Kromer likes what he's seen out of Noteboom, Allen

“They’ve had a great opportunity this offseason to get all the repetition that they needed that can really help them grow to understand how to handle it themselves,” run game coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said. “It’s their line, it’s their group, they’re one of the top guys now and that comes with a little responsibility, and I think they’ve handled it really well. Through study, through understanding, and then going out on the field and — as much as we can do at this point in the year — they did a good job of getting through that and learning how to practice and how to fundamentally do things, how to see things defensively that the defense is trying to do. So I thought it was a good start to the process.”

One of the advantages both Noteboom and Allen have headed into their first year as starters is that they were both on the roster last year. That means they don’t have to learn the playbook and get used to the system like a rookie — or a free agent coming in from elsewhere, for that matter.

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https://www.espn.com/blog/washingto...skins-talent-obvious-deserves-a-shot-to-start

Jay Gruden: Dwayne Haskins' talent obvious, 'deserves a shot' to start

ASHBURN, Va. -- Dwayne Haskins' flashes produce moments of joy, throws punctuated by high-fives from the coach or fist bumps from his offensive coordinator. Those moments remind the Washington Redskins -- as if they needed it -- why they drafted him. Other throws let them know Haskins needs more seasoning.

But with spring practices completed, they've seen enough to know that this year's 15th overall pick is a serious contender for the starting job.

"Oh, for sure," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. "I'd be silly not to. He's put enough out there on tape to say he deserves a shot, without a doubt.

"I don't know quite what he can do in the NFL in this system because it's new to him, but his ability warrants the fact that, hey, let's take a peek at this big son of a b----."

The Redskins also have Colt McCoy, who has been with Gruden for six seasons, and Case Keenum, who has started 54 games, including 30 over the past two seasons. Gruden knows more of what to expect from those two. Haskins, 21, has talent, but no NFL experience.

"Dwayne is the wild card," Gruden said.

In a recent minicamp, Haskins displayed his precision -- leading to Gruden yelling, "That's a no, no don't throw it! ... Nice throw!" Haskins barely stuck a pass over the top of a cornerback dropping back with a safety rotating over. The correct throw was to dump it underneath the corner. Instead, he found receiver Kelvin Harmon. On other throws, Haskins didn't turn his feet properly, leading to errant passes.

"You see the 'wow' plays and you're like, 'Jesus,'" Gruden said. "When he's on, there's nobody you'd rather have than Dwayne. Really. It's pretty. He stands tall; he has a cannon, and he can quicken up his release. He's got great touch. Strong, powerful arm; strong, powerful body. But sometimes when he's off, he's abnormally off. It's kind of weird."

But that reflects Haskins' rookie stature, too. Gruden said there are times when Haskins is focused on remembering the play, repeating it properly, then reading a defense and throwing to new teammates. It's hard to play freely or to remember the situation.

"The most important thing is to quicken his reads so he can reset his feet and get them underneath him to make accurate throws. That comes with time," Gruden said. "Sometimes, he's in such a hurry that he might be late and then he feels he has to rush."

Haskins already wants to be at a different point in his career; he knows it's not possible.

"I want to be really, really good, and right now, I'm good sometimes. And that's frustrating, because I want to play like Tom Brady, I want to play like Drew Brees," Haskins said. "This is only my fourth week in camp and that's not going to be possible."

Two "P" words sum up the Haskins experience: patience and perspective. The Redskins want to be patient with his development (and want Haskins to be patient with himself). And perspective is needed because of his youth and inexperience.

"He's already earned the respect of a lot of people around here. They're excited because they've seen bits and pieces of the potential." - Redskins coach Jay Gruden on Dwayne Haskins

After Tuesday's practice, Haskins was interviewed by reporters, signed autographs for 30 minutes, then sat for another interview before heading to a two-hour meeting with coaches to go over film. Haskins said he'll be in Ashburn studying from now until training camp begins July 25 -- with a "few-day" break this month to attend a Jordan Brand retreat in Paris, along with luminaries such as Michael Jordan and Carmelo Anthony.

"Watching film, calling plays, just getting used to being in different terminology," Haskins said. "At Ohio State, I used to play 'Madden' to learn the playbook. Once I learn the playbook, I know what I'm doing. I can call out the reads and point out sight [adjustments] and move protections; everything else will go from there. So I feel one full year of learning would do me justice."

That doesn't mean Haskins believes he must sit for the first year; rather, it's just about where he expects his comfort level to reach in a year. Gruden said there are times when Haskins got away with throws in college because of his arm; Haskins agrees. The quarterback did say that sometimes he'll throw from various angles, just to see what he can -- or can't -- do.

"That's me watching too much Aaron Rodgers," he said.

But the footwork has been emphasized before and during practices.

"In the NFL, defensive backs are faster," Haskins said. "In college, you might get away with some throws where I don't bring my legs with me, and some plays now [in the NFL] if I don't get my legs underneath me it could be batted down or a pick. I know I have a strong arm, and sometimes I get to where I want to throw with my arm and not bring my legs. It's just being conscious where my body is at in the pocket."

Those "wow" moments this spring included plays when Haskins found receivers who weren't part of the progression.

"He can just see the whole field extremely well," Gruden said. "For a young quarterback, a lot of times when there are rushers they have a tendency to look down. He has a natural ability to keep his eyes up and down the field. It's like a video game where he can see and make all the throws. There's a lot to like about him, and there's a lot to clean up, as we would expect. But he's been impressive.

"The comfort level he has to continue to get. When he calls a play and knows exactly what we're trying to do, or when I start to call a formation, he knows what play is coming. That will come with time, lots and lots of time."

That trust factor will play into Gruden's decision as to who will start the season. Knowing what to expect from a quarterback matters; last season, Gruden knew what he had in Alex Smith, who knew when to throw a ball away or when to run and when not to force passes. But it took time for that to happen.

"Dwayne may not quite be there, yet," Gruden said. "That's not something we know, yet. I hope that's not the case. He didn't make many mistakes at Ohio State in the year he played. That's something we have to play out."

Haskins appears to have clicked with his teammates, performing a handshake routine with the running backs during every practice. Gruden, a master needler, will chastise him with a sarcastic comment or two while smiling -- saying, "I hope they didn't film that!" after Haskins tripped and fell on one drill.

But what Haskins must do is develop and learn. In meetings, he asks offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell about his former teammate Brady. Haskins picked the brain of veteran corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie after plays, asking why he jumped certain routes.

"I'd tell him when he sets his feet or when he looks a certain way, he's staring down a little bit," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Everything I tell him, he comes back the next day and he beats me with it."

In minicamp last week, Redskins corner Josh Norman made a diving interception off Haskins in the end zone. There was good-natured trash talking before the play and later, with lessons sprinkled in for Haskins.

"He's got some fire to him," Norman said. "He has no fear."

Gruden provided additional impressions.

"He's already earned the respect of a lot of people around here," the coach said. "They're excited because they've seen bits and pieces of the potential. He's seeking information; he's attentive in meeting rooms. He has a ways to go mentally -- we're throwing a lot of formations at him and it's all new to him. We'll see how he takes this period and how it transfers to when it comes back and how much he retains. That's going to be the key."

It's all about progressing; when that results in Haskins starting games remains to be seen.

"I'm not worrying about starting Week 1. I just want to be ready to play Week 1 -- whether that's this year or next year," Haskins said. "Whenever the time comes for me to play. I want to make sure that when I do play, I don't want to look back."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-projecting-the-top-five-rookie-running-backs

2019 NFL season: Projecting the top five rookie running backs

None of the running backs in this year's draft class enters the NFL with as much rookie hype as, say, 2018 No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley or 2016 No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott. But that doesn't mean one of them can't emerge as an important cog in an NFL offense.

Last week, I ranked my top five rookie receivers according to projected first-year production. Below, I've done the same for rookie running backs. Players are arranged according to projected rushing-yard totals.

1) David Montgomery, Chicago Bears
Projected stats: 275 carries, 1,200 rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs, 30 catches.

Drafted: No. 73 overall, Round 3.

Montgomery could very well be the latest third-round running back to make a splash as a rookie, following in the footsteps of Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt. The Bears paved the way for Montgomery to become a feature back by trading Jordan Howard to the Eagles before the draft. The Iowa State product rushed for 1,100-plus yards in each of the past two seasons, and if he slides right in and takes up Howard's old workload (270 touches in 2018), Montgomery should produce like crazy. Montgomery can catch the ball better than I thought, and thus offers a bit more versatility than Howard; he should also be a potent goal-line threat. He has a chance to really thrive in the offense of Matt Nagy, who was the Chiefs' offensive coordinator in 2017, when Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards.

2) Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders
Projected stats: 200 carries, 875 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs, 25 catches.

Drafted: No. 24, Round 1.

With Marshawn Lynch out of the picture (for now), the Raiders need a new bell cow to step up in 2019. Jacobs has a chance to earn that distinction as a rookie, but he'll have to prove he can be an every-down back after splitting his time at Alabama with Damien Harris. At his pro day, Jacobs put on a show that was off the charts, demonstrating much better pass-catching ability than people expected him to. He's not a straight-line speed guy, but he has the quickness to make up for that. The presence of veterans like capable pass-catching backup Jalen Richard and Doug Martin could eat into Jacobs' workload, but he has the ability to wring the most out of the carries he's given.

3) Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
Projected stats: 115 carries, 512 rushing yards, 5 rush TDs, 35 catches.

Drafted: No. 128, Round 4.

From Week 10 of last season to the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 75-plus yards in eight straight games, putting up 111.4 rushing yards per game in that span. While Elliott has not shown that he's one to suffer late-season declines, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to lessen the burden on the one person in the NFL to log more than 1,000 total touches over the last three seasons combined. This is where Pollard will come in. While he had limited opportunities playing alongside Darrell Henderson at Memphis, his style of play has drawn comparisons to Alvin Kamara. Consider Pollard's line at the Tigers' bowl game: With Henderson out, Pollard put up 109 rushing yards on 17 carries (6.4 yards per carry). Pollard can also be a factor as a returner; last season, he returned 27 kicks for 667 yards and a score.

4) Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams
Projected stats: 95 carries, 475 rushing yards, 3 rush TDs, 42 catches.

Drafted: No. 70, Round 3.

With knee issues dogging Todd Gurley at the end of last season, the Rams could choose to limit his snaps in 2019 to ensure his effectiveness at crucial junctures later on in the year. This creates a potential opportunity for Henderson, a matchup nightmare. At Memphis, Henderson showed he has the quickness to hit the hole, the toughness to run through tacklers and the speed to reach the edge. He doesn't need much room to run and tends to finish forward. He was able to split out wide at times at Memphis, and he showed the ability to make adjustments catching passes out of the backfield. He also owns the second-most rushing yards (3,545) and yards from scrimmage (4,303) in Memphis history. His height (5-foot-8) is a source of concern, and he'll have to show he's a better option than current Gurley backup Malcolm Brown, who was not allowed by the Rams to walk as a restricted free agent this offseason.

5) Qadree Ollison, Atlanta Falcons
Projected stats: 96 carries, 391 rushing yards, 7 rush TDs, 22 catches.

Drafted: No. 152, Round 5.

In a perfect world for the Falcons, Devonta Freeman and Ito Smith would handle the bulk of the rushing load this season. But Freeman has struggled to stay healthy, and both he and Smith lack the ideal size for short-yardage situations, which is where the 6-1, 228-pound Ollison can find a niche. It is true that, after a strong freshman season (1,121 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns), Ollison's production dipped quite a bit in 2016 (127 yards, two scores) and '17 (398 and 5). However, in fairness to him, that period coincided with fluctuations on the offensive line. Ollison did run pretty well last season, putting up 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns (an average of 6.3 yards per carry). And the fact that he served as the primary protector on Pitt's punt team bodes well for his ability to contribute to the passing game as a blocker. Finally, he's capable of catching the ball, as well, which could make him dangerous in Dirk Koetter's offense.

ONE DARK-HORSE CANDIDATE TO CONSIDER:
Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills
Projected stats: 255 carries, 1,050 rushing yards, 6 rush TDs, 45 catches.

Drafted: No. 74, Round 3.

The Bills have one of the most crowded backfields in the NFL, with free-agent signees Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon joining Singletary as newcomers to a group already led by LeSean McCoy. If the status quo holds, and Singletary ends up splitting carries or even sitting on the bench for most of his rookie year, he will fall far short of those projected numbers. The fact that his role is still up in the air is why I didn't want to include him among the other five backs in this piece, who have more obvious paths to relevance. The above stats reflect what I think Singletary will do IF his preseason performance convinces the Bills to clear the depth chart, maybe by trading away McCoy or another veteran, and hand him starter-level carries. The fact that the Bills were still willing to draft Singletary in the third round after adding those players speaks to how the team must feel about his potential.

https://www.therams.com/news/kromer-likes-what-he-s-seen-out-of-noteboom-allen

Kromer likes what he's seen out of Noteboom, Allen

Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen have some big shoes to fill.

We’ve all known that since the Rams lost former left guard to free agency and made the decision to decline the option on former center John Sullivan’s contract.

As of now, nothing is exactly set in stone. But it’s safe to call Noteboom the projected starter at left guard and Allen the projected starter at center.

So how did they do throughout the offseason program?

“They’ve had a great opportunity this offseason to get all the repetition that they needed that can really help them grow to understand how to handle it themselves,” run game coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said. “It’s their line, it’s their group, they’re one of the top guys now and that comes with a little responsibility, and I think they’ve handled it really well. Through study, through understanding, and then going out on the field and — as much as we can do at this point in the year — they did a good job of getting through that and learning how to practice and how to fundamentally do things, how to see things defensively that the defense is trying to do. So I thought it was a good start to the process.”

One of the advantages both Noteboom and Allen have headed into their first year as starters is that they were both on the roster last year. That means they don’t have to learn the playbook and get used to the system like a rookie — or a free agent coming in from elsewhere, for that matter.

“The organization did a wonderful job of understanding that we could be in this situation at this time. So they didn’t wait until this year to be ready for this replacement plan, they did it a year ahead of time,” Kromer said. “So you obviously got Joe and Brian who have a year under their bet, being in the meetings, understanding what’s going on, learning from good players like Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan — we are going to miss that experience — but they’ve gained a lot of experience through watching them practice and watching them play games.”

There is a difference between integrating a center and a guard into an offensive line, however. It’s a bit simpler for the guard, because centers have to make calls at the line of scrimmage.

“With the center’s job being so important with initiation the calls, whether it be protection or the run game, they need more meeting time, more time to ask more, study, more visual of what defenses look like, what stances look like when people are going to move, all those things,” Kromer said. “And that’s the time that Brian has put in. The same thing we were ready for [right guard] Austin Blythe if he was going to play last year, we were preparing him to be the backup center, and so he’s got that preparation and Brian. So we are giving those guys a lot of work at seeing defenses and understanding how defenses work.”

And according to quarterback Jared Goff, there’s been a little extra studying between the new battery-mates throughout the offseason.

“We play Fortnite together,” Goff revealed on Tuesday. "Play a little Fortnite, we’ll talk protections on the mics. Just see what each other is thinking when we’re not on the field, and go through some blitz pickups over XBOX.”

At this level, every little bit helps.

The Pelicans will send Anthony Davis to the Lakers after all. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that New Orleans will send the 26-year-old superstar to Los Angeles in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks.


Adrian Wojnarowski

✔@wojespn
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1140023139142971392

The Pelicans have agreed to a deal to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks – including the No. 4 overall in 2019 Draft, league sources tell ESPN.


118K
3:27 PM - Jun 15, 2019

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1140023139142971392


Davis reportedly wanted to wind up with the Lakers ever since word leaked of his desire to leave New Orleans, the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2012. The six-time All-Star shares the same agent as LeBron James, who joined the Lakers via free agency in 2018.

After playing All-NBA-quality basketball for the three months of last season, Davis made it clear to Pelicans management in January that he preferred to play elsewhere. He sat out for over two weeks before returning on a limited basis, averaging just 22 minutes before ultimately sitting out the final seven games of the season.

Marc Stein of The New York Times additionally reports that the Lakers, who will still boast ample cap space after this trade, will now set their sights on signing unrestricted free agent Kemba Walker. The Hornets point guard is coming off his third consecutive All-Star season and first All-NBA (Third Team) campaign. The 29-year-old, who averaged a career-high 25.6 points in 2018-19, has played his entire eight-year career in Charlotte.


Marc Stein

✔@TheSteinLine
https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1140026897801318400

Kemba Walker will be a top target in free agency for the Lakers after they reached an agreement in principle to trade for Anthony Davis, according to league sources


8,934
3:42 PM - Jun 15, 2019

https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1140026897801318400


The Pelicans will now shift to a new era, one that begins with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. New Orleans is widely expected to select Duke standout Zion Williamson, who averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks in his lone season with the Blue Devils. He would join a core that now includes two of the Lakers' previous three No. 2 overall picks in Ball and Ingram, as well as veteran guard Jrue Holiday.

The Lakers, meanwhile, managed to complete the deal for Davis without including Kyle Kuzma. The 23-year-old forward, who was taken 27th overall in the 2017 Draft, is coming off a sophomore season in which he averaged 18.7 points on 45.6 percent shooting. He would remain to complete a frontcourt headlined by James and Davis.

Assuming the trade is consummated, its ripple effect will be felt throughout what is assumed to be an active offseason. Boston had long been reported as keen on acquiring Davis. Now that he is no longer available, the Celtics' attention shifts to pending free agent and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. Without the prospect of Davis joining the team, Irving will have to decide whether the Celtics' current situation is preferable to other teams that will vie for his services.

______________________________________________

So much for the young players (except Kuzma). But at least they got their impact free agent, and hopefully can get one more, along with a bunch of minimum vets.

By: Cameron DaSilva | June 14, 2019 10:56 am ET


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams are off until they report for training camp on July 27, giving players some time off for the summer. With spring workouts, OTAs and minicamp in the rearview mirror, it’s time for another 53-man roster projection.


There aren’t a ton of changes from our last edition, which came immediately after the draft, but Blake Countess’ release and Morgan Fox’s position switch impacts things.

Quarterback (2)
Jared Goff
Blake Bortles

No changes here and there’s no reason to believe the Rams will carry three quarterbacks this season. Bortles is a very capable backup and unless he tanks in training camp and the preseason, he’ll be QB2 behind Goff.

Running back (4)
Todd Gurley
Malcolm Brown
Darrell Henderson
John Kelly

Justin Davis is the odd man out in this scenario. Gurley, Brown and Henderson are all but locks to make the team, while Kelly’s job isn’t necessarily secured yet. He still has to earn a roster spot because the Rams could carry three backs or replace him with Davis.

Wide receiver (6)
Brandin Cooks
Robert Woods
Cooper Kupp
Josh Reynolds
JoJo Natson
KhaDarel Hodge

The Rams have so much talent at their skill positions that they could probably get away with carrying just four wide receivers. They won’t go that thin, but their depth on offense is remarkable. Natson is valuable on special teams and Hodge has good potential, but either player could be bumped off by incoming rookies.

Tight end (3)
Gerald Everett
Tyler Higbee
Johnny Mundt

Picking the No. 3 tight end is like throwing darts. Mundt is competing with a handful of undrafted rookies, all of whom could take his spot on the roster. The only potential surprise at this position would be the Rams moving on from Higbee and fully committing to Everett.

Offensive line (8)
Andrew Whitworth
Rob Havenstein
Austin Blythe
Joseph Noteboom
Brian Allen
Bobby Evans
David Edwards
Jamil Demby

There isn’t much wiggle room with this group. Demby has practiced at all five spots, which makes him more valuable. The two rookies should make the team based on draft pedigree, while the other five players are in line to be starters.


Defensive line (6)

Aaron Donald
Michael Brockers
Greg Gaines
John Franklin-Myers
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Morgan Fox

Fox is moving back to the defensive line, which bumps Tanzel Smart off the roster. The Rams have enough talent at nose tackle to move on from him. Gaines and Joseph-Day will compete for the starting job, while Brockers has the versatility to line up at the nose in sub-packages, allowing Fox or Franklin-Myers to get on the field.

Outside linebacker (6)
Dante Fowler Jr.
Clay Matthews
Samson Ebukam
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Trevon Young
Josh Carraway

Carraway is a newcomer from our last projection and is the beneficiary of Smart not making the team in this scenario. Carraway has a strong athletic profile and could make an impression on the coaches at a relatively unproven position.

Inside linebacker (4)
Cory Littleton
Micah Kiser
Dakota Allen
Bryce Hager

Hager’s special teams play is valuable and the Rams don’t exactly have many answers behind projected starters Littleton and Kiser. Natrez Patrick is an undrafted rookie to watch and Clay Matthews will contribute inside, too, but depth is needed at this spot.

Cornerback (6)
Marcus Peters
Aqib Talib
Nickell Robey-Coleman
David Long
Troy Hill
Kevin Peterson

Hill is locked in after signing an extension, but the Rams could opt to carry just five cornerbacks, leaving Peterson, Dominque Hatfield and others on the outside looking in. This is a talented group with a good mix of young and old.

Safety (5)
John Johnson
Eric Weddle
Taylor Rapp
Nick Scott
Marqui Christian

Wade Phillips mentioned the Rams having “a lot of safeties” who can contribute and that’s proven evident by this depth chart. Scott will be a great special teams addition, while Rapp and Christian can both be hybrid linebackers in passing situations, replacing Kiser in sub-packages.

Special teams (3)
Greg Zuerlein
Johnny Hekker
Jake McQuaide

Nothing will change here from now until at least the end of next season, barring injuries. Zuerlein could use an extension, though, as he enters the final year of his contract.


https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/06/14/nfl-rams-53-man-roster-projection-minicamp/2/

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/nfl-offensive-linemen-rankings

NFL Offensive Linemen Rankings for 2019
Offensive Linemen Rankings for 2019
By Athlon Sports, 6/13/19, 9:00 PM EDT


In Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick Dallas boasts three of the league's top offensive linemen

Offensive linemen in the NFL don't get near the same amount of attention or credit compared to quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers or even tight ends when it comes to the success a team has on offense, but their importance should not be overlooked.

Take the NFC East, for example. The division's top two teams last year – Dallas and Philadelphia – have a combined seven offensive linemen ranked in Athlon Sports' top 10 at their respective positions (tackle, guard, center) entering the 2019 season. The Eagles, who won the Super Bowl in 2017, are the only team with four while the Cowboys have the league's No. 1 guard (Zack Martin) and No. 2 center (Travis Frederick). Certainly guys like Ezekiel Elliott, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, and Zach Ertz, among others, are crucial to their team's success. But don't overlook the big guys up front that keep their quarterbacks upright and pave the way on the ground.

2019 NFL Tackle Rankings

1. David Bakhtiari, Green Bay
Might have done his best work in 2018 considering it took Aaron Rodgers an average of almost three seconds to fire off a pass, which ranked as the NFL's fourth-slowest release time last season. He is Green Bay's first first-team All-Pro tackle selection since Forrest Gregg in 1967, although as one long-time NFL offensive lineman said: "He still probably doesn't get the credit he deserves."

2. Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City
Pro Football Focus proclaimed him the NFL's best lineman last season after he allowed just 23 pressures on 687 drop-backs and was one of only three tackles to rank in their top 10 for both run and pass blocking. Has never missed an NFL snap with his streak now at 7,000-plus entering his eighth season.

3. Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
He must be drinking from the Tom Brady Fountain of Youth. Still among the best all-around blockers and pass protectors at age 37.

4. Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans
Picked up the baton from mainstay Zach Strief in 2017 and hasn't stopped running with it since. Speaking of which, Ramczyk was voted the NFL's best run-blocking offensive lineman in 2018 by Pro Football Focus.

5. Terron Armstead, New Orleans
A six-game absence in 2018 continued a brutal injury history that has forced Armstead out of 21 games the past three seasons. But he was dominant as usual when healthy, not allowing a sack and committing just one penalty for five yards in 10 regular-season starts.
6. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia

Translated the skills learned from the grave-digger job he held in high school into burying defensive linemen, as Houston and Chicago experienced in two huge 2018 Eagles victories. Admitted disappointment at not being voted to the 2018 Pro Bowl will provide fuel for the 2019 season.
7. Tyron Smith, Dallas

Was arguably the NFL's best tackle until injuries forced him to miss three games each of the past three seasons. But even when he was ailing in 2018, the Cowboys credited Smith with not allowing a sack in 15 games (13 regular season and two playoff).

8. Joe Staley, San Francisco
The longest-tenured 49ers player by a wide margin (2007) remains an imposing force on San Francisco's offensive line at age 34. Retirement isn't in the cards, either, with Staley stating this offseason that he wants "to play as long as I can" — although his 49ers contract is set to expire after the 2019 campaign.

9. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee
Flipping off an overhead television camera while being treated for an injury during a prime-time game symbolizes his rugged approach to football. With three straight Pro Bowl selections, he’s the franchise's most productive left tackle since Leon Gray roughly 40 years ago.

10. Jason Peters, Philadelphia
The Eagles have so much trust in Peters and respect for what he provides as part of the team's fabric that he’s back for a 16th NFL season. "He still plays well," one longtime offensive line coach says.
11. Laremy Tunsil, Miami
12. Trent Williams, Washington
13. Eric Fisher, Kansas City
14. Mike McGlinchey, San Francisco
15. Marcus Cannon, New England
16. Trent Brown, Oakland
17. Donovan Smith, Tampa Bay
18. Jake Matthews, Atlanta
19. Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh
20. Charles Leno Jr., Chicago

2019 NFL Guard Rankings

1. Zack Martin, Dallas
Should return to elite status provided the knee injuries that hindered his 2018 season don't linger. Still gutted his way through 82 percent of the Cowboys' offensive snaps and committed only one penalty — a false start.

2. David DeCastro, Pittsburgh
A key contributor in an offense that produced a franchise-record 54 TDs in 2018. He amassed 958 snaps without allowing a sack despite playing with an injury.

3. Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis
Already considered a generational-caliber guard despite a self-admitted lapse in technique late in the 2018 season. Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard became the first pair of rookies from the same team to earn first-team All-Pro honors in more than five decades.

4. Brandon Scherff, Washington
The Redskins' postseason chances were shot when Scherff and his some of his deputies along the line went down with injuries. He should be playing at a blue-chip level again after returning from a torn pectoral muscle.

5. Kevin Zeitler, New York Giants
The NFL's first $12 million-a-year guard was traded after two seasons in Cleveland by GM John Dorsey, who needed to surrender a quality player to land coveted Giants defense end Olivier Vernon. Zeitler is an outstanding pass protector, which is critical with a quarterback of limited mobility like Eli Manning under center.

6. Marshal Yanda, Baltimore
Run-blocking ability was on display when the Ravens switched to a ground-based offense under rookie QB Lamar Jackson.

7. Joe Thuney, New England
Spearheaded the Patriots' successful effort to nullify the Rams' Aaron Donald in Super Bowl 53. The first player in NFL history to start three Super Bowls in his first three seasons.

8. Brandon Brooks, Philadelphia
Brooks' ultimate return from an Achilles injury will add some oomph to a running game bolstered by the offseason trade for Chicago’s Jordan Howard.

9. Rodger Saffold, Tennessee
Standout 2018 season led to a big contract ($22.5 million guaranteed) from the Titans. Saffold was key to the Rams boasting the only offense to finish in the NFL’s top five in rushing and passing yards.

10. Shaq Mason, New England
The Patriots, who are notoriously shy about paying offensive linemen, knew Mason's value when signing him to a five-year, $50 million extension during the 2018 preseason.

11. Kelechi Osemele, New York Jets
12. Trai Turner, Carolina
13. Andrew Norwell, Jacksonville
14. Andrus Peat, New Orleans
15. Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay
16. Ramon Foster, Pittsburgh
17. Gabe Jackson, Oakland
18. Ron Leary, Denver
19. Larry Warford, New Orleans
20. Frank Ragnow, Detroit

2019 Center Rankings

1. Jason Kelce, Philadelphia
The first Eagles player to receive consecutive first-team All-Pro nods since 1991-92.

2. Travis Frederick, Dallas
The NFL's top center the previous few seasons is expected to recover from Guillain-Barre syndrome to anchor the Cowboys' vaunted offensive line in 2019.

3. Alex Mack, Atlanta
The best player on a line that helped Atlanta finish fourth in passing (284.9 ypg) and eighth in total offense (389.1 ypg) in 2018.

4. Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh
Earned the seventh Pro Bowl of his nine-year NFL career. Has avoided injury the past three years after having two seasons (2013 and 2015) wiped out by leg ailments.

5. Rodney Hudson, Oakland
An outstanding pass blocker who was named a Pro Bowl alternate while playing every snap at center in 2018 despite dealing with knee and ankle problems.

6. Mike Pouncey, Los Angeles Chargers
Enjoyed a wildly successful first season with the Chargers. He's a big reason why Los Angeles averaged almost 20 more rushing yards per game (117.1) than the previous year.

7. Matt Paradis, Carolina
Suffered a lower leg injury that caused the Broncos to cool on re-signing him. There was no hesitation by the Panthers, who needed a strong replacement for Ryan Kalil.

8. Brandon Linder, Jacksonville
Nasty, no-nonsense blocker who was sorely missed after becoming one of four Jaguars starting offensive linemen to land on injured reserve in 2018.

9. Mitch Morse, Buffalo
The Bills wanted a top-tier center to help in the development of young quarterback Josh Allen. Morse fits the bill.

10. David Andrews, New England
Has earned gushing praise from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, particularly for being adept at recognizing defensive fronts and helping to set New England's pass protections.

11. Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis
12. Corey Linsley, Green Bay
13. Justin Britt, Seattle
14. Ryan Jensen, Tampa Bay
15. Pat Elflein, Minnesota
16. Weston Richburg, San Francisco
17. Matt Skura, Baltimore
18. Ben Jones, Tennessee
19. J.C. Tretter, Cleveland
20. Nick Martin, Houston

https://www.therams.com/news/entering-year-three-with-mcvay-goff-mastering-the-offensive-scheme

Entering year three with McVay, Goff mastering the offensive scheme

As a quarterback moves into his fourth year, there are certain expectations — especially for one selected at No. 1 overall.

Especially since Sean McVay took over as Los Angeles’ head coach in 2017, Jared Goff has grown into one of the better quarterbacks in the league. As McVay often likes to say, Goff is what makes the Rams’ offensive system work given what he can do on the field.

Last year alone, Goff’s numbers improved across the board — finishing with 4,688 yards passing, 32 touchdowns, and a 64.9 completion percentage.

But because Goff won’t even turn 25 until mid-October, he still has plenty of room to grow as a professional. And given that he’s about to start his third year in the offensive system, passing game coordinator Shane Waldron said he’s noticed the young signal-caller growing in his mastery of the scheme.

“The first year, he’s really learning it, last year, he had a great ownership of it, and now it’s his time to really master the system as a whole, and he’s done a great job of that,” Waldron said. "Just his big-picture understanding of every player, whether it’s a run or pass, his understanding of protections, his ability to keep working on maybe getting through, if a particular look doesn’t happen, getting through some progressions, and just really making it hard on him in that regard throughout OTAs to really force more of the strenuous situations that are going to occur, so that when they do occur in season, we are prepared and ready to attack that.”

For his part, Goff said this week that he’s feeling more comfortable and confident mainly because of the time he’s spent within the system.

“I think just the more reps you get, the more times on task, and the more times you see looks and are able to execute plays that have different defensive looks — it’s just about time,” Goff said. “Like anything else you do, it’s just about time and continuing to get better at it.”

And this is something his teammates can notice, too. While wide receiver Cooper Kupp wasn’t on the field for full-speed drills during the offseason program, he was out there for the club’s 11-on-11 jog-thru periods.

“I think the word that comes to mind is comfortability,” Kupp said. “He’s sitting back in the picket and being able to, just before the play starts, being able to get us in and out of things. I think his comfortability and just being vocal about protections, communication going from him outwards has been incredible. Just even the time I’ve been sitting on the sidelines and watching them go full speed, his command of the offense has just grown.”

“I’m excited because we’ve got six weeks here working together and then training camp — so just another good bit of time before Week 1,” Kupp continued. “So there’s time for that to continue to grow and I know that he’s going to attack it. He’s comfortable with it, but he’s not comfortable with where he’s at obviously. I think that’s the good thing about Jared, he’s going to continue to attack that.”

By: Cameron DaSilva | June 13, 2019 10:13 am ET

There was a lot of talk last year about whether the 2018 season would be Andrew Whitworth’s last. That speculation ramped up in the postseason and eventually after Super Bowl when Whitworth was non-committal about returning for another year in 2019.

Many thought that if the Los Angeles Rams had beaten the Patriots, Whitworth would ride off into the sunset, so to speak, and retire on top. That wasn’t necessarily true because the big left tackle had a strong desire to return regardless.


“It was one of those things where I felt like win or lose, it seemed like it was in people’s heads that if I won, that was it,” Whitworth said, via Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Daily News. “Where in my mind, I’m thinking, if we win, that would only inspire me to go play another one. I really had a desire to finish my contract and finish what I signed up to do.”

Andrew’s wife Melissa wasn’t convinced he’d be back for another season in 2019. She told Kartje that Andrew has told her “every year since we got married” that he was going to retire. Whitworth is still kicking as he heads into Year 14, but she thought last season would be his last.

Now, she feels that way about this upcoming season, believing this will truly be Whitworth’s last ride in the NFL.

“I think it’s more likely than not that this (season) will be it,” Melissa added. “But if you would’ve asked me last December what I thought, I would’ve told you it’s 100 percent he’s retiring. I was wrong then. So who knows?”

Whitworth has been a leader dating back to his days with the Bengals and more so with the Rams as the elder statesman, of sorts. He’s accustomed to helping younger players develop into quality starters, which will certainly be the case in 2019.

Joseph Noteboom is taking over at left guard with Brian Allen stepping in at center. Whitworth is excited to help both second-year linemen as they become starters.

“There’s a lot of fun and a lot of challenges in raising the next guys,” Whitworth said. “I’ve done that a bunch of times, too. There’s fun in that. Seeing the excitement in them trying to figure it out, to find themselves, to see them become football players. So, there’s enjoyment, to me, in being in that room and watching those guys grow.”

Whitworth is going to try his hand at snowboarding when he does call it a career. His wife bought him his own custom Rams-themed board, which is blue and yellow with Whitworth’s No. 77 on the bottom. A 6-foot-7, 335-pound offensive lineman doesn’t exactly come across as the snowboarding type, but he’s defied the odds of playing into his late 30’s, so why doubt him now?

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=pos1image

Jason Owens,Yahoo Sports 3 hours ago

The Broncos announced that Hall of Fame owner Pat Bowlen died at 75. (Getty)
The Denver Broncos announced early Friday that Hall of Fame owner Pat Bowlen has died.

He was 75.

"We are saddened to inform everyone that our beloved husband and father, Pat Bowlen, passed on to the next chapter of his life late Thursday night peacefully at home surrounded by family," a statement from Bowlen's family reads. "His soul will live on through the Broncos, the city of Denver and all of our fans."

Bowlen bought the Broncos in 1984 and led an era that saw the team become one of the NFL’s flagship franchises. He acted as the team’s CEO until 2014, when he relinquished those duties due to the onset of Alzheimer’s.

7 Super Bowls, 3 wins under Bowlen
The Broncos made seven Super Bowls and won three under his leadership. Between 1986 and 1998, the Broncos played in five Super Bowls with John Elway at quarterback, winning in 1997 and 1998.

The arrival of Peyton Manning in 2012 and development of one of the league’s elite defensive units ushered in a new Super Bowl era. The Broncos won the AFC championship in 2013 and 2015, with the latter team securing the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy under Bowlen.

He became the first NFL owner to see his team win 300 total games in his first 30 years of ownership. The Broncos sold out all 300 home games under Bowlen’s ownership.

Bowlen was a member of the NFL Management Council Executive Committee from 2001-2011. He worked on the league’s negotiations with the players’ union and broadcast partners.

Bowlen elected to Hall of Fame this year
Bowlen was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the 2019 class. He was the 16th owner to be invited to the Hall of Fame. He will be inducted posthumously in August.

He is survived by his wife Annabel, and his seven children Amie, Beth, Patrick, Johnny, Brittany, Annabel and Christianna.

Beth, 48, and Brittany, 29, have expressed interest in taking over ownership of the team, according to the Denver Post.

“Our family wishes to express its sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received in recent years. Heaven got a little bit more orange and blue tonight.

“Pat Bowlen had a competitive spirit with a great sense of humor,” the family’s statement read. “As fun-loving as he was, he always wanted us to understand the big picture. We will forever remember his kindness and humility.”

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/broncos-announce-longtime-owner-pat-bowlen-has-died-064300858.html

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26958876/can-xfl-20-succeed-where-aaf-why-already-jump-start

Can XFL 2.0 succeed where the AAF couldn't? Why it already has a jump start

The USFL. The World League. The United Football League. The XFL 1.0. And now the Alliance of American Football.

Since the 1970 merger between the AFL and NFL, every attempt at building a large-scale alternative football league has failed. No one has figured it out -- and yet they never stop trying.

Next up is XFL 2.0, set to begin play in February 2020. It's backed by a $500 million investment from owner Vince McMahon, led by an experienced commissioner in Oliver Luck and built on a McKinsey Global Institute research study that found up to 40 million avid fans who crave more football after the NFL season ends.

Industry analysts agree those credentials give the XFL a chance, but the long and one-way history of similar endeavors imposes powerful inertia nonetheless.

"Anybody that thinks that there's an unquestionable market for spring football is delusional," said David M. Carter, principal of The Sports Business Group and an associate professor of sports business at USC. "There have been some credible people throwing time and resources at it without the result they anticipated. While you can step back and say that XFL 2.0 -- with all of its changes, all of the learnings and the takeaways from over the years to include their own missteps -- is positioned far more favorably than anyone else, it's certainly not a guarantee."

At the moment, the most prominent alternative football league operating in the United States is The Spring League, a developmental enterprise that has spent the past two years in Austin, Texas. Founder and owner Brian Woods said the league projects $1 million in revenues in 2019, largely because of a "disciplined business model" that requires players to pay a $2,000 fee per season. They do not receive salaries. In return, The Spring League offers a platform for players to be scouted by NFL and CFL personnel.

The XFL, of course, does not consider itself a developmental league in a financial sense and will have much more overhead. Luck, the father of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, said it will employ about 1,000 people among its league office and eight franchises, including players and coaches. It will have a salary cap "in the ballpark," Luck said, of $4 million per team. That averages out to about $88,000 per player, based on 45-man rosters, but Luck said they will be paid in tiers that start lower and range up to "significant six figures."

And initially, the XFL will allow its games to be televised for free. Broadcast rights fees are the largest revenue drivers for the NFL, NBA, NHL, CFL and MLB. For the NFL, that means $7 billion per year. In 2020, Fox, FS1, ABC and ESPN will broadcast every XFL game. The networks will cover production costs but won't pay rights fees, a source confirmed. (The AAF, by comparison, actually paid CBS to televise its games this spring. The league shuttered in April after a series of events left it without financing.)

McMahon's investment means the XFL can operate in the short-term without television money. But despite the emergence of new revenue sources, most notably in the area of gambling technology, Luck acknowledged it's "hard to say" if the league can survive long-term without a lucrative television deal.

"I sense that Vince [McMahon] will have patience with this league," Luck said. "I'm not sure he has unlimited patience. Nobody does. He probably realizes you can't snap your fingers overnight and have a brand. But I certainly think we need to have a sense of urgency, and need to come out of the gate playing good football and not waste any opportunities to build that brand in a positive manner."

Luck has worked hard to distance the XFL 2.0 from its loud predecessor, which shuttered after one season in 2001. He envisions a league based on quicker-paced games, courtesy of about a dozen innovations he will finalize by the end of August, and a high level of fan engagement. Luck has rejected, for now, some of the more radical on-field adjustments he has been pitched -- from outlawing the three-point stance to forcing defensive linemen to line up 1 yard off the ball -- but is prepared to move forward with enough to create a unique style of play.

The possibilities include but are not limited to:

• A 25-second play clock, to keep the game moving more quickly
  
  
• Speakers in the helmet of each player to minimize the need for huddles
  
  
• Tipping referees to the play call, so they can avoid flags for penalties that don't affect the play
  
  
• A radical kickoff alignment that moves the kicker back to avoid touchbacks
  
  
• Two-point conversion shootouts in overtime
  
  
• Options for one-, two- and three-point plays after touchdowns
  

The XFL has partnered with The Spring League to test these suggestions, with at least two more collaborative practice sessions planned for this summer. Luck's largely traditional hires for head-coaching positions -- a mix of NFL veterans such as Jim Zorn (Seattle), Winston Moss (Los Angeles) and Pep Hamilton (Washington), along with former college superstar Bob Stoops (Dallas) -- will provide a guard rail against gimmicks.

Perhaps the most unique possibility is a rule that would allow two forward passes on one play, provided the first is caught short of the line of scrimmage. That type of modified innovation is a must for any new football league, said Andrew Kline, founder of the investment bank Park Lane, which specializes in sports investments.

"Attention spans in sports have changed," said Kline, who played college football at San Diego State and was a 2000 draft choice of the St. Louis Rams. "If the XFL is going to work, they're going to need to modernize the sport in a way that the NFL doesn't really have to. The NFL is incredibly successful because it's more than entertainment. It's more like religion or tribalism. It pulls people in much deeper around whatever the shield is of the team in your local market. There's a following because of that. They have a tribal selling point, where the XFL is going to need a true entertainment and engagement selling point."

One innovation that could truly make a splash is a raid of college football, whose players aren't eligible for the NFL draft until three years after leaving high school. Signing a player like Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (NFL draft-eligible in 2021) would create a buzz, The Spring League's Woods said, but would also add to the talent of a league that is going to need it.

"If you really wanted to do something disruptive," Woods said, "and you really wanted to try to do a standalone bigger venture, my thing would be you would go after younger talent. You would get them for cheaper. You would build the league that way. It would be a very disruptive mechanism for talent procurement that could give a league what they need. You wouldn't have to necessarily compete with the NFL, or go at those players with NFL-type dollars. You could sign those players for lower dollar figures, guys that have a huge fan base."

In an interview, Luck acknowledged the possibility but downplayed its scope, estimating there would be between five and 15 such players on XFL rosters in 2020. Rather than antagonize the NCAA, for which he once held the position of executive vice president for regulatory affairs, Luck said the effort would actually help bolster the organization's position when challenged on antitrust violations.

"The NCAA would have a pretty good argument," Luck said, "to be able to say, 'Hey, you don't have to go to college to play professional football in the NFL.' You could spend a year in college and then go to the XFL, and then in a couple of years you could be in the NFL that way."

Ultimately, Luck said, the XFL will place bets on both its on-field product and engagement with fans. Tentative plans call for providing unique public access to parts of the game that are traditionally sequestered, including pregame talks in the locker room, while also giving fans a role in deciding uniform combinations and halftime entertainment.

Ticket prices aren't set yet. But Jeffrey Pollack, the XFL's president and chief operating officer, said "I wouldn't be surprised" if a family of four could attend for less than $100.

Luck, who lived in Germany for 10 years while working for NFL Europe, used the German word gesamtkunstwerk (translated as "total work of art") to describe the all-phases product he hopes to build.

"We're confident that our brand of football can be unique," he said. "And so can our entire event, with the access we're providing, the voice we're providing to fans, the pricing, all of it. I tell my staff all the time that it's got to be like a Wagnerian opera -- just a complete sensory experience. Football is a critical component, and probably the sine qua non so to speak, but the gesamtkunstwerk has to work for us, too. We want the experience to touch all the senses. That's ambitious, no doubt about it, but it's what we want to do."

https://www.therams.com/news/he-s-a...ay-smart-players-get-better-phillips-gives-in

“He’s a smart player and we always say smart players get better.” Phillips’ gives initial impression of rookie DT Greg Gaines

The Rams selected five defensive players in the 2019 NFL Draft, who now have a month under their belt as professional football players in Southern California. On Tuesday, the group’s 71-year-old defensive guru outlined a two-step process that’s well underway for the newcomers.

“[T]hey have to get acclimated to pro football number one, but number two, our defense,” coordinator Wade Phillips said.

The defensive class is headlined by a pair of former University of Washington Huskies in safety Taylor Rapp and defensive tackle Greg Gaines, each of whom could contribute in year one. For Gaines, step No. 2 in Phillips’ process played a role in helping him get to know his new defensive coordinator — even before Phillips addressed his rookies for the first time back in May.

“My first impression of Wade Phillips came from his playbook, I think seeing that and just how simplistic it is,” Gaines said in his introduction to the Los Angeles media. “He definitely seems like a good guy.”

Gaines wrapped up his UW career with 149 total tackles — 21 of which came behind the line of scrimmage — 9.5 sacks, and an interception in 51 games, and earned All Pac-12 First Team honors in his senior season. He’s since welcomed a newborn son and officially had his name tossed around in conversations surrounding the vacancy left in the middle of the defensive line with the departure of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

“It’s definitely cool that they think so highly of me — it’s a good feeling. I think I can bring it, I think I can be a starting nose type guy,” Gaines said, when asked about the prospect of a starting job. “I am really strong in the run game and I think that’s what they want me to do here, is just let [DT] Aaron Donald take the pass rush reps and I’ll take the double teams on first and second down.”

With nothing set in stone and much to learn ahead of Week 1 in Carolina, Gaines has been getting the majority of his reps with the second group in OTAs — second-year defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day with the top unit. The pair of candidates for the nose spot could be set for battle, depending on what transpires in next month’s training camp, especially considering Joseph-Day didn’t step on the field in his rookie season.

“I think [Gaines] obviously works hard at what he does, I think he’s a grinder, we said that, and I think he’ll be stronger in pads, where you can see his power and stuff,” Phillips said. “No pads and no contact, it’s hard to utilize that. I think once he gets the pads on, it’ll help him.”

“He’s done a good job so far,” Phillips continued. “He’s a smart player and we always say smart players get better. So he’s one of those guys.”

I was originally going compare the careers of Simms vs Goff, since Simms is such an opinionated asshat about how mediocre Goff is, the f*ck.

Jared Goff (2018)
4688 yards; 32 TD's; 12 INTS

Chris Simms (career)
3117 yards; 12 TD's; 18 INT's

Well, Simms is kicking Goff ass in regard to interceptions! Takin a look at Chris Simms...
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I imagine there are many long-time St. Louis Rams fans who are happy the St Louis Blues just won their first Stanley Cup.

Not easy to be a sports fan in St Louis, glad they got a championship.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...yler-murray-can-vault-cards-over-in-nfc-west/

2019 NFL Season Win Totals: Rams poised to fall back to the pack, Kyler Murray can vault Cards over in NFC West
Breaking down win totals for every single team in the NFC West

The NFL Draft is deep in the rearview. OTAs are underway, but we are hurtling towards the dead period in the NFL. There's no better time to embark upon a dangerous but fun mission: looking at the win totals for every NFL team and deciding whether or not each team will win more or less games than Vegas predicts.

Nothing ages better than NFL predictions in May right? Turns out I'm not terrible at it! The last few seasons have been pretty profitable: 2016 I went 10-5-1 in the AFC and 8-7-1 in the NFC. In 2017 I went 12-2-2 (!) in the AFC and 9-7 in the NFC. Last year in the NFC was not ideal with a 7-8-1 record. The AFC was once again absurd, as I went 12-4 in my over/under picks for that conference.

For you math majors, my AFC record from MAY the last three years is 34-11-3 in terms of picking over-unders. That's stupid. I'd tell you to bet on every AFC pick I give here, but there's some regression coming at some point probably.

Last year we went team-by-team with these picks, but this year we'll be going back to the divisional format I used in 2016 and 2017. If you hate any picks, love any picks or have better ideas, leave them in the comments or yell at me on Twitter @WillBrinson. You can also get an audio breakdown of all these divisions on the Pick Six Podcast, as we run through each division on our DAILY NFL PODCAST over the next few weeks. Listen to the latest episode breaking down the NFC West below.

All lines are courtesy of the Westgate at the time the article was published. They're subject to change, but I'll be grading myself next May on these numbers. The numbers next to the win total indicate the juice. If an over is +150, it means you make $150 for betting $100. If it's -150 you need to bet $150 just to win $100.

Los Angeles Rams
Win Total: 10.5 Over (+120) / Under (-140)

The defending NFC champs have high expectations this season, and why wouldn't they? The Rams return most of the roster that nearly captured a Super Bowl title, although this feels a little different than last year did. Jared Goff is back and will be playing to get paid. Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp should provide him plenty of weapons. But what's the deal with Todd Gurley? The Rams running back remains an enigma wrapped in a mystery as more and more praise is heaped on Darrell Henderson. The offensive line is a concern for me: Andrew Whitworth is back, but they lost center John Sullivanand left guard Rodger Saffold to free agency. Defensively, Ndamukong Suhdeparted for Tampa, but Dante Fowler returned. Clay Matthews and Eric Weddlewere big name, albeit older, additions in free agency. Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald so this unit can only suffer so much, but you could look at the defense and expect some potential regression to occur. I think it's fair to wonder whether or not this team could suffer from a Super Bowl hangover, as we've seen several teams get close to winning a title and then struggle the year after falling short. Their schedule is tough. The Rams open at the Panthers, then get the Saints at home in Week 2, the Browns on the road in Week 3 and the Buccaneers at home in Week 4. The Seahawks on the road in a short week is next. The 49ers (home), Falcons (road) and Bengals (home) is a nice little three-game stretch before the Week 9 bye. Outside of two matchups against a better Arizona team, there isn't an easy game on the schedule after the break. Steelers (road), Bears (home), Ravens (home), Seahawks (home), Cowboys (road) and 49ers (road) is a hard slate. The reality is this number's too high to take the over, but betting against Sean McVay is not an ideal scenario. I would lean 10 wins for them and take the under -- I wouldn't be surprised if they took a fairly significant step back either.

VERDICT: UNDER

Seattle Seahawks
Win Total: 8.5 Over (-140) / Under (+120)

This number is way too low. There's reason to be skeptical of the Seahawks for sure. The offense might be a run-heavy unit again and that didn't work out well during the playoffs. Who is Russell Wilson throwing to? That's a concern, but Tyler Lockett is a hyper efficient receiver who sort of developed into an elite-ish option last year and could only get better. Pair him with D.K. Metcalf and you've got some guys who are a perfect fit for run-run-play action shot, which sure feels like what Brian Schottenheimer is going to run with this team. The offensive line is a good unit now, thanks to the disappearance of Tom Cable. Defensively, nothing pops out to you, but this is a very underrated, above average unit. They were 14th in DVOA last season and could take a leap forward this year: L.J. Collier, their first-round pick, needs to pan out as an edge rusher because Frank Clark's departure is a big loss. But they're loaded in the middle with Jarran Reed, Poona Ford and Naz Jones. Barkevious Mingo and Ezekiel Ansah give them some other first-round upside to rush the passer. The secondary could be loaded if Tre Flowers and Shaquem Griffin both take another step. Their schedule is rough with home games early against the Saints and Rams, but they get two new coaches in their first four weeks. Seattle needs to stack wins before a brutal post-bye stretch that features the Eagles (road), Vikings (home), Rams (road) and Panthers (road) but they close with the 49ers and Cardinals at home. I see 9+ wins though.

VERDICT: OVER

San Francisco 49ers
Win Total: 8 Over (-110) / Under (-110)

The hype train didn't pull out of the station as fast for San Francisco this year. Last season, the 49ers were basically the 2018 version of the 2019 Browns, with expectations through the roof. Someone picked Jimmy Garoppolo to win MVP. Not even kidding. This year expectations are more modest but still kind of high: the 49ers have won a total of 17 games since Jim Harbaugh left (no, really) and they're supposed to be a wild card team this season? I get why. If Kyle Shanahan's scheme can click and Jimmy G can stay healthy, this should be a much better offense. The win expectancy pegged them as almost a six-win team last year so they were very unlucky. They were also swept by Steve Wilks and the Cardinals, somehow. They bolstered their pass rush this offseason by adding Dee Ford via trade and Nick Bosa via the draft. The defensive line with those guys and DeForest Buckner should be very good -- if Arik Armsteadand/or Solomon Thomas can take a step, it could be great. There are big names in the secondary but there should also be concerns about the unit's ability to hold up. I actually like the weapons on this team. George Kittle is a budding superstar and Marquise Goodwin/Dante Pettis/Deebo Samuel is a sneaky good trio. Two games to start on the road plus the Steelers at home before a Week 4 bye? They better start hot. After the break they get the Browns at home and the Rams/Redskins on the road. Rough way to open a make-or-break season. They get a "break" with the Panthers (home), Cardinals (road), Seahawks (home) and Cardinals (home) before a crippling close to the season: Packers (home), Ravens (road), Saints (road), Falcons (home), Rams (home) and Seahawks (road). I can't count nine wins.

VERDICT: UNDER

Arizona Cardinals
Win Total: 5 Over (-130) / Under (+110)

This might be the toughest team in the NFL to project, just because there are so many unknowns. What I do like early: Their Week 1 over, which is less than 50 (currently 48). The Lions aren't a high-octane offense, but Arizona's defense won't be great without Patrick Peterson and I expect Kliff Kingsbury's team to at least score some points. Or at least run some plays and create some offense, which is more than you can say about last year's Cardinals team, which scored 14 or less points NINE TIMES. Their season high for passing yards was 233. How is that even possible? Anyway, Kingsbury's scheme working in the NFL is sort of treated as a given, which is a little scary. Kyler Murray having a big year is also being treated as a lock, which is concerning. But I think he'll put up numbers because of the setup and his skillset and the modern NFL game. David Johnsonbetter have a monster year after watching him misused last season. Vance Joseph should go to more man coverage, which is great, except Peterson is missing almost half the season with a suspension. The division looks good as a whole and Arizona has to play the NFC South and the AFC North. They have three very winnable road games against the Giants, Bengals and Buccaneers and should be able to scratch out three or more wins at home (Lions, Panthers, 49ers, Browns?). I'll lean over here because the number is so low, but I think the assumptions that the Cards will be good -- versus simply just more appealing visually -- are a little dangerous. If Kyler is great this team can top five wins, though.

VERDICT: OVER

I have to tell myself over and over, "We are not the Chargers...We are not the Chargers" Cuz that dang hat almost looks baby blue and the horns look jagged horns look like bolts from a distance. Could the town handle having the Dodgers and the Dodges?

It's effin boooooring round here. Time to liven things up! I'll start...

Brandon Hitner (#60)


Jaws (Moonraker fame)

Pretty good choice this year.

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I know this is obvious to us. But hopefully this puts a stop to any bullshit surrounding this subject.

I've thought this for a while since my tv channels went to HD. News channels use cosmetics on their news personalities (and guests) and it causes you to realize the fakery that goes on. I know they do it to remain relevant in a young person's game, but fascinates me to see the incongruities and the news stations must see it too, but continue to do it for the non-HD viewers.

The common one is the white powdered faces that look so clownish, for young and old. For the old(er) women who have wrinkled necks and perfectly colored hair without gray. Some are self conscious about it and wear turtle neck shirts/sweaters or wear some sort of stylish wrap. Face wrinkles overlay-ed with heavy make-up, makes them look really old. The same for guys, with their aged faces covered with heavy make-up and not a single gray hair. For guys, the fake hair gets me....lol. Lou Dobbs...dude..you looked old back in your CNN days and now that red hair (again with no gray) on Fox Business....

The HD makes this all very apparent, so the industry needs to adjust.

Red = FA in 2020
Orange = FA in 2021
Green = Rookies
Contract AAV for 2019 in parenthesis

OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: Whitworth ($11M) > Evans (Rook) > Kaskey (Rook)
LG: Noteboom ($.8M) > Neary (.5M) > Brewer (Rook)
C: Allen ($.7M) > Kolone ($.5) > Hrynkiewicz (Rook)
RG: Blythe ($2M) > Demby ($.5) > Edwards (Rook)
RT: Havenstein ($8M) > Hitner (Rook)

Notes: Of all the position groups this is the one that has the most versatility in terms of who slots where in second string and beyond. Looking at the group it’s pretty clear the audition is open in camp for someone to step up at both LT and RG, in order to provide answers or clarity on what the team’s direction is after the season. The OG2 position, i.e. the first guy off the bench on the interior, is also going to be up for grabs for this rookie class if they can impress the way Boom & Allen did last year. Depth battle is going to be pretty good in terms of making the cut, where McVay has shown he is not going to keep low end OL over other position groups unless they deserve it. I suspect we are going to see either Evans or Edwards (maybe even both) make a push for primary depth positions once the pads come on.

TIGHT END
TE: Higbee ($2M) > Everett ($1.6M) > Mundt ($.5M) > Blanton (Rook) > Brown (Rook)

Notes: I am still surprised the Rams didn’t address TE in the draft. Looking at this group this season as has been discussed is huge for Everett but it’s even bigger for Higs. As things stand Higs is our only TE who can be counted on as a plus blocker in every situation, but the Rams are probably not going to fork over enough cash to keep him off the market for that; he has to show improvement in the passing game i.e. his hands and consistency/dependability. Everett needs to show he can block in camp to be the guy the Rams go with moving forward as an every down TE and if not then he’ll be a passing game slot option with the Rams getting a blocking TE or looking for an all-around TE next offseason. Mundt vs Blanton & Brown looms as a really nice battle so hope those two guys are ready to get dirty in the run game because some blocking ability is a requirement in beating out Mundt.

WIDEOUTS
WR: Woods ($7M) > Reynolds ($.8M) > Greene (Rook)
WR: Cooks ($15M) > Natson ($.6M) > Proehl ($.5M) > Lloyd (Rook)
SLOT: Kupp ($1M) > Hodge ($.5M) > Thomas ($.7M) > Bachman (Rook) > Webster (Rook)

Notes: wideout group looks pretty good and under team control moving forward. These guys get interchanged and all but it’s clear that the Rams’ focus on this unit is going to be slot depth this year in camp. From that perspective I think they are going to take a long look at the rooks as well as some others like Natson and Proehl there, so the slot depth should be a good battle. And I have to think Bachman in particular with his hands and technical routes might have a chance to stick.

RUNNING BACK
RB: Gurley ($9M) > Brown ($2M) > Henderson (Rook) > Davis ($.6M) > Kelly ($.6M)

Notes: Top three here look set, although I think Henderson will very early in camp be our #2 on the depth chart. Kelly has the talent and opportunity in camp to supplant Davis and maybe Brown too, since Brown’s contract has an out after the season.

Think that's everyone. Used the Ourlads site as reference so if I missed anyone let me know.

Saw this question on twitter and I loved it. I liked a sex scene with Mimi Rogers and David Duchovney (& 2 others) in the movie The Rapture. Even better was an erotic scene with Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway in the movie Little Big Man. Dunaway was a concerned wife of the preacher, who thought Jack Crabbe (Hoffman) needed a good washing in a tub..After all, "he was a dirty,dirty,boy...." lol. Go to 1:53 in the clip.

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https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-robert-woods-rams-minicamp-20190610-story.html

Robert Woods feels he’s capable of doing even more for Rams in 2019

The numbers made sense to Robert Woods.

After playing four seasons in a run-first offense with the Buffalo Bills, the receiver in March 2017 was happy to sign a five-year, $34-million contract with the Rams.

Woods thought it was a fair deal — but also that he was worth more. He only needed an opportunity to show it.

In his two seasons with the Rams, the Southern California native has proved his point.

In 2018, as part of a position group that included fellow starters Brandin Cooksand Cooper Kupp as well as ascending Josh Reynolds, Woods led the Rams in catches and eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving for the first time.

“Just the start of it,” Woods said last week as the Rams concluded voluntary offseason workouts, “I feel like last year was a taste of what I knew I had, what other people saw a glimpse of.”

Along with establishing himself as a go-to receiver, Woods cemented his status as one of the NFL’s best bargains.

Woods, 27, carries a salary cap number of $7.2 million in 2019. His contract does not rank among the top 30 for NFL receivers in average yearly compensation, according to the website overthecap.com.

Odell Beckham Jr. of the Cleveland Browns is first at $18 million. Cooks is tied for fourth at $16.2 million. Sammy Watkins, Woods’ former Bills and Rams teammate, ranks fifth at $16 million going into his second season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Others that rank ahead of him include Marqise Lee of the Jacksonville Jaguars ($8.5 million) and Paul Richardson — Woods’ former teammate at Serra — of the Washington Redskins ($8 million).

Whether the Rams adjust Woods’ contract before this season or next — or at all — remains to be seen.

Regardless, the former USC star said he would continue to work at perfecting his craft and helping the Rams return to the Super Bowl.

The Rams will hold a mandatory minicamp Tuesday. It will be the team’s last workout before regrouping for training camp in late July.

“Just come out and tear it up,” Woods said of his plan for the upcoming season. “Be myself, play every game and really do a lot of damage and prove to be the best — and get the price to match.”

Woods wasted no time establishing his value for the Rams.

In 2017 — despite being sidelined three games because of a shoulder injury and being held out of the finale with other starters — he finished with 56 catches for 781 yards and five touchdowns. In a playoff loss to the Atlanta Falcons, he caught nine passes for 142 yards.

Watkins caught only 39 passes — eight for touchdowns — but he struck it big after the season, signing a three-year, $48-million contract with the Chiefs. A few weeks later, the Rams traded for Cooks. And before the then-three-time, 1,000-yard receiver took a snap for the Rams, the team gave him five-year, $81-million extension that included more than $50 million in guarantees.

“I said, ‘I’m next,’ ” Woods said, chuckling. “You’re always happy for your teammates and other receivers making money.”

Last season, Woods caught 86 passes for 1,219 yards and six touchdowns. Cooks caught 80 passes for 1,204 yards and five touchdowns.

Woods produced despite changing positions after Kupp suffered a season-ending knee injury.

“He’s shown that he’s probably one of the most versatile and complete receivers in the league,” receivers coach Eric Yarber said of Woods.

Said Rams coach Sean McVay: “Does as much as any receiver in the league in terms of the amount of things that we ask him to do, and a guy that’s gotten better.”

After the 2017 season, Woods worked to improve catching the ball away from his body. This offseason, he has improved his upper-body strength so that he can more effectively shed defenders and increase yards gained after catches.

Woods said there have been no discussions with the Rams about making an adjustment in his contract before the season. But he is confident that, in time, his contributions to the team’s culture and record will be rewarded, be it this year or next.

“I go out and compete every single day, and work to be the best,” he said, “and I just think my play will show it all.

“I feel like I will get what I deserve.”

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...iew-pass-interference-why-nfl-coaches-worried

Who can trigger a review on pass interference? Why NFL coaches are worried

As spring turns into summer, a fierce debate is raging among NFL decision-makers: Who should stop the game to review a potential pass interference penalty, and when?

The question might seem minor, but it pushes to the core of whether expanded replay can be effective at the NFL level. And for the second consecutive year, the league's competition committee is attempting to reverse-engineer a major rule change.

The new process for reviewing pass interference, approved by owners in March, followed the structure of the existing system. Coaches would challenge calls until the two-minute warning of either half, after which responsibility would be shifted to the on-site replay official. While coaches would be checked by the existing two-challenge limit -- plus a third if the first two were right -- the replay official could initiate reviews whenever necessary during the final two minutes and overtime.

Since then, however, concern has grown about the number of stoppages replay officials might feel compelled to make, especially with the addition of no-calls to the list of reviewable plays. Owners granted the competition committee authority last month to tweak the system, if needed, to extend the coaches' challenge for pass interference into the final two minutes and overtime.

But as it turns out, some coaches don't want that responsibility. During conference calls last week, according to multiple sources, some of them pushed back, in part because of the impact on timeout and challenge strategy. (A coach can't challenge if he's out of timeouts.) This response mirrors the proposal most coaches advocated in March -- to convert the replay official into a "sky judge" who would alert the on-field referee whenever an egregious mistake was made.

So with six weeks until the first training camps open, the competition committee must decide whether to impose an unwanted obligation on coaches or risk a significant rise in stoppages during a game's most dramatic moments.

The standard for overturning an officiating decision is well-known: "clear and obvious" evidence of a mistake. But as we noted last month, the standard is far less clear for stopping the game to determine if that kind of mistake has occurred. It is one thing for a replay official to notice ball movement as a ball carrier is tackled, and then to initiate a review for a possible fumble call. It is quite another to decide in real time whether contact between a receiver and defensive back merits a review to determine if one player "significantly hindered" the other from playing the ball, the standard for any pass interference penalty.

The majority of NFL replay officials have never officiated a game on the field, where they would have been asked to make that type of subjective decision with speed and accuracy. Because there is at least some level of contact on most passing plays, it's not difficult to envision a review for most contested passes during a two-minute drill.

"The replay official's job is to officiate each and every play in their own little universe," said retired referee John Parry, now an ESPN rules analyst. "He or she must ask, 'Is there enough for me -- with smoke on the field [after a celebration], players raising their arms, all those things that we see -- to stop and take a look at it?'"

Faced with a similar dilemma as it developed its own pass interference review process, the Canadian Football League put the authority squarely with coaches. Darren Hackwood, the CFL's senior director of officiating, considers that structure an important pillar of what the league now considers a successful initiative.

"Our game is so passing-heavy," Hackwood said last month, "that we would be slowing the game down a bunch of times if we allowed the replay official to do that. So it's on the coaches to challenge. Whatever the trigger would be to initiate a review [from the replay official], we would be going to it too much."

Generally speaking, of course, coaches like to save their timeouts. They don't throw their challenge flags nearly as many times as the public debate would suggest. Last year, for instance, they challenged 147 plays during the regular season and playoffs for an average of 0.28 per game per coach, according to ESPN Stats & Information. There were only 19 instances of a coach using two challenges in a game, in 534 opportunities, and since 2001, coaches have used three challenges in only nine games.

But the addition of pass interference to the review system will add opportunities, and perhaps pressure, for coaches to challenge more plays. If the competition committee extends the coaches' responsibility into the final two minutes, they would risk burning a saved timeout for reviews, potentially leaving them with fewer options in clock management.

Perhaps most importantly, eliminating the booth review would leave the league unable to reverse an egregious call in a key spot -- precisely the reason the rule was approved in the first place -- if a coach is out of timeouts or challenges or both.

New Orleans Saints coach Asshole Face, a member of the competition committee, advocated strongly for the March replay proposal. But he also echoed other coaches whose ultimate, if not immediate, goal is for a sky judge to handle reversals of obvious mistakes.

"We're going to have a point," Payton said. "It's not this year, not today, but an eighth official upstairs is going to allow this game to flow. He's going to buzz that buzzer when he feels a certain level of mistake has been made."

There is significant disagreement among NFL officials on the practicality of a sky judge, and for now their concern rests squarely with the 2019 season. After fiddling with the new helmet and kickoff rules throughout last summer, and issuing a clarification on roughing the passer in September, the competition committee wants to settle the rules for reviewing pass interference long before training camps open.

Historically, coaches haven't won many battles over rules with league decision-makers. The choice appears to be between complicating traditional strategy and lengthening games, even if a sky judge one day renders the entire debate moot. Regardless, it seems clear that, one way or another, someone is going to be unhappy as the committee navigates this rule change to a workable position for the 2019 season.

My Great-Great Grandfather Amos Hall went to war with the New York 9th Volunteer Cavalry, along with three brothers during the War of Rebellion (Civil War). He and his brothers participated in significant battles, including Gettysburg. Not long after Gettysburg, he was shot in the leg with a mini-ball, and it had to be amputated. He convalesced at a Civil War hospital at Central Park in New York City.

After being discharged, he made his way home and his wife opened the front door and she sent him away. After living a year down the road in a separate house, they came back together and lived on to create a large family. He was favored by the current Post Master of Randolph, New York, who stepped aside so that he could have job. Yet, it was the massive shock to his family by returning home from war without a leg. Prosthesis was very crude and limited. It would be easier to move along on crutches, I would think, than to try and walk on a fake leg. Look at fairly recent movie with Harrison Ford called the "Fugitive" where they reveal the level of technology/advancement was the stone age compared to today.

Seeing a guy being limited (by regulation against an unfair advantage) in regular competition because his fake leg gave him an advantage, is mind blowing. Watching veterans walk easily with their space age looking fake leg, is an inspiration. Long ago I pitied amputees and secretly thought that being a half a man, was a life not worth living. That was stinkin' thinkin', but was true for me. Now? I marvel at these people ambling around better than I do. I just don't know how great of a change this technology, brought about by war in the Middle East I am sure, has been. Such an increase in the quality of life, it blows me away.