I’m already on record as considering the tag for use only as a very last resort.

For only a transcendent player such as an AD or a franchise QB. Players that one absolutely, positively, must NOT allow to get away.

But that’s about it. They alienate the player and cause the club to overpay, sometimes grossly. Ultimately a lose-lose proposition.

But there’s another aspect that the Rams are probably very much factoring into their calculations.

Barring a successful AD extension, and soon, they know that they will need that tag next year and possibly through ‘21 for AD. By which time perhaps Goff will require a tag. Hopefully, these players will be successfully extended. But if not, that tag would be verrrrry handy next year and beyond.

My point? Well, it behooves the Rams to deal with Joyner and Watkins without resorting to the tag. ‘Cause if they don’t, then they’re painted into a corner come ‘19 if AD is not already in the fold. That is a place that they don’t want to be. That they can’t AFFORD to be.

Therefore, I predict that they will extend Joyner for whatever the market requires. Watkins? They will extend him, if possible, up to their predetermined ceiling. Beyond that, they let him walk. No tag for either, IOW.

They want to keep that tag available as their ace in the hole for the AD negotiations.

I kind of searched and didn't see anything, so sorry if it's a duplicate thread (I'm super lazy and I'm supposed to be writing a paper, so I honestly didn't try that hard).

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...find-andy-daltons-successor-in-lamar-jackson/

CBS has us paying on Payne and Vea to select a CB named {something} Davis. I thought it was worth since everyone here seems to be in love with those two. Especially after the Peters trade, but whatever. I assume the person didn't follow the Rams... At all.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/02/23/bonsignore-making-the-rams-roster-moves-as-gm-for-a-day/

Bonsignore: Making Rams roster moves as GM for a day (updated)

Among the difficult roster decisions the Rams face this offseason: What to do with outside linebacker/pass rusher Robert Quinn, left. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
1 COMMENT
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: February 23, 2018 at 9:00 am | UPDATED: February 28, 2018 at 5:14 pm


Editor’s note: Approximately one hour after this analysis was originally posted, news broke that the Rams were trading for Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters. The article has been updated to reflect that development.

The offseason the Rams face in 2018 is dramatically less urgent and daunting than what they encountered a year ago.

A new coaching staff was just getting settled in and questions and concerns were lurking around every corner for a franchise that hadn’t had a winning season since 2003. An upgrade at left tackle and center were badly needed and a mediocre wide receiver corps required urgent care. A culture needed to be changed and a locker room needed to be saved and restored.

ADVERTISING
As for young running back Todd Gurley and quarterback Jared Goff, uncertainty was rampant. Were they franchise-caliber players or first-round whiffs?

It was, to say the least, an ominous time.

A year later, it can safely be said nearly every concern and task at hand were decisively addressed. If the Rams weren’t hitting home runs — dynamic head coach Sean McVay, Pro Bowl left tackle Andrew Whitworth and dependable wide receiver Robert Woods come to mind — they were driving screaming line drives to the outfield wall with the drafting of Cooper Kupp and additions of center John Sullivan and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Gurley was restored as one of the best running backs in the NFL and Goff made a gigantic leap from rookie worry to second-year Pro Bowler.

All of which helped the Rams make one of the most dramatic turnarounds in NFL history, their offense going from the worst in the league to the best while surging to an 11-5 regular-season record — their first winning season since 2003 — while claiming their first division title since 2004.

Clearly it makes for a much less anxious offseason this year — especially after trading for Chiefs All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters in a move that changes the dynamics of their to-do list. But make no mistake, they have a lot of work ahead to remain as good as they were last season. Let alone close the gap between themselves and upper echelon.

So we’re putting on our general manager and capologist caps to lend a helping hand.

Here’s what we’d do if we were in the Rams’ G.M. chair:

RE-SIGN FREE AGENT LAMARCUS JOYNER, LET TRUMAINE JOHNSON WALK
Seven months ago, it seemed inevitable the Rams and Johnson would be parting ways at the end of the season. Johnson, who the Rams utilized their franchise tag on for the second consecutive year, even conceded as much at the opening of training camp.

And while Johnson played better than anyone could have expected while emerging as a valued locker room leader, his Rams fate was essentially sealed when the club traded for Peters, a 25-year-old lock-down defender who will make $15 million less than what Johnson made last year.

The move for Peters gives the Rams much more flexibility, and enables them to bring back Joyner stress free relative to their salary cap. Joyner can remain at safety, where he emerged as a reliable run stuffer and pass defender in his first year as a starter, or begin the year at corner in place of Kayvon Webster, who went down at the end of 2017 with a ruptured achillies tendon.

The Rams have roughly $46 million available under the salary cap, and likely more if they part ways with veterans Tavon Austin, Mark Barron and Robert Quinn. Getting Joyner under contract is absolutely a must.

FRANCHISE TAG WIDE RECEIVER SAMMY WATKINS
There are valid arguments to be made for bringing Watkins back or letting him walk as an unrestricted free agent. On one hand, he represents the kind of dynamic home-run hitter the Rams have lacked for years at wide receiver. On the other, he simply did not statistically live up to the hype after they traded for him near the end of training camp.

Watkins finished with 39 catches for 593 yards and eight touchdowns. Good but not great numbers for No. 1-caliber receiver.

That’s where the franchise tag comes in so handy.

If, as some suggest, Watkins’ numbers were merely the result of him arriving late in camp and not having a full year to work with Goff, bringing him back on a one-year deal buys time to figure out whether he’s part of the long-range plan. Without, of course, committing long-range money.

Yet.

If he rebounds with a big year, they can revisit a multi-year deal next year. If not, they can simply walk away no harm done.

RELEASE TAVON AUSTIN
The Rams can create $3 million of cap space by releasing Austin, who is due $8 million in 2018. It’s not necessarily a lot of money — although every dollar counts working with a hard cap — but his departure also helps in other ways. It would open a door for the younger, more dynamic Pharoh Cooper to replace him.

Cooper is potentially a better receiver than Austin and likely more dangerous working out of the backfield and on jet sweeps. McVay did an admirable job figuring out a way to get production out of Austin. Now imagine what he can do with Cooper in that role.

SIGN BENGALS TE TYLER EIFERT
When healthy, Eifert is an absolute beast and one of the best red-zone weapons in the NFL. The problem is, he hasn’t played a full 16-game season over five years while dealing with various injuries. He played only two games last year — 10 over the past two seasons — but would be an ideal candidate to sign a one-year “prove it” deal in search of a bigger deal down the road.

The Rams have made it clear they want more production from their tight ends, and a healthy Eifert is talented enough to provide it. From his perspective, the Rams represent a perfect situation with an up-and-coming quarterback, a bevy of weapons around him, and a head coach in McVay whose offense relies heavily on tight end production.

KEEP OLB ROBERT QUINN
The Rams face an intriguing decision with their veteran pass rusher, as releasing him would free up $11.4 million in cap space. But Quinn made a strong case for himself over the second half of the season while finishing with 8.5 sacks. The Rams did an excellent job managing Quinn’s body following two consecutive years of reduced games because of injury, utilizing a mindful weekly practice and game schedule that resulted in a much more fresh and productive Quinn late in the season. Between his pass rush ability and the leadership he brings to the locker room, bringing Quinn back is more beneficial than the cost effectiveness of releasing him.

RELEASE MARK BARRON
Barron had a good but not great season in 2017, and while he was second on the team with 85 tackles, his $10 million price tag, coupled with injury concerns, are legitimate factors in decidingwhether to bring him back. By releasing him, the Rams will create $7 million in cap space. It would mean the Rams would look to the draft or open market to find a replacement, although third-year LB Corey Littleton is certainly a potential replacement candidate.

TIME TO HOOK UP AARON DONALD
The price tag for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year is going up by the minute, and while he and the Rams came to an accord last year after a lengthy offseason and training camp holdout, it’s hard to imagine each side going through that again.

Donald is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and while the Rams could kick the can further down the road by utilizing the franchise tag in 2019 and 2020, the sense is they are eager to wrap Donald up.

Everything the Rams should be looking to do following the Marcus Peters trade
February 28, 2018 | By:Jake Ellenbogen


The Rams dropped a bomb on the rest of the NFL when they agreed with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire superstar CB Marcus Peters. While the details of the deal have yet to be released, it's still fair to speculate what the Rams should and could do this off-season following this blockbuster move.

Sign LaMarcus Joyner long-term
SMLXL

I don't know what to tell you, Joyner, in his first season as a Free Safety was ranked the third best in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. When you turn on the tape, Joyner was just flat-out dominant and he and rookie John Johnson III both fed off each-other's success. That right there included the building of an impressive chemistry, for now, one of the most exciting safety duos in pro football.

What's next? Well, Joyner was not extended during the season and has not been given a deal or a franchise tag yet from what we have seen. However, this guy needs to be priority one, the Rams continue to flop safeties every year going back to Adam Archuleta, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Rodney McLeod, T.J. McDonald and most recently Mo Alexander. Joyner is 27 and is in the driver's seat to sign his first and last big 5-year contract. Hopefully, the Rams step up to the plate and lock him up to join the secondary of John Johnson III and Marcus Peters.

Do not rule out the idea of bringing back Trumaine Johnson
SMLXL

There is a more than 85% chance of the Rams losing Trumaine Johnson after the team acquired Marcus Peters via trade this past week. Johnson has been with the team that drafted him for his whole entire career and even though it's looking like he could get paid big bucks somewhere else, the Rams have paid him well with two straight franchise tags that pushed Johnson's annual salary to almost $18 million. There is a chance if the Rams presented Johnson with a lower than market value offer, Trumaine could get cold feet in the unheard of event of him leaving the Rams organization. Sure, Johnson is slated to command 16-18 million dollars per year as he is the best cornerback in free agency if he joins the pool. However, a potential hometown discount to stay for one or two years and take care of business also could be in order.

Think about this, Johnson has made over $30 million dollars with the Rams the last two seasons, money should not be an issue. Now, the Rams have put a superstar next to him and this is the same team that made the playoffs last year for the first time in Johnson's career. It might be crazy, but it also might be hard for Johnson to give up on the team if they truly want him. The problem for me before was not if Trumaine wanted to come back, it was if the Rams wanted him back. Sean McVay said today in a press conference that the Rams do want Johnson back and that leads me to believe there is still a shot that Johnson sticks around to see how this movie ends. The Rams are only expected to get better under a 32-year old Head coach that just led a team from 4-12 the year before to a playoff home game at 11-5. It's a business, but do not count out the potential short-term deal Johnson could consider.

Tag Sammy Watkins as long as you know LaMarcus Joyner is a done deal
SMLXL

There is a real good chance the Rams sign Sammy Watkins especially after they traded away E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick for his services right before last season. The key with that statement is the "right before last season" part. Watkins was thrown into battle having very little familiarity with the scheme and hardly any chemistry with franchise QB Jared Goff. Now, unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills did not pick up the 5th-year option of Sammy Watkins which makes him a free agent this season. Due to that decision, the Rams are left in a tough spot, they could do what the Bills are doing and let Watkins walk just like Gaines is. However, the 24-year old receiver has immense upside and is already extremely talented.

I have battled back and forth with many on this subject, but I think that the Rams might want to bring him back especially after the Peters trade. There are certainly options in the draft but you aren't going to find a better receiver day one than Watkins right now in the draft or free agency.

Retain the underrated key contributors
SMLXL

I've seen some fans say that the Rams should let Nickell Robey-Coleman go. Excuse me? The highest rated cornerback on the Rams should be let go of? I'm confused, this guy is one of the best players at the nickel cornerback position in the game. The Rams will need to retain NRC for sure and then I guess the respect he receives from fans will need to improve following his contract signing. Another guy would be John Sullivan who many want to see leave despite the fact he's been the Rams best center since what? Jason Brown? Sullivan will be cheap, they will likely draft a guy in this class and they like Austin Blythe so why not at least bring back Sullivan for one more year?

Troy Hill has a chance to start alongside Marcus Peters depending what happens in the off-season. However, he needs to be signed as an exclusive free agent first. 2017-18 expected defensive line starter Dominique Easley went down with a torn ACL and will look to continue to play football, there is no reason the Rams should not bring back Easley for cheap who just turned 26-years old. Matt Longacre and Cody Davis also have played a huge part in helping the Rams depth. Longacre might have been the best outside linebacker this past year for the Rams and Davis started some games at safety. Both of them should be brought back, these are players that may not jump off the page to the everyday NFL fan but make an impact more behind the scenes.

Find a trade partner for Mark Barron or release him after June 1st
SMLXL

It's a shame really, Mark Barron was the Rams best inside backer last year despite being completely undersized. However, the Rams sealed his fate when they gave Alec Ogletree the long-term extension. This was the first legitimate contract extension from the new regime and it seems like Ogletree was hand-picked to be their guy to move forward into the next era of this defense. Barron should garner some value, mainly for a 4-3 team that needs a play-making linebacker. Best guess would be the Cleveland Browns with Gregg Williams (former Rams Defensive coordinator).

It's unclear how much the Rams could get in return for Barron but it would be worth it to trade Barron now and find "your guy" at the position moving forward. Barron could save the Rams up to $9 million in cap space if cut after June 1st, which would allow the Rams to add his replacement and make the move once that date rolls along. Speaking of that replacement...

Make Avery Williamson the top non-in-house priority in free agency
SMLXL

You may not realize it but Williamson has been one of the most underrated young studs at his position in the league for a bit now. The former 5th-round pick is 25 years old and is expected to make out like a bandit in free agency. Dick LeBeau's top inside backer led all ILB's in tackling efficiency, run stop percentage and was ranked among the top of the league in coverage snaps per reception allowed according to Pro Football Focus. Alec Ogletree is going to need a legit 3-4 inside backer to take over and help him out more. Williamson is that guy and even though he will be expensive, he is once again only 25 and is one of the most well-rounded players at the position in the league.

Sure, there are other options out there but drafting Williamson would allow the Rams to look at other positions and get their full bang for their buck in the NFL draft. Williamson should, by all means, receive a contract with the Titans but if they decide not to bring him back for whatever reason the Rams will need to scoop him up.

Kick tires on outside linebacker free agent talent
SMLXL

The Rams proved that they clearly covet Robert Quinn after reports came out that the team refused to trade him to Kansas City in the deal for Marcus Peters. It's obvious the Rams have a need at the edge defender position and one guy they could look to bring in, played as a 3-4 outside linebacker just this past season in Chicago under a great Defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio. Pernell McPhee has been consistently solid over his career and if you were grading the 29-year old like it was high school you would give him a B or a B minus. With that being said he's free to sign anywhere now and with the Rams in-house options limited by pending free agents and lack of experience, McPhee might be a perfect fit to come into an organization on a short-term deal and try and win a Super Bowl before he starts consistently bouncing team-to-team to finish out his career.

Another option for the Rams would be the 27-year old Trent Murphy from the Washington Redskins. This is someone that would be intriguing because he is like McPhee in that you would grade him as a B player and he's two years younger. Another thing to add onto that is that Murphy has familiarity with the Rams linebackers and assistant head coach Joe Barry since he defensive coordinated the Redskins when Murphy was there. The main drawback here is that Murphy was suspended four games in 2017 for violating the league's PED (Performance Enhancing Drugs) policy. Murphy would likely have to serve that time in 2018 due to the fact he tore his ACL and MCL in the preseason.

The pros are there for Murphy as he is two years younger than McPhee and he has the familiarity with Joe Barry and that Redskins defense he coordinated. The cons are there for Murphy as well, seeing as he did not play in 2017 due to an ACL and MCL tear plus the fact he has a looming PED suspension.

Look for a running back to fill the Chris Thompson role in McVay's offense
SMLXL

There are two top options to fill this role. Dion Lewis from the New England Patriots and Jerick McKinnon from the Minnesota Vikings. It has been an obvious idea that Sean McVay wants his pass catching "scat back" behind Todd Gurley. It's also obvious that the idea of Lance Dunbar (which wasn't a good one to begin with) backfired due to his consistent injuries. If you feel like Benny Cunningham would have done better in that role I definitely agree with you. Also for those of you that seem to doubt the idea that a Chris Thompson player would be needed in this offense, here is Thompson week three versus the Raiders.

Now, the Rams have a chance to either draft a kid in the draft to fill that role or sign a guy like McKinnon or Lewis. It remains to be seen how much the Rams will be willing to spend but if he is for the taking either Lewis or McKinnon would make a lot of sense. The Rams are likely looking for someone that can give Gurley a breather while also not having to limit the offense in any way during their time on the field. Both Lewis and McKinnon were ranked in the top ten of Pro Football Focus' highest grade running backs and both were among the top of the league in pass protection. The Rams are going to need to add a pass protector and both of these guys fit the bill. If not now, the Rams will address the position in the draft and choose from a talented crop that could include Kalen Ballage, Mark Walton, Nyheim Hines, Jaylon Samuels, Ito Smith, Martez Carter, John Kelly, Justin Jackson and much more.

Soften up teams and start trying to trade out of the 23rd overall slot in the NFL Draft
SMLXL

I think this is what's happening right now at the NFL Combine. It's stupid to say the Rams should be trying to trade for anything since that's what Les Snead and company do. They did it for Jared Goff, Mark Barron, Nick Foles, Sammy Watkins and now recently Marcus Peters. The Rams are not afraid to shake things up, but with the recent trade with the Bills for Watkins, the Rams do not have a second-round pick. They could easily recoup one with a trade down from 23rd in the draft. The Rams are sitting pretty if they bring back Watkins, Joyner and even sign Williamson or bring Tru back. There aren't a ton of needs this year so the Rams will look to solidify the future and of course, fills those little holes.

If you talk to anyone that is really following this draft process, no one would say the Rams would be crazy to trade out of the 23rd spot and gain a few picks in return. The way this draft is going, we should expect five QB's to go off the board on the first night easily, two or maybe even three running backs and lots of cornerbacks. That leaves us with edge defenders, offensive linemen and linebackers to sift through. Last year, the Rams talked with the Bills to try and pry Watkins during the draft, the two parties agreed on a deal but it wasn't for Watkins (of course we know how that went). The Rams had zero first-round picks last year and traded down from 37 overall. There is no reason to believe that Snead is not going to trade down and scoop up more draft capital.

Here's what next season's NFL TV schedule could look like
Feb 23, 2018, 7:55am EST

Ben Solomon/The New York Times
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reacts in the second quarter of Super Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Feb. 4, 2018.

Will a rematch of the NFC championship kick off the NFL’s 2018 season? Will the Washington Redskins play their third Thanksgiving in a row? Will Jon Gruden’s Oakland Raiders anchor the season’s first Monday night on ESPN?

These are three scenarios that were bandied about in Minneapolis during Super Bowl week as network executives made their annual trek to lobby the NFL’s master schedule maker, Howard Katz, for the best games next season.

Top executives from ESPN, Fox Sports and NBC Sports met with Katz and his team in Minneapolis. CBS met the week before in New York. As in every other year in recent memory, the networks clamored to carry the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers — teams that reliably draw the biggest TV ratings in the league. This year, the networks also showed a lot of interest in the Philadelphia Eagles, even before their Super Bowl win.

What made this year’s meetings different were the number of new teams that piqued interest, like the Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers with newly signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Here are a few predictions for how the NFL schedule could shake out:

NBC
Sunday night remained the NFL’s top-rated package last season and was the top-rated prime-time series in all of television for the seventh consecutive season. It will come as no surprise that, once again, the league will put its most competitive schedule on NBC and max out on the number of times it carries the Cowboys, Packers and Patriots. Don’t be surprised to see NBC carry multiple Rams games early in the season.

CBS
The AFC schedule looks particularly weak next season from a television standpoint. For example, the only Cowboys games CBS could carry are against the Jaguars and Titans, two teams that generally do not bring in big ratings. Look for the NFL to cross-flex more NFC games to CBS than it has in the past in an attempt to put bigger market games on the network.

Fox
I expect Fox to have a stronger “Thursday Night Football” schedule than in previous years. Sources said Fox is open to moving games that would have anchored late Sunday windows to Thursday night. Sunday still matters for Fox. But as it starts its five-year “Thursday Night Football” deal, it wants the strongest schedule possible on Thursday.

ESPN
Last year, ESPN pushed to have more games between division rivals. Expect the league to give ESPN more of those games, though this schedule will continue to have the weakest games of any TV package.

Specific Games
NFL Opener on NBC

• Minnesota at Philadelphia. Dallas-Philly would post a bigger rating, and the NFL will want to start the season strong following two years of ratings drops. But the league loves rematches in this slot, and a replay of the NFC championship makes the most sense here.

Opening Weekend on ESPN

• Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland. Look for ESPN to get the Raiders home opener, which would be former “Monday Night Football” analyst Gruden’s first home game as the Raiders coach. The opponent doesn’t matter here. ESPN just wants Gruden, who served as “Monday Night Football” analyst for nine seasons.

Thanksgiving

• Green Bay at Detroit on CBS. The only AFC opponents the Lions play at home next season are the Patriots and the Jets. CBS and the NFL consider the Patriots to be too strong and the Jets to be too weak for this early-window Thanksgiving slot. Look for the league to cross-flex an NFC North rival to Thanksgiving. The Lions played the Vikings on Thanksgiving the past two years, so my bet is on the Packers. Green Bay has not played on Thanksgiving since 2013.
• Washington at Dallas on Fox. For the past several seasons, Fox has pushed for good Thanksgiving matchups to help boost ratings. My guess is that the league will pick an NFC East opponent, and I’m placing my bets on Washington. The Redskins have played on Thanksgiving the past two seasons, but the league does not mind having them play on consecutive Thanksgivings.
• Falcons at Panthers on NBC. The NFL likes to have a rivalry game in this slot. While it has a lot of games it can use in this slot, I’m keeping my eye on this NFC South matchup. That would allow the NFL to turn around and have the Falcons host the Cowboys the following Thursday as part of the “Thursday Night Football” package.

https://www.bizjournals.com/newyork...nfl-tv-schedule-could-look-like.html?s=print&

Login to view embedded media View: https://mobile.twitter.com/RapSheet/status/968916507513278464


I’m not interested in him especially for the price he’ll likely command but I’m sure others will.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MylesASimmons/status/968888961279184896


Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MylesASimmons/status/968889757148303369

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MylesASimmons/status/968888961279184896


Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/MylesASimmons/status/968889757148303369

Not just draft picks, but FA decisions both incoming and outgoing. Shouldn’t overlook that the coaches are top notch developers of talent, too.

The Rams have numerous difficult decisions for this offseason personnel wise.

AD
Watkins
Sully
Quinn
Barron
Barwin
TruJo
NRC

These are the headliners, but there are so many others.

Any FO can wheel and deal with FA’s and draft picks. Ahhh... But to do it so consistently effectively? And Wisely?

I have great confidence that this collaboration will make smart unemotional decisions about all incoming and outgoing FA’s. Not to mention having another draft of smart football players that will be good fits in the respective schemes. It’s all about players that are good fits AND sometimes being put in a different position for which they are better suited. A helluva combo.

Why am I so confidant? Because that’s exactly what they did last year practically as soon as they walked in the doors.

Some examples of culling out players that weren’t good “fits” and of bringing in unheralded players that were excellent fits:

Kenny Britt was dropped like a hot potato and Woods brought in. Ironically, Britt got a bigger contract than Woods to play last year. Results were light years apart and in Rams favor.

Barnes dropped, Sully in. And for less than $1million. Bam!

Whit signed, GRob out. Might be best FA signing of the year league wide in terms of turnaround improvement and importance.

Brockers moved over to DE. Huge and immediate success.

Joyner moved to FS. Had an outstanding year. Some have said top 5.

These are just a few highlights. There were so many more.

My point? Difficult decisions are looming, some on players to which fans have become sentimentality attached. Gonna require tough and accurate evals and then decisions. I think this staff is more than up to it. Some fans may be surprised by a move or two, both incoming and outgoing, but I suspect that the results on the field will be positive once again.

I predict that Wade’s D gets largely “finished” before all the dust settles. Might not all be household names as FA’s, and some will surely be rookies. But when Wade get’s done with tinkering with his new toys? Look out!

Here’s to an active and productive offseason!

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Mayock-Sees-Depth-In-First-Round-Defensive-Talent/08db03dd-f87b-494c-b3c1-8b6d6f340348


Mayock Sees Depth In First-Round Defensive Talent
Posted Feb 26, 2018


Kristen Lago Rams Writer/Reporter@kristennlago

The NFL Network's Mike Mayock projects as many as 12 defensive players will be taken in the first-round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Throughout the 2017 offseason, much of the Rams’ focus centered around improving the club’s offense. Through free agency and the draft, Los Angeles bolstered its offensive line and provided quarterback Jared Goff with a slew of new weapons at receiver.

But after an impressive campaign that saw the club go from last to first in the league in scoring, the 2018 offseason will bring a new set of challenges to L.A.

Los Angeles currently holds the 23rd overall pick in the first round of this spring’s NFL Draft. And the majority of analysts in mock drafts are thinking the Rams will select a defensive player. After transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive scheme under coordinator Wade Phillips, moving forward the Rams will look to continue fine-tuning their system.

Fortunately, there are plenty of talented defensive prospects that will showcase their skills at the NFL Combine this week — with the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock projecting as many as 12 potential first rounders.

“I think the interior defensive line at the high end is outstanding,” Mayock said. “I think at least four are going to go — Washington’s Vita Vea, Alabama’s Da’Ron Payne, Michigan’s Maurice Hurst, and Florida’s Taven Bryan.”

All four combined for 166 tackles and 14.5 sacks in 2017, but they are not alone in their ability to rush the passer.

“The off-the-ball linebackers are really good this year,” Mayock continued. “Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds, Georgia’s Roquan Smith, Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch, and Alabama’s Rashaan Evans. I think those four have the chance to go as off-the-ball linebackers. Typically, there's only two off-the-ball linebackers, so that would be a big year.”

Rounding out the top selection of prospects are the cornerbacks, who are still a bit of a mystery for Mayock. Mayock expects Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward — who finished the year with 37 tackles, two interceptions, and 15 pass breakups — to be selected first in his position group. But Mayock said he is still figuring out where everyone else should be projected.

“Iowa’s Josh Jackson, Central Florida’s Mike Hughes, Colorado’s Isaiah Oliver, Louisville’s Jaire Alexander, [and] Carlton Davis from Auburn. I mean, there are six guys there,” he said. “I think at least four of them are going to go in the first round.”

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...at-prevents-another-josh-mcdaniels-situation/

Report: NFL expected to pass a rule that prevents another Josh McDaniels situation

Josh McDaniels became the story of the offseason when he reneged on his verbal agreement with the Colts at the last minute in order to stay with the Patriots as their offensive coordinator. He'll likely be the last assistant coach who gets the opportunity to treat another team in that same way.

According to NFL.com's Judy Battista, the NFL is expected to enact a rule that will allow teams to officially hire coaches from teams that are still in the playoffs.

It's a common-sense change and nobody should be opposed to it. What happened with McDaniels earlier this month only shows just how much trouble not having this rule can cause.

McDaniels agreed to become the Colts' coach during the Patriots' playoff run, but was unable to make it official until his season ended. On Jan. 15, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported that McDaniels was "a virtual lock" to be the Colts' next coach. But McDaniels couldn't officially commit to the job until the Patriots' season ended, which didn't happen until the Super Bowl. Two days after the Super Bowl, the Colts announced that they hired McDaniels officially. Later that day, McDaniels, who never signed a contract, spurned the Colts to remain in New England.

The Colts, who missed out on every other coaching candidate waiting for McDaniels, were left at the altar. They eventually settled for Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Reich isn't by any means a bad hire, but he's not the coach the Colts initially wanted. If the Colts knew McDaniels didn't really want their job, their coaching search would've played out entirely differently.

The easy solution? Allow teams to officially hire coaches even if they're still involved in a playoff run. If McDaniels had signed a contract, he wouldn't have been able to simply walk away from his commitment with zero consequences (besides suffering a hit to his reputation). It's not like a coach signing a contract during a playoff run would be too big of a distraction for a playoff team to overcome. Everyone in football -- especially the Patriots -- knew McDaniels had agreed to become the Colts' coach. Signing a contract wouldn't change things.

A rule like this would be beneficial to everyone involved. Teams won't have to be fearful of a McDaniels outcome when they're pursuing assistant coaches on playoff teams. And assistants on playoff teams won't be punished for their team's success.

.

i've been seeing headlines that the nfl wants to simplify the catch rule.

then about half an hour ago i saw van pelt talking about it on sportscentre. saying they may take "surviving the ground" out of the rule.

then he started going on about previous examples like the dez catch.

but the best part, and the reason i wanted to post about it, was that he was saying people didn't know what a catch was anymore and brought up colinsworthless saying the ertz td in the superbowl wasn't a td. said worthless was one of the best in the business. hahaha. (how do these people have jobs?) then he showed a replay of the td and notes ertz caught the ball 6 yards out, took 3 steps then dove for the endzone. that if a good judge like worthless didn't know what a td was what hope do the rest of us have? hahaha.

and that is why espn is the worst network on tv. idiots quoting idiots. everyone on the planet knew that was a td except worthless and the guys in the booth that wanted the play reviewed. haha, worthless is one of the best in the business, fuck me.

anyway. just wait till they take surviving the ground out of the rules and see what a mess the catch rule will become. surviving the ground made it easier for the officials to officiate. now they will need to work out if the receiver controlled the ball while having two feet down. get ready for way more bitching in the coming seasons. everybody will still be saying they don't know what a catch is anymore.

.

(sorry mods if this has already been posted!!)

http://draftanalyst.com/combine-notes-day-1

Interesting to say the least on Baker Mayfield’s part. Unlike the fake account last time I tried to get you guys with on Peters compensation this is a real one.

Bounced in round 1 was kinda disappointing, but not as painful as watching us never get there for 12 straight years. But now that we've achieved that first step of getting *into* the playoffs, what's it gonna take to advance? Seems like everything's there. Good QB, good RB, decent receivers, dominant front 4, decent linebackers, (now) a good secondary, dominant special teams.

Is it just a matter of McVay getting seasoned?
Do we need a world-beater TE?
Better linebackers?
Cheat?

For me, I think we need a world-beater at tight-end. I don't even care if he can block. I just want someone like Gronkowski that provides a constantly reliable outlet and who's a threat at all times. As near impossible as it is to get someone like Gronk, I think we at least have to either (a) upgrade, or (b) design a scheme that gets them way more heavily involved.

or cheat.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/02/27/d...kouts-quarterbacks-coach-gm-press-conferences

What to Watch at the NFL Combine
By CONOR ORR

Indianapolis is an enjoyable city any time of year. But every winter it transforms for this strange NFL convention, the place to be in late February/early March if you’ve ever wanted to see an NFL offensive line coach drinking Yuengling at a Dick’s Last Resort after midnight, or a high-profile agent huddling with a cap management executive over a $30 Caesar salad at Don Shula’s steakhouse.

But from a practical standpoint, anyone with an interest in football loves this time of year in Indy because it’s the beginning of two very important periods of the NFL calendar: draft speculation and the free agency speculation.

Not only are the top prospects for the upcoming draft on display, but most of the NFL’s 32 general managers and head coaches will speak with reporters—in complete generalities. Their desire not to tip any of their offseason plans fuels the tireless minds who believe their favorite team can accomplish anything. To those getting ready to hunker down for more than 70 hours of football, here’s what to watch for at this year’s NFL combine (all times Eastern):

QUARTERBACK WORKOUTS

Quarterback Workouts: Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and the others who make up a hyped class of passers arrive on Wednesday, take their hospital pre-exam and x-rays and go through orientation. From there, it’s measurements and interviews on Thursday, media opportunities on Friday and finally on-field workouts Saturday.

Talk of Darnold’s less-than-perfect USC finale, Rosen’s durability, Allen’s accuracy, Jackson’s pro translatability and Mayfield’s size will dominate the early days of the combine and crescendo on Friday during their in-person media availability. Here, reporters will get a first-hand look at how their personalities—almost entirely crafted for answering banal questions from reporters and strange, technical questions from coaches—will play in front of television cameras.

NFL Network starts Saturday’s live broadcast at 9 a.m., and has three hour condensed editions that re-run at 4 p.m., 8 p.m. and 12 eastern.

HEAD COACHING/GM INTERVIEWS

While the schedule is tentative—once, then-Giants head coach Tom Coughlin walked up to the podium hours before his scheduled time and decided he just felt like going—the lineup has been posted.

Before 1 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, when NFL Network begins their live weekday broadcasts, you might have to turn to your friendly local beat writer on Twitter for live updates. The MMQB will also have a heavy presence in Indianapolis, so refresh the site frequently.

WEDNESDAY

9 a.m.: New Texans GM Brian Gaine meets the press at the same time as Browns head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson did his best to evade countless quarterback questions at last year’s combine, but will need an even greater finesse this year with two top-five picks and a well-regarded lineup of QB prospects to choose from.

9:30: A live look at the duality of man—Jon Gruden and Pat Shurmur, two new coaches with wildly different backstories, speak with reporters. As evidenced by Gruden’s recent comments to S.L. Price in Sports Illustrated, his Corona-swigging, visor-wearing personality has only deepened during his lengthy spell as a television commentator. What will he be like now that it’s time to get down to business?

11:30: Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, suddenly thrust into the limelight amid rampant Kirk Cousins speculation, could theoretically unleash three starting-caliber quarterbacks onto the open market (Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford), while gobbling up the best passer to hit free agency in years.

Noon: Eagles GM Howie Roseman and Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell appear live. Both have fascinating offseasons on tap, especially Caldwell, who will break down the Blake Bortles deal.

4 p.m.: John Elway always goes late in the day and is always worth watching. With the Vikings gaining momentum in the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes, does Elway keep a poker face, or does he break protocol and make an under-the-radar bid for the Pro Bowl quarterback?

THURSDAY

A thinner crowd, but a few names worth watching…

10:30 a.m.: Rams GM Les Snead will field questions on Marcus Peters even though he can’t acknowledge the trade has taken place. Set your DVR.

Noon: Pete Carroll, on the verge of a potentially disruptive offseason (see our cap casualties encyclopedia) will meet the media.

WHAT ELSE TO WATCH

• Top offensive line prospect Quenton Nelson and the rest of the hogmollies arrive Wednesday. On-field workouts on Friday.

• The defensive backs round out the action on Monday, and there are a ton of them in Indianapolis. Roughly 70 prospects will hit the field for timing, stations and skill drills a day after their Sunday media meet up.

• Saquon Barkley will meet with reporters on Thursday. The Penn State running back could make it three years straight (Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette) that a running back is selected in the top five. Barkley, who will start meeting with teams Tuesday, should have a clear picture of who is interested in his services heading into Thursday.

2018 NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

http://www.nfl.com/combine

https://www.dailynews.com/2018/02/26/los-angeles-rams-offseason-analysis-special-teams/

Los Angeles Rams offseason analysis: Special teams
By RICH HAMMOND


(Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG

For all the ways the Rams could have lost their wild-card-round playoff game against Atlanta in January, a special-teams meltdown seemed least likely, given how well that unit had performed for two years.

Yet that’s what happened. The Rams committed two uncharacteristic turnovers, one on a kickoff and one on a punt, and never truly recovered. It made for a shocking end to the season for a group that had been an underrated part of the Rams’ surprising success in 2017.

Once again, Johnny Hekker was a dominant punter, although the Rams didn’t need to rely on him as much because their offense actually moved the ball. Kicker Greg Zuerlein nearly was automatic again before he underwent late-season back surgery.

The Rams also made a smart move early in the season when the deposed Tavon Austin as punt returner and elevated Pharoh Cooper, who was dynamic until a couple blunders in the playoff game.

Nothing should change much in 2018, as long as Zuerlein is healthy. As part of an ongoing series, here’s an in-depth glance at the Rams’ situation on special teams:

KICKERS/PUNTERS: Johnny Hekker (65 punts, 47.9 yards per attempt); Greg Zuerlein (40 of 43 field goals, 44 of 46 extra points); Sam Ficken (2 of 3 field goals, 4 of 5 extra points).

RETURNERS: Pharoh Cooper (32 punt returns, 399 yards, 0 TD; 34 kickoff returns, 932 yards, 1 TD); Tavon Austin (12 punt returns, 53 yards, 0 TD; 1 kickoff return, 13 yards, 0 TD).

PENDING FREE AGENTS: long snapper Jake McQuaide, Ficken (restricted).

GRADING 2017
Coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips rightfully get a lot of credit, but special-teams coach John Fassel clearly is a wizard, and he showed in 2017 that he could incorporate new players into the unit and have zero drop-off in productivity.

Credit the Rams for being decisive. When Austin struggled, in the season’s first month, with fumbles on punt returns, the Rams didn’t hesitate to demote the veteran, who already had lost his spot as a starting receiver.

In came Cooper, who had been used sporadically as a returner during his 2016 rookie season but who thrived as Austin’s replacement. Cooper had 32 punt returns in 2017, and eight of them went for at least 20 yards (and two of them went for at least 40 yards). Cooper also averaged 27.4 yards per kickoff return.

The Rams kept quiet, all season, the fact that Zuerlein was dealing with a back injury, but finally it became too much for Zuerlein to tolerate and he went on injured reserve in December. Sam Ficken came in and initially struggled but was perfect in the regular-season finale and the playoff game. GRADE: A

ANALYZING 2018
The expectation is that Zuerlein will be ready for the start of the season. If not, there’s some cause for concern, given how reliable he has been over the past two seasons. Ficken is staying on the roster, just in case, but Zuerlein is only 30 years old and should have many quality seasons ahead of him.

The biggest question might involve Cooper and his usage next season. If, as is widely anticipated, the Rams cut Austin, Cooper might inherit a bigger role in the offense (although just slightly, given how sparingly Austin was used in 2017).

If Cooper becomes more of a traditional slot receiver, the Rams must decide whether he can maintain his role as a full-time returner. He probably can, but if not, look for receiver Cooper Kupp to perhaps share those duties with Cooper.

Hekker, Zuerlein, Cooper and McQuaide all made the Pro Bowl in 2017 and there’s no reason to think that any of them are on the downside of their respective careers. As long as Fassel remains with the Rams, special teams should be a team strength. LEVEL OF NEED: LOW

Would the Rams be interested in him as a backup for Goff.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...mors-vikings-qb-expected-to-enter-free-agency

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is expected to become a free agent when the new NFL league year gets underway next month.

On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the Vikings are "not planning to assert that his contract tolls" despite missing most of the last two seasons through injury.



This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

Get the best sports content from the web and social in the new B/R app. Get the app and get the game.

Alright, I couldn't stand the wait any longer, and being just hours away from the official start of this off-seasons Combine, I offer one more mock before the media pundits make their predictions and the sparq scores have us all second-guessing ourselves.

OK, took this one in a bit of a different direction, ... as you will soon see, 3 of my 4 free agent acquisitions are defensive players, the draft consists of 4 new offensive players and 3 for the defense. Since the Peters trade is now behind us, I won't dwell on that bit of great news, but I do offer a second trade because we will have received another RG to take his place long term, eliminating one potential future problem for the 2019 free agency period. Our #23 pick in the 1'st round is an instant starter for the OL and settles the Center position for at least the next 5 years, this also settles any negative situation arising due to health/age worries going forward with Sully, ... and again, losing another offensive lineman any time soon from free agency. If Billy Price is even close to what Dallas is getting out of Travis Frederick, and playing between Saffold & Norwell, this OL will be top 5. We also pick-up two small school OT's for Whitworth to train, experiment with, and bend some wills.

Following the Marcus Peters pick-up, the Rams now have approximately $40mil. of available CAP, including the deduction from signing our new draft class. The two CAP Casualties, Barron & Austin, along with the traded Jamon Brown will bring our available CAP space up to about $51mil. Re-signing Watkins, Joyner, Robey-Coleman, Easley & McQuaide shouldn't cost much above a $30mil. on average, although as usual, Watkins, Joyner & Robey-Coleman will be heavily discounted in the first year of their contracts, as well will be Norwell, Davis & Jones, so staying under the CAP should not be an issue. Easley is more likely to get a one or two year contract based on his physical.
For a future CAP Casualty or trade loss (2019), Quinn will be approaching near $13.mil in salary, i'm guessing he'll be traded prior to our entering the 2019 season, if not this one. This being Saffold's 'contract' year prior to entering free agency, i'm suspecting we'll lose him as he seeks his wealth with another team, he almost escaped us when leaving for that short rendezvous with Oakland. Whitworth is a little tougher to figure, especially if the Rams bring home a trophy, will he retire, or will he decide to put his body on the line one last time ? Webster could also easily be lost for 2019, so adding Donald to our very expensive column on our 2019 CAP listings should also squeeze in nicely.


Traded : Rams 2018 4'th round draft pick & 2019 2'nd rd.pick for K.C. CB Marcus Peters & a 2018 6'th.
Traded : Jamon Brown to the Jets for a 4'th round pick
CAP Cut : Austin & Barron.
Re-sign : Watkins, Joyner, Robey-Coleman, Easley (if healthy) & McQuaide.
Tender all RFA's, ERFA's (Longacre, Hill, D.Williams, M. Brown, Lynch, etc.).

Let walk - Tru Johnson, Connor Barwin, Lance Dunbar, Cody Davis, Derek Carrier, Tyrunn Walker

Free agency signings (4) :

CB2 - Aquib Talib (Denver) - 32, 2 years - $15mil.
RG - Andrew Norwell (Carolina) - 26, 5 years - $60.mil
ILB - Todd Davis (Denver) - 25, 4 years - 16 mil.
NT - Da'Quan Jones (Tennessee ) - 26, 4 years - 16 mil.

2018 Draft :

1.23) OC/OG - Billy Price, Oh.St.
3.87) OLB - Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Ok.
4.107) (From NYJ) CB - Kameron Kelly, San Diego State
5.160) RB - Mark Walton, Miami
6.194) QB - Kurt Benkert, Va.
6.195) S - Trayvon Henderson, Hawaii
6.196) OT/OG - Alex Cappa, Hum.St.
6.197) OT/OG - Greg Senat, Wagner

When was the last time a team had 4 draft picks in a row ?


The 53 :

Offense (25) :

QB) Goff, Mannion, Benkert
RB) Gurley, M. Brown, Walton
FB) Rogers
WR) Watkins, Reynolds, Woods, Kupp, Cooper, Thomas
TE) Higbee, Everett, Hemingway
LT) Whitworth, Lucas, Cappa
LG) Saffold, Blythe
C) Price, Blythe
RG) Norwell, Cappa, Senat
RT) Havenstein, Lucas, Senat

Defense (25) :

LDE) Brockers, Easley, Fox
NT) Jones, Westbrooks
RDE) Donald, Westbrooks, Fox
LOLB) Ebukam, Okoronkwo
ILB) Davis, Hager
ILB) Ogletree, Littleton, Lynch or Sickels
ROLB) Quinn, Longacre
FS) Joyner, Henderson
SS) John Johnson, Isaiah Johnson
CB) Peters, Talib, Webster, Robey-Coleman, Kelly, Hill

Special Teams (3)

K) Zuerlein
P) Hekker
LS) McQuaide


jmo.

Fined $600,000. Just more reason for me to loath this dude.

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/21/mark-cuban-fined-dallas-mavericks-tanking-comments

Ian Rapoport‏Verified account@RapSheet 25m25 minutes ago
The #Chiefs traded CB Marcus Peters to the #Rams for a 2018 fourth round pick and a 2019 2nd round pick, sources say. The deal can’t be official until the league year begins.

Anyone with knowledge of the rules help? He had surgery, I suspect no team will be willing to trade for him at his contract with a shoulder recovering and not possibly able to pass a physical. Can we cut him though? I think we can but we have to pay him an injury settlement, yes? Does the surgery preclude us from moving on from him?