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Hopefully it's nothing that won't keep him out long. Many have questioned my opposition to SJD, particularly in a starting role. Well I've posted a clip where if you simply focus on #69 (SJD) you will see why. He's singled blocked by the C not an OG. Some may say he's stacking but that simply isn't the case. When the RB changes direction he never sheds the block. In each case he simply is released by the C. Worse yet he's moved off the LOS and even turned. No penetration at all. These aren't isolated cases. The occurred in every game. This is why even PFF was forced to grade Gaines higher than SJD.

Michael Hoecht who has just returned to the team at 6'4" 310 lbs certainly can play a 1T and IMO play it better than Day. He's stronger, and quicker than SJD and between him and Gaines could easily fill that position. It's the kind of play illustrated in the clip which convinced the Rams to sign Robinson as a clear huge upgrade at NT.

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The Conversation Thread - WHOSE READY FOR FOOTBALL?!!! - Edition




Think thread that goes like a “Chat Room”...

Talk about WHATEVER. Have fun.

Post Pics. Gifs. Make us laugh.

What are you drinking?

Music?

Eating?

Tomorrow we’ll move this to Off-Topic, but for now... It’s Saturday Night!

Countdown to Camp: For first time, safeties coach Ejiro Evero has hand-picked group

Safeties coach Ejiro Evero is entering his fourth training camp and season with the Rams this fall, but it's the first time since he arrived in Los Angeles that the collection of talent in his position room was either drafted or acquired by the current coaching staff.

Having a chance to work with a group that he helped construct and knows so well is what makes him excited for Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union.

"It's fun to have a group of guys that we did a lot of research on, we really liked them coming out," Evero told theRams.com in a phone interview this week. "The best part is, we've got two guys that have played a lot of good football in the league and are experienced and ready to take another bigger step in their careers, and we've got two young guys that have a very, very promising future."

Fourth-year pro John Johnson III and second-year pro Taylor Rapp are the "established" members of the safeties room. The former suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against the 49ers in Week 6 last year but told reporters this spring that he was "100 percent" healthy, while the latter emerged as a starter in his place and finished with the third-most tackles on the team (100 total).

In that same April video conference in which he provided an update on his health, Johnson also said he thinks his and Rapp's skillsets will complement each other well. Evero can also see it, saying they are both "really similar players."

"First of all, they're both just extremely, extremely bright and smart," Evero said. "They're both good communicators. They both have a passion for football. They're both tough guys. And so I think it's exciting because from a mental standpoint and a communication standpoint, they're very aligned. They both are up to the high level part of football in terms of making checks and adjustments and recognizing offensive formations and all that jazz. So we're going to be good in terms of communication, in terms of guys that can play really smart."

Johnson and Rapp not only can process what's happening in front of them on the field at a high level, but also translate it through execution.

"They're both elite tacklers from that safety position, they're both guys that can go find the ball, and they're guys that just have a sense of getting to the ball, too," Evero said. "It's very, very exciting to have two guys that are just very complementary."

Beyond that duo, the group also includes second-year pro Nick Scott, rookies Terrell Burgess (Utah) and Jordan Fuller (Ohio State), and undrafted free agent signee JuJu Hughes (Fresno State).

When asked specifically about third-round pick Burgess and sixth-round pick Fuller, Evero said both fit the mold of the safeties the Rams already have, in terms of being "really smart, cerebral football players that can translate it to the field." Echoing defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's comments earlier this spring, Evero also sees versatility in each that L.A. will be able to take advantage of.

"Terrell has a different specific skillset, in terms of, he's a guy that has really good movement ability and he has corner-type skills. He's a guy that we're going to give a little sniff at nickel (defensive back) as well as safety, so he's got that kind of dynamic," Evero said. "And then Jordan Fuller's a big-body guy, he moves around really well but he's got a build almost like a damn linebacker."

Like other members of their rookie class, the biggest challenge will be getting up to speed after not having traditional on-field work during the offseason program. However, according to Evero, going full-speed against a Rams offense that stresses a defense with different looks and tempos during training camp will help make the transition go smoother.

Regardless, Evero is confident in what his group will contribute to Los Angeles' defense.

"There's enough talent in our room to be very, very productive," Evero said.

Gerald Everett is 'maybe the best athlete' Wes Phillips has coached

The tight end position is far more integral to NFL offenses nowadays, with players at that spot contributing not only as extra blockers on the ends of the line, but also as playmaking receivers. The Rams are fortunate to have two capable receivers in Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett on their tight end depth chart, giving Sean McVay options on offense.

Higbee emerged as a real threat last December, but Everett shouldn’t be forgotten in L.A. He’s still a playmaker with immense potential despite not having the breakout year so many have expected from him the last two seasons. Although he’s returning from an ankle injury that caused him to miss time late last season, Everett’s arrow should be pointing up.

Rams tight ends coach Wes Phillips, son of Wade Phillips, heaped praise on Everett in an interview with the team’s official site, specifically highlighting his athleticism and toughness.

“He’s a smart player, he’s instinctive, but extremely explosive,” Phillips said. “One of the best athletes, maybe as far as raw, athletic talent – maybe the best athlete that I’ve coached. From a tight end standpoint, he can run. He’s great with the ball after the catch. The first guy never brings him down. He’s strong. He’s explosive, from that standpoint running, but what a lot of people don’t always realize either is that in the run game, that same explosion, it applies, and he’s a tough, tough, tough man.”

McVay and Les Snead have hinted at using more personnel groupings this season, getting the tight ends more involved on offense. Snead even mentioned “exotic personnel packages” as a way to get rookie Brycen Hopkins involved.

Higbee and Everett are both good blockers and give their tackles help on the edges, which keeps the playbook open for McVay. Don’t be surprised to see Higbee and Everett on the field much more often together this season than they were in years past.

I had a couple choices in mind for this number. EJ Gaines, Willie Ellison, but I ultimately decided to go with Charles White because of his absurd 1987 season. Probably the strangest career stats I’ve ever seen. One season over 400 yards rushing and it was an all pro year.
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Anyone have the backstory on this cat? Injury? Appreciate any info.

A great idea gone bad.

A project, yours or other, goes awry.

A simple accident around the house.

Anything you’ve stumbled across, in person.

Key part; you’ve been a part of it, or observed it.

Rams receiver Cooper Kupp ready to impress entering contract year

To prepare for training camp, Rams receiver Cooper Kupp performed a variety of exercises and drills so that he could report in top shape.

Climbing fences to find usable turf for workouts during a COVID-19 pandemic became part of his regimen.

“Getting kicked off just about every field here in Thousand Oaks, which was fun,” Kupp told reporters Friday during a video conference.

Kupp apparently got his work in. As he prepares for his fourth season, he said, “I’m exactly where I want to be.”

Kupp, 27, came back from 2018 knee surgery and caught a team-best 94 passes for 1,164 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. For the first time since the Rams selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft, league peers voted him among the NFL’s Top 100 players in an annual poll conducted by the NFL Network. Kupp was No. 89.

“Since he came back from his injury, he came back determined, very strong — stronger than before,” Rams receiver Robert Woods said. “This whole offseason, you’ve seen him grinding and putting in the work.”

Kupp is one of several Rams players entering the final year of their rookie contracts. Others are star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, receiver Josh Reynolds, tight end Gerald Everett and safety John Johnson.

Ramsey is a three-time Pro Bowl player for whom the Rams traded two first-round draft picks last October. His situation is expected to be the Rams’ main contract focus going into the Sept. 13 opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

As a proven performer in coach Sean McVay’s offense, Kupp also warrants attention.

“Well, we haven’t had any conversations so far,” Kupp said when asked about his contract status, adding that he was letting his agent handle it.

“I love it here,” he said. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Kupp and quarterback Jared Goff are represented by the same firm that also counts Brandin Cooks as a client. In 2018, the Rams gave Cooks an $81-million extension that included $50 million in guarantees. Cooks was traded to the Houston Texans in March.

That leaves Kupp and Woods as established starters, with Reynolds stepping in for Cooks. The Rams drafted receiver Van Jefferson in the second round, and the rookie could find immediate playing time in a rotational role.

“I’ve been running routes with him a few times and just picked his brain and answer questions he had,” Kupp said. “I think he’s going to be a really great football player.”

Rams receivers could take on a larger role this season as McVay attempts fill the void left by the release of star running back Todd Gurley and the Cooks trade.

Kevin O’Connell was hired as offensive coordinator, and though it has only been a few days of training camp walk-throughs, Kupp said the new coach already has made an impression.

“Just the knowledge that he has and his willingness to share and talk through these things with you — I think he’s going to be just an incredible asset,” Kupp said.

The Rams have another week of training camp acclimation before they practice for the first time Aug. 18.

Players are navigating the COVID-19 protocols, Kupp said.

“It definitely took a day or two to adjust to it, just what the new normal is and just kind of embracing the weird of it,” he said. “Once we’ve kind of [did] that, you just say, ‘Well, this is the way it is.’ You just go and you just do it.

“You adapt.”

Countdown to Camp: Rams TEs coach Wes Phillips says group gives team "a lot of options"

What does Rams tight ends coach Wes Phillips like about his group?

"What don't I like is really the better question," Phillips said with a laugh.

With the official start of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union on the horizon, it's easy to see why Phillips sees few, if any flaws in his group.

The tight end room currently consists of fifth-year pro Tyler Higbee, fourth-year pros Gerald Everett and Johnny Mundt, second-year pro Kendall Blanton and a "steal" of a draft pick in fourth-round rookie Brycen Hopkins from Purdue. Collectively, it's a unit regarded by scouting service Pro Football Focus as the fifth-best in the NFL.

Phillips, who is in his third season overseeing the Rams tight ends, saw Higbee, Everett and Mundt each play critical roles for Los Angeles in his second.

Both Higbee and Everett had career seasons in 2019. In Higbee's case, it set franchise single-season records for receptions (69) and receiving yards (734) for the position. Though Everett missed three games due to injury, he still produced career-bests for receptions (37) and receiving yards (408) in a single season. Meanwhile, with Everett out, Mundt ascended into a bigger role that helped him become a key contributor as a run-blocker.

"We've got just an excellent group that is not only talented as far as they've all shown what they can do, obviously, particularly Tyler and Gerald in the pass game, but also their attention to detail and their physicality in the run game," Phillips said. "So they really give us a lot of options."

For Phillips, Higbee's breakout play last season didn't come as as a surprise.

"Everyone who has been around our football team, players and coaches included, I think we all knew that he was capable of doing those types of things," Phillips said. "It was just about getting the opportunity and, you know, in this league, someone goes down with injury and someone's role increases, and Tyler was more than ready to step up what his number was called, for sure."

The opportunity, of course, came when Everett was unfortunately dealing with a knee injury. Now that he's healthy, Phillips is eager to have Everett back in the fold.

One might assume it's because of how valuable Everett is as a receiver, but Phillips reminded that Everett is also a capable blocker. When Higbee missed the Rams' Week 3 game against the Browns, Everett was tasked with blocking players like Pro Bowl defensive ends Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon and "did a great job," according to Phillips.

"He's a smart player, he's instinctive, but extremely explosive," Phillips said. "One of the best athletes, maybe as far as raw, athletic talent – maybe the best athlete that I've coached. From a tight end standpoint, he can run. He's great with the ball after the catch. The first guy never brings him down. He's strong. He's explosive, from that standpoint running, but what a lot of people don't always realize either is that in the run game, that same explosion, it applies, and he's a tough, tough, tough man."

Just because the Rams tight end room already returns a lot of experience entering training camp doesn't mean Hopkins won't be able to contribute to the rotation. However, Like any rookie entering the upcoming NFL season, getting acclimated will take a little bit longer than normal due to the absence of on-field work during the offseason program – valuable time used for honing footwork technique, for example.

"He's been very studious, he's been studying everything, but it's still a lot for a young guy," Phillips said. "So right now, his job is just to make sure he knows his assignments. We're trying to work with the technique on the fly here and make sure he catches up to those other guys, because right now, he's behind. But, when you see him out there and you see him move, and when he does do a technique correctly, you see what he brings to the table. He's very athletic, he's strong, he's physical."

Like fellow rookie Terrell Lewis, though, that gradual transition for Hopkins should be smooth based on how well his college duties translate to the Rams.

"One of the reasons we liked him is that we could see him on tape at Purdue doing all the things we're really going to ask him to do," Phillips said. "He's just got to switch over that terminology and then kind of learn our technique the way we do it."

For those of you who enjoy podcasts.

Don't blame the man. He answered the question twice, but reporters kept pushing.
Media pricks need to leave the man alone and let him focus on football
(May be a repost,but I couldn't find it in search)

Coming in today is a fan favorite. The always reliable Malcolm Brown. I’m glad the Rams didn’t let him get away.
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Aaron Donald: Jalen Ramsey is in for 'a huge season'

Rams fans got a taste of what their defense could look like for the next half-decade last season when Jalen Ramsey arrived mid-season via trade. He joined Aaron Donald as the two leaders of the defense, though they were unable to get the Rams to the postseason.

Donald and Ramsey are two of the best players in the league at their respective positions, and with a full season together in 2020, they should play at an even higher level than they did last year.

Donald, for one, has high expectations for himself and Ramsey, specifically saying the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback is in for a big year.

“A big season, a huge season,” Donald said on a conference call of what Ramsey is in for in 2020. “We are on the same team, so I hope it’s a real big season. Knowing what type of player he is, I am pretty sure he prepared himself and got himself ready to be at this point right now. Him having a full season with the team and getting a feel for the guys, being around all the guys and him being a leader. I am definitely expecting huge things from him this year. I am excited that we are on the same team.”

A pass rusher’s best friend is good coverage on the back end, and having an elite cornerback like Ramsey is sure to help Donald get to the quarterback more often. If Ramsey can lock up opposing receivers, it’ll give Donald more time to rush the passer.

By the same token, Donald getting to the quarterback quicker will allow Ramsey to take chances in coverage because passes will be rushed, and therefore less accurate.

Their exact roles are still to be determined – Ramsey could play all over the secondary – but Donald is excited about what Brandon Staley has in store for him.

“Before we even got here, he called me multiple times and talked to me about certain things he wants to do to try to put me in good positions. I got excited about it,” Donald said. “Just being here, being able to walk-thru the defense and actually be on the grass, getting a little feel for how it’s going be and how I can play in it and put my own swag and own style to it, so I can be successful in the defense.”

The Rams are just starting to get on the field this week with walk-thrus and early parts of game planning, and they won’t go through a normal, full-contact practice until Aug. 17.

Without OTAs and minicamp, things are expectedly rough around the edges in the beginning, but Donald expects that to improve as time goes on.

“The first day, you’re out there, there’s different things that are kind of rocky, the next day you feel a lot more clean, a little bit more of an understanding of how I have to play things,” he said. “Like I said, the same way, I can put my own little twist to it, but not do it to the point where I’m messing up the defense. Each day is going to keep getting better. We’ve got good things going in that’s not just going to help me, but help a lot of guys around us. I’m definitely excited about it.”

Countdown to Camp: Rams OLBs coach Chris Shula excited to work with "eager" group

There are some familiar faces and a couple new ones too within outside linebackers coach Chris Shula's group, but two constants remain as Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union approaches: A hungry work ethic, and a caliber of talent capable of playing in the NFL.

"It's a really, really eager group, and a group that I think all seven guys have a chance to play in the league," Shula told theRams.com in a phone interview this week. "It's really exciting."

Considering the opportunity in front of them, and concurrently the task at hand for Shula, it's easy to see why.

Last year's starters, Clay Matthews and Dante Fowler Jr., are both gone, which means Shula will be using training camp to find their replacements. Lots of snaps are up for grabs, but as Shula alluded to, he has several worthy candidates.

Free agency signee Leonard Floyd owns the most overall experience of the group, with four seasons under his belt from his time playing for the Chicago Bears. He also has the benefit of being familiar with new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's scheme, since Staley was his position coach with the Bears in 2017 and 2018.

Meanwhile, Samson Ebukam enters his fourth season with the club, making him the most experienced of the returnees, followed by second-year pros Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick and Justin Lawler. Former 2019 third-round pick Jachai Polite joined Los Angeles' practice squad in late September last year, so he also adds some familiarity.

"Guys that are really coachable, want to do it exactly right, want to prove themselves (and) are really excited," Shula said. "We're athletic and prepared, with guys like Samson and Jachai and Obo. We're really athletic, fast and smart, so I'm really excited to work with this group."

Rookie Terrell Lewis, an Alabama product the Rams selected 84th overall in this year's draft, rounds out the outside linebacker room. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled on-field work this spring, which, combined with Phase 1 OTA rules dictating the acclimation period (only strength coaches can be on the field), means training camp will be Shula's first chance to see Lewis in the Rams' defense once Lewis comes off the Reserve/COVID-19 list. However, virtual meetings and Lewis' college film have given Shula a strong enough idea of what to expect initially.

"He's a really, really smart person and football player – it all makes sense to him," Shula said. "He has a great memory, great recall of what he had in college. And then he was in a system in college where he was asked to do a lot of the same things that we're asking him do to here, so I'm expecting the transition to be pretty simple."

Lewis is also a player who can "really do everything... play the run, rush the passer and play in coverage," according to Shula.

"Usually guys that are really smart and self aware like he is, those guys get a lot better," Shula said.
Shula has a good grasp of Lewis and the rest of the outside linebackers' skillsets, but what are some of the traits he'll be looking in whoever eventually holds those starting roles?

Since Staley is bringing in a new scheme, the outside linebackers will be asked to do different things compared to last year, according to Shula. Thus, the answer to the question, or at least the specifics, understandably aren't for public consumption.

However, much like the common traits of the group, there are some core responsibilities that will remain the same.

"At the end of the day, nothing really changes at the outside backer," Shula said. "As an outside linebacker, we want to set the edge in the run game, kill blocks, we want to wreck the game rushing the passer and we want to own the seams and the flats in coverage. So it's pretty simple when you break it down to those three things. The guys that can be assignment sound and do those three things the best are the guys that are gonna be out there."

Interesting considering Kupp said recently that he hadn't had any talks with the Rams yet... Unless they started negotiating with each at the same time

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Also Post the number of players picked to reach 1000yds.
I'm going with 3. Higbee hits 1000yds for first time, though Waddy finishes strong with 995yds

Here’s one I think everyone will agree with. The great Aeneas Williams.
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Aaron Donald talks returning to facility, how he'll be used in defense

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald held a video conference with local media on Wednesday to discuss returning to the team's facility and how he will be used in Brandon Staley's defense, among other important topics. Here are some of the highlights and key takeaways from that virtual conversation:
"Guys know what they need to do. We're all grown men at the end of the day."

Asked if he has had any discussions with teammates about COVID-19, Donald echoed cornerback Jalen Ramsey's Tuesday comments that the Rams' locker room is mature enough to know how to make good choices away from the facility when it comes to risk mitigation.

In an answer to a separate question about playing in the midst of a pandemic, Donald said he feels safe because of the protocols in place and that maintaining that safety will "depend on guys doing what they need to do outside the facility."

"We've got good things going in that's not just going to help me, but help a lot of guys around us. I'm definitely excited about it."

The walkthroughs included in this week's acclimation period are giving Donald his first chance to translate what he's learned from multiple virtual installation meetings about the way Staley plans to use him onto the field.

Donald said that prior to arriving at the facility, Staley in the offseason called him "multiple times" to explain certain things he plans to do to put him in good positions within the scheme.

"I feel strong. I feel like I'm getting older, but I feel like I'm just getting in better shape as I get older. I feel amazing."

It was already detailed in May that Donald's work ethic hadn't dropped off in quarantine, but in case you needed a reminder, Donald said Tuesday he was "in great shape."

Although the performance center at the University of Pittsburgh which bears his name was temporarily closed due to the pandemic, Donald was still able to maintain his offseason conditioning regimen by working out in "The Dungeon" – the basement gym of his childhood home in Pittsburgh – and with his longtime speed trainer DeWayne Brown of Two-Tenths Speed & Agility.

Happy 80th birthday ROMAN GABRIEL!

Yeah, I know. A lot of you hate this dude for how he left the Rams and talks about them today. But he was a good player for us in the small amount of time he was with us. Jerome Bettis.
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Jalen Ramsey on his defensive role: 'Nobody's done what I'll be asked to do'

Jalen Ramsey is listed as a cornerback, and he’s one of the NFL’s best at his position. However, it sounds like he’ll be viewed as much more than just a cornerback in 2020 – his first full season with the Rams.

He and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley have hinted at a brand new role for the three-time Pro Bowler, and this week, Ramsey shared further details about what position he’ll play.

“I don’t really have like an exact, exact role on the defense yet,” he said on a conference call Tuesday. “I’ll be doing a bunch of different things so there’s not really somebody that I can talk to that’s like, ‘Oh, you did this and this and this…’ because nobody’s done what I’ll be asked to do or what I’m going to try to do on this defense. I might have to take this journey kind of by myself and with my teammates and with the coaches and see where we can take it.”

Ramsey is a prototypical cornerback in the fact that he has a rare combination of size and speed for the position. He’s one of the most athletic corners in the league, and thanks to his time in college, he also has experience at safety.

Staley mentioned Ramsey’s ability to play safety earlier this offseason, so he could see time there in certain sub-packages. When shadowing receivers in the past, Ramsey has also covered the slot and had some success there.

He was asked if it’ll be a challenge moving around and playing different roles, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it’ll be tough.

“For sure, yeah. For sure,” he said.

Even Les Snead hinted at Staley using Ramsey in a variety of ways.

“I think with Jalen, he’s a young player, a difference-maker out on the edge. Even working with Brandon based on being around Jalen, I think Brandon’s mentioned it, with his football acumen,” Snead said. “There’s a vision and goal to use to him in a way that’s never been used before, to be a weapon on defense.”

It’s hard not to get excited about Ramsey’s potential in the Rams defense, especially entering a new scheme under Staley. And with this being the final year of his contract, Ramsey has every reason to be motivated if he doesn’t get a deal before Week 1.

The Rams are hosting a virtual tailgate this Sunday. Here is the link, not sure availability.

It’s too late at night for me, otherwise sounds kind of interesting.

Countdown to Camp: Rams WRs coach Eric Yarber counting on veterans' leadership to maintain "quality depth"

For the last three years, depth has been a luxury afforded to Rams wide receivers coach Eric Yarber's group.

As Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union approaches, the challenge in a current pandemic environment is to build on existing continuity and keep the quality depth going.

"Back in the day, we had Josh (Reynolds) as a No. 4 (receiver)," Yarber told theRams.com in a phone interview this week. "We had three starters and Josh was the No. 4. Josh could start for 20 to 25 teams in the NFL. He had a quality backup in Mike Thomas, and Mike Thomas had a quality backup in Nsimba (Webster). Now, Josh is a starter and we've got to find good quality backups right now. That's one of our next objectives (besides) coming out of this thing safe and healthy."

Meeting that secondary objective starts with the veteran voices. Robert Woods, who enters his fourth season with the Rams and eighth in the NFL overall, as well as Reynolds and Cooper Kupp, who both enter their fourth seasons with Los Angeles and in the NFL, bringing along new or less experienced faces.

And L.A. has a quite a few.

Nsimba Webster, one of three undrafted free agents to make 2019's initial 53-man roster, will be entering his second season with the team. The Rams selected Florida product Van Jefferson 57th overall in this year's draft, then signed five undrafted free agents – Washington State's Easop Winston Jr., Cal Poly's J.J. Koski, James Madison's Brandon Polk, Syracuse's Trishton Jackson and Maine's Earnest Edwards IV – to give them 10 wide receivers on their roster entering training camp.

"I've asked Robert, Josh and Cooper to help me get these guys ready by being leaders," Yarber said. "Show 'em how to practice, show 'em how to prepare, show 'em how to be a pro so that we can create quality depth on our quest to a Super Bowl."

Jefferson is one player who can help create the depth Yarber desires in his rotation. According to Yarber, Jefferson is "a football-savvy receiver that catches on quickly" – a reflection of being the son of a former NFL wide receiver in Shawn Jefferson, who played 13 years in the league and currently coaches the same position for the New York Jets.

"Just watching him and seeing him on film, he is a great route-runner with big-time separation skills," Yarber said. "He knows how to separate, he knows how to set DBs up to separate. If he's covered, he can use his big body or he can use his athletic ability, man. He has the talent to separate and the know-how."

Speaking of skillsets, Yarber, like Rams head coach Sean McVay, believes Reynolds is capable of stepping into a bigger role. McVay said this spring the Brandin Cooks trade was a reflection of how strongly they felt about Reynolds.

Cooks excelled in his role because of his speed, according to Yarber, but Reynolds is "deceptively fast."

"You don't think he's moving as fast as he does, but he's had one of the top-three fastest miles-per-hour times on our team in practice," Yarber said. "He's a fast guy that people don't think is fast, but he's got a big catch radius and he's got big-time quickness for a big man."

While the wide receiver room looks different and perhaps younger entering training camp compared to previous years, Yarber is confident the leadership of Woods, Kupp and Reynolds will help them maintain the group's standard.

"This should be a training camp that could be made difficult by the COVID experience, but with these guys having so much continuity in our offense, it makes this almost like seamless," Yarber said.

Does anyone know who the NFL player the party was for out there?