Twitter Talk
A fond farewell from Alec Ogletree:
It's been real stl got nothing but great memories and love for this place!!! ✈️✈️✈️
— Alec ogletree (@B_easy_uga9) April 1, 2016
I imagine all of the Rams' players feel exactly the same way:
Moving into my crib in LA sooo much work to be done
— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) March 30, 2016
A very classy gesture by Tavon Austin:
Leaving a beautiful city with some great ppl today. Grateful for the love received. St. Louis will always hold a special place in my heart.
— Tavon Austin (@Tayaustin01) March 31, 2016
Let's hope the "William Hayes Collection" brings him good fortune this season:
Just received confirmation that the dinosaurs I blessed big play Hayes with have made the move to California %proof pic.twitter.com/bq5N9hIXa4
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) April 2, 2016
Draft cost not as high, but is somebody worth it to the Rams?: ESPN NFL Nation
Are Jared Goff and Carson Wentz worth trading up for? When does the cost involved become prohibitive? Is it possible either of the QB's could be had outside of the top 7 picks?
Three positions the Rams should target in the draft: isportsweb
I'm not convinced the Rams should "target" ANY position in the draft. I believe the Rams' top five needs heading into draft will be: wide receiver, quarterback, safety, tight end and center.
Greg Robinson looking to live up to number two overall pick: Ramblin' Fan
This is the year Greg Robinson finally lives up to his lofty draft status. He appears to be working very hard this offseason in the hopes of becoming one of the better left tackles in all of football.
Why the Rams must draft a QB early in the NFL Draft: CBS Sports
As much as many would like to see it happen, I'm going out on a limb and predicting the Rams WILL NOT select a QB early in this years draft.
Drafting a QB every year "good football business": NFL.com
Could this strategy be the answer for the Rams and their QB issues? From Detroit Lions GM Bob Quinn:
"I think it's really good football business to acquire a young quarterback every year or every other year. There's such a value in the position and nowadays in college football there's a lot of spread offenses, which means it's a lot different than pro football. So it takes these young quarterbacks time to develop. So if you can add a young quarterback every year or every other year to your roster, it's good football business in my mind. So you have time to develop them, either on the practice squad or as a backup, before eventually them having to play in a game."
Draft Prospect Highlight Reel: DT - Vernon Butler - Louisiana Tech
2016 NFL Mock Draft: Walter Football
Walter updates his five round mock draft. The Rams select DT Vernon Butler in the first round, OL Taylor Decker and WR Tyler Boyd in the second round, QB Christian Hackenberg in the third round and TE Jerell Adams in the fourth round. I'm on board for the Butler, Boyd and Adams picks only. Walter needs to go back to the drawing draft board.
Scouting Report: S - Darian Thompson - Boise St.: Pro Football Focus
I've been following Thompson for quite some time. He would be a steal for the Rams if they could select him in the third round of this years NFL Draft.
After initial plans on defensive backs fall through, the Rams are trying to regroup: Los Angeles Times
The Rams lost a pair of starters in their secondary during the Free Agent signing period (Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins). Will they fill those positions internally, or look to the draft for solutions?
Would Rams be better off waiting for a QB?: ESPN NFL Nation
Nick Wagoner makes a very good point regarding the Rams and the QB position:
"This is Year 5 of the Jeff Fisher/Les Snead regime. They need to win now. So if they draft a quarterback who might take three years to develop at the expense of an instant impact player elsewhere, is that really going to help that cause?"
Rams bet on an offense built around running back Todd Gurley: Orange County Register
In my estimation, the key to the Rams' offense will be the development of their offensive line, how they gel together and their health as the season progresses.
Stat Facts Of The Week: Big Play Differential
Rank | Team | Plays | Big Plays | Rush | Pass | Big Play % | BPA | +/- |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Seattle Seahawks | 1,035 | 93 | 61 | 32 | 8.99% | 51 | 42 |
4 | Carolina Panthers | 1,060 | 95 | 64 | 31 | 8.96% | 61 | 34 |
1 | Buffalo Bills | 1,016 | 102 | 70 | 32 | 10.04% | 73 | 29 |
13 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1,004 | 77 | 46 | 31 | 7.67% | 52 | 25 |
2 | Minnesota Vikings | 973 | 91 | 64 | 27 | 9.35% | 72 | 19 |
5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1,011 | 90 | 47 | 43 | 8.9% | 71 | 19 |
22 | Denver Broncos | 1,056 | 73 | 46 | 27 | 6.91% | 59 | 14 |
16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1,017 | 76 | 50 | 26 | 7.47% | 64 | 12 |
6 | Kansas City Chiefs | 955 | 85 | 53 | 32 | 8.9% | 74 | 11 |
10 | Arizona Cardinals | 1,041 | 85 | 50 | 35 | 8.17% | 74 | 11 |
12 | New York Jets | 1,074 | 85 | 56 | 29 | 7.91% | 74 | 11 |
15 | New England Patriots | 1,050 | 79 | 40 | 39 | 7.52% | 73 | 6 |
26 | Baltimore Ravens | 1,083 | 70 | 38 | 32 | 6.46% | 64 | 6 |
7 | Green Bay Packers | 1,056 | 92 | 53 | 39 | 8.71% | 88 | 4 |
9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1,012 | 83 | 44 | 39 | 8.2% | 80 | 3 |
8 | St. Louis Rams | 920 | 79 | 56 | 23 | 8.59% | 78 | 1 |
20 | Atlanta Falcons | 1,073 | 75 | 48 | 27 | 6.99% | 75 | 0 |
11 | San Francisco 49ers | 969 | 79 | 42 | 37 | 8.15% | 81 | -2 |
29 | Houston Texans | 1,127 | 71 | 43 | 28 | 6.3% | 73 | -2 |
23 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1,102 | 76 | 47 | 29 | 6.9% | 84 | -8 |
18 | Chicago Bears | 1,025 | 75 | 44 | 31 | 7.32% | 84 | -9 |
17 | Dallas Cowboys | 969 | 72 | 51 | 21 | 7.43% | 82 | -10 |
24 | Oakland Raiders | 1,008 | 67 | 33 | 34 | 6.65% | 77 | -10 |
21 | New York Giants | 1,053 | 73 | 39 | 34 | 6.93% | 86 | -13 |
14 | Miami Dolphins | 977 | 74 | 41 | 33 | 7.57% | 93 | -19 |
28 | Detroit Lions | 1,030 | 65 | 36 | 29 | 6.31% | 85 | -20 |
31 | Tennessee Titans | 976 | 59 | 33 | 26 | 6.05% | 80 | -21 |
25 | Indianapolis Colts | 1,052 | 70 | 37 | 33 | 6.65% | 93 | -23 |
19 | New Orleans Saints | 1,096 | 80 | 43 | 37 | 7.3% | 104 | -24 |
27 | Cleveland Browns | 1,042 | 66 | 40 | 26 | 6.33% | 90 | -24 |
30 | Washington Redskins | 1,011 | 63 | 32 | 31 | 6.23% | 93 | -30 |
32 | San Diego Chargers | 1,100 | 58 | 28 | 30 | 5.27% | 90 | -32 |
Big Play Differential is the difference between the number of big plays - running plays of 10+ yards plus passing plays of 25+ yards - an offense creates, and the number of big plays a defense allows. How important are big plays to a teams offense/defense? Last season, NFL teams averaged 0.8 points per drive without a big play, and 3.9 points per drive with at least one of them. The higher the big play +/- the better, as this shows the team more often generates big plays than gives them up.
For the 2015 regular season, the Rams ranked 16th in the league in Big Play Differential (+1), mostly thanks to the efforts of RB Todd Gurley, WR Tavon Austin and a stingy defense. The Rams were 7-2 in games with a positive Big Play Differential and 0-7 in games with a negative or even Big Play Differential. The Rams ran the fewest offensive plays in the NFL (920) and ranked 8th in the league in Big Play percentage (8.59%).
All NFL players should be making at least $1 million per year: Pro Football Talk
This makes perfect sense to me:
"As the NFL and its players learn more about the realities of playing pro football, it’s more important than ever that all players receive fair compensation for the risks they assume. And by all players, that means every player. Which means that each player should have a minimum salary that reflects the maximum toll the game can take on the human body."
The top safeties in the 2016 NFL Draft: National Football Post
Former scout Greg Gabriel shares his take on the 6 top safeties in this years draft. All six will likely be selected between the 2nd and 4th rounds. After losing starter Rodney McLeod, one of these players could very well end up in a Rams uniform come September.
Free Agent Recap: evaluating the Rams' defensive signings and re-signings: about.com - LA Rams
The Rams lost a fair chunk of talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. James Laurinaitis and Chris Long were released. Nick Fairley, Rodney McLeod and Janoris Jenkins signed with other teams as Free Agents. Tevin Broner takes a look at what the Rams have done to bolster the defense in the interim.
The NFL's shoddy science means we know even less about concussions: FiveThirtyEight
All the studies in the world won't change on single, solitary fact: NFL players are giving up the game in increasing numbers (and earlier in their careers). Why? Increasing concern about the long-term effects of playing football...and concussions in particular.
On This Day In Sports History
1998 - NFL Europe kicks off its regular season.
1974 - Hank Aaron ties Babe Ruth's home run record by hitting number 714, in his first at-bat of the 1974 season.
Do the Rams need to draft a QB? CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora discusses the Rams' biggest offseason question.
Rams excited about return to Coliseum, but some work needs to be done: insidesocal.com
Forget the ambiance and history involved with hosting NFL games at the Coliseum in LA. As Vinny Bonsignore notes, some things need to happen in a hurry:
"Not to say there isn’t some work to be done to transform the Coliseum into an NFL caliber venue. Some of which are subtle alterations to appease NFL game-day necessities."
2016 NFL Mock Draft: NFL Mocks
The Rams WR Corey Coleman, QB Connor Cook and C Ryan Kelly in this two round mock draft.
LA Rams land in SoCal on Monday, but busy summer awaits: Los Angeles Daily News
Today marks the beginning of the Rams' offseason workout program. Except this year the program begins in Oxnard, California.
E.J. Gaines healthy return critical to Rams in 2016: ESPN NFL Nation
A healthy, productive E.J. Gaines would go a long way in mitigating the loss of Janoris Jenkins in Free Agency.
Los Angeles Rams Weekly Salary "Re-Cap"
The Rams have close to $4.9 million in available salary cap space remaining to spend (with all additional 2016 financial obligations taken into consideration) as of 11:00 pm, Sunday, April 3. On Friday, I published a complete post-Free Agency salary cap update.
Los Angeles Rams Current Roster & Depth Chart
C | Tim Barnes | Demetrius Rhaney | Eric Kush | |
RG | Jamon Brown | Cody Wichmann | Brian Folkerts | |
LG | Rodger Saffold | Garrett Reynolds | David Arkin | |
RT | Rob Havenstein | Andrew Donnal | ||
LT | Greg Robinson | Darrell Williams | Isaiah Battle | |
TE | Lance Kendricks | Cory Harkey | Justice Cunningham | |
WR | Tavon Austin | Stedman Bailey | Kain Colter | |
WR | Kenny Britt | Nick Toon | Isiah Ferguson | |
WR | Brian Quick | Bradley Marquez | Deon Long | |
RB | Tre Mason | Trey Watts | Malcolm Brown | |
RB | Todd Gurley | Benny Cunningham | Zach Laskey | |
QB | Case Keenum | Nick Foles | Sean Mannion | |
PK | ||||
P | John Hekker | |||
LS | Jake McQuaide | |||
DT | Aaron Donald | Doug Worthington | Louis Trinca-Pasat | |
DT | Michael Brockers | Ethan Westbrooks | ||
DE | William Hayes | Eugene Sims | ||
DE | Robert Quinn | Quinton Coples | Matt Longacre | |
MLB | Alec Ogletree | Bryce Hager | ||
OLB | Mark Barron | Zack Hodges | Matthew Wells | |
OLB | Akeem Ayers | Cameron Lynch | ||
CB | E.J. Gaines | Coty Sensabaugh | Marcus Roberson | |
CB | Trumaine Johnson | Lamarcus Joyner | Eric Patterson | Troy Hill |
SS | Tim McDonald Jr. | Maurice Alexander | ||
FS | Cody Davis | Christian Bryant | ||
65 Players Total |