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NFL Camp Preview: Williams a big factor at Rams camp
By Howard Balzer, The Sports Xchange
The Sports Xchange
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl-camp-preview-williams-big-164801892--nfl.html
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- It is a frequent refrain any time the prospects for the St. Louis Rams are discussed. Yes, it is often said, the Rams should be improved and the influx of quality young players since Les Snead became general manager and Jeff Fisher became head coach in 2012 has been impressive.
But then comes the caveat: Unfortunately, they reside in the toughest division in football, one that has had the conference's Super Bowl representatives the last two seasons (Seattle and San Francisco) and one where those two teams and Arizona combined for a 35-13 record last season.
It is behind that backdrop that the Rams will begin practicing July 25 at their training facility working to solidify the offensive line, ensure that quarterback Sam Bradford is truly all the way back from the torn ACL that ended his 2013 season, and figure out how to separate an inexperienced group of receivers that will be necessary to complement a ground game led by last year's rookie standout Zac Stacy.
In addition, a good defense in 2013 should be ready to take a big step forward with the hiring of Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator. Williams' passion and aggressiveness was evident during OTAs, and the players appear enthusiastic about implementing the style that Williams wants.
Gregg Williams is glad to be calling the shots again for an NFL defense.
"I'm excited," he said as OTAs came to a close. "I'm happiest on the field. I'm happiest out here. I'm happiest competing. In the meeting room, it's good too, when the players are around. In the offseason when the players aren't around and the coaches have to suffer through me ... they were so happy when the players got here because they got a break too because now I can start stressing the players instead of stressing the coaches.
"But it is fun. This is where I'm happiest. Again, in the state of Missouri, back in my home state, here in St. Louis, I can't tell you how happy I am. This is a good group of guys to be with."
As for getting across what he wants, Williams said it's a two-way street. He said, "This has been a learning curve for them and really been a learning curve for me because I've got to try to learn each and every one of them -- the veterans, too. It's a good group. They've responded well and I'm excited about taking the next step into training camp."
One player that helps having around is linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who was with the Saints when Williams was the defensive coordinator there.
"I think it's good to have him going along behind the scenes, in the locker room and saying I'm not as crazy as everybody thinks I am," Williams said. "You know, it's funny because you take a look at the intern coaches that are here, two of the three intern coaches played for me in Mike Peterson (at Jacksonville) and Pierson Prioleau. Pierson Prioleau was that guy for me when I took him at Buffalo, I took him with the Redskins, I took him to Jacksonville and I took him to the Saints. His question was, 'How come it took you four teams to win a Super Bowl?' So all of the sudden finding the right spot. He was always around in that locker room to answer questions that really coaches hadn't come up with yet and really like, 'Is he serious? Is he really serious?' Jo-Lonn can do that. He does a great job with that, so it's important."
One key for the offensive line will be the return to health of left tackle Jake Long, who also suffered a torn ACL last season. Long was able to do limited work during OTAs and is expected to be available for full practices halfway through training camp.
In his absence, there will likely be several players getting snaps at the position most of the time because coaches would prefer to keep rookie Greg Robinson at left guard and Rodger Saffold at right guard. Should Long not be available for the start of the season, one of those players would likely play the position. But they will enter camp planning for Long to be there.
Center is secure with Scott Wells and the underrated Joe Barksdale is at right tackle.
Bradford participated in about half of the OTAs, more than had been expected, and it helped prepare him for camp without what might have been the case had he been practicing for the first time in late July.
"I was really happy with everything that went on during the OTAs," Bradford said. "A big part of it for me was, obviously, physically getting back onto the field, seeing how my knee reacted. It's been fantastic. We were actually able to do a little more than we anticipated. So, that's very positive and then this week to actually practice twice, get a little more comfortable out there. It's tough kind of going once a week. Out there today it probably felt the best its felt all OTAs and I'm just really looking to build on that."
It's only been nine months since the injury occurred, but Bradford said of his knee, "I feel really good. Obviously, I think part of it is building up the endurance in my legs. I can kind of feel a little bit of fatigue today, but I think that's normal just not having been out here practicing like that. That's really what I'm going to work on during this five-week break."
But, he will also be doing some relaxing, saying, "I'm just excited to go home and kind of enjoy a little bit of down time before we really get going."
Shortly after the 2013 season ended, the Rams were unsure whether Bradford would be available for OTAs. Coach Jeff Fisher said, "We had a plan throughout. We allowed him to do some things in the skill development and he did. We got him on the field in the first couple OTAs. Just in the passing fashion he was good. Then today and obviously on Tuesday, he participated in team periods -- that was encouraging. He's got a plan for the summer. He's going to get away for a little bit. He needs to get away. He's been here every day, and he'll come back ready to go."
Finally, Bradford emphasized the importance of having these OTAs and being able to participate in about half, rather than be thrown into things when training camp opens.
He said, "It was huge to be out here, especially at the beginning of OTAs. I really expected to just be doing 7-on7, but to be able to get out there -- and obviously 'Fish' slowed the pass rush down a little bit -- to be out there and get some of the team reps in the different periods, that's huge. We talked about it yesterday in the team meeting, but the way that the new CBA is, I think we've only got like 19 practices before game week starts and that's not a lot of time to get back onto the field. So, to actually be out here and get to rep some of the new things that we've put in, I think that was really big."
When camp opens, the receiver corps will be doing a lot of rotating in practice. Kenny Britt asserted his presence in OTAs and could end up being the best of the group.
Tavon Austin is more comfortable entering his second season, and Chris Givens expects to rebound from a disappointing second season. The third season for Brian Quick needs to be better, or the hope the Rams had for him could dissipate.
Establishing a consistent offense is imperative if the Rams are to find a way to challenge the 49ers and Seahawks. The notion that the approach will be ground-and-pound could be overstated. Tre Mason provides a complement to Stacy, and the presence of tight end Jared Cook along with the rest of the receiving corps should lead to an offense that can pound, but also be explosive.
The arrival of Williams two years after Fisher originally wanted him should elevate a defense that could be ready to challenge their other NFC West counterparts for division supremacy. The Rams ranked 15th in the NFL in yards allowed last season, but was ninth against the run. They were third in the league with 53 sacks, and they might be better if first-round defensive tackle Aaron Donald is as good as many think he is.
The questions reside in the secondary where Rodney McLeod is one starter at safety, and there is little depth behind him and T.J. McDonald unless rookies Maurice Alexander and Christian Bryant get healthy and show rapid growth in their first season.
McDonald, a third-round pick in 2013, is versatile and the best of the unit. He started 10 games last season, missing the other six because of a leg injury. The other starter in 2013, McLeod, is a try-hard guy who was third on the team with 87 tackles in 16 starts. But those two combined for only three interceptions and eight passes defensed.
Alexander (round four) and Bryant (round seven) missed valuable time in spring workouts while recovering from injuries. A wild card could Matt Daniels, who remains an unfulfilled promise, spending both seasons on the injured reserve list after making the club as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
Depth is also needed at cornerback with Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson the starters, while rookies Lamarcus Joyner and E.J. Gaines, and second-year man Brandon McGee battle for the depth spots.
Under Fisher, the Rams have won seven games in each of the last two seasons. When he became the Houston Oilers coach in 1995 (after being the interim coach the previous year), the Oilers and then Tennessee Titans won seven games in 1995 and then eight for three years in a row until breaking through with 13 wins in 1999.
Fisher expects a similar breakthrough for the Rams, but the question is whether there will be another two seasons like there was in Tennessee before it happens.
Here is a snapshot of the Rams' lineup as they head to training camp:
--QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Sam Bradford. Backups -- Shaun Hill, Garrett Gilbert, Austin Davis.
--RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Zac Stacy. Backups -- Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham, Isaiah Pead, Chase Reynolds, Trey Watts, FB Kadeem Jones.
--TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Jared Cook. Backups -- Lance Kendricks, Cory Harkey, Justice Cunningham, Alex Bayer, Mason Brodine.
--WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Kenny Britt, Chris Givens. Backups -- Tavon Austin, Brian Quick, Stedman Bailey, Austin Pettis, T.J. Moe, Emory Blake, Jordan Harris, Austin Franklin, Jamaine Sherman.
--OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Jake Long, LG Greg Robinson, C Scott Wells, RG Rodger Saffold, RT Joe Barksdale. Backups -- G Davin Joseph, C Barrett Jones, C Tim Barnes, G Brandon Washington, T Mike Person, T Sean Hooey, C Demetrius Rhaney, T Mitchell Van Dyk, T Travis Bond, T Abasi Salimu.
--DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DLE Chris Long, DT Kendall Langford, DT Michael Brockers, DRE Robert Quinn. Backups -- E William Hayes, E Eugene Sims, T Aaron Donald, T Alex Carrington, T Matt Conrath, E Michael Sam, E Sammy Brown, T Ethan Westbrooks, T Deantre Harlan.
--LINEBACKERS: Starters -- LOLB Alec Ogletree, MLB James Laurinaitis, ROLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Backups -- OLB Ray Ray Armstrong, MLB Daren Bates, Caleb McSurdy, Phillip Steward, Tavarius Wilson, Aaron Hill, Etienne Sabino, Johnny Millard.
--DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- CB Janoris Jenkins, CB Trumaine Johnson, SS T.J. McDonald, FS Rodney McLeod. Backups -- CB Brandon McGee, CB Lamarcus Joyner, CB E.J. Gaines, CB Darren Woodard, CB Greg Reid, CB Jarrid Bryant, CB Marcus Roberson, S Cody Davis, S Matt Daniels, S Maurice Alexander, S Christian Bryant, S Avery Cunningham.
--SPECIAL TEAMS: K Greg Zuerlein, P Johnny Hekker, P Bobby Cowan, LS Jake McQuaide, PR Tavon Austin, KOR Tavon Austin, Benny Cunningham, Isaiah Pead.