Rams sign A'Shawn Robinson

[fearsomefour]

It's worth keeping in mind that we might not be as barren as we think at OLB. We now have Leonard Floyd, Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam, Obo Okoronkwo, Jachai Polite, Jeff Holland, Natrez Patrick, Justin Lawler, etc. It's possible that the Rams think more highly of the young guys than we do. Obo and Polite both have a lot of potential if they can get their issues sorted.

Samson was playing in certain sets for the Rams last year. He was already getting snaps when both Fowler and Matthews were healthy.
He is solid and maybe takes the next step as a pass rusher.

 

[majrleaged]

That's the key to beating our division rivals.

Right! What made 9ers O go? The run. One game they threw like 8 times and dominated. The super bowl turned around when KC stopped the run. We have no chance if we don't get bigger and tougher on D. So I love this move.

 

[fearsomefour]

Not sure what mixes and matches the Rams will run in their front seven.
Donald/Robinson/Day upfront with a LB group is Samson/Howard/Floyd/Oko for example is one look.
It will be interesting to see how much the new DC runs a base 3/4 or mixes things like Wade did. 2 DL....Rapp coming down to play in the box etc.

It may be a situation where the “starters” guys that rarely leave the field are just a few guys.....Donald, Ramsey, Hill, Rapp, JJ and that’s it. The other positions being determined by rotation or defensive set.

I’ve long wanted the Rams to establish a true DL rotation. Day is a solid lineman and really played well most of last year.
Robinson and Gaines have a chance to add to a true rotation with Smart and Fox being back end of roster high effort guys.
Donald, Day, Robinson, Gaines, 2nd round pick give the Rams the possibility of a true solid rotation with many guys contributing and staying fresh. Donald being the only one pulling huge snap numbers unless someone steps up as a play maker. That second round DL would be the best pass rusher/play maker available.

Similar with the LB core. Samson, Oko, Howard, Reeder all got valuable playing time last year. Add in Floyd, Patrick, Polite, Holland and there may more there than it appears at first glance.

Cautiously optimistic.

 

[BonifayRam]

This UFA signing of A'Shawn Robinson indicates to me that he will play a vital role in this DL for Brandon Staley/ Eric Henderson. I would bet that Henderson is overjoyed with the signing of A'Shawn Robinson. It appears Staley had a critical need to insert a true oriented two-gapper who can step in now & plug holes in a leaky Ram run defense. This new Rams can play either the 5 tech or NT post without any issues.

Yes sir that 2 year $17 million contract was deeply costly to this Rams salary cap & into the future because of hits big effects on the 2021 Compensatory Draft Pick Awards (CDPA). Have no doubts that the Ram ORg. wanted this extra large cog 6-4/330 in place on their first line of defense on stopping the sizeable ugly gaping holes on display every game last season.

Anyone ROD's noticed that the Rams did not tender a qualifying offer to protect the Rams rights of matching offers to RFA DL Morgan Fox? That cost of protection which would have cost $2.14 million for the 2020 season alone has been kept in the Rams salary cap bank.

Honestly it not a big surprise because Demoff is now squeezing the eyeballs out of every Lincoln penny @ the moment. Obviously DC Brandon Staley did not see Fox as a starting DL in his defense simple as that. Paying that much for a back up behind A'Shawn Robinson would be a luxury no longer afforded. I expect to see Fox again wearing a Bronco's jersey playing for Denver.

LA Rams failed to retain RFA rights in 2020 NFL Free Agency

The LA Rams did not tender qualifying offers, and lost their RFA rights, to DE Morgan Fox, DB Donte Deayon, or ERFA Josh Carraway in 2020 NFL Free Agency.

ramblinfan.com

DL'er Marquise Copeland 6-2 290lbs get a big break to step into Fox's role @ a cut rate price of $600K. Copeland is another tough mean run stopper who played & had bad intentions directed @ RB's in college.

Rams got larger & thicker in this DL unit in 2020. In 2019 Brockers 6-6/310 & Fox 6-3/275 in 2020 Robinson 6-4/330 & Copeland 6-2/290. From what I observed last season this is a very good trend.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

DL'er Marquise Copeland 6-2 290lbs get a big break to step into Fox's role @ a cut rate price of $600K. Copeland is another tough mean run stopper who played & had bad intentions directed @ RB's in college.

Yes!!!!!

 

[BonifayRam]

LA Rams fans find lots to love about free agent Robinson & Floyd
by Bret Stuter

LA Rams’ new additions of OLB Floyd and DL Robinson may be unfamiliar faces, but both bring a lot to love about their fit on 2020 defense.

The LA Rams will run the same 3-4 defensive scheme they’ve run for some time. But if you haven’t noticed by now, there will be many new faces. Of course, All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald will still anchor the front seven. And the 2020 defensive backs will be one of the best pass defense foursomes in the NFL. But the LA Rams have parted ways with all four starting linebackers from 2019 so far.

So why the wholesale changes? In a word, the Rams face NFC West opponents who emphasize a running offense. In fact, all three NFC West opponents ranked in the top 10 rushing offenses in the NFL. And if you toss in the opponents who truly had their way with the LA Rams defense in 2019, the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, you soon see where the Rams Achilles Heel was in last year. The Rams could not stop the run. New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley will try to change that.

The Vic Fangio defense is designed to confuse offenses by “showing” one defense, but “playing” another defense. That defense needs three components: incredibly strong defensive linemen who can handle double teams at the line of scrimmage, defensive backs who can cover in both man and zone, and swarming linebackers who can get to the ball carrier and deliver a “boom” when they do. So how do we fit the Rams players into this new scheme?

The resounding theme in just two additions for the LA Rams defense is to get younger and to bolster the run defense. Plain and simple. And it’s the right goal for this team.

DL A’Shawn Robinson
The Rams lost an outstanding run defender when DL Michael Brockers signed with the Baltimore Ravens. Brockers is a 29-year-old 6-foot-5 305-pound defensive lineman who can hold his ground and defend the run very well. In his place, the LA Rams signed former Detroit Lions defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson. Robinson is a 25-year-old 6-foot-4 330-pound defensive lineman who can hold his ground and defend the run very well.

In short, the Rams got bigger, stronger, younger, and cheaper at the defensive line. Placing Robinson among the DL rotations with Donald, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Greg Gaines, the Rams now have a younger defensive front.

The direct comparisons over Brockers’ last four years and Robinson’s first four years reveal some interesting facts: (all stats from Pro-Football-Reference.com)


Def Snaps
2016: B – 419 R- 408
2017: B – 728 R – 735
2018: B – 680 R – 415
2019: B – 766 R – 527
Tackles
2016: B – 19 R- 30
2017: B – 55 R – 53
2018: B – 54 R – 49
2019: B – 63 R – 40
TFL Sacks QB Hits
2016: B – 1 R- 6 2016: B – 0.0 R- 2.0 2016: B – 5 R- 2
2017: B – 8 R – 4 2017: B – 4.5 R – 0.5 2017: B – 8 R – 6
2018: B – 4 R – 3 2018: B – 1.0 R – 1.0 2018: B – 4 R – 4
2019: B – 3 R – 3 2019: B – 3.0 R – 1.5 2019: B – 9 R – 2

The initial comparison is to conclude that Brockers was more productive. But Brockers played 2,700 defensive snaps, to just 2,100 for Robinson.
Double up defenders on double teams

The most exciting aspect of this signing is the fact that A’Shawn Robinson is a very powerful man. He is 330 pounds, but that is more muscle than fat. That power allows him to defeat double teams and defend the run. That proficiency against double teams gives the Rams a huge plus, as the team tries to force offenses to use just one blocker against Aaron Donald.

Robinson is definitely a good run defender. He’s able to locate the ball really well, and make a tackle on the ball. He had a forced fumble last year, due to this. He’s really stout, but he has the agility to make it back to the ball pic.twitter.com/hgimJsoAZl

— Nate Christensen (@nate_dogg204) February 17, 2020

So far, Robinson has not had much of an impact as a pass rusher. But he has not had that responsibility. He has been a lane-clogger, block-gobbler defensive lineman whose role was primarily to keep the linebackers clean and able to make plays. That is exactly what the Fangio/Staley defense will ask of him as well.

But he will be more than a fireplug in the Rams’ 2020 defense. He will be tasked with creating a secondary target for offensive lines on the defensive front. A second Hercules strongman on that defensive front which will force the offense to choose either Donald or Robinson. Choose the wrong one, and the other guy will make them pay by tackling the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage.

LA Rams fans find lots to love about free agents Floyd and Robinson

LA Rams' new additions of OLB Floyd and DL Robinson may be unfamiliar faces, but both bring a lot to love about their fit on 2020 defense.

ramblinfan.com

 

[PressureD41]

@BonifayRam great job on the Copeland contract. And getting his second year w/ Henderson will go along way to imho. Finally we should be able to stop the run. Finally Finally!!! Was the most painful thing to watch.
Nuffing beats a nasty Def owning teams!

Add a Centre, ILB, RB, WR, 5Tech, OG in any order

 

[Merlin]

Robinson lined up a lot as a 3T for the Lions, and didn't look very good doing it in 2019. So I suspect he'll play more 5T for us than NT, particularly vs teams like the 9ers to ensure we have a stout front vs the run. But he definitely should be able to play the nose for us if we need him to just like Brock did, where it wasn't ideal in base sets but on passing downs slide him inside.

 

[Ram65]

Not sure what mixes and matches the Rams will run in their front seven.

I guess we will have to wait and see where Staley sees the new guys Robinson and Floyd playing. They could be moving parts.

Donald/Robinson/Day upfront with a LB group is Samsonoward/Floyd/Oko for example is one look.
It will be interesting to see how much the new DC runs a base 3/4 or mixes things like Wade did. 2 DL....Rapp coming down to play in the box etc.

That could be a good look. When Robinson was first announced as a Ram pickup I thought he was going to be a NT. After reading how he wasn't a NT in Detriot and that Staley/Fangio had big DEs on their defenses it makes sense he could be put at DE. We will have to see if Staley prefers him at 5T or NT. He could move them around. That's a big question that won't get answered anytime soon.

I can see Floyd moving around playing inside on early downs. I thought Floyd would be moved him around but, if the OLBer/Edge guys develop maybe he stays and plays inside more replacing Littleton.

It may be a situation where the “starters” guys that rarely leave the field are just a few guys.....Donald, Ramsey, Hill, Rapp, JJ and that’s it. The other positions being determined by rotation or defensive set.

Add Floyd to that group and that's you core fulltime players.

I’ve long wanted the Rams to establish a true DL rotation. Day is a solid lineman and really played well most of last year.
Robinson and Gaines have a chance to add to a true rotation with Smart and Fox being back end of roster high effort guys.
Donald, Day, Robinson, Gaines, 2nd round pick give the Rams the possibility of a true solid rotation with many guys contributing and staying fresh. Donald being the only one pulling huge snap numbers unless someone steps up as a play maker. That second round DL would be the best pass rusher/play maker available.

Donald can't play every down. I noticed the Rams gave him more plays off last year. I think the play didn't drop off as much as in the past. It was 90.4 to 83.6 giving AD more rest last year. I think Gaines will be improved and I like Fox but the Rams could use one more D Lineman to get a better rotation. They need to be fresh against a division that runs the ball very well.

Similar with the LB core. Samson, Oko, Howard, Reeder all got valuable playing time last year. Add in Floyd, Patrick, Polite, Holland and there may more there than it appears at first glance.

Young guys that will have to compete for playing time. We could see good rotation to keep them fresh. Samson OBO and Floyd are the favorites on the pass rush. I hope Polite is ready. He could have been a first-round pick if his head was straight before he got to the combine.

Cautiously optimistic.

I think the defense can be better than Wade's. I see a much better secondary and better run defense than in 2019. Having Staley tweek the defense bringing in new energy and scheme adjustments have me cautiously optimistic too.

 

[fearsomefour]

I guess we will have to wait and see where Staley sees the new guys Robinson and Floyd playing. They could be moving parts.



That could be a good look. When Robinson was first announced as a Ram pickup I thought he was going to be a NT. After reading how he wasn't a NT in Detriot and that Staley/Fangio had big DEs on their defenses it makes sense he could be put at DE. We will have to see if Staley prefers him at 5T or NT. He could move them around. That's a big question that won't get answered anytime soon.

I can see Floyd moving around playing inside on early downs. I thought Floyd would be moved him around but, if the OLBer/Edge guys develop maybe stays plays inside more replacing Littleton.



Add Floyd to that group and that's you core fulltime players.



Donald can't play every down. I noticed the Rams gave him more plays off last year. I think the play didn't drop off as much as in the past. It was 90.4 to 83.6 giving AD more rest last year. I think Gaines will be improved and I like Fox but the Rams could use one more D Lineman to get a better rotation. They need to be fresh against a division that runs the ball very well.



Young guys that will have to compete for playing time. We could see good rotation to keep them fresh. Samson OBO and Floyd are the favorites on the pass rush. I hope Polite is ready. He could have been a first-round pick if his head was straight before he got to the combine.



I think the defense can be better than Wade's. I see a much better secondary and better run defense than in 2019. Having Staley tweek the defense bringing in new energy and scheme adjustments have me cautiously optimistic too.

You’re right about adding Floyd to the group of mainstays. He is a versatile player.
Donald did rotate out more last year and I think it’s a good idea.
Thanks for the replies!!

 

[Merlin]

You may be right we'll see. But his tape from 2018 looks pretty good. He was rumored to be in poor cardio shape last season, and prior to 2018 I don't think he really did anything, so there's question on my end about his heart or buy-in to the program.

I think he's a signing that will pay off if he's fully bought in. He has the talent. And bottom line given health he's a better run stopper than Brock was.

 

[Mackeyser]

A glance at Robinson's background shows lots of positives. Not sure what happened with him at Detroit?

Regardless, it appears to me that the Rams are restructuring the D to prioritize stopping the run at the edge and up the middle.

Patricia is a Belichick disciple. he likely has a valuation for the position and it wasn't what we signed him for.

 

[PressureD41]

Q: So were going more of a 2-gap system now under Staley?

 

[Mackeyser]

It's worth keeping in mind that we might not be as barren as we think at OLB. We now have Leonard Floyd, Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam, Obo Okoronkwo, Jachai Polite, Jeff Holland, Natrez Patrick, Justin Lawler, etc. It's possible that the Rams think more highly of the young guys than we do. Obo and Polite both have a lot of potential if they can get their issues sorted.

Wasn't Clay released?

 

[PressureD41]

Gotta be a typo w/ Clay

 

[Reddog99]

I remember around 10 years ago when the Rams swept all three teams in the division (there might have been 1 tie) but we still lost the division because we couldn't beat anyone else.

 

[OldSchool]

Wasn't Clay released?

Yes and I'd wager that comment you're replying to was before the release.