Happy off-season boys.

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With all the roster cuts coming, and I do like our roster currently.

Just curious if anyone had any wish list guys they think could be good or help put our squad?


I'll start with Deion Jones, LB, hasn't made pro bowl since 2017 but is a true LB who has started 48 of 49 games. Think he wouldn't be bad on our Defense and could add some veteran presence

Hey everyone, been a while. Twitter is dumb as shit these days and I miss having real convos about the Rams. So I wanted to stop in and share my thoughts and questions as we start our 2024 quest to win our 3rd ring. So here we go.

I still have so many questions about this Rams team as we close out the pre season. Specifically our defense. I think the Dline is still a year away from being really good. Was Kobie Turner a product of AD? I can’t imagine Verse and Fiske will come in and be all pros year 1. Can Bobby Brown stay healthy? Byron Young could be in for a big leap. After those guys it gets really muddy. Maybe Nick Hampton can step up as a rotational guy.

I have no idea what the plan is for our LBs. I don’t believe you can be confident going into week 1 with Rozeboom and I guess Omar Speights? Especially if EJ does get traded. I don’t know if I can bare another season watching Troy Reeder flail around again. The depth at that position is especially bad. Can any of these guys cover George Kittle? Or stop McCaffery in his tracks? McVay has to be aware of this.

The secondary is certainly stronger than last year but it still makes me nervous as hell. Darious Williams is a decent cover guy and can tackle. But can he 1v1 any of the top guys in the league? Will that be Tre Whites job? Is there any chance he actually stays heathy for an entire season? Hopefully Durant can improve and again after those guys it’s a free for all. Gotta have 4 good CBs in today’s NFL. Kam Curl should be a monster but JJ is getting older and kinda slow. Our STAR position Quinten Lake needs to really show out. I’m thinking long term into the season, can any of these safeties take on Travis Kelce, George Kittle or Mark Andrews come playoff time?

As for the offense, health is my only concern. I am very confident we can score 30ppg if that’s the case. Stafford needs to be on whatever he was late last year and in 2021. The LT spot is probably my biggest concern. Hopefully Noteboom can just run away with the position like we always wanted.

All in all, I’m just still pretty confused at the off-season strategy. I know it’s been said that 2025 is the main goal. But that’s such a crazy risk with Stafford. One thing I admired about Jeff Fisher(please don’t shoot me) is that he always tried his best to construct the roster to beat the Seahawks because they were the main threat in the division. I have no idea what the gameplan is to stop the Whiners this year. I can’t believe McSnead thought that secondary would be good enough. But yeah, those are my thoughts and questions going into the season. Have at it.

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@Merlin , @blackbart , @ANYCOASTIE-SQUID out there. You want some more sea time to see the World? Uncle Sam can hook you up!

* Sorry, no more Subic Bay, Merlin.

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Not sure I have ever seen a mention here, for VET-TIX. While it is something I don't use too much, I do see offer of free tickets to all sorts of events. For instance, they make concerts, comedy shows, college/pro sports - even NFL games available to veterans. Seems that tickets are made available because an event is expected to be less than capacity - or some sponsoring organization outright purchases tickets for Vet-Tix to distribute. You can only request/use tickets for yourself and immediate family - and if you get tickets, you must actually use them or risk banishment for a few months. And they cannot be sold, traded, etc..

This morning I got an e-mail, advising that tickets to the Seahawks-RAMS game, on Nov 3rd, when the Rams are in Seattle will be available. I put my name in that hat! Apparently, these (NFL tix) are on a lottery basis of first come first served, I think. (And I saw that there were tickets available for some of the Rams games at SoFi). We'll see. And, likely these would be in the nose bleed sections... but hey - free is a very good price.

We went to a Pentatonix concert last year - and the tickets were out in the weeds (literally, on the grassy knoll). However, since it wasn't sold out, we were offered the opportunity to move to real seats, after the warm-up singers had finished. Turns out it we landed in like the 12th row... So, ya never know how it'll end up.

If you are a veteran you can go to the Vet-Tix web site, https://www.vettix.org/ and sign up. I think you need a copy of your DD-214 discharge paper or one of those Id.ME accounts, to verify vet status. I can't recall exactly.

If you do sign up, you can use this Referral/Promo Code: 5400364, which is some sort of link to my account. It is not like I am compensated, but they do award valueless spiffs for referrals. No big deal if you bypass this...


If this is inappropriate - then just delete it. So far, Vet-Tix seems like a good organization to support veterans and their families.

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Wonder what the story is.

In today's world of media oversaturation, there is always too much "information." Nobody really needs to know how many passes a QB completed in practice, who suffered a minor injury that wouldn't keep any starter from playing in the regular season, or who is "winning" in third-team reps reported by casual observers.

Still, there are some things that, during the course of camp and preseason that are so consistently and widely observed and reported, they actually give us a window into trends that will continue into the regular season.

It's hard to discern at this juncture. Is the WR distinguishing himself the next Puka Nacua, or merely the latest Nelson Spruce?

All that said, here are a few things that I'm noticing that might actually be indicators for the real season:

1. Offensive Line depth. With three starters dealing with (hopefully) minor injuries, the reviews on the second team OL have been favorable. Hopefully, we won't need to dig too deep during the regular season, but if we do, its nice to know that there's talent behind the starters.

2. WR Depth/Tutu Status. With players like Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson getting high praise in August, you have to wonder if Tutu Atwell might be our most tradeable asset. I still hope he can find a role with us, but its worth considering.

3. Edge Rusher. I've read a lot of praise for the tandem of Jared Verse and Byron Young. If they live up to the hype, the impact could be huge.

What other indicators do you see at this time that you think are more than just hype?

Sean McVay identifies new defensive leader in wake of Aaron Donald's retirement​

While losing Aaron Donald on the defensive side of the ball has been incredibly tricky for the Los Angeles Rams to overcome, as the 10-time Pro Bowler will unquestionably go down as one of the greatest defensive linemen of all time, his impact wasn't only left on the gridiron, with the Pitt product providing just as much value as an emotional leader in the locker room.

Playing a key role as the team transitioned from St. Louis to Los Angeles and from the mediocrity of Jeff Fisher to the Super Bowl glory of Sean McVay, Donald wasn't just one of the Rams' most popular players among fans, but within the locker room too, with younger players able to lean on his as they traversed their own NFL careers.

But who will fill that role now that Donald is gone? Well, McVay was asked that very question during his Tuesday media availability session and let it be known that he likes what Kobie Turner is doing on the practice field, as he has truly taken up where his mentor AD left off.

“I've just seen him be himself. I think that's what's important. He's got such a heart for people. He loves football. He works really hard at it. You've heard me talk about the growth mindset. He definitely epitomizes that,” McVay told reporters. “So I don't want him to be anybody other than himself. I think he saw a great example of what one of the best to ever do it, if not the best, looked like. He's going to be himself, and there's certainly things that he'll take that he learned from his mentor in [Aaron Donald] ‘AD.' I want him to be authentic to his personality. He's got a great way about himself with people. He models the way, which I think is the most important thing, and that's what I've seen from him consistently day in and day out.”

After breaking out in limited action last season, recording nine sacks in just four starts – 17 appearances – while playing just 62 percent of the team's defensive snaps, Turner is the popular pick to become the Rams' next big breakout player in 2024, with an expanded role expected in both base and defensive sub-packages for Chris Shula's defense this fall. If Turner can match his 2023 production or even exceed it without Donald by his side, the Rams' defense will be in good shape moving forward, especially if he can replace Donald as a locker-room leader, too.

Later in his media availability session, McVay was asked about another young Rams defensive tackle, Braden Fiske, and how he's been able to transition to the NFL alongside his fellow Florida State product Jared Verse.

While his fellow former Seminole earns most of the headlines, McVay loves what he's seen from Fiske so far, too, noting that he believes he's ready to continue in the league right out of the gate.

“He's done a good job. I think when you look at it, you've seen three really physical offensive lines. He missed some time when he ended up coming out of the [Dallas] Cowboys practice a little bit earlier. He had the blister where he didn't practice against the [Los Angeles] Chargers,” McVay noted. “I thought he had his mind right going into that last practice against the Cowboys. Those are some great interior players. This is as good as it gets around the league, and you could see there was a focus [and] there was a concentration. There was an intent in terms of being great with his hands [and] understanding where he fits based on whatever the play was. I was really pleased with him. He's getting better and better, and conscientious players continue to improve. He's certainly one of them.”

Despite only playing one season for Florida State in college after playing parts of five seasons at Central Michigan, Fiske still flashed enough – largely playing with Verse – to garner Day 2 grades heading into the 2024 NFL draft. While the Rams paid a heavy price to move up to draft him, surrendering a 2024 second-round pick, a 2024 fifth-round pick, and, controversially, a 2025 second-round pick to secure his services, if he can contribute right away, work effortlessly next to Verse and form a bright young core alongside Turner and fellow second-year pro Byron Young, it will only set the Rams defense up for success not only in 2024 but beyond. Even if he won't be on the field with the boys any longer, something tells me Donald will appreciate that too, as he'll get to watch the next generation of Rams get it, just like his early run alongside the likes of Robert Quinn.

Rams rookies Verse and Fiske were college friends, now pro teammates​

LOS ANGELES -- When Los Angeles Rams outside linebackers coach Joe Coniglio was watching film of the Florida State defense during the draft process, there were a few times he found his eyes wandering, checking out a different player than who he was supposed to be tracking.

The two who caught his eye? Outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive tackle Braden Fiske, Florida State teammates who the Rams drafted in April to help fill the void left by future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

The Rams drafted Verse with the No. 19 pick in April, the first time they'd used a first-round pick since 2016. Twenty selections later, Los Angeles traded up for Fiske for the hefty price of picks Nos. 52, 155 and a 2025 second-round pick.

"I think sometimes when you're watching Jared, you end up, your eyes transferred to Braden, and then sometimes when you're watching Braden, your eyes transfer to Jared," Coniglio said. "So, I think that was the cool thing, is those guys were -- not only did they play off each other -- but they were very impactful with their football team and the abilities that they had when they affected different games."

Although the pair played together for just one year at Florida State, Coniglio said their familiarity on the field "shows up on the tape" when watching Florida State last season.

"I mean, it got to the point in the season where you get that head nod, just look at each other, and you knew what was coming," Fiske said. "It just got to the point where we were just playing off each other. He'd see something I get and I'd see something he'd get, and we'd just go out there making plays."

THE MOMENT VERSE found out that Fiske would be joining him in Los Angeles was memorable, as the team tried to time Verse's arrival to the Rams' draft house for his introductory press conference with the time they'd be making the pick.

And although Los Angeles traffic meant they couldn't quite pull that off, the pair were able to talk shortly after they became teammates, again.

"This has been the easiest transition so far," Fiske said of the changeover from college to the NFL. "And I think I can credit some of that to having some familiarity with Jared. It's a familiar face in the building, someone to go to if you've got issues, someone to ride with in the morning, whatever it may be. Just little things like that."

But while they're really close, they joke that they're not close enough to be roommates.

During OTAs this spring, Fiske had landed at the airport when he got a call from Verse, who had just gotten to the team hotel.

"He called me and he was like, 'Bro, check this out,'" Fiske said. "'We got two beds next to each other.' I was like, 'Ain't no way I'm sleeping next to this.' I don't care how close I am to him, ain't no way I'm sleeping next to this man for a month straight. So yeah, we [got] our own rooms."

Verse agreed.

"He said, 'I just can't wake up next to you.' I was like, 'I feel the same way.'

FISKE SAID HE met Verse in January 2023, one of the first days he was at Florida State. Fiske played at Western Michigan from 2019 to '22 before leaving to play at a Power 5 school.

Early on, Fiske said, "it was the natural, 'Who's the alpha?' And then it just kind of became a friend thing of like, 'Hey, we're just going to compete and we're going to figure out who's going to be the guy here."

And while they have their work ethic in common, Verse laughs when asked if Fiske shares his penchant to be vocal on the field.

"The exact opposite," Verse said. "Fiske will have a big play and he'll just talk to us himself. He'll clap up and he'll be like, 'Yeah!' ... He's quiet. ...We're two different [people] in that aspect."

And while Fiske first described Verse as a "loudmouth," he quickly added that he's a "genuine" person as well.

"I can see the way he works and the way he gets after it. And it's really similar to who I am. Almost identical. But it's going to be special. It's insane I get to go play with Verse again" said Fiske on the night he was drafted.

The day the Rams drafted Fiske, both players credited the other for pushing them to work harder because they couldn't let the other win. In their season together at Florida State, Verse led the Seminoles with nine sacks, adding 41 tackles, including 12.5 for a loss. Fiske had six sacks with 43 tackles, including nine for a loss. Both started all 13 games last season.

"It just kind of made us better in the year. I think we were both going into our final years of college and it was kind of like, how much better can we get? And I think we took it to levels that neither of us knew we could reach."

AS THE RAMS started training camp -- and especially when they started padded practices -- the Verse and Fiske friendship and familiarity showed up on the field, in the same way it did to Coniglio and Snead while watching film of last season's Florida State defense. That comfort, Rams coach Sean McVay said, shows up when they rush together.

"I think what you saw a lot when they were at Florida State is just the comfort where you could see they had a little bit of ownership and autonomy, especially in the known pass situations to be able to play off of one another with some of the two-man games," McVay said. "They attracted a lot of attention. That showed up at different parts of the offseason and different parts of training camp when they've been able to be on the same side, but they still are playing within the structure and the framework of what we're trying to get done with all eleven [players].

"There's kind of that unspoken agreement. I've heard them both kind of talk about that nonverbal communication, that rapport that's established. [It's] no different than a quarterback [and] receiver or a guard and center or guard and tackle. It's been pretty fun to watch those guys continue to grow ... [there is] a lot of work to be done as well."

The hopes are high as both defensive linemen head into the upcoming season, "I think once you can get them comfortable in the techniques and their assignments, you can just kind of let them go play free and fast," Coniglio said.

Neither Verse nor Fiske are expected to play in the preseason, as McVay chooses not to play the majority of Rams starters or key players. But during practices -- particularly the Rams' joint practices against the Dallas Cowboys -- the pair has been doing "exactly what we saw at Florida State," defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.

"They just got a great vibe about them," Coniglio said. "When they're out there on the field, you feel like there's a great comfortability just in regards to the communication, the way that they go about their business. You can tell that they've done it before together. So I think the coolest thing is those guys just having the ability to trust each other. They know one another and then that comes to life on the field.

Rams like what they see from third-round rookie defensive back Kamren Kinchens​

Rams rookie defensive back Kamren Kinchens played in the preseason opener, but sat out the second preseason game. When you play for Sean McVay, that’s a good sign.

McVay doesn’t believe in risking injuries to his top players in the preseason, and after Kinchens played well in the first preseason game, McVay decided that he’d seen all he needed to see to know that Kinchens is going to be a key part of the Rams’ defense this year. Kinchens was dealing with a minor injury that an undrafted rookie fighting for a roster spot might have played through, but Kinchens is a third-round pick who has his roster spot locked up.

“He’s done a great job,” McVay said, via the team’s website. “It was really one of those deals that we didn’t feel like it was necessary to expose him to possible injury. He’s going to be a guy that’s going to be a factor for us. So until he was feeling all the way back to health, that was why we erred on the side of caution. We expect him to get a full workload with the two practices here and then the one on Thursday against the Texans [in Houston].”

Kinchens said he has learned the Rams’ defense well enough to know that he can be a playmaker in it.

“And that’s what I want to do, is make plays,” he said.

He’ll be making those plays in the regular season, not the preseason.

Cooper Kupp was a third-round pick, and went on to achieve a receiving “triple crown” and be named the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

Puka Nacua was a 5th round pick, and went on to break the NFL rookie records for receptions and receiving yards.

Now, Jordan Whittington, a sixth round pick, is making a strong case for a significant role in the Rams’ WR rotation.

So, are the Rams just really good at drafting WRs?

To an extent, yes. However, you can’t overlook that they’ve had some misses at the position, including Van Jefferson and (at least relative to his draft position) Tutu Atwell.

So, perhaps, part of the reason for the success stories (and prospective success story developing now) is that certain WRs just fit the McVay system.

Kupp, Nacua and Whittington are all in the 6’1-2” range, and all three are over 200 lbs. They are good route runners, good after the catch, and willingly physical. They all work well in an offense that moves them around the formation, and none of the three are afraid to go over the middle (many of these traits, are, by the way, also present with Demarcus Robinson, who has also found success in the Rams’ offense).

So… are they “system players”? Maybe they are.

So what?

Why is that a bad thing? Heck, didn’t the Patriots excel with system WRs ranging from Troy Brown, to Deion Branch, to Wes Welker to Julian Edelman? Small, quick slot receivers worked for them. Bigger, physical, motion receivers work for us.

So let’s take the pejorative connotation out of the term “system WR.” Embrace it!

(And let’s hope we’ve found another one.)

I watched his show for a lot of years. He had serious interviews with politicians and stars, but none of the sensational stuff that other show had. I didn't agree with his politics, but I liked the guy.
RIP Mr Donahue.

Top five grades on offense:
1 - Nikola Kalinic, TE: 91.0
Tight end Miller Forristall caught the game-winning pass from Stetson Bennett last week, and in this game it was Kalinic’s turn to make his case for sticking around on the Rams’ roster or practice squad. This week he caught both of his targets for 34 yards, including a long of 22. The long reception was an inaccurate throw by Bennett at the TE’s feet, and Kalinic was nimble and somehow brought the ball in.

2 - Davis Allen, TE: 75.0
From what we’ve seen from Davis Allen so far in his relatively short career and how the Rams typically approach the preseason, I don’t think he’s someone that would ordinarily participate in the exhibition games. I think he involvement this year is more due to a numbers crunch at the tight end position while Tyler Higbee rehabs an injury and starter Colby Parkinson sits out. That leaves Allen and Hunter Long active and only Kalinic and Miller Forristall behind them. Allen caught two of his four targets for 13 yards, though Bennett put the ball in some unfavorable positions for the TE.

3 - Beaux Limmer, C: 75.0
Limmer has been solid this preseason so far. Last week he left early with a thumb injury that is clearly not a major concern. Having depth at center is a huge positive, though it’s fair to wonder how Limmer fits into the long-term plans considering second-year center Steve Avila just moved from guard to center and the Rams committed hefty financial investments at both guard positions in Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson.

4 - Mike McAlister, C: 73.1
OK, first things first. I put McAlister on the “losers” list following Saturday night’s game that that was unfair to his performance. I initially thought that Limmer was noticeably better than McAlister, but the PFF grades suggest McAlister was still one of LA’s better linemen of the game. Being three deep at center is a champagne problem, and if McAlister can’t stick around on the Rams’ roster he will surely find a spot elsewhere. There is a shortage of quality offensive linemen around the NFL.

5 - JJ Lapp, WR: 73.0
Lapp caught the game-winning touchdown from Bennett, getting behind the defense to haul on the 47-yard score. He also caught another pass for three yards after not recording a reception in the first preseason game.

Lapp was a favorite amongst fans in this year’s UDFA class, but until he caught the fourth quarter touchdown Drake Stoops and Sam Wiglusz had made more noise. This group is battling for a practice squad slot that may or may not exist in LA.

Other notes on offense:​

Stetson Bennett had another inconsistent outing, and that was reflected in his PFF grade of 44.4. PFF credited him with one big-time throw and three turnover-worthy plays. If you are looking for a silver lining, that’s one fewer turnover-worthy play than he committed last week. Bennett also lost a fumble and earned a grade in that facet of 27.5.


Top five grades on defense:
1 - Omar Speights, MLB: 89.1
Speights was all over the field versus the Chargers and played an important role in holding the other occupant of SoFi Stadium to just three field goals overall. He was also active on special teams and had a big hit on the Chargers’ returner in the first quarter. PFF credit Speights with five run stops and seven tackles. In coverage he was targeted four times, allowing three receptions for 25 yards. His coverage grade of 68.1 appears to have been his lone weak spot against the Chargers.

2 - Ochaun Mathis, OLB: 87.7
Rookie OLB Brennan Jackson has sat out of the preseason so far, which means he’s running ahead of Mathis and Nick Hampton on the depth chart. Last week against the Cowboys it was Hampton that stood out at outside linebacker, but this week Mathis seems to have made his presence felt. Mathis had nine pass rush opportunities but did not record a pressure, though he still graded out positively at 79.5. On two coverage snaps he earned a mark of 86.3 and on his only target allowed a reception for a loss of two yards.

3 - Cory Durden, NT: 84.6
The Rams have been stout against the run the last two weeks and probably an individual who deserves a lot of credit for that is nose tackle Cory Durden. While it’s tough to see the team finding room to keep Durden on the roster, it is nice to have players who are solid in a niche role around in case the defense struggles to stop the run or in case of injury along the interior. Recently signed defensive tackle Carlos Watkins also graded well in his Rams debut at 79.1 on 28 snaps.

4 - Jason Taylor, DB: 84.4
Taylor graded well in run defense and coverage, though his tackle grade of 43.4 puts a negative dimple on his report card. He made one tackle and one assist, though he missed his third opportunity to bring down the ball carrier. In coverage he was targeted five times, allowing only two receptions for five yards.

4 - Jake Hummel, MLB: 84.4
Hummel might be LA’s defensive MVP through the last preseason—maybe even last year’s too. He once again fared well in coverage with a mark of 87.7. We know that Hummel will play an important role on special teams this year for the Rams, but at what point will the team feel compelled to point him on the field with the first team defense to utilize his coverage skills?

Other notes on defense:
As touched on under Mathis’ section, second-year OLB didn’t have a good game against the Chargers—managing a grade of just 50.4. it’s possible that he was matched up against the Chargers’ early draft pick at tackle Joe Alt and that could partially explain the drop from last week.

After standing out in his Rams debut against the Cowboys, rookie sixth rounder Tyler Davis fell flat in his second game. PFF gave Davis a grade of 41.6 for his 14-snap effort.

465 pages

you can download it here

https://media.rams.1rmg.com/wp-cont...2024-Los-Angeles-Rams-Media-Guide-8.16.24.pdf

That's right, the Guardian helmet will be allowed to protect the ole' melon during the regular season. Pick the first "nerd" to wear this horrific looking helmet. Not saying that it isn't smart, btw. Congrats to Brad Perna for this poll question! name your Nerd if you have a different choice!

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Love watching Bret

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Telling him I would personally load up and drive the U-Haul toting everything baby blue and yellow, including him and Crapernick, back to San Diego….

Sorry, I do not have a link. I just heard it on Serious Channel 88. McVay is going to spend time in the broadcast booth. Is he gone after this year?

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

Who is the best hitter in the NL?
Who is the best hitter in the AL?

How come there is only 1 player hitting .300 in the NL (Arraez)?
Is the pitching better in the NL?
Is average the stat to determine the best hitter?
Is it OPS? (Ohtani)

Some weird numbers.

Collective NL ERA is 4.40
Collective AL ERA is 4.09
Six .300 hitters in the A.L.
Three hitters with an OPS north of 1.000
No hitter in the NL north of that OPS number.

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

Longtime host of Hollywood Squares passed away at age 98. He lived a long life and is hopefully at peace now.