By: Cameron DaSilva | 1 hour ago


The final week for players to prove themselves is here. The Los Angeles Rams have a few more practice sessions and one last preseason game on Thursday night in Houston before they have to trim their roster to 53 players.
Cutdown day is on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, as the Rams will be forced to waive 37 players from their current roster. There are a lot of difficult decisions to make, but as Sean McVay has said before, they’re “champagne problems.”


Here’s our latest 53-man roster projection before the final preseason game, with changes at a few positions due to injuries.

Quarterback (2): Jared Goff, Blake Bortles
The Rams are only going to keep two quarterbacks and likely try to sneak John Wolford…
more


Running back (4): Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson, John Kelly
Justin Davis is the odd-man out, though there's still a slim chance he can surpass Kelly…
more



Wide receiver (6): Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Mike Thomas, Nsimba Webster
Webster gets the nod over JoJo Natson and KhaDarel Hodge right now, but the WRs are…

more


Tight end (3): Gerald Everett, Tyler Higbee, Johnny Mundt
Mundt has played well enough this preseason to earn a spot on the team over the…

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Tackle (4): Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Bobby Evans, David Edwards
Evans and Edwards can both play guard, too, and simply based on draft pedigree and potential,…

more


Guard/Center (4): Austin Blythe, Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen, Jamil Demby
With Aaron Neary out indefinitely, the Rams almost have to keep Demby as a backup at…
more



Defensive tackle (2): Aaron Donald, Tanzel Smart
Smart is battling Morgan Fox for a roster spot, and Fox simply hasn't done enough to…
more


Defensive end (2): Michael Brockers, John Franklin-Myers
Franklin-Myers finally shined against the Broncos, though he was safe anyway. He could play a bigger…

more


Nose tackle (2): Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines
No surprises here, and Smart can also contribute at nose tackle, too. It's an unproven group,…

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Outside linebacker (5): Dante Fowler Jr., Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick
Josh Carraway gets dropped from this projection due to his season-ending injury. Landis Durham or Trevon…

more



Inside linebacker (4): Cory Littleton, Bryce Hager, Dakota Allen, Travin Howard
Hager will be the starter now that Micah Kiser is out, but Howard and Allen could…

more


Cornerback (7): Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Nickell Robey-Coleman, David Long, Troy Hill, Kevin Peterson, Dont'e Deayon
Carraway's spot in our last projection now goes to Deayon, who has played well this preseason.…

more


Safety (5): John Johnson, Eric Weddle, Taylor Rapp, Nick Scott, Marqui Christian
McVay essentially guaranteed Christian a roster spot and Scott has enough special teams ability to make…

more


Special teams (3): Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide
This won't change all year, barring an injury. It's a group of studs.

Lindsey Thiry
ESPN

WOLCOTT, Colo. -- Daddy is sweating and it's hot, but Andrew Whitworth's boys don't notice. It's time for a ride, in what's become an annual offseason tradition, and it's time for dad to provide the push.

Whitworth removes a couple of bags of golf clubs from the end of the golf cart in an effort to lighten the load, as sweat continuously drops from his graying goatee. The Los Angeles Rams' 37-year-old left tackle pauses, trying to gather his breath, then leans over and finds his grip.

His 7-year-old son, Michael, yells from the passenger's seat, "We're ready!" and the 6-foot-7, 330-pound Whitworth begins to push. The cart inches forward, and 8-year-old son Drew hollers from the driver's side, "What a ride!"

It's the last Monday in June. Four days into the Whitworth family's retreat to their offseason home high in the mountains of Colorado. Whitworth's wife, Melissa, and two daughters remain in their hometown in Louisiana for a few extra days, as Whitworth takes on the challenge of starting his offseason workout regimen with Michael and Drew in tow. His boys are old enough to shadow dad as he plows through his grueling workout routine, but young enough to still get a kick out of the wild physical feats that he can pull off.

As Whitworth pushes the 900-pound golf cart, carrying his two 50-plus-pound kids across the driveway, his calf muscles flex and veins begin to pop. After exhausting his strength, Whitworth retreats to the shade inside his three-car garage, which has been partially converted into a home gym.

"Want to go again?" Drew hollers, before he puts the cart in reverse.

With Whitworth, who went through a 30-minute strength circuit prior to the push, trying to catch his breath in the thin mountain air, this portion of the day's workout is over. Drew and Michael won't get another free ride.

It's Day 1 of Whitworth's offseason program, one he must ease into at an altitude well more than a mile high -- where your heart rate races even at a standstill, a satisfying breath is challenging to find, and the air is so dry that lip balm must remain a fixture in your pocket.

"I feel pretty good," Whitworth says through a heavy breath, nearly 10 minutes after the great golf cart push. "Most of the time after these workouts, you feel pretty alive just because of the altitude."

Training at altitude forces muscles to work harder due to the lack of oxygen in the air. It can also produce more red blood cells. It's yet another way Whitworth is trying to extend his NFL career.

The start of Whitworth's 14th NFL training camp remains five weeks away. The four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro has gone to great lengths to find new ways to motivate his mind and move his body. Over the span of his career, his workouts have ranged from prototypical Olympic weightlifting to carrying stones up the mountainside. Some of his workouts seem outside the box, if not unprecedented for an NFL player. But for all the crazy, as he describes it, it continues to pay off.



"I almost, in some ways, feel better now than I ever did," Whitworth says. "I think I'm in better shape than I've ever been in."

But at age 37, Whitworth is the oldest lineman in the NFL, and how much longer he can hold the title remains the biggest question.

"I still feel really good," he says, though he acknowledges there are some bumps and bruises from football -- swollen ankles and knees, battered hip labrums -- that will never quite feel the same. "If I feel like I can't go out and perform the way that I think I should be, then I just won't be able to do it."

So onward Whitworth goes into another Colorado summer, training to keep his mind sharp, his body energized and his career alive at 7,880 feet.

Inside the weight room at West Monroe High School in West Monroe, Louisiana, a wall features a distinguished list of the top weight lifters to pass through the Rebels' powerhouse program.

The top spot in any category -- bench, squat and power clean -- is a proud accomplishment. But, according to Casey Sanders, West Monroe's strength coach for the last 30 years, there's one category that means the most.

"In the history of West Monroe," Sanders says, "Normally our best power cleaners are our best football players. [Players] kind of know that."

Whitworth set the standard when he cleaned 390 pounds before his senior season. For good measure, he set the record in the bench press, too, when he pressed 350 pounds. But it was the power clean mark that stood for 13 years until future Alabama and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson beat it by 10 pounds.

Whitworth, however, still left a lasting legacy. "His work ethic was great," Sanders says. "He just loved football and he loved training ... that's one of the biggest keys that he had going for him."

Whitorth says Sanders became the biggest factor in his success. "He was the baseline and the foundation," he says, and Whitworth took that knowledge with him to LSU, then on to Cincinnati, after the Bengals selected him in the second round of the 2006 draft.

Through 11 seasons with the Bengals, Whitworth developed an annual routine that former Bengals strength coach Chip Morton fondly looks back on. Whitworth would walk into Morton's office, fold into a chair and rest his hands on his knees as a mischievous grin grew across his face.

"I knew what was coming," Morton says through laughter, as he launches into a detailed explanation of Whitworth's postseason routine.

"He would come in and sit down and say, 'Okay, it's that time of the year, what are we going to do?' " Morton says. "We would just discuss things and I would give him leads and ideas and he would just dive in and pursue it."

After his five-year career at LSU, Whitworth arrived in Cincinnati well-versed in weightlifting, and really anything that required brute strength.

"I think he'd tell ya," Morton says, "when he came to us, he was a certified meathead."

But together with Morton, Whitworth diversified his strength.

One offseason, he was interested in becoming more fluid in his movements, so he took up yoga. At another point, he wanted to find a low-impact cardio solution, so Morton suggested Whitworth purchase a 95-pound chain to haul across the field. Days later, Whitworth showed up with his new purchase on display.

"It's one thing to say it, or to understand the concept of taking care of your body or getting into training," Morton says. "It's another thing to commit to it, and invest your own personal capital into it and your own personal time and all that. That's what set Andrew apart."

Whitworth trained in Muay Thai fighting, MMA and CrossFit. He also took private training in Jiu Jitsu. "I had to call in someone big enough to fight him," says Jon Stutzman, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, who trains at a gym in Ohio, but stood no match for the amateur Whitworth. "He was gargantuan."

As Whitworth grew older, and inspired by Morton, he became a big fan of weighted carries -- simply walking with heavy weights. The exercises increased his stamina, and became an alternative to cardiovascular fitness that wouldn't require as much running and pounding on his body.

"I think it was as much to save his body and find different ways to train his body to prolong things and not just be a slave to barbell training only," Morton says.

"Drew, keep your arms straight -- your left arm, keep it straight the whole time," Whitworth says, as he lines up next to his boys at the driving range. Drew takes his dad's advice, then hits a clean shot, straight ahead. "Yessir, real clean ball, dude."

Whitworth pulls his own customized clubs -- everything two inches longer -- out of the bag. After he places a few chip shots on the green, he pulls out his driver.

"I can hit it a long way," he says, as his stoic face hints at a grin. "But it's not controlled."

A loud whoosh sends a drive 315 yards from the tee.

"Wow!" Michael says. "It's going to be really hard to beat that."

For Whitworth, even while downing sliders with his kids at the snack shack, golf counts as workout. On any given day in Colorado, he will play 18 to 36 holes after his morning workout.

"It gives me an opportunity to reset mentally and physically to get out and sweat and just move the body and keep things working the way they should," Whitworth says. "It just a great balance to being an athlete to play golf and to have an opportunity to have something else to work at that's totally just not anything like football."

It also provides time to spend with his family. Michael and Drew have taken to it, and they're days away from competing in a father-son tournament. Whitworth's wife, Melissa, his daughters and their long-time family nanny, Krista Howard, will play in a family scramble.

But on this day, it's just the boys. And Whitworth, appearing slightly fatigued, plays coach, chauffeur and referee as things get chippy from hole to hole.

"Great job, Mike, keeping that arm out in front of you," Whitworth hollers from the cart path to the random spot where he told the boys to tee off. "There you go! Good job, buddy!"

After playing nine holes, more or less, in no particular order but rather to avoid any other patrons, Whitworth navigates a return to the house, parks the cart and makes his way to sit on the outdoor couch on the back deck.

He stares out at an expansive view of the Rocky Mountain range. Steamboat Springs is far in the distance. He has something of a thousand-mile stare, as he ponders his football mortality. He's put his mind and body through pain, whether it be in an offseason workout or playing last season through two sprained ankles. He admits he's a glutton for punishment when it comes to training so that he can enjoy other life moments without feeling an ounce of guilt.

Whitworth, who is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million contract, talks through all the reasons why he'll continue to play -- and why he never actually considered retiring last season despite the overwhelming assumption -- both inside and outside of his circle -- that he would.

There's the pursuit of a return trip to the Super Bowl and the chance to build an organization that not long ago was mired in mediocrity into a three-time division winner. There's also the years of hard work that have kept his body moving, an investment he's not ready to forfeit.

"It's going to come down to being able to still play at a level that ... if I feel like I can't go out and perform the way that I think I should be, then I just won't be able to do it," Whitworth says. "I'm not going to go out there and struggle and be okay with it.

"So if I don't feel like I can go out there and play, then that's when it's going to be done for me."

By: Cameron DaSilva | 2 hours ago

In less than a week, all 32 teams will have their 53-man rosters set for the regular season. Every team has to trim its roster down from 90 to 53 players by Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Having one of the deepest and most talented squads in the NFL, the Rams will be faced with a lot of tough decisions at several positions.
They have outstanding depth at wide receiver, particularly at the top. They also have several players who will be difficult to cut at cornerback and outside linebacker.

On Sunday, Sean McVay named the positions the Rams are watching the closest as roster cuts loom.
“I think what you’re looking at, mainly, is I think we’re starting to get some clarity on a lot of the skill positions. We’ve talked a lot about the depth that we have at corner, which is going to be a good positive, difficult decision to make toward the latter half of some of those decisions. Then, just finding our depth on both lines – I think guys have started to establish themselves. Then, clearly, the inside linebacker position is something that we’ve got to figure out exactly how it shapes up. In a lot of ways it’s going to be predicated on how we envision those guys contributing for (John Fassel) and for (assistant special teams coach) Matt Daniels. I think it’s really the depth on both fronts, the inside linebacker position and the corner position are the ones that we’re really continuing to look at closely.”

Micah Kiser’s injury complicates things at linebacker because it opens the door for players such as Travin Howard, Dakota Allen and of course, Bryce Hager – the projected starter at inside linebacker.
At cornerback, there are five locks to make the team and then a cluster of players who will be difficult to part ways with. Kevin Peterson, Dont’e Deayon, Darious Williams and Dominique Hatfield are all competing for roster spots behind the three starters and then Troy Hill and David Long Jr.
The offensive and defensive lines are also littered with young talent as the Rams try to find some clarity in the trenches. Among the players to watch on those fronts are Tanzel Smart, Morgan Fox, Jeremiah Kolone, Chandler Brewer and Jamil Demby.
Needless to say, there will be some good players without jobs on Saturday afternoon.

I'm guessing lots of starters will be staying home. One last chance for coaches to see guys in game situation. I have to believe some guys are still on the bubble and McVay has yet to make a final decision. Might be some pizzed off fans in Houston if Rams don't send starters.

I want to see more of Hrynkeiwicz at C, Brewer at G, Reeder. Dakota, Parker, Scott, Webster at KR-PR.

What day is cut down day?

Your first true love. No not Jane or Joe from 3rd grade. But the first time the love bug bit and bit hard. Did you get it right the first time or did you crash and burn? Do you remember it fondly or can you barely remember it at all? Mine was a Raven hair beauty that I met the first time in Jr. High. We did not get along at all. I was to meet her again a few years later and it was the exact opposite we both fell madly in love. Which was to form an 8 year relationship that came within a razors edge of marriage. Only to end very abruptly and at least for me mysteriously. Tell us about yours.

Just a thought. Don't kill the brainstormer.

It appears to me that Fowler is due 12Million with 9m base and 3m roster. All Guaranteed.

I'm not a cap guy. Does Guaranteed go into effect if and when he makes the roster or is it guaranteed now.

If not Guaranteed I would consider (harsh as it sounds) cutting him to free up some money on an interior lineman or other needs.

We have the young depth in Patrick, Durham and Obo to make up the production that Fowler provides.

Nothing Personal, it's just Business.

RAMblings with Dont'e Deayon

Sarina: “Good Eatz,” you're wearing it. (Dante is wearing a t-shirt with the logo.) What does it mean?

Dont'e Deayon: So for starters, I started Good Eatz when I was in college at Boise State. It's progressed now. I've set it up as a nonprofit organization and a lifestyle brand and a C Corp. That way I still have the business side. We're doing different things, there's people who are involved with it that I either grew up with or play professional football now. (We are) able to touch different cities rather than just me wanting to do what I want to do which is give back and touch my community. Now, we have a platform to go reach different cities.
Sarina: Where did the name Good Eatz come from?

Dont'e Deayon: Football players, when we're on the field, we always say ‘We eating.’ We're out there getting it. So it just really started from there. I was on the field one day… ‘Oh, that's good eats!’

Sarina: You're a smaller football player. How do you use your size to an advantage, especially being a defensive back?

Dont'e Deayon: Really harping in on the details of the game and the position. Not only knowing the things that I need to get done as a corner, but the grand scheme of things. What is my safety doing? What is my linebacker doing? What does the Dline do? Do I have help here? Just knowing the ins and outs mentally helps me take it to the next level. And then when it comes to the physical part, you just got to be a dog and you got to go get it.

Sarina: You're a smaller football player. How do you use your size to an advantage, especially being a defensive back?

Dont'e Deayon: Really harping in on the details of the game and the position. Not only knowing the things that I need to get done as a corner, but the grand scheme of things. What is my safety doing? What is my linebacker doing? What does the Dline do? Do I have help here? Just knowing the ins and outs mentally helps me take it to the next level. And then when it comes to the physical part, you just got to be a dog and you got to go get it.

Sarina: When I walk into the locker room, make a right, there you are with all of the defensive backs. The loudest in the locker room. Fill in the blank, “A defensive back is…”

Dont'e Deayon: “Woo!!” We're going to leave it at “Woo!” because there's a million things that could go in there.

Sarina: Why?

Dont'e Deayon: It's natural. It's the confidence that comes with playing that position and if you ain't got confidence in yourself when you're playing that position then you can't succeed. I think we just carry it as well off the field. It's still a lot of humbleness, but then they are very excited and turned up people.

Sarina: I don't think I’ve ever seen you not smiling. Why are you always smiling?

Donte Deayon: It comes from and where I've been before this point. Even as I went through a lot of things growing up, I was always smiling, always upbeat. I know the other side of things, so I just try to take the joy day-in and day-out. And then if I make somebody else smile, and make other people happy, it’s a win.

Sarina: What's your pet-peeve then?

Dont'e Deayon: Blatant lies. Especially when I already know the truth. If you lie straight to me, that just grinds me the wrong way.

Sarina: Where were you this time last year?

Dont'e Deayon: Oh, this time last year I was in New York playing ball for the Giants. In the New Jersey area.

Sarina: How did you get from there? Because now you're here with a full preseason. I’m sure that must make such difference, being with the Rams.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, definitely. Just being able to go from the transition of the new defense, new teammates, new head coach, new style of being. It's amazing, though, because it's almost like night and day for me. Being from California, then going to New York, meeting different people, different style, then coming back to being older now in this situation has just been amazing. And really being able to grow and learn, and learn from All-Pros, and Pro Bowlers, and soak up all that game, it's really been good.

Sarina: As I'm smelling this food in the back right now, I get a sense it's the recipe of the Pro Bowlers and having a coaching staff like Wade (Phillips) and Aubrey (Pleasant) and coach E (Ejiro Evero), that kind of creates the stew for the season.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah definitely. The makeup of dude’s character that they have in here, the certain type of guys, I feel like a lot of the dudes that's in the locker room can relate to each other, which is big, because sometimes people don't get along well. Whether you're teammates or not. But now, you can really relate with dudes, you feel dudes’ stories and what they've been through, and it makes you want to play harder when you get on the field.

Sarina: What's unique about the Rams? What is the difference in the interviewing process? What do they ask you?

Dont'e Deayon: Right, so it gets down to the core of who you are. What are you made up of? On the field can travel off the field too. On the field, what type of player are you? Are you a smart player? Are you a dude who can pick up concepts well? Then off the field, guys who you can relate to. There's older guys who've been through things that you probably didn't go through. Well, you might end up going through… and they give you that game and experience from their point of view.

Sarina: What kind of player are you?

Dont'e Deayon: Oh that's a long list. (Laughs) I like to focus on the details of things. Aggressive. I want to know the ins and outs of what we got going on. I want to know what's the certainty like. What we're looking for. What we're expecting from these calls, or expecting these formations from teams and the things you can anticipate because I play off of a lot of anticipation. I play in the corner. And that's how I can get my interceptions, you know?

Sarina: Which you did! Against the Cowboys.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, I got one of them! And that comes from the preparation. Just studying and then people think game days are games days, but I get loose and have fun. You know what I mean?

Sarina: All the hard work is done before.

Dont'e Deayon: Right, prep, all that week. All that you put in leading up. The preparation really helps for game days.

Sarina: So back to 'Good Eatz,'Tyler Gigbee says he doesn't like lettuce. And Gerald Everett says he doesn't like spaghetti. What do you not like?

Dont'e Deayon: I don't like sushi. I know it's a big one. I don't like sushi, I don't like tomatoes, I don't like onions. I don't like peppers.

Sarina: Oh, no flavor.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, some salt, some pepper, some seasoning salt, but I don't really like too much of that extra stuff.

Sarina: Do you like lettuce and spaghetti?

Dont'e Deayon: I love spaghetti. Sometime with meatballs, sausages.

Sarina: But no tomato? So like a raw tomato, no, but like tomato sauce okay?

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, tomato sauce is fine. Pizza? Fine. Love pizza. But not the tomato pizza like-
Sarina: Margherita pizza.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, I like regular pizza. I just can't have those big ol’ tomato slices on it. I don't want those tomatoes.

Sarina: Lastly, what is the last thing you binge watched?

Dont'e Deayon: I actually just binge watched Euphoria.

Sarina: Crazy show!

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, that was a lot, that was a wild show. It's a different show.

Sarina: Shout out to Zendaya.

Dont'e Deayon: Yeah, she's doing it all. But yeah, that was the last show I binge watched.

Clay Matthews' heartwarming homecoming he never saw coming

By Michael Silver
NFL.com columnist
Published: Aug. 25, 2019 at 11:34 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 26, 2019 at 12:05 a.m.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Clay Matthews jogged off the practice field with a bounce in his step and a grin on his face, prefacing our interview outside the weight room at the Los Angeles Rams' temporary training facility last Tuesday with an emphatic declaration of satisfaction.

"I'm so happy to be here," Matthews said, gesturing toward the hills surrounding the Cal Lutheran University campus. "It just feels like this is where I'm supposed to be."

It's not hard to figure out why Matthews, after 10 standout seasons with the Green Bay Packers, is thrilled to be back in L.A. The veteran linebacker will play his home games at the L.A. Coliseum, where he thrived during his college career at USC, and practice in the shadow of Agoura Hills, his hometown. Eventually he, his wife, Casey, and their three children will move into a dream home that's being constructed less than 15 miles from the Rams' facility.

Oh, and the Rams are the defending NFC champions whose decision makers believe that the acquisitions of Matthews and veteran safety Eric Weddle can help put them over the top.

It's a heartwarming homecoming tale, except that Matthews, 33, never saw it coming. As he approached unrestricted free agency last March, the versatile veteran believed he'd end up back in Green Bay, even if it meant giving the Packers a bit of a Titletown discount. Before he could weigh his options, however, he was told the team was no longer interested in his services.

"I was kind of taken aback, because I thought I'd always be back there, whether it was at a cheaper price [or not]," Matthews said. "So that was kind of a shock, because [my family] stayed out there and had our third child in the offseason, and I was hanging in town training there and everything. And yeah, that was kind of a surprise to me because I just figured I would be out there a few more years.

"People say, 'You chose to go to L.A.' I didn't choose. They told me there was no room for me."

There was no trace of bitterness in Matthews' tone, and he stressed that he does not harbor ill feelings toward the organization that drafted him 26th overall in the 2009 draft -- and for whom he earned six Pro Bowl selections.

He did, however, concede that his time with the Packers ended abruptly, and that he never saw it coming. "We'd had some negotiations throughout the latter part of the [2018] season, talks between my agent (Ryan Williams of Athletes First) and the GM (Brian Gutekunst)," Matthews said. "It had been awhile since a -- some people say 'older'; I say an accomplished, veteran pass rusher -- hit the market, probably not since DeMarcus Ware left Dallas (for Denver in 2014). So we said, 'Alright, we're gonna hit the market and kind of see what the value is.' And then the Packers were on board, going, 'Alright ... then we'll figure something out.'

"So I always felt like I would probably end up back there; we just needed to figure out what the going rate was. But that wasn't the case."

Matthews' world was rocked the morning before the official start of free agency -- during the 48-hour "legal tampering" period, during which teams and players are allowed to negotiate but not to sign formal agreements. Early on Tuesday, March 12, Matthews was driving from his home to the Packers' facility at Lambeau Field to work out when he got a fateful call from Gutekunst.

Recalled Matthews: "I picked it up and he just said, 'Hey, there's no money for you. I just want to thank you. I just want to thank you for being yada yada yada.' And, you know, that was kind of that." Gutekunst declined an interview request from NFL.com.

The Packers, in reaching lucrative, multi-year agreements with free-agent edge rushers Za'Darius Smith(formerly with Baltimore) and Preston Smith (formerly with Washington), had decided to move on. Za'Darius Smith received $66 million over years, with Preston Smith commanding $52 million over the same span. Matthews, somewhat stunned after receiving Gutekunst's phone call, nonetheless conducted his planned workout at Lambeau before plotting his next move. "[The key card] still worked," he said, laughing.

Complicating the assessment of Matthews' value in recent years was his willingness to play inside linebacker, sometimes for long stretches, during the latter part of his Packers tenure. That team-centric approach helped explain why the 6-3, 255-pound Matthews, after attaining double-digit sack totals in four of his first six seasons, had just 22.5 sacks from 2015 to '18.

"I'd say about two-and-a-half seasons I went inside and messed around," Matthews said. "I went inside in 2014, and we were blowing everyone out so I'd get to go back out on the edge second-and-long and third downs. They moved me back the next year, but (inside linebacker) Sam Barrington broke his ankle in the first game, and I ended up starting pretty much the rest of the year at inside 'backer at a moment's notice. The next year, I was doing my thing (at outside linebacker), and we were playing at Philadelphia (in late November) and they moved me back inside. I actually got lit up on a blindside block and completely separated my shoulder and missed some games ... and it wasn't until the playoffs till I got some strength back in it."

Back then, the postseason was a given for Matthews, who made the playoffs in each of his first eight seasons. He celebrated a Super Bowl victory following the 2010 campaign, during which he earned first-team All-Pro honors, and endured a painful near-miss four years later.

Though Matthews had just 7.5 sacks in 2017, he registered a team-high 21 quarterback hits. Last year, after Mike Pettine replaced longtime defensive coordinator Dom Capers, Matthews managed only 3.5 sacks, a career low. However, he did lose sacks to roughing-the-passer calls in each of the Pack's first three games -- the latter two calls were highly controversial in the wake of a newly implemented rules interpretation -- and said he had far fewer opportunities to make plays in Pettine's scheme.

"I was asked to do stuff that didn't allow me to have the freedom that I had the first nine years with Dom Capers," Matthews said. "I was doing a lot of dropping, and I have no problem with that; our defense actually improved. A lot of second and third downs, when guys usually tee off, we were running a lot of games to protect us from the draws and the screens. And we had some injury concerns in the back, and we had to play a little carefully up front. I did everything they had asked and I thought I had a solid year."

The Packers, obviously, thought they could upgrade -- though that wasn't obvious to Matthews until he got the call from Gutekunst in March.
"You just sometimes wish they would be a little more honest and up front as far as how they see it," he said. "But, I mean, why should I get preferential treatment? Nobody is going to say, 'Hey, this is how we actually feel about you.' "

Once free agency began, Matthews had his sights set on L.A., even though the Rams weren't offering nearly as much money as he'd hoped to earn on the open market. Though the Ravens offered more, Matthews ultimately favored the Rams' two-year, $9.25 million deal, which includes $5.5 million in guarantees and, with incentives, could be worth as much as $16.75 million. His previous deal with the Packers, which expired after 2018, averaged $13 million a year over five seasons.

"Really, if I had a list of 100 things as far as why I would sign out here, everything was a check -- except for my ego from taking a pay cut, you know?" Matthews said. "Whereas like any other team we talked to, perhaps it wasn't best for the kids or it was hard for my family to travel or there was some other issue."

Before he officially accepted the Rams' offer, Matthews allowed his ego to take one more hit: His agent went back to Gutekunst to see if the Packers would be interested in bringing him back at a reduced rate -- basically, at a number similar to what the Rams were offering. Once again, Green Bay had no interest.

"My agent went back and said, 'Hey, we're getting ready to make a move. Is there anything ... ?' " Matthews recalled. "I don't think they were interested at that time. I think they were ready to move on."

That point was underscored in late April when the Packers announced that their first-round draft pick, former Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary, would wear No. 52, which Matthews had donned for the previous decade.

"The body's not even cold yet lol," Matthews playfully tweeted in response. He quickly warmed to his new team, and the feeling is mutual. The Rams now have a savvy veteran to supplement the young edge-rushing duo of Samson Ebukam and Dante Fowler Jr., and Matthews will likely have ample opportunities to make plays in veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' pass-rush-friendly system.

"Clay has been phenomenal," said Joe Barry, the Rams' assistant head coach/linebackers coach. "I'm surprised he was available, and we're so happy to have him. He can obviously still play, and he'll make plays for us. But the thing that has really impressed me is the above-the-neck aspect. It's amazing how much knowledge and understanding of the game he brings to us, and for Ekubam and Fowler to be around a guy like that, to watch how he conducts himself, is invaluable."

Matthews, who played a little less than three-quarters of the Packers' defensive snaps last season, per Next Gen Stats, should see that number go down in 2019, meaning he'll theoretically be fresher when the game is on the line. Then again, it's not as if he's asking for additional rest.

"I just want to play," Matthews said. "One of the things I've said from early on is that [Phillips] allows his playmakers to play to their abilities. And for me, it's that wild-card factor -- taking shots, taking calculated risks -- whereas I felt I was a little handcuffed last year.

"I've always taken pride in the fact that I can do it all, whether it's covering backs out of the backfield, running vertically with the slot or playing inside 'backer. I mean, I'll be out in the field -- rushing the passer, playing the run, playing in coverage. And playing alongside great players is only going to help out."

The Rams, coming off a painful Super Bowl LIII loss to the New England Patriots that saw Phillips' defense shine in defeat, believe Matthews and Weddle can provide the same type of boost that veterans like left tackle Andrew Whitworth and cornerback Aqib Talib have given the team during coach Sean McVay's tenure.

And while Matthews' time in Titletown may have ended a bit suddenly for his tastes, the prospect of helping to win a title for his hometown is extremely enticing.

"Everybody says, 'Oh, I want to go play for a team that has a chance,' " Matthews said. "But we're one of the few that really does. I mean, they were 11 points from winning it all last year, and there are so many great players. Some teams have a Super Bowl hangover, but I think of it as a team that's about to ascend.

"Sean makes it fun. He's able to bring in these big personalities, reel them in and allow us to just go out there and do what we do best. I feel energized and ready to prove myself and I have no doubt that this is going to be a big year for me, as well as the team. I just feel like this is where I'm supposed to be."

Follow Michael Silver on Twitter @MikeSilver.

Enjoy your money, but you be's lucky to get 6 wins bro

By
Tony Lopez - August 25, 2019







OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and head coach Sean McVay during their NFL preseason game at RingCentral Coliseum on August 10, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)

Don’t look now but Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is about to have the best year of the L.A. chapter of his career. Many already believe that 2019 could be his biggest and best, completing a coaching career fast approaching the 50-year mark. This begs the question, can leadership thoroughly survive what eats the best talent in this morality-challenging city for brunch everyday? Or will success reveal the Rams internal coaching tiffs? More specifically, between head coach Sean McVay and Phillips.

Los Angeles Rams Internal Coaching Tiffs Looming?
While most of us are chomping at the bit to see Jared Goff hit several of his ‘now even more dangerous’ collection of capable receivers, Phillips is trying hard to restrain cravings to bellow out big dog barks and fist pumps Tiger Woods would be proud of. When many of us long to dance around water coolers and man caves with bragging rights from Todd Gurley helping us own our fantasy leagues, Phillips is resisting urges to break out a ‘happy dance’ in the middle of press conferences. Why? Because he already knows what many Rams fans see and what the rest of the league will learn soon enough. The Rams won’t be a middle-of-the-pack defense in 2019.

Rams Defense Bends Then Breaks Denver Broncos
Both teams scoreless after one, the Denver Broncos took a 6-3 lead with the second Brandon McManus field goal of the second quarter into halftime. That was the extent of their production as they were shutout in the second half.
The Rams appeared to intentionally plan this knockout punch playing key defensive players in quarters three and four. With Bryce Hager now starting, he was given the night off and other linebackers didn’t miss a beat. Travin Howard, who seems to be in on every tackle, almost was and led the team with eight first-half solos. University of Delaware standout and runner-up, Troy Reeder, added five more (four solo).
In the second half, linebackers Dakota Allen and Cooper Kupp’s brother, Ketner Kupp, led the way with five total tackles each. Cornerback Darious Williams added two more passes defended to his team-leading total. Teammate Kevin Petersonintercepted another pass to grab the team lead. Morgan Fox made his presence felt, literally, laying some big-time wood.
Their overall performance defensively held Denver’s passing to just 140 yards (22 of 35 attempts, one interception, one sack). On the ground, the Broncos managed 73 yards including a quarterback sack escape. Escapee, quarterback Kevin Hogan(8/12, 69 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions) looked to be a decent back-up. However, Brett Rypien, who one Denver media local personality implied the Broncos were hiding to place on their practice squad and nephew of ex-Rams quarterback, Mark Rypien, was made to look every bit the rookie he is (14/23, 80 yards, 0 touchdowns, one interception, passer rating: 49.2).

Offense Punches its Second Preseason Touchdown Ticket
With 12:44 on the fourth-quarter clock, John Wolford hit Jalen Greene for a fourth and goal dart. It put the Rams up for good and was their second such score in the last two games.
For the second game in a row, Brandon Allen looked to be the best of the back-ups not named Blake Bortles. His first-half 118-yard performance boasts why the Rams finished 323 to 213 in total yards. Neither quarterback threw an interception or was sacked.
Receiver Nsimba Webster, targeted just once in the first half, came on to lead with four receptions. Still, it was Mike Thomas leading in total yards and stealing the show with an impressive 51-yard capture. KhaDarel Hodge also impressed with a second-best 54 total yards on just three catches.
Rams running backs mustered 82 yards on 26 total carries. Darrell Hendersonbrought up the rear with yet another per carry average of just over 2 yards.

Phillips, D-Unit Sending Under-the-Radar Message
Rams (34), San Francisco 49ers (41), Seattle Seahawks (54), Arizona Cardinals (66).
The Rams defensive unit leads the NFC West through three preseason games in points allowed. This is without playing most of their starters on both sides of the ball. In fact, of the entire NFL, where they fit in is quite interesting. Leaders are as follows:

First: New England Patriots (23) – Record: 3-0
Second: Dallas Cowboys (27) – Record: 2-1
Third: Baltimore Ravens (28) – Record: 3-0
Fourth: Los Angeles Rams (34) – Record: 1-2
(Excludes Week Three’s Pittsburgh Steelers – Tennessee Titans contest)

Sure, preseason doesn’t actually count but this doesn’t mean what’s revealed in the four weeks doesn’t mean anything. Hating aside, do you really believe the Patriots current lead is all luck? Yes, that’s what I thought.
The truth is as it’s been reported. The Rams find themselves with tough defensive decisions in less than a week because they have depth. More so than in recent years and coach Phillips, like McVay, will reap the benefits.

Is Wade Phillips Really Ready for Primetime?
Hey, this is the star capital of the world! It’s been known to devour a soul or two. Certainly, an unassuming but charismatic teddy bear type such as he stands little chance, right?
Don’t be surprised if you see Phillips tweeting giddy comments or googly-eyed GIFs towards defensive players of the game other than Aaron Donald. And like McVay, you might soon notice him making the rounds on talk shows and special celebrity events. But when you see this Phillips take a swipe at McVay or any other assistant coach on the team you know it’s the pressure of being placed on all the Sexiest Men Over 50s magazine lists nationwide.
Seriously, it’s all in fun, of course. They don’t come any cooler or classier than this coaching tandem. Yet and still, any comedic stunts succumbed to by the lovable Mr. Phillips are all welcomed.

Is the center position and it seems there is never any news about it I’ve seen or come by. How is Brian Allen doing? Anybody?

I’ve read some camp reports but that’s it.

Is it like that old saying “ no news is good news” ? Lol

There is rumors that Laremy might be available.

We don't technically need him this year, but if Whit retires next year we need a LT and we do not know if Noteboom can make the transition.

Tunsil current deal is cheap with 2 yrs left we can easily afford. We offer the Fins a second and something else or our first next year. We will NEVER get a great LT where we will most likely be picking. LTs are really hard to find and Tunsil only gave up 2 sacks last year and is probowl Calibre. Snead please pick up the phone and make the deal.

He can play RG this year and back up both Tackles if one goes down. This way we don't miss a beat and I ensure Goff's long-term safety.

By: Cameron DaSilva | 10 minutes ago



After the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Denver Broncos in the third week of the preseason, Sean McVay acknowledged how many difficult decisions he and the front office will have to make less than a week from now. Teams have to trim their rosters down to just 53 players by Saturday afternoon, which will be no easy task for the Rams.
“It’s going to be a lot of tough decisions, but that’s a good thing,” McVay said. “I think that’s a credit to really Les (Snead), his group and our coaching staff to be able to on-board and create some competitive scenarios and situations. You want it to be that way.”

Last week, he called these decisions “champagne problems,” indicating that they’re good problems to have. One player who will be worth watching this week in the preseason finale is Travin Howard.
He had a terrific performance against the Broncos and is making a strong push for a spot on the regular-season roster. He made a team-high eight tackles in only 25 snaps, consistently finding the ball and making plays.

Micah Kiser’s injury could open the door for Howard to carve out a role on defense, even though Bryce Hager has essentially been handed the starting linebacker job. Howard has been impressive all preseason, showing the athleticism that helped get him drafted by the Rams in 2018.
“He’s done a nice job and I think you see the athleticism, you just felt the suddenness and the explosiveness where he arrived and he arrived violently tonight,” McVay said of Howard. “I thought Dakota Allen showed up a couple times as well. Those guys have done a nice job under Coach (Joe) Barry’s leadership. We, obviously, lost a really good player in Micah who’s going to be out for a while and we’re going to need those guys to step up and we’ll see exactly how it shapes itself out.”

The Rams held Hager out against the Broncos “because he is basically our Mike linebacker,” McVay said, so there’s really no chance for Howard to be a Week 1 starter. Allen has impressed equally as much, which might hurt Howard’s chances of making the team.
He could be a backup to Cory Littleton, though, playing more in coverage than on that strong side against tight ends and right tackles.
“Then really we’re seeing around Cory and those other guys, who’s going to make a name for themselves and make it hard for us to cut it down to 53,” McVay added.
Howard has some work to do before final cuts are made, but he’ll have a chance to impress once again on Thursday night in Houston.

View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2850846-daniel-jones-eli-manning-transition-can-happen-this-season-for-the-giants


Daniel Jones-Eli Manning Transition Can Happen This Season for the Giants

It's easy to understand why the New York Giants might remain somewhat skittish about when and how to make the inevitable transition from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones at quarterback.

Two years ago, the organization was unfairly lambasted for sitting Manning late in a lost season. The Giants were 2-9 at the time, and then-general manager Jerry Reese offered a logical explanation for the move.

"This is not a statement about anything other than we are 2-9," Reese said, "and we have to do what is best for the organization moving forward, and that means evaluating every position."

The Giants also gave Manning the option to keep his 210-game starting streak going anyway (he declined), and then-head coach Ben McAdoo offered a fair justification as well. The season was essentially over and they wanted to get a look at potential successors Geno Smith and Davis Webb. It was that simple.

But fans, media and former players proceeded to tear apart the organization, and it didn't take long before the front office caved and handed the job back to Manning.

He has a special place in the hearts of Giants fans. Manning became a legend when he led the team to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots in 2007, and he became somewhat of a sports god among Giants supporters when he did the same thing to the Patriots in 2011.

That begot a strong emotional response when he was essentially benched. Folks felt he didn't "deserve" that based on accomplishments from more than half a decade earlier, even though Eli hadn't won a playoff game since that 2011 Super Bowl and had been to just one Pro Bowl since 2013.

But a lot has changed in the last 21 months, partly because nothing has changed with Manning. Still no postseason wins since 2011. Still just the one Pro Bowl nod since 2013. Among 29 qualified quarterbacks dating back to 2012, he ranks 25th in passer rating and first with 110 interceptions. Even to those who continue their weekly ritual of watching commemorative DVDs of Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, it should be obvious that the 38-year-old is just about toast.

We're also not talking about Smith or Webb anymore, because the Giants look as though they have something special in their rookie No. 6 overall pick.

The organization has been forced to continually remind us that there's no quarterback competition and that Manning is the starter. Moments after the team drafted Jones in April, general manager Dave Gettleman suggested they could follow "the Green Bay model, where [Aaron] Rodgers sat for three years." While that might be extreme, it's clear they're rooting for Manning to at least hold down the job for the entire 2019 campaign.

"I hope Eli has a great year and Daniel never sees the field," co-owner John Mara said earlier this month, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

It's also easy to understand why the Giants—who exercised Manning's $5 million roster bonus in March—don't want to pay a guy $23.2 million to hold a tablet.

The "problem" is Jones has consistently drawn rave reviews. The Duke product impressed during the offseason program, which led to praise from head coach Pat Shurmur before training camp.

"We really haven't seen anything he can't do in terms of playing quarterback," Shurmur said last month, per ESPN.com's Jordan Raanan, while also noting that the 22-year-old had "exceeded expectations" to that point.

And that hasn't changed this month, with Jones completing 25 of 30 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns in three preseason games. That's a passer rating of 140.1, which is tremendous regardless of the fact that he's gone up against mainly reserve defenders.

The Giants are conservative, the highly paid Manning is their dude and Jones has yet to take any first-team reps, which means there's no hope the baton will be passed before the team's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 8.

But this transition can happen in 2019, and it can be clean and drama-free. The ingredients are there, and if Manning struggles at all this year, the fans, media and former players who griped about the 2017 fiasco will be out of reasons to throw a fit.

History indicates Manning will eventually struggle, and if you were to pinpoint a specific part of the schedule that could be problematic for him, it'd be a three-game stretch from Week 4 to Week 6 during which the Giants play the Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots in a 12-day span.

That could be real tough on Eli, and if he hasn't upped his game, and the Giants aren't winning, it'll present an ideal opportunity to make a change under center. That matchup with the Patriots takes place on a Thursday, essentially giving the Giants a mini bye ahead of a Week 7 home game against a weak Arizona Cardinals team that will also likely start a rookie quarterback in Kyler Murray.

That'd give Manning three final home contests to soak up the love and adoration of the fans whose lives were changed by his indelible Super Bowl moments, and it'd be damn fitting for his final game to come against the Pats team that he slayed in those two unforgettable championship tilts.

It'd also give us all 10 days to adjust to the Jones era, which would start on October 20, 2019.

And that'd give Jones some real-game work during what is expected to be a rebuilding year anyway for the Giants. It would give the team a better feel for his progress entering the 2020 offseason, and a sense of what changes he and they have to make before the team tries to compete with its new franchise quarterback in a new decade and a new era.

Just throwing it out there. This can happen, it can happen soon, and it can happen smoothly.

Jadeveon Clowney trade rumors: Texans star will be traded in '24, 48 hours'




Thomas Lott

20 hrs ago



Jadeveon Clowney is going to be traded soon. Well, at least that's what one NFL Network analyst believes.
© Provided by Perform Media Channels Limited
Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network told Patrick Meagher on Sirius XM Radio's "The Wrap", he believes Clowney will be traded in the next day or two.
Per Lombardi:

"He doesn't have a contract, so he's got to sign the tender before they trade him, I think that's almost a fait accompli, he will get traded in the next 24, 48 hours, I would be shocked if he didn't."

Click to expand...

While it's easy to say Lombardi could simply be speculating about Clowney being traded at all, remember the Houston Chronicle's John McClain said it would be a surprise if the defensive lineman/end wasn't traded after he refused to sign the franchise tender placed on him by the Texans this offseason. And trust us, McClain knows what he's talking about.
Now, the difference between these two reports is two-fold: for one, the Chronicle didn't put a time limit on a deal for Clowney, and secondly, they disagree on what the Texans are after.
The Chronicle said Houston would love to upgrade its offensive line, but Lombardi has them going after something else.
Lombardi:

"There's a lot of teams that are after him. The Houston Texans, they want a receiver, they want another receiver to go with Hopkins, so I think there's teams, I know there's two teams negotiating with Clowney right now in terms of trying to talk to him about coming to their team because he's got to sign the tender before they can trade him, so he does have some control of the action."

Click to expand...

Another couple of things here: the Chronicle's report is almost certainly right. Houston wants to bolster its offensive line as it has been an issue throughout the first couple of years of Deshaun Watson's tenure with the Texans. However, as that report pointed out at the time, there simply aren't many teams — if any — that will trade a good to great offensive lineman at any point of the season, no matter the return. And Houston would probably want something like that back in a deal for Clowney.
So the second point here is that Houston's No. 2 receiver Will Fuller V is coming off of an ACL injury in October of last season. He has also missed a combined 15 games over the last two years with injuries. The Texans could be concerned he won't be the same player he was before getting hurt last year, but they could also simply want a backup plan for Fuller in case he gets hurt again.
The story here though is this: Clowney is likely to get traded, and it sure looks like it could be pretty soon.
MORE: NFL trade rumors: It would be 'a surprise' if Texans' Jadeveon Clowney isn't dealt
Lombardi:

"Clowney's days as a Houston Texan to me are numbered, which then plays into, how do they overcome him? How do they handle that they're going to have $16 million of cap room once they trade him because he's counting on their cap, and what do they do with that cap room, and how does that impact their win total which is set at eight right now?"

Click to expand...

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So much is still up in the air on this loaded roster, but here are a few of my impressions as to players that have made the 53...

In no particular order, btw.

Both Allen and Wolford have flashed. Each might be nice to have for backup next year after Bortles’ departure. Neither will make the 53, but practice squad? Hopefully one could stick there.

Kelly has locked up that 4th RB position.

Mundt will be our 3rd TE again this year. The rookies have been disappointments.

Thomas and Hodge have both impressed and I can’t see the Rams letting either get away. The WR depth on this team is just sick and there will be heartbreaking cuts in 7 days. Several Ram cuts will be on other NFL rosters. Kudos to the Ram WR coaches. Smh.

Obo and Patrick will not only make the 53, but will see significant snaps this season. Ebu better play very effectively when he sees the field early this year or he could be soon riding the pine. Both Obo and Patrick can PLAY at this level. Very, very nice “problem” to have.

It looks like Hager has been handed the starting job, but his hold on it might not be all that secure. Allen looks like an instinctive player that just keeps making play after play. I could actually see Allen maybe be starting by game 6 or so. I’m serious.

Peterson is a better CB than Troy Hill. And how can the Rams keep Hill and cut a Darious Williams, contract or no contract? Especially with both Talib and Peters in their final contract year? Gotta look at the long range Big Picture here, y’all. Sigh...

Nick Scott has made the 53. Heck, he made it on draft day, lol. Also, I think Steven Parker is now 50-50 to make the 53. Sorry, Christian.

Still one week to go in the preseason, so stay tuned. That DL bottom depth is still kinda murky to me, for example. But the above seem quite likely to me at this point, anyway.

By: Cameron DaSilva | 1 hour ago


The Los Angeles Rams secured their first win of the preseason on Saturday night, knocking off the Denver Broncos at home. It was another low-scoring affair, winning just 10-6, but it was a win nonetheless.
Here are the best photos from the game at the Coliseum, which is the Rams’ last preseason game ever at that venue.


Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay enters the field with his team before the start…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Defensive back Ramon Richards #47 of the Los Angeles Rams…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Wide receiver Jalen Greene #3 and running back Darrell Henderson…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Brandon Allen (8) hands off…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Marcus Peters #22 of the Los Angeles Rams and Clay…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) warms up before the start of an NFL preseason…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams walks along…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Eric Weddle #32 of the Los Angeles Rams on the…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Todd Gurley #30, speaks with Clay Matthews #52 and Aaron…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams laughs…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) warms up before the start of an NFL preseason…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) warms up before the start of an NFL…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Jalen Greene #3 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates his…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back John Kelly (42) runs…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams running back John Kelly, right, escapes a tackle by Denver Broncos cornerback Trey…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Josh Carraway (42) loses grip…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Kendall Blanton (86) is…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Johnny Mundt (82) is…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Johnny Mundt (82) reaches…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Nsimba Webster (14) signals…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jalen Greene (3) celebrates…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jalen Greene (3) is…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Running back Devontae Jackson #48 of the Denver Broncos is…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams corner back Dominique Hatfield (36) prepares…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson (27) is…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams place kicker Greg Zuerlein (4) kicks…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Nsimba Webster (14) runs…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Denver Broncos running back Devontae Jackson (48) runs the…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end John Franklin-Myers (94) sacks…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back John Kelly (42) runs…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end John Franklin-Myers (94) celebrates…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jalen Greene (3) catches…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Quarterback Kevin Hogan #9 of the Denver Broncos is sacked…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Quarterback John Wolford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams throws…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Linebacker Obo Okoronkwo #45 of the Los Angeles Rams deflects…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Running back John Kelly #42 of the Los Angeles Rams…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Quarterback Brett Rypien #4 of the Denver Broncos is sacked…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Darrell Henderson #27 of the Los Angeles Rams is stopped…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Brandon Allen #8 of the Los Angeles Rams calls a…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: John Franklin-Myers #94 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates his…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 24: Brandon Allen #8 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts to…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson, left, runs against the Denver Broncos during the first…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Michael Thomas, left, makes a catch next to Denver Broncos defensive…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Ketner Kupp (55) during the second half of an NFL preseason football…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Dominique Hatfield (36) during the second half of an NFL preseason football…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Morgan Fox (97) during the second half of an NFL preseason…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Brandon Allen (8) throws against the Denver Broncos during the first half…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Tanzel Smart during the second half of an NFL preseason football…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker throws a football before the start of an NFL preseason…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams running back Darrell Henderson rests on the bench during the first half of…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Troy Hill (20) warms up before the start of an NFL preseason…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (18) warms up before the start of an NFL…

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Broncos vs. Rams
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 24: Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay hugs hugs Denver…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay (right) meets…

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Broncos vs. Rams
Aug 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) meets with…

So Disney is going with a TV show as you may know for this. I didn't realize until today the guy that played Oberyn Martell in GOT is playing the lead role that should be great. It's going to be on their streaming site which I don't have and won't get but I'll find ways to watch Anybody else looking forward to this?

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOC8E8z_ifw

Here is how Sportsbook works at RamsOnDemand:

• Sportsbook is a bragging rights wager game, played annually at RamsOnDemand
• As a member of ROD, you are automatically in the game and can start right away
• Every week, all ROD members are sent a paycheck of Sportsbook ”cash”
• We will start this year $10,000 per week
• All members have a starting balance of $50,000
• The amount sent each week may change as we watch the game develop
• Members are encouraged to wager cash in ROD Sportsbook
• The goal is to accumulate THE MOST cash and be crowned our CHAMP
• To be eligible for our championship you must make a minimum of 20 wagers. Wager minimum may change each season, see game details posted.
• Our season runs from the open of the new League Year, until the Superbowl.

To play Sportsbook. Click on your top ribbon, or click: HERE



Once inside, click on the open events to place a wager.

To see your cash balance; click your member name;




To see the leaderboard, select the drop down from your top ribbon;

To join... Survivor and Pick’em are found in the same menu... under Pick’em;



Select your league;



Choose Join Pool:



Your picks are managed buy button and top menu:

ROD is built to adjust the layout based on screen size. Most screens it will look the same… but on tablets, depending the orientation mode, it may adjust. Widgets down the sidebar become hidden behind a collapsible that can be opened.

The collapsable is the little grey button (top right of your screen);


ROD should look great out of the box, but you may find adjusting the font size (in your preferences - upper right of the screen... click on your avatar) to LARGE may trigger a look you prefer. This is very important to remember and perhaps worth trying. It really depends on the device you use as your primary and/or simply a desire for LARGER text.

QB Goff, Bortles, Allen

RB Gurley, Brown, Henderson, Kelly

TE Higbee, Everett, Mundt

WR Cooks, Woods, Kupp, Reynolds, Thomas,
Webster, Natson

OL Whitworth, Noteboom, Allen, Blythe,
Havenstein, Edwards, Evans, Neary

ST Hekker, Zuerline, McQuaide

DL Donald, Brockers, Gaines, Franklin-
Myers, Joseph-Day, Smart, Fox

LB Matthews, Fowler, Littleton, Allen,
Howard, Patrick, Ebukam,
Okoronkwo

CB Talib, Peters, Robey-Coleman, Long,
Hill, Peterson

S Johnson, Weddle, Rapp, Scott

If I could trade Bortles for Colts back up OL Evan Boehm I would. Would probably carry two QB in that case and keep the rest of the OL as is.
Hager is likely to make it just based on experience. But man he doesn’t show much in game play. His ST specialist roll would be filled by Scott.
Not too many surprises of course.
DL and LB can go any number of ways with the last couple of spots.
After the Littleton, Mathews and Fowler there is a whole lot of potential and a whole lot of who knows?
Natson flashes as a punt returner. Can get extra field position at times. It’s a deep WR group and he is a “luxury”.
His spot could easily be filled by Hager, Brewer or several others.
Tear it apart.....

finally sitting in seats made for modern day grown ups... shortened aisles ...more leg room... Home side boxes look great..

nice to be in very comfortable seats with room for the final season in the Coliseum...

By: Steve Rebeiro | 23 minutes ago


The Los Angeles Rams have finally won a preseason game.
The Rams took care of business against the Broncos in Los Angeles, coming out victorious in a 10-6 snoozefest. It was the first win of the summer for the Rams.

Despite the low score, there’s plenty to talk about. Here are four takeaways from the night.

No clarity in wide receiver battle
The Rams are going to have a tough decision to make when it comes to wide receivers KhaDarel Hodge and Mike Thomas.
The duo of Rams receivers are competing for one of the final spots on the team’s roster. Both guys looked great against Denver. Thomas hauled a 51 yard bomb from Brandon Allen on the second offensive snap of the night and finished with 76 yards on three receptions in the game. Hodge had three grabs for 54 yards himself and looked as reliable as anyone in the passing game tonight.
It wouldn’t be shocking if the Rams kept both guys, but it still seems unlikely. Wide receiver is the deepest position on the team. It’s so deep that Josh Reynolds, the fourth guy on the depth chart, has been held out all preseason and has been deemed a “fourth starter” by Jared Goff. Thomas and Hodge have both earned roster spots, but it wouldn’t make sense for the team to keep both guys. Les Snead and Sean McVay have a hard choice on their hands.

Injury bug continues to plague the Rams
The injuries didn’t stop for the Rams after losing Micah Kiser last week. Two more Rams were carted off the field against the Broncos: OL Aaron Neary and LB Josh Carraway.
While neither Carraway nor Neary were expected to have a big impact on the team, the team still loses some valuable depth at thin positions. Neary seemed like a lock to make the team as a reserve lineman despite his looming four game suspension. Carraway was a long shot, but it’s yet another body gone at the linebacker spot.

With so many injuries this preseason for both the Rams and the rest of the NFL, it feels like Sean McVay has made the right call by giving his starters the preseason off. Speaking of which…

Bryce Hager has starting ILB job locked up
Bryce Hager got the night off against Denver.

Yes, we’re talking about the same Bryce Hager who’s been a special teamer and had to fight for a roster spot on the Rams for the past five seasons. With Micah Kiser out indefinitely, Hager was allowed to rest with the rest of the starters, because he will indeed be a starter on defense opening day.
It’s been an unlikely rise for Hager. He started his career with the Rams in St. Louis as a special teamer. With a hole to be filled at inside linebacker this year, Hager was competing for the job with Micah Kiser. Now, he’s locked in as a starter. It’s certainly the most surprising development for the Rams this summer.

Dakota Allen, only real threat to take Hager’s job, didn’t see the field in the first half of the game. Allen shined in the second half, but he’s not going to steal the job from Hager before the season begins. You don’t sit a guy for an entire half if you’re considering starting him.

Darrell Henderson may not have a Week 1 role
The bar was set high for Darrell Henderson when the Rams selected him in the third-round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
That bar may have been set a little too high.

Henderson has looked decent in the preseason. He’s been plagued by poor run blocking, but he hasn’t done much of anything with his opportunities. John Kelly was the better back for the Rams against the Broncos. Heading into Week 1, it’s hard to justify Henderson taking snaps from Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown for any reason other than his draft stock.
That being said, there’s no reason to panic here. Henderson might just need some time to adjust to the NFL. If Gurley is healthy, his role truly won’t be that important, either. The Rams have been known to ease-in rookies under Sean McVay. Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen barely played last year and they’ll be playing critical starting roles on the offensive line this year. Don’t be surprised if the Rams take their time with Henderson as well.