Official training camp thread!

[jjab360]

Miklasz: Potential move is buzzkill at Rams camp
• By Bernie Miklasz

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_c4fb231e-3fcb-500b-aee6-838f23d3c627.html

The Rams have opened their training camp, and they’re hard at work, preparing for the season, trying to improve and doing their best to block out the noise.

In some ways, this will be business as usual. Coaches teaching. Players learning. Team meetings. Polishing fundamentals in the summer heat. Going through repetitions, and fine-tuning their knowledge of the offense and defense.

In other ways, this is a most unusual training camp — a strange way to begin a strange season. No one knows where the Rams will be practicing and training a year from now. They could be in Los Angeles. They could set up, like normal, in Earth City.

And if Rams owner Stan Kroenke gets his way, this will be the team’s final training camp in St. Louis. And for many fans, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to embrace the team they love. When you aren’t sure if the team will run away from you, the natural reaction is to hold back, stay at a safe distance and try to minimize the pain inside.

When an emotional connection between a fan and team is being frayed and gradually severed by feelings of uncertainty, fear and betrayal, it’s excruciatingly difficult to put on a front, feign enthusiasm and pretend that everything is normal.

Is this any way to begin the ritual of getting ready for some football? Something already has been taken away — the happy anticipation of the coming season — and that stinks.

The fans deserve better. But I have empathy for the players, the coaches, and the Rams’ front office. Coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead don’t ask for pity, but I sympathize with them, too.

I feel bad for everyone, really, including the non-football employees who have to market the product, sell the tickets and generate a positive vibe.

And I feel lousy because none of these people is named Stan Kroenke. They just work for Kroenke, but he’s not around. The people who keep the Rams organization going are still here, wanting to do a great job. But they’ll endure the fallout, dealing with the inevitable repercussions that surface when a fan base is agitated and alienated.

The Rams just want what every NFL team has right now: a fired-up fan base, amped to support them, and filled with optimism. Training camp is supposed to a time of building. Precious weeks that not only strengthen a squad of football players but reinforce the bond between a franchise and a community.

The Rams haven’t posted a winning record since 2003, or made the playoffs since 2004. Now in their fourth year in charge of the Rams football operation, Snead and Fisher are setting out in search of their first winning season.

They’ve made significant progress, reconstructing the roster and positioning the Rams for a brighter future. But the problem is away from the field, with the future of the franchise placed on hold.

This is Camp Kroenke. He’s not here, but his presence will be felt.

I mean this in the nicest possible way: Fuck this asshat.

I don't live in St. Louis and I feel for the people that do, but that BS is out of our control. Rams have a good chance to be better than they've been since the GSOT right now and all this clown can do is attempt to shit on everyone's parade. How long until this dickwad gets fired...again..?

 

[theramsruleUK]

someone fly me over from London please :-(

 

[Corbin]

"Sean Mannion continues to be nails on crossing routes to a Clemson rookie named Daniel Rodriguez"
"Givens half asses a deep pass"
I keep hearing good stuff about this guy. Like I said before, Givens better watch out.

I've had that feeling for a while.... I think Givens might be a goner with a up and comer.

One on one with Tavon

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/videos/videos/One-On-One-with-Tavon-Austin/625e2621-89c7-4b2b-84bd-726cc437d791[URL='http://www.stlouisrams.com/videos/videos/One-On-One-with-Tavon-Austin/625e2621-89c7-4b2b-84bd-726cc437d791[/QUOTE'][/QUOTE[/URL]]

Year 3 Mr. Tavon sure looks like he's matured a lot! he doesn't seem like a kid out of college anymore... go get em bro

 

[Mojo Ram]

Some Early Pics From Camp

Jim Fadler ‏@jimiramsboy

Gurley

P. Stewart ‏@stewartfzn

#RamsCamp

Michael Paul ‏@StewartGSOT

QB's warming up #RamsCamp

Myles Simmons ‏@MylesASimmons
Aside from sweatpants and long sleeves, Robert Quinn is wearing No. 2. Yanno, because.

This thread really sucked until this post ^
opcorn:

 

[OldSchool]

I've had that feeling for a while.... I think Givens might be a goner with a up and comer.

I agree, he's a free agent after this year anyways. He'd save a little money too if they went another route with our #5 WR. Givens burst onto the scene in a big way and seems to have fizzled out ever since, very disappointing.

 

[den-the-coach]

Miklasz: Potential move is buzzkill at Rams camp
• By Bernie Miklasz

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_c4fb231e-3fcb-500b-aee6-838f23d3c627.html

someone fly me over from London please :-(

I see London, I see France, I see Bernie's underpants!

 

[RamBill]

Nick Foles comfortable in Rams training camp
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/19884/nick-foles-comfortable-in-rams-training-camp

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In search of ways to loosen things up during their 2015 training camp, the St. Louis Rams added musical accompaniment to individual drills at their first practice Friday.

According to quarterback Nick Foles, he was supposed to get first crack at playing the role of DJ. But Foles apparently didn't take to the job, perhaps because he has bigger fish to fry than worrying about a 15-minute playlist.

“I was supposed to be," Foles said. "I did not do my part. So I don’t know where it came from, but I thought it was pretty good. I liked having the playlist with stretching. I can’t take the credit for it. I’m not going to take the credit for it. Someone else did it and I’ll find out who it was.”

Considering the amount of work on Foles' plate in this camp as he adjusts to a Rams offense that's vastly different from the wide-open attack he guided with the Philadelphia Eagles, he can be forgiven for failing to put together a few songs to open practice.

Heading toward the 2015 season, the Rams are betting big on Foles in the belief that having much-needed stability at quarterback will be enough to push them from mediocrity to contention. Although Foles missed the second half of last season with a broken collarbone, he's at least got a cleaner medical history than Sam Bradford, whom the Rams traded for Foles in March.

General manager Les Snead points out that the Rams managed to win about 40 percent of their games while playing with backup quarterbacks Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis and Shaun Hill over the past couple of seasons. That's a number that exceeds the league average, which is around 26 percent, but falls short of Foles' efforts as a starter.

"I would anticipate that," Snead said. "Nick has won 63 percent of his games. That's one of the big reasons going back to Sam, it would have been hard to let Sam go and not have a replacement. Because we've kind of lived through that. Once Nick became available, that made it very intriguing because he's actually taken a team to the playoffs. I'm not saying it's all him, but he was part of a good organization, good team, good coaching staff, and they did what they had to do."

Foles has also done what he's had to do since arriving in St. Louis. Teammates, coaches and personnel types rave about Foles' willingness to come in and ingratiate himself right away. He spends extra time working with his receivers and never hesitated to make himself available if any of his pass-catchers wanted to put in extra work.

The immediate presence of such leadership has apparently been enough to make the Rams want to keep Foles around for the long term even though he has yet to take a snap in a game for the team. Those contract talks are ongoing but Foles said Friday he has no intention of letting it become a distraction.

“You know honestly, I just zone it out," Foles said. "That’s why you hire agents because my thing here is to be with these guys, to be a player, to be their quarterback. We have to win games. We hire agents so that clears the clutter out of our brain, and you know I trust them to do the job. I love it here. I love the players. I love the coaches. It’s a great place to play and I haven’t even played a game here yet and I love it. So that will take care of itself."

In the meantime, Foles' primary focus is on diving deeper into the playbook and getting a firmer grasp on all that it contains. Between organized team activities and the start of camp, Foles said he stayed sharp by devoting time each day to studying while also doing some throwing.

But even though Foles is still a relative St. Louis neophyte, he's already feeling at home with the Rams.

“I feel really comfortable," Foles said. "A lot more comfortable than I did in OTAs and, well, that’s a daily thing. There’s so much to an NFL playbook that you’re always adding stuff, you’re always critiquing stuff. There’s better fundamentals that you can do. But I feel really comfortable. We have great coaches. You know [offensive coordinator Frank] Cignetti and [quarterbacks] Coach [Chris] Weinke do a great job of preparing us. So I’m feeling good, just have to keep going.”

And when he's finally settled, perhaps Foles can deliver Florida Georgia Line and various other country music artists that he prefers to blare from the speakers.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Did you really start a thread that says update then tells us your taking a shower more to come later..........?
I love you @RamzFanz

You KNOW, he knew, he was setting himself up with that one! I know he reads his stuff before posting!

 

[RamBill]

Nick Foles took part in his first day of training camp with the Rams. Foles and the franchise have discussed a possible long-term contract extension. This Fox 2 Report includes highlights from practice and comments from Foles and Coach Jeff Fisher

Watch Rams Training Camp Report

 

[V3]

I mean this in the nicest possible way: freak this asshat.

I don't live in St. Louis and I feel for the people that do, but that BS is out of our control. Rams have a good chance to be better than they've been since the GSOT right now and all this clown can do is attempt to crap on everyone's parade. How long until this dickwad gets fired...again..?

Whether you want to agree with it or not, it's probably how most St. Louisans(not the hardcore fans on a Rams forum) feel about the situation right now. Many feel they are most likely gone so they don't want to keep investing their emotions into the team. Tickets sales paint a similar picture. He's also writing for a St. Louis audience.

 

[RamBill]

Healthy again, Rams' McDonald eager to become leader on defense
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_0586e043-0348-5b0f-95da-c95e38fc7d4e.html

After sitting out organized team activities (OTAs) in the spring with what he described as an injury “that lingered from last season,” Rams strong safety T.J. McDonald was back where he belonged Friday as the team opened training camp at Rams Park.

“It just felt good to be back out there with the guys, good to be back on the field and working to get back in the groove,’’ the 24-year-old said. “You never want to miss practice because every rep is important, but the key is to be ready when it counts. I feel like we took the right steps during OTAs and I felt good out there today.”

A third-round draft pick in 2013 out of USC, McDonald started 10 games as a rookie, missing six weeks at midseason with a broken leg. A year ago, he started all 16 games and led the secondary with 136 tackles. He also had two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Missing OTAs, he said, was tough, but he tried to make the most of it.

“I love to play this game,’’ McDonald said. “I never like to sit out, but at least I was able to take mental reps, to learn and to help coach up some of the other guys.”

McDonald, who stands 6 feet 2 and weighs 217 pounds, is excited about the Rams’ defense and his expanding role.

“The big thing for me is technique, to make sure I’m doing what needs to be done with no wasted movements,” he said. “I need to improve in coverage and my communication. I want to be a leader for this defense, a guy that can be counted on.

“We know there’s still a lot of work to put in, but we’re definitely excited about this team and especially the defense.”

McGEE HEALTHY AGAIN

Chosen in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, cornerback Brandon McGee played in 15 games and showed some promise, mainly on special teams, as a rookie. But a foot injury basically cost him his sophomore campaign.“It’s part of the game, but it’s definitely frustrating because you know what you’re capable of,” said McGee, 24, after being limited to just two games a year ago. “I think we all believe in ourselves to the highest level. We’re all confident in our abilities. That’s really all I want is to get out there and get a chance to showcase my talents.”The University of Miami product said mental reps allowed him to appreciate the game from a different perspective, but ...

“There’s nothing like being out on the field and making plays, making mistakes and learning from those mistakes,” he said.

The Rams have added significant secondary depth in recent seasons, a fact that McGee is keenly aware of.

“Every day you come to practice you have to be ready to compete,” the 5-foot-11, 193-pound McGee said. “The best ability is availability. This is a great defense and I want to be a part of it. For me, the key is staying healthy and giving myself an opportunity to play the type of football I know I’m capable of.”

RAM-BLINGS

• A decent crowd of 1,181 witnessed the Rams’ first training camp workout in Earth City. Last year’s first workout, also on a Friday, drew 1,484.Both the Saturday (3:30 p.m. start) and Sunday (5:30 p.m. start) workouts are also free and open to the public.A sign spotted in the crowd Friday: “Don’t Do It Stan.”

• Quarterback Nick Foles, acquired in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, received the majority of reps and looked solid during Friday’s workout. Lots of high-percentage screen passes were thrown, but Foles also hooked up with tight end Jared Cook on a nice touch pass down the seam.

Foles’ father, Larry, flew in from Austin, Texas, to watch Friday’s workout.

• RB Todd Gurley, selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the spring’s draft, did some work in individual drills and said he’s excited about taking part in football activities again. He said there’s no timetable for his full return.

• Rookie guard Cody Wichmann, a sixth-round draft pick from Fresno State, is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with a calf injury. Coach Jeff Fisher said he’s expected to be back at practice in the next seven to 10 days. Defensive end Chris Long did not practice Friday because of stiffness in his back. Safety Mark Barron (knee) did some work on the side with trainers.

Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

 

[jjab360]

I see London, I see France, I see Bernie's underpants!

 

[RamBill]

How has the team adapted to Frank Cignetti’s system? WR Brian Quick tells the Fast Lane.

Listen to Brian Quick Interview

 

[OldSchool]

Whether you want to agree with it or not, it's probably how most St. Louisans(not the hardcore fans on a Rams forum) feel about the situation right now. Many feel they are most likely gone so they don't want to keep investing their emotions into the team. Tickets sales paint a similar picture. He's also writing for a St. Louis audience.

I saw that attendance at the first practice was 4-500 less than last year which also opened on a Friday.

 

[RAGRam]

So are we going to get any reports from posters this year? Love the photos but I need to know how the third string FB looks.

 

[-X-]

blueboys69:


Rams fans, I've got you. I won't even make you pay for this or expect payment.

I was there and had excellent sitting and will provide my report since the ego maniac won't.

Now some full disclosure, I was there to steal drills and technique so I did not watch 7-on-7 that closely. Mainly focused on the offensive and defensive lines.

Heres some things that stood out:

Nick Fairley is in shape and paired with Aaron Donald in every partner work they did yesterday. Like him or not, if he is in shape (and motivated) he will be a great pick up.

Watched 1v1 pass rush yesterday. Should stress as a former offensive linemen, it is a drill that favors the defensive line. Given that and the very small sample size of each player during this drill, the offensive line was primarily taken to the woodshed. Garrett Reynolds got beat. Beat bad by Doug Worthington. Brocker owned Barnes. One guy that does look physically better than I expected was Jamon Brown. He stoned someone yesterday. Maybe Worthington or maybe Westbrooks. This defensive line has about 7 guys on that can get to the quarterback often. For my money, if Long is healthy, it's going to be the best defensive line in the NFL. Justice Cunningham looked pretty good here as well.

After 1v1 wrapped, we went to team. Tough to see how the offensive line was working together at this point, but it seemed like there was some pressure a majority of the time. **To be expected on day 1 considering their youth and the lack of playing together experience these guys have**

Givens made a few good catches. UDFA Daniel Rodriguez (clemson) had a nice sliding catch on a boot running a dig route to the opposite numbers. Tavon did some things. Foles throws a nice ball (as a starter in the NFL should). Talk to his dad, they are excited to be here and said he thinks this receiving core is underrated. Quick was catching balls 1 on 1 with Foles. Surprised to see him out there. I had heard from someone over there they weren't sure he'd be ready week 1.

Guy that I would keep an eye on is Devon Wylie. He's a pretty solid special teamer and do some things in the offense.

Also there was a UDFA, Isiah Ferguson, this kid is bigger than Quick. Massive.

Battle looks like he is in shape and ready to go. I was a bit surprised by this.

UDFA Martin Ifedi did some nice things as well. Kid definitely looks the part. The defensive line is going to eventually cut some young, talented kids.

It's Day 1, but given the make up of this team, I expect a lot of rushing attempts and the Qb's launch point being moved often (i.e. roll outs/boots).

It's interesting to me the offensive staff now has Jeff Garcia and Chris Weinke.

The defense is going to be ahead of the offensive this first week with their youth, a new QB, and new OC.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Quick!!!!!

 

[rdlkgliders]

My Favorite Quote So Far:
Jeff Fisher:
I have no reservation whatsoever playing rookie offensive lineman in the opener they will be getting plenty of reps.
We have a good group of veteran D lineman (Chris and Will) and they say Coach these guys are going to be good.

This is what I need to hear...I mean See

I also love the way he snickers and smirks a bit when talking about 3TG0

 

[RAGRam]

and will provide my report since the ego maniac won't.

?

UDFA Martin Ifedi

Have I walked into some alternative reality where we didn't draft Ifedi? First Jimbo saying he was UD now this guy

 

[RamzFanz]

And if Rams owner Stan Kroenke gets his way, this will be the team’s final training camp in St. Louis.

I see Bernie is still peddling rumor as facts. At least he's consistent.