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St. Louis Rams: 3 Most Crucial Training Camp Position Battles to Watch
By Steven Gerwel, Featured Columnist
Training camp is set to open for the St. Louis Rams on July 31. After that date, the competitions will enter full-swing mode.
While there are numerous positional battles—safety, cornerback, backup running back—there are three primary areas that will likely define St. Louis' 2015 season.
If these three contests produce capable winners, it could put a playoff berth within reach for the first time in years. However, if no clear winner—or an underwhelming winner—emerges at any or all of these spots, the Rams could be on the outside looking in yet again.
With that in mind, here are the three most crucial training camp battles for St. Louis in 2015.
Outside Linebacker (Strong Side)
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Six of the seven spots on St. Louis' defensive front are spoken for. The final vacancy is at strong-side linebacker, opposite Alec Ogletree.
The Rams inked Akeem Ayers to a two-year deal worth $6 million, perSpotrac, and he'll compete for the job against incumbent Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Daren Bates might also be in the mix as a dark horse, but the idea of him winning out without a wave of injuries seems far-fetched.
Ayers' contract size, experience and his overall raw talent make him the clear front-runner. He was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the New England Patriots midseason last year, per NFL.com. The sudden change of scenery and the new playbook likely hindered his efforts in 2014, but he still had some noticeable positives.
In his four starts with New England last year, opposing teams averaged 79.2 rushing yards per game. That's a nice decrease from New England's overall season average of 104.3 rushing yards per game. And two of those four opponents were top-10 rushing teams in 2014—the Denver Broncos (second) and the Green Bay Packers (sixth).
Ayers also recorded two sacks during those four starts. Overall, his pass-rushing skills have been more than adequate at the NFL level.
He played 318 snaps on defense last year, per Rotowire, and finished with four sacks—giving him one sack every 79.5 snaps. That puts his sack success rate relatively close to Aaron Donald (one sack every 71.8 snaps) and Robert Quinn (70).
He has the pass-rush skills the Rams covet, combined with a 255-pound frame that's built to stand tall against running backs. That combination of skills will make him an asset on the field.
As for Dunbar, he possesses the ferocity and animal mentality that head coach Jeff Fisher loves in his players, not to mention this will be his sixth year in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' system.
Dunbar's attitude and comfort with the scheme are his top advantages. As for production, that's a different story.
He had a career year in 2012 with 115 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two picks, but he hasn't been himself since. He hasn't picked off a pass or produced a sack once in the last two seasons, despite starting 20 total games during that time.
The drop-off in performance happened immediately following his 2013 suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. It'd be unfair to blame his decline entirely on that, but it does seem extremely coincidental.
In the end, there are two ways Dunbar can win the job. Either an injury occurs or he returns to his 2012 self. The latter seems unlikely, so at this point, St. Louis is banking on Ayers to get the job done.
If this training camp battle produces a suitable starter, the Rams will enter the 2015 season without a single weakness in the front seven.
This battle very well could be the key to a top-five defense.
No. 1 Wide Receiver
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
The offseason hype seems focused exclusively on the defense and run game, but the defense will be the focal point. The defense will carry the Rams for the most part, but that alone might not be enough for a playoff berth—even if they field a top-10 unit.
In addition to defense, the Rams must also feature a somewhat competent aerial game—even if it's far from the team's top strength—and at least one key playmaker at receiver.
If you need convincing, just look at the top-10 defenses from last season: Five of them—Carolina, Baltimore, Denver, Detroit and Seattle—made the playoffs. Of those five teams, only the Seahawks lacked a true No. 1 receiver (defined here as a guy who produces at least 75 catches and 1,000 yards).
Among the other five teams with a top-10 defense—the teams that missed the playoffs—only San Francisco had the luxury of a No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin.
That doesn't mean the Rams are automatically in the playoffs with a 1,000-yard pass catcher or that they're out of luck without one. It just goes to show that, at the end of the day, this is still a pass-happy league.
You can point to the revamped rushing attack and claim the Rams will run their way to a competent offense, but will that work in crunch time? When the team is down by six with under two minutes in the final quarter and the run game is no longer an option, the Rams will need a big-time pass-catcher to step up and save the day.
At this point, the Rams are depending on either Brian Quick or Kenny Britt to become that guy.
Quick emerged in a big way in 2014. In the first four games, he average 80.5 yards per game and scored three touchdowns. He was held to just three catches and 43 yards the following two weeks, but those games were defensive slugfests against the 49ers and Seahawks.
In the following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Quick caught a single 10-yard pass before going down in the first half. According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, Quick tore a rotator cuff and separated his shoulder, effectively cutting his breakout season short.
Of course, Rams fans are hoping it will be back to business with Quick and that he'll pick up where he left off. If that's the case, St. Louis most definitely has its No. 1 guy.
Unfortunately, due to the extent of the injury, that's far from a sure thing. As stated in Wagoner's report, Quick appears to be making progress, but he's still not 100 percent, and there's no definitive timetable for his return.
If Quick is not ready, Britt's role on this team will be vital. Unless Stedman Bailey shocks us with a breakout campaign—not totally unrealistic—Britt is the only guy with the potential to be the top receiver.
Britt became a prominent contributor late in the season. In the first half of 2014, he averaged a mere 31.5 yards per game, but he steadily improved after averaging 58.3 yards per game in the final eight contests.
Now that Britt is comfortable in the system and has embraced his role as a team leader, the Rams would like to see more consistency out of him.
It will be a tough battle between Britt and Quick for the No. 1 job. It doesn't matter who wins out, as long as quarterback Nick Foles has a dangerous weapon to lean on in crunch time.
Offensive Line
Michael Thomas/Associated Press
The offensive line will feature two prominent battles that will likely have a major impact on the offense's 2015 performance.
The first battle is for the starting center job. Three young veterans—Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones, Demetrius Rhaney—will duke it out for the honor, but the threesome hardly inspires confidence.
Barnes is the only one with starting experience, as he started four games in 2013. However, with only 213 career snaps, he's far from a proven commodity.
As a pass blocker, Barnes has agility and quickness. He dropped back nearly 1,500 times during his NCAA career with the Missouri Tigers and is capable when it comes to keeping his quarterbacks clean. Unfortunately, he's a bit weak in the run-blocking department.
Jones is basically coming off back-to-back redshirt years at the NFL level. A preseason back injury, per ESPN, spoiled his 2014 campaign. He was a highly-decorated player out of Alabama in college, but he's just a total mystery in the pros.
Rhaney is St. Louis' seventh-round pick from the 2014 draft. According to Wagoner of ESPN.com, Fisher mentions Rhaney as a real contender for the job. But for all we know, that could be nothing more than typical coach speak, designed to light a fire under Rhaney.
The three centers are all unknowns, but what we do know is that none of them unseated Scott Wells last season, despite his abysmal -29.7 rating from Pro Football Focus. Either the coaches had a foolish confidence in Wells or the other guys were just not good enough, which would be saying a lot in a bad way.
For St. Louis' sake, one of the centers better be ready to take the next step.
The second major battle is for the starting guard job opposite Rodger Saffold.
As of now, it's an all-rookie competition between Jamon Brown and Andrew Donnal, with Cody Wichmann trailing not far behind.
Upgrading this position should not be a major issue. Former starter Davin Joseph ended the season with a -24.6 PFF grade—the fourth-lowest grade among all guards—so the successor has nowhere to go but up.
Brown will struggle with pass protection, but his game is all about power. If he wins out, he'll fit right in with Greg Robinson and Rob Havenstein—giving the Rams a trio of blockers capable of throwing around defenders and reaching the next level.
Donnal and Wichmann play the same style of football, yet both are less refined versions of Brown. They love to open run lanes, but their handling of the blitz is a bit questionable.
One of the three will emerge as the Week-1 starter, but that guy is not necessarily the winner. Things can change as the season progresses. Even if Brown wins, it's possible we'll still get a glance at the other two before the season's conclusion.
Overall, St. Louis' offensive line woes have gone on long enough. Regardless of who wins the center and guard jobs, the Rams need to find a group of five that can consistently step on the field and jell week after week, even year after year.
If that happens, the offense will take off.
Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams featured columnist at Bleacher Report and served as the Rams' game-day correspondent in 2014. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or following him on Twitter.
St. Louis Rams: 3 Most Crucial Training Camp Position Battles to Watch
By Steven Gerwel, Featured Columnist
Training camp is set to open for the St. Louis Rams on July 31. After that date, the competitions will enter full-swing mode.
While there are numerous positional battles—safety, cornerback, backup running back—there are three primary areas that will likely define St. Louis' 2015 season.
If these three contests produce capable winners, it could put a playoff berth within reach for the first time in years. However, if no clear winner—or an underwhelming winner—emerges at any or all of these spots, the Rams could be on the outside looking in yet again.
With that in mind, here are the three most crucial training camp battles for St. Louis in 2015.
Outside Linebacker (Strong Side)
Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Six of the seven spots on St. Louis' defensive front are spoken for. The final vacancy is at strong-side linebacker, opposite Alec Ogletree.
The Rams inked Akeem Ayers to a two-year deal worth $6 million, perSpotrac, and he'll compete for the job against incumbent Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Daren Bates might also be in the mix as a dark horse, but the idea of him winning out without a wave of injuries seems far-fetched.
Ayers' contract size, experience and his overall raw talent make him the clear front-runner. He was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the New England Patriots midseason last year, per NFL.com. The sudden change of scenery and the new playbook likely hindered his efforts in 2014, but he still had some noticeable positives.
In his four starts with New England last year, opposing teams averaged 79.2 rushing yards per game. That's a nice decrease from New England's overall season average of 104.3 rushing yards per game. And two of those four opponents were top-10 rushing teams in 2014—the Denver Broncos (second) and the Green Bay Packers (sixth).
Ayers also recorded two sacks during those four starts. Overall, his pass-rushing skills have been more than adequate at the NFL level.
He played 318 snaps on defense last year, per Rotowire, and finished with four sacks—giving him one sack every 79.5 snaps. That puts his sack success rate relatively close to Aaron Donald (one sack every 71.8 snaps) and Robert Quinn (70).
He has the pass-rush skills the Rams covet, combined with a 255-pound frame that's built to stand tall against running backs. That combination of skills will make him an asset on the field.
As for Dunbar, he possesses the ferocity and animal mentality that head coach Jeff Fisher loves in his players, not to mention this will be his sixth year in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' system.
Dunbar's attitude and comfort with the scheme are his top advantages. As for production, that's a different story.
He had a career year in 2012 with 115 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two picks, but he hasn't been himself since. He hasn't picked off a pass or produced a sack once in the last two seasons, despite starting 20 total games during that time.
The drop-off in performance happened immediately following his 2013 suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. It'd be unfair to blame his decline entirely on that, but it does seem extremely coincidental.
In the end, there are two ways Dunbar can win the job. Either an injury occurs or he returns to his 2012 self. The latter seems unlikely, so at this point, St. Louis is banking on Ayers to get the job done.
If this training camp battle produces a suitable starter, the Rams will enter the 2015 season without a single weakness in the front seven.
This battle very well could be the key to a top-five defense.
No. 1 Wide Receiver
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
The offseason hype seems focused exclusively on the defense and run game, but the defense will be the focal point. The defense will carry the Rams for the most part, but that alone might not be enough for a playoff berth—even if they field a top-10 unit.
In addition to defense, the Rams must also feature a somewhat competent aerial game—even if it's far from the team's top strength—and at least one key playmaker at receiver.
If you need convincing, just look at the top-10 defenses from last season: Five of them—Carolina, Baltimore, Denver, Detroit and Seattle—made the playoffs. Of those five teams, only the Seahawks lacked a true No. 1 receiver (defined here as a guy who produces at least 75 catches and 1,000 yards).
Among the other five teams with a top-10 defense—the teams that missed the playoffs—only San Francisco had the luxury of a No. 1 receiver in Anquan Boldin.
That doesn't mean the Rams are automatically in the playoffs with a 1,000-yard pass catcher or that they're out of luck without one. It just goes to show that, at the end of the day, this is still a pass-happy league.
You can point to the revamped rushing attack and claim the Rams will run their way to a competent offense, but will that work in crunch time? When the team is down by six with under two minutes in the final quarter and the run game is no longer an option, the Rams will need a big-time pass-catcher to step up and save the day.
At this point, the Rams are depending on either Brian Quick or Kenny Britt to become that guy.
Quick emerged in a big way in 2014. In the first four games, he average 80.5 yards per game and scored three touchdowns. He was held to just three catches and 43 yards the following two weeks, but those games were defensive slugfests against the 49ers and Seahawks.
In the following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Quick caught a single 10-yard pass before going down in the first half. According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, Quick tore a rotator cuff and separated his shoulder, effectively cutting his breakout season short.
Of course, Rams fans are hoping it will be back to business with Quick and that he'll pick up where he left off. If that's the case, St. Louis most definitely has its No. 1 guy.
Unfortunately, due to the extent of the injury, that's far from a sure thing. As stated in Wagoner's report, Quick appears to be making progress, but he's still not 100 percent, and there's no definitive timetable for his return.
If Quick is not ready, Britt's role on this team will be vital. Unless Stedman Bailey shocks us with a breakout campaign—not totally unrealistic—Britt is the only guy with the potential to be the top receiver.
Britt became a prominent contributor late in the season. In the first half of 2014, he averaged a mere 31.5 yards per game, but he steadily improved after averaging 58.3 yards per game in the final eight contests.
Now that Britt is comfortable in the system and has embraced his role as a team leader, the Rams would like to see more consistency out of him.
It will be a tough battle between Britt and Quick for the No. 1 job. It doesn't matter who wins out, as long as quarterback Nick Foles has a dangerous weapon to lean on in crunch time.
Offensive Line
Michael Thomas/Associated Press
The offensive line will feature two prominent battles that will likely have a major impact on the offense's 2015 performance.
The first battle is for the starting center job. Three young veterans—Tim Barnes, Barrett Jones, Demetrius Rhaney—will duke it out for the honor, but the threesome hardly inspires confidence.
Barnes is the only one with starting experience, as he started four games in 2013. However, with only 213 career snaps, he's far from a proven commodity.
As a pass blocker, Barnes has agility and quickness. He dropped back nearly 1,500 times during his NCAA career with the Missouri Tigers and is capable when it comes to keeping his quarterbacks clean. Unfortunately, he's a bit weak in the run-blocking department.
Jones is basically coming off back-to-back redshirt years at the NFL level. A preseason back injury, per ESPN, spoiled his 2014 campaign. He was a highly-decorated player out of Alabama in college, but he's just a total mystery in the pros.
Rhaney is St. Louis' seventh-round pick from the 2014 draft. According to Wagoner of ESPN.com, Fisher mentions Rhaney as a real contender for the job. But for all we know, that could be nothing more than typical coach speak, designed to light a fire under Rhaney.
The three centers are all unknowns, but what we do know is that none of them unseated Scott Wells last season, despite his abysmal -29.7 rating from Pro Football Focus. Either the coaches had a foolish confidence in Wells or the other guys were just not good enough, which would be saying a lot in a bad way.
For St. Louis' sake, one of the centers better be ready to take the next step.
The second major battle is for the starting guard job opposite Rodger Saffold.
As of now, it's an all-rookie competition between Jamon Brown and Andrew Donnal, with Cody Wichmann trailing not far behind.
Upgrading this position should not be a major issue. Former starter Davin Joseph ended the season with a -24.6 PFF grade—the fourth-lowest grade among all guards—so the successor has nowhere to go but up.
Brown will struggle with pass protection, but his game is all about power. If he wins out, he'll fit right in with Greg Robinson and Rob Havenstein—giving the Rams a trio of blockers capable of throwing around defenders and reaching the next level.
Donnal and Wichmann play the same style of football, yet both are less refined versions of Brown. They love to open run lanes, but their handling of the blitz is a bit questionable.
One of the three will emerge as the Week-1 starter, but that guy is not necessarily the winner. Things can change as the season progresses. Even if Brown wins, it's possible we'll still get a glance at the other two before the season's conclusion.
Overall, St. Louis' offensive line woes have gone on long enough. Regardless of who wins the center and guard jobs, the Rams need to find a group of five that can consistently step on the field and jell week after week, even year after year.
If that happens, the offense will take off.
Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams featured columnist at Bleacher Report and served as the Rams' game-day correspondent in 2014. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or following him on Twitter.
