LB Akeem Ayers agrees on 2-year deal with Rams

[fancents86]

Cool...and now Oline I hope?

 

[MFaulk107]

Nice pick up, no complaints.

 

[Dxmissile]

Our sub and blitz packages are going to be devasting with Ayers and Barron on the field it's going to be awesome

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I am confused by this signing. Is Ayers going to be auditioning for Lauranitis's job? Or is he simply the SLB taking over for Dunbar? He is listed as 155 lbs and described as a thumper. I think he could be the run tuffet in the middle that JL isn't. But I don't think he can cover.

Thing is they gave up a fourth and sixth round pick for Barron and now 3 million a year to Ayers to play the same position. I wonder if they were not happy with what they saw from Barron.

 

[IowaRam]

I'm guessing Dunbar is gone

 

[Legatron4]

I am confused by this signing. Is Ayers going to be auditioning for Lauranitis's job? Or is he simply the SLB taking over for Dunbar? He is listed as 155 lbs and described as a thumper. I think he could be the run tuffet in the middle that JL isn't. But I don't think he can cover.

Thing is they gave up a fourth and sixth round pick for Barron and now 3 million a year to Ayers to play the same position. I wonder if they were not happy with what they saw from Barron.

I think they're unhappy with Dunbar. he hasn't played well(albeit having limited snaps) since 2012. There's nothing wrong with upgrading a position.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I am confused by this signing. Is Ayers going to be auditioning for Lauranitis's job? Or is he simply the SLB taking over for Dunbar? He is listed as 155 lbs and described as a thumper. I think he could be the run tuffet in the middle that JL isn't. But I don't think he can cover.

Thing is they gave up a fourth and sixth round pick for Barron and now 3 million a year to Ayers to play the same position. I wonder if they were not happy with what they saw from Barron.

He's the SLB, and will play DE on passing downs most likely. He's a pass rusher and run defender. No coverage at all.

Barron and Ayers might technically play the same position in the defense, but in very different circumstances and situations

 

[ReddingRam]

View: https://twitter.com/NFL_DraftGuy/status/576205002630410241

 

[-X-]

I don't know why these things pop into my head. All I know is I have to let them out.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I liked this signing yesterday when it was rumoured. Perfect fit here.

Like everyone else; now let's get some offensive line help. The top guys are mostly gone.

 

[jjab360]

I don't know why these things pop into my head. All I know is I have to let them out.

Doesn't bode too well for the future.

 

[Ramsey]

OK? We got Akeem Ayers, our new short yardage OLB, Several of our Strong Safeties will play OLB on pass downs.
I wish we had more potent cornerbacks. Also, we could use one more defensive tackle for The Sack City Rotation.

Yes, this drafty fog is clearing.. I'm sure Snead will focus the draft on offense. Any position but TE is possible.

Me?
I want Best Available Player with every single draft pick, and IF the BAP is not a player at a position of need? At that moment in the draft?
What do we do?

We trade back our draft pick and collect extra picks like the Patriots do, like any smart team, until we can pick the BAP at a position of need... That shouldn't be hard.
We haven't had a winning season in a decade...We got plenty positions of need.

What do we need? We need any football player who can guarantee more wins.

 

[RamBill]

LB Akeem Ayers joins Rams
By Nick Wagoner
ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...-deal?ex_cid=espnapi_public/print?id=12471623

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The St. Louis Rams landed their first outside free agent of the offseason Thursday night, signing former New England Patriots linebacker Akeem Ayers to a two-year deal a league source said is worth $6 million, $3 million of which is guaranteed.

The deal could go as high as $10 million through incentives, the source said.

Although Rams coach Jeff Fisher was gone from Tennessee when the Titans drafted Ayers in 2011, there are a couple of coaches on the St. Louis staff that are familiar with him.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams served as the Titans' senior defensive assistant in 2013 and linebackers coach Frank Bush had the same role in Tennessee in 2011 and 2012, when Ayers was playing there.

Ayers comes to the Rams from the Patriots, where he spent the final nine games of 2014.

The Titans originally selected Ayers in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.

He played there until October of last season when the Patriots traded a sixth-round pick in 2015 for him and a 2015 seventh-round choice.

After arriving in New England, the Patriots used Ayers primarily in a pass-rushing role in their sub-packages. He posted 17 tackles, four sacks and an interception for New England.

For his career, Ayers has 241 tackles, 13 sacks, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.

 

[BatteringRambo]

Fuckin solid addition. Welcome Akeem Ayers...Gregg Williams and Bush are happy to have you back!

 

[RamBill]

Rams sign New England LB Ayers
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_43138621-ecc9-5783-9301-98e7493b6711.html

Looking to upgrade their linebacker corps, the Rams signed New England free-agent linebacker Akeem Ayers to a two-year contract Thursday night.

According to league sources, the deal is worth $6 million with $3 million guaranteed. With incentives it can max out to $10 million.

Ayers, 26, is an outside linebacker with pass-rush ability but is considered so-so against the run. At 6-3, 255, strong side linebacker best suits him in the Rams' 4-3 scheme. That starting spot was manned by Jo-Lonn Dunbar last season, but the Rams are looking to add depth as well as talent so Dunbar's spot on the roster may not necessarily be in jeopardy.

He entered the league in 2011 out of UCLA as a second-round pick by Tennessee. But his career stalled with the Titans and he was traded to New England last October.

Ayers had six sacks with Tennessee in 2012. In nine games (and four starts) with the Patriots after last year's trade, he recorded four sacks and an interception. All told, Ayers has played in 59 games with 47 starts in his four-year NFL career.

There is coaching familiarity with Ayers on the Rams' staff from his time in Tennessee. Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was with Ayers two years ago as the Titans' senior defensive assistant. Current Rams linebackers coach Frank Bush was his position coach in Tennessee in 2011 and 2012.

 

[RamBill]

Ayers ends up where so many other former Titans have -- in St. Louis
Published March 12, 2015 by David Boclair

https://www.nashvillepost.com/blogs..._so_many_other_former_titans_have_in_st_louis

Apparently Jeff Fisher has run out of guys who played for him with the Tennessee Titans to bring to St. Louis.

Now he is just going to settle for ones who simply played for the Titans.

Linebacker Akeem Ayers signed a two-year, $6 million [2] deal with the Rams on Thursday. Half of the money is guaranteed.

The Titans drafted Ayers in the second round in 2011, the first season after Mike Munchak replaced Fisher as head coach. He was a starter for most of his first three seasons but Tennessee traded him to New England in the middle of last season.

“I have a lot of excitement just to be a part of this team, a part of this defense,” Ayers said, according to the Rams’ website. “We’ve got a lot of young guys on defense, and a lot of talented guys on defense. I wanted to be a part of a good team and a good defense.”

Ayers is the first outside free agent [3] to sign with St. Louis this offseason but the latest in an ever-growing line of former Titans who have found their way there since Fisher became coach of that team in 2012. Kenny Britt, Cortland Finnegan, Jared Cook, William Hayes and Damian Williams all found their way there.

Of course, it should be noted that Fisher’s defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, coach Ayers with the Titans in 2013, and St. Louis’ linebackers coach, Frank Bush, had the same job in 2011 and 2012, Ayers’ first two seasons in the league.

So Ayers is, in fact, well-connected, even if those connections don’t go all the way to the top.

“I just like the direction this team is going, especially the defense,” Ayers said. “We’ve got something really good going here, and I’m just happy to be a part of it, put my input in, and get ready to win some games.”

 

[Ramrocket]

OK? We got Akeem Ayers, our new short yardage OLB, Several of our Strong Safeties will play OLB on pass downs.
I wish we had more potent cornerbacks. Also, we could use one more defensive tackle for The Sack City Rotation.

Yes, this drafty fog is clearing.. I'm sure Snead will focus the draft on offense. Any position but TE is possible.

Me?
I want Best Available Player with every single draft pick, and IF the BAP is not a player at a position of need? At that moment in the draft?
What do we do?

We trade back our draft pick and collect extra picks like the Patriots do, like any smart team, until we can pick the BAP at a position of need... That shouldn't be hard.
We haven't had a winning season in a decade...We got plenty positions of need.

What do we need? We need any football player who can guarantee more wins.

I'm generally of the same opinion re draft strategy but this years draft is a little different than the past couple in that the depth falls away quite quickly after the 3rd round. And if you want to be really picky, probably closer to the middle than the end of the 3rd round. So stately this year has to be tailored with that in mind. This year I believe we need to make the most of of our picks as they are (1st rnd exemption if all the WR's are gone at 10 - then we trade down).

 

[Boston Ram]

Nice signing. Got to see a lot of him last year. He will be an upgrade over Dunbar. He fits what this defense does. We had a championship defense last year and it just got a little bit better.

 

[Ramsey]

I'm generally of the same opinion re draft strategy but this years draft is a little different than the past couple in that the depth falls away quite quickly after the 3rd round. And if you want to be really picky, probably closer to the middle than the end of the 3rd round. So stately this year has to be tailored with that in mind. This year I believe we need to make the most of of our picks as they are (1st rnd exemption if all the WR's are gone at 10 - then we trade down).

Thanks for the heads up on the the draft...I believe you Ramsrocket. I really do.
Most years, I study film and I know the first 3 rounds by heart... But not this year. I stayed on the sidelines and slogged thru my prog rock and jazz cd collection instead.

Why? This time last year, I was begging for the Rams to trade back pick 2 in the draft and get a deal similar to Brown's/ Bills trade. Then pick Mike Evans or Odell Beckham and...and...I'll shut up.
Basically I got tired of the Rams betting every season on Bradford bad knees... But after this Bradford/Foles blockbuster trade, I'm sure I'll watch film next year...

I envy you Ramrocket, because you know almost as much as Snead about the draft. I'm not joking.
I really believe that. Of course, you don't have the resources to run background checks on the 2015 draft class. I wonder sometimes, what certain members of ROD could do with Snead's private eyes and scouting resources. Don't laugh. I'm serious, and perhaps a little bit tipsy.

 

[ljramsfan]

Once again what Dunbar do so bad for this D?, I love the signing tho