Will we see Greg Gaines taking "any" significant snaps THIS season?

[Soul Surfer]

That's not a compliment, if you were intending on making it a compliment. WalterFootball is complete trash.

So you admit that you read Walter Football.

 

[fearsomefour]

I agree that SJDay has improved since the start of the season. I like Fox also. But I don’t think Smart is an upgrade. I also don’t think Gaines was drafted strictly as a roymtational piece at NT. In college he got plenty of pressure on the QB. I don’t think he’s getting enough pressure right now and that’s the part of his game that he needs to work on but I don’t think Smart offers much against the run or pass. I’d rather see more Gaines than Smart, even if it’s with SJD on the field too.


I’m hoping the plan is too have a top defensive backfield and a DLine that can stuff the run as well as pressure the QB. If Gaines can get his pass rush up to what it was in college then he could be more than just a NT and a top three option on the DLine rotation. I haven’t rewatched that uninspiring snooze fest of a game but I’m wondering how many of the run plays for Cincinnati came with Smart and Fox in and Gaines and SJDay out.

SJD has improved greatly and is a big reason the Rams run D is much better this year.
He is the “starter” going forward.
I like Fox as a high energy rotational guy.
Gaines may develop into a guy who gets time and is splitting it with Day or he may be just a rotational guy. Too early to tell.

 

[fearsomefour]

Gaines is the far better option. Plays low and is unmoved by double teams. Requires double teams. Has pressured the QB. Completely disrupts the interior of the offensive line and controls multiple gaps. Able to shed and tackle close to the line of scrimmage not 5 yards downfield. Can play more than one position. Needs to play next to AD as both will need doubles and they don't have the numbers for that and they'll have to choose.

Don’t see any of that.
Not yet anyway.
He appears much less athletic that SJD.
Day has made plays down the line of scrimmage that Gaines just couldn’t get to.
I like Gaines potential and he has been ok as a run defender, but that’s it.
SJD is one of main reason the Rams run D has improved from last year.....over 5 YPC to under 4 YPC.
I wouldn’t mind seeing some 4 DL fronts against Pittsburgh which would get both of them on the field together.

 

[BonifayRam]

For sure, assuming the Rams can’t retain Brockers, next year Copeland and Gaines should get more snaps.

Brockers will be only 29 yrs old when he hits UFA'cy in March 2020. He is sure to get a contract similar to what he got from the Rams. I consider the resigning of Brockers highly Unlikely. Brockers played for $10.75 million this season.

With our DC increasing the use of only 2 DL'ers on both passing & running downs ( 2 DL'ers/ 2 ER's/ 1 MLB'er/ 3 saf's/ 3 CB's) the need for Brockers is not that great when dealing with the salary cap issues.

Brockers snaps can be taken by younger talented & easily affordable defenders like the seldom used Gaines/ Copeland/ Okoronkwo/ SJD/ Smart & Lawler.

 

[RamsInfiniti]

SJD has been playing good football, and if you don't think so - you aren't watching him. Just in his second year, he already plays with great instinct. He moves well laterally along the line, and even when he is "beaten", he still works to get his body in position to influence plays in the run game. He gets solid push on passing downs, and this will only improve as he gets stronger and his technique improves.

Gaines will eventually become part of the rotation, and I think the SJD/Gaines combo will make Brockers expendable.

 

[OldSchool]

Wade and Sean don't just start rookies for the sake of starting rookies or because of where they were drafted. They have to earn it with play and how they are in meetings. Gaines will get more time when he's needed or when he outplays SJD.

 

[CireRams4life]

Bottom line, I wanted David Long to start instead of Hill or other back-ups. However the reply above is right about Wade and Sean not starting rookies as much as we would like them to, Rapp had to play a lot because Johnson is out, Weddle was out one game due to cut on his head. The coaches liked what they saw in Rapp and decided to stick him in.

I am more eager on Long because he was shut down defense back in Big 10, his stats during college was 595 snaps, Long allowed just 18 receptions on 60 targets for 130 yards. No QB wanted to throw it his way, that is what Ramsey has right now. We need two of them on each side, forcing QBs to throw it in middle where our LBs will excel.

Back to Gaines, he is one of best NT in Pac-12 granted, this is NFL, we need to groom him one more year before he can step up, I know for the fact when we use him as starter, he will boost our rush defense dramatically, no questions asked.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Aren't we 3rd in rush def right now? That alone should speak for SJD's play.

 

[Jacobarch]

Aren't we 3rd in rush def right now? That alone should speak for SJD's play.

no definitely not. We are middle of the pack if you take totally rush defense. We are however top 3 when it comes to YPC however we have a lot of attempts against our defense. I think we are around 13 to 15 in total rush defense.

 

[shovelpass]

I’m wondering how many of the run plays for Cincinnati came with Smart and Fox in and Gaines and SJDay out.

He wasn't active for the game. Gaines has only been active for 3 games (NO, SEA, SF) for a total of 44 snaps. For reference Fox has played 149, Smart has played 96, and SJD has played 225.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2019-snap-counts.htm

I also don’t think Gaines was drafted strictly as a roymtational piece at NT.

No probably not, but that's on him to earn it. Also he was drafted at the end of the 4th round (134), that's usually where you're going to find rotational guys, though in this defense there isn't a premium on NT or ILB so you could find a starter in the later rounds or UDFAs. Last season JFM was also drafted later in the 4th (135), he was a rotational guy, played fairly well and he's no longer on the team. I'm not saying that this will be the case with Gaines, just pointing out that his draft status doesn't mean much.

 

[OldSchool]

Aren't we 3rd in rush def right now? That alone should speak for SJD's play.

no definitely not. We are middle of the pack if you take totally rush defense. We are however top 3 when it comes to YPC however we have a lot of attempts against our defense. I think we are around 13 to 15 in total rush defense.

We're third in YPC defense but teams run often on us so overall we're 14th in YPG defense.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Gaines is just too damn slow.

 

[Merlin]

I agree that SJDay has improved since the start of the season. I like Fox also. But I don’t think Smart is an upgrade. I also don’t think Gaines was drafted strictly as a rotational piece at NT. In college he got plenty of pressure on the QB.

Exactly. SJD has clearly won the starting job and it has been great for us. But the depth chart is a bit effed up because Smart just isn't a very good player even for a depth option. He just never does anything good.

Both Gaines and SJD have gotten pressure 1 vs 1 on the other hand. And neither of them get washed out. I feel like both of them should be in the rotation and not just at NT. Smart just isn't good enough.

That said I haven't nuked the special teams play. Not sure if Smart has been a key guy for them but I doubt he's irreplaceable. Not a big deal or anything, either, when we're talking depth. Just something that has always made me wonder what the staff is thinking. I feel like sometimes these guys are too close to it (knowing the players and all that), where the fans go mainly on what we see on the field.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

no definitely not. We are middle of the pack if you take totally rush defense. We are however top 3 when it comes to YPC however we have a lot of attempts against our defense. I think we are around 13 to 15 in total rush defense.

So what does that mean, we allow too many long drives/attempts?

 

[Jacobarch]

So what does that mean, we allow too many long drives/attempts?

exactly. We have an issue getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

exactly. We have an issue getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down.

Seems like something we should be able to turn around, especially since we're not doing as much soft zone. We still have to clamp on a few things, but Clay is back going forward. Can't wait to see Clay, Fowler, and Obo rushing at the same time.

But for the sake of this thread, SJD is usually out on 3rd down so thats on the others.

 

[Jacobarch]

Seems like something we should be able to turn around, especially since we're not doing as much soft zone. We still have to clamp on a few things, but Clay is back going forward. Can't wait to see Clay, Fowler, and Obo rushing at the same time.

But for the sake of this thread, SJD is usually out on 3rd down so thats on the others.

I think it has more to do with Wades tendencies than anything else. Sure there are a couple of players that Defenses always seem to target on 3rd down I wont call them out we already know who they are. But Wades playing 10 yards off the WR's even with Ramsey on the field. I saw it about 50% of the time last game. Offenses are too smart now to do play that style of defense that often. I dunno maybe im nitpicking.

 

[Ram65]

He wasn't active for the game. Gaines has only been active for 3 games (NO, SEA, SF) for a total of 44 snaps. For reference Fox has played 149, Smart has played 96, and SJD has played 225.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2019-snap-counts.htm

Interesting numbers thanks for posting. Gaines getting PT against running teams. Let's see how the second half snaps get divided. Probably the same but, maybe Gaines gets some extra snaps as he should be rested.

 

[RamsInfiniti]

Gaines is just too damn slow.

Gaines made a tackle about 15 yards downfield against the 49'ers ….. You don't do that by being slow.

 

[Riverumbbq]

That said I haven't nuked the special teams play. Not sure if Smart has been a key guy for them but I doubt he's irreplaceable. Not a big deal or anything, either, when we're talking depth. Just something that has always made me wonder what the staff is thinking. I feel like sometimes these guys are too close to it (knowing the players and all that), where the fans go mainly on what we see on the field.

As of last week, Smart had only had 7 special teams snaps, so he's not a factor.