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Remember when...

Corona was a beer...

Zoom was an old PBS children’s show or, perhaps, a Flash villain...

Social distancing was an oxymoron...

Masks were for Halloween...

Bubbles were for baths and soda...

and we took things like eating in restaurants, going to the movies, attending concerts and sporting events, and just hanging out with other people for granted?

Weird year. We’ll get through it, and we’ll never forget it.

At least, we shouldn’t forget. Maybe we’ll appreciate the little things a bit more.

10 Observations from the Rams' Aug. 25 training camp practice

10 Observations from the Rams' Aug. 25 training camp practice
Aug 25, 2020 at 04:17 PM
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Stu Jackson
Staff Writer

After each practice of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, Rams staff writer Stu Jackson will share 10 observations from the session. Here are his notes from Tuesday, Aug. 25.

1) Another clutch play from cornerback Jalen Ramsey in training camp. The former Florida State star nabbed a one-handed interception off a Jared Goff pass intended for rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson in the endzone and ran it all the way back, tossing the ball to defensive tackle Aaron Donald just before the goal line. Donald then somersaulted into the endzone to celebrate.

2) Speaking of Jefferson, he picked up where he left off from Saturday's scrimmage, getting more reps with the first team offense. He made a nice play during the 2-minute drill portion of practice, hauling in a first down catch from Goff inside the 15 after Goff escaped pressure in the pocket.

3) Goff's ability to maneuver a collapsing pocket is something he has been working in practice with offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell, today included.

4) Defensive back Nick Scott had another strong moment in practice today, recording an interception during 11-on-11 drills on a John Wolford pass attempt. Unofficially, it's his second takeaway of training camp after posting a forced fumble last week.

5) Practice ended with another takeaway by the secondary, as rookie defensive back Tyrique McGhee intercepted a pass in the endzone on the ensuing series after Ramsey's pick. It was the group's fourth overall – in addition to Ramsey, McGhee and Scott's picks, cornerback Adonis Alexander had a fumble recovery at the end of 11-on-11 drills.

6) On a positive note for the offense, Goff and wide receiver Robert Woods were clicking during earlier portions of 11-on-11 work. The two connected for a pair of completions into tight windows, giving Goff enough confidence to try a deep sideline pass to Woods with Ramsey in coverage, though the pass fell incomplete.

7) Overall, it was a good day for the defensive reserves, as indicated by takeaways from Scott, Alexander and McGhee.

8) As some of the observations may indicate, Wolford got quite a bit of work during 11-on-11 drills against starters and reserves. It makes sense, though, as O'Connell said earlier this month that he will get a lot of those types of opportunities.

9) Outside linebacker Terrell Lewis showed off the length of his 6-foot-5 frame, breaking up a Goff pass near the line of scrimmage. during 11-on-11 work.

10) Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. (hamstring) did not participate in practice today. McVay said after practice that he had "no update" on Henderson's status.

Former Kenny QB Wolford might have NFL staying power

Former Kenny QB Wolford might have NFL staying power

Gene Frenette
Florida Times-Union


There are probably 400-500 undrafted rookie free agents currently in an NFL camp that would draw inspiration from the John Wolford story.

All they need is belief — a belief in themselves when no one would give them an opportunity, along with a relentless desire to keep working their football craft until a door to employment finally cracks open.

Wolford, the former Bishop Kenny and Wake Forest quarterback, refused to completely give up on his NFL dream. He was smart enough to have a backup plan, but he wasn’t ready to leave football until the game kicked him out for good.

Full Article-
[www.jacksonville.com]

“He has to learn to play bigger than his size”

I was reading an article (coach from a different team) said; “He has to learn to play bigger than his size”

What does that mean, really?

I think of guys like Darren Sproles, maybe... small in stature but he always plays “like a guy bigger than he is, because you sort of forget he’s small”... Is that it? DeSean Jackson another, particularly weight-wise.

But... Can you “learn” that?

Tavon Austin, for example, is always tossed around like a light/small guy. Can he learn to be otherwise?

Maybe it’s how you run and make contact... Sproles runs like he plans on taking you on, at least at some point.... Austin runs like he’ll run away from you?

The comment “He has to learn to play bigger than his size” may mean something different by position, too?

Terrell Lewis among Rams rookies that have made strong early impressions

Terrell Lewis among Rams rookies that have made strong early impressions

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Veteran Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers took one look at his new rookie teammate, Terrell Lewis, and two thoughts crossed his mind.

"He's a massive dude," Brockers said, as he began to chuckle. "At first, I was like, 'Yeah, that's the guy that they've got to replace me.' Then, I saw him at outside linebacker and I was like, 'What? What's up!'"

The Rams selected nine players in the NFL draft last April. Despite no first-round pick, several rookies have made quick impressions -- and are vying for big roles -- after only a week of training camp practices and a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium.

Lewis, at 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds, is physically mature. Running back Cam Akers has flashed speed and vision. Receiver Van Jefferson's knowledge rises above a typical first-year pro, and safeties Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller add immediate depth to a secondary that includes standouts Jalen Ramsey and John Johnson III.

"When you look at those guys that we're really counting on to contribute from that draft class, we've been very pleased," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "They got a long way to go but they're certainly doing things the right way."

A third-round pick from Alabama, Lewis spent most of the acclimation period at home after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

"Mentally, it was more bumming than physically," Lewis said of his experience with COVID-19.

Since arriving at practices, Lewis has joined an outside linebacker rotation that includes projected starters Samson Ebukam and Leonard Floyd, as well as Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick and Jachai Polite.

"He's everything and then some more," Ebukam said about Lewis, emphasizing his length and other physical attributes.

"He's looked good the last three days in practice and has got a long way to go," McVay added. "But, you definitely see the flashes."

The Rams went offense with their first two picks, selecting Akers and Jefferson in the second round with the No. 52 and No. 57 overall picks, respectively, to help replace running back Todd Gurley II and receiver Brandin Cooks.

"He's really smart, willing to learn, willing to listen and has done a great job up until this point," quarterback Jared Goff said about Akers, who had an eventful first week in pads. Ramsey delivered Akers a welcome-to-the-NFL type hit during practice, then defensive tackle Aaron Donald stripped the ball from the rookie during a scrimmage.

McVay said 5-10, 217-pound Akers ran "tougher" as the week progressed, but emphasized the importance of ball security.

"He's got great natural ability as a runner, he sees things, he's got a great feel and tempo to his game," McVay said. "But, you've got to make sure how important [ball security] is and I think he's really been mindful of that."

Akers' opportunity is expected to increase following Saturday's scrimmage, as Henderson suffered a hamstring injury that will temporarily sideline him and allow Akers more first-team repetitions.

"He's picking it up fairly quickly," Goff said. "There's a lot of stuff that we do put on running backs and asking him a lot and he's doing a good job."

The son of New York Jets receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, Van Jefferson appears to be on the fast track to earn a significant role. He flashed throughout his first week of practices, catching passes from backup quarterback John Wolford -- including one deep over his shoulder on Day 1 in pads -- and Goff.

Jefferson capped the week catching a touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone at SoFi Stadium from Wolford, then took reps with Goff and the starters during the second half of the two-hour scrimmage.

"He's a guy that's continued to show up, wanted to be able to see him in a bunch of different capacities inside, outside," McVay said, explaining the decision to play Jefferson with the starters during the scrimmage. "He's picking things up quickly."

Receiver Cooper Kupp, who Jefferson has been compared to, said the rookie's football acumen has been apparent.

"The questions he's asking really lends itself to show how much he is grasping on to this thing," Kupp said. "He's not asking the 101 questions. He's asking the 301 questions."

On defense, Burgess and Fuller have made early impressions in the secondary.

With safety Taylor Rapp sidelined because of a knee injury, Burgess, a third-round pick from Utah, has played with the starters alongside Johnson. On his first day in pads, Burgess picked off a pass that Goff threw deep, intending for receiver Robert Woods.

"Smart player, great athleticism for a safety," McVay said. "He has some flexibility to be able to play at the nickel position at the star for us. Really, very conscientious, made some big plays. When he gets his hands on the ball, he's catching it. That's one of the things I've been really impressed with."

A sixth-round selection from Ohio State, Fuller drew excitement from teammates and coaches on the sideline after he sprinted from the middle of the field to the far sideline to break up a deep pass by Wolford.

"These guys were high football IQ guys, great character, really smart, had all those intangibles that enable you to seamless step in and do a great job," McVay said about the young safeties. "Those are guys we're definitely counting on this year."

Jordan Fuller getting lots of reps with the starting defense

Jordan Fuller getting lots of reps with the starting defense

Give it time but I’m sure eventually a reporter or writer will use the headline “Fuller House” for a piece about LA Rams safety Jordan Fuller. All it takes is a reason for the public to be interested in Fuller and a writer to connect the dots between the name Fuller and a pop culture reference and there you have it — headlines.

Through three weeks of Rams training camp, Fuller is proving to have the potential of making headlines.

In her most recent report on LA’s camp, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes that by her count, Fuller is getting the most reps of any defensive rookie. Offensively, that title may go to Van Jefferson (“Van Wilder: Rams Rookie Moves Ahead of Flyin’ Reynolds on Depth Chart”) or Cam Akers (“Green Akers: Rams RB Signs Contract, Receives Money, Which is Green by the Way”) but Fuller may not only be in a position for more playing time than third round linebacker Terrell Lewis, it sounds as though he could be in a position to outplay third round safety Terrell Burgess.

Fuller certainly appeared to earn more snaps than pretty much any other defensive rookie in the first week of padded practice. We didn’t get to see what happened in the onboarding days leading up to last week, but it’s safe to say Fuller has recorded at least three interceptions and a handful of pass breakups, first with the second-team defense, and now with the first team.

Something that seems especially notable and interesting: Teammates don’t seem to worry about Fuller when he’s on the field. McVay said he’s a really bright football player. Even the body language from teammates — which indicates Fuller is handling his own space — is telling.
That’s not to say that Burgess is having a bad first camp either.

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It’s not terribly uncommon to see a team draft two players at the same position and have the lower selection contribute more early or long term. Just last season, the Rams drafted tackles Bobby Evans and David Edwards in the third and fifth rounds respectively, but fifth rounder Edwards seems to be ahead of Evans on the depth chart. He also started more games and had more snaps.

In 2018, Les Snead picked up John Franklin-Myers in the fourth and Sebastian Joseph-Day in the sixth, with the latter being the 6’4 defensive lineman with a dash in his name who they’ve retained thus far and played more often. That same year, LA picked linebackers Micah Kiser and Travin Howard in the fifth and seventh rounds and as of Monday, they are projected to both start on the inside for the Rams.

Then of course are the times when Cooper Kupp (“Cooper-man Returns”)” goes before Josh Reynolds (“JoshKosh B’Gosh: Rams WR is Ready for his Christening as Starter”) and nobody disagrees with it short term or long term.

Of course, what Sean McVay and Snead really want to see is that they have leverage, wiggle room and insurance when it comes to pending free agent safety John Johnson. I’d assume there’s no scenario in which McVay and Snead would “prefer” to lose Johnson in 2021 but if they did — well, they just drafted two safeties. And if the lower-drafted of those safeties plays even better than Burgess, a player they’re excited about in large part because of his versatility anyway, then it gives the Rams more options moving forward.

Fuller’s also not opposed or incompatible to playing wherever he is needed.

As a recruit out of Old Tappan High School in 2016, Fuller was listed as the number two “athlete” in the nation behind Mecole Hardman, now a receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs who ran a 4.33 at the combine. Fuller’s time was not that fast (4.67) and he wasn’t a standout in any drills, but as a starter at Ohio State he was one of the leaders in a secondary that included first rounders Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette.

The Rams similarly don’t need Fuller to be the best player in a secondary with Jalen Ramsey and John Johnson, but they’re hoping to be able to plug these players depending on when and what is needed. Fuller has sounded comfortable with that, as noted in this piece from The LA Times just before camp:

Staley has indicated that in his hybrid 3-4 scheme, a premium will be placed on versatility. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is among the players Staley is expected to deploy in various roles.

Fuller said he was comfortable playing close to the line of scrimmage as a run-stopper or in the back end of the defense.

“I consider myself very versatile,” he said, “So, really, plug me in anywhere and I’ll get the job done.”
With Johnson missing most of 2019 and Rapp missing a lot of practice right now as he recovers from an injury, the Rams are giving opportunities to their rookie safeties and seeing results ahead of and perhaps above expectations. Whether a player was drafted on day two or day three, whether he was taken by the same team after another player at the same position, regardless of the circumstances, all of these players get their chances. It seems as though when coaches need a play, or when they need a player, they’re turning to a rookie sixth round pick and asking if he can step in.

And Fuller responds:

“You got it, dude.”

Micah Kiser ready to make up for lost time

Micah Kiser ready to make up for lost time

What began as a routine tackle in last year's preseason game against the Cowboys ended with a "freak incident" of a pectoral injury for Rams inside linebacker Micah Kiser that caused him to miss the rest of the season.

Now fully healthy, he's eager to make up for lost time.

"Just a regular tackle, and just everything just ripped off the pec," Kiser said during a video conference with local media Friday. "I can't really explain it, but it happens and God gave me that challenge and I have been working to get over it. A lot of people in this organization have really helped me with that. I'm just happy to be back and just thankful for this opportunity."

For Kiser, the setback was a disappointing end to what was shaping up to be a promising second NFL season.

After appearing in all 16 games and making four tackles during his 2018 rookie season, Kiser was slated to start at the other inside linebacker spot alongside Cory Littleton, per the team's unofficial depth chart. Rather than helping Littleton man the middle of Los Angeles' defense, Kiser instead had to spend the next five months rehabbing the pec injury.

However, the University of Virginia product didn't let the injury serve as an excuse for not staying connected with the team.

"Last year, even though I didn't play, I feel like I got like ten thousand mental reps," Kiser said. "So, I always tell guys, like even if you're not in, like you can still get a lot of reps. So, just me being here, being in the building, my football and football smarts never really dipped off at all because I was always in the meetings and super engaged."

Though the COVID-19 pandemic forced NFL teams to temporarily close their facilities earlier this offseason, it didn't have a negative impact on Kiser's rehabilitation. He was in the clear by the time the shutdown took place in mid-March and set up a home gym in his garage to get his workouts in during the virtual offseason program.

In addition to those workouts, he also worked on improving his change of direction and being able to play in space and make plays on the ball. It was all part of his plan to develop into a more complete and flexible linebacker – something he learned from Littleton.

"Micah has been a guy who has done a lot of nice things," McVay said of Kiser through this stage of training camp. "You see the instincts, you see the awareness. Great communication ability. Been attacking at the football, he's forced a couple out with some good attempts that our guys are coaching really hard. His feel for the game, he's got an innate feel. Football makes sense to him and it's been good to see him out here healthy and we're optimistic that he's going to be a big contributor this year."

Teammates are glad to have him back on the field, too.

"Oh man, it's dope. That's the homie right there," Rams outside linebacker Samson Ebukam said in a video conference following the team's scrimmage Saturday night. "He's been very vocal, very talkative, like he always is. We just kind of needed that at the middle linebacker spot and he's definitely brought a renewed energy."

A big opportunity potentially awaits Kiser this season. After missing out on a starting role last year, he is competing for one again this year and has been getting first team reps in practice.

And if you're wondering just how determined he'll be, consider this: He stayed in the Cowboys game four more plays after suffering that pectoral injury because he didn't want to waste any opportunities while competing last year.

"Five months is a long recovery, but I stayed at it, stayed focus, and I'm just ready to show what I got," Kiser said.

55 man roster, Rams Offensive Line Room (10 players) Projection

55 man roster Rams Offensive Line Room (10 players) Projection

Rob Havenstein.
Austin Blythe
Andrew Whitworth
Joe Noteboom
Bobby Evans
David Edwards

Austin Blythe
Jeremiah Kolone
Coleman Shelton
Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
------------------------------------------------------------
Practice Squad
Cohl Cabra
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Roster cut
Brian Allen

Jamil Demby

Darrell Henderson's injury could open door for undrafted RB Xavier Jones

Darrell Henderson's injury could open door for undrafted RB Xavier Jones

Running back depth will be more important this season than in recent years now that Todd Gurley is gone. With Gurley on the roster, he got the bulk of the carries, leaving very few opportunities for the backups.

Now that the Rams will use more of a committee approach, they could go four-deep on the 53-man roster and utilize each player. Darrell Henderson Jr. is a lock for the final roster, but his hamstring injury could sideline him until the season opener.

That may afford undrafted rookie Xavier Jones the chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster instead of the practice squad. Regardless of whether Henderson misses two weeks or a month, Jones’ opportunities just increased.

He scored a touchdown in the scrimmage and got more chances to carry the ball with Henderson sidelined. Sean McVay acknowledged Sunday that the other backs on the roster will get more opportunities now that Henderson is injured, including Jones.

“Like anything else, it means more reps for cam for Malcolm (Brown), for Jones and John Kelly,” he said. “And so (RBs coach) Thomas Brown has done a great job with those guys. They’ll get more reps and then we’ll be excited when we can get Darrell back on the field, but it is an unfortunate setback for him.”

Jones wasn’t a highly touted prospect out of college and didn’t even receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. He wasn’t able to hold a pro day at SMU, either, which limited his exposure even more.

He should’ve been on the national radar, however, after rushing for 1,276 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior in 2019 and being named one of the 10 Doak Walker Award semifinalists for the best running back in the country.

If you pop on the tape and watch some of his highlights, you’ll see a player with great vision and enough speed to get to the edge and make plays. He may not be the fastest running back around, but his speed still allows him to separate from defenders in the open field.

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His patience and vision are his best attributes, and on this 62-yard touchdown run last year, he showcased his speed, too.

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Running back is a position that often yields productive players who went undrafted, too, because the transition from college to the NFL isn’t as difficult for tailbacks as it can be for other spots like tight end and offensive tackle.

If Jones can slip through the door that just creaked open with Henderson going down, he might just make it on the 53-man roster as the fourth running back. It’s still an “if,” but he was one of the better undrafted rookies to come from the 2020 class.

We might be seeing more regular season rookie snaps than we had at first thought...

Call me a hopeless optimist if you will, but it’s hard to deny some of these early reports.

I see the following rookies getting more snaps than had been predicted on draft day. Always a good thing on a talented roster.

Cam Akers. Hardly a surprise here. Heck, I think he’ll claim that starting position in a rotation with Hendy.

Van Jefferson. Don’t look now but this kid might actually beat out Reynolds for that 3rd WR spot. Once he gets it (and I think it’s a ‘when’, not ‘if’), he’ll never look back.

Terrell Lewis. What is there to say? His health is no longer in question. Gonna be hard to keep him off the field.

Terrell Burgess. Another guy that’s likely to see a ton of snaps in Staley’s nickel and dime packages. Might even win the nickel CB spot outright.

Jordan Fuller. The biggest pleasant surprise for yours truly. Like finding money unexpectedly. Don’t know how many snaps he’s gonna get behind JJ and Rapp, but then again Staley might use him in some dime sets. I suspect that Staley intends quite a few dime sets this season, but he also has so many other gems he could use in them, so...

I remain high on all of our other remaining draft picks except maybe Sloman, but let’s face it, they’re unlikely to get significant snaps this year barring catastrophic injuries.

Bottom line? This is shaping up as a helluva draft so far, don’t you think?

Rams training camp battles: Lirim Hajrullahu appears positioned to be LA’s kicker

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The Los Angeles Rams held a scrimmage at SoFi Stadium on Saturday night and it was the perfect opportunity for Sean McVay to get a look at his three-way kicker competition with bright lights and 70,000 empty seats as the background. The kicker who had the best night adjusting to those conditions was CFL star Lirim Hajrullahu, the presumed favorite to win the job this offseason even though he has no NFL experience.

Hajrullahu went 5-of-5 on Saturday night, connecting from 38, 38, 43, 48 and 50. They were reportedly all “no doubt” kicks that cleared the crossbar with ease.

Here’s what I wrote about Hajrullahu back in April when the Rams signed him:

Hajrullahu went 47-of-55 on field goal tries in 2019 with a long of 56. For his career, he’s made 83.3% of his 287 attempts over six seasons. He drew interest from the league in 2019 but ended up returning to Hamilton, but the team released him this year so that he’d be able to freely negotiate and sign with an NFL team in 2020.
His family wound up in Canada in 1998 as refugees from Kosovo.
McVay would love to be able to replace longtime kicker Greg Zuerlein with a cheaper option who can improve upon Zuerlein’s disappointing 2019 campaign. Though Austin MacGinnis was also good, making 4-of-5 kicks, Hajrullahu may have pulled even further ahead in the race to do just that.

Rookie Sam Sloman may have been drafted this year but could be lagging behind based on Saturday’s event.

Rams offense looking to build off of 2019 Red Zone success

Rams offense looking to build off of 2019 Red Zone success

Finishing drives is often the difference between winning and losing in the NFL. But here's the strange paradox of the 2019 Rams: Last season was by far the most efficient of the Sean McVay Era in the red zone; yet they produced fewer points and victories than the two campaigns prior.

The Rams earned a robust 5.25 points per trip inside their opponent's 20-yard line, despite landing in the middle of the pack in overall points per possession.

More specifically, they finished the year on a tear – scoring touchdowns on 14 of their last 15 trips to the red zone, and perhaps therein lies the sample size we can and should focus on: December's 29 points per game.

"Getting the 'reds,' that's the most important and emphasized part of our offense," said tailback Malcolm Brown, who accounted for five such scores last season. Los Angeles ranked fifth in the league in red zone touchdown percentage and sixth in opportunities. "There's no complicated answer to it. I think it's a pure mindset, we have to go score. We're this close, there's no way this defense can get us off the field right now."

While Brown and Todd Gurley feasted on favorable and-goal situations, quarterback Jared Goff continued to outperform in the red zone as well. His 112.0 rating in that area trailed only MVP Lamar Jackson among qualifying passers, according to Sharp Football. Goff delivered 18 touchdowns (plus two rushing scores) without an interception.

Despite a prolific finish to the year, tight end Tyler Higbee actually feels he owes Goff a couple – which is an interesting tangent, related to this discussion.

"Me personally, I came up a couple yards, couple inches short at the goal line this past year," said Higbee, who was tackled at the one-yard line in games at Carolina, versus Seattle, and at San Francisco.

Those were three of six such instances in which a Goff completion was carried down to the one – but not across the plane for a touchdown. You can imagine the narrative being a touch less critical this offseason had he finished 2019 with 28 passing touchdowns (matching his 2017 Pro Bowl campaign) rather than 22.

Fortunately for the Rams, all of those drives culminated in rushing scores, immediately thereafter, buoying the team's red zone efficiency. Now the question becomes, can they carry over that momentum in a statistical category which is notoriously fickle?

"Our object as an offense is to score every time we touch the ball," continued Higbee. "And when we do get in those short field, it heightens it even more, you know, the focus and just trying to put that ball in the endzone."

Squad surprise predictions ?

I’m going to start off with Jeremiah Kolone.

Reasons
1. Early photo of him un UNI by The Rams early on. Like a Ram Promo of new uni’s

2. Guy had been working as a Center after his rookie year to make the squad

3.Is a core veteran that has been in the system with Kromer getting coached up on practice squad for a couple years

4. Report just now of him playing center in SoFI..

Just saying - don’t sleep on him making the squad.If he can handle the Center spot then it is a bonus. He has always been head to head with Demby. He is smart enough to know what he needs to do to make the squad. Denny is now at RT. Just saying.

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