Random Ramsdom: What did Sean McVay say about Dan Campbell’s recent assessment of Jared Goff?

Does Sean McVay Agree Jared Goff Has Improved Since Rams Trade? (fannation/ramsdigest)

“Things between quarterback Jared Goff and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay may not have ended well, but the former No. 1 overall pick did throw for over 4,600 yards twice in the latter’s offense, while also winning an NFC Title in 2018.

So from an ego perspective, it may be difficult for McVay to acknowledge that Goff’s 2022 season in Detroit probably was the best individual campaign of his career. But after Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week that he believes Goff has become a better player with the Lions than he was with the Rams, McVay was asked if he agrees with that assessment.

“I think Jared’s played at a really high level. I’ll tell you what though, when you watch what he did last year, he played great,” McVay said. “And I think because he’s so conscientious, repetition is the mother of learning.”

“The more you play, the more you learn. You can really see he’s able to get through progressions quickly. They were asking a lot of him. He got a lot of different guys involved, took great care of the football, and so I think he’s only gotten better.”

When the Lions acquired Goff in the Matthew Stafford trade prior to the 2021 season, he was largely viewed as a bridge quarterback, one that Detroit was so willing to take back because the Rams sent them two first-round picks and a third-round pick to do so.

But while there was an out in Goff’s contract after the 2022 season, the quarterback played so well in his second campaign with the Lions that moving on from him really wasn’t a consideration.

Under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Goff tossed 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions, racking up 4,438 passing yards. The Lions weren’t able to sneak into the playoffs, but they finished with a 9-8 record, knocking out the division-rival Green Bay Packers in the final week of the regular season.

McVay, who coached Goff for four seasons, was left to acknowledge that the quarterback has improved since the Rams traded him away.”

‘He’s pretty special’: Puka Nacua already standing out to Sean McVay, Cooper Kupp (ramswire)

“Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur spoke highly of Nacua last week, saying he “catches the ball really effortlessly,” among other bits of praise. This week, it was Cooper Kupp and Sean McVay’s turn to talk up the rookie.

In Kupp’s brief time watching Nacua so far, the rookie has caught his attention for several reasons. Kupp even described him as “pretty special” and envisions him becoming a “very good player in this league.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty special. I think if he can stay on a good trajectory, he’s going to be a very good football player in this league,” Kupp said. “I love the way that he attacks each day. He’s got a great feel for the game, great feel for leverage, running routes. You come in, you’re running new concepts and things like that. Things that you’ve done before to get open might not fit within the realm of the things that we want to do here, but he’s just transitioned so quickly over understanding what the parameters are that he’s able to work in. He’s got a great feel for attacking leverage, how to stick things, his timing on when he needs to show up for things and he’s asking the right questions too. I think that’s the big thing. He’s asking the right questions and as he gets more reps over and over as he gets to see these things, he’s just going to get better and better. So, I’m really excited about him and the steps that he’s going to be able to take over these next few months.”

More importantly, Nacua has impressed his head coach. The Rams could use a No. 3 receiver after parting ways with Allen Robinson after just one season and Nacua will be in the thick of the competition with Ben Skowronek and Tutu Atwell.

Based on the way he’s performed in OTAs so far, Nacua will have a good chance to carve out a role early in his career in L.A. McVay can’t help but notice how quickly Nacua has gotten acclimated to the NFL and the Rams offense, confirming the coach’s hope that he’ll be able to contribute early on.

“It’s been really impressive how quickly he’s gotten up to speed,” McVay said. “I think you can’t say enough about Eric Yarber, K.J. Black, Jake Peetz – those guys have done a great job and he’s really conscientious. Matthew (Stafford) has done a great job of really just kind of taking him under his wing and being able to kind of just help give those little nuances, having Cooper back. So he’s smart, he’s conscientious. It’s hard to really compare to anybody because a lot of those guys, whether you talk about Robert (Woods’) first year, Cooper’s rookie year, having (Watkins) but then ended up having Brandin Cooks, there’s been a standard set in that room where there’s been really conscientious players. Even if you go with Josh Reynolds, how quickly Van (Jefferson) has done a great job of grasping the offense. And so, he’s a guy that we’re expecting him to come in, expecting him to be able to contribute and compete. Every spot is going to be earned on this team, but I really like what he’s done and I think it’s a credit to everybody around him and his conscientiousness.”

Rams’ Cooper Kupp Offers ‘Good’ Injury Update (fannation/ramsdigest)

“Speaking with the media, Kupp revealed that he feels “really good” as he continues through rehab.

“I mean, you don’t know until you’re out here doing football stuff and really putting the ankle through the stuff that you know is required to play football,” Kupp said. “You can’t simulate this stuff. So I don’t know if we’ll really know. I feel right now, as we’ve been pushing it pretty hard, I feel really good.”

Kupp missed most of the Rams’ OTAs as he was with his family as they welcomed their third child to the world. While the Rams would obviously love to have their top wide-out on the field at this point in the offseason, it has allowed for others to get more reps and build chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Rams head coach Sean McVay made that a big point of emphasis when announcing the reasoning for Kupp’s absence at the start of OTAs. ... And after a season like last where the Rams were negated by injuries, building depth at receiver can only mean good things if the injury bug were to strike again.”

Raiders preseason schedule dates and times announced (raiderswire)

“Week 1: Sunday, August 13, 1:00 pm — San Francisco 49ers at Raiders

Week 2: Saturday, August 19, 6:00 pm — Raiders at LA Rams

Week 3: Saturday, August 26, 5:00 pm — Raiders at Dallas Cowboys

For the Raiders’ first two preseason games, they will hold joint practices. First in Las Vegas with the 49ers and then in Los Angeles with the Rams.”

Vikings fielding trade calls for Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter (nfl.com)

“Minnesota’s decision to trade Smith to the Browns may have unintentionally signaled to the rest of the league that the Vikings are open for business, prompting some to inquire on Hunter.

After enduring a neck injury that required season-ending surgery in 2020 and a torn pectoral in 2021, Hunter returned and made a statement in 2022, recording 10.5 sacks and earning a third trip to the Pro Bowl. In his seven NFL seasons, Hunter has recorded 71 sacks, 379 tackles (85 for loss) and seven forced fumbles, all logged with the Vikings.

He’s still only 28 years old, but is entering the final year of his existing contract and may not be in Minnesota’s long-term plans, due in part to the fact the Vikings are facing a possible retooling of the roster that could include quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will still accounts for $28.5 million in cap space in 2024 even if he isn’t on the roster.”

DeAndre Hopkins free agency market: WR to meet with Titans, Bills express interest, 4 teams rule out pursuit (cbssports)

“DeAndre Hopkins has been a free agent for two weeks, yet the teams pursuing the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver are limited to this point. We do, however, know of a few interested teams, starting with the Tennessee Titans, who will meet with the star receiver on Sunday (here’s why it would, and wouldn’t, make sense for Tennessee). It’s an interesting turn of events, considering that last week Mike Vrabel all but said the Titans wouldn’t be signing Hopkins.

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills were reportedly active in acquiring Hopkins prior to his release and are believed to still have interest in signing him. The Bills confirmed their desire in adding the All-Pro receiver, who is big fan of their quarterback, Josh Allen.

“We are all about people who want to come to Buffalo,” Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Monday. “We love it, especially if they fit. Obviously DeAndre’s a heck of a talent, he caught a Hail Mary on us in the COVID season [2020] . . . Nothing but respect for him. It would definitely have to fit with how we would structure the salary and all that. Never ruling it out, but we know he’s a good player and he’ll probably command a decent contract.”

The teams that aren’t pursuing Hopkins have also publicized their lack of interest in him. Hours after New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh echoed Vrabel in all but saying his team won’t be signing Hopkins, the three-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver put out this cryptic tweet.

Hopkins also signed with Klutch Sports last week after previously representing himself. Kelton Crenshaw will be Hopkins’ agent going forward as he seeks out a new team. Crenshaw represents DeVonta Smith, Chase Young, and Kayvon Thibodeaux — all of whom are in the NFC East.”