I was going to do you guys dirty today and post the infamous three consecutive false starts by Alex Barron. But it felt too cruel. So I give you Joseph Noteboom. The future LT of the LA Rams. Hopefully.
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3 reasons Cooper Kupp challenges NFL’s top WR
Bret Stuter

The LA Rams put up big numbers in the passing game in 2019. But if you followed headlines, more than half of casual or even semi-informed NFL fans believe that the Rams offense was bad, and void of true playmakers. It does seem a little odd for an NFL team which finished 9-7, and was the best NFL team to miss the playoffs in 2019, would come up short on perceptions. But then again, it’s all a matter of trending.

The 2018 LA Rams offense dominated practically all of the NFL, coming up short just once in Super Bowl LIII. Since the Rams were so good the previous season, all microscopes were trained upon what went wrong for the team in 2019, at the expense of all else. Wrong was a pretty robust topic for the Rams in 2019. In fact, since so many things went wrong throughout the season, the narrative never got around to what went right for the team. That left casually interested fans with the impression that little did go right.

Optical Illusion

That perception perpetuated this offseason to the point where we’ve taken up the yolk of calling out the bad takes. Still, those pessimistic projections of the LA Rams offense are frequent and widespread. Like ants at a picnic, they just keep coming, popping up here and there. So a change of strategy is in order. Let’s focus upon what the Rams will do well in 2020.

Kupp continues to get noticeably better with each passing season. But it’s a fact that escapes many sports analysts because he is a bit of an optical illusion. After all, when he injured his ACL, the Rams competed in Super Bowl LIII. When he returned to the roster and had what should have been NFL Comeback Player of the Year, the team was less effective overall. So how can he challenge for the best wide receiver in the NFL? Well, we have three reasons:

Reason 3: His 2019 production led the LA Rams

What was, is, and will be. That’s a simplified version of why wide receiver Cooper Kupp will challenge for the top-wide receiver in 2020. A more mathematical and scientific-based approach would engage regression analysis, plot data points, track slope, and extend the graph out into future time periods. But it requires neither physicist nor statistician to read the NFL statistics and see the trend is heading in the right direction.

In just three seasons, he has jumped from rookie phenom to sure-handed veteran. That includes his injury-shortened second season when an ACL injury halted a very promising 2018 at the midpoint. He returned in 2019, not just to where he left off, but to lead the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions. He was not the most targetted receiver in 2019, Robert Woods was targetted more. Nor was he the fastest wide receiver, everyone agreed that Brandin Cooks was much faster.

Production then and now

What Cooper Kupp was in 2019 was sure-handed and deceptively quick. Despite the Rams offense filled with dangerous weapons, Kupp found the way to make himself open when the Rams needed to move the chains, score a touchdown, and generate positive yardage on offense. Despite multiple gifted receivers, talented tight ends, and eager running backs, Kupp was the go-to-guy more often than not.

With the Rams parting ways with both Brandin Cooks and RB Todd Gurley, you can bet that the team will be looking Kupp’s way more often than ever. At his current trend, he’s on track to play 900 offensive snaps, be targetted 160 times, catch 115 completions for 1,440 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Even at those lofty numbers, his yards per catch remain a realistic 12.52 yards/catch.

Reason 2: He is playing in just his fourth NFL season

One of the most difficult positions in the NFL to master is that of the wide receiver. The reason? The success of any wide receiver depends heavily upon who is throwing the ball. We’ve witnessed evidence of this whenever an NFL team is forced to make a change at quarterback, and suddenly a new receiver emerges as a favored target. And with that understanding, it’s then a logical leap to assert that the relationship between the quarterback and the receiver can spell or doom the success of that receiver.

Cooper Kupp understands the fragility of success for a wide receiver in the NFL. Even the most talented receivers fall in production without the trust and targets from the hands of the quarterback. A receiver can only catch passes thrown his way. And targets increase over time as trust and dependability are proven by catching the ball.

Year four is the breakout year

Year four is when great receivers distinguish themselves to be great receivers. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones had a breakout season in his fourth year in the NFL. So too did New Orleans standout wide receiver Michael Thomas have his best season ever in year four. Rookies do not arrive in the NFL as pro-bowl players. It takes time for even the best players to learn the game, the plays, the coaches, and teammates.

Kupp is no better nor worse than any other gifted NFL receiver. As he builds his reputation as a dependable player for his quarterback and coaching staff, they will trust him enough to feature him more and more on the offense. Most often, year four is when that trust reaches its peak, and the resulting production propels the receiver into the top spot in the NFL for that year.

Reason 1: He is playing in his contract year

The NFL is a business. As much as fans would love to have it be about the “love of the game”, it’s also about compensation. “Getting paid” is a huge motivator in the NFL to perform well, and the last year of a player’s contract is often when the player puts up career-high numbers. But what about the team? What is their incentive to feature a player whose production in the final year of their contract will only serve to drive up their asking price when everyone sits down to talk numbers?

Well, NFL teams do have incentives after all. Should Cooper Kupp sign a contract with another team as a free agent, the LA Rams would be positioned for an awarded compensatory pick in the next NFL Draft. The value of that pick would be related to the size of the player’s contract. So a productive final season adds some delayed compensation to the team.

Can Rams afford Kupp’s full potential?

The LA Rams ILB Cory Littleton played himself out of the team’s budget by putting up a monster season in 2019. So too did the one-year production of OLB Dante Fowler Jr. put his asking price out of the Rams’ price range. Wouldn’t a monster season by Kupp have a similar effect? Well, it could. After all, the LA Rams presumed top priority is re-signing cornerback Jalen Ramsey. While Kupp is likely to be the next priority, the Rams have options should they fail to get him re-inked to a new contract. The team has wide receiver Josh Reynolds, whose contract also expires in 2021. If the Rams fail to re-sign Kupp, they will likely push hard to retain Reynolds.

The Rams also drafted a very similar player in rookie Van Jefferson. If Cooper Kupp signs on with another NFL team, the Rams will likely turn to Jefferson to take over for him next year. So while a great season out of Kupp could mean a parting of the ways, the Rams will be fully supportive of Kupp’s efforts to reach his full potential this season. The more yards and TDs Kupp puts up in 2020, the more success the Rams have this year. Will that lead to Cooper Kupp signing with another team in 2021? That bridge will be crossed at another time. For now, the Rams will need everything Cooper Kupp has to win in 2020. From how it looks right now? That’s quite a lot!

in new Bio Picture



Kurt Warner is surely excited to have his improbable journey to NFL stardom chronicled into a movie. It's also safe to say that he is excited about the actor that has chosen to portray him. Warner, a Hall of Fame quarterback who went from a third shift grocery store clerk to a Super Bowl MVP in just a few short years, will see his story come to life in a movie titled "American Underdog," with production on the movie expected to begin later this year. The actor that will play warner is Zach Levi, who recently starred as a DC Comics superhero in the movie, "Shazam!"

"What a crazy, amazing journey this has been," Warner said via Twitter earlier this week. ... "Now I'm going to be played by a Super Hero!! Excited you [Zachary Levi] are taking this ride with us, can't wait to see you deliver our story to the BIG screen!"

The 39-year-old actor expressed his excitement to play Warner via his Instagram account Wednesday afternoon.

"Beyond pumped for this one. Have always found [Kurt Warner], his family, and their journey, to be an uplifting and inspiring one. Can't wait to bring their story to screens both larger and small. Big thanks to [Erwin Brothers] and [Lions Gate] for trusting me with donning lucky No. 13."



Warner was an unknown commodity before taking over for Trent Green before the start of the 1999 season. An undrafted rookie in 1994, Warner played arena football as well as in NFL Europe before spending the 1998 season as the team's third-string quarterback. Warner's experience in the fast-paced, condensed world of arena football paid dividends when he got his opportunity to play in 1999, as he led a fast, explosive Rams offense that averaged nearly 33 points per game during the regular season. That season, Warner led the NFL in completion percentage (65.1) and touchdown passes (41) while becoming the first quarterback in history to throw at least three touchdown passes in his first four career starts. Warner led the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory that season, a 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans.

The MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV, Warner earned his second league MVP award in 2001 after leading the league in completion percentage (68.7), passing yards (4,830) and touchdown passes (36) while leading the Rams to their second Super Bowl in three years. Warner later enjoyed more success with the Arizona Cardinals, leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2008 season.

Warner's career earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Warner was an unknown commodity before taking over for Trent Green before the start of the 1999 season. An undrafted rookie in 1994, Warner played arena football as well as in NFL Europe before spending the 1998 season as the team's third-string quarterback. Warner's experience in the fast-paced, condensed world of arena football paid dividends when he got his opportunity to play in 1999, as he led a fast, explosive Rams offense that averaged nearly 33 points per game during the regular season. That season, Warner led the NFL in completion percentage (65.1) and touchdown passes (41) while becoming the first quarterback in history to throw at least three touchdown passes in his first four career starts. Warner led the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory that season, a 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans.

The MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV, Warner earned his second league MVP award in 2001 after leading the league in completion percentage (68.7), passing yards (4,830) and touchdown passes (36) while leading the Rams to their second Super Bowl in three years. Warner later enjoyed more success with the Arizona Cardinals, leading the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2008 season.

Warner's career earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

SHAZAM !!!

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CBS Sports radio.

Hall of Famer Jackie Slater breaks down what's happened to the running game in the modern NFL
Slater, who blocked for some of the best backs in NFL history, sizes up why teams don't run the ball like they once did

Jackie Slater, a Hall of Fame offensive linemen, thoroughly enjoyed watching Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans' improbable run to the AFC Championship Game this past January. The Titans' formula for success during their run -- a versatile, punishing ground attack that was complemented by an opportunistic defense -- was a throwback to a different era in pro football, an era where a dominant rushing attack was the preferred means of offensive transportation.

Slater, who is on the board of directors for the Pro Football Retired Players Association, was recently asked about the current state of the running game. While he believes that the running game is still an important part of pro football, Slater, who blocked for seven 1,000-yard running backs during his 20 NFL seasons (19 with the Rams), broke down the reasons why he believes the running game is not as prevalent in today's NFL as it once was.

The current build of today's running backs

Most modern-day running backs are asked to be more versatile while making plays in both the passing and running games. While versatile backs are still more than capable of impacting a game, they are less capable of taking over a game out of the backfield, something that most franchise backs were asked to do during Slater's time in the NFL.

"It's rare that you find a guy like Todd Gurley, who weighs 230 pounds who is equally effective as a runner and a receiver," Slater said. "You look at Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook. Most of these guys are little guys that can hurt you out of the backfield, but they're not the type of guys that you can give it to 30 times a game. Walter Payton, my college teammate, he was a guy you could give it to 30 times a game."

In 1984, Slater helped Eric Dickerson rush for an NFL single-season record 2,105 yards. Slater believes that Dickerson, if he was playing in the same system that was formerly employed in Los Angeles, would be as successful today as he was during his heyday.

"He was the best pure running back that I played with in the 20 years that I played in the NFL," Slater said of Dickerson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. "During John Robinson's tenure, if you were a good running back, you were going be successful because his mandate was to run the ball. His mandate was to use variety. His mandate was to be physical at the line of scrimmage. And that's the formula to being successful in the running game to start with. And when you stack running backs like Eric Dickerson or Greg Bell or Jerome Bettis on top of that, then you get records. It's as simple as that."

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A change in offensive philosophy

One of the things that Slater enjoyed about the Titans' recent playoff run was the complexity of Tennessee's running schemes. He says that most teams employ running games that are far more basic than the one the Titans employed during their playoff run.

"If you look at some teams, what you'll see is a sweep to the right, a sweep to the left, tight, inside runs to the right and tight, inside runs to the left," Slater said. "That's it. You don't see counters. You don't see bends. You don't see powers. You don't see a collection of a lot of different types of runs."

Slater believes that, in most situations, coaches are focusing more on adding layers to their passing attack as opposed to their running game. Slater says the outliers here include the Titans, the 49ers, the Seahawks, the Cowboys, and the Patriots under offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, who retired in January after 34 seasons in New England.

"[Scarnecchia's] guys were going hit you in the lips," Slater said, "and they were going to hit you in the lips in a variety of ways. And you weren't going to sit there and say, 'Ok, I know he's doing this, I know he's doing that.' You were going to have to be a thinking man's football player. So it wasn't just Tom Brady throwing the ball and, obviously, it's good to have a guy like Tom that can play. But when you run the ball and you make defenders hesitate, it makes a big difference."

Speaking of Brady, Slater said most offensive linemen are now solely being valued for their ability to protect passers that primarily throw from the pocket. That has led to the NFL going with taller, heavier linemen whose size can be a liability when being asked to do certain things in the running game. One of the examples Slater used was former Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

"[Ogden] could put his hand in the ground and come off the ball and knock you off the ball, but nobody ever asked Jonathan to pull to the other side of the line of scrimmage that much," Slater said. "So I think one of the things that has contributed, in addition to the excitement that the vertical game brings to the game of football, if you think about it, that quarterback's sitting in that pocket, he's not been paid over the years to be like Lamar Jackson. He's just paid to make decisions from that pocket, so that pocket is least likely to get collapsed if you have a 340-pound guy that's sitting there that you got to go through to get to that quarterback.

"By the same token, that 340-pound guy, he can run block straight in front of him and be a good in-line blocker, but when he has to run a counter, when he has to run a sweep, when he's out spearheading an attack, that's when it becomes a liability to be that size."

One of the things Slater praised as it relates to the recent Patriots and 49ers teams is their ability to use the running game to control the time of possession. While many things in the NFL have changed over the years, what hasn't changed is the considerable advantage teams have when they are able to control the ball for the majority of the game.

"Your defense, the more it has to play, the less effective it really becomes," Slater said. "That's why guys like Aaron Donald are so special. The numbers indicate that teams are playing more third down defenses, more nickel packages on first and second down than they did two years ago. I think it went from over 50% to almost 80%. People are coming out in passing formations on first and second down.

"The linebackers are 210, 215, 230 pounds and can fly," Slater continued. "But if you go hit them in the lips consistently, they're not going to going to hold up, if you serve it up right. And I think the people up in San Francisco [are doing it right]. And it will be interesting to see what the Patriots do [now that] Coach Scarnecchia is gone. There's a few teams around — the people in Dallas, the people in Seattle — they understand this. And you look at the coaches that are working with these guys, you look at their experience, you know why."

Versatile offensive linemen and sophisticated rushing attacks have become 'a lost art'

Slater believes that, because of the pressures to quickly succeed in today's NFL, most teams no longer spend the necessary time developing offensive linemen. He also believes the league's condensed offseason has limited the effectiveness of linemen and, therefore, the sophistication of today's rushing attacks.

"In my opinion, a good offensive lineman must be able to do two things really well," Slater said. "He must be able to pass block and take the supreme pass blocker out of the equation in a one-on-one situation, and then he must be able to communicate with his teammates, adjacent offensive linemen, in run blocking schemes, so that they can be effective when they insert the ball behind them in the running game. That requires a lot of communication in the running game. It requires skill being taught to you. It requires a lot of confidence and a mentality to do it. I think it's a missing art in the National Football League. I understand there are reasons why."

Slater thinks NFL offenses should take more advantage of playing against defenders who are mostly valued for their ability to rush the quarterback. If NFL teams committed more to the running game, pass rushers like Von Miller and T.J. Watt may be forced to think more about stopping the run as opposed to solely focusing on the opposing quarterback.

"With me and most of the guys that I played with, we respected good pass rushers," Slater said. "But those good pass rushers, they had to earn the right to rush the passer. And how did they earn the right? They had to get their nose bloodied. They had to bloody our nose. They had to make decisions at the line of scrimmage that didn't allow a good back to insert right off of our blocks and go 15, 20 yards."

Slater, who, along with fellow lineman Dennis Harrah and Doug France, helped Los Angeles appear in its first Super Bowl at the end of the 1979 season, said that his Rams team found its ideal offensive symmetry after Los Angeles hired Ernie Zampese, who had spent the previous eight seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Chargers' record-setting offense, in 1987. Along with the team's tried and true rushing attack, Zampese's West Coast influence put the Rams' offense over the top. Even without Dickerson (who was traded to the Colts in 1987 over a contract dispute), Los Angeles was still able to advance to the NFC title game in 1989.

"We were very highly skilled," Slater said. "We weren't limited to one or two blocking schemes. We ran everything. We ran powers. We ran dives. We ran bellies, which is inside zone to the tight end, inside zone away from the counter end. Counter to the tight end. Counters away from the tight end. Powers where you go to the tight end, double team on that front side and then you insert the backside guard pulling over there. Then we did tackle traps. It was unbelievable."

Zampese would later become offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, as his well-balanced offensive philosophy helped Dallas win three Super Bowls in a four-year span. Under Zampese, Emmitt Smith, the NFL's all-time career rushing leader, became the first player to win the Super Bowl after leading the league in rushing during the regular season.

A dominant rushing attack still has a place in today's NFL

Slater believes, based on the recent success of the Titans, 49ers, Seahawks, Cowboys, Ravens and Patriots, the traditional rushing attack still has a place in modern-day football. And while Patrick Mahomes took home the MVP trophy, the Chiefs needed a strong performance by running back Damien Williams to bring home the franchise's first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years.

"I think the teams that are going to really rear their heads relative to playoffs, relative to opportunities to go to the Super Bowl, relative to winning and consistency playing well on both sides of the ball -- and I'm talking about the defense and the offense as well -- are going to be the teams that have a very good balance and an understanding of how to meticulously move the ball down the field with the running game," Slater said. "If you're going to strategically run the ball, you're not going to serve up a 255-pound, 260-pound defensive end going against a 330-pound tackle if you're strategically running the ball past this guy. You'll beat the pass rush right out of him.

"I think the teams that go about their business of instituting solid play at the line of scrimmage on the offensive line and are moving the ball in the running game, those are the teams that you have to recon with towards the end of the year."

Will the Rams regret decision to go younger in 2020?
Bret Stuter

The 2019 LA Rams were a healthy mix of veterans and youth on the roster. At safety, the Rams began the season with youth and veterans by starting both John Johnson and Eric Weddle. When Johnson fell to a season-ending injury, the team promoted rookie Taylor Rapp. So too did the offense feature the young and energetic young wide receiver Cooper Kupp to compliment the talents of veterans Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks.

The rushing attack was spearheaded by veteran running back Todd Gurley, and augmented by rookie Darrell Henderson and undrafted running back Malcolm Brown. The linebacking corps was bookended by veteran OLBs Clay Matthews and Dante Fowler Jr., while the interior was manned by Bryce Hager and Cory Littleton.

Experience required? Optional!

Even the quarterback room was led by the young Rams quarterback Jared Goff but backed up by NFL veteran Blake Bortles. Throughout the Rams roster, the team had balanced veterans with rookies. Ah, but that was then and this is now.

Eric Weddle retired. Brandin Cooks was traded. Todd Gurley and Clay Matthews were released. And Dante Fowler Jr. and Cory Littleton signed significant contracts to play elsewhere. They are gone. POOF! Vanished. And with them goes their many years of NFL experience. The roster will be reloaded, but not by veterans. The Rams will be fielding rookies in 2020.

New talent with no stage

The Rams’ decision to go younger in 2020 was not simply based on a random spin of a decision wheel. All NFL teams run the ebb and flow of the NFL salary cap, loading up on young talent when their finances are all but spent, and signing younger players to expensive follow-up contracts when the money is available. It’s that choreographed rhythmic reloading of the roster with highly paid veterans that is the make or break two-step of every NFL general manager.

And it’s that need to count the cards, keep an eye on today’s roster while planning for tomorrow that truly distinguishes NFL careers at building a championship team. It’s a high tightwire. Go too heavy on veteran talent, and the team falls perilously from the heights of the NFL playoffs to the NFL has-been pile, all the while left with no funds and no draft picks. But go too young and the team spends more time developing talented players who are more than happy to sign big paychecks elsewhere to compete for an NFL championship.

Full of talent but starving for an opportunity

The LA Rams had the perfect opportunity to dredge the ranks of the 2020 NFL Draft and free agents after the draft as the talent pool for 2020 was incredibly deep. Thanks to imperfect information, the inability to assess medical conditions, and the sheer number of NFL-worthy prospects, many NFL teams set artificially high standards on their draft boards. Many teams shied away from any prospect who was injured in his college career. So too, many teams focused exclusively upon players from major NCAA football schools. That left very talented players who had a college injury and small school players wide open. And the Rams were waiting with contracts after the NFL draft.

A team typically compensates for that by giving undrafted players particular attention, trying to pick out those players who will contribute on the roster in specific roles or as a player who can be developed into something special over time. But COVID-19 has greatly reduced the on-field practices, halved the preseason games, and forced the coaching staff to work at an incredible pace simply to get the team ready for the season.

What flavor? It’s all vanilla anyways

Anyone who was either a child or is the parent of a large family knows not to ask what flavor of ice cream to purchase at the store. Whenever my well-intended father would dare to ask us what flavor ice cream we wanted, the requests would always outnumber the number of children by a two to one margin. His response to this impossible question? “That’s it! We’ll settle for vanilla!” and that was that.

So too the LA Rams prep time for an NFL season has been an extended period of virtual training, followed by a crash course training camp beginning on July 28, 2020. While we are very confident the LA Rams coaching staff is up to the challenge, the limited amount of time and the very nature of streamlining the entire process has significant consequences. In short, there will be limited options for the team to open the season. Limited in that playbooks will be less dense. Playcalling on both offense and defense will be less complex.

Will the LA Rams rewind, renewed, or revisit the Roster?

So who has the inside track for the Rams roster now? Unless an extremely gifted player stands out, the Rams will likely fill roster spots with returning players. For those who are gifted rookies, the team will likely tend to place them onto the practice squad for now. The new collective bargaining agreement has made provisions for a team to reassign a called-up player back to the practice squad without the burdensome process of cutting the player and forcing that player to clear waivers before doing so.

The LA Rams have already baked rookie players into the roster. Running back Cam Akers will likely get the lion’s share of carries. WR Van Jefferson will be involved in offensive rotations. So too will defensive backs Terrell Burgess and perhaps even Jordan Fuller see some defensive snaps. But for the most part, the LA Rams roster is as locked down as commercial businesses. That may or may not be best for the team. And it’s by no means a slight on the talented rookies who may be picking up the Rams playbook with ease. It’s the limited opportunities to demonstrate to coaches that the new players have mastered the playbook is where the concern remains. Life comes at you fast. So too does an NFL season with just three weeks to prepare. Here we go.

Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

Once again, the Los Angeles Rams have made wholesale changes at outside linebacker. They’ve had very little stability at that spot since 2017, with starters ranging from Robert Quinn and Matt Longacre three years ago to Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews most recently.

Fowler and Matthews are both gone, which has opened gaping holes on the edge. Leonard Floyd and his fully guaranteed $10 million contract will start on one side, but the Rams have a competition to sort out in camp on the other side. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is among the candidates to start this season, but only if he can beat out Samson Ebukam and Terrell Lewis.

If he can, he’ll have the potential to break out in his third NFL season. He still has work to do, but the talent and opportunity are there. He just has to capitalize on it.

NFL career thus far

Okoronkwo’s impact in the NFL has been minimal thus far. He missed his entire rookie season in 2018 with a foot injury, and last year, he was only on the field for 10% of the defensive snaps (115 total). He recorded 1.5 sacks and seven tackles, hitting the quarterback four times.

Okoronkwo seemed like a perfect fit in Wade Phillips’ scheme when he was drafted in the fifth round, being an undersized but quick pass rusher on the edge. But even under Phillips, Okoronkwo had a hard time carving out a role in the Rams’ defense.

He hasn’t come close to realizing his potential as a pass rusher and he still has to develop into a well-rounded linebacker, making this a wildly important summer for the third-year player out of Oklahoma.

Why he could break out

With Fowler, Matthews and Ebukam all ahead of him on the depth chart in 2019, Okoronkwo didn’t have many chances to rush the passer or play meaningful snaps. That will change this year with Matthews and Fowler gone. Floyd will likely replace Matthews as the strongside linebacker, primarily succeeding against the run, but Okoronkwo fits perfectly as the weakside edge rusher.

He showed some flashes of being an effective pass rusher last season despite playing very limited snaps, creating a sense of optimism as he enters this critical offseason. He could be poised for a breakout season if he can beat out Ebukam and Lewis, which is conceivable. He just has to stand out in practice and in the preseason (assuming there is one) by getting to the quarterback consistently, while also improving against the run.

One example of his ability came against the Cardinals last season. This was by far his best rush of the 2019 season, using a killer spin move to get a hit on Kyler Murray. It was negated by a roughing the passer penalty, but it was a clean hit by Okoronkwo.

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The spin is undoubtedly his favorite pass-rush move, and it works well as a counter when the tackle is caught getting too deep into his drop.

Okoronkwo does a good job using his arm to club the blocker, too, causing the tackle’s momentum to continue deeper into the backfield. He was credited with a half-sack on the play, splitting it with Cory Littleton.

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Okoronkwo has good short-area quickness and awareness, which was shown on this play against the Falcons. He sidesteps the tight end and knocks aside the running back en route to the quarterback, generating some pressure on Matt Ryan.

It was a long-developing screen pass, but Okoronkwo got to the quarterback efficiently and caused Ryan to throw the ball sooner than he wanted.

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He can win without spinning off a blocker, too. He doesn’t get the sack or hit here, but he helped force Andy Dalton out of the pocket by beating the tackle to the inside. Okoronkwo also showed good pursuit to stay in the play after Dalton escaped.

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Plays like the four above give reasons for hope with Okoronkwo, even if he’s done very little in the NFL up to this point. And it’s why he could break out in his third year with the Rams.

Why he may not

Pass rushers take a little while to develop in the NFL, and that’s certainly been the case for Okoronkwo. He’s undersized to begin with, and his foot injury in 2018 that caused his rookie year to be wiped out didn’t help, either. And clearly the Rams didn’t feel that strongly about his development last year, since he was buried on the depth chart behind Fowler, Matthews and Ebukam.

To make matters worse, Okoronkwo will have a new defensive coordinator in 2020 – a defensive coordinator who covets big, lanky edge rushers in the mold of Floyd and Lewis. Okoronkwo certainly doesn’t fit that build, which could hurt his standing with Brandon Staley.

You can see on the play below that he sometimes has trouble shedding blockers due to his smaller stature.

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He has to develop a bigger repertoire of pass-rush moves, because his spin counter isn’t always going to work. And as teams get scouting reports on his game, tackles will begin to plan for that spin move to the inside.

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The combination of an unrefined pass-rush skill set, Staley’s outside linebacker preferences and the lack of a proven track record in the NFL could cause Okoronkwo to be nothing more than a backup this season.

Via Pro Football Focus:

OG Austin Corbett, Los Angeles Rams

Another offensive lineman with a lot to prove, Austin Corbett was an intriguing prospect who was potentially overdrafted by the Browns in the second round. His NFL position was always up for debate, having played tackle in college, but he was always viewed as an interior lineman at the next level. He has been playing almost exclusively at left guard in the NFL, having impressed the most at the Senior Bowl at center, but that playing time has been almost universally poor thus far. What’s impressive is how consistently below-average Corbett has been so far, with every start he had for the Rams last season earning an overall PFF grade in the 50.0s. Corbett enters 2020 needing to show improvement to save his future at the NFL level.

Turns out it’s tough to find film on linemen. Maybe I should have stuck with pictures

Joe Scibelli is today’s Ram on this glorious countdown. He started 203 games from 1961-1975.
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Side note: That 1967 team was something special.

One of the many awesome pass rushers the Rams have had, Chris Long gets the nod today. He endured one of the darkest ages in team history while still accumulating 54.5 sacks in 8 seasons.
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Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: LB Micah Kiser

The departure of Cory Littleton in free agency was one of the toughest pills for the Rams and their fans to swallow. He was one of the most important players on the team and a leader on defense, doing everything well in the middle of the field.

The Rams were already thin at linebacker even with Littleton on the roster, but their situation in 2020 seems dire. Their linebacker group is a collection of unproven players with minimal NFL experience, which is a huge risk – especially after the front office more or less ignored the position this offseason.

It’ll be an open competition this summer, but Micah Kiser seems like the most probable one to earn a starting job. He has yet to play a single defensive snap in the NFL, though, and is coming off a pectoral injury suffered last preseason.

He has a chance to break out and emerge as a quality player for the Rams, however, now that the door is wide open atop the depth chart.

NFL career thus far

Kiser played all 16 games as a rookie in 2018, but he didn’t step foot on the field with the Rams defense. All 298 of his snaps played that year were on special teams, and he made four total tackles. He was in line to start next to Littleton last year before landing on IR with a pectoral injury, but it’s never good when a player is entering Year 3 with zero defensive snaps under his belt.

Kiser came into the league as a fifth-round pick in 2018 and was viewed as more of a run stopper than an all-around linebacker. He was playing relatively well in the preseason before injuring his pec, but that performance won’t get him a free pass to a starting job in Brandon Staley’s system.

Why he could break out

The Rams are betting big on their unproven linebackers, specifically Kiser. Les Snead said he would “buy stock” in Kiser, speaking highly of him this offseason. He has a golden opportunity to become a starter for the Rams in 2020, given the lack of talent and experience Los Angeles has at inside linebacker. That by itself is a reason he could break out.

But more importantly, Kiser looked capable of starting last preseason. It was in limited action as he played just two games before getting hurt, but his instincts were on display in that brief time – particularly against the run.

Against the Raiders, Kiser made a nice tackle on fourth-and-1, though not before the running back picked up the first down. It was a good read by Kiser, but a better move by the back.

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Kiser’s best trait is his tackling, which showed up on his tape at Virginia. In college, he had three straight years with at least 117 tackles, including 33.5 for a loss. He was also capable of rushing the passer on inside blitzes, recording 19.0 sacks.

Kiser could break out if he wins the starting inside linebacker job, which typically requires the player to play almost every single snap – just as Littleton almost did last year. If he can pull that off, he’ll be in line for 100-plus tackles and possibly a few sacks.

Why he may not

There’s a chance Kiser doesn’t earn significant playing time again in 2020. It’ll be an open competition at inside linebacker this summer when camps open, and Kiser doesn’t exactly have the benefit of a coach who knows his game. Wade Phillips is out, and Staley is coming in with an open mind.

Not to mention, there’s a ton of competition at this position, even if all the players battling lack NFL experience. Travin Howard looked good at the end of last season in spot duty and has excellent range. Kenny Young is a former starter for the Ravens, though he didn’t do much with the Rams last season. Troy Reeder started a handful of games for the Rams last year, but his snaps were limited in the Rams’ nickel and dime-heavy scheme. Even seventh-round rookie Clay Johnston will get a chance to prove his value.

Kiser also isn’t the best linebacker in coverage. He has decent movement skills, but he’s not as fast or explosive as Littleton is, which limits him in coverage.

On this play in the preseason, he tries to force the running back outside on the option route, but he still allows DeAndre Washington to cut inside, which leaves Kiser grasping for his jersey as he comes open.

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It’s not the easiest play to make, and Kiser still made the tackle, but he didn’t exactly show great quickness or foot speed on this rep.

Jeff Fisher is starting his own podcast

Much was made (and still is) about Jeff Fisher’s rocky tenure with the Rams from 2012-2016. He never led the team to eight or more wins, finishing between 6-10 and 7-8-1 four times. He became the butt of 7-9 jokes across the internet, especially after his “7-9 bullshit” rant on “Hard Knocks.”

Fisher hasn’t coached in the NFL since, but he’s still staying relevant in the sports space by remaining active on Twitter. Fisher is a worthwhile follow on the social media site, and his new podcast will certainly be worth listening to.

On Tuesday, he teased his upcoming podcast called “In the Box with Jeff Fisher.” He didn’t share any details beyond the tweet, but did say it’s coming soon.

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Fisher has appeared on radio shows and podcasts in the past and shared some insightful information. Hopefully with a podcast of his own, he’ll shed light on his time with the Rams, as well as his coaching career as a whole.

Fisher went 31-45-1 overall with the Rams and never reached the postseason. He was fired 13 games into the 2016 season, opening the door for John Fassel to take over as the interim head coach. Sean McVay was hired the following year in 2017.

Keeping coordinators back from combine ended up paying dividends for Rams

To those outside the organization, the Rams' decision to not send offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to this year's NFL Scouting Combine was surprising.

However, after being forced to close the facilities and conduct their offseason program virtually, the extra time afforded by it ultimately proved beneficial.

"I think back on that week as truly invaluable for me personally, and I know Brandon Staley feels the same way," O'Connell said during a video conference with reporters last month. "That time we got that week with (head) coach (Sean) McVay, really kind of breaking things down and getting to accelerate the process was huge, there's no doubt about it."

Two weeks after assistant coaches and members of Los Angeles' personnel and scouting departments traveled to Indianapolis, they, along with O'Connell and Staley, were forced to complete their draft prep and other offseason work exclusively remotely.

With the exception of private player-led workouts away from the facility, the league's protocols as well as ongoing local public health guidelines prevented Rams players and coaches from convening at the facility for on-field work traditionally afforded to teams in the spring. As a result, all of the instruction from the coaching staff took place virtually and deprived every team of key on-field reps - Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin estimated a loss of 900 snaps.

While McConnell felt comfortable with the offense's progress in late May – about three weeks before the end of the offseason program – Staley's unit has been most impacted by the absence of on-field work, making that week in the facility in late February all the more valuable.

"It's been a lot more seamless than I ever would've thought," Staley said of the digital transition during a video conference with reporters in May. "I think everybody was ready for challenges, but I felt like our communication has been at a premium and I've really enjoyed getting to do it this way."

Thanks to the smooth virtual pivot and amount of prep done beforehand, the Rams were able to accomplish enough that McVay felt confident ending the offseason program two weeks early. And if they are just as prepared for training camp, they can point back to that week in late February as one of the reasons why.

"It was best-case scenario for me personally," O'Connell said. "I'm really thankful for that during that time."

Can Chandler Brewer earn spot on Rams 55-man roster?

The LA Rams roster is crowded with offensive linemen. After a 2019 season where injuries repeated downed offensive linemen, the LA Rams responded by adding offensive linemen midseason. Those additions, combined with players who were promoted from the practice squad, returned a significant number of players to the offensive line this year. Finally, the Rams re-signed all their free agents, giving the team a total of 13 returning offensive linemen this off-season. Where does that leave offensive lineman Chandler Brewer?

Well, we had just reviewed the status of LA Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth, and the unenviable position the Rams found themselves at the end of 2019. With no true heir apparent, and a banged-up bunch of bodies, sorting through the Rams shopping list had some fans shopping for five new starters this off-season, while other fans ended up seeking a solid starter or two out of the 2020 NFL Draft. The team had other ideas and simply emerged from the draft with right tackle Tremayne Anchrum as well as signing center Cohl Cabral after the draft.

Is Coach Kromer crazy?

Even with limited draft picks, and a long shopping list, the LA Rams did not invest heavily in offensive linemen in 2020. While we expected that response from the Rams, even we were surprised when the Rams did not address the backup left tackle position. From even our optimistic perspective, the LA Rams valued offensive line coach Aaron Kromer so well that even signing up offensive linemen in 2020 for 2021 roles was not out of the question. But to bank on players already on the roster seems to fit the description of “insanity is using the same inputs and expecting a different outcome”.

So where does that leave the LA Rams? Well, like it or not, the Rams are likely tapping either Joseph Noteboom or Chandler Brewer for the backup role at the all-too-important offensive left tackle position. While Noteboom is still recovering from a devastating injury from the 2019 season, Chandler Brewer is recovering from a different type of setback. If you recall, Brewer was emerging from successful chemotherapy in 2019. And with that behind him, the Rams and Brewer may be far more optimistic about his NFL career than previously reported.

Work ethic kicking in

Chandler Brewer is working with a clean bill of health now, a first since July 2018. He comes from a long line of blue-collar lineage, a roll-up-the-sleeves-and-get-to-it mentality. That’s the attitude of never-say-die pioneers who felled trees, moved boulders, and built towns. The man who once had to face the life-or-death news of a rare blood disease followed the only route available to him and beat the odds.

Now, Chandler Brewer has a clear focus. He can now devote his attention to his football career, to becoming the best offensive lineman he can possibly be. Will that be enough to claim a roster spot with the LA Rams? Despite the redundancy and depth of the existing offensive line, the Rams will need a backup trained to handle the pressure at the left tackle position. Say what you want about Brewer’s on-field ability to block. But when it comes to the ability to handle the pressure? Brewer is the guy. He’s faced far more important matters than pass rushers and come out on top.

I had a really good choice for today. But we also need to remember the bad side of Rams history. The infamous Greg Robinson. A tale of two sides.
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Can the LA Rams count on veteran LT Andrew Whitworth beyond 2020?
Bret Stuter

LA Rams veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth is 38 years old. Can the team count on him beyond 2020?

The last man standing from the LA Rams offensive line in 2019 was venerable offensive left tackle Andrew Whitworth. Left standing, but not uninjured. As soon as the season ended, Whitworth headed for the operating room and had his ankle “cleaned up”. The Phalanx of the LA Rams offensive line did not go unscathed throughout the 2019 football season. He merely did not flinch.

Now 2020 is approaching, and Andrew “Big Whit” Whitworth finds himself once more counted on by his newly adopted team to perform without a definitive backup, at one of the most punishing and violent positions of any professional sport – blind side offensive tackle.

Rams remain with Whit

In the opposite direction, Whitworth certainly has found the right team in the LA Rams. Most NFL teams part ways with an offensive lineman by the age of 36. But not Andrew Whitworth. He remains a steady NFL performer.

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But at some point, age becomes the tipping point, even for the Rams. In the NFL, the decision of when to part with an offensive lineman need not be either the price or performance.

It’s predictability and projection. Offensive linemen play at one of the most demanding positions, and when they hit the “wall” of time, performance decline rapidly. So far, Father Time has not paid a house call on “Big Whit”.

Who is the rightful heir?

And that’s where we begin. Even as you are reading this article, there is no definitive plan for backing up one of the oldest veterans in the game of football. Andrew Whitworth, a player who defies time, has no heir. No apprentice. No plan of succession. In 2019, it was a huge mistake that deserved to be called out. Now it’s 2020, and the status hasn’t changed. Surely the Rams cannot believe Whitworth will go on and on.

But 2019 came and went. And in the 2020 off-season, the LA Rams had plenty of opportunities to sign up some new rookie whose sole-purpose on the roster would be to develop into the LA Rams next left offensive tackle. While the Rams did not need to add generic offensive linemen, the team did need to define the next left tackle and failed to do.

2020 rookies who signed elsewhere

If you’d followed the pre-draft articles, we had identified a number of late-round players who we felt would make excellent choices to develop for the future. Even without the use of a limited draft pick, several outstanding offensive tackles fell out of the draft. Such players as SC State Alex Taylor, Missouri’s Yasir Durant, Texas Tech’s Terrance Steele, Washington’s Trey Adams or Jared Hilbers, and Ohio State’s Brandon Bowen all fell out of a very competitive draft.

The LA Rams elected to draft right tackle Tremayne Achrum, who can play right tackle or an interior offensive line position. The team also signed center Cohl Cabral after the draft. Cabral does have a bit of left tackle play but is likely a competitor for the Rams important center position.

How deep is the depth chart?

No reinforcements are a sign of contentment. Can the LA Rams be content with their roster depth in terms of who is taking over at one of the most demanding positions of the roster? We did examine the roster (we do that sort of thing) a month ago in an effort to sort out how the LA Rams offensive line depth would appear when entering the 2020 NFL Season. For the left tackle position, we ended up with the following depth chart:

Starting left tackle – Andrew Whitworth
Primary backup left tackle – Joseph Noteboom (pending recovery)
Secondary backup left tackle – Chandler Brewer

Joseph Noteboom is a 6-foot-5 321-pound offensive lineman out of Texas Christian University. He was the 89th player selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, and the third-rounder was the team’s starting left guard in 2019. Noteboom struggled mightily in that role, earning just a 39.7 grade from Pro Football Focus before his season-ending ACL injury. His teammate Brewer was an undrafted addition to the team in 2019. The 6-foot-6 320-pound second-year player from Middle Tennessee hung onto the Rams on the practice squad for the majority of the year. He played a total of 48 plays in 2019, 17 on offense, and 31 snaps on special teams. Surprisingly, he earned a 68.2 grade from PFF.

Ready, set, don’t go?

While both have the right size to be considered for the role, just how ready are either to take over for the long haul as a starter at left tackle? If the Rams had to make the call today, it would not end well. While Noteboom has far more extensive experience and had much higher regard from football analysts in 2018, his first NFL experience was unpleasant at best. He struggled at the left guard and his knee was horribly damaged. As he rehabs, will he shake off his first year and grow from it? Or was that just the first chapter of a disappointing NFL career? Meanwhile, how will Brewer handle the pressure? Will he fare any better at protecting the blind side of QB Jared Goff?

The LA Rams continue to gamble. Right now, they are gambling that 38-year-old Andrew Whitworth has at least one season left in him, and would appreciate a solid two more years out of him. That places Whitworth at the 40-year mark, an unheard-of age for an offensive lineman. Will the Rams gamble pay off? It certainly seemed that their luck was virtually all bad in 2019. Perhaps the Rams can count on a bit of good luck in 2020? At least the Rams can count on Andrew Whitworth. But, for how long?

Who will lead the team in QB sacks?

The LA Rams were the fourth-ranked defense in the defensive category of quarterback sacks in 2019. The Rams used a group effort to rack up 50 sacks, just four less than the NFL leading Pittsburgh Steelers’ mark of 54. While some individuals dropped, the Rams’ efforts were a significant improvement over the 41 recorded in 2018 and a slight improvement over the 48 sacks registered in 2017.

So why ask the question? Well, of the Rams’ 50 sacks in 2019, 23 sacks came from players no longer on the team. Those 23 sacks from players Cory Littleton (3.5), Clay Matthews (8.0), and Dante Fowler Jr. (11.5) will need to come from other players. So who will step up in 2020?

Default AD?

Of course, the first and likely accurate guess is All-Pro Aaron Donald. After all, he’s led the team in that department since 2015. Even in 2014, his rookie season, he was a close second. So have we given the answer away before we even get to explore the defensive roster? I’m not as certain as I once was. After all, if the Rams defensive philosophy is that of deception, then wouldn’t it make more sense to feature someone not named Aaron Donald in the pass rush department?

Well, it will very difficult for the Rams to pass up Donald’s ability to bring down a quarterback. After all, he’s damned good at it. But if the defense intends to work with versatility and deception, then the team cannot simply sit back and await the pressure on the QB to come from just one man. So let’s explore who might generate some pass rush in 2020?

0 – 2 Sacks

If a team wants to create quarterback pressure, that pressure cannot be limited to several pass-rush specialists. A defense must be able to generate pressure upon the quarterback from unexpected players. Last season, the LA Rams generated from zero to two quarterback sacks from five separate players.

That was not by accident. Four of the players were young players learning the ropes of life in the NFL trenches. Only cornerback Troy Hill had success blitzing successfully to get to the quarterback. Will the Rams throw more players at the quarterback this season? I suspect that will be the plan, as blitzes tend to throw off a quarterback’s rhythm.

DBS only?

While the first pass suggests that the Rams will have defensive backs in this category, are they the only players who will qualify? After all, Taylor Rapp and John Johnson III could generate quarterback pressure. CB Troy Hill has gotten to the quarterback before, and will likely do so again. Both rookies Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller could get a quarterback or two in 2020.

Of course, there is the rotating defensive linemen and linebackers who will get to the quarterback on occasion as well. Backup NT Greg Gaines, OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, ILB Clay Johnston, and ILB Kenny Young could all generate some pass rush in 2020.

Total Sacks from this group: 9

2.5 – 5 sacks

From this range, the Rams defense will generate pressure from young defenders who are developing into pass-rushers. Historically, this has been where first and second-year defensive linemen and linebackers end up. In 2020, there are not many players who fit into that category. But there are some players who have been on the roster who will likely have the opportunity to earn their fair share of defensive snaps.

Defensive end Morgan Fox, nose tackle A’Shawn Robinson, defensive end Michael Brockers, defensive end Sebastian Joseph Day, and linebacker Micah Kiser could all generate enough quarterback sacks to land in this grouping. So who will deliver and who will flirt with getting to the quarterback? Let’s take a look.

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It starts with the nose tackle.

Nose for the quarterback

We’ve talked a bit about why A’Shawn Robinson’s arrival to the LA Rams spells good things for the overall defense. But not in a way where he is stuck as the defense’s point and he must shoulder the burden play after play. Robinson is powerful enough to play nose tackle but versatile enough to stunt on the line of scrimmage and take on offensive linemen from the defensive end position as well. While he has never recorded more than two sacks in a single season, he’ll benefit from playing alongside Aaron Donald in 2020 for a career-high in that category.

Of course, defensive ends Morgan Fox, Michael Brockers, and Sebastian Joseph Day will benefit from the chaos Robinson creates in the interior, and will finally take some of the pressure off teammate Aaron Donald. Simply by putting up a sack or two more per player will force offenses to plan for more than Donald when they face the LA Rams.

Total Sacks from this group: 12

5.5 – 10 sacks

From this range, we are likely to find young players with light’s out skills of getting to the quarterback, or savvy veterans who can be used in pressuring the quarterback when the opportunity presents itself. For the LA Rams, we’re nearing the apex of the quarterback sacks so the number of players in this range may be limited to just one or two.

In this range, you can look for rookie pass-rusher Terrell Lewis to make a mark on his rookie season. After all, the Rams picked him up to get after the quarterback. How many sacks he generates in his rookie season will depend on how effective he is early, and how many defensive snaps the team will play him.

Outside linebacker role

One of the key players for 2020 is veteran outside linebacker Samson Ebukam. He generated 4.5 sacks in 2019 and will get to the quarterback more often in 2020. In fact, the combination of Ebukam and Lewis from that outside linebacker spot may be enough to replace the ability of outgoing veteran Dante Fowler Jr.’s sack totals.

While many will be looking for Terrell Lewis to blow the lid off the Rams defense, I suspect that the Rams will integrate him at a slow and deliberate pace, ensuring that he not only gets an increasing workload but that he has the time to process what offenses are doing while he is on the field. While that may hamper his sack total in 2020, it will be a far better strategy for building a complete player for the future.

Total Sacks from this group: 11.5

10+ sacks

At this plateau, we are discussing the NFL’s best. Who reaches this level for the LA Rams besides Aaron Donald? Surprise surprise, outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, could get there. After all, he once played for LA Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley when Staley was the OLB coach for the Chicago Bears. In fact, Floyd’s sack totals have decreased from his rookie season of seven, down to his 2019 total of just three.

So how can the Rams get him into double digits? Well, simply by emphasizing his role on defense much like the Rams did for Fowler from just one season ago. Before Dante Fowler Jr. arrived at the LA Rams, his sack totals were 4, 8, 2, and 2 respectively. It was when he played in the shadow of All-Pro Aaron Donald that he skyrocketed to 11.5 sacks.

Let history repeat itself

So now the LA Rams have a young man whose quarterback sacks totals are even better and more consistent at 7, 4.5, 4, and 3 sacks. What will he do in 2020? Well, if history repeats itself, he will put up double-digit sack totals for the Rams. And that will be enough to get him noticed among other NFL teams. After all, there is a method to the Rams madness. If the Rams do not re-sign Floyd, he will sign on elsewhere to a healthy contract, and the Rams will be awarded a valuable compensatory NFL Draft pick in 2022. Plus, the Rams will have the extra year to develop OLB Terrell Lewis, who will be ready to generate plenty of pressure in 2021.

That leaves the LA Rams with All-Pro Aaron Donald, who will win the Rams sack lead one more time. Even if Floyd is able to tackle the quarterback 12 times, Donald will do so 14 times. Aaron Donald is one of the NFL’s most talented players in the past 50 years. Even as the opposing offenses surround him with two, three, and sometimes even four blockers, he finds a way to make tackles and get to the quarterback. That will continue in 2020. If you add up the totals, you will find the LA Rams could lead the NFL in quarterback sacks next year.

Total Sacks from this group: 24

NFL's best quarterbacks in pass-heavy games


don't bother reading the article, it doesn't even mention goff's name.

just look at the qbs he's surrounded by in this list.

then look at the second list and see who dak prescott is lumped with.





.

well...fuck...im of the belief that Newton is a top 10 QB....an upgrqde over Brady right now. I was hoping for the Pats to fall flat on their asses. But Cam is a dangerous weapon with something to prove.

Early 2020 position outlook: Safety

After examining the Rams' offense, defense and special teams following the 2020 NFL Draft, theRams.com will take a deeper look at each position group as we get closer to the upcoming season. The series concludes with the safeties.

Who's back

Jake Gervase: Signed as an undrafted free agent last year, Gervase spent the majority of the season on the practice squad but did see action in a couple games.

John Johnson III: Suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Rams' Week 6 loss to the 49ers, but still managed to have 50 total tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions last year prior to the setback.

Taylor Rapp: Took over for Johnson after his injury and started the remaining 10 games alongside safety Eric Weddle, producing 100 total tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Nick Scott: The 2019 seventh-round pick primarily contributed on special teams as a rookie, tallying eight tackles.

Who's gone

Marqui Christian: The former 2016 fifth-round pick became an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year after his rookie contract expired. He reportedly agreed to a deal with the New York Jets that later fell through, so he remains a free agent.

Eric Weddle: Retired in February.

Who's new

Terrell Burgess: Chosen with the Rams' third-round compensatory selection this year, Burgess was named honorable mention all-conference by Pac-12 coaches after he collected 81 tackles, 7.5 for loss, one interception and five pass breakups while starting in 14 games in 2019. Burgess' 81 tackles led Utah's defensive backfield and were third-most on the team.

Jordan Fuller: The sixth-round pick out of Ohio State produced 62 tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups in 14 starts en route to first team All-Big Ten honors in 2019.

JuJu Hughes: Undrafted free agent signee out of Fresno State whose 80 tackles as a senior marked a single-season career best and third-most on the team. Hughes was a two-time All-Mountain West honorable mention selection (2017, 2019) and second-team All-Mountain West selection (2018) during his four-year college career.

Key question(s)

What does a Johnson-Rapp safety tandem look like? Johnson said this spring their skillsets complement each other well and that Rapp is more versatile than people think.

How, if at all, do the responsibilities of the safeties change in Brandon Staley's defense? While Staley indicated there wouldn't be wholesale changes to the Rams' defense, he has also said how much he values versatility in the secondary – specifically, the ability for defensive backs to play at the front end or the back end.

Man, fans sure lucked out with this franchise. Legend after legend on this countdown. Although, it does start to go downhill after today. Let us honor yet another team great, Merlin Olsen.
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The Conversation Thread




Continuing the casual offseason vibe... The Conversation Thread.

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

Tell us what you are up to. Anything cool or interesting going on? Cooking anything special? Ask a question. Comment. Chat.

EASY

Randomness encouraged.

Pics. Gifs. Music. Make us laugh. Whatever hits you.

BYOB.

Tomorrow we’ll move this thread to off topic. But for now... It’s Saturday Night!



What are you up to?

Special one today. Arguably the greatest player in Rams history. David “Deacon” Jones.
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by Bret Stuter


LA Rams News: Sebastian Joseph Day emerges as a defensive standout in 2020
Fortune favors the bold. The LA Rams need bold players, as the 2020 chapter is opening-up without defensive standouts like ILB Cory Littleton, OLB Dante Fowler Jr. or Clay Matthews, or S Eric Weddle. A new chapter means new stories will be written: stories about a new class of young men who will step up and force the NFL to recognize their talents, to tell their stories, to hold them up in the future as players who made a positive impact.

But the rules of NFL stardom remain the same, despite the upheaval of modern-day culture in response to the coronavirus pandemic. NFL players earn their reputation, respect, and his future contracts, on the football field. Any player who wants to claim a spotlight knows where it happens. Sebastian Joseph Day (SJD) is ready willing and able to show up in a big way for the Rams’ defense this year.

New defense
Here’s his reaction to the new defense scheme of newly arrived defensive coordinator Brandon Staley:

“I’m ready to shock a lot of people this year.”@SJD_51 joins @JB_Long to talk year three, Brandon Staley’s defense + his hopes to inspire change in the community!
» https://t.co/8r9HA0sEip » https://t.co/hJoV9OBjrN pic.twitter.com/STvcUgS6Do
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 26, 2020

Click to expand...

Theoretically, SJD faces a demotion, of sorts. After benefiting from Ndamukong Suh‘s departure to claim a starting role in 2019, the arrival of A’Shawn Robinson to the LA Rams defensive front may push SJD into a rotational role for 2020. That may actually help out SJD, as he will remain active on defensive snaps, but will come into the game fresher and have a greater chance to create positive impacts.

From off-field leader to on-field leader
Quite often, it is the leader on the field who then becomes a community leader off the field. But for the LA Rams young defensive lineman, it seems to work in the opposite direction as well. Amidst the heartbreaking news of 2020 and the realization of how healthcare workers struggled to save lives while caring for themselves, Sebastian Joseph Day led the way to help feed medical staff. When the nation called for accountability and leadership among the nation’s police force, Sebastian Joseph Day led that dialogue as well. A young man of venerable perspective, he does not shy away from controversy, or an opportunity to make a positive difference.

Now comes time for football. For SJD, it’s only round two. After all, this young man was drafted at 195 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the LA Rams but did not see any NFL action in his rookies season. It was not until 2019 that he found the playing field, showing up for 44 percent of the defensive snaps and recording 44 tackles, five quarterback hits, five tackles for loss (TFL) and two quarterback sacks. He even accounted for one pass defense during his 15 starts. That is a pretty good debut for a defensive lineman.

Staley’s defense unlocks SJD
Sebastian Joseph Day is very athletic at 6-foot-4 and 310-pounds. He is tall enough for a role on the defensive line, or to roll out deceptively on pass defense. And for Brandon Staley’s defense, he may be called upon to do both. We’d discussed the strategy of deception, and how that benefits a defense, but the focus to date has only touched upon defensive backs and All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald in a two-point stance as an edge rusher. Now how does that modify SJD’s role?

Well, if the 3-4 defense pulls SJD out in coverage, the team sends both Samson Ebukam and Leonard Floyd to rush the quarterback. Since offenses shift to block the weak side, this creates a lopsided offensive line, with two many defenders to offensive blockers. That either commits single blockers to Aaron Donald and A’Shawn Robinson or allows another defender to rush unscathed. In any case, the quarterback must release the ball nearly instantly, which is when interceptions occur. That is how defenses fool offenses, and it is a weekly cat-and-mouse game.

It also happens with defensive line stunts, where the end and nose tackle crisscross their gap assignments. It even happens as the Rams roll in for a 4-3 or 5-2 or even a 2-5 defensive configuration. SJD is still improving, still learning, and still earning his place on the LA Rams roster. He had a taste of starting on the Rams defense in 2019 and will put in the time and effort to attain that role again. 2020 could be a big year for the LA Rams defense. It could also be a breakout year for defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph Day.