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Arthritis in the Knee

After reading about arthritis in the knee, it seems that the prognosis for Todd Gurley is alarming. It's a very painful condition for which it seems to be no permanent cure. The treatment is basically a pain tolerance approach. The idea is to limit the amount of pain with medications and rest.

I'm very discouraged by this information perhaps we should accept that Todd gurley's career is coming to an end.

Can Brown and company come to the rescue?

Brown
Kelly
Henderson
Davis

IMO Nick Scott is the sleeper in this draft.

Unlike most I think, I don't see Scott simply as a ST's player. Yes this year I think ST's and KO returns is how Scott is most likely to see the field. But I see much more potential in him over the long term. His problem is his lack of experience in any given role. When I see him, I see a boundary CB who can replace Peters in a couple of years.

He has the length and speed to match up outside. His real value would be as a potentially starting CB replacing Peters. Unlike most I see Long as Talib's replacement next year. Wade Phillips wants to play press coverage on the X WR. He's okay with playing off coverage on the Z WR which is where Peters plays. In off coverage, the CB plays much like a strong safety. He must quickly and correctly read the route, which is something Scott is already doing as a safety. Press coverage technique can be coached up as he gains experience.

It would be interesting if they begin to play him at CB on the outside. The smart thing would be to rotate him in as the dime DB to gain experience. Personally I'm not sold on Troy Hill as a long term starter. IMO Hill is all he is probably going to be now. So unless he takes a huge step up the team needs to look for a better option. That is what I think Scott represents. After all with Rapp and Johnson they have their starters at safety for years to come. Where the need is at both boundary CB positions. Long fills one need but long term after Peters is still a question mark.

Scott has the speed to matchup outside and the aggressiveness in the pass game and run support you need from your outside CBs.

Want to play a game?....

Guess who this lovely lady is that I'm standing next to and was so gracious to allow me take a picture with her?

Here's the back story; So I go to this Home Depot a lot. Sometimes for work related items, sometimes for stuff I need. I have became friends with a couple of the employees there due to my frequent visits. Well I walk up to the checkout line and here is this lady standing there, overseeing the checker so I suspect she is the head cashier or superviser. So I strike up a conversation with her. Those that know me know that I'm not afraid to talk to anybody and as a matter of fact, I enjoy talking to strangers, being polite and hopefully making their day a little brighter with some of my corny dad/grandpa jokes.

So we are talking, I'm telling her how much I love a couple of her cashiers as they are always nice, efficient and friendly. She is a great talker herself and we are having a grand time. So much so that I don't even stay in line to pay for my stuff as I'm enjoying her conversation. Now I can't remember exactly how it transpired, but she tells me her two sons played in the NFL. So I listen as she recits the teams they have played for and one is still playing today. When she says one of them played on the Rams I was like "WHAAAATTTTT?"

So your task is to guess who her son's are! First hint, one was just with the Cleveland Browns last season and is now on a new team (notice the little Browns helmet on her apron?).

I'll check back later and add more clues.

Chandra and Me 5-16-19 (2).jpg

Which Los Angeles Rams 2020 UFA's has the most to prove?

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ed-free-agents-michael-brockers-marcus-peters

Which Los Angeles Rams 2020 UFA's has the most to prove?



Which of these guys needs to have the best season in 2019? Find out below.

By Sosa Kremenjas

usa_today_12071587.0.jpg



Looking ahead to the 2020 offseason, the Los Angeles Rams will have their work cut out for them. In the 2020 free agency period, the Rams are slated to have a handful of important players hit the market.

Have a look at the list 2020 LA Rams Free Agents

Austin Blythe OL UFA

Michael Brockers DL UFA

Marqui Christian CB UFA

Blake Countess DB UFA

Dante Fowler, Jr. EDGE UFA

Tyler Higbee TE UFA

Troy Hill CB UFA

Cory Littleton LB UFA

Marcus Peters CB UFA

Aqib Talib CB UFA

Mike Thomas WR UFA

Andrew Whitworth LT UFA

Greg Zuerlein K UFA


Brandon Allen QB RFA
Justin Davis RB RFA
Morgan Fox DE RFA
Jojo Natson KR/PR RFA
Kevin Peterson CB RFA
Josh Carraway OLB ERFA
Donte Deayon CB ERFA
Dominique Hatfield CB ERFA
KhaDarel Hodge WR ERFA
Jeremiah Kolone OL ERFA
Johnny Mundt TE ERFA
Aaron Neary OL ERFA
John Wolford QB ERFA

There’s obviously a laundry list of guys. Some who wont make the roster this year, some who’ll spend the year on the practice squad, and some who are simply end-of-the roster type guys. Still, there are a handful of key players such as starting offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth and Austin Blythe, defensive lineman Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler Jr, and of course, the mercurial Marcus Peters (among other starters like Aqib Talib and Cory Littleton).

Let’s take a look at which starters need to prove the most to stick around in 2020. Some guys are going to part just by way of the nature of the NFL, but they’ll still have something to prove in terms of creating their own free agent markets.

Here’s the list of starters in order of most-to-least to prove:

Marcus Peters
This one was an easy one, wasn’t it? Peters’ first year with the Rams wasn’t great, though it improved as the season went on. Looking at the cornerback market, Peters is likely to demand a long-term contract somewhere in the range of $15m annually. Are the Rams comfortable committing that amount of money to a guy who hasn’t shown great football in horns? Maybe. But that’s why 2019 is crucial for Peters. He has a chance to truly rehab his value as he’s a highly talented player, though for the time being, he’s got the most to prove to earn a long-term contract.

Michael Brockers
This might seem like a strange choice for a guy who’s been a Ram for seven years, though it feels appropriate. Brockers’ play has fallen off a bit of a cliff recently, so his chance to rehab his value in 2019 is important. Brock was moved into more of a complimentary role to DT’s Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh last year, though he’ll reclaim his spot as the second interior guy with Suh gone this year.

Dante Fowler Jr
The Rams re-signed Fowler to a one-year incentive laden deal in free agency this year after trading for him at the 2018 trade deadline. Fowler is a highly-talented edge rusher, though his production has simply never matched his ability. The contract the Rams gave him speaks volumes as it proves their reluctance to invest in him long term, though the option remains open if he has a strong 2019 season.

Tyler Higbee
Higbee might seem low on this list, but my belief is we know what he is at this point. People who’re still waiting for his Travis Kelce-like breakout are misguided, though his strong blocking ability and spurts of playmaking prove he’s worthy of his role as the second tight end on the roster. The pairing of Higbee and Gerald Everett is fine, though Higbee’s price is likely to determine whether he’s a Ram next year.

Austin Blythe
Blythe is a fantastic offensive lineman who the Rams essentially got for free by a waiver claim. Blythe was paid pennies ($650k) last year, and his price doesn’t sky rocket this year either as he’s only owed $2m. Blythe stepped in as the starting right guard upon Jamon Brown’s suspension, and his play ensured he never relinquished the position. Blythe has a chance to prove his only season as a starter wasn’t a fluke, and if he does, the Rams could very well invest in his future.

Cory Littleton
Littleton’s first season as a starting inside linebacker went well. He’s not perfect, he’s got real weaknesses, though he also shown plenty of ability. Littleton’s sideline-to-sideline range, speed, and knack for making big plays are all positives. If Littleton can put together another solid campaign, he’s very likely to return as the leader of the defense in 2020.

Greg Zuerlein
GZ is one of the best kickers in the entire league. He’s consistent, he’s got unlimited range, and he’s got balls of platinum, never-mind steel. The only question for GZ is his recent injury history. Regardless, the Rams should have zero hesitation about extending the man known as Greg the Leg.

Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib has nothing left to prove in the NFL. Talib is likely going to be a hall of famer, though he’ll have a decision to make in 2020. The decision is whether he’s ready to hang it up or does he want to return for one more shot at a ring. The Rams would be wise to employ Talib until he’s ready for retirement.

Andrew Whitworth
Like Talib, Whit has absolutely nothing left to prove. Whit mulled retirement this offseason, though he ultimately chose to return for one more year to play out his contract. Whitworth retiring next year almost feels like a guarantee, though if he chose to return, the Rams are likely to have a spot for him.

Rams bring in Ketner Kupp to try and stop brother Cooper Kupp during practice

Chris Cwik,Yahoo Sports 1 hour 17 minutes ago


The Los Angeles Rams are so impressed with wide receiver Cooper Kupp that they are willing to invest in his entire family. The team did just that Wednesday, signing Kupp’s brother, linebacker Ketner Kupp, to a contract.

Ketner Kupp will join the team as an undrafted free agent. Kupp worked out with the San Francisco 49ers in May. He did not sign with the team.

That may wind up being a blessing in disguise. Kupp now finds himself on a team that went to the Super Bowl last season. Not only that, but he gets to take on his brother during practices in camp.

That could give Kupp some extra motivation to make the team.

Ketner and Cooper played together at Eastern Washington University.

After a promising rookie season, Cooper Kupp got off to a strong start during his sophomore year before an ACL injury ended his season. In eight games, Cooper had 40 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns. He is expected to be ready for Week 1, but will be eased into camp.

As NFL.com notes, Cooper and Ketner are not the only members of the Kupp family to play in the NFL. Their father, Craig Kupp, played one season with the Phoenix Cardinals. Their grandfather, Jake Kupp, had a 12-year career throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. He spent the majority of that career with the New Orleans Saints.

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Ketner Kupp (center) will join his brother on the Rams. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)


https://www.yahoo.com/sports/rams-b...er-cooper-kupp-during-practice-213406552.html

Lakers get the 4th pick in the lottery - time for another rebuild?

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26749837/lakers-eye-impact-player-trade-4th-pick

After what has been a chaotic start to the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers were one of the big winners in Tuesday's NBA draft lottery, and they could parlay their new fourth overall draft pick into a potential trade for an All-Star.

An ecstatic Rob Pelinka, the Lakers general manager, said the team will either draft an impact player or try to see what it can get on the trade market after the team surprisingly leaped from 11th to fourth overall.

"This is a powerful asset for us," Pelinka said on a conference call. "We owe a commitment to our fans to have an outstanding season next year. What this does is it gives us the ability to either select an impact player at [No.] 4 or possibly use this as an extremely valuable asset in trade."

The Lakers are fixated on landing another max free-agent star to help LeBron James, and they could have $32.5 million to use in free agency.
Prior to the trade deadline this past season, Pelinka and the Lakers had been focused on trying to strike a trade for New Orleans' Anthony Davis. Now Pelinka has the fourth overall pick as well as a young core of up-and-coming players in Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart.

This is the fourth time in five years that the Lakers will pick in the top four of the lottery after having the second overall pick in 2015 (D'Angelo Russell), 2016 (Ingram) and 2017 (Ball). ESPN's Jonathan Givony has Vanderbilt's 6-foot-3 guard Darius Garland, Virginia's 6-foot-8 defensive forward De'Andre Hunter, Texas Tech's 6-foot-6 guard Jarrett Culver and Duke's 6-foot-9 forward Cam Reddish listed after the top three prospects.

"I think it's an extraordinary shift for us," Pelinka said. "I mean, top-five picks in the draft, if you go back in the history and study them, those picks can alter and impact franchises. This is a big moment for us. Last year, of course, we had to go through some hard and difficult things that this is certainly a great silver lining. Our dedication is really toward our fans right now and doing all we can to deliver a really special Lakers season for our fans."

This was certainly a win for the Lakers in what has been a tumultuous offseason for the franchise. Magic Johnson stunned the NBA world by stepping down before the Lakers' regular-season finale and that was followed by Luke Walton's exit and a failed contract negotiation with Ty Lue. Earlier this week, the Lakers hired Frank Vogel as their new head coach and added Jason Kidd as an assistant.

"The biggest motto is just laser focus, head down, do the work," Pelinka said in his first comments since the season ended on what the past month has been like for him and the Lakers. "And I think that we've been trying as an organization to just be methodical and continue a path forward and doing the work ... to make the Lakers a successful organization for our fan base, and that's really the course and the path that we've been on. This is just a burst of goodwill for us as a franchise and it just gives us some excitement and a nice launching pad going into next year."

"I had asked my son, who is 11... what should I bring to the draft lottery for good luck," Pelinka added. "He said, Dad, just bring some optimism. He said the world needs more optimism."

________________________________________________________

Supposedly the Bulls have offered their first for Lonzo Ball - originally the rumor was anything #3 or worse. They are picking at #7 - I wonder if the Lakers could get them to sweeten the pot?

Lebron James is saying he wants to stay - but what could he bring back in terms of picks from a team which could actually win now, not a few years down the line? There were rumors at the beginning of the offseason he wanted to be traded. While he wants to be in LA for movies, he also wants to have another championship. You don't trade him without his consent - that would hurt future signings - but if he is just being polite by saying he doesn't want to be traded, it might make sense to find a trade that gives him another shot at a championship, while getting the Lakers future picks and maybe a good young player, as well as contracts that will expire soon.

Frankly, this rebuild hasn't worked all that well. I'm not sure any max free agent that the Lakers should want will choose to play for them - some don't like Lebron, some want to win now with a surer thing, which means not in the same division as Golden State. Golden State is getting older, so a reset to try to be peaking after Golden State might make sense. It's just so confusing - these are the Lakers - they are supposed to be contending! Or so I've always experienced.

Greg Gaines looking forward to partnering with Aaron Donald

https://www.therams.com/news/greg-gaines-looking-forward-to-partnering-with-aaron-donald

Greg Gaines looking forward to partnering with Aaron Donald

Rookie defensive lineman Greg Gaines is known for being a run stuffer. When the Rams selected him at No. 134 overall in the fourth round a few weeks ago, head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson all touted his ability to be a stout presence in the middle of the defense.

As those individuals also stated, Gaines has a chance to be the nose tackle in Los Angeles’ base 3-4 defense. And if Gaines earns that role, he’ll be lining up next to two-time defending AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

Gaines got a little taste of what it’s like to be around Donald on Tuesday, as the Rams have rookies and veterans on the field at the same time. And what was Gaines’ first impression?

“He’s a pretty good looking guy,” Gaines said in his Tuesday press conference, drawing laughter from assembled media.

In all seriousness, Gaines recognizes the opportunity he has in front of him to soak in knowledge from veterans on the D-line like Donald and Michael Brockers.

“I was just trying to watch every little thing that Aaron Donald did, and Michael Brockers — it’s just really cool having those guys here to learn from,” Gaines said. “That’s the coolest part to me about being here, is just being able to learn from guys like that and improve my game.”

When it comes to potentially starting Week 1, Gaines seems flattered by the compliments he’s received — but also knows that he has to earn that spot.

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

There’s a certain art to embracing that role, since it’s not necessarily one that comes with a lot of glory. But Gaines — listed at 6-foot-1 and 312 pounds — says he actually enjoys being the one to absorb blockers.

“Yeah, a lot of guys get frustrated just sitting there eating double teams all day,” Gaines said. “I like to keep track of those stats — how many double teams I take on. And it’s something I really enjoy doing, and that’s, I think, why I’m so good at it.”

Given Donald’s success over the last two years — as a reminder, he’s racked up a ridiculous 31.5 sacks from the interior — No. 99 faces a lot of double teams as well.

And in an ideal world…

“I’m trying to alleviate that for him a little bit,” Gaines said.

We’ll see if it works out over the course of the 2019 season and beyond.

Rams sign DT Boogie Roberts


BOOGIE ROBERTSDL, LOS ANGELES RAMS
https://www.rotoworld.com/football/nfl/player/52005/boogie-roberts
Rams signed San Jose State DT Boogie Roberts.
Roberts (6’2/289) made 36 starts on the Spartans’ defensive line, logging 23 career tackles for loss with six sacks and four forced fumbles. An impressive athlete, Roberts dabbled as a short-yardage back and covered punts early in his college career. Roberts was snubbed for a Combine invite despite generating QB pressures on 12.5% of his senior-year pass-rush snaps, the third-highest rate among iDLs in this class behind only Quinnen Williams and Christian Wilkins. Roberts is a compelling small-school sleeper with big-time gap-shooting potential.

Threw my back out

Got up from sleeping and the back was pinching a bit. Not bad...

Then getting into my daughter's car, it slipped out. You know...bad enough I was feeling tingling in my feet and legs and it felt like I was being stabbed in the kidneys...

It's getting better little by little, but dang is it inconvenient.

I don't have the money for a chiro (I do see one every three weeks at the VA) or a massage, but at least I'm able to rest it.

And yeah, I learned my lesson from those other times and I'm trying to constantly move it little bits... to keep it lose and relax the muscles a bit.

I made the mistake of eating an entire Honeycrisp apple... these are sweet, juicy and just a hint tangy... like Gala or Fuji apples... but the size of grapefruit. NO exaggeration. Ate the whole thing. I need my stomach to be full when I take opiates and I took the last of my hydrocodone. It was THAT bad.

Bout 40 minutes later... I'm screaming to the fam while kicking my legs like a turtle to try to get up off of our new (to us) sectional...because it's UNWISE to eat more than a pound of apple at one time. Barely made it... Wife helped me get up.

My youngest son, otoh, was laughing too hard to help. I guess I painted a heckuva picture...

Rams' undrafted tight ends are the ones to watch this offseason

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/05/13/nfl-rams-undrafted-tight-end-brown-brooker/
Rams' undrafted tight ends are the ones to watch this offseason
By: Cameron DaSilva

Making an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent is never easy, especially on a team that just reached the Super Bowl and is returning most of its starters. That’s the uphill battle the Rams’ undrafted rookies face, yet at least one such player has made the team every year since 2015.

If the Rams are to continue that streak this year, it might be with a tight end.

They signed a handful of players at the position following the draft, two of which stand out as guys who could make the 53-man roster. Keenen Brown from Texas State and Romello Brooker out of Houston could make a strong impression this offseason and earn a spot on the final roster.

Pro Football Focus listed the top five tight ends in combined first downs and touchdowns in non-Power 5 conferences – or Group of Five, as they’re often called. Two Rams undrafted free agents, Brown and Brooker, were in the top five.

No Group of 5 TE had more receiving conversions than new Jaguars TE Josh Oliver did in 2018 pic.twitter.com/ix5lRh99rC

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) May 13, 2019

Brown is an athletic tight end with requisite speed for the position, running a 4.75 40-yard dash at the combine. He’s also big enough at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds with 34.5-inch arms. He needs work as a blocker, but Brown is dangerous after the catch.

As for Booker, he flew further under the radar. He wasn’t invited to the combine and in college, he caught just 42 passes for 464 yards – 409 yards of which came in 2018 alone. He’s a bigger tight end at 6-5, 253 pounds, and so his movement skills aren’t quite on par with Brown. He still ran a respectable 4.82 40-yard dash at his pro day, showing he’s fast enough to be a receiving threat in the NFL.

Brooker is the better blocker of the two, and with Gerald Everett potentially becoming the primary tight end, the Rams might be looking for blocking tight ends instead of pass-catching ones.

In order for either Brown or Brooker to make the team, they’ll need to bump Johnny Mundt from the roster first. It’s hard to imagine the Rams keeping four tight ends, so beating out Mundt is step one.

Keep an eye on both undrafted rookies this offseason as they look to impress the coaches during OTAs, minicamp and eventually training camp. The Rams are clearly looking to add tight end talent, which bodes well for their chances.

Rookie arrival: Here’s what the newest Rams draft picks had to say on Day 1

https://www.therams.com/news/rookie...e-newest-rams-draft-picks-had-to-say-on-day-1

The Rams’ eight draft picks and 22 undrafted free agents arrived at the team’s practice facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Monday. The bunch of NFL hopefuls completed their physicals, received their navy blue and white practice jerseys, and were fitted for helmets and cleats to go in their first NFL locker.

TheRams.com was in the locker room to capture each rookie reaction on Day 1. Here are some of the top quotes from the newest members of the Rams:

gzmyx8uujpuumo3tzowi.jpg

“Yeah, so I got the chance to talk to Rob Havenstein a little bit — he played at Wisconsin — and was able to bounce a couple questions off of him. He’s going to be a great resource for me, and I’m really excited to learn from him and the other guys in the O-line room.”
-OL David Edwards
OL David Edwards, who also played his college ball at Wisconsin, was one of the first rookies to see his name above an NFL locker on Monday afternoon. But he wasn’t the only one impressed with a few of the names in his new home.

Take running back Darrell Henderson, whose locker is just two over from running back Todd Gurley.

“I mean it’s just unbelievable. He’s a great guy, he’s a great player and he reached out to me when I got drafted and we’ve stayed in touch. I’m ready to learn from him.”
-RB Darrell Henderson
Or big Greg Gaines, the defensive tackle out of Washington, who mentioned stopping the run as a goal for year one alongside defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

“It was pretty cool just walking around and seeing some of the names in here. It’s definitely just a new experience for me and I’m ready to get started, and being on a new team — it’s exciting.”
-DT Greg Gaines.
The Rams’ top draft pick and fellow former Washington standout, safety Taylor Rapp, is ready to learn all he can from his experienced corner of the locker room.

“I think the whole secondary is full of a lot of veteran guys, a lot of experienced guys. I think the biggest thing for me is I’m looking forward to soaking up as much for them as I can, learning as much as I can from them.”
-S Taylor Rapp
For seventh rounders Nick Scott and Dakota Allen, who spoke with theRams.com after seeing their lockers full of shiny new Rams gear, were ready to talk about what they can bring to the table as a member of special teams coordinator John Fassel’s unit or beyond.

“It’s extremely exciting. I could just tell with the few conversations that we had that he is a guy of high intensity and high energy and I’m assuming he’s going to expect the same from anyone on the special teams unit. That’s something that I think I can bring to the table.”
-S Nick Scott
“I’m really looking just to prove myself and why I’m a valuable member of this football team. Whether that’s special teams or a backup or becoming a starter — I’m just here to prove myself and my worth.”
-LB Dakota Allen
The day was especially meaningful for L.A.’s third-round selection, offensive lineman Bobby Evans, who spent his college career protecting both quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray at Oklahoma. Evans said he’s dreamt of this moment...

“Since I could talk. I told my dad that this is a stepping stone that I was going to knock over. I started out telling my dad that I was going to play at OU because he played basketball at OU in ‘95. To play there, that was an accomplishment of mine, and then I told him I was going to do all this, play ball at OU and then the NFL. So the fact that I accomplished this is a blessing.”
-OL Bobby Evans
Finally there’s cornerback David Long Jr., whose commute to the first day of work was a bit shorter than many of his rookie teammates. Long played his high school ball at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, drove himself up the 101 on Monday, and said he looks forward to playing close to his family after three years at Michigan.

“It’s crazy just knowing that I could play a game and go to my mom’s house or go chill with my little brother, or whatever the case may be. It’s just a blessing.”
-CB David Long Jr.

____________________________________________________________________________________

I'm excited. Yes, the Rams drafted late, but they have some players I think will be big contributors at least for the next 4 seasons, and hopefully longer.

Rams safety John Johnson poised for Pro Bowl season in 2019

usatsi_12030906.jpg



By: Cameron DaSilva | May 12, 2019 12:00 pm ET


The Los Angeles Rams secondary has garnered a lot of attention over the last two offseasons. Between the acquisitions of Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, the signing of Eric Weddle and the selection of both Taylor Rapp and David Long, there are a lot of eyes watching the Rams’ defensive backfield.

Only two starters in the secondary have remained since 2017: John Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman. Both players fly somewhat under the radar, but Johnson is overlooked nationally. That should change in 2019 as he’s poised to break out in a big way.

Johnson had a great 2018 season and helped send the Rams to the Super Bowl with an interception in overtime against the Saints in the NFC championship. He was outstanding in coverage, making acrobatic interceptions like this one.

One area where he’s truly one of the best safeties in the league is in run support. Last season, he was third among all players at his position with 19 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus.
He really stood out at the end of the season, posting the highest tackling grade of any safety from Week 13-17.

What works against Johnson is his lack of exposure. He was PFF’s No. 7 safety in the NFL last season, and was only one of three players in the NFL to post at least 100 tackles and pick off four passes. The others were Shawn Williams and Jordan Poyer.

Yet, despite putting up unmatched numbers, he still missed out on the Pro Bowl. The guys who were selected ahead of him on the NFC squad were Eddie Jackson, Harrison Smith, Landon Collins and Malcolm Jenkins. It’s hard to argue against any of those players as Pro Bowlers, but Collins was inconsistent last season and isn’t the all-around playmaker that Johnson is. Jenkins has been a stud safety for a long time, but he had just one interception and 97 tackles in 2018 and was PFF’s No. 16 safety.

Johnson has the skill set and talent to be a Pro Bowler, it’s just a matter of winning over fans and earning some additional recognition nationally. That should come in 2019 when he’ll be playing alongside a stud like Eric Weddle and hopefully better cornerback play now that Talib is healthy and Peters is more comfortable in the Rams’ defense.

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

I had a great day!

Just got back from a wedding that I was blessed to perform. (nice, cute couple)

Everything went smoothly which was a blessing since we weren't able to have a rehearsal or anything.

Loved the smiles of the bride and groom and their families and friends. Very special.

Good food, great friends and family from my assembly so a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Got to dance with my bride of 34 years.....(actually I don't dance much...just an excuse to hold her close!)

Loved the Rams draft and everything they have done this off season.

Looking forward to this season more so each day. Blast any SB hangover full speed ahead!

Life is good....

Shalom

~ArkyRamsFan~

Pro Football Focus grades Rams, rest of NFC West validate Rams’ trades down's

By: Cameron DaSilva | May 11, 2019 9:00 am ET

It’ll be another four months before a single rookie plays his first NFL snap, but draft grades have become commonplace across the internet. Judging a draft class this early is difficult, but by basing it on value and pre-draft rankings, it’s possible to examine just how well a team did with its picks.

Rotoworld’s Thor Nystrom ranked every draft class – including undrafted free agents – and assigned grades to each one. He does this quantitatively by using a formula that assigns each team a “haul grade” by using pre-draft rankings compared to where a player was picked.

The Los Angeles Rams checked in at No. 6 with a grade of A-minus, despite not making a first-round pick.

Like the Saints, the Rams didn’t have a ton of draft equity to play with. But they made of what they had, snapping up a value pick basically every time they submitted a card.

My favorite pick was Michigan CB David Long at 3.79. A highly-underrated player, Long looks poised to outplay his draft slot.

David Long was Nystrom’s No. 36 overall prospect heading into the draft, so the Rams got a great value by selecting him with the 79th pick. Taylor Rapp, meanwhile, was ranked 56th by Nystrom and wound up going 61st overall after the Rams traded back three times.

The biggest “reach” Los Angeles made was selecting Nick Scott 243rd overall. He was Nystrom’s 372nd-ranked prospect, behind five of the Rams’ undrafted free agents.

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

Opinion: Players Aren't Cyborgs

Another article at msn.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...heir-broken-bodies/ar-AABeaQv?ocid=spartandhp


Been that way since the inception of the NFL. Players know the risk but play anyway, for whatever reason. Love of the game, money, whatever, but they CHOOSE to do it.

No mention of the journeymen players that get racked up. Only the star players matter?

Hard for me to feel sorry for any of them as they sit by the pool of their multi-million $$ home sipping hundred year old scotch.

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