I find stories like this mind blowing. How is it possible a General Manager and Head Coach are not joined at the hip on nearly every selection?

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...raft-blaine-gabbert-he-wasnt-a-first-rounder/

Jack Del Rio had no idea Jaguars would draft Blaine Gabbert, 'he wasn't a first-rounder'

The 2011 NFL Draft isn't one that will be remembered for all the first-round picks that became franchise quarterbacks. In fact, after Cam Newton, who went first overall, it's a forgettable bunch that includes Jake Locker (No. 8 overall, retired after the 2014 season), Blaine Gabbert (10th overall, 13-35 as a starter) and Christian Ponder (12th overall, has been out of the league since 2017).

Presumably, the Titans and Vikings front office and coaching staffs were all in agreement when those teams drafted Locker and Ponder. The same can't be said for the Jaguars and then-coach Jack Del Rio, who told ESPN690 (via Yahoo.com) recently that he wasn't even in the room when Jacksonville general manager Gene Smith traded up for Gabbert.

"I had no idea we were going to draft Blaine Gabbert," Del Rio said on Tuesday. "No idea. In fact, I left to go get something to eat because our pick wasn't for much longer in the draft. I go and then I'm sitting there filling my plate thinking, 'Oh great, we've got a couple more hours until we pick.' Then I see, 'The Jaguars are on the clock.' I'm like, 'What the blank is going on?' I walk into the draft room, and I could see it on the faces of the people in the room. They knew how uncomfortable that was, how wrong that was."

The Jaguars moved up six spots to take Gabbert, who went 5-22 in three seasons with the team before he was traded to the 49ers ahead of the 2014 season. In San Francisco, Gabbert started 13 games over three seasons and went 4-9. He was in Arizona in 2017 and Tennessee last season and is currently the backup to Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay. Over his career he's completed 56.2 percent of his passes and has 48 touchdowns against 47 interceptions. His career passer rating is 71.2.

Del Rio, meanwhile, was fired 11 games into the 2011 season. The Jaguars were 3-8 at the time and would finish 5-11. Gabbert started 14 games as a rookie and won four times. Injuries limited the quarterback the next season seasons and he was traded to San Francisco that offseason.

"He wasn't a first rounder," Del Rio told ESPN690. "He wasn't a guy to trade and go up to get him ... So that was not part of coaching, that was not part of me. That was my first indication that my time there in J-ville was running short."

Del Rio served as the Broncos defensive coordinator from 2012-2014 and was the Raiders coach from 2015-2017. In Oakland, Del Rio went 25-23, including a 12-4 mark in 2016, helping the team to its first playoff appearance since 2002. Del Rio was fired after the 2017 season and replaced by Jon Gruden.

https://www.therams.com/video/we-love-la-nickell-robey-coleman



We Love LA: Nickell Robey-Coleman





We Love LA: Nickell Robey-Coleman


From the beaches to the mountains + beyond, Los Angeles has so much to offer. Nickell Robey-Coleman shares what he loves most about LA.

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...th-chart-2019-preview-pro-football-focus-espn

Pro Football Focus ranks Los Angeles Rams’ roster second-best in entire NFL
It has taken years, but the Rams are now beneficiaries of one of the best rosters in the NFL.

By 3k@3k_ Jun 26, 2019, 12:52pm CDT

Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald holds the NFC Trophy as GM Les Snead and QB Jared Goff look on after defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship, Jan. 20, 2019.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Every year at ESPN, Pro Football Focus ranks every NFL roster broken down by their individual ratings for each player. And every year since they started, it has been a painful process for Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams fans.

Here’s how things looked the last five years:

• 2014: 31st
• 2015: 22nd
• 2016: 29th
• 2017: 31st
• 2018: 9th

These are more retrospective than prospective as they’re grades from the previous season and not projected grades for the season ahead. That can lead to some weird imbalances in the roster overall like say TE Gerald Everett. PFF graded him very low after his rookie season at 46.3; after last year, they’ve got him at a 82.5. Or take former Rams S Lamarcus Joyner. His successful 2017 season had him graded out at 90.3 heading into 2018 as one of the Rams’ highest-graded players.

There’s also the nature of roster projection. Last year, PFF had former Rams RG Jamon Brown and ILB Ramik Wilson as starters instead of RG Austin Blythe or ILB Cory Littleton (spoiler: this year, they have rookie OL Bobby Evans starting at left guard over OL Joseph Noteboom).

All that being said, here’s how they see things this year (subscription required) by ranking the Rams to have the second-best roster in the NFL after just the New England Patriots:

2. Los Angeles Rams

Biggest strength: Aaron Donald finished each of the past four seasons as the league’s highest-graded interior defender. And last year was Donald’s best season yet, as he earned a monstrous overall grade of 95.0 and recorded a mind-boggling 113 total pressures to lead interior defensive linemen by a handsome margin in both categories. He is a one-man wrecking crew, which will continue in 2019.

Biggest weakness: It’s tough to find a weakness on the Rams’ loaded defense, but collective run defense is probably it. Sure, they have Donald, but it wouldn’t hurt to get better against the run at other positions. Consider that the Patriots gained 154 rushing yards in the Super Bowl, and forced seven missed tackles. Aside from Donald, only one other Rams front-seven member earned a run-defense grade above 80.0 last season. That was Ndamukong Suh, who has left town.

X factor for 2019: Jared Goff is coming off a great season in which he earned an overall grade of 84.3, ranking eighth among quarterbacks, but struggled mightily in the Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. The Rams have an excellent coaching staff, a loaded roster and Super Bowl experience, but they will get only as far as Goff allows them to. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league, and if Goff can continue to improve, the Rams might get back to the big game. Goff’s clean-pocket passing ability ranked third in overall grade in 2018 and is an extremely strong and stable metric for looking at year-to-year production.

It’s just a damn fine roster overall and one with very few gaps. Yes, two new starters on the line will be a focal point. And the linebacking corps will be one for Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips to have to make the most out of, though that was the case last year and we did just fine sooooooo yeah.

The bottom line is this is just a different era of Rams football. In years past, especially prior to 2014, it was quite easy to claim the roster was holding the team back from success in the win column. That’s just not the case anymore.The Rams have the talent to win. Last year, they nearly won the whole thing.If anything, the roster won’t be something to hold them back in 2019.

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ams-roster-preview-depth-chart-natrez-patrick

Rams roster preview: LB Natrez Patrick looks for strong start

Rookie undrafted free agent Natrez Patrick looks to follow in the footsteps of former UDFA Cory Littleton.

By Sosa Kremenjas@QBsMVP Jun 25, 2019, 3:30pm CDT
Kim
Undrafted free agent seems to be the everlasting theme among the end-of-roster guys, and Georgia Bulldogs’ LB Natrez Patrick is no different.

After an up-and-down college career that spelled some off-field troubles, Patrick is ready to make his mark in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams.

Roster Battle
The inside linebacker spot is one of the weaker positions on the Rams’ roster giving Patrick a real shot to make the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. The starters at inside linebacker are former UDFA Cory Littleton, and 2018 fifth-round draft pick Micah Kiser. After those two, fellow late-round draft picks and UDFA’s Travin Howard, Bryce Hager, Dakota Allen, Troy Reeder, and Patrick will all battle it out for the final roster spots.

Expectations
The expectations simply aren’t high for Patrick. His first goal should be to make the active roster. If he’s able to accomplish that feat, he’s either going to be inactive most weeks or a special teams contributor. If the active roster isn’t an attainable goal, then the practice squad becomes the top priority.

Chances of making the final roster (4/10)
Patrick has a shot to make the roster, though it’s hard to project how he’ll develop in the short summer ahead. There isn’t much to differentiate between all the late-round/UDFA linebackers at this point, so all have a legit shot to separate themselves.

By: Andrew Ortenberg | June 24, 2019 4:50 pm ET

Jared Goff has made incredible strides the past couple of seasons. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback has gone from looking lost as a rookie, to making the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons. His transformation even culminated in a Super Bowl run as a 24-year-old last season.

But Goff would be the first to tell you that his development isn’t complete, and he still has a lot of things to work on. The Goff-Sean McVay partnership has worked wonders so far, but the duo isn’t letting the success go to their heads. Goff indicated earlier this offseason that he was working on getting through his progressions a little quicker during OTAs, and now we have more confirmation that’s been an area of focus.


In his recent MMQB column for Sports Illustrated, Albert Breer broke down what exactly Goff has been working on during OTAs and minicamp. Breer writes that “the Rams spend their spring trying to master their own offense,” and that “the offensive calls going in this spring routinely put Goff and the offense in a spot where they have to react post-snap.”

This means Goff is focusing on improving at adapting to what the defense calls, and going through his progressions rapidly with little time to react to what he’s seeing.


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It seems to be paying off so far, as Breer has been told that “Goff’s done a better job this spring in more quickly getting to his second read, then to his third read or checkdown.” Ever since Goff started to break out, his success has been diminished by detractors who credit McVay for most of the Rams’ success.

The criticism has never been very fair, but it’s also true that Goff’s game isn’t perfect. He struggled at times under pressure last year, like during the Bears and Eagles games, and wasn’t always prepared when things broke down. Clearly he’s making it a point of emphasis this offseason, and it sounds like it’s working. Breer writes that the Rams are calling plays in practice that purposefully won’t line up well with what the defense is showing, forcing Goff to react after the snap and get out of his comfort zone on his first read.

Although Goff more or less did all he could to extinguish the ‘system quarterback’ label once and for all last season, doubts have persisted. If Goff can get even better at playing off-script and adjusting on the fly, he should put all those doubts to rest permanently in 2019.

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=pos2image

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-to-keep-an-eye-on-both-on-and-off-the-field/

NFL 2019: Here are a dozen storylines to keep an eye on, both on and off the field

Football is not in session. We've reached some of the rarest weeks of the year where there is no NFL football being played or practices and virtually no transactions taking place and the coaches, execs and players in this sport are on vacation.

But that won't prevent my mind from spinning about the season to come. Even while putting together a checklist for the myriad sundries we will need to schlep three kids to the beach for a week, I can't stop thinking about the 2019 season. As always, there is much to be excited about, and with this being the NFL's 100th season, I'm sure you are all well aware by now of the marketing blitz that is forthcoming.

In my job, the scope of the game is always somewhat different, as much of what dictates content or intriguing storylines occurs far away from the sidelines. So as I was walking the dog the other day and daydreaming about 2019, I wasn't just noodling on what I can't wait to see develop on Sundays, but also in board rooms and at the NFL offices on Park Avenue and when owners get together informally. The business of football has a way of impacting the on-field product in one way or another, and you would be naïve to have not figured out by now that the owners and team presidents have a far greater influence on the game at a macro level than any player or coach ever will.

With that in mind, here are the dozen storylines/developing stories/subplots to the 2019 season that I kept coming back to when thinking ahead. They represent several reasons why this could be an incredibly compelling campaign, and, in a few instances, reasons for a bit of concern as well. Overall, I think it's a solid mix of team-specific issues and ones that cut across the entire league, and it definitely got me fired up for September, and beyond.

1. Patriots' Place
The dynasty that just won't stop now moves forward without Gronk, and with no guarantees as to when Tom Brady, Bill Belichick or Robert Kraft might follow. How severely will the NFL come down on Kraft for the massage parlor incident? Would another title finally sate Brady? Can someone else int the AFC East finally step up and make this a contested division? Will Foxboro remain a January fortress? With Jack Easterby and Brian Flores gone, does Josh McDaniels finally follow after the season? They are always a story, and remain the franchise to beat in the NFL, defending yet another Lombardi.

2. 50/50 Club
Could Patrick Mahomes become the first quarterback in NFL history with two 50-touchdown seasons … and do it in just his first two years as a starter? It seems hard to imagine him topping his 2018 output, with Kareem Hunt gone for good and Tyreek Hill possibly gone for quite some time via suspension, but would you really bet against him? The behind-the-back and no-look passes will get us out of our seats and his potential seems limitless.

3. OBJ in Orange and Brown
We tend to forget that when he is healthy and getting half decent throws from a quarterback, Odell Beckham, Jr. is a top-five talent in this league. He is polarizing, to be sure, but as productive as any receiver in the history of the game and now free from Eli and with a top playmaking QB in Baker Mayfield, this could be the most exciting offense in the game. The Browns are now primetime darlings and loaded with talent. Juggling personalities could be a chore, but I can't imagine OBJ not quickly emerging as the straw that stirs this drink.

4. Y-E-S to a new CBA?
The NFL and NFLPA are uniquely motivated to get a new labor deal done far sooner that most would have anticipated even six months ago, at least in part for some reasons explained in the item below. Talks will continue through this season and based on what I have heard to this point, I expect plenty of gains to be made. Some in union and league circles would not be surprised if a deal is already done by this time next year, but it would take averting any pitfalls and maintaining a productive dialogue through the rest of this year to get there.

5. Jackpot
The wave of legalized gambling continues to spread around state legislatures this spring and it will only continue to grow. The NFL is tracking it ever-so-closely and many owners are beyond ready to dive in with both hands and embrace all of the revenue streams that could come with it. Is a barrage of casino/sports book advertising forthcoming? When does the league sign on with his first nationwide sports book official sponsor? Will you see point spreads on telecasts and team websites? Betting parlors in stadiums? Some of it might be years away, but make no mistake, it's being viewed as a multi-billion dollar game-changer that could spike the cap and salaries in the new CBA.

6. Starless Steelers
Okay, they have plenty of household names still on the roster, but the Steelers enter this season without Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, who you could count on for about 3,000 yards and 25 TDs in any given season. Big Ben is saying all the right things after playing a pivotal role on AB's fallout with the team, but will it last? Can JuJu Smith-Schuster be a Batman and not a Robin? Will Mike Tomlin sign an extension or could there be turmoil in the air for the most cohesive franchise in the NFL? Steelers fans seem to be growing restless, and change has been in the air more than almost ever before.

7. Cowboys Keepers
There isn't a question of whether Jerry Jones could keep all his skill players who want new deals – Dax Prescott, Zeke Elliott and Amari Cooper. The question is, will he? And at what price? After years of being near the bottom of the NFL in player payroll, Dallas must keep stepping up as it did for Demarcus Lawrence (oh, and Bryon Jones is in the last year of his deal, too). Paying Cooper $18M a year and Prescott, gulp, $30M a year might quickly come back to bite the Cowboys, and one would expect a player or two to soften Jones' stance once the risk of injury comes around again this summer.

8. Inverse of Diverse
The number of African American head coaches and GMs is trending in the wrong direction, and some of those with the longest tenures and most influence have either stepped aside (Ozzie Newsome) or been let go (Marvin Lewis). The NFL is holding events like the QB Summit in Atlanta this week (I'll be reporting from there), but what else can and should be done to make management demographics more closely aligned with labor? It's a big topic on Park Avenue with just four non-white head coaches and only two general managers. What initiatives are to come, and will the Rooney Rule be altered?

9. Who'll Be the QB in NYC?
During the spring, at least sometimes, the Giants brass seemed to be finally recognizing the football mortality of Eli Manning (albeit three years too late). Daniel Jones vs. Manning, in the Big Apple, will be one of the most closely watched QB battles – assuming it is allowed to truly become one with the sixth-overall pick being granted sufficient reps with the first team to make things interesting. Will Dave Gettleman opine again that maybe Jones could sit for three years? There should be plenty of daily and weekly fodder out of Big Blue as it sorts out its new huddle leader.
10. Will PI be Pee-Yew?
There has been plenty of handwringing and consternation from the moment the NFL owners voted to make pass interference reviewable, and with the league taking over matters itself in the final two minutes, when Hail Marys are fairly common. No one knows what this is going to look like and how it will be called, but I guarantee you it will be a heavy topic of conversation at least through the first half of the season. How consistently will it be called? Will this end up being a one-year trial run? What some are referring to as The Asshole Face Rule will be a big deal in 2019, for better or for worse.

11. Kid Coaches
The trend is all the rage, but the hunt for the next Sean McVay could come with a few casualties. It didn't take long at all for Aaron Rodgers to let Matt LaFleur know, in typically passive-aggressive ways, who is really the boss in Green Bay. Kliff Kingsbury will be under a national microscope trying to win with first-overall pick Kyler Murray in Arizona in the aftermath of a one-and-done with Steve Wilks, and Zac Taylor steps in after Lewis' long run in Cincy. Some will sink and some will swim.

12. Class Dismissed?
The 2015 draft class should be cementing its place in the league by now, entering the fifth season when massive contracts should be the norm. It may be now or never for what looks like one of the more suspect first rounds in a long time. The top two picks – Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota – are still playing for their next contracts. Todd Gurley got paid (he is the only 2015 first-rounder to sign a multi-year extension with the team that drafted him – crazy) but his knee is a major concern and much of the rest of the class has already changed teams or busted out of the league. Will others emerge before it's too late? The second and third rounds have vastly out-performed this 2015 first-round to date.

What is 11 personnel? A guide to NFL offensive personnel packages.




By: Steven Ruiz | June 25, 2019 10:20 am

After Week 1 of the 2018 season, Hue Jackson was livid. Not because his Browns team had failed to win for the 17th game in a row, but because Josh Gordon had found his way into the starting lineup after the coach had said all week that he wouldn’t start against the Steelers. But when Cleveland lined up for its first offensive snap, against his head coach’s wishes, Gordon was out on the field.

Why? Well, offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s first play-call required a personnel grouping that featured the troubled receiver. Jackson was upset that he had been publically undermined by an assistant but said he understood how it happened.

Via Cleveland.com:

“The personnel group got him out there on the first play,” Jackson said after the game. “I saw it just like you did. Not what I wanted, but we will get through that, too.”

“As I said last night, again I don’t want to keep elaborating on it — the personnel, obviously as you guys saw, Josh wasn’t in quite a few play after that,” he said. “The personnel that we were using obviously called for him to be in the game (on the first play). We could’ve switched that up. That’s all. That’s all it was.”

The point is, aside from being a method to punish a player, starting lineups don’t really matter in today’s NFL. Play-calling supersedes the official team depth chart in every case. Back in the day, when teams would invariably line up with two receivers, two backs and a tight end, it made sense to focus on the 11 starters. Now, teams sub players in and out with regularity.

As a result, teams no longer have one set starting lineup. They have multiple lineups, and they use a numbering system to label them all. It’s a simple two-digit system: The first digit represents how many running backs are on the field. The second number represents how many tight ends are on the field. So if a team is in 12 personnel, there is one running back on the field and two tight ends. With five skill players on the field at once — the other six spots are filled by the QB and five offensive linemen — that leaves two spots for wide receivers.

12 PERSONNEL = 1 RUNNING BACK / 2 TIGHT ENDS
The combinations an offense can utilize are numerous, but there are a handful of personnel groupings that are used by almost every team. We’re here to break down the strength of each of those groupings and highlight the team that currently executes each one best. We’ll start with the most popular personnel grouping in today’s NFL…

(To be clear, we’re looking strictly at *which* players are on the field here, not *where* they’re lined up.)

With the game being spread out more and more, 11 personnel has become the dominant package across the league. With four receivers (three wideouts and one tight end) on the line of scrimmage, the defense has to account for four immediate vertical threats while also having to defend seven run gaps. The tight end can also stay in to block, creating a seven-man pass protection. 11 personnel allows the offense to get creative with formations: Offenses can line up in a three-by-one formation in order to isolate their best receiver to one side; they can line up in a two-by-two to keep things balanced; or they can split the back out wide and go empty.

League-wide usage: 66%
1. RAMS, 87%
2. PACKERS, 78%
3. BENGALS, 77%
4. STEELERS, 74%
5. COLTS, 74%
Who does it best? Los Angeles Rams




I don’t know if the Rams have the most talented 11 personnel grouping in the league (more on that tomorrow), but they execute out of the set better than anybody thanks to Sean McVay’s scheme and the “illusion of complexity” it presents. Having two burners in Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks on the outside helps to keep the run box light for Todd Gurley. But McVay’s condensed formations provide his receivers with good blocking angles that make their run-blocking look better than it actually is. Getting Cooper Kupp back healthy in 2019 should give the Rams offense the boost it needed down the stretch last season. He’s a good run blocker who can also be relied on to get open against man coverage. After his injury, the Rams had to turn to more 12 personnel sets.



This isn’t the most popular personnel grouping in the league, but I’d guess that if most NFL teamscould base out of 12 personnel, they would. The formational versatility that having two viable tight ends on the field provides would entice any play-caller. A team can line up in a condensed, run-first look one down and then spread things out the next down — and doing so without huddling doesn’t give the defense a chance to sub. If a team wants to operate out of a no-huddle, 12 personnel is the best way to do it in the NFL. The two tight ends create eight run gaps to defend while still maintaining four immediate vertical threats in the passing game. That makes the decision to drop a safety into the box to defend the run a difficult one.

League-wide usage: 16%
1. TEXANS, 36%
2. EAGLES, 35%
3. CHIEFS, 31%
4. TITANS, 26%
5. RAVENS, 24%
Who does it best? Philadelphia Eagles




The Eagles are one of a few teams in the NFL with the personnel to run out of two-tight end sets consistently. With Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, who surprised analysts with his blocking ability as a rookie, Philly could (and should) use 12 personnel more often than they already do. Ertz may not be much of a blocker, but if teams don’t treat him like a third receiver and stick in base defense (four defensive backs), the Eagles can just kick him outside and let him go to work on an overmatched linebacker or safety. If he’s attached to the formation, and the defense drops a safety into the box to account for all eight run gaps, DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery will have a one-on-one matchups on the outside. Good luck with that, defensive coordinators.



Before the NFL’s passing boon, 21 personnel was the base personnel grouping in the league. Teams are putting more speed and receiving talent on the field, which has essentially killed off the fullback position at the top level of the sport. But 21 personnel is making a bit of a comeback at the lower levels — only instead of using a traditional full back, offenses are using a FB/TE hybrid. Having an extra blocker in the backfield allows the offense to get more creative in the run and play-action pass game. That blocking back creates a “movable” gap. Defenses don’t know where he’s going to insert into the line of scrimmage as a blocker, which makes it difficult to deploy numbers to the strong side of the formation. Having two backs also allows the offense to attack downhill in the run game, which forces linebackers to do the same, opening up large swaths of grass on play fakes.

League-wide usage: 8%
1. 49ERS, 42%
2. PATRIOTS, 28%
3. SAINTS, 15%
4. BEARS, 14%
5. BRONCOS, 13%
Who does it best? San Francisco 49ers




The Patriots’ use of 21 personnel during their Super Bowl run was celebrated as a win for football purists who yearn for a return to the days of two-back offense. The truth is, New England wasn’t very efficient on those plays despite their high usage; the 49ers, however, were very efficient out of 21p — both in the run and pass games. The key man is Kyle Juszczyk, who blocks like a fullback but can also line up in the slot and run a good route. Emerging superstar George Kittle is also a good blocker, allowing Kyle Shanahan to get creative with his run designs. He’s known for his wide zone running game, but the 49ers can turn to other concepts when defenses sell out to stop those zone runs. With Shanahan reuniting with Tevin Coleman, one of the better receiving backs in the league, the 49ers coach can get as creative with formations as his imagination will allow.



When teams want to really pound the ball on the ground, they turn to 22 personnel. It provides all of the benefits of 21 personnel in terms of run game diversity AND adds an extra run gap — four to each side of the center! — while maintaining three immediate vertical threats in the passing game. If an offense has two viable receiving threats at tight end and a running back who can run routes, 22 personnel can terrorize a defense. Offenses can easily spread the defense out and create a mismatch against a slow-footed run defender. That’s what the Patriots did on the game-winning drive in Super Bowl 53. They even ran the same play three times in a row, and the Rams had no answer.

League-wide usage: 3%
1. PATRIOTS, 8%
2. 49ERS, 8%
3. SAINTS, 7%
4. PANTHERS, 7%
5. CHARGERS, 7%
Who does it best? New Orleans Saints




The Saints may not have led the league in 22 personnel usage, but they were, by far, the most explosive team when lined up in those sets. Drew Brees led the league with 16 attempts out of 22p and he threw a touchdown on nearly 25% of those throws. The addition of TE Jared Cook should make these sets more efficient and versatile. He can line out wide and join the un-guardable Michael Thomas as a second “wide receiver.” The same goes for Alvin Kamara. If a defense matches the run-heavy set with base defense, Asshole Face can spread things out and pick which mismatch he’d like to exploit, as there will be several all over the field.



While 10 personnel has become immensely popular at the lower levels of the sport, the craze has yet to hit the NFL. That could soon change with Kliff Kingsbury and other spread acolytes infiltrating the league. Having all that speed on the field puts stress on an opponent’s defensive depth chart, which wasn’t built with defending four receivers at once in mind. And if the QB is a run threat, the defense still has to worry about maintaining a numbers advantage in the box. The spread-out look also provides the quarterback with a clearer picture before the snap, as it’s harder to disguise defensive calls if defenders have to cover a lot of ground to get to their actual assignments. The biggest downside to 10 personnel is the limitation on pass protection, as there are no tight ends on the line to pick up blitzing defenders off the edge.

League-wide usage: 1%
1. SEAHAWKS, 9%
2. BROWNS, 5%
3. BRONCOS, 3%
4. COLTS, 3%
5. BUCCANEERS, 3%
Who does it best? Arizona Cardinals






The Cardinals rarely ran out of 10 personnel in 2018 but that will change now that Kliff Kingsbury is running the team. Washington State was the only Power 5 team that lined up in 10 personnel more often than Kingsbury’s Texas Tech squad did in 2018. And the Red Raiders didn’t use the grouping exclusively for passing. They ran out of 10p 199 times last season. The NFL combined for only 79 runs from 10p sets in 2018. And with Larry Fitzgerald on the field, the Cardinals have a receiver capable of blocking like a tight end, making it harder for defenses to match personnel. Kyler Murray’s presence in the backfield will make it harder for defenses to take a run defender out of the box to defend the spread set. And after the Cardinals spent three draft picks on wide receivers, they’ll have the depth to run out of 10 personnel as frequently as they want.



Here’s another little-used grouping that is far more popular at lower levels. But it does become more viable for an NFL team if they have a good receiving back or a hybrid FB/TE type. The former allows teams to spread things out in a pinch. The latter provides the offense with an expanded menu of run calls. Any team operating at a faster pace should consider adding a 20 personnel package to its offensive playbook. Teams averaged 0.175 Expected Points Added per play out of 20 personnel in 2018. For context, the Chargers finished third in the league with an average of 0.165 EPA per play.

League-wide usage: 1%
1. LIONS, 6%
2. BRONCOS, 4%
3. BILLS, 2%
4. SAINTS, 2%
5. SEAHAWKS, 2%
Who does it best? Detroit Lions




The Lions were the only team in NFL the came out in 20 personnel on more than 5% of offensive snaps. And Detroit’s offense was particularly productive out of those sets. The key to the Lions’ 20 personnel success was running back Theo Riddick, who could line up as a second slot receiver and beat linebackers and safeties in the passing game. If a team matched with dime personnel, Matthew Stafford could hand the ball off to Kerryon Johnson, who had no problem running against lighter run boxes. The Lions could get the best of both worlds, lining Riddick up in a receiving position and getting him the ball with a shovel pass. Stafford led the league with 36 attempts out of 20 personnel sets. He completed 69.4% of those throws and for a passer rating of 99.3.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/06/nf...g&utm_medium=wasabi&utm_content=recirc-latest

At least according to a Emory University professor, the bastid! Saw this story via a segment on GMFB, referencing the before mentioned study. He had three requirements
1. How much money did fans spend for the team?
2. How good is their Social Media game?
3. How well does a fanbase travel/spend away from home?

Read a story about it on USA Today..
https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/06/kansas-city-chiefs-near-worst-in-nfl-fan-base-study

btw...The Rams are ranked dead last, those sonsabiaches!

It’s a great topic, but this list pretty much craps the bed after the first two.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-franchise-and-thrive-over-the-next-10-years/

Ranking the top five NFL players you would pick to start a franchise and thrive over the next 10 years
Patrick Mahomes is the clear cut No. 1 overall pick

In a recent edition of our daily NFL pod, the Pick Six Podcast, we opened up the mailbag and answered a bunch of questions. This is what happens when yours truly is on vacation and/or it's the offseason. But it was GREAT FUN and you should check it out, which you can do in the player below.

One of the questions we asked was who would we go with to start an NFLfranchise if we had to pick someone to use for the next 10 years. One caveat? It's really who we'd pick after Patrick Mahomes, because he's the obvious choice.

A couple of thoughts and we'll get to my list of five guys for this esteemed and vague award.

First, this is a situation where you're starting the franchise, so you're not tethered to anything surrounding the player. In some cases that can be bad (Mahomes) but in most cases you get to remove the weaknesses from particular rosters.

Second, this is a 10-year thing. If it's five years, the answers are totally different. I think Tom Brady's in the conversation and Aaron Rodgers is probably the No. 2 option. Contracts don't come into play (at least not for me) although young players are obviously more preferable because of age.

My list is below -- listen to the pod in the player and let me know your thoughts on Twitter @WillBrinson.

1. Patrick Mahomes
Fifty touchdowns and 5,000 passing yards in his first season as a starter plus an MVP award and an AFC Championship Game appearance? No brainer pick.

2. Baker Mayfield
He was actually the other name mentioned by our listener, who is a Browns fan. The conceit was that Baker might be the second guy behind Mahomes. And I agree. Mayfield showed a TON last year after taking over as starter for the Browns when Tyrod Taylor got hurt. He's a former No. 1 overall pick who was productive in college and looked pro-ready out of the box.

3. Deshaun Watson
The former first-round pick has been excellent as an NFL player and deserves to be mentioned as No. 2. I just barely lean Baker. But if this is a situation where you can give him an offensive line to protect him? Watson could be a legitimate MVP candidate as early as this coming year.

4. Sam Darnold
I'm very much in on Darnold and thought he played better than people gave him credit for as a rookie last year. Add some better weapons around him and a better coaching system (he's got both of those now) and I think he'll take a big step forward.

5. Russell Wilson
Whaaaaaa? That's right. Wilson was mentioned on the podcast as a candidate here and I think he's a great answer, even though you need him to play 10 years. Well, you don't need him to play 10 years -- you need him to play seven or eight years and win you a championship. Plus if you get Wilson on your team, you can put him in an offense that suits his game and uncork him. Imagine Wilson with Andy Reid. He'd be an absolute monster.

Honorable Mention (plus concerns): Carson Wentz (injuries), Aaron Rodgers (age), Andrew Luck (injuries), Josh Allen (accuracy), Jared Goff (second half of last year)

https://www.therams.com/news/phillips-sees-benefits-of-having-veterans-weddle-matthews

Phillips sees benefits of having veterans Weddle, Matthews

When Los Angeles signed safety Eric Weddle and linebacker Clay Matthews in March, the idea was to improve the club’s defense not only this year but not the future through the wisdom from experience both veterans could impart on the club’s younger players.

No, the Rams haven’t played a game yet and won’t take the field for a result that counts for another couple of months. But even from the offseason program, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has gotten a positive impression of what both Weddle and Matthews bring to the table — both on the field and in the meeting room.

“Matthews and Weddle both give us a veteran influence coming in, and are both still really athletic and can play their position well, but it gives you a lot of experience,” Phillips said during Los Angeles’ minicamp. “Weddle especially, I think in the secondary gives you a lot of things that you can do as far as changes and working against our offense, which gives you a lot of problems.”

Phillips praised Weddle for the safety’s high-level knowledge of what L.A. wants to get done defensively when it comes to concepts, citing one instance in particular. The 71-year-old defensive coordinator pointed out a play where the offense sent a receiver in motion. In Los Angeles’ scheme, the cornerback should’ve followed across the formation — but this time, it didn’t happen.

“So Weddle went over and took his place and then hollered at him to go and take his place,” Phillips said. “It’s those kinds of things that you don’t normally see, most players they just play their position, but he understood the concept and said, ‘Hey, he didn’t have to go, so I’ll go, but he needs to go back where I was.’ That’s what he adds, certainly.”

That’s the kind of veteran experience that can make a difference for key on-field situations.

And as for Matthews?

“Clay Matthews has looked really good. His athletic skills are superb and he moves so well. And I told him he’s really only halfway through his career — his dad played 19 years, so he’s got nine more left,” Phillips said with a laugh. “But he’s looked really good, too.”

Between the knowledge and experience of Weddle and Matthews, Los Angeles’ defense has a strong chance to improve on a play-to-play basis.

.

let's all reminisce and enjoy seeing what our qb can do in a pressure situation. yeah, the superbowl was a disaster but as always, he will learn from that and become so much better.

https://footballfilmroom.com/2019/01/22/jared-goff-made-big-time-throws-in-key-moments-vs-saints/

Jared Goff Made Big Time Throws in Key Moments vs. Saints
BYFOOTBALLFILMROOMON JANUARY 22, 2019 • ( LEAVE A COMMENT )
This game really could have gotten away from the Rams early.

Through L.A.’s first few drives, their offense was not handling the situation well. The crowd noise was disrupting the communication at the line of scrimmage as well as the rhythm of the offense. Todd Gurley was not moving like his normal self, and the running game was ineffective. Jared Goff had thrown an early interception deep in his own territory. We’ve seen early negative plays in a game of this magnitude get to young quarterbacks and ruin the rest of their day. Goff didn’t let the rough start keep him from rallying the Rams to a Super Bowl berth.

Yes, the defense kept the game close with two red zone stops early. Yes, the fake punt helped the Rams finally get a first down. But with 53 seconds left in the half, trailing 13-3, and facing a 3rd-and-10, Goff made the plays that truly turned this game around.

The first was a 17-yard bullet to Brandin Cooks, aligned at the top of the screen on the image below.



Cooks built up speed until the top of his stem, selling that he was running a go-route, before stepping on the cornerback’s toes and coming back to the quarterback. This was a great route by Cooks, and it created the needed separation for Goff to complete the pass.



Watching from the end zone, you can see that Goff made a slight move to his left just before throwing to buy a split-second more time to deliver the ball. He then fired a strike to Cooks. This is one of the subtle traits of playing the quarterback position at a high level.



Shout out to Todd Gurley for throwing a great block on a blitzing slot corner, keeping the pocket clean to Goff’s left.

The second throw that turned this game around was the 36-yarder Goff tossed down the left sideline to Cooks on the very next play. Watch Cooks create separation immediately at the line against press-man coverage and then get on top of cornerback P.J. Williams quickly.


Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass




The Rams cut the lead to 13-10 on the next play. As you can see on some of these throws, Cooks’ ability to create separation was a key factor in the Rams ability to get their passing game going.

In the second half, the Rams also got their aerial attack going by attacking with more of the misdirection we’ve seen all season. Specifically, they utilized their play-action boot passing game. L.A. utilized both outside zone and power-run action to get the defense flowing away from the play. They generated a 25-yard pass to Branding Cooks (who else?) and then a 1-yd touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee to cut the Saints’ lead to 20-17.





Still, so much of the Rams’ success down the stretch came from Goff executing in key moments. It was the type of execution that would get many other quarterbacks a lot more notoriety and credit for coming through in the clutch.

Down 20-17 in the 4th quarter, and facing a 3rd-and-2, Goff remained poised and scrambled to find tight end Gerald Everett for 39 yards. This set up a game-tying field goal.



Then, trailing by 3 with the season on the line and less than 2 minutes remaining, Goff calmly led the Rams into field goal range to, once again, tie the game.

This first completion was the one that got L.A. moving. Watch how Goff immediately looked like he would be throwing to the flat by turning his feet, shoulders, and head to the right. This moved the underneath defender to that side, which set up the throwing lane on the dig route behind him.


Screen Shot Courtesy of NFL.com Gamepass



Again, these are the subtle traits that lead to high-level quarterbacking.

In overtime, Goff connected on two passes (play-action boots again) with defenders bearing down on him to put the Rams in Greg Zuerlein’s field goal range.





Goff did a great job just by getting rid of those balls quickly.

Many of the plays above may seem unspectacular. Yet they showed Goff doing many of the little things that some of the great quarterbacks in the NFL do. Goff remained poised throughout the day and settled the offense down in the absence of their normally dynamic running game. The Rams are going to their first Super Bowl in 17 years as a result.

.

https://www.rotoworld.com/football/nfl/player/9237/sean-mcvay

ESPN's Adam Schefter released rookie and veteran training camp report dates.

Rookies will be reporting to their camps between July 17 and July 26. Most veterans report one week after the rookies show up. As always, it will be a glorious time for blurbs. If we are lucky, there will be a couple of DeVante Parker "lighting up camp" blurbs. Another thing to look forward to is when the Raiders and Rams link up for joint practices, which should be great on Hard Knocks.

Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter
Jun 24, 2019, 3:09 PM ET


Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1143221370677006337

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/6/24/18715019/2019-los-angeles-rams-nfl-brandin-cooks-jeff-fisher
Random Ramsdom 6/24
Brandin Cooks primed for first pro bowl?
By Sosa Kremenjas


All three rivals could give Rams trouble in NFC West | Ramblin’ Fan

I mean, it’s the NFL. No season is ever a cakewalk, but I really struggle to envision both the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers really giving the Rams much trouble at all. Sure, the Rams might not go 6-0 in the division again, but I firmly believe they have a tight grip around the NFC West crown for the foreseeable future

There’s no reason not to sign DT Domata Peko | LA Sports Hub

I generally agree. Peko is a serviceable defensive tackle who operates best in a nose tackle alignment. He’s not flashy, nor will he make game-wrecking plays, though he can ensure Greg Gaines has the time needed to develop properly

What Jared Goff’s next contract could look like | Ramblin’ Fan

Nick Fox takes a look at the state of the team as well as the recent contract extension for Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz

Ranking the six best linebackers in the NFC West | Rams Wire

Cam DaSilva takes a stab at ranking the best linebackers in the NFC West. Hint: Bobby Wagner could be No. 1

Andrew Whitworth ranked among top 11 tackles in the league | Rams Wire

Big Whit was actually ranked sixth by Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire. That seems to be a fair ranking for one of the most consistent performers in the league regardless of position

Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley both up for award at ESPY’s | Rams Wire

Both guys are up for the Best NFL Player award. Could one of them bring home another piece of hardware?

Daily Dose: Who could be the Rams’ first-time pro bowler? | The Rams’ official site

Despite being one of the most productive receivers in the NFL, WR Brandin Cooks has never attended an NFL pro bowl. Could 2019 be his first pro bowl season?

Former NFL Head Coach Jeff Fisher speaks on Todd Gurley’s knee | Yahoo Sports

VIDEO: Jeff Fisher drops the quote saying Gurley’s knee injury is “not career-threatening”. By no means is Fisher a medical expert, though it’s likely he has all the “info” with Gurley’s knee after being the man that initially drafted him

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ngeles-rams-roster-preview-te-romello-brooker

2019 Los Angeles Rams roster preview:
Can TE Romello Brooker crack the roster?

Could the former Houston Cougar make himself known over the next two months?
By EddieP

The Los Angeles Rams swooped up undrafted free agent Houston Cougars tight end Romello Brooker after the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was one of three undrafted TEs brought in to round out the bottom of the TE positional depth, so Brooker will have his work cut out to make the roster.

Roster Battle
The 6-5, 253-pound former basketball player did not put up stand out statistics in Houston, only hauling in 42 passes for 464 yards and eight touchdowns in his Cougars career. Brooker was mostly a reserve TE throughout his time in Houston — redshirted his freshman year (2014), special teamer (2015), pulled in his first TD in ‘16, appeared in 10 games in ‘17. The 2018 season was Brooker’s coming out party as he raked in 33 receptions for 409 yards and seven TDs (over 79% of his catches, 88% of his yards, and 88% of his scores).

So, we have a tight end that bloomed late and did not produce in college. Romello fits the mold of athletic TEs that Head Coach Sean McVay & Co. tend to be fond of.

As mentioned above, Brooker is one of three UDFA TEs the Rams added to the roster. The other undrafted rookie TEs — Kendall Blanton (Missouri) and Keenan Brown (Texas State) — also fit the prototypical McVay TE: tall and athletic, so it will be very interesting to see which TE rounds out the bottom of the chart. All of which are contending with second year player Johnny Mundt for the third TE spot.

Expectations
There is not much to expect from an undrafted cat. The most we can hope for is Brooker making the roster battle a tough competition.

Chances of Making the Roster (2/10)
As far as his chances of remaining on the roster, they are slim. The Rams only carried three TEs in 2018 and the top two slots are already shored up with Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee.

https://fansided.com/2019/06/24/miami-dolphins-2016-nfl-draft-retrospective/

Los Angeles Rams 2016 NFL Draft Retrospective
by Dan Parzych

How does the L.A. Rams 2016 NFL Draft class look three years later?
Despite finishing the 2015 season with seven wins, the Rams were in desperate need of help at the quarterback position since Nick Foles and Case Keenum combined for 11 touchdown passes between the two of them, although it arguably wasn’t entirely their fault. Thanks to Todd Gurley proving doubters wrong by going on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,106 yards with 10 touchdowns, the Rams were at least in great shape at running back, but their receiving corps was pretty weak as well. Kenny Britt led the way that season at receiver with a mere 36 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns, so it was easy to understand why improving the offense was a top priority heading into the 2016 NFL Draft, starting at quarterback.

Original Grade
Sports Illustrated: B-

Rightfully so, Sports Illustrated made it clear right away that whether this draft would be considered a success would come down to the play of Jared Goff at quarterback when looking at all of the draft picks the Rams were willing to give up to the Tennessee Titans for the quarterback.

FanSided: B

Would Jared Goff be worth it in the long run when taking into consideration what it cost the Rams to move up to No. 1 in the draft? This is the main issue that FanSided pointed out right away in regards to the team deciding to trade up for Goff since there was no guarantee that he he would turn out to be the next best thing at quarterback in the NFL, even if the potential was there.

Draft Class
Round 1 (No. 1)

1
Jared Goff
QB, California

Current Team: L.A. Rams
After all those years spent trying to figure out their situation at quarterback, Jared Goff seemed well worth the wait for the Rams, and he seems to only be scratching the surface of his true potential if the previous two seasons are any indication of what the future holds. Plenty of Rams fans were willing to label Goff a bust following a rookie campaign in which he went 0-7 as the starter, but it was unfair to criticize the quarterback when the offensive line and receiving corps ranked near the bottom of the league. Once Sean McVay was hired as the team’s head coach two years ago following the firing of Jeff Fisher, the Rams wasted little time improving both areas to help bring out the best in Goff. Two NFC West titles later along with a trip to the Super Bowl, the decision to trade up in 2016 seems well worth it for Los Angeles.

Round 4 (No. 110)

2
Tyler Higbee
TE, Western Kentucky

Current Team: L.A. Rams
Waiting until the fourth round for their next selection was tough for Los Angeles to accept at first, but it also seemed like it would be worth it in the long run since acquiring Jared Goff was the most important factor, no matter what it cost. With their second pick in the draft, the Rams decided to take a risk on Western Kentucky’s Tyler Higbee, despite some of the issues he was dealing with off the field that drew some concerns. After a strong senior year with the Hilltoppers in which he found the end zone eight times, Higbee was considered one of the top tight ends from the 2016 class, but an arrest in the weeks leading up to the draft resulted in his stock taking a hit. Goff and the Rams may not rely on tight ends in the passing game as much as other teams across the league, but watching Higbee start every game over the last two seasons shows how valuable he’s been to the offense.

Round 4 (No. 117)

3
Pharoh Cooper
WR, South Carolina

Current Team: Arizona Cardinals
What was the best part about drafting Pharoh Cooper in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft? Not only was Cooper known for his receiving skills at South Carolina, but his ability to be used in multiple ways, such as special teams, set him apart from some of the other prospects at his position. Even though he wasn’t needed as much in the passing game, Cooper’s future in Los Angeles appeared to be bright on special teams after leading the NFL in 2017 by averaging 27.4 yards per kick return while earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in the process. Unfortunately, the 2018 season got off to a rough start for Cooper after the return specialist suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 which forced him to miss most of the year. The Rams decided to part ways with him in December, and he was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals.

Round 6 (No. 177)

4
Temarrick Hemingway
TE, South Carolina State

Current Team: Denver Broncos
Plenty of football fans were surprised to see the Rams go with two tight ends during this draft since they were already at a disadvantage for losing some picks to the Titans, but this shows how much of a work in progress their offense was. Originally, Los Angeles felt confident enough in taking a chance on Hemingway due to his catching and blocking abilities, but unfortunately, his career with the Rams was limited to just eight games from his rookie year in 2016. As if suffering a fractured fibula in preseason during his sophomore NFL season wasn’t already frustrating enough to deal with, Hemingway was released by the team back in September.

Round 6 (No. 190)

5
Josh Forrest
LB, Kentucky


Current Team: Free Agent

Similar to the situation with Hemingway, Josh Forrest was quickly labeled a bust for the Rams, despite starting four of 10 games he appeared in as a rookie during the 2016 season. One can only imagine how different things would have been for Forrest in Los Angeles if the former Kentucky star managed to stay healthy over those first two NFL seasons. Since he was a sixth-round pick, this really didn’t have that much of an impact on the Rams anyway. Looking back, the Rams would have been better off considering Kamu Grugier-Hill since the linebacker is coming off the best year of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles after starting 10 of 16 games in 2018.

Round 6 (No. 206)

6
Mike Thomas
WR, Southern Miss

Current Team: L.A. Rams
Since the Rams had one of the league’s weakest receiving corps heading into the draft back in 2016, Mike Thomas appeared to be in a great position to make a name for himself since the opportunity for additional playing time would be there. Unfortunately, Thomas failed to live up to the hype after only catching eight passes over his first two NFL seasons, and he even missed the first four games of 2017 due to a suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. To top the frustration off, Thomas suffered a groin injury in Week 1 this past season that led to the wideout going on injured reserve, making his future with the team unclear since he was already deep on the depth chart to begin with.”

Retrospective Grade
Other than Tyler Higbee, there really isn’t that much to say about the 2016 NFL Draft other than this was the miraculous year in which Jared Goff came on board, which gave the Rams finally found a reliable quarterback to build the franchise around. Dating back to their time in St. Louis, it’s tough to put into words just how desperate the Rams were for a franchise quarterback since this seemed to be the main concern holding the team back from taking the next step in the NFC to playoff contender.

Like most rookie quarterbacks, Goff saw his fair share of struggles in 2016 during the seven starts he received under center, but that early experience paid off in the long run for Los Angeles after looking at the success surrounding this team in each of the last two seasons. Many will consider this year’s draft to be a bust for the Rams from an overall perspective, and all the picks that failed to work out, but since this was the draft that resulted in Goff, it only seems fair to reward the team with a B+ grade.

2019 RETROSPECTIVE GRADE
L.A. Rams
B+
Trading up in 2016 was the best decision the Rams ever could have made since landing Jared Goff has changed the franchise for the best over the last two seasons with quarterback leading one of the best offenses in the NFL. After watching his career get off to a rough start in 2016, it’s been amazing to witness Goff emerge as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL over the last two seasons thanks to an improved supporting cast on offense.

Good, bad, or otherwise.

This one is called...

“Let’s not try that one, again...”

If you can get past the drivel of Nick Wright, Mangini and Chris Carter made some nice points about McVay and Goff and what the Rams should do this season

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H6LxuNi7KE

2017 Draft: Six players out of eight are still with the Rams.

2018 Draft: All eleven players drafted in 2018 are still listed on the Rams’ roster in 2019.

We didn't exactly stink either after gaining a berth in the SuperBowl. All this was accomplished without any first round picks, and only 2 picks in the second round out of three drafts overall.

I can’t help but wonder how many of our 2019 picks will stick this year. I don't know if this is some sort of record, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is. Anyone care to venture a guess as to how many and which guys will stick from our 2019 class? My picks are in blue .. Thoughts?

2017 - LOS ANGELES RAMS:

2 44 Gerald Everett TE South Alabama

3 69 Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington

3 91 John Johnson SAF Boston College

4 117 Josh Reynolds WR Texas A&M

4 125 Samson Ebuka LB Eastern Washington

6 189 Tanzel Smart DT Tulane

6 206 Sam Rogers FB Virginia Tech

7 234 Ejuan Price LB Pittsburgh



2018 - LOS ANGELES RAMS:

3 89 Joe Noteboom T Texas Christian

4 111 Brian Allen C Michigan State

4 135 John Franklin-Myers DE Stephen F. Austin St.

5 147 Micah Kiser LB Virginia

5 160 Obo Okoronkwo LB Oklahoma

6 176 John Kelly RB Tennessee

6 192 Jamil Demby G Maine

6 195 Sebastian Joseph-Day DT Rutgers

6 205 Trevon Young DE Louisville

7 231 Travin Howard LB Texas Christian

7 244 Justin Lawler DE Southern Methodist


2019 - LOS ANGELES RAMS:

2 61 Taylor Rapp SAF Washington

3 70 Darrell Henderson RB Memphis

3 79 David Long DB Michigan

3 97 Bobby Evans T Oklahoma

4 134 Greg Gaines DT Washington

5 169 David Edwards T Wisconsin

7 243 Nick Scott SAF Penn State

7 251 Dakota Allen LB Texas Tech

Okay here goes...

The Spoiler Thread

1. Create a spoiler. To create, see FAQ
2. Inside is a random surprise.
3. Stay within the rules!

Here goes;

Ranking all 32 RB1s heading into 2019

It's going to be weird to see Le'Veon Bell donning green this season. Real weird.

Of all the running backs who switched teams this offseason, no move was bigger than Bell's, as he signed with the New York Jets in free agency after not playing a single snap during his contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. We got our first glimpse of No. 26 as Gang Green's new RB1 at the team's mandatory minicamp earlier this month.

With the major offseason player movement behind us and just over a month to go before training camp commences, now is the perfect time to assess every NFL backfield. (I know you've been waiting for this, so I'm going to give the people what they want.) Here is my ranking of all 32 RB1s heading into the 2019 season.

Note: If a team operates with a running back committee, I simply chose the player who I think will have the most production in 2019.

1
Saquon Barkley

Barkley's rookie campaign speaks for itself. He totaled a league-high 2,028 scrimmage yards and topped off his first season with the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Barkley is the undisputed focal point of the offense now that Odell Beckham Jr. is in Cleveland. The uber-talented second-year pro should have another tremendous year with an improved offensive line blocking for him.

2
Alvin Kamara

Kamara's dynamic ability was on full display in 2018, particularly while Mark Ingram served a suspension during the first four games of last season. No. 41 averaged an NFL-best 152.8 scrimmage yards per game and tied for a league-high six scrimmage TDs during that span. I'm excited to see how Asshole Face will utilize the versatile back now that Kamara will be the Saints' full-time RB1 (free-agent addition Latavius Murray will be the RB2) for a full season.

3
Le'Veon Bell

Looking forward to seeing Bell back on the field after a year off. With positive reports on Bell coming out of Jets' minicamp earlier this month, I'm expecting the fresh veteran back to be a nightmare for defenses. The last time Bell played a full season (2017), he was an absolute game-wrecker: 321 carries, 1,291 rush yards, nine rush TDs; 85 receptions, 655 receiving yards and two receiving TDs. Adam Gase should be licking his chops as we speak.

4
Ezekiel Elliott

Entering Year 4, Zeke will do what he's always done: eat, eat and eat some more. The Cowboys' offense runs through the two-time Pro Bowl selectee, who had a career- and league-high 381 touches in 2018. Elliott has been wildly productive, posting the fifth-highest average for rushing yards per game (101.2) by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history. He also became more of an asset in the pass game last season (career-high 77 catches) and should continue to improve this part of his game moving forward.

5
Christian McCaffrey

The Panthers ranked fourth in rushing in 2018 thanks to McCaffrey's monster Year 2. He led the team in most offensive categories, including carries, rushing yards, rushing TDs, receptions, receiving yards, receiving TDs, offensive touches, scrimmage yards and scrimmage TDs. He did it all, and I expect more of the same from the home-run hitter in 2019.

6
Todd Gurley

Gurley was one of the most productive backs in the league last season, ranking second among RBs in touches per game (22.5), rushing yards per game (89.4) and scrimmage yards per game (130.8). He also scored a league-high 21 touchdowns. A knee injury sidelined Gurley for the last two weeks of the regular season, and he wasn't the same in his return in the postseason. Looking ahead to 2019, less is more in his situation -- as I explained on "NFL Total Access" earlier this month. Of course, the knee issue will be something to continue to monitor, but the Rams will get carries from Malcolm Brown and third-round draft pick Darrell Henderson, which will allow Gurley to be fresher and more explosive when he is on the field. Don't get it twisted, though; Gurley's production will still be among the best in the league. Just on fewer touches.

The rest:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...32-rb1s-heading-into-2019-saquon-barkley-no-1

At Guasti Park in Ontario. 6/22 from 10AM TO 5 PM
Any ROD Family going today?