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Rams DT Michael Brockers happy to be back in pads
Defensive lineman says he’s ‘going full-speed’ and recovered from ankle injury as Rams begin practicing in earnest.
www.dailybulletin.com
THOUSAND OAKS — The annual head-count of players at the first Rams training-camp session open to reporters turned up little immediate reason to worry, with only one starter sitting out Tuesday’s beginning of padded practices, and that because of an injury described as minor.
One relief was seeing Michael Brockers looking completely healthy.
“I feel like a baby in water a little bit, man, just putting these pads on for the first time in (eight) months,” said Brockers, his way with words intact as well.
Brockers needed a lot of help to walk up the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum tunnel for the last time in December after suffering a severe left ankle sprain in the second half of the Rams’ season-ending victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
He hopes to charge onto the field at SoFi Stadium for the first event at the new Inglewood venue when the Rams open the season Sept. 13 against the Dallas Cowboys.
So far, so good, through one day of offense vs. defense contact drills.
“I’ve been going full speed every practice, no let-up. I’m having a little treatment, just old-man stuff, to keep me going,” said Brockers, 29.
When he turned his ankle, the defensive line’s leading tackler had to fear the injury would derail his free agency. It did, but in a way to worked out well for him and especially the Rams.
A three-year contract agreement with Baltimore fell through because the coronavirus pandemic prevented the Ravens from examining the ankle. The Rams immediately took advantage by re-signing Brockers for three years and $24 million.
The turn of events looks even more fortuitous after A’Shawn Robinson, the former Detroit defensive tackle the Rams signed when it appeared Brockers was leaving, was diagnosed with a reported cardiovascular condition. Robinson is on the NFL’s non-football-injury list and expected to miss at least part of the season.
Brockers said the pandemic became a “blessing in disguise” when it forced the cancellation of official offseason workouts.
“I used that time to do more rehab, to totally get comfortable with the ankle, pushing off of it and stuff like that,” Brockers said in a Zoom chat with reporters.
“He looks like himself on that field,” Rams coach Sean McVay said in a separate Zoom chat.
(Even though reporters are at the Rams’ facility at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, interviews are being conducted by video stream.)
Brockers said he’s “as comfortable as I can be” with the NFL’s health protocols, which include daily coronavirus testing for players.
“This is our little getaway here, to get away from the world, to understand how healthy our little ecosystem is,” Brockers said. “It’s almost like this is the best place to be right now.”
The defensive line of Brockers, Aaron Donald and Sebastian Joseph-Day worked Tuesday against an offensive line that usually consisted of, left to right, Andrew Whitworth, Joseph Noteboom, Austin Blythe, Austin Corbett and Rob Havenstein.
It was a sometimes spirited practice. With no fans allowed to attend this year, the loudest reaction to a play came from the defensive players on the sideline when defensive back Darious Williams intercepted a pass by backup quarterback John Wolford. A moment later, rookie safety Terrell Burgess (Utah) picked off Jared Goff.
Brockers had great first impressions of the two outside linebackers the Rams acquired to replace Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews.
He said of Leonard Floyd, the ex-Bear: “The guy has a motor out of this world.”
He said of Terrell Lewis, the 6-foot-5, 262-pound rookie from Alabama: “He’s a massive dude. At first, I was like, ‘That’s the guy they got to replace me’ (Robinson). Then I saw he’s at outside linebacker.”
And Brockers praised new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s energy.
“I wanted to put my helmet on on a Zoom call, I was so fired up,” Brockers said.
Helmet and pads on, Brockers looked 100% ready to go Tuesday.
Notes
• The only projected starter to miss practice Tuesday was safety Taylor Rapp. Sean McVay said Rapp has “a little knee” injury, nothing serious. Rapp was on the sideline in his jersey and shorts, a sleeve on his left leg.
• Linebacker Justin Lawler sat out practice and was being examined after having a foot stepped on, McVay said.
• A’Shawn Robinson was on the sideline in jersey and shorts.
• McVay’s reaction to the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which premiered last Tuesday: “I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t come off as a total tool with my shirt off at my house and pool. As soon as I did that with them, I said, ‘I can’t believe I was that dumb to do that.’”