WR Coach Eric Yarber Stays in L.A. to Work with Rams

Myles Simmons

While many of the Rams’ new coaches have had to pack up and move across the country, one of them hasn’t had to go far at all.

Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber has spent the last five seasons at UCLA as the wide receivers coach under Jim Mora Jr. But now he’s moving up the road from Westwood to Thousand Oaks to work for head coach Sean McVay.

“I’m very excited about working with coach McVay,” Yarber said in an interview with therams.com. “He has a world of knowledge. He’s a very sharp offensive mind and he’s one of the up and coming head coaches.”

But what’s more is having grown up in Los Angeles, Yarber used to root for the team that now employs him.

“I remember Jackie Slater, Lawrence McCutcheon, and my all-time favorite was Harold Jackson,” Yarber said. “I thought one day, I would play for them. But that didn’t happen. But the next best thing is to coach for them.”

Yarber did play in the NFL for three seasons in the 1980s, and was part of the Washington team that won Super Bowl XXII in 1988. That year, he led the club with 37 punt returns.

Now as a coach, Yarber sees it as his job to ensure players under his purview reach their highest potential. And he’s embracing the challenge of getting Los Angeles’ receivers to perform at a higher, more consistent level.

“It’s a chance for me to get those guys off their mark,” Yarber said. “It’s up to me to take them to the next level, take them to a place that they can’t go by themselves. So I’m up for the challenge and I know that speaking with some of the guys, they’re up for the challenge, also.”

And while there’s still much work to be done, Yarber likes some of the traits he’s seen displayed on film.

“When I took a look a the receiving corps, I saw a variety of guys’ skill sets,” Yarber said. “You’ve got guys who can run your option routes, you’ve got guys who can take the top off. You’ve got big targets. So, it’s a nice variety to have.”

[www.therams.com]

@jrry32 Was the first one to bring this guy to light for me.

I just started watching but I figured I'd share. I found this RSP Film Room last year while I was studying Goff.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evHQtX_10Uc

5 FREE AGENTS ABOUT TO GET OVERPAID

Which 2017 free agents are about to receive big pad-days, despite the questions marks they bring to the table?

SAM MONSON

NFL free agency can be a fantastic opportunity for teams to add proven talent to their roster before the draft rolls around. Teams that invest wisely in free agents can massively boost the talent of their rosters, but a mistake can prove even more costly than a swing and a miss come draft time.

Free agency isn’t just about talent evaluation; it’s also a bidding war against 31 other potential landing spots, and that marketplace drives up the costs.

Every year there are players who hit the open market and end up getting dramatically overpaid, costing teams in the long run and never justifying the dollar figure that gets attached to them. Here are a group of players likely to fit that billing in 2017.

5. Trumaine Johnson, CB, Los Angeles Rams
The league has a love affair at the moment with big, tall, long cornerbacks—the type of athletes that can at least attempt to go one-on-one with players like Julio Jones athletically and live to tell the tale. Trumaine Johnson, at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, has that prototypical size and length, but remains an inconsistent player on the field. At his best, he looks like a player worthy of those measurables, but that guy doesn’t appear on tape every week of the season, and in 2016, he allowed four touchdowns while picking off just one pass and breaking up another six. He has only allowed fewer than 60 percent of the passes thrown his way to be caught once in a season, and his career mark in that statistic is 61.2 percent, which would have ranked 61st in the NFL this season.

Read Complete Article
[www.profootballfocus.com]

Note that all threads about the draft posted in the RAMS - NFL TALK section will be moved to their appropriate section: NFL DRAFT / COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

Then why are posts about draft topics allowed in other threads in the RAMS - NFL TALK section?

Because it would be impossible to weed them all out. Besides, we're really not that anal.

Anything about the draft, Rams or not, goes into the draft section. Soon we'll be inundated with mock drafts and rumors about the draft which will crowd out free agency and other NFL news. It keeps things nice and orderly.

Carry on!

These are excerpts. To read the whole article click the link below. Nothing on the Rams.
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http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/02/20/tony-romo-nfl-quarterback-offseason-market-draft

Tony Romo and the Quarterback Dominoes
The offseason begins with a resetting of the QB market, starting with where the best fit is for Cowboys veteran Tony Romo
By Peter King


Photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images

Welcome to the 2017 offseason. We’re 15 days after the Super Bowl, so there’s been enough time to put the game, great as it was, in the rear-view mirror. We’re 10 days out from the start of the combine. So let’s take a morning to set the table for the event of this off-season: the resetting of the quarterback market in the NFL.

The future of Tony Romo is the most compelling story of all. He’ll be 37 in April. He’s missed 27 of his last 32 games due to injury, and by the time he’d suit up for anyone next September (if he does, and we’ll get to that), Romo will have played one series of football in 21 months.

Of course the question is: How do you count on Romo at all? But some team will, and rightfully so, because it’s a good gamble. It’s not a good gamble for a lot of guaranteed money, but Romo shouldn’t care about money at this stage.

He should care about the opportunity he’s always wanted—to take a team deep into the playoffs, which he might well have done last year but for the Cliff Avril hit/awkward fall in the preseason game at Seattle that KO’d Romo with another back injury for all but one offensive series of 2016.

Let’s line up the pool of players, and the needy teams, and try to forecast who’s going where—or at least give you a best guess.

Vet likely to be franchised

Kirk Cousins, Washington

I am stunned that Washington GM Scot McCloughan could pay Cousins the whopper franchise number of $24 million a year, particularly when there’s a sense the franchise likes him a lot but isn’t sold on him. But what’s the alternative? If Washington doesn’t franchise him, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan steals him.

The Niners still could still get Cousins after being franchised—and after the draft—by signing him and hoping Washington doesn’t match but rather takes the 49ers’ first-round picks in 2018 and 2019. (If not franchised and signed before the draft, Cousins would fetch a team’s 2017 and 2018 first-rounders, trouble because San Francisco owns the second overall pick in April.)

Washington blanches at the thought of paying Cousins $44 million over 2016 and 2017, but it’s more likely than not to happen. The alternative, losing Cousins and not having a remotely sure thing in the wings, is worse.

Vets who could be available or are free agents
Jimmy Garoppolo, New England
Tony Romo, Dallas
AJ McCarron, Cincinnati
Jay Cutler, Chicago
Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay
Brian Hoyer, Chicago
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets
Nick Foles, Kansas City

The Garoppolo story will be fun to see play out, and I’m in the minority here, but I don’t see the Patriots trading him. He’s the first legit heir to Tom Brady that the franchise has had. Brady’s going to be 40 in August. Bill Belichick has never been a slave to high picks. I just think he’d rather have the insurance of Garoppolo with Brady in the saddle at 40. Cleveland and Chicago like Garoppolo, and I’d be surprised if Shanahan doesn’t. …

More about Romo later, but Houston and Kansas City look like the best landing spots for him, with a contract befitting an old quarterback with a long injury history. … McCarron wants to play somewhere, and he knows that Andy Dalton (three starts missed in six seasons) isn’t giving up the chair. He could be an interesting fallback guy for, say, Chicago if the Bears flunk out on their two or three top choices. …

Cutler? I’m not going to be shocked if he ends up in Arizona. … There’s a risk to everyone else, but Glennon could get paid somewhere. I would just remind those GMs on the Glennon trail to study the lesson of the last tall mostly benchwarmer to get irrationally paid. And see where Brock Osweiler is right now.

* * *

• Cleveland (1st, 12th picks in the first round). The Browns have to get a quarterback this off-season, and the quarterback can’t be an RG3-type placeholder or a Cody Kessler-shot-in-the-dark guess. I’m guessing the Browns inquire on Garoppolo and get rebuffed—unless they offer the 12th overall pick plus another high pick. At this stage, the Browns lead the league in high picks acquired, and it’s gotten them to the bottom of the league.

Now it’s time to pay through the nose if there’s a quarterback Jackson loves. Then we come to the college guys. If Trubisky’s the guy, just take him first overall, as crazy as it sounds. But if Jackson is lukewarm on the top collegians, he likes McCarron a lot (he coached him as a Bengal rookie), and can fall back on him. He’ll just have to overpay, because Cincinnati owner Mike Brown does not want to trade him. The Browns have the 33rd, 51st and 65th picks to play with if McCarron’s their man.

• San Francisco (2nd pick in the first round). Too dangerous to predict. Shanahan’s been a head coach for 15 minutes and John Lynch a GM for 25. But I do feel it’s likely Shanahan will let Colin Kaepernick walk, do everything he can to try to figure a way to wrangle Cousins from Washington and then, if that fails, study the college quarterbacks and find the one who fits his system the best. I’d just be guessing what the outcome is here.

• Chicago (3rd pick in the first round). This just looks like Trubisky or Kizer to me, or maybe Mahomes in the second round, or as a late-first-round trade-up. The Bears need to start over, as does Cutler.

• New York Jets (6th pick in the first round). There’s been zero positive buzz out of the Jets on last year’s newest heir to the Namath throne, Christian Hackenberg. He never came close to even getting in a game last season, as though the Jets were afraid to shatter the kid. I think the Jets would seriously consider Mike Glennon or Tyrod Taylor (if the Bills cuts him loose, which could be an 11th-hour call).

Cutler was new QB coach Jeremy Bates’ pupil in Chicago, and the two are close, but it sounds like the Jets don’t want to go with the dour Bear. Whatever the Jets do, they’re as far from identifying and training and winning with a quarterback of the future as they’ve been for years.

• Los Angeles Chargers (7th pick in first round). They need a down-the-road successor for 35-year-old Philip Rivers. There’s time, and they won’t do it in the first round. But if, say, Mahomes is around with the 38th overall pick in round two, and if GM Tom Telesco likes him a lot, don’t be surprised to see a Rivers heir go off the board.

• Buffalo (10th pick in the first round). Moot if the Bills hang onto Taylor, and there is a better chance they do than there was before, with new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison in the house. As our Albert Breer astutely points out, Dennison was on the Ravens’ staff in 2014 and liked Taylor enough there to support the Broncos trying to sign him in 2015, when Dennison went to Denver as offensive coordinator.

• Arizona (13th pick in the first round). Name the counter-culture coach who likes to take shots on guys hated by lots of down-the-middle coaches and GMs, who is the biggest proponent of the deep ball of any coach in football, and who may need said deep ball thrower because his quarterback turns 38 this year.

I think I just made a Bruce Arians-Jay Cutler marriage—and Arizona can wait until the Bears cut him and sign Cutler for two years and incentives. This doesn’t mean Arizona won’t aggressively scout college kids though.

• Washington (17th pick in the first round). Doubt it comes to this, but imagine the Niners hijack Cousins, and do it after the draft. That’s why Washington has to do its due diligence on the quarterbacks in this draft.

• Houston (25th pick in the first round).

• Kansas City (27th pick in the first round).

See what I did there? Space intentionally left blank. Neither team has todo anything major. The Texans have a great defense and are likely to play Tom Savage at quarterback in Week 1. The Chiefs have a very good defense and are likely to play Alex Smith at quarterback in Week 1.


Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

That’s where Tony Romo comes into play. Some knowledge about Romo first. It’s likely he plays somewhere in 2017, and I say that because I know he had a chance to get at least one very good off-field job offer since the end of the regular season. He didn’t do it, because he still wants to play. He knows everyone thinks he’s a piece of fine china and will crack if dropped to the floor. There’s nothing he can do about that other than to play.

The Cowboys will do the right thing by Romo, who is closer than most players would be to Jerry Jones. Romo helped coach COO Stephen Jones’ son, John Stephen Jones, who led his Dallas high school to a state championship last fall. Romo was at the game, sitting with the Jones family.

Jerry Jones knows Romo wants one more shot at playing, and though the cap implications are onerous, those close to the Cowboys believe in the end he’ll likely do what Romo wants. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talkhas stressed, that’s likely a release. No one’s trading for that contract, and if they would, they wouldn’t give much except a future conditional pick anyway.

Given his druthers, Houston coach Bill O’Brien would likely rather have Garoppolo, a long-termer with a grounding in the tough, Patriot Way coaching he’d get under O’Brien. And the buzz around the team is that Savage will have every opportunity to win the job. The 2017 season will be O’Brien’s fourth.

He’s made the playoffs twice in three seasons, with Brian Hoyer and Brock Osweiler his forgettable quarterbacks, and O’Brien knows this is a vital year for him and for his program. With Romo, O’Brien would have the veteran winner he’s longed for—and a coachable one. And if Romo got hurt, he’d have Savage. Seeing that he’s thought all along Savage would probably be his guy this year, why not upgrade there?

In Kansas City, Andy Reid has seen the ceiling of Alex Smith, and it is nice. Nice, as in final eight of the NFL … not as in final two. Reid has never minded upsetting the apple cart for a potentially special player. Romo would be that. Smith is mature enough to take this, to understand the addition of Romo would be good for the team. Smith wouldn’t pout. He’d be a team guy. That’s why the Chiefs make sense too.

Romo’s druthers, I think, would be to stay in Texas. Houston’s a 40-minute private-plane ride from Dallas. Kansas City’s double that. Romo’s got his third child on the way and loves the Dad life. Houston, being significantly closer, makes more sense—and that’s even before considering that the Texans’ defense and skill players are very good.

And considering that J.J. Watt’s return in 2017 might make the defense untouchable, though Watt’s health makes that impossible to predict. Then again, Romo’s health is impossible to predict. But I’ve said this since the end of the season: Houston makes the most sense for Romo. Now smart football people, and a quarterback determined to have his one last hurrah in a place where he knows he can win, have to make that happen.

* * *

• Tom Brady on being an 81 percent passer in the fourth quarter and overtime of his last two Super Bowl comebacks (against Seattle and Atlanta) as opposed to a 64 percent lifetime passer: “It’s a team sport. All of the guys are making the plays. I can only throw it, I can't catch it. When you see the catches that we're making, that explains it. I've played with so many great players too. It's the ultimate team sport, that's why it's so fun. You get so many new guys and develop relationships. Julian [Edelman] to me was still a young player. Now he’s an elder statesman.”

You don't feel any different in the fourth quarter of these two games then?

“Well, it's tricky. It's hard to say. Because I feel like I approach every practice and every game the same way. I always feel like I'm the same. Sometimes the stats don't show that but that's how I feel. We'll come in from practice, we had an average practice, and I'm like, why was that an average practice? It's one play here, it's one play there.

Maybe it's not so much about execution of 81 percent versus 62 percent or 64 percent. It's, what was your mental approach in that time? I felt the same in both of those games. I felt like I just go out there and do my job.”

• Brady on his lost/stolen/misplaced game jersey: “I don’t know, it was just … I put it in my bag, and went to the bathroom, took my eye-black off, came back out, and it was gone. So, a lot of players, you know you take your jersey off and you just don’t know what happens. Well, that one I wanted to keep because I was like, this is going to be a cool one!

Sometimes things just go and they end up somewhere in the Patriot Hall of Fame and you don’t know it, or people have said things like, I saw your such and such in the Canton [Pro Football] Hall of Fame, and I’m like, ‘What? How did they get that?’ You just lose track because there are so many things happening, but I knew I wanted to keep that jersey. But someone got to it. It is what it is. It’s a jersey.”

* * *

Things I Think I Think

1. I think this is one leftover from the Super Bowl, when I ran into Tim Tebow, that rings interesting today, as Tebow continues on his longest-shot quest to find a home with the New York Mets. I asked Tebow about the difficulties of hitting the curveball in the Arizona Fall League. Yes, he acknowledged, that was difficult. But something was harder. “The changeup,” he said.

2. I think Darrelle Revis has given the Jets the easiest out of a big contract and a big headache of this off-season. But I would be very careful about passing judgment on the guilt or innocence of Revis, who has never sniffed trouble like this before.

Revis surrendered Friday to Pittsburgh police on charges of felony assault and robbery, stemming from a street altercation last weekend. Late Sunday, TMZ released video of the aftermath of the incident that shows the two victims knocked out. Revis does not appear in the video, and his lawyers have denied that it is his voice heard on the video or that he knocked anyone out.

3. I think Adrian Peterson has more left than Emmitt Smith had when Smith left Dallas to play two final seasons in Arizona. Smith was 34 entering the Arizona phase of his life. Peterson will be 32 when he takes the field, somewhere, for the 2017 season; he’s well-preserved, having played just 20 games in the past three years, but he also just had a year with 37 carries for 1.9 yards per attempt.

The Vikings are going to have a tough time getting him to take a pay cut. But buyer beware. I like Peterson—a lot. But I’m not crazy about paying big money to a back who just missed 13 games at 31 with a knee injury.

4. I think it’s that time of year, when visits by a free-agent defensive tackle (Earl Mitchell) made headlines in three different NFL markets Friday and Saturday. Mitchell turns 30 in September. He weighs 310 pounds. He is, at best, a rotational defensive tackle.

So tread cautiously when you see a headline about this valuable tackle on the street that your team might steal before unrestricted free-agency begins. Not to be down on Mitchell at all. But the man averaged 19 plays a game last year. Set your expectations wisely, as you should for every free agent on the street before the free market opens on March 9.

5. I think there was no need to move the combine back one week (workouts will be March 3-6 now, in Indianapolis), and it flies in the face of the NFL’s attempt to make the NFL a 24/7/365 venture. The league used to have eight or nine days between the combine and unrestricted free agency, a time the media would digest the combine and start to puff up free agency.

Now free agency will start, essentially, immediately after the combine, seeing that agents and teams all but make deals before the start of free agency (on Thursday, March 9, this year). Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

6. I think, just as I didn’t like Miami’s addition of pass-rusher Mario Williams (who isn’t passionate enough about football) last year, I love the recommitment of the Dolphins to pass-rusher Cameron Wake (who is mega-passionate about football).

They signed Wake, 35, to a contract extension that guarantees him $9 million in the next two years and a total of $18 million over that same time. Wake proved he still has disruptive burst in 2016, getting 11.5 sacks coming off Achilles surgery. It’s more than that; Miami coach Adam Gase learned last season that whatever Wake has to give, he’s going to give it every day.

7. I think if you let Tony Romo go, Jerry Jones, you’ll have a few backup options, to be sure. The one call I’d absolutely, positively make would be to JoshMcCown. Make him your number three, deactivate him most weeks (if not all), and watch him help Dak Prescott get better, without a shred of ego.

8. I think if I were Matt Schaub, I’d realize the place I’m in is a pretty good one. Schaub, who was Matt Ryan’s backup in Atlanta in 2016, is an unrestricted free agent, and if he chose to go to San Francisco, he might be able to start for a year or two (at least that could be the plan) while helping groom Kyle Shanahan’s long-term quarterback for the 49ers. All sounds good on paper, but remember a few things:

• Schaub’s 35.

• The last time he was a credible starter, for Houston, was five years ago.

• Since then, Schaub has started 10 games and has shown he’s come down with a bit of the yips (3-7 as a starter, 13 touchdowns, 20 picks) while playing for four teams in four years.

• The Niners’ line is leaky, and Schaub can’t get out of his own way.

Some would see not going with Shanahan as an acceptance of the career rocking chair for Schaub. I wouldn’t. Getting paid $2.5 million to back up a really good quarterback on a playoff team is not exactly hard time. There’s something empowering about knowing what you are.

RANKING THE 10 BEST O-LINEMEN SET TO HIT FREE AGENCY

The 2017 free-agent crop of offensive linemen is interior-heavy, but talent is to be had at the tackle spot, as well.

MATT CLAASSEN

[www.profootballfocus.com]

There should be plenty of teams looking to upgrade along their offensive lines this offseason, and this year’s crop of free-agent linemen is one of the best in recent years. It’s a particularly interior-heavy group, but there are still good options at either tackle position, as well.

Here’s the list of the top offensive linemen set to hit free agency:

1. Kevin Zeitler, G, Cincinnati Bengals
Zeitler may be just below the “elite” tier of guards, but not by much. He has earned a top-10 overall grade among guards in each of the last three seasons, and is pretty balanced in having success as both a run and pass blocker. Zeitler has allowed just one sack over the past two seasons, and recorded the fifth-highest pass-blocking efficiency among guards in 2016. At age 27, he likely has a whole contract’s worth of good years ahead of him, which gives him the edge over the next two players.

2. T.J. Lang, G, Green Bay Packers

Lang dealt with some injuries this past season that probably contributed to a slight dip in his play, but he still finished as our eighth-ranked guard in 2016 after earning a top-five spot the previous two years. Lang is consistently one of the best pass blockers in the league, and in this past season, did not allow a single sack or hit despite Aaron Rodgers holding onto the ball longer than all but one other NFL quarterback. While Lang is a noticeably better pass protector than run blocker, he’s still well above average in the ground game. He’s two years older than Zeitler, but could still be a better fit for a team that is pass-heavy and looking to upgrade its pass protection.

3. Andrew Whitworth, T, Cincinnati Bengals
At age 35, Whitworth may not be a long-term solution at this point. However, at worst, he can be an exceptional short-term answer for teams needing help at the tackle position. Whitworth has graded among the top-10 tackles for eight consecutive seasons, and his best play has actually come in recent years, as he’s ranked among the top-five tackles for the last four seasons. He remains one of the better pass-protecting left tackles, having allowed just 14 total QB pressures last season. Even though it may only be for a limited time, Whitworth could be a difference-maker for a playoff contender.

4. Larry Warford, G, Detroit Lions
Warford put together one of the best rookie performances for an offensive lineman in 2013, enough to earn PFF’s Rookie of the Year award. Unfortunately for the Lions, he hasn’t been able to replicate that season since then. However, Warford remains a solid guard who is above-average as both a run and pass blocker. There’s also still a chance that a change of scenery and coaching could help him get back to his rookie level.

5. Ronald Leary, G, Dallas Cowboys
Leary has been fortunate to play between two of the best players at tackle and center. That said, he’s actually shown to be a pretty good one-on-one blocker when given the opportunity. Leary managed to not allow a single sack on nearly 500 snaps in pass protection last season, and didn’t allow a hit until Week 14. As impressive as that is, he’s actually been a better run blocker than pass blocker. He has ranked among the top-15 guards in run-blocking grading in his last two full seasons as a starter. Leary would be a good fit for a team that runs a zone-blocking scheme and is looking to upgrade its run blocking.

6. J.C. Tretter, C, Green Bay Packers
Tretter is somewhat of a wildcard, given that he’s barely played a full season’s worth of snaps in his four-year career. However, when he has been on the field, he’s performed pretty well. After starting just a handful of games at the end of the 2015 season, Tretter was able to unseat Corey Linsley in the offseason to take over as the starting center for the Packers. Through eight weeks, it looked like Green Bay had made the correct choice, as Tretter was the fifth-ranked center at the time, but a knee injury abruptly ended his season. Whoever is willing to give Tretter a chance likely will end up with a solid starter. He may also provide some positional flexibility, since the Packers’ original plan was to used him at guard.

7. Ricky Wagner, T, Baltimore Ravens

Wagner has been a starter for the Ravens for three seasons now, and his play has been all over the place during that time. His best season came in 2014 when he just missed the top-10 in overall grade, but did rank eighth as a pass blocker, along with an above-average run-blocking grade. Wagner is coming off a similar performance in 2016, with just slight steps back in both aspects of blocking. Sandwiched between those two seasons was a disastrous year in which Wagner allowed a career-high 52 total QB pressures, 20 more than his next-highest season. He also struggled as a run blocker on a fairly regular basis. Wagner very well may be the player we saw in 2014 and 2016, but teams will also need to be wary of what exactly happened in 2015 that caused such a stark drop in performance.

8. Stefan Wisniewski, C/G, Philadelphia Eagles
Wisniewski has bounced around among teams the last few seasons and was relegated to a backup role last year before stepping in as a starter for a few weeks. He is a few years removed from his best performances, though he’s never really had a below-average season as a starter. Oddly, teams have been willing to move on after just one season anyways. He’s probably still best-suited as a center, but he did show last year that he’s a capable guard, and that positional flexibility should only be an added value for a team.

9. Kelvin Beachum, T, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars decided to move on from Beachum after one season. He had easily the worst season of his career, but he should still be worth a look. Beachum’s poor performance came in his first year returning from an ACL injury sustained early in the 2015 season, as well as his first in a different offensive system. Prior to the injury, he had a breakout year in 2014 when he was the fifth-ranked tackle in the NFL. He had a rocky start to the 2015 season, as he allowed four total QB pressures in the season opener against the Patriots, but he settled down and allowed just two over his next four-plus games before the season-ending injury. At age 27, he is still young and worth taking a chance on with limited guaranteed money in hopes that he can get closer to his 2014 level.

10. John Sullivan, C, Washington Redskins
Sullivan played just 98 snaps last year after missing the entire 2015 season with a back injury. At age 31, Sullivan is now more than three seasons removed from the top of his game. He finished among the top-three graded centers from 2011–2013. In his last full season in 2014, Sullivan still earned above-average grades as both a pass protector and run blocker to finish as the seventh-ranked center. He may not be an elite center anymore, but he’s definitely worth a look from a team trying to upgrade at the position.

Downtown Rams Draft Profile: American International College DB Daquan Holmes

http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...erican-International-College-DB-Daquan-Holmes

Our new massive series here at Downtown Rams will give you players that catch our eye. We will bring you bring you draft prospects, see where their fit is with the Rams and of course give you a player comparison.
Who is the 6-foot-0, 190 pound DB Daquan Holmes?

He's likely a defensive back you never heard of, but so was Malcolm Butler not so long ago. Daquan Holmes is a Division II standout who could be generating some buzz as a late round steal or a high priority undrafted rookie free agent. Holmes looks the part of a hard working grinder who can change the game on a dime as a playmaker. He would likely need to earn a spot as a special teamer in the NFL before a serious spot on a defense, but that shouldn't discourage you from considering this kid.

Strengths
Solid size to play CB in the NFL
Speed and athleticism are where they need to be
Clear-cut awareness
Adequate ball skills
Concentration
Ball-carrier vision
Play-making ability
Kick/Punt return ability
Quick processor; dissects and attacks the play


Weaknesses
Level of competition
Needs to improve as a tackler to be a force on special teams
Needs to bulk up a little more to play on the outside

How does he fit with the Rams?
The Rams are looking at a majority new roster. With a new era in Rams football many players of the previous regime could be out the door. There is always room on the special teams squad but as it stands right now there could be room with the cornerbacks. With the Rams best CB set to possibly leave in free agency, the Rams would be left with just CB's: E.J. Gaines, LaMarcus Joyner, Mike Jordan, Blake Countess, Troy Hill, Kevin Peterson and Kevin Short. Outside of Gaines and Joyner who have started in 39 games combined. The rest of the crop listed has only started in eight games combined. That to me, leaves plenty of leeway for a young rookie like Holmes to get his shot. The Rams have brought in small-school guys before and they have had undrafted free agents end up starting before, so it wouldn't surprise me if Holmes followed in Malcolm Butler's path and became the next small-school kid to make an impact in the NFL.

Draft Grade
7th round-UDFA

Player comparison
Malcolm Butler

Say what you will but if you turn on Malcolm Butler's college tape there is a clear resemblance to Daquan Holmes. One thing that stood out was how much faster and quicker they both looked than the rest of the players on the field. Men among boys, Butler is a perfect example of going from rags to riches. Why can't Holmes do the same? Butler is another one of those guys that started off with his back against the wall as an undrafted free agent and ended up winning the Patriots the Super Bowl by making the biggest play of his life. After that Butler just continued to get better and now he is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. If Holmes has the work ethic, determination and the passion Butler has, all you need to do is put together his physical gifts and you will have yourself a future NFL cornerback. Remember the name Daquan Holmes, because before you know it he could end up being the next Malcolm Butler.
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Other draft profiles:

K.D. Cannon, WR, Baylor - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-post/2017/01/21/Downtown-Rams-Draft-Profile-Baylor-WR-KD-Cannon

Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...wn-Rams-Draft-Profile-LSU-CB-TreDavious-White

Trey Hendrickson, DE, FAU - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...wn-Rams-Draft-Profile-FAU-DE-Trey-Hendrickson

Forrest Lamp, OT, Western Kentucky - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...ft-Profile-Western-Kentucky-OTOG-Forrest-Lamp

Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...Rams-Draft-Profile-East-Carolina-WR-Zay-Jones

Jojo Mathis, EDGE, Washington - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...Rams-Draft-Profile-Washington-EDGE-Joe-Mathis

Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...-Draft-Profile-St-Francis-PA-S-Lorenzo-Jerome

Haason Reddick, LB, Temple - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...n-Rams-Draft-Profile-Temple-LB-Haason-Reddick

James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...Rams-Draft-Profile-Pittsburgh-RB-James-Conner

Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...raft-Profile-Western-Michigan-OT-Taylor-Moton

Javancy Jones, EDGE, Jackson State - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...raft-Profile-Jackson-State-EDGE-Javancy-Jones

Glen Antoine, NT, Idaho - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-post/2017/02/11/Downtown-Rams-Draft-Profile-Idaho-NT-Glen-Antoine

Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington - http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...ams-Draft-Profile-Washington-DL-Elijah-Qualls

Here's my thinking...

McVay impressed the heck out of the FO brass, the press, and the fans throughout the interviews and after the hire. Almost universally so. He just oozed charm, competence, and energy.

Next came his hiring choices for the various assistant coaches. Almost unanimously hailed as a terrific group and with a few considered HR's. My point being that he was respected and considered a very good HC prospect that was going places and many coaches wanted to hitch their wagons to such a person, if only to enhance their future resumes.

Now, let's take this thought process one logical step further, shall we?

Why wouldn't the McVay aura, in combo with some outstanding asst coaches, attract potential future FA's in the same way? Players that might be kinda on the fence while entertaining multiple team offers? Especially important when it comes to O positions, huh? Might be refreshing to have an O coaching staff that attracted rather than repelled potential FA's.

I think the McVay factor might just be the difference maker in at least a few cases. If I'm right, this would be a huge positive influence on our offseason plans. Could make our draft strategy a lot more clear, too.

What do y'all think?

John Fassel Glad to be Sticking With Rams

By Myles Simmons


After a tumultuous 2016 season in Los Angeles that finished with him as interim head coach, John Fassel could have easily looked elsewhere for 2017. Instead, he's said, there wasn’t any other place he wanted to be.

Fassel and new head coach Sean McVay reportedly had a quick and easy discussion that kept the special teams coordinator around for what will be his sixth season with the Rams.

“He said he wants to keep me around — and that’s all I needed to know,” Fassel told the Los Angeles Times in January. “I said, ‘I want to be here, so I appreciate it.’”

In an interview with therams.com, Fassel said he first met McVay the day of the head coach’s introductory press conference at the team facility in Thousand Oaks. And even then, Fassel could feel a good sense of chemistry.

The first time I met him was the day he got introduced as the head coach, so we bumped into each other in the hallway and were high-fiving, and hugging, and it’s almost like we had coached together and known each other for years,” Fassel said. “So it was kind of just like, spontaneous combustion and then here we go. So it was fun right off the bat. And it’s been a great couple of weeks so far.”

While Fassel said he can see how being a familiar face to many players could be beneficial, he’s also taking 2017 as a fresh start.

“I also feel like I’m new, which is kind of cool. I feel like I’m coming into a new team because it’s a new staff and there are going to be some new players,” Fassel said. “But the relationships I have with the players is just so important to me, and I’m glad I get to keep that with a lot of the guys.”

So much so that Fassel gave credit to many of those players for the fact that he was asked to stay on.

“I’ve reached out to a lot of guys and thanked them for their professionalism, work ethic, and success because, you know, if the players play good, then usually coaches have the opportunity to stay — let’s face it,” Fassel said. “So I was very grateful for those guys for really giving me the opportunity to stay as well as coach.”

With the myriad experiences Fassel had as a coach and person in 2016, he said it’s hard to boil it down to one overarching lesson. But stepping in as the club’s interim head coach was clearly among his most meaningful experiences.

“That was like a whole new world that opened up to me that [taught me to] be prepared for the unexpected,” Fassel said. “If you’re not really sure how to do something, figure it out really fast. So, there’s not one thing I can pinpoint that I can say, ‘That’s what I learned.’ It’s just a whole hodgepodge, potpourri of stuff that kind of came at me fast. And It was a great experience for me. I’m super grateful for it, and I think I’m a better coach for it.”

[www.therams.com]

LaFleur Brings QB Expertise to Offensive Coordinator

By Myles Simmons

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Los Angeles’ new offensive coordinator, Matt LaFleur. From coaching Atlanta’s quarterbacks in Super Bowl LI to now studying film in his Thousand Oaks office, LaFleur is getting up to speed on everything Rams.

“There’s so much evaluation that needs to [go on], especially for myself — I know there’s other guys who have a better feel for our roster than I do right now, to be honest with you, but there’s a ton of evaluation that’s taking place as we speak,” LaFleur said Thursday, having arrived in Southern California at the beginning of the week. “I think I’ll have a better feel a week or two from now.”

LaFleur and head coach Sean McVay know each other well from their shared time in Washington from 2010-2013, when they worked under Mike and Kyle Shanahan. But that friendship is a significant part of why LaFleur elected to depart the Falcons.

“We’ve developed a pretty strong relationship. I think there’s a mutual respect for our coaching abilities,” LaFleur said. “It was just one of those deals where I was fortunate enough to work for a great organization and Dan Quinn, he allowed me the opportunity to further my career as well.”

“He’s a guy that [I was] able to develop a really close relationship with in Washington,” McVay said last week. “Detail oriented, good communicator, been around some of the most productive offenses over the last couple of years. You look at what Atlanta was able to do. A lot of the things that we do philosophically will be very similar.”

McVay and LaFleur’s shared experiences should help both in coming up with a playbook for Los Angeles’ offense. But that does necessarily mean the process will be easy.

“There’s going to be a ton of work,” LaFleur said. “As coaches, you always feel like you’re behind the eight ball. I’m confident that we’re going to carve out enough time and have a very detailed, thorough plan that’s well thought together.

“It truly will be a system that is going to marry the run with the pass,” LaFleur continued. “I know we both believe in that, and the benefits that it gives, really, not only the quarterback, but all the players on our team.”

At this point in the offseason, McVay has already stated he plans on calling the Rams’ offensive plays, so that is one duty LaFleur will not have as offensive coordinator. LaFleur envisions his job as making sure the offense stays up to task during the season.

“A big thing that I’m going to have to do is try to help organize and kind of like set the table for Sean, because he’s not always going to be able to be with us,” LaFleur said. “There’s many more obligations and duties as a head coach. Just make sure that the rest of the staff, we’re all on the same page, kind of lay the table for him.”

He also expects to be spending plenty of time in the quarterbacks room, given that it’s his area of expertise. LaFleur’s spent six years as a QBs coach in the NFL.

“We haven’t really totally discussed all of the responsibilities but I would think I that I’ll be heavily involved in dealing with the quarterbacks,” LaFleur said. “It was the same way when I was with Kyle in Washington and in Atlanta. He was heavily involved. Because you want to know what the, and I think Sean will be, too. You want to know what the play-callers are thinking. It’s only going to help the quarterback.”



With McVay, LaFleur, and quarterbacks coach Greg Olson all experienced in bringing up signal-callers, there will be plenty of coaching available for 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff. And those three voices don’t expect an issue when it comes to conveying one consistent message in teaching the system.


“I don’t think so because [I’ve] got a lot of respect for ‘Oly,’” LaFleur said. “Obviously, he’s been a coordinator for a long time, quarterback coach. We’ve had a lot of discussions and I think we all see the position the same way. So when you see it the same as the other guys it makes for a much easier transition.”

“That’s why it’s very important to have Matt and Greg in place where if you’re not able to be a part of the offensive meetings, or whatever is going on, you trust that their leadership will continue to have that same messaging, so that our quarterbacks know exactly what the expectations are,” McVay said. “I don’t think you can have enough good coaches in the building.”

As for Goff, LaFleur said he’s looking forward to working with the second-year QB. LaFleur relayed he studied Goff during the 2016 pre-draft process, and now has been taking a close look at his Rams game film.

“From what I’ve seen on tape, he’s got some of the key attributes that you always look for in a quarterback. He’s a natural thrower,” LaFleur said. “You never want to see your quarterback getting hit too much, but he doesn’t shy from contact. I think that’s true of any good quarterback in this league. You have to be able to hang in there in some uncomfortable pockets and some uncomfortable situations where you’re going to take a hit and deliver the football. He’s proven that he’ll do that on tape.”

LaFleur anticipates his experience with coaching quarterbacks — like 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan in Atlanta — should aid his ability to help develop Goff.

“I was in Washington when we drafted Robert Griffin and Kurt Cousins, so, to help them through, we worked together with those guys for two guys,” LaFleur said. “It’s going to help me in this situation dealing with a second-year player.”

“I think I’ve grown a ton from the time I was working with those guys, then you do work with a veteran like Matt Ryan and you have a Matt Schaub in the room, who is a veteran quarterback that’s played at a really high-level himself and you just take everything you learn from all those situations,” he continued. “I think it’s only going to help me dealing with a second-year quarterback that really, truly, has rookie-like experience.”

And so LaFleur enters his new job as one of many tasked to help turn around the Rams’ offense. But what will it take to make L.A. a consistent performer?

“I don’t think you really truly know until you start to work with these guys. We have a system that we’re going to put in place,” LaFleur said. “But I think at the end of the day, you have to be able to adapt to the players that you have and put them in the best position to be successful.”

[www.therams.com]

No disrespect to HC McVay, but his DC is who gets me excited. Phillips has had success with multiple teams in creating kick @ss defenses. Last season really wore me out more than any other season, especially when the news of a Fisher extension came out in the midst of horrendous play by the Rams.

"Really?"

After all of the years of being a fan of this team, I was considering not watching anymore, if they did not care enough to make the product better, which is what extending Fisher meant to me. McVay sounded like the new whiz kid hire, but I don't know him. Phillips is a straight up winner to me, the hiring of which drew me back from the abyss. So like a yearly fool, optimism is rising in the Rams offseason for me. I am still taking my break from football, because last year was so draining. Let's hope that improved coaching and new players will take us where we want to go. Cheers!

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49ers announce nine more coaching hires

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/02/17/49ers-announce-nine-more-coaching-hires/

Posted by Zac Jackson on February 17, 2017, 6:07 PM EST
SAN FRANCISCO – DECEMBER 14: A San Francisco 49ers helmet sits on the field prior to their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park on December 14, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)


The 49ers on Friday announced nine more coaching hires, most notably the hiring of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator.

Richard Hightower was announced as special teams coordinator, and former NFL defensive lineman Jeff Zgonina was announced as defensive line coach.

Some of the announced hires had been previously reported. The team has not officially announced the hiring of an offensive line coach, though News 9 in Denver reported Friday that John Benton is expected to be the team’s offensive line coach. Last month he was announced as assistant offensive line coach with the Broncos.

Saleh was most recently the linebackers coach in Jacksonville for the last three seasons. Hightower was the assistant special teams coach with the Bears last season, while Zgonina joins the 49ers after serving as assistant defensive line coach last season with the Giants.

Former Raiders defensive coordinator Jason Tarver was announced as senior defensive assistant. He was with the 49ers the last two seasons in different roles under two different head coaches.

The team also announced Jeff Hafley as defensive backs coach, Johnny Holland as linebackers coach and Bobby Slowik as defensive quality control coach. Marquis Johnson and Dustin Perry have been named strength and conditioning assistants.
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I know.I know. It's the 49er's. Who cares? Right?
But I wanted to post this only to say..........

Na Na Na Boo Boo
Stick your head in Doo Doo
We have a better staff than you.:neener:
Suck It Whiner's!!!!!

My Dad is 90 and seemingly getting along great. He was mentally sharp and pretty independent. I have an uncle in hospice care and called my Dad about 2:30 Thursday to get my uncle's number to talk to him one last time. Little did I know it would probably be the last conversation I'd have with my Dad. About 2 1/2 hours later, my sister would find him unresponsive. She just happened to be talking to her best friend (a nurse) on the phone at the time so help was called immediately. After CPR by my sister and the nurse and 3 shocks from the 911 crew, they had a faint pulse and heartbeat. Taken to the closest hospital then a helicopter flight to a better facility, my Dad was placed on life sport. I like to believe in miracles but given my Dad's age and the odds the doctor gives him for recovery (10-15%), I think we are just waiting to make that decision to pull the ventilator. I was hoping to never have to make such a decision but I suppose most people have to sooner or later in life. I don't know if people in this state of being can hear or understand you talking to them but I like to think it is one of the reasons they end up this way, to give loved ones a chance to say goodbye. I know my Dad has lived a good long life and his mission here must be done. What I'm struggling with at the moment is what do you say to a person you love and has made sacrifices for you all your life that you are about to give up on their existence here? None of the other trials in your life prepare you for this time.
Sorry to bring people down but just needed to lean on the ROD family a little bit this morning.

Borges: Supporters of Terrell Owens need to open their fact books before they open their yaps
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ens_need_to_open_their_fact_books_before_they
Ron Borges Friday, February 17, 2017

Credit: Associated Press
MIXED RECEPTION: Terrell Owens is not in the Hall of Fame, but many other great receivers who played before him still are waiting for the call from Canton.


This is the time of year when people with too little to say and too much time to say it talk the loudest. It is also the time when those with minimal knowledge but access to a microphone or pen make clear that Abe Lincoln was right many years ago when he said: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”

Which brings me to Terrell Owens and the faux “outrage” of some surrounding his failure to gain entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his second year as a candidate.



To them I say: LaVern Dilweg.

To them I say: Billy Wilson.

To them I say: Billy Howton.

To them I say: Sterling Sharpe.

To them I say: Michael Irvin.

To them I say: Cris Carter.

To them I say: Art Monk.

I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that.

What do the first four have to do with T.O. and his “tragic,” “shameful,” “incredible” two-year wait to reach Canton? They are all still waiting.

Dilweg was considered the best end in pro football history until the arrival of Don Hutson. He retired in 1934. He’s still waiting, T.O.

Wilson led the NFL in receiving three times. He made the Pro Bowl six times. No less a passing expert than Bill Walsh repeatedly said he belonged in the Hall of Fame. He retired in 1960. He’s still waiting, T.O.

When Howton retired he was the NFL’s all-time leader in yardage and receptions, breaking Hutson’s long-held records. Not second. Not third like T.O. The leader. He retired in 1963. He’s still waiting, T.O.

Sharpe was on par with Jerry Rice for most of his career, a five-time All Pro and one of only seven receivers to win receiving’s “triple crown” by leading the league in receptions, yards and touchdowns in the same season. He set the single-season record for receptions in 1992 and broke it a year later. He was forced to retire due to a neck injury in 1994. He’s still waiting, T.O.

Owens’ resume and accomplishments are impressive. Not as impressive as Howton’s at the time he retired or Dilweg’s or a lot of other players who had to wait to gain entry into arguably the most exclusive fraternity in professional team sports, but impressive all the same.

Owens’ “problem” is barely 1 percent of all the players who ever played are in the Hall. News bulletin to the Mike Florios of the world: It’s supposed to be hard to get in. That’s what makes it mean so much when it happens.

So how long has Owens waited? Not as long as Michael Irvin. Not as long as Cris Carter. Not as long as Art Monk. Not as long as Andre Reed or Tim Brown or Bob Hayes or all but a handful of the 32 Hall of Fame receivers in NFL history. In fact, only five receivers have been first ballot Hall of Famers — Jerry Rice, Don Hutson, Lance Alworth, Paul Warfield and Steve Largent. One can quarrel over the last two perhaps (although not if you ever saw Warfield play, which few of those railing about T.O. did), but not the first three.

New York Daily News writer Manish Mehta couldn’t tell you one thing about Billy Howton and wouldn’t know Warfield if he ran into him in an elevator, yet he’s loudly concluded, as others do every year, that “the system is flawed” and must be changed. The best change, of course, would be putting those folks doing the faux kvetching on the committee. Who are they really trying to get in? T.O. or themselves?

Mehta claimed those who voted against Owens did so because they were either old, out of touch or suffered from “lazy thinking.” He cited Owens’ stats but conveniently left one big one out: Owens not only led the NFL in drops once, he finished in the top four in drops seven other seasons during his 15-year career.

To help those suffering from “lazy thinking,” let me help you. That means for more than half the years he played, Terrell Owens was annually among the top four receivers in drops. Sorry, but that’s not my definition of “first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

It is not a reason to exclude him either, but it is a reason for having happened to Terrell Owens what happened the past two years, which is to say more deserving players who in many cases were waiting longer went in ahead of him. It doesn’t mean the door is closed. It means there are annually more worthy candidates than seats.

I’ve heard some critics say, “How could they put in a kicker ahead of T.O.?” Here’s another way to look at it. How could they not put in one of the handful of players in NFL history named first-team All-Decade in two different decades ahead of someone who was first-team All-Decade in no decades?

Some critical of Owens’ failure to yet be inducted also cited some examples of “supporters” of Owens’ induction. One I found particularly amusing was those citing Bill Parcells, who said in a radio interview, “I think I would. I think I would. . . . He certainly was highly productive and did some very remarkable things on the field.”

But he also said in the same interview, “There are things that go unseen by the public, and people watching the games — there are things that happen on the field that, even when they happen, the fans and the laymen do not recognize what happens, and in his case, he was somewhat unreliable in some of the things he would do. Sometimes we’d have a route that was called at 12 (yards) and he’d run it at 9 (yards). Well, that disrupts your quarterback and things like that. But that being said, he still was highly productive and I do think he warrants very, very strong consideration. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t get in very shortly.”

To that I would add only this: Go look up the definition of lukewarm. After you read it, ask yourself if Parcells’ “endorsement” cries out “injustice.”

Unless you’re a proponent of “lazy thinking,” I’d argue it did not.

Then I’d look up how many times those five receivers who were first-ballot Hall of Famers finished in the top four in drops. After that, you might want to drop your volume a bit on this matter and wait for T.O.’s moment to come, as it rightly will.
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In my opinion Bruce should be in the hall long before TO.Bruce like Rice was
a true artist of the WR position.Far more dependable in every aspect and did it with
TRUE CLASS.

Hey guys probably going to do one more mock after Free Agency. I'm ready to win and win now! Let's get at it!
Rams Cap 44.1 Million

Players with salary numbers so you can see this is numerically possible.
Rams Cut:
Lance Kendricks -4.25m
Goodbye critical moment TD dropping hands of feet dude.
Tim Barnes -3 m
THank you for that seattle game but adios!
Eugene Sims -2.5m
Can't sit heeeeeereee Forrest Gump status.
Tre Mason - .75
Don't get me started.

I was soooooo tempted to cut Saffold but I just don't trust G Rob at the LG position and he is an excellent show in for the whole line.

Total -10.5 m
added with 44.1

Re Adjusted Cap Space = 54.6 million

Resign:
Greg the Leg 3 years 7.5mill 2.5 mill yr.
Benny Cunningham 3 years 3.5 mill 1.5 mill year
Domique Easley RFA 1.6 mill
Ethan Westbrooks RFA 1.6 mill

54.6
- 7.2
47.4 mill Adjusted FA money

Position Change:
Greg Robinson LT->LG
Let's be honest G Rob has been horrible at LT and has been a huge disappointment and this is more than likely his last rodeo with us if we can't find something he does average to well. Dude could be awesome in a phone booth wrestling people around.


Free Agency:
Reilly Reiff OT - 4 yrs. 22mill 5.5 mill/yr
We need a consistency at LT to keep Goff from getting Bulgeritus. Give me a medium term stop gap to fix this but will do at the very least a decent job for the being.

Larry Warford RG - 5 yrs. 31.1 mill 6.2mill/yr
Young talented guard who won't cost us an arm and a leg and will shut that revolving door we had last year of letting defenders just run free.

Pierre Garcone WR- 2 yrs. 17 mill 8.5 mill/yr
I really think of all the FA's i have listed that Garcone will be ours to have. he's consistent doesn't get injured and is reliable. Something a rookie QB needs to build confidence throughout the season.

Anquan Boldin WR - 1 yr. 3 mill
I'm tired of all these young WR's for a decade now, give a some sure hands for a 3rd down to keep moving the sticks and for the cheap.

Damarcus Ware ROLB - 1 yr. 5.8 mill
Not to much to be said here, familiarity with Wade Phillips and the scheme with success makes this an ideal matchup.

Calais Cambell DT - 4 yrs. 48 mill 12 mill/yr
Having the #1 and #2 DT's on the same team? Sign me the F up! I hate playing Calais twice a year and this will give us a hell of a front 8 vs. the run and pass!


47.4 -37.3 FA money = 6.4 left in FA cap

Trade:
Rams trade William Hayes and 5th rd. draft pick for New York Giants Dominque Rodgers Cromartie.
I've always liked me some DRC dude was 84.1 overall on PFF and 90.3 in coverage last year. His contract is way cheaper than Trumaines and I believe he's as good as a corner maybe even better by a bit.

-3 mill salary difference between Hayes and DRC's contracts. 6.4 -3 = 3.4 mill cap left

Draft:
2.5
TJ Watt LB Wisconsin
You guys notice that the majority of the time family lineage work pretty well in the NFL? I don't think TJ Watt is a exception to that rule. He has plenty of rushing/blitzing skills and his pass protection skills will be essential for him playing Will LB for us. He obviously needs to fill out and gain some muscle but theat will happen with time. Plus he'll get to play his brother next upcoming year!
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Rams Trade 3rd round, 6th and 7th to move up to 2.30 with Pittsburgh.
2.30
Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan 5-10 188lbs 4.52 40
Okay okay... I know some of you who know I'm a Wolverine fan think I'm being a homer here but Lewis is one of those players that I can see has the skills to be productive past the college game. He's a f'n beast! Probably the best cover CB in the country, the two things I have a knock on him is he is shorter 5'10 (not his fault) and he does once and a while pull a J Jenkins and look into the backfield at times. He does have excellent hips and ball skills.


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Don't believe me he's the CB for us? Game on the line against the #8 team in the country. Big Players make big plays at big times.
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4.5
Jon Toth C Kentucky 6-5 308 lbs Arms 33.13 Hands 10
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I'll admit I straight up stole this guy from @jrry32 . I've fallen in love with this dude and think he can be a hell of a Center for us for a decade or so to give Goff a consistent protection/ball snap set up. If you watch his videos he does a good job against higher end competition and like Jrry says he maintains his pad level for being a taller guy.

4th Rd. Comp Pick
Jordan Leggett TE Clemson 6'5 250 4.73 40
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One player researching the draft I have fallen in love with is Jordan Leggett. Dude is like a better Kendricks with surer hands, explosiveness. I will admit he needs to gain a bit of muscle and get to blocking more as a pass catcher and overall athlete inside the red zone sign my ass up!

6th rd. Comp Pick
Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech 6'2 198 lbs 4.52 40
I watched one V Tech game this year and this guy jumped out to me shutting down his WR and is a pretty damn good tackler. He has some height and long arms but doesn't seem to give up much speed with his bigger body. Good depth and developmental guy.

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Starters to be proud of for the first in a long ass time

First String Starters:
QB: Goff
HB: Gurley
XWR: Garcone
YWR: Boldin
SLWR: Austin
TE: Higbee vs. Leggett
LT: Reiff
LG: Saffold vs. G Rob
C: Toth
RG:Warford
RT: Havenstein

LDE: Cambell
NT: Brockers
RDE: Sir Aaron
LOLB: Quinn
Will: Watt
Mike: Ogletree
ROLB: Ware
CB: DRC
CB: Lewis
SLCB: Gaines vs. Joyner
FS: Alexzander
SS: Barron

K: Greg Yeezy
P: The Heckler
LS: McQuide
KR: Benny
PR: Tavon Awesome

One thing I like about this mock is it gives us pretty damn good depth as well.... hate it? Like it? thoughts?
I have to go to bed and get a few hours of sleep night night lol

Jake Ellenbogen's Four-round Pre-NFL Combine Mock Draft

http://www.downtownrams.com/single-...nbogens-Four-round-Pre-NFL-Combine-Mock-Draft

Now that all of the exhibition college games have been completed, I give you my four-round mock draft before we enter the NFL combine period. Since the Rams don't have a first-round pick this year, I have decided not to make just a first-round mock since it would have no bearing towards anything Rams. In this mock I will not include trades, but I will include compensation picks. Thanks for reading and don't forget to sound off down below.

First Round

1.Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, EDGE, Texas A&M
I am going to start off by saying this, my no.1 overall player in this class is Jonathan Allen, but as Adam Schefter reported awhile back. The Browns have an "astronomical" grade on Myles Garrett. I like Garrett, but believe it or not my top edge rusher is Joe Mathis from Washington. However, I think it's hard to bet against Garrett as the pick here, the Browns are lacking a ton on the defensive side of the ball and while it may seem like a good idea to pick a QB...I think that would be a huge mistake. The Browns need to give Cody Kessler a chance to develop and even if they don't believe in him there is a signal-caller in New England that is waiting for his chance.

2.San Francisco 49ers: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
He was my no.1 overall QB in this draft class until I looked deeply into Texas Tech QB Pat Mahomes. Kizer is likely going to be the next QB of the 49ers. He has enough to his arsenal where he would be tempting enough to take. The other option here is Mitch Trubisky from UNC, who has the quick release and accuracy, but lacks the pure athleticism and arm strength of Kizer. With the 49ers likely in the midst of a long rebuild, Kizer makes sense as you can grow around a raw rookie QB.

3.Chicago Bears: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
I think Jonathan Allen makes a ton of sense here, but with the uncertainty at QB for the Chicago Bears, it's likely John Fox wants a new QB. Mitch Trubisky, isn't flashy by any means, but he would be a solid enough pick to try and develop. If Jay Cutler is the man moving forward then Trubisky can learn sitting behind him. Matt Barkley showed some flashes of what he could be, but overall he was too turnover-prone. I said the Bears should've drafted Paxton Lynch last year and now I have them taking another QB a year later.

4.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama
This pick becomes the value pick the New York Jets received in 2015 with Leonard Williams. Jacksonville in my mock draft ends up with in my opinion, the best prospect in the draft Jonathan Allen. Allen reminds me of Aaron Donald, he's that good. What is impressive is the way he was able to shed double teams this season. He's quick at the point of attack and can really look freaky athletic when he's seen diving at the QB. Jacksonville's defense showed some flashes at times, but they are missing a game-breaker. Allen could step in right away and he would be my Rookie of the Year front runner.

5.Tennessee Titans (via Los Angeles Rams): Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The Titans fleeced the Rams unfortunately, but they are in position to make some noise. The obvious choice here is Jamal Adams or Malik Hooker. I am going with Adams since he is the one who isn't getting surgery and won't miss the combine...The Titans have a good strong safety in Da'Norris Searcy and a good backup in Kevin Byard, but as good and promising as Byard is. We are talking about an elite safety prospect that would take over for veteran Rashad Johnson. Adams would instantly perk up that secondary. Watch out people, the Titans can gain a ton of ground after this draft haul.

6.New York Jets: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Obviously it's going to be tough for the Jets to pass on Malik Hooker, but they need to give Jets fans something to cheer about. I went down to the Jets and Rams game in 2016 and it was a sad affair. The fans have no faith in their offense and actually were jealous of the Rams offense at one point in the game. Fournette may seem very risky due to his injury issues at LSU, but he is the choice that will make it easier for their young QB Christian Hackenberg, who they spent a second round pick on.

7.Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Well, this would make my Chargers friends happy. Malik Hooker is another elite safety prospect in this draft who to me is right on the same level as Jamal Adams. The Chargers unfortunately let Eric Weddle go last season only for him to tear it up in Baltimore all season. Now standout safety Jahleel Addae is likely to hit free agency and the Chargers will need to grab a playmaker on defense to get their new L.A. fan base excited. Hooker would be a great pick for the Chargers and the fans wouldn't have any issue with it.

8.Carolina Panthers: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Another best available pick. Or is it? Thomas Davis is continuing to truck along as a Pro Bowler, but he's not getting any younger. At 33 years-old and a contract expiring at the end of the 2017 season perhaps its time to bring in another beast alongside Kuechly. Promising young OLB Shaq Thompson might have to take a backseat for the 2017 season if Foster was drafted here, but it makes a lot of sense. The Panthers would be getting odds on a top five player in this draft because of two teams QB needs. Imagine for at least one year a LB corps of Davis, Kuechly, Foster and Thompson off the bench. Yikes!

9.Cincinnati Bengals: Solomon Thomas, DE/DT, Stanford
Watch out for this man from Stanford. Solomon Thomas is likely going to blow up his stock at the combine, but as of right now unless Trubisky or Kizer fall in the draft he is likely going to drop. The Bengals here are not only getting a replacement for impending FA defensive tackle Domata Peko, but they are also getting the best player available. Thomas is just a notch...if even, below Jonathan Allen. A defensive line of Carlos Dunlap, Solomon Thomas, Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson seems straight up terrifying.

10.Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Another pick where the player doesn't exactly fit my big board, but he is likely going top 10. Mike Williams to many is the number one WR in this class and with Robert Woods set to hit free agency the Bills will likely want a WR to go next to Sammy Watkins. Regardless, Watkins hasn't been able to really stay healthy or consistent so Williams could end up overtaking him as the no.1 target anyway. We just don't know if Tyrod Taylor will be the one throwing him the football or not.

11.New Orleans Saints: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
With the Saints going defense in the first round last year, they showed they are committed to at least trying to fix this defense. The Saints are a mess at CB, they have a promising young CB in Delvin Breaux, but outside of that they are looking at P.J. Williams, Damian Swann, Sterling Moore, B.W. Webb and the list goes on of below average corners. In steps stud day one starting CB Quincy Wilson. The Saints need to shore up their defense before they think about a playoff run again. Time is running out for Drew Brees to win another Super Bowl, but this pick is a step in the right direction.

12.Cleveland Browns (via Philadelphia Eagles): Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
I almost mocked Marshon Lattimore here, but the possibility of giving the Browns an intriguing front seven made too much sense. If the Browns were to install a pass rush with Barnett and Garrett that would be one way to quickly make an impact to fixing your defense. The Browns with this pick could be looking at a front seven of Derek Barnett, Danny Shelton, Emmanuel Ogbah, Jamie Collins, Demario Davis, Christian Kirksey and Myles Garrett. Talk about an intriguing seven.

13.Arizona Cardinals: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
This pains me to mock my favorite WR in this class to the rival Cardinals, but it makes too much sense for them. The other possibility is to go with Marshon Lattimore or Jalen Tabor to add a CB next to Patrick Peterson, but with Larry Fitzgerald likely calling it quits after 2017 the Cardinals need to be prepared. The other option is Deshaun Watson, who I am not a fan of in this class, but with Trubisky and Kizer off the board I could see the Cardinals tempted to pull the trigger with the clock ticking on Carson Palmer's career.

14.Indianapolis Colts: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Everyone has Dalvin Cook being mocked to the Colts and I just don't get it. It's especially not something that Chris Ballard who just became the new GM would do. When you look at the Colts offense, they could use some pieces, but they are almost there. When you look their defense? It's rough and Humphrey makes sense because the Colts just got a great year out of Darius Butler, but he happens to be a free agent. Colts would be looking at Patrick Robinson starting which doesn't bode well for the secondary. Humphrey offers play-maker type of traits that Colts fans are dying for.

15.Philadelphia Eagles (via Minnesota Vikings): Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles are the ball carriers in Philly. It's officially gotten bad. Carson Wentz will need a good RB to keep the defense honest and respect the run and that is just what Dalvin Cook is likely to do. Cook was an animal at FSU and would be a huge upgrade over Mathews who was average or slightly above average at his best. Cook has the makings of a potential star.

16.Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Ramcyzk, OT, Wisconsin
The Ravens are likely to lose their right tackle Ricky Wagner to free agency. Ramcyzk could likely play left tackle, but he would still be a huge pick even as a right tackle. With Ronnie Stanley at left and Ramcyzk at right, Joe Flacco would practically have a stronghold in front of him to buy him time to get the ball down field. Yes, with Steve Smith retiring you would expect the Ravens to entertain the idea of drafting a WR, but the fact of the matter is after Williams and Davis there isn't much you would consider this early. Ramcyzk is going to have hip surgery which puts his status in question, but he's still likely the best tackle on the board.

17.Washington Redskins: Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan
The Redskins are about to be thin at defensive line and mainly interior due to free agency. Chris Wormley from Michigan offers experience and he offers versatility to play inside or out. He would be relied on most in the run game as he still is a work-in progress as a pass rusher. The other option for the Redskins here is in fact a linebacker like Zach Cunningham from Vanderbilt.

18.Tennessee Titans: Charles Harris, EDGE, Missouri
The choice everyone will be cheering for here is O.J. Howard who is the consensus no.1 TE prospect, but the fans need to realize that this Mizzou edge rusher named Charles Harris is pretty good. He would be a supreme upgrade over Derrick Morgan and continue adding to a team that is on the cusp of breaking through in a big way. There aren't any WR's worth taking here so the Titans can't reach. If they wait until the next couple of rounds Mariota will have himself a weapon or two for the right value.

19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jabril Peppers, S/LB, Michigan
Everyone will be wondering where this flashy Michigan star will land. Bottom line is Tampa Bay is going to need a safety seeing as they started Chris Conte and Keith Tandy. Also, Bradley McDougald is a free agent, so it's not guaranteed he comes back. Regardless, if he does or not this pick of Peppers makes too much sense. Buccaneers get a face of the defense type of player and they fill a serious need. Peppers could end up falling out of the first, but I think at this point Tampa Bay would take him.

20.Denver Broncos: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
I almost want to put this in sharpie. Donald Stephenson was absolutely horrible last season on the right side of the offensive line and as such the Broncos paid for it. Robinson has some off-the-field concerns in his past so he will likely move a little bit down the board. The Broncos are getting a gift in this case talking about a guy who isn't ready to necessarily man the LT position, but he could play RT right away. If the Broncos are serious about developing Paxton Lynch, they need Robinson to solidify the right side.

21.Detroit Lions: Malik McDowell, DE/DT, Michigan State
With Haloti Ngata not getting any younger and the lack of needs on this Lions team it makes sense to grab a guy who has one of the highest ceilings of any first-round pick. Malik McDowell needs to work on many things, but he could instantly be a pressure nightmare in the middle of the defensive line in Detroit. The Lions drafted A'Shawn Robinson last year and they have Ezekiel Ansah to go with him, but adding McDowell could be lethal, especially if they resign standout d-lineman Kerry Hyder.

22.Miami Dolphins: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Tough call here for Adam Gase. Do you pick your offensive player or do you go defense? I think Adam Gase is going to go for the offensive play maker. O.J. Howard would instantly start at TE for the Dolphins as he is nothing compared to what they have. He's beyond what they have at TE. With Jordan Cameron unable to stay healthy and Dion Sims being average at best, Howard would give Tannehill a security blanket and a deep threat to stretch the field. Yes, the Dolphins could draft a local star Jalen Tabor, but I see them taking the top TE.

23.New York Giants: Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
The Giants might be interested in O.J. Howard, but he's off the board. Right now there is a clear need at inside linebacker for the Giants. Zach Cunningham is the next man in line after Foster and he has some serious skills. He has the ability to cover real well and is effective against the run. The Giants would see a huge improvement if Cunningham was the man in the middle of their defense next season.

24.Oakland Raiders: Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
The Raiders defensive line doesn't seem as great on the inside as it is on the outside. The interior portion of the line would seem to need a boost and the best player available in Caleb Brantley would be an upgrade. Oakland could go Tabor here as well, but the way Sean Smith and David Amerson played this season, that pick seems unnecessary.

25.Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
It doesn't seem like the Texans have a ton of needs. Except quarterback which is why I have them taking a signal caller here. I like Pat Mahomes the most, but the Texans won't want to wait on Mahomes development. I see the Texans throwing caution to the wind and choosing the QB that just won a National title. Deshaun Watson, in my opinion lacks a lot of the key traits you need to be a starter, but with the way the Texans have been bounced out of the playoffs due to QB play over the last couple of years. They are bound to try something new.

26.Seattle Seahawks: Forrest Lamp, OT/OG, Western Kentucky
Another player I love being mocked to a rival team. Bottom line is this though, I am seeing all sorts of players being mocked to the Seahawks. If it's not an offensive lineman they are making the wrong choice. As soon as Russell Wilson receives the protection he deserves Seattle is going to be back as a legit contender again. Lamp is a guy who's stock is rising. He recently suffered an injury at the senior bowl, but it's likely to not even affect him.

27.Kansas City Chiefs: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Chiefs have a star CB in Marcus Peters and sure woud like to upgrade the position across from him. In steps Lattimore from Ohio State who is a great tackling corner, supreme athlete and has the traits to be a quality NFL CB. Lattimore and Peters on top of having Berry re-signed and in that secondary would be the new no-fly zone.

28.Dallas Cowboys: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
Besides the fact his first name is just pure greatness. Taco, is an absolute need for the Dallas Cowboys. They still lack a pass rusher and it doesn't help that Randy Gregory has been a complete disappointment. Sometimes you go high risk-high reward on a player's character issues and it works out, but so far it has not gone the way Dallas would have liked it. Also, with Morris Claiborne likely hitting free agency, don't be surprised if Dallas goes with Jalen Tabor here.

29.Green Bay Packers: Jalen "Teez" Tabor, CB, Florida
One of my absolute favorite corners in this draft Tabor plays with an edge. The Falcons exposed the Packers secondary for what they truly were in the playoffs. The fact is that the Packers lack CB's, some of that in part due to injury, but the Packers still deserve the blame for letting Casey Hayward, Davon House and Tramon Williams go in free agency. Ladarius Gunter was abused all playoff long so it would be smart for the Packers to grab no.1 CB. Tabor would offer physicality and ball hawking ability that Green Bay so desperately needs.

30.Pittsburgh Steelers: Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
Someone who is flying up draft boards is Haason Reddick by way of Temple. Reddick, makes a lot of sense here for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ryan Shazier is losing his teammate Lawrence Timmons to free agency even if the Steelers choose to re-sign him there is an option out there they likely can't pass up on in the form of Reddick. Reddick has the athleticism to combine with Shazier and become one of the most dynamic linebacker duos in all of football.

31.New England Patriots: Tim Williams, EDGE, Alabama
The Patriots have somewhat of an Alabama connection and they will likely add another one at the end of the first round. With Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones gone, they will look to add an edge rusher like Williams.

32.Atlanta Falcons: Dan Feeney, G, Indiana
The Falcons really don't have many needs anymore since Dan Quinn took over. They could use a defensive tackle, but there aren't really any worth taking this early. Dan Feeney is a perfect pick for the Falcons who can continue to bolster their already very good offensive line. Chris Chester is average and he's on his way to free agency anyway. He appeared to be the only thing close to a weak link, so adding a solid guard like Feeney would be a win for the Atlanta Falcons.

Second Round

33.Cleveland Browns: Ethan Pocic, C, LSU
Here's the deal, you may think the Browns need a QB. I don't. What they do need is a center that isn't going to do his best impression of a human turnstile. I honestly can't believe how bad Cameron Erving has been and the Browns need to put him on the bench and get a starter at center immediately. Pocic is very athletic and excels in pass protection which is something every QB lacked up the middle this season.

34.San Francisco 49ers: Juju-Smith Schuster, WR, USC
Rule of thumb, when you draft a QB in the first round to a team who has no weapons for him you need to address that first. Juju Smith-Schuster was the odds on favorite to be a top five pick at the start of the season, but he's fallen in the eyes of scouts. Regardless, at 34 overall this would be a great pick for the 49ers. Kizer and Smith would be able to grow together. Reminder: Jeremy Kerley was their leading WR last year.

35.Jacksonville Jaguars: Obi Melifonwu, S, UConn
Freakish athleticism? Check. Need? Check. Want? Check. The Jaguars likely understand that they don't have many holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball, but with John Cyprien hitting free agency it appears going for a 6-foot-3 safety who is a freak of nature is a way of flipping Cyprien off and moving on.

36.Chicago Bears: Garett Bolles, OT, Alabama
The Bears were starting Charles Leno at Left tackle. Yikes. The Bears need a guy like Bolles. Maybe Bolles doesn't pan out at LT, but if need be he could go to the right side and move Bobby Massie into the LT spot. Bears are going to need to protect their future franchise QB in Mitch Trubisky.

37.Los Angeles Rams: Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan
Well, this was orginally Forrest Lamp, but I think his versatility and consistency puts him in the first round. However, there was a guy who no one really mentioned that happened to have a really good week of practices at the Senior Bowl and that was Taylor Moton. The Rams have no clue what they are doing at LT and to be honest placing Taylor Moton there day one would be better than anything Greg Robinson has done since he was drafted. Moton looked really good against Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl this year and he shows off the ability to be a solid LT at the next level.

38.Los Angeles Chargers: Takkarist McKinley, EDGE, UCLA
Inconsistent often times, but freakish athletic ability. Takkarist McKinley might have to be the choice here if the Chargers let Melvin Ingram go. McKinley likely would need to commit to being on the defensive line, but he translates more to the Chargers previous scheme, a 3-4.

39.New York Jets: Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
The Jets strike gold on value and explosiveness. Adoree Jackson and Leonard Fournette in the same draft is enough to make Jets fans lose their minds. Jackson gives the Jets a CB that can replace Darrelle Revis, who has completely washed up to this point in his career. He also offers a game breaker trait in his ability to change the momentum with his stellar kick and punt return ability. Jackson can also play WR if need be. He has it all and would surely be a fan favorite.

40.Carolina Panthers: D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
I was almost going to put Christian McCaffrey, but I felt like Foreman is the more durable back and will last longer in the NFL. Foreman isn't a pick to complement Johnathan Stewart, he is the pick to take over for him. Foreman has the ability to finish runs and bull linebackers over like they are nothing. Foreman is going to have a long career in the NFL and he could change the complexity of the Panthers offense immediately.

41.Cincinnati Bengals: Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy
The Bengals could try and get an edge rusher here, but I think it makes more sense to prepare to replace Kevin Zeitler or even Andrew Whitworth. Adding another athletic offensive lineman shouldn't hurt. Garcia could really end up being a stud.

42.New Orleans Saints: Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
My favorite QB in this draft goes to the perfect situation. Mahomes is not ready to contribute at a solid level right away, but with time watching and learning under a hall of famer like Drew Brees. The development and growth could come quick. We don't know how long Brees is going to be around, but the Saints need to grab their guy they know will be ready when he hangs up his cleats. I think Mahomes would thrive in that Asshole Face offense.

43.Philadelphia Eagles: Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
The Eagles have a good looking defense in my opinion. Really the only weakness is at CB. Leodis McKelvin wasn't bad, but Nolan Carroll is a free agent and Jalen Mills was rated one of the worst CB's by Pro Football Focus. Tre'Davious White showed a great amount of maturity staying behind last year and going back to school. He became more disciplined and more consistent at CB. White has a lower ceiling and less elite athleticism than the first-round corners. However, White will give you consistent and solid CB play and he is likely to translate seamlessly to the NFL.

44.Buffalo Bills: T.J. Watt, EDGE, Wisconsin
J.J. Watt's brother is definitely reaping the benefits of having the Watt name. He's not just being highly thought of because of the name though. Make no mistake this Watt is actually a really good pass rusher. The Bills got an incredible year out of Lorenzo Alexander, but to expect that again at his age would be asinine. The already got their playmaker star WR in Mike Williams in this draft. It's too early to draft a QB, so Watt makes a lot of sense here.

45.Arizona Cardinals: Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
I have to imagine the Cardinals are praying for Mahomes to fall here. He goes to the Saints and so the Cardinals decide to get Patrick Peterson a guy on the other side of the field. Gareon Conley could shoot himself into the first round with the combine approaching, but the Cardinals would be fine taking him at 45.

46.Minnesota Vikings: Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell
Honestly, the Vikings need a guy right now that can just solidify the tackle spot, Davenport is the opposite. He's going to be a grueling project. For scouts they either love him or hate him. The Vikings don't have many options and so I think they might just hope for the best with Davenport.

47.Baltimore Ravens: Dawuane Smoot, EDGE, Illinois
The Ravens need to be prepared for life after Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. I see the possibility of Jarrad Davis out of Florida as the pick here, but an edge rusher like Smoot is probably the more likely pick.

48.Indianapolis Colts: Jarrad Davis, ILB, Florida
Speak of the devil...Jarrad Davis fits like a glove for a team like Indy that absolutely needs some inside linebacker help. This team could use a total makeover on the defensive side of the ball and I trust new GM Chris Ballard already knows it.

49.Washington Redskins: Budda Baker, S, Washington
The Redskins had to sign guys off the street to make ends meet at safety. It's time they go out and get a hard hitting safety that will make you think twice about attacking the middle of the field. Budda Baker, doesn't have elite size, but he can hit hard and cover. Redskins will take that any day.

50.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
The Buccaneers don't really have a choice at RB. The guy they just paid like a king is sitting in rehab right now and the other guy they had high hopes for hasn't lived up to them. Alvin Kamara isn't going to light the world on fire, but he is a solid prospect that could very well start day one.

51.Denver Broncos: Carroll Phillips, EDGE, Illinois
This could be a star power type of pick here if Phillips keeps his head on straight. He suffered a draft board plummet because of his off-the-field issues, but if he didn't have them he's an obvious first round talent. Broncos have a great defense and are going to be looking to bolster it with this pick.

52.Cleveland Browns: Desmond King, CB, Iowa
With Joe Haden battling injuries over the course of his career and not much help around him the pick of Desmond King makes all too much sense. Cleveland needs to continue to build that defense.

53.Detroit Lions: Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M
I am not too fond of the Lions safeties. Glover Quinn is getting up there in age and Tavon Wilson doesn't strike fear into anyone. Insert A&M's smooth tackling and play making safety.

54.Miami Dolphins: John Ross, WR, Washington
The Dolphins have their big bodied WR in the form of former first round pick Devante Parker and their possession and shifty play maker in Jarvis Landry. With Kenny Stills likely leaving in free agency, there is a deep threat spot open. John Ross will gladly take that job as a WR that needs to beat corners and safeties over the top with his likely 4.3 speed.

55.New York Giants: DeMarcus Walker, DE/DT, Florida State
The Giants need to have a back up plan for either Jason Pierre Paul or even Jonathan Hankins. Both players are free agents. Walker would be a good replacement if the Giants didn't want to splurge on their own guy in JPP. Spurning a re-signing of JPP and drafting Walker seems like the best move here for the Giants.

56.Oakland Raiders: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Finally McCaffrey comes off the board. I expect him to fall because he wouldn't participate in any post season activities and scouts docked him for that. The Raiders are going to let Latavius Murray go and might feel as though McCaffrey could be the guy. If not, the Raiders still have Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington to run the football.

57.Houston Texans: Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
Another Clemson Tiger goes to Houston. This time it's on the defensive side of the ball. Carlos Watkins will likely need to come in and replace former nose tackle Vince Wilfork who is likely retiring.

58.Seattle Seahawks: Dion Dawkins, G, Temple
This is the tale of just going out and finding men that can protect your most prized possession. Russell Wilson has endured way too many hits way too early in his career. The Seahawks need to start protecting him before QB becomes a need.

59.Kansas City Chiefs: Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
The Chiefs are lacking at WR regardless of what many think. That was magnified in their close loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs. Cooper Kupp would give the chiefs a guy that can be the reliable third down option, but also a guy who can create separation and dominate the defense with quick slants.

60.Dallas Cowboys: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
Where are all the CB's at? That could be the main dialogue of the Cowboys offs season. They are going to have to work hard to hold onto Morris Claiborne. Luckily this is a pretty good CB class and Tankersley is worth the selection.

61.Green Bay Packers: Ryan Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
The Packers are likely to lose Julius Peppers to retirement and Nick Perry is entering free agency. Ryan Anderson has the makings of a solid edge rusher that would help the Packers out big time.

62.Pittsburgh Steelers: Carl Lawson, EDGE, Auburn
With the Steelers in this spot it's somewhat of a need with James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons set to become free agents, but also it's kind of a luxury. The Steelers don't have a ton of needs. Carl Lawson is a better player than this draft slot. He has battled serious injury in his young college career and that has robbed him of the first round. However, Lawson is a good edge rusher and if he stayed healthy the Steelers would be getting magnificent value with this pick.

63.New England Patriots: Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa
The Patriots never replaced parts of their interior line. Johnson would be the right move this early in the draft.

64.Atlanta Falcons: Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington
The Falcons whether they win or lose the Super Bowl will need to replace Johnathan Babineaux. Elijah Qualls is somewhat limited and may have benefited staying in school another year, but he's in the draft and is still a solid option for Atlanta.

Third Round

65.Cleveland Browns: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama

66.San Francisco 49ers: Garrett Sickels, DE, Penn State

67.Chicago Bears: Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss

68.Jacksonville Jaguars: Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee

69.Los Angeles Rams: Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado

70.New York Jets: David Njoku, TE, Miami

71.Los Angeles Chargers: Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pittsburgh

72.Carolina Panthers: Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma

73.Cincinnati Bengals: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

74.Philadelphia Eagles: Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina

75.Buffalo Bills: Marcus Maye, S, Florida

76.New Orleans Saints: Nico Siragusa, G, San Diego State

77.Arizona Cardinals: Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami

78.Baltimore Ravens: Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech

79.Indianapolis Colts: Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

80.Minnesota Vikings: Nazair Jones, DE/DT, North Carolina

81.Washington Redskins: Chris Goodwin, WR, Penn State

82.Denver Broncos: Charles Walker, DT, Oklahoma

83.Tennessee Titans: Noah Brown, WR, Ohio State

84.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jordan Willis, EDGE, Kansas State

85.Detroit Lions: Anthony Walker Jr., ILB, Northwestern

86.Minnesota Vikings (via Miami Dolphins): Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming

87.New York Giants: Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State

88.Oakland Raiders: Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA

89.Houston Texans: Avery Gennesy, OT, Texas A&M

90.Seattle Seahawks: Montravius Adams, DE/DT, Auburn

91.Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State

92.Dallas Cowboys: Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M

93.Green Bay Packers: Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo

94.Pittsburgh Steelers: Rasual Douglas, CB, West Virginia

95.New England Patriots: Jake Butt, TE, Michigan

96.Atlanta Falcons: Tyus Bowser, EDGE, Houston

97.Denver Broncos (Compensatory): Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State

98.Miami Dolphins (Compensatory): Marcus Williams, S, Utah

99.Carolina Panthers (Compensatory): Lorenzo Jerome, S, St.Francis

100.Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory): Dalvin Thomlinson, DT, Alabama

101.Tennessee Titans (via Los Angeles Rams Compensatory): Jordan Morgan, G, Kutztown

102.Denver Broncos (Compensatory): David Sharpe, G, Florida

103.New England Patriots (via Cleveland Browns Compensatory): Ezra Robinson, CB, Tennessee State

104.Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory): Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh

105.Seattle Seahawks (Compensatory): Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova

Fourth Round

106.Cleveland Browns: Kelly Parfitt, OT, Florida Atlantic

107.San Francisco 49ers: Kendall Beckwith, ILB, LSU

108.Jacksonville Jaguars: Isaac Asiata, G, Utah

109.Chicago Bears: Fish Smithson, S, Kansas

110.Los Angeles Rams: Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU

111.Los Angeles Chargers: Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State

112.Washington Redskins (via New York Jets): Billy Price, G, Ohio State

113.Carolina Panthers: Conor McDermott, OT, UCLA

114.Cincinnati Bengals: Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama

115.Chicago Bears (via Buffalo Bills): Damore'ea Stringefellow, WR, Ole Miss

116.Philadelphia Eagles: Shleton Gibson, WR, West Virginia

117.Arizona Cardinals: Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina

118.Indianapolis Colts: DeVonte Fields, EDGE, Louisville

119.Minnesota Vikings: Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan

120.Baltimore Ravens: Kai Nacua, S, BYU

121.Washington Redskins: Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma

122.Tennessee Titans: Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State

123.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama

124.Denver Broncos: Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma

125.Detroit Lions: Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech

126.Minnesota Vikings: Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia

127.Oakland Raiders: Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane

128.Houston Texans: Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson

129.New England Patriots: Jalen Robinette, WR, Air Force

130.New York Giants: Travin Dural, WR, LSU

131.New York Jets (Compensatory): Chad Williams, WR, Grambling

132.Cincinnati Bengals (Compensatory): Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida

133.Philadelphia Eagles (via Cleveland Browns Compensatory): Duke Riley, LB, LSU

134.Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory): Joe Mathis, EDGE, Washington

135.Cleveland Browns (Compensatory): Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida

136.Indianapolis Colts (Compensatory): Davis Webb, QB, California

137.San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory): Chad Wheeler, OT, USC

138.Cincinnati Bengals (Compensatory): K.D. Cannon, WR, Baylor

139.Denver Broncos (Compensatory): Travis Rudolph, WR, Florida State

Sound off below and let us know what you think!

The Rams have played, in Seattle, in December (or later, once in January), forrrr, not 1, not 2, not 3, nnnnnot 4, (wanna run and get a beverage), not 5, not 6, but 7 STRAIGHT SEASONS. 7 Consecutive SEASONS of having to go into HOSTILE Territory (toughest Stadium in league) while Seattle has gotten to come into comfy St. Louis or L.A. generally in September. Why is this??? Divisional games should actually be rotated from year-to-year so teams take turns Hosting their 1st and 2nd meetings of the Season. Can Demoff or Stan MENTION THIS to the league office please?????!!!!!

Imo this guy is the worst ref in the NFL by a long shot, and lo and behold he was head of the officials’ union. For once PFT and I agree on something. Notice their scathing comment at the end.



http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...gns-as-president-of-nfl-referees-association/

Jeff Triplette resigns as president of NFL Referees Association
Posted by Michael David Smith on February 17, 2017

Getty Images

Longtime NFL referee Jeff Triplette will no longer be the head of the officials’ union.

The NFL Referees Association announced today that Triplette has resigned as president of the organization. He will be replaced as president by Tony Steratore.

Triplette has a long history of bungling rules and needing replay protocols to be changed to keep him from screwing up. Nonetheless, he has lasted 21 seasons as an NFL ref. There’s no indication that his departure from the Referees Association could signal an impending departure as a referee.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ardson-arrested-on-domestic-violence-charges/

Trent Richardson arrested on domestic violence charges
Posted by Darin Gantt on February 17, 2017

Former NFL running back Trent Richardson is making headlines again, for all the wrong reasons.

According to Carol Robinson of Al.com, the former Browns and Colts running back was arrested Thursday night in Alabama on a domestic violence charge.

The verbal argument with a woman apparently began at a Walmart, and continued back at their hotel room where it became physical. According to the police report, the female sustained scratches and bruises to her face.

Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said Richardson was “cooperative” and was “arrested without incident.”

Richardson was charged with third-degree domestic violence, and was in jail on $1,000 bond. Alabama law requires domestic violence suspects to stay in jail at least 12 hours.

The former No. 3 overall pick was a disappointment for a pair of franchises, first the Browns who traded up to take him in 2012. Then after a solid rookie season and a step back, former (and this is part of the reason why) Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson traded a first-round pick for him, and he lasted two years there. He had short stints with the Raiders and Ravens, but was cut during training camp last year and hasn’t surfaced since.

He finished his career (we’re sort of assuming he’s finished) with 2,032 rushing yards, with 950 of those coming during his rookie season when he scored 11 of his 17 career touchdowns.
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1/3/17: Bengals CB Adam Jones is arrested for assault, disorderly conduct, and obstructing official business, and later charged for felony harassment by bodily substance.
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1/8/17: Steelers LB coach Joey Porter is arrested after an altercation with police.
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1/10/17: Rams RB Tre Mason is arrested for fleeing and eluding without regard for others’ safety arising from a July 2016 ATV incident.
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1/12/17: Packers CB Sam Shields is charged with two counts of marijuana possession.

Notice that I included "Rams info" so the thread doesn't get banished to "Off Topic"?
Posting here is thirsty work.

• Sports Illustrated: Chris Burke, SI.com (published 2/8)

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC

"Ideally, you want a WR who can break open on every play. Smith-Schuster may not do that, but he uses his outstanding hands and body positioning to make catches in tight spaces."
—————

• USA Today: Luke Easterling, USA Today (1/16)

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

—————

• SB Nation: Dan Kadar, SB Nation (2/6)

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

"The Rams could use an offensive lineman, but Conley can be the No. 1 cornerback the team has needed. He could very likely carry a first-round grade from many teams."

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- Rasul Douglas - CB - West Virginia

“This riser is going to be getting plenty of looks on Day 1. He has the highest boom-or-bust potential of any highly rated corner in the draft. He could be the top corner the Rams need."
—————

• San Diego Union-Tribune: Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune (2/8)

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma, Sr.

"The Rams could use someone to stretch the field, opposite of Kenny Britt — Tavon Austin is more of an intermediate threat."

"Westbrook won the Biletnikoff Award — best receiver in the nation. Of his school-record 17 touchdowns, 12 were for 40 yards or more."

Third Round, Pick No. 101 overall (projected compensation for CB Janoris Jenkins*)

- Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA, rSr.

• NFL.com: Chad Reuter, NFL.com (2/16)

Second Round, Pick No. 37 overall

- Chad Hansen, WR, Cal

Third Round, Pick No. 101 overall (projected compensation for CB Janoris Jenkins*)

- Corn Elder, CB, Miami (Fla.)

Fourth Round, Pick No. 107 overall

- Lorenzo Jerome, S, St. Francis (Pa.)

Fourth Round, Pick No. 140 overall (compensation for S Rodney McLeod*)

- J.J. Dielman, C, Utah



View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-Mock-Draft-Roundup-10/3597db12-115e-4036-83ac-bb04bece7252

Rams' new staff has a tough task at WR

Alden Gonzalez

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams have a wide receiver problem. They've had one for nearly a decade. They've had one, perhaps, since Torry Holt's 1,189-yard season in 2007. For the next eight years, the Rams didn't have a single player who caught for 800 yards, let alone 1,000. The streak finally ended with Kenny Britt, who notched a career-high 1,002 receiving yards -- despite hauling in only 61.8 percent of his targets -- in 2016.

Britt is headed for free agency now, as is Brian Quick, the former No. 33 overall pick who hasn't quite panned out. And it's up to a new staff, led by the offensive-minded Sean McVay, to ameliorate the Rams' longtime problem area, both with the scheme and through free agency.

The only established receiver locked in for 2017 is Tavon Austin, who was given a four-year, $42 million extension weeks before the 2016 season. Behind him are Bradley Marquez, who has made most of his contributions on special teams, and five players coming off rookie seasons in which they barely played: Pharoh Cooper, Paul McRoberts, Marquez North, Nelson Spruce and Mike Thomas. But the Rams are expected to have about $40 million in salary-cap space, and several intriguing options will exist in free agency.

McVay seeks "guys that handle the ball in general."

"You can't have enough playmakers," McVay said. "Certainly, that's something that we're always looking to upgrade. That receiver position is very important. A lot of yards and offensive production goes through that room. We want to try to find a way to get the best players on the field."

Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Terrelle Pryor, Kenny Stills and Robert Woods are in line to be among the best receivers available, along with Britt.

But the most important work for the Rams could come in-house, in getting more out of the quick, elusive, 5-foot-8 Austin.

The Rams drafted Austin eighth overall in 2013 after a highly successful run at West Virginia, but he has totaled only 2,610 yards from scrimmage over the past four seasons, a mark topped by 85 players. Some of that might be on Austin, but the offense he's been a part of also shoulders plenty of blame. And the new staff is hopeful of tapping into more of his dynamic skill set, as a receiver, a punt returner and, occasionally, a running back.

McVay identified Austin as "a guy that you want to move all over the formation."

The Rams did that last season, but they probably didn't give him enough carries. Austin had a career year in 2015, with 473 yards through the air and another 434 on the ground. He caught for a career-high 509 yards in 2016, but he rushed for only 159 yards, his carries dropping from 52 to 28. Zac Taylor, the new assistant receivers coach who will work under Eric Yarber, called Austin an "explosive, dynamic receiver and tough runner."

"Any time you have a guy with that skill set, it's fun to look at what you can do creatively, utilize him in an offense," Taylor said. "I'm excited to work with him."

The Rams have a similar player in Cooper, a fourth-round pick out of South Carolina who can be very versatile and a real threat after the catch. Spruce, a heralded undrafted free agent who was never able to play last season, could become a solid possession receiver. And Thomas, a sixth-round pick, might eventually stretch the field vertically if he develops properly.

But they all have some growing to do.

“Watching footage on some of these guys, you have a wide variety of receivers," said Yarber, who spent the past five seasons coaching receivers at UCLA. "You’ve got guys that can play the slot, that can be option runners. You’ve got guys that can take the top off; you’ve got guys with size. I’m excited about working with this group and taking them to the next level.”

[www.espn.com]