Rams Monday Wrap-Up: News and Notes

[RamBill]

Monday Wrap-Up: Ogletree to Undergo Ankle Surgery

By Myles Simmons

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Monday-Wrap-Up-Ogletree-to-Undergo-Ankle-Surgery/021c8104-6677-48a3-bedf-0b5183cf831f


While the Rams celebrated a solid 24-22 victory on Sunday, there was some unfortunate news to come out of the contest. Linebacker Alec Ogletree will miss extended time due to an ankle fracture.

Ogletree will undergo surgery Tuesday morning to repair the fracture. After that, the Rams will have a better understanding of just how long Ogletree will be out. Head coach Jeff Fisher said Ogletree will likely be headed for injured reserve, but, depending on Tuesday’s procedure, could be given the designation to return.

It’s a significant loss for the Rams, as Ogletree had been playing the best football of his young career. Despite exiting in the middle of the third quarter, Ogletree still led St. Louis with 11 tackles in Sunday’s contest. In all, the linebacker registered 55 tackles in the Rams’ first four games.

“It’s that next guy up routine,” Fisher said on Monday. “Someone has to step up.”

Fellow linebacker James Laurinaitis said losing Ogletree is a significant blow to the unit, especially given how well he was playing.

“He was on a tear. Personally, he was on as good of a three-game start as I’ve seen,” Laurinaitis said after the game. “He was just all over the place on the field, really playing smart -- two sacks last week. You really saw his raw talent start to come into form.”


That said, the situation will provide some opportunities for other players to contribute. Fisher said linebacker Akeem Ayers will slot in as the ‘Will’ linebacker in most situations. It’s a chance to get him some more snaps, as the Rams have been playing a lot of teams who utilize three wide receiver sets.

“Unfortunately these first three weeks, we’ve played a lot of teams who want to get into 11 personnel and get small and all that,” Laurinaitis said. “So you sign a guy like Akeem and you’re sitting here having to put him on the sideline a lot because of personnel. So it’ll be good to see what he’s about.”

Two other players who will have their share of opportunities are linebacker Daren Bates and safety Mark Barron. Known more as a special teams ace, Bates played a few snaps defense on Sunday, and made a tackle on his first play. And with Barron, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said recently the Alabama product has the skill set to play both the safety and linebacker positions.

“We’re getting a lot of production out of Mark in the sub-packages,” Fisher said. “We’ll continue to do those things. We may entertain the possibility of using Mark on some earlier downs.”

And so while it won’t be easy to replace Ogletree, the team will have to field the next man up and play without much drop off.

“We’ll miss him,” Fisher said, “but we’ll move on.”

NEWS AND NOTES

There was plenty more to come out of Fisher’s press conference on Monday. Here are some of the highlights.

— Running back Todd Gurley was able to really get the ground game going in the third and fourth quarters on Sunday, and Fisher said Monday the offense made some minor adjustments at halftime to get things going. Specifically, they made some tweaks based on wide receiver Tavon Austin.

“We were playing a very good defense. There’s going to be some tackles for losses here and there because of their penetration,” Fisher said. “But, we made a couple of minor adjustments and they had respect for Tavon and where Tavon was, and that just kind of opened some things, created some creases for us.”

— While Fisher has been pleased with the progress from St. Louis’ offensive line, he did say the pass protection as a whole needs to improve. The head coach cited quarterback Nick Foles getting hit too many times as evidence.

“We have to get better there,” Fisher said. “I don’t like to see our quarterback on the ground. But when [Foles] hung in there, he bought himself time. He trusted a clean pocket and got the ball down the field.”

— Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the big win on Sunday was a trade. On Saturday, the Rams sent wide receiver Chris Givens to Baltimore in exchange for a conditional draft pick.

“We had a couple trading partners there. We completed it Friday, let Chris know Saturday,” Fisher said. “I was really proud of Chris considering where he was when he got here and the player he became – the pro that he became. With Brian coming back and them having the need, it just worked out for us.”

“Chris traditionally for us has been that over the top guy,” Fisher added, “and we felt like Tavon has the same skill set to do that, as you saw yesterday.”

— With the first four games of the season complete, running back Trey Watts is now off the suspended list and on the active roster. Fisher said he was already back in the building on Monday. With the Givens trade over the weekend, the Rams played Sunday’s game with 52 men on their active roster.

 

[RamBill]

Head coach Jeff Fisher wrapped up the victory over Arizona at his weekly press conference on Monday afternoon at Rams Park.

Watch Fisher's Presser

 

[RamBill]

Nick Wagoner dishes the latest news from the Fisher press conference and Ogletree injury with Randy K. and D'Marco Farr

Listen to Wagoner Talk Rams

 

[RamBill]

Alec Ogletree set for surgery on fractured ankle, Akeem Ayers next up
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...urgery-on-fractured-ankle-akeem-ayers-next-up

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher confirmed Monday afternoon that linebacker Alec Ogletree will have surgery to repair his fractured right ankle. Ogletree's surgery is set for Tuesday.

After that procedure, Fisher and the Rams will choose between two options: injured reserve with the designation to return or regular injured reserve. In other words, the Rams will be without Ogletree for at least eight weeks and could very well lose him for the rest of the season.

"It looks as if we’re going to have a surgical procedure in the morning," Fisher said. "Once the procedure is done, I’ll have a better idea as to whether or not we will elect to use our IR designation. I’ll keep you informed as far as that goes tomorrow afternoon. He’s got a fracture. He’s got some things we’ve got to look at. He’s doing fine. He’s optimistic."

Ogletree suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Rams' 24-22 win against Arizona on Sunday afternoon. The injury happened when safety T.J. McDonald accidentally fell into the back of Ogletree's leg when diving to make a tackle. He left the game on a cart and did not return.

Fisher said he spoke to Ogletree on Monday morning and that the third-year linebacker was seemingly in good spirits. Ogletree attended team meetings Monday afternoon and Fisher said the expectation is that after the surgery Ogletree will stay around the team and look to offer advice to teammates where he can.

In the meantime, the Rams will turn to Akeem Ayers to take over for Ogletree as the weakside linebacker.

"We’ll move on, it’s that next guy up routine," Fisher said. "Someone has to step up. Akeem will step up for him. Glad we've got Akeem to handle that role. We’ll just adjust accordingly defensively."

The Rams signed Ayers as a free agent in the offseason with the idea of plugging him in as the strongside linebacker. Because the Rams have been in sub-packages so much in the first four weeks, Ayers hasn't had much of an opportunity to play. He's played 65 snaps and made four tackles so far this season.

Now, the Rams will ask the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Ayers to move to the weak side but will also use Daren Bates and safety Mark Barron as well, depending on the offensive personnel.

"Akeem goes in, in base," Fisher said. "He’s one of the three linebackers in base, so he just moves over. It’s not a problem. And Mark, we’re getting a lot of production out of Mark in the sub-packages. We’ll continue to do those things. We may entertain the possibility of using Mark on some earlier downs.”

Regardless of the designation, Ogletree's injury is going to open up a roster spot that the Rams will likely use to add depth at linebacker in his absence. One logical solution is veteran linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who the team released in the final round of cuts and remains available.

 

[RamBill]

Rams have to shuffle linebackers
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_4575e6bf-2924-5163-a06b-a7ada9a2c60f.html

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) his hit by St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Alec Ogletree (52) and safety Mark Barron (26) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)


Newcomer Akeem Ayers hasn’t been seen all that much for the Rams this season. But that’s about to change. With linebacker Alec Ogletree missing a minimum of eight weeks following ankle surgery scheduled Tuesday, Ayers is next man up.

A free-agent pickup from the New England Patriots this past offsesason, Ayers will replace Ogletree as the team’s starting weakside linebacker, coach Jeff Fisher said Monday.

“I’m glad we’ve got Akeem to handle that role, and we’ll just adjust accordingly,” Fisher said. “We’re three linebackers in base, so he just moves over (from strong side to weak side). It’s not a problem.”

Ayers was signed to a two-year deal by the Rams on March 12, a deal that included $2.75 million in guaranteed money and can max out to $9.2 million if all incentives are met. The fifth-year pro out of UCLA was brought in to play the strongside position — basically, on the tight end’s side.

But for a variety of reasons, including the preponderance of three-wide receiver sets the Rams have faced, plus the success of safety Mark Barron playing in a linebacker-type role, Ayers hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time so far this season.

In four games, Ayers has been on the field for 67 plays, or just 24 percent of the time the Rams’ defense has been on the field. He has nine tackles, including one tackle for loss, with one pass breakup.

“It’s the personnel groupings that we’re facing,” Fisher explained. “I’m not saying the offenses dictate who we put on the field, but when you’re seeing a lot of three-wide receiver groupings as opposed to the traditional two tight ends sets — you know, or the fullback offense — we sub.

“And so, when we sub, we put an extra DB on the field (nickel back Lamarcus Joyner) and Akeem comes off. But Akeem can play the position. He came in and he did a nice job for us” after Ogletree’s injury Sunday in Arizona.

Barron has been so successful playing down in the box, lining up where an outside linebacker would in certain packages, that the Rams are considering using him more often there on earlier downs as well now that Ogletree is out.

Special teams captain Daren Bates can also play the weakside spot if necessary, although he has very little experience there at the professional level. His eight snaps there Sunday following Ogletree’s injury were his first of the season at linebacker.

“He went in there the first play (after Ogletree’s injury),” Fisher said. “He went in there and made the tackle. He did fine. We have the confidence in him. He knows what to do. He’s been in this defense. He has a good feel for it. So if he has to play on defense, then we expect he’ll be fine.”

But the plan is for Ayers to slide into Ogletree’s role. So with Ayers at the weakside spot, who slides into his previous spot at strongside linebacker?

It could be veteran Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Dunbar is scheduled to take a physical with the club Tuesday, and if there are no hitches he could be back with the Rams. From 2012-14, Dunbar started 36 games for the Rams at linebacker. In 2012, he finished second on the team with a career-high 157 tackles, also establishing career highs in sacks (4 1/2) and interceptions (two).

But his production and playing time dipped in 2013 and ’14. This year, Ayers took over the starting strongside job from Dunbar after signing with the Rams, and in a cut-down day surprise, Dunbar was released.

A physical player known for his run defense, Dunbar obviously knows the defense and should be able to contribute right away if re-signed.

As for Ogletree, Fisher wasn’t able to provide many more details Monday than he did Sunday in the aftermath of the injury, which occurred with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter against Arizona. Teammate T.J. McDonald accidentally rolled up on Ogletree from behind when both players were chasing down Cardinals running back Chris Johnson on a 19-yard run.

“It looks as if we’re gonna have a surgical procedure (Tuesday) morning,” Fisher said. “And once the procedure is done I’ll have a better idea as to whether or not we will elect to use our IR designation.

“He’s got a fractured ankle right now. We just have to look at the integrity of the entire ankle. I’ll get into more specifics after the surgery.”

At best, Ogletree will be placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list. The earliest he could return from that under league rules is eight weeks, which would have him back for the last five games of the season, starting with the Arizona contest Dec. 6.

Depending on how the surgery goes, and what the doctors find, Ogletree could be sidelined for the rest of the season. Either way it’s a huge blow for the defense based on how well Ogletree was playing.

If not for defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Ogletree would rate as the team’s defensive MVP at this point in 2015. Ogletree leads the team in tackles (55) and was tied for second in tackles for loss (five). He also had two sacks.

“I just hope he come backs and he’s himself,” defensive end Chris Long said. “We’ll miss him while he’s gone, but we’ve got other guys that can step up. We’ve got things we can do with our defense, move people around. I’m very confident in the guys we have in this locker room. But he worked his (butt) off this year. I know what that’s like to go down early, and I feel for him.”

Long was on the IR/DR list last season following a foot/ankle injury that required surgery. He missed 10 games.

Fisher said he’s keeping his fingers crossed for a full and relatively quick recovery for Ogletree.

“This is a medical decision,” Fisher said. “So we’ll just see how it goes. As I said, you’d have to look long and hard to find a linebacker playing better than he did the first four weeks. So we’ll miss him, but we’ll move on.”