Daily Dose: Greg Gaines a Rams sleeper

[CGI_Ram]

https://www.therams.com/news/daily-dose-greg-gaines-a-rams-sleeper

Daily Dose: Greg Gaines a Rams sleeper

Each weekday, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top Rams headlines of the day. Here’s a look at what’s out there for Monday, July 15 about your Los Angeles Rams.

GAINES A RAMS SLEEPER

As the Rams get set to report to training camp next week, Bleacher Report has named rookie defensive lineman Greg Gaines Los Angeles’ “biggest sleeper.”

BR’s Maurice Moton defined a sleeper as a player “whose talent has been slept on to this point who could catch the NFL landscape off guard in 2019.”

So when it comes to L.A., why Gaines?

“Gaines could carve out a starting role alongside Donald and Michael Brockers on the interior,” Moton writes. “He’s not going to rack up the impact statistics—sacks and tackles—at a high volume, but the former Husky should provide a boost to the run defense and clear pass-rush lanes for Donald.”

Selected at No. 134 overall in the fourth round, Gaines racked up 9.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss at Washington. He’ll be competing with Sebastian Joseph-Day for that starting nose tackle spot.

PREVIEWING THE DIVISION

NFL.com's Adam Maya took a look around the NFC West to preview each team as training camps get started at the end of the month. Maya put out three notes for all four teams: Most important position battle, newcomer/player returning from injury to watch, and looming camp question.

Interestingly, Maya called safety Los Angeles’ biggest position battle headed into camp — specifically between veteran Eric Weddle and rookie Taylor Rapp.

Via Maya, “Weddle and Rapp are different athletes yet have comparable player profiles in that they're instinctive, they take good angles and cover a lot of ground. They can also play either safety position. Weddle will almost certainly be the Day 1 starter, but Rapp could cut into the former All-Pro's workload depending on how well he picks up Wade Phillips' scheme.”

Based on the offseason program, however, it seems more likely that Rapp could be worked into certain packages, which means he’d be on the field at the same time as Weddle.

Maya also names linebacker Clay Matthews newcomer/player returning from injury to watch, and says, “How big of a load can Todd Gurley carry?” Is the looming camp question.

 

[Zaphod]

So for those who've seen them in practice, are Gaines and Joseph-Day lining up as zero tech direct under center?

Also, do you see them playing 2 gap? I know Wade has been slowly acquiring his preferred personnel since joining the Rams, but I understand he prefers a hybrid one gap NT.

I'm just excited to see how this progresses.

 

[Merlin]

Wade definitely prefers one gap so I have to think that's what they play. And Gaines is very much what he wanted in there, a guy who has good short area quickness but also can anchor in and not get washed out of the play.

That was Suh's problem all season long. He would be in his gap but get washed out and he wasn't the only one. And what made it worse is that as good as Donald is he has a tendency to use some lateral movement which doesn't work too well next to a NT who is getting pushed around. Not to mention Brock also having a down year.

Gaines is going to get beat but I think what he'll give the scheme is less lateral movement in the middle and when he does get a seam since it's one gap he'll be able to shoot it and make some plays. People who haven't watched his college film are going to be surprised at how quick Gaines is IMO.

 

[Merlin]

Interestingly, Maya called safety Los Angeles’ biggest position battle headed into camp — specifically between veteran Eric Weddle and rookie Taylor Rapp.

Maya lol. Where do they find these dudes. The opportunity for Rapp is to win Christian's job and that 40% or whatever of snaps he got last season.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I think they have it backwards. Rapp could be the biggest sleeper and Gaines/Joseph-Day is the position battle to watch.

 

[wolfdogg]

I dont see gaines as a sleeper either. In college he was double teamed on almost every play and he will never see that playing next to Donald so what is easier, going up against 2 320lb linemen or one 320 lineman.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Expect to see Rapp in 3 safety packages when we need an extra body to cover a TE, especially when teams use 12 personnel. Unless hey want to continue using Marquis Christian of course.

 

[Merlin]

I think they have it backwards. Rapp could be the biggest sleeper and Gaines/Joseph-Day is the position battle to watch.

I agree. Partially because Gaines is looking at an open starting job. But also because Christian struggled quite a bit in those snaps he had, and because Rapp is such an excellent tackler/SS type. I think it's safe to expect Rapp to win somewhere around a 30-40% snap rate at a minimum which is quite good for a rook joining a Super Bowl roster.

With all the hoopla on Henderson, Rapp, and Gaines, here's hoping it ends up being Long or one of the OL who end up being that sleeper. Because I'm pretty sure those first three will do the roles they were drafted for relatively well this season. Getting something from the others would probably be more of a sleeper type deal and a big boost for the line or CB depth chart.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Unless hey want to continue using Marquis Christian of course.

i thought they were trying to make the defense better.

.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

i thought they were trying to make the defense better.

.

Haha yes. I didn't say it would be should difficult for Rapp to win the job, but Vets usually start until proven otherwise.

 

[oldnotdead]

Wade runs a hybrid 3-4 which means the NT aligns as a 1T. In a hybrid 3-4 the dline aligns like a standard 4-3 with the WIL playing as the other DE. A standard 3-4 is a two gap scheme where the Dline occupy the blockers to keep the LB's clean to make the plays. In that scheme the NT lines up as a 0T. Wade's defense is technically a 3-4 but it aligns like a 4-3 and is played as a one gap scheme just like a standard 4-3.

It's why Brockers is out of place at a 5T DE. He's strictly a 3T in a 4-3 scheme. He doesn't have the quickness or explosive first step anymore to play a 5T and be consistent at it. This is why SJD is a better fit at DE, but he is still a work in progress. He plays with power with no counters so if can't win with power he doesn't. It's why I expect them to re-sign Fowler and I hope they move Obo to replace Brockers. Neither Obo or SJD are elite fast but they are fast enough. Obo has a better first step, and though he likes to win with power, he can disengage and win with a spin move or with other counters. IMO Obo will make a better book end at DE to Fowler playing the WIL opposite him.

Gaines played both 1T and 0T at Washington depending upon the matchup. He's got enough explosion off the snap to cause problems for centers and OG's. Phillips base D will normally have the NT shaded towards the DE side with Donald aligned on the WIL side. This allows the Rams to threaten the oline with their two best pass rushers on the same side. What has been missing is the pressure from the opposite side.

Again, Wade changes the dline alignment on every snap. So everyone is moving around depending upon the defensive call. Olines can never know before they come to the LOS what defensive front they will be facing. With Gaines, it should allow Phillips to rush only 4 and still get pressure. When the Rams are in their nickel if no one breaks coverage the QB will many times be forced to hold it longer than he wants. This is why Peter's breaking coverage simply destroyed the secondary scheme. If he does it again this season they need to bench him and play David Long.

 

[Soul Surfer]

In that scheme the NT lines up as a 0T.

That must confuse the heck out of the other team when our nose tackle starts playing their offensive tackle position.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Just kidding.
I know where a zero tech lines up.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Wade's defense is technically a 3-4 but it aligns like a 4-3 and is played as a one gap scheme just like a standard 4-3.

I think the alignment depends on down and distance as well as if they are in nickel or dime.