12 Rams players to watch in preseason Week 3 vs. Broncos

[Riverumbbq]

By: Cameron DaSilva | 18 minutes ago

The Los Angeles Rams will play their first true home game of the preseason on Saturday night, hosting the Broncos at the Coliseum. The primary starters on both sides will be held out as Sean McVay and Vic Fangio take a conservative approach, opening the door for bottom-roster players.
Here are 12 players to watch when the Rams take on Denver in the third week of the preseason.

QB John Wolford
Wolford is an exciting player who could be a good candidate for the practice squad. His…
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© (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Okoronkwo burst onto the scene in his first NFL game last week, generating consistent pressure. Can…

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© (AP Photo)

S Steven Parker
Parker has to beat out Nick Scott for a roster spot, which will be tough given…
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CB Dont'e Deayon
Deayon is one of the many cornerbacks fighting for a roster spot, being buried on the…
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OL Jamil Demby
Demby is squarely on the roster bubble and if he doesn't turn things around quickly, he'll…
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© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

WR Nsimba Webster
He can contribute as a returner and WR, increasing his value. He has to build some…
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© (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

ILB Dakota Allen
Bryce Hager will be the starter in place of Micah Kiser, but the door opened a…
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DE Morgan Fox
Fox hasn't made much of an impact after moving back to DE, and he's now competing…
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© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

RB Darrell Henderson Jr.
Henderson is always one to watch. His explosiveness has yet to really shine, but the potential…
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© (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

OL Bobby Evans
Evans is playing guard and tackle but struggling at both. The rookie has a steep learning…
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OLB Natrez Patrick
Patrick is on the rise after making a big impact last week in Hawaii, giving himself…
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© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

WR JoJo Natson
Natson has had an up-and-down preseason with a muffed punt and a TD reception. Which Natson…
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© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

12 Rams players to watch in preseason Week 3 vs. Broncos

The Los Angeles Rams will play their first true home game of the preseason on Saturday night, hosting the Broncos at the Coliseum. The primary starters on both sides will be held out as Sean McVay and Vic Fangio take a conservative approach, opening the door for…

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Riverumbbq]

Los Angeles Rams vs. Denver Broncos: What to watch for

Six things to look for in Week 3.

By 3k@3k_ Aug 23, 2019, 1:20pm CDT

Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald gets past C Matt Paradis in the second quarter of their Week 6 game, Oct. 14, 2018. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams are hosting the Denver Broncos on Saturday on the lone (and potentially last) preseason game in the Coliseum.
So with a fourth game looming on Thursday to sort through the deepest part of the 90-man roster, this third game will likely be the best look at the primary backups and the 53-man roster fringe.

Here are five things I’m watching the most closely on Saturday:

1.) Special Teams
I know. It’s not sexy. But it’s the most important thing here.
Think about how many players are locked in on the offensive and defensive depth charts. Let’s take cornerback. On the outside, we have Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, David Long and Troy Hillall likely locked in with Nickell Robey-Coleman in the slot. That leaves any potential additional cornerback on the 53-man as the sixth corner and fifth on the outside depth chart. What are the chances that fifth cornerback plays a down at cornerback this season?
I know the impulse is to gravitate toward offensive and defensive performances, but special teams is the most important unit in the preseason:

2.) Who will he on the D-line in Week 1?
Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers will be on the defensive line when the Carolina Panthers’ offense first gets the ball in Week 1 of the regular season.
Who is on the line with them is left to be determined. The three primary candidates, John Franklin-Myers, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Greg Gaines, all played in last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. I’d expect to see all three. Unlike other positions without much space for position performance to effect roster availability (like the cornerback scenario above), this one does have on-field implications.

And it’s not as if there’s just room for one and only one. Donald played just more than 90% of the defensive snaps last year. Departed DL Ndamukong Suh played less than 88%. And Brockers played about two-thirds.
I’ll be keeping an eye out on the Rams’ young defensive lineman trio since we’re going to see them in the regular season.

3.) Inside linebacker
Sadly, we got a stark reminder of why Rams Head Coach Sean McVay has been so hesitant to play starters the last two preseasons when ILB Micah Kiser injured his pectoral muscle last week leading him to undergo surgery that will likely force him to miss the entire 2019 season. While that means ILB Bryce Hager will be the first man up to replace him, it doesn’t necessarily mean Hager will be a like-for-like match in terms of snaps.
The Rams have two inside linebacker roles: the Mo and the Mike positions. The Mo is plays the weakside while the Mike is the strongside. The Mike was previously filled by Alec Ogletree, but after he was traded to the New York Giants, Cory Littleton jumped into the role. Mark Barronhad been the Mo, but he’s now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His spot was the one Kiser was expected to fill. In terms of the technicalities, there’s not a ton separating the two positions though Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips has historically preferred to pair an athletic, rangier linebacker (Ogletree/Littleton) which more direct, physical linebackers (Barron/Kiser).
So while Hager is the immediate fill-in, I’ll be watching to see who could fit the mold of the more physical, run-stopping linebackers to maybe step in if Hager either gets injured or just doesn’t play well.

4.) John Kelly v. Justin Davis
Todd Gurley, Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown are on the 53-man at running back. Will the Rams carry four? Or maybe even five? Either scenario likely requires special teams proficiency over running outputs, but it’s an interesting pair to watch.

5.) The edge
While I’m concerned at the potential lack of pressure from the edge from the starting group, things looked very good from the depth going against the Cowboys last week.
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick and Landis Durham have all flashed. And there’s a chance the depth gets involved on defense this year.
Last year, the Rams started with Samson Ebukam and Dominique Easley on the edge. Easleyinjured his knee and was replaced by Matt Longacre. By midseason, Longacre’s play motivated the Rams to go out and trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Dante Fowler, Jr. In free agency this year, the Rams signed Clay Matthews. With Fowler and Matthews likely starting on the edge, the only 2018 edge rusher of the first three left is Ebukam.
So given the rotation on the edge, we could see one or two of the depth make the roster and contend for occasional playing time. While practice might outweight game performance for the coaching staff’s evaluation, their performance in these next two games won’t be without merit.

6.) QB3
Are Brandon Allen or John Wolford worth stashing? Backup QB Blake Bortles is only around for 2019. A long-term backup for Jared Goff is a key addition moving forward if it’s not Allen or Wolford.
Wolford certainly looked brighter in the preseason opener, but much of that was the unreliability of the offensive line.
Let’s see if either firmly establishes themselves as the brighter option and whether that might motivate the Rams to keep them around.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Denver Broncos: What to watch for

Six things to look for in Week 3.

www.turfshowtimes.com

 

[FaulkSF]

Actually a legit post from TST. Good for them.

 

[oldnotdead]

If you watch the game closely when the Rams are on defense you will see that Wade changes the alignment with each snap. The offense can only assume one thing...that the front 7 will not look the same each snap. That said it means that the traditional MIKE and MO ILB's go out the window. Wade does something different than most DC's. His ILB's and his safeties are interchangeable.

In most defenses, the MO ILB is usually the coverage LB which is why they used Barron who is a tweener SS/ILB. But also Wade will often pull the NT to bring in his nickel package. To bring in the dime package he will pull the NT and one of the ILBs. This is why after watching Wade and his defenses since 2004 it's become very obvious to me he's thrown convention out the window. His defenses are LB and DB heavy. He covets big fast LB's who can be strong at the POA on run plays and fast enough to cover on passing downs. More than once I've seen him bring in a third safety rather than a conventional slot CB.

His defensive philosophy is to play press-man on the boundaries with a cover 1 safety and aggressive zone short and middle range with his remaining safety, or safeties (if he uses 3) and his LB's. This way the short to mid-range defenders are facing the LOS to defend runs, screens and scrambling QB's. He wants to take away the quick throw and buy precious seconds for his d-line to get penetration and pressure.

Weddle's forte is to play that in the box safety ready to jump that slant, dig or out route. His ability to read plays quickly is uncanny. What is really exciting is that I clearly see a young developing Rapp showing that same kind of playing style. Which is why I think the nickel might more often be Rapp instead of Roby. With the play of the guys behind Nickell, it's made him expendable. I think he's gone next year.

 

[FarNorth]

If you watch the game closely when the Rams are on defense you will see that Wade changes the alignment with each snap. The offense can only assume one thing...that the front 7 will not look the same each snap. That said it means that the traditional MIKE and MO ILB's go out the window. Wade does something different than most DC's. His ILB's and his safeties are interchangeable.

In most defenses, the MO ILB is usually the coverage LB which is why they used Barron who is a tweener SS/ILB. But also Wade will often pull the NT to bring in his nickel package. To bring in the dime package he will pull the NT and one of the ILBs. This is why after watching Wade and his defenses since 2004 it's become very obvious to me he's thrown convention out the window. His defenses are LB and DB heavy. He covets big fast LB's who can be strong at the POA on run plays and fast enough to cover on passing downs. More than once I've seen him bring in a third safety rather than a conventional slot CB.

His defensive philosophy is to play press-man on the boundaries with a cover 1 safety and aggressive zone short and middle range with his remaining safety, or safeties (if he uses 3) and his LB's. This way the short to mid-range defenders are facing the LOS to defend runs, screens and scrambling QB's. He wants to take away the quick throw and buy precious seconds for his d-line to get penetration and pressure.

Weddle's forte is to play that in the box safety ready to jump that slant, dig or out route. His ability to read plays quickly is uncanny. What is really exciting is that I clearly see a young developing Rapp showing that same kind of playing style. Which is why I think the nickel might more often be Rapp instead of Roby. With the play of the guys behind Nickell, it's made him expendable. I think he's gone next year.

Excellent post!! Interesting discussion of Wade’s overall approach. I have also wondered about Rapp taking plays in nickel packages away from NRC. That would be fine with me. Wasn’t thrilled with him in the playoffs.

 

[BonifayRam]

32 stats to know after Week 2 of the 2019 NFL preseason | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

PFF gives you 32 stats to know in the NFL after Week 2 of the 2019 preseason.

www.pff.com

32 stats to know after Week 2 of the 2019 NFL preseason

Los Angeles Rams:

Rookie edge defender Natrez Patrick has played only 58 defensive snaps this preseason, but he’s still managed to tally six pressures and five defensive stops. His impact-play percentage (pressures+stops+batted passes/defensive snaps) of 19.0% ranks third among all edge defenders so far this preseason, behind only Chase Winovich (21.6%) and Damontre Moore (20.3%).

 

[Riverumbbq]

Rams position battles to watch Saturday vs. Broncos

By: Cameron DaSilva | August 23, 2019 9:44 am ET

Final roster cuts are just over a week away, which means the Los Angeles Rams don’t have a lot of time to determine who will and won’t make the final roster. Looking at position battles will help decide which players should stick and which ones might be candidates for the practice squad, which is why we’re analyzing those competitions today.
Inside linebacker has been all but settled due to Micah Kiser’s unfortunate injury, thrusting Bryce Hager into the starting lineup for Week 1. There are still several spots yet to be determined, though.

Here are five position battles to watch on Saturday night against the Broncos.
Nose tackle
It’s the most important position battle that has yet to be settled. That could change Saturday night, though. Sebastian Joseph-Day hasn’t done much this preseason but he still seems to be the front-runner to be the starter in Week 1. He’s the one starting the preseason games with Greg Gaines backing him up, which is likely indicative of how the coaching staff views the competition right now.

No. 4 outside linebacker
This may not seem like anything crucial, but there’s a fierce competition going on for the fourth edge rusher spot. Natrez Patrick, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Josh Carraway and Landis Durham are all competing for reps at outside linebacker behind the three starters (Dante Fowler, Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam). The Rams can’t keep all four of those backups on the 53-man roster, so these two weeks will be critical for them.

Okoronkwo is the top choice right now after he stood out against the Cowboys last week, but Patrick, Carraway and Durham have all played extremely well in the first two games.

Punt returner
JoJo Natson held this role last season but the Rams are clearly not settled on him handling it again – especially after he muffed a punt in the preseason opener. Nsimba Webster is the closest player to Natson in this competition, while both players are also battling at wide receiver.

This could come down to the coaching staff’s comfort. Natson has more experience and despite fumbling away a punt in the preseason opener, the coaching staff likely has more trust in him.

Backup guard
Jamil Demby has been a weak link in the first two preseason games. No matter where he’s played, he’s had his struggles. Chandler Brewer and Jeremiah Kolone have outplayed him up to this point, while both David Edwards and Bobby Evans are safe from being cut no matter what because of where they were drafted.

Demby could find himself on the outside looking in with another poor performance on Saturday night, potentially being cut by the Rams for the second time in the last two years.

No. 3 quarterback
Let’s preface this by saying the Rams probably aren’t going to keep three quarterbacks this season, but stranger things have happened. Regardless of how many they decide to roster, the competition for the third quarterback spot is an interesting one. John Wolford has shown flashes of being an intriguing quarterback with great mobility and a strong enough arm.
He has a compact delivery and while he’s not exactly similar to Jared Goff, he does give the Rams a different type of quarterback. Brandon Allen has done almost nothing to develop since joining the Rams in 2017 so his time could be running out. Wolford is the guy to watch on Saturday night.

Rams position battles to watch Saturday vs. Broncos

Final roster cuts are just over a week away, which means the Los Angeles Rams don't have a lot of time to determine who will and won't make the final roster. Looking at position battles will help decide which players should stick and which ones might be candidates for…

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Tailback]

Good article. I'm thinking Webster, Patrick, Allen stay. Deayon I have now clue. The CB's as a whole seem loaded. That's going to be a coaching staff decision whether they trade Hill or someone else to keep some of these new guys. Peterson has looked dang good here also.

 

[Merlin]

5.) The edge
While I’m concerned at the potential lack of pressure from the edge from the starting group, things looked very good from the depth going against the Cowboys last week.
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Natrez Patrick and Landis Durham have all flashed. And there’s a chance the depth gets involved on defense this year.
Last year, the Rams started with Samson Ebukam and Dominique Easley on the edge. Easleyinjured his knee and was replaced by Matt Longacre. By midseason, Longacre’s play motivated the Rams to go out and trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Dante Fowler, Jr. In free agency this year, the Rams signed Clay Matthews. With Fowler and Matthews likely starting on the edge, the only 2018 edge rusher of the first three left is Ebukam.
So given the rotation on the edge, we could see one or two of the depth make the roster and contend for occasional playing time. While practice might outweight game performance for the coaching staff’s evaluation, their performance in these next two games won’t be without merit.

Patrick looks like a starter in his snaps, in that he's clearly standing out against 2s. I really like his instincts on the edge. This guy isn't just going to make the team, he's capable of pushing for playing time in what is suddenly a very crowded edge room.

Also, with the way these depth guys have looked I can't wait to see how Ebu has progressed this offseason. I have to think that Shula has improved him too. And if not, he's gonna be feeling the heat quickly IMO.

Lastly I think it's ridiculous to be concerned with our starting edge options. IMO Fowler & Matthews are going to be a hell of a tandem on the outside with AD crushing the interior. Rams defense will not only be top 5 in scoring allowed, but they will lead the NFL in sacks this season and terrify passing offenses. Bank it.