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Gordo on the Rams: Who's hot, who's not
• By Jeff Gordon jgordon@post-dispatch.com
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_1a00640b-3f89-529f-846c-37e4c72b6e2e.html
Assessing the Rams as training camp breaks
The Rams celebrated the end of training camp with high jinks and tomfoolery. They staged a comical relay race for rookies, subjecting them to dizzy bat drills and ice water rinses.
They mingled with their guests for the day, displaced high school players from Ferguson, and signed autographs for the diehard fans who survived the oppressive heat and humidity.
This was a happy bunch. And it should be, since training camp went about as well as it could for this still-developing team.
"All in all from a camp standpoint, I thought we got a lot accomplished," coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday afternoon.
The Rams didn't suffer any devastating injury hits. Their slew of minor injuries have afforded extra work for all the mostly young candidates for depth roles.
They hope to use their next preseason game to sharpen up their tackling, run blocking and pass protection against the Cleveland Browns. The plan for Game 4 is to give the back-up players and developmental guys lots more playing time.
Here is a look at where the Rams stand in each team area:
Quarterbacks
Sam Bradford has staged a nice comeback from major knee surgery. He has thrown the ball very well in camp -- perhaps better than ever -- and he settled into a crisp rhythm during his first taste of live action.
Of course, Bradford hasn't faced real pressure yet this summer. We're guessing the Browns will extend him that courtesy Saturday night.
How will he react when opponents come after him for real?
Veteran Shaun Hill makes most of the throws Bradford makes, so he offers an upgrade over the scatter-armed Kellen Clemens. He is a quiet guy, like Bradford (and unlike Clemens), but he usually puts the ball where he needs to.
The Rams were hoping Garrett Gilbert could become a developmental No. 3 quarterback. He has the tools to be that guy. But he makes bad reads in practice and he has yet to build a strong case in preseason play.
Austin Davis flashed his playmaking ability in the preseason opener, but poor protection gave him no chance in Game 2. And he just can't make many of the throws Bradford and Hill make.
Will the Rams keep two quarterbacks or three? Could the practice squad expansion allow the Rams to stash Gilbert there?
Running Back
Isaiah Pead's season-ending knee injury was bad for him but of little consequence to the team. Zac Stacy remains the go-to guy with Benny Cunningham and Tre Mason serving a change-of-pace backs.
Many experts assumed the speedy Mason would replace Cunningham as the No. 2 back, but that has not happened. Mason must learn to read and block blitzes to earn work on passing downs. He suffered a couple of costly breakdowns against the Packers.
Pead's exit from special teams makes handyman Chase Reynolds all the more valuable and gives Trey Watts a better chance to stick. Watts broke a couple of nice runs against the Packers to keep himself in contention.
Wide Receiver
Veteran Kenny Britt deserves double pay for giving Brian Quick somebody to emulate. Both players excelled in camp. It appears Bradford could open with two big wide-outs and the explosive Tavon Austin in the slot.
Stedman Bailey has also had a great camp, running crisp routes and snagging everything in his direction. But he will miss the first four games with a PED suspension.
Meanwhile, speedy Chris Givens has been relegated to the scrub team during the preseason. So much for all that pre-camp optimism generated by his renewed training commitment.
Givens and possession receiver Austin Pettis may not have much to do once Bailey rejoins the lineup for the fifth game.
Offensive Line
If the Rams have to move guys around during the real games, they ought to be well-prepared for that. Rookie Greg Robinson has been playing left guard and tackle, although he will almost certainly start the season inside. His run blocking skills are much more advanced than his pass blocking.
Jake Long has progressed nicely in his recovery from knee surgery and should be ready to start on the left tackle. He might get to scrape some rust off in preseason play before the real games start.
Rodger Saffold hopes to do the same at right guard after recovering from his latest shoulder injury. Like Robinson, he is a natural tackle. Like Robinson, he figures to start the season inside with OT Joe Barksdale entrenched on the right side.
"He was very consistent last year," Fisher said. "He’s been very consistent right now. He’s got some guys out there to work against. I mean he’s learning a lot from Chris (Long) and he gives Chris all he can handle out on the practice field. So it’s very competitive out there.”
Back-up Mike Person started at guard and later played tackle and center against Packers Saturday night while trying to make his case.
With second-year interior lineman Barrett Jones sidelined by minor back surgery, Tim Barnes is in the spotlight behind veteran C Scott Wells, who made his preseason debut against the Packers.
Veteran G Davin Joseph should be a quality depth guy, but the Rams could use additional protection given the extensive injury histories of Long and Saffold. Perhaps it could come from G Brandon Washington, who has a bit of experience and he is back to full strength.
C Demetrius Rhaney could be an interesting developmental guy; perhaps his minor knee injury will allow the Rams to give him a redshirt year. OT Sean Hooey spent last season on the practice squad and he has a ways to go to earn a spot on the active roster. The same goes for OT Mitchell Van Dyk.
Tight Ends
Lance Kendricks lives! He appears ready to make an impact in the passing game this season. He has a more rounded skill set than Jared Cook, but he vanished from the passing game for most of last season.
Like Cook, he has the athletic ability to make big plays. Like Cook, he must became a more reliable ball catcher. Kendricks must make all the easy grabs and go get some tougher ones as well.
Cory Harkey remains an excellent blocker who will catch the short passes that come his way. The Cory Harkey Package will remain integral to Brian Schottenheimer's offense.
Youngsters Alex Bayer and Justice Cunningham have flashed potential as well; Bayer can catch the ball and Cunningham could develop into a powerful blocker.
Defensive Line
Rookie DE Michael Sam has had a nice preseason. But undrafted DE Ethan Westbrooks has been even better, creating tremendous competition for depth jobs. Might the Rams keep 10 defensive linemen to accommodate them both?
The front wall has struggled against the run in both preseason games. The unit missed DT Michael Brockers on Saturday and played a vanilla defensive scheme, but fans were still surprised to see the front seven handled so easily. DT Kendall Langford was on the field for some of that.
Rookie DT Aaron Donald is progressing nicely, although fans must remember that interior defensive linemen seldom become disruptive forces as a rookie. Given all the depth outside, there is more pressure in DTs Alex Carrington, Matt Conrath and Deantre Harlan to show well.
The depth outside remains outstanding with DEs Long, Robert Quinn, William Hayes and Eugene Sims capable of playing at a high level. Coordinator Gregg Williams will be able to rotate them to keep them fresh and move deploy some of them inside to enhance the pass pressure.
Linebackers
With MLB James Laurinaitis hobbled by an ankle sprain, this group struggled mightily against the Packers -- who tore them up with running plays and quick-hit passes.
OLB Ray-Ray Armstrong has been one of the more entertaining players of the preseason. He and Alec Ogletree could cause some havoc if deployed at the same time.
Run-stopping OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar has better standing now that his legal trouble has cleared up. OLB Phillip Steward has made up for lost time. After sitting out last season with a torn Achilles tendon, he has been flying around during preseason play.
MLB Daren Bates could play his way into the team as a special-teamer.
Secondary
Fisher is comfortable with CBs Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson playing outside and rookie CB Lamarcus Joyner filling the nickel role. But competition for back-up roles is wide open.
A slew of minor injuries has forced Fisher to give all the young hopefuls many practice reps and more than the usual amount of preseason playing time.
Joyner has made a positive impression despite losing coverage against the Packers on a couple of quarterback scrambles. He made big hits in run support and made some nice breaks on the ball in coverage.
"He’s still learning every day," Fisher said. "He’s very productive for us on the field in the nickel sub situations. He’s going to get a chance to play a lot with the four starters in the sub package this week.”
Rookie CB E.J. Gaines had a busy preseason opener, but he sat out the second game with minor injuries. Injuries to Gaines and Jenkins gave rookie CB Greg Reid an opportunity to stand out in coverage.
Undrafted CB Marcus Roberson also made plays against the Packers, capitalizing on extended playing time. Injuries have also cost CBs Brandon McGee and Darren Woodward valuable work time in camp.
Rangy CB Jarrid Bryant, who switched from WR for his final year of college, looks like project for the practice squad. He towers over his fellow job candidates and could be a useful player for Rams WRs to work against this season.
Given the limitations of FS Rodney McLeod in coverage -- he plays way, way, way off the line to compensate -- SS T.J. McDonald may have a new running mate at some point.
Young FS Cody Davis stepped up his play against the Packers. He did a better job of tackling in the open field and he made some big plays on the ball.
Rookie SS Maurice Alexander also had an active game against Green Bay. SS Matt Daniels can't stay healthy, so Alexander's recent progress was most heartening.
Special Teams
Isaiah Pead was handling kick-off return duties this summer until his demise. Benny Cunningham could be the primary guy for that role in the real games with the explosive Tavon Austin returning punts.
Will the Rams avoid blocking-in-the-back penalties this season? Or will the return teams keep pinning the offense deep in its own zone with mindless blunders?
PK Greg Zuerlein and P Johnny Hekker remain two of the best in the NFL. Nothing in camp has happened to change that assessment.
• By Jeff Gordon jgordon@post-dispatch.com
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_1a00640b-3f89-529f-846c-37e4c72b6e2e.html
Assessing the Rams as training camp breaks
The Rams celebrated the end of training camp with high jinks and tomfoolery. They staged a comical relay race for rookies, subjecting them to dizzy bat drills and ice water rinses.
They mingled with their guests for the day, displaced high school players from Ferguson, and signed autographs for the diehard fans who survived the oppressive heat and humidity.
This was a happy bunch. And it should be, since training camp went about as well as it could for this still-developing team.
"All in all from a camp standpoint, I thought we got a lot accomplished," coach Jeff Fisher said Wednesday afternoon.
The Rams didn't suffer any devastating injury hits. Their slew of minor injuries have afforded extra work for all the mostly young candidates for depth roles.
They hope to use their next preseason game to sharpen up their tackling, run blocking and pass protection against the Cleveland Browns. The plan for Game 4 is to give the back-up players and developmental guys lots more playing time.
Here is a look at where the Rams stand in each team area:
Quarterbacks
Sam Bradford has staged a nice comeback from major knee surgery. He has thrown the ball very well in camp -- perhaps better than ever -- and he settled into a crisp rhythm during his first taste of live action.
Of course, Bradford hasn't faced real pressure yet this summer. We're guessing the Browns will extend him that courtesy Saturday night.
How will he react when opponents come after him for real?
Veteran Shaun Hill makes most of the throws Bradford makes, so he offers an upgrade over the scatter-armed Kellen Clemens. He is a quiet guy, like Bradford (and unlike Clemens), but he usually puts the ball where he needs to.
The Rams were hoping Garrett Gilbert could become a developmental No. 3 quarterback. He has the tools to be that guy. But he makes bad reads in practice and he has yet to build a strong case in preseason play.
Austin Davis flashed his playmaking ability in the preseason opener, but poor protection gave him no chance in Game 2. And he just can't make many of the throws Bradford and Hill make.
Will the Rams keep two quarterbacks or three? Could the practice squad expansion allow the Rams to stash Gilbert there?
Running Back
Isaiah Pead's season-ending knee injury was bad for him but of little consequence to the team. Zac Stacy remains the go-to guy with Benny Cunningham and Tre Mason serving a change-of-pace backs.
Many experts assumed the speedy Mason would replace Cunningham as the No. 2 back, but that has not happened. Mason must learn to read and block blitzes to earn work on passing downs. He suffered a couple of costly breakdowns against the Packers.
Pead's exit from special teams makes handyman Chase Reynolds all the more valuable and gives Trey Watts a better chance to stick. Watts broke a couple of nice runs against the Packers to keep himself in contention.
Wide Receiver
Veteran Kenny Britt deserves double pay for giving Brian Quick somebody to emulate. Both players excelled in camp. It appears Bradford could open with two big wide-outs and the explosive Tavon Austin in the slot.
Stedman Bailey has also had a great camp, running crisp routes and snagging everything in his direction. But he will miss the first four games with a PED suspension.
Meanwhile, speedy Chris Givens has been relegated to the scrub team during the preseason. So much for all that pre-camp optimism generated by his renewed training commitment.
Givens and possession receiver Austin Pettis may not have much to do once Bailey rejoins the lineup for the fifth game.
Offensive Line
If the Rams have to move guys around during the real games, they ought to be well-prepared for that. Rookie Greg Robinson has been playing left guard and tackle, although he will almost certainly start the season inside. His run blocking skills are much more advanced than his pass blocking.
Jake Long has progressed nicely in his recovery from knee surgery and should be ready to start on the left tackle. He might get to scrape some rust off in preseason play before the real games start.
Rodger Saffold hopes to do the same at right guard after recovering from his latest shoulder injury. Like Robinson, he is a natural tackle. Like Robinson, he figures to start the season inside with OT Joe Barksdale entrenched on the right side.
"He was very consistent last year," Fisher said. "He’s been very consistent right now. He’s got some guys out there to work against. I mean he’s learning a lot from Chris (Long) and he gives Chris all he can handle out on the practice field. So it’s very competitive out there.”
Back-up Mike Person started at guard and later played tackle and center against Packers Saturday night while trying to make his case.
With second-year interior lineman Barrett Jones sidelined by minor back surgery, Tim Barnes is in the spotlight behind veteran C Scott Wells, who made his preseason debut against the Packers.
Veteran G Davin Joseph should be a quality depth guy, but the Rams could use additional protection given the extensive injury histories of Long and Saffold. Perhaps it could come from G Brandon Washington, who has a bit of experience and he is back to full strength.
C Demetrius Rhaney could be an interesting developmental guy; perhaps his minor knee injury will allow the Rams to give him a redshirt year. OT Sean Hooey spent last season on the practice squad and he has a ways to go to earn a spot on the active roster. The same goes for OT Mitchell Van Dyk.
Tight Ends
Lance Kendricks lives! He appears ready to make an impact in the passing game this season. He has a more rounded skill set than Jared Cook, but he vanished from the passing game for most of last season.
Like Cook, he has the athletic ability to make big plays. Like Cook, he must became a more reliable ball catcher. Kendricks must make all the easy grabs and go get some tougher ones as well.
Cory Harkey remains an excellent blocker who will catch the short passes that come his way. The Cory Harkey Package will remain integral to Brian Schottenheimer's offense.
Youngsters Alex Bayer and Justice Cunningham have flashed potential as well; Bayer can catch the ball and Cunningham could develop into a powerful blocker.
Defensive Line
Rookie DE Michael Sam has had a nice preseason. But undrafted DE Ethan Westbrooks has been even better, creating tremendous competition for depth jobs. Might the Rams keep 10 defensive linemen to accommodate them both?
The front wall has struggled against the run in both preseason games. The unit missed DT Michael Brockers on Saturday and played a vanilla defensive scheme, but fans were still surprised to see the front seven handled so easily. DT Kendall Langford was on the field for some of that.
Rookie DT Aaron Donald is progressing nicely, although fans must remember that interior defensive linemen seldom become disruptive forces as a rookie. Given all the depth outside, there is more pressure in DTs Alex Carrington, Matt Conrath and Deantre Harlan to show well.
The depth outside remains outstanding with DEs Long, Robert Quinn, William Hayes and Eugene Sims capable of playing at a high level. Coordinator Gregg Williams will be able to rotate them to keep them fresh and move deploy some of them inside to enhance the pass pressure.
Linebackers
With MLB James Laurinaitis hobbled by an ankle sprain, this group struggled mightily against the Packers -- who tore them up with running plays and quick-hit passes.
OLB Ray-Ray Armstrong has been one of the more entertaining players of the preseason. He and Alec Ogletree could cause some havoc if deployed at the same time.
Run-stopping OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar has better standing now that his legal trouble has cleared up. OLB Phillip Steward has made up for lost time. After sitting out last season with a torn Achilles tendon, he has been flying around during preseason play.
MLB Daren Bates could play his way into the team as a special-teamer.
Secondary
Fisher is comfortable with CBs Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson playing outside and rookie CB Lamarcus Joyner filling the nickel role. But competition for back-up roles is wide open.
A slew of minor injuries has forced Fisher to give all the young hopefuls many practice reps and more than the usual amount of preseason playing time.
Joyner has made a positive impression despite losing coverage against the Packers on a couple of quarterback scrambles. He made big hits in run support and made some nice breaks on the ball in coverage.
"He’s still learning every day," Fisher said. "He’s very productive for us on the field in the nickel sub situations. He’s going to get a chance to play a lot with the four starters in the sub package this week.”
Rookie CB E.J. Gaines had a busy preseason opener, but he sat out the second game with minor injuries. Injuries to Gaines and Jenkins gave rookie CB Greg Reid an opportunity to stand out in coverage.
Undrafted CB Marcus Roberson also made plays against the Packers, capitalizing on extended playing time. Injuries have also cost CBs Brandon McGee and Darren Woodward valuable work time in camp.
Rangy CB Jarrid Bryant, who switched from WR for his final year of college, looks like project for the practice squad. He towers over his fellow job candidates and could be a useful player for Rams WRs to work against this season.
Given the limitations of FS Rodney McLeod in coverage -- he plays way, way, way off the line to compensate -- SS T.J. McDonald may have a new running mate at some point.
Young FS Cody Davis stepped up his play against the Packers. He did a better job of tackling in the open field and he made some big plays on the ball.
Rookie SS Maurice Alexander also had an active game against Green Bay. SS Matt Daniels can't stay healthy, so Alexander's recent progress was most heartening.
Special Teams
Isaiah Pead was handling kick-off return duties this summer until his demise. Benny Cunningham could be the primary guy for that role in the real games with the explosive Tavon Austin returning punts.
Will the Rams avoid blocking-in-the-back penalties this season? Or will the return teams keep pinning the offense deep in its own zone with mindless blunders?
PK Greg Zuerlein and P Johnny Hekker remain two of the best in the NFL. Nothing in camp has happened to change that assessment.
