT. Fitzmagic is projected to start ahead of Heinicke and Kyle Allen. Leaning towards OVER, but not liking the juice, a 9–8 record seems about right for the WFT.

Key Players Resigned: OG Brandon Scherff (franchise tag), QB Kyle Allen

Key Additions: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Adam Humphries

Key Departures: QB Alex Smith, DE Ryan Kerrigan

Key 2021 Draft Picks: LB Jamin Davis, OT Samuel Cosmi, WR Dyami Brown

Washington Football Team Win Total Prediction: PASS (OVER lean)

New York Giants – NFC East Win Total Futures

Making a late run at the division title that no team seemingly wanted to win, New York (6–10) was one victory short of claiming the NFC East championship last year. One has to wonder if the season would have turned out differently had Barkley not been hurt.

New York finished second last, behind only the New York Jets (279.9 / 15.2), with just 299.6 total yards and 17.5 points per game on offense. The loss of Barkley, plus injuries of his own, stunted the growth of sophomore QB Daniel Jones. New York was active during the offseason, especially on offense, and I am betting OVER on their win total.

Key Players Resigned: DE Leonard Williams, OT Nate Solder, NT Austin Johnson

Key Additions: WR Kenny Golladay, WR John Ross III, RB Devontae Booker, CB Adoree’ Jackson, TE Kyle Rudolph

Key Departures: RB Wayne Gallman, QB Colt McCoy, WR Golden Tate

Key 2021 Draft Picks: WR Kadarius Toney, LB Adze Ojulari, CB Aaron Robinson

New York Giants Win Total Prediction: OVER 7.0 (-130) wins

Philadelphia Eagles – NFC East Win Total Futures

Three years after upsetting New England, 41–33 during Super Bowl LII, Philadelphia (4–12) posted their worst record since 2021. Few things worked well for the Eagles, as they managed just 20.9 points per game on offense and allowed 26.1 ppg on defense.

Not helping their cause, Philadelphia ranked 29th overall with a -10 turnover ratio as they had 29 giveaways and just 19 takeaways. QB Carson Wentz was benched during Week 13 action and rookie Jalen Hurts took over as the starter. The Eagles are in a rebuilding stage, and another rough season is on the horizon in 2021.

Key Players Resigned: C Jason Kelce, LB Alex Singleton, DE Brandon Graham,

Key Additions: DE Ryan Kerrigan, RB Kerryon Johnson, S Anthony Harris

Key Departures: WR Alshon Jeffery, WR DeSean Jackson, S Jalen Mills

Key 2021 Draft Picks: WR DeVonta Smith, C Landon Dickerson, CB Zech McPhearson

Philadelphia Eagles Win Total Prediction: UNDER 6.5 (+127) wins

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Updates on the NFC East: A division with one total quarterback​

Not everybody wants to learn information that doesn’t concern the LA Rams and I fully understand you. It’s no problem to feel that way or to ignore posts that intend to bring awareness to the ocean that the Rams must navigate next season.

Articles like this one are intended to describe those waters because no team sails to the Super Bowl without surviving the sea first.

Los Angeles faced all four NFC East teams in 2020, but there is only one on the schedule next season: a morning road game against the New York Giants on October 17th. Last season, the Rams went 4-0 against the NFC East, including a 17-9 victory against the Giants. But New York, and all of these teams, will look significantly different whenever it is that they next face LA.

At least one of them will make the postseason. Given the fact that little effort was put into reshuffling the deck at quarterback though, it’s hard to imagine which of these teams would be able to win a wild card spot in the NFC. And how.

There’s plenty of defensive talent, but other than the guy whose foot was pointing to Albuquerque the last time we saw him, the quarterback situation doesn’t look any less dire than it did with Carson Wentz and Alex Smith. These are some updates on the four teams in the NFC East.

NFC East

Washington Football Team - Taylor Heinicke challenging Ryan Fitzpatrick?

"My biggest impression [from minicamp] is that Taylor Heinicke might not be the one-hit wonder we all thought he was... Fitzpatrick is still the starter as of now, but the guy can play, and it's not just because Tampa Bay had no idea who he was" - @PeteHaileyNBCS

— WASHINGTON FOOTBALL (@HogsHaven) June 11, 2021
I have a hard time believing that Fitzpatrick is getting another chance to start. Teams that have said “Yes” and then “No” to Fitzpatrick as a starter include the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Bucs, and Dolphins. Most quarterbacks never get to hear “No” twice. Fitzpatrick has already operated as Washington’s starter since he signed in March, so make Football Team the ninth team to give him a chance.

Nine.

Most interesting veteran addition: WR Curtis Samuel

Most interesting draft pick: LB Jamin Davis

Head coach Ron Rivera worked with Samuel in Carolina, and Davis is the exact type of pick that we had come to expect from the Panthers. He might have been the best linebacker in the draft and Washington could have the best front-seven in the NFL. How many “could haves” has Fitzpatrick turned into “won’t bes” over his career? Because he’s yet to make the playoffs in any of his many dozens of campaigns.

Dallas Cowboys - Dak Prescott not yet returned to action

Prescott has made it back to the field after suffering a broken ankle in Week 5 of last season, but he’s been held out of 11-of-11 drills at OTAs.

The most important joint of Dallas’ entire year is the ankle that Dak Prescott had so badly injured early last season. We saw nothing but glowing reports from the staff about his recovery, but we’ve been led down that primrose path before.

It was all non-contact, and Prescott was held out of any 11-on-11 work as an added precaution, but he certainly looked like he was completely ready to go.

It’s hard to ignore what the Cowboys are set to have offensively: Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb.

Around those guys, center Tyler Biadasz, right tackle La’El Collins, left guard Connor Williams at least have some draft pedigree and experience and this could be a good offensive line again in front of Prescott and Elliott.

Most interesting veteran addition: LB/Rover Keanu Neal

Most interesting draft pick: LB Micah Parsons

Dallas’s first six draft picks were: LB, CB, DT, DE, CB, LB

The linebackers unit now includes Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Parsons, Neal, and Jabril Cox. How does that shake out? Some might say that Cox is “more interesting” than Parson, but I won’t do that to the difference between the third defensive player drafted and a fourth round pick. Cox was available for reasons, we’ll see how things shake out.

New York Giants - No timetable on Saquon Barkley’s return from torn ACL

Barkley tore his ACL and did damage to his MCL and meniscus in Week 2 of last season and it’s not yet known when he will return, even as he approaches the 10-month mark since the injury. In 2019, Barkley had 217 carries for 1,003 yards and 52 catches for 438 yards over 13 games. Barkley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage as a rookie, with 2,028, and he added 15 touchdowns.

In theory, the Giants could have a good offense, but that entirely depends on a myriad of unknowns:

Will Daniel Jones ever be good, with or without a good supporting cast?
First round pick Kadarius Toney is a rookie
Kenny Golladay is a first-time Giant and missed 11 games last season
Andrew Thomas, selected ahead of Jedrick Wills, Mekhi Becton, and Tristan Wirfs, has so far been the worst first round tackle of 2020
Kyle Rudolph is in a similar position to Golladay
Will Barkley recover and stay healthy?
Will Sterling Shepard recover from an underwhelming second season?
Is Jason Garrett the right offensive coordinator?
Lots of potential, also a lot of questions.

Most interesting free agent addition: Golladay

Most interesting draft pick: OLB Azeez Ojulari

I’m a fan of Toney, but his start thus far has been described as “clunky” and he’s not likely to beat out Golladay and Slayton for one of the top-two receiver jobs. In fact, he might also not beat Sterling Shepard.

People were surprised to see Ojulari available at pick 50, but most importantly, he has an opportunity to get on the field immediately as a pass rusher. The Rams are among the teams who are well aware of how good New York’s defense was last season, but other than Leonard Williams, nobody on the defense had more than four sacks. Toney could become the team’s best receiver eventually, but Ojulari could be the team’s best edge immediately.

Philadelphia Eagles - Jalen Hurts, Joe Flacco are Eagles only two quarterbacks

“He’s just as smooth as they come."

The #Eagles only have two QBs on their roster entering training camp. One of them is a former Super Bowl MVP with 14 years of experience.

QBs coach Brian Johnson on what Joe Flacco has brought to the position room:https://t.co/SGdz8gtmXC

— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) June 10, 2021
There is not much separating us from an NFC East that features Dak Prescott, Mike Glennon, Joe Flacco, and Kyle Allen. Or Dak, Jones, Jalen Hurts, and Taylor Heinicke. I mean, other than Dak Prescott, what exactly are we doing here?

Assuming that Hurts wins the starting job, he’ll be throwing to DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, Travis Fulgham, Greg Ward, and JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Maybe. He’ll have Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert too, while the offensive line might actually be among the best in the NFL.

Over the last three seasons, Flacco has started nine games for the Ravens and then got benched for Lamar Jackson; started eight games for the Denver Broncos and made way for Drew Lock; started four games for the Jets, who’ve moved onto Zach Wilson. Now he’s almost certain, I think, to start some games for Philadelphia.

As a rookie, Hurts made four starts and the Eagles went 1-3: 52% completions, 6 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 7.2 Y/A, 77.6 rating, 41 QBR, 63 carries for 354 yards, nine fumbles.

What exactly are we doing here?

Most interesting free agent addition: S Anthony Harris

Most interesting draft pick: WR DeVonta Smith

I’ll also bring up center Landon Dickerson — because I know that one stings for some of you — but Dickerson is still recovering from a torn ACL. If the Rams had picked him, a team often criticized for draft players when picking players who have an injury history, that’s also where he’d be at right now: recovering.

The Eagles have the luxury to not play Dickerson all year, but Smith should immediately become Hurts’ safety blanket. Reagor was disappointing as a rookie and that was compounded by the success of his wide receiver peers. When Hurts was playing, Reagor caught only 12 of 21 targets for 174 yards. Smith was drafted as high as he was because he should be “NFL ready” and capable of creating yards and separation on his own.

Harris really stayed under the radar and I didn’t remember that he had signed with the Eagles, even though he was one of my favorite pending free agents of 2020. The Vikings gave him the franchise tag then, but all he got in free agency this year was a one-season pact for $4 million. Harris had six interceptions in 2019, but zero in 2020.

The Eagles have some all-pro talent but they also have some potential holes on the roster that look no different than the weakest links that caused them to go 4-11-1 last season.

Les Snead stole OL Austin Corbett from Browns for a 5th-round pick​

The LA Rams had every reason to panic during their 2019 NFL season after the offensive line was ravaged with injuries. In the heart of the epidemic, the LA Rams front office mobilized and began to add offensive linemen to the roster. One signing was Arizona Cardinals practice squad offensive lineman Coleman Shelton. That move helped reinforce the Rams thinning ranks at offensive center

Another move was trading a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett. At the time, Corbett was benched after a failed attempt to start for the Browns. He was drafted by the Browns with the 33rd pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure certainly applies in the case of Corbett. By his second season, Browns’ websites were declaring Corbett as the worst pick of the last 20 years.

It was that tone that placed Corbett at risk of being cut. So when the Rams sashayed in to offer a draft pick for the guy, it was interpreted by many as though the LA Rams were fleeced in a desperate attempt to thicken the offensive line depth chart. Well, that was the initial reaction, at least.

The tables turned rapidly

Almost as soon as the trade occurred, we liked the strategy. The Rams pulled a bench-warmer off the roster of the Cleveland Browns, helped the Browns’ salary cap a bit, and converted a 2021 fifth-round pick into a 2018 second-round drafted rookie. But it would have been all for naught if not for the direction and mentorship of LA Rams offensive line coach Aaron Kromer.

Corbett did not suit up as soon as he got off the plane. In fact, he was inactive against the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals. It was not until Brian Allen fell to a season-ending injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers that Corbett saw his first action with the LA Rams by taking over at right guard. He then shifted to the left guard the following week and remained in that role through the rest of the season. He converted to the right side for 2020 and played the entire season there.

Thankfully, the Rams got him quickly enough to ensure that he could realize his full upside. That upside has been realized for the most part. After playing left guard in 2019 and playing right guard in 2020, Corbett has established himself as a plug-n-play offensive lineman. Now, he gets to try his hand starting at the offensive center position for the LA Rams in 2021.

When the trade first occurred, many weighed in believing that the Browns had won that trade. It’s pretty clear that the Rams have gotten significant value out of that exchange. The Rams have enjoyed a starting left guard, right guard, and likely offensive center for the cost of one fifth-round pick. That’s not just a significant return on investment, it borders on outright theft.

What's the holdup with Jamal Adams' contract extension? Why Seahawks and All-Pro are at impasse​

Quickly signing safety Jamal Adams to a contract extension was presumed to be a top offseason priority for the Seahawks after the Rams eliminated them in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season. The 2021 NFL Draft wasn't going to be as much of a focal point of the early part of the offseason as in previous years; Seattle only had selections in the second, fourth and sixth rounds because of multiple trades. Seattle's 2021 and 2022 first-round picks, a 2021 third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald were dealt to the Jets last July to acquire Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick.

Nonetheless, it's been a busy offseason for the Seahawks. Other core players heading into a contract year have all signed long-term deals. Most notably, wide receiver Tyler Lockett received a four-year, $69.2 million extension in early April. The deal has $37 million in guarantees, of which $21 million was fully guaranteed at signing. Pro Bowl punter Michael Dickson just signed a four-year, $14,699,059 extension with $8.5 million in guarantees.

General manager John Schneider reiterated in late April on the day before the draft that Adams was in Seattle's long-term plans. He characterized the draft as a celebration of Adams since this year's first-round pick was part of the draft compensation used to obtain him. Adams is scheduled to play the 2021 season under his $9.86 million fifth-year option.

The two most plausible explanations for the delay in signing Adams to a long-term deal are his contract demands and issues with Seattle's preferred contract structure.

Jamal Adams' contract demands

There were reports of Adams having ambitious financial expectations prior to the Jets trading him. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, a source told him last offseason that Adams wanted to be one of the NFL's highest-paid defensive players. Around the same time, Rich Cimini, who covers the Jets for ESPN, reported that Adams wanted to be the highest-paid player on the team. That distinction was then held by inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, who signed a five-year contract averaging $17 million per year in 2019 as an unrestricted free agent.

The 2020 season probably didn't do anything to keep Adams from thinking along these lines even though he struggled at times in pass coverage. In 12 games, Adams set a single-season record for sacks by a defensive back with 9.5 -- which was tied for the 11th-most in the NFL -- and was selected to his third straight Pro Bowl.

Adams doesn't view himself as just a safety. He has used the words "playmaker" or "defensive weapon" instead to describe himself. He certainly has a point based on where he lined up on the field defensively for the Seahawks. Out of Adams' 784 defensive snaps, 94 were on the defensive line, 351 were in the box, 173 were as a slot cornerback, 17 were as a wide corner and 149 were at free safety, according to Pro Football Focus. By more traditional position groupings, the breakdown was 94 on the defensive line coming off the edge, 237 at linebacker, 263 at safety and 190 at cornerback.

Adams doesn't want to be classified as a safety for good reason. Justin Simmons is the NFL's highest-paid safety at $15.25 million per year. After being designated as a franchise player by the Broncos for a second straight year, he signed a four-year, $61 million contract with $35 million in guarantees where $32.1 million was fully guaranteed at signing.

There are 10 defensive players with contracts averaging $20 million per year or more. Nine are either edge rushers or interior defensive linemen who have demonstrated an ability to consistently pressure quarterbacks.

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey is the only defensive back among the ten. He signed a five-year, $100 million extension worth up to $105 million through salary escalators right before the 2020 regular season started. Ramsey established new cornerback records of $71.203 million of overall guarantees and $43.703 million fully guaranteed at signing.

Adams becoming Seattle's highest-paid defensive player is likely going to be a difficult proposition. There's probably reluctance in paying anybody on the defense more than middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. The future Hall of Famer signed a three-year, $54 million extension averaging $18 million per year at the start of training camp in 2019. Wagner's contract contains $40.25 million of guarantees where $24.5 million was fully guaranteed at signing.

Unfortunately for Adams, NFL player salaries are mostly constrained by position. Adams easily being the NFL's best pass-rushing defensive back probably isn't enough to convince the Seahawks he shouldn't be paid like a safety.

Any leverage Adams may have to be treated differently comes from his acquisition cost. The Seahawks didn't give multiple draft picks intending for him to be a short-term rental. Budda Baker, who is considered the Swiss Army knife of the Cardinals defense because of his versatility, couldn't defy positional pay constraints when he became the league's highest-paid safety last September at $14.75 million per year.

It's also something Wagner couldn't do. When he signed his extension in 2019, he was legitimately in the league's best defensive player discussion. Wagner and Rams interior defensive lineman Aaron Donald were the only players to be selected-first team All-Pro by the Associated Press in each of the previous three seasons (2016 through 2018). Both have since extended the streak to five seasons. At the time, the average yearly salary of the five highest-paid defensive players was just under $21.425 million. Wagner's $18 million-per-year deal represented a 5.88% increase over Mosley's deal.

The safety market hasn't taken a dramatic jump since 2019 free agency when a player sets the new high mark. Eddie Jackson (Bears) getting 3.58% more than Kevin Byard (Titans) in January 2020 is the biggest incremental increase in average yearly salary.

A similar increase over Simmons would put Adams in the $15.75 million-per-year neighborhood. Adams getting the Seahawks to give him an increase comparable to Wagner's would put him close to $16.25 million per year.

It might be more constructive for Adams to focus on closing the gap between cornerback and safety pay. Since the end of the 2019 regular season, the top of the cornerback market has increased nearly 33% while safeties have gone up just under 9%. Approaching the midpoint of Simmons and Ramsey's deals would mean an average yearly salary in the $17.625 million range, which is below Wagner, but would be a 14.75% increase for the top of the safety market. Regardless, Adams is probably going to need to adjust his salary expectations in order to get a deal done.

Seattle's preferred contract structure

Contract structure may be just as big of a sticking point as compensation for Adams. Most of the NFL's bigger player contracts have at least the first two years fully guaranteed at signing.

A small group of teams, such as the Bengals, Packers, Steelers and Vikings, typically don't adhere to this practice. The Packers consistently make an exception with quarterback Aaron Rodgers' contracts. The Vikings also deviated from their contract conventions during 2018 free agency to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins to the NFL's first lucrative fully guaranteed veteran contract.

Seattle prefers lucrative veteran contracts to be structured where the guaranteed money consists of base salary guarantees and a signing bonus. Base salary guarantees after the first contract year are for injury only initially at signing, but typically become fully guaranteed either on the fifth day of the waiver period in each specific year or five days after the start of the waiver period. The waiver period always begins the day after the Super Bowl.

On occasion as in Lockett's case, Seattle will structure a contract with an option bonus in the second year to pick up the final year of the deal. The second-year base salary, which becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the waiver period, will be inflated to ensure the option is exercised and the payment is made. This base salary will be reduced by the amount of option bonus, which is prorated on the salary cap just like signing bonus, when the option year is picked up.

The second contract year was fully guaranteed at signing in several deals negotiated prior to 2013. The Seahawks moved away from this concept with wide receiver Percy Harvin's contract in 2013.

Quarterback Russell Wilson's current contract signed in 2019 has Seattle's preferred structure. It would be surprising for the Seahawks to do something structurally with Adams that wasn't done for Wilson, Wagner or Lockett in their most recent extensions. The Seahawks made a big accommodation for Wilson in giving him a then-NFL record $65 million signing bonus. Lockett has the next biggest Seahawks signing bonus at $19 million.

The Seahawks should gain salary cap space from a new Adams deal. The largest signing bonus for a safety in recent years has been the $20 million Earl Thomas received in 2019 when he joined the Ravens. Setting a new safety record with a $25 million signing bonus for Adams while lowering his base salary from $9.86 million to $1.06 million would create $3.8 million of cap room provided the length of the extension is at least four years.

Teams try to avoid deviating from well established contract practices or precedents. My experience as an agent was that getting a team to reverse a contract trend or a policy regarding contracts was extremely difficult. Teams routinely cited their concern about setting a new precedent that others would attempt to use against them in future negotiations. It always seemed a little disingenuous because teams should be able to distinguish the circumstances of different negotiations.

Final thoughts

Adams will need to decide just how willing he is to push the envelope if an agreement can't be reached by the start of training camp in late July. Seattle's recent history in contract disputes suggests that a holdout isn't the best tactic to get a new deal.

Safety Kam Chancellor held out 54 days in 2015 before returning to the Seahawks after the second regular season without any changes to his contract. Thomas missed all of training camp and the preseason in a 2018 holdout he ended four days before the regular-season opener. Just like Chancellor, Thomas' holdout didn't result in him getting a new deal. He played out his contract and left Seattle in 2019 as an unrestricted free agent.

Some teams have a philosophy that they won't engage in substantive discussions about a new contract while the player is holding out. The Raiders didn't extend offensive tackle Donald Penn's contract in 2017 until he returned to the fold shortly after the second preseason game.

Things would get really interesting should Adams play under his fifth-year option. He would seem to be destined for a franchise tag in 2022. Adams would surely file a grievance to be classified as a linebacker instead of a safety. The linebacker franchise tag is $4.197 million more than the safety figure this year.

Florio loves to throw salt on coaches and players when they do an interview that doesn't match up with his perception of what they were really telling the audience.

Some of what he says might have truth to it but he forces his opinion as reality and then he belittles the coach or player as being a fake as if they were trying to BS the media and fans because coach thinks we are all stupid.

Florio likes to tell us what his perception of the real story is behind the words and interview. He acts like he's educating us and saying don't be gullible puppies waiting for your next meal.

Myles Simmons (former rams insider) piggy backs on Florio's show laughing and giggling as if McVay is a big fake.

Myles still has his silly giggle and annoying voice tone and I'm very glad he's no longer covering the Rams.


Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVhc0tRvDmE

I listened to Russell Wilson talk about Waldron's offense. He describes it as being very complex with a lot of elements forcing the defense to defend the whole field. Sound familiar? Waldron is bringing the Ram style offense to the Hawks. Wilson has been training at the sports complex in Carlsbad, CA (a few miles from where I used to live). He said a number of offensive players have made the trip down there to practice and talk about the offense. Everett gives him a legit TE threat.

Brian Schottenheimer is a fraud, living off his father's name. Now Wilson has a legit OC to work with. Wilson lobbied hard for them to sign Waldron. He wanted that Ram style offense. LaFleur took it to GB and Rodgers had a career year with it despite not wanting it at first. Now Seattle will have it as well. I think the Seahawk's offense will be improved under Waldron. But I don't see them winning any shootout with the Rams as their defense is still the team's Achilles heel.

This is what I was talking about regarding Snead and McVay's "tree" spreading through the NFL. Success breeds copycats.

I really feel that this offense with Stafford is going to bring back that 2018 style scoring machine. Teams without good defenses are going to find themselves in a shootout they can't win. Too many of the media make too much over the loss of Brockers, Johnson, and Hill. They simply ignore that their replacements were already on the roster. Johnson's lack of speed limited how he could be played. He looked good because he could shade to the side opposite of Ramsey. Brockers struggled to beat single blocks and Hill lost his job by being outplayed by Williams.

If there is a drop in the rankings of the Ram D its going to be more about Morris not the players. I like Morris and as long as he can keep this unit in the top 5 that will be good enough because this offense could also be a top 5 offense.

Rams finally reunite with fans in SoFi; Sean McVay comments on his new QB, and practice observations​

By Jourdan Rodrigue Jun 10, 2021

17

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Just 30,000 people viewed Thursday’s Rams practice at year-old SoFi Stadium, an engineering marvel that holds up to 100,000 — but every single one of them mattered.
It was the first time fans were able to gather en masse to watch their team — the first time most had seen the stadium at all. There was an air of delight flowing through the building — something intangible that a sports journalist can’t directly quote as if lifting from a stat sheet, per se, but she damn sure knows it when she feels it.

Sure, reality did hit in some ways, still. Several players got stuck in Los Angeles traffic on their way into the stadium, so the practice started late, for one. And, head coach Sean McVay says his team is still in the process of getting all players vaccinated (and did not specify for privacy reasons), but on at least one occasion they have brought in a doctor to discuss the vaccine with players and even had options for players to get them as recently as Thursday afternoon.

Yet the swells of the crowd, even if for only an hour, and even to watch the Rams players run through light drills, stretching and partial-speed seven-on-sevens, were a joyful thing to hear — and brought back the old memories of packed stadiums, tight games, clashing pads and tide-turning plays. It was something. It mattered. And it was a hell of a lot better than watching through a television screen or glass partition, tucked away from the sights and sounds of this sport that we love to feel in our bones.
And, in a way, the day got Rams players and coaches jump-started back into what things will look and sound like once the season begins (simple variables such as communication volume or finding the scoreboards and time clocks will be so important with fans back in stands across the NFL).

Here are more observations and notes from Thursday night’s practice — the last of the spring before the team breaks for its six-week “offseason”:

​

McVay walks back quarterback comment​

At a Super Bowl Host Committee press conference held before the open practice — one that honored 56 local organizations for their good work in the Los Angeles community and awarded each a $10,000 grant — McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford took the stage to offer some remarks in a live Q&A setting with host Kevin Frazier.

McVay was asked, “What do you think about your new quarterback?” To which McVay responded in full, “I think I’ve been very happy. Everybody says, ‘Man, you just seem like you’re in a better mood this offseason.’ I said, ‘You’re damn right I am.’
“This guy, he’s a special guy. One of the best ways that I can describe him (is) when you hear from people who have been around him, there’s a known confidence where when he walks into a room, you always feel his presence. But he’s got a great humility about himself. Everybody loves being around him. And he’s one of those guys where I think he’s a true ignitor — he makes everybody around him better. I feel like I’ve become a better coach in the few months we have been able to spend together, and we’re looking forward to doing a lot of good things together.”

The comment flooded across social media because of the added backstory of the trade McVay pushed for in January to get Stafford in the first place — thereby moving former first-round pick Jared Goff to Detroit. At the time of that trade, multiple sources discussed with The Athletic the deterioration of McVay and Goff’s professional relationship — and McVay grew publicly frustrated with Goff on a few occasions during the 2020 season itself.
After Thursday’s practice, McVay opened his press conference by walking back any association of his remarks to Goff and said he believed he had been taken out of context.

“I am very excited — I have been in a good mood because of the confidence I have in this team. But by no means is that a slight to anybody like Jared, who has done a phenomenal job for the last four years here,” he said. “I hated that I even have to address that, but I do think out of respect for him and all of the good things he’s done — I am in a good mood, but that doesn’t mean it’s not because we’re working together, or because of just Stafford exclusively. There’s a lot of good things going on that I feel really good about and I’m confident about.”

​

Two players who made a consistent impression​

Lots of players flash during these limited, lighter workouts, but two up-and-comers have specifically left a strong impression on McVay.
Third-year cornerback David Long moved with impressive speed and intentionality through drills on Thursday night, and has been getting a ton of work at first-team outside cornerback in seven-on-sevens throughout OTAs and minicamp (which I am now able to report, since McVay discussed it publicly). Part of this was due to sheer need, because largely starters Darious Williams and Jalen Ramsey had not been participating in the on-field work (Ramsey did through minicamp). But when his number was called, Long showed up — and McVay has high expectations for him this season.

“I think he’s done a great job,” said McVay. “He’s really done a nice job elevating his game at the outside location. He has been a guy who has some position flexibility inside, but I think he’s done a really nice job of growing. … You’ve seen him tangibly improve throughout the course of this offseason because the one thing that we have done full-speed is a lot of seven-on-seven.
“I’ve been really pleased with David, and he is a guy that we are going to count on — and we’re expecting him to be a big-time contributor for us.”

Long could step into fill the role held by Troy Hill in 2020. Hill, who signed with Cleveland in free agency, was able to move inside and outside as needed in order to help unlock Ramsey’s flexibility in the Star package and on the outside, depending on the matchup.

Meanwhile, tight end Jacob Harris is breathing some rare air for a rookie fourth-rounder — and it’s not just hype and circumstance, according to McVay. Harris has been taking the bulk of first-team tight end reps along with Johnny Mundt in what media is able to watch (again, now able to report this since McVay has since discussed it publicly). Part of this is due to

Tyler Higbee’s absence in live team activities (Higbee is present and undergoing his own programming). But there are a few other tight ends on the roster who have more experience — whom Harris got reps over especially in the last week of work.
“I think he’s just earned it,” said McVay of Harris’ increased role over a rapid period. “Obviously Tyler is the lead dog … he’s one of the most complete tight ends in this league, and when he’s feeling good, Tyler Higbee can do it all for us. Jacob Harris is a great addition to that room.

“I think he’s a guy that has a tremendous amount of upside. (Tight ends coach) Wes Phillips has done a really nice job of getting him up to speed. His natural range, catch radius, body control for a player of his size is pretty rare. I think you guys can see — for NFL guys to stand out the way that he has done, in some of these limited settings, in shorts and in helmets, he’s definitely made a positive impression.”

Harris has worked pretty exclusively with Phillips through the spring, so that is the indicator he’ll be a “tight end” — which I’ll say with a wink, because McVay made it clear that he’s a player they can move all over the place in the passing game outside of the traditional tight end assignments.

Catch of the day​

The best throw and catch of the day came in individual drills, off a tightly wound 40-yarder down the sideline from Stafford to veteran receiver DeSean Jackson — who happened to secure the catch right in front of team owner Stan Kroenke, who attended the day’s events.

Quick notes from the workout​

• Receiver and second-round draft pick Tutu Atwell continued to get some work on punt return, as did Trishton Jackson, Landen Akers, J.J. Koski and running back Raymond Calais. Special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis worked his way throughout the drills, and his energy was palpable (and audible). Veteran punter Johnny Hekker mentioned that it’s more helpful to have a “live leg” on punt return reps, particularly with the Rams attempting to establish a full-time player in that role; Brandon Wright handled those duties and also pegged in a few kickoffs.

• Harris did drop one ball — after a catch on a quick slant and a little contact that surprised him — but it’s clear that McVay has taken a great interest in the rookie because he immediately went up to him individually and made a ball-security tucking motion with his arm, then patted Harris on the back before moving on through the drills.

• Left tackle Andrew Whitworth was present, though not practicing, so Joe Noteboom naturally took the starting left tackle snaps. Interestingly, during the quarterback/offensive line warmups, Brian Allen moved to right guard on the second team while Coleman Shelton took center snaps. Allen and Shelton are still considered by McVay to be depth at center as the Rams try out former right guard Austin Corbett at center through the summer. Whitworth did get pretty involved all the same, taking extra time to coach up young tackles Chandler Brewer and Max Pircher — the latter of whom joined the Rams via the International Pathways program from Italy.
(Photo of Sean McVay: Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

Saw this getting passed around the inter webs this morning. I guess a picture from last night? Certainly less phalic.

The Rams Organization is AMAZING!!

This thread is only supposed to be about Thanking Stan Kronke for
The SOFI STADIUM EXPERIENCE.

Van Jefferson learned from rookie mistakes and is 'a lot more comfortable' in Rams offense now​

Van Jefferson generated a ton of buzz during training camp last year as a rookie. The second-round pick appeared to be on track to unseat Josh Reynolds as the No. 3 receiver, but that leap never happened.

Instead, he was the fourth option at wideout, seeing just 31 passes thrown his way in the 16 games he played. He caught 19 of those targets for 220 yards with one touchdown before adding another six catches for 46 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs.

Jefferson may not have lived up to the hype as a rookie, but he could be poised to make a much bigger impact in Year 2 now that he has a full season in the NFL under his belt. Jefferson told reporters Wednesday that he’s much more comfortable in the Rams offense now than he was last year, having studied the playbook more and developed his craft as a receiver.

“I would say I’m more comfortable now. If I had to be honest, last year I was a rookie coming in and my head spinning and stuff like that, but I think I’m more comfortable now,” he said. “Last year was a lot of learning steps that I needed to learn, a lot of things I needed to know about the offense. But this offseason, me just honing in on the playbook, I’m a lot more comfortable. Like I said, rookie year, it was just a lot of things thrown at me but I handled it well, but I think this year, I’m really better at it and more comfortable in the offense.”

What hurt Jefferson and every other rookie in the NFL last season was the absence of a spring workout program. There were no OTAs, no minicamp and no real on-boarding process before training camp in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Jefferson has had a full offseason to work through, which he sees as a major help in his development.

“I think it’s very beneficial,” he said of having a normal offseason this year. “I think last year with the Zoom – the Zoom helped – but I think for me, I would rather do it. That’s the kind of learner I am. So I think now being here is kind of beneficial, being on the field and actually going through the plays and stuff like that. I think it’s helping me out more. I’m glad that the rookies get to experience this, as well. They can come in and learn things a lot quicker and do it themselves, so I think it’s very beneficial.”

Considering Jefferson’s dad, Shawn Jefferson, also played in the NFL and was the Jets’ wide receivers coach last year, Van Jefferson knew a little bit of what to expect in the pros. However, there was still a lot for him to learn, which he realized upon finally making it to the NFL.

He admitted he had some rookie growing pains but those will actually help him learn and become a better receiver.

“I knew it was going to be challenging. From the background that I come from with my dad and everything, he kind of told me things that would be happening, so I kind of knew coming in what to expect but I think you really don’t know until you come experience it for yourself,” he siad. “I think I had some rookie ups and downs and I learned from those things and they were beneficial toward me because I feel like life is about learning and learning from your mistakes and those mistakes helped me out a lot and I can learn from those this year.”

Jefferson will be competing with DeSean Jackson and Tutu Atwell for snaps at wide receiver, both of whom were brought in by the Rams this offseason. Jefferson is taking their arrivals in stride and is going to handle his business as he attempts to carve out a bigger role in his second season.

FYI
Interesting they didn't mention it for vests or weight. It probably would be bulky but who knows about it in the future. If they can get the cost of transparent aluminum down it might be a replacement for vest plates.

So I was looking for the 2018/19 Championship win over New Orleans to watch and show my son-it used to be on youtube. Its no longer there. Theres not even any highlight videos over 5 minutes. It seems like sorry Saints fans had the videos from that game removed. Anyone know where I can stream or watch the replay of that game?

7:14 PM ET​

• 
  
  Lindsey ThiryESPN

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay has been rather chipper recently. On Thursday, McVay admitted that new quarterback Matthew Stafford has brought it out of him.
During a news conference at SoFi Stadium conducted by the Super Bowl host committee, McVay was asked for his thoughts on Stafford.
"I think I've been very happy," McVay said, smiling. "Everybody says, 'Man, you just seem like you're in a better mood this offseason,' and I said, 'Damn right I am.'"

​

Two weeks after losing to the Green Bay Packers in a divisional playoff, the Rams traded quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Stafford.
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, had spent five seasons with the Rams, including four with McVay. However, after winning back-to-back division titles and an NFC championship together, their relationship began to falter after a difficult loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. Ultimately, Stafford's request for a trade after 12 seasons with the Lions marked the end for Goff in L.A.
With Stafford's arrival, the Rams are hopeful of a return to the Super Bowl, which will be played in February at SoFi Stadium.


"This guy, he's a special guy," McVay, 35, said about Stafford. "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, 33, said working with McVay has been "great."
"Obviously I've got a lot of respect for what he's been able to do and accomplish at a young age as a head coach in the NFL and gotten to play against some of his offenses at certain times, so I got a lot of respect for him," Stafford said. "It's been great working with him and just trying to get this thing rolling."
The Rams concluded their offseason program Thursday with a mandatory minicamp practice at SoFi Stadium in front of an anticipated crowd of about 30,000.

Already interviewed McVay and are Ram heavy for NFL Total Access. Says at 8pm will show some of the Rams practice.

Sorry but I'm really blown away by this draft.

Tutu Atwell: McVay wanted this particular guy badly. They got him and now their signing of DeSean Jackson to mentor him now makes sense. McVay had Jackson in Washington and came to value his abilities. Tutu is super fast like Jackson was in his prime. It's why Sean wanted Cooks who became an integral part of his offensive scheme. He used Cooks the same way he used Jackson in Washington. Now with Tutu, he has that game-changing speed again and he has Jackson in the same position room to mentor him. McVay can't turn back the clock on Jackson but he can develop a young Atwell to be McVay's Jackson v.2.

Jacob Harris: As several articles point out that Harris' measurables are a match with Megatron's. McVay has Stafford so he went out and drafted Harris to create Megatron v.2.

Robert Rochell: Snead and McVay trade for the best CB in the NFL Jalen Ramsey. But they know they need two shutdown boundary CBs. So they quietly draft Rochell who has off-the-charts athleticism and with all the measurables. Put him in the same DB room as Ramsey and let him help polish this diamond in the rough. So in a couple of years, who knows they might have cloned Ramsey v.2.

when I step back and really deep dive into this draft it really it's really much better than most realize. In all honesty the only one of the three I knew anything about was Rochell. I knew about Harris but never really went beyond that. When I was in San Diego and watched the Rams draft Donald I knew then they had themselves a special player but he's far and away exceeded anything I could have imagined. So with that in mind, I looked at this draft and saw a bunch of potentially good players with Rochell as the standout. All the others looked like they had enough talent to develop into solid players at some point. But after Joudan's article, I have gone deeper and I'm amazed at what Snead and McVay and that whole organization have done. I'm very serious about these 3 players because I feel they drafted for particular traits based upon specific players they decided to "replicate". I think they might have just done that in this draft.

It's always hard to tell visually from video interviews but Rapp looks like he's put on 8 to 12 pounds of angus beef.


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Sean and Peter are joined by Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor to talk about his days coaching with Sean in L.A. and playing quarterback in practice, drafting Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase in back-to-back drafts, trying but failing to recruit Peyton Manning in Miami, his worst play call as a Bengal, and stories about the McVay coaching tree (2:10). We finish the show with listener emails and voicemails (51:08).

LG David Edwards relishes his anonymity​

The only time that an offensive lineman enjoys seeing his name in the news is when he has signed a new contract, he has been named to an NFL award or honor, or when he is the keynote speaker for a Super Bowl victory dinner. Other than that? Seeing his name in the news is more often tied to what they’ve done wrong than right. But on this occasion, we’re here to celebrate what LA Rams offensive line David Edwards has accomplished and what he means to the LA Rams future.

We talk frequently about how successful the LA Rams have been at drafting NFL-caliber players on day three but failed to include David Edwards in that role call. That’s on us. After all, since being drafted with the 169th pick (Round 5) of the 2019 NFL Draft, Edwards has played in 32 NFL games and started in 24. How has he done? Well, the ability to track how effective an offensive lineman is a bit like trying to measure Air Quality. If it’s good, it’s invisible. But when it’s bad, you can see signs of it everywhere.

The Wisconsin Badger was surprisingly raw coming out of college, and many expected a year on the bench to develop. Well, injuries in 2019 mandated an early debut, and he seemed to do well enough, but the standard stats completely ignore offensive linemen.

Of course, you can always rely upon NFL grading services like Pro Football Focus. If you do, you’ll discover that Edwards played rather effectively in 2020, committing one flagged penalty and giving up three quarterback sacks over 1006 offensive snaps. His overall grade came in at 70.6 for the season.

As you mull over whether or not you like that grade, keep this in mind. Due to the fact that he was drafted so late, Edwards’s salary was just over $740,000 in 2020 and will come in under $1 million for 2021. He will cross the million-dollar mark in 2022, but only just. In the end, he is an incredible bargain for this LA Rams offense.

More fun facts about David Edwards

The LA Rams offensive line may have played well in 2020, but the team certainly had its share of injuries. in just the second game of the season, starting left guard Joseph Noteboom suffered a calf injury. That necessitated the LA Rams to promote David Edwards into that spot on the offensive line, where he would remain for the duration of the entire season.

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That decision to keep Edwards at left guard proved prophetically wise, as left tackle Andrew Whitworth suffered a knee injury in the ninth game of the season.

His replacement? The now healthy Joseph Noteboom. Unfortunately, Edwards suffered from tendonitis late in the season and became a day-to-day decision. He finally was unable to go against the Green Bay Packers, and the struggles of his replacement Bobby Evans in that game have become the benchmark for those who are dissatisfied with the Rams offensive line play.

Still, Edwards dug in at the left guard position and handled business there rather well. The 6-foot-6 308-pound offensive lineman is one of the high-school quarterbacks who understands the game of football at a level far above his line of scrimmage role might dictate. But where he excels in football IQ, his transition from QB to TE to OT to now OG has been a cascading effect of On-the-Job-Training (OJT). That has given Edwards a wide breadth of football experience, although it was slowed his proficiency at offensive guard.

Of course, if you watched the 2020 HBO Hard Knocks series, you know another reason why NFL offensive linemen like to remain anonymous. This video clip of David Edwards poking himself with his straw had gone viral

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I’m sorry about this Dave. But it’s an unspoken rule that any articles featuring Edwards must include the HBO Hard Knocks video clip. Of course, when covering the two-year career of an offensive lineman, this is the type of event that becomes newsworthy. Edwards of course was rushed through the 2020 crash-course-training camp projected to be a backup. For the second consecutive year, he was forced back into the starters due to an injury to a teammate.

Day three drafted rookie to starting offensive lineman

Now, keep in mind that David Edwards was graded as a backup/special team player in his 2019 NFL Draft profile. His NFL success (finding an impact offensive lineman on day three is a success) is all thanks to offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. While Kromer is no longer with the team, his legacy of crosstraining offensive linemen at all positions is still paying huge dividends for the Rams today. Edwards was drafted as an offensive tackle, but he slid inside to play offensive right guard in 2019, and offensive left guard in 2020.

While Edwards has not turned in a Pro Bowl season yet, 2021 is the first year in his career where he is entering the season as a starting offensive lineman. On that same line of thinking, it’s his first season where he is returning to play the same offensive line position that he played at one year ago.

It’s easy for fans to list offensive linemen as a priority for each NFL Draft because it’s easy to overlook the fact that they have a solid starter from the 2019 NFL Draft. Was he a headliner? No, just a young man with a dream of playing the sport he loves, and so far he’s doing a pretty good job of it.

Edwards improves each season, and with 2021 featuring an almost normal offseason that includes Organized Teams Activities (OTAs) and preseason games, his progress should be noticeable this year. Of course, if you fail to notice, that’s okay too. Like many NFL offensive linemen, David Edwards relishes his anonymity. But I hope he’ll be okay if we give him a solid on how well he’s played so far.

Jacob Harris didn’t even have a Rivals recruiting page, now he’s shining at Rams camp​

Every time I start to do a deep dive on a Rams rookie, I start with their recruiting pages coming out of high school. From there, I work backwards and forwards, but I find that to be a comfortable starting point when learning about “what had been” and “what would come to be” from that all-important moment when a football recruit is choosing a college.

Many five-star prospects are duds. Many three-star prospects are the word that rhymes with “duds” that is more complimentary.

Jacob Harris is the first one I’ve come across who basically does not exist. If you want to start researching Harris by looking into how colleges viewed him as a football player, then you will be starting at a dead end.

Because through three years of high school, Harris had never played football.

Not even Jacob Harris could have assigned himself any stars as a football recruit, but six years after he chose to play Division I soccer at Florida Gulf Coast, five years after he changed his mind and chose to walk-on the Western Kentucky football team, four years after he transferred to UCF, and two years after he made his debut as a wide receiver, Harris is now the most interesting Rams rookie of the summer based on what small amount of information has escaped minicamps and OTAs.

Harris, who primarily played free safety and quarterback during his one year of football at Palm Harbor High in Florida, is virtually guaranteed to make LA’s roster after the team selected him in the fourth round last month. His draft status and team needs at tight end are factors into that, but so are plays like this, should Harris continue to make them:

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The Rams want Jacob Harris to play tight end.

In high school he played striker (I typically don’t know soccer positions other than “goalie” and “guys that kick the ball around the field”). Then he went to a football field and played safety and quarterback and according to high school coach Reggie Crume, “never played one down of receiver” for Palm Harbor because he couldn’t catch:

“Jacob’s where he’s at now because he wants to get better,” said Crume, now head coach of Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater. “He played safety for us; he didn’t even play receiver. I mean, he never played one down of receiver for his entire senior year because quite frankly, he wasn’t comfortable catching a football yet like most soccer players.”

As Harris’ senior season went on, Crume said he started catching the football better which prompted Crume to appoint Harris as the kickoff returner.

Harris returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including an 86-yard score against Dunedin High School on Oct. 10, 2014.

Harris didn’t decide to pursue football instead of soccer until after signing day of his senior year, but as a 6’5 player with speed typically reserved for 5’7 guys like new Rams teammate Tutu Atwell, it was relatively easy for Crume to help Harris find an opportunity. Harris became a preferred walk-on at Western Kentucky, which at the time was a surprisingly strong program.

In 2015, the Hilltoppers went 12-2 and finished 24th in the AP poll under head coach Jeff Brohm. Western Kentucky even had a couple of skill players at the time who would go on to become NFL draft picks: wide receiver Taywan Taylor was a third round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2017 and tight end Tyler Higbee, as you know, was a fourth round pick of the LA Rams in 2016.

Brohm then coached the team to an 11-3 record in 2016 and as many men in his position to, took his talents to a bigger program: he went to Purdue, where they had a tight end named Brycen Hopkins. In 2020, Hopkins became a fourth round pick of the LA Rams.

That’s right. Jeff Brohm has relatively close ties with three tight ends, all of whom were chosen in the fourth round by the LA Rams in 2016, 2020, and 2021. I don’t know why this makes me think the NFL is “rigged” but what the hell is this about? Should Brohm not turn things around for the Boilermakers (he’s 19-25 so far), perhaps Sean McVay will be the first to give him a call and he’ll ask him to coach LA’s tight ends.

He won’t even have to ask for their phone numbers.

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After a short stint at Western Kentucky, before he ever had a real chance to get on the field, Harris sought a transfer to be closer to his family because of medical issues facing those who are close to him.

“My aunt had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer,” Harris remembered. “My uncle as well was in and out of the hospital with heart problems. It was my first time being away from home and didn’t feel right.”

Harris moved back home to help his family out after redshirting the fall semester at Western Kentucky. The decision meant a lot and still does to his mother.

“He’s always been very family-first oriented,” Renee Maloney said. “I think, to me, it just shows his character.”
Keep in mind that during Harris’s time of searching for a football team that would have a place for him, he wasn’t playing football. That’s really notable given that Harris hadn’t started playing the sport until his senior year of high school. If you were in the 2015 football recruiting class, and drafted by the NFL in 2021, it’s entirely possible that from 2013 to 2021, you played a good seven years of organized football.

Jacob Harris played in three: one as a high school safety/special teamer, two as a wide receiver, and he finished with 49 career catches. But you don’t get drafted in the fourth round — even in an odd year like this one — without working for it.

While he was helping out at home, he was also training and working multiple jobs. In between shifts as a bus boy at an Italian restaurant and an assistant manager at a sporting goods shop, he was talking to coaches at FIU, USF and UCF. FIU and USF were experiencing coaching changes at the time. UCF was the school he really wanted to go to, but they weren’t getting back to him. His former high school coach at Palm Harbor, Reggie Crume, was able to get his film to Scott Frost and Ryan Held, who were at UCF then.

“Coach this is low-risk, high-reward for you guys,” Crume, now the head coach at Calvary Christian High School, remembered telling the UCF staff. “Worst-case scenario...you get a great kid in your program that’s a practice body, but best case, he continues to grow and get better and becomes a huge part of your success at UCF.”
Harris spent 2017 on UCF’s scout team, then appeared in 13 games in 2018, but only on special teams. It wasn’t until midway through that season that UCF actually gave him a football scholarship. They knew this wasn’t a typical player who had no stars coming out of high school.

In 2019, the second season under head coach Josh Heupel, who took over for Scott Frost after Frost left for Nebraska (similar to Brohm, Frost’s having a difficult time at his “upgraded” program), Harris finally became a college wide receiver. Harris caught 19 passes for 448 yards and his 23.6 yards-per-catch average is more than four yards better than the leading “qualified” receiver in the AAC that year.

Then in 2020, with former teammate Gabe Davis now putting on a show with the Buffalo Bills, Harris saw his opportunities increase and now as a “qualified” receiver, he was fourth in the AAC in YPC: 30 catches, 539 yards, 18 yards-per-catch. He also caught eight touchdowns, tied for third-most in the conference.

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In a typical season, UCF would have played in three more games and his numbers would almost certainly be even better. Yes, Harris might have been playing in a high-powered, throw-it-always Huepel-coached offense that breeds big numbers in the receiving game, but in the case of this particular prospect it’s not what I find interesting.

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What I find interesting about Harris’s numbers should be obvious by now.

HE HAD ONLY PLAYED ONE SEASON OF FOOTBALL PRIOR TO 2019 AND IT WASN’T AS A RECEIVER WHEN HE DID - YEARS EARLIER - BECAUSE HE COULDN’T CATCH A BALL AT THE TIME.

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Harris still wasn’t getting that much attention for the NFL draft up until the point that he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash as a 6’5 tight end. At that point, the Rams became only one of 32 NFL teams that showed interest in him. He had even more than a fast 40-time, as we wrote at the time when LA drafted him:

There are not many tight ends who are as thin as the 6’5, 219 lb Harris, but there also aren’t many who can run a 4.39 40-yard dash. Who knew that the biggest smokescreen of the 2021 draft process was Les Snead saying that the Rams don’t care about 40 times.

So far LA has drafted four of the best athletes in the class: Tutu Atwell, Robert Rochell, Bobby Brown III, and now Harris.

Harris also had a 40.5” vertical, an 11’1 broad jump, and the fastest three-cone time of the year among all wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs in the class: 6.54.
Harris saw his buddy Gabe Davis get drafted by the Bills in the fourth round in 2020, and he instantly became Buffalo’s “steal” of the year. Davis caught 35 passes for 599 yards, a 17.1 YPC average with seven touchdowns. Harris believes he can be just as surprising for LA because he possesses the same mentality:

“Gabe, especially his mentality, is the best of the best,” Harris said. “He’s a guy that’s able to come in every day and have that same mentality, same work ethic, and that’s been what I’ve been trying to do, and regardless of how I’m feeling, just trying to go out there.”
Being an unlikely football hero would not be something new to Harris, but certainly a player like Harris having an impact on the NFL right away would be new to us. The plan with Hopkins in 2020 was to give him an entire year to learn the position prior to replacing Gerald Everett as the number two tight end, and not only was Hopkins a college tight end for four years, but he grew up in an NFL family so he’s been around it for his entire life.

Harris enters in an entirely different frame of mind — and maybe that’s as much of a secret weapon as anything else.

This is a list of players from recent memory that have had back luck ending up on the injured list for what ever the various reasons were.

Some of these players had fluke injuries for the first time in their careers and some of them have been injured a couple of times to make you wonder about their durability.

Terrell Lewis
DeSean Jackson
Micah Kiser
Darrell Henderson
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Travin Howard
Taylor Rapp
Cooper Kupp
Brian Allen
Justin Lawler
Joseph Noteboom
Terrell Burgess
Cam Akers
John Wolford
Andrew Whitworth

I'm sure there are a few more players on the current roster that could be added to this list.

I'm not projecting any of them will miss games in 2021 but I have my concerns.

The NFL is a brutal/physical contact sport and there will be players not named on this list that will likely miss games in 2021 due to fluke injuries. This is just the reality in the NFL.

Is there a pattern with some of these players?

Will 40% or more of these players get injured again during the 2021 season?

In 2020, here is the breakdown of targets and target % by receiver and position:

Robert Woods 129 (23.0%)
Cooper Kupp 124 (22.1%)
Josh Reynolds 81 (14.4%)
Van Jefferson 31 (5.5%)
Wide Receivers 365 (65.0% )

Gerald Everett 62 (11.0%)
Tyler Higbee 60 (10.7%)
Johnny Mundt 4 (0.7%)
Tight Ends 126 (22.4%)

Malcolm Brown 33 (5.9%)
Darrell Henderson 24 (4.3%)
Cam Akers 14 (2.5%)
Running Backs 71 (12.6%)

How will 2021 break down?

I expect a few differences.

1. While Woods and Kupp will likely be the most targeted receivers, I suspect that their percentages will go down. Van Jefferson could/should get as many targets as Reynolds did last year, and DeTu Jackwell will likely get more targets than Jefferson did last year.

2. At TE, I think Higbee will get the same amount of targets, perhaps slightly more. The rest of the group, though, will probably get limited opportunities.

3. I think we'll see an increase of RB targets, with Akers getting the biggest jump. I'd be he'll get more than Brown had last year (maybe around 3/game).

How do you see the ball being distributed this year?

Rams' DeSean Jackson can see how his connection with Matthew Stafford will be the bomb​

It’s not that complicated, according to DeSean Jackson.

During offseason workouts, the new Rams receiver has worked to get a feel for new quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Jackson has been one of the NFL’s top deep-ball threats since he entered the league in 2008. Stafford, a 13th-year pro, has one of the league’s strongest arms.

Jackson said Tuesday that establishing a connection and timing ultimately comes down to communicating and understanding what each player does best. Instructions for both apparently are simple.

“You continue to be great and just throw the ball, and I’m going to continue to be great and just run past everybody and use my speed,” Jackson said, chuckling, during a videoconference with reporters. “I think that’s the good niche about us, we’re just going to be dialed in and just continuously just learn the plays — and once the season starts, we’ll be in rare … form.”

Jackson, 34, is regarded as the deep threat who can help coach Sean McVay return the Rams offense to its high-powered form of the 2018 season, when the Rams advanced to the Super Bowl.

The offense was devoid of a deep threat last season, when the Rams lost in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. In January, general manager Les Snead traded quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round draft picks to the Detroit Lions for Stafford. Then he signed Jackson, the former Long Beach Poly High star who played in a McVay-designed offense in Washington during the 2014 to 2016 seasons.

Jackson said McVay was smart when he was the offensive coordinator in Washington, and that he has only grown smarter since. The Rams offense is similar in many ways to the one Jackson executed in Washington — but also different.

“He’s always adding twists and schemes into his offense to keep the defenses off guard,” Jackson said of McVay. “So I’m still diving into it and trying to gather all the information and still learn, but it’s been a great process so far working with the new guys on the team and just having a lot of fun doing it.”

After his stint in Washington, Jackson played two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and two injury-plagued seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles before the Rams signed him to a one-year contract that includes $2.75 million in guarantees, according to overthecap.com.

Some of the play-call verbiage has changed since he last coached Jackson, but McVay said the receiver’s transition has been smooth.

“He’s so smart,” McVay said, “he picks things up quickly.”

Jackson said he has enjoyed sharing information with and learning from Rams veterans Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, and mentoring young receivers such as Van Jefferson and rookie Tutu Atwell.

The receivers, along with tight end Tyler Higbee and running back Cam Akers and others, should provide Stafford with multiple weapons.

“It’s going to be definitely a scary group for defenses and defenders,” Jackson said, “because Sean McVay, one thing about it, he’s going to figure out how to get people open.

“So we just look forward to having a lot of fun doing it.”

Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, has amassed 612 catches, 56 for touchdowns, while averaging 17.4 yards per catch. He acknowledged that statistics and accolades were important to his younger self, but after watching teams such as the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers annually contend and win titles with proven systems, he wants a championship.

“I’ve accomplished a lot of great things in my career,” he said, “but for me I haven’t held up that trophy.”

Jackson was limited to eight games the last two seasons because of abdominal, hamstring and ankle injuries. He appeared to be practicing without limitations Tuesday and said he would spend time between the end of minicamp Thursday and the start of training camp in late July preparing his body for what will be the NFL’s first 17-game season.

“I know what I need to do to get right,” he said.