With the regular season now just a month away, contract talks between the Rams and defensive lineman Aaron Donald remain stalled. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)
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By Vincent Bonsignore | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: August 10, 2017 at 5:48 pm | UPDATED: August 10, 2017 at 6:17 pm

IRVINE – The Rams will play their first preseason game of 2017 Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys at the Coliseum. Barring a major development between now and kickoff, their best player won’t even be in the same area code, let alone in uniform and on the field with the rest of his teammates.

The contract holdout of All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald continues to linger, hovering over the Rams like a thick morning marine layer off the Pacific Ocean.

On and on it goes, now officially two weeks in length and months in execution if you go all the way back to the Rams’ organized offseason team activities. Donald was a no-show throughout OTA’s, firmly planting his feet in the ground in protest of a contract that doesn’t reflect his stature as the NFL’s best interior defensive lineman and the internal fortitude to fight for a new deal that does.

The last time we actually saw Donald and the Rams in the same vicinity was at a mandatory minicamp June 13. But whatever positive vibes his appearance created in Thousand Oaks that day soon faded amid contract talks that yielded no resolution, an official training camp report date that passed without Donald reporting and the 13 days that have followed in which Donald has conspicuously remained AWOL.

Donald and his camp have been eerily quiet throughout, but we can safely surmise they are seeking a deal that makes him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL and surpasses in annual salary the $19,062,500 that Ndamukong Suh makes and the $60 million in guaranteed money his six-year contract with the Dolphins pays him.

We can also safely assume the Rams have pushed a life-changing pile of money to the middle of the table for Donald to accept, an amount that will grant the 26-year-old Pittsburgh native his wish to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league.

They are wise enough to understand what they uncovered when they drafted Donald 13th overall in 2014, and that, three years into his original rookie deal he is wildly underpaid and deserves a contract worthy of his current stature.

In that respect, the two sides share mutual ground. Donald wants his just due and the Rams want to do right by him.

On the other hand, months of contract talks have yielded no resolution. For all the mutual motivation they share, they just aren’t connecting on the key elements of a mutually satisfactory contract.

The reasons for that could vary:

• The Rams aren’t willing to go as high over the Suh market as Donald is demanding;
• The two sides can’t find common ground on how much money is guaranteed;
• Donald’s camp is seeking a deal flexible enough to account for any future upward spike of the salary cap, or one he can maneuver out of sooner rather than later if someone comes along to surpass him as the highest-paid defensive player.

And you can bet someone will.

Those are all valid negotiating points. And Donald and his camp have every right to fight and scratch for every desirable dynamic.

But here’s the thing.

Donald may want all of the above, but aside from doing right by him on a worthy pay bump and the kind of guaranteed money that will comfortably take care of him and his family for generations to come, what is the Rams’ incentive to give in on everything, including how much Donald wants to soar over the Suh benchmark?

The answer, frankly, is very little.

Holdout or no holdout.

Donald still has two years remaining on his original deal. And if you take it a step further, he’s under the Rams’ control through the 2020 season when factoring in the franchise tag tool.

They hold all the leverage. And while they want Donald back in camp like yesterday, they’ll hold firm in their position because there’s no reason not to.

Which brings us to the real crux of this holdout and what will ultimately determine how long it lasts.

Safely assuming the Rams have pushed a life-changing amount of money for Donald to the middle of the table – an amount that, when divvied up, will perch him at the top of defensive player salaries – is he so entrenched in his demands he’s willing to continue to turn that kind of coin down?

And do what?

Come back and play this year and next year before, maybe, hitting free agency in 2019? In the meantime, risk getting hurt and throwing away $70 million or more in guarantees?

Donald has $8 million, total, coming to him over the next two years. That’s a lot of money, relatively speaking. But it ain’t $70 million, now is it?

Or maybe he continues to hold out and start missing paychecks he’ll never recoup.

Do either of those options seem appealing, giving the amount of money we can safely assume the Rams are offering?

The regular season is still a month away. There’s plenty of time for Donald to think all this out and, when the time comes, make a sound decision.

But you get the sense the Rams have gone pretty much as far as they’re willing to go on his demands. There’s really no incentive go any further.

That points the spotlight directly on Donald and his camp.

The question is, what, exactly, is their end game?

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/1...nalds-holdout-lingering-what-is-his-end-game/

First episode aired earlier this week, anyone watch it? Thoughts?


I've liked what I've seen so far, there is a lot of energy surrounding the team. After going 9-7 last season there is a lot of buzz and pressure on them to take the next step.

Interesting. Some competition for Zuerlein.

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Obviously, preseason games matter for WR depth at the bottom of the roster.

Things I think I think though:

Reynolds quad injury "lingers" and he gets IR'd. Dude just has not done enough to warrant a spot on the 53 (and it sounds like he's just not ready at all to play in an NFL offense yet) but there are always obstacles to cutting a year-of pick and also a worry that he'll get nabbed before he makes the practice squad. If we don't see Reynolds at all during the preseason games, bank on this.

So, the roster will most likely look like this on opening day:
Austin
Woods
Kupp
Cooper
Spruce
McRoberts

Thomas will get activated week 4 and Spruce or McRoberts will get cut and an attempt to get them on the PS will happen. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Spruce is totally eligible, right?

Outside looking in: Shakeir Ryan. He would have to dazzle on ST/WR in preseason to steal a spot from Spruce or McRoberts right now. Not out of the realm of possibility but definitely just a 10% chance.

Where to start?

Well, in no particular order...

How does Goff look in his few snaps?

Which backup RB's impress? Doesn't look like we can count on Dunbar very much this season, does it?

Backup LOT candidates? Sure hope somebody can look decent.

Backup C candidates? Blythe, Eldrenkamp, or ???

Can Hav and/or Brown make a statement at the RG and RT positions, please? And what about backups? Any there, there?

I wanna be impressed by Higbee and Everett, and the sooner the better. McVay's O needs good TE play. And can Hemingway, Harkey, or Wilson make a statement? Please?

Top 4 WR's are virtual locks, but what a battle is shaping up for the final 2-3 players. Every poster has his favorites. Which players will impress the coaches and the fans? Possibly the position battles that most interests the fans, including yours truly. I will be rerunning many a recorded play to observe the various WR candidates, trust me.

Backup DL will hold strong fan interest. Especially given the AD holdout and the Easley loss. How will Wade adjust? Which player(s) can start to get a strong grip on a roster spot on this talented DL?

LB play in this 3-4 Wade D will be fascinating, too. Not worried about the starters so much, although I think it will be interesting to watch Quinn's play. But the battles for backup will be fierce. Which players will be best suited for this Wade D? I suspect that our LB depth might be better than many have assumed, tbh. We'll see.

CB depth will be another knock down, drag out all PS long. So much intensity and aggressiveness under coach Pleasant, huh? The Rams will be forced to cut a good CB come Sept, imo.

Battle for S depth will also be a barn burner. Who will be the final 2 survivors after Joyner and Mo? Can't wait to watch this.

Tough call for me. I will be rewatching this recorded game like a one eyed cat peeping in the seafood store, lol. Finally getting to see these players with my own two eyes will be like heaven. All due respect to the many fine camp reporters, of course. But you know what I mean.

If I had to pick just one area of most personal interest? I think I would say the backup WR battle. That could go in six different directions over these next four weeks. Not exaggerating there, I don't think.

So, what's your "most interesting" position battle of interest? Not the most important, but the most interesting?

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how

Total Solar Eclipse: Who? What? Where? When? and How?

On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totalitycan see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights - a total solar eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun's tenuous atmosphere - the corona - can be seen, will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk.


Image Credit: Rick Fienberg, TravelQuest International and Wilderness Travel
Figure 1- In this series of still from 2013, the eclipse sequence runs from right to left. The center image shows totality; on either side are the 2nd contact (right) and 3rd contact (left diamond rings that mark the beginning and end of totality respectively).

Who Can See It?

Lots of people! Everyone in the contiguous United States, in fact, everyone in North America plus parts of South America, Africa, and Europe will see at least a partial solar eclipse, while the thin path of totality will pass through portions of 14 states.


Image Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
Figure 2- This map shows the globe view of the path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. You can find more information at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4518

What is It?

This celestial event is a solar eclipse in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for up to about three hours, from beginning to end, as viewed from a given location. For this eclipse, the longest period when the moon completely blocks the sun from any given location along the path will be about two minutes and 40 seconds. The last time the contiguous U.S. saw a total eclipse was in 1979.


Figure 3 – Diagram showing the Earth-sun-moon geometry of a total solar eclipse. Not to scale: If drawn to scale, the Moon would be 30 Earth diameters away. The sun would be 400 times that distance.

Where Can You See It?

You can see a partial eclipse, where the moon covers only a part of the sun, anywhere in North America (see “Who can see it?”). To see a total eclipse, where the moon fully covers the sun for a short few minutes, you must be in the path of totality. The path of totality is a relatively thin ribbon, around 70 miles wide, that will cross the U.S. from West to East. The first point of contact will be at Lincoln Beach, Oregon at 9:05 a.m. PDT. Totality begins there at 10:16 a.m. PDT.

Over the next hour and a half, it will cross through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. The total eclipse will end near Charleston, South Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT. From there the lunar shadow leaves the United States at 4:09 EDT. Its longest duration will be near Carbondale, Illinois, where the sun will be completely covered for two minutes and 40 seconds.


Figure 4 - A map of the United States showing the path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse.

When Can You See It?

Times for partial and total phases of the eclipse vary depending on your location. This interactive eclipse map(link is external) will show you times for the partial and total eclipse anywhere in the world.


How Can You See It?

You never want to look directly at the sun without appropriate protection except during totality. That could severely hurt your eyes. However, there are many ways to safely view an eclipse of the sun including direct viewing – which requires some type of filtering device and indirect viewing where you project an image of the sun onto a screen. Both methods should produce clear images of the partial phase of an eclipse. Click here for eclipse viewing techniques and safety.


Figure 5 - Check with local science museums, schools and astronomy clubs for eclipse glasses—or purchase an ISO 12312-2 compliant pair of these special shades!


Figure 6 - This list describes when to wear your glasses and when you can safely look at the eclipse, only during totality!

Gotta say, I've been hoping for several years that the Rams would sign Boldin!

For the life of me I never understood why didn't make a run at him when he was available, especially when he first left the Cardinals. The man just exemplifies what a wide receiver should be!

I was wondering if he would have made sense for the rams this year? Is he going to bring top end production, no but I just feel with the youth we have in our receivers, and he would have been a very good mentor and role model.

I was never a big fan of Britt, although he had a good year give me a work horse and self-less player like Boldin any day!

I bet he earns his paycheck in Buffalo

To all -

We are performing a few updates that require ROD to be offline Friday morning at 9am EST for up to 1 hour.

We apologize for the inconvenience!

Cheers!

CGI

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/pag...ecurity-all-32-nfl-head-coaches-2017-hot-seat

Rating the job security of every NFL head coach
ESPN.com

Who will be the first NFL coach to be fired this season? Chicago Bears coach John Fox, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano and New York Jets coach Todd Bowles own the hottest seats at the moment, according to NFL nation reporters.

We rated each coach's job security on a scale of 1 to 5.

Here's the scale on which each coach was rated:

5: Hot seat: Out if the season is a disappointment
4: Warm seat: Not safe if the season is a disappointment
3: Lukewarm seat: Not under fire but not disaster-proof
2: Cool seat: Safe barring a total disaster
1: Cold seat: No way he'll get fired

Rating: 5 = Hot seat

Chicago Bears
John Fox: 5

Fox is 9-23 in Chicago. Let me repeat: Fox has lost 23 of 32 games as coach of the Bears. It got so bad last season that a lot of fans didn't even bother to show up to Soldier Field the final couple of weeks. Fox took Carolina and Denver to Super Bowls -- he has won 128 career regular-season games -- but unless the Bears show significant improvement in 2017, it's hard to envision Fox being around for another season. -- Jeff Dickerson

Indianapolis Colts
Chuck Pagano: 5

Pagano survived back-to-back 8-8 seasons in which the Colts missed the playoffs. Owner Jim Irsay fired general manager Ryan Grigson and has only said Pagano will be coach for this season. Irsay is passionate about winning, and GM Chris Ballard will use this season to evaluate Pagano. Missing the playoffs for a third straight season won't cut it. -- Mike Wells

New York Jets
Todd Bowles: 5

Bowles doesn't have a playoff mandate, according to owner Woody Johnson, but he must move the franchise in the right direction. That's a tall order, considering the Jets have one of the worst rosters. Is it fair? No, but Johnson is known for letting public sentiment cloud his judgment -- and the public won't be happy with Bowles if there's no glimmer of hope. Bowles is 15-17. The most recent Jets coach to survive after beginning with three non-playoff seasons was Walt Michaels in the late 1970s. -- Rich Cimini
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Rating: 4 = Warm seat

Cincinnati Bengals
Marvin Lewis: 4

Lewis is going into the season with no new contract in sight, and even Bengals owner Mike Brown admitted that it might put a little pressure on their longtime coach. But the Bengals have given Lewis a contract after a previous down season. Brown has said there are no parameters that would guarantee a contract, so "playoffs or bust" might not apply here. Still, Lewis probably will need to show that the team is going in the right direction to be renewed. -- Katherine Terrell
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Rating: 3 = Lukewarm seat

Baltimore Ravens
John Harbaugh: 3

Some will contend that the seat is hotter than this, but Harbaugh won a Super Bowl in 2012, beat the rival Steelers in the playoffs in 2014 and still ranks among the top 10 coaches in the NFL. Sure, he has missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons, which has ratcheted up the pressure. But if the Ravens decide to part ways with Harbaugh, he wouldn't be out of a job for long. -- Jamison Hensley

Detroit Lions
Jim Caldwell: 3

The Lions are coming off a playoff berth last season, and Caldwell has reached the postseason in two of his three seasons in Detroit. But the way the team reached the playoffs last season is a bit concerning (losing the last three regular-season games and being handled easily by Seattle in the wild-card round).

Caldwell isn't general manager Bob Quinn's hire, and Quinn could eventually want his own guy. Also, this is the last year of Caldwell's contract, and as of now, no extension has been announced. A poor season could leave the Lions with a tough decision to make. -- Michael Rothstein

Houston Texans
Bill O'Brien: 3

Back-to-back 9-7 seasons and AFC South titles would normally keep a coach away from the hot seat. But O'Brien has said that the Texans' offense needs to get better, and by taking over playcalling and not hiring an offensive coordinator, he has put that need to improve on himself. O'Brien has two years left on his contract, but he has not signed an extension. It's unlikely owner Bob McNair will let him coach with one year left, so this is a big season for O'Brien. -- Sarah Barshop

Minnesota Vikings
Mike Zimmer: 3

The Vikings have one winning season and zero playoff victories in three years with Zimmer. There have been serious extenuating circumstances in both non-winning seasons, including Adrian Peterson's suspension in 2014 and Teddy Bridgewater's injury in 2016. But coaches are employed on a bottom-line basis. If 2017 bottoms out in disaster, it would be difficult to consider Zimmer's position secure. -- Kevin Seifert

New Orleans Saints
Asshole Face: 3

I have a hard time believing Payton will be fired unless this season turns into a total disaster. Yes, the Saints have finished 7-9 three seasons in a row. But Payton got a five-year extension last year because the Saints believe in his ability to lead their rebuilding efforts (and that wouldn't change if they ever decided to move on from Drew Brees because Payton is a quarterback guru by trade and could help develop the next guy). If anything, the two sides could mutually part ways if it becomes apparent that this team is stuck in the mud and a change is needed. -- Mike Triplett

Philadelphia Eagles
Doug Pederson: 3

Pederson went 7-9 in his first season as head coach, but he gets a bit of a pass, considering he was breaking in a rookie quarterback and a new system in 2016. He's now on the clock. Owner Jeffrey Lurie believes he has something special in Carson Wentz, and he spent some money this offseason upgrading the talent around him. He's looking for progress in Year 2. Pederson needs to deliver it. -- Tim McManus
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Rating: 2 = Cool seat

Carolina Panthers
Ron Rivera: 2

Rivera was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015, taking the '15 team to an NFL-best 15-1 regular-season record and the Super Bowl. But the Panthers have had a losing record in two of the past three seasons and have had a losing record in four of Rivera's six seasons. As a result, you can't say he has total job security if the Panthers miss the playoffs again. -- David Newton

Cleveland Browns
Hue Jackson: 2

Has the team of constant change finally found stability? It sure feels that way. Players never wavered in their support of Jackson in a one-win debut season, and the team seems to stand solidly with him. One can never say never with this team -- Jackson was the fourth head coach in five seasons -- but it appears that it would take a major calamity to uproot him from being the coach in 2018. -- Pat McManamon

Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett: 2

Garrett is not completely safe, despite coming off an NFC East title and the best record in the conference last season. If the Cowboys follow their 13-3 season the way they followed up their 12-4 finish from 2014 (4-12 in 2015), then there will be plenty of heat on Garrett. He has done a good job of putting the program together over the years, but it's time for the Cowboys to sustain success and advance further in the playoffs. -- Todd Archer

Green Bay Packers
Mike McCarthy: 2

McCarthy's job was never in jeopardy last season, when the Packers were 4-6, but what would've happened if they hadn't won six straight to close the regular season and make the playoffs for the eighth straight year? Probably nothing, and there's probably nothing that could happen that would cost McCarthy his job this time around, either. Maybe GM Ted Thompson will retire and his replacement will want his own coach, but that seems like the only way a coaching change would happen. -- Rob Demovsky

Oakland Raiders
Jack Del Rio: 2

Del Rio has led the Raiders from a 3-13 finish the season before he arrived to 7-9 in 2015 to 12-4 and the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2002 last season. Plus, he got a four-year contract extension in February. So why is Del Rio not listed as a "1," in that there's no way he'll get fired? Because he is safe, barring a total disaster, really.

Plus, a few more winning seasons and, gulp, maybe even a Super Bowl title, and then we'll talk "1s" because the Raiders are going to need a steady hand to guide them through these lame-duck seasons in Oakland before the franchise moves to Las Vegas. -- Paul Gutierrez

Washington Redskins
Jay Gruden: 2

No coach has lasted more than four years under owner Dan Snyder; two coaches resigned, and four have been fired. Gruden is entering his fourth season. However, he signed a two-year extension in early March, so if the Redskins did something after the season, they'd have to pay him $15 million plus whatever is left on the contracts of his assistants.

It's difficult to imagine that happening, unless there is some complete collapse. Gruden has helped the Redskins win 17 games the past two seasons combined, and he owns one NFC East title. The hard part will be taking that next step, but it would require a big one backward for Snyder to consider a move. -- John Keim
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Rating: 1 = Cold seat

Atlanta Falcons
Dan Quinn: 1

Quinn took his team to the Super Bowl in just his second season in Atlanta. The former defensive coordinator in Seattle brought a championship mentality from the Seahawks after winning a ring there. He has established a true "brotherhood" among the players, organization and fans, and the best seems yet to come with the speed and talent acquired the past couple of years. -- Vaughn McClure

Arizona Cardinals
Bruce Arians: 1

It's safe to say Arians won't get fired. He might retire after this season, but he won't get fired, regardless of how the team does. If the Cardinals don't make the playoffs again, they likely will go through a roster overhaul. Will Arians stick around for that? It's tough to say. The question will become: Will he want to work with another young quarterback? If his health is an issue throughout this season, it's very plausible that he will call it quits. -- Josh Weinfuss

Buffalo Bills
Sean McDermott: 1

In the span of about four months at the beginning of this year, owners Terry and Kim Pegula fired the head coaches and general managers of both of their professional sports teams, the Bills and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. With all of those positions now filled, the last thing the Pegulas want to do is gas up their private jet for more job interviews. Barring utter disaster, coach McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are safe for the next two years at least. -- Mike Rodak

Denver Broncos
Vance Joseph: 1

Joseph was hired in January, and Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway picked Joseph over the other candidates, including Kyle Shanahan. Joseph will get a chance to grow into the job. -- Jeff Legwold

Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Marrone: 1

Marrone is entering his first year with the Jaguars after taking over for the fired Gus Bradley. He and Tom Coughlin, the executive VP of football ops, are on the same page philosophically, so there is a lot of harmony in the organization. This rating could change next year because owner Shad Khan has made it clear that he expects the team to compete for the AFC South title, and a seventh consecutive season with 10 or more losses would heat up Marrone's seat in 2018. -- Mike DiRocco

Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid: 1

The Chiefs recently extended Reid's contract so he'll be around for the long term. If anything, he became a more essential part of the football operation when the Chiefs dismissed veteran general manager John Dorsey and replaced him with a rookie, 39-year-old Brett Veach. -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers
Anthony Lynn: 1

The Chargers hired Lynn in January after parting ways with Mike McCoy. With the franchise relocating to Los Angeles, the Chargers likely will be somewhat patient with Lynn. However, in the team's self-proclaimed battle for L.A., Lynn will have to get things going before the Chargers move into new digs at Inglewood stadium in 2020. -- Eric D. Williams

Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay: 1

The Rams hired McVay in January. They gave him a five-year contract to make him the youngest head coach in modern NFL history because they adamantly believe he is a star in the making. They also know they must have patience.

McVay is taking over a team that has finished each of the past 10 years with a losing record, and he will try to steer an offense that has finished last in the NFL in yards each of the past two seasons. McVay won't just be a first-year head coach; he'll also be the offensive playcaller. He will have a long leash. -- Alden Gonzalez

Miami Dolphins
Adam Gase: 1

When you win 10 games and make the playoffs in your first season as head coach, you don't have much to worry about in Year 2. Gase has exceeded expectations in Miami thus far. This season's team is more talented, and Gase has a better feel for his players. His status is safe, regardless of this season's results. -- James Walker

New York Giants
Ben McAdoo: 1

McAdoo went 11-5 in his first season of a four-year deal as coach. He ended a five-year playoff drought. That bought him enough space to feel confident and comfortable about his job. McAdoo, who has drastically changed the program from Tom Coughlin's previous approach, is definitely trending in the right direction. The early returns on him are positive. -- Jordan Raanan

Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin: 1

Save a second championship, Tomlin's job security couldn't be much stronger entering Year 11. He signed an extension last week that puts him under contract until 2020. He has won 32 regular-season games and three playoff games since 2014. The Steelers value stability at the top, replacing only two coaches since 1969. Plus, Tomlin is entering the 2017 season with arguably his best roster in years. -- Jeremy Fowler

San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan: 1

After an extended game of musical head coaches, the Niners sought some much-needed stability in hiring coach Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in the offseason. As evidence of that commitment, they gave Shanahan and Lynch six-year contracts to go through what figures to be a lengthy rebuild. The 49ers seem to be realistic about their expectations for 2017 and understand that this season is as much about Shanahan establishing culture as it is about wins and losses. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks
Pete Carroll: 1

Carroll signed a contract extension last offseason that will take him through 2019. At 65, he's the NFL's oldest head coach, but Carroll has shown no signs of slowing down. Russell Wilson is only 27, and the defense has a lot of key pieces in place. But most importantly, Carroll enjoys a special relationship with GM John Schneider, who is signed through 2021. Ultimately, Carroll deciding down the road that he wants to retire is more likely than the Seahawks firing him. -- Sheil Kapadia

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dirk Koetter: 1

The Bucs are thrilled with the job Koetter has done with Jameis Winston and with the team's 9-7 finish last season. As offensive coordinator in 2015, Koetter led the Bucs to the fifth-highest offensive yardage total in the league and set a franchise record. The Glazers have shown little patience with coaches in the past -- Greg Schiano and Lovie Smith were gone after two seasons -- but Koetter's job is safe. -- Jenna Laine

Tennessee Titans
Mike Mularkey: 1

Mularkey's first season as Titans coach went better than most people expected, as he helped lift the team from 3-13 to 9-7. Mularkey hasn't had a successful record in other head-coaching stops, but his style is a great fit for this ground-and-pound Titans team.

General manager Jon Robinson has built a loaded roster, and the playoffs should be an expectation -- not a hope. Mularkey's job is safe in 2017. However, with this team's talent, a 2017 losing season with a fairly healthy roster could put Mularkey on a warmer seat in 2018. -- Cameron Wolfe

Bonus Rating: 0 = The coldest seat of all

New England Patriots
Bill Belichick: 0

I know, I know. It wasn't on the scale of 1-5, but how else to make the point that Belichick has the most secure seat in all of professional football? If the 65-year-old Belichick decided he wanted to call it a career and run for political office in the New England region, he'd probably win that in a landslide. The saying in New England is simply, "In Bill We Trust." -- Mike Reiss

Wanted to open some discussion on what we're going to be focusing on in this first game, since we've all got some slightly different takes on things. Here's mine:

1. Overall state of the starters in their short look of course. Worried about injury due to our depth, we have multiple guys on offense that simply cannot get hurt. So get them in, hopefully show well, and get 'em out.

2. OL depth. The second and later strings have been struggling for the most part through camp, as well as the scrimmages from multiple takes here on the board. So I'll be watching first off to see whether they leave some of these starters in longer (like Brown for example), and also specific depth positions. Center for example is a concern to me, given the age of Sullivan. Also I will be watching Murphy specifically, and looking for who stands out.

3. TE is another high priority position for myself. I want to see Higbee make some catches with defenders on or around him. To date that is a big concern for myself, that he seems to have trouble focusing the ball in when in traffic. And of course I am eager to see what Hemingway can do, since I don't think he's really shown it thus far. Everett I have a better feel for from camp, so I don't want to see him in there too long, but yeah he does need work as well. And judging from the camp I would guess Wilson gets a lot of action in this game, since he's a big target with good hands.

4. Defensively I'm going to be watching the depth down the middle, the LBs and safeties, to try to get a feel for things. I presume Davis has a lock on his depth spot, however I'm eager to see how Johnson handles himself. And the ILB depth seems wide open to me so that's gonna be fun to watch once AO and Barron come off the field.

Has anyone heard anything about estimated playing time this week? How many snaps the 1's will take?

https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/whats-the-most-popular-surname-in-your-state/

The one device that McVay uses to deflect (rightly or wrongly) questions about a practice is something like: "I have to really examine the tape to answer your question about "XYZ" but we played with great intensity, which is what you want."

Has any reporter asked the next day, about what he saw after viewing the tape from the previous practice? I would think not because they are always trying to get brand new "news"......Slick technique....

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Training Camp Report: Rams and Chargers Joint Practice

On Wednesday afternoon the Rams held their 10th training camp session at UC Irvine, the second of two practices with the Chargers. The session, which lasted a little over two hours, gave both teams the opportunity to work against an opponent for the second time this summer.

The practice was lively and competitive as thousands of fans packed the sidelines to cheer for their respective team. And in honor of the team’s “Throwback Day,” over 30 Rams’ legends were on hand to watch the Rams final joint practice ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener against the Cowboys. Here’s what you missed from Day 10 of Rams Camp:

TOP TAKEAWAYS

1. Goff gearing up for preseason opener

In Wednesday’s practice quarterback Jared Goff showcased his growing composure in the pocket and his improved timing throughout a series of drill. While on Saturday Goff excelled in the two-minute drill, today the quarterback looked even sharper in this afternoon’s midfield, 7-on-7 and red zone drills.

“I think both times were good,” Goff said of the joint practices. “I think we got off a lot more plays today. For whatever reason, it felt like we got more series with the offense. I thought it was good. Today the two-minute drill was probably the one thing we want back and everything else was pretty good.”

During the team’s 7-on-7 work Goff dropped a perfect downfield pass to tight end Tyler Higbee for a would-be touchdown. And though the deep routes have been inconsistent for the quarterback in the past, today he took more than a few chances down field.

“Yeah, about time,” he said with a laugh. “Deep balls come. I think early on in camp you’re just figuring out timing sometimes and just some different things with guys, but I think they are starting to come. We were starting to hit a few today. It was a good job by the receivers of getting open downfield.”

But it’s not only his timing on the deep routes that is improving. In the same drill, Goff delivered a bullet to wide receiver Robert Woods for about a 20 yard gain. And in 11-on-11 drills, Goff recorded a number of completions to various wideouts including Pharoh Cooper and Cooper Kupp, along with running back Todd Gurley.

2. Things get heated

After a relatively calm afternoon with the Chargers on Saturday, the intensity level was much higher when both teams hit the field for Wednesday’s practice. During the team’s one-on-one drills, tempers flared defensive back Trumaine Johnson and Chargers’ wide receiver Dontrelle Inman after Johnson was “flagged” for a pass interference.

A few minutes later, a second tussle broke out on the same sideline, this time between the Chargers’ offense and the Rams’ defense, before a final conflict during the special teams portion of practice.

“I think anytime you practice against somebody else guys are competitive, especially after the first day where there’s some good back and forth,” McVay said. “Starting out with the one on ones, guys are competitors, that’s what makes them great.”

And while the third scuffle marked the end of the matchups off the field, the players continued to bring the heat on field, with a number of hard hits and evident trash talking on both ends. However, McVay said that the intensity level was about what he expected, especially with fans from both teams adding to the excitement.

“Guys are great competitors, like I said we always want to be mindful, but those are things that we’ll be able to look at and figure out exactly what happened,” Mcvay said. “Fortunately nobody got hurt as a result of it and we’ll try to be mindful of those things moving forward.”

3. Looking ahead to gameday

The Rams are set to kick off their preseason schedule this Saturday with a matchup against the Cowboys at the Coliseum. This will be the second straight year that the Rams will take on the Cowboys in the exhibition opener, with the Rams coming out on top 28-24 last season.

With two practices left until game time, McVay spoke to the media about what he expects from his team come Saturday.

“It’s a great test. I think Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett does an excellent job with the team and it’s clear why they were NFL East champs last year,” he said. “So I think it offers an excellent opportunity for our team to go against a quality opponent and see how our first-string guys handle those first couple plays that we’ll give them, but it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

Last year’s preseason opener marked Goff’s first professional appearance. And though last season didn’t pan out exactly as he would have liked, the Rams have shown a lot of improvement throughout their time in camp. While there is still plenty of practice left on the calendar to work through any on field issues, Goff said he is just excited to get back on field at the Coliseum and play some real football again.

“It feels like it’s been coming for a long time now,” Goff said. “[You] kind of get a chance to get back out there in the Coliseum and see all the fans again, have some fun and hopefully score some points.”

“This is much different,” he said of this season’s preseason opener. “That was my first NFL experience. There was 90,000 people at a preseason game, so I was a little wide-eyed at first, but I feel good now. I feel more excited and I’m ready to get out there and just run some plays – just get out there and see a real defense, maybe get hit a couple times, just go through some things that you go through in a real game.”

FIELD-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS

• Jamon Brown took reps at right guard while Rob Havenstein was back at right tackle in today’s practice.McVay says his staff has yet to decide which position these two will start at come Saturday.
• Kupp had an impressive one-handed grab from Goff against cornerback Brad Watson during one-on-ones.
• Quarterback Sean Mannion had a nice completion during 11-on-11 to wide receiver Paul McRoberts for a 15 yard gain.
• Cornerback Troy Hill had the team’s first interception of the day, picking off quarterback Cardale Jones before running it back for the touchdown.
• During the last session of practice, Johnson recorded an interception on a hail mary throw from quarterback Philip Rivers. The Rams D-Line blitzed Rivers before he sent the ball deep downfield, right into the hands of Johnson.
• The Rams stayed on field for a number of drills after the Chargers headed back to their buses, working on a few different routes in an 11-on-11 portion before calling it a day.

PLAY OF THE DAY

Today’s play of the day was brought to you by wide receiver Shakeir Ryan who took one to the house during the special teams drills. The wideout was untouched on his way to the end zone showcasing his quick speed and agility on the play.

The undrafted free agent out of Northwestern State has been making quite the name for himself over the last two weeks, becoming known as a wide receiver with good hands and one who is quick in space.

PRESS POINTS

After practice Goff spoke to the media about his relationship with Higbee. Catch up on his best point from Day 10:

JARED GOFF:

On how his chemistry with TE Tyler Higbee has evolved: “Two training camps living with him, I’ve spent a lot of time together with him off the field as well and it’s been good. I think he’s a great player. I think he’s coming along just fine and I’m excited to see what he can do this year as a starter this year. I expect him to do some big things.”

Goff, Higbee Display Chemistry vs. Chargers
By Myles Simmons

Quarterback Jared Goff and tight end Tyler Higbee are linked.

They're part of the same 2016 Rams' draft class. They've worked out plenty together, not just at Los Angeles' facility but also on their own. And they've roomed together in each of their two training camps.

Not to mention a tight end is always thought of as a young quarterback's security blanket.

So when Goff hit Higbee down the seam over a much smaller linbacker during 7-on-7 drills in Wednesday's practice with the Chargers, it seemed natural. Higbee's size and speed create matchup issues for defenses. Goff recognized the coverage and the matchup, and hit the tight end in stride for what was ostensibly a touchdown.

It's an example of the chemistry and timing both players have worked hard to develop. Goff called their partnership "great," noting how much time they'e spent together both on and off the field.

"It's good," Higbee said Wednesday. "The more reps, the more stuff you can get together, the better chance you have growing that chemistry."

"Anytime you can get out there and get those reps with the quarterback and get that timing down -- you look at guys like Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson, it's almost like automatic every time they hook up on the field," Higbee added. "So the better chemistry that I can have, that the other receivers can have in this offense, the more it'll help our offense."

Wednesday was the second time the Rams' offense had seen the Chargers' defense in the last five days, and as such the playbook seemed to open up a bit more. Both Goff and Higbee acknowledged there were more downfield passing attempts, with the seam-route connection between the two of them one of the successful plays.

"You've got a good idea of what they're doing now seeing them one time a few days ago, so yeah, we made some good plays on them," Goff said.

There was one downfield pass, however, that didn't quite work as planned. During a two-minute drill, Higbee was open down the left seam and Goff fired a strong pass to him. But it hit off the tight end's hands and fell incomplete.

Higbee was visibly frustrated with himself after the play, and said as much after practice.

"That's the offense -- whenever they call my number, whenever I'm getting open, he puts it there, I'm expecting myself and they expect me to make a play," Higbee said. "It's something I expect to have, and I'll fix it and get it better."

By and large, Higbee has been a reliable target for Goff from the offseason program into training camp. And with the way head coach Sean McVay tends to feature tight ends in his offense, he's primed for a significant production increase in his second season.

And that's something Goff will facilitate through the partnership between the two players.

"I'm excited to see what he can do this year," Goff said. "He's our starter this year, and expect him to do some big things."

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Today was a scrimmage between the Rams and the Chargers. There were, at my estimate, over 5,000 Rams fans and two Charger fans in attendance (I kid). I think we saw maybe four Charger’s jerseys all afternoon.

These Rams fans were true supporters of the team. No booing was heard from our section or anywhere else for that matter. Unless of course you mistakenly heard “Cooooooppp” (C. Kupp) or “Spruuuuuccce” (Nelson Spruce) and thought those were boo sounds. As to be expected, the beer garden attendees were very vocal.

Rams On Demand was well represented with @bubbaram, @theduke, @RamBall, @8to12 and yours truly VeteranRamFan. It was really great having all of us sitting together and talking Rams football. We were on the north side of the fields in shady bleachers. I excused myself to go and try to get some pics. Just too many people in my way for any good shots! The ushers (I guess that is what they are called) kept everyone away from the railing that separates the fans from the field so I couldn’t just hang out like I had been. I went back to our seats but the sight line was not very good for photos. Sorry guys.

Here is how practice started. The usual warm ups by position and then the teams split up with the Rams defense going to the far (south) field and the Chargers offense along with them. That meant we had the Rams offense and the Chargers defense on our field. Talking with @theduke we both agreed we didn’t need to watch our D and we wanted to see how our offense was looking. We were not disappointed. More on that later.

The teams broke into groups with our QB/WR 1’s and 2’s doing one on one against the Chargers DB’s at midfield and going away from us to our right and the 3’s at about the 30-yard line (about where we were sitting) going to our left. Things happened fast! This is another reason I couldn’t get any pics. Just too much action.

All of our QB’s were doing a good job of connecting. The Chargers DB’s did well in these drills also. Cooper Kupp runs some insanely sharp routes and catches everything. Other standouts include Higbee and Everett. Pharaoh Cooper also was getting open and making great catches. Back to Higbee for a moment. He went out on a seam route, out ran his man coverage and Goff dropped a dime for a TD. Let’s not forget about Woods and McRoberts. Both were showing well. McRoberts pulled one in on the far sideline on an out route. It was a great catch. Gurley was lining up in the backfield then goes in motion and lines up outside as a WR. He did this a few times. Once he took off on a go route and Goff threw a pretty decent ball, a little short and Gurley had to turn around and backpedal. That one got deflected by the DB but not because he knew where the ball was, just got his arms in the way.

If I remember correctly, and I asked the guys at the end of practice this, did the Chargers DB’s defend any passes? I could only remember one pass breakup where the DB got his hands on the ball and knocked it away. There may have been some others.

I think I messed up here, at some point we did 7X7 and that is where a lot of the above happened.

The 11x11 was really nice to watch. Hav was at RT, Brown at RG. Goff was afforded a good clean pocket and I think there may have been one sack. Goff did fake a handoff and rolled to his right. He threw on the run and Woods caught it sliding out of bounds. Incomplete as Woods came down out of bounds. I think Goff took way too long to decide to throw the ball on that one. Gurley was gaining about 5 yards a carry when going up the middle. Not bad, I’ll take it.

The teams then went into punt formation. Hecker is the best punter ever. We all know this. Our gunners were getting down field and covering very well. Special teams won’t be a problem. During this portion another fight broke out. Seems one of the Chargers blocking the gunner didn’t want to stop at the whistle. Coaches got in there quick and broke it up. This was the third fight of the afternoon. The other two came early on with our D against their O on the far field during 11x11. At the start of the second fight on the far field, Coach McVay was seen running from our field over to the action.

In summary, I was getting worried about our O as it seemed during our own practices the defense was winning the battles. That was not the case today. @theduke agreed that maybe our D is really good, especially the DB’s. I started off believing we would win 12 games this season, then I tempered that down to 10 and lately I stopped drinking the Kool-Aid and was hoping for 8 and 8. After today, I’ve changed my mind again and drank some more Kool-Aid and I’m back at 10 wins.

I’m sorry this isn’t one of my better reports, going totally off of memory and I know it isn’t up to my usual quality. I really enjoyed meeting up with the guys and really did appreciate their opinions and input. I know we all had a great time.

We will be so hyped or it, until after about the first series of plays is over. Then good play is replaced by Game of Scrubs. Who will survive the cuts to make the 53? Cersei is on the Iron Throne and a lot of cuts are coming, like in the Battle of the Bastids...

I am all ready to say, WHEN is the regular season? (rhetorical question, no need to answer)

I saw this just now and thought I'd post this link on the new helmet. I think like it and it looks modern. Whats
everyone's opinion on the new look helmet?

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/2017/08/08/nfl-los-angeles-rams-helmet-concept-design-artist/

I know training camp is today but we got live football people! KB came down with a beautiful touchdown over Johnathan Joseph. Wish we had a WR who could do that.

There’s still a month to go before the start of the regular season, but as of now, Rams rookie fullback Sam Rogers seems to be headed toward a spot on the 53-man roster. His combination of special-teams intensity, blocking and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield makes him an intriguing option.
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/0...in-long-hours-at-training-camp/#disqus_thread
By Rich Hammond | rhammond@scng.com | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: August 8, 2017 at 3:58 pm | UPDATED: August 8, 2017 at 5:19 pm
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/0...es-is-putting-in-long-hours-at-training-camp/
IRVINE — If the Rams locked their practice field, rookie fullback Sam Rogers would need a key. What’s the football version of a gym rat? A gridiron gopher?

The Rams raised some eyebrows in April when they drafted Rogers in the sixth round out of Virginia Tech. A fullback? In a modern NFL offense? Rogers seems to have set out, through the quality and quantity of his work, to prove during this training camp that he can have a role with the Rams in 2017.

Rogers typically is the first Rams player on the field for practice – 45 minutes early – and also one of the last. A mention of that fact this week, though, drew a purposeful look from Rogers’ intense blue eyes.

“It’s not like a publicity stunt or anything like that,” Rogers said after a recent practice. “I just try to get out here and work on some things. It’s just my way of getting ready.”

It seems to be working. There’s still a month to go before the start of the regular season, but as of now, Rogers seems to be headed toward a spot on the 53-man roster. Rogers’ combination of special-teams intensity, blocking and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield makes him an intriguing option.

There’s also a certain intangible about Rogers. A former college coach once referred to him as “a nonstop ball of butcher knives,” which is a bizarre but oddly accurate way to describe Rogers’ style of play.

Listed at 5-foot-10, 235 pounds, Rogers is neither the strongest nor fastest player on the field, but his straight-ahead, run-you-over intensity might make a defender think twice about standing in front of him.

It’s unlikely that the Rams will use Rogers as a lead blocker for Todd Gurley, but it’s possible that Rogers could emulate some of the roles filled by Benny Cunningham last year. Cunningham had only 21 carries last season but caught 16 passes.

In his four-year career at Virginia Tech, Rogers totaled 802 receiving yards (and seven touchdowns) compared to 692 rushing yards (and four touchdowns).

“I’ll do whatever they ask me to do,” Rogers said. “I’m here to help the team in any way I can, whether that’s special teams or blocking or catching or running. The goal for me is just to be as versatile as possible, so that they can use me in any way they see fit. So I try to be ready to do whatever.”

If there’s any question about Rogers’ spot on the roster at the end of the preseason schedule, special teams could tilt things in his favor. Coach Sean McVay retained assistant John Fassel, who since 2012 has overseen one of the NFL’s most aggressive and successful special-teams units.

Rogers is a natural at special teams. It’s inherent and not necessarily something he needs to improve in practice. But there is Rogers, on the field early every day, working on his ball skills.

“During camp,” Rogers said, “there’s not as many hours and not as much time where you can feel like you’re getting ahead, because everything is so scheduled. Any time I can feel like I’m getting ahead in any way, I try to do that. If I can come out here 45 minutes early and work on a few things.”

GETTING TOGETHER

The Rams did not practice Tuesday, but they will host the Chargers in a joint practice at UC Irvine on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The practice is free to the public, but there is an on-campus parking fee.

The contract holdout of defensive lineman Aaron Donald reached its 11th day Tuesday, and Donald’s opportunities to get reacclimated with teammates are dwindling. The Rams will practice again Thursday, then have a Friday walk-through before Saturday’s preseason opener against the Coliseum. The Rams are not scheduled to practice Sunday.

Colts released defensive end Kendall Langford with a failed physical designation.
- Adam Schefter

Releasing Kendall Langford saves Colts $3.75M vs. salary cap. Counts $500K in dead money. Never made it back from knee injury.
- Mike Chappell

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...lease-kendall-langford-after-failed-physical/

Langford apparently never fully regained his form after knee surgery. He was a solid player for the Rams. He would have made a solid depth signing if he could still play at 75% of his past level.

Is LA Rams QB Jared Goff Too “Soft” To Lead The Rams?
16 New, 16 comments
A new story from Bleacher Report asks the tough questions of last year’s top draft pick and if he is tough enough to be an NFL star.
by joeyaucoin Aug 9, 2017, 11:02am PDT
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/8/9/16119556/la-rams-jared-goff-2017-preview

Like Jared Goff, I grew up in California. I know all too well that it’s not typical football country. I’ve never worn a scarf unless I was traveling, I melt when it’s humid, and I really like avocados.

It’s worth keeping that in mind reading a piece from Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunn that makes a point that Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff may be too soft:

Goff shrugs and acknowledges he's never been through any chilling hardships off the field. All four of his grandparents and both parents are still alive, he notes, as are his closest friends.

He was Cal's first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener. He was drafted first overall into the NFL.

He doesn't have a blemish on his face, and his hairline isn't merely intact—his full, golden locks flow in the wind. And sure, Goff listens to Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. What of it?

He's not like Dak Prescott, whose mom died. He's not like Derek Carr, whose infant son nearly died.

Nor is he a 199th overall pick like Tom Brady. Nor was he embarrassed nationally in a green room like Aaron Rodgers.

Goff entered the NFL unscathed, it seemed, but he was then bruised and bloodied and winless through seven starts. Now, the future of pro football in the country's second-most populated city rests on his shoulders.

All good points. I mean, I want my QB to be listening to some late 70’s era AC/DC as he’s walking from the bus to the locker room, not some song about a failed relationship with John Mayer.

This 22-year-old can be the King of Los Angeles, the reason for people to care about the NFL in the land of Magic and Kobe and Kershaw and LaVar and Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. And geez, if only people would stop confusing him with Ryan Gosling. Dozens ask if he's him. He says he's not. They move on, disappointed.

I will say that Ryan Gosling has and will have way more pull in LA than most athletes. People love Gosling because he’s earned it. It’s just the way the city works.

There’s a small amount of LA athletes that move the needle because so much is going on here. I’d ague that Los Angeles Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw doesn’t get as recognized as much as he would if he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The first hit that comes to mind? Goff pretends to punch himself across the face: "I don't even remember who it was." Down 42-7 against Atlanta on Dec. 11, he ran for the end zone and was helicoptered at the goal line: "If I give everything I got and I get hurt, so be it." Against Seattle four days later, he never even saw Richard Sherman in his peripheral: "I'm trying to score. I was never thinking, 'OK, I'm going to get hit.'"

He was sacked 26 times in those seven losses. A human pinata. And he knows what you're thinking: that he's too soft, too overwhelmed, a kid too blinded by those L.A. lights.

So he's blunt.

Right here, the essence of Goff crystallizes. One thought, above all else, drives him play in and play out.

"I'm more afraid that people will be like, 'He's a little bitch,' than I am of truly getting hit," Goff says. "So that's what drives me to be like, 'I'm fine.' That mentality is what keeps me in the game.

Even though he doesn’t look it, it seems like Goff is actually tough. That’s what Rams fans will have to keep saying to themselves when he trots onto the field, skinny as a rail, trying to survive a brutal sack from the likes of J.J. Watt — this guy can handle it.

So check out Dunn’s piece. It’s a great read. If the question is whether Jared Goff is tough enough, you’ll likely come away believing he is:

For a moment, the crown appears too heavy for Goff. He's still the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL, after all.

But he knows a turning point is coming. Maybe it'll be another eyesore of a bruise. A comeback. A stern scolding of a teammate for pounding beers after a loss. Or maybe it'll be a clutch throw right at a Richard Sherman, a Patrick Peterson. At some point in 2017, Goff must assert himself when all eyes are on him.

As he walks to his car, Goff speaks as if he already knows the outcome. There's not a blip of hesitancy, let alone doubt, in his voice.

"I'm someone who's going to fight until I can't fight anymore," he says. "I'm not going to quit until they take me off the field. You have to drag me off. I only know one way. I've done it in the past. I've done it my whole life. I plan to do it with the Rams. I plan on turning things around soon—sooner than later.

Goff may be a poor man’s Gosling, but he’s our poor man’s Gosling and a tough one at that. Hopefully, that’s enough for the Rams to begin turning this franchise around.