Top 3 Offseason Needs: Los Angeles Rams

by Connor Byrne

[www.profootballrumors.com]

In advance of March 9, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. This year’s series continues with the Rams, whose second act in Los Angeles began horrifically this season. The Rams sputtered to a 4-12 showing, which led to the in-season firing of the embattled Jeff Fisher and the postseason hiring of the youngest head coach in the modern era, 31-year-old Sean McVay.

Previously a successful offensive coordinator with the Redskins, McVay is inheriting a 22-year-old quarterback, Jared Goff, who underwhelmed as a rookie after the Rams traded up to select him first overall in the draft. The Rams don’t have either a first- or third-round pick this year because of that trade, which is a painful reality for a franchise that would have otherwise chosen fifth overall. Goff could begin to realize his vast potential under McVay, of course, and that would make the deal much easier to accept.

As the Rams wait to see how the two wunderkinds will fare in Year 1 of their partnership, their Les Snead-led front office will work to improve a roster that scored the fewest points and allowed the third-highest total in the NFL in 2016.

Pending Free Agents:

Kenny Britt, WR
Blake Countess, S (ERFA)
Benny Cunningham, RB
Dominique Easley, DT (RFA)
Isaiah Johnson, S (ERFA)
Trumaine Johnson, CB
Case Keenum, QB
Matt Longacre, DT (ERFA)
T.J. McDonald, S
Brian Quick, WR
Chase Reynolds, RB
Cam Thomas, DE
Louis Trinca-Pasat, DT (ERFA)
Trey Watts, RB (RFA)
Ethan Westbrooks, DT (RFA)
Greg Zuerlein, K (UFA)
Top 10 Cap Hits For 2017:

Tavon Austin, WR: $14,977,116
Mark Barron, LB: $11,000,000
Michael Brockers, DT: $11,000,000
Robert Quinn, DE: $10,750,334
Alec Ogletree, LB: $8,369,000
Greg Robinson, OT: $6,772,213
Jared Goff, QB: $6,349,471
Rodger Saffold, G: $6,222,233
William Hayes, DE: $5,500,000
Lance Kendricks, TE: $4,250,000
Current Projected Cap Room (via Over the Cap): $40,203,030

Other:

No first- or third-round pick (traded to Tennessee)
Must exercise or decline 2018 fifth-year options for DT Aaron Donald and OT Greg Robinson

Three Needs:

1.) Repair the offensive line: If you’re building around youth at quarterback and running back, two places the Rams have invested heavily over the past couple years, common sense says you should possess a strong group of blockers. That wasn’t the case in 2016 for the Rams, whose offensive line graded as Football Outsiders’ fourth-worst group and Pro Football Focus’ sixth-worst unit. Only lowly Cleveland allowed more sacks than Los Angeles (49), whose rushers posted the league’s 10th-lowest yards-per-carry mark (3.9). Dual-threat wide receiver Tavon Austin drove up the latter figure, averaging 5.7 yards on 28 rushes. The Rams’ actual backs, including 2015 rookie sensation Todd Gurley, were far less impressive. Gurley shockingly stumbled to a 3.2 YPC – down 50 percent from his 4.8 the prior season – on 278 attempts and failed to eclipse the 85-yard mark in any of his 16 games. He certainly isn’t blameless for his dreadful second season, but it’s clear he and Goff need more support up front.

While the Rams are fine at left guard (Rodger Saffold) and right tackle (Rob Havenstein), they’d be wise to seek upgrades along the remainder of the line. That includes left tackle, where Greg Robinson has busted since going second overall in the 2014 draft. It’s doubtful the Rams will move on this offseason from Robinson, as he’s still young (24) and will be on their books at his full cap hit ($6.77MM-plus) even if they release him. They’ll surely decline his fifth-year option for 2018, however, and ought to look for a starting-caliber replacement for at least next season. Unfortunately, neither free agency nor the draft will brim with blindside options this offseason.

The open market’s top solution could be the Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth, who’s stellar but also aging (35). Otherwise, tackles scheduled to reach free agency include less capable protectors like Riley Reiff (Lions), Matt Kalil (Vikings) and Luke Joeckel (Jaguars). As is the case with Robinson, both Kalil and Joeckel have been letdowns since their respective teams used top five picks on them in recent years, though it might be worth pointing out that Kalil is a California native who formerly thrived in the Rams’ temporary stadium, the LA Coliseum, as a member of the USC Trojans. Past success aside, he’s certainly not a premier blocker these days.

In the event the Rams wait until the draft, where they’re scheduled to pick 37th, they could end up in contention for any of Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk, Utah’s Garrett Bolles or Alabama’s Cam Robinson. All three tackles currently reside in the top 50 prospect rankings of draft gurus Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) and Matt Miller (Bleacher Report).

Moving to the interior, where the Rams should add a second high-end guard to complement Saffold and make life easier for Gurley, T.J. Lang (Packers), Kevin Zeitler (Bengals) and Ronald Leary (Cowboys) stand out as the foremost soon-to-be free agents. While all figure to rake in sizable contracts in the coming months, any would significantly improve the Rams’ line.

It would behoove the Rams to land one of those three, as the early second round doesn’t seem as if it’ll overflow with possibilities. Jeremiah and Miller only have one guard apiece in their top 50 – Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp is the former’s 16th-ranked player, while the latter’s list includes Indiana’s Dan Feeney at No. 37 (which matches LA’s pick).

Lastly, it’s possible the Rams will search for a superior center to Tim Barnes, who, to his credit, is coming off back-to-back 16-start seasons. For Gurley’s sake, it would make sense to target a better run blocker like A.Q. Shipley (Cardinals) or J.C. Tretter (Packers) on the open market. Jason Kelce could also become available if the Eagles release him, which looks like a legitimate possibility.


2.) Acquire more weapons for Goff: Wideouts Kenny Britt and Brian Quick finished first and second among Rams in receiving yards in 2016, and now they’re headed toward free agency. It’ll be more difficult to retain the 28-year-old Britt, who registered a career campaign in leading the team in receptions (68), targets (111), yards (1,002), yards per catch (14.2) and aerial touchdowns (five). Quick, 27, was decidedly less productive, though he did eclipse the 40-catch plateau and average nearly 14 yards per reception. Like the 6-foot-3, 223-pound Britt, Quick (6-3, 218) also offers size. That isn’t true of any other Rams receiver – their No. 1 signed pass catcher, Austin, is just 5-8, 176 pounds.

A big target, which could come in the form of re-signing Britt and/or Quick, would be nice, but the Rams can’t necessarily discriminate based on size. They (and Goff) are in dire need of weaponry to complement Austin and tight end Lance Kendricks, and there will be several names to watch in free agency.

It doesn’t look as though Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor will get to the market, but a large, proven, in-his-prime WR like the Bears’ Alshon Jeffery would be perfect for Goff. That might be a pipe dream for LA, though – the 26-year-old would first have to leave Chicago, which would mean no franchise tag, and then the Rams would have to win a bidding war for his services.

More realistic than coming out on top in the Jeffery sweepstakes, perhaps, would be reeling in any of DeSean Jackson and/or Pierre Garcon of the Redskins, Kenny Stills (Dolphins), Ted Ginn (Panthers), Robert Woods (Bills), Kamar Aiken (Ravens), Jeremy Kerley (49ers), Terrance Williams (Cowboys), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers), Kendall Wright (Titans) or Markus Wheaton (Steelers). McVay has clear connections to both Jackson and Garcon, having coached the pair to terrific results in Washington over the past three years. Woods, meanwhile, is a local product who starred at USC and has emerged as a solid four-year NFLer who’s still young (25 in April).

The Rams seem like shoo-ins to chase receivers in free agency, but they could also look at the position early in the draft. Chad Hansen jumps to the fore as both a Cal standout and someone who was once college teammates with Goff. The two played together in 2015, though Hansen didn’t break out until last season. Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp, who Jeremiah opines “is prepared to make an immediate impact” in the pros, may also be on the board when the Rams’ first selection rolls around during the spring. So could USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster, a 6-2, 220-pounder who had an excellent three-year run with the Trojans.


3.) Make a decision on Trumaine Johnson’s future: The Rams’ new defensive coordinator, mastermind Wade Phillips, emigrated from Denver, which possesses elite cornerbacks in Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib. He could end up in a situation without a corner who’s anywhere close to that level if the Rams let Johnson walk in free agency. Los Angeles already lost one superb corner, Janoris Jenkins, to the open market a year ago. At the same time, the team managed to keep Johnson for 2016 via the $13.9MM franchise tag. The two sides were unable to work out a long-term pact before the July deadline, though, so Johnson’s future is once again uncertain as March looms.

The Rams could tag Johnson this year, but doing so would cost them $16.68MM – a bloated chunk of cap space for a deeply flawed team with other problems to address. A multiyear contract wouldn’t exactly be cheap, either, evidenced by the five-year, $62MM deal with $29MM in guarantees Jenkins signed with the Giants last winter.

If the Rams are unable to pay Johnson, they’d be down to the capable Lamarcus Joyner and uninspiring defenders behind him at the corner position. Not only has Johnson been a ball hawk (16 interceptions during his half-decade as a Ram), but the 6-2, 208-pounder also brings far more size than any of LA’s other corners. Given Johnson’s track record, it stands to reason he’s champing at the bit to cash in, so bringing him back could be unrealistic for the Rams.

Should Johnson end up out of LA’s price range, free agency is set to offer other No. 1 types in A.J. Bouye (Texans), Stephon Gilmore (Bills) and Logan Ryan (Patriots), but they’re also in line for massive paydays. Thus, presumably less expensive veterans such as Morris Claiborne (Cowboys), Dre Kirkpatrick (Bengals), Prince Amukamara (Jaguars) and Captain Munnerlyn (Vikings) might be of interest to the Rams if they become free agents. So, too, could any of USC’s Adoree Jackson, Ohio State’s Gareon Conley, Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey or Washington’s Kevin King, among several others in a corner-rich draft class.

Rams General Manager Les Snead speaks at Coach Sean McVay's introductory news conference on Jan. 13. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Q&A: Rams General Manager Les Snead talks rookie Coach Sean McVay, draft needs and free agents at the Senior Bowl

By Gary Klein

For the second time in two years, the Rams are in the midst of major transition.

In 2016, the franchise moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles. The Rams drew more than 90,000 to the Coliseum for an exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys, but fan interest waned by the end of a 4-12 season that included the firing of coach Jeff Fisher.


New Coach Sean McVay, 31, is in the process of assembling his staff and assessing a roster that could have a far different look when quarterback Jared Goff, the top pick in the 2016 draft, begins his second season. McVay has hired veteran Wade Phillips to coordinate the defense.

Rams General Manager Les Snead attended Senior Bowl workouts this week in preparation for the NFL draft, which is scheduled for April 27-29 in Philadelphia. He sat down with Times reporter Gary Klein in Mobile, Ala., and answered questions about several topics.

What’s it been like to work with Sean McVay?

Exciting, because you see the young head coach but you also see him bring this unbelievable energy and passion to the job with that thought of how he wants to put together his staff and the puzzle there and what he’s trying to accomplish. … You’re working together to problem-solve, come up with solutions, come up with decisions and try to come up with what’s best for the Rams…. You can feel the chemistry developing based on just rolling up your sleeves and going to work and making your first decisions together.

You’ve dealt with people in your peer and age group and coaches who were older. This is a young coach. Has that been different for you?

My wife has joked, ‘Who are you going to hang out with more, him or [69-year-old] Wade?’…. It’s just a joke but what’s interesting is this is a young man’s sport, so in our business some of the most important people in the organization are, heck, 21 or 22. You’re used to being around and feeling youth. …. I know he’s young, but he seems like 40-something, and that’s probably in maturity and the way he goes about his business and his knowledge of football.

Another young guy: Jared Goff. When you look back on how he did this season and where he is going, what is your sense?

What he went through is only going to be positive in the future. It goes back to experience. … He knows what it’s like now. … What you got back is a very poised player — and adversity doesn’t rattle him. … Looking forward to seeing him grow because he’s felt and seen Sean come in and implement his offense, and Sean is really big on the quarterback. Jared’s chomping at the bit.

What are the biggest needs to be addressed or filled going into draft and the free-agent season?

I don’t know if I want to tell you exactly because it might tip hands, but I think philosophically I can tell you it’s probably, duh, right? We’ve got to figure out how to improve the offense and how that looks and what position groups you start attacking first. We want to move the ball, we want to get first downs and we want to score points. That’s going to be addressed at all angles.

At the Senior Bowl last year we talked about the offensive line. Coming off last season when you drafted linemen that played well, you felt like that had been solved. What happened?

It’s probably more complicated than just the sophomore slump…. I’m looking forward to working with Sean and his staff and if you want to call it sifting through and figuring that out…. We did acquire some young players but I’m a realist to know some might not be there yet, some might be on their way to getting there and some of them might not be who we thought they are.

If you’re a fan or watching this team you’re going, ‘What about the receiving corps?’ Kenny Britt is going to be a free agent, Brian Quick is going to be a free agent and Tavon Austin has a hefty extension. Is it fair to say you’re going to be looking at receivers?

Definitely fair, and it’s interesting with the receiving group because we already know a good bit about what Sean would like in his receivers. They’ve been described many times like a basketball team. And what that means is you probably don’t field five point guards, five shooting guards. …. With our pending UFAs I think it’s very safe to say we’ve got to sit down with the offensive group and see what they bring to the table and do they exactly fit us with the guys that are already on the team.

Fans want a home-run hitter. They want a legitimate No. 1 guy. You have cap space but in the last few years have not been real aggressive making a big-time splash through free-agent acquisitions. Is this a year, with receivers like DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey out there, that you might become more aggressive?

This is the year because we do think, ‘Hey, our young team’s at the point where we’re re-signing people and they’re into their veteran phase of life.’ Now you sprinkle in veterans, and it doesn’t have to be a huge splash, but it might be two players for one that help. If you’re talking about receivers in the passing game, one’s great but maybe two actually help it better.

On the defensive side, Wade — at least traditionally — likes to run a 3-4 scheme. You guys have been a hybrid 4-3. Do you make draft and free-agent decisions based on the kinds of defense he wants to play?

Our job, going back to the beginning, has got to be symbiotic relationship. We need to go find the players that fit the description of what he wants that position to look like. That’s our job and we’re all working together to get this thing done.

There are not a lot of linebackers on the roster. Do you have to acquire more?

You look at your ends and which ones will be more the 3-4 [outside linebackers]. … We’ll get to all that. It will be a big project we do in the first month of transition. … How do they fit and what is a fit? And at that point we have to merge our scouting department with our coaching so our scouts are finding players that fit the coaches’ schemes.

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson played under the franchise tag this season. What’s happening with him going forward?

That will be a big decision. Wade, like a lot of [defensive coordinators], likes good players on the outside. Trumaine fits that category…. Trumaine is a larger guy with good ball skills and all things like that. Is it a square in a square, a triangle in a triangle or more a rectangle in a square? … That’s probably one of the top priorities when Wade walks in the door because, obviously, the magnitude of what his contract will look like and the magnitude of what another franchise tag looks like and everything in between.

What about receiver Kenny Britt?

We have a new scheme. He had his best year. Now you’re going to come back and decide does he fit. If he does, what kind of price and does that fit the model? And again that’s going to be working with the offensive staff to try and figure that out.

And safety T.J. McDonald?

You have to put brakes on all these decisions so that you can get the new group in and figure out who fits. And if they fit what the price is. And then, at that point, are there other additions from the outside that we’d like to add and does that push someone out.

[www.latimes.com]

http://www.si.com/nfl/2017/01/27/teddy-bridgewater-vikings-injury-update?xid=socialflow_twitter_si

Teddy Bridgewater could miss the entire 2017 season as he continues recovery from knee surgery, Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reports.

Bridgewater, a central piece of Minnesota’s offense and building process, was injured in practice in August prior to the 2016 season, tearing his ACL and dislocating his knee while planting to throw a pass. Doctors reportedly told the team he will need at least 19 months, which would mean he misses the entire season again.

The 24-year-old former first-rounder threw for 14 touchdowns and 3,231 yards in 2015, leading Minnesota to the playoffs where they fell 10–9 to the Seahawks.

Sans Bridgewater, the Vikings acquired Sam Bradford via trade, who threw for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions as the Vikings went 8–8.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/18562108/rating-how-much-every-nfl-team-needs-new-qb-2017

Hall of Fame general manager Ron Wolf advocated drafting quarterbacks whether or not teams had obvious needs at the position. Wolf's Green Bay Packers drafted seven of them during his 1991-2001 run as their GM, all while Brett Favre was clearly the team's franchise quarterback. No other team drafted more during that span.

Here we place all 32 teams into categories based on their level of need at the position this offseason.

High urgency to find a starter ASAP

Cleveland Browns
The Browns, having passed up a chance to draft a quarterback second overall last year, can take one first overall this year if they choose. Will it be Mitch Trubisky from North Carolina? Deshaun Watson from Clemson? Robert Griffin III may or may not be back for 2017. Third-round choice Cody Kessler, one of eight players Cleveland drafted before Dallas selected Dak Prescott in 2016, joined Griffin in the concussion protocol last season. Cleveland could keep any of its current QBs in the mix, but can the Browns realistically proceed with any of them as a long-term starter?

New York Jets
The Jets have a third-year, defense-minded head coach coming off a losing season with a new offensive coordinator and no proven quarterback under contract (Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith are free agents and presumably on their way out). That puts the organization in the market for a veteran starter along the lines of Tyrod Taylor, Mike Glennon or whoever else becomes available. It would take more than a leap of faith for the Jets to start Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg.

Gotta do something, but it's not yet clear what

Buffalo Bills
It's looking as though the Bills will not pick up their contract option on Tyrod Taylor, even though he ranks first among Bills QBs since 2006 in Total QBR and passer rating. He is also the only Bills QB over that span with at least eight starts and a non-losing record (he is 14-14). No Taylor would mean no viable starting options for the Bills in 2017.

San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers' plans remain on hold while the team settles on a GM to work with presumptive new coach Kyle Shanahan. Colin Kaepernick is under contract for one more season at $14.5 million if the 49ers elect to buy time. Shanahan's ties to Kirk Cousins provide a fun diversion while Cousins remains without a contract for 2017. Would San Francisco trade draft picks for the right to pay a solid starter at the top of the market when that starter might struggle with a weaker supporting cast?

One more year to act (at most)

Arizona Cardinals
Carson Palmer has not yet told the Cardinals whether he is returning for another season. If the 37-year-old Palmer retires, the Cardinals would vault into the veteran starter market. If he returns, which seems likely, Arizona could more easily wait another year before addressing the position seriously.

Chicago Bears
The Bears have reached the point in Jay Cutler's contract when they can release him without incurring massive salary-cap consequences. That doesn't mean they have a viable successor after using just one draft choice over the past five years on a quarterback (2014 sixth-rounder David Fales). Chicago has averaged 22.6 points per game while posting a 52-52 record with Cutler in the lineup since 2009, counting the playoffs. The team has averaged 18.1 points per game with a 7-19 record in the games Cutler did not start.

Houston Texans
The Texans have the defense to win now and a head coach coming off three successive 9-7 seasons. They could use a QB upgrade to get over the top, but Brock Osweiler's contract probably keeps him in the mix for 2017. Do the Texans draft a potential successor now? Do they seek a veteran backup to help salvage Osweiler? Do they try Tom Savage as their starter and see if he grows into the role?

Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have until shortly after the 2017 draft to decide whether they will pick up the 2018 option on Blake Bortles' contract. Either way, the team needs to prepare itself for heading in another direction. Bortles has frequently played from far behind, which could partly explain why he has thrown 51 interceptions since 2014, one fewer than league leader Philip Rivers. Bortles, however, has 32 career interceptions when his team led or trailed by no more than one score. That is the most in the NFL since 2014.

Minnesota Vikings
Sticking with Sam Bradford for another year (at least) makes sense for the Vikings as they figure out what the future might hold for Teddy Bridgewater. Targeting another potential long-term option in the draft could make sense. Bradford's deal runs through 2017 and will cost $18 million, of which $4 million is guaranteed.

In a category all by themselves

New England Patriots
Tom Brady's exceptional performance at age 39 puts the Patriots in position to bank on him for the next couple of seasons. They could trade Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason if they wanted a quick return. They could keep him for 2017, then use the franchise tag to facilitate a trade in the 2018 offseason if Brady remains atop his game. These are all great options to have. They are also not accidental options. New England used a 2014 second-round choice for Garoppolo and a 2016 third-rounder for Jacoby Brissett, even though Brady was still going strong. Wolf would approve.

Teams likely to stay the course ... unless they don't

Denver Broncos
The Broncos have a couple of developmental quarterbacks in Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Are they legitimate Super Bowl contenders with either QB in 2017? That is a question for GM John Elway to weigh while Denver still has a championship defense. Elway doesn't seem inclined to shake up the position, but it's only January and much can change as opportunities arise. Elway has not been afraid to move decisively.

Kansas City Chiefs
The contract Alex Smith signed in 2014 becomes much easier for the Chiefs to exit beginning this offseason. That doesn't mean the Chiefs will make a change. It means they can consider a change more readily. Backup Nick Foles' salary spikes to $10.4 million in 2017, giving the Chiefs something else to think about.

Miami Dolphins
The odds seem to favor Miami giving Ryan Tannehill another season with coach Adam Gase. Tannehill gained momentum late in the season and will not need a long rehab following his season-ending knee injury. Those factors work in his favor. More than $14 million in 2017 salary becomes guaranteed if Tannehill remains on the roster on March 13.

Washington Redskins
The Redskins like Kirk Cousins, but if they loved him, they would have signed him to a long-term extension some time ago. The sides could still get a deal done. The price to keep Cousins will jump significantly if he plays under the franchise tag for another season or two. At what point would Washington consider alternatives through the trade market? That could depend on what market exists in places such as Cleveland or San Francisco.

Should have a couple of years to plan

Los Angeles Chargers
The 35-year-old Philip Rivers is signed through 2019 with a no-trade clause and $11 million in 2017 salary that becomes guaranteed this offseason. He isn't going anywhere anytime soon unless he opts for retirement, but the Chargers do need to plan ahead. Rivers leads the league in interceptions over the past three seasons.

New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees is producing at a high enough level to project as the Saints' starter for the next couple of seasons, which is also how long the guaranteed money flows in Brees' contract. Garrett Grayson's outlook as a potential successor took a hit when the Saints relegated the 2015 third-round choice to the practice squad.

New York Giants
Eli Manning has never missed a game because of injury, and he could probably remain viable for years to come if the Giants gave him a real-life running game to go with their upgraded defense. Backup Ryan Nassib can become a free agent this offseason. His former coaches at the NFL (Tom Coughlin) and college (Doug Marrone) levels are working together in Jacksonville. Drafting a quarterback will make sense if Nassib does not return.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger's retirement hints were unconvincing, but it's still time for Pittsburgh to address its backup situation. Landry Jones can become a free agent and might not fit into the salary equation. What about third-stringer Zach Mettenberger? He is one of 43 quarterbacks with at least 10 starts over the past three seasons. Of those, he is the only one without a victory (the 42 others have at least three victories apiece).

QB could be an afterthought

Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan enjoyed his finest NFL season with Matt Schaub playing the role of veteran sounding board. Will the Falcons make re-signing Schaub a priority?

Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco is locked in for years to come, but with backup Ryan Mallett unsigned for 2017, the Ravens could sign a veteran backup and/or draft a prospect.

Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have Derek Anderson under contact as Cam Newton's backup through the 2017 season.

Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have 2014 fifth-round pick AJ McCarron under contract through 2017 as Andy Dalton's backup. McCarron could have some trade value.

Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys could trade or otherwise part with Tony Romo, which could bring them into the market for a veteran backup. They could re-sign Mark Sanchez or find another backup if Romo is no longer part of the equation. But they've found their long-term man in Dak Prescott and will need to funnel resources elsewhere.

Detroit Lions
The Lions drafted Jake Rudock in the sixth round last season, but they could still be in the market for a veteran to back up Matthew Stafford. Dan Orlovsky is not signed for 2017.

Green Bay Packers
Staying the course with 2015 fifth-rounder Brett Hundley backing up Aaron Rodgers would not be a bad way to go. Hundley and 2012 seventh-rounder B.J. Coleman are the only quarterbacks the Packers have drafted since Rodgers became their starter in 2008 (they selected Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm that year).

Indianapolis Colts
Backup Scott Tolzien is signed through 2017. The Colts' plans could depend upon their choice to succeed Ryan Grigson as GM.

Los Angeles Rams
New coach Sean McVay could shape the Rams' thinking regarding a backup for starter Jared Goff. Sean Mannion is the only backup signed for 2017.

Oakland Raiders
Connor Cook could move into the No. 2 role behind Derek Carrif/when Matt McGloin finds a better opportunity in free agency.

Philadelphia Eagles
Philly appears set at the position with starter Carson Wentz and backup Chase Daniel. The deal Daniel signed last offseason carries $5 million in guarantees for 2017.

Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson is the only quarterback Seattle has drafted during the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era. The Seahawks appear more interested in trading out of position to draft quarterbacks than positioning themselves to select them. They were the team that moved back to enable Denver's selection of Paxton Lynch.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Glennon's coming departure in free agency this offseason could put the Bucs in the market for a veteran backup to work with Jameis Winston.

Tennessee Titans
Marcus Mariota improved in 2016 with Matt Cassel in the veteran backup role. Is that a dynamic Tennessee wants to keep going? Cassel is unsigned for 2017.

In light of the NFL bringing back the Pro Bowl skills challenge, I always remember Torry Holt winning one of the competitions! Good times!

Login to view embedded media

Watch Greene sack Joe Montana 4 times.

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

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/27/jets-hire-kevin-greene-to-coach-outside-linebackers/

Jets hire Kevin Greene to coach outside linebackers
Posted by Darin Gantt on January 27, 2017

Getty Images

The Jets added some Hall of Fame credibility to their coaching staff Friday.

According to Alex Marvez of the Sporting News, the Jets hired Kevin Greene to coach outside linebackers.

Greene, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, is third on the all-time sack list with 160.0, more than any linebacker in the history of the game.

He spent five years coaching outside linebackers for the Packers under his former mentor Dom Capers, who presented him at the Hall last summer.

I'm sure Gurley shares some of the blame, as there were times he seemed to make bad running decisions. That being said, it's laughable for any former coaches to call him out when their coaching was unbelievably bad. Do they not remember the first game of the season where the pre-snap motion blatantly telegraphed where the plays were going?

It's purely conjecture on my part, by I'm betting this is coming from either Fisher or Boras to cover for their own incompetence.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRS NEWS
Report: Former Rams coaches blame Gurley for his 2016 struggles

Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley took a massive step back from his outstanding rookie campaign this past season, and the former coaching staff says it stems from Gurley himself.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, the coaching staff said, “It’s the same [offense] he was in as a rookie. You tell me the difference.”

There’re a lot of factors to point at from the common fan’s view. One can blame the Rams’ poor offensive line and its inability to pave holes for Gurley to run through (cc: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys and the complete opposite). There was also a blip in the passing game and quarterback swaps that hindered any offensive chemistry, and more so the inefficiency of being able to run without a complementary passing game only hampered Gurley’s production.

Apparently there’s little room for excuses here.

Cole noted that Gurley “missed most of the team’s offseason program to take part in off-field activities, such as hanging out with rapper Jay-Z, whose agency represents Gurley.”


The second-year back out of Georgia played in only 13 games in 2015 and managed to surpass the 1,000-yard mark thanks to 4.8 yards per carry, and 10 touchdowns to go along with it. This past season, he appeared in all 16 and fell shy of 1,000 as he compiled 885 yards on 278 attempts (3.2 yards per rush) with four fewer touchdowns.

2016 was a truly dismal season for the Rams, who won only four games. With change aplenty amid the coaching staff, the new faces can only hope there’s change in their’s running back’s game come 2017.

In which Jared Goff tries to convince us that Hard Knocks is scripted.
We all know the truth Jared.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2017/01/27/jared-goff-los-angeles-rams-sean-mcvay

Last season was a real character-builder for Jared Goff. Yes, the former Cal quarterback was selected with the first pick in the 2016 NFL draft. But the Rams, the team that took him, were in transition. After a cross-country move from St. Louis to Los Angeles, the organization slogged to a 4–12 record and fired coach Jeff Fisher with three games remaining. Goff didn’t start until Week 11 and made an uneven impression when he did, completing a little more than 50% of his passes for 1,089 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions—numbers that compared unfavorably with a rookie QB cohort that included Dallas’s Dak Prescott (67.8% completion rate through 16 starts) and Philly’s Carson Wentz (62.4% through 16 starts).

So it figures that when SI.com caught up with the Rams QB1 while he was in L.A. signing trading cards for Panini, Goff would look not to the past but to a future when his early adversities and the Rams’ coaching staff purge will look minor in hindsight. He also had a few thoughts on the Super Bowl QBs, his diet and his new neighbors, the Chargers, in this Q&A, which has been condensed and edited.

Andrew Lawrence: They tell us you will be attending another Panini-sponsored event after this, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Fanfest. And there you’ll be sharing your experience transitioning into the league with other rookies. What is it that you know now that you wish you knew coming out of college?

Jared Goff: I guess to understand that it’s a big deal, but not to put so much pressure on myself, that somebody was going to take me regardless. There were times where I stayed up at night wondering.

AL: How will this off-season be different from ’16 now that both you and the Rams are more established?

JG: It’ll be big. It’ll be huge for us to have an off-season here and not have everyone moving around. We moved to about four different locations last year. It’ll be nice to be in one place, focus and have a routine.

AL: Which Hard Knocks storyline was the last to die: William Hayes’s obsession with mermaids and dinosaurs, or you not knowing which directions the sun rises and sets?

JG: [Laughs] They’re both alive and well. I hear about the sun thing quite often. That was so overblown. Hard Knocks is good. Hard Knocks is fun. But there are a lot of things that they like to script a little bit. And making fun of the rookie is definitely one of those things.

AL: So that moment with you in the helicopter—it was ... tweaked? Was it more that you were confused about the sun’s direction relative to where you were in the air?

JG: Exactly. It was made into a bigger deal than it should’ve been. But it was funny. I’ve had some fun with it.

AL: Sean McVay is your new head coach. What do you make of him?

JG: I think we first met when he was still interviewing for the job. I thought that if he was the guy they chose, I’d be very excited to work with him. Then they wound up choosing him. I’m ready to get this thing going.

AL: You spent a lot of time waiting to get on the field last year. Was it as agonizing for you as it seemed to be for those fans who were following it?

JG: I wanted to play from Day One. But with everything that was going on, there are a million reasons why that didn’t happen right away. I was totally fine with it. I was gonna do whatever the coaches wanted, and that was it. I was ready to sit and learn for however long. I learned a lot. There were a lot of things I got out of it, a lot of positives. I think in however long—10, 15 years of my career, hopefully I play that long—I’ll be able to look back and be like, Wow, I’m thankful for that experience.

AL: What’s the thing this team has going for it now that you’re most looking forward to building on?

JG: I think it kinda goes back to what you were saying about stability. Stability’s going to be huge. I think last year there was so much instability with all the moving around, going to London and Coach Fisher getting let go and our whole coaching staff getting let go throughout the year. And now we kinda understand where the facility is—everything in between. I think that’s undervalued. Now there’s a fresh energy and a fresh culture. We needed it.

AL:Is it true that you had a digestive deficiency that prevents you from being able to process protein properly?

JG: I’ve been trying to put on weight my whole life. I didn’t figure it out until a year ago that that was the reason why I couldn’t. The protein wasn’t being digested or broken down correctly into my muscles. So I had to take some powders. I don’t know exactly the chemicals. It was legal. It allowed me to break down the protein better. I really don’t have to take it anymore.

AL: What’s something that these Super Bowl QBs do well that you’d love to steal for yourself?

JG: Matt Ryan’s deep ball. It’s probably the best in the game. [Of course, it helps that he has guys like Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu to work with.] And Brady? He’s just the best. Period.

AL: So how does it feel not to be the new NFL team in town anymore? Can L.A. handle all this football?

JG: I think it’ll be fine, with us and the Chargers. When we came down here everybody knew another team was gonna come—whether it was them or the Raiders. We put a lot of money into our new stadium and team facility, so I think it’s only fair to share it. Hopefully we get the fans involved, start a little rivalry and are successful in our own right.

Not going to take into account what we will do in FA in this draft, but post some thoughts about a few guys. I'd bring Britt back for the right price----less than $10 mil; keep Saffold (especially if we could restructure his contract), bring back Eisley and Cam Thomas. I think Tru and TJ Mc will leave, and I'd let Kendricks go as well.
Now.....onto the the picks
2nd round - Cordrea Tankersley CB - Clemson - 6' 0" - 200lbs
3rd round - Bucky Hodges - TE - Va Tech - 6' 7" - 245lbs - big, fast, excellent receiver, willing but not a
great blocker
4th round - Kevin King - CB/FS - Washington - 6'3" - 192lbs - good cover guy, smart, make plays, very good hands for a DB. Note: With Tru leaving, we need DB's bad; our depth last year was not good.
4th round - Kyle Fuller C/G - Baylor 6' 5" - 310lbs
5th round - Jon Toth C/G - Kentucky - 6' 5" - 308lbs (Toth may not last this long, but if he's anywhere near
here I'd try to move up to get him). I doubled-up here because of our poor interior ol play and
both Toth/Fuller can play G/C.
6th round - Jamari Staples - WR - Louisville - 6' 3" - 192lbs- good speed, good hands, catches the ball,
needs some work on sharpening his routes. Will be a better pro than college player.
6th round - Josh Toupu - NT/DT - Colorado - 6' 3" - 340lbs - run stuffer, quick, agile, not fast or won't sack
the qb, but will occupy blockers and is unmovable at the LOS
7th round - TBD

i assume a few of us can totally relate

http://thesco.re/theScore_App

In a competition featuring events focusing on football-related skills as well as others more in line with your high school gym class, the star players from the NFC reigned supreme.

With a convincing win over the AFC in the fifth and final event of the day, a 10-on-10 dodgeball match, the NFC took home an overall victory in the NFL's new-look Pro Bowl Skills Showdown.

The competition got started with the Best Hands event, where receivers caught passes from quarterbacks at one-hand, two-hand, sideline, and over-the-shoulder stations. Odell Beckham Jr. made it look easy in the second-to-last run, but former LSUteammate Jarvis Landry bested his time by just one-fifth of a second to give the AFC an early lead.

Next up was a Power Relay event filled with controversy. The NFC team was unable to move a 700-pound blocking sled on its first attempt, but officials granted another run upon ruling that it was indeed blocked on its tracks. Ezekiel Elliott smashed through the foam-wall finish line for a time of 28.7 seconds, giving the NFC its first win of the day.

Philip Rivers got the AFC back out in front with a win in the Precision Passing event, but Beckham would again tie things up when he took down Landry in the odd Drone Drop competition that had participants haul in passes from increased elevations.

Just as everyone had hoped, it all came down to a dodgemall match that would award the winning side three points. The NFC got out to a fast start, mowing down a number of AFC players to position itself for a runaway win. T.Y. Hilton would make things interesting by hanging around after all his teammates had been eliminated, but a failed catch attempt would eventually seal things in the NFC's favor.

In an apparent effort to spice up a Pro Bowl week that appears to be getting old for players and fans alike, the midweek event marked the first time that the NFL held any sort of skills competition since 2007. The response to the unique - and often times bizarre - event will presumably go a long way toward determining whether the format sticks in the years ahead.

Login to view embedded media

No, Tavon Austin wasn't on that list or mentioned in either of these two articles.
****************************************************************************
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ed-23-mph-had-two-fastest-runs-of-nfl-season/

Tyreek Hill topped 23 mph, had two fastest runs of NFL season
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 26, 2017

Getty Images

Tyreek Hill is the fastest player in the NFL. If you couldn’t tell that by watching him play, the NFL’s high-tech stats confirm it.

The league has released some of the data from its “Next Gen Stats,” including the fastest runs of the 2016 season. And Hill, the Chiefs’ rookie receiver and return man, had both the fastest and the second-fastest top speed in the league.

Hill reached a top speed of 23.24 miles per hour on a Week Two kickoff return that he ran back 105 yards, only to have it called back by a holding penalty. That was the only time all season any player reached 23 mph. Hill also had the second-fastest run of the season, an 86-yard touchdown return in Week 12.

The fastest speed reached by a player not named Tyreek Hill was achieved by Washington receiver DeSean Jackson, who topped out at 22.6 miles an hour on a 59-yard catch in Week 13. The fastest defensive play was made by Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who reached 22.4 miles an hour on a 100-yard interception return touchdown in Week 11.

The fastest person in the world, Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, has been timed at over 27 miles an hour, so Hill isn’t quite at world-class speed. But Bolt doesn’t have to wear pads and have people trying to tackle him. What Hill does on a football field is as impressive an athletic feat as you’ll see anywhere.

http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/fastest-nfl-players-right-now.html/?a=viewall

The 5 Fastest Players in the NFL Right Now
Kofi Bofah/December 09, 2016

The time-honored cliches, “speed kills” and “you can’t coach speed,” are true. The fastest NFL players can shred the perfect defense and go the distance on any given play. Opposing teams must account for these electric performers at all times. This extra attention creates space for all offensive personnel to go to work.

On the other side of the football, speedsters can play lock-down, man-to-man defense and chase down plays from the weak-side across the formation. A real burner will put in spot duty on special teams as a return man when the team needs a spark. Football speed, in pads, is different than straightaway speed measured with a stopwatch on a fast track.

Even the great Jerry Rice ran a rather pedestrian 4.71 40-yard dash. On game day, however, he flashed wide open on drag routes across the middle before hauling in the football, turning the corner, and racing upfield past the defense for six.

Alternatively, Darrius Heyward-Bey’s professional career never got off the ground despite literally breaking stopwatches at the NFL combine. The following current NFL players represent the ideal combination of lateral quickness, acceleration, agility, and raw top-line speed.

5. Julio Jones

This is (almost) unfair. Julio Jones measures out at six-foot-three and 217 pounds — and he is bigger than Adrian Peterson. At the combine, Jones clocked in at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash as the most physically gifted wide receiver to enter the draft since Randy Moss. Yes, Jones is faster than Antonio Brown and Odell Beckam, Jr., who are both burners in their own right.

The 27-year-old is a matchup nightmare. As a possession receiver, Jones can use his big body to wall off defenders on slants and quick outs right at the sticks. On wide receiver screens, he will haul in the pass, before throwing out a stiff-arm on the defensive back and racing down the sidelines.

In response, defensive coordinators will often call for Cover 2, with a corner cheating up toward the line of scrimmage being backed up with safety help over the top.

Still, Jones can easily outrun this double coverage before quarterback Matt Ryan drops in a deep bomb. For his career, he is averaging 15.1 yards per catch as the ultimate big-play threat. Last year, Jones led the league in both receptions (136) and yards (1,871).

Ironically, the top-end speed was on full display when he found himself as a defender, chasing Tampa Bay linebacker Kwon Alexander 85 yards downfield to stop a pick-six.

4. DeSean Jackson

At 30 years old, DeSean Jackson is still one of the fastest men in the NFL. He ran a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Then the Philadelphia Eagles picked him in the 2008 draft. Jackson was at his best in 2010, when he paired up with a reinvigorated Michael Vick to torch the competition. That year, Jackson came down with 47 receptions for 1,056 yards — a blistering 22.5 yards-per-catch average.

For the play of the year, Jackson actually muffed a punt against the New York Giants, before picking the football back up at his own 25. From there, he drifted to his right, before feinting back to the left and turning on the jets upfield.

After shaking two tacklers and hurtling over the punter, Jackson got a block and turned on another gear at the 50-yard line. From there, he was so far behind the Giants coverage that he actually tiptoed horizontally alongside the goal-line to run out the clock before scoring the touchdown.

The Philadelphia Eagles won this game 38-31. A irate Tom Coughlin screamed at punter Matt Dodge for actually kicking the football to Jackson. Matt Dodge found himself out of a job immediately thereafter.

For his career, Jackson has averaged 18 yards per catch to go with 50 total touchdowns, as a receiver, on the ground, and in the return game. For 2016, Jackson will have another big year in Washington, if Kirk Cousins can get him the football.

3. Brandin Cooks

Brandin Cooks is one of the more underrated and least recognized burners in the NFL. Cooks played his college ball at Oregon State, in the shadows of the Mighty Ducks of the Pacific Northwest. Now, Cooks finds himself in another small market.

His Saints club that hasn’t made the playoffs through his first two seasons. Still, Cooks is only 23; he has plenty of time to play pitch-and-catch with Drew Brees on the Superdome fast track — and introduce himself to fans.

Cooks is often compared against Rams wideout Tavon Austin in terms of both speed and stature. On paper, both of these athletes measure out near 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds and run a sub-4.35 40-yard dash. In real time, however, Cooks does show better acceleration; he is one shade quicker in and out of his breaks as a route runner.

For this, Cooks hauled in 84 receptions for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns last season, while obliterating concerns that he was a one-dimensional speedster. For Week 1 this year, Drew Brees hit Cooks in stride from the back of his own end-zone. Cooks then sprinted down the sideline and celebrated capping off the 98-yard pass play in front of a raucous New Orleans crowd.

2. Patrick Peterson

Patrick Peterson is the closest thing to Deion Sanders we can get. Peterson already admitted to modeling his game after Sanders, right down to the high-stepping and flashy touchdown celebrations. For a more direct comparison, he may be one small step slower than Deion. However, he is a much more physical presence and willing tackler out on the edge.

Either way, both Peterson and Deion Sanders were ready for Prime Time, after clocking at 4.34 and 4.27 in the 40-yard dash, respectively. Peterson is at his best in press coverage, when he will line up directly across from the other team’s best receiver and track him all over the field, with no safety help over the top.

Last year, in Week 6, Peterson limited the flashy Antonio Brown to only three catches for 24 yards. Taken together, Peterson and the Honey Badger form the best secondary in football this side of Seattle. These two already combine for 27 interceptions and six return touchdowns well before the age of 30.

The Cards have one of the best defenses in the league again. Jones is pressuring the quarterback off the edge and Peterson is jumping hot routes out in the flat. He will remain in the game to field punts after harassing the opposing offense into yet another three-and-out. In the return game, Peterson will set up his blocks beautifully, before weaving in and out of traffic and hitting the turbo button to daylight.

1. Ted Ginn Jr.

Ted Ginn Jr. would have emerged as the latest track-and-field star, if it were not for football. In high school, he won the state title in 200 meters and the national championship in the 110-meter hurdles. As a high school senior, Ginn did clock out at 10.2 in the 100-meter dash, which was already then a mere four-tenths of a second off the record pace of Usain Bolt.

Ohio State actually recruited Ginn to run track. Then coach Russ Rogers believed that the Cleveland product had a chance to make the 2008 Olympics. Ginn, of course, dedicated himself to football instead.

As a Buckeye, Ginn kicked off the 2007 BCS National Championship Game by taking the opening kickoff 92 yards to the house against Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators. Ginn, however, sprained his foot beneath the dog-pile in this wild celebration and still wore a cast through the ensuing NFL combine in Indianapolis.

If not for this freak injury, Ginn was all but set to run a sub 4.3 40-yard and challenge the combine record. Still, he went to the Miami Dolphins as the ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft. For his second year, Ginn had racked up 56 catches for 790 yards, before landing in San Francisco.

As a 49er Ginn was well behind Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, and even a 35-year-old Randy Moss on the wide-receiver depth chart, while also competing with Vernon Davis for touches.

As a return man, Ginn took three touchdowns to the house through three years in San Francisco. He is at his best in Carolina, where he is the primary deep threat for Cam Newton. Ginn has already carved out a 10-year career for himself as the fastest man in the NFL.

Statistics courtesy of ESPN and Pro-Football-Reference.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-why-aaron-donald-was-the-nfls-best-pass-rusher-this-season/

Los Angeles Rams DT Aaron Donald was recently named the winner of Pro Football Focus’ Defensive Player of the Year and Best Pass-Rusher awards for the 2016 NFL season. To see the winner of every PFF award, visit our NFL awards page.

The Rams may have returned to Los Angeles and the bright lights of Tinseltown, but the team finished the 2016 season 4-12. With that losing record, very few players on the roster received much positive attention, but defensive tackle Aaron Donald was once again excellent in the heart of the Rams’ defense.

When recognizing individual achievement at awards time, it’s important to try and look beyond the overall defensive unit. There are obvious yardage and scoring milestones for offensive players that get recognition and celebration, even if the offense they play in has been ineffective or lackluster, but defenders tend to be tarred with the brush of overall unit success or failure. The Rams had a top defense in terms of yards per game and yards per play, but because the offense was so poor, they were 23rd in points per game. Whatever the success of the defense as a whole, an individual defender is just one of 11 players, and no one man can make a defense.

Aaron Donald led all interior defenders with 82 total pressures this season, a mark that tied for third overall in the NFL. He may have recorded “only” eight sacks, but nobody was better at generating consistent, impactful pressure than Donald, especially when you consider the position he was playing.

Generating 82 total QB pressures from defensive tackle is not the same as recording them as an edge defender, or even generating slightly more from those perimeter rushing spots. Edge rushers generate pressure at a higher rate than interior rushers. They are typically one-on-one and have less traffic to navigate to get to the QB, or at least to affect his drop. The average edge rusher in the NFL this season generated pressure once every 8.8 pass rushes, but it takes almost five full pass-rushing snaps (13.5) more for an interior rusher to generate the same pressure, on average.

Donald had fewer pass-rushing snaps than many edge rushers, and yet still outperformed almost all of them in terms of total QB pressures. He generated pressure once every 6.1 pass rushes, which was the best figure of any interior defender, but also a top-10 figure compared to edge rushers (seventh).

Of course, not all pressure is created equal, and raw numbers can sometimes mislead. Pressure can take the form of a sack after a defender beats a double-team in under two seconds, a clean-up pressure where the QB is forced to move into a pass-rusher’s leverage, or from a defender having an unblocked path straight to the QB.

Where Donald really separates himself from the pack is in how his pressure comes about. He generated decisive pressure (graded at +1.0 or better in PFF’s incremental, play-by-play grading scale) once every 8.7 rushes. That figure would be the third-best rate of pressure among interior defenders, and it’s only counting Donald’s most impactful pressures.

The next-closest interior pass-rusher was Arizona’s Calais Campbell, who generated the same level of decisive pressure once every 18 pass-rushing snaps, almost 10 more between those plays than Donald. Put another way, Donald was generating decisive pressure more than twice as often as any other interior pass-rusher on a per-snap basis.

71 percent of Donald’s pressure was decisive in nature. He was a player that was forcing the issue, and not just benefitting from plays where he was unblocked, or the play was forced his way. Donald was actively defeating blocks and affecting the QB in the pocket more than any other pass-rusher in the league, and at a rate that leaves his true peers—interior pass-rushers and defensive tackles—flailing in his wake.

Oakland’s Khalil Mack and Denver’s Von Miller each had outstanding seasons themselves, and they may have each posted game-defining impact plays involving strip sacks and fumble recoveries, but their position as edge rushers allows them to have far more plays where they can come at the QB completely unseen, while Donald is almost always going to be rushing from a spot in the quarterback’s line of sight.

Donald in 2016 may not have been quite as dominant as he was a year ago—he was named PFF’s Best Player of 2015, winning what was then named our Dwight Stephenson Award—but he was still the best defender in the game this past season, and the most unstoppable pass-rushing force in the league. For that, he wins PFF’s award for the Best Pass-Rusher in the game in 2016, as well as Defensive Player of the Year.

If a thread has alreay been created please adjust Señor Mods



By: Bryan Kalbrosky | 4 hours ago

http://theramswire.usatoday.com/201...n-tennesse-volunteers-senior-bowl-mock-draft/



During the second day of Senior Week, Chase Goodbread from NFL.com reported the Los Angeles Rams met with Tennessee cornerback Cam Sutton.

Sutton has impressed at the Senior Bowl and looked good against Alabama’s OJ Howard, who is regarded as one of the top offensive prospects.

While a Mock Draft from Luke Easterling has Sutton in the fourth round, his stock might elevate during the senior bowl.

Login to view embedded media View: https://twitter.com/PFF_Steve/status/824387385706315776


Another mock draft from Easterling has the Rams drafting CB Jourdan Lewis from Michigan.

As Turf Show Times noted, an NFL.com Mock Draft had Los Angeles selecting Clemson defensive back Cordrea Tankersley in the second round.

So it could be worth wondering whether or not the Rams are considering drafting a CB in the second round of the upcoming NFL Draft.

http://arizonasports.com/story/1004360/former-teammate-dmarco-farr-kurt-warner-is-a-hall-of-famer/


BY MARK HARRIS | January 26, 2017 @ 12:53 pm


Add former St. Louis Ram D’Marco Farr to the list of people who support Kurt Warner’s Pro Football Hall of Fame candidacy.

Farr, who was a teammate of Warner’s with the Rams, told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Thursday that Warner deserves to have his bust in Canton.

“Yes, Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer, he belongs in that group with the best quarterbacks that have ever played this game,” Farr said.

However, Farr has a surprising perspective on Warner considering they were on the Rams together. Many think Warner’s best years were in St. Louis, but Farr thinks Warner was at his best in Arizona.

“Just the Arizona Kurt alone should be in the Hall of Fame, but when you bring his career into totality and you look at what he’s done, and in the biggest games possible and what he did in those games and when he had the ball last, yeah, he’s in the Hall of Fame,” Farr said.

To Farr’s credit, Warner played well in Arizona. He led the team to its only Super Bowl appearance in 2008, and even though the Cardinals fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Warner had an excellent game with for 377 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Warner also guided Arizona to NFC West division championships in 2008 and 2009.

Warner threw for 15,843 yards, 100 touchdowns and completed 65.1 percent of his throws in his five years in Arizona. His best year with the Cardinals was in 2008, when he passed for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns.

But it’s tough to ignore Warner’s time with Farr and the Rams. Starting in 1999, Warner won two MVP awards and appeared in two Super Bowls with the Rams, winning Super Bowl XXXIV. Moreover, many of Warner’s NFL records happened in St. Louis, such as being the fastest quarterback to throw for 10,000 yards, and he still holds the record for the most passing yards in a Super Bowl (414 in Super Bowl XXXIV).

Farr is currently the sideline reporter for the Los Angeles Rams on ESPNLA 710 after spending years of doing Rams games on St. Louis radio. But before Farr ever went on air in St. Louis, some of his best memories in that city were when Warner was still finding his way in the NFL.

“It’s the one where Kurt Warner wasn’t Kurt Warner, he was just our third-string, scout team quarterback,” Farr said. “That guy that we were just talking about, he was the same guy in ’98 when he wasn’t our starter, we just didn’t know it. We’d play basketball together, we’d chase him down in practice just to mess with him, he’d give off his best on scout team just to make us better.”

As much as Farr and his teammates would mess with Warner at practice, Warner returned the favor and messed with them on the basketball court thanks to his shooting skills.

“And I’m telling you, he’s the guy that would frustrate you so much that you’d want to punch him in the face, and he’d never say a word, because he’s nailing these threes in your face and he’s not staring at you but he’d just give you a glance,” Farr said.

At least according to his twitter

3:00 CST
1:00 PST

Todd Gurley II
‏@TG3II
Heading over to @SportsNation. Make sure ya’ll tune in at 1p PT to see me co-hosting the show

Yes, you read that right. Don't know what planet he's on mentally or if he's merely trying to push a failing product, but Thursday night NFL games suck for the most part. For those of you too young to remember the infamous Baghdad Bob, look it up.


************************************************************************************
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...uality-of-games-is-better-on-thursday-nights/

Roger Goodell: The quality of games is better on Thursday nights
Posted by Josh Alper on January 25, 2017

Getty Images

The quality of Thursday night games has been much discussed since the league expanded the slate of games played during the week and the general feeling expressed by players, fans and media members has been that the games aren’t a particularly good example of the NFL’s product.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell disagrees with that assessment. During an interview with Goodell on “The Herd” Wednesday, Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports said that he and his staff had found that there are fewer penalties and a higher completion percentage in Thursday night games and asked Goodell if that battled the narrative that the games aren’t very good to watch.

“We’re more than just optics here. We’re into facts,” Goodell said. “Go to the same statistics, because you’re right about the quality of the games on Thursday night. There are actually less penalties, less turnovers. Almost by every barometer the quality of the games is better on Thursday night. Obviously, some games you’re going to have aren’t going to be as competitive, they will have a dominance. You get that.”

It should probably go without saying that fewer penalties and turnovers and higher completion percentages don’t necessarily translate to a higher quality game and does nothing to combat complaints from players about the quick turnaround from Sunday to Thursday.

Goodell said that there is no “indication, facts or anything else that would indicate that the level of injuries are up on Thursday night” but did say the league would look at scheduling to minimize stresses on teams.

Like many other things in the league, the long-term answer on Thursday night games (the current contract with CBS and NBC runs through 2017) probably comes down to a decision about whether or not the league benefits more from having the game than they would by scrapping the Thursday slate. If ratings and revenues are good enough, questions about the quality of the games aren’t likely to rattle the league all that much.
-----------
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-completion-percentage-irrelevant-to-quality/

Penalties, completion percentage irrelevant to quality
Posted by Mike Florio on January 26, 2017



The goofy notion that Thursday night football is somehow better than football played on other days sprung from a single premise, as articulated by Colin Cowherd during his interview of Commissioner Roger Goodell: Thursday night games have fewer penalties and higher completion percentages.

For starters, penalty rates and completion percentages are hardly the definitive metrics for determining the overall quality of a football game. Whether or not a given football game is “good” depends on many things, with the ultimate attractions being lead changes, splash plays, big hits, dramatic moments, and an outcome determined as late as possible in the contest.

The bigger problem with these two hand-picked factors, which supposedly were the product of show research but which more likely were handed to the host by someone who works at 345 Park Avenue, come from what reduced penalties and increased completions actually mean.

As one league source with extensive experience studying football games played on every day of the week explained it to PFT, reduced penalties and increased completions are the signs of a blowout.

In blowouts, the defense of the team on the right side of the margin plays a lot of loose, zone coverage. The team that’s trailing consequently gets plenty of “garbage completions” that pad stats.

The team with the lead throws fewer passes, in order to keep the clock running. When they do throw, the passes are more likely to be short and controlled, which pushes the completion rates even higher.

Penalties also decline because the officials become less inclined to bog down a game that no longer is in doubt.

So whoever cooked up a hot take based on those ingredients needs to cram the thing into the garbage disposal, quickly. As more and more people get a whiff and/or a taste of it, more and more people will question the sanity of the chefs.

It bothers me that he's so into the Arizona Cardinals instead of the Rams but I can hardly blame him.
********************************************************************************************
http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...rving-arizona-after-all-these-years/97016896/

Bickley: Kurt Warner still serving Arizona after all these years
Dan Bickley , azcentral sports

Justice isn’t always served in the NFL. That must stop with Kurt Warner.

The former Cardinals quarterback belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a museum that needs his story more than Warner requires a bronze bust. Seven years after his retirement, he remains a classic American underdog, a towering ambassador for the sport and the state of Arizona.

He says he’s honored to be part of the Hall of Fame conversation, no matter how the voting turns out on Feb. 4. He’d love to help redesign the future of Arizona State football, but only if the program can hire him as a consultant. And he remains the conscience of the Cardinals, willing to express hard truths about a football team that missed out on the playoffs in 2016 and might lose their most popular player as a result.

Start with Larry Fitzgerald:

“I think he’s 100 percent content with his career,” Warner said. “I think he’d be 100 percent content walking away tomorrow. I think he’s ready to walk away. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to.

“He’s got things in place. His head is in the right spot. His life is more than football. And I truly believe the only way he comes back is if he believes they have one more run to the Super Bowl. It’s the only thing he has left to accomplish because everything else has been incredible.”

Warner says the decision is complicated because the Cardinals are not as close to a Super Bowl as some might imagine.

“I still have huge concerns,” he said. “I have concerns if they can own the line of scrimmage to be that dynamic team we saw in 2015. I have concerns who is going to step up (at wide receiver) other than Larry. I don’t see that guy.

We all know that David Johnson is going to be great, but he was great last year. He had over 2,000 yards in 2016 and it didn’t make a difference. So they have to have more than that. And, defensively, I think they took a huge step back in terms of their identity, and who they are trying to be.

“What makes (Fitzgerald) irreplaceable is no matter how old he was, no matter the situation or environment, he was always the guy to make a huge play or the big catch when it mattered most. You can find somebody faster and stronger, but very few players have that 'it' factor. Fitz has always been a difference maker, and the Cardinals don’t have that many of those types of players.

“I always said the same things about Q (Anquan Boldin) back in the day, when I’d tell them, ‘I know what you’re looking at, but you’re missing the point.’ We weren’t very good when we made the Super Bowl. But we had a number of those guys who could step up at the most important time. And Fitz is one of those guys.”

Warner said Fitzgerald might be struggling with the idea of disappointing his enormous fan base in the Valley, but that shouldn’t be an overwhelming concern.

“He has given his whole career to this fan base and organization,” he said. “Nobody can ever say he bailed on us. He has given too much. My situation was different. At the end of the day, nobody could see that I would be doing a disservice to everyone had I come back. Nobody really knew what I could or couldn’t give, or where I was at physically at the time. But Fitz … nobody has anything but love for him. I don’t think there will be any animosity at all. He’s been larger than life for this team.”

Warner has found a fruitful career outside of football:

His life story is currently being worked into a Hollywood movie script. He recently made a guest appearance on the CBS sitcom “Life in Pieces,” where the plot involved Warner joining a family tailgating at a Rams game.

During the episode, Warner was instructed to act out of character. He cheated during a game of cornhole, stole a chair and pilfered two children’s toys. He felt so bad about the latter that he actually apologized to the child actress off camera, saying he would never do something like that in real life.

Warner has also served as offensive coordinator at Desert Mountain High School, and would love to continue his coaching career at ASU. The Sun Devils recently lost a top assistant to Auburn (Chip Lindsey), and will unveil their third offensive coordinator in three seasons.

They are also counting on the talents of Blake Barnett, a highly regarded quarterback transfer from Alabama. Warner would bring a lot to the table, especially if ASU wants to forge a new identity as a rare college program that produces NFL-ready quarterbacks.

“If somebody could figure out a way where I could put my kids on a bus, work all day and then be home when they get back from school, I’d definitely be all for it,” Warner said. “I’d love to be a consultant and help design an offense.

That’s my true passion, and I want to find an outlet where I can do that. My son is considering ASU, and I would love to be involved in whatever degree I can. But I’m not willing to give up the family time that it takes to be a full-time coach. I’m too blessed to give that up.”

Either way, Warner is at peace with his career, past and present. The Hall of Fame would a fitting tribute to his impact on the Rams, the Cardinals and the NFL, but he won’t be disappointed if he’s shut out for a third consecutive year.

“My story is more real life than most,” Warner said. “Most Hall of Famers have great careers before they get inducted. I’m not supposed to be part of this conversation.

“There’s a compelling reason why I belong in the Hall of Fame but I understand the argument against me. My career didn’t go like most, and I’m 100 percent fine with that because that’s what resonates with people. How do you define a Hall of Famer?

Can you write the last 30 years of the NFL without the Kurt Warner story? Nobody has ever done it the way I did, and probably won’t again. I’m proud of that, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Jack Youngblood: "I Retired Because I Was Fired

http://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com/2017/01/jack-youngblood-i-retired-because-i-was.html

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jan/25/johnny-hekker-rams-pro-bowl-punter-nfl

Sunday’s Pro Bowl will feature dozens of NFL players who stood out from their peers this season – but nobody was as dominant at their position as Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker.

How dominant? The stats tell the story:

• In 2016, Hekker landed an NFL-record 51 of his punts inside the 20. No other punter even had 40 such kicks.

• He launched 98 punts this season, and only one crossed the goal line for a touchback. None of the 27 other punters with at least 50 punts had fewer than two touchbacks.

• His net average was 46.0 yards. No other punter averaged 45.0 net yards per punt, and only one had an average above 42.7.

• Opponents gained an average of 1.55 yards on returns on all of Hekker’s punts. No other punter had an opponent return average below 1.82.

It was a brilliant campaign even by the high standards of the 26-year-old Hekker, who earned his third Pro Bowl selection in five NFL seasons. Not bad for a former high school quarterback who walked on at Oregon State hoping to compete for a role under center. The coaching staff instead asked Hekker to give punting a shot, promising him a scholarship if he could win the job.

An 18-year-old Hekker spent the summer before his freshman year working with a kicking coach in Alabama. “I was terrible,” he recalled. “But I was never really satisfied and always wanted to find ways to get better.”

Better he got.

Hekker earned the punting gig with the Beavers and saw his average increase from 39.7 in 2008 to 40.1 in 2009 to 41.7 in 2010 to 44.0 in 2011. The Rams – then, of course, in St Louis – took notice and signed him as an undrafted free agent, and his average continued to rise in each of his first four NFL seasons, from 45.8 to 46.3 to 46.5 to 47.9.

Hekker’s average actually dropped this season for the first time in his nine years as a punter (by one tenth of a yard), but he more than made up for that by setting that new record for punts inside the 20.

“His rookie year, maybe five out of 10 punts he hit a really nice ball,” said John Fassel, who has served as Hekker’s special teams coordinator for each of his five NFL seasons. “Then the next year it’d be seven out of 10 punts, and then eight. And now he’s hitting nine out of 10 punts pretty darn good.”

It’s enough to cause you to wonder if Hekker still has room to improve. After all, he still had that one touchback serving as a blemish on his 2016 record. And like any great athlete, he dwelled on it.

“It was my fault,” said Hekker. “We were at the 40, and Coach Fassel asked me if we wanted to take a delay-of-game to give me more room. I said no, and I realize now that I should have taken those yards. I was pretty upset, but the world keeps turning.”

In Hekker’s defence, the tape shows he gave his gunners a chance when the ball landed just inside the five-yard line, but they couldn’t touch it down before it took a hard bounce into the end zone.

That error aside, Hekker has practically mastered the craft. When coming in to punt near midfield in the past few seasons, he’s done something like this almost every single time.

And when he’s forced to go to work from deeper in his own territory, that’s OK, too. Those are the times Hekker gets to unleash. He’s had 30 60-yard punts in his career, including a personal-best 78-yarder this season against the New York Jets.

He practically kicked it the length of the field.

What differentiates Hekker from his fellow punters?According to Fassel, who has spent the majority of his 16-year coaching career running special teams units, Hekker is a rare bird in that he is the clear-cut special teams leader in Los Angeles.

“Punters are usually off to the side and kind of unknown” said Fassel. “But Johnny is the opposite of that. He’s front and center, hard-working, vocal and encouraging. There’s not many guys at his position who are like that.”

That probably stems from Hekker’s days as a quarterback and an elite varsity basketball player. And the very fact he excelled at other sports and in other positions goes to show that he’s not just some guy with a freakish leg. He’s a freakish athlete who has found a niche.

Fassel says one technical thing that makes Hekker special is “his ability as an athlete to get better faster, and to pick up new techniques and implement them into a game. He is as athletic a punter as I’ve seen – I probably shouldn’t say in the history of the NFL – but as far as punters who are athletes, he’s in the 99th percentile.”

Fassel says Hekker has also developed “three or four other special types of punts that have made him unique,” even if they can’t be deciphered by the naked eye.

Hekker explains: “It’s really just about timing [and] how the ball comes out of your hands and how it moves in the air. If it’s not moving at all – a still drop – then you’ve really got a good chance. You really can tell when you connect on a good one. It feels good coming off the foot. You don’t want to peek too early – I’m a guy who keeps my head down through the follow-through – but there are some balls where I just can’t wait to take a look and see how it’s flying.”

Unsurprisingly, he makes a nuanced and difficult task sound simple. It’s clear, though, that acquiring and improving muscle memory is the key to his success.

Hekker found a thing he’s better at doing than anyone else in the world, and then he put in the time – in Alabama, in Oregon, in St Louis and in Los Angeles.

That’s earned him plaudits from some of the most respected men in the game. Sure, Fassel spoke glowingly of him and former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was semi-ridiculed for heaping praise on his “record-setting” punt team when there wasn’t a lot else to laud, but New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, with no skin in the game, offered up these words:

“This guy is a weapon. “I mean, he’s not a good player. He’s a weapon.”

Hekker admitted: “It’s hard to ignore. I definitely appreciate his kind words and it makes me feel good on some level, but I gotta remain humble because I’m not the whole picture here – I’m a small piece.”

That may be true – no punter is a big piece – but there’s plenty of evidence that Hekker is the biggest small piece in football. And while he never fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional quarterback, Hekker has still thrown 12 passes off fakes and broken plays in his five NFL seasons. That’s twice as many as any active punter in football. He’s completed seven of those throws and if qualified would have the highest passer rating (114.2) in NFL history.

Hekker’s leg got him here, but don’t be surprised if he gets a chance to show off that arm – and that athleticism – on Sunday in Orlando. Small piece Johnny Hekker could become a big piece at the Pro Bowl.

I cant wait for the preseason finally get to see which QB is actually better. Joff or Mannion. They both will be learning a new system they both should have the same amount of time with the 1's Goff probably have more though. But this is going to be the first time they both are on a even playing field so to speak. This battle is going to make our team better. While I hope Mannion win if Joff beats him that just means he is the better QB.. Who do you got??

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000779158/article/carson-wentz-hires-qb-coach-to-fix-mechanics
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000779158/article/carson-wentz-hires-qb-coach-to-fix-mechanics
Carson Wentz has hired a quarterbacks coach to improve his lapsed mechanics.

The Philadelphia Eagles' second-year signal-caller will work with 3DQB's Adam Dedeaux this offseason, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday.

This is a positive -- and fully expected -- sign for Wentz's future. After roaring out to a 3-0 start with a 5:0 TD-to-INT ratio and 103.8 passer rating in September, the draft's No. 2 overall pick was one of the league's least effective passers over the final three months of the season.

With his offensive line in flux and his running game vanishing for stretches, Wentz fell into bad habits, flashing a long-armed looping windup in which the ball often dropped to his waist level.

"Strictly mechanics," coach Doug Pederson said of Wentz's struggles in early December. "... Young quarterback, missed quite a bit of time in the preseason, but now we have to keep cleaning this thing up."

It's important that Wentz is diligent about his throwing motion, learning from Blake Bortles' precipitous 2016 decline.

Dedeaux, the grandson of legendary USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux, worked with and for sports biomechanics guru Tom House for 10 years. Those two have trained many veteran quarterbacks, including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton and Tim Tebow.

Dedeaux and House point to Bortles, though, as the quarterback who improved the most -- from a clueless 2014 rookie to the 2015 breakout quarterback who shattered several franchise records.

It's no coincidence that Bortles regressed in 2016 after neglecting his mechanics in the offseason.

Dedeaux and House often fly into NFL cities to provide tune-ups during the season. House believes quarterbacks typically lose 1 percent of their mechanical efficiency in every game, per The MMQB's Albert Breer. When they fall into bad habits -- as Bortles and Wentz did last season -- that number rises.

Fixing flawed mechanics is an incremental process heavy on deliberate repetition. That's why the legwork must be accomplished during the long offseason, with occasional upkeep and tinkering to remain fundamentally sound once the season starts.

Wentz has all of the physical tools and mental makeup to succeed in the NFL. Once he irons out his mechanics, he'll begin to emerge as a franchise-caliber quarterback.