First, I was one of the happiest honks around when we won the battle with Miami over bringing Fish to the Rams.

Next phase, I continued to sing his praises during the darkening days, all the while questioning silently if maybe I was wrong all along...

Then came the "can't find the flag" fiasco in NE, and I was officially off his bandwagon and pulling for ED to get his way. I even became bitter at all the jack he earned while he steered this canoe of an offense against the other jet engine speedboats of the NFL.

Now, after watching the Amazon "All or Nothing" series, I have experienced closure on the matter. Those little side comments to other coaches (completely unscripted, as opposed to Hard Knocks) gave me further insight into who he is and what he was about. As with most things in life, things are not as good nor bad as they seem. People are not as good and bad as they seem. He was not perfect, but he had a lot of outstanding qualities.

Although I don't feel badly for him, given how well-paid he was, I sure do come out the other side wondering how things would have been different if he had SB fully healthy as when he signed up for this gig.

Again, closure. I can now open the new chapter and hope that McVay is 1/2 the guy he seems to be in the early going.

Go Rams!

Voice of the Rams: J.B. Long Talks Rams –Audio

ESPNLA Rams Voice J.B. Long is in studio talking about what he saw in Lonzo Ball when he called one of his games at UCLA. What are J.B.’s expectations for the Rams this upcoming season? J.B. talks about the transition of Jarred Goff from being on the bench to taking over as starting QB.

Listen To Long Talk Rams

(Rams Talk Begins at 4:50)

His receivers dropped 16 on 128 catchable passes according to PFF.
He has the 2nd highest adjusted completion percentage among all QB's. 54.6 % --> 67.3 %. There is a
+12.7 % difference. No wonder Sean McVay was turning his head in disgust as soon as Les Snead said "for the love of god we need pass catchers." For those of you wondering when this happened, it was the last episode on ALL or Nothing Season 2.

Jake Ellenbogen's All-Time Rams Roster: Tight ends


In this renewed series Jake gives you a complete all-time Rams roster going through each position. It's now time for the tight end position, there will be one starter, two backups and an honorable mention.


Starter: Billy Truax



(40 games started, 180 receptions, 2,177 receiving yards, 12.1 yards per reception, 16 touchdowns)

This Ram fell victim to being in the wrong era. Do you ever hear someone say "it's too bad they were just in the wrong era"? Truax fits that bill. Truax was a big-bodied freak at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, he was the perfect field stretching tight end for today's NFL, but not the 1960's NFL which used tight ends predominantly as blockers.


Truax suffered an injury on the first day of training camp with the Cleveland Browns and that was all she wrote for Truax in Cleveland. They ended up shipping him off to Los Angeles even before he ever played a down. Again, it's a shame Truax was in the wrong era because if he was used the right amount his career would look more impressive.


Backup: Lance Kendricks



(79 games started, 204 receptions, 2,132 receiving yards, 10.5 yards per reception, 17 touchdowns)

Some people may serious disagree, but it's important to realize that Kendricks has been the most consistent starting tight end in the team's history. He had his kinks and may have dropped a touchdown or two that caused you to throw out some not-so-nice curse words or even a remote control throw at your television. However, Kendricks was solid, he worked hard and he ended up having a decent career with the Rams.


The new regime liked him, but it appeared as though they fell in love with this monster tight end draft class and felt like they couldn't pass one up. Kendricks was a let-down as far as a second-round pick, but all titles aside he was pretty solid for the Rams. Like Truax, he was a little underutilized and is now on a potential Super Bowl team to repeat what Truax did with the Cowboys.



Backup: Pete Holohan



(22 games started, 159 receptions, 1,625 receiving yards, 10.2 yards per reception, seven touchdowns)

The longevity wasn't exactly there with Pete Holohan which hurts him on this list, but he is probably the most talented tight end to don Ram horns. If you aren't counting Tom Fears as a tight end (which I'm not) then it's between Holohan and Truax. Holohan only played three seasons with the Rams, but nearly had the same production in Los Angeles as he did in his seven years in San Diego.


Honorable Mention


Ernie Conwell



Alas, our honorable mention goes to Ernie Conwell who many of us love dearly as a member and a key cog of the Greatest Show on Turf. He wasn't used as much as the guys above in the receiving game, but he was willing blocker and a leader for the Rams. He has since fallen down my list after Kendricks solid season.


Conwell won a Super Bowl and perhaps if those injuries didn't hover him, he would have finished second or even first on this list.


What are your thoughts Rams fans? Three tight ends on the Rams right now could all have a chance of making this list sooner than later.

https://overthecap.com/roster-turnover-2017-number-10-1

A nifty little article. Explains why the Cardinals will be falling off a cliff, and a little glimpse into why the Rams weren't that good.

Rams surely want to “pay the man”; the challenge is coming up with the right number

Posted by Mike Florio on July 7, 2017, 2:29 PM EDT

[profootballtalk.nbcsports.com]

It’s easy for people like Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers to tell his team to “pay the man” in reference to defensive tackle Aaron Donald. It’s much harder to determine the right dollars and structure of the deal.

The problem arises in large part from the fact that the Donald has two years left on his rookie deal. Which means that the Rams would be assuming the injury risk from Donald for the next 32 regular-season games, plus any postseason games the Rams may play (stop laughing).

It’s one thing for a team to assume the injury risk for a quarterback or a receiver or a cornerback. Linemen are constantly stuck in a scrum of bodies that may or may not result in a broken limb or worse on any given play. So the injury risk is much more real for guys like Donald than it is for players like Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Speaking of Cousins, Donald has a longer path to the year-to-year franchise tag approach that Cousins currently is pursuing, because Donald was picked in round one. He’ll need to play five full years before he’s eligible for the franchise tag for the first time. Then, the Rams could give him a 20-percent raise over the tag for a seventh year before facing the prospect of giving him quarterback money or a 44-percent raise, whichever is higher.

That’s four more seasons before the Rams would have to pay market value to Donald, and at that point he’ll be 30.

“Market value” possibly is the key term here. Donald may be looking at the Ndamukong Suh contract, worth $20 million per year, as reflecting the market value Donald wants to match or beat. But Suh got his money by hitting the market, thanks to a puffed-up franchise tag number (due to the pre-2011 rookie compensation system) that the Lions couldn’t/wouldn’t use. So Suh became a free agent and got true, literal market value.

Donald is at least two years, probably three years, and maybe four years away from that same situation. Thus, the Rams will be reluctant to give Suh money to Donald, especially with two years left on his deal. To get the Rams to assume the injury risk now, Donald necessarily will have to take far less than what he could get if he were hitting the market or, at a minimum, embarking on the franchise-tag path.

For me a nice find. Found a 1961 edition of Laurousse Gastronomique. In english! Paid $1.00. In very nice condition.:yess:

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Wired_with_Sean_McVay/0b1a7e34-c53b-45d4-8ea8-388bb1a66c1b

Login to view embedded media View: http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Wired_with_Wade_Phillips/ae235d2a-cb59-4861-a30b-4458d5717129

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...itzRss&utm_campaign=usatodaycomnfl-topstories

The NFL's 15 most overpaid players
Steven Ruiz , USATODAY

1. Joe Flacco, QB Ravens
2017 Cap hit: $24.55 million
Position rank: 1st

It's been four years since Flacco signed his mega deal after leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl, and he's given Baltimore one above-average season over that time. The front office hasn't given him a whole lot of support, but quarterbacks making that much money are supposed to elevate the players around them. Flacco clearly hasn't.

2. Clay Matthews, OLB Packers
2017 Cap hit: $15.07 million
Position rank: 3rd

Matthews' days as an elite pass rusher are long over. You wouldn't know it by looking at his salary. The only outside linebackers making more than him are Justin Houston and Von Miller. Green Bay could have saved a lot of money by moving on from Matthews but decided not to. We'll see if the gamble pays off, but conventional wisdom suggests it won't. His play has declined and he's now on the wrong side of 30.

3. Tavon Austin, WR Rams
2017 Cap hit: $14.97 million
Position rank: 3rd

The Rams are paying a decent slot receiver and punt returner No. 1 receiver money. Just a few receivers who are making less than Austin in 2017: Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, A.J. Green … I could keep going but that will only upset Rams fans further.

T4. Brock Osweiler, QB Browns
2017 Cap hit: $16 million
Position rank: 17th

T4. Mike Glennon, QB Bears
2017 Cap hit: $14 million
Position rank: T20th

Desperate teams overpay for quarterbacks. The Bears did not learn from the Texans' mistake in 2016, and gave Glennon, who couldn't beat out Josh McCown in Tampa, about the same money New England pays Tom Brady.

Osweiler, last year's Glennon, will try to resurrect his career in Cleveland after a disastrous season in Houston, during which he looked like one of the worst starting QBs in the league despite playing with a good supporting cast.

6. Jason Witten, TE Cowboys
2017 Cap hit: $12.62 million
Position rank: 1st

The Cowboys are better off with Witten on their roster. He's still a good blocker and a reliable receiver. But he's a league-average tight end (maybe slightly above) at this point in his career. He has no business making more money than guys like Rob Gronkowski and Jordan Reed.

7. Haloti Ngata, DT Lions
2017 Cap hit: $7.7 million
Position rank: 16th

Ngata's play fell off considerably in 2016, and at 33 it's unlikely that he'll be able to rebound and play like the 16th-best defensive tackle in the league. He's still a big body who can help in the run game but offers very little on passing downs. That's where interior rushers make their money these days.

8. Kirk Cousins, QB Redskins
2017 Cap hit: $23.94 million
Position rank: 2nd

Washington did this to themselves. Instead of locking Cousins down to a deal more in line with his talent level years ago, they're now stuck slapping the franchise tag on him for a second consecutive year. Cousins is a decent quarterback whose statistical production is more a product of what's around him than his own abilities. We saw the effects of his big price tag this offseason when the Redskins were forced to move on from DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.

9. Coby Fleener, TE Saints
2017 Cap hit: $7.5 million
Position rank: 6th

Fleener looks like a tight end who should be making top-5 tight end money. There's only one problem: He can't catch the football. When you can't put up an efficient season with Drew Brees feeding you targets, there's a problem.

10. Dez Bryant, WR Cowboys
2017 Cap hit: $17 million
Position rank: 1st

There's no denying Bryant's talent. He's still a legit No. 1 receiver in this league … when healthy. He's struggled to stay on the field in recent years, and even when he is healthy, he's not enough a game-changer to warrant such a big cap hit. There are only a handful of receivers who are.

11. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE Jets
2017 Cap hit: $18 million
Position rank: 1st

Wilkerson's 2016 season was a massive disappointment. There's no reason to doubt a bounce-back year is coming from the Jets' best defensive player, but he's making starting quarterback money. Even at his best, Wilkerson isn't worth that kind of money.

12. Mike Pouncey, C Dolphins
2017 Cap hit: $8.97 million
Position rank: 3rd

Pouncey is a good center. He just doesn't play enough games. Over the last four seasons, the Dolphins center has missed 19 games.

13. Jabaal Sheard, DE Colts
2017 Cap hit: $9.96 million
Position rank: 11th

Sheard parlayed one good season under Bill Belichick (and another average one) into a nice little payday with the Colts. He's a decent role player making way too much money at one of the most important positions in football. He's tallied more than eight sacks only once in his career and that was back in 2011.

14. Josh Norman, CB Redskins
2017 Cap hit: $20 million
Position rank: 1st

If you're paying $20 million for a corner, you're expecting to get a guy who can lock down an opponents' No. 1 receiver. After 2016, we know Norman isn't that kind of player. He's just average in man coverage, which makes it difficult for the Redskins to deploy him as a true shutdown corner.

15. Mike Mitchell, S Steelers
2017 Cap hit: $8.13 million
Position rank: 3rd

Mitchell is a hard-hitter who is just a little too reckless to be making the kind of money he's getting from Pittsburgh. He gives up far too many big plays and he doesn't force enough turnovers to make up for it. Mitchell isn't even in the top-10 safety discussion but only Devin McCourty and Earl Thomas make more at the position.

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/7/6/15924592/la-rams-roster-2017-preview-pace-murphy

The UDFA surprisingly made the 53-man roster last year. Now, Murphy’s looking to make it two years in a row.

Los Angeles Rams OL Pace Murphy is the true UDFA Cinderella story.Last year at this point, we didn’t even know if he was a real person. He overcame the odds and made the initial 2016 53-man roster as a UDFA OL under former Head Coach Jeff Fisher. Murphy came from Northwestern State University (again, a real place) beating out players like Isaiah Battle, a 2015 fifth-round supplemental pick.Murphy only logged game action in two games and will be facing another uphill battle to make the squad this season.

Roster Battle
The Rams offensive line remains in flux from last year. Even with the Greg Robinson trade and Rob Havenstein moving inside to guard, the Rams have Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnal, Darrell Williams and Andrew Whitworth all playing tackle in addition to UDFA Michael Dunn.

Chances are, Murphy has even slimmer chances this season as the Rams look to start maximizing the mix of guys that have been drafted such as Donnal, Brown and Havenstein.

Expectations
Murphy may fit McVay’s zone scheme better than Jeff Fisher’s “power” scheme (if he had an offensive scheme). However, physically, there is a reason why Murphy didn’t get many draft looks compared to the guys who were drafted.

If the staff feels that Murphy played well in the final two games of last season, there is a chance that he could get a longer look as a player with true game experience.

Chances of Making Roster (3/10)
Murphy was given virtually a less than 1% chance to make the roster last year and overcame those odds. I’m not going to write him off completely as he does have a valuable trait about him that many other players do not: game experience. With that being said, Pace Murphy is likely another case example of how hard it is to make it and stick in the NFL.

Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Rams

by Zach Links

You only get to make one first impression and the Rams’ Los Angeles debut was less than impressive. The Rams got uneven performances out of rookie quarterback Jared Goff (to put it mildly), finished 4-12, and wound up sacking coach Jeff Fisher before the season was through. Now, the Rams are sharing the L.A. market with another team and they hope to set themselves apart with a better showing in 2017.

Notable signings:

Trumaine Johnson, CB: One year, $16.742MM. Fully guaranteed. Signed franchise tag.
Andrew Whitworth, T: Three years, $33.75MM. $15MM guaranteed.
Robert Woods, WR: Five years, $34MM. $10MM guaranteed.
Kayvon Webster, CB: Two years, $8MM. $4.25MM guaranteed. $4MM available via incentives.
Greg Zuerlein, K: Three years, $6.75MM. $2.375MM guaranteed.
Lance Dunbar, RB: One year, $1.5MM. $1.375MM guaranteed. $1.5MM available via incentives.
John Sullivan, C: One year, $1MM. $100K guaranteed.
Nickell Robey-Coleman, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Connor Barwin, LB: One year, $3.5MM. $3MM available via incentives.
Dominique Easley, DT: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
Ethan Westbrooks, DE: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.

Last year, the Rams had two standout cornerbacks set to hit the open market and only one franchise tag to use. They opted to retain Trumaine Johnson while allowing Janoris Jenkins to test free agency. The Rams were apparently close to keeping Jenkins, but he ultimately left to sign a big money deal with the Giants. After watching the 2016 season play out, the decision to roll with Johnson over Jenkins doesn’t look so great. Determined to not lose a star cornerback two years in a row, the Rams used the tag on Johnson for the second year in a row, resulting in a hefty one-year, $16.742MM tender.

Now, the two sides have until July 17th (not July 15th) to hammer out an extension. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like we will see a new deal struck in the coming days. Unless things change, Johnson will play out the year with the highest yearly salary of any cornerback in the NFL. Johnson graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 26th-best cornerback last season, indicating that he is starting caliber, but far from elite. Los Angeles would like to tamp down that bloated cap number and lock Johnson up through his prime years, but he seems willing to bet on himself.

The Rams landed this year’s most talented free agent tackle when they signed veteran Andrew Whitworth. A three-year deal with strong cash flow in the first two years may not seem ideal for a 35-year-old, but that’s the cost of doing business when trying to add top offensive tackles. In 2016, PFF rated him as the second-best tackle in the entire NFL and he’s been a Top 5/Top 10 guy for the last five years in a row. The Rams are hoping that the addition of Whitworth will help to give Goff extra time in the pocket, allowing him to make better throws when he’s not under duress. Last year, the Rams finished out with the sixth-worst offensive line in the NFL, according to PFF’s metrics.

Goff will have some new mouths to feed this year, including free agent Robert Woods. Woods made a name for himself in Buffalo as a solid stand-in for Sammy Watkins when he dealt with injury. Now, he’s being counted upon as the WR1 in Los Angeles. Even though he signed a five-year deal, it should be noted that he won’t be long for Los Angeles if he can’t handle his new responsibilities. Woods is due $5MM on the third day of the 2018 league year and nothing is guaranteed for the former Bills complementary target past Year 2.

Kayvon Webster was blocked by corners Chris Harris, Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby and safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks in Denver. He was vocal about wanting playing time in 2017 and he’ll get his shot with the Rams. Wade Phillips imported Webster to serve as a starting CB opposite Johnson and we’ll soon find out whether he’s top 60 at the position or simply a talented special teams guy.

The Rams may have found two of the offseason’s best values by signing Connor Barwin (one-year, $3.5MM deal) and slot specialist Nickell Robey-Coleman (one-year, minimum salary deal). Barwin played for Phillips with the Texans from 2011-12, and the 30-year-old chose L.A. in part because of the lovable defensive coordinator.

“Wade did a lot for me in the two years I was with Houston,” said Barwin. “He taught me so much about being a pro, enjoying being around the game every single day, and he really elevated my game as a pass rusher.”

Barwin now joins a talented linebacker group which includes Robert Quinn, Alec Ogletree, and Mark Barron. Coupled with the great potential of the defensive line, Phillips has one heck of a front seven to work with.

Robey-Coleman’s release from the Bills was a surprised rivaled only by the low price tag on his deal with the Rams. Last year, the corner earned a higher grade from PFF than former Buffalo teammates Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby. It would be a surprise if he bested both of them again in 2017, but there’s no question that there is great potential for Robey-Coleman to outperform his contract.
Notable losses:

• Tim Barnes, C: Released
• Kenny Britt, WR
• Benny Cunningham, RB
• Case Keenum, QB
• Lance Kendricks, TE: Released
• T.J. McDonald, S
• Brian Quick, WR
• Chase Reynolds, RB
• Demetrius Rhaney, C: Waived
• Eugene Sims, DE: Released
• Cam Thomas, DT

This offseason, the Rams said adios to Kenny Britt. The highly talented Rutgers product was never able to put it all together at the NFL level until last year when he had managed to turn in his first career 1,000+ yard campaign, despite playing in the league’s worst offense. Britt’s work ethic frequently came into question during his college days and it’s possible that the Rams had questions about his maturity when it came time to pay him. It’s also possible that they just saw a four-year deal worth $32.5MM with $17MM guaranteed (the deal he got from the Browns) as too rich of a price tag. Ultimately, they’re betting on better production out of Woods than Britt and you won’t find many talent evaluators willing to support that choice. The Rams will also forge ahead without Brian Quick, who projects to be the WR4 in Washington.

A couple other familiar faces are gone on the offensive side. The Rams’ old regime had high hopes for Lance Kendricks, signing him to a four-year, $18.5MM pact some time ago. The new regime wasn’t as crazy about him. The Rams got out of the deal two years early, even though he had a career-high 50 receptions last year for 499 yards and two scores. There’s now a youth movement going down at tight end, something that we’ll explore a little further down the page.

In two years with St. Louis/Los Angeles, Keenum appeared in ten games with nine starts. The results were less than spectacular and it didn’t seem like the team made much of an attempt to retain him. Now that he’s gone, Sean Mannion will be the primary backup for Goff.

McDonald was the Rams’ starting safety since entering the league in 2013 all the way through 2016. This spring, however, the Rams made no attempt to retain him. The safety is facing an eight-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, but that will be a headache for another team (the Dolphins) in 2017.

Sims, 31, appeared in all 16 games for the Rams last season and made eight starts. The advanced numbers at PFF have never been high on Sims and neither was Phillips, apparently. Sims was dropped during a major player purge around the start of free agency and we haven’t heard any word of teams being interested in him in the last four months. That’s a sign that Sims is still not healthy enough to play (he was cut with a failed physical designation) or that teams no longer see him as a quality defensive end.

Trades:

• Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 206) from the Dolphins in exchange for DE William Hayes and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 223).
• Acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 44; TE Gerald Everett) and a 2017 third-round pick (No. 91; S John Johnson) from the Bills in exchange for a 2017 second-round pick (No. 37; WR Zay Jones) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149).
• Acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 117; WR Josh Reynolds) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197) from the Bears in exchange for a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 112; S Eddie Jackson).
• Acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 125; LB Samson Ebukam) from the Jets in exchange for a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 141; WR Chad Hansen) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 197; CB Jeremy Clark).
• Acquired a 2018 sixth-round pick from the Lions in exchange for T Greg Robinson.

It’s hard to find fault with the William Hayes deal from the Dolphins’ perspective. From the Rams’ side, however, the deal is a bit perplexing. Hayes had two years to go on his three-year, $17.5MM contract, a good value considering the way that lesser pass rushers have gotten paid since then. It seems that Phillips didn’t like his chances of transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. If Hayes (and McDonald, for that matter) breaks out in Miami, there will be a lot of second guessing going on in L.A. On a related note, Hayes’ deal was shortened to allow him to reach the free agent market after the 2017 season.

The Rams moved back in the second round and got themselves a new starting tight end seven spots down. Gerald Everett will now take the place of Kendricks in the offense and the Rams are hoping for better results. Interestingly, the Rams’ failsafe for Everett is also a relative youngster. Tyler Higbee, who slid down draft boards in 2016 thanks to his off-field behavior, is expected to see significant snaps behind the rookie. Beyond them, there’s Cory Harkey – a relatively unknown holdover from the old regime – and 2016 sixth-round choice Temarrick Hemingway. If the Rams don’t like what they see from the TE group in August, don’t be surprised if they look at external options.

Rams fans were tired of waiting for Greg Robinson to do something at the professional level and so were the Rams. When Taylor Decker went down with an injury, the Rams pawned the former No. 2 overall pick off on the Lions in exchange for a sixth-round choice. Maybe a change of scenery will do Robinson good, but it was abundantly clear that things were just not going to work for him with the Rams. In each of the last three seasons, the advanced numbers have pegged Robinson as one of the league’s worst tackles.

Draft picks:

• 2-44: Gerald Everett, TE (South Alabama)
• 3-69: Cooper Kupp, WR (Eastern Washington)
• 3-91: John Johnson, S (Boston College)
• 4-117: Josh Reynolds, WR (Texas A&M)
• 4-125: Samson Ebukam, LB (Eastern Washington)
• 6-189: Tanzel Smart, DT (Tulane)
• 6-206: Sam Rogers, FB (Virginia Tech)
• 7-234: Ejuan Price, DE (Pitt)

The Rams did not have a first-round choice in this year’s draft thanks to the Jared Goff trade of 2016. After this year, we might have a better handle on whether that was a smart trade for L.A.

Other:

• Hired Sean McVay to replace Jeff Fisher / John Fassel (interim).
• Hired Matt LaFleur as offensive coordinator to replace Rob Boras. Hired former Jaguars OC Greg Olson as quarterbacks coach.
• Hired Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator to replace Gregg Williams. Hired former Redskins DC Joe Barry as assistant head coach/linebackers.
• Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for DT Aaron Donald ($6.892MM).
• Claimed C Austin Blythe off waivers from the Rams.
• Claimed DT Mike Purcell off waivers from the 49ers.
• Learned CB Troy Hill was suspended two games (substance abuse).
• Signed RFA OL Ryan Groy to two-year, $5MM offer sheet. Bills matched the offer.
• Signed, then released, DT Tyrunn Walker following rape allegations.
• Signed 11 undrafted rookie free agents.

This offseason, the Rams made Sean McVay the youngest coach in the NFL’s modern era. He might not have as much experience as other candidates, but his fresh perspective is exciting to GM Les Snead.

“Exciting, because you see the young head coach but you also see him bring this unbelievable energy and passion to the job with that thought of how he wants to put together his staff and the puzzle there and what he’s trying to accomplish,” the GM said. “You’re working together to problem-solve, come up with solutions, come up with decisions and try to come up with what’s best for the Rams…. You can feel the chemistry developing based on just rolling up your sleeves and going to work and making your first decisions together.”

The former Redskins offensive coordinator has developed a reputation as a quarterback whisperer after helping to turn Kirk Cousins into a top signal caller. Goff was inconsistent under center last year and the Rams are hoping that McVay will be able to get him on the right track. Ultimately, the fates of the young quarterback and the young coach may be tied together.

McVay is not daunted by the challenge of being a 31-year-old head coach and he’ll even be calling the plays on offense. On the other side of the ball, veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is calling the shots. The Broncos effectively let Phillips skip town this offseason and the Rams were thrilled to give him a new home.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

1. Trumaine Johnson, CB: $16,742,400
2. Tavon Austin, WR: $14,977,116
3. Mark Barron, LB: $11,000,000
4. Michael Brockers, DT: $11,000,000
5. Robert Quinn, LB $10,750,334
6. Andrew Whitworth, T: $9,166,666
7. Alec Ogletree, LB: $8,369,000
8. Robert Woods, WR: $7,000,000
9. Jared Goff, QB: $6,349,471
10. Rodger Saffold, G: $6,190,983

The worst contract in this bunch probably belongs to Tavon Austin, and he inked his extension less than one year ago. Austin, 26, hasn’t done a whole lot to justify being taken No. 8 overall in 2013. Now, he has a deal that averages $10.5MM through the 2021 season. Last year, Austin set a career high with 58 catches, but he averaged only 8.8 yards per grab. Next year, the Rams can drop Austin if they’re willing to take on $5MM in dead money while saving $3MM against the cap. If he can’t take a step forward, don’t be surprised if McVay & Co. cut ties.

[www.profootballrumors.com]

Ranking the Best Defensive Schemes
DOUG FARRAR

When it comes to schematic innovation and effectiveness, you’ll generally hear more about the things done on the offensive side of the ball.

There will be occasional odes written to the greatness of Buddy Ryan’s old 46 defense, for example. But you’ll hear far more about the West Coast offense and the development of the three-digit passing game from Sid Gillman to Don Coryell to Mike Martz than you will about the zone blitz or the advent of the nickel defense as a base concept.

It’s time to change that and give the NFL’s best defensive minds the credit they deserve. Because for every offensive innovation, there has been an equal and opposite defensive invention to counter it. And in today’s NFL, when offenses are more diverse and explosive than ever before, defensive coaches are required to pull more from their playbooks than at any time in the game’s history.

It used to be easy, really. Even in the 1990s, you’d put a base defense or two on the field with a few interesting blitzes, and it would be enough against the fairly static offenses of the time. Now, it’s much more complicated. If a defensive coach were to put a vanilla 3-4 or Cover 2 formation up against Bruce Arians’ double-slot concepts or Kyle Shanahan’s pre-snap wizardry, the result would not be pretty.

As a result, modern defensive coaching is less about one philosophy or another and more about grabbing every scheme that works for your personnel and adjusting accordingly. More and more, you’ll hear defensive coordinators talking about how they scheme for a particular opponent in a particular week than the old-school "make them adjust to us" stuff.

These 10 defenses and their coaches are perfect examples of those who have gone above and beyond to match wits with the realities of the league’s ever-changing offensive structures.


1. Wade Phillips’ One-Gap 3-4 Defense


Wade Phillips got most of his defensive concepts from his father, Bum, a longtime NFL head coach and defensive genius.

Bum tried to bring the 3-4 to the American Football League in the late 1960s with the San Diego Chargers, but head coach Sid Gillman wasn’t having it, so Bum had to wait until he got the Houston Oilers’ head coaching job in 1975. Once there, Bum’s one-gap 3-4 defense became a highly effective strategy, and Wade—who started in the league as his dad’s linebackers coach in 1976—has taken his father’s philosophies and perfected them.

Wade has been a defensive coordinator in several NFL cities since 1981, and through his last few stops in San Diego, Dallas, Houston and Denver, his defenses have alternated between a 3-4 base and a four-man nickel rush with great effectiveness. He’ll be the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive mastermind in 2017, and the extent to which he’ll be able to take the Rams’ 4-3 personnel and excel should prove to any naysayers that in his case, the base 3-4 isn’t what you think it is.

Most 3-4 defenses alternate between two-gap fronts in which linemen are directed to react to offensive movement, or hybrid fronts in which one- and two-gap concepts merge together. However, Wade’s base defense brings 3-4 personnel—three defensive linemen, two inside linebackers and two outside linebackers—with an aggressive attack mentality. Phillips prefers lighter nose tackles and bigger ends, with outside linebackers optimized to rush the passer.

So, if there are concerns that Phillips is going to turn the great Aaron Donald into a passive two-gap tackle, or Robert Quinn into a reactive run-stopping end, there shouldn’t be.

"If he can’t fit in, you’re doing the wrong thing," Phillips said about Donald in February, per Myles Simmons of the team’s official site. "He can probably fit into any defense. We’re going to try to get him one-on-one as much as we can — no matter what he’s playing. No matter where he’s lining up, we’re going to try to get him one-on-one because he can beat people one-on-one. So that’s what we have to do as far as our scheme’s concerned, is utilize a guy like him — put him in position to make the plays he can make."

The one-gap base 3-4 should see Donald penetrating at both nose tackle and outside tackle, and he’ll have a more traditional four-man role when the Rams move to their nickel package. But wherever Phillips lines up his players, history tells us they’ll be in their best positions to succeed.

Read Complete Article
[bleacherreport.com]

ams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips is Wired for Sound –Video

Get to know the Rams new Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips in this mic’d up OTA edition of Wired.

Watch Wade Wired for Sound

A blast from the past, 1997. This is a looong article so if you're into that click the link below.

It explains why Vermeil got burned out after the Eagles and why Rams players eventually rebelled against him. This is a vintage read for Rams fans by Peter "No Patriots buttkissing in this article" King.

Tony Banks and his dog Felony, Lawrence Phillips(whom Vermeil did everything to help), Isaac Bruce, Leslie O'Neal, D'Marco Farr, Rich Brooks, Orlando Pace, Roman Phifer, Keith Lyle, Fred Miller, and Kevin Carter are among those mentioned.
******************************************************************************************
https://www.si.com/vault/1997/12/29...oach-here-is-an-inside-look-at-his-nfl-encore

RETURN MAN
SI followed Dick Vermeil through his first season as the Rams' coach. Here is an inside look at his NFL encore
By Peter King


Photo Credits: Bill Frakes

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/i...eres-why-he-might-not-be-worth-his-price-tag/

It's time to pay Le'Veon Bell, but here's why he might not be worth his price tag

The Steelers will have one of the league's most dynamic offenses next season. The degree of that dynamism will depend on several factors. Injuries are always a chief concern, and there's a chance that Martavis Bryant, fresh off a year-long suspension, slips up again.

Then there's Le'Veon Bell.

The NFL's best running back is without a contract; the Steelers slapped him with the franchise tag this spring, but Bell has yet to sign the one-year deal that would pay him $12.1 million in 2017. It's not unusual for players looking for a long-term commitment to hold off on signing the one-year franchise-tag offer, and the two sides have until mid-July to get a new contract done. At issue is whether the Steelers will pay Bell $12 million annually -- which would be $4 million more than the next highest-paid back in the league, LeSean McCoy of the Bills.

Worth noting: McCoy and Bell ranked second and third in running back efficiency last season, according to Football Outsiders' metrics, but McCoy will be 29 when the season starts while Bell will be just 25.

As it stands, Bell and the Steelers are on good terms, and the expectation is that either Bell will get a new deal before the start of the season or, worst case, he'll play on the one-year, $12.1 million franchise tag. But what happens to Pittsburgh if Bell isn't part of its 2017? What impact would that have not only on the continuity of an already-explosive offense but the team's chances for another deep playoff run? Because training camps are still weeks away, now is the perfect time to tackle that hypothetical.

Bell rushed for 1,268 yards last season (4.9 yards per carry), scored seven touchdowns and had 75 receptions for 616 yards and two more scores. He was even better on the ground during the postseason (65 carries, 357 yards, 5.5 yards per carry, two TDs) but a nonfactor in the passing game (four receptions, three yards, no TDs).

Of course, Bell's 2016 season ended like the two before: with him injured. This time, however, he participated in the playoffs, though he suffered a groin injury early in the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. In 2015, a knee injury knocked him out of the second half of the season, and in 2014, a Week 17 knee injury kept him on the sidelines during the Steelers' wild-card loss to the Ravens. So for as valuable as Bell is, he has played in just two of the Steelers' last six playoff games. And in his four NFL seasons, he has appeared in 16 regular-season games just once, in 2014. Either because of injury or suspension, he has missed 17 games in that time.

During the 2014 postseason, the Steelers were left with no choice but to lean on first-year back Josh Harris and just-signed veteran Ben Tate. When it was over, the two had rushed for 44 yards on 14 carries (3.1 yards per carry) and no touchdowns as the Ravens cruised to a 30-17 win. A year later, the Steelers, again without Bell, had to turn to a running back-by-committee approach that included Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman because Bell's backup, DeAngelo Williams, was also injured. The results were better; the duo combined for 168 yards on 45 carries (3.7 YPC) and a touchdown. And if not for a careless Toussaint fumble against the Broncos in the divisional-round matchup, the Steelers might have made back-to-back conference championship game appearances. But that's sort of the point; Bell doesn't fumble there.

Williams, when healthy, was a capable backup behind Bell. In 2015, with Bell sidelined for all but six games, Williams (then 32 years old) rushed for 907 yards (4.5 YPC) and 11 touchdowns. And last season, in a much more limited role, he had 343 yards (3.5 YPC) and four scores. Williams wasn't re-signed and the Steelers selected Pitt standout James Conner in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and signed former Chiefs back Knile Davis to not only help the running game but also return kicks. It's reasonable to expect both players to be above-replacement-level contributors for the low, low price of $1.26 million combined in 2017. Is Bell worth 9.6 times the productivity of Conner and Davis?

He might be. But the Steelers have so many other play-making options that perhaps Bell is expendable. Remember, in that playoff loss to the Broncos, Pittsburgh was also without Antonio Brown, who you might recall was knocked silly on an illegal hit by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict in the wild-card game. Up to that point, Brown had hauled in seven passes for 119 yards. A week later, Ben Roethlisberger and Martavis Bryant teamed up for nine receptions for 154 yards, but there was little else in the way of a passing game.

As a way of comparison with Bell, Brown -- who came into the league in 2010 -- has missed just one of the Steelers' 10 postseason games over that span. And since 2011, when he became a regular part of the offense, he has missed just four games. Put another way: You can make a case that Brown is more important to the Steelers' offense than Bell.

The Steelers signed Brown to a five-year, $73 million extension in February after a season in which he had 106 receptions for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns. And he did it with little to no help from the rest of the wide receiver corps. Bryant was suspended and his replacement, Sammie Coates, battled injuries and inconsistency for much of 2016 (21 catches, 435 yards, two TDs). Slot receiver Eli Rogers (48/594/3) was good in his first season but didn't keep defenses from double and triple-teaming Brown. In fact, when it was over, Bell was the Steelers' second-leading receiver.

Which reinforces the point that Bell is a special talent. Part of what makes him indispensable to Pittsburgh's offense is that he's as dangerous as a receiver as he is as a runner. That versatility makes life eminently easier for Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley while serving as a nightmare for opposing defenses. It's also why we're talking about Bell earning eight figures annually.

Consider the top running backs (in terms of annual average salary) behind McCoy's $8 million salary: Jonathan Stewart ($7.3 million), Doug Martin ($7.15 million), Lamar Miller ($6.5 million) and Chris Ivory ($6.4 million). They're all runners first, and offer little to nothing in the passing game. (Rookie Leonard Fournette will make $6.7 million in 2017 and he's also more runner than pass-catcher.)

For the Steelers, Bell is another chess piece that gives them one of the league's most explosive offenses -- to go along with Brown, Roethlisberger, rookie second-rounder JuJu Smith-Schuster and that offensive line. There are still questions at tight end (the team released Ladarius Green this offseason but is high on Jesse James) and at wide receiver (can Bryant stay out of trouble, can Coates play with consistency, etc.), but how different would this unit be in a world without Le'Veon Bell in the backfield?

We're not arguing that the Steelers would be better without Bell because, well, that's simply not true. But $12 million is a lot to pay any running back, particularly one that missed games due to injury and suspension. There's also the matter that the organization might not be interested in paying Bell $12 million, on average, for the next four or five years, partly because of what we mentioned above, and partly because running backs have a short shelf life. And oh by the way: There's also the long list of play-makers not named Bell currently on the Steelers' roster.

To reiterate what we wrote above: The Steelers are better with Bell but it's not clear he's worth an eight-figure salary for the foreseeable future, or that the offense would experience a precipitous drop off without him. The same can't be said for Brown, who averages $17 million a year, and no one questions if he's worth it.

For a team coming off an 11-5 record, a division title and an appearance in the AFC Championship Game -- and are better (on paper, anyway) now than they were at the end of last season -- these are good problems to have.

We can all agree that Wade is a pretty laid back kind of NFL coach, right?

Very understated in his remarks about his players and his '17 D prospects, wouldn't you say?

And yet, he did say that he felt that his secondary was gonna be much better than most people seemed to expect.

Hmmmmm...

What to conclude from such a comment from an understated DC? I mean, it's almost like Wade suddenly shouted. Lol.

I suspect that he really, really likes what he's seen from Joyner and Mo Alexander at the two S positions, so far. Wouldn't that be something?

Perhaps he also likes the TruJo, Webster, NRC combo at CB, too?

When a DC of Wade's caliber makes a simple statement like the above, I think it speaks volumes.

Who knows? Might our secondary become a team strength to go along with our front seven?

Hot Damn!

Click the link below to listen to the podcast.
************************************************
http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/07/06/nfl-best-defensive-linemen-jj-watt-jadeveon-clowney-aaron-donald

The Top 10 Defensive Linemen in Football
Does J.J. Watt still top this list? How high has Jadeveon Clowney risen? More rhetorical questions, answered on this podcast!
By Gary Gramling and Andy Benoit

Number 10—3:59 - Gerald McCoy(Bucs)

Number 9—6:29 - Brandon Williams(Ravens)

Number 8—9:46 - Jurrell Casey(Titans)

Number 7—16:49 - Ndamukong Suh(Dolphins)

Number 6—19:40 - Calais Campbell(Jaguars)

Number 5—24:09 - Jadeveon Clowney(Texans)

Number 4—28:44 - Fletcher Cox(Eagles)

Number 3—38:39 - Michael Bennett(Seahawks)

Number 2 - 42:33 - Aaron Donald(Rams)

Number 1—47:00 - J.J. Watt(Texans)

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2017/...arlos-thompson-houston-texans-ole-miss-rebels

2017 Rams Roster Preview: LB Carlos Thompson’s Third Wheel
After two runs with the Houston Texans, Thompson is in LA to try to roll with DC Wade Phillips yet again
by 3k


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

LB Carlos Thompson is trying to make his Hollywood breakthrough with the 2017 Los Angeles Rams following his signing back in April. After a two-year dalliance with the Houston Texans, Thompson has reunited with Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips to see if the relationship results in the former Ole Miss product landing a spot on the 53-man roster.

Roster Battle

I laid out the OLB depth battle in the Cassanova McKinzy roster preview:

Beyond [Robert] Quinn and [Connor] Barwin, it’s a crowded depth field, and that’s where McKinzy will need to stand out. Two of the Rams’ 2017 NFL Draft class will certainly be popular options in Samson Ebukam and Ejuan Price. We’ll have to see if any of the listed DEs bounces out to OLB;

I’ll note here that the Rams’ official team roster lists Price as a DE. Similarly, Phillips may kick an inside LB outside; again, the official team roster lists Cory Littleton, the Rams’ 2016 Rookie of the Year, as an OLB. Otherwise, the only other options are Carlos Thompson and McKinzy.

The real key is to see who populates the various strings early in camp. Is Thompson’s experience with Phillips’ system enough to push him into the second string when camp breaks? If not, he’s likely looking at the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys to give him a shot.

Expectations

Veteran UDFA who came up on another team. Hard to set the bar lower.

Chances of Making Final Roster (3.5/10)

Considered giving him a slight bump over McKinzy due to the Phillips connection, but there are just too many variables working against him.

The likelihood is that he and McKinzy battle in camp for a mid-season call-up if injury requires one.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uOXe94XGZU

I was just over examining member pictures, remembering posters that I have not seen since the decision of the move. I completely understand why they no longer come here anymore, because they felt (by and large) St Louis was disrespected by the process of the move to LA. But still, it's bittersweet to have the Rams back to LA and have lost posters and internet friends. Of course we have gained new fans in LA (and glad to have you!), but I also miss those who are gone. Even DCH, who still comes around with his new team logo makes me sad for the days when he was a raging Rams fan. Somethings can't be helped I guess and there is no going backwards, except remembering how it used to be...

If you have a drink in front of your computer screen, raise it, and sing to their memory...

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.


Auld Lang Syne, recorded by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/c...million-to-players-who-arent-on-their-roster/

Chargers lead NFL in dead cap

Finally, the Chargers are in first place again.

According to Spotrac, the Chargers owe $21,840,169 to players who no longer reside on their roster. That's the highest "dead cap" figure in the NFL, edging out theBaltimore Ravens, who owe just under $19 million in dead cap. So no, being first in this particular category isn't a good thing.

Take a look at the entire list, which For The Win assembled:

1. Chargers: $21.84M
   
2. Ravens: $18.87M
   
3. Jets: $17.32M
   
4. Saints: $16.25M
   
5. Cowboys: $16.25M
   
6. Eagles: $14M
   
7. 49ers: $13.43M
   
8. Browns: $11.47M
   
9. Redskins: $9.78M
   
10. Texans: $9.44M
    
11. Colts: $8.62M
    
12. Chiefs: $8.59M
    
13. Dolphins: $8.2M
    
14. Bills: $7.92M
    
15. Steelers: $6.36M
    
16. Rams: $5.71M
    
17. Titans: $4.83M
    
18. Falcons: $4.57M
    
19. Vikings: $4.47
    
20. Jaguars: $4.39M
    
21. Packers: $4.27
    
22. Lions: $3.94M
    
23. Bears: $3.8M
    
24. Giants: 3.09M
    
25. Cardinals: $2.94M
    
26. Panthers: $1.98M
    
27. Patriots: $1.55M
    
28. Buccaneers: $865K
    
29. Seahawks: $827K
    
30. Bengals: $333K
    
31. Broncos: $72K
    
32. Raiders: $55K

The reason why the Chargers owe nearly $22 million? They're paying two offensive linemen -- Orlando Franklin and King Dunlap -- a combined $11,550,000 in 2017. Throw in the $4 million they owe cornerback Brandon Flowers and the $1 million they owe receiver Stevie Johnson and you can understand why their dead cap is so high. Meanwhile, the Ravens owe at least $2 million to each of the following players: Eugene Monroe, Dennis Pitta, Shareece Wright, Elvis Dumervil, Jeremy Zuttah and Lardarius Webb.

But enough about the teams on the wrong end of that list. Let's take a moment to praise the Raiders, who have completed a stunning salary cap turnaround.

The Raiders owe just $55,000 in dead cap. As our Joel Corry noted a few years ago, the Raiders had more than $55 million in dead money during the 2013 season. So, general manager Reggie McKenzie has managed to go from $55 million in dead cap to $55 thousand in just four years. That's incredible. The Chargers should probably pay attention to the team up north.

Once again, NorCal defeats SoCal.

Disclaimer: I live in Oakland.

Premieres tomorrow. Think it will be a great watch for all Ram fans, young and old.

Login to view embedded media

I have always loved Hardknocks as a fan, it was exciting to see the training camp stuff but All or Nothing is on a whole other level to me. I finished watching it yesterday and I gotta say, I may have changed my mind on my feelings towards Jeff. I felt he should have been fired for failing to adapt and hire the right coaches, but my god...that team loves him. Seeing that really made me change my mind a bit.

It also made me see that Boras was out of his depth, McGinnis is just a "yes" man getting a check and that Bones is gonna be here for a long time.

I felt connected with guys like Hayes and Ogletree and Kendricks.

All that aside, I felt absolutely jacked for the upcoming season. Seeing McVay interact was great, tho seeing the war room, I don't feel that everyone was on the same page.

Overall Hardknocks is fun and unsensored but All or Nothing is fucking real. I loved it. I would choose this all day.