Greg Gaines looking forward to partnering with Aaron Donald

[CGI_Ram]

https://www.therams.com/news/greg-gaines-looking-forward-to-partnering-with-aaron-donald

Greg Gaines looking forward to partnering with Aaron Donald

Rookie defensive lineman Greg Gaines is known for being a run stuffer. When the Rams selected him at No. 134 overall in the fourth round a few weeks ago, head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson all touted his ability to be a stout presence in the middle of the defense.

As those individuals also stated, Gaines has a chance to be the nose tackle in Los Angeles’ base 3-4 defense. And if Gaines earns that role, he’ll be lining up next to two-time defending AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

Gaines got a little taste of what it’s like to be around Donald on Tuesday, as the Rams have rookies and veterans on the field at the same time. And what was Gaines’ first impression?

“He’s a pretty good looking guy,” Gaines said in his Tuesday press conference, drawing laughter from assembled media.

In all seriousness, Gaines recognizes the opportunity he has in front of him to soak in knowledge from veterans on the D-line like Donald and Michael Brockers.

“I was just trying to watch every little thing that Aaron Donald did, and Michael Brockers — it’s just really cool having those guys here to learn from,” Gaines said. “That’s the coolest part to me about being here, is just being able to learn from guys like that and improve my game.”

When it comes to potentially starting Week 1, Gaines seems flattered by the compliments he’s received — but also knows that he has to earn that spot.

“It’s definitely cool that they think so highly of me. It’s definitely a good feeling,” Gaines said. “And I think I can bring it — I think I can be a starting nose-type guy. I’m really strong in the run game, and that’s what they want me to do here is just let Aaron Donald take the pass rush reps, and I’ll take the double teams on first and second downs.”

There’s a certain art to embracing that role, since it’s not necessarily one that comes with a lot of glory. But Gaines — listed at 6-foot-1 and 312 pounds — says he actually enjoys being the one to absorb blockers.

“Yeah, a lot of guys get frustrated just sitting there eating double teams all day,” Gaines said. “I like to keep track of those stats — how many double teams I take on. And it’s something I really enjoy doing, and that’s, I think, why I’m so good at it.”

Given Donald’s success over the last two years — as a reminder, he’s racked up a ridiculous 31.5 sacks from the interior — No. 99 faces a lot of double teams as well.

And in an ideal world…

“I’m trying to alleviate that for him a little bit,” Gaines said.

We’ll see if it works out over the course of the 2019 season and beyond.

 

[tklongball]

I would be nice if he can take some of the double team heat away from Donald. He is going to have to be disruptive enough to force teams to think about doubling him.

 

[Farr Be It]

Either Gaines, or Joseph-Day will take on that role in the middle. I hope the competition is fierce, and the bar is raised over The effort Suh gave.

 

[BonifayRam]

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2019/5/14/18622658/day-three-nfl-rookies-fast-starts
3 NFL Rookies Who Could Contribute Right Away
Late-round picks don’t often light the league on fire, but a handful of those guys are well-positioned to hit the ground running
By Danny Kelly May 14, 2019

Post-draft hype typically gravitates toward big-name players taken on the first two days. That makes sense, of course; those first-, second-, and third-round rookies are usually the highest-rated and best-known players in the class, and most have clear paths to major roles with their new teams from the outset. But, there’s always a few lesser-known later-round picks with the right combination of talent and opportunity who could earn major snaps in key spots in 2019. Here’s seven Day 3 rookies who have the chance to contribute from day one.

DT Greg Gaines, Rams
The Rams made one of the most aggressive moves of Day 3, jumping up 28 spots to grab Gaines with the no. 134 pick overall. That trade certainly implies the team has a big role in mind for the stout former Husky: Gaines comes in with big shoes to fill as a base-down player at L.A.’s nose tackle spot, a position manned last year by free agent Ndamukong Suh. Gaines doesn’t offer the pass-rush upside or positional versatility that Suh did, but he’s an outstanding run defender who can take on multiple blocks, anchor well, and even penetrate the backfield to bring ball-carriers down. That skill set could come in handy for a squad that finished dead last in opponent yards per rush (5.1) and 23rd in total rushing yards surrendered (122.3 per game)—and that couldn’t afford to bring Suh, who played 888 snaps last year, back.

With those cap constraints in place, Gaines is the early leader in the clubhouse as Suh’s replacement. “He is a guy that we identified that we feel like really will do a great job as a nose guard in our base package,” head coach Sean McVay said after the draft. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips didn’t hide those intentions when he called Gaines on draft night, either. “We got a place for you,” Phillips said. “You know Ndamukong Suh left, so you’ve got a spot. We’re looking for you to get after it.”

Gaines was one of the best run-defending interior linemen in the PAC-12 last year, racking up 36 stops, per Pro Football Focus, easily best in the conference. He was a big standout at the Senior Bowl, dominating one-on-ones with a low center of gravity and elite strength. Moreover, Gaines has a pretty clear path to the top of the depth chart, facing minimal competition in the form of 2017 sixth-rounder Tanzel Smart (six snaps in 2018) and 2018 sixth-rounder Sebastian Joseph-Day (zero snaps).

 

[yrba1]

Looking forward to seeing Gaines play, I'm sure he'll make more of a positive regular season impact than Suh ever did.

 

[Ram65]

“Yeah, a lot of guys get frustrated just sitting there eating double teams all day,” Gaines said. “I like to keep track of those stats — how many double teams I take on. And it’s something I really enjoy doing, and that’s, I think, why I’m so good at it.”

Got to love this!

He has to win the one on ones to get doubled. S J-D will give him some comp. Looking good up the middle.

 

[Memento]

I love the Gaines pick. He has an underrated first step and power, and I think he'll be an excellent fit in Wade's defense.

 

[DR RAM]

https://www.therams.com/news/greg-gaines-looking-forward-to-partnering-with-aaron-donald

Greg Gaines looking forward to partnering with Aaron Donald

Rookie defensive lineman Greg Gaines is known for being a run stuffer. When the Rams selected him at No. 134 overall in the fourth round a few weeks ago, head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead, and defensive line coach Eric Henderson all touted his ability to be a stout presence in the middle of the defense.

As those individuals also stated, Gaines has a chance to be the nose tackle in Los Angeles’ base 3-4 defense. And if Gaines earns that role, he’ll be lining up next to two-time defending AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.

Gaines got a little taste of what it’s like to be around Donald on Tuesday, as the Rams have rookies and veterans on the field at the same time. And what was Gaines’ first impression?

“He’s a pretty good looking guy,” Gaines said in his Tuesday press conference, drawing laughter from assembled media.

In all seriousness, Gaines recognizes the opportunity he has in front of him to soak in knowledge from veterans on the D-line like Donald and Michael Brockers.

“I was just trying to watch every little thing that Aaron Donald did, and Michael Brockers — it’s just really cool having those guys here to learn from,” Gaines said. “That’s the coolest part to me about being here, is just being able to learn from guys like that and improve my game.”

When it comes to potentially starting Week 1, Gaines seems flattered by the compliments he’s received — but also knows that he has to earn that spot.

“It’s definitely cool that they think so highly of me. It’s definitely a good feeling,” Gaines said. “And I think I can bring it — I think I can be a starting nose-type guy. I’m really strong in the run game, and that’s what they want me to do here is just let Aaron Donald take the pass rush reps, and I’ll take the double teams on first and second downs.”

There’s a certain art to embracing that role, since it’s not necessarily one that comes with a lot of glory. But Gaines — listed at 6-foot-1 and 312 pounds — says he actually enjoys being the one to absorb blockers.

“Yeah, a lot of guys get frustrated just sitting there eating double teams all day,” Gaines said. “I like to keep track of those stats — how many double teams I take on. And it’s something I really enjoy doing, and that’s, I think, why I’m so good at it.”

Given Donald’s success over the last two years — as a reminder, he’s racked up a ridiculous 31.5 sacks from the interior — No. 99 faces a lot of double teams as well.

And in an ideal world…

“I’m trying to alleviate that for him a little bit,” Gaines said.

We’ll see if it works out over the course of the 2019 season and beyond.

Absolutely love his mentality. These are the types of guys that help you win Championships.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Gaines should make the rams d better for longer periods of the game. Suh used to show up in the last minutes of the game when the rams needed a play to win the game. I'd rather the rams stop the run throughout the game and let AD do his damage on 3rd downs.

.

 

[Akrasian]

Rookie Greg Gaines has surreal start to Rams career after wild NFL draft
Former La Habra High standout has chance to play next to Aaron Donald
https://www.dailynews.com/2019/05/1...tart-to-rams-career-after-dizzying-nfl-draft/

THOUSAND OAKS – The last two months had been so dizzying and surreal that as Greg Gaines wandered the Rams facility for the first time this week, he couldn’t believe that he was actually here, back in Southern California, just a few freeways away from where he played high school football in La Habra.

It had all happened so fast. Just seven weeks earlier, in the thick of his training for the NFL draft, Gaines and his wife, Sheyanne, had their first child, a baby boy named Colt. A month after his son was born, Gaines’ phone rang in the middle of the fourth round. The Rams general manager was on the line.

“You ever dream about playing in the NFL?” Rams general manager Les Snead asked him.

“Oh yeah,” Gaines responded, and two weeks later, after a 23-hour drive with a newborn from Dallas to Los Angeles and a week spent crashing with his grandmother, here he was, sitting in the same meeting room as Aaron Donald, the two-time defending Defensive Player of the Year. His head was still spinning on Tuesday, when rookies met with media for the first time.

“I still don’t believe it’s happened yet,” Gaines said. “It’s crazy.”

It’d been a surreal few days for the entire class of first-year Rams, all of whom arrived this week, ahead of next week’s organized team activities. Their first few hours as pro football players had left them in varying degrees of awe. Third-round corner David Long harkened back to watching Aqib Talib in middle school. Third-round offensive lineman Bobby Evans marveled simply at how big the Rams starting offensive tackles were.

It was an exciting introduction for a rookie class that could prove more exciting than the team’s draft night strategy suggested. The Rams were the second-to-last team to select a player in the draft, trading out of the first round, then trading down two more times, before taking safety Taylor Rapp with the 61st pick. Still, after loading up on middle round picks, the Rams believe they have several players capable of contributing right away.

No rookie, though, has a clearer path to playing time than Gaines, who’s expected to have the first shot at the nose tackle spot vacated by Ndamukong Suh. He’ll have some competition in second-year defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, while Michael Brockers could shift inside, if absolutely necessary. But considering how open Snead and Rams coach Sean McVay were about their affections for the fourth-round selection, the 24-year-old rookie seems like the preferred choice to fill Suh’s shoes.

“He is a guy that we identified that we feel like really will do a great job as a nose guard in our base package,” McVay said of Gaines. “You look at a physical, stout player – he was an outstanding, productive player for Washington.”

It was at the Senior Bowl that the Rams truly fell for Gaines. His production, which included 148 tackles over four seasons in Seattle, had never been in question. His measurables, though, were another story. Snead, somewhat kindly, described them as “down the middle.”

But matched up against some of the draft’s best interior offensive line prospects, Gaines more than held his own. He met with the Rams briefly during that week, but never again.

It wasn’t until the draft that Gaines understood how much they’d coveted him. After, Snead called him the team’s “first priority” on Day 3 of the draft.

“It’s definitely cool they think so highly of me,” Gaines said. “I think I can be a starting nose type guy. I’m really strong in the run game, and I think that’s what they want me to do here. Let Aaron Donald take the pass rush reps, and I’ll take the double teams on first and second down.”


Suh didn’t quite live up to expectations in that same role, after he signed a one-year, $14 million deal last offseason. It wasn’t until the postseason that the Rams got a glimpse of the full impact the former All-Pro could have on a defense.
Gaines may not be the bull-rushing, nightmare-inducing force that Suh was down the stretch last season, but the La Habra High product has spent most of his football career exceeding any expectations thrust upon him. As a three-star, run-stuffing lineman in Orange County, he boasted only a few Power 5 college offers. He committed to Chris Petersen at Boise State and wound up at Washington after Petersen took the job there. As a freshman, he redshirted. By his final season, Gaines was voted the Pac-12’s best defensive lineman by his peers.

Now, a whirlwind few months have led him back to where it all started, this time with a wife and newborn baby alongside. Gaines still can’t quite believe his luck.

It’d be hard to imagine better circumstances for the rookie nose tackle to step into. Football or otherwise.

“(We’ve got) a couple grandmas for babysitting,” Gaines said. “Some aunts, too. It’s good.”

View image on Twitter



DI Greg Gaines was ranked as our 9th best DI player and 92nd overall player in this year's draft. #Rams got a stud at pick 134

__________________________________________________________

Very promising for the Rams. As has been seen in other articles, he has a good attitude about his role. Take up space, and make the tackle if anybody is foolish enough to come near him. I think he might surprise on pass rushing, too.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Rams/status/1122197819320754182

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1129193824109170688

 

[Merlin]

Either Gaines, or Joseph-Day will take on that role in the middle. I hope the competition is fierce, and the bar is raised over The effort Suh gave.

I am hopeful that Joseph steps it up. But to date I have seen nothing from him to make me think he can really compete for that NT job. Fierce competition? Doubtful. Much more likely is Gaines steps in and never looks back.

 

[Farr Be It]

I am hopeful that Joseph steps it up. But to date I have seen nothing from him to make me think he can really compete for that NT job. Fierce competition? Doubtful. Much more likely is Gaines steps in and never looks back.

I expect Gaines to step in right away as well. Maybe even be a poor-mans Donald for the next several years. I guess the “fierce competition” hope is that SJD pushes Gaines a bit, and provides for a small drop off when he rotates in.

 

[dang]

I have seen different takes on which position Rams DL will play. I believe we are set at DE with Brockers/Franklin-Myers. I would prefer a FA pickup to share NT with Gaines (e.g. Danny Shelton) but could live with Joseph-Day as backup. Who is going to be the primary backup for Donald? Morgan Fox? Tanzel Smart? UDFA? Available FA (e.g. Westbrooks, Liuget)?

 

[Memento]

I have seen different takes on which position Rams DL will play. I believe we are set at DE with Brockers/Franklin-Myers. I would prefer a FA pickup to share NT with Gaines (e.g. Danny Shelton) but could live with Joseph-Day as backup. Who is going to be the primary backup for Donald? Morgan Fox? Tanzel Smart? UDFA? Available FA (e.g. Westbrooks, Liuget)?

The bolded player is my answer. I still have a lot of faith in Smart, and most linemen take three years to improve anyway. Would I be shocked if Fox or someone else beat him out? No. But I'm willing to bet that Smart has improved.

 

[Ram65]

I am hopeful that Joseph steps it up. But to date I have seen nothing from him to make me think he can really compete for that NT job. Fierce competition? Doubtful. Much more likely is Gaines steps in and never looks back.

It looks like Gaines job to lose. Joseph-Day had some potential as I recall when drafted last year. D'Marco Farr (I keep saying this) stated he worked out five days a week in the off season. He said he looks big and strong. You never know what can happen for a player from year one to year two. I'm expecting SJD to make a big jump and at least be able to contribute on a rotation and on short yardage downs. I don't think he hands the NT job to Gaines.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Joseph-Day is a real unknown going into TC. going to be interesting how he looks coming in. I hope he pushes Gaines and impresses.