“When we started having trouble, we didn’t know what to do,” Verse said. “Like some of us on the defense, some, you know, I’m going to take full blame, too. Like, there were a couple of times I’m like, but they’re running the other way. Like, I don’t know what to do. I can’t chase. Like I’m not that fast. I can’t chase him on the backside. What do I do? So when we had some troubles, we just kind of like mentally shut down.”

Goals

Vet CB1 to handle top WRs and anchor the CB room.

Acquire a WR3 – preferably an explosive, deep threat WR 3.

Improve the DL – continue to focus on building a dominant front 7.

Improve ST



Cut

CB Darious Williams



Re-sign

QB Jimmy G – 1 year

LS Jake McQuaide

OL Justin Dedick (ERFA)

WR Xavier Smith (ERFA)

K Harrison Mevis (ERFA)

Note: With one expensive safety in Lake, we reluctantly let Curl walk. Also, we essentially choose between resigning Curl and signing Shaheed (see below). I go with Shaheed in keeping with their plan to pay vets for offense and draft youth for defense.

The QB situation remains status quo.



Free Agency

Jamel Dean, CB Bucs (Or Jaylen Watson CB Chiefs)

Rashid Shaheed WR Seahawks (stealing from Memphis)

Note: Jamel Dean has consistently graded out as a top 5 zone CB and would fit perfectly in Shula’s scheme. He’s also a good run defender and a clear upgrade to everyone in our CB room this year.

Shaheed would be a great deep threat and an instant jolt as a returner. He also makes drafting a WR less of an acute need.


Extensions

WR Puka Nacua

DT Kobie Turner

OT Warren McClendon

OG Steve Avila



Trades:

Rams trade Byron Young to Chicago for a 2026 3rd (#89) and a 2027 2nd round pick.

(Note 1: they also consider trading Young to KC in a straight swap for Trent McDuffie.)

Note 2: With Young coming up on his last year of his rookie season, they trade him early for more than they would get from a comp pick if they let him walk and they reallocate the money saved from not extending into the secondary (Dean signing).

Further, Stewart is ready to start. Young took a sizeable jump in pass rushing prowess from year 1 to year 2 and from year 2 to year 3. However, Per ESPN and PFF’s advanced metrics – PRWR, Win %, etc. – Stewart’s rookie pass rushing numbers are equal to Young’s 2nd season and solidly superior to Young’s rookie season. If we project improvement in Stewart’s 2nd season, it could match Young’s production this year.



Rams trade pick 13 to the Vikings for #18, #161, and a 2027 2nd.

The Vikings are looking for playmakers on offense and target Love or Lemon.

The Rams are trading back because this pick is house money and therefore will be used 1) to select a successor to Stafford, or 2) to acquire future draft capital for the same goal. Combining this trade with Young trade, they now have three 2nd round picks in 2027, which will help if they need to aggressively move up for a successor to Stafford. With this approach, they still go all in for this year while setting themselves up to pursue a QB in the future.



NFL Draft

Round 1 Pick #18 - Kendrick Faulk, DL Auburn

Round 1 Pick #29 - Colton Hood CB Tennessee

Round 2 Pick #61 - Derrick Moore EDGE Michigan

Round 3 Pick #89 (from Chicago for Young) - Zakee Wheatley S Penn State

Round 3 Pick #93 - Jake Slaughter IOL Florida

Round 5 Pick #161 (from Minnesota) - JC Davis OT Illinois

Round 5 Pick #167 - Eric Rivers WR Georgia Tech

Round 6 Pick #205 – Miles Kitselman TE Tennessee

Round 6 Pick #208 - DJ Harvey CB USC

Round 7 Pick #232 - Charles Jagusah IOL Notre Dame

Round 7 Pick #250 - Dijon Johnson CB Florida

Round 7 Pick #256 – Tony Rojas LB Penn State



Analysis:

With Kendrick Faulk, we get a great run defender and an alignment versatile player who can play anywhere from 3T to standing upon the edge. Has double digit sack potential with a little refinement. He’ll be the 5T, giving us three strong run defenders on the DL. On pass rushing downs, he, Turner, and Fiske will provide plenty of juice.

Colton Hood CB Tennessee – Physical, strong in man-to-man coverage, but also excels in zone. Inconsistent in run support.

Derrick Moore gives us raw power and lightning quickness off the edge, a relentless motor. He needs technical refinement. Between he and Stewart, I expect a pass rush just as good, if not better, than this year, despite trading BY.

Zakee Wheatley is physical, has blazing speed, is a versatile DB who can play strong or free, can match up with tight ends and slot receivers.

Jake Slaughter is a high floor center who should anchor the position for a decade. Strong pass protector, intelligent. He could push Shelton for the starting center position out the gate. Or he takes over next year since Coleman is a free agent after this season.

JC Davis OT Illinois - Developmental tackle with starting potential. Exceptional pass blocking skills. Can play both sides. He’ll be the swing tackle immediately while he acclimates to the pro game.

Rivers is a speedy, effort-driven receiver who fits best as a third or fourth option in an offense that wants to push the ball vertically and use motion to get him the ball in space. He and Shaheed would add a speed element to the offense and return game. Turn a weakness into a strength.

Charles Jagusah, IOL gives starter upside with a couple of years of development. We prepare now for the possibility that we’ll only resign one of Avila or Dotson next year.

Miles Kitselman is a reliable, In-line blocking TE. Could eventually be TE2 if Parkinson and Davis move on after the season.

DJ Harvey has exceptional ball skills and instincts. Excels in zone coverage, which is a scheme fit. His issue is size limitations, but he’s a gamer.

Tony Rojas LB Penn State – Coverage LB, can blitz, will contribute on special teams.



Starters

QB: Matthew Stafford

HB: Kyren Williams / Corum

WR: Puka Nacua

WR: Davante Adams

WR: Rashid Rasheed

TE: Terrance Ferguson / Parkinson

LT: Alaric Jackson

LG: Steve Avila

C: Coleman Shelton / Jake Slaughter

RG: Kevin Dotson

RT: Warren McClendon



EDGE: Stewart / Moore

DE: Kendrick Faulk / Braden Fiske

NT: Poona Ford

DE: Kobie Turner

EDGE: Jared Verse

ILB: Nate Landman

ILB: Speights

CB: Jamel Dean

CB: Colton Hood / Emmanuel Forbes

SLCB: Quentin Lake

FS: Kamren Kinchens

SS: Zakee Wheatley



K: Harrison Mevis

P: Ethan Evans

LS: Jake McQuaide

RS: Rashid Rasheed / Eric Rivers

New Report on Seattle's 2 Point Conversion

I am really really really ticked if this is true.

Kinda curious what people think right now. My guess is the general consensus is a pass-catcher and most likely a WR. I think some here would want to add an exceptional running back (Williams and Corum are top 15 in league but not like a Robinson/McCaffery type). Perhaps someone will make the argument for another dynamic TE? Perhaps an OT? (Oh god, someones gonna say center I'm sure).

What say you guys?

And just because we have an above average starter at a position doesn't seem to preclude this team from bringing in a guy there and either finding a way to fit both in or moving a guy out to another team.

Spoiler alert, they got #1 correct

Anyone here use Brave as their browser? My son suggested it and I was just wondering if any of you all have used it and what you think about it.

Any timepiece aficionados?

I would say I'm very much a newb when it comes to watches and I certainly don't have the budget for the "high-end" stuff. Having said that it doesn't stop me from drooling over watches I'll never afford.

I recently picked up the nicest watch I've ever owned. To me it's stunning and pictures certainly don't do it justice. I had been eyeing it for a while and finally picked it up a little over a week ago as a treat to myself (with the wife's stamp of approval of course).

It's the Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300m. I went to my authorized dealer with the intention of picking up a black dial but could not stop looking at the white. I would normally think a white dial bland. Not this one! Like I said earlier... a picture cannot convey how amazing this thing looks in light.

Way too young, cancer sucks

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And makes a very complelling argument to boot. Interesting....
Cant access link ( subscription)
Hope screenshot shows well.

I reckon Todd likes Simpson better than Mendoza.....?

It's February 23 through March 2nd. Start it off with a list of the invitees.


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Good stuff, from Lake...

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With free agency right around the corner here are some lists of free agents as things currently stand.

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I figured that if Seattle won yesterday that the NFL would put us in Seattle Week 1 next year but since then I've learned that we're already scheduled to play San Francisco that week (I bet the NFL is regretting that one now). Looking at that Melbourne game, the logistics are going to be a nightmare. It's a 15 hours non-stop flight from LA. I asked Gemini (Google's AI tool) what the likely game time would be and got this (see below). I don't see the NFL showing a Saturday night game when college football is in full swing. If that's the case, then it's a Sunday night game. That means the team would get home sometime Monday afternoon after that long flight. I hope to hell that the NFL gives us an easy home game Week 2. Otherwise, this could be ugly.

The Super Bowl being over - this season being officially over - gave me most of the closure I needed.

But now that the game is over and wasn't close, we are, once again, the only team who put the fear into the eventual champion. We are once again the team who, when trailing by less than 7 points late in the fourth quarter, were inside the red zone and had the momentum. And we are once again the team who everyone will talk about as 'the team that gave the (super bowl champion) the best game'.

I am tired of that. Its also the third consecutive playoff loss where we were on the road, playing a 'better' team, but I walked away feeling WE were actually the team that should have won the damn game.

We are again the team that was befallen by bad luck - fumble city in the snow, Limmer randomly whiffing on a block....Smith muffing a punt, but really it goes back to that Thursday night in Seattle....the confluence of events that transpired in the 4th quarter so unlikely, even power ball winners said 'wow that was crazy'. That game - that LUCK. That fucking LUCK in Seattle on that Thursday night is what led to this.

I am the ultimate 'don't blame the (insert an entity out of our control)' guy - and we certainly could have played better. But it was just flat out LUCK that got Seattle that win on that Thursday night. They were NOT the better team, not then, not a few weeks ago and not this year. And yes our defense SUCKED in the NFCCG - but I have to think if we are the better rested team, and that game is in LA - we win with ease. Nobody can convince me otherwise.

So while I continue to work through this - FUCK Seattle.

Now on the bright side....they aren't going to repeat. Its difficult for any team, but one without an elite QB, its going to be nearly impossible. We are going to be better next year. They have two Super Bowl wins, four appearances. We have two and five. They have a temporary small lead in the all time series - we will take it back next year.

We are going to explode next year and win the whole damn thing.

Stafford threw for over 350 yards and 3 TDs in the last two games vs Seattle's defense and that was in Seattle. Give the Rams the Patriots schedule and he might have thrown for 60 TDs this year.

I'm still behind on player evaluations, but it's that time of the year, so I don't want to miss out on the fun. I'm going to try and shake things up from my last scenario so things don't get stale.
Cut
CB Darious Williams

Re-sign
S Kamren Curl
LS Jake McQuaide
OL Justin Dedich (ERFA)
K Harrison Mevis (ERFA)
WR Xavier Smith (ERFA)

Curl is a solid to good player for us in the secondary. I'd be happy to see him back. McQuaide did well in his return. The ERFAs are easy re-signs, even if I think X. Smith likely doesn't make the team.

Free Agency
CB Rasul Douglas Dolphins
ILB Troy Andersen Falcons
OT Yosh Nijman Panthers

We don't swing for the fences in FA. A few years ago, we were reportedly interested in trading for Douglas. He struggled in 2024 with the Bills and then had a bounce back year in 2025 with the Dolphins. At his age, it's hard to say what we'll get from him, but he should be a relatively cheap signing, he's a big CB (6'2" 208), and he fits our zone-heavy scheme well. Andersen is injury prone, but Falcons fans say he has impressed when he's on the field (which is rare). I like him as a special teams guy (6'4" 240 + a 4.4 40). If he stays healthy and we get more from him, great. If not, he won't cost us much. I think we need to sign a veteran swing OT with Havenstein likely retiring. Nijman played well when he came off the bench to fill in at LT against Verse.

Trade
Steelers trade CB Jalen Ramsey
Rams trade Round 6 Pick #26

Ramsey had an up and down year for the Steelers. There's a new coach in town. The Rams were reportedly interested in trading for him before the 2025 season. I think a reunion makes sense. Ramsey isn't the player he once was, but he's versatile and hopefully has enough left in the tank to be a solid starter for us.

Rams trade Round 5 Pick #29
Commodes trade Round 6 Pick #6 and Round 6 Pick #28

Commodes trade up for a player they're targeting in the fifth round.

Rams trade Round 7 Pick #34 and Round 7 Pick #40
Falcons trade Round 7 Pick #15

Rams move up to ensure they can grab the two players they're targeting in the seventh round.

NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #13 - Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State
Analysis: Instant acceleration. Gifted route runner with exceptionally rare movement skills. Great body control. Can be elusive after the catch. Capable blocker. Had some focus drops the past two years. Doesn't have elite contested catch ability or top-end speed. Injuries are the major red flag. Still, he's a top 10 talent.
Round 1 Pick #29 - Avieon Terrell CB Clemson
Analysis: Feisty, competitive player who has the speed to run with WRs on crossers and the hip flexibility and twitch to stay in the hip pocket. Forced 8 FFs over the past two years. Biggest knock is that he's undersized (5'11" 180). Still, he plays bigger than his size and is a willing tackler.
Round 2 Pick #29 - Jacob Rodriguez ILB Texas Tech
Analysis: Arguably the best defender in college football this year. 128 tackles, 7 FFs, and 4 INTs. Instinctive, outstanding in coverage (especially zone), and flies to the ball in the running game. Due to his lack of length, he'll struggle to defeat blocks, but if you keep him clean, he can be a game wrecker.
Round 3 Pick #29 - Nadame Tucker EDGE Western Michigan
Analysis: There are some red flags with Tucker. One year wonder who broke out in his fifth year in CFB after transferring to WMU. Put up monster numbers (14 sacks and 21 TFLs). What eases my concern is that he was a top performer at the Senior Bowl. Undersized (6'2" 246) with an explosive first step and ample bend.
Round 6 Pick #6 - Ephesians Prysock CB Washington
Analysis: Long CB who played well for Washington after transferring from Arizona. Good athlete who has the limitations you expect in a 6'3" CB (short-area quickness and too grabby). Should fit well on special teams and has developmental potential if you can polish his technique.
Round 6 Pick #28 - Markel Bell OT Miami
Analysis: Bell is a project. Due to his high pad level and technical flaws, he will sometimes look pretty bad out there. But you also can't teach 6'9" 360 or near 37 inch arms. His movement skills aren't bad for his size, and he has extraordinarily strong hands. Worth a shot to see if we can develop him.
Round 6 Pick #29 - Kaden Wetjen WR/RS Iowa
Analysis: The best return man in college football. It's time to take special teams seriously. He also has some potential as a slot and gadget guy on offense. Though, even if we get minimal contributions from him there, he's worth it for what he can do on returns.
Round 7 Pick #15 - Jalon Daniels QB Kansas
Analysis: Daniels is an intriguing project in this QB class. He's short at 6'0" 220, but he has a lot of physical tools. Good athlete who is difficult to tackle, strong arm, and a relatively compact throwing motion. Great thrower on the run. Was streaky at Kansas, but he put up good numbers in 2025.
Round 7 Pick #16 - Nate Boerkircher TE Texas A&M
Analysis: Boerkircher was not a super productive TE, but he's a big guy (6'5" 250) who blocks well. I thought he showed better than expected receiving talent at the Senior Bowl. I don't expect him to be a Pro Bowler, but he can be a solid role player for us.

Projected Starters
QB: Matthew Stafford
HB: Kyren Williams
WR: Puka Nacua
WR: Davante Adams
WR: Jordyn Tyson
TE: Terrance Ferguson
LT: Alaric Jackson
LG: Steve Avila
C: Coleman Shelton
RG: Kevin Dotson
RT: Warren McClendon

DE: Kobie Turner
NT: Poona Ford
DE: Braden Fiske
OLB: Byron Young
ILB: Jacob Rodriguez
ILB: Nate Landman
OLB: Jared Verse
CB: Jalen Ramsey
CB: Emmanuel Forbes vs. Rasul Douglas
CB: Quentin Lake
S: Kam Kinchens
S: Kam Curl

K: Harrison Mevis
P: Ethan Evans
LS: Jake McQuaide
RS: Kaden Wetjen

Former Royals speedster and two-time World Series winner (including one with K.C. where he played a huge role as a pinch runner and defensive replacement), one of the fastest men to ever play the game of baseball has passed at 34 from complications from surgery, according to his wife. Surgery hasn't been shared because of HIPAA. He leaves behind his wife and three children.

It's haunting to see a man my age pass from surgery complications. My thoughts go to those who loved him.

Super Bowl LX

New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. CST)
NBC and Telemundo
Streaming: Peacock
Pregame: Starts at 1 p.m. ET on NBC

RamsOnDemand Sportsbook

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The first time around, the Rams threw EVERYTHING at getting the roster to critical mass to win a SB, including a massive amount of draft capital. They had to, they desperately needed difference-makers like Stafford, Ramsey and Miller. This time? They *have* difference-makers on the roster, imo.. in Stafford, Verse and Puka. Their biggest issues are obvious, Corner and overall Special Teams.

I would argue that the "all-in" this time should be more on the financial end.. targeting FAs, especially one prime Corner. I would also consider going after Rasheed Shaheed.. overpriced.. but a perfect fit for this team's needs.

Do not use draft capital in trades unless there's a ridiculous value to be had and they should be looking to bolster the roster's overall talent and depth with the draft and be looking at the longterm as much as the immediate. My plan going into the draft would be using one of the firsts, but trading back with the other with the goal of having at least 6 picks in the first 4 rounds. WR, CB, and OT being the top priorities.. but then S and ILB and Edge. If they draft as well as recent years.. wow.

They've put themselves in the position to push the 2026 roster over the top.. while not sacrificing the future of the team.

Two moves.. converting Davante Adams and releasing Darious Williams.. puts them up to 71 million in space. I assume AT LEAST 10 mil of that goes to a raise for Stafford.. but that leaves A TON of money for some immediate roster help. Both in high-end spots like the two I mentioned.. but also for bargain hunting for those vets who can come in and offer quality depth.