- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
OTAs over and Rams' Bradford happy with his offseason work
By Howard Balzer
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/otas-over-rams-bradford-happy-001040404--nfl.html
EARTH CITY, Mo. - As the St. Louis Rams broke for the offseason Thursday after head coach Jeff Fisher canceled the final scheduled day for OTAs, quarterback Sam Bradford was a happy man.
Happy that he will have five weeks off before reporting to training camp on July 24, but mostly happy at the work he was able to accomplish coming back from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
"I was really happy with everything that went on during the OTAs," Bradford said. "A big part of it for me was, obviously, physically getting back onto the field, seeing how my knee reacted. It's been fantastic. We were actually able to do a little more than we anticipated.
"So, that's very positive and then this week to actually practice twice, get a little more comfortable out there. It's tough kind of going once a week. Out there today it probably felt the best it has felt all OTAs and I'm just really looking to build on that."
It's only been eight months since the injury occurred, but Bradford said of his knee, "I feel really good. Obviously, I think part of it is building up the endurance in my legs. I can kind of feel a little bit of fatigue today, but I think that's normal just not having been out here practicing like that. That's really what I'm going to work on during this five-week break."
But he will also be doing some relaxing, saying, "I'm just excited to go home and kind of enjoy a little bit of down time before we really get going."
Shortly after the 2013 season ended, the Rams were unsure whether Bradford would be available for OTAs. Coach Jeff Fisher said, "We had a plan throughout. We allowed him to do some things in the skill development and he did. We got him on the field in the first couple OTAs. Just in the passing fashion he was good.
"Then today and obviously on Tuesday, he participated in team periods - that was encouraging. He's got a plan for the summer. He's going to get away for a little bit. He needs to get away. He's been here every day, and he'll come back ready to go."
Finally, Bradford emphasized the importance of having these OTAs and being able to participate in about half, rather than be thrown into things when training camp opens.
He said, "It was huge to be out here, especially at the beginning of OTAs. I really expected to just be doing 7-on-7, but to be able to get out there - and obviously 'Fish' slowed the pass rush down a little bit - to be out there and get some of the team reps in the different periods, that's huge.
"We talked about it yesterday in the team meeting, but the way that the new CBA is, I think we've only got like 19 practices before game week starts and that's not a lot of time to get back onto the field. So to actually be out here and get to rep some of the new things that we've put in, I think that was really big."
By Howard Balzer
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/otas-over-rams-bradford-happy-001040404--nfl.html
EARTH CITY, Mo. - As the St. Louis Rams broke for the offseason Thursday after head coach Jeff Fisher canceled the final scheduled day for OTAs, quarterback Sam Bradford was a happy man.
Happy that he will have five weeks off before reporting to training camp on July 24, but mostly happy at the work he was able to accomplish coming back from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
"I was really happy with everything that went on during the OTAs," Bradford said. "A big part of it for me was, obviously, physically getting back onto the field, seeing how my knee reacted. It's been fantastic. We were actually able to do a little more than we anticipated.
"So, that's very positive and then this week to actually practice twice, get a little more comfortable out there. It's tough kind of going once a week. Out there today it probably felt the best it has felt all OTAs and I'm just really looking to build on that."
It's only been eight months since the injury occurred, but Bradford said of his knee, "I feel really good. Obviously, I think part of it is building up the endurance in my legs. I can kind of feel a little bit of fatigue today, but I think that's normal just not having been out here practicing like that. That's really what I'm going to work on during this five-week break."
But he will also be doing some relaxing, saying, "I'm just excited to go home and kind of enjoy a little bit of down time before we really get going."
Shortly after the 2013 season ended, the Rams were unsure whether Bradford would be available for OTAs. Coach Jeff Fisher said, "We had a plan throughout. We allowed him to do some things in the skill development and he did. We got him on the field in the first couple OTAs. Just in the passing fashion he was good.
"Then today and obviously on Tuesday, he participated in team periods - that was encouraging. He's got a plan for the summer. He's going to get away for a little bit. He needs to get away. He's been here every day, and he'll come back ready to go."
Finally, Bradford emphasized the importance of having these OTAs and being able to participate in about half, rather than be thrown into things when training camp opens.
He said, "It was huge to be out here, especially at the beginning of OTAs. I really expected to just be doing 7-on-7, but to be able to get out there - and obviously 'Fish' slowed the pass rush down a little bit - to be out there and get some of the team reps in the different periods, that's huge.
"We talked about it yesterday in the team meeting, but the way that the new CBA is, I think we've only got like 19 practices before game week starts and that's not a lot of time to get back onto the field. So to actually be out here and get to rep some of the new things that we've put in, I think that was really big."