Forgot yesterday, sorry. A Rams legend who put up absurd numbers in 1951 by averaging 124 ypg with 17 TDs in only 12 games. Elroy ‘Crazy Legs’ Hirsch is considered one of the best receivers of all time.
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/_DndrilqO6Q

Rams’ contracts talks with Jalen Ramsey will be a hot topic at training camp

Jalen Ramsey’s thumbs aren’t as quick as his feet. But close.

News of a contract extension for Chargers star defensive end Joey Bosa had barely hit the Internet when the Rams’ cornerback tapped out his reaction on Twitter.

“2016 Draft Class 1-4 gettin paid & I love it kus they all deserve it!!” the Rams cornerback wrote Tuesday night.

Login to view embedded media
View: https://twitter.com/jalenramsey/status/1288296171476156416?s=21

Ramsey wasn’t just dishing out compliments to the top four picks in the 2016 NFL draft – Rams quarterback Jared Goff, Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz, Bosa and Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott – whose contract extensions the past two summers have an average value of nearly $27 million a season.

He was dishing out compliments knowing – and knowing that interested readers know – Ramsey was the fifth pick in that draft and is up for a contract extension of his own.

This wasn’t quite like a year ago when Ramsey, then a Jacksonville Jaguar, arrived at training camp in an armored truck to deliver the message that he was ready to get paid. But close.

The Rams really need no reminder that Ramsey is going into the final year of his rookie contract. As are wide receiver Cooper Kupp and safety John Johnson, as well as tight end Gerald Everett, wide receiver Josh Reynolds and linebacker Samson Ebukam. Other Rams who could be free agents after 2020 include cornerback Troy Hill, offensive lineman Austin Blythe, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and long snapper Jake McQuaide.

And the Rams don’t need to be reminded of Ramsey’s value after trading away their 2020 and 2021 first-round draft picks and their 2021 fourth-rounder to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler in October.

On Tuesday, Ramsey was named No. 37 in the annual NFL Top 100 rankings voted by the league’s players. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was No. 3, and Kupp made the list for the first time at No. 89.

Ramsey was third among cornerbacks, and at age 25, he has a bigger future than No. 9 Stephon Gilmore of New England, who is 29, and No. 28 Richard Sherman of San Francisco, who is 32.

Ramsey and Rams coach Sean McVay haven’t publicly addressed the negotiations since May. Both were reassuring then, Ramsey saying, “It’ll get handled” and he would report to training camp on time, McVay saying Ramsey’s agent and team management have had “a lot of dialogue.”

Kupp said, in April, of his contract negotiations: “There’s so much is going on in the world right now. It’s really not a priority at this time.”

With training camp in Thousand Oaks opening Monday, expect the subject to come up – especially the Ramsey negotiations, since his next contract could set records for defensive backs.

Among the questions:

• What is Ramsey worth? The highest-salaried cornerbacks are Philadelphia’s Darius Slay ($16.7 million a year on a three-year contract) and Miami’s Byron Jones ($16.5 million a year, five years). Ramsey is four years younger than Slay, two years younger than Jones.

Who says Ramsey should get more? None other than Slay, who responded to Bosa’s $27 million-a-year deal by tweeting Tuesday that a top cornerback “better be getting 22-23 come next yr.”

Login to view embedded media
View: https://twitter.com/bigplay24slay/status/1288293758090477575?s=21

A more reasonable guess is $18-20 million. Under ordinary circumstances. But nothing is ordinary now.

• How does the coronavirus pandemic affect this? Pandemic conditions will crush the salary cap. The $198.2 million-per-team cap for 2020 would fall to $175 million for 2021 under a reported agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association to spread out the effects of 2020 revenue losses over several seasons. That complicates things for any team looking at new star contracts.

• Where will the money come from? The Rams’ current salary-cap space is only $5.1 million, according to OverTheCap.com. Jason Fitzgerald, an analyst for that website, wrote in May – before factoring in the pandemic’s impact – that the Rams’ cap space could rise to $39.8 million in 2021. But that would require restructuring current contracts or continuing to cut well-paid players as the Rams have done this year.

• When could a deal be done? The Rams’ big, recent extensions were announced in July (2018 for Todd Gurley for four years and $14.4 million per, and Brandin Cooks for five years and $16.2 million per), August (2018 for Donald at six years and $22.5 million per) and early September (2019 for Jared Goff for four yeas and $33.5 million per). It’s ideal to conclude negotiations that way, before they become in-season distractions or valued players start to consider free agency.

They’re talking. But are they close? We’ll see.

Kicker Lirim Hajrullahu is the Rams new secret weapon
Bret Stuter

Hallelujah Hajrullahu! If you are not yet familiar with that catchy phrase or what it signifies, you soon will be. You see, Lirim Hajrullahu is the former CFL kicker signed to compete for the LA Rams now vacated kicker role. How good is he? Patience, please. This is a tasty story, so you cannot rush to the dessert before the appetizer and the main course.

The Rams kicking game was devastated when the team lost ST Coordinator John Fassel, ST assistant coach Matt Daniels, and kicker Greg Zuerlein all defected to the Dallas Cowboys. It seemed like everyone was leaving a sinking ship. But the Rams special teams ship was sinking thanks to a horrific year by Zuerlein. In fact, the Rams special teams ranked 18th in the NFL in 2018, and 26th in the NFL in 2019. It was time for a change. The LA Rams now had a blank slate.

New leadership for a new direction

The Rams set about to find new leadership to turn the ship around on special teams. It was not long until the Rams had found their guy, Special Teams Coordinator John Bonamego. He quickly added special teams assistant coach Tory Woodbury from the team’s scouting department. Then the team went about adding kickers. The team then signed former XFL kicker Austin MacGinnis and former CFL kicker Lirim Hajrullahu. Finally, the team drafted kicker Sam Sloman in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Now, how will the team pare down the kickers without the opportunity for preseason games, organized team activities, or a normal training practice? Folks, the competition may or may not even take place. But I’m calling this one already in favor of Lirim Hajrullahu. Why? Here is a video of him kicking 75 and 77-yard field goals cleanly through the uprights.

More than a kicker

While Sam Sloman and Austin MacGinnis are excellent kickers in their own right, Lirim Hajrullahu is already as big at the game of professional football. He was a six-year veteran kicker and punter in the CFL. In reality, he was somewhat more than just a kicker. He was somewhat of a CFL celebrity. And why not? He was deadly accurate from long-range, an area the Rams desperately want to address in their next kicker. In his six CFL seasons, he was a two-time All-star and one-time kicker for the winner of the Grey Cup.

But most of all, he is one of the nicest persons to lace up a pair of football cleats. So special, he even has a cover of Hallelujah dedicated to him on Youtube (check it out). He boasts a career 83 percent accuracy, which is even more impressive when you consider the swirling winds which plague CFL games. His six-season statistics can be FOUND HERE. A more detailed set of statistics for his most recent four seasons can be FOUND HERE.

A fire inside

The one thing you do NOT want to see is timidness in an NFL kicker. They are on an island, and therefore must be 100 percent locked in and confident. So it’s very encouraging to see this statement from Hajrullahu:

“I’ve had professional experience, I’ve played in big games and I believe I can compete with the best of them.”-per RamsNFL tweet

So it’s safe to state he has no lack of confidence. But can he handle playing for the LA Rams in the likelihood of no fans in the stands? My guess is that not only is he equipped to handle it, but he will be an asset throughout the entire season. He is engaging, personable, and proficient.

I’m not certain how the LA Rams will decide who gets the starting kicker job, but my guess is that Lirim Hajrullahu will likely end up with the job.

The Rams suffered through a season where Zuerlein made just five of eleven from 40+ yards. For comparison purposes, Lirim Hajrullahu was a perfect 31 for 31 at 40+ yards over the past two seasons. That is not just better scoring. That translates into wins, folks. The Rams just missed winning several games in 2019 due to their special teams play. Perhaps if the Rams keep Lirim Hajrullahu, we’ll all be singing “Hallelujah Hajrullahu!” before the 2020 season is over?

Rams Training Camp schedule announced

Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union will be conducted a little bit differently this year.

Veterans officially reported for training camp Tuesday, while rookies, quarterbacks and injured players did so on Monday, kicking things off with their first round of COVID-19 testing. Each group must test negative three times before entering the facility to begin taking physicals, picking up equipment and conducting workouts.

Players will then be tested daily for two weeks beginning today – the earliest they can get physicals and equipment – and if the rate of positive results is less than five percent by the two-week mark, testing will be conducted every other day.

The rest of the time leading into the regular season will look like this. Note: All training camp activities and practices are closed to fans.

Aug. 1-2 – Players who recorded three negative tests may begin getting physicals and picking up equipment.

Aug. 3-7, 9-11 – Acclimation period with 60 minutes of weight room work and 60 minutes of on-field conditioning work in small groups of no more than 15. Only strength and conditioning coaches are allowed on the field during this period, which is subject to traditional Phase 1 organized team activities (OTA) rules.

Per those rules, only quarterbacks, receivers, kickers, punters and long snappers are allowed to use footballs – "quarterbacks can throw to receivers with no coverage, kickers and punters can kick, but players cannot field the ball and no snappers or holders can be involved, long snappers can snap into a net, defensive players may not catch balls at all regardless of who is throwing them."

Walk-thrus no longer than 60 minutes can be conducted the first four days, up to 75 minutes on the final four days.

Aug. 13-15, 17 – Gradual ramp-up period with a 90-minute practice on Day 1, with no more than 15 minute daily increase (up to a daily maximum of 120 minutes). On-field instruction – practices, walk-thrus, etc. – may not exceed 3.5 hours each day. Aug. 13 and Aug. 14 kick off Phase 2 activities, with players allowed to wear helmets and protective shirts. Non-padded practices will take place Aug. 14 and 16, with helmets, spiders and shells allowed.

Aug. 16 – Per a league memo sent to teams last week, all rosters must be reduced from 90 to 80 players by this date.

Aug. 18-Sept. 6 – Contact integration period beginning with 90-minute durations, followed by 15-minute daily increases. Increase or decrease following an off day is prohibited. Time limits are dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and no more than 14 padded practices can be conducted during this period.

Sept. 5 – Teams' 80-man offseason rosters must be trimmed to their 53-man regular season versions by 1 p.m. pacific time Sept. 5.

Sept. 6 – Claiming period for players placed on waivers at this point will end at 9 a.m. pacific time Sept. 6. Teams can begin assembling their practice squads an hour later.

Sept. 7 – Rams officially begin preparing for their Week 1 and SoFi Stadium opener against the Dallas Cowboys under in-season rules.

Countdown to Camp: Rams running backs coach Thomas Brown likes group's versatility

Although Rams running backs coach Thomas Brown hasn't had a chance to work with his group on the field yet – the COVID-19 pandemic forced a virtual offseason program and prevented players and coaches from gathering in-person this spring – 2019 film and individual meetings have helped him form solid first impressions of the the talent at his disposal entering Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union.

For Brown, what stands out and excites him the most is the versatility of his unit.

"We have a core group of guys who are very talented but also have different skill sets, which, to me, helps from a game planning standpoint in being able to build around those guys' skillsets, being able attack defenses week in and week out," Brown told theRams.com in a phone interview this week.

Sixth-year veteran Malcolm Brown is the most experienced of the group and coming off a season with career-highs in carries (69), rushing yards (255) and rushing touchdowns (5). The former University of Texas standout originally joined the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and has spent his entire career with the club so far.

"I just love his competitive nature, his mindset, and also his ability to be able to lead the group," Brown said. "Just from his experience but also because of the way he's made up from an alpha-male type mentality."

Meanwhile, Darrell Henderson as a rookie flashed the ability to contribute in multiple ways out of the backfield, rushing 39 times for 147 yards and catching four passes for 37 yards in 13 games last season.

"Very explosive back that has some good short-area quickness, does have some power in the knees too, but also can be a weapon to maybe utilize out of the backfield from a receiving-game standpoint, when it comes to beating guys on-on-one and catching the football," Brown said.

Rookie Cam Akers also offers a similar skillset. In three seasons at Florida State, the Rams' highest 2020 draft pick carried the ball 586 times for 2,874 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns, adding 69 receptions for 486 receiving yards and seven scores in the passing game.

"Really excited about (him), know a little bit about from a history standpoint, just from trying to recruit the guy when I was (coaching) in college," Brown said. "But a guy that can potentially grow into an every-down back, that can I do it all I think. Can play between the tackles, can play in space. Obviously the pass protection aspect of it is going to be the biggest part for any running back, especially young backs, coming into this league with the different number of looks and pressures you'll have a chance to go against week in and week out."

"A guy that I've continued to grow some confidence in, just meeting with from a virtual standpoint, of him understanding more about the offense and having the chance to come in and compete," Brown said.

For additional competition, the running back room added an undrafted free agent this offseason in SMU's Xavier Jones. Brown's task in his first season with Los Angeles will be to figure out the most effective rotation or combination of players to replace former starter Todd Gurley, whose March release vacated 223 of the backfield's 401 total carries from last season.

Pass protection and ball security will be two key attributes evaluated by Brown as he navigates giving different players opportunities during camp, as well as a couple others.

"Guys that can be able to create for themselves is kind of the one stamp I always put on them, about being able to take an average play and make something out of it, meaning being able to get more than what the players block for," Brown said. "A guy that's going to be consistent every single day. It's easy for guys to come in Day 1, Week 1, and be excited and perform well, but can you be consistent over the duration of camp?"

Brown said he will be divvying up "a bunch" of reps throughout camp to gage what players can handle. Ultimately, though, it comes down to a player's resume and what they put on film.

"I'm big on competition, so I'm excited to see these guys get after it and the mentality they bring every single day," Brown said. "We'll see how it shakes out after camp."

The Conversation Thread - RANDOM SHIT! - Edition



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

Talk about WHATEVER.

Post Pics. Gifs. Make us laugh.

What are you drinking?

Music?

Eating?

Looking at current depth charts... which division has the strongest QBs?

Rank them...

AFC East
Allen
Darnold
Newton / Stidham
Fitzpatrick / Tua

AFC North
Jackson
Roethlisberger
Mayfield
Burrow

AFC South
Rivers
Watson
Tannehill
Minshew

AFC West
Mahomes
Carr
Lock
Taylor / Herbert

NFC East
Wentz
Prescott
Jones
Haskins

NFC North
Rodgers
Stafford
Cousins
Trubisky / Foles

NFC South
Brady
Brees
Ryan
Bridgewater

NFC West
Goff
Wilson
Murray
Garappolo

Rams' 6 biggest strengths heading into training camp

The Rams have a lot of things to sort out in training camp, from the offensive line to the defensive scheme under Brandon Staley. There are certainly some weaknesses on this team, but there are also plenty of strengths.

Even after a disappointing season in 2019 and an underwhelming offseason that was filled with losses, the Rams are in decent shape heading into this season.

Here are their six biggest strengths as they enter training camp.

Defensive line talent

Aaron Donald is the best player on the team and the top defender in football, so the defensive line is automatically a strength. It doesn’t hurt that the Rams also have two quality run defenders in Michael Brockers and A’Shawn Robinson, as well as good depth behind them with Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines.

Outside of Donald, this group may not be loaded with pass-rush talent, but that should come from the outside linebacker position. The defensive line will stand out against the run with those big three starters up front.

Wide receiver reliability

Even without Brandin Cooks, the Rams’ receiving corps is as good as they come in the NFL right now. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are both underrated playmakers, and the confidence Jared Goff has in them is undeniable. They do a great job getting open for Goff and combined, they have just 10 total drops in the last two seasons on 458 targets.

Josh Reynolds and Van Jefferson will compete for the No. 3 receiver job and both seem like capable starters. Reynolds already has experience in this role, while Jefferson is considered a combination of Kupp and Woods. His route running and hands will be on display early.

The secondary

The Rams secondary was ranked ninth in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them finish even higher at the end of the season. Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill give the Rams a pair of really good corners, especially if they plan to run man coverage a lot. There aren’t many young safety duos in the NFL better than Taylor Rapp and John Johnson, either, and they should continue to flourish as they play together more.

The nickel spot is still up for grabs, but Terrell Burgess, David Long and Darious Williams could surprise some people and put together a strong season. The secondary is absolutely a strength of this team.

Offensive scheme

Sean McVay is a tireless worker and never seems satisfied with his success – similar to the mindset Donald has. After a down year in 2019, you can bet McVay will be back this season with an improved offensive scheme that will capitalize on the talent Los Angeles has on that side of the ball.

The Rams’ scheme is already one of the best in the league, keeping defenses on their toes with pre-snap motion, play-action passes and outstanding route combinations, but don’t expect McVay to simply sit back and rest on his laurels.

Playmaking tight ends

Tight end has turned into a highly important position on offense, as gone are the days of them being more athletic linemen. Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett are both athletic receivers who can also hold up as blockers, with their best assets being their ability to make plays in the passing game.

Higbee had four straight 100-yard games late last season, while Everett has shown potential (without breaking out) when healthy the last two years. If the Rams properly utilize their tight ends, this could be one of the best tandems in football.

Running back versatility

Pro Football Focus may not think highly of the Rams’ running back room, but it’s a group filled with potential – and versatility. Cam Akers is a do-it-all back who can contribute on all three downs, both as a runner and receiver. Darrell Henderson is a nice complement as a slasher and change-of-pace back, also proving to be a good pass catcher. Malcolm Brown brings a hard-nosed running style in short-yardage situations, which is where he figures to work in 2020.

All three players have the potential to be the No. 1 back in L.A., but they also have separate skill sets that will allow them to contribute in specific roles.

More questions than answers as Rams assemble for training camp

Shortly after his team’s disappointing 2019 season ended without a playoff berth, Rams coach Sean McVay overhauled his coaching staff and, as the offseason continued, his team’s roster.

But the COVID-19 pandemic prevented new coordinators Kevin O’Connell, Brandon Staley and John Bonamego and other coaches from working with returning players and new additions.

Players brought in to fill voids left by the departures of stars such as running back Todd Gurley and linebackers Dante Fowler, Cory Littleton and Clay Matthews largely remain mysteries. So too are nine drafted players and other undrafted rookies.

That means there are more questions than usual as the Rams begin training camp.

Here are six they will try to answer before the Sept. 13 opener against the Dallas Cowboys:

Who replaces Gurley?

In 2018, the Rams gave Gurley what was then the richest contract for a running back in NFL history. Two years later, they cut him to save cash.

Veteran Malcolm Brown, second-year pro Darrell Henderson and rookie Cam Akers will probably share the responsibility of replacing a player who was the league’s offensive player of the year in 2017.

Brown, a sixth-year pro, is proven, though mainly as a backup. Henderson, a third-round draft pick in 2019, did not get much opportunity as a rookie and suffered a late-season ankle injury that required surgery.

In April, the Rams selected Akers in the second round with the 52nd overall pick, their first in the draft. Akers rushed for 1,144 yards and scored 18 touchdowns last season at Florida State.

John Kelly, a sixth-round pick in 2018, also is in a position group.

Thomas Brown is the new running backs coach. He replaced Skip Peete, who was not retained by McVay and is now a member of the Cowboys staff.

Does Staley have enough time to install a more effective defense?

Staley, 37, coached outside linebackers for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos before McVay tabbed him to replace Wade Phillips, an NFL coach since 1976.

During the virtual offseason program, several Rams defensive players raved about Staley. But none have been on the field to run his scheme, which he has said would not look vastly different than the hybrid 3-4 the Rams ran under Phillips.

Last season, the Rams ranked 12th in passing defense, 19th in rushing defense and 17th in scoring defense.

Star lineman Aaron Donald, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and safety John Johnson are leaders of a unit that will be young and inexperienced at inside linebacker and unproven on the edges.

The Rams signed free agent edge rusher Leonard Floyd and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson.

Is quarterback Jared Goff ready to bounce back?

The biggest questions surrounding Goff going into the 2019 season concerned his ability to rebound from a poor Super Bowl performance, and whether the Rams would get a new deal done for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft.

On the eve of the opener, he signed a $134-million extension that included a then-record $110 million in guarantees. Then he went out and had his worst season since becoming the fulltime starter in 2017.

Goff passed for 22 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. It marked the first time that Goff, 25, regressed statistically in those categories from a previous season.

McVay is the play-caller and de facto offensive coordinator, but after going without a titled coordinator in 2018 and 2019, McVay expects O’Connell to carry out many of the same duties Matt LaFleur performed on the staff in 2017. O’Connell is also the untitled quarterbacks coach and will attend to Goff.

Can receiver Josh Reynolds replace Brandin Cooks as a deep threat?

The cost-cutting trade that sent Cooks to the Houston Texans elevated Reynolds into the projected lineup with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.

At 6-foot-3, Reynolds is a tower compared to the speedy 5-10 Cooks, but he will have to convince opponents he is worthy of respect as similar consistent deep threat.

The Rams drafted Van Jefferson in the second round. The son of former NFL receiver Shawn Jefferson is talented, but without the opportunity to be on the field with teammates during the offseason program he is probably in line to begin the season as the fourth receiver.

Who will start at linebacker?

Before suffering a season-ending chest injury, Micah Kiser appeared on track to start alongside Littleton last season. Kiser’s setback created opportunity for undrafted free agent Troy Reeder.

Now with Littleton playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, Kiser and Reeder are regarded as frontrunners to start at the inside spots in a group that also includes Travin Howard, Kenny Young and rookie Clay Johnston.

The Rams need Floyd, the ninth pick in the 2016 draft, to perform better on the outside than he did for the Bears. Samson Ebukam, Obo Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick or rookie Terrell Lewis — currently on the COVID reserve list — could start opposite Floyd.

With no preseason games, how will Bonamego and McVay choose a kicker?

More than ever, every kick in practice will count as Lirim Hajrullahu, Austin MacGinnis and rookie Sam Sloman compete to replace Greg Zuerlein, the 2018 playoff hero now kicking for the Cowboys.

Hajrullahu is a Canadian Football League veteran and has made many pressure kicks as a pro.

MacGinnis performed well in the defunct Alliance of American Football and the XFL before signing with the Rams.

Sloman, a seventh-round draft pick, impressed at Miami-Ohio.

Kind of a lull right now with no Preseason on the horizon. Thought you might be interested.

Login to view embedded media View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NBqqlsp1m64

Saw this today.

Looks pretty sweet.

WoOoOoOo

Edit: Rams possibly with covid but in quarantine due to exposure.

Do we need an official thread for this? Idk, move if not but it might be a long one by end of season unfortunately.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/lindseythiry/status/1289293301560967168?s=21

Probably a top 5 CB in Rams history, Todd Lyght was a mainstay in the Rams secondary throughout the 90s and was a major contributor the Super Bowl winning 1999 Rams.
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/XKoqx6oJZYk

This will be fun to watch! Mainly the helicopter for me.

Mars 2020/2021 Perseverance

Mission Name: Mars 2020
Rover Name: Perseverance
Main Job: The Perseverance rover will seek signs of ancient life and collect rock and soil samples for possible return to Earth.
Launched: July 30, 2020
Launch Location: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Landing: Feb. 18, 2021
Landing Site: Jezero Crater, Mars
Mission Duration: At least one Mars year (about 687 Earth days)
Tech Demo: The Mars Helicopter is a technology demonstration, hitching a ride on the Perseverance rover.

Over the past two decades, missions flownby NASA’s Mars Exploration Program have shown us that Mars was once very different from the cold, dry planet it is today. Evidence discovered by landed and orbital missions point to wet conditions billions of years ago. These environments lasted long enough to potentially support the development of microbial life.

The Mars 2020/Perseverance rover is designed to better understand the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient life. The mission will collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth in the future. It will also test new technology to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.

Key Objectives
• Explore a geologically diverse landing site
• Assess ancient habitability
• Seek signs of ancient life, particularly in special rocks known to preserve signs of life over time
• Gather rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth by a future NASA mission
• Demonstrate technology for future robotic and human exploration

Mission Timeline
• Launch in July-August 2020 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
• Launching on a ULA Atlas 541 procured under NASA’s Launch Services Program
• Land on Mars on February 18, 2021 at the site of an ancient river delta in a lake that once filled Jezero Crater
• Spend at least one Mars year (two Earth years) exploring the landing site region

Key Hardware
Perseverance will carry seven instruments to conduct unprecedented science and test new technology on the Red Planet. They are:

Mastcam-Z, an advanced camera system with panoramic and stereoscopic imaging capability with the ability to zoom. The instrument also will determine mineralogy of the Martian surface and assist with rover operations. The principal investigator is James Bell, Arizona State University in Tempe.

SuperCam, an instrument that can provide imaging, chemical composition analysis, and mineralogy at a distance. The principal investigator is Roger Wiens, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico. This instrument also has a significant contribution from the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (CNES/IRAP), France.

Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL), an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and high-resolution imager to map the fine-scale elemental composition of Martian surface materials. PIXL will provide capabilities that permit more detailed detection and analysis of chemical elements than ever before. The principal investigator is Abigail Allwood, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC),a spectrometer that will provide fine-scale imaging and uses an ultraviolet (UV) laser to map mineralogy and organic compounds. SHERLOC will be the first UV Raman spectrometer to fly to the surface of Mars and will provide complementary measurements with other instruments in the payload. SHERLOC includes a high-resolution color camera for microscopic imaging of Mars’ surface. The principal investigator is Luther Beegle, JPL.

The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE), a technology demonstration that will produce oxygen from Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide. If successful, MOXIE’s technology could be used by future astronauts on Mars to burn rocket fuel for returning to Earth. The principal investigator is Michael Hecht, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA), a set of sensors that will provide measurements of temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, relative humidity, and dust size and shape. The principal investigator is Jose Rodriguez-Manfredi, Centro de Astrobiología, Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial, Spain.

The Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX), a ground-penetrating radar that will provide centimeter-scale resolution of the geologic structure of the subsurface. The principal investigator is Svein-Erik Hamran, the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, Norway.

Rover Size and Dimensions

Perseverance’s body and other major hardware (such as the cruise stage, descent stage, and aeroshell/heat shield) build upon the success of NASA’s Curiosity rover and include many heritage components.

The car-sized Perseverance rover has roughly the same dimensions as Curiosity: it’s about 10 feet long (not including the arm), 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall (about 3 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 2.2 meters tall). But at 2,260 pounds (1,025 kilograms), Perseverance is about 278 pounds (126 kilograms) heavier than Curiosity.

Technology

Perseverance will also test new technology for future robotic and human missions to the Red Planet. That includes an autopilot for avoiding hazards called Terrain Relative Navigation and a set of sensors for gathering data during the landing (Mars Entry, Descent and Landing Instrumentation 2, or MEDLI2). A new autonomous navigation system will allow the rover to drive faster in challenging terrain.

As with Curiosity, Perseverance’s baseline power systemis a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) provided by the U.S. Department of Energy. It uses the heat from the natural decay of plutonium-238 to generate electricity.
Program Management

The Mars 2020 Project is managed for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C., by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California. At NASA Headquarters, George Tahu is the Mars 2020 program executive and Mitchell Schulte is program scientist. At JPL, John McNamee is the Mars 2020 project manager and Ken Farley of Caltech is project scientist.

How Terrell Lewis fits in pass rush rotation

The Los Angeles Rams expect to be a championship contender in 2020, not two years removed from being NFC Champions during the 2018 season.

Scanning over their roster, one of the areas that stands out as a huge question mark is the pass rush department, which wasn’t given a ton of attention in the 2020 offseason.

As the Rams transition from a legendary defensive coordinator in Wade Phillips to a first-year coordinator in Brandon Staley, a disciple of Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio.

As Staley brings his scheme to the Rams, he’s going to have an interesting cast of characters off the edge to work with. One of the most talented guys he will have in his group is former Alabama outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, a big-time talent who was limited to just 14 games in four years for the Crimson Tide.

The fact that Lewis was selected by the Rams 84th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft speaks volumes to his talent level and potential fit in their defense.

Where does he fit in with this current group of edge rushers?

Rams pass rush depth chart

Aaron Donald is obviously going to open a lot of things up for edge players on the outside if they know how to work off of his success defeating and taking on double or even triple teams.

Last season, Dante Fowler Jr. got things figured out and racked up 11.5 sacks.

Unfortunately, the Rams won’t have Fowler back for the 2020 season as he’s off to the Atlanta Falcons on a free agent contract.

Veteran Clay Matthews also notched eight sacks for the Rams last season, but he’s also not back with the team in 2020.

Samson Ebukam who had 10 QB hits and 4.5 sacks in 16 games last season is the leading pass rusher returning to this Rams roster. Everybody else is unknown or coming from a different team.

Leonard Floyd, a former first-round pick of the Chicago Bears who has experience working with Staley in Chicago, is coming to the Rams in 2020 with 18.5 career sacks to his name, certainly not what everyone had envisioned for him when he came into the league.

The other wild card off the edge for the Rams is Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, a former Oklahoma pass rusher who had big-time potential coming out of college and could still emerge for the Rams now entering his third NFL season.

All of this to say that Terrell Lewis, despite his injury history at Alabama, certainly has an opportunity to make an impact in his first year in Los Angeles.

The pass rush reps will be there and it’s hard to believe with a shortened offseason and a new defense being installed that Brandon Staley is going to see so much from either Samson Ebukam or Leonard Floyd that he will be able to basically redshirt Lewis.

Lewis, unlike anyone else in the Rams’ pass rush depth chart, has an ideal combination of size, length, quickness off the snap, and the ability to finish plays consistently.

There’s plenty of development to be done on Lewis’ end, but the lack of experience combined with the incredible raw talent is someone reminiscent of Robert Quinn coming out of North Carolina in 2011. Even Quinn had 25 games of college experience, but he also missed the entire 2010 season before he was picked in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by, ironically, the St. Louis Rams.

Lewis could see a similar career trajectory as a player who showed first-round potential in college but had such a small sample size that he was really boom or bust in the draft.

If Lewis can stay healthy, there’s little doubt he will be more boom than bust.

Mine are:

OFFENSIVE

RB Cam Akers - I think he will give the Rams
Offense some much needed spark!
Being an FSU Fan(!), I was thrilled with the
Rams selecting him in the past Draft! I think
he will work really well with Malcolm Brown
and Darrell Henderson!

DEFENSIVE

OLB Terrell Lewis - IF, Lewis can stay Healthy I
think he will help replace Dante Fowler
as well as possibly help out at multiple
LB positions and be a huge asset to the Rams
Defense!

Graham Gano is available if Rams are interested

The Los Angeles Rams have three young kickers in training camp and they seem at terms with them competing to take over for Greg Zuerlein, who departed to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency after eight seasons with the team.

However, if the Rams want to bring in a veteran, an interesting name has become available. The Carolina Panthers released Graham Gano on Thursday. He has played in the NFL since 2009, but did not play last season and in the final four games of the 2018 season due to an injury to his left, plant leg.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1288872171973087232?s=21


Gano, 33, has been reliable in the past. He has converted 82.1 percent of his field-goal attempts in his career. If he can prove he is healthy, the Rams could consider him.

The Rams are currently green at the position. They drafted Sam Sloman in the seventh round and added untested kickers Lirim Hajrullahu and Austin MacGinnis in the offseason. Not having any preseason games to judge the young kickers in game-pressure situations could hurt the Rams, so going to a proven vet like Gano could be the way to go in this strange season.

Analysis: Five players to watch on the Rams offense as training camp opens

Players officially reported to Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union earlier this week. As they gear up for a return to the practice field later next month, theRams.com takes a look at five of them to watch on offense.

Note: Choices and analysis reflect the author's alone and do not represent the views of the Rams coaching staff.

1) Running back Malcolm Brown

Undoubtedly, there will be interest in rookie Cam Akers and second-year pro Darrell Henderson, but Brown is just as deserving of attention. Last season, Brown was a dependable option near the goal line, as all five of his rushing touchdowns – a career-high – came inside the opponent's five-yard line. He also finished 69 carries for 255 yards – both career-highs.

However, as Brown reminded fans via his Instagram account below, he's capable of being a multi-dimensional option out of the backfield.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCwBRvRpWA1/?igshid=1ew3g4cde9ngk


2) Wide receiver Van Jefferson

Jefferson was well-regarded among this year's wide receiver draft class for his route-running prowess and separation skills. While Rams evaluators – and via YouTube, fans – have seen those attributes on film, padded practices and team drills will offer L.A.'s coaching staff its first chance to see both in-person.

3) Offensive lineman Brian Allen

Allen's first season as a full-time starter ended prematurely due to a knee injury sustained against the Steelers in Pittsburgh in Week 10. However, Rams head coach Sean McVay said last month players like Allen and Joe Noteboom that had those surgeries and were in the middle of rehab pre-COVID-19 pandemic "are feeling good," and that he didn't anticipate any players not being ready for training camp.

With no on-field work this spring due to a virtual offseason program, training camp will be the first opportunity see Allen on grass.

4) Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom

A season-ending knee injury against the 49ers in Week 6 ended Noteboom's first year as a full-time starter sooner than expected. Considering he will be vying for a starting spot again this year and is viewed by Rams general manager Les Snead as a potential candidate to eventually replace left tackle Andrew Whitworth when Whitworth retires, it will also be worth watching to see how Noteboom looks and where he is at in his development.

5) Tight end Gerald Everett

Many of the offseason headlines externally have focused on Tyler Higbee after his historic 2019 season, but it would be disingenuous to not acknowledge Everett's contributions. Though he missed three games due to injury, Everett still recorded career highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (408). His two touchdowns fell one shy of matching his career-high for that category.

"Really, really excited about what Gerald Everett's going to do," McVay said in early April. "I think Tyler Higbee did a phenomenal job, but I think Gerald Everett's a guy that I've got to do a better job of utilizing his skill set because he's a difference-maker. But he's got to get the opportunities and I think that starts with some of the things I know I can do a better job of."

The first chance to see if Everett gets those opportunities will likely be training camp.

This shit is going fast man. Another stud from the 70s, Dave Elmendorf.
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/QPW_zTmqBSE

The world will miss this woman.

Whoever she is!



Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/nickveronica/status/1287750204674932736?s=21

Having already been named to the NFL's All-Decade team of the 2010s, it should come as no surprise that Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is once again regarded as one of the Top 10 players in the league.

Donald's NFL peers voted him No. 3 on the NFL's "Top 100 Players of 2020" list, giving him his third-straight appearance in the Top 10. He was ranked No. 1 last year and No. 7 in 2018.

The University of Pittsburgh product has appeared on the Top 100 every year he's been in the league, too, checking in at No. 92 in 2015, No. 14 in 2016 and No. 15 in 2017 in addition to the trio of Top 10 rankings.

Statistically, Donald led the Rams with 20 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks this past season despite facing two or more blockers on 319 of his rushes, most of any interior defender according to Pro Football Focus. He has led the Rams in tackles for loss every year he's been with the team and sacks in each of the last five seasons.

With Donald's ranking, the Rams placed three players in this year's NFL Top 100. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp (89) made his first career appearance, while Jalen Ramsey (37) made his third.

Upside of LA Rams left guard Austin Corbett is undeniable

When the LA Rams began the 2019 season, interior offensive lineman Austin Corbett was prepared to play for the Cleveland Browns. But by mid-October 2019, the Rams offensive line was already unraveling, as the left guard, Joseph Noteboom fell to a season-ending injury. Wasting no time,

LA Rams general manager Les Snead contacted the Cleveland Browns about an offensive lineman who played on three special teams snaps. But he was the 33rd pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. His draft profile was strong, but nothing stood out. But in the draft analysis, Mike Mayock loved him, citing him as one of the cleanest (no penalty) players in the draft, and one with a bit of a mean streak.

Delayed opportunity

Lots of draft love never turned into an opportunity for Corbett in Cleveland. The Browns were set at both offensive guard positions when drafting Corbett. He arrived at the Browns under offensive head coach Hue Jackson but was led by head coach Gregg Williams for the final eight games. By 2019, the now second-year player was up to his third head coach in Freddie Kitchens.

By October 2019, early into his second year, he was traded to the LA Rams and met his fourth head coach Sean McVay. He returns to the Rams this year with a career first: He will be playing for the same head coach who he played for a season ago. Two years, four head coaches, four different playbooks and offensive philosophies, 22 NFL games where he saw action, eight games starting.

Put yourself in his position

Let’s say you hired on for a job to work for a new boss. Within six months of your hiring, that boss was fired. Your next boss, a temporary manager, stayed on for six months. Then he was replaced by a new boss. But in six months’ time, you found out that your company had transferred you all the way across the country, and oh, by the way, be ready to hit the floor running at your new job. For all that moving and reporting to new bosses, that’s just the logistics side of the equation.

Austin Corbett is a solid offensive line talent who arrived at the LA Rams from a very dysfunctional NFL team. He arrived and was almost instantly plugged into the LA Rams starting offensive line. Is it any wonder that his 2018 PFF grade of 54.9 looks very similar to his 2019 PFF grade of 51.8? It’s difficult to improve your swimming stroke when you are trying to keep from drowning.

From cobwebs to center stage

Lots of moving, learning a new playbook, and moving on in 18 months for Corbett. Shockingly, his arrival and being pushed into an immediate starting role for the LA Rams at left guard is the most stable situation Corbett has enjoyed in his first two seasons. Imagine that? Is it any wonder that his game performance never seemed to build from a sparse use from the previous season? Corbett was a collegiate left tackle who was trained to back up the center in his first NFL season, For his second NFL season, the Browns traded away their solid right guard, and expected Corbett to win the job. When he didn’t, the team pretty much gave up on him.

That’s how the Cleveland Browns converted their 2018 33rd pick into a 2021 5th round pick. But from the LA Rams perspective, the Rams landed one of the best offensive linemen from that 2018 NFL Draft. And in the process, found a player to plug into their offensive line as the successor to the great Rodger Saffold. Of course, that type of performance will take time to replicate, if ever. But the job as the starting left guard is most definitely his to lose now. So what should the Rams realistically expect from their returning veteran?

Reason for higher expectations

Austin Corbett will definitely improve this year. Barring some injury to hamper his performance, I expect the young lineman to make huge strides for the team this season. How much will he improve? Well, he’s had an entire off-season to adjust to playing for the LA Rams, and an extended period of virtual training camp to meet his teammates, learn the playbook, and interact with the coaching staff. While many players will struggle this season as rookies, the 2020 offseason provided exactly what Corbett needed to get his bearings and lay the foundation for a solid season.

Corbett’s college background at the left tackle helps his role at left guard tremendously. His keys are opposite from the right side of the football. And that means his first reactions to surprises on the left side will be correct. And finally, for the first time in Austin Corbett’s career, he enters a football season with the same coaching staff and knowing which position he will be playing. And he faces familiar opponents.

Learning curve

Corbett’s learning curve was hampered due to events that were never in his control. But that’s behind him now, thankfully. Offensive linemen have one of the steepest learning curves in the NFL. But those early years recede, and if teams are patient, supportive, and coach well, those young men develop into outstanding NFL players. Corbett is finding all the necessary components with the Rams, and that makes his projected progress heading into this year significantly more likely.

Corbett lines up between Andrew Whitworth on his left, and Austin Blythe on his right. Much like Blythe, Corbett is young and improving. At 6-foot-4 and 306-pounds, he is an ideal size to play the position. Finally, based on Next Gen stats, the LA Rams offensive line was more effective than expected last year. And the LA Rams are returning more offensive snaps to the offense than any other NFC West team. It all adds up for one heckuva season for the LA Rams Austin Corbett this year.

Why starting Josh Reynolds in 2020 could be an issue for the Rams

Warren Sharp writes about the NFL and he has a website, writers, and an annual season preview, the 2020 version of which you can purchase here.

Within that, you can see team breakdowns such as advanced offensive and defensive metrics (the LA Rams were sixth in red zone offense but 29th in red zone defense last season), strength of schedule, betting lines, usage rate by player and situation (Malcolm Brown was the main back when the Rams led by 9+), target distribution by player and distance, personnel groupings, and plenty more.

When it comes to the outlook for the 2020 Rams based on the tendencies of 2017-2019, I want to focus on what the preview pointed out regarding personnel groupings, as this was the writer’s main focus in the section for Los Angeles.

I think it will be easier if I break it down in bulletpoints while adding in some of my own research. I will hold back in revealing everything from the season preview, but trust me there’s plenty in there besides these notes.

• In 2017, Sean McVay used 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three receivers) 81-percent of the time. That was up from 66-percent under Jeff Fisher in 2016 and well above the NFL average of 59-percent.
• With Robert Woods through 11 games in 2017, the Rams were in 11 personnel 74-percent of the time, 85-percent of passing plays. Without Woods for the next three weeks, 11 personnel went up to 92-percent of total plays and 96-percent of passing plays.
• Woods had been Jared Goff’s top target up to then, catching 47 of 70 throws for 703 yards, 10 yards per target and 15 yards per reception.
• Instead of using 11 personnel less, he used Josh Reynolds more. Reynolds had played in only 84 snaps and been targeted three times prior to Week 12, at which point he had 62 snaps and was targeted six times. Reynolds caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown that week against the New Orleans Saints, a win. The next week he was target six times again, but caught only two of those for six yards. The next week he caught two of two for 17 yards.
• Goff’s Y/A dropped from 8.2 with Woods to 7.7 in the three games without him.

Sharp then examines how McVay responded in 2018, his most successful season to date.

• Los Angeles was in 11 personnel on 97-percent of their offensive plays in the first four games of 2018.
• Again a receiver was hurt, this time Cooper Kupp. After playing in all but a handful of offensive snaps, Kupp could only manage 55-percent and 38-percent of snaps in the next two games, both road wins. This didn’t change McVay’s usage of 11 personnel at all, as he maintained around 97-percent, even when Kupp was finally rested. Kupp returned to play in all 60 snaps against the New Orleans Saints in week 9, but was placed on IR two weeks later. The usage of personnel did not change.
• Reynolds played in nine snaps in the first four weeks. Then when Kupp was injured, 55-percent of the snaps in Week 5. Then 62-percent. Then 84-percent. Then 88-percent. Without Woods, Reynolds was a starter. Without Kupp, Reynolds was a starter. An ineffective one.
• Goff posted a 10.3 Y/A, 59-percent success rate, and .39 EPA (Estimated Points Added) per attempt with a fully-healthy offense in the first quarter of the season. Without Kupp from Weeks 11-15 and with the same basic strategy, Goff posted 6.3 Y/A, 49-percent success, and -.07 EPA/attempt. The passing game, even for a team on its way to the Super Bowl, was technically a net negative over that quarter of the season. This includes scoring 54 points against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Then 2019 did see McVay play with new packages on offense.

• The Rams were in 11 personnel on an NFL-high 85-percent of snaps in the first quarter of last season.
• From Weeks 5-7, LA was in 11 on 66-percent of snaps, in 12 on 24-percent of snaps, and in 13 on eight-percent. “13 personnel” would be one running back, three tight ends, and one receiver. “12” would be one running back, two tight ends, and two receivers.
• The Rams were much more successful out of 11 during this time span.
• They ran the ball a lot more from 12 and 13, but those runs were on average much less successful than running from 11.
• When Brandin Cooks was hurt this time, McVay again responded with more 11 and more Reynolds. They went into 11 on 98-percent of snaps when Cooks was injured vs the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. They were in 11 on 94-percent in Week 10.
• Without Cooks, Goff was bad.
• Without Cooks and Woods in Week 11, they were in 12 on 67-percent of their snaps, a 17-7 win over the Chicago Bears.
• When Woods and Cooks returned in Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens, McVay went 11 on 98-percent of the snaps, losing 45-6.
• Without Gerald Everett for the final five games, McVay used 11 personnel 64-percent of the time and 12 personnel 34-percent. Instead of playing his receivers more, he played tight end Johnny Mundt more, going from 0 snaps against the Ravens to 23, 49, 11, 31, and 34 snaps in each of the final games, respectively.
• When Reynolds has started since 2017, the Rams offense has dipped by one full yard per pass attempt, four-percent in success rate, Goff’s passer rating drops from 96.8 to 83.1, and the EPA per attempt drops to nearly 0. Essentially with Reynolds, the passing “attack” has been anything but.
• Goff wasn’t sacked in any of his 80 dropbacks last season with two tight ends.

Trying to predict what Sean McVay will do next — with Kupp and Woods but for the first time not starting a season with a known third threat at receiver — would be ignoring the fact that he seems to do the opposite of the expectation in most of these cases. Is it as simple as predicting him to do the opposite of the expectation, which may be more 12 personnel?

Does the draft pick of Brycen Hopkins in the fourth indicate more 12 and 13 personnel? Does taking Cam Akers and Van Jefferson in the second indicate going back to 11 on 95-percent of the snaps? Can Jared Goff be expected to produce an above average EPA per play without a healthy Cooks, Woods, and a third receiver? Even if that receiver is Josh Reynolds?

These are not questions that can be worked out in the preseason, only scrimmages, and those full pad practices can’t even begin until August 17, about three weeks before the first regular season game. It may be that we see a lot of teams do dramatic personnel changes after the first quarter of the season anyway because there is no preseason. Or maybe not because we know we won’t be able to predict much of anything.

Except that whatever McVay does, unless he comes to camp as a completely different player, maybe it shouldn’t include more snaps for Reynolds.

I figured you old farts would be mad at me if I didn’t include Cleveland Gary
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/ADGw9gljAiQ

Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/jhYAVXMdmsk