Jared Goff confident in Rams despite loss of Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks

[ROD-BOT]

Goff confident in Rams despite big player moves

The Rams' high-profile roster changes aren't cause for concern for quarterback Jared Goff, and he doesn't think fans should be worried about the changes, either.

www.espn.com

Jared Goff confident in Rams despite loss of Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks

From hiring three new coordinators to releasing running back Todd Gurley and trading wide receiver Brandin Cooks, the Los Angeles Rams have experienced significant turnover throughout the offseason.

But roster changes aren't cause for concern for quarterback Jared Goff, and he said he doesn't think fans should be worried about the changes, either.

"Just relax," Goff said on Wednesday. "It's going to be just fine."

The Rams are looking to rebound from a 9-7 season that kept them from earning a playoff berth. Along with Gurley and Cooks, the Rams also lost several key players on defense, including outside linebacker Dante Fowler and linebacker Cory Littleton to free agency, and they released outside linebacker Clay Matthews and cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman in an effort to save salary-cap space.

Goff said he has spoken several times to Gurley since his release last month, and the fifth-year quarterback expressed some surprise that his career would move forward without Gurley and Cooks, despite the three players signing contract extensions within a 14-month span.

"Those guys were such an integral part of our team and it's tough to move without them," Goff said. "But like I said, it's part of the business. Stuff like this happens all the time."

According to Goff, second-year running back Darrell Henderson and longtime backup Malcolm Brown will replace Gurley. Fourth-year receiver Josh Reynoldswill take over for Cooks. Henderson last season rushed for 147 yards on 39 carries, and Reynolds caught 21 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown.

Goff expects the offense will appear different without Gurley and Cooks, but how much the Rams will need to adapt remains to be seen.

"I would expect some of the stuff that was tailored to Brandin and Todd to be not there anymore," Goff said. "That's the easiest way to say it. There was a lot of runs that Todd really liked and a lot of stuff that we did to get Todd the ball in certain ways."

Gurley's numbers dipped last season, but over the past five years, he has accumulated the most touches in the NFL (1,483). Cooks also experienced a drop in production last season and was sidelined for two games because of reoccurring concussions, but his speed remained a crucial component of the offense with his ability to stretch the field.

The Rams' decision to move on from Gurley and Cooks leaves them in a challenging salary-cap situation. The dead money between the two players amounts to nearly $30 million in 2020.

According to ESPN Roster Management, the Rams are over the salary cap by more than $5 million. Goff said a restructuring of his four-year, $134 million extension remains among options for cap relief.

"There's been some stuff about like being able to clear some cap space, and if so, I'm all for it -- I don't see why not," Goff said. "It doesn't change anything for me and it helps the team out."

While Goff remains confident about the Rams' ability to evolve without several key players, including the departures on defense, he seemed less certain about the team's debut inside its new home at SoFi Stadium. The stadium remains on pace to open for the 2020 season. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, it's uncertain whether the NFL will play the season or if fans will be allowed in attendance.

"Not ideal, not what you want to do," Goff said, when asked about the potential of opening a new stadium with no fans. "I do understand that there are a lot of bigger implications in place right now as far as health of the world, but I know that's not the vision that we had moving to L.A. ...

"If that is what it is, then we have to roll with it. I don't think it's anything we want to do."

 

[CGI_Ram]

Goff confident in possible next men up on offense in 2020

Though it was tough for him to see running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Brandin Cooks go, quarterback Jared Goff is reassured by the team's potential next men up.

www.therams.com

Goff confident in possible next men up on offense in 2020

The Rams' offense will look slightly different in 2019.

Starting running back Todd Gurley, who handled the majority of the backfield's carries, was released and signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Los Angeles also agreed to trade starting wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for the No. 57 overall pick in this year's draft.

"It's always super tough to lose friends who are teammates, and that's part of the business," Rams quarterback Jared Goff said on a video conference with local media Wednesday. "I understand there's a business in this game and those two guys understand that as well, and that was a decision made. Whatever the decision is, we move forward."

And as Goff looks to the future, he's confident in the options available to the Rams when it comes to how they address those departures.

When asked directly if there is someone already on the roster who can fulfill Cooks' role, Goff pointed to wide receiver Josh Reynolds because he's shown he can do it at a high level.

After Cooks went down with a concussion early in the London game against the Bengals last season, Reynolds was the next man up and finished with three receptions for 73 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown grab. Reynolds has 61 career receptions for 832 receiving and seven touchdowns entering his fourth NFL season and has not missed a regular season game over the last three years.

"I feel so comfortable with Josh," Goff said. "I'm excited to see him grow."

In the backfield, Rams general manager Les Snead said it will likely be a group approach unless, for example, one running back plays so well that they ride the hot hand.

Malcolm Brown primarily backed up Gurley, carrying the ball 69 times for 255 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 14 games last year and has a career average of 3.9 yards per rush attempt.

"He's always been a guy that's stepped in when he's needed to and contributed at a consistent level," Goff said of Brown.

Darrell Henderson, meanwhile, played in 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 39 carries for 147 rushing yards plus four receptions for 37 yards. Though he played less than nine percent of the team's offensive snaps last season, he showed enough in limited action to impress Goff.

"Fast, athletic, can catch extremely well," Goff said of Henderson. "He's got the ability to be a top guy, (but) we're going to have to wait and see."

The reason for that patience is because the Rams could also add another running back via the draft. McVay said Los Angeles is doing its due diligence on this year's class, but it "remains to be seen" whether they will actually address the position next week.

Additionally, though McVay nor Snead has specified the wide receiver position as one they're looking into, using the No. 57 overall pick to do so is a popular projection among experts' mock drafts.

Whether the Rams stick with what they have or address both positions via the draft, Goff reassured fans that the Rams will have players who can step up and continue to help the offense perform at a high level.

"That's how the game goes," Goff said. "Teams make changes all the time and we're going to find other contributors. Just relax, and it's gonna be just fine."

 

[tomas]

If the United States is still on lockdown mode in early September the Global financial system will collapse.