Once again I'll put up the disclaimer that I think there's a lot of inaccuracies here. They also don't differentiate the LTs from the RTs which I find to be silly. But there's a lot I do agree with, which I'll cover below after putting up our players. Oh and re: the size of these I messed with them but my give a fuck ran out so prepare to squint.

Key: first colored grade is overall, second is pass pro, third is run. Last three numbers are hurries, pressures, and penalties.

OT




Notes:
* Whit's run blocking grade seems a bit low to me. He struggled in the first half of the season but by season's end was much better in that regard, certainly not elite but probably better than reflected here.
* Hav seems pretty accurate, his game dropped off in both pass and run so I do think the injured suggestions wrt him make sense.
* Evans required help on a lot of snaps, I think his pass blocking was a little better than reflected here but it's mostly accurate to what I recall from film.

OG





Notes:
* Edwards looks accurate. He did struggle vs some matchups in the passing game. But he also played two positions and faced some tough matchups and 55 overall is quite respectable for a guy thrown in as a rook.
* Corbett matches his film too. He was more consistent in pass pro and got better at stunts as the season went on with playing time. He did have some good games in run blocking but was more inconsistent there.
* Boom is accurate. His run blocking was a fucking dumpster fire he got ragdolled. Pass pro was much better but he still got pushed into the pocket.
* Blythe is not accurate. He's not listed among the Centers btw. His play at Center was far better than the accurate OG numbers you see above. I presume they're rolled together here which is part of the problem. At Center he would have likely still fallen in the bottom third but that was a big upgrade when he moved over lol.


C


Notes:
* Allen is accurate. I mentioned this earlier this season on multiple stills threads, that his run blocking was actually pretty good and that reflects. But his pass pro was fucking terrible as he got pushed back far too often and it prevented Goff from stepping up which also affected Hav.

Best Player Who Could Be Cut from Every NFL Roster in 2020
View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2889955-the-best-player-who-could-be-cut-from-every-nfl-roster-in-2020-offseason
Los Angeles Rams: CB Troy HilL



The Los Angeles Rams released Todd Gurley and Clay Matthews III, traded Brandin Cooks and allowed Dante Fowler Jr., Cory Littleton, Nickell Robey-Coleman and Greg Zuerlein to leave in free agency. Yet the organization is barely under the 2020 salary cap.There aren't a lot of options to create more wiggle room, though Troy Hill's contract provides a possibility. The Rams would save about $4 million in cap space if they cut Hill.

They could move forward with David Long Jr., whom general manager Les Snead drafted in last year's third round, in the starting lineup. This possibility became more plausible after the front office chose Terrell Burgess. This year's third-round selection is listed as a safety but primarily covered the slot at Utah.

Where the Rams' offense stands after the 2020 NFL Draft

Over the course of three days, the Rams drafted nine players to address eight different positions and signed 22 undrafted free agents as part of their continued roster construction for the upcoming season.

The following is a position-by-position breakdown of where the team's offense currently stands after those transactions.

QUARTERBACK

2019 starter: Jared Goff
2019 contributors: John Wolford

2020 newcomers: Bryce Perkins, Josh Love

Goff is under contract through the 2024 season. With Blake Bortles gone, Wolford has an opportunity to earn the backup job.

Perkins (Virginia) and Love (San Jose State) were signed as undrafted free agents.

RUNNING BACK

2019 contributors: Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson
2019 reserves: John Kelly

2020 newcomers: Cam Akers, James Gilbert Jr., Xavier Jones

Brown and Henderson enter their fifth and second seasons respectively with the club in 2020, primarily serving as Todd Gurley's backups in 2019. Kelly appeared in four games but spent most of the season on the practice squad. Akers was the Rams' first draft pick this year.

Rams general manager Les Snead has said it will likely be a group approach to replacing Gurley's production.

Gilbert (Kansas State) and Jones (Southern Methodist) were signed as undrafted free agents.

WIDE RECEIVER

2019 starters: Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp
2019 contributors: Josh Reynolds
2019 reserves: Greg Dortch, Nsimba Webster

2020 newcomers: Van Jefferson, Earnest Edwards IV, Trishton Jackson, J.J. Koski, Brandon Polk, Easop Winston

Following the Brandin Cooks trade to the Texans, the Rams chose to address this position by selecting Jefferson with the No. 57 overall pick acquired from Houston.

Goff, Kupp and Rams head coach Sean McVay have all said Reynolds is capable of filling Cooks' old role in the offense.

Dortch and Webster mainly contributed on special teams.

Edwards (Maine), Jackson (Syracuse), Koski (Cal Poly), Polk (James Madison) and Winston (Washington State) were signed as undrafted free agents.

TIGHT END

2019 starters: Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett
2019 contributors: Johnny Mundt
2019 reserves: Kendall Blanton, Ethan Wolf

2020 newcomers: Brycen Hopkins

The Rams had a nice core of Higbee, Everett and Mundt last season. However, when Hopkins was available after trading back from the 126th pick to the 136th pick, it was an opportunity Los Angeles could not pass up because of how highly-rated he was by the team, according to Snead.
Additionally, Snead views Hopkins as someone who can contribute both early and later on in his career.
Blanton and Wolf primarily spent time on the practice squad last season.

OFFENSIVE LINE

2019 starters: Andrew Whitworth, Joe Noteboom, Austin Corbett, Brian Allen, Austin Blythe, David Edwards, Rob Havenstein, Bobby Evans

2019 contributors: Coleman Shelton, Jamil Demby, Chandler Brewer
2019 reserves: Jeremiah Kolone, Nate Trewyn
2020 newcomers: Tremayne Anchrum, Cohl Cabral

Among the younger players, Noteboom, Corbett, Allen, Edwards, Evans, Shelton, Brewer and Demby all saw action last year, and the Rams saw enough out of them to feel confident in continuing to develop them rather than invest a high draft pick into another offensive lineman.

The position wasn't addressed until the seventh round with the selection of Anchrum, who is capable of playing tackle or guard.

Cabral (Arizona State) was signed as an undrafted free agent.

Broke down and bought one month of PFF for the express purpose of looking at their pressures stats along with a couple other things I was interested in that they provide. Then I realized why not share some of it as it pertains to the Rams. Note that I believe a lot of their grades on different things are inaccurate (they are not privy to details in assignments, how/whether the team wants routes/blocking/options adjusted for certain opponents or looks, etc, etc), so not putting out any of this as any sort of proof on anything. It's just interesting to look at so take it with a grain of salt.

Including the key so you can see what the different traits mean. Went with the wideouts since ours are commonly held so highly in the minds of the faithful, enjoy.

We all know he’s great but sometimes statitics come along that really put it into perspective. IMO there are plenty of threads that start out as complaining or soon devolve into it so let’s have a thread celebrating a man who is well on his way to GOAT status.

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Here we have truly amazing graph. Double teamed 69.1% of snaps and winning 24.3% of those snaps.

With many players departing from the roster earlier in the offseason, the Los Angeles Rams had a variety of needs entering the 2020 NFL Draft. One area that the Rams chose to improve on in the draft was their offensive line, which was a big point of contention last year as the team had few veterans to ground their very young line.

With less than 10 picks left in the draft, the Rams decided to use their final pick to bring in another young offensive lineman in Tremayne Ancrhum. Anchrum, who played college ball at Clemson, said he assumed he was headed for undrafted free agency as it was so late in the draft when he got the call from Sean McVay, via Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:

“Honestly, we didn’t really know where our future kind of lied,” Anchrum said on a video conference Saturday. “I knew I was going to be a day three kind of guy. Getting to those later rounds, we started getting calls about, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you as a free agent.’ I got a couple of head coaches that called me talking about, ‘Hey, we want you now.’ Me and my father were kind of making arrangements for that. But, then Coach McVay called and said, ‘Hey, are you ready to be a Ram?’ At that moment, we all kind of figured I was going to be a free agent, but with the news, we were all really excited.”

Click to expand...

Although Anchrum is another young addition to the offensive line, he should be able to bring in some much-needed talent. He is one of 30 other players on his Clemson squad that will be going pro and cited that the stiff competition on the team as a reason for their success. Anchrum primarily played as a right tackle with the Tigers but also saw some time at right guard towards the end of his collegiate career. Anchrum said he would be willing to move around on the line once he joins the Rams:

I’m comfortable on the right side of the line, mostly, right tackle, right guard,” Anchrum said. “But again, I am open to playing any spot on the line.”

Click to expand...

Although it could be on either side of the ball, Anchrum will likely see most of his time as a guard. The Rams have a pair of veteran offensive lineman, Rob Havenstein and Andrew Whitworth, that occupy the right and left tackle spots, respectively. Anchrum’s versatility will be a big advantage of his though as he can fill in at multiple positions if needed.

For those of you that are Athletic subscribers.

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I saw this article title, and thought... interesting.

The parallels.... Ouch! Lol.

The Foles trade seemed a head scratcher at the time.

Bears Are Clearly the New Jaguars and Will Decimate Their Defense Soon

It's absolutely shameful to see a talented team like the Chicago Bears struggle due to the play of the quarterback. The Bears' defense ranks as one of the best in the league the past two seasons, but were let down by Mitchell Trubisky's lack of progress through his first three seasons. There's no way things can get worse, right? Right?

Well, based off recent history, the Bears are heading down the same path as the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are now destined for the basement of the NFL standings.

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That's right, Bears fans. We don't blame you if you have to vomit.

The 2017-18 Jaguars teams boasted the most talented defense in the league, which included the likes of Calais Campbell, Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack. Even though they smacked around the opposition, they were held back by the terrible play of quarterback Blake Bortles. Yes, he played admirably in their playoff run to the AFC Championship Game, but once he was handed a bloated contract, the Jaguars imploded.

Bortles was handed his walking papers just one year into his massive deal. Even the team acquiring Nick Foles couldn't save them from their downward spiral. In just two years, the Jaguars moved on from Campbell, Ramsey, AJ Bouye, Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, Barry Church and Aaron Colvin. All that talent from the "Sacksonville defense" gone due to poor front office management.

This is a nightmare scenario for the Bears. Just imagine if the team cuts ties with or trades the likes of Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith, Eddie Jackson and Akiem Hicks, for example. There would be riots in the streets of Chicago!

Bears fans, just hope that the Philadelphia Eagles' version of Foles shows up in the Windy City.

https://www.therams.com/video/inside-the-draft-finding-the-next-generation-of-talent


Interesting video.... you see dialogue with the scouts about some of the players.

At the the 4:20 mark, Regarding RB's, one of the scouts is asked if he would prefer Cam Akers early or Lamical Perine in the 4th.

After putting Perine in my 1st Mock, I was excited to hear that he was a consideration in the 4th.

Drafting Jefferson has tipped the FO's hand regarding Robert Woods. Because of having to carry massive dead cap this year and next year, I believe they will allow Woods contract to playout. In 2021 Woods becomes a FA and probably is allowed to walk. Jefferson will step into that X receiver role. As I've stated elsewhere on this board, Jefferson is a hybrid with the speed of Woods and the route running of Kupp. With Robert's contract being $9.1M the Rams will have to choose between Wood or Everett. Everett will take about $10M / year to extend. Reynolds isn't as good as Everett but he will be much cheaper to sign. Also, they have Hopkins so between the two they will have that Y receiver covered.

If I was Snead and I figured I'm going to lose Everett next year I'd trade him. In the right system, Everett could be a Hunter Henry type TE. IMO Gerald has far more upsides than Tyler but McVay simply doesn't use him.

There is going to be a lot of movement next year and a lot of it will depend upon how well Jefferson plays this year. I think we will see the majority of his snaps from the slot (Y) but also I wouldn't be surprised if he takes some at X. If he can play X and beat the CB jam the handwriting will be on the wall for Woods.

This will be only the passing game. Having a bored inside day due to thunderstorms so think I can get through these and I chose this game due to the quality of the DL we faced up front. Figured it would be nice to see how McVay put together one of his finest scheming jobs of 2019, and the big picture of the reliance on a moving pocket as well as quick passes/screens.

Rams passed 46 times in this game. The Boots & Quick Passes will be single stills. The Dropbacks we'll go more in depth to see how the pass pro looked.

Pass play #1 (BOOT & quick pass to Woody).


Pass play #2 (BOOT & quick pass to JRey).


Pass play #3 (BOOT & pass to Higs)


Pass play #4 (BOOT and TD pass to Cooks)


Pass play #5 (SCREEN to Woody)

Five things to know about new Rams S Terrell Burgess

The Rams used their fourth draft pick this year on safety Terrell Burgess, selecting him 104th overall in the third round with their compensatory choice. Here are five things you should know about the former Utah standout.

1) A football "Swiss army knife"

New Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley values versatility in his players, so it likely comes as no surprise that the Rams drafted a player in Burgess appropriately dubbed "the football equivalent of a Swiss army knife" by his college coach.

According to The Deseret News, Burgess played every position in the Utes' secondary and on every special teams unit. He also split time at defensive back and wide receiver as a redshirt freshman before committing to defense full-time.

2) Guided by a former Ram

Burgess counts former Rams safety Eric Weddle as one of his mentors.

The two Utah alums spoke not long after Weddle announced his retirement earlier this year, and Weddle even texted him while he was on a video conference with local media the night he got drafted. According to Burgess, Weddle's best friend in college was current Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who coached Burgess.

"I think the biggest thing that he said was just be patient and understand that everything's on God's plan of what happens," Burgess said of Weddle's advice during the pre-draft process. "Take it day-by-day and try not stress about it because everything happens for a reason and this is crazy. I think the biggest thing from him, is it's nice to have somebody that went to my school, went on to the league, is kind of from Southern California and be able to be kind of a mentor for me."

3) Southern California homecoming

For Burgess' family, Los Angeles is the perfect place for him to start his NFL career.

Burgess grew up in San Marcos, California, roughly 100 miles from SoFi Stadium. His draft celebration took place just east of San Marcos in his mother's Escondido home, so they won't have to travel far to see him play.

4) Siblings and college sports

Speaking of family, Burgess was the second member of his to play college football. His brother, Isiah Hennie, was a two-time honorable mention All-Big Sky wide receiver at Sacramento State (2014-17).

5) Future athletic trainer?

According to his Utah bio, Burgess graduated with a degree in kinesiology last December. His LinkedIn profile says he also studied exercise science while in school.

Just looking for gems here. I do not have a desire to set my mouth on fire. But, I do enjoy a little heat. My preference has always been Franks Red Hot. I know it's not actually spicy, but I love the taste. What say you?

A legend has passed......Winningest coach in history, not too mention his '72 team!


Dolphins Hall of Fame coach Don Shula dies at 90
7:25 AM PT

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Don Shula, the NFL's most winningest coach who led the Miami Dolphins to the league's only undefeated season, died Monday at the age of 90.
The Dolphins issued a statement saying that Shula died "peacefully at his home."
"Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years," it read. "He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne along with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Anne and Mike."
Shula won an NFL-record 347 games (including playoffs). He coached the Dolphins (17-0) to the league's only undefeated season in 1972, culminating in a 14-7 victory over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
The Dolphins repeated as champions the next season, beating the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII, the third straight title game had Miami played in; the Dolphins lost 24-3 to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
In all, Shula guided the Dolphins to five Super Bowls, including losses to the Redskins (27-17 in Super Bowl XVII) and San Francisco 49ers (38-16 in Super Bowl XIX).
Before coming to Miami, Shula coached the Baltimore Colts, who made him the then-youngest NFL coach when they hired him at age 33. He led the Colts to Super Bowl III, the first title game to have "Super Bowl" in its name. Baltimore lost 16-7 to quarterback Joe Namath and New York Jets, who became the first AFL team to win an NFL championship.
By the time he resigned as Dolphins coach after the 1995 season, Shula had been an NFL head coach for 33 seasons (26 with Miami). Only two of his Dolphins teams finished below .500 during those 26 seasons. He finished with an overall coaching record of 347-173-6 (73-26-4 with Baltimore).
Shula was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He and George Halas are the only coaches in NFL history to win more than 300 games.
Shula also played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the ninth round (110th overall) of the 1951 draft after playing collegiately at John Carroll University in Cleveland. He had 21 career interceptions in seven NFL seasons for Cleveland (1951-52), Baltimore (1953-56) and Washington (1957).
Both of Shula's sons followed him into the NFL coaching ranks. Mike Shula is the quarterbacks coach for the Denver Broncos and David Shula was the Cincinnati Bengals' head coach from 1992 to 1996. He also played one season with Baltimore (1981).

Watching the shows on NFL Network, FS1, etc., every team is a playoff team with a few exceptions like Miami, Cincinnati, Washington, Carolina or the NY Jets. So that leaves 27 teams who "could" be playoff teams. Hell, like we've seen in the past even those five I mentioned could have a dramatic turnaround and make it. My point is this. The Rams have had 3 winning seasons in a row, something that hasn't happened since 99-01. And it's only happened 4 times in the last 60 years. Since 1970, the only time we had more than 3 consecutive winning seasons was when Ground chuck began his Ram HC career (6 straight) and John Robinson (4 straight) from 83-86. So almost 35 years without 4 straight winning seasons. That will end this year. The difference between a winning season and a playoff team has dwarfed with the addition of another playoff slot this year.

And McVay is too good at designing offenses to have the Rams falter. If Staley can only hold serve with the defense, we should have a winning season. If he comes in and creates a really good D, we should be much better than "just a winning season". Almost half the teams in each conference will be playoff teams (7 of 16). In the last 10 years the average number of teams over .500 each season is 14.3; 7.2 in the AFC and 7.1 in the NFC. So if my math is correct there is as good a chance of a .500 team making the postseason as a team with a winning record missing it. In fact both conferences have had the same number of teams with winning records (11) miss the postseason the last 10 years. And that was with just 6 available spots. In 7 of the last 10 years the NFC has had 7 teams or less with a winning record for the season. The one snag in this theory is a lousy division being won with a .500 record. And the Rams are certainly not in a lousy division.

So IF there is a 2020 NFL season, I feel pretty good about the Rams making the playoffs.

5 reasons why LA Rams will overcome odds and return to playoffs

Don’t believe the naysayers who have the LA Rams chances for success in 2020 in the intensive care unit, with professionals standing by to pull the plug. The Rams have restocked the roster with a nice infusion of young talent, and are prepared for another season of very competitive NFL Football. Despite the “rebuilt on the fly” perspective, a recent article written by PrimeTimeSportsTalk author John Devereaux suggested that the LA Rams are most definitely “Pretenders” in 2020.

He awarded the title of “Relevant” to both the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks and designated the Arizona Cardinals as “Pretenders” as well. While the list included the entire NFC, it appeared to be a recap of last year’s playoff teams, minus any NFC East teams. That was followed by Bleacher reports Maurice Moton’s prediction of the LA Rams finishing at 7-9, worse than the LA Chargers who he projects to an 8-8 record.

Last season, the LA Rams had an incredible epidemic of injuries to the offensive line, a decline in production from the team’s three highest-paid offensive players, and a special teams play which fell to the ranking of the bottom third in the NFL. Despite all this, the LA Rams missed the NFL Playoffs by one game. The focus of these projections is a litany of who the Rams lost, with no mention of who stayed or who joined. No, the Rams did not make the 2019 playoffs. Instead, the team got a wake-up call which has reenergized the entire organization. Sleep on the 2020 LA Rams at your own peril.

If the cutoff to current year relevance is to recap the previous year’s playoff teams, that ignores the fact that only an average of 60 percent of NFL teams who appeared in the NFL Playoffs return the following year. With that rate, is there any stock in a belief that 2019 NFC playoff teams remain relevant in 2020?

The echo chamber effect

The LA Rams just missed the 2019 NFL Playoffs, falling to a 9-7 record in a division where 13-3 and 11-5 launched teams into the post-season competition. Since the Rams did not reach that plateau in 2019, do they simply fade away this season? Are the Rams truly in a spiral downwards, struggling to win half of their games, while other NFL teams that have not had success in the past suddenly spring to the top of the NFL?

Yes, the Ram’s struggled in 2019 on many fronts. But rather than plummet to the NFC West basement, the team held its own in one of the toughest divisions of the NFL. The chorus line of further decline is a circular reference based upon the logic of – “they got bad due to the decline of these players, and will be worse because those players are gone.” Let’s not wind up being accused of any homerism here. There are specific reasons why the LA Rams failed to achieve a playoff berth in 2019. We believe those reasons no longer apply to the team in 2020. Those reasons were as follows:

(1)The Rams roster was a series of duct tape plug-n-play players almost out of the gates in 2019. The criteria for starting on the team fell from “the best option” to “are you healthy enough to suit up?”

(2)The Rams special teams play in 2019 plummeted to the bottom third of the NFL. That is not just kicker Greg Zuerlein’s inability to hit from the 40-49 yard range. That included less productive returns, fewer punts inside the 20, and a host of other minor breakdowns.

(3) The offensive line consistency broke down in 2019 due to poor play from original starters, followed by a series of season-ending injuries that devastated the Rams’ ability to move the ball and score points.

(4) The Rams restocked the defensive backfield in mid-season, and pass defense improved dramatically. The Rams did not have a run-stopping thumper at linebacker in 2019.

(5) The Rams were swept by the San Francisco 49ers in 2019, but game two of that series was much closer in competition.

So many have pulled the plug on the LA Rams playoff chances for 2020 without any understanding what happed in 2019. Their projections simply do not stand up to the track record of head coach That doesn’t jive with what we know about either the NFL or the LA Rams. So how can we be so certain that the LA Rams are relevant in 2020? Here are five logical reasons why.

V- Rams added players to the 2020 roster who fit the new game plan

The most prominent fault of the Rams 2019 season was something nobody discussed at all until now. The Rams injuries in 2019 were widespread and impacted a huge number of starters for the team on both offense and defense. While the focus of the sports world fixated on the numerous injuries to the Rams offensive line, the Rams had to endure minor injuries to wide receiver Brandin Cooks, as well as to running backs Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.

On defense, the team was hit hard too. Safety John Johnson’s season ended due to injury, forcing an emergency promotion of rookie safety Taylor Rapp. CB Aqib Talib fell to injury, which forced the team to promote cornerback Troy Hill. Then a series of trades which forced the Rams defensive backfield to undergo a complete facelift in mid-season. The team traded away CB Aqib Talib (injured reserve) and CB Marcus Peters, eventually adding CB Jalen Ramsey. That did not happen during training camp, nor offseason, but rather in the midst of the season. Even newly acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey fell to injury in 2019.

The same hot-swap happened on the offensive line in mid-season as well. The Rams injuries were too numerous to repair strategically. Ultimately, the patched-up offensive line became a series of swapping players until OL Coach Aaron Kromer found five players who seemed to gel together. In mid-season, that is awfully hard to do.

But the adversity of 2019 has become the plans for the 2020 roster. The LA Rams have emphasized versatility for players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. The team learned the hard way that players get injured, and the most successful teams have accounted for injuries in their plans. New defensive backs, offensive linemen, and more have the “multi-role” background so important to the team’s 2020 philosophy. The Rams learned important lessons in 2019, and have added the personnel to resolve those issues.

IV- Rams special teams will return to among the NFL’s top ten in 2020

Special teams play in the NFL is approximately one-third of the team’s performance. So why is there not a lot of discussion about it? It’s a complex category in the NFL, a catch-all category of “all other”. While it’s the oft-overlooked part of the game, it’s performance frequently determines the outcome.

A missed field goal, a short punt, bad kickoff coverage, failure to cross the 50-yard line on any returns in a football game are all examples of the impact of special teams on the outcome of any contest. And yet, fans are taught early on that “if the team had played better overall, it shouldn’t matter”. And yet, by the end of each NFL season, we all see evidence to the contrary. The playoff teams make the game-winning field goals. They punt more accurately within the opposing team’s 20-yard line. Successful teams kickoff with more touchbacks.

And over the past three seasons, the LA Rams had become one of the worst teams in the NFL at special teams play. In 2019, the LA Rams fell to 23rd ranking on special teams per FootballOutsiders.com ranking. In 2018, the Rams ranked 17th. However, in 2017, the Rams stood as the second-best in the NFL, just behind the Baltimore Ravens.

The Rams newly hired ST Coordinator John Bonamego’s first task? He needs to make the Rams special teams special once more. And he has a resume chock-full of examples where he did that over and over. You can see his influence all over the Rams day three draft selections, and all over the UDFA signings. He is looking for players who excel at tackling, blocking, catching and running. After the Rams lost kicker Greg Zuerlein, the Rams signed two non-NFL kickers and drafted a third to ensure the Bonamego gets accuracy, power, and consistency at the kicker position. For special teams, you can expect a pretty good number of player turnover, as it is quite clear that Bonamego wants to amp up the intensity. Look for the Rams special teams to recover dramatically in 2020.

III – Rams offensive line will heal, and improve, in 2020

The LA Rams offensive line injuries in 2019 included: Brian Allen, Joseph Noteboom, Austin Blythe, and Rob Havenstein. That is 80 percent of the Rams original starters. While we are pointing to the Rams offensive line, let’s not forget that the Rams seldom sent out the same five starters on the offensive line from one game to the next.

QB Jared Goff took his snaps from three different centers in the season. Austin Corbett, a player who started the 2019 season on the Cleveland Browns bench, arrived at the LA Rams and started both at the center and at the left guard for the team. And he never practiced once for the Rams once before arriving.

The Rams only starter, the venerable left tackle Andrew Whitworth, started all 16 games at the same position for the team. That was a rough ride for the entire offense all season. Eventually, the Rams began to adjust. The replace offensive linemen began to play better and cohesively. The Rams ran more 12-packages and used a tight-end to help on the pass and run blocking assignments. That opened up tight end Tyler Higbee in his passing routes.

Now, the Rams will begin a new season, having learned all of the lessons from 2019. The team will not only be able to reform the most successful line from 2019 but will look to improve the play at the center where A-gap blitzes were far too successful. And the team will direct competition for the backup left tackle role. This is not the same 2019 offensive line, despite the same faces. Ultimately, this is a group of very competitive football players all of whom now have a chip on their shoulder

II – Rams’ defense did not get older. Rather, it got younger

I have read several projections for the LA Rams in 2021, and was surprised to read one which stated: “the defense is starting to get old“. Seriously? All teams get older as one year passes on to the next. Meanwhile, the Rams said farewell to OLB Clay Matthews, OLB Dante Fowler Jr., ILB Cory Littleton, ILB Bryce Hager, S Eric Weddle, and CB Nickell Robey-Coleman. They weren’t young. In their place, the Rams are going with OLB Leonard Floyd, rookie OLB Terrell Lewis, ILB Micah Kizer, ILB Kenny Young, rookie slot CB Terrell Burgess, and second-year safety Taylor Rapp.

Now, where on this list of 2020 likely new starters on the defense are the Rams getting “older”? The answer is simple, they aren’t. Take the Rams defensive secondary for example. At the beginning of 2019, that backfield had starters of cornerbacks Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, slot corner Nickell Robey-Coleman, and safeties John Johnson and Eric Weddle. In 2020, that same backfield is cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill, slot corner rookie Terrell Burgess, with safeties John Johnson and Taylor Rapp. Not only had the Rams 2020 starting defensive backfield scored better by Pro Football Focus, but the fact that the defensive backfield will remain intact for the 2020 season is a huge advantage.

The Rams defensive line is the only place on the defense where they have not gotten markedly younger. All-Pro Aaron Donald is rejoined once more by a long-time teammate and good friend Michael Brockers. And the move made Donald very happy.

They will be reinforced by Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, and veteran strongman A’Shawn Robinson. The defensive line will be a key battleground for the Rams defense in 2020, and you should be prepared to witness a new and higher level of play by the Rams in the trenches. The only true question for this defense in at linebacker, and we’ll focus on that area in the near future.

I- Rams will dethrone 49ers in 2020

The LA Rams swept the injured San Francisco 49ers in 2018, on their way to Super Bowl LIII. The San Francisco 49ers swept the injured Los Angeles Rams in 2019, and their way to Super Bowl LIV. Now, it’s the Rams’ turn. No, that isn’t a call for some leap of faith on your part. Hear me out. The LA Rams, with all of the problems we’d discussed earlier, nearly defeated the San Francisco 49ers in their rematch. How?

Head coach Sean McVay is a very driven and passionate coach who sees a challenge as a personal test of his ability. Despite the cards stacked against him in that 2019 rematch, he adopted some remarkable countermeasures to neutralize the advantages of the 49ers. He went to a two-tight-end set and unleashed tight end, Tyler Higbee upon the 49ers.

He flexed the Rams passing game from Cooper Kupp to Robert Woods, and he watched as the Rams pass rush wore heavily upon besieged 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo en route to racking up six sacks. In that game, the Rams simply did not have the ability to stop the 49ers offense when they needed to most, and they were unable to run the ball effectively.

In the end, the score was 34-31. 49ers kicker Robbie Gould was two for two. The Rams Greg Zuerlein was one for two. Reverse that kicker’s performance, and the score is suddenly in favor of the Rams, and LA is suddenly into the playoffs with a winning streak giving them momentum.

That was then, this is now. While the 49ers may have retained the majority of their players, the Rams have healed, refocused, and upped the team’s intensity. Much like the 49ers’ quest to get better in 2019, the Rams have systemically added some key players, while promoting other players ready for a larger role. To improve the running game, the Rams drafted a sleeper at running back in Cam Akers. Akers is a do-it-all runner who can get tough yards when needed. Meanwhile, the Rams have gone big on defense, adding run specialist NT A’Shawn Robinson and OLB Leonard Floyd.

Yes, they now need to prove in on the field. But the Rams diagnosed the issue and addressed it. The Rams are all-in for 2020 but in a different way. Now it’s not about paying players and hoping they deliver on game day. Now it’s about coaching to win each game, each quarter, each play.

Well, I've reached a huge milestone on ROD: ten-thousand posts! I want to thank everyone here for helping me. Seriously, ROD would be nothing without all of the members contributing to it.

Go Rams!

If you predict the playoffs, please give a written outcome of the Rams.

5 breakout defensive stars for LA Rams Coach Staley in 2020

After the 2020 NFL Draft, the LA Rams roster is set. Now, who will step up as future defensive stars of this team? Here are our 5 top nominees:

The LA Rams now draft for the future. How far into the future is where the true debate really happens. While there are some minor tweaks in the team philosophy as to how 2020 schemes will be focused on both offense and defense, the roster has been built with enough flexibility to address many of those questions already.

In fact, as we look towards the 2021 NFL Draft, many, myself included, must resolve where the needs for that draft will exist. We are probably only looking at the next upcoming draft through the lens of 2020 NFL starters. Who do we believe will earn starting roles in 2020? But what if we are wrong about the team’s desperate hopes to land NFL starters in the 2020 NFL Draft? What if, and I’m clearly just speculating here for argument’s sake, the Rams coaching staff is not as panicked by the roster “as is” as the fans and media. What if they know who will succeed this year?

It’s tough for fans to wrap around the same perspective held by the team’s front office and coaching staff at this point in the season. We did not sit at team virtual meetings where the Rams draft priorities were discussed. We know who was drafted, but not why, nor for what role in 2020. If that information was readily available, would we all feel content? Likely not all, but many fans would have a clearer understanding of the roster’s full potential at this point.

Using that as the starting point, the 2020 NFL Draft perspective changes rapidly. If the team truly believes that all 2020 starters are on the roster before the draft, which truly should be the case, then the front office entered the draft entirely for competitive talent and depth. If the team has already decided who will emerge from the draft as the likely starter, then fans’ expectations can relax a bit, and allow rookies to develop at a slower, and more organic pace.

DB Burgess

Terrell Burgess is one of those do-it-all players who always seem to fall in the NFL Draft because teams struggle to slot a multiple-role player. And in the 2020 NFL Draft, this talented defensive back who can assume virtually any role in the defensive backfield fell because teams simply did not know how to project his talents into the NFL.

Burgess is a typically-sized defensive back, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing a svelte 202-pounds. He is the ideal hybrid defensive back, affording the Rams an opportunity to use Burgess as a safety, cornerback, or even linebacker on defense depending on the situation. He was a starter in his senior season only at Utah, when he recorded 81 of his total 116 tackles. Due to his size, he cannot project as a three-down player. But if he adds muscle mass in the weight room without slowing down, He could find significant defensive snaps among cornerback, safety, slot cornerback, or even as a passing down linebacker.

He is a perfect complement to the Rams defensive interior when lined up next to a thumper like Micah Kiser. His pass coverage skill is on par to handle running backs, tight ends, or even slot receivers. Perhaps one of the most undervalued skills Burgess brings to the defense is his incredible preparation and overall football IQ. Not only can he execute defensive plays called, but he is very active diagnosing plays before the snap and flexing his assignment to the proper target.

LB Young

Linebacker Kenny Young will forever be the “other guy” in the trade which sent cornerback Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick. Young was a rapidly improving linebacker while at Baltimore, enjoying the respect of a solid backup linebacker who had stepped up to fill in as the starter on two separate equations. Despite the trust from the Ravens coaching staff to step up for starting snaps, he never seemed to generate that same level of trust from the LA Rams coaching staff.

He was also that guy who welcomed Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew to the NFL with a devastating sack that knocked Minshew’s helmet off. That physical style of play was Young’s trademark as a Ravens part-time starter. In fact, Young started six of the 21 games he played as a Baltimore Raven. As a Raven, he recorded 68 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven tackles-for-losses, and allowed 19 of 27 passes to be completed.

It was perhaps that 70 percent pass completion rate against him which likely directed him exclusively to the Rams special teams play. But his mid-season arrival likely thwarted his opportunity to contribute on the field for the Rams’ defense. Now the Rams must put his through the paces with their playbook and determine if the 6-foot-1 234-pound interior linebacker has what it takes for a larger role with the Rams in the 2020 NFL season.

Young is a 2018 hybrid defensive player who suffered in his draft stock because scouts could not slot him into a singular defensive role. As we described in a previous article written about Young’s chances to start in 2020:

“He was too big and slow to be a cornerback. He was too slow and muscular to be an NFL safety. And he was judged to be too small and light to be an effective NFL linebacker. So many teams had no clue how to grade him, to project him onto the NFL.

Since the Rams’ new defensive philosophy emphasizes versatility, he will no doubt get solid looks at the linebacker position. That could be as a starter, or simply as a specialty package for the defense. But his role with the Rams truly depends on his ability to remain in the hip pocket of tight ends and running backs in pass coverage. If he demonstrates the ability to defend the pass consistently, the second starting linebacker position is his to lose.

DL Robinson

Defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson has been a notoriously strong defensive lineman whose efforts to dominate on the line of scrimmage have been stymied by his role as the primary blocker-gobbler on the defense. The good news is that being the primary focus of opposing offensive linemen will likely end the moment he steps onto the field lined up to All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald. The bad news is that it will determine just how good he truly is when facing just one blocker.

Robinson is most closely similar to former LA Rams defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Suh was a powerful big man who intimidated offenses. And both Suh and Robinson have attracted more than their fair share of blockers. Robinson gives all the appearance of a circus strong-man, and he plays like it. While he will fill the Rams minor need as a true defensive nose tackle, he does have the potential to play any of the Rams’ defensive line positions.

So far, his role has been virtually one dimensional on defense. Stand-your-ground, don’t advance and don’t retreat, and don’t let anyone with the football get past. He has been very effective in that very specific role, but do not look for the Rams to repeat that simplistic ask. After all, the Rams deception keys on players doing the unexpected. While Robinson will likely not slide into pass coverage, the 6-foot-4 330-pound mini-Hercules can devastate offenses in multiple ways. He can become a huge pivot player for the Rams to stunt on the defensive line, simply by turning him towards Aaron Donald’s blockers and letting Donald loop behind him for an unhampered shot at the offensive backfield.

And at 6-foot-4, do not be surprised to see an occasional play where Robinson stands up and slides back into coverage. His height and arm-length create natural obstructions to a quarterback’s visibility and passing lanes. Robinson excelled in a limited role with the Detroit Lions in 2018, earning an impressive 89.7 rating from Pro Football Focus. When that did not result in more snaps in 2019, he struggled with his continued limited role. He arrives at a much larger role and into the spotlight aimed the Rams defensive front, and the energy and change of zip code should result in a very motivated strong-man. To succeed here, he doesn’t need to sack the quarterback. He just needs to take some of the pressure off Donald. He’ll do a little of both, making him an ideal complement to Donald, and the ideal nose tackle for the Rams.

LB Kiser

LA Rams inside linebacker Micah Kiser was on track to earn a starting linebacker role next to Cory Littleton in 2019. But an injury derailed those plans, an injury which not only put him on the bench but which shattered his hopes to secure his first starting role for the team. Now, as he battles back from injury, Kiser must once more battle for a starting role on this defense. Can he do it?

Kiser is a 6-foot-0 244-pound brute in the Rams defense interior. He is the run-stopper interior linebacker which the Rams have sought in recent years. He was slated to partner with cover-specialist Cory Littleton in 2019, a duo that would have had a devastating impact against opposing offense. Now Kiser must hope for another coverage-type linebacker to pair alongside in the Rams defense for 2019.

Kiser was the pre-draft favorite to land a starting role as an interior linebacker on the defense, and if his rehab has remained on track, we have no reason to change that projection. He is the favorite from the crowded linebacker group simply because he had the starter designation from 2019. While the defense will have new strategies, the Rams will continue to emphasize run defense from the interior, which is directly in Kiser’s wheelhouse. If the Rams can pair up Kiser with a coverage specialist linebacker like Travin Howard, or newly signed UDFA linebacker Bryan London II on defense, the Rams will have both run and pass defense for the interior covered in 2020.

OLB Lewis

Outside linebacker Terrell Lewis was one of our favorite edge rushers from the 2020 NFL Draft. But in virtually all of our mocks leading up to draft day, Lewis was selected at 52, and never lasted until round three. His fall to the 84th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft has been attributed to concerns about his health. But in all honesty, there was much more going on in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft than imperfect medical information.

The draft was loaded with wide receivers, quarterbacks, defensive backs, offensive tackles, and even defensive linemen. With mini-runs occurring throughout the NFL Draft, edge rusher Terrell Lewis was a secondary target for teams. Fortunately for the LA Rams, they were able to call his name in round three.

Yes, Terrell Lewis was injured in Alabama. He suffered an elbow injury, followed by an ACL injury the following year. In a year with many concerns over incomplete medical histories, and plenty of talented alternatives, Lewis was simply a casualty of timid NFL general managers who opted for above-average players with relatively certain NFL futures than high-ceiling players who may have greater injury risks. Fortunately for the Rams, Lewis’ upside was too attractive to look-away from.

Let’s discuss that upside. Lewis flashed elite potential at college and will slide into a custom-built role for him in the NFL. He will be coached by two of the best outside linebacker coaches in the NFL: defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, and linebackers coach Joe Barry. He will play opposite veteran OLB Leonard Floyd and be the primary pass-rusher off the edge alongside defensive lineman Aaron Donald.

For all of the “if he stays healthy” warning labels on this guy, he will absolutely begin his NFL career with a huge impact. That floor could be at the Clay Matthews level where he is proficient but perhaps not headlining, but he will hold his own for the Rams for as their primary pass rusher. On the other hand, his upside is much more, particularly in years two and three. The LA Rams sought a competent edge rusher in the 2020 NFL Draft. What they found is a player who has the perfect scenario to become an NFL elite player.

Cool and addictive way to see that game, via mic’d up.



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Could Cowboys rescind Dak Prescott’s franchise tag?

Presumably, Andy Dalton becomes the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas. But with Prescott not yet accepting a franchise tender with a value in excess of $31 million, it’s reasonable to ask the question posed in the headline of this item: Would the Cowboys rescind Dak’s tender?

Until Prescott accepts the one-year offer, the Cowboys have the ability to yank it. And Dalton gives Dallas an intriguing bird in the hand in the event that the Cowboys can’t work something out with Prescott and potentially decide, depending on the whims of owner/G.M. Jerry Jones, to rescind the franchise tender, making Dalton the Dallas starter and saving well over $20 million in the process.

While that’s highly unlikely, stranger things have happened. And if coach Mike McCarthy, who has no history with Prescott, is comfortable with Dalton and if Jerry and Stephen Jones grow sufficiently weary of Dak’s demands, it’s impossible to completely and entirely rule out the possibility of a Texas native taking over America’s Team.

It that were to happen, what would happen with Dak? The starting jobs are set for most teams, and those that would consider Prescott (primarily, the Patriots and the Jaguars) don’t have the cap space to give him the kind of money he’d make in Dallas, if he were to accept the tender.

Beyond New England and Jacksonville, which other teams would even consider turning their plans for 2020 upside down and signing Dak to the kind of deal he’s demanding in Dallas? Would the Jets bench Sam Darnold? Would the Browns bump Baker Mayfield? Would the Raiders jettison Derek Carr? Would Washington pull the plug on Dwayne Haskins?

With the Cowboys to date intent on keeping Dak, the question of whether and to what extent another team would make a move for Prescott has yet to be raised. Budgets have been set and money has been spent and if the Cowboys wait until, say, July to make the move, Prescott would be very hard pressed to find a landing spot.

Again, it’s unlikely. But it’s a suddenly fascinating possibility, and it gives the Cowboys a little extra leverage at a time when they otherwise have none.


Cowboys sign Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton is heading back home to Texas.

Dalton, who grew up in Texas and played his college football at TCU, is signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys, PFT has confirmed. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the deal guarantees Dalton $3 million and gives him the opportunity to make up to $7 million.

Dak Prescott is currently a free agent and hasn’t signed the franchise tag, and although he’s expected to be in the fold well before Week One, if Prescott and the Cowboys can’t come to terms, Dalton gives them a plausible starter. Assuming Prescott does sign, Dalton would be his backup.

The Bengals cut Dalton this week after drafting Joe Burrow with the first overall pick. Although there were reports that the Patriots and Jaguars could be interested in signing Dalton and giving him a chance to start, he has instead taken a deal where he’ll be a backup.

Five things to know about new Rams OLB Terrell Lewis

The Rams used their third draft pick this year on outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, selecting him 84th overall in the third round. Here are five things you should know about the former Alabama standout.

1) NFL-ready

Hailing from a college program than annually produces NFL talent, Lewis credits Alabama's pro-like preparation for his and his former teammates' seamless transition into the league.

"I think our daily process that we go through prepares us so well for the NFL, whether it just be studying and watching film, how to conduct yourself when it comes to preparation, weight room, balance as far as lifting and school, and things of that nature," Lewis said on a video conference last week. "Just the terminology that we talk as far as just football wise, learning the X's and O's, and learning the situational part of football and schemes and coverages and different things that go into just everything that a coach, and especially what NFL coach, thinks about, we dissect it from a player's perspective."

2) Draft classmate connections

Lewis is already acquainted with a couple of his new Rams teammates. He said he played in the same Dallas, Texas all-star event as running back Cam Akers, and worked out with wide receiver Van Jefferson at Michael Johnson Performance in McKinney, Texas.

3) Valuable pick

According to one NFL analyst, Lewis was considered a steal for the Rams when he was available at 84th pick.

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This is further reinforced by another NFL analyst who gave Lewis first-round buzz prior to the draft.

4) Player comparison suggests high upside

The same article that stated Lewis going in the first round wouldn't have been a surprise also compared him to a prominent edge rusher already in the league: Broncos linebacker Von Miller.

"If you just look at the athleticism, speed, ridiculous body frame and most metrics, this kid is a bigger Von Miller," CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora wrote. "Wingspan off the charts. Essentially had Miller's vertical and broad jump, only carrying 20 more pounds and two more inches."

5) Chip on his shoulder

Lewis missed 10 games in 2017 due to an upper arm injury and the entire 2018 season after tearing his ACL that summer, but bounced back in 2019 with a performance worth of second-team All-SEC honors.

He's ready to reward the Rams' faith in him and prove wrong all the other teams who passed on him.

"Yeah, I'm sure it played a factor in it, but nonetheless, I got picked," Lewis said, when asked if he thought his college injuries caused him to slide in the draft. "I'm in an organization and just getting off the phone with the Rams, they told me how much they believe in me and my abilities. They can't wait to display it to every other team that passed up on me and I can't wait either. Just ready to get to work and make everybody else pay for the wait that they made me wait."

Have you discovered anything about yourself or the ones you are with during this lockdown. This stuff can be stressful or it can open your eyes to things about the people closest to you.

Personally I have found out that my girlfriend Maggie is without a doubt the most level-headed, calm, and happy person I've ever known. She has strong religious beliefs and I thought it might grate on me because I'm not anywhere near that way. But both of us simply accept the other as we are. She's a lot younger than me so I thought she would miss going out with her friends but she said surprisingly to herself she doesn't.

I've found out that I don't miss a lot of things that I thought I would. I'm enjoying doing things I always wanted to do but put off doing for whatever reasons. I've always been a good cook and back in my college days, I had a girlfriend teach me how to make bread (her mother was a baker). I was more interested in getting her into bed but some of it actually stuck. So I have shocked Maggie by baking bread every few days. I didn't do it in Mexico because cleanups and propane stoves and ovens aren't conducive to baking and cooking. So every other day Maggie and I trade off cooking and she is very good in her own right. Maggie is a Mexican National with a permanent green card since she's been here since she was 9. But her mother taught her to cook so she has made some outrageous Mexican food from scratch no less.

We are living in my nephew's brand new house which is gorgeous, especially for the price he paid. He's been in CA deployed with the AZ National Guard since before we arrived. It's not a total lockdown here but most places are closed. We don't know anyone here but the neighbors are friendly and sitting in the spa at night with cold drinks is like our own private resort. We even have a regular coyote come stick his nose through the fence while we are out there every night because Maggie unwisely tossed him a piece of leftover burrito while my back was turned.

One thing is for sure it's better than when I spent some time in Palm Springs. Because of the golf courses, there is a lot of humidity and worst of all mosquitos. None of either here so it's been really nice when the wind isn't blowing. Maggie and I are glad to be back in the US right now.

We hope everyone on this board is doing well and surviving this crisis. Stay safe my friends.