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Final installment of my Roster position battles series.
Full breakdown & Analysis of the QB-K/P & Special Teams position Battles for the 2016 Final 53 man roster.
(obviously subject to change on a weekly basis due to performance, injuries and player/upgrades: transactions)
'QUARTERBACKS' (the field generals)
#16 QB JARED GOFF 6'4 220 lbs (Turns 22 on 10/14/2016)
CAL 2015.. Att.. 529.. Comp.. 341.. %.. 64.5.. Yds.. 4,714.. YPC.. 9.4.. Rating.. 161.2.. TD 43.. INT.. 13
CAL 2014.. Att.. 509.. Comp.. 316.. %.. 62.1.. Yds.. 3,973.. YPC.. 8.6.. Rating.. 147.6.. TD 35.. INT.... 7
CAL 2013.. Att.. 530.. Comp.. 320.. %.. 60.4.. Yds.. 3,508.. YPC.. 6.6.. Rating.. 123.4.. TD 18.. INT.. 10
http://www.therams.com
June 16, 2016: While there are obvious expectations that come with being the No. 1 overall pick, Fisher maintained Thursday his usual stance with highly drafted players: Goff will play when he’s ready. He may start Week 1 or he may not. “He can start anywhere from the opener to whenever,” Fisher said.
“And we haven’t changed our philosophy on that. We’re going to coach him to be successful. We’re not going to put him in with a chance to fail. That’s the most important thing in developing a young quarterback.”
And the QB reps will continue to vary as the Rams begin training camp after summer break. “Case is our starter right now, so Case needs first-team reps,” Fisher said. “And to give Jared an opportunity — and Sean for that matter — to run with the first team, it’s easier to evaluate them. So we’ll change things up. And once we get in there, we’ll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason.”
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11205/jared-goff
June 9, 2016: Rams signed No. 1 overall pick QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $27.9 million contract. The deal includes an $18.6 million signing bonus and, as with all first-round picks, a fifth-year team option. The most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft, Goff is the heavy favorite to start Week 1, but his opportunities will likely be limited in the Rams' run-heavy attack.
"We've given him a lot more information than we did at the private workout and then that we did here at our meeting, and he's handled it without any problem." He'll miss the next portion of OTAs to take his final exams at Cal-Berkeley, but Fisher will keep Goff in the loop so he's up to speed when he returns.
Goff is the overwhelming favorite to start Week 1 against the 49ers. It appears there won't be any artificial hoops for Goff to jump through on his way to starting status. It would be a major surprise were Goff not under center in Week 1. "He's doing a great job picking up our offense," said Fisher.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said upgrading the weapons around No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff was their priority in the draft. Upgrading one of the worst offenses in the league would have been a priority either way, but Goff's development depends partly on the weapons around him.
The Rams tried to bolster those weapons by adding two tight ends and two receivers with four of their five non-Goff picks. All four players have serious question marks, but at least Los Angeles is attempting to address the lousy state of their skill positions outside of Todd Gurley.
Rams selected Cal QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft. Goff (6'4/215) made 37 starts in three seasons at Cal, completing 62.3% of his passes with a 7.78 YPA and 96--30 TD-to-INT ratio. His career record was 14-23, although Goff had very little around him.
Goff's weaknesses are smallish hands 9" -- leading to 24 career fumbles -- a simplistic, shotgun-based college offense that could hinder Goff's NFL transition, and a tendency to play too fast with bodies around him... (Goff fumbled the football only 4 times in 2015.)
NFL Films' Greg Cosell has compared Goff's skill set to Matt Ryan's. Although Ryan is not an elite NFL passer, he is a franchise quarterback. Goff will be a success if he reaches those heights. He's the Rams' likely early-season starter, and could quite possibly beat out Case Keenum to start Week 1.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/jared-goff?id=2555334
OVERVIEW: Instead of following the path of his father, Jerry, to major league baseball (played catcher for three teams over six seasons), Goff starred as a high school quarterback in the Bay Area. Cal coaches put him right into the fire in 2013, and he answered the challenge as the school's first-ever freshman opening weekend starting quarterback.
The honorable mention All-Pac-12 pick (18 TD, 10 INT) set school records for passing yards (3,508), passes completed (320), and passes attempted (531) on a 1-11 team lacking great talent. He suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the "Big Game" against Stanford that year, but managed to return for the 2014 spring game.
In fact, he started all 12 games as a sophomore, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 3,973 yards and 35 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Goff capped his career at Cal with a first team All-Pac-12 season, starting every game and setting conference records with 4,719 passing yards and 43 touchdowns on the year.
The Bears also won their first bowl game since 2008 when Goff threw for 467 yards and six touchdowns when they took out Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl. Even before that victory, however, Goff decided to move on to the professional ranks after the season as one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft.
STRENGTHS: Quality arm. Makes all the throws and can sling the deep out with velocity and accuracy. Clean release and snaps throws off with flick of the wrist. Drives hips through his release for extra heat. Pocket mobility and poise showed improvement from 2014 to 2015. Maintains proper footwork and readiness to throw as he slides inside the pocket. Speeds up internal clock when he feels pressure or recognizes blitz.
Pocket climber. Able to run out of trouble rather than into it. Looks the part of a confident, first round quarterback when working from a clean pocket. Sells his play fakes with purpose and draws linebackers forward. Has learned to expedite his throws from off-balance angles due to pocket pressure. Will throw receivers open in tight quarters.
Has excellent trajectory and pillowy soft touch on touch throws down the field that give receivers a chance to make plays. Showed substantial growth with his willingness to attack intermediate areas of the field and did so with accuracy and relative success. Completed an impressive 43.8 percent of his deep throws. Competes on third and long seeking out first downs over check downs.
WEAKNESSES: Hits a rough patch with accuracy from time to time. Sails throws over intended targets especially early in games. Has spots where he makes receivers work too hard on easy throws. Spent 99.8 percent of his pass snaps from pistol or shotgun this season.
Will likely need to orient himself with NFL footwork from under center. Rhythm passer who benefited from the uptempo and "quick game" of Cal's Bear Raid offense.
Has to learn fine line between getting ball out and rushing throws. Able to escape pocket, but isn't a proven finisher when on the move. Fumbled the ball 24 times over the last three years losing 11. Sacked 81 times over three years.
Internal clock and poise will need to be monitored closely. Several of his interceptions came when he failed to read zone defenders underneath drifting up to challenge the throw. DRAFT PROJECTION: Round 1
SOURCES TELL US: "I wish somebody would start some rumor to get (Jared) Goff to fall in the draft. Let's get that small-hand talk going! We would take him tomorrow. He's the best quarterback in this draft and it's not as close as the media is making it sound." -- NFC executive
https://www.profootballfocus.com/pff-scouting-report-jared-goff-qb-cal/
GOFF: What he does best:
• Makes incredible throws with defenders bearing down on him. Fearless in the pocket
• Pocket presence. Moves in the pocket to find passing lanes, keeps his eyes up while maneuvering the pocket
• Processes information quickly, zips through progressions, always keeping body in position to throw
• Will get to second and third reads on backside of field and can make accurate throws late in progression
• Shows outstanding accuracy on “bucket” throws down the field. Can drop it in with touch
• Quick release
• Shows creativity when throwing receivers open. Will lead receivers to space or throw them open with anticipation
• Led an overmatched Cal team and made them competitive in difficult Pac-12
• Showed well both under pressure and against the blitz
• Throws the anticipation post route on time and accurately
GOFF: Biggest concern:
• Short area ball location is not ideal, even on completions
• May move around the pocket too much, sometimes compromising the leverage of the offensive line
• Misdiagnosed cover-2 on multiple occasions. Is either fooled pre-snap or predetermining his read without adjustment
• Was more careless with the ball in his final season, had too many turnover-worthy plays
• Has enough arm, but not a cannon. May leave a few plays on the table that can’t be zipped in there.
• Arm strength wanes when forced to reset his feet in the pocket. Will make some throws that lack velocity and float after a quick reset
Bottom line: Goff has gotten better every year at Cal and his strengths should translate into NFL success. He manages the pocket, fires through progressions, and makes big plays under duress. He helped to turn around a subpar program while dealing with poor offensive line play, elevating the level of his teammates in one of the most difficult conferences in the nation. While he has his limitations, Goff has the tools to succeed as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/why-jared-goff-is-the-best-qb-prospect-in-the-country/
Jared Goff is PFF’s top-graded college quarterback, a Heisman candidate and the leader of an undefeated Cal team — but perhaps most importantly, he’s arguably the best available quarterback prospect for the 2016 NFL draft. Can he legitimately become the face of an NFL franchise, or is he emblematic of the relative lack of NFL-ready quarterbacks that are coming out of college at the moment?
We’re going to take a look at the tape to pinpoint exactly where he excels — and where he falls short. The first point to note is that Goff does run a dreaded spread offense at Cal. He won’t get any automatic “pro-style” bonus points the way Jameis Winston did or Christian Hackenberg seems to at the moment when it comes to evaluators.
The system Goff plays in will be used by some as a knock against him, because how well he’ll play if plugged into a “vanilla” pro-style offense will remain a question mark until the time comes. That’s the same issue people had with Marcus Mariota.
When I dug into Josh Rosen’s incompletions last week, the single biggest reason for incomplete passes was him throwing high and missing his receivers on the play. Obviously Rosen is a freshman, so he isn’t going to be as polished, but the top reason for Goff’s incomplete passes are drops (10) and passes defensed (10).
Though there will be some questionable decisions in that latter group, generally those plays are more about coverage defenders making a play on the ball than quarterbacks missing their targets. Passes thrown away is next (6), tied with the first real “QB-negative” incompletion type: overthrows (6).
Rosen had 15 overthrown passes alone. Of Goff’s incompletions this season only 30.2 percent have been poor quarterback accuracy or plays. If you adjust only for dropped passes, Goff has been accurate on 79.9 percent of his attempts, good for sixth in the nation. When you factor in the kind of pass-protection Goff is dealing with, that becomes even more impressive.
Despite getting rid of the ball on average in 2.28 seconds (33rd of 130 qualifying QBs in FBS), Goff’s offensive line has surrendered 52 total pressures in five games. He’s been sacked 12 times. He is under duress more than most quarterbacks but is as accurate as almost any of them.
This is the key to both Goff’s grade and the Cal offense. They rely on him being able to reliably hit his targets and move the chains, and then strike over the top to keep teams honest.
Goff’s deep ball is among the best in football. If we look at just passes that travel 20+ yards in the air, Goff has completed 19 of 26 passes this season, and two of the incompletions were dropped.
That’s an accuracy percentage of 80.8 on some of the most difficult passes in the game. That isn’t just the best mark in the nation — only eight other quarterbacks in the FBS can come within 20 percent of that figure.
http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-b...l-outsiders-calls-jared-goff-best-qb-prospect
Apr 4, 2016: Football Outsiders detailed an analytics study on Sunday that broke down 50,000 simulations for each quarterback prospect in this draft. It came up with a clear conclusion: Jared Goff of Cal is far and away the prospect who projects best into the NFL.
This study shows how numbers can be used in the NFL, and how they can help. It may not be definitive or a final answer, but it is, as the Browns say, a legitimate tool to use to peek inside the numbers at the quarterbacks in this draft. It is based on metrics like Quarterback-Adjusted-Stats-and-Experience (QBASE) and Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR).
Yes, it's above most of the mortal world. It then tries to project three to five years forward based on the simulations, and on the player's past performance. The longer a player played, the better the projection.
According to the study, Goff is the ninth-best quarterback prospect since 1999, based on QBASE. He ranks right behind Ben Roethlisberger, and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers. Marcus Mariota, now with Tennessee, ranked ninth last year; he now ranks sixth based on his rookie season.
This doesn't mean Goff will be Rodgers, just that his resume most closely matches those of other prospects who succeeded. In all, Goff has a 37.8-percent chance of being an upper-tier or elite quarterback and a 28-percent chance of being a bust.
As for the other quarterback being discussed as second-pick worthy, the study shows Carson Wentz has a 61.9-percent chance of being a bust, and a 13.8-percent chance of being upper tier or elite. Wentz's numbers place him with guys such as EJ Manuel, Akili Smith, Chad Henne and Joe Flacco when it comes to projecting his college play to the NFL. The numbers say the best scenario puts Wentz as another Flacco, but the more likely scenario is an average player.
"While Wentz may overcome the odds and be another Flacco, the Browns don't need to take that chance at No. 2. A much better opportunity will be available to them," the study states. The best of the rest: Dak Prescott of Mississippi State. He rates ahead of Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg. The study did not look at Cardale Jones of Ohio State, probably because he did not play enough.
There are many other numbers and insights in the study, which resembles a Bill James look at college quarterbacks.The bottom line from Football Outsiders' analytics study: "Our projection gives Goff the best shot this year, almost 40 percent, of being the kind of upper-tier player who solves a team's long-term QB dilemma."
(LINK to Football Outsiders Detailed charts/graphs from their original QBASE breakdown article)
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016
#17 QB Case Keenum 6'1 210 lbs (Turns 29 on 02/17/2017)
Career: Texans/Rams
Att.. 455.. Comp.. 258.. %.. 56.7.. Yds.. 3,023.. YPC.. 6.6.. TD 15.. INT.. 9
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7696/case-keenum
Rams re-signed QB Case Keenum to a one-year, $3.635 million contract. Keenum was laughably tendered at the first-round level as the Rams pretended he would be their 2016 starter, but that's out the window now after their daring trade up to No. 1 overall.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport has speculated Keenum could be a trade candidate, but it's unlikely at that salary. Keenum will caddie for whichever signal caller the Rams make the first pick of the draft, perhaps starting the first few games of the season.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher is "confident" the team can win with Case Keenum at quarterback "I feel good with Case," Fisher said. Fisher pointed to the fact that Keenum was a "field goal away" from a four-game winning streak at the end of last season, which, of course, presupposes that Keenum was a major factor in those wins.
Although he was not an outright liability, Keenum was hardly an asset. Despite his claims of faith in Keenum, Fisher also said "we're going to give Nick (Foles) a chance to compete as well," and admitted "it's a position we need to upgrade." Quarterback is a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 15 in the draft.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/j...pick-jared-goff-is-not-our-no-1-qb-right-now/
Jared Goff will almost certainly be the Rams starting quarterback at some point in 2016, but his first start might not come in the regular season opener, because as of right now, he's not the top guy on the depth chart. Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it clear on Thursday that Goff's going to have to win the starting job, which currently belongs to Case Keenum.
"Case is our starter right now," Fisher said, when asked if Goff would be getting all the first-team reps when the Rams open training camp next month. "Case needs the first-team reps," Fisher said. "To give Jared the opportunity -- and QB Sean (Mannion) for that matter - to run with the first-team, it's easier to evaluate them. We'll change things up. Once we get in there and we'll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-case-keenum-20160526-snap-story.html
After the Rams traded up from No. 15 for the top pick in the draft, the team selected Jared Goff. The next day, Coach Jeff Fisher called the former California standout the Rams' “franchise quarterback.” Keenum, relaxing on a bench at the team’s temporary Oxnard training base last week, recognizes the situation but sounds unfazed.
“I know nothing’s going to be handed to me,” he said. “Ever.” Keenum was an undrafted free agent when he began his pro career with the Houston Texans in 2012. Nick Foles, acquired in a trade for Sam Bradford, was the Rams’ starter last season until Fisher benched him in favor of Keenum. Keenum completed 61% of his passes in six games, with four touchdowns and one interception in six games. The Rams were 3-2 in his starts.
Fisher and General Manager Les Snead publicly expressed confidence in Keenum after the NFL approved the Rams’ move from St. Louis in January but said they would seek to upgrade the position.
In March, after the Rams’ first team meeting in Southern California, the 28-year-old Keenum told reporters that he was encouraged by the coaching staff’s confidence in him. “I'm looking forward to moving to L.A.,” he said, adding, “I'm ready for the city and just for the experience to blow me away.” Weeks later, the Rams and the Tennessee Titans completed the trade that had been in the works since the NFL scouting combine in February.
The deal stunned many, but not Keenum. Not after the Rams ranked last in the NFL in passing offense last season. “I knew they were going to draft somebody,” he said, adding, “You have to produce to keep your job in this business.” For two weeks, the Rams kept NFL observers speculating.
Would they draft Goff or North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz? The day after the draft, Fisher said that he would not rule out the possibility of Goff starting the Sept. 12 opener against the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”
“There’s so much that can happen -- you can’t look too far into too many of those little details,” he said. “If you start going down those rabbit holes and start thinking [and listening to] speculation, that’s when you stop playing like you can play. “That’s when you stop doing your job.” Under Fisher, rookies go through an orientation and are mostly kept separate from the veterans during the majority of off-season workouts.
Goff attended the Rams’ rookie camp in early May but was required to return to Cal until final exams were complete. He returned last week. “He’s been out there a little bit and jumped right in,” Keenum said. “He’s a smart kid, fast learner and he can throw the football.”
Goff played in a no-huddle, spread offense at Cal, so he must transition from taking snaps exclusively from the shotgun formation to taking them under center and then dropping back for passes.
Keenum played in a no-huddle, spread offense in college at Houston before signing with the Texans in 2012. “It’s a tough adjustment, getting to that pro-style, huddle-up, under-center stuff,” Keenum said. “Jared’s done a great job already. It’s not an easy thing.”
Offensive coordinator Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke are Goff’s primary conduits for learning the Rams’ offense. Keenum said he benefited early in his career from veterans who shared tips and experiences, so he will be available to Goff. “My first job is to try to be the best quarterback I can be -- and that’s hard enough in this league,” he said. “But I want to help in whatever way I can.
I definitely want to pass on any knowledge that I have. That’s an important part of the position. “He’s being a sponge right now. He’s listening to everything in the meeting room. Sometimes there’s a lot of voices coming at him so I don’t want to try to add to it because coach Weinke and coach Boras do a great job.”
#14 QB SEAN MANNION 6'6 229 lbs (Turns 25 on 04/25/2017)
OreST Career:
Att. 1,838.. Comp. 1,187.. %.. 64.6.. Yds.. 13,600.. YPC.. 7.4.. Rating.. 135.8.. TD 83.. INT.. 54
Apr 7, 2016: http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...s-still-excited-to-watch-sean-mannion-develop
Much has been made of the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback situation this offseason. After a season in which the Rams finished at the bottom of the league in almost every major passing category, the questions about the position are certainly understandable.
That conversation has largely centered on the Rams' consistent votes of confidence for Case Keenum or constant speculation on potential additions from the outside. Every once in a while, Nick Foles' name is brought up, but that's usually more a discussion of his potential departure than his role in 2016.
However, there's still another quarterback on the roster who has been mostly ignored when talking about the future of the position. That's second-year signal-caller Sean Mannion, who was a third-round pick in 2015. Despite playing in just one game and attempting only seven passes, Mannion still figures in the Rams' plans moving forward. At least, that seems to be the company line.
"I'm excited to watch him develop and move through that second year," coach Jeff Fisher said, "especially with some familiarity with the system. There were some minor system changes, but he's got a football brain, and processes it. Gets the ball out. He's changed his body a little bit."
The question with Mannion isn't whether the Rams see a future for him in the league so much as what that future is. Could he eventually earn the starting job? Do they see him as more of a long-term backup? Could he potentially be pushed out by a newcomer?
With such a small sample size to evaluate, there's really not an answer to any of those questions at this point. Relegated to the third quarterback spot most of the season, Mannion rarely got reps in practice. Even when Keenum was bouncing back from a concussion and the Rams found themselves in some meaningless late-season games, Mannion didn't get any opportunities save for the blowout loss to Cincinnati.
So most of what the Rams believe about Mannion's future is based on guesswork and projection. Still, they seem to like what they've seen when it comes to intangibles.
"I usually call rookies freshman, so if you're a sophomore, last year was your rookie year. Now you're a sophomore and you didn't play as much in your freshman year, especially with QB's, you're kind of a forgotten entity," general manager Les Snead said.
"All the new guys that we're covering at the combine are the sexy new objects and they get talked about, but a guy like Sean Mannion is right now somewhere on this planet trying to get better. And he’s got a goal in mind to start in this league, and that's what he's doing while these guys are just getting started.
"You go back to what New England did with Tom Brady. There was a guy they drafted in the sixth round, and that's an awesome pick obviously, but if you look at the history of what they did with him and the courage it took to play him when they played him, especially in the first Super Bowl they won. I think the No. 1 thing is you kind of have to look and say 'We like this human being and we're going to have the courage to stick him in there and see what occurs after that.'"
The Rams didn't have that courage in Mannion's rookie season, which brings up a fair question about what they'll feel comfortable doing with him in season two. They haven't added any quarterbacks via free agency and the only look they'll have at Mannion before this month's NFL draft is strength and conditioning work he can do after the offseason program kicks off on April 18.
Mannion's understanding of a pro-style offense, combined with a strong arm, make him intriguing in the eyes of Fisher and Snead. But he has yet to have the chance to show it in a full game with something on the line. Armed with three picks in the top 45, many believe the Rams will take a quarterback early in this year's draft -- perhaps as soon as their first pick at No. 15 overall. How they approach the draft should offer a better answer on just how bright they believe Mannion's future with the club is.
"He’s got a nice skill-set, came from a pro-style offense," Snead said. "So doing what we do in the NFL doesn’t overwhelm him. He can read things pre-snap, he can get the ball out quickly, he’s less mobile than most but I think he was probably that way in high school, so he’s learned to get the ball out quick. The answer is, from freshman to sophomore year there’s a big jump in a lot of different things like experience, confidence; you’re not the new kid."
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-give-sean-mannion-opportunity-at-quarterback
Dec 4, 2015: EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In the eyes of many St. Louis Rams fans, rookie quarterback Sean Mannion is the most popular player on the roster. That popularity is the product of an interesting conundrum: Mannion is the only one of the three quarterbacks not to start a game, which means the fact he's an unknown gives hope that he can offer hope to the team's quarterback woes.
At the same time, that inexperience also makes him mostly unqualified to come in and play well right away in his rookie season. After weeks of watching Nick Foles struggles and with Case Keenum coming off a concussion and struggling in his lone start, the demands to give Mannion an opportunity have grown louder. Mannion got his first taste of NFL action in mop up duty last week against Cincinnati, completing 6 of 7 for 31 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
By that time, the Bengals had made it clear they were willing to give up short completions and keep the clock running though Rams coach Jeff Fisher used his three timeouts despite being down 24 in an effort to get Mannion more reps. So while Mannion did OK in his small sample size, there wasn't much to take from it other than him getting a chance to get some NFL snaps under his belt.
“Well, he’s doing everything he can," Fisher said. "He’s been in the meetings with the quarterbacks every day since the draft. He got reps during camp. He got to play in preseason games. Once you get in the regular season, your ones and twos are getting the reps. It’s hard to get your three reps. Number one gets probably 95 percent of the reps.
Your No. 2 gets to work against the defense. Last week because of the circumstances, Sean got a little bit more work against the defense. But, I think when he comes in the game in mop up situations like that where the defense declared itself and still 6 of 7 and making good decisions and putting the ball where he’s supposed to, there’s light there and there’s hope there.”
The Rams used the second of their third-round picks in this year's draft on Mannion, who, if nothing else, at least looks the part of a prototypical NFL quarterback at 6-foot-6, 233 pounds. Mannion appears to have the strongest arm of the team's three signal-callers (which admittedly isn't saying a whole lot), and he comes from a pro-style offense at Oregon State that has made his transition to an NFL scheme a bit easier.
But there are plenty of reasons not to just throw Mannion to the wolves right now. First and foremost, the Rams have been working to get Mannion to clean up his fundamentals and speed up his delivery. While that process has been underway, it's important to remember that Mannion doesn't get a lot of reps in practice to work on such things.
Mannion did get a small taste of the speed at which things have to be done in last week's game. “You get a taste of it in the preseason," Mannion said. "Everybody tells you, and I think it’s true, preseason is a whole different animal compared to the regular season. It was great to get in there.
I tried to play a simple game. I focused on getting the ball out of my hand fast, being accurate, completing some passes. I think the other thing is trying to stay engaged all game long on the sideline — helping the defense, doing whatever I can to help Nick [Foles] — tell him if I see anything, or ask if he wants me to look at anything in particular. I think staying engaged all game long really helped me to be prepared for the looks. I just tried to complete some passes and operate the offense.”
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10409/sean-mannion
May 1, 2015: Rams selected Oregon State QB Sean Mannion with the No. 89 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Mannion (6'6/229) was a 43-game starter for Mike Riley's Beavers, wrapping his career with an 83-54 TD-to-INT ratio and 64.6 completion rate. He set 18 school passing records. A turnover machine in college, Mannion's high interception totals are an obvious concern, and he fumbled 30 times in four seasons.
Mannion has experience making full-field reads in Riley's pro-style-ish offense, but his arm talent is below starter quality and his performance dipped sharply under pressure. Bright (40 Wonderlic) and the son of a coach, Mannion best projects as a long-term clipboard holder who would likely struggle in extended playing time.
April 24, 2015: TFY Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports "more than a dozen teams" rank Oregon State's Sean Mannion the No. 3 quarterback in this year's draft class. Opinions vary widely on Mannion, as many believe he's the next best thing after Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, while others, including Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris, don't even think Mannion is worth a late-rounder.
Mannion (6-foot-5, 227) has ideal size and played in a pro-style offense, but completely falls apart in the face of pressure, turning the ball over and taking sacks.
#2 QB DYLON THOMPSON 6'2 215 lbs (Turns 25 on 10/25/2016)
SCar Career:
Att.. 669.. Comp.. 390.. %.. 58.3.. Yds.. 5,391.. YPC.. 8.1.. Rating.. 140.9.. TD 40.. INT.. 16
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/06/rams-sign-qb-dylan-thompson/
June 6, 2016: Rams sign QB Dylan Thompson SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Dylan Thompson #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 22, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The Rams signed quarterback Dylan Thompson Monday, adding depth to their quarterback room with Nick Foles staying away from the team during organized team activity (OTA) practices.
Thompson broke into the league as an undrafted rookie last year with the 49ers and was promoted from the practice squad when Colin Kaepernick was injured last November. Thompson was cut by the 49ers last month after they added Thad Lewis in free agency and drafted Jeff Driskel. The Rams need a practice arm for now, and with Foles eventually leaving via release or trade seeming like a certainty, Thompson will have a chance to make an impression and earn a shot to stick around. Rams Quarterbacks Coach Chris Weinke trained Thompson during the 2015 pre-draft period.
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/130949/dylan-thompson
May 3, 2015: Thompson 49ers signed South Carolina QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson (6'2/217) succeeded Connor Shaw for the Gamecocks, starting for one season and completing 59.9 percent of his passes with a 26:11 TD-to-INT ratio. He showed good athleticism for a quarterback at the South Carolina Pro Day, running 4.74 with a 35-inch vertical. Thompson flashed the ability to drive throws in the SEC, but is viewed as a mess mechanically and his ball placement was scattershot.
He's not much of an NFL prospect. Thompson has plenty of starting experience, filling in for the likes of Connor Shaw and starting this season. His career TD to INT ratio is 38:16 with a career high completion percentage of 59.5 for this season. The Shrine now has all six of their quarterbacks: Duke's Anthony Boone, Nevada's Cody Fajardo, ODU's Taylor Heinicke, Georgia's Hutson Mason, Arizona State's Taylor Kelly and Thompson.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/dylan-thompson?id=2552571
STRENGTHS: Adequate height with good bulk on his frame. Recognizes when to take a deep shot and is decisive in doing so. Puts some pepper on his throws. Able to throw the deep out to the field side.
WEAKNESSES: Footwork is an absolute mess. Has issues getting feet set on many throws and compounds issue by short-arming throw. Inaccurate, with tendency to sail the ball or throw behind receiver. Below average leading receivers to give them a chance to pick up yards after catch. DRAFT PROJECTION Priority free agent
BOTTOM LINE: One-year starter in the SEC with adequate size. Poor footwork and substantial accuracy and ball placement issues have him tabbed as a draft reject on several draft boards, according to scouts.
http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/dylan_thompson_710276.html
2014: Team captain... named to the SEC Community Service team... was the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award winner and named a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy... named the quarterback on the academic all-district team... set a Carolina school record and led the SEC with 3,564 passing yards.
Led in the league in passing yards per game (274.2) and was third in total offense (268.6)... his 3,492 yards of total offense was a school record... ranked third in the SEC with 26 touchdown passes, the second-highest single-season mark in school history...
led the SEC and set the school records with 270 completions and 451 pass attempts in a season... tied Connor Shaw's record for touchdowns responsible for in a season with 31... threw for a career-high 366 yards and four scores in the season opener vs. Texas A&M... the 366 yards passing was the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.
Completed a 69- and a 40-yard touchdown pass, the first QB to throw a pair of 40-plus yard TD passes in a game for Carolina since Blake Mitchell in the 2006 Liberty Bowl... threw for a then-career-high 25 completions in 33-23 win over East Carolina...
completed 21-of-30 for 271 yards and three TDs in win over No. 6 Georgia... went 22-of-34 for 237 yards and three scores in win at Vanderbilt... completed 23-of-37 for 218 yards and one touchdown at Kentucky... threw a pair of touchdown passes while going 14-of-22 for 262 yards against Furman.
Tied a school record with five touchdown passes at No. 5 Auburn, while completing 29-of-50 for 402 yards, the fifth most passing yards in a single game in school history... completed 20-of-32 with two TDs, including one for 85 yards, versus Tennessee.
Ran for the game-winning touchdown in overtime at Florida, adding in 206 yards passing in the game... threw for 237 yards and a score against South Alabama, also adding his first career touchdown reception on a trick play... completed 22-of-34 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another TD in the bowl win over Miami... played in the East-West Shrine Bwol following the season... was 10-6 as a starter.
Finished his career ranked in the Gamecocks' all-time top-10 in passing yards (8th-5,391), passing attempts (9th-669), pass completions (8th-390), completion percentage (5th-.583), passing touchdowns (5th-40) and total offense (9th-5,385)...
#5 QB NICK FOLES 6'5 243 lbs (Turns 28 on 01/20/2017)
Career: Eagles/Rams
Att.. 1,230.. Comp.. 740.. %.. 60.2.. Yds.. 8,805.. YPC.. 7.2.. Yds per game.. 225.8.. TD 53.. INT.. 27
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6/1/11827700/los-angeles-rams-qb-nick-foles-absent-otas
June 1, 2016: SIX million dollars. That’s what the Los Angeles Rams paid quarterback Nick Foles (roster bonus) in March of this year. Sounds like the kind of check you’d cut for your starting QB. But that’s not the case for Foles. And it’s apparent he knows it.
The Rams kicked off the first wave of their organized team activities (OTA) program on Tuesday, and the fifth year pro was a no-show. His remaining $1.75 base salary is also fully guaranteed, and he cannot be fined for missing OTA’s, as they’re voluntary.
Foles was brought in last year, in a trade that sent Sam Bradford to the Eagles, in hopes that he could revert back to his 2013, Pro Bowl caliber, form. That didn’t come to fruition. Foles started in nine games - going 4-5 in the win/loss column - before being replaced by the team’s "current starter" Case Keenum.
Foles finished the season with 2,052 yards, seven touchdowns, ten interceptions, five fumbles, and a 69.0 QB rating. Prior to his brutal 2015 campaign, the Rams’ brass had enough confidence in him that they decided to lock him up for a few years -- giving him a two-year extension in August.
It was a curious decision, considering Les Snead wasn’t confident Foles would pan out. We also knew grabbing that extra second-round pick, whoever our quarterback was going to be last year might not work out, so it would be time to start looking again. Snead also points out how the Rams gained an additional 2nd-round pick in that trade.
And they didn’t hesitate to use it. Having drafted Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Foles knows his chances of being a starting quarterback for the Rams looks even more grim. I suppose he’s got 7.75 million reasons not to care.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-0602-rams-ota-foles-20160601-snap-story.html
June 1, 2016: And Rams Coach Jeff Fisher does not expect to see Foles on the field anytime soon. “We’re on the same page and we’re trying to work things out,” Fisher told reporters after a two-hour, non-contact practice. Foles was once considered the Rams’ quarterback of the future. They traded Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for him in March 2015 and then signed Foles to a $24.5-million extension. ($14 million guaranteed.)
But Fisher benched Foles in favor of Case Keenum, who started the final five games last season. Foles’ status had been tenuous since mid-April, when the Rams traded for the top pick in the NFL draft. Two weeks later, his fate appeared sealed when the Rams chose Goff. Foles has not practiced at the Rams’ training facility since, and he was absent Tuesday when the team began full-squad organized team activities, which are voluntary.
Fisher said Foles’ situation “has nothing to do with him not wanting to come in and compete” with Goff, Keenum and Sean Mannion. He praised Foles’ competitiveness and said he appreciated his leadership. “I think Nick has the feeling that if things stay the same, he’s probably not going to be on the roster,” Fisher said. “Beyond that, it was more of a mutual thing.
“Not that we said, ‘Don’t come.’ It was just he said, ‘Hey, coach, I’d rather just stay away until we get things worked out,’ and I said, ‘I’m fine with that.’” The Rams have seven remaining OTA workouts before breaking for summer. If Foles is not traded in the interim, he is expected to be in Irvine for the start of training camp in late July. The trade market for a veteran could improve then if other teams lose quarterbacks because of injuries or other situations.
'THE SPECIAL TEAMS UNITS' (game changers)
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-net-yards-per-successful-punt
NFL Team Opponent Net Punt Yards per Game.. Rams rank #23
NFL Team Opponent Net Yards per Punt Attempt.. Rams rank #7
NFL Team Opponent Net Yards per Successful Punt.. Rams rank #4
NFL Team Opponent Kickoffs per Game.. Rams rank #16
NFL Team Opponent Touchbacks per Game.. Rams rank #12
NFL Team Opponent Kickoff Touchback Percentage.. Rams rank #14
NFL Player Stats - Yards Per Punt Return.. 7.8.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #24
NFL Player Stats - Longest Punt Return.. 75 yds.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #7
NFL Player Stats - Punt Return Yards.. 264 yds.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #14.. TDs (1)
NFL Player Stats - Kickoff Return Yards.. 714 yds.. B.CUNNINGHAM rank #7
NFL Player Stats - Yards Per Kickoff Return.. 28.6.. B.CUNNINGHAM rank #4
Rams 2015 Top 3 Special Teams Tackle leaders
1) Bradley Marquez.. Tot.. 11
2) Cody Davis........... Tot.. 10
3) Daren Bates......... Tot.... 7
The Haters Are Losing The War On Kickers:
Over time, athletes get stronger and faster, come from a broader talent pool, are better trained, and benefit from ever-growing institutional knowledge of their chosen art. This is most readily apparent with such individual skills as swimming, running and jumping — or kicking a football.
One of the biggest stories of the 2016 NFL wild-card round is how the Minnesota Vikings almost toppled the two-time defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks, only to see their hopes dashed when kicker Blair Walsh shanked an easy 27-yard field-goal attempt that would have given the Vikings the lead with 22 seconds left in the game.
The aftermath was dramatic, and once again, the NFL kicking game was thrust into the spotlight for pretty much the only reason it ever is: A kicker screwed up. Perhaps lost in the hubbub is that this was the only field goal missed all weekend.
1 Such is the plight of the NFL kicker: They do their jobs remarkably well week in and week out, but get attention for it only when something goes horribly wrong. But not at FiveThirtyEight! We will acknowledge greatness in its many forms.
(Link to full Article with detailed charts/graphs)
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-haters-are-losing-the-war-on-nfl-kickers/
'The KICKERS' (often underappreciated)
#4 (K) GREG ZUERLEIN 6'0 187 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/27/2016)
2015 20/30.. 66.7%.. 20-29 yds.. 2/2.. 30-39 yds.... 9/10.. 40-49 yds.. 5/8.. 50 plus yds 3/9.. LONG 61
2014 24/30.. 80.0%.. 20-29 yds.. 6/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/12.. 40-49 yds.. 2/3.. 50 plus yds 5/7... LONG 56
2013 26/28.. 92.9%.. 20-29 yds.. 7/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/10.. 40-49 yds.. 8/9.. 50 plus yds 1/2... LONG 54
2012 23/31.. 74.2%.. 20-29 yds.. 4/4.. 30-39 yds.... 4/6.... 40-49 yds.. 7/7.. 50 plus yds 7/13.. LONG 60
(Career Extra Points made 120 of 123 total)
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7616/greg-zuerlein
April 15, 2016: Rams re-signed K Greg Zuerlein to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Zuerlein was one of the worst kickers in the league last year, converting 66.7% percent of his field goals. He has the range to hit 50-plus yarders, but struggles with accuracy. Zuerlein will need to hold off competition to keep his job.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher expects competition at kicker if free agent Greg Zuerlein is re-signed for 2016. Zuerlein was woeful in 2015, making just 20-of-30 field goals. For his career, he's now a 78.6 percent kicker, which is below the generally-accepted "acceptable" threshold of 80. Zuerlein has one of the league's biggest legs, but it's gotten progressively shakier throughout his four-year career.
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...to-have-competition-at-kicker-for-next-season
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Whether or not the St. Louis Rams re-sign kicker Greg Zuerlein this offseason, they're planning on keeping open the option for a change at the position. Rams coach Jeff Fisher volunteered that information earlier this week when speaking of where the Rams went wrong in their 7-9 campaign.
"Greg has been asked to do a lot of things, kick a lot of long field goals," Fisher said. "Obviously his numbers aren’t what we hoped they would be. We have confidence in him, but in all likelihood there will probably be some competition with him in camp next year, which will make him better." That declaration comes on the heels of Zuerlein's worst season in the NFL.
Among the 37 kickers who attempted a field goal in 2015, Zuerlein ranked 35th in the league in field goal percentage as he converted 20 of 30 for the season. Only former Steelers kicker Josh Scobee and former Tampa Bay kicker Kyle Brindza came in below Zuerlein's 66.7 percent conversion rate, and that duo attempted 10 and 12 field goals, respectively. Zuerlein was also 26-of-28 on extra points.
As Fisher pointed out, the Rams did ask a lot of the 28-year-old Zuerlein when it came to his field goal tries. He attempted nine field goals of 50-plus yards, making three. Those nine tries were the second-most among all kickers. Perhaps most frustrating was the timing of some of Zuerlein's misses.
He missed a field goal and an extra point in a three-point loss to Baltimore, missed a 48-yard field goal in an overtime loss to Minnesota and failed to convert two field goals in a three-point overtime loss to San Francisco. A make or two in there and the Rams' season might have been much different.
To be fair, Zuerlein also saw three kicks blocked and did set a franchise record in the Minnesota game by converting a 61-yarder. Nonetheless, the always-accountable fourth-year kicker was the first to admit that his 2015 season simply wasn't good enough.
"Obviously, the production hasn’t been where it needs to be," Zuerlein said. "So that’s something that I can’t control right now. I had my opportunities, I just didn’t do as good as I would have liked so now we’ll just see what happens.
"Any time you go out there and miss kicks, you are not going to be happy about it. I think I’ve got to get better and convert those kicks. Really, that’s all it comes down to is making kicks, and I didn’t make as many as I would have liked." Before this season, Zuerlein's tenure with the Rams had been up and down.
In 2013, he made 93 percent of his field goal tries; those numbers dipped to 80 percent in 2014 prior to this season's major drop-off. There's never been any denying Zuerlein's leg strength, but consistency has been an issue, especially the past two seasons.
This year, Zuerlein said he wasn't really able to pinpoint the cause of his struggles, though he did battle a leg injury that kept him out of a couple of games late in the season. He had to scale back his kicks to keep from overworking his kicking leg and says it's something he'll have to monitor in the future.
"I thought I was hitting the ball pretty well coming into the season, probably the best I ever have," Zuerlein said. "It’s one of those things, I can’t put my finger on it right now. For one reason or another, it just didn’t happen. But I’m still a good kicker, I still believe in myself. So whatever happens, I think I’ll be all right."
When Zuerlein says "whatever happens," he is referring to his pending free agency. For a player who early in his career seemed like a long-term answer at the position, that future with the Rams now seems far less certain. The shape of any potential market for Zuerlein won't be clear for another couple of months, and for his part, the kicker makes it clear he'd like to stay in St. Louis if given the opportunity.
In the meantime, he's going to do his best to focus on the things he can control. "You never know," Zuerlein said. "Everything is so up in the air you don’t know what’s going to happen so I really am trying to approach this offseason just like any other. Rest, get healthy is probably the biggest thing and then just try to get better. "I love it here. In a perfect world, that’s what would happen."
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Zuerlein’s 2015 struggles were often attributed to distance, and to some extent, this is a reasonable excuse. Only Blair Walsh and Justin Tucker have attempted more from 50-plus over the past two seasons than Zuerlein. Plus, the average successful kick for Tucker (36.7) and Walsh (37.2) last season covered less distance than Zuerlein, who averaged 38.75 yards per made field goal.
But as kickers steadily improve, excuses for poor performance – even from distance – have diminished. Last season, kickers made 65 percent of their attempts from 50-plus yards. Zuerlein barely surpassed that success rate overall.
“Greg has been asked to do a lot of things, kick a lot of long field goals,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “Obviously, his numbers aren’t what we’d hoped they would be. We have confidence in him. But in all likelihood, there will be some competition in camp next year.”
Zuerlein might not make it that far. Even as the majority of kickers have steadily improved, Zuerlein owns the worst career field goal percentage in the NFL among active kickers.
His 2015 season is the worst from a Rams kicker since the team’s debut season in St. Louis (1995). A new locale might well mean a new kicker in 2016. “We have really good special teams, typically,” Fisher said. “Greg just had a rough year.”
#1 (K) TAYLOR BERTOLET 5'8 188 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/24/2016)
TEX A&M Career.. 37 of 56.. Accuracy 66.1%.... Extra Points.. 128 of 138.. 92.8%.. Long 55 Yards
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11586/taylor-bertolet
April 30, 2015: Rams signed Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet. Bertolet (5'8/188) spent a little more than two seasons as the Aggies' placekicker, finishing his career 37-of-56 (66.1%) on field goals and 128-of-138 on extra points. Simply put, Bertolet isn't accurate enough to nail down a job in the NFL. Apr 30
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6...ms-roster-preview-depth-chart-taylor-bertolet
During a three-game stretch from Weeks 5-7, Greg Zuerlein made just three of nine field goal attempts. If this is your first time tuning in to the particulars of kicking as it pertains to American football, allow me to explain that that is bad. Very bad.
It was that kind of stretch that pushed Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher in January to call for competition at the kicker position in training camp this preseason even after signing GZ to a one-year deal out of free agency. Enter Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet to provide that competition.
Bertolet split time at the position at A&M with Josh Lambo who took over kicking duties with the Chargers as a 2015 UDFA. He's certainly hoping to join him as an NFL kicker, though the question is if Zuerlein will open a window to give him a shot.
I'd personally think Zuerlein's locked in from the outset, but the question for me is more mid-range. What would GZ have to do to entice the Rams to make a call-up mid-season for Bertolet? Put another way, I'd put Zuerlein's chances of being the starter for Week 1 at 100%. Week 10? Not 100%. That's the Bertolet window. Expectations: Well, I think we're going to get a decent sense of things as camp kicks up (pun intended).
Here's how I'd gauge it. What are GZ's chances of hitting a 60-yard kick? What are Bertolet's chances of hitting the same kick? Now line up their chances from 40.
There's likely a gap between GZ and Bertolet. We'll get a sense of it during camp. That gap, though, will grow increasingly smaller with each struggling performance from GZ. If he can get through October without any big minuses on the report card, that gap will likely remain in tact. A similar season to 2015? That gap may flip in Bertolet's favor...
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/nfl_draft_texas_am_kicker_tayl.html
One of the nation's top kicking recruits in high school, Bertolet played in 51 games for Texas A&M, starting as a redshirt freshman (2012) during the Aggies' 11-2 run behind Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Despite losing the job to Josh Lambo, now with the San Diego Chargers, during his sophomore season, Bertolet continued to handle kickoff duties and would finish with 185 career touchbacks.
Regaining the placekicking chores in 2015, the All-Southeastern Conference second-team pick converted 22 of 30 field goals with a career-long of 55 yards against Mississippi State. Bertolet earned all-state honors during his senior year at Exeter Twp. and was ranked the No. 1 overall kicker in the nation by Rivals.com.
#6 (P) JOHNNY HEKKER 6'5 227 lbs (Turns 27 on 02/08/2017)
Rams Career: Games 64.. Punts.. 336.. Yards.. 15,687.. Blocked.. 2.. Yds Per Punt.. 46.7.. Long.. 68 yds
[Passing: Att.. 10.. Comp.. 6.. Yds.. 99.. Yds per comp.. 9.9.. Rating.. 126.7.. TD.. 1.. INT.. 0..]
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8073/johnny-hekker
Dec 5, 2014: Rams signed P Johnny Hekker to a six-year, $18 million extension through 2020. There was really no reason for this high-dollar extension with Hekker slated for restricted free agency in 2015. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the $9 million guarantee is the most in league history for a punter or kicker. Hekker is an excellent punter, but this is a Raidersian move.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Feb 18, 2016: In fact, the other strong-legged specialist on the Rams’ roster wasn’t just good. He had one of the best punting seasons in NFL history. Diagnosing a punter’s value can be an inexact science, but after a second straight All-Pro season, Rams punter Johnny Hekker has made it abundantly clear he’s already among the best the NFL has ever seen at the position.
Hekker is the first punter since the NFL began recording punt stats more thoroughly in 1977 to lead the league in gross punting average (47.9), net punting average (43.7), and inside-the-20 punts (41).
According to statistical models from FiveThirtyEight.com, Hekker contributed a mind-blowing 271 extra yards relative to the average expectation of a baseline punter, making him one of the most important field-position weapons in the NFL.
His contributions were so significant in 2015 that FiveThirtyEight named Hekker the second-most valuable punter or kicker in the league, behind only Patriots All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski.
#44 (LS) JAKE MCQUAIDE 6'2 247 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/07/2016)
http://www.rotoworld.com
July 1, 2013: Rams signed LS Jake McQuaide to a four-year extension through 2017. An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, McQuaide took over as St. Louis' deep snapper as a rookie and held onto the job in 2012. He was previously scheduled for restricted free agency in 2014.
http://www.therams.com
TRANSACTIONS: Signed with the Rams (7/27/11).. signed a four-year contract extension in July 2013 to extend his contract into 2017. PRO: Fifth-year pro has played in all 64 games.. tallied 575 clean snaps through first four seasons.. has made eight tackles on special teams.
2014 SEASON: Registered 145 clean snaps.. vs Denver (11/16): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. vs Oakland (11/30): Notched a career-high 14 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (12/11): Tallied 10 clean snaps.
2013 SEASON: Played in 16 games.. notched 141 clean snaps.. vs. San Francisco (9/26): Recorded a then career-high 13 clean snaps.. vs. Jacksonville (10/6): Registered 13 clean snaps for the second consecutive week.. at Indianapolis (11/10): Recorded 11 clean snaps.
2012 SEASON: Recorded 139 consecutive clean snaps.. had four special teams tackles.. at Arizona (11/25): Tallied 12 clean snaps.. vs San Francisco (12/2): Registered 12 clean snaps.. at Buffalo (12/9): Tallied eight clean snaps.. recorded one tackle on special teams.
2011 SEASON: Recorded 150 consecutive clean snaps.. notched two special teams tackles...vs. New Orleans (10/30): Tallied 12 clean snaps...vs. Seattle (11/20): Made 11 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (11/27): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. at San Francisco (12/4): Recorded eight clean snaps.. made one special teams tackle.. vs Cincinnati (12/18): Tallied 11 clean snaps.. added one special teams tackle.
COLLEGE: Originally a walk on at Ohio State...handled long-snapping duties for three years.. Special Teams Player of the Week vs. Purdue.. received his bachelor’s degree in December.. academic all-Big Ten.. John Galbreath award for academic excel- lence.. NFF Hampshire Honor Society.. EE All Star Game as a senior.. won Top Ten Tenacious three times as a junior.
Earned a scholarship beginning in the autumn quarter of his junior year.. rotated with Dimitrios Makridis and Jackson Haas on long and short snaps for the Big Ten champions during his freshman year.. redshirted as a freshman. 2008-09 Big Ten all-academic.. an aeronautical and astronautical engineering major
MCQUAIDE’S CAREER SNAP STATISTICS: RAMS: 2014 (145), 2013 (141), 2012 (139), 2011 (150). TOTAL: 575.
#42 JEFF OVERBAUGH (LS) 6'2 235 lbs (Turns 24? DOB n/a)
http://www.adn.com/sports/article/nfls-rams-snap-anchorages-overbaugh/2016/05/01/
May 31, 2016: Los Angeles Rams snap up Anchorage's Jeff Overbaugh: Once the NFL draft ended Saturday afternoon, Jeff Overbaugh's pro football career began to take shape. The Service High graduate received a call from the Los Angeles Rams shortly after the final round of the draft, and by dinnertime he was celebrating an offer to join the Rams later this week.
"As of right now I'm headed down to L.A. this coming Thursday to sign the contract and begin rookie camp," Overbaugh said. Overbaugh is a long snapper who enjoyed a stellar four-year career at San Diego State, and he said he knew his chance to make a deal with an NFL team would come after the draft wrapped up.
"As a long snapper, not many of us are drafted," he said, "so mostly the expectation was to become an undrafted free agent." And sure enough, not long after the Tennessee Titans picked this year's Mr. Irrelevant — the name traditionally bestowed on the final player chosen in the draft — Overbaugh became relevant.
His phone rang and the caller ID said it was John Fassel, the special-teams coach for the Rams. "At first I was just answering the phone — I didn't want to jump to any conclusions," Overbaugh said. "And he kind of gave me the news from there. I'm tremendously honored and excited."
A while later, his phone rang again. It was the Seattle Seahawks calling with an invitation to a mini-camp tryout. But Overbaugh had already agreed to a deal with the Rams, who made the better offer. Overbaugh ended his college career as one of the college football's top long snappers.
He appeared in all 53 games since the 2012 season at San Diego State, where he had a perfect senior season: He was 134 for 134 in PATs, 55 for 55 in field goal attempts and 164 for 164 in punts. He added two tackles and a fumble recovery to help the Aztecs to a 11-3 record. With his bachelors degree already in hand, he spent much of this spring working out for NFL teams. He attended a three-day combine for special-teams players in Phoenix and went through workouts at San Diego State for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers.
QUARTERBACKS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
QB] JARED.GOFF 100% Lock to make 53.(Rookie 2016 #1 overall franchise pick has the media doubting after OTA's)
QB] C.KEENUM 95% Lock to make 53.(Career backup QB hopes to hold off Goff & be the starter to open the season)
QB] S.MANNION 95% Lock to make 53.(In OTA's the 2nd year Unheralded 3rd round pick showed flashes/progression)
QB] D.THOMPSON 50% Lock to make P.Squad.(Camp arm might land on the PS with a solid camp and preseason)
QB] N.FOLES 5% Lock to make 53.(Rams drafted a QB so his days are numbered for a trade or eventual release)
KICKERS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
P] J.HEKKER 100% Lock to make 53.(Probowl top 5 punter in the league has a leg up in the punting world)
K] G.ZUERLEIN 90% Lock to make 53.(Career Field goal accuracy & last years performance makes GZ a big concern for 2016)
K] T.BERTOLET 45% Lock to make P.Squad.(Fisher brought him in for competition? camp leg is a surefire long-shot)
LONG SNAPPERS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
LS] J.MCQUAIDE 100% Lock to make 53.(Valuable steady performer would need to get injured to not make the 53)
LS] T.BERTOLET 40% Lock to make P.Squad.(Signing likely a camp body to keep McQuaide fresh for the new season)
SUMMARY: As you all know the Special Teams Units can be vastly underrated and often underappreciated. Special Teams can flip the field position and create opportunities that change the outcome of games in a variety of ways.
Thanks for observing my final series of the 53 man Roster position battles and I welcome your feedback.
Sincerly, Florida
Full breakdown & Analysis of the QB-K/P & Special Teams position Battles for the 2016 Final 53 man roster.
(obviously subject to change on a weekly basis due to performance, injuries and player/upgrades: transactions)
'QUARTERBACKS' (the field generals)
#16 QB JARED GOFF 6'4 220 lbs (Turns 22 on 10/14/2016)
CAL 2015.. Att.. 529.. Comp.. 341.. %.. 64.5.. Yds.. 4,714.. YPC.. 9.4.. Rating.. 161.2.. TD 43.. INT.. 13
CAL 2014.. Att.. 509.. Comp.. 316.. %.. 62.1.. Yds.. 3,973.. YPC.. 8.6.. Rating.. 147.6.. TD 35.. INT.... 7
CAL 2013.. Att.. 530.. Comp.. 320.. %.. 60.4.. Yds.. 3,508.. YPC.. 6.6.. Rating.. 123.4.. TD 18.. INT.. 10
http://www.therams.com
June 16, 2016: While there are obvious expectations that come with being the No. 1 overall pick, Fisher maintained Thursday his usual stance with highly drafted players: Goff will play when he’s ready. He may start Week 1 or he may not. “He can start anywhere from the opener to whenever,” Fisher said.
“And we haven’t changed our philosophy on that. We’re going to coach him to be successful. We’re not going to put him in with a chance to fail. That’s the most important thing in developing a young quarterback.”
And the QB reps will continue to vary as the Rams begin training camp after summer break. “Case is our starter right now, so Case needs first-team reps,” Fisher said. “And to give Jared an opportunity — and Sean for that matter — to run with the first team, it’s easier to evaluate them. So we’ll change things up. And once we get in there, we’ll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason.”
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11205/jared-goff
June 9, 2016: Rams signed No. 1 overall pick QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $27.9 million contract. The deal includes an $18.6 million signing bonus and, as with all first-round picks, a fifth-year team option. The most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft, Goff is the heavy favorite to start Week 1, but his opportunities will likely be limited in the Rams' run-heavy attack.
"We've given him a lot more information than we did at the private workout and then that we did here at our meeting, and he's handled it without any problem." He'll miss the next portion of OTAs to take his final exams at Cal-Berkeley, but Fisher will keep Goff in the loop so he's up to speed when he returns.
Goff is the overwhelming favorite to start Week 1 against the 49ers. It appears there won't be any artificial hoops for Goff to jump through on his way to starting status. It would be a major surprise were Goff not under center in Week 1. "He's doing a great job picking up our offense," said Fisher.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher said upgrading the weapons around No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff was their priority in the draft. Upgrading one of the worst offenses in the league would have been a priority either way, but Goff's development depends partly on the weapons around him.
The Rams tried to bolster those weapons by adding two tight ends and two receivers with four of their five non-Goff picks. All four players have serious question marks, but at least Los Angeles is attempting to address the lousy state of their skill positions outside of Todd Gurley.
Rams selected Cal QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft. Goff (6'4/215) made 37 starts in three seasons at Cal, completing 62.3% of his passes with a 7.78 YPA and 96--30 TD-to-INT ratio. His career record was 14-23, although Goff had very little around him.
Goff's weaknesses are smallish hands 9" -- leading to 24 career fumbles -- a simplistic, shotgun-based college offense that could hinder Goff's NFL transition, and a tendency to play too fast with bodies around him... (Goff fumbled the football only 4 times in 2015.)
NFL Films' Greg Cosell has compared Goff's skill set to Matt Ryan's. Although Ryan is not an elite NFL passer, he is a franchise quarterback. Goff will be a success if he reaches those heights. He's the Rams' likely early-season starter, and could quite possibly beat out Case Keenum to start Week 1.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/jared-goff?id=2555334
OVERVIEW: Instead of following the path of his father, Jerry, to major league baseball (played catcher for three teams over six seasons), Goff starred as a high school quarterback in the Bay Area. Cal coaches put him right into the fire in 2013, and he answered the challenge as the school's first-ever freshman opening weekend starting quarterback.
The honorable mention All-Pac-12 pick (18 TD, 10 INT) set school records for passing yards (3,508), passes completed (320), and passes attempted (531) on a 1-11 team lacking great talent. He suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in the "Big Game" against Stanford that year, but managed to return for the 2014 spring game.
In fact, he started all 12 games as a sophomore, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 3,973 yards and 35 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Goff capped his career at Cal with a first team All-Pac-12 season, starting every game and setting conference records with 4,719 passing yards and 43 touchdowns on the year.
The Bears also won their first bowl game since 2008 when Goff threw for 467 yards and six touchdowns when they took out Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl. Even before that victory, however, Goff decided to move on to the professional ranks after the season as one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft.
STRENGTHS: Quality arm. Makes all the throws and can sling the deep out with velocity and accuracy. Clean release and snaps throws off with flick of the wrist. Drives hips through his release for extra heat. Pocket mobility and poise showed improvement from 2014 to 2015. Maintains proper footwork and readiness to throw as he slides inside the pocket. Speeds up internal clock when he feels pressure or recognizes blitz.
Pocket climber. Able to run out of trouble rather than into it. Looks the part of a confident, first round quarterback when working from a clean pocket. Sells his play fakes with purpose and draws linebackers forward. Has learned to expedite his throws from off-balance angles due to pocket pressure. Will throw receivers open in tight quarters.
Has excellent trajectory and pillowy soft touch on touch throws down the field that give receivers a chance to make plays. Showed substantial growth with his willingness to attack intermediate areas of the field and did so with accuracy and relative success. Completed an impressive 43.8 percent of his deep throws. Competes on third and long seeking out first downs over check downs.
WEAKNESSES: Hits a rough patch with accuracy from time to time. Sails throws over intended targets especially early in games. Has spots where he makes receivers work too hard on easy throws. Spent 99.8 percent of his pass snaps from pistol or shotgun this season.
Will likely need to orient himself with NFL footwork from under center. Rhythm passer who benefited from the uptempo and "quick game" of Cal's Bear Raid offense.
Has to learn fine line between getting ball out and rushing throws. Able to escape pocket, but isn't a proven finisher when on the move. Fumbled the ball 24 times over the last three years losing 11. Sacked 81 times over three years.
Internal clock and poise will need to be monitored closely. Several of his interceptions came when he failed to read zone defenders underneath drifting up to challenge the throw. DRAFT PROJECTION: Round 1
SOURCES TELL US: "I wish somebody would start some rumor to get (Jared) Goff to fall in the draft. Let's get that small-hand talk going! We would take him tomorrow. He's the best quarterback in this draft and it's not as close as the media is making it sound." -- NFC executive
https://www.profootballfocus.com/pff-scouting-report-jared-goff-qb-cal/
GOFF: What he does best:
• Makes incredible throws with defenders bearing down on him. Fearless in the pocket
• Pocket presence. Moves in the pocket to find passing lanes, keeps his eyes up while maneuvering the pocket
• Processes information quickly, zips through progressions, always keeping body in position to throw
• Will get to second and third reads on backside of field and can make accurate throws late in progression
• Shows outstanding accuracy on “bucket” throws down the field. Can drop it in with touch
• Quick release
• Shows creativity when throwing receivers open. Will lead receivers to space or throw them open with anticipation
• Led an overmatched Cal team and made them competitive in difficult Pac-12
• Showed well both under pressure and against the blitz
• Throws the anticipation post route on time and accurately
GOFF: Biggest concern:
• Short area ball location is not ideal, even on completions
• May move around the pocket too much, sometimes compromising the leverage of the offensive line
• Misdiagnosed cover-2 on multiple occasions. Is either fooled pre-snap or predetermining his read without adjustment
• Was more careless with the ball in his final season, had too many turnover-worthy plays
• Has enough arm, but not a cannon. May leave a few plays on the table that can’t be zipped in there.
• Arm strength wanes when forced to reset his feet in the pocket. Will make some throws that lack velocity and float after a quick reset
Bottom line: Goff has gotten better every year at Cal and his strengths should translate into NFL success. He manages the pocket, fires through progressions, and makes big plays under duress. He helped to turn around a subpar program while dealing with poor offensive line play, elevating the level of his teammates in one of the most difficult conferences in the nation. While he has his limitations, Goff has the tools to succeed as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/why-jared-goff-is-the-best-qb-prospect-in-the-country/
Jared Goff is PFF’s top-graded college quarterback, a Heisman candidate and the leader of an undefeated Cal team — but perhaps most importantly, he’s arguably the best available quarterback prospect for the 2016 NFL draft. Can he legitimately become the face of an NFL franchise, or is he emblematic of the relative lack of NFL-ready quarterbacks that are coming out of college at the moment?
We’re going to take a look at the tape to pinpoint exactly where he excels — and where he falls short. The first point to note is that Goff does run a dreaded spread offense at Cal. He won’t get any automatic “pro-style” bonus points the way Jameis Winston did or Christian Hackenberg seems to at the moment when it comes to evaluators.
The system Goff plays in will be used by some as a knock against him, because how well he’ll play if plugged into a “vanilla” pro-style offense will remain a question mark until the time comes. That’s the same issue people had with Marcus Mariota.
When I dug into Josh Rosen’s incompletions last week, the single biggest reason for incomplete passes was him throwing high and missing his receivers on the play. Obviously Rosen is a freshman, so he isn’t going to be as polished, but the top reason for Goff’s incomplete passes are drops (10) and passes defensed (10).
Though there will be some questionable decisions in that latter group, generally those plays are more about coverage defenders making a play on the ball than quarterbacks missing their targets. Passes thrown away is next (6), tied with the first real “QB-negative” incompletion type: overthrows (6).
Rosen had 15 overthrown passes alone. Of Goff’s incompletions this season only 30.2 percent have been poor quarterback accuracy or plays. If you adjust only for dropped passes, Goff has been accurate on 79.9 percent of his attempts, good for sixth in the nation. When you factor in the kind of pass-protection Goff is dealing with, that becomes even more impressive.
Despite getting rid of the ball on average in 2.28 seconds (33rd of 130 qualifying QBs in FBS), Goff’s offensive line has surrendered 52 total pressures in five games. He’s been sacked 12 times. He is under duress more than most quarterbacks but is as accurate as almost any of them.
This is the key to both Goff’s grade and the Cal offense. They rely on him being able to reliably hit his targets and move the chains, and then strike over the top to keep teams honest.
Goff’s deep ball is among the best in football. If we look at just passes that travel 20+ yards in the air, Goff has completed 19 of 26 passes this season, and two of the incompletions were dropped.
That’s an accuracy percentage of 80.8 on some of the most difficult passes in the game. That isn’t just the best mark in the nation — only eight other quarterbacks in the FBS can come within 20 percent of that figure.
http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-b...l-outsiders-calls-jared-goff-best-qb-prospect
Apr 4, 2016: Football Outsiders detailed an analytics study on Sunday that broke down 50,000 simulations for each quarterback prospect in this draft. It came up with a clear conclusion: Jared Goff of Cal is far and away the prospect who projects best into the NFL.
This study shows how numbers can be used in the NFL, and how they can help. It may not be definitive or a final answer, but it is, as the Browns say, a legitimate tool to use to peek inside the numbers at the quarterbacks in this draft. It is based on metrics like Quarterback-Adjusted-Stats-and-Experience (QBASE) and Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement (DYAR).
Yes, it's above most of the mortal world. It then tries to project three to five years forward based on the simulations, and on the player's past performance. The longer a player played, the better the projection.
According to the study, Goff is the ninth-best quarterback prospect since 1999, based on QBASE. He ranks right behind Ben Roethlisberger, and just ahead of Aaron Rodgers. Marcus Mariota, now with Tennessee, ranked ninth last year; he now ranks sixth based on his rookie season.
This doesn't mean Goff will be Rodgers, just that his resume most closely matches those of other prospects who succeeded. In all, Goff has a 37.8-percent chance of being an upper-tier or elite quarterback and a 28-percent chance of being a bust.
As for the other quarterback being discussed as second-pick worthy, the study shows Carson Wentz has a 61.9-percent chance of being a bust, and a 13.8-percent chance of being upper tier or elite. Wentz's numbers place him with guys such as EJ Manuel, Akili Smith, Chad Henne and Joe Flacco when it comes to projecting his college play to the NFL. The numbers say the best scenario puts Wentz as another Flacco, but the more likely scenario is an average player.
"While Wentz may overcome the odds and be another Flacco, the Browns don't need to take that chance at No. 2. A much better opportunity will be available to them," the study states. The best of the rest: Dak Prescott of Mississippi State. He rates ahead of Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg. The study did not look at Cardale Jones of Ohio State, probably because he did not play enough.
There are many other numbers and insights in the study, which resembles a Bill James look at college quarterbacks.The bottom line from Football Outsiders' analytics study: "Our projection gives Goff the best shot this year, almost 40 percent, of being the kind of upper-tier player who solves a team's long-term QB dilemma."
(LINK to Football Outsiders Detailed charts/graphs from their original QBASE breakdown article)
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/qbase-2016
#17 QB Case Keenum 6'1 210 lbs (Turns 29 on 02/17/2017)
Career: Texans/Rams
Att.. 455.. Comp.. 258.. %.. 56.7.. Yds.. 3,023.. YPC.. 6.6.. TD 15.. INT.. 9
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7696/case-keenum
Rams re-signed QB Case Keenum to a one-year, $3.635 million contract. Keenum was laughably tendered at the first-round level as the Rams pretended he would be their 2016 starter, but that's out the window now after their daring trade up to No. 1 overall.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport has speculated Keenum could be a trade candidate, but it's unlikely at that salary. Keenum will caddie for whichever signal caller the Rams make the first pick of the draft, perhaps starting the first few games of the season.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher is "confident" the team can win with Case Keenum at quarterback "I feel good with Case," Fisher said. Fisher pointed to the fact that Keenum was a "field goal away" from a four-game winning streak at the end of last season, which, of course, presupposes that Keenum was a major factor in those wins.
Although he was not an outright liability, Keenum was hardly an asset. Despite his claims of faith in Keenum, Fisher also said "we're going to give Nick (Foles) a chance to compete as well," and admitted "it's a position we need to upgrade." Quarterback is a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 15 in the draft.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/j...pick-jared-goff-is-not-our-no-1-qb-right-now/
Jared Goff will almost certainly be the Rams starting quarterback at some point in 2016, but his first start might not come in the regular season opener, because as of right now, he's not the top guy on the depth chart. Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it clear on Thursday that Goff's going to have to win the starting job, which currently belongs to Case Keenum.
"Case is our starter right now," Fisher said, when asked if Goff would be getting all the first-team reps when the Rams open training camp next month. "Case needs the first-team reps," Fisher said. "To give Jared the opportunity -- and QB Sean (Mannion) for that matter - to run with the first-team, it's easier to evaluate them. We'll change things up. Once we get in there and we'll make some decisions as to who plays when and how much in the preseason."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-case-keenum-20160526-snap-story.html
After the Rams traded up from No. 15 for the top pick in the draft, the team selected Jared Goff. The next day, Coach Jeff Fisher called the former California standout the Rams' “franchise quarterback.” Keenum, relaxing on a bench at the team’s temporary Oxnard training base last week, recognizes the situation but sounds unfazed.
“I know nothing’s going to be handed to me,” he said. “Ever.” Keenum was an undrafted free agent when he began his pro career with the Houston Texans in 2012. Nick Foles, acquired in a trade for Sam Bradford, was the Rams’ starter last season until Fisher benched him in favor of Keenum. Keenum completed 61% of his passes in six games, with four touchdowns and one interception in six games. The Rams were 3-2 in his starts.
Fisher and General Manager Les Snead publicly expressed confidence in Keenum after the NFL approved the Rams’ move from St. Louis in January but said they would seek to upgrade the position.
In March, after the Rams’ first team meeting in Southern California, the 28-year-old Keenum told reporters that he was encouraged by the coaching staff’s confidence in him. “I'm looking forward to moving to L.A.,” he said, adding, “I'm ready for the city and just for the experience to blow me away.” Weeks later, the Rams and the Tennessee Titans completed the trade that had been in the works since the NFL scouting combine in February.
The deal stunned many, but not Keenum. Not after the Rams ranked last in the NFL in passing offense last season. “I knew they were going to draft somebody,” he said, adding, “You have to produce to keep your job in this business.” For two weeks, the Rams kept NFL observers speculating.
Would they draft Goff or North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz? The day after the draft, Fisher said that he would not rule out the possibility of Goff starting the Sept. 12 opener against the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football.”
“There’s so much that can happen -- you can’t look too far into too many of those little details,” he said. “If you start going down those rabbit holes and start thinking [and listening to] speculation, that’s when you stop playing like you can play. “That’s when you stop doing your job.” Under Fisher, rookies go through an orientation and are mostly kept separate from the veterans during the majority of off-season workouts.
Goff attended the Rams’ rookie camp in early May but was required to return to Cal until final exams were complete. He returned last week. “He’s been out there a little bit and jumped right in,” Keenum said. “He’s a smart kid, fast learner and he can throw the football.”
Goff played in a no-huddle, spread offense at Cal, so he must transition from taking snaps exclusively from the shotgun formation to taking them under center and then dropping back for passes.
Keenum played in a no-huddle, spread offense in college at Houston before signing with the Texans in 2012. “It’s a tough adjustment, getting to that pro-style, huddle-up, under-center stuff,” Keenum said. “Jared’s done a great job already. It’s not an easy thing.”
Offensive coordinator Rob Boras and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke are Goff’s primary conduits for learning the Rams’ offense. Keenum said he benefited early in his career from veterans who shared tips and experiences, so he will be available to Goff. “My first job is to try to be the best quarterback I can be -- and that’s hard enough in this league,” he said. “But I want to help in whatever way I can.
I definitely want to pass on any knowledge that I have. That’s an important part of the position. “He’s being a sponge right now. He’s listening to everything in the meeting room. Sometimes there’s a lot of voices coming at him so I don’t want to try to add to it because coach Weinke and coach Boras do a great job.”
#14 QB SEAN MANNION 6'6 229 lbs (Turns 25 on 04/25/2017)
OreST Career:
Att. 1,838.. Comp. 1,187.. %.. 64.6.. Yds.. 13,600.. YPC.. 7.4.. Rating.. 135.8.. TD 83.. INT.. 54
Apr 7, 2016: http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...s-still-excited-to-watch-sean-mannion-develop
Much has been made of the Los Angeles Rams' quarterback situation this offseason. After a season in which the Rams finished at the bottom of the league in almost every major passing category, the questions about the position are certainly understandable.
That conversation has largely centered on the Rams' consistent votes of confidence for Case Keenum or constant speculation on potential additions from the outside. Every once in a while, Nick Foles' name is brought up, but that's usually more a discussion of his potential departure than his role in 2016.
However, there's still another quarterback on the roster who has been mostly ignored when talking about the future of the position. That's second-year signal-caller Sean Mannion, who was a third-round pick in 2015. Despite playing in just one game and attempting only seven passes, Mannion still figures in the Rams' plans moving forward. At least, that seems to be the company line.
"I'm excited to watch him develop and move through that second year," coach Jeff Fisher said, "especially with some familiarity with the system. There were some minor system changes, but he's got a football brain, and processes it. Gets the ball out. He's changed his body a little bit."
The question with Mannion isn't whether the Rams see a future for him in the league so much as what that future is. Could he eventually earn the starting job? Do they see him as more of a long-term backup? Could he potentially be pushed out by a newcomer?
With such a small sample size to evaluate, there's really not an answer to any of those questions at this point. Relegated to the third quarterback spot most of the season, Mannion rarely got reps in practice. Even when Keenum was bouncing back from a concussion and the Rams found themselves in some meaningless late-season games, Mannion didn't get any opportunities save for the blowout loss to Cincinnati.
So most of what the Rams believe about Mannion's future is based on guesswork and projection. Still, they seem to like what they've seen when it comes to intangibles.
"I usually call rookies freshman, so if you're a sophomore, last year was your rookie year. Now you're a sophomore and you didn't play as much in your freshman year, especially with QB's, you're kind of a forgotten entity," general manager Les Snead said.
"All the new guys that we're covering at the combine are the sexy new objects and they get talked about, but a guy like Sean Mannion is right now somewhere on this planet trying to get better. And he’s got a goal in mind to start in this league, and that's what he's doing while these guys are just getting started.
"You go back to what New England did with Tom Brady. There was a guy they drafted in the sixth round, and that's an awesome pick obviously, but if you look at the history of what they did with him and the courage it took to play him when they played him, especially in the first Super Bowl they won. I think the No. 1 thing is you kind of have to look and say 'We like this human being and we're going to have the courage to stick him in there and see what occurs after that.'"
The Rams didn't have that courage in Mannion's rookie season, which brings up a fair question about what they'll feel comfortable doing with him in season two. They haven't added any quarterbacks via free agency and the only look they'll have at Mannion before this month's NFL draft is strength and conditioning work he can do after the offseason program kicks off on April 18.
Mannion's understanding of a pro-style offense, combined with a strong arm, make him intriguing in the eyes of Fisher and Snead. But he has yet to have the chance to show it in a full game with something on the line. Armed with three picks in the top 45, many believe the Rams will take a quarterback early in this year's draft -- perhaps as soon as their first pick at No. 15 overall. How they approach the draft should offer a better answer on just how bright they believe Mannion's future with the club is.
"He’s got a nice skill-set, came from a pro-style offense," Snead said. "So doing what we do in the NFL doesn’t overwhelm him. He can read things pre-snap, he can get the ball out quickly, he’s less mobile than most but I think he was probably that way in high school, so he’s learned to get the ball out quick. The answer is, from freshman to sophomore year there’s a big jump in a lot of different things like experience, confidence; you’re not the new kid."
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-give-sean-mannion-opportunity-at-quarterback
Dec 4, 2015: EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In the eyes of many St. Louis Rams fans, rookie quarterback Sean Mannion is the most popular player on the roster. That popularity is the product of an interesting conundrum: Mannion is the only one of the three quarterbacks not to start a game, which means the fact he's an unknown gives hope that he can offer hope to the team's quarterback woes.
At the same time, that inexperience also makes him mostly unqualified to come in and play well right away in his rookie season. After weeks of watching Nick Foles struggles and with Case Keenum coming off a concussion and struggling in his lone start, the demands to give Mannion an opportunity have grown louder. Mannion got his first taste of NFL action in mop up duty last week against Cincinnati, completing 6 of 7 for 31 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
By that time, the Bengals had made it clear they were willing to give up short completions and keep the clock running though Rams coach Jeff Fisher used his three timeouts despite being down 24 in an effort to get Mannion more reps. So while Mannion did OK in his small sample size, there wasn't much to take from it other than him getting a chance to get some NFL snaps under his belt.
“Well, he’s doing everything he can," Fisher said. "He’s been in the meetings with the quarterbacks every day since the draft. He got reps during camp. He got to play in preseason games. Once you get in the regular season, your ones and twos are getting the reps. It’s hard to get your three reps. Number one gets probably 95 percent of the reps.
Your No. 2 gets to work against the defense. Last week because of the circumstances, Sean got a little bit more work against the defense. But, I think when he comes in the game in mop up situations like that where the defense declared itself and still 6 of 7 and making good decisions and putting the ball where he’s supposed to, there’s light there and there’s hope there.”
The Rams used the second of their third-round picks in this year's draft on Mannion, who, if nothing else, at least looks the part of a prototypical NFL quarterback at 6-foot-6, 233 pounds. Mannion appears to have the strongest arm of the team's three signal-callers (which admittedly isn't saying a whole lot), and he comes from a pro-style offense at Oregon State that has made his transition to an NFL scheme a bit easier.
But there are plenty of reasons not to just throw Mannion to the wolves right now. First and foremost, the Rams have been working to get Mannion to clean up his fundamentals and speed up his delivery. While that process has been underway, it's important to remember that Mannion doesn't get a lot of reps in practice to work on such things.
Mannion did get a small taste of the speed at which things have to be done in last week's game. “You get a taste of it in the preseason," Mannion said. "Everybody tells you, and I think it’s true, preseason is a whole different animal compared to the regular season. It was great to get in there.
I tried to play a simple game. I focused on getting the ball out of my hand fast, being accurate, completing some passes. I think the other thing is trying to stay engaged all game long on the sideline — helping the defense, doing whatever I can to help Nick [Foles] — tell him if I see anything, or ask if he wants me to look at anything in particular. I think staying engaged all game long really helped me to be prepared for the looks. I just tried to complete some passes and operate the offense.”
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/10409/sean-mannion
May 1, 2015: Rams selected Oregon State QB Sean Mannion with the No. 89 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Mannion (6'6/229) was a 43-game starter for Mike Riley's Beavers, wrapping his career with an 83-54 TD-to-INT ratio and 64.6 completion rate. He set 18 school passing records. A turnover machine in college, Mannion's high interception totals are an obvious concern, and he fumbled 30 times in four seasons.
Mannion has experience making full-field reads in Riley's pro-style-ish offense, but his arm talent is below starter quality and his performance dipped sharply under pressure. Bright (40 Wonderlic) and the son of a coach, Mannion best projects as a long-term clipboard holder who would likely struggle in extended playing time.
April 24, 2015: TFY Draft Insider Tony Pauline reports "more than a dozen teams" rank Oregon State's Sean Mannion the No. 3 quarterback in this year's draft class. Opinions vary widely on Mannion, as many believe he's the next best thing after Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, while others, including Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris, don't even think Mannion is worth a late-rounder.
Mannion (6-foot-5, 227) has ideal size and played in a pro-style offense, but completely falls apart in the face of pressure, turning the ball over and taking sacks.
#2 QB DYLON THOMPSON 6'2 215 lbs (Turns 25 on 10/25/2016)
SCar Career:
Att.. 669.. Comp.. 390.. %.. 58.3.. Yds.. 5,391.. YPC.. 8.1.. Rating.. 140.9.. TD 40.. INT.. 16
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/06/rams-sign-qb-dylan-thompson/
June 6, 2016: Rams sign QB Dylan Thompson SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Dylan Thompson #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on November 22, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The Rams signed quarterback Dylan Thompson Monday, adding depth to their quarterback room with Nick Foles staying away from the team during organized team activity (OTA) practices.
Thompson broke into the league as an undrafted rookie last year with the 49ers and was promoted from the practice squad when Colin Kaepernick was injured last November. Thompson was cut by the 49ers last month after they added Thad Lewis in free agency and drafted Jeff Driskel. The Rams need a practice arm for now, and with Foles eventually leaving via release or trade seeming like a certainty, Thompson will have a chance to make an impression and earn a shot to stick around. Rams Quarterbacks Coach Chris Weinke trained Thompson during the 2015 pre-draft period.
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/cfb/130949/dylan-thompson
May 3, 2015: Thompson 49ers signed South Carolina QB Dylan Thompson. Thompson (6'2/217) succeeded Connor Shaw for the Gamecocks, starting for one season and completing 59.9 percent of his passes with a 26:11 TD-to-INT ratio. He showed good athleticism for a quarterback at the South Carolina Pro Day, running 4.74 with a 35-inch vertical. Thompson flashed the ability to drive throws in the SEC, but is viewed as a mess mechanically and his ball placement was scattershot.
He's not much of an NFL prospect. Thompson has plenty of starting experience, filling in for the likes of Connor Shaw and starting this season. His career TD to INT ratio is 38:16 with a career high completion percentage of 59.5 for this season. The Shrine now has all six of their quarterbacks: Duke's Anthony Boone, Nevada's Cody Fajardo, ODU's Taylor Heinicke, Georgia's Hutson Mason, Arizona State's Taylor Kelly and Thompson.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/dylan-thompson?id=2552571
STRENGTHS: Adequate height with good bulk on his frame. Recognizes when to take a deep shot and is decisive in doing so. Puts some pepper on his throws. Able to throw the deep out to the field side.
WEAKNESSES: Footwork is an absolute mess. Has issues getting feet set on many throws and compounds issue by short-arming throw. Inaccurate, with tendency to sail the ball or throw behind receiver. Below average leading receivers to give them a chance to pick up yards after catch. DRAFT PROJECTION Priority free agent
BOTTOM LINE: One-year starter in the SEC with adequate size. Poor footwork and substantial accuracy and ball placement issues have him tabbed as a draft reject on several draft boards, according to scouts.
http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/dylan_thompson_710276.html
2014: Team captain... named to the SEC Community Service team... was the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award winner and named a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy... named the quarterback on the academic all-district team... set a Carolina school record and led the SEC with 3,564 passing yards.
Led in the league in passing yards per game (274.2) and was third in total offense (268.6)... his 3,492 yards of total offense was a school record... ranked third in the SEC with 26 touchdown passes, the second-highest single-season mark in school history...
led the SEC and set the school records with 270 completions and 451 pass attempts in a season... tied Connor Shaw's record for touchdowns responsible for in a season with 31... threw for a career-high 366 yards and four scores in the season opener vs. Texas A&M... the 366 yards passing was the ninth-highest single-game total in school history.
Completed a 69- and a 40-yard touchdown pass, the first QB to throw a pair of 40-plus yard TD passes in a game for Carolina since Blake Mitchell in the 2006 Liberty Bowl... threw for a then-career-high 25 completions in 33-23 win over East Carolina...
completed 21-of-30 for 271 yards and three TDs in win over No. 6 Georgia... went 22-of-34 for 237 yards and three scores in win at Vanderbilt... completed 23-of-37 for 218 yards and one touchdown at Kentucky... threw a pair of touchdown passes while going 14-of-22 for 262 yards against Furman.
Tied a school record with five touchdown passes at No. 5 Auburn, while completing 29-of-50 for 402 yards, the fifth most passing yards in a single game in school history... completed 20-of-32 with two TDs, including one for 85 yards, versus Tennessee.
Ran for the game-winning touchdown in overtime at Florida, adding in 206 yards passing in the game... threw for 237 yards and a score against South Alabama, also adding his first career touchdown reception on a trick play... completed 22-of-34 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another TD in the bowl win over Miami... played in the East-West Shrine Bwol following the season... was 10-6 as a starter.
Finished his career ranked in the Gamecocks' all-time top-10 in passing yards (8th-5,391), passing attempts (9th-669), pass completions (8th-390), completion percentage (5th-.583), passing touchdowns (5th-40) and total offense (9th-5,385)...
#5 QB NICK FOLES 6'5 243 lbs (Turns 28 on 01/20/2017)
Career: Eagles/Rams
Att.. 1,230.. Comp.. 740.. %.. 60.2.. Yds.. 8,805.. YPC.. 7.2.. Yds per game.. 225.8.. TD 53.. INT.. 27
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6/1/11827700/los-angeles-rams-qb-nick-foles-absent-otas
June 1, 2016: SIX million dollars. That’s what the Los Angeles Rams paid quarterback Nick Foles (roster bonus) in March of this year. Sounds like the kind of check you’d cut for your starting QB. But that’s not the case for Foles. And it’s apparent he knows it.
The Rams kicked off the first wave of their organized team activities (OTA) program on Tuesday, and the fifth year pro was a no-show. His remaining $1.75 base salary is also fully guaranteed, and he cannot be fined for missing OTA’s, as they’re voluntary.
Foles was brought in last year, in a trade that sent Sam Bradford to the Eagles, in hopes that he could revert back to his 2013, Pro Bowl caliber, form. That didn’t come to fruition. Foles started in nine games - going 4-5 in the win/loss column - before being replaced by the team’s "current starter" Case Keenum.
Foles finished the season with 2,052 yards, seven touchdowns, ten interceptions, five fumbles, and a 69.0 QB rating. Prior to his brutal 2015 campaign, the Rams’ brass had enough confidence in him that they decided to lock him up for a few years -- giving him a two-year extension in August.
It was a curious decision, considering Les Snead wasn’t confident Foles would pan out. We also knew grabbing that extra second-round pick, whoever our quarterback was going to be last year might not work out, so it would be time to start looking again. Snead also points out how the Rams gained an additional 2nd-round pick in that trade.
And they didn’t hesitate to use it. Having drafted Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Foles knows his chances of being a starting quarterback for the Rams looks even more grim. I suppose he’s got 7.75 million reasons not to care.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-0602-rams-ota-foles-20160601-snap-story.html
June 1, 2016: And Rams Coach Jeff Fisher does not expect to see Foles on the field anytime soon. “We’re on the same page and we’re trying to work things out,” Fisher told reporters after a two-hour, non-contact practice. Foles was once considered the Rams’ quarterback of the future. They traded Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for him in March 2015 and then signed Foles to a $24.5-million extension. ($14 million guaranteed.)
But Fisher benched Foles in favor of Case Keenum, who started the final five games last season. Foles’ status had been tenuous since mid-April, when the Rams traded for the top pick in the NFL draft. Two weeks later, his fate appeared sealed when the Rams chose Goff. Foles has not practiced at the Rams’ training facility since, and he was absent Tuesday when the team began full-squad organized team activities, which are voluntary.
Fisher said Foles’ situation “has nothing to do with him not wanting to come in and compete” with Goff, Keenum and Sean Mannion. He praised Foles’ competitiveness and said he appreciated his leadership. “I think Nick has the feeling that if things stay the same, he’s probably not going to be on the roster,” Fisher said. “Beyond that, it was more of a mutual thing.
“Not that we said, ‘Don’t come.’ It was just he said, ‘Hey, coach, I’d rather just stay away until we get things worked out,’ and I said, ‘I’m fine with that.’” The Rams have seven remaining OTA workouts before breaking for summer. If Foles is not traded in the interim, he is expected to be in Irvine for the start of training camp in late July. The trade market for a veteran could improve then if other teams lose quarterbacks because of injuries or other situations.
'THE SPECIAL TEAMS UNITS' (game changers)
https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/opponent-net-yards-per-successful-punt
NFL Team Opponent Net Punt Yards per Game.. Rams rank #23
NFL Team Opponent Net Yards per Punt Attempt.. Rams rank #7
NFL Team Opponent Net Yards per Successful Punt.. Rams rank #4
NFL Team Opponent Kickoffs per Game.. Rams rank #16
NFL Team Opponent Touchbacks per Game.. Rams rank #12
NFL Team Opponent Kickoff Touchback Percentage.. Rams rank #14
NFL Player Stats - Yards Per Punt Return.. 7.8.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #24
NFL Player Stats - Longest Punt Return.. 75 yds.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #7
NFL Player Stats - Punt Return Yards.. 264 yds.. TAVON AUSTIN rank #14.. TDs (1)
NFL Player Stats - Kickoff Return Yards.. 714 yds.. B.CUNNINGHAM rank #7
NFL Player Stats - Yards Per Kickoff Return.. 28.6.. B.CUNNINGHAM rank #4
Rams 2015 Top 3 Special Teams Tackle leaders
1) Bradley Marquez.. Tot.. 11
2) Cody Davis........... Tot.. 10
3) Daren Bates......... Tot.... 7
The Haters Are Losing The War On Kickers:
Over time, athletes get stronger and faster, come from a broader talent pool, are better trained, and benefit from ever-growing institutional knowledge of their chosen art. This is most readily apparent with such individual skills as swimming, running and jumping — or kicking a football.
One of the biggest stories of the 2016 NFL wild-card round is how the Minnesota Vikings almost toppled the two-time defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks, only to see their hopes dashed when kicker Blair Walsh shanked an easy 27-yard field-goal attempt that would have given the Vikings the lead with 22 seconds left in the game.
The aftermath was dramatic, and once again, the NFL kicking game was thrust into the spotlight for pretty much the only reason it ever is: A kicker screwed up. Perhaps lost in the hubbub is that this was the only field goal missed all weekend.
1 Such is the plight of the NFL kicker: They do their jobs remarkably well week in and week out, but get attention for it only when something goes horribly wrong. But not at FiveThirtyEight! We will acknowledge greatness in its many forms.
(Link to full Article with detailed charts/graphs)
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-haters-are-losing-the-war-on-nfl-kickers/
'The KICKERS' (often underappreciated)
#4 (K) GREG ZUERLEIN 6'0 187 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/27/2016)
2015 20/30.. 66.7%.. 20-29 yds.. 2/2.. 30-39 yds.... 9/10.. 40-49 yds.. 5/8.. 50 plus yds 3/9.. LONG 61
2014 24/30.. 80.0%.. 20-29 yds.. 6/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/12.. 40-49 yds.. 2/3.. 50 plus yds 5/7... LONG 56
2013 26/28.. 92.9%.. 20-29 yds.. 7/7.. 30-39 yds.. 10/10.. 40-49 yds.. 8/9.. 50 plus yds 1/2... LONG 54
2012 23/31.. 74.2%.. 20-29 yds.. 4/4.. 30-39 yds.... 4/6.... 40-49 yds.. 7/7.. 50 plus yds 7/13.. LONG 60
(Career Extra Points made 120 of 123 total)
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/7616/greg-zuerlein
April 15, 2016: Rams re-signed K Greg Zuerlein to a one-year, $1.25 million contract. Zuerlein was one of the worst kickers in the league last year, converting 66.7% percent of his field goals. He has the range to hit 50-plus yarders, but struggles with accuracy. Zuerlein will need to hold off competition to keep his job.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher expects competition at kicker if free agent Greg Zuerlein is re-signed for 2016. Zuerlein was woeful in 2015, making just 20-of-30 field goals. For his career, he's now a 78.6 percent kicker, which is below the generally-accepted "acceptable" threshold of 80. Zuerlein has one of the league's biggest legs, but it's gotten progressively shakier throughout his four-year career.
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...to-have-competition-at-kicker-for-next-season
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Whether or not the St. Louis Rams re-sign kicker Greg Zuerlein this offseason, they're planning on keeping open the option for a change at the position. Rams coach Jeff Fisher volunteered that information earlier this week when speaking of where the Rams went wrong in their 7-9 campaign.
"Greg has been asked to do a lot of things, kick a lot of long field goals," Fisher said. "Obviously his numbers aren’t what we hoped they would be. We have confidence in him, but in all likelihood there will probably be some competition with him in camp next year, which will make him better." That declaration comes on the heels of Zuerlein's worst season in the NFL.
Among the 37 kickers who attempted a field goal in 2015, Zuerlein ranked 35th in the league in field goal percentage as he converted 20 of 30 for the season. Only former Steelers kicker Josh Scobee and former Tampa Bay kicker Kyle Brindza came in below Zuerlein's 66.7 percent conversion rate, and that duo attempted 10 and 12 field goals, respectively. Zuerlein was also 26-of-28 on extra points.
As Fisher pointed out, the Rams did ask a lot of the 28-year-old Zuerlein when it came to his field goal tries. He attempted nine field goals of 50-plus yards, making three. Those nine tries were the second-most among all kickers. Perhaps most frustrating was the timing of some of Zuerlein's misses.
He missed a field goal and an extra point in a three-point loss to Baltimore, missed a 48-yard field goal in an overtime loss to Minnesota and failed to convert two field goals in a three-point overtime loss to San Francisco. A make or two in there and the Rams' season might have been much different.
To be fair, Zuerlein also saw three kicks blocked and did set a franchise record in the Minnesota game by converting a 61-yarder. Nonetheless, the always-accountable fourth-year kicker was the first to admit that his 2015 season simply wasn't good enough.
"Obviously, the production hasn’t been where it needs to be," Zuerlein said. "So that’s something that I can’t control right now. I had my opportunities, I just didn’t do as good as I would have liked so now we’ll just see what happens.
"Any time you go out there and miss kicks, you are not going to be happy about it. I think I’ve got to get better and convert those kicks. Really, that’s all it comes down to is making kicks, and I didn’t make as many as I would have liked." Before this season, Zuerlein's tenure with the Rams had been up and down.
In 2013, he made 93 percent of his field goal tries; those numbers dipped to 80 percent in 2014 prior to this season's major drop-off. There's never been any denying Zuerlein's leg strength, but consistency has been an issue, especially the past two seasons.
This year, Zuerlein said he wasn't really able to pinpoint the cause of his struggles, though he did battle a leg injury that kept him out of a couple of games late in the season. He had to scale back his kicks to keep from overworking his kicking leg and says it's something he'll have to monitor in the future.
"I thought I was hitting the ball pretty well coming into the season, probably the best I ever have," Zuerlein said. "It’s one of those things, I can’t put my finger on it right now. For one reason or another, it just didn’t happen. But I’m still a good kicker, I still believe in myself. So whatever happens, I think I’ll be all right."
When Zuerlein says "whatever happens," he is referring to his pending free agency. For a player who early in his career seemed like a long-term answer at the position, that future with the Rams now seems far less certain. The shape of any potential market for Zuerlein won't be clear for another couple of months, and for his part, the kicker makes it clear he'd like to stay in St. Louis if given the opportunity.
In the meantime, he's going to do his best to focus on the things he can control. "You never know," Zuerlein said. "Everything is so up in the air you don’t know what’s going to happen so I really am trying to approach this offseason just like any other. Rest, get healthy is probably the biggest thing and then just try to get better. "I love it here. In a perfect world, that’s what would happen."
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Zuerlein’s 2015 struggles were often attributed to distance, and to some extent, this is a reasonable excuse. Only Blair Walsh and Justin Tucker have attempted more from 50-plus over the past two seasons than Zuerlein. Plus, the average successful kick for Tucker (36.7) and Walsh (37.2) last season covered less distance than Zuerlein, who averaged 38.75 yards per made field goal.
But as kickers steadily improve, excuses for poor performance – even from distance – have diminished. Last season, kickers made 65 percent of their attempts from 50-plus yards. Zuerlein barely surpassed that success rate overall.
“Greg has been asked to do a lot of things, kick a lot of long field goals,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “Obviously, his numbers aren’t what we’d hoped they would be. We have confidence in him. But in all likelihood, there will be some competition in camp next year.”
Zuerlein might not make it that far. Even as the majority of kickers have steadily improved, Zuerlein owns the worst career field goal percentage in the NFL among active kickers.
His 2015 season is the worst from a Rams kicker since the team’s debut season in St. Louis (1995). A new locale might well mean a new kicker in 2016. “We have really good special teams, typically,” Fisher said. “Greg just had a rough year.”
#1 (K) TAYLOR BERTOLET 5'8 188 lbs (Turns 24 on 10/24/2016)
TEX A&M Career.. 37 of 56.. Accuracy 66.1%.... Extra Points.. 128 of 138.. 92.8%.. Long 55 Yards
http://www.rotoworld.com/recent/nfl/11586/taylor-bertolet
April 30, 2015: Rams signed Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet. Bertolet (5'8/188) spent a little more than two seasons as the Aggies' placekicker, finishing his career 37-of-56 (66.1%) on field goals and 128-of-138 on extra points. Simply put, Bertolet isn't accurate enough to nail down a job in the NFL. Apr 30
http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2016/6...ms-roster-preview-depth-chart-taylor-bertolet
During a three-game stretch from Weeks 5-7, Greg Zuerlein made just three of nine field goal attempts. If this is your first time tuning in to the particulars of kicking as it pertains to American football, allow me to explain that that is bad. Very bad.
It was that kind of stretch that pushed Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher in January to call for competition at the kicker position in training camp this preseason even after signing GZ to a one-year deal out of free agency. Enter Texas A&M K Taylor Bertolet to provide that competition.
Bertolet split time at the position at A&M with Josh Lambo who took over kicking duties with the Chargers as a 2015 UDFA. He's certainly hoping to join him as an NFL kicker, though the question is if Zuerlein will open a window to give him a shot.
I'd personally think Zuerlein's locked in from the outset, but the question for me is more mid-range. What would GZ have to do to entice the Rams to make a call-up mid-season for Bertolet? Put another way, I'd put Zuerlein's chances of being the starter for Week 1 at 100%. Week 10? Not 100%. That's the Bertolet window. Expectations: Well, I think we're going to get a decent sense of things as camp kicks up (pun intended).
Here's how I'd gauge it. What are GZ's chances of hitting a 60-yard kick? What are Bertolet's chances of hitting the same kick? Now line up their chances from 40.
There's likely a gap between GZ and Bertolet. We'll get a sense of it during camp. That gap, though, will grow increasingly smaller with each struggling performance from GZ. If he can get through October without any big minuses on the report card, that gap will likely remain in tact. A similar season to 2015? That gap may flip in Bertolet's favor...
http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/nfl_draft_texas_am_kicker_tayl.html
One of the nation's top kicking recruits in high school, Bertolet played in 51 games for Texas A&M, starting as a redshirt freshman (2012) during the Aggies' 11-2 run behind Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Despite losing the job to Josh Lambo, now with the San Diego Chargers, during his sophomore season, Bertolet continued to handle kickoff duties and would finish with 185 career touchbacks.
Regaining the placekicking chores in 2015, the All-Southeastern Conference second-team pick converted 22 of 30 field goals with a career-long of 55 yards against Mississippi State. Bertolet earned all-state honors during his senior year at Exeter Twp. and was ranked the No. 1 overall kicker in the nation by Rivals.com.
#6 (P) JOHNNY HEKKER 6'5 227 lbs (Turns 27 on 02/08/2017)
Rams Career: Games 64.. Punts.. 336.. Yards.. 15,687.. Blocked.. 2.. Yds Per Punt.. 46.7.. Long.. 68 yds
[Passing: Att.. 10.. Comp.. 6.. Yds.. 99.. Yds per comp.. 9.9.. Rating.. 126.7.. TD.. 1.. INT.. 0..]
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8073/johnny-hekker
Dec 5, 2014: Rams signed P Johnny Hekker to a six-year, $18 million extension through 2020. There was really no reason for this high-dollar extension with Hekker slated for restricted free agency in 2015. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the $9 million guarantee is the most in league history for a punter or kicker. Hekker is an excellent punter, but this is a Raidersian move.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/zuerlein-704779-season-nfl.html
Feb 18, 2016: In fact, the other strong-legged specialist on the Rams’ roster wasn’t just good. He had one of the best punting seasons in NFL history. Diagnosing a punter’s value can be an inexact science, but after a second straight All-Pro season, Rams punter Johnny Hekker has made it abundantly clear he’s already among the best the NFL has ever seen at the position.
Hekker is the first punter since the NFL began recording punt stats more thoroughly in 1977 to lead the league in gross punting average (47.9), net punting average (43.7), and inside-the-20 punts (41).
According to statistical models from FiveThirtyEight.com, Hekker contributed a mind-blowing 271 extra yards relative to the average expectation of a baseline punter, making him one of the most important field-position weapons in the NFL.
His contributions were so significant in 2015 that FiveThirtyEight named Hekker the second-most valuable punter or kicker in the league, behind only Patriots All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski.
#44 (LS) JAKE MCQUAIDE 6'2 247 lbs (Turns 29 on 12/07/2016)
http://www.rotoworld.com
July 1, 2013: Rams signed LS Jake McQuaide to a four-year extension through 2017. An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2011, McQuaide took over as St. Louis' deep snapper as a rookie and held onto the job in 2012. He was previously scheduled for restricted free agency in 2014.
http://www.therams.com
TRANSACTIONS: Signed with the Rams (7/27/11).. signed a four-year contract extension in July 2013 to extend his contract into 2017. PRO: Fifth-year pro has played in all 64 games.. tallied 575 clean snaps through first four seasons.. has made eight tackles on special teams.
2014 SEASON: Registered 145 clean snaps.. vs Denver (11/16): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. vs Oakland (11/30): Notched a career-high 14 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (12/11): Tallied 10 clean snaps.
2013 SEASON: Played in 16 games.. notched 141 clean snaps.. vs. San Francisco (9/26): Recorded a then career-high 13 clean snaps.. vs. Jacksonville (10/6): Registered 13 clean snaps for the second consecutive week.. at Indianapolis (11/10): Recorded 11 clean snaps.
2012 SEASON: Recorded 139 consecutive clean snaps.. had four special teams tackles.. at Arizona (11/25): Tallied 12 clean snaps.. vs San Francisco (12/2): Registered 12 clean snaps.. at Buffalo (12/9): Tallied eight clean snaps.. recorded one tackle on special teams.
2011 SEASON: Recorded 150 consecutive clean snaps.. notched two special teams tackles...vs. New Orleans (10/30): Tallied 12 clean snaps...vs. Seattle (11/20): Made 11 clean snaps.. vs Arizona (11/27): Recorded 12 clean snaps.. at San Francisco (12/4): Recorded eight clean snaps.. made one special teams tackle.. vs Cincinnati (12/18): Tallied 11 clean snaps.. added one special teams tackle.
COLLEGE: Originally a walk on at Ohio State...handled long-snapping duties for three years.. Special Teams Player of the Week vs. Purdue.. received his bachelor’s degree in December.. academic all-Big Ten.. John Galbreath award for academic excel- lence.. NFF Hampshire Honor Society.. EE All Star Game as a senior.. won Top Ten Tenacious three times as a junior.
Earned a scholarship beginning in the autumn quarter of his junior year.. rotated with Dimitrios Makridis and Jackson Haas on long and short snaps for the Big Ten champions during his freshman year.. redshirted as a freshman. 2008-09 Big Ten all-academic.. an aeronautical and astronautical engineering major
MCQUAIDE’S CAREER SNAP STATISTICS: RAMS: 2014 (145), 2013 (141), 2012 (139), 2011 (150). TOTAL: 575.
#42 JEFF OVERBAUGH (LS) 6'2 235 lbs (Turns 24? DOB n/a)
http://www.adn.com/sports/article/nfls-rams-snap-anchorages-overbaugh/2016/05/01/
May 31, 2016: Los Angeles Rams snap up Anchorage's Jeff Overbaugh: Once the NFL draft ended Saturday afternoon, Jeff Overbaugh's pro football career began to take shape. The Service High graduate received a call from the Los Angeles Rams shortly after the final round of the draft, and by dinnertime he was celebrating an offer to join the Rams later this week.
"As of right now I'm headed down to L.A. this coming Thursday to sign the contract and begin rookie camp," Overbaugh said. Overbaugh is a long snapper who enjoyed a stellar four-year career at San Diego State, and he said he knew his chance to make a deal with an NFL team would come after the draft wrapped up.
"As a long snapper, not many of us are drafted," he said, "so mostly the expectation was to become an undrafted free agent." And sure enough, not long after the Tennessee Titans picked this year's Mr. Irrelevant — the name traditionally bestowed on the final player chosen in the draft — Overbaugh became relevant.
His phone rang and the caller ID said it was John Fassel, the special-teams coach for the Rams. "At first I was just answering the phone — I didn't want to jump to any conclusions," Overbaugh said. "And he kind of gave me the news from there. I'm tremendously honored and excited."
A while later, his phone rang again. It was the Seattle Seahawks calling with an invitation to a mini-camp tryout. But Overbaugh had already agreed to a deal with the Rams, who made the better offer. Overbaugh ended his college career as one of the college football's top long snappers.
He appeared in all 53 games since the 2012 season at San Diego State, where he had a perfect senior season: He was 134 for 134 in PATs, 55 for 55 in field goal attempts and 164 for 164 in punts. He added two tackles and a fumble recovery to help the Aztecs to a 11-3 record. With his bachelors degree already in hand, he spent much of this spring working out for NFL teams. He attended a three-day combine for special-teams players in Phoenix and went through workouts at San Diego State for the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers.
QUARTERBACKS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
QB] JARED.GOFF 100% Lock to make 53.(Rookie 2016 #1 overall franchise pick has the media doubting after OTA's)
QB] C.KEENUM 95% Lock to make 53.(Career backup QB hopes to hold off Goff & be the starter to open the season)
QB] S.MANNION 95% Lock to make 53.(In OTA's the 2nd year Unheralded 3rd round pick showed flashes/progression)
QB] D.THOMPSON 50% Lock to make P.Squad.(Camp arm might land on the PS with a solid camp and preseason)
QB] N.FOLES 5% Lock to make 53.(Rams drafted a QB so his days are numbered for a trade or eventual release)
KICKERS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
P] J.HEKKER 100% Lock to make 53.(Probowl top 5 punter in the league has a leg up in the punting world)
K] G.ZUERLEIN 90% Lock to make 53.(Career Field goal accuracy & last years performance makes GZ a big concern for 2016)
K] T.BERTOLET 45% Lock to make P.Squad.(Fisher brought him in for competition? camp leg is a surefire long-shot)
LONG SNAPPERS- Tier Groupings for the 2016.. 53 Man Roster
LS] J.MCQUAIDE 100% Lock to make 53.(Valuable steady performer would need to get injured to not make the 53)
LS] T.BERTOLET 40% Lock to make P.Squad.(Signing likely a camp body to keep McQuaide fresh for the new season)
SUMMARY: As you all know the Special Teams Units can be vastly underrated and often underappreciated. Special Teams can flip the field position and create opportunities that change the outcome of games in a variety of ways.
Thanks for observing my final series of the 53 man Roster position battles and I welcome your feedback.
Sincerly, Florida
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