https://www.therams.com/news/rookie-role-analysis-scott-could-play-key-role-on-special-teams

Rookie role analysis: Scott could play key role on special teams

A seventh-round pick out of Penn State, Nick Scott’s official position is listed as safety. But the Rams undoubtedly selected him at No. 243 overall for his special teams skills.

As an important unit that has a high turnover rate simply given the nature of the NFL, Scott has a chance to be a key member of Los Angeles’ special teams group for the next few years.

OUTLOOK AT THE POSITION

At safety, the Rams have veterans in Eric Weddle and John Johnson III headlining the position as the starting free and strong safeties, respectively. Entering his fourth pro season, Marqui Christian slots in as one of the club’s reserves at the position. And second-round pick Taylor Rapp out of Washington appears poised to play a role on the defense in certain packages.

But as it relates to Scott, special teams is likely more important — and that’s where there could be a void to fill. Los Angeles brought back linebacker Bryce Hager earlier this week, an important signing as he led the team by playing 80 percent of the special teams snaps in 2018. Christian was No. 2 on that list, playing 76 percent of the STs reps.

But safety Blake Countess was No. 3, and he was on the field for 75 percent of Los Angeles’ special teams snaps in 2018. The Rams waived Countess on May 2, and the Eagles — the team that drafted him — claimed him on May 3.

POTENTIAL ROLE AS A ROOKIE

That leads us to Scott, who, according to general manager Les Snead, was one of special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel’s favorite special teams players that he’s ever graded in a draft process.

Based on that and the role that’s opened on the unit, Scott seems like a surefire bet to be a heavy contributor to special teams early and often.

“Coach Fassel, the special teams coordinator, he was the first actual coach that I heard from during this process,” Scott told L.A. media just after he was drafted. “I was training down in Florida and the Combine was being aired on television, and he was the first coach that called me while he was at the Combine. He said, ‘Hey Nick, I’m looking at your film and I’m extremely surprised that you’re not here right now.’ And we’ve been in contact ever since then. He told me he was going draft me and he kept his word. So, I’m looking forward to not only being a huge part of his special teams, but contributing to that defense.”

Scott was a two-time special teams captain at Penn State, which is likely a big part of why Fassel liked him in the first place.

“I’ve played on the core four — all of them,” Scott said of where he played on special teams. “Kickoff, kickoff return. I was a returner for a couple of years. I was on kickoff coverage. I was on punt. I was a gunner on punt, a guard on punt, and I’ve also been on punt return.”

Don’t be surprised to see him on all four for the Rams in 2019 as well.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE

For low draft picks or college free agents, special teams is often the best way to acclimate to the league before then moving to the defensive unit.

We’ve seen it in recent years with a few notable players who started on Fassel’s special teams unit and then have bloomed into strong starters in the league. Former Ram and current Eagle Rodney McLeod is one prime example, as he began his career on special teams as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia but has since blossomed into one of the league’s better safeties.

Another is current Rams defense signal-caller Cory Littleton, who was the L.A. team rookie of the year in 2016 as a heavy special teams contributor after earning a spot on the club as a UDFA out of Washington. And while Littleton has continued to block punts on special teams, he’s also become a key member of the Rams’ defense as its middle linebacker.

So if Scott can be productive on special teams, there’s plenty of reason to believe he can eventually transition to a larger role on defense.

QB CARSON WENTZ (Philadelphia Eagles #2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft)
Career: Att 1,448. Comp 923. Comp% 63.7. YARDS 10,152. YPC 7.0. TD 70. INT 28

Total games played 40 Career Win Loss record 23-17 Winning percentage 57.5%

(Overall career rating 92.5) Postseason record 0-0 Super Bowl record 0-0

2016 played 16 games finished with a QB rating of.. 79.3
2017 played 13 games finished with a QB rating of 101.9 (NFL MVP favorite)
2018 played 11 games finished with a QB rating of 102.2

QB JARED GOFF (Los Angeles Rams #1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft)
Career: Att 1,243. Comp 772. Comp% 62.1. YARDS 9,581. YPC 7.7. TD 65. INT 26

Total games played 38 Career Win Loss record 24-14 Winning percentage 63.1%

(Overall career rating 94.7) Postseason record 2-2 Super Bowl record 0-1

2016 played ..7 games finished with a QB rating of.. 63.6 (under Jeff Fisher's regime)
2017 played 15 games finished with a QB rating of 100.5
2018 played 16 games finished with a QB rating of 101.1




THIS IS A CLOSE......

Just wanted to give a shoutout to St. Louis
Deserving of fan support !!

Go Blues !!

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...d-be-cut-from-every-nfl-roster-this-offseason

Los Angeles Rams: CB Troy Hill
18 OF 32

1. 
   
   
   The Los Angeles Rams have a long-term plan at cornerback that doesn't appear to include Troy Hill.
   
   Aqib Talib's age (33) and contract status play a major role in the organization's approach since the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback is a free agent after this season. The team also seems to want Marcus Peters around for a long time.
   
   "We are excited about building into year two, and we've been really pleased with Marcus—especially pleased with what you can find out with all the experiences that we went through in one year," head coach Sean McVay told reporters.
   
   Nickell Robey-Coleman is in the second season of a three-year deal. General manager Les Snead drafted Michigan cornerback David Long in this year's third round.
   
   Where does that leave Hill? He's arguably the No. 5 cornerback on the roster and operating on a non-guaranteed one-year, $2.03 million deal.
   

________________________________________________________________
I don't think it would be a huge surprise if Hill were cut, after taking a safety and a cornerback with two of their first 3 picks, and having so little cap room available.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...nged-the-outcome-of-rams-patriots-super-bowl/

Here's how new pass interference replay could have changed the outcome of Rams-Patriots Super Bowl

In light of the rule change, a game-changing play from Super Bowl LIII would have also drawn scrutiny and perhaps yielded a different outcome. Specifically: With four-and-a-half minutes to play and the Rams trailing the Patriots 10-3, quarterback Jared Goff threw deep to Brandin Cooks. The call on the field: incomplete pass. But after John Parry, the referee in the game who has since retired and joined ESPN, reviewed the game for possible missed calls he concluded that New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore would have been flagged had the play been reviewed.

"I think video would show that [Cook's] arm was contacted and restricted enough to bring a flag and create a pass interference," Parry said, via ESPN.com. "And that would have been in New England's red zone. So it would have extended the drive and maybe they put points on the board with four minutes to go. That would be a pretty impactful decision."

Now the question becomes how seriously the league plans to enforce pass interference. Will every ticky-tack instance of downfield contact be flagged under review?

"If we're going to go by the letter of the law in pass interference, I think that you're going to have a lot of games decided that way," Vikingscoach Mike Zimmer said from the owners meeting this spring. "These are huge penalties."

Meanwhile, the Canadian Football League could serve as a test case. That league has been reviewing pass interference since 2014 and senior director of officiating Darren Hackwood admitted to ESPN.com that it took several years to figure out what "clear and obvious" meant.

"When we started out, we were trying to call pass interference from the booth the same way we d on the field," Hackwood explained. "But five years later, we're really trying to limit ourselves to protecting against big mistakes. We're not looking for minor contact. One thing we've come to understand is there is a different standard for what's being called on the field and what we would call from the booth. When we finally came to that place, I think we were much better off than when we started. We want to take a very quick look. Is it blatant? Is it clear and obvious? Then we have to overturn. If it's anything deeper than that, we want the ruling to stand."

Offseason examination: Do L.A. Rams have depth?

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkG2S5S_qk




[/quote]

I saw a post on Facebook listing every teams worst draft pick. The list didn’t seem to go back too far in time. But it named Greg Robinson as the Rams worst pick.

I’d argue that it was Tavon Austin. He was supposed to be the ultimate offensive weapon that could run the ball and receive it. They traded up to draft him so he cost more than his original slot too.

Or maybe he’s just the most disappointing.

From PFT.........though it would have only tied the game not changed anything, there was still time to play.

(I watched this and was hoping a flag would get thrown but the position of the defender and the ref made it impossible to see on the field).

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...lay-would-have-changed-a-big-super-bowl-play/

The referee who called this year’s Super Bowl says if the new rule allowing replay to review pass interference had been in effect, a potentially game-altering play would have changed.

John Parry, who retired from refereeing and now works for ESPN, says that if he and the league’s officiating office had been able to use replay at the Super Bowl, they would likely have reversed the crucial incomplete pass when Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore grabbed Rams receiverBrandin Cooks with four and a half minutes to play. A pass interference there would have given the Rams first-and-goal while trailing by seven points, meaning the Rams would have had an excellent opportunity to tie the game in the closing minutes.

“I think video would show that his arm was contacted and restricted enough to bring a flagand create a pass interference,” Parry said. “And that would have been in New England’s red zone. So it would have extended the drive and maybe they put points on the board with four minutes to go. That would be a pretty impactful decision.”

Parry said he believes slow-motion replay will spot a lot of pass interference penalties that the officials miss in real time.

“Unless they change it all up,” Parry said. “They’re going to use slow motion. They’re going to use frame-by-frame. They’re going to be technical.”

And that’s going to be a very big change in the NFL.

There is seemingly some truth to it (although I think more on the side of the winning team than the losing team) and after the Rams performance I expect to hear a lot of that kind of chatter from talking heads with space to fill and clicks totals to reach. Especially if they lose in Week One or Two. Which will also bring up the New Orleans game too and the "well they shouldn't have been there" chatter.

But for me..........I'm not that concerned about it with this team for a few reasons.

It's a young team, and so I sense that they are disappointed, but will leave it in the rear view mirror.

McVay has a knack, in part because of his age, of being able to effectively communicate with players so IMO he will keep them focused week to week. I'd be willing to be that he won't even allow for and talk about the game, and if comes up he'll shoot it right down.

Another reason is Wade Phillips. He's been around a LONG time to say the least and I think he will be a steadying force. He's been on the losing end a few times and I think that'll help add perspective.

Still another is Goff. He has improved each year both in college and the NFL. The record may be one game worse at 12-4 but a lot of 12-4 teams get to the SB. I think the adversity of the post season will help shape him going forward. He played below his best by a fair margin, and while he did make some great throws, he struggled too.

Lastly, though these thoughts are in no particular order, is the general feeling that I think that McVay and Snead have. I always get the sense that this tandem wants a SB win as fast as they can get it. It's why Snead has been so fearless in the draft and with free agents. They have approached the last two off seasons very aggressively and it's clear they want to build a perennial winner. When I listen to them talk, especially when they are together, I always come away with the feeling "these two are not fucking around".

Your thoughts? We know the hangover thing is going to come up, at least early in the season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...lvin-smith-says-he-wont-play-football-in-2019

This seems to come out of nowhere. Seems legit. I wonder what is going on.

Evan Silva@evansilva

Rams projected interior OL starters have combined for 18 career starts across 5 combined NFL seasons.

* RG Austin Blythe allowed 10th-most QB pressures & 6th-most QB hits among NFL guards last year (@PFF)

* C Brian Allen played 35 snaps

* LG Joe Noteboom played 75 snaps


* Jared Goff ranked No. 4 among 38 qualified QBs in passer rating when kept clean in 2018

* Goff ranked No. 28 among 38 QBs in passer rating under pressure

https://www.therams.com/news/rookie-role-analysis-can-greg-gaines-be-a-solution-at-nose-tackle

Rookie role analysis: Can Greg Gaines be a solution at nose tackle?

On the third day of the 2019 NFL Draft, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips illustrated the opportunity in front of defensive lineman Greg Gaines pretty clearly.

“We’ve got a place for you — you know, Ndamukong Suh left, so you’ve got a spot,” Phillips said on the Rams’ call to Gaines, letting him know the team had selected him at No. 134. “We’re looking for you to get after it, OK?”

There’s already a lot of talent on the Rams’ defensive front, but Gaines can fill a specific role to make the team better in 2019.

OUTLOOK AT THE POSITION

Los Angeles has arguably the league’s best player headlining its defensive line in Aaron Donald, who set a franchise single-season record and league record for defensive tackles with 20.5 sacks in 2018.

Veteran lineman Michael Brockers also headlines the defensive front, entering his eighth year in the NFL — all with the Rams. He has position flexibility between five-technique defensive end and nose tackle, but it appears he’ll be sticking with the DE position he’s played over the last couple years in Phillips’ scheme.

At nose tackle — where Suh started and played 88 percent of the defensive snaps — Los Angeles appeared to have a couple internal options before the draft. Rising third-year defensive lineman Tanzel Smart spent time at the position back in 2017. And rising second-year Sebastian Joseph-Day could also play a role for the defensive line rotation.

POTENTIAL ROLE AS A ROOKIE

But as Phillips said on draft day, Gaines has a chance to come in and earn the nose tackle role in Los Angeles’ base 3-4. According to Rams scouts and coaches, Gaines was a strong run stuffer at Washington, which is a big part of why L.A. wanted him.

In four collegiate seasons, Gaines recorded 21.5 tackles for loss, including 7.5 in his senior season of 2018. Gaines is the type of player who can take up double teams, allowing players around him — like Donald and the club’s linebackers — the space and freedom to make more plays.

That’s especially against the run, where Los Angeles surrendered a league-worst 5.1 yards per carry in the regular season last year. The Rams definitely want to improve upon that number, and Gaines has a chance to be a significant factor.

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE

Gaines isn’t necessarily known as a pass rusher, but he did record 9.5 sacks in his four years at Washington — 4.5 in 2018. In one-on-one situations, he does have the ability to push the pocket and disrupt timing in the backfield.

So while Gaines’ first role as he enters the league is more likely as a pure run stuffer in early-down situations, the more he develops at the highest level, the better he’ll likely be as a pass rusher. And considering the veterans he’ll be able to learn from in Los Angeles, Gaines will likely be in good position to contribute in more situations as his career progresses.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...aft-is-over-including-a-patriots-blockbuster/

With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, this is usually the part of the offseason where there's not very much excitement, but don't worry, because there could actually be some excitement this year in the form of some wild trades.

With the draft over and the free agency pool shrinking, any team still looking to beef up its roster will potentially have to do it by making a trade, and if we've learned one thing about the NFL this offseason, it's that teams love making trades.

Over the past three months, we've already seen Joe Flacco, Case Keenum and DeSean Jackson get dealt. Not to mention, it has become pretty clear that any player in the NFL can be acquired for the right price (hello, Odell Beckham) and it has also become pretty clear that some players have the power to turn their trade demands into an actual deal (we're looking at you, Antonio Brown). Two players on our trade list have taken a page out of Brown's book and demanded a trade.

With that in mind, here's a list of seven trades that would make a lot of sense if they went down over the next few months, and let's start with the Patriots.

1. Vikings trade Kyle Rudolph to the Patriots
Patriots get: Kyle Rudolph
Vikings get: 2020 third-round pick

Unless the Patriots can somehow convince Rob Gronkowski to come out of retirement, and that doesn't look like it's going to happen, they're definitely going to need some tight end help heading into the 2019 season. Although the Patriots have been busy adding tight ends this offseason -- they signed Austin Seferian-Jenkins in April and then added undrafted free agent Andrew Beck -- their Gronk replacements don't even come one-fifth of halfway toward filling the Gronk void. Bill Belichick seems aware of this, which is probably why the Patriots are expected to have Ben Watson in for a visit Thursday.

At this point in the offseason, if the Patriots want to add a starting caliber tight end -- and Watson doesn't really qualify as one at this point -- they're going to have to do it in a trade, which is where the Vikings come in. There's been a lot of speculation that the Vikings might be interested in trading Rudolph and there's a good reason for that.

For one, the Vikings salary cap situation is currently a nightmare. Once they get their 2019 draft picks under contract, the Vikings are only expected to have roughly $800,000 in salary cap space, which means they basically have the same spending power as someone who shows up at a Ferrari dealership with $41. There's just not really anything you can buy with that amount of money. With zero cap space, it won't be easy for the Vikings to add a potential replacement in the event that someone on the roster goes down with a serious injury, which is why it's important to have some cap room going into training camp.

By trading Rudolph, the Vikings would instantly free up $7.625 million in cap space. Not to mention, the Vikings already have a potential replacement for Rudolph on the roster in place in the form of Irv Smith Jr., who they selected in the second round of this year's draft.

The selection of Smith doesn't necessarily mean the Vikings are going to get rid of Rudolph, but the veteran tight end seems to be aware that a trade out of Minnesota is a possibility.

"Until it happens, I'm here in Minnesota," Rudolph said after the draft, via the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "My family is here in Minnesota. This is home for us. I have poured my heart and soul into this organization and given it everything that I had. I will continue to do that as long as I'm still wearing purple."

As for the Patriots, they don't have a ton of cap space -- just over $14 million -- but they do have enough room to absorb Rudolph's contract.

Also, if this deal were to happen, it would be vintage Belichick. Not only does the Patriots coach love to trade for tight ends -- we saw the Patriots trade for Martellus Bennett in 2016 and Dwayne Allen in a 2017 trade -- but he has also proven that he's willing to pull the trigger on a deal when he feels that his team needs an offensive weapon. Since March 2007, we've seen Belichick go the trade route to add weapons like Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Brandin Cooks. Last year, we even saw the Patriots add Cordarrelle Patterson.

If the Patriots feel that Rudolph is too expensive, they could also make a play for Texans tight end Ryan Griffin. Griffin has a cap hit of just $2.7 million in 2019 and the Texans might actually be looking to get rid of him after he was charged with public intoxication in Nashville during the NFL Draft.


2. Texans trade Jadeveon Clowney to the Bills
Bills get: Jadeveon Clowney
Texans get: 2020 first-round pick, Shaq Lawson

If you haven't been following the Clowney situation in Houston this offseason, here's a quick update: Things aren't going so well. Back in March, the Texans hit Clowney with the franchise tag, and although the two sides have until July 15 to hammer out a long-term deal, it's starting to look more and more like that's not going to happen. When Texans coach Bill O'Brien was asked about negotiations in late March, he didn't sound overly optimistic.

"It'll be interesting," O'Brien said, via the Houston Chronicle. "We try to do the best we can to represent our organization in the best way possible relative to each player."

There was also a report form ESPN.com suggesting that the Texans are open to trading Clowney. Basically, this is starting to turn into a Frank Clark situation and we all know how that turned out. The one issue with trading Clowney is that the Texans need to find a team that has a need at the position AND has the money to get a long-term deal done, and that's where the Bills come in.

The Bills currently have a dicey situation on their defensive line. After declining Shaq Lawson's fifth-year option, that means that both Lawson and Jerry Hughes have contracts that will be expiring at the end of the 2019 season. Basically, this means that the Bills are going to have to spend some serious money on their defensive line at some point, so why not just trade for Clowney and do it now.

We do know the Bills are at least in the market for a pass rusher and that's because they had shown interest in Ziggy Ansah, but they're not going to get him, because it looks like he's about to land a deal with the Seahawks.

By getting Clowney and shipping Lawson to Houston, the Bills defensive front would get an instant upgrade. The first-round pick is a lot to give up, but if the Bills actually think they're going to be good, then Buffalo has to go into negotiations thinking that the pick will come at the low end of the first round.

Another potential Clowney deal that would be interesting is if the Texans decided to do a straight-up trade with the Cardinals for Patrick Peterson. The Texans need some help at corner and the Cards could use a pass-rusher, which is why that deal would make sense. Although that blockbuster deal would flip the offseason upside down, we have Peterson being traded somewhere else, which brings us to our next trade.

3. Cardinals trade Patrick Peterson to the Chiefs
Chiefs get: Patrick Peterson
Cardinals get: 2020 first-round pick

Patrick Peterson won't come out and say it, but it kind of seems like he doesn't want to play for the Cardinals anymore. Just to give you a little refresher on the Peterson situation: The Cardinals corner demanded a trade back in October, only to apologize for making that demand a few months later, but the situation didn't end there, because now, it looks like he wants to be traded again. Peterson has removed the Cardinals name from all of his social media accounts and he's spent the past month taking passive-aggressive shots at the team. If you've ever watched literally any reality show involving a Millennial, those are usually the first two signs that a breakup is coming.


Peterson even posted a photo of some of his former teammates who are no longer with him in Arizona, and that photo had an interesting caption, "My boys told me to watch out for the snakes in the long grass!"
With a new Cardinals coaching staff now in place, it would make since for them to start fresh with players who actually want to be in Arizona. Clearly, Peterson isn't one of those players.

If the Cards start to shop Peterson, every team in the NFL should call them with an offer. Not only is he a three-time All-Pro corner, but he's also under contract for the next two seasons at the very reasonable rates of $11 million (2019) and $12.05 million (2020).

Although Peterson could get dealt anywhere, we're sending him to the Chiefs and that's because Kansas City has been doing everything possible to beef up a defensive unit that couldn't stop anyone while ranking 31st overall in the NFL last season. After watching his defense choke away the AFC title game, Andy Reid is clearly trying to make sure that doesn't happen again.


Not only have the Chiefs already traded for Frank Clark and Emmanuel Ogbah, but they've also signed Tyrann Mathieu, Alex Okafor and Damien Wilson. If the Chiefs were to add Peterson to the mix, the defense would be nearly as scary as their offense. Also, based on Peterson's Instagram picture, it seems Peterson would probably be pretty excited about the chance to reunite with Mathieu.

4. Broncos trade Chris Harris to 49ers
49ers get: Chris Harris
Broncos get: 2020 first-round pick

After eight seasons in Denver, it's starting to look like Chris Harris and the Broncos could be heading toward a nasty break up. Just before the draft, Harris reportedly gave the Broncos an ultimatum: Give him a new contract or trade him away. Broncos general manager John Elway has been coy about the situation and hasn't revealed whether or not the team plans on keeping Harris.

The Broncos might want to keep Harris, but if his demands are too high, then a trade could be in play, and that's where the 49ers come in. Although the 49ers have Richard Sherman, they don't really have a bona fide starter to play opposite him. As things stand now, the 49ers will likely go into training camp with Jason Verrett, Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore battling out for the other corner spot. The 49ers did select a corner in the draft, but that didn't come until the sixth round with Tim Harris, which means it's unlikely that the rookie will see a lot of playing time in 2019.

The 49ers currently have the fourth most cap space in the NFL, which means the only question is whether or not they'd be willing to give up the potential first-round compensation that it will take to land Harris.

5. 49ers trade Solomon Thomas to the Buccaneers
Buccaneers get: Solomon Thomas
49ers get: 2020 fifth-round pick

Over the past month, there have been multiple reports that the 49ers are looking to trade Solomon Thomas, and although John Lynch has denied them, dumping Thomas would definitely make sense now that Nick Bosa is in San Francisco.

Although there's probably not a huge market for Thomas, the Buccaneers could be looking to add a pass-rusher due to the current health status of Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP was involved in a car accident on May 2, and although the Buccaneers haven't confirmed it, there's a chance he could miss the entire season due to a neck injury.

If JPP is going to miss any substantial time, that potentially opens the door for a Thomas trade to Tampa. Although a player like Jadeveon Clowney would also make sense, it's hard to envision a way that the Bucs could afford him, considering they currently have the second lowest amount of salary cap room in the NFL. The advantage of Thomas is that he would come cheaply and the Bucs could potentially keep him for two years.

As the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Thomas definitely hasn't lived up to expectations and he's now in a situation in San Francisco where a change of scenery might be for the best. On the Bucs' end, they'd only have to pay him $645,000 for the 2019 season and $735,000 for the 2020 season, which are numbers that even the Bucs could afford at this point.


6. Buccaneers trade Gerald McCoy to the Browns
Browns get: Gerald McCoy
Buccaneers get: 2020 sixth-round pick

When it comes to trades, if we've learned one thing about the Browns this offseason, it's that you can never discount any rumor no matter how crazy it is. Back in March, there were murmurings that Odell Beckham might get traded to Cleveland a full five days before he actually got traded to Cleveland.

This time around, at least one report has suggested that the Browns general manager John Dorsey is interested in McCoy, and if we know one thing about Dorsey, it's that he has no problem making a trade for a player that he's interested in. On the surface, this trade might not make much sense due to the amount of money that McCoy is scheduled to make in 2019 ($13 million), but that's also why it makes a lot of sense.

For one, unless they do something dramatic, the Bucs can't really afford his salary, which means they're either going to have to release him, trade him or ask him to take a pay cut. Of those choices, let's go ahead and eliminate option three because NFL players are almost never willing to take a pay cut. The Bucs could also release McCoy, but if they do that, the decision could come back to haunt them if he ends up signing with a division rival and the Bucs have to face him twice a year. Basically, the Bucs best choice would be to trade him and there's a good chance the asking price won't be too high since Tampa will just be happy to get him out of the division and to get his salary off their books.

Think about it, if you're the Bucs: Would you rather cut McCoy and get nothing in return or trade him away for a sixth-round pick, even if it's not a huge return?

Dorsey might not be thrilled with paying McCoy $13 million for 2019, but you have to think if he can get the six-time Pro Bowler for the equivalent of a soft taco, he'll definitely make the deal. The other good news for the Browns is that none of McCoy's future money is guaranteed, which means that even though he has three high-paying years left on his deal, they could release him after the 2019 season without taking any sort of dead cap hit.

Dorsey is clearly doing his best to build a Super Bowl contender and adding McCoy to a defensive line that already includes Olivier Vernon, Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobiand Sheldon Richardson is, well, let's just say that's a nightmare for any opposing offense.

Of course, if the Browns aren't willing to trade for McCoy, then the Bucs might want to think about calling the Colts or Texans, who both have a need on the defensive line and have the cap space to make a deal happen.

7. Jets trade Darron Lee to the Bengals
Bengals get: Darron Lee
Jets get: 2020 conditional pick (Sixth or seventh round depending on playing time)

Heading into the 2019 NFL Draft, one of the biggest needs for the Bengals was at linebacker, and although they ended up taking one, the pick didn't come until the third round. Basically, the Bengals could still stand to add some depth at the position, which is why they should make a move for Lee.

The good news for the Bengals is that Lee should come at a cheap price because it seems the Jets really, really, really want to trade him.
_______________________________________________________

Nobody I'd really want the Rams to get, given realistic prices, but unlike many of these articles, some plausibility in the players and teams listed.

LOS ANGELES RAMS


Projected compensatory picks: One in Round 3; one in Round 4.
Key free-agent losses: Rodger Saffold (Titans); Lamarcus Joyner (Raiders); C.J. Anderson (Lions).
Key free-agent additions: Clay Matthews (Packers).
Comp-pick analysis: General manager Les Snead continues to play the comp-pick game as a way to add draft capital to restock his roster. Rodger Saffold is teetering between a third- and fourth-round designation, but if he proves to be durable and solid in creating lanes for Derrick Henry, he could bring in the higher value. The loss of Lamarcus Joyner is likely to net the Rams a fourth-round comp selection.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-compensatory-pick-projections-for-every-team

Guys,

Regardless of how you may feel about Peters, I really think resigning him just got much more complicated. The Dolphins just gave Xavien Howard, a cornerback with one solid, proven year under his belt, the largest CB contract in history. On the open market, that just made Peter's value increase.

I honestly was hoping for the Rams to sign Peters long-term given the importance of the position and the difficulty in finding solid players at the position. That said, I think it just got much, much tougher.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2834959-rising-nfl-stars-to-keep-an-eye-on-in-2019#slide2

Rising NFL Stars to Keep an Eye on in 2019
Maurice Moton

S John Johnson III, Los Angeles Rams


John Johnson III brings versatility in spades. He can neutralize deep threats, stack the box in run support or play linebacker in sub-packages. Above all, the Boston College product performs at a high level in various roles.

In his second term, Johnson led the Rams in interceptions (four) and finished second in pass breakups (11) and solo tackles (82). Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips praised him late last season, per ESPN.com's Lindsey Thiry.

"His tackling is so outstanding. Open field, around the ball, around the line of scrimmage, those kinds of things," Phillips said. "He's learned more and more about what to do in different areas that he plays."

The Rams secondary has notable names such as Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Eric Weddle, but Johnson had the best 2018 campaign in terms of coverage statistics.

With Talib and Weddle in the latter stages of their careers and Peters' struggles last year, Phillips may rely on Johnson to close the gaps on the back end.

Johnson could see more snaps at free safety following Lamarcus Joyner's departure to the Oakland Raiders. Lastly, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see the versatile defender frequently used to cover the middle of the field with an unproven group behind Cory Littleton at inside linebacker.

I think so and here’s why.

First, the O...

Sean McVay has had plenty of time to digest the Bear, Eagle, Saints, and Patriot losses. Including the “tells” alluded to by the Patriots. McVay is a fast learner and it’s a safe bet to think that he will now have adjusted and developed counter moves. McVay should be improved. Big Time, actually.

Goff has improved every single year over his previous year since high school. Why should his 3rd year under McVay be any different. Improved.

Todd Gurley? Honestly, I doubt that he will ever be the same. At best, he might be close if given only limited managed snaps. Sorry, hope I’m wrong. Downgrade here.

Darrell Henderson. Huge upgrade. A RB weapon that McVay has been seeking for 3 years. And some tremendous injury insurance, as well.

Brian Allen. A physical upgrade over Sully, but doesn’t have the experience that Sully had. Reportedly football smart, played well in limited snaps, and Kromer likes him. Should get better and better as the season unfolds. Slight upgrade, I think.

Joseph Noteboom. Our future LOT, I think, and should do just fine this year at LG. But Saffold is a hard man to replace, so I have to call this a slight downgrade.

Austin Blythe. At worst, he should be slightly improved if only from more strength training and experience, don’t you think? And there is a possibility that one of Evans or Edwards might blow up and seize that RG spot in camp. In any case, the RG position should be at least slightly improved.

Cooks, Woods, Kupp should be the same if not slightly improved due to experience in this O and familiarity with Goff. I’m calling WR equal, but I think I’m being conservative.

Everett and Higbee. Everett should be improved again this year. He took some big steps forward last year and that trend should continue. Higbee improved a bit last year, himself, although to a lesser degree. TE position should be improved.

So overall, I see an improved O over last year’s very impressive unit. Kinda scary for opponents on our schedule. Lol.

Now, the D...

AD will have another dominating season. I predict fewer sacks, but better run D from him, much like late last year. Equal overall.

Michael Brockers. I suspect that Brockers played hurt last year in a disappointing year (for him). This year is a contract year for him and I expect a biggie. Should be a significant improvement.

Greg Gaines. A double prediction here. Gaines will not only start, but his play will slightly exceed that of the “regular season Suh”. I’m serious. By the last third of the season Gaines will be playing like a quality seasoned vet. I’m calling this equal, but I think I’m being conservative yet again.

Dante Fowler. All he did last season was get better and better in every game as he got acclimated. I see no reason to think that that won’t continue. I predict that Fowler will be improved this year even over late last season, not to mention that he will have a full season to contribute. Big upgrade over last season here.

Samson Ebukam. Not at all sure that he will start, tbh. But the good news is that there will be other possible starters rotating there at Edge opposite Fowler. Matthews (part time), Obo, Fox, ??? Maybe some outside the box schemes that might include Littleton, Rapp, or ??? I get the impression that Wade feels kinda comfortable with his options on that edge. I mean, the Rams didn’t exactly devote tons of draft resources to Edge, did they? Bottom line, I see significant improvement at Edge over last year’s Ebu version.

Cory Littleton. Same. Maybe a tad better if only due to more experience.

Micah Kiser. Honestly, I see him as a 2 down run defender inside. And a better run defender than Barron ever was. It's pretty obvious that Wade likes Kiser and that the Rams did NOT spend draft capital on ILB. Slight upgrade.

Clay Matthews. Mr Versatility, don’t you think? He’s gonna have limited snaps, but he should be able to help both inside and outside, depending on what Wade needs and which players step up either inside or outside. Another big reason that Wade and the Rams didn’t choose to devote draft resources to either position. Big upgrade here.

Aquib Talib. Should be the same if he remains healthy. That means upper echelon CB play on one side. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams coaxed Talib to sign a short extension after this season, tbh. I’m calling this one as same as last year.

Marcus Peters. Peters struggled early on last year but came on very strong in the second half of the season plus the playoffs once Wade adjusted his schemes. I see no reason to assume that MP won’t pick up where he left off last year. That means at least a slight upgrade over last year.

David Long. Won’t be a starter, barring injury, but I mention him for two reasons. At worst, CB gets a HUGE depth upgrade. And if, heaven forbid, there is an extended injury to either Talib or Peters (like last year), then we are in very good hands with the underrated Long. I see Long getting snaps in certain Wade packages and in blowouts this season and I see him as a quality starter in ‘20. Huge upgrade.

John Johnson. Ascending S on the verge of Pro Bowl status. No change from last year.

Eric Weddle. Huge upgrade over Joyner in ‘18. Case closed.

Taylor Rapp. Similar to the David Long situation. Not gonna start, barring injury, but he will see the field in certain Wade designed packages and in blowout situations. Tremendous depth and injury insurance improvement. Weddle’s eventual replacement and one of the bigger draft steals at 61. Huge upgrade over last year.

Overall, I see a substantial improvement over the ‘18 D almost everywhere I look. The D got the lion’s share of help in this draft and I think it will pay dividends this season.

Final conclusion? Yes, this ‘19 Rams team, on paper, is clearly substantially improved over the ‘18 version.

Hot Damn!

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ngeles-rams-sean-mcvay-jared-goff-todd-gurley

2019 Los Angeles Rams’ offense makes top five in NFL.com rankings
The Rams’ O remains one of the most potent attacks in the NFL, even with some key O-line departures.

Over at NFL.com, Chris Wesseling has posted his ranking of the top 10 offenses in the NFL and has the Los Angeles Rams coming in at #5:

Quarterback: B | Jared Goff, Blake Bortles

Goff unfurled some of the league’s most beautiful passes in the season’s first three months, only to backslide following Cooper Kupp’s season-ending injury and Los Angeles’ thrilling 54-51 victory over Kansas City in mid-November. If his disturbing Super Bowl LIII performance raises doubts about the upcoming season, the presence of play-calling savant Sean McVay should allay the darkest fears of Rams fans.

Backfield: B+ | Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Darrell Henderson, John Kelly

The 2017 Offensive Player of the Year found himself back in the MVP discussion early last season, operating as the game-breaking focal point for McVay’s attack. Neither Gurley nor the Rams’ offense was ever the same, however, after a knee injury he suffered in Week 1 flared up in the final month of the season. Now he’s facing whispers about a potential arthritic condition, a decreased workload and more two-back formations going forward. Even with third-round draft pick Darrell Henderson around for insurance, Gurley’s durability and explosiveness are two of the biggest question marks in the Rams’ quest for another NFC title.

Receiving corps: B+ | Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, Gerald Everett (TE), Tyler Higbee (TE), Josh Reynolds

While Cooks is a dangerous deep threat, Woods has developed into one of the finest all-around receivers in football. As productive as that tandem was in 2018, Kupp’s November ACL injury left Goff without a safety blanket in key situations. McVay’s quarterback averaged roughly 330 yards with Kupp in the lineup, compared to 256 yards without benefit of the chain-moving slot receiver.

Offensive line: B+ | Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Austin Blythe, Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen, Bobby Evans, David Edwards

Similar to New Orleans, the Rams’ offensive line was dominant for three months before springing leaks once the weather took a turn for the worse. Veteran guard Rodger Saffold priced himself out of Los Angeles, while 33-year-old center John Sullivan was put out to pasture. That savvy duo is expected to be replaced by 2018 draft picks Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen, offering younger legs but little NFL experience. This unit could go either way in 2019.

Wesseling’s top five includes the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons ahead of the Rams. I may have a bit of issue with the Eagles being in front of the Rams, but his position grade is perhaps more grating.

He gives the Rams’ QB combo of Goff and Bortles a “B” but the Eagles’ trio of Carson Wentz, Nate Sudfeld and Clayton Thorson gets a “B+”. That’s a bit more egregious than the overall team ranking, IMO.

And I’m not sure how the Rams’ receiving options only got a “B+”. It’d be a pretty easy argument to make that a Cooks-Woods-Kupp trio is the best wide receiver trio in the league.

As good as they were last year, I’m not sure the offensive line is deserving of a “B+” already moreso than a “TBD”, but I understand that’s not an option. Noteboom and Allen pulled just more than 100 snaps combined last year, so I find it really hard to assess them before they play more meaningful football.

One thing that’s incredibly strange? I might not be eager to cape for someone else’s team, but the Kansas City Chiefs were the #1 offense in yards gained and points scored...and they’re in 6th in these rankings. While I’m griping on others’ behalf, I’d also suggest an “A-” for the Colts’ line is probably too low.

In any case, it’s a strong indication of just how good the Rams’ offense continues to look under McVay with Goff at the helm.

Don't forget about Jamil Demby in Rams' offensive line battle

Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen are the front-runners to start at left guard and center, respectively, but don’t forget about Jamil Demby. He’s been overlooked in this O-line shakeup after the Rams added David Edwards and Bobby Evans in the draft.

Demby was drafted by the Rams in the sixth round a year ago, but he was surprisingly waived before the season started. The Lions quickly scooped him up and stashed him on their practice squad, but Los Angeles poached him in December, signing him to the active roster.

Demby provides excellent versatility up front, displaying the ability to play guard and tackle, including left tackle. In practice this week, he appeared to be the first guy behind Andrew Whitworth, filling in at left tackle with the rest of the perceived first-team offense.

Go To Full Article--
[theramswire.usatoday.com]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...-issue-according-to-one-former-steelers-star/

Why Le'Veon Bell skipping Jets' voluntary workouts may be an issue, according to one former Steelers star
Bryant McFadden explains what the Jets lost by not having Bell present

Le'Veon Bell may be a Jet, but he hasn't joined the team on the field yet. The running back didn't show up for voluntary workouts a few weeks ago, and this week he took to social media to defend his decision to skip some of the team's offseason workouts, too. While that in itself isn't bad -- voluntary is voluntary, after all -- it was valuable time that Bell lost building a rapport with his new squad.

The Jets are still young at quarterback with Sam Darnold at the helm, so Bell could bring his experience playing with Ben Roethlisberger to the fold. With that being said, Bell skipping out on voluntary workouts isn't shocking, and there's a good chance the Jets already knew his offseason plans.

Former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden joins CBS Sports fantasy expert Dave Richard, guest host for the vacationing Will Brinson, on the Pick Six Podcast to talk about optional minicamps and workouts, and what the Jets may have lost by not having Bell there.

"I think when you look at it from the team standpoint ... I think being there would've been beneficial," McFadden said. "Not just to Bell but to his new team."

"You've never taken a snap or caught a pass from Sam Darnold," he continued. "You don't know too much about your offensive line besides what you've seen on tape. So just being able to establish a relationship ... Not to mention getting into the playbook, dissecting the playbook ... He's a very smart guy ... But yet still this is new territory for him."

While it's on-brand for Bell, and players skipping workouts isn't necessarily an issue in and of itself, it's hard to walk in and know a team. Bell has the talent. But now he needs to get to know the pieces around him to maximize that talent.

I mean, some position groups will be a probable knock down, drag out scenario, don’t you think? Sure, there’s always competition every year, but this year it’s gonna be exceptional in some areas.

Take interior OL, for example. Other than the 2 OT’s, there will be fierce competition at C and both OG’s. Most are predicting Boom and Blythe at the Guard positions and Allen at C, but none are exactly carved in stone, are they? Heck, it’s conceivable that Blythe might wind up as starting C with a rookie at RG in Edwards or Evans. Or possibly someone else if a UDFA gem jumps out. There’s gotta be a dozen players competing for perhaps 3 starting positions. A very promising and healthy scenario from the Rams pov, indeed. Best competition in years?

LB, both inside and out, will be another biggie. Other than Fowler, Littleton, and Matthews (with limited snaps at 2 positions), who are our other 2 starters for sure? And Littleton may be moving over himself, possibly even outside occasionally in certain schemes, reportedly. Kiser is probable on first 2 downs, but is he certain? Not sure. Does Obo have a big Ram future? Seems like a dozen candidates for essentially 2 starting LB positions, huh?

We know that Talib and Peters are our 2 starters at outside CB, but what if Peters struggles again this year as he did early last year? How does Wade keep Long off the field, then? Heck, Long may see the field in some hybrid schemes, anyway. Bottom of that CB roster is gonna be fierce, too. Troy Hill likely doesn’t even survive.

Starting Safeties are set, but how does Wade keep Rapp off the field? Answer is probably some 3 Safety sets. Or something else such as a semi-LB hybrid set of some kind?

My point? Snead and McVay seem to have done a fine job of loading up this roster. To the point that final cuts will be snatched up quickly by other teams for their 53.

There will be no shortage of camp competition to observe this summer. Our various camp reporters had better be well rested and be eating plenty of carrots. Lol.

Gotta say that we should approach opening day with one helluva team and depth roster.

https://www.therams.com/news/i-thin...g-special-cooks-talks-personal-and-team-goals

Tuesday, May 07, 2019 04:30 PM
“I think we are going to do something special”: Cooks talks personal and team goals ahead of year two in L.A.
By Clarence Dennis

With a year as a Ram under his belt, wide receiver Brandin Cooks has had the chance to reflect on his first go around as a featured pass-catching option in head coach Sean McVay’s offense. As Cooks gears up for year two in the deal drawn up to keep him in L.A. through 2023 and comes off a second-straight season with a Super Bowl ending, he can both imagine what’s next and do his part to prepare for it.


“This offense and being a part of this team with the receivers and quarterbacks that we have, I think we are going to do something so special. We have so much in front of us even though we have accomplished so much,” Cooks said in a recent interview with therams.com for season two of Behind the Grind. “To be able to say there’s a lot more out there is scary in a sense.”

The second phase of the offseason program has hit in Los Angeles, and according to Cooks, his NFC Champion squad hasn’t missed a beat. Just a few months from 2019’s chance to improve on the Rams’ No. 2 finish in total offense in 2018, he says the club is locked in as it preps for a run at ‘scary’ levels of production — or fuel for the 17-week-and-then-some road to what Cooks calls success and fell just short of in February.

“I think it’s just one of those things internally in each individual, there is something to think about that we could have done better to be able to put our team in a position to win,” Cooks said. “And the fact that we had that from everyone in that locker room, and from our coaches as well, is special.”


Mapping out his personal plan to improve, the Oregon State product is facing the chance to build on a career-high 1,204 yards receiving in 2018 and notch a fifth-straight 1,000-yard season — a fourth-straight averaging at least 15 yards per catch. But his goals go beyond another stuffed stat sheet.

“This season I’m looking to improve upon just becoming a bigger playmaker, continuing to level up, and continuing to help my team as best as I can to win games — to be a better leader and not just staying to myself,” Cooks said.

It’s a plan that fits his personal definition of leadership — a word that the 25-year-old wide receiver who’s caught passes from quarterbacks Tom Brady and Drew Brees, played under head coaches Bill Belichick and Asshole Face, and now lines up for Goff and McVay says is often misinterpreted.


“Sometimes in our world we think leadership is like power, assertive, over someone,” Cooks continued. “For me, I think it’s one of those things that’s being who you are, being the best version you can be and along that journey, bringing someone along and encouraging guys around you.”