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Nick Fairley focused on the short term
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/20011/nick-fairley-focused-on-the-short-term
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- When defensive tackle Nick Fairley decided to sign a one-year "prove-it" deal with the St. Louis Rams rather than seeking a long-term contract elsewhere, it sent a clear message about his plans for 2015.
Fairley's time with the Detroit Lions was full of stops and starts. He'd flash his immense potential one day and report well over his playing weight soon after. There were off-the-field issues and a general lack of consistent production. When Fairley was right, his talent was evident.
As Fairley embarks on his first season outside of Detroit, he plans to be right on a more consistent basis. To that end, Fairley isn't thinking about trying to put up 10 sacks or land a lucrative long-term deal at the end of the year. He's living in the here and now.
"Really, I’m just going to be who I am, try to make plays for this team and just basically do whatever they ask me to do," Fairley said. "This group of defensive linemen have been around and know how to play this defense and how to attack. I think it fits with what I do."
What Fairley does, more often than not, is rush the passer. According to the metrics at Pro Football Focus, Fairley was the most productive pass-rushing defensive tackle among those playing a minimum of 150 snaps last season. Of course, Fairley didn't play as many snaps as others but that should offer a baseline on what he can do when he's rolling.
Which is why Fairley's biggest goal this year has been to arrive in good shape. While there will be many stories about players showing up to training camp in the best shape of their lives, Fairley's claim is legitimate.
At his heaviest, Fairley reached 320 pounds with the Lions. But when he arrived for organized team activities in the spring, Rams coach Jeff Fisher told him he was a little bit too light at 280 pounds. So Fisher wanted Fairley to return with a few more pounds back on so he can hold up a bit better on the occasions he's asked to play the run.
"I would say I put on a little bit as far as muscle and toning up my body because when I came in it was like, 'Let’s get these offseason workouts and put this thing together,'" Fairley said. "And we did it this offseason."
Fairley credits strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson with helping him add the weight the right away and has many times praised the services of a personal chef for his transformation. Fairley is still listed at 308 pounds but is likely a bit below that.
In the early stages of camp, Fairley has looked like the disruptive pass-rusher the Rams were hoping they got when they signed him early in free agency. With Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers ahead of him on the depth chart, the Rams will have the advantage of deploying Fairley when they see fit. Namely, on obvious passing downs.
The hope is that Fairley and Donald can form one of the most dynamic interior rush duos in the NFL. Fairley sees that as a real possibility as he transitions from one attacking defense to another.
"As far as working at 3-technique and what they want us to do and getting in the backfield each and every play, that’s kind of the way I was playing in Detroit," Fairley said. "So it’s some new terminology and putting those things together and getting better every day."
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/20011/nick-fairley-focused-on-the-short-term
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- When defensive tackle Nick Fairley decided to sign a one-year "prove-it" deal with the St. Louis Rams rather than seeking a long-term contract elsewhere, it sent a clear message about his plans for 2015.
Fairley's time with the Detroit Lions was full of stops and starts. He'd flash his immense potential one day and report well over his playing weight soon after. There were off-the-field issues and a general lack of consistent production. When Fairley was right, his talent was evident.
As Fairley embarks on his first season outside of Detroit, he plans to be right on a more consistent basis. To that end, Fairley isn't thinking about trying to put up 10 sacks or land a lucrative long-term deal at the end of the year. He's living in the here and now.
"Really, I’m just going to be who I am, try to make plays for this team and just basically do whatever they ask me to do," Fairley said. "This group of defensive linemen have been around and know how to play this defense and how to attack. I think it fits with what I do."
What Fairley does, more often than not, is rush the passer. According to the metrics at Pro Football Focus, Fairley was the most productive pass-rushing defensive tackle among those playing a minimum of 150 snaps last season. Of course, Fairley didn't play as many snaps as others but that should offer a baseline on what he can do when he's rolling.
Which is why Fairley's biggest goal this year has been to arrive in good shape. While there will be many stories about players showing up to training camp in the best shape of their lives, Fairley's claim is legitimate.
At his heaviest, Fairley reached 320 pounds with the Lions. But when he arrived for organized team activities in the spring, Rams coach Jeff Fisher told him he was a little bit too light at 280 pounds. So Fisher wanted Fairley to return with a few more pounds back on so he can hold up a bit better on the occasions he's asked to play the run.
"I would say I put on a little bit as far as muscle and toning up my body because when I came in it was like, 'Let’s get these offseason workouts and put this thing together,'" Fairley said. "And we did it this offseason."
Fairley credits strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson with helping him add the weight the right away and has many times praised the services of a personal chef for his transformation. Fairley is still listed at 308 pounds but is likely a bit below that.
In the early stages of camp, Fairley has looked like the disruptive pass-rusher the Rams were hoping they got when they signed him early in free agency. With Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers ahead of him on the depth chart, the Rams will have the advantage of deploying Fairley when they see fit. Namely, on obvious passing downs.
The hope is that Fairley and Donald can form one of the most dynamic interior rush duos in the NFL. Fairley sees that as a real possibility as he transitions from one attacking defense to another.
"As far as working at 3-technique and what they want us to do and getting in the backfield each and every play, that’s kind of the way I was playing in Detroit," Fairley said. "So it’s some new terminology and putting those things together and getting better every day."
