Here's laram...

Welp... Connor Barwin IS a big LA Ram fan...

He was on a Philly Radio Station promoting his benefit concert.

- Super stoked to be in LA
- Very excited about the team
-Very happy to be back with Wade in 3-4. Felt so comfortable being back at natural position
- Nobody thinks we're any good I think we'll be pretty good
- This is the best group of coaches he's ever been around his entire career
- Talked about Joe Barry and Billy Johnson, lb's and d-line coaches have been around and know what Wade wants in his defense
- Talked about the Rams defense already being a good bunch and how excited he was to see how he fit.
Note: Interviewer said yeah...that Aaron Donald is pretty good. Surprisingly Barwin said nothing, criquets
- We're a young team its nice to be one of the veterans to teach the younger guys
- Goff looked good, thought he looked really good. Started to get better as the summer went on
- Offense mimics the Washington offense, lots of movement multiple formations multiple tight ends and things to defend

Super stoked...His words not mine.

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Now I'm hungry!!!!

I don't know if someone asked this yet, but is it possible to draw the draft order now so that we can do mock drafts from our draft position?

Three underrated storylines on the defensive side of the ball to monitor during the Rams 2017 season


The Rams 2017 campaign offers plenty of excitement, uncertainty and maybe you can argue some predictability. As for excitement, the Rams have brought in almost an entirely new coaching staff, new players via free agency and some intriguing rookies via the NFL draft and undrafted free agency. The uncertainty lies with the fact the Rams as every year have some quality talent on paper, but will need to put it all together on the field, especially with the amount of youth they boast. Finally, the predictability in a sense comes from the likes of Aaron Donald who is the Rams best player and has been the arguably the most consistently dominant player over the last two-to-three years. With all of that being said let's cut to the chase and take a look at three storylines that will need to be in your head this season.

The interesting dynamic that is, LaMarcus Joyner at Free safety

LaMarcus Joyner has been one of the best slot cornerbacks in football as of late. He struggled to find his rhythm early on in his career, but it appears he has now found it and has gone off and running with his role. Now, with the new regime in order, the coaches identify the best fit for Joyner being at Free safety. Joyner has been considered "too small" to play that role, but it seems as though some have quickly forgotten about one of the more dominant players in the league that plays that same position Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu and Joyner are almost identical in size. Joyner at 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds while Mathieu is at 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds.

Joyner joins emerging secret superstar safety Maurice Alexander in the back of the secondary in what could be a formidable duo. Joyner is still looking for his first career NFL interception, but with that aside he should translate well to the position and team up well with Alexander as two guys that can truly deliver a punishing blow to the ball-carrier. Joyner may not end up working out at the position, but Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is not going to go down without trying. That is why Joyner and his position change to Free safety needs to be closely monitored, because he could truly flourish in that new role or completely flop. We don't know.

The possibility of Wade Phillips defense awakening 2013 Robert Quinn

Wow, just the thought of number 94 racking up almost 20 sacks again on top of what players like Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Dominique Easley, Connor Barwin, Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron are capable of should send chills down any NFC West rival fans spine. Quinn is what one could and should call the x-factor of the defense and possibly even the season. If the Rams had 2013 Robert Quinn on the team last year they probably win seven or maybe even eight games. Is that crazy to think? A team that went 4-12 would have won three or four more games if they had one player explode? Not if you put everything into perspective. Last year, the Rams were tied for 21st in team forced fumbles with only 13! Quinn started off well, but slowed down after a back injury he suffered during one of the games. He only ended up playing nine games that season so right off the bat he missed seven games.

Quinn has a whopping 18 forced fumbles in his career. Putting that really into perspective, Von Miller who is one, if not the best pass rusher in the NFL and he has 19. Both came from the 2011 NFL Draft, but somehow Miller, who is a sack artist only has one more forced fumble than Quinn. Now, Von still has nearly 20 more sacks than Quinn, but he's also played in eight more games and the forced fumbles are really the most important thing when your team can't score and that was the case for the Rams last season. Since the star of the Rams defense Aaron Donald as great as he is doesn't create turnovers, Quinn's ability to turn the ball over and even score touchdowns off of turnovers is a huge deal and can account for some points that the offense is unable to produce.

If Quinn returns to his old dominance the Rams will be one step closer to their first playoff berth since 2004.

Kayvon Webster setting himself up to be the future number one cornerback of the Rams

Kayvon Webster left Denver to join his Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in Los Angeles. There is a chance now that with the increased workload and assumed starting job, Webster could be in for a breakout season. Webster according to the Rams PR staff's release is slated as a starting cornerback next to Trumaine Johnson. The uncertainty of Johnson's future in Los Angeles and the lack of negotiating or better yet desire to negotiate a long term deal could leave Webster as the man the Rams look to build off of at the position moving forward. He signed a two-year deal, but there is a very good chance if Webster proves himself in this role the Rams would likely extend his contract.

There are still others waiting behind Webster, one of them happens to be a player that is Hungry to reclaim the starting role he lost due to injury and that is former sixth-round pick E.J. Gaines. Gaines is likely vying for a starting spot as it appears his roster spot as a whole is safe judging by the way the coaches have talked about him and mainly the Head coach Sean McVay.

If Webster fends off Gaines and claims the starting job for the 2017 season he could be on a mission to prove almost everyone that he should have been starting all of those years he was overlooked in Denver.

What are your defensive storylines that aren't being talked about enough in your opinion? Let us know! We will have an offensive version of this article as well in the near future. Thanks for reading!

Three Rams rookies that could surprise and sneak onto the 53-man roster

The rookies have finally reported to camp and that means we are one step closer to football. With that being said here are three players that maybe considered "underdogs" or "long shots" or even "camp bodies" by many that I believe could sneak onto the 53-man roster.

A.J. Jefferson, DE, Mississippi State
6-foot-3, 280 pounds
24 years old

A.J. Jefferson is coming from the big bad SEC conference in college football aka the best conference in college football. Jefferson was a productive player during his time there he started two seasons and racked up 12.5 sacks, 125 total tackles, 35 tackles for a loss, six forced fumbles, four batted passes and two fumble recoveries.

He's likely going to translate to a 3-4 defensive end, but in a way he is kind of a "tweener" and could move to linebacker. Jefferson will have his work cut out for him if he wants to make this team. It's looking like it's likely that Jefferson goes up against players like fellow UDFA's Casey Sayles and Omarius Bryant. However, the tough task at hand is winning a job over players like Morgan Fox and Matt Longacre who have of course played on an NFL 53-man roster.

Even though this team seems to have put an emphasis on small-school talent (judging by their entire draft class being from small schools) there is no doubt that Jefferson starting for an SEC and showing production doesn't go a long way. He has the physical build and tools to make it in this league and I believe he could fall onto the opening day roster when it's all said and done.

Lenard Tillery, RB, Southern
5-foot-10, 200 pounds
23 years old

Unlike our above player, Lenard Tillery is the exact opposite hailing from Southern University and a guy that really fits the small-school mold it seems the Rams have adopted this off-season. Tillery, a four-year starter seemed to improve in every year increasing his yards per carry average from 4.3 his freshman year, to 5.7 his sophomore year, to 6.1 his junior year and then finally 6.7 his senior year. Tillery's last two seasons he accumulated 2,876 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns.

When I look at Tillery, I see a lot of Benny Cunningham although he is not the pass catching threat Cunningham was, Tillery can without a doubt make an impact moving forward. His competition at the moment appears to be any running back not named Todd Gurley. Although it seems likely newly signed RB Lance Dunbar will be the backup, so it becomes a battle depending on if the the Rams keep only three or four.

Right now though, if the Rams keep four I have a feeling Tillery makes the roster and even if they only keep three I think he has a chance moving forward.

Shakeir Ryan, WR, Northwestern State
5-foot-8, 161 pounds
21 years old

Shakeir Ryan seemingly came out of nowhere as a tryout player that just so happened to turn heads all over the field. Ryan ended up wowing his way onto the roster and receiving and signing his first NFL contract. So where does it come from and why should we care? Well, for starters a player like Ryan who is coming out of undrafted free agency and is limited with his size is obviously going to need to carve out a role on special teams. Luckily for him, there just so happens to be a spot available as the team's primary kick returner.

Ryan has an impressive blend of quickness and speed that could be interesting for the Rams to consider as their primary kick returner. One thing that is important to mention is that Ryan did not wow the Rams by returning anything, it was due to the plays he made all over the field. The talk was that the Rams actually had two WR's to make a name for themselves out of the tryout players and those were Ryan and Justice Liggins. Ryan ended up edging out Liggins in the competition and so he moved onto the next round.

Well, even with cuts already being made the self-proclaimed "Shake Time" is in the driver's seat to sneak in and take one of the spots remaining. Things just got a little easier for Shakeir as well seeing as we know now that Mike Thomas will serve a four-game suspension so he doesn't even count against this roster until after his four games. Make no mistake, and trust me I talked to Shakeir, he fits the culture of "We Not Me" and will definitely be a fun player to follow as we progress through camp.

Those are my three players, who are yours? Let us know!

This year's WR camp battle is set to be intense, but how do the past Rams WR battles stack up?


Wide receiver is always the most flashy position in football. Right now, arguably the most popular player in the league is a WR. As we move into the Rams training camp season we start to think about the obvious position battle, Wide receiver. That is why we have decided to put together a list of the last ten years at the position and what the battles looked like going into camp.

2007

Torry Holt
Isaac Bruce
Drew Bennett
Dane Looker
Derek Stanley
Marques Hagans
Shaine Smith
Dominique Thompson
Fred Gibson

Overview: The last year Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt were together in St. Louis. The Rams knew the time was nearly up for the once superstar duo so they decided to go out and sign 28-year old WR Drew Bennett to a 6-year $30 million deal. Going into camp the Rams looked good at WR for a year, but instead it became the a dominant year of Holt, a solid year for Bruce and an extremely disappointing campaign for highly touted free agency acquisition Bennett.

2008

Torry Holt
Donnie Avery
Drew Bennett
Keenan Burton
Dane Looker
Derek Stanley
Dante Hall
Reche Caldwell
Marques Hagans
Matt Caddell
Brandon Williams

Overview: Just as expected, Isaac Bruce left and the Rams decided to draft Houston track star WR Donnie Avery in the second round of the draft. This would end up being Torry Holt's last year as a Ram and the organization viewed Avery as the future along with fellow rookie Keenan Burton. Even Marques Hagans looked primed to make an impact after some flashes in preseason, but this position group of course was banking on Drew Bennett's bounce back year that never ended up happening...

2009

Donnie Avery
Brandon Gibson
Keenan Burton
Laurent Robinson
Jordan Kent
Ruvell Martin
Brooks Foster
Sean Walker
Ronald Curry
Tim Carter
Derek Stanley
Nate Jones

Overview: With Torry Holt bolting to Jacksonville, the Rams officially made Donnie Avery the number one receiver. Clearly though, the team was missing firepower at the receiver position which they later addressed after preseason in signing Danny Amendola off the Eagles practice squad. The emergence of Brandon Gibson helped, but make no mistake this was a year Keenan Burton was supposed to take off and he was a complete non-factor.

2010

Danny Amendola
Brandon Gibson
Donnie Avery
Danario Alexander
Mardy Gilyard
Laurent Robinson
Keenan Burton
Jordan Kent
Dominique Curry
Brandon McRae

Overview: What is most interesting about this season was that the Rams had finally left the Marc Bulger era and gone onto the Sam Bradford era. In preseason unfortunately Bradford lost his number one receiver Donnie Avery to an ACL injury that would his season and his time with the Rams. Luckily, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson and even UDFA Danario Alexander bubbled to the top to bail out Bradford. Still, the Rams didn't feel they had enough, especially with rookie Mardy Gilyard showing serious struggles with the playbook and so they ended up acquiring WR Mark Clayton from the Ravens right before opening day.


2011

Mike Sims-Walker
Danario Alexander
Danny Amendola
Mark Clayton
Donnie Avery
Brandon Gibson
Mardy Gilyard
Dominique Curry
Greg Salas
Austin Pettis
Andrew Hawkins
Joe West

Overview: The Rams ended up drafting more WR's this year in Austin Pettis and Greg Salas, nether did anything, but were given opportunities in camp. To add more to the pool of talent the Rams signed Jaguars standout WR Mike Sims-Walker. This was considered the year of the injury for the Rams which was a shame because Danny Amendola and Danario Alexander were looking like a nice duo.

2012

Steve Smith
Danny Amendola
Brandon Gibson
Brian Quick
Chris Givens
Austin Pettis
Danario Alexander
Michael Campbell
Nick Johnson
Greg Salas

Overview: If you didn't notice the pattern of the Rams signing that standout free agent WR well, it happened again in 2012. This time it was former Pro Bowler Steve Smith from the Giants. Smith didn't work out for the Rams, however, their rookie out of Wake Forest Chris Givens did. Him and the duo of Brandon Gibson and Danny Amendola. Danario Alexander ended up being bothered by lingering injuries that forced his way out of the organization only to explode at the second half of the year in San Diego.

2013

Chris Givens
Stedman Bailey
Tavon Austin
Brian Quick
Raymond Radway
Justin Veltung
Nick Johnson
Andrew Helmick
Emory Blake

Overview: Once again the Rams drafted another batch of wide receivers. This time they even decided to trade up to No.8 overall in the draft to select Tavon Austin. The Rams didn't stop there and ended up double dipping on West Virginia WR's with Stedman Bailey in the third round. Brian Quick who was the second round pick the year before received a minimally larger role. Austin Pettis started to pick up the pace a little, but it was all Tavon and Givens for the most part.

2014

Tavon Austin
Stedman Bailey
Kenny Britt
Chris Givens
Austin Pettis
Brian Quick
Austin Franklin
Emory Blake
T.J. Moe
Jordan Harris

Overview: Once again, the Rams continued their hot trend of signing hopeful talents at wide receiver. In this free agency period, it was the signing of former Fisher guy Kenny Britt. Britt was the only free agent acquisition at wide receiver to truly work and it happened almost instantly. With Sam Bradford going down in preseason it was Austin Davis and Shaun Hill in charge of the offense. Tavon struggled mightily after high expectations and his teammate Stedman Bailey started to pick up the pace. This was also the year Brian Quick looked to make significant strides but an unfortunate injury in Kansas City ended his season.

2015

Tavon Austin
Kenny Britt
Stedman Bailey
Chris Givens
Bradley Marquez
Brian Quick
Isiah Ferguson
Emory Blake
Tyler Slavin
Daniel Rodriguez
Damian Williams

Overview: The passing game took a hit big time in 2015. Kenny Britt was still the obvious No.1 guy, but you could make the argument Tavon Austin was the best weapon due to his almost 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Going into this training camp battle it seemed like many didn't give UDFA Bradley Marquez a chance to make the squad. Well, he made it.

2016

Kenny Britt
Brian Quick
Tavon Austin
Pharoh Cooper
Bradley Marquez
Mike Thomas
Nelson Spruce
Paul McRoberts
Duke Williams
Austin Hill
David Richards
Marquez North
Deon Long
J.J. Worton

Overview: This was likely the first real full-on WR battle in camp that was worth talking about. The Rams had their guys like Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas who were shoe-ins to make the roster. However, no one could have foreseen the emergence of Nelson Spruce in week one of the preseason. The most talked about storyline was who is going to sneak onto the roster at WR between the likes of Spruce, Duke Williams, Paul McRoberts and Marquez North. It turns out McRoberts would end up finding the field towards the end of the season as a full-year member of the practice squad, Spruce, who made the roster would not play a game after his performance week one of preseason, Duke Williams wouldn't get another look again and North would end up landing on season-ending IR that would allow him to come back and compete next season.

2017

Tavon Austin
Robert Woods
Cooper Kupp
Pharoh Cooper
Nelson Spruce
Josh Reynolds
Bradley Marquez
Paul McRoberts
Brandon Shippen
Shakeir Ryan
Mike Thomas

I think it's safe to say there have been some interesting names over the years, but this is the best and likely the most competitive Rams receiver battle we have seen. Tavon Austin comes back as the oldest WR of the bunch, but there is plenty of newcomers around him including the one pictured above Cooper Kupp. The Rams made their usual high-profile or not high-profile signing of Robert Woods in free agency. With a new regime in play no one is truly guaranteed any specific role which is why this group in itself is going to be the hardest to predict come cut day.

After looking through the last ten years what season would you give the edge to best camp battle? Let us know!

Hey guys, sorry I have been so busy with everything and have barely been able to post articles on here or even take part in a discussion. I have been working on setting up special guests on the podcasts, working full time at my day job, ramping up the website content and yada yada. However, the reason I mainly have died down or burned out or however you want to call it is because I literally just spent about a month planning a "kind of sort of" last second trip in September to fly to Vegas and Los Angeles from Albany, NY and of course see the Rams play the Redskins week two of the NFL season. Anyway, lets cut to the chase. I will be going down to L.A. and I can't wait to see the Rams play at home, but also I am hoping to meet up with as many people as I can. I hear lot 2 is the place to be so I am planning on going there with my father. If any of you want to meet up please feel free to let me know! This is going to be special and I honestly can't wait for this. I will be going down there to promote my Downtown Rams brand and meet some of my networks I have established, but also I want to go down there to have some fun. So please let me know if you are going to the game and I will do my best to meet up with you!

.

Just had a look at the pricing for this service. Again, you have to get the postseason as well, it doesn't allow you to only get they regular season. This is for Australia, I'm not sure what they charge other countries.

$280. Australian dollars.

Are they for real? Who in their right mind will pay them that kind of money?

I'm not sure why they took this stance. They have lost me and many other customers with this raping price structure. Surely $180 is better than zero dollars.

.

http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/...abianos-2017-fantasy-football-projections-wrs

http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/...abianos-2017-fantasy-football-projections-rbs




WR's
Los Angeles Rams

The Rams finished last season tied for 18th in wideout targets and 27th in red-zone targets, and their highest-scoring player at the position (Britt) ranked just 26th in fantasy points. ... Britt, who is no longer on the roster, left 111 targets behind. ... New head coach Sean McVay served as the offensive coordinator in Washington for three seasons. During that time, just one wideout (DeSean Jackson - 2014) finished in the top 20 in points at the position. Furthermore, their best receiver finished 36th (Pierre Garcon) and 30th (Jamison Crowder) in 2015 and 2016, respectively. ... Tavon Austin finished with a personal-best 106 targets in 2016, but his decreased role in the ground game cost him fantasy appeal. ... Robert Woods, signed during the offseason, could push for the team lead in targets and receptions. However, his statistical ceiling is limited with quarterback Jared Goff under center.


RB's

Los Angeles Rams

(NFL.com)


The Rams finished 28th in rushing attempts last season during what was a difficult campaign for fantasy disappointment Todd Gurley. Despite finishing fifth in touches among backs, he ranked just 20th in fantasy points and averaged 9.7 points a game. That was outside of the top 20 among backs with a minimum of 12 contests. ... New head coach Sean McVay liked to use a main runner as opposed to a committee while the offensive coordinator in Washington, however, so Gurley should see no shortage of work. ... The Rams offensive line ranked next to last in yards before contact, though the addition of Andrew Whitworth does breed at least some optimism for Gurley's prospects.

//www.facebook.com/Rams/videos/10156130624098484/30624098484/

That's John Johnson and Dani checking out his dorm room for camp.

Gotta say, I'm liking me some JJ but that Dani, WOW!

The season can't get here soon enough. :baghead:
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http://www.11alive.com/news/local/f...-jones-lost-treasure-in-lake-lanier/459521345

Divers seek Julio Jones' lost treasure in Lake Lanier
Brendan Keefe and Christopher Buchanan, WXIA

GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- A dive team dipped below the surface of Lake Lanier on a rescue mission. They weren't searching for someone - but something.

"I'm getting ready to dive for a diamond ring - a diamond earring," Bobby Griffin said.

The self-described "Scubaman" of Lake Lanier, Griffin was on a mission along with salvage diver Richard Pickering to uncover a bit of a treasure from the lake - though not one long-ago abandoned at the bottom of this man-made lake.

"Yeah, it was worth a little bit," Julio Jones said.

Jones, the superstar of the Atlanta Falcons lost his diamond earring while jet skiing. That was when he apparently hit a boat wake and was tossed into the water. He came back up, but his earring, worth more than $100,000 didn't. He suspects that it's now somewhere at the bottom of the lake - some 65 feet below.

At the bottom, it's completely dark.

"Pitch dark, which I was rather surprised at," Griffin said.



It's also full of trees that haven't seen daylight since the 1950s.

"They cut the trees off and let all the limbs fall down," Pickering added.

The only hope is that the divers' lights might catch a glint off the diamond - not an easy way to find such a small item.

"It's down in crevasses and nooks and crannies," Pickering said. "It's impossible - absolutely impossible."

That day, the divers rose from the water empty-handed. There was not catch today for Julio Jones though he said he's just happy no one was hurt when he fell.

"As long as I'm good, it's materialistic stuff," he said. "You can always get that kind of stuff back."

Or even better - replace it with a Super Bowl ring this season.

"Most definitely," Jones said.

Click link below to watch video and listen to podcast.
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https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/07/26/arizona-cardinals-training-camp-nfl-mmqb

Arizona Cardinals Training Camp: Last Ride for Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, Bruce Arians?
While talk in Arizona centers on the window closing for aging veterans, a closer look reveals a vibrant roster led by 25-year-old running back David Johnson and a rising young defense. The focus in Phoenix will be on putting last season’s disappointing 7-8-1 record behind them
By Peter King


David Johnson led the NFL last season with 2,118 yards from scrimmage.
MATT YORK/AP

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The 37-year-old quarterback is on a pitch count at practice for the first time in his life. Tuesday was a regular coach-mandated body-preservation day off for the star 34-year-old wide receiver, who hasn’t said if he’ll play beyond this year. The 64-year-old head coach is coming off surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his kidney—his second cancer scare—and is his usual growly self.

Life moves on for three recent giants of the game—Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, Bruce Arians. It’s futile to say in July what the future holds, but each man knows, as does the organization, that this may be the last season this trio in concert tries to bring Arizona its first Super Bowl title.

“The end is never really pretty for elite athletes,” Fitzgerald, the fourth all-time-leading wide receiver in NFL history, said at the start of training camp. “It never looks good. … Willie Mays running around with bad knees after 20 years, it’s not pretty.”

Right he is … except now the rules are being rewritten for the life expectancy of football players. And truly, we can’t know if this is the end for Palmer or Fitzgerald, because we’ve seen them play at high levels recently—Palmer was the best deep-ball thrower in football in 2015, and Fitzgerald caught 103 balls at 33 last year. And because they both do Tom Brady-type things to stay atop their games.

Palmer, an oenophile, told me Tuesday he’s stopped drinking wine “because I can tell that it makes my muscles dry.” He worked daily for the five off weeks before the start of camp to be sure he was in peak condition when the Cardinals hit camp over the weekend.

Fitzgerald played the Old Course at St. Andrews two weeks ago, a bucket-list event for this golf addict. But football wasn’t far from his mind. Not only did he bring a football for his workouts away from the fairways of Scotland and England, but his off-season trainer and mental coach, a former Navy SEAL finalist, worked Fitzgerald out in Europe on the trip.

There is a saying in sports that good teams have windows to capitalize on their chances. The popular theory about the Cardinals is their window is closing, starting with the disastrous NFC title loss at Carolina at the end of 2015 and continuing with a 7-8-1 disappointment last year, when Palmer fell to earth and was the league’s 20th-rated passer.

“That window,” GM Steve Keim said Tuesday. “We’ve got two great players with some age, but the rest of our team is not old—at all. I don’t put a lot of stock in it. Look, we know we’ve got to get a long-term quarterback at some point, and we will. But we’ve got good youth all over our roster.”

As important as the two recent franchise cornerstones are, the most important player on this team is a 25-year-old running back who is the envy of 43 million fantasy football players. The Cardinals are going to rise and fall on David Johnson's performance, and also the improvement of a young defense, which gets back Tyrann Mathieu after an injury-plagued season. He’ll join shutdown corner Patrick Peterson in one of the league’s best secondaries.

The team held a walkthrough Tuesday morning at University of Phoenix Stadium. (Strange place to have training camp, but it was 71 degrees inside Tuesday, 103 outside. And the players practiced for two-and-a-half-hours on spongy grass wheeled in from the parking lot before practice.) Palmer was feeling philosophical when we chatted after practice.

“I just look at it this way: There is no way for two years in a row that our luck can be as bad as last year,” Palmer said. “We lost some bizarre games. We’re a year older, yeah. But I look at it like we’re years younger at some spots too.

Robert Nkemdiche will step in and play well this year on our defensive line. We’ve got some rookies who are going to play early and play well. I hear the window thing, but in this league, I think you’re either rebuilding, or you’re overly optimistic. New England? They’re going 16-0. San Francisco? They’re rebuilding. And it’s never really exactly as it seems.”

Coming here Tuesday, I’d heard there was a good chance this would be Arians’ last season. He disabused me of that, pretty strongly, in his office at the stadium here.

“That is not what I’m thinking,” he said. “This is what I love to do. I’ve had a few things happen to me, and recently my friend Don Strock said to me, ‘How many signs do you need?’ But really, I’m afraid of getting old. Football, for me, is the best medicine in the world. This is what I love.”

One thing to be admired about what Arians has built: He found out at the beginning of December that he had a nickel-sized growth on his kidney, and doctors in Phoenix told him it would have to come out. Because it was slow-growing, he was told he could wait till the end of the season. So he told his players in early December.

And it never leaked. In today’s world, with loose lips and social media and families knowing, I find it amazing this story stayed buried till Arians released his book this summer. (It’s called “The Quarterback Whisperer: How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback,” written with Lars Anderson.)

I asked some players about it, and they said it came back to what Arians has built—with a little threat to boot. “One rule we have that we’re pretty good about keeping: What happens in this [locker] room stays in here,” said Patrick Peterson.

“Look at these T-shirts we wear: ‘Trust, Loyalty, Respect.’ Plus, Bruce tells us not to put stuff out on social media. We know he’d get rid of a guy [for disloyalty].”

What does that mean for the 2017 season? I doubt very much. When good teams start to go around the bend toward bad in the NFL, and when at the same time they get older at crucial spots, it’s not often they can pivot back to contention. That’s where we find the Cardinals, 18 months removed from the NFC title game and seven months removed from a debacle of a seven-win season.

The good news is they’ll have a more consistent kicker this year—Phil Dawson, instead of the shaky Chandler Catanzaro—and they’ll have the running back likely to be the game’s most productive one. And David Johnson has proven he’s a pretty good security blanket.

“I know we’ve got to watch his [touches],” Arians said, “but I want to win the damn ballgames too.”

“That’s good news,” Johnson told me after practice. “I want the ball as much as they’ll give it to me. I’ve got good genetics. I can take it.”

We’ll certainly get a chance to see come September. Lots of fortunes in the Valley of the Sun will depend on Johnson’s legs this fall.

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams?
2017 projection: ???

You know, I really thought about putting Goff on this list. I wanted to. But I just can't. I don't believe he's quite ready to take it to the next level. I hope he proves me wrong, though.

Follow David Carr on Twitter @DCarr8.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-among-young-quarterbacks-poised-to-break-out

There are 3 sports talk stations here in LA. am570 Fox, am710 ESPN and am830 ESPN2. For the last several days I turn on the radio and go to each of these to try and catch football news with TC just days away. And all I can hear is endless drivel about the Cleveland Cav's soap opera and Basketball. :blah::blah::blah:

Kyree Irving doesn't want to play with Durant, :argue: So Phucking what. Its Cleveland.:giveup:

Every time I turn on the radio and all of these stations just go on and on and on about BB and Kyree this and Durant that :blah::blah::blah:.. No football. Its really getting old and pizzing me off

Is the NFL done? Is ther a concerted effort to end football and repcace it with endless BB (new summer league)?

Is this going on in other cities?

Researchers examined the brains of 111 former NFL players. Only one didn’t have CTE.
BY RICK MAESEThe Washington Post
JULY 25, 2017 10:38 AM

Researchers studying the link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy found that 99 percent of the brains donated by families of former NFL players showed signs of the neurodegenerative disease, according to a new study published Tuesday.

In all, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and the VA Boston Healthcare System examined 202 brains that belonged to men who played football at all levels and were later donated for research. They found CTE in 177 of them - 87 percent.

While they found evidence of the disease across all levels of play, the highest percentage was found among those who competed at the highest level; all but one of the 111 brains belonging to ex-NFL players were diagnosed post-mortem with CTE.

“Obviously, this doesn’t represent the prevalence in the general population, but the fact that we’ve been able to gather this high a number of cases in such a short period of time says that this disease is not uncommon,” said neuropathologist Ann McKee, the researcher credited with some of the most high-profile CTE diagnoses. “In fact, I think it’s much more common than we currently realize. And more importantly, this is a problem in football that we need to address and we need to address now in order to bring some hope and optimism to football players.”



McKee cautions that the study has some limitations and doesn’t attempt to pinpoint a CTE rate. The brains studied were mostly donated by concerned families, which means they weren’t random and not necessarily representative of all men who have played football.

“A family is much more likely to donate if they’re concerned about their loved one - if they’re exhibiting symptoms or signs that are concerning them, or if they died accidentally or especially if they committed suicide,” she said. “It skews for accidental deaths, suicide and individuals with disabling or discomforting symptoms.”

While the study isn’t focused on causality, McKee says it provides “overwhelming circumstantial evidence that CTE is linked to football.”

The NFL pledged $100 million for concussion-related research last September - $60 million on technological development, with an emphasis on improving helmets, and $40 million earmarked for medical research - and in a statement a league spokesman expressed appreciation for the latest study.

“The medical and scientific communities will benefit from this publication and the NFL will continue to work with a wide range of experts to improve the health of current and former NFL athletes,” said NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy. “As noted by the authors, there are still many unanswered questions relating to the cause, incidence and prevalence of long-term effects of head trauma such as CTE. The NFL is committed to supporting scientific research into CTE and advancing progress in the prevention and treatment of head injuries.”

The study marks the largest CTE case series ever published. The research was drawn from a brain bank established and maintained by the VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine and the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

The 177 brains found to have CTE belonged to former players who had an average of 15 years of football experience. In addition to the NFL diagnoses, the group included three of 14 who played at the high school level, 48 of 53 who played in college, nine of 14 who competed semiprofessionally and seven of eight who played in the Canadian Football League.

“To me, it’s very concerning that we have college-level players who have severe CTE who did not go on to play professionally,” McKee said. “That means they most likely retired before the age of 25 and we still are seeing in some of those individuals very severe repercussions.”

The researchers distinguished between mild and severe cases of CTE, finding the majority of former college (56 percent), semipro (56 percent) and professional (86 percent) players to have exhibited severe pathology.

The impact of concussions and head trauma meted out on the football field has been an active area of study in recent years. And while much of the research has highlighted the potential long-term dangers posed by football, JAMA Neurology published a study this month that showed not all former players suffer from cognitive impairment.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania looked at Wisconsin men who graduated high school in 1957, comparing those who played football in school and those who didn’t. The men were assessed for depression and cognitive impairment later in life - in their 60s and 70s - and the research found similar outcomes for those who played high school football and those who didn’t.

That study also had its limitations, and the authors noted that the game 60 years ago is different in many ways from the present-day high school football experience, from playing style to equipment to the rule book.

The Boston University study doesn’t necessarily reflect the same era of football. According to the researchers, the vast majority of the brains studied belonged to players who played in the 1960s or later. In addition to examining the brains, researchers interviewed family members and loved ones of the deceased former players and found that behavioral and mood symptoms were common with those who suffered from CTE, including impulsivity, signs of depression, anxiety, hopelessness and violent tendencies.

While the disease can currently only be diagnosed post-mortem, the researchers urge for a wide-ranging longitudinal study to better understand the impact head trauma has on football players across all levels.

In the meantime, the brain bank has about 425 donated brains at its disposal, including those from men and women who played a variety of sports, as well as military veterans, with many more pledged.

“It’s not an inert study,” McKee said. “This is a very large resource that will advance research in many directions. . . . The whole point is to advance and accelerate our knowledge of CTE in order to aid the living people who are at risk for it or who have it.”


Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/latest-news/article163489718.html#storylink=cpy

Rams To Offer Unparalleled Access To The Team –Video

Rams vice president of sales and marketing Jake Bye says beginning this Saturday fans will be able to get closer than ever at this year’s workouts. And CBS2 is the home of the L.A. Rams where you can watch preseason games beginning Aug. 12 when they host Dallas at 6 p.m. (4:33)

Watch Rams Training Camp Story

http://m.therams.com/s/30854/409?itemUri=40892409/61323254702111271101011414

Check it out guys, my twitter handle is famous!

Ps. yes @Soul Surfer I know I misspelled know, in my tweet.

Ps.ps. It's actually a nice article too, on its own. Giver a gander.

Rams' long-term success begins and ends with Jared Goff

The Rams really need Jared Goff to solidify himself as their starting quarterback. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Alden Gonzalez

ESPN recently put together power rankings based on how each NFL team is positioned for the next three seasons.Insider The Los Angeles Rams finished 28th. That is, um, not good. It's not good because, well, 28th is bad. It's really not good because of what the next three seasons represent for this franchise. Thanks to heavy rainfall in a city that never experiences heavy rainfall, these next three years now constitute the buildup to the Rams -- and the Los Angeles Chargers -- moving into their vast, opulent $2.6 billion stadium in Inglewood, California.

The Rams -- 13 years removed from their last playoff appearance, 14 years removed from their last winning season -- want to become legitimate contenders as quickly as possible. More specifically, they want to ensure they are a playoff-caliber franchise by the time they move into that new stadium. ESPN's Louis Riddick, Mike Sando and Field Yates don't believe they will be -- at least not as currently constructed. The trio graded each team's roster, quarterback, draft, coaches and front office, and crunched the numbers to come up with a final score. The result: 27 of the 31 other teams are, in their minds, better positioned for success from 2017 through 2019.

The Rams can't have that. They can't have an uninterested fan base in the nation's second-largest media market, and they can't play second fiddle to the Chargers in a stadium they themselves are funding. Leading up to training camp, we're going to take a look at the five things that need to happen in order for the Rams to be a lot better than the 28th-best team at the conclusion of this three-year stretch.

No. 1: Figure out the quarterback position.

The Rams' offensive struggles aren't just a last year thing. They aren't just a Jeff Fisher thing, either. The franchise's ineptitude in this department runs a whole lot deeper. Ten years, to be exact. The Rams' offense has ranked outside of the top 20 in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) every year since 2007. Yes, 2007. That stretches through five head coaches -- two of them on an interim tag -- and seven offensive coordinators. It's a plague.

During that 10-year run from 2007 to '16, the Rams saw 14 different quarterbacks make starts for them. They are, in some semblance of order: Marc Bulger, Gus Frerotte, Brock Berlin, Trent Green, Kyle Boller, Keith Null, Sam Bradford, A.J. Feeley, Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis, Shaun Hill, Nick Foles, Case Keenum and Jared Goff.

Now, about that last guy:

The Rams moved up 14 spots to draft Goff No. 1 overall in 2016, as you probably already know. It didn't go well. You might have heard that, too. Goff, widely considered relatively raw coming out of Cal, never challenged for a starting spot during training camp and never won a game during the season. He took control of the offense during the final seven weeks, completing 54.6 percent of his passes, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, throwing five touchdowns to seven interceptions, and finishing with a Total QBR of 22.9, dead last among those who started at least five times.

Is it really fair to judge Goff off that one season? Aside from the fact that it's only a seven-game sample, and that he was only 22, and that he was transitioning out of a collegiate offense that didn't require him to call a play from the huddle or take a snap from under center, his supporting cast was atrocious. The Rams' offensive line was a mess, enough of one that Todd Gurley, the Offensive Rookie of the Year just a season earlier, barely had room to breathe. Their receiving corps continued to be less than adequate. And the entire Fisher-led staff entered 2016 with one season of directly coaching NFL quarterbacks.

You don't have to be some wide-eyed optimist to believe we might see a completely different Goff this year, now that offensive-minded Sean McVay has taken over as head coach and now that Goff has an entire year of NFL football under his belt. There's talent there. A player doesn't get drafted before everybody else without it, regardless of whatever circumstances played into it. It's all about whether the Rams can actually tap into it and finally develop a legitimate, reliable starting quarterback, the kind this organization hasn't had since Bulger hung it up.


Yes, Sean Mannion, a third-round pick in 2015 -- and the man Eric Dickerson wants as his quarterback -- looms in the background. Sure, Kirk Cousins will probably be available next offseason. And of course, next year's draft looks a little bit more promising at quarterback, especially if USC's Sam Darnold declares early. But what the Rams really need is for Goff to solidify himself as the guy. It's why he's the focus of the final entry in this series. Goff becoming a bust could set this franchise back another half-decade. Goff figuring it out can help make the Rams a sustainable winner quickly.

Goff added about 10 pounds since the start of the 2017 calendar year. He was exceedingly present throughout the offseason program, and he has already impressed teammates on the field.

He's doing everything he can.

"He wants to be great," said offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, who spent the last two years working with Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. "He’s doing everything that we’ve asked him to do, and then some. He’s working hard every day. I think he’s getting better every day."


[www.espn.com]

Bonsignore: Five things the Rams must accomplish in training camp

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The Rams are counting on new left tackle Andrew Whitworth to bolster a position that has been a problem area for the team for years. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker)
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By Vincent Bonsignore | vbonsignore@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: July 25, 2017 at 4:44 pm | UPDATED: July 25, 2017 at 5:42 pm
A year ago this time the Rams were still getting used to their new Southern California surroundings after making the 1,825-mile trip back home from St. Louis.

There was so much still hanging in the air.

An entire franchise was making the move across country. A practice facility was hurriedly being constructed to be ready in time for the regular season.

Families were still settling into new homes and neighborhoods and schools. Directions were required to find the nearest grocery store, let alone figure out how to get from one temporary practice site to another across three counties and more than 100 miles.

“In flux” is as good a way to describe it as any. And that’s not even getting into the actual football side of things. Although we all know how that turned out.

That isn’t to excuse the depths the Rams fell to in the eventual 4-12 season. Many of their problems were carryovers from their former home, unrelated to distance and upheaval.

It’s simply to point out there was an obvious and constant undercurrent of instability this time last year. And no matter how much the Rams tried to deny or manage or work around it, it was just wishful thinking. Instead they spent a year trying to get comfortable while never really getting comfortable.

The difference now can’t be understated. The Rams are no longer the new family on the block. They are established members of the community.

And as they approach their second training camp at UC Irvine as the Los Angeles Rams, you get the sense 100 percent of the focus is back on football rather than spread across various different areas.

The question is, will stability equate to a much-needed on-field turnaround?

For that to be the case, here are five things the Rams much accomplish over the next four weeks:

OFFENSIVE LINE MUST GET SQUARED AWAY

It would be easy to point to second-year quarterback Jared Goff or running back Todd Gurley as the keys to finally getting the Rams offense out of first gear, and their contributions are critical. But the reality is Goff and Gurley remain beholden to the point of attack.

There are tangible reasons, however, to believe the offensive line can at least elevate itself to average rather than the league worst it was last season.

The addition of free agent left tackle Andrew Whitworth changes the whole dynamic. A two-time Pro Bowler who continues to get better with age, Whitworth, 35, immediately locks down a position that has baffled and sabotaged the Rams for years. It means Goff’s backside is better protected, often as a one-man operation that allows tight ends to be more active in the passing game. It means Rodger Saffold can settle in at left guard full time and gives new Rams coach Sean McVay the flexibility to move Rob Havenstein from right tackle to right guard and move Jamon Brown to right tackle after playing guard last season.

Coupled with the addition of veteran center John Sullivan, the Rams offensive line has undergone almost a complete facelift from last year, when left tackle Greg Robinson’s ineffectiveness was a liability. If the changes equate to a significant improvement in play, it alters the whole feel of the Rams offense and gives Goff and Gurley a chance to succeed.

GOFF NEEDS TO TAKE CONTROL

It wasn’t like the Rams’ entire offseason was designed and executed with their second-year quarterback in mind, but close to it. And they desperately need the coaching change from the defensive-minded Jeff Fisher to the offensive-minded McVay and the rebuilt coaching and personnel infrastructure around Goff to help pave the path he takes to being a productive NFL quarterback.

The cards were stacked against Goff last year. To deny that would simply be dishonest. He was working behind the worst offensive line in the league, with wide receivers who struck little fear anyone and under an offensive coaching staff that lacked creativity and development experience.

All of which led to Goff playing under siege, his 0-6 record as a starter and questions about his validity as the top pick in the draft.

The Rams didn’t just clear the deck for Goff in year two, they pretty much built him a new ship and hired a new captain and crew. Now it’s on him to take advantage, which means developing trust that an improved offensive line will give him that extra blink of an eye to hang in the pocket and make the throw. It means building chemistry with new receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Gerald Everett and holdovers Tyler Higbee and Tavon Austin.

And mostly it means Goff being able to digest a new offense, settle into his role as both a player and leader and prove he is the quarterback to lead the Rams into the regular season.

IT’S TIME FOR GURLEY TO REAPPEAR

The fall of Todd Gurley is one of the more inexplicable tumbles in recent NFL memory. Here’s a guy who burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2015 with 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games only to limp through 2016 with 885 yards and six touchdowns.

There is no doubt Gurley was running behind an offensive line that couldn’t consistently open holes and alongside a quarterback and wide receiver group incapable of challenging teams down field. And it all conspired against Gurley in the form of little to no running room while facing eight- and nine-man defensive fronts.

But there also is evidence to suggest when Gurley did have room to run, he didn’t always make the most of it. Maybe he wasn’t seeing things correctly. Maybe he was shell-shocked after taking the beating he did. Or maybe he was so stunned at actually seeing the occasional open running lane he didn’t react well.

Whatever the case, Gurley had a downright awful season, and the Rams have to figure out a way to get him untracked during training camp.

The Rams addressed the offensive line and wide receiver problems through free agency and the draft, and year two Jared Goff should be better than year one. Still, the personnel and maturation improvements remain only in theory for the time being.

However, Gurley should get some help in the more creative offense McVay brings, which features man-on-man blocking schemes that favor a north-south downhill runner like Gurley. Yes, McVay will also rely heavily on the spread-it-out, shotgun offense he’s historically preferred, but history suggests he does a good job using man and zone blocking schemes in the shotgun in order to take advantage of a power back like Gurley.

PASSING GAME WEAPONS NEED TO EMERGE

The Rams went heavy on wide receiver help through the draft and free agency while also adding a new vertical tight end threat. And the hope is newcomers Woods, Kupp, Everett and Josh Reynolds combine with holdovers Higbee, Austin, Nelson Spruce, Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas to lift a receiving group that struck little fear in the hearts of opposing defenses.

Woods and Kupp, in particular, fit a skill-set profile that should translate into much needed dependability, polish and accountability for Goff to tap into. Meanwhile, Higbee and Everett are envisioned as the ideal multi-faceted tight end tandem to operate in McVay’s offense.

SEAN McVAY MUST MAKE AN IMPACT

The Rams had an accountability and leadership problem under Fisher, with players privately complaining about a lack of urgency to get problems fixed and a sentiment that players weren’t being empowered to lead.

The hiring of McVay, 31, was intended to change that narrative by establishing a new culture in which players are held accountable but also given a voice to lead. Those changes were apparent during OTAs when players spoke highly of the veteran presence and leadership of newcomers Whitworth, Robert Woods and Connor Barwin, but also the communication and teaching skills of McVay and an experienced coaching staff that includes long-time defensive coordinator and former head coach Wade Phillips.

This is McVay’s first go-round as a head coach leading a team through training camp, and though most of the groundwork was laid during the offseason, it’s imperative he establishes the culture, identity and direction he intends to be the foundation his team rests on.

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/07/2...gs-the-rams-must-accomplish-in-training-camp/

The Warrenton High School (OR) 30th class reunion was last weekend. We had it at the local sports bar which is actually a Steelers place but they have stuff locally related also. Dusty McGrorty went to Warrenton also which is pretty cool for a town that is around 3,000 population. My senior class was about 54 kids, and 48 of us all started Kindergarten together. We're almost more like family than classmates.

We all had a blast and I haven't partied that hard since my wedding reception 18 years ago.