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The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players …
www.profootballrumors.com
2020 NFL Cap Room By Team
The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players on the board and high-profile cuts on the way. And, while some teams did their spending early, others are still sitting on lots of cash.
The latest cap figures from OverTheCap show that several teams are poised to pounce in the latter waves of free agency, starting with the Browns. The numbers also show that teams like the Rams still have work to do in order to sign their upcoming draft class. Also, the Eagles’ 2020 figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story – thanks to high-priced multi-year deals including Darius Slay’s new contract, they’re already overcommitted on dollars for 2021.
Here’s the complete rundown for all 32 teams, in descending order of cap space:
It's 04:45 here in the UK. If anyone here is up consider going out and having a look. At any given time you can see up to 10 'shooting stars' all from the same place, on the same line, and heading in the same direction. Every so often 1 will burn up in a small orange explosion. Kinda cool to watch.
Can covert speed to power and has a nice arsenal of pass-rushing moves
Can beat blocks vs. pass or run
Flashes of high-level bend around the corner
Weaknesses:
Just adequate explosiveness, bend, and sustained speed into backfield
Motor could run a little higher throughout the game
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report that Taylor would not be participating in the workouts at the NFL Combine as the former Tennessee linebacker is not physically ready to go following his surgery.
If you missed the news a few weeks ago, Taylor announced he played the final 13 games of his college career with a stress fracture in his foot. Despite the setback, Taylor still managed to rack up 16.5 sacks in the two seasons he played in Jeremy Pruitt’s defensive system. Taylor also had 21 tackles for loss and 82 overall tackles during that time.
Taylor is expected to participate in Tennessee’s upcoming Pro Day in April and will still be able to interview and meet with teams during this week’s combine.
An article on him
Gay is one of the most confounding evaluations at the linebacker position in this class. His movement skills are top-notch for the position. He’ll likely run in at least the 4.5s — if not faster — and gains depth with ease in coverage. In his three seasons at Mississippi State, Gay earned coverage grades of 87.1 (2017), 90.6 (2018), and 90.0 (2019). Over his entire career though, Gay only played 294 snaps in coverage (about one season’s worth). There are a number of reasons for this, all of which are concerning to say the least. Gay was a sub-package player his first two seasons for the Bulldogs and then started his 2019 season off sidelined with an injury. After reeling in a pick-six on his very first drive of the season against Kentucky, Gay was subsequently suspended for undisclosed reasons after the game. The off-field vetting for Gay during the draft process may very well be as important as the on-field.
Biggest issues?
He has a little bit of knuckle head in him, playing time, and he takes bad angles once and a while which with NFL coaching should correct.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Zach Moss
WR: Josh Reynolds
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Bobby Evans
C: Tyler Biadasz
RG: Calvin Throckmorton
RT: David Edwards
SDE: Michael Brockers
NT: A'Shawn Robinson
UT: Aaron Donald
OLB: Samson Ebukam
WILB: Jordan Brooks
SILB: Willie Gay Jr.
OLB: Darrel Taylor
LCB: Jalen Ramsey
RCB: Troy Hill
SLCB: David Long Jr.
FS: John Johnson III
SS: Taylor Rapp
K: Rodrigo Blankenship
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Bowden Jr.
PR: Bowden Jr.
The whole point of this draft is relieve us of being under the cap, signing our class and having some room to breath while adding critical depth if not starters around multiple units for the cheap of 4 years.
The biggest unit that got an upgrade is the LB core.
10 OL depth:
Edwards
Evans
Blythe
Noteboom
Not bad to secure the OL with cheap talented tenure.
First off, I did "borrow an idea" here and there but it fell very interesting none the less. (Well....according to my source material...that is...). W/O further adieu....
52. LA Rams Tyler BiadaszWisconsin OL
57. LA Rams f/HOU Michael Pittman Jr. USC WR
84. LA Rams Malik Harrison Ohio St. LB
104. LA Rams* Darnay Holmes UCLA CB
126. LA Rams Davion Taylor Colorado LB
199. LA Rams Tyler Bass Ga. Southern K
234. LA Rams Quez Watkins So. Miss WR
Now, I have admit, when I found Malik Harrison listed as the 87th ranked player, I thought h probably wouldn't be there....but that's not how mocks are done. Everyone else looked to be in the proper range.
So, I listed them and even explained the biggest question. (That I can see....). What do you think?
So here's the deal. I am a mechanic by trade. I've worked on aircraft and material handling equipment during my career. Times have been strange lately and I need new employment. I was recently interviewed and offered a well paying job as an employee of a company. Then the pandemic came and a little over a month went by with no physical offer.
Since then I have received a physical offer from the same company to work as an independent contractor for the same pay offered for employment. I've never been an independent contractor before and I've been doing a little reading on the topic. I understand that benefits and taxes would be something that I have to take care of. I would also not be protected by employment laws.
I want to make an educated decision on wether or not to take this job. Any independent contractors on the board? How does time off work? What questions should I ask the employer (customer?) before I sign? if I work at one location for set hours am I really an independent contractor or is this company trying to save money in a shady way? Advice? Tips? Opinions? I'll take it all.
Do any of you guys think Kenny has upscale talent that hasn’t developed yet? I know we got him in the Peters trade, but haven’t heard much about him on this board.
The LA Rams have continued to bury WR Josh Reynolds on their depth chart, but now the team is betting his contract year is his career-best
ramblinfan.com
LA Rams betting WR Josh Reynolds’ contract year is career best
The LA Rams have migrated into new territory for their offense. For the first time in his head coaching career, Sean McVay will not be able to call running back Todd Gurley‘s number on offense. Nor will he be able to call a deep route to wide receiver Brandin Cooks. While the LA Rams sort out who will carry the ball, the team has a receiver on the roster waiting for his chance to shine: Wide receiver Josh Reynolds.
Reynolds is entering his fourth NFL season and has been struggling to move up in the team’s depth chart. At first, he was too inexperienced. Immediately thereafter, the Rams had traded significant assets, a 2019 first and sixth-round picks, acquire WR Branding Cooks. Through it all, Reynolds remained a rotational player, stepping up when both Cooper Kupp was injured in 2018, and when Cooks was injured in 2019.
Now entering his contract year, the LA Rams seem to have gambled that this year will be his career-best. And they may likely be correct. After all, even as the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart, Reynolds has seen action in 1,370 offensive plays, out of a possible 3,100. He’s also been active on special teams as well. During that span, he’s been active in all 48 possible games, and the named starter 11 times. Of 120 targets, he has caught 61 passes for an impressive 832 yards and seven touchdowns.
Look for those career numbers to nearly double this year.
Reynolds is a gazelle. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at just under 200-pounds, he is the tallest of the Rams receivers. His long strides chew up the yards quickly, and as such he was hoped to stretch the field as Cooks struggled to remain on the field. He was touted as great depth and insurance for the Rams in training camp, and again when the 2019 NFL season began.
Even if the LA Rams draft a wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft (they can and will at virtually any round in this draft), it will take time for a rookie to integrate into the Rams routes and offense. While the Rams and rookies are making introductions, Reynolds will be ready to rip through some defenses.
The Rams offense is undergoing a facelift right now. Gone are Cooks and running back Todd Gurley. In their place, new stars must emerge for the team, and Reynolds is certainly prepared to do so. A fourth-round addition in the 2017 NFL Draft, this is the year that he must show up and claim his NFL spotlight.
He’ll do well for the Rams this year. Not because he has some pent-up stardom that will be unleashed upon the NFL. Not because he is all about that money year. Simply because he is a hard-working player who now has the attention of the offensive coaches who will plan and scheme for his success this year. The Rams will need him to show up in 2020. And he will, in a very big way.
Do McSnead and Co. get nervous about extending guys early or attempt to secure players before they hit FA?
Kupp, JJ, Everett and others are in their FA year (I am leaving Ramsey out as he is a must-sign).
We could let these players play out their final contract year and decide whether to franchise them after the season OR we could find a middle ground where we meet their needs in terms of long-term security while betting on what we believe they will become.
These are the actual questions our front office are faced with every year. Recently, they have been scrutinized for being too aggressive; rightfully so with Ogletree and Austin. I would argue against many of the others due to injury.
How would you feel about extensions "a year early" for these guys?
i keep seeing posters complaining about our OL and suggesting that is where the draft capital needs to be spent. I get it as everything we do revolves around their ability to do their job. With that said, I think we need to look at the situation realistically. If Whit and Hav don't show up, we simply don't have the draft capital to make up for it. In addition, we have a plethora of OG options that the same can be said about; Corbett, Edwards, Evans, etc. That leaves the center position.
This draft presents an opportunity for us to solidify the single biggest weakness on this team; center. There are numerous stats that show this to be true, aside from almost everyone's "eyes" while watching. We fix this, and either the rest falls into place or we have a total rebuild of the OL in front of us.
Draft a starter in rounds 2/3 and see how everything jells. If it doesn't, nothing is truly lost as we have a building block for what will be a wholesale change. If it works, then that means we are solid for many years to come sans a starting LOT. In that regard, we either draft a prospect in hope of development or push that need into next year's FA or draft.
To me, it's quite simple. We have to find a starting center that will carry us for 5+ years. We simply do not have the draft capital or FA dollars available to go a different route.
As part of theRams.com's coverage leading into this year's NFL Draft, we will be examining each of the Top 100 picks of the Sean McVay era in Los Angeles. The series continues with a look at offensive lineman Joe Noteboom.
Before joining the Rams
Building upon valuable experience by playing in all 13 games of his redshirt freshman season at TCU in 2013, Noteboom strung together 40 consecutive starts to close out his college career. Of those 40 straight starts, 27 came at left tackle across his redshirt junior and redshirt senior seasons.
Noteboom's college career was also highlighted by being part of an offensive line that helped TCU produce a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in the same season for just the second time in program history, a feat accomplished during his redshirt sophomore season in 2014.
During his redshirt senior season in 2017, he was part of a Horned Frogs squad that ranked No. 5 in scoring and total offense and No. 4 in rushing offense in the Big 12 en route to an 11-3 record and Alamo Bowl victory.
Continuing a familiar trend, Noteboom received invitations to both the 2018 Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. Entering the draft, NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected him to be taken in the second or third round.
The Rams did not have a first-round pick that year because of the Brandin Cooks trade with the Patriots, nor did they have a second-round pick because of the Sammy Watkins trade with the Bills, so they were not on the clock until the third round, where they used the No. 89 overall pick on Noteboom.
Rams highlights
Noteboom appeared in all 16 regular season games and three postseason games as a rookie in 2018. Following Rodger Saffold's departure via free agency to the Titans, Los Angeles named Noteboom its starting left guard entering the 2019 season.
Unfortunately for him, his first season as a starter was short-lived because of a torn ACL and MCL against the 49ers in Week 6 which sidelined him for the remainder of the year.
Noteboom does have a bright, future, though. Rams general manager Les Snead said this offseason that he is a candidate to succeed Andrew Whitworth as the team's starting left tackle whenever Whitworth retires.
Each week, we interview a different Rams player to find out about their lives on the field as well as off of it. Team Reporter, Sarina Morales, asks the questions fans want to know, in a fun and conversational interview. This week, safety, Taylor Rapp, spoke to Sarina about Spikeball, John Johnson's return and Tomahawk steaks.
1: Home with the fam
Sarina: Where are you staying these days? How are you doing?
Taylor: Back up in Washington at my parent's house during all of this. I'm doing good, just trying to keep myself busy and active.
2: Bunker with Bezos
Sarina: A celebrity you would want to quarantine with?
Taylor: If I had to pick one celebrity to quarantine myself with, it would have to be Jeff Bezos. I would love to pick his brain on how he managed to start the empire of Amazon from his own garage and his mindset and way of thinking that helped him create the most successful and profitable company this day and age knows. His mind obviously operates differently than the normal individual, so it would be cool to be quarantined with him because he would have no choice but to share his knowledge with me.
3: Throwback
Sarina: What is a new habit you've picked up since being at home?
Taylor: Playing GameCube. I haven't played since I was in grade school, but this lockdown and quarantine made me reminisce by living out my childhood and playing games like Zelda, Super Smash Bros, and Mario Kart.
4: Rookie Reflection
Sarina: Now that you got through a wild rookie year, looking back, what was the most challenging part of the season?
Taylor: I think the most challenging part was the beginning of the season, when I was still trying to find my way. As a rookie, it was hard to be thrown right into the fire and be a major contributor right from the get-go, but with the guidance and mentorship from guys like Eric [Weddle] and JJ [John Johnson], it made it as easy as it could be. About midway through the season and right around the bye week, I started feeling like my normal self (like back in college) and started to trust myself more and just playing instead of thinking and playing slow. I would say overcoming that first half of the season hump of getting more comfortable and back to my playing ways.
5: Let's hear it for Spikeball
Sarina: Outside of football, what is your favorite sport to play?
Taylor: Spikeball. It's a new and up-and-coming sport, but it's a really fun, little game you can play with 4 people. It's like volleyball but instead of hitting over the net, you hit the net and try not to have the opposing team return it. It requires a lot of quickness and good hand-eye coordination. I picked it up in college playing with some teammates, but haven't really played much lately. I sure need to start playing on some LA beaches once all this dies down.
6: JJ's return
Sarina: John Johnson was out last season, and is expected to make a big return, what is your favorite thing about your fellow safety?
Taylor: JJ is such a good player and he really doesn't get the praise or respect he deserves, but just expect a big year from him this year. He's been working and rehabbing every day and he's itching to get back more than ever. He's a very versatile player. I think he can do everything a coach can ask a Safety to do on a defense. He can play deep, he can match up any tight end, he can drop down, he can play in the box, he can play linebacker, he can really do everything.
7: My dawg was my dog
Sarina: For National Pet Day - what is the best part about being a pet owner? (Nat'l Pet day is Saturday)
Taylor: I love pets. Especially dogs. I grew up with a dog named Shep, who passed when I was in high school. They say a dog is a man's best friend, but he was really my best friend growing up. Then my family got two dogs, named Mia and Tai, and they're brother and sister from the same litter. They're great dogs and they're really the center of my family right now. Any chance I get, I spend as much time with them as I can. Go on walks, hikes, drives, really do everything and anything with them. Dogs are really a man's best friend.
8: The steaks are high
Sarina: What is the dish you have mastered making? The dish you are most proud of?
Taylor: I would say my smoked Tomahawk steak. I recently got a Traeger Pellet Grill and every week I usually smoke and cook a steak on there. It took me several tries to get it down but I've mastered a perfect smoked Tomahawk steak using my Traeger. It's the best steak I've ever had in my entire life...throw that bad boy on my grill and smoke it at 225 degrees for 1.5 hours or so. Then crank the grill up to 450-500 degrees to finish it off for 8-10 minutes on each side. The steak is so juicy and full of flavor from the 1.5 hour smoke with the hickory smoked pellets used to fire the grill and the Traeger seasoning I use for the steaks. Obviously, you can tell I'm super passionate about this. It's really a masterpiece and a sight to see.
9: Family Feud
Sarina: You have to pick 4 teammates to join you on Family Feud, who would you pick to help you win and why?
Taylor: David Edwards, John Wolford, Andrew Whitworth, Coleman Shelton. David and John because they're both incredibly sharp and knowledgeable. Whit because he's been on this earth longer than any other teammate and has a lot of wisdom and knowledge. Coleman because you got to rep your alma mater and the UW education!! UW degree ain't no joke.
10: Football is Family
Sarina: The part of football you miss the most right now?
Taylor: I just really miss being around the guys and in the locker room. The NFL season is a long season and you really get to know all the guys and develop really good relationships with them because of the countless hours you spend with each other. You get really close to everyone. So being at the end of the offseason and now in quarantine, you really miss being around the guys.
Looking at the above it is very easy for me to get all crazy about wanting a wideout, especially in this draft. And I expect the Rams to prioritize one at some point, maybe even early. But I'm going to focus in on two things: stopping the run, and efficiently running the ball. IMO big improvement in both those areas will put this team into the playoffs.
2. Josh Uche, LB, Michigan. This dude is going to be an elite pro player IMO. He brings excellent flexibility to our new DC as well at a position where we need speed and physicality in the worst way. He can rush the passer and give our edge rotation a boost they badly need. But he also moves extremely well in space and gives the front seven a plus open field tackler whether it's against option QBs or containing speed from the backfield. In the passing game he gets depth very quickly on his drops, so would immediately be able to slide to the WILB post when required and unlike Littleton he is extremely physical for his size and can get dirty with blockers. His weakness off ball would be man coverage, however he has the right skills to be able to excel in that role if required.
2. Matt Hennessy, C, Temple. I don't care that he's typically not valued at the 57 range. I'm no scout but I have watched all the Centers in this draft and to my eye this guy fits in this range and projects extremely well to our OL as our Center of the future. He is fundamentally sound with his technique, smart and plays fast meaning he is quick to pick up stunts or get position to seal off opponents in real time, and most importantly he moves well which is crucial for our scheme. Drafting him gives Kromer a finishing piece at the pivot who will be able to start for us if Blythe struggles or is injured, and mostly finishes the OL rebuild (just LT remaining for next year unfortunately but you can't fix everything in one offseason).
3. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona St. I don't know that he'll be on the board at 84, but I suspect teams are going to snap up guys like Claypool before him so it feels to me as I look at the wideouts and where I have him slotted right now against the other positions that he fits in that late 2nd into the 3rd range. He's not exactly the ideal McVay wideout, isn't going to eat up DBs with his route tree like Kupp or light up defenses deep like Cooks, but he will add a ton of threat to our jet sweep motion and he'll help reinvigorate a screen game that looked to me like one of the worst in the league last season. I like him well enough in fact (vs the other WR options in this range) that I'd consider trading a player to move up a bit if I needed to and I say player since I prefer not to give up picks to do that.
3. Tanner Muse, S, Clemson. The Rams are going to need a plus sub option who can support in the box but also do a little dropping into coverage and adding sure tackling in space. Muse fits that nickelbacker role very well, doesn't have the freakish stuff like Chinn but is very tough and very smart and I think fits that Fangio style defense very well as a box sub.
4. Lamical Perine, RB, Florida. I had to really control myself here and accept going with a guy who fits what McVay wants vice what I want in a RB. Perine is a nice fit, he's not a guy who will dominate the carries like we'd see if we were to luck out at 52 with a pick like Taylor. Rather he's an "add him to the RB by committee" type which is where I believe the Rams are going at the position. Could have gone some different ways, but Perine had a good Senior Bowl week which is important to Snead and he's a fit.
6. Rodrigo Blankenship, PK, Georgia. I think Bass is gone by round 5, however I couldn't bring myself to use a round 4 pick on him so Blankenship is a nice alternative and he's got the raw talent for our new ST coach to refine. Rams might panic and take a kicker earlier than this, but I think addressing it here is the way to go.
7. Kevin Davidson, QB, Princeton. The QBs I want (Morgan or Gordon) are going to be off the board by this point but them's the breaks. Davidson is a nice fallback option as a smart signal caller who might have the ability to at least function as a backup at the NFL level.
Of the needs above I couldn't get the dev LT just seemed like too great a cost when I could add a player who impacts us sooner with higher likelyhood of hitting. Also TE but I'd think the Rams could attract two or three good UDFA types at the position along with the WRs they will undoubtedly hit hard among that group. IMO that extra round 2 pick and the knowledge that JRey can spell Cooks this season helps us a great deal and wanted to translate that extra pick into meaningful 2020 impact.
Gurley, a formerly elite player, was released because of a combo of reduced production and brutal cap cost, an unsustainable situation. Such a shame, but they had little choice.
Cooks was traded because of the combo of health issues due to concussions (5 of them, and counting) AND a brutal cap cost. Another unsustainable situation. BTW, it was a minor miracle that they got back a 2nd in trade for Cooks.
IMO, both players would still be Rams today but for their respective health issues despite their gigantic contracts. But it is what it is.
Yeah, McVay will be using more 12 sets this year. That seems beyond obvious, don’t you think? Higbee could have a monster year. There will be no shortage of passing weapons for the Rams in ‘20, whether they draft a WR high or not.
I’m cautiously optimistic about our OL this year. I’ve got a lot of trust in Kromer and I see promise in Corbett, Edwards, and Evans entering their 2nd season as Ram starters (Blythe’s 2nd season as starting C). Blythe should be adequate as starting C now that he’s healthy. If Hav can rise up and reclaim his starting position at RT that would be a huge bonus. Everyone probably knows that I like Boom as our future starting LOT once fully healthy. Until then Whit should be more than capable there.
I feel that our DL will be better this year, particularly against the run. I’m Very happy about that ARob addition.
I’m just gonna say it. I consider our secondary as borderline elite at a minimum. I don’t envy any QB that must throw into that coverage while under pressure.
I’ve got a real good feeling about Staley and this Fangio style of D that I think he’s bringing in. It’s gonna be unpredictable and it’s gonna confuse a lot of QB’s. Should be more consistent and should be fun to watch, too.
As to my guesses for this draft? I have no specifics, but I do have some generalities that I think are highly likely.
Snead will be active making trades Duh.
I see him trading down out of at least one 2nd and maybe both, depending on who falls and who remains below among his targets. I make it over 50% that he trades down outta both 2nds, actually. Snead may do a trade up, as well, but if so I think it will be of a later and kinda minor variety.
Our first 4 picks will probably be the following 4 positions but who knows in what order:
RB. Don’t kid yourself, this is a very high priority. Snead has been hinting as much for weeks. Bank it.
WR. Just lost Cooks and this is a terrific draft for WR’s. Only question in my mind is whether it takes place on Day 2. Probably will.
C. Blythe is on a 1 year prove it contract and this is reportedly a bumper crop of quality C’s. A match made in heaven, IOW. Rams have been sniffing around the C position, reportedly.
ILB. Littleton is gone, but there should be a Staley type ILB sitting there on Day 2, one that’s a better run defender, and I think the Rams will pounce. I suspect that the Rams kinda like a couple of guys already on their roster, but it’s always wise to keep the pipeline full. This is probably in ‘bank it’ territory on Day 2.
Edge. I’ve read that this is not a stellar Edge draft where we will be picking. Still, maybe a player that the Rams like will fall to them. If so, this position is a likely Day 2 pick, especially if Snead got his trade down.
Finally, I’ve read some posters that have said that this ‘20 season is a bit of a throwaway season while preparing for ‘21. Nonsense. I see no reason to think that this ‘20 Ram team won’t be extremely competitive and a team that no one wants to see in the playoffs. This will be a team better constructed to compete in the difficult NFC West, too.
Los Angeles now has two picks in the second-round, No. 52 and No. 57 overall
www.cbssports.com
How the Rams can use the second-round 2020 NFL Draft pick acquired from the Texans
The Los Angeles Rams flipped Brandin Cooks and a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Houston Texans for a 2020 second-round selection, No. 57 overall, in the latest example of Bill O'Brien's inconceivable omnipotence over the Houston organization. Still without a first-round pick due to the Jalen Ramsey trade, the Rams suddenly have two choices in the top 60, a nice luxury for a team that hasn't been shy about trading away early elections over the past few years and lost Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler, and Nickell Robey-Coleman in free agency to go along with the release of Todd Gurley.
Let's look at some prospect possibilities for Los Angeles with their second selection in Round 2:
Wide receiver
Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk, Penn State's K.J. Hamler, Florida's Van Jefferson
This group represents the Sean McVay "type" at wide receiver, and my comparison for Aiyuk is actually Robert Woods. Given his tiny frame, explosive burst off the line, and elite downfield coupled with flashes of freaky YAC skills, it wouldn't be crazy to see a lot of Cooks in K.J. Hamler. No. 57 overall would be a touch high for Jefferson, especially because he's nursing a foot injury, but his route-running is razor sharp.
USC's Michael Pittman, Notre Dame's Chase Claypool, Michgan's Donovan Peoples-Jones
If McVay wants to diversify the style in his receiver group after moving Cooks, he could be enticed by the size element in one of these three receivers likely picked in this range. Pittman is the best, most well-rounded of the bunch; Claypool gives you more rebounding ability at a legitimate 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds with a 40.5-inch vertical; and Peoples-Jones is crazy explosive just never reached his potential at Michigan.
All three of these linebackers can really run and cover. Gay ran 4.46 at 6-1 and 243 pounds at the combine. That's freaky. Taylor is somewhat new to the game of football but has a pretty polished game considering that, was flexed out at corner often at Colorado, and ran 4.49 and 228 pounds. Dye will probably go later than No. 57 overall, but he is the smoothest coverage linebacker in the class. The Rams need another coverage specialist at this position after Littleton's departure.
Center
Temple's Matt Hennessy, Wisconsin's Tyler Biadasz
Yes, the Rams picked Brian Allen in the fourth round two years ago. No, he does not have a secure grasp on the starting center spot. McVay needs a highly athletic pivot in his zone-blocking scheme, and Hennessy and Biadasz are the two most effortless, twitchy movers at that position in the class. For the record, give me Hennessy over Biadasz. Better pass-protection balance. But both need to get stronger.
These are two long, athletic edge rushers with high-end flashes but not much consistency. Lewis battled through a myriad of injuries at Alabama and Okwara's 2019 season ended prematurely due to injury as well. If the Rams want length and athleticism at the position, they'll likely go with one of these players
Boise State's Curtis Weaver, Tennessee's Darrell Taylor
If Los Angeles is into more girth, point of attack power, and overall consistency, Weaver or Taylor would make perfect sense. Weaver was crazy productive for all three of his seasons at Boise State, and can win in a variety of ways around the corner. Taylor isn't quite as reliable game-to-game, but it was hard to find a contest on film in which he didn't chip in with at least a handful of quality rushes to the quarterback.
The NFL is officially making a big rule change ahead of the 2020 season. Pass interference will no longer be …
www.profootballrumors.com
Pass Interference Won’t Be Reviewable In 2020
The NFL is officially making a big rule change ahead of the 2020 season. Pass interference will no longer be a reviewable foul whenever the league next plays games, a source told Mark Maske of the Washington Post (Twitter link).
Maske reports that owners won’t even take a vote on the issue and the pass interference replay review rule will simply be allowed to expire. In a separate tweet, Maske notes that teams “overwhelmingly indicated” they didn’t want the rule renewed for another season. In a huge move last offseason, the league made pass interference penalties reviewable by coach’s challenges and by the booth.
They made the decision last year at the behest of the Saints following the controversial no-call that likely cost them the NFC Championship Game to the Rams. The rollout was a disaster, and seemingly everyone hated the implementation right from the start. The replay booth was very strict for the most part, but also inconsistent, with what they would overturn.
As for new rule changes that could take effect in 2020, the NFL released the full list of proposed rule changes that owners will vote on at upcoming meetings. Included are the Eagles’ proposals to “provide an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team who is trailing in the game an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring (4th and 15 from the kicking team’s 25-yard line),” as well as to make overtime 15 minutes and reduce the importance of the overtime coin toss.
There are a handful of other interesting but less significant proposed changes which you can view in the release. All proposed rules need support from 24 of the 32 owners in order to pass.
After the Cooks trade, I figured I'd take stab at it. Trades are always a crapshoot, so I'm just trying to make trades that are realistic in terms of value. There's no way to project what will happen on draft day, but I tried to embrace my inner Les Snead with all the trades (and hopefully didn't confuse myself and end up making a mistake on which picks are ours).
Analysis: Y'all know me, I rarely propose trade ups. I usually only want to trade down, but this is a special circumstance. Some of y'all might think it's nuts to trade up for a WR, but Higgins is the guy that McVay has been searching for since he took over as HC. This is a kid who would go top 15 or 20 in a normal WR draft class. Higgins is 6'4" 215 with freakishly long arms (over 34 inches). Why do I want to move up for him? It's simple. He is the most dominant contested catch WR I've scouted since Mike Evans and Alshon Jeffery. I pounded the table for both of those guys when people doubted their separation skills. They call them 50/50 balls. But in college, they were 90/10 balls for Higgins. Why is he so dominant? He has stellar ball-skills and body control with a 6'4" frame, those freakishly long arms, and vice grips for hands. He just reaches over CBs and snatches the ball with ease.
In addition to his contested catch dominance, Higgins can separate. Like Mike Evans, he's a long strider with breakaway speed. CBs tend to underestimate his speed, and once he's past them, he stacks them and uses that big body to keep them on his heels. He's just absolutely dominating on deep passes. He caught 15 of the 23 deep balls thrown to him in 2019. On the season, he posted 59 catches for 1167 yards (19.8 YPC) and 13 TDs. That's despite the fact that he sat out during a lot of second halves when Clemson had large leads. Higgins is also a legitimate YAC threat with the balance, quickness, and strength to slip out of tackles and make defenders miss. A final huge positive for me? Higgins is a great run blocker.
What are the negatives? Higgins is an unpolished route runner who relies more on physical gifts at this point in time. He has a tendency to round off his breaks and drift. He also runs his routes too upright. He's going to need to work on sinking his hips and making sharp cuts. He also needs to improve his releases against press coverage. He's late with his hands, makes himself too easy of a target, and spends too much time dancing on the LOS. The good news is that with his quickness, freakishly long arms, and strength, he should be able to bully CBs off the LOS once he gets the technique down.
How does this kid fit into our offense? Josh Reynolds is a FA at the end of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if Higgins finds his way onto the field a lot as a rookie. This kid replaces Brandin Cooks's ability to threaten vertically and offers us a red-zone monster to pair with Kupp. He will absolutely feast in our scheme in the intermediate and deep parts of the field. McVay took shots on Watkins and Cooks. Higgins finally gives him the red-zone monster and consistent deep threat that he has been seeking.
Analysis: I have told many of you that I don't believe we need a hammer to pair with Darrell Henderson. I stand by that opinion, but when you have a guy with Moss's talent falling to this part of the draft, you draft him. And he's very much the hammer many of you want. Moss has a lot of mileage, some durability questions, and ran a 4.6 40. That's why he's still on the board. I don't care. He's a 5'10" 225 pound HB who runs with violence and does not go down easy. He has great contact balance due to his low center of gravity and does not shy away from any contact. If anything, his violent, physical style puts him at injury risk.
He also sees the field well. His instincts are top notch. He'll be an effective runner in both the outside-zone and the inside-zone concepts. But most importantly for me, Moss is a superb pass blocker and pass catcher. I think having a versatile HB is absolutely necessary in McVay's scheme. You need a guy who can play all three downs. You don't want to tip your hand to the defense. Moss is a guy who can stay on the field no matter the down. This kid is the perfect sort of player to pair with Darrell Henderson.
Analysis: I love Jon Greenard, and it's not just because I am a Gator homer. If you want to talk about violence, watch Greenard play football. The man looks like he's killing people on the field. He just absolutely decletes HBs and QBs when he gets the chance. There are so many things I love about Greenard's game. He has an explosive first step, he is a savvy pass rusher who uses beautiful footwork and varied pass rush plans to screw with the tackle he's facing, and he is extremely disciplined on the field. Add to that the kid has incredible character, work habits, and toughness (played through a bad ankle sprain most of the year and was arguably the best pass rusher in the SEC). He can drop into coverage (not his forte, though), and he plays the run extremely well.
But let's be honest, pass rushing is what matters the most here. I've talked a little bit about Greenard as a pass rusher. His explosive first step and knack for timing the snap count make him a headache for OTs. But adding to that headache is his footwork on his rushes. Unlike a lot of guys who just run the loop, Greenard throws a bunch of stutter and jab steps into his rushes. Because he's a legitimate threat to explode into the inside gap and get pressure, his fakes force the OT to react and soften the corner when he attacks the edge or opens up the inside move when he wants to jump inside. In addition to his footwork, he uses sophisticated rush plans to keep OTs guessing and has an array of moves (using clubs, arm-over swims, and rips most often).
Why is Greenard still available? Because he didn't test well and has a long list of injuries. He wins as a pass rusher with an explosive first step, savvy, and technique. The question is if his physical traits are good enough for his savvy to work in the NFL. That all said, he still has some tricks to develop. He suffered a major wrist injury in 2018 and wasn't using one his arms the way he could. If he's willing to unleash that arm, he could develop a devastating stab move and speed-to-power rush to add to his arsenal.
Analysis: Davion Taylor is a fascinating player because of his limited football experience and freakish athleticism. At 6'0" 228 pounds, Taylor ran a 4.49 40, a 6.96 three cone drill, and posted a 10'07" broad jump. Basically, he tested like a WR while being the size of a LB. Taylor was a track guy. He wasn't allowed to play football in high school because of his family's religion (he practiced with the team but couldn't play in games). He came to Colorado as a sushi raw JUCO transfer. He played for former NFL DC Mel Tucker. Tucker said Taylor is one of the most coachable kids he has ever had. And he plays like it. For a kid who is inexperienced as he is, Taylor is a disciplined, sound linebacker. He knows his assignment and sticks to it.
However, that's also part of the problem. Taylor hasn't played enough football to have the savviness and creativity that top LBs have. He is too rigid in how he carries out his assignments. Basically, his instincts are a work in progress. While he doesn't lack for the physicality, he also has a lot of developing to do technically when it comes to taking on blockers. That all said, Taylor can run for days, has the agility to cover just about anybody, and doesn't lack any of the mentality. He just needs experience, coaching, and time. I think he can be an effective subpackage player and special teamer early in his career with the potential to develop into a starting LB down the line.
Analysis: I know that some of y'all won't like this because Harris is small and not an overpowering player, but he's very experienced and a great scheme fit. Harris had a rough Senior Bowl week and is undersized at 6'1" 300, but the Senior Bowl wasn't really a place where he'd stand out. It doesn't play to his strengths. Harris is a great athlete with outstanding movement skills and really shines as a combo blocker. He's also a very smart Center who uses angles well and is a quality technician. He's an active player who compensates for his lack of size with his aggression and core strength. Harris is likely to fall down the board due to his small stature and lack of positional flexibility, but he has the potential to be an effective starter in a ZBS like ours.
Analysis: I think Joe Bachie is flying way under the radar right now because of his PED suspension during his final year at MSU. He tested much better than expected at the Combine (including a 4.67 40). I think a lot of people saw him as a try-hard dude with great instincts, but I think he plays to his athleticism. Bachie is a master of reading keys and watching film. He's one of the few guys I've seen overrun plays because he beats the HB to the gap he's supposed to run through. Bachie is a heady defender who plays balls to the wall every down he's on the field. He's very much an emotional leader sort of guy at the Mike. As a run defender, he has the strength and contact balance to meet pulling OLs in the hole and stonewall them. However, due to his lack of strength, he struggles to disengage once OLs get their hands on him. But he's strong enough to keep them from running over him. In coverage, Bachie is a heady and effective zone defender. That all said, he doesn't have the quick-twitch athleticism to stick with agile HBs. At a minimum, he's good depth and a heck of a special teamer, but I think Bachie could quickly earn his way onto the field.
Analysis: Julian Blackmon had a very rough start to the year after making the transition from CB to FS. USC (and Michael Pittman) absolutely victimized the kid. Blackmon was taking bad angles, not getting proper depth as a single-high safety, and was tentative attacking the football. However, as the year went on, his film changed greatly. By the time he suffered his knee injury against Oregon in the Pac-12 Title Game, Blackmon was a completely different safety. He was quick to trigger downhill on plays in front of him, he was reliable playing deep zone coverage, he showed the ability to tackle in space, and he was versatile enough to play single-high, play in the box, and man up on TEs. As a former CB, he has great ball-skills and the man coverage skills to make life difficult for TEs. He wasn't quick enough to remain at CB, but he has the physicality, tackling ability, and range to stick as a versatile safety. Once he gets healthy, I think he'll be an excellent third safety for us.
Analysis: Lavert Hill is missing a lot of things. He's short. He doesn't have great speed. He's fairly light. But the man can stick to a WR. He's strong for his size and very physical. This can cause him problems on the outside when matched up against fast WRs and asked to cover them on vertical routes. He gets grabby. But in the slot, he has a lot of upside. He plays the game a lot like former teammates David Long and Jourdan Lewis. He's not the athlete that Long is, but he has that similar natural, sticky coverage ability. He's very physical with WRs at the LOS and disrupts throughout the route. He'll have to be a little careful in the NFL to not get penalized, but I think he could develop into an effective slot CB given the time.
Analysis: I had Cephus pegged as a fourth round pick before the Combine, and then Cephus ran a 4.7 40. But it's hard for me to write him off entirely due to the 40. I still think he's worth a chance. Cephus has vise grips for hands and catches everything in sight. It doesn't matter if the CB is in his grill or he's about to take a huge hit. He's fearless. He separates more based on precise routes, physicality, and boxing out defenders. His athleticism is very underwhelming. But he's also a great blocking WR. I think Cephus has the potential to be an effective #4 WR and possibly even develop into a good big slot. He's very sure-handed, physical, and savvy.
Analysis: Kickers are hard to project, and I don't have the knowledge to say much about the position. From what I can tell, Bass has a strong leg and was consistent on PATs during his college career. He was up and down in terms of accuracy, but so were a lot of other successful NFL kickers in college. He seems like the guy most likely to be drafted after Blankenship. I don't want to spend a mid-round pick on Blankenship. I'd bring Bass, Sam Sloman, and at least one veteran Kicker into camp to compete.
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Darrell Henderson
WR: Josh Reynolds
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Bobby Evans
C: Nick Harris
RG: David Edwards
RT: Rob Havenstein
SDE: Michael Brockers
NT: A'Shawn Robinson
UT: Aaron Donald
OLB: Samson Ebukam
ILB: Travin Howard
ILB: Micah Kiser
OLB: Leonard Floyd
LCB: Jalen Ramsey
RCB: Troy Hill
SLCB: David Long Jr.
FS: John Johnson III
SS: Taylor Rapp
I knew the Rams defense has gone through a lot of changes in the last couple of years but after taking a look at the box score I didn’t register that 9 of the 13 defensive players that registered a stat in the 2019 super bowl are gone:
Suh
Littleton
Fowler
Barron
Peters
Talib
NRC
Joyner
Franklin
The only ones remaining are:
Donald
Brockers
Ebukam
Johnson
Until I saw it in writing it didn’t truly register what an overhaul it was. And by all accounts that was a pretty damn good defense in that game.
Just curious I know Watson's contract is coming up but would love to hear from you guys on this as yes or no but with some reasons explaining why either way.
I do like Goff but I'd do it off the opportunity presented itself.
theathletic.co.uk
