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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-for-st-louis-rams-2015-training-camp-battles
Early Predictions for St. Louis Rams' 2015 Training Camp Battles
By Steven Gerwel, Featured Columnist
The St. Louis Rams have basically finalized the 2015 training camp roster, but we'll have to wait for the numerous head-to-head battles before knowing the official depth chart.
Many positions are set and will therefore carry little to no competition. However, several key spots are wide-open, so we can expect some very fierce battles for the starting gigs. For some positions, such as right guard, there's so much competition that it's hard to even throw out an educated guess.
This article will highlight several key spots that will feature the most compelling battles. We'll also predict a winner for each position.
Running Back
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
It's not much of a battle at the moment, given there's no guarantee that No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley will even be ready for training camp. Although, if he's truly ahead of schedule and gets a healthy dose of reps at camp, things could get interesting.
Incumbent Tre Mason is surely hoping to use Gurley's downtime as an opportunity to make a statement. The entire franchise is banking on Gurley as the long-term workhorse back, but Mason will do everything in his power to change that perception.
But as soon as Gurley gets on the field, Mason will be in trouble. Both players utilize a unique style that features a blend of power and speed, only Gurley is bigger, faster and more athletic. Gurley is an improved version of Mason—he's a shiny new T-1000, and Mason is an obsolete Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That's why Gurley was a top-10 pick, while Mason dropped to the third round during the 2014 draft.
Having said that, the Rams are going to take it easy with Gurley. Barring a very impressive injury comeback way ahead of schedule, Mason should get the nod—at least for the first half of the season.
Winner: Tre Mason
No. 1 Wide Receiver
Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports
Here's an upcoming training camp battle that's getting far less attention than it deserves. The battle for the title of "No. 1 wide receiver" is fairly wide-open.
Brian Quick started off as the undisputed No. 1 in 2014 and was off to a breakout campaign, but a shoulder injury ended his year before midseason. The injury was quite serious (torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder), and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported in March that there's still no timetable for a return.
Even if Quick is physically healthy enough to step on the field, will he still show us his early 2014 form?That's a major question for the St. Louis offense.
After Quick went down, it was veteran Kenny Britt who took over the No. 1 job. Britt surprised everyone by embracing his role as a veteran leader (despite carrying a reputation as an off-the-field liability) and posting his best numbers since 2010 (748 yards, three touchdowns).
Not to mention, Britt is only 26 years old. It's possible the former first-round pick is simply a late bloomer on the verge of a breakout year. A player taking until age 26 to finally hit his stride is certainly not unheard of.
The dark-horse candidate is third-year pro Stedman Bailey. Bailey got off to a slow start in 2014 due to a two-game suspension. He had just five catches throughout the first 10 weeks, but he caught fire with 25 receptions in the final seven games.
Bailey became a consistent part of the passing game late in the season. If that carries into next season, he could have a breakout year.
The Rams don't have a clear go-to-guy for Nick Foles, but in the end Britt will be the guy this offense depends on. He has the talent, the veteran status and is itching to prove he can finally be a big-time receiver in this league.
Quick and Bailey are certainly in the race, but both guys have a lot more to prove than Britt.
Winner: Kenny Britt
Outside Linebacker
Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
James Laurinaitis is penciled in as the inside linebacker, and Alec Ogletree is guaranteed a spot on the outside. As for the outside linebacker job opposite Ogletree, that remains to be seen.
The top two candidates are Jo-Lonn Dunbar and newcomer Akeem Ayers.
Ayers has several great advantages over Dunbar. He's a better pass rusher, which is obviously something the St. Louis defense values a lot. Even though Dunbar has played two more seasons than Ayers, Ayers still has twice as many career sacks (13).
As a former second-round pick, Ayers also has better raw athleticism than Dunbar (who entered the league as an undrafted rookie). At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Ayers is also three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier than Dunbar. That impressive size should help the St. Louis defense stand up to the run.
However, Dunbar shouldn't be totally overlooked. He's a veteran in the current system and has a history with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams dating back to New Orleans. That experience could give him an edge.
Not to mention, Dunbar is a nasty player who never hesitates to get into the opponent's head. That has its advantages, but perhaps that the sort of undisciplined behavior the Rams are looking to move on from.
It could go either way, but Ayers is an exciting player with a lot to offer.
Winner: Akeem Ayers
Offensive Line
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
The offensive line will feature numerous training camp battles for multiple starting jobs. With five rookie linemen (including four draft picks) and three vacant positions, things will get very heated.
Right guard is the most wide-open race. Multiple candidates have a shot, but only one guy will come out on top.
Third-round pick Jamon Brown is perceived as the front-runner (if for no other reason than his Day 2 draft status). But fourth-round pick Andrew Donnal was a total mauler at Iowa and is every bit as talented.
Sixth-round pick Cody Wichmann is facing an uphill battle. He'll probably have to settle for a backup job in his first year, but the team likely has a long-term plan for him. It'll just be hard for him to shine immediately, as he's less gifted athletically than the other three draft picks. However, don't count him out completely.
As for a prediction, expect Donnal to take the job. He's an excellent run-blocker and comes off as more of a bully than Brown. That's exactly what the Rams are looking for.
The next job opening is right tackle.
Second-round pick Rob Havenstein is the top candidate and rightfully so. He's a frightening enforcer in the run game and doesn't get pushed around.
Havenstein will compete with Brown for the job, but it'll be Havenstein who comes out on top. The Havenstein pick received criticism as a major second-round reach, so it'll look very bad for the current regime if he doesn't win out.
That's not a bad thing, as Havenstein is a very talented guy. With him as right tackle and Greg Robinson on the blind side, the Rams will have two run-blocking monsters on both ends.
The final spot, and the only one that won't involve any rookies, is at center. None of the newcomers have experience snapping balls, so it appears that Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones will fight for the job.
Barnes has more experience than Jones and is likely the favorite. Jones has more raw talent, but he has been completely incapable of staying healthy since being drafted in 2013. That's a major problem, as the Rams are apparently sick of dealing with banged-up veterans (hence the drafting of four rookies).
Right now we have to assume Barnes is the guy. But that could change if Jones completes camp without any health issues.
Winner (Right Guard): Andrew Donnal
Winner (Right Tackle): Rob Havenstein
Winner (Center): Tim Barnes
Early Predictions for St. Louis Rams' 2015 Training Camp Battles
By Steven Gerwel, Featured Columnist
The St. Louis Rams have basically finalized the 2015 training camp roster, but we'll have to wait for the numerous head-to-head battles before knowing the official depth chart.
Many positions are set and will therefore carry little to no competition. However, several key spots are wide-open, so we can expect some very fierce battles for the starting gigs. For some positions, such as right guard, there's so much competition that it's hard to even throw out an educated guess.
This article will highlight several key spots that will feature the most compelling battles. We'll also predict a winner for each position.
Running Back
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
It's not much of a battle at the moment, given there's no guarantee that No. 10 overall pick Todd Gurley will even be ready for training camp. Although, if he's truly ahead of schedule and gets a healthy dose of reps at camp, things could get interesting.
Incumbent Tre Mason is surely hoping to use Gurley's downtime as an opportunity to make a statement. The entire franchise is banking on Gurley as the long-term workhorse back, but Mason will do everything in his power to change that perception.
But as soon as Gurley gets on the field, Mason will be in trouble. Both players utilize a unique style that features a blend of power and speed, only Gurley is bigger, faster and more athletic. Gurley is an improved version of Mason—he's a shiny new T-1000, and Mason is an obsolete Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That's why Gurley was a top-10 pick, while Mason dropped to the third round during the 2014 draft.
Having said that, the Rams are going to take it easy with Gurley. Barring a very impressive injury comeback way ahead of schedule, Mason should get the nod—at least for the first half of the season.
Winner: Tre Mason
No. 1 Wide Receiver
Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports
Here's an upcoming training camp battle that's getting far less attention than it deserves. The battle for the title of "No. 1 wide receiver" is fairly wide-open.
Brian Quick started off as the undisputed No. 1 in 2014 and was off to a breakout campaign, but a shoulder injury ended his year before midseason. The injury was quite serious (torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder), and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reported in March that there's still no timetable for a return.
Even if Quick is physically healthy enough to step on the field, will he still show us his early 2014 form?That's a major question for the St. Louis offense.
After Quick went down, it was veteran Kenny Britt who took over the No. 1 job. Britt surprised everyone by embracing his role as a veteran leader (despite carrying a reputation as an off-the-field liability) and posting his best numbers since 2010 (748 yards, three touchdowns).
Not to mention, Britt is only 26 years old. It's possible the former first-round pick is simply a late bloomer on the verge of a breakout year. A player taking until age 26 to finally hit his stride is certainly not unheard of.
The dark-horse candidate is third-year pro Stedman Bailey. Bailey got off to a slow start in 2014 due to a two-game suspension. He had just five catches throughout the first 10 weeks, but he caught fire with 25 receptions in the final seven games.
Bailey became a consistent part of the passing game late in the season. If that carries into next season, he could have a breakout year.
The Rams don't have a clear go-to-guy for Nick Foles, but in the end Britt will be the guy this offense depends on. He has the talent, the veteran status and is itching to prove he can finally be a big-time receiver in this league.
Quick and Bailey are certainly in the race, but both guys have a lot more to prove than Britt.
Winner: Kenny Britt
Outside Linebacker
Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images
James Laurinaitis is penciled in as the inside linebacker, and Alec Ogletree is guaranteed a spot on the outside. As for the outside linebacker job opposite Ogletree, that remains to be seen.
The top two candidates are Jo-Lonn Dunbar and newcomer Akeem Ayers.
Ayers has several great advantages over Dunbar. He's a better pass rusher, which is obviously something the St. Louis defense values a lot. Even though Dunbar has played two more seasons than Ayers, Ayers still has twice as many career sacks (13).
As a former second-round pick, Ayers also has better raw athleticism than Dunbar (who entered the league as an undrafted rookie). At 6'3" and 255 pounds, Ayers is also three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier than Dunbar. That impressive size should help the St. Louis defense stand up to the run.
However, Dunbar shouldn't be totally overlooked. He's a veteran in the current system and has a history with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams dating back to New Orleans. That experience could give him an edge.
Not to mention, Dunbar is a nasty player who never hesitates to get into the opponent's head. That has its advantages, but perhaps that the sort of undisciplined behavior the Rams are looking to move on from.
It could go either way, but Ayers is an exciting player with a lot to offer.
Winner: Akeem Ayers
Offensive Line
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
The offensive line will feature numerous training camp battles for multiple starting jobs. With five rookie linemen (including four draft picks) and three vacant positions, things will get very heated.
Right guard is the most wide-open race. Multiple candidates have a shot, but only one guy will come out on top.
Third-round pick Jamon Brown is perceived as the front-runner (if for no other reason than his Day 2 draft status). But fourth-round pick Andrew Donnal was a total mauler at Iowa and is every bit as talented.
Sixth-round pick Cody Wichmann is facing an uphill battle. He'll probably have to settle for a backup job in his first year, but the team likely has a long-term plan for him. It'll just be hard for him to shine immediately, as he's less gifted athletically than the other three draft picks. However, don't count him out completely.
As for a prediction, expect Donnal to take the job. He's an excellent run-blocker and comes off as more of a bully than Brown. That's exactly what the Rams are looking for.
The next job opening is right tackle.
Second-round pick Rob Havenstein is the top candidate and rightfully so. He's a frightening enforcer in the run game and doesn't get pushed around.
Havenstein will compete with Brown for the job, but it'll be Havenstein who comes out on top. The Havenstein pick received criticism as a major second-round reach, so it'll look very bad for the current regime if he doesn't win out.
That's not a bad thing, as Havenstein is a very talented guy. With him as right tackle and Greg Robinson on the blind side, the Rams will have two run-blocking monsters on both ends.
The final spot, and the only one that won't involve any rookies, is at center. None of the newcomers have experience snapping balls, so it appears that Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones will fight for the job.
Barnes has more experience than Jones and is likely the favorite. Jones has more raw talent, but he has been completely incapable of staying healthy since being drafted in 2013. That's a major problem, as the Rams are apparently sick of dealing with banged-up veterans (hence the drafting of four rookies).
Right now we have to assume Barnes is the guy. But that could change if Jones completes camp without any health issues.
Winner (Right Guard): Andrew Donnal
Winner (Right Tackle): Rob Havenstein
Winner (Center): Tim Barnes
