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Tavon Austin in Dallas
- By Mojo Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 129 Replies
Tavon Austin Looks Primed to Break Out as Dallas Cowboys' Playmaker
8/14
Tavon Austin is where he needs to be to finally realize his full potential, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones couldn't be happier with the team's new offensive weapon.
Jones made a surprising comparison when discussing Austin at training camp.
"I like the energy that No. 10 is bringing," Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota. "That's inordinate because just by the nature of how we got him here and his pedigree, for him to bring along that really, it's Michael Irvin-ish as far as the energy that he brings. I know the guys appreciate him."
The Playmaker isn't walking through the door at 52 years old to solve the Cowboys' wide receiver problems. But Austin is now mentally and physically ready to become a dynamic threat.
The fact that Austin is drawing positive reviews shows how far he has come in a few months. The Los Angeles Rams were ready to release the failed draft pick, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, before finding a trade partner.
Jones' reference was a nod to Austin's on-field demeanor and not his skill set. Comparing any current player to a Hall of Famer is always a mistake. Yet, a larger-than-life personality is exactly what the Cowboys need among a nondescript group of skill-position performers.
A take-charge version of Austin is a far cry from the previous incarnation that played for the Rams organization. Calling the receiver's first five seasons a disappointment is an understatement. The Rams traded up to the eighth overall pick in the notoriously awful 2013 draft and chose the West Virginia product. He's never managed more than 907 total yards from scrimmage in any season yet signed a $42 million contract extension before the 2016 campaign. In March, the Rams and Austin agreed to voidthe last three years of his contract, which made him easier to trade.
A month later, the Cowboys flipped a sixth-round pick to the Rams for Austin. He's been everything the team wanted upon agreeing to the deal.
"He's a steal," Dak Prescott said during minicamp, per ESPN.com's Todd Archer.
The quarterback could already see what Austin brought to the offense as a hybrid runner/receiver. However, Austin's turnaround in the blue and silver occurred long before he ever put on the team's uniform.
His misusage within the Rams offense under previous head coach Jeff Fisher from 2013 to 2016 is not a secret. Fisher's staffs lacked creativity and didn't continually place Austin in a position to create, which is amazing after they paid a stiff price to draft him. It's not like his skill set changed from West Virginia to the professional ranks.
This doesn't excuse the 28-year-old target, who is equally culpable in his disappointing play. Austin never committed himself. Other priorities superseded what happened on the field.
"I didn't respect the game enough," Austin acknowledged, per the Dallas Morning News' Brandon George. "That's what I'm doing again. I'm getting back to leaving the money and all that stuff alone and coming in and playing the sport that I love."
Reporters pressed Austin on what he meant about not respecting the game.
"For one, my work ethic," he said. "My work ethic went out the window. I'm not saying I wasn't working hard, but it went out the window. I didn't work as hard as I used to do."
Statistically, Austin had his worst individual effort last season despite playing in the game's top scoring offense. It served as a wake-up call.
"After last year it showed me when I sat and rode that bench last year, you got to respect it," he added. "You've got to put in the work. Steph Curry can shoot 2,000 shots a day, why not are we doing the same thing with a football catching it?"
A new approach and better attitude should spur more production. Austin appears mentally ready to take on a bigger role after years of not showing those capabilities. Machota reported Austin has been one of Dallas' most consistent performers during camp.
His physical capabilities never waned, though. Yes, Austin's diminutive size (5'8", 179 pounds) will always hinder him to a degree. But his game is predicated on short-area quickness, long speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash) and the ability to create after the catch. A renewed sense of devotion to his craft should align with his skill set and show exactly why Austin was once considered an elite prospect. He found a perfect home with the Cowboys.
The NFL is like the housing market. What's most important? Location, location, location. Austin can be more effective in Dallas than any other NFL locale.
He can run behind the league's most talented offensive line—which tends to dominate at the point of attack—and the Cowboys lack a go-to receiver after Jason Witten's retirement and Dez Bryant's release. The rest of the wide receiver room consists of Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, Allen Hurns, Deonte Thompson, Lance Lenoir Jr., Noah Brown, K.D. Cannon, Mekale McKay and rookies Michael Gallup and Ricky Jeune.
You shouldn't be embarrassed if you mouthed to yourself "Who?" after reading that lineup, because it's the biggest question yet to be answered in Cowboys training camp.
Beasley is the most likely to emerge as Prescott's favorite target because he's shifty, reliable and consistently works his way open over the middle of the field.
Austin, however, brings an entirely different element and shouldn't be looked upon as just a receiver or running back. He's now a "web back" and slated to be the versatile piece he's always been destined to become.
"I love it," Austin said. "It's all about getting the ball in space for me. That's all I really want, get the ball in space and have a little fun and show what God blessed me with."
He caught two passes for 25 yards in his debut Thursday. Although, the Cowboys aren't going to show their hand during the preseason. They're not going to let their vertical threat loose against poor competition, even though he's been a handful for defensive backs in practice sessions, as Machota captured:
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1026308348273078272
The Rams never fully committed to Austin as a weapon. Head coach Jason Garrett and the Cowboys can be more imaginative. Austin can line up as a wide receiver from the slot or outside while also spelling Ezekiel Elliott in certain packages. Better yet, Elliott and Austin can also play at the same time, and defenses too focused on Elliott could give Austin the space he craves.
"You can call him whatever you want to call him," Garrett said, per the Associated Press' Schuyler Dixon. "He's obviously very quick. He's very fast. We're comfortable lining him up as a receiver outside or inside and certainly in the backfield as well. He's done all those things."
Austin doesn't need to be a traditional wide receiver to serve as Dallas' No. 1 receiving threat—he just needs to be himself. Early indications show a player finally comfortable in his skin and about to be unleashed in what's become a mismatch league.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2790747-tavon-austin-looks-primed-to-break-out-as-dallas-cowboys-playmaker
8/14
Tavon Austin is where he needs to be to finally realize his full potential, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones couldn't be happier with the team's new offensive weapon.
Jones made a surprising comparison when discussing Austin at training camp.
"I like the energy that No. 10 is bringing," Jones said, per the Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota. "That's inordinate because just by the nature of how we got him here and his pedigree, for him to bring along that really, it's Michael Irvin-ish as far as the energy that he brings. I know the guys appreciate him."
The Playmaker isn't walking through the door at 52 years old to solve the Cowboys' wide receiver problems. But Austin is now mentally and physically ready to become a dynamic threat.
The fact that Austin is drawing positive reviews shows how far he has come in a few months. The Los Angeles Rams were ready to release the failed draft pick, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, before finding a trade partner.
Jones' reference was a nod to Austin's on-field demeanor and not his skill set. Comparing any current player to a Hall of Famer is always a mistake. Yet, a larger-than-life personality is exactly what the Cowboys need among a nondescript group of skill-position performers.
A take-charge version of Austin is a far cry from the previous incarnation that played for the Rams organization. Calling the receiver's first five seasons a disappointment is an understatement. The Rams traded up to the eighth overall pick in the notoriously awful 2013 draft and chose the West Virginia product. He's never managed more than 907 total yards from scrimmage in any season yet signed a $42 million contract extension before the 2016 campaign. In March, the Rams and Austin agreed to voidthe last three years of his contract, which made him easier to trade.
A month later, the Cowboys flipped a sixth-round pick to the Rams for Austin. He's been everything the team wanted upon agreeing to the deal.
"He's a steal," Dak Prescott said during minicamp, per ESPN.com's Todd Archer.
The quarterback could already see what Austin brought to the offense as a hybrid runner/receiver. However, Austin's turnaround in the blue and silver occurred long before he ever put on the team's uniform.
His misusage within the Rams offense under previous head coach Jeff Fisher from 2013 to 2016 is not a secret. Fisher's staffs lacked creativity and didn't continually place Austin in a position to create, which is amazing after they paid a stiff price to draft him. It's not like his skill set changed from West Virginia to the professional ranks.
This doesn't excuse the 28-year-old target, who is equally culpable in his disappointing play. Austin never committed himself. Other priorities superseded what happened on the field.
"I didn't respect the game enough," Austin acknowledged, per the Dallas Morning News' Brandon George. "That's what I'm doing again. I'm getting back to leaving the money and all that stuff alone and coming in and playing the sport that I love."
Reporters pressed Austin on what he meant about not respecting the game.
"For one, my work ethic," he said. "My work ethic went out the window. I'm not saying I wasn't working hard, but it went out the window. I didn't work as hard as I used to do."
Statistically, Austin had his worst individual effort last season despite playing in the game's top scoring offense. It served as a wake-up call.
"After last year it showed me when I sat and rode that bench last year, you got to respect it," he added. "You've got to put in the work. Steph Curry can shoot 2,000 shots a day, why not are we doing the same thing with a football catching it?"
A new approach and better attitude should spur more production. Austin appears mentally ready to take on a bigger role after years of not showing those capabilities. Machota reported Austin has been one of Dallas' most consistent performers during camp.
His physical capabilities never waned, though. Yes, Austin's diminutive size (5'8", 179 pounds) will always hinder him to a degree. But his game is predicated on short-area quickness, long speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash) and the ability to create after the catch. A renewed sense of devotion to his craft should align with his skill set and show exactly why Austin was once considered an elite prospect. He found a perfect home with the Cowboys.
The NFL is like the housing market. What's most important? Location, location, location. Austin can be more effective in Dallas than any other NFL locale.
He can run behind the league's most talented offensive line—which tends to dominate at the point of attack—and the Cowboys lack a go-to receiver after Jason Witten's retirement and Dez Bryant's release. The rest of the wide receiver room consists of Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, Allen Hurns, Deonte Thompson, Lance Lenoir Jr., Noah Brown, K.D. Cannon, Mekale McKay and rookies Michael Gallup and Ricky Jeune.
You shouldn't be embarrassed if you mouthed to yourself "Who?" after reading that lineup, because it's the biggest question yet to be answered in Cowboys training camp.
Beasley is the most likely to emerge as Prescott's favorite target because he's shifty, reliable and consistently works his way open over the middle of the field.
Austin, however, brings an entirely different element and shouldn't be looked upon as just a receiver or running back. He's now a "web back" and slated to be the versatile piece he's always been destined to become.
"I love it," Austin said. "It's all about getting the ball in space for me. That's all I really want, get the ball in space and have a little fun and show what God blessed me with."
He caught two passes for 25 yards in his debut Thursday. Although, the Cowboys aren't going to show their hand during the preseason. They're not going to let their vertical threat loose against poor competition, even though he's been a handful for defensive backs in practice sessions, as Machota captured:
Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1026308348273078272
The Rams never fully committed to Austin as a weapon. Head coach Jason Garrett and the Cowboys can be more imaginative. Austin can line up as a wide receiver from the slot or outside while also spelling Ezekiel Elliott in certain packages. Better yet, Elliott and Austin can also play at the same time, and defenses too focused on Elliott could give Austin the space he craves.
"You can call him whatever you want to call him," Garrett said, per the Associated Press' Schuyler Dixon. "He's obviously very quick. He's very fast. We're comfortable lining him up as a receiver outside or inside and certainly in the backfield as well. He's done all those things."
Austin doesn't need to be a traditional wide receiver to serve as Dallas' No. 1 receiving threat—he just needs to be himself. Early indications show a player finally comfortable in his skin and about to be unleashed in what's become a mismatch league.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2790747-tavon-austin-looks-primed-to-break-out-as-dallas-cowboys-playmaker
Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey gives his opinion on NFL QB's
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 27 Replies
These are excerpts from this article. To read the whole thing click the link below.
*********************************************************************************
https://www.gq.com/story/jalen-ramsey-trash-talk-nfl-interview
Jalen Ramsey Has Something to Say (About Literally Everyone)
BY CLAY SKIPPER
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SEBASTIAN KIM
In his first two seasons in the NFL, Jalen Ramsey hasn't quite let his game speak for itself. He has infamously talked smack to Steve Smith, Sr.—calling the legendary receiver and trash-talker an “old man”—exchanged jabs with Tom Brady before a game, and even got so far inside A.J. Green’s head last season that the Bengals wideout chokeslammed Ramsey long after the whistle.
Of course, the unofficial rules of trash talking dictate that you can't talk shit unless you can back it up. And here it helps that the 23-year-old just might be the best cornerback in the NFL.
Jalen Ramsey: If all those teams were wanting Cleveland Browns’ No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield so bad—Baker compares better with Lamar Jackson than any of those other quarterbacks. So if they want that type of quarterback—confident, get out the pocket, throw on the run, big plays, charisma—then yeah, I understand Baker going number one. But if all the other people were competing and wanting Baker, too, then why wasn't Lamar the second quarterback chosen? Instead of at the end of the first round.
I think Buffalo Bills draft pick Josh Allen is trash. I don't care what nobody say. He's trash. And it's gonna show too. That's a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I'm excited as hell. I hope he's their starting quarterback. He played at Wyoming. Every time they played a big school—like, they played Iowa State, which is not a big school in my opinion because I went to Florida State, and he threw five interceptions, and they lost by a couple touchdowns or something like that.
He never beat a big school. If you look at his games against big schools, it was always hella interceptions, hella turnovers. It's like: Yo, if you're this good, why couldn't you do better? He fits that mold, he's a big, tall quarterback. Big arm, supposedly. I don't see it, personally.
I would've picked Lamar Jackson earlier than 32. I think he's gonna do a good job. Especially with the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator—he likes running quarterbacks, likes that read option.
And just being honest about it, Joe Flacco sucks. I played him two years in a row. He sucks.
Who are the quarterbacks, in your opinion, who don't suck?
Aaron Rodgers does not. Tom Brady doesn't. I gotta think now, about all the teams... I think Marcus Mariota is a great quarterback for their team. I think Tyrod Taylor is actually a better quarterback than he gets credit for, because he does not make mistakes. He's honestly a Marcus Mariota type player, where he manages a game really well, always has them at least in position to be in the game late in the game. He just doesn't have turnovers that often. That's really all you need, especially if you get a good defense.
Are you sold on the Jimmy Garoppolo hype?
I don't know yet. Just cause when they beat us, his hype picked up. They were like, "He beat the number one defense." It was all schemes. He didn't beat us. It wasn't like he diced us up. It was literally all schemes. They were doing flat routes to the wide open fullback, and he's running for 20 yards down the field four times during the game... So he didn't really dice us up. It was their fullback and their tight end on over routes. But if you know how to work within your scheme then it means you're good. I guess you could say he's good.
Deshaun Watson, he'll be the league MVP in a couple years. One hundred percent. There's not even a debate about that. Him and Carson Wentz, for every year starting now until five to ten years, it's gonna be them two. They're that good.
Jared Goff, he's average to above average. He reminds me of Jimmy Garoppolo a little bit. Year one, he wasn't good. He wasn't even good enough to earn his own starting role. Like, if you the number one pick, you expected to start now. Period. He wasn't ready to do that. He wasn't able to do that.
Then when he did get in, he didn't really do that good. But in his second year, they got a new offensive coordinator. Your offensive coordinator is just your brainiac. When we played them, it felt like his offensive coordinator was drawing up perfect plays and then he was hitting the open man. For what his team ask him to do, yeah, he's good.
Dak Prescott, he's good. He's alright. He's okay. I'll put it that way. Ezekiel Elliott runs that team though. Everything runs around Zeke.
What about Kirk Cousins?
I think he's good. I think he's a winner. He's a hell of a competitor. Coming off the play action, he's the best quarterback in the league. Play action passing, he's a hell of a quarterback. Derek Carr, I think he's good. Eli Manning... It's not really Eli. I think it's Odell Beckham, Jr.. I won't say Eli's good, I'll say Odell's good. And their connection is good.
I think Russell Wilson is good. I think he's just a really good leader too. Big Ben Roethlisberger, I think he's decent at best… It's not Big Ben, it's Antonio Brown. Big Ben slings the ball a lot of the time. He just slings it, and his receivers go get it. He has a strong arm, but he ain't all that. I played him twice last year, and he really disappointed me. He'll be in the Hall of Fame and all that.
What about your boy Blake Bortles?
Blake do what he gotta do… I think in crunch time moments, like last year's playoff game—not as a team, because we would have trusted him—but I think as an organization, we should have trusted him more to keep throwing it. We kinda got complacent and conservative. And I think that's why we lost. We started running it on first and second down, throwing it on third down, every single time we were out there. The Patriots caught on to that.
Nick Foles?
He won them a Super Bowl so he's good enough to do that. He had a hella good team, too, though. But as long as you can do what the team asks you to do, then you're straight. Like people say Blake sucks, but he took us to the AFC Championship game off strictly doing what was just asked of him: not turning the ball over, running Leonard Fournette to death, letting the defense get some turnovers, and putting us in a good field position to capitalize on.
That was what we asked him to do. Playoff Blake is good. People can say whatever but playoff Blake is good. I think that's how it is with a lot of teams: as long as you do what that team is asking you to do, and you do it well with the rest of the team, then you can be considered good—or at least not bad. You not a bad quarterback if you do what your team asks of you.
Matthew Stafford, I think he's straight. I don't think he the best quarterback out there. But he do what he gotta do.
Drew Brees. I'm a fan of Drew Brees. I think Drew Brees really good, even at this age. He still runs. Everything. Andrew Luck—I don't really think he's that good. Him and T.Y. Hilton had a connection in the past that made him stand out a little bit more, but I don't think he's good. Who's the Miami quarterback?
Ryan Tannehill.
I don't know much about him. I haven't heard the greatest of stuff about him but I don't know him personally so I can't tell you. I don't watch their games either. Philip Rivers, I think he's pretty good. What's the Atlanta quarterback's name?
Matt Ryan.
I think Matt Ryan's overrated. You can't tell me you win MVP two years ago, and then last year, you a complete bust, and you still got Julio Jones? There's no way that should ever happen. I don't care. You know what that tells me? That tells me Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan left, went to San Francisco, got Garoppolo, made Garoppolo this big thing. And now Garoppolo is a big name—and now Matt Ryan has this bad year? Alright, well, was it really you, or was it your coach? He was doing what was asked of him and it was making him look really, really good.
Do you think Colin Kaepernick's good enough to be in the league?
Yeah. Oh, hell yeah. He's way better than some of these second string quarterbacks out here. Possibly better than some of these first string quarterbacks out here. And some teams have third string quarterbacks. He's definitely good enough to be in the league, but he won't be. Sadly...
*********************************************************************************
https://www.gq.com/story/jalen-ramsey-trash-talk-nfl-interview
Jalen Ramsey Has Something to Say (About Literally Everyone)
BY CLAY SKIPPER
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SEBASTIAN KIM
In his first two seasons in the NFL, Jalen Ramsey hasn't quite let his game speak for itself. He has infamously talked smack to Steve Smith, Sr.—calling the legendary receiver and trash-talker an “old man”—exchanged jabs with Tom Brady before a game, and even got so far inside A.J. Green’s head last season that the Bengals wideout chokeslammed Ramsey long after the whistle.
Of course, the unofficial rules of trash talking dictate that you can't talk shit unless you can back it up. And here it helps that the 23-year-old just might be the best cornerback in the NFL.
Jalen Ramsey: If all those teams were wanting Cleveland Browns’ No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield so bad—Baker compares better with Lamar Jackson than any of those other quarterbacks. So if they want that type of quarterback—confident, get out the pocket, throw on the run, big plays, charisma—then yeah, I understand Baker going number one. But if all the other people were competing and wanting Baker, too, then why wasn't Lamar the second quarterback chosen? Instead of at the end of the first round.
I think Buffalo Bills draft pick Josh Allen is trash. I don't care what nobody say. He's trash. And it's gonna show too. That's a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I'm excited as hell. I hope he's their starting quarterback. He played at Wyoming. Every time they played a big school—like, they played Iowa State, which is not a big school in my opinion because I went to Florida State, and he threw five interceptions, and they lost by a couple touchdowns or something like that.
He never beat a big school. If you look at his games against big schools, it was always hella interceptions, hella turnovers. It's like: Yo, if you're this good, why couldn't you do better? He fits that mold, he's a big, tall quarterback. Big arm, supposedly. I don't see it, personally.
I would've picked Lamar Jackson earlier than 32. I think he's gonna do a good job. Especially with the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator—he likes running quarterbacks, likes that read option.
And just being honest about it, Joe Flacco sucks. I played him two years in a row. He sucks.
Who are the quarterbacks, in your opinion, who don't suck?
Aaron Rodgers does not. Tom Brady doesn't. I gotta think now, about all the teams... I think Marcus Mariota is a great quarterback for their team. I think Tyrod Taylor is actually a better quarterback than he gets credit for, because he does not make mistakes. He's honestly a Marcus Mariota type player, where he manages a game really well, always has them at least in position to be in the game late in the game. He just doesn't have turnovers that often. That's really all you need, especially if you get a good defense.
Are you sold on the Jimmy Garoppolo hype?
I don't know yet. Just cause when they beat us, his hype picked up. They were like, "He beat the number one defense." It was all schemes. He didn't beat us. It wasn't like he diced us up. It was literally all schemes. They were doing flat routes to the wide open fullback, and he's running for 20 yards down the field four times during the game... So he didn't really dice us up. It was their fullback and their tight end on over routes. But if you know how to work within your scheme then it means you're good. I guess you could say he's good.
Deshaun Watson, he'll be the league MVP in a couple years. One hundred percent. There's not even a debate about that. Him and Carson Wentz, for every year starting now until five to ten years, it's gonna be them two. They're that good.
Jared Goff, he's average to above average. He reminds me of Jimmy Garoppolo a little bit. Year one, he wasn't good. He wasn't even good enough to earn his own starting role. Like, if you the number one pick, you expected to start now. Period. He wasn't ready to do that. He wasn't able to do that.
Then when he did get in, he didn't really do that good. But in his second year, they got a new offensive coordinator. Your offensive coordinator is just your brainiac. When we played them, it felt like his offensive coordinator was drawing up perfect plays and then he was hitting the open man. For what his team ask him to do, yeah, he's good.
Dak Prescott, he's good. He's alright. He's okay. I'll put it that way. Ezekiel Elliott runs that team though. Everything runs around Zeke.
What about Kirk Cousins?
I think he's good. I think he's a winner. He's a hell of a competitor. Coming off the play action, he's the best quarterback in the league. Play action passing, he's a hell of a quarterback. Derek Carr, I think he's good. Eli Manning... It's not really Eli. I think it's Odell Beckham, Jr.. I won't say Eli's good, I'll say Odell's good. And their connection is good.
I think Russell Wilson is good. I think he's just a really good leader too. Big Ben Roethlisberger, I think he's decent at best… It's not Big Ben, it's Antonio Brown. Big Ben slings the ball a lot of the time. He just slings it, and his receivers go get it. He has a strong arm, but he ain't all that. I played him twice last year, and he really disappointed me. He'll be in the Hall of Fame and all that.
What about your boy Blake Bortles?
Blake do what he gotta do… I think in crunch time moments, like last year's playoff game—not as a team, because we would have trusted him—but I think as an organization, we should have trusted him more to keep throwing it. We kinda got complacent and conservative. And I think that's why we lost. We started running it on first and second down, throwing it on third down, every single time we were out there. The Patriots caught on to that.
Nick Foles?
He won them a Super Bowl so he's good enough to do that. He had a hella good team, too, though. But as long as you can do what the team asks you to do, then you're straight. Like people say Blake sucks, but he took us to the AFC Championship game off strictly doing what was just asked of him: not turning the ball over, running Leonard Fournette to death, letting the defense get some turnovers, and putting us in a good field position to capitalize on.
That was what we asked him to do. Playoff Blake is good. People can say whatever but playoff Blake is good. I think that's how it is with a lot of teams: as long as you do what that team is asking you to do, and you do it well with the rest of the team, then you can be considered good—or at least not bad. You not a bad quarterback if you do what your team asks of you.
Matthew Stafford, I think he's straight. I don't think he the best quarterback out there. But he do what he gotta do.
Drew Brees. I'm a fan of Drew Brees. I think Drew Brees really good, even at this age. He still runs. Everything. Andrew Luck—I don't really think he's that good. Him and T.Y. Hilton had a connection in the past that made him stand out a little bit more, but I don't think he's good. Who's the Miami quarterback?
Ryan Tannehill.
I don't know much about him. I haven't heard the greatest of stuff about him but I don't know him personally so I can't tell you. I don't watch their games either. Philip Rivers, I think he's pretty good. What's the Atlanta quarterback's name?
Matt Ryan.
I think Matt Ryan's overrated. You can't tell me you win MVP two years ago, and then last year, you a complete bust, and you still got Julio Jones? There's no way that should ever happen. I don't care. You know what that tells me? That tells me Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan left, went to San Francisco, got Garoppolo, made Garoppolo this big thing. And now Garoppolo is a big name—and now Matt Ryan has this bad year? Alright, well, was it really you, or was it your coach? He was doing what was asked of him and it was making him look really, really good.
Do you think Colin Kaepernick's good enough to be in the league?
Yeah. Oh, hell yeah. He's way better than some of these second string quarterbacks out here. Possibly better than some of these first string quarterbacks out here. And some teams have third string quarterbacks. He's definitely good enough to be in the league, but he won't be. Sadly...
Bills sign ex-Rams FB Sam Rogers
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 9 Replies
https://www.buffalorumblings.com/20...-rogers-signed-as-new-backup-2018-zach-olstad
By John Boccacino
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55784343/usa_today_10053420.0.jpg)
The Buffalo Bills have made a change at the backup fullback position, inking Sam Rogers to a contract, according to head coach Sean McDermott. Rogers, who was waived by the Los Angeles Rams in May, will serve as the primary backup to veteran starter Patrick DiMarco.
Rogers was selected by the Rams with the 22nd pick of the sixth round (pick No. 206 overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech. After initially being cut by the team in September, Rogers spent his rookie season on the Rams’ practice squad.
The team signed Rogers to take over the backup fullback role after Zach Olstad was waived/injured because of an ankle injury. He was injured Monday.
Olstad was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Winona State, where he was a former walk-on. The Bills signed Olstad in May after he impressed during a tryout at rookie minicamp. He was the only player among the 30 who auditioned for the Bills to earn a contract.
By John Boccacino
The Buffalo Bills have made a change at the backup fullback position, inking Sam Rogers to a contract, according to head coach Sean McDermott. Rogers, who was waived by the Los Angeles Rams in May, will serve as the primary backup to veteran starter Patrick DiMarco.
Rogers was selected by the Rams with the 22nd pick of the sixth round (pick No. 206 overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech. After initially being cut by the team in September, Rogers spent his rookie season on the Rams’ practice squad.
The team signed Rogers to take over the backup fullback role after Zach Olstad was waived/injured because of an ankle injury. He was injured Monday.
Olstad was an undrafted rookie free agent out of Winona State, where he was a former walk-on. The Bills signed Olstad in May after he impressed during a tryout at rookie minicamp. He was the only player among the 30 who auditioned for the Bills to earn a contract.
CAMP REPORT Wed Aug-15 Camp Report
- By CGI_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 24 Replies
https://www.therams.com/news/brandin-cooks-offers-key-experience
Brandin Cooks Offers Key Experience
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has not played football on the West Coast since his college football days as an Oregon State Beaver.
While California and Los Angeles may offer bit of a change in lifestyle and climate than his two previous NFL stops, Cooks, selected as the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, has accumulated a wealth of experiences that might make his football transition a bit easier.
Drafted by the Saints in 2014, Cooks spent three seasons in New Orleans. In his rookie season, Cooks averaged 10.5 yards per reception, on 550 yards receiving, with three touchdowns. Following his rookie season in The Big Easy, Cooks has recorded three consecutive seasons north of 1,000 yards receiving.
Cooks’ consistent production has proven valuable to both the Saints and Patriots. In 2017, Cooks was traded for New England’s first and third-round picks entering what would be the Patriots’ run at Super Bowl LII.
In 2017, Cooks finished his fourth season in the league with seven touchdowns and one AFC Championship title, playing alongside future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.
After logging his first three career playoff games, Cooks was again included in a trade for a first-round pick, but this time to Hollywood.
Since his opening press conference as a Ram, Cooks seems to fit perfectly into head coach Sean McVay’s “We Not Me” system. One month ago, after signing a five-year contract extension before entering training camp, Cooks talked about his L.A. move.
“It was very easy to come in with my personality and make that fit, and to show others as well that it’s not about me, it’s about the team,” Cooks said.
Cooks is just one of the handful of noteworthy additions in L.A. this offseason. General manager Les Snead and McVay brought in a wealth of experienced and talented players in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and corners Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters.
The Rams’ big-name additions move to Los Angeles with truckloads of accolades, including All-Pro selections, Rookie of the Year awards, Super Bowl Championship rings, and more. Cooks however, has experience to offer — and not just any experience.
For the first four years of his career, Cooks has caught passes from two future Hall of Famers in Brady and Drew Brees, and played under Bill Belichick in New England and Asshole Face in New Orleans.
It is yet to be seen how Cooks will fair under McVay in his second season as an NFL head coach. But according to Cooks, playing under McVay and with quarterback Jared Goff might not be that far off from the head coach/quarterback tandems he is used to.
When asked if there are any similarities between McVay and Goff and his former co-workers, Cooks said “absolutely.”
“Their communication is at a high level,” Cooks said. “They see things and they talk about things and fix them out here. I think you got to have that, and they’ve been showing that type of ability day in and day out of camp.”
The iconic Belichick-Brady duo, and offensively dominant combination of Drew Brees’ arm and Payton’s play calling are not the only NFL experiences that have primed Cooks for 2018 in L.A.
“Last time I checked, I’ve played for two offenses that did the same thing and I was just fine. I’m happy about my role,” Cooks said.
Having played alongside weapons like tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham, receivers Danny Amendola and Michael Thomas, and running back Mark Ingram means Cooks is no stranger to lining up with impressive playmakers on offense.
Meeting with media in the “dog days” of his fifth career training camp, questions flew regarding Cooks’ unique early NFL career. While many reporters looked back, Cooks looked forward — possibly providing the best recap of the Rams’ 2018 offseason to date.
“The more weapons you have, the better off as a team you’re going to be, and that’s, at the end of the day, what we are looking for.”
The Worst Super Bowl: 1999
- By Corbin
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 6 Replies
NOOOO SILLY! NOT OUR RAMS THE SUPER BOWL RIGHT BEFORE! 
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/Tg-Mt0Ed92A
Anybody remember this? lol crazy how 2- years have morphed our culture.
Login to view embedded media View: https://youtu.be/Tg-Mt0Ed92A
Anybody remember this? lol crazy how 2- years have morphed our culture.
NFL rules updates. new and improved confusion.
- By Psycho_X
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 18 Replies
Totally clearish on what a catch is. I guess it's better. Rules are always better the more bullet points they need.
got from
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SEAN MCVAY GF ROCKS TINY BIKINI ... While Rams Practice
- By Faceplant
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 44 Replies
This probably belongs in the Off Topic forum...but....You're Welcome......
http://www.tmz.com/2018/08/14/sean-mcvay-girlfriend-veronika-khomyn-bikini/
Wanna know the best part about Rams training camp being at UC Irvine?? You're lookin' at it.
Here's Veronika Khomyn -- the smokin' hot girlfriend of L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay-- finding ways to pass the time while her man figures out ways to get Todd Gurley into the end zone.
The team's training camp facilities are just a few miles from Laguna Beach (yeah, where they shot that MTV reality show back in the day) ... so Veronika decided to throw on her bikini and catch some rays.
Some background on Veronika -- she's a 28-year-old Ukranian model who started dating McVay back when he was an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins.
The two moved out to California together when he got hired for the Rams job -- and judging by these pics, she's loving the move.
So are we.
http://www.tmz.com/2018/08/14/sean-mcvay-girlfriend-veronika-khomyn-bikini/
Wanna know the best part about Rams training camp being at UC Irvine?? You're lookin' at it.
Here's Veronika Khomyn -- the smokin' hot girlfriend of L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay-- finding ways to pass the time while her man figures out ways to get Todd Gurley into the end zone.
The team's training camp facilities are just a few miles from Laguna Beach (yeah, where they shot that MTV reality show back in the day) ... so Veronika decided to throw on her bikini and catch some rays.
Some background on Veronika -- she's a 28-year-old Ukranian model who started dating McVay back when he was an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins.
The two moved out to California together when he got hired for the Rams job -- and judging by these pics, she's loving the move.
So are we.
CAMP REPORT Tue Aug-14 Camp Thread
- By CGI_Ram
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 7 Replies
https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-from-day-11-of-training-camp
10 Observations from Day 11 of Training Camp
1)Los Angeles’ antepenultimate training camp session began with special teams working on kickoff return. Coordinator John Fassel started out with the front eight players on the return team on one field, and the back three on the second. Then they came together on one field with a scout kickoff.
2) After a pair of solid practices on Saturday and Sunday,head coach Sean McVay elected to give many of the veteran players the day off. Offensive linemen Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, and John Sullivan were held out of practice, as was running back Todd Gurley given his heavy workload. Defensively, linemen Michael Brockers and Ndamukong Suh were among those with the day off.
3) After the special teams period, Los Angeles’ offense began working on misdirection plays against air. Well, it was air except for the team’s head coach, asMcVay was out there covering receiversto give a certain look for different plays.
4) During individual drills, both the defensive line and linebackers worked on tackling. As you might expect, they didn’t tackle each other so as to prevent injury. Instead,both units used a padded tackling donut. Once each player hit it, they’d dive onto a larger padded surface. It’s a safe and effective way to become a more sure tackler.
5) When the offense and defense first came together,McVay had them go into half-field drills. On one play, quarterback Jared Goff completed a pass to wide receiver Brandin Cooks on the left side. Cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters were both on the field for the play, and came back to the sideline in conversation about what had occurred. As wide receiver Robert Woods has said, even if something works against those two cornerbacks once, it probably won’t work again.
6)Speaking of Talib, he interceptedquarterback Sean Mannion on a pass down the seam later in practice. The ball was likely intended for tight end Temarrick Hemingway, but Tqlib stepped into the ball’s path and picked it off. He went up the left sideline, visibly smiling as he made his way into the end zone for a (theoretical) pick six.
7) With Whitworth, Saffold, and Sullivan all receiving a vet day,Joe Noteboom, Austin Blythe, and Brian Allen filled in at left tackle, left guard, and center, respectively. On one play during 11-on-11, Noteboom and Blythe combined on a double team to spring running back Malcolm Brown for good yardage on a carry to the left.
8) With Gurley also receiving a rest day, running back John Kelly was another rookie who received extended snaps. He caught a screen on the left side during 11-on-11 drills and showed the same shiftiness he displayed during the matchup with Baltimore to make his way down the field.
9) One of the new elements in training camp this summer has been the monitor on the sideline at practice. Its intention is to allow for instant film review during the session, which allows for quicker improvement. That happened today whenMcVay and Goff took an extended look at a red-zone playwhich resulted in a Cooper Kupp touchdown reception. While the play looked like a success, there was clearly an element of it that McVay wanted Goff to notice right away.
10) After an 11-on-11 period, McVay pulled the team together in the middle of the field and announced a competition to not only end practice early, but also get meetings canceled for the evening. But in order for it to happen,Noteboom had to catch a punt from the jugs machine. Fortunately for the team, Noteboom accomplished the mission — albeit after the ball first hit off his shoulder pads.
The Rams have the day off on Tuesday, but will be back on the field for their penultimate practice at UC Irvine on Wednesday afternoon.
The World According to Jon Gruden
- By Prime Time
- RAMS / NFL TALK
- 7 Replies
This is part of SI.com's MMQB for 8/13/19. To read the entire article click the link below.
*************************************************************************************
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/13/j...n-ramsey-dante-fowler-fight-media-suspensions
The World According to Gruden
By Albert Breer
NAPA, Calif. — In case you were wondering, Jon Gruden did hear you going in on him for his comments on analytics at the combine. You might have called him a dinosaur, or suggested the game passed him by, and that’s O.K.
The new/old Raiders coach—who was actually branded an innovator 20 years ago, the Sean McVay of his era—knew it was coming when he said it. And even if you disagreed then, and maybe you still do now, he doesn’t have to look far to find a pretty difficult-to-dispute response to the criticism.
“I was the first quality control guy in NFL history, just so everybody knows, with the 49ers,” Gruden told me, after Monday’s practice in Wine Country. “What I was there—What are the tendencies? What are they doing on third down? How many times did we run the ball in split-backs? Right? What’s our ratio of run-to-pass in the shotgun? Don’t get me wrong. I love analytics and we can use it.
“Character profiles for the draft, which we do, we can use it all. But sooner or later, you gotta get up there and you gotta call a play. When it’s third-and-3, and I think you’re blitzing, I’m gonna take that into account. I don’t give a damn if it’s 33% zone, I think you’re blitzing. After a while, you need someone to shorten the stack.”
Therein, you have the dichotomy of Jon Gruden in 2018. On one hand, he still carries the playsheet, and he’s still on the quarterback’s hip (in this case Derek Carr’s) when his offense is on the field. It’s also tough to imagine him being more engaged than he was on the morning I was there. At one point, he worked himself up to where his black ’90s-era Raiders hat sat crooked on his head from all the tugging.
When the offense jumps? “Come on!” he yells. “That’s three false starts!” So yes, in a lot of ways, he is the same guy that left coaching behind after being fired from the Bucs following the 2008 season, which is to say he’s not playing CEO.
“This is how I’ve always coached,” he says. “And don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a great staff, and I’m sure I’ll utilize them the best way possible. But I’ve got a vision for what I wanna try to do. … And I gotta lead the charge, I gotta lead the team in effort. That’s one thing I know I can control. I want to outwork myself, the Gruden that was here in 1999, the Gruden that was coaching in Tampa in 2007.”
On the other hand, he learned a lot in his time away, maybe more than he would’ve had he never let the sideline, which sets the stage for his much anticipated second run as Oakland’s coach, with a foundation melding the old principles he won with before, and new ideas he picked up in nine years of calling games at ESPN.
During our talk, we started talking about his reentry into football and wound up covering so much on the Raiders and NFL that it made sense to break it up, and give it you in pieces…
The adjustment back in. It would be easy to figure Gruden would have to re-acclimate to the life of an NFL coach, and going back into the bunker for 16-hour workdays. Which would be assuming, of course, that he actually ever came out of it.
“No one’s really been with me the last seven or eight years, no one really knows what I’ve been doing,” Gruden says. “I’ve been grinding. In my own way, I’ve been grinding hard, and year round, really. I got very little going in my life, man. I got a bad elbow, I can’t golf. I don’t know much about the stock market. I don’t have many other interests but family and the man upstairs and football.
“Everybody’s getting real deep and philosophical about how different everything is. The real players want to be coached, they want structure, they want discipline, they don’t want it to be easy.”
The players he’s looking for. Are those players harder to find this time around (see: the stigma around the term “millennial”)? Gruden says they really aren’t. The reason why was that the Raiders had a lot of needs, which gave him and GM Reggie McKenzie room to renovate the roster in his image.
“We were gutted,” Gruden says. “We didn’t have a linebacker that we knew of on the team. Our secondary, I think they’re all gone. I didn’t know who the right tackle was, Donald Penn was hurt. We needed some depth at all positions. ... We didn’t have a ton of cap money to spend at that time, so we brought in guys that we thought could come in and play right away, guys that could come in and be leaders in every room.”
And he’s seeing it now—Jordy Nelson helps Amari Cooper, Leon Hall helps Rashaan Melvin and Gareon Conley, Derrick Johnson helps Marquel Lee. In other words, where some saw Gruden reaching for aging vets, he saw players with something left who could set the tone for what he and his staff were expecting.
“I tried to bring in a lot of guys like that, like [Marcus] Gilchrist, guys that’ll play for nothing,” Gruden says.
The basis of his program is the same, but it has evolved. One thing all that time “away” gave Gruden was a chance to watch his ex-assistants work. Four of them—McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Tomlin and Jay Gruden—are leading their own programs now.
“It’s like, ‘You know what? The program, it did work,’” he says. “So confirming some things was good. Seeing how different people practice, like today I had a timeout in practice, a TV timeout. Taking the pads off after a certain period, after you get your contact work done. Certain drills, turnover drills, anti-turnover drills. You steal things, you tweak things. So trying to get better practices, that helped me a lot.”
Indeed, the Raiders took the pads off for the last half-hour of the 150-minute session I watched, and you heard those TV timeouts announced over the PA. You also saw some new technology put to work—the staff had video boards adjacent to the practice field (I saw the Rams using them in camp earlier, too) so coaches could correct things right there during drills. Which brings us to…
Incorporating technology. We’re going to get to analytics in a second. But technology—and how it has changed—was where we started in on that conversation. Gruden brought up how, on Monday Night Football, there would be a new gadget to play with every year. And he remembers thinking, “We buy it because it’s new. And you know what? Sometimes the thing we had last year was better. It’s new. It’s not better.”
So he’s tried to take that approach in looking at the advances in football he saw on his trips through the NFL over the last nine years, and deciding which to cherry pick.
“I had a chance to ask all these coaches, ‘What are you doing out with these GPSes? What are you getting out of that?’” he says. “And I hear a lot of the guys saying, ‘Not much.’ I hear that. Then I go another place, and they’re using it, and they’re spending a fortune on it. They got sleep bracelets, they got time chambers, they got the goggles, the quarterbacks are watching 3D vision.
“You can buy all that, spend millions of dollars, and turn this into whatever you want. And we have. We have as good a technology as anyone. But what can you use? I ticked a lot of people off for some reason when I said, ‘We’re gonna get back to the nuts and bolts of football,’ because I have seen a lot of the gimmicks and gadgets not really be beneficial. Is it helping them get better?”
Shortening the stack. When Gruden says he needs to “shorten the stack”, it applies to technology as well it does to analytics, where he sees a need to filter through what he doesn’t see as useful, so he can get his players what is useful in a way that makes the most of the now limited time the team has with them.
“I’ve sat in team meetings, I’ve had a lot of access,” Gruden says. “And the first 10 minutes, the first 15 minutes of the team meeting they talk about hydration and they talk about their workload. ‘You three guys, and you, Albert, you worked too hard yesterday, your story went too long so you’re gonna take it easy today. And you over here, you have to have this recovery shake after practice.’ And that’s the first 15 minutes of the meeting! And I don’t know. I don’t know about that.”
Don’t get it mixed up. Gruden’s not saying strength and conditioning, nutrition and recovery aren’t important. What he is saying is there’s a point where valuable time is taken from the football operation if a team is going over the top with it. And that spills into all the data teams are getting. “I don’t need that much analytical data,” he says, closing his index finger and thumb together, “I need that much, so I can use it.”
He’s not wild about the rules. With all that has changed since 2008, Gruden has taken the good and weighed it against the bad. But there are certain shifts that have taken place in the NFL that he has strong opinions on. The CBA is one.
“When I got this job, I couldn’t even talk to anybody for two months,” he says. “We let Marquette King go, everybody’s saying I’ve got a bad relationship with him, I’d never met the guy! I’d never met him. But we had to make some cap decisions, and you wish you could meet these guys. You wish you could really sit down with Derek Carr and teach him the offense, so you feel behind.
“I don’t like the CBA. I think it stinks. I think it stinks, personally. If the guy wants to work, he ought to be able to come in and work. When you start regulating work ethic, it’s not the American Way.”
Carr, Cooper, Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson and Rodney Hudson played six snaps on Friday night against Detroit. Nelson played five. The defense was in there for two series, and without Gareon Conley and, of course, holdout Khalil Mack (Gruden: “We hope to get Khalil in here, that’s been a challenge”). And there are still a lot more questions than answers on where these Raiders are going.
But one thing that’s unmistakable: Gruden can’t wait to find out. And a little of that came out when he was talking about the CBA. Some coaches have trouble relighting the fire when coming back for a second stint. Not Gruden. It’s pretty obvious, he can’t get enough of it.
“I’ve got a lot of responsibility and passion for this place,” he says. “We’ve had one winning team in 15 years, I think I’m like the 10th head coach to come through here since I’ve been gone. And that’s hard. Hard on the fans, hard on Mark Davis. You gotta put a system in place. So now we’ve got a system.”
And the truth is, it’s a little different than you might have heard.
*************************************************************************************
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/08/13/j...n-ramsey-dante-fowler-fight-media-suspensions
The World According to Gruden
By Albert Breer
NAPA, Calif. — In case you were wondering, Jon Gruden did hear you going in on him for his comments on analytics at the combine. You might have called him a dinosaur, or suggested the game passed him by, and that’s O.K.
The new/old Raiders coach—who was actually branded an innovator 20 years ago, the Sean McVay of his era—knew it was coming when he said it. And even if you disagreed then, and maybe you still do now, he doesn’t have to look far to find a pretty difficult-to-dispute response to the criticism.
“I was the first quality control guy in NFL history, just so everybody knows, with the 49ers,” Gruden told me, after Monday’s practice in Wine Country. “What I was there—What are the tendencies? What are they doing on third down? How many times did we run the ball in split-backs? Right? What’s our ratio of run-to-pass in the shotgun? Don’t get me wrong. I love analytics and we can use it.
“Character profiles for the draft, which we do, we can use it all. But sooner or later, you gotta get up there and you gotta call a play. When it’s third-and-3, and I think you’re blitzing, I’m gonna take that into account. I don’t give a damn if it’s 33% zone, I think you’re blitzing. After a while, you need someone to shorten the stack.”
Therein, you have the dichotomy of Jon Gruden in 2018. On one hand, he still carries the playsheet, and he’s still on the quarterback’s hip (in this case Derek Carr’s) when his offense is on the field. It’s also tough to imagine him being more engaged than he was on the morning I was there. At one point, he worked himself up to where his black ’90s-era Raiders hat sat crooked on his head from all the tugging.
When the offense jumps? “Come on!” he yells. “That’s three false starts!” So yes, in a lot of ways, he is the same guy that left coaching behind after being fired from the Bucs following the 2008 season, which is to say he’s not playing CEO.
“This is how I’ve always coached,” he says. “And don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a great staff, and I’m sure I’ll utilize them the best way possible. But I’ve got a vision for what I wanna try to do. … And I gotta lead the charge, I gotta lead the team in effort. That’s one thing I know I can control. I want to outwork myself, the Gruden that was here in 1999, the Gruden that was coaching in Tampa in 2007.”
On the other hand, he learned a lot in his time away, maybe more than he would’ve had he never let the sideline, which sets the stage for his much anticipated second run as Oakland’s coach, with a foundation melding the old principles he won with before, and new ideas he picked up in nine years of calling games at ESPN.
During our talk, we started talking about his reentry into football and wound up covering so much on the Raiders and NFL that it made sense to break it up, and give it you in pieces…
The adjustment back in. It would be easy to figure Gruden would have to re-acclimate to the life of an NFL coach, and going back into the bunker for 16-hour workdays. Which would be assuming, of course, that he actually ever came out of it.
“No one’s really been with me the last seven or eight years, no one really knows what I’ve been doing,” Gruden says. “I’ve been grinding. In my own way, I’ve been grinding hard, and year round, really. I got very little going in my life, man. I got a bad elbow, I can’t golf. I don’t know much about the stock market. I don’t have many other interests but family and the man upstairs and football.
“Everybody’s getting real deep and philosophical about how different everything is. The real players want to be coached, they want structure, they want discipline, they don’t want it to be easy.”
The players he’s looking for. Are those players harder to find this time around (see: the stigma around the term “millennial”)? Gruden says they really aren’t. The reason why was that the Raiders had a lot of needs, which gave him and GM Reggie McKenzie room to renovate the roster in his image.
“We were gutted,” Gruden says. “We didn’t have a linebacker that we knew of on the team. Our secondary, I think they’re all gone. I didn’t know who the right tackle was, Donald Penn was hurt. We needed some depth at all positions. ... We didn’t have a ton of cap money to spend at that time, so we brought in guys that we thought could come in and play right away, guys that could come in and be leaders in every room.”
And he’s seeing it now—Jordy Nelson helps Amari Cooper, Leon Hall helps Rashaan Melvin and Gareon Conley, Derrick Johnson helps Marquel Lee. In other words, where some saw Gruden reaching for aging vets, he saw players with something left who could set the tone for what he and his staff were expecting.
“I tried to bring in a lot of guys like that, like [Marcus] Gilchrist, guys that’ll play for nothing,” Gruden says.
The basis of his program is the same, but it has evolved. One thing all that time “away” gave Gruden was a chance to watch his ex-assistants work. Four of them—McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Tomlin and Jay Gruden—are leading their own programs now.
“It’s like, ‘You know what? The program, it did work,’” he says. “So confirming some things was good. Seeing how different people practice, like today I had a timeout in practice, a TV timeout. Taking the pads off after a certain period, after you get your contact work done. Certain drills, turnover drills, anti-turnover drills. You steal things, you tweak things. So trying to get better practices, that helped me a lot.”
Indeed, the Raiders took the pads off for the last half-hour of the 150-minute session I watched, and you heard those TV timeouts announced over the PA. You also saw some new technology put to work—the staff had video boards adjacent to the practice field (I saw the Rams using them in camp earlier, too) so coaches could correct things right there during drills. Which brings us to…
Incorporating technology. We’re going to get to analytics in a second. But technology—and how it has changed—was where we started in on that conversation. Gruden brought up how, on Monday Night Football, there would be a new gadget to play with every year. And he remembers thinking, “We buy it because it’s new. And you know what? Sometimes the thing we had last year was better. It’s new. It’s not better.”
So he’s tried to take that approach in looking at the advances in football he saw on his trips through the NFL over the last nine years, and deciding which to cherry pick.
“I had a chance to ask all these coaches, ‘What are you doing out with these GPSes? What are you getting out of that?’” he says. “And I hear a lot of the guys saying, ‘Not much.’ I hear that. Then I go another place, and they’re using it, and they’re spending a fortune on it. They got sleep bracelets, they got time chambers, they got the goggles, the quarterbacks are watching 3D vision.
“You can buy all that, spend millions of dollars, and turn this into whatever you want. And we have. We have as good a technology as anyone. But what can you use? I ticked a lot of people off for some reason when I said, ‘We’re gonna get back to the nuts and bolts of football,’ because I have seen a lot of the gimmicks and gadgets not really be beneficial. Is it helping them get better?”
Shortening the stack. When Gruden says he needs to “shorten the stack”, it applies to technology as well it does to analytics, where he sees a need to filter through what he doesn’t see as useful, so he can get his players what is useful in a way that makes the most of the now limited time the team has with them.
“I’ve sat in team meetings, I’ve had a lot of access,” Gruden says. “And the first 10 minutes, the first 15 minutes of the team meeting they talk about hydration and they talk about their workload. ‘You three guys, and you, Albert, you worked too hard yesterday, your story went too long so you’re gonna take it easy today. And you over here, you have to have this recovery shake after practice.’ And that’s the first 15 minutes of the meeting! And I don’t know. I don’t know about that.”
Don’t get it mixed up. Gruden’s not saying strength and conditioning, nutrition and recovery aren’t important. What he is saying is there’s a point where valuable time is taken from the football operation if a team is going over the top with it. And that spills into all the data teams are getting. “I don’t need that much analytical data,” he says, closing his index finger and thumb together, “I need that much, so I can use it.”
He’s not wild about the rules. With all that has changed since 2008, Gruden has taken the good and weighed it against the bad. But there are certain shifts that have taken place in the NFL that he has strong opinions on. The CBA is one.
“When I got this job, I couldn’t even talk to anybody for two months,” he says. “We let Marquette King go, everybody’s saying I’ve got a bad relationship with him, I’d never met the guy! I’d never met him. But we had to make some cap decisions, and you wish you could meet these guys. You wish you could really sit down with Derek Carr and teach him the offense, so you feel behind.
“I don’t like the CBA. I think it stinks. I think it stinks, personally. If the guy wants to work, he ought to be able to come in and work. When you start regulating work ethic, it’s not the American Way.”
Carr, Cooper, Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson and Rodney Hudson played six snaps on Friday night against Detroit. Nelson played five. The defense was in there for two series, and without Gareon Conley and, of course, holdout Khalil Mack (Gruden: “We hope to get Khalil in here, that’s been a challenge”). And there are still a lot more questions than answers on where these Raiders are going.
But one thing that’s unmistakable: Gruden can’t wait to find out. And a little of that came out when he was talking about the CBA. Some coaches have trouble relighting the fire when coming back for a second stint. Not Gruden. It’s pretty obvious, he can’t get enough of it.
“I’ve got a lot of responsibility and passion for this place,” he says. “We’ve had one winning team in 15 years, I think I’m like the 10th head coach to come through here since I’ve been gone. And that’s hard. Hard on the fans, hard on Mark Davis. You gotta put a system in place. So now we’ve got a system.”
And the truth is, it’s a little different than you might have heard.