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If Rams want to take a shot on Zach Wilson, they have 2 coaches who know him well

If the Rams want to try a reclamation project with Zach Wilson, two of their coaches worked closely with him in New York

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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With franchise tag window now open, don't expect Rams to use it

The franchise tag window is open until March 5, but the Rams are highly unlikely to use it on any free agents

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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Can Rams survive Matthew Stafford’s massive raise in 2024?

Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford may have already been ‘cheap’ for the last time in his career Perhaps the biggest benefit of the rumored $8 million increase on the 2024 NFL salary cap is that it will make Matthew Stafford’s contract more palatable to swallow for the Los Angeles Rams. But only slightly. Stafford, who signed a very reasonable four-year, $160 million contract extension after winning the Super Bowl in 2022, is set to see his base salary increase from $1.5 million to $31 million next season. However, the number that matters even more than his salary is the percentage of the salary cap that a player eats up and leaves for everyone else, which in most cases is the franchise quarterback: Stafford’s $20 million cap hit in 2023 was 8.9% of L.A.’s cap last season. Right now, that number is set to increase to 20%, by far the highest number of Matthew Stafford’s career. What’s clear in his career history, and most franchise quarterbacks, is that teams win more when they take up less. Even though a $250 million salary cap would move that number down by a small fraction, there is nothing that the Rams or Stafford can do to lower that number other than these two potential outcomes: Restructure the contract to kick his salary into the future, which doesn’t require Stafford’s approval. Or Stafford goes to the Rams and says, “I’ll take less because I want to win another Super Bowl.” Something that was addressed last offseason when the Rams said they didn’t approach Stafford about re-doing his deal and the quarterback said that actually yes they did. He refused then, will he refuse now? Does he need to? Matthew Stafford’s remaining contract Matthew Stafford has been an insane bargain to the Rams since L.A. acquired him from Detroit in 2021, making just $20 million, $13.5 million, and $20 million against the salary cap in his first three seasons with the team. He is a bargain no more: Stafford’s salary cap is $49.5 million in 2024, $50.5 million in 2025, and $49.5 million in 2026. Though his $40 million AAV is reasonably awesome, the fact is that his “cheap” season is over and now he is the fifth-highest paid QB in the NFL in 2024 after Deshaun Watson, Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, and Kyler Murray. He is also the fifth-highest paid in 2025, although he will move up that list at least one spot after the Broncos release Russell Wilson. At this point, Matthew Stafford is paid like a top-5 quarterback. Matthew Stafford’s most expensive seasons If we set aside his first four years in the NFL, when Stafford’s contract took up less than 8% of the Detroit Lions salary but he was still learning how to be a pro quarterback and the franchise remained mostly in shambles, we see a clear pattern emerge. These are the four times that Stafford made at least 14% of the salary cap in Detroit and the Lions’ record in those seasons: 2013 - 14.7% (7-9) 2016 - 14.4% (9-7) # 2018 - 14.6% (6-10) 2019 - 15.8% (3-12-1*) *Stafford went 3-4-1, missed rest of season with back injury # Made playoffs On average, the team went about 6-10 in those campaigns. We’re not saying that Stafford is to blame—the Lions average record without Stafford, as clearly evidence in the 2019 season when he missed half of the year, might be more like 3-13—we’re just saying that the Lions were worse when he was paid more. Is it that hard to theorize that Detroit struggled to put a better team around him when he was among the highest-paid players in the NFL? Stafford was the highest-paid QB in the NFL in 2019 ($30.7m cap hit) and the Lions had their worse season since going 2-14 in 2009, which led to them having the number one pick and drafting Stafford. It is not a knock on Stafford to point out that teams have less money to spend when they have a star who knows what he is worth and wants to be paid that amount. It’s just a fact that if a quarterback or franchise player knowingly takes $10 million less, and trusts the front office to spend it right, that could be a player or two or three who help the team win additional football games. Maybe when your team is as bad as 3 wins, not even an extra $50 million would help them make the playoffs. Okay, that’s completely fair. Could a team that went 9-7, as the Lions did in 2016, use $10 million to potentially go 11-5? If Detroit went 11-5 in 2016, then they don’t go on the road as a wild card, they host a first round game as the NFC North champions. Maybe they’re as high as the two-seed that year and they host the Giants, a Ben McAdoo team that got its ass kicked by the Packers in the first round. A team with an additional $10 million can keep unrestricted and restricted free agents who they really like and have been developing. It can be the difference in not one, but a half-dozen players for your roster to find out, “Do any of these guys make a difference?” Are the Chiefs not grateful that whatever little amount of money they had to spend maybe allowed them to add Mecole Hardman midseason, the player who caught the Super Bowl-winning touchdown? Or to afford kicker Harrison Butker instead of looking for bargain options like the Rams always do? I know it seems small, but this week’s The O-Line Committee podcast really opened my eyes a little more to these situations as co-host Jeremiah Sirles explained that after long expecting the Vikings to give him the restricted tender of just $1.8 million, they told him “No can do” because they needed every last penny to sign Kirk Cousins as a free agent that year. Cousins is a good quarterback. Sirles was a utility offensive lineman. I get it, you would rather have Cousins. But also, the Vikings can’t win playoff games with Cousins. That’s proven. What about all the other players that Minnesota hasn’t been able to keep or add because they’re paying Cousins like a top-6 quarterback? Let’s see what happens in Stafford’s “cheap” seasons. Stafford’s cheap seasons Of the seven times that Matthew Stafford mess less than 13% of the salary cap, his team made the playoffs three times, won a Super Bowl, and won an average of eight games. 2014 - 12% (11-5) # 2015 - 12.3% (7-9) 2017 - 9.8% (9-7) 2020 - 9.9% (5-11) 2021 - 10.7% (12-5^) # 2022 - 6.7% (5-12*) 2023 - 8.9% (10-7) # ^ won Super Bowl *Stafford missed eight games The difference between six win and eight wins is not insignificant, especially when we’re comparing teams that have the SAME QB. It’s very clear that 2022’s extraordinary discount at 6.7% did nothing to help a helpless Rams team—mistakes like Allen Robinson hurt even more and Stafford was never healthy that year—but what about L.A.’s other two seasons with Stafford? Making about 9.5% of the salary cap, the Rams a) won a Super Bowl and b) vastly surpassed expectations thanks to a deep roster that included a ton of rookie contracts. Remember, it’s a little bit harder to keep all those $1 million players when you’ve got a quarterback or a single player making 15-20% of the salary cap. Don’t take this as Matthew Stafford libel, I’m not defaming him. He’s great. He’s just more successful in his career, as most all star franchise players are, when they have deals structured in such a way that the team can sign more players to help him. You could write this same statement about Mahomes, a QB who will see his salary increase to an average of $60 million per year over the next three seasons—$10 million more than even Stafford. Stafford’s final 3 years of the deal 2024 - 20.1% 2025 - 19.4% 2026 - 17.4% The final three years of Matthew Stafford’s contract will eat about 18.5% of the cap on average. Some are asking what happens when the Rams restructure the deal to save cap space in 2024: That would mean turning $30 million of his guaranteed 2024 base salary into a signing bonus spread out over the remainder of the contract, including 2024. Doing this now lowers Stafford’s cap hit to $29.6 million, so instead of 20% of the cap, he would take up about 12% of the cap. However, his 2025 cap hit now becomes $60 million and his 2026 cap hit now becomes $59 million. The $20 million the Rams save in 2024 means an additional $10 million that they do not have in 2025 and 2026. Is that worth it or should the Rams just make due with what they have now as stars like Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, and Kyren Williams are unbelievably cheap? If L.A.’s kicks Stafford’s money down the road twice, they could always hope to extend him again in 2026, but at that point he will be 38. How long do they expect the road to be? Can the Rams survive a 20% player? If Matthew Stafford is elite next season, yes. We just saw Patrick Mahomes win back-to-back Super Bowls making about 16% of the cap, which is unprecedented, and he barely did it. However, Stafford is arguably the best quarterback in the NFC, which in a way is all that Mahomes is except in the AFC: The best QB came out of the AFC. Could the best QB come out of the NFC? Sure. Especially given how affordable most of L.A.’s other stars are right now. It’s just a matter of asking whether or not the Rams are good enough to win the division, good enough to win playoff games, good enough to win the NFC, or good enough to win the Super Bowl. What if they are good enough to win playoff games, but not good enough to win the NFC? That additional $10-$20 million could absolutely be the difference between not making the Super Bowl, making the Super Bowl, and/or winning the Super Bowl. What is Stafford’s goal right now? Is it to make the most money possible towards the potential end of his career or to win a second Super Bowl and cement himself in the Hall of Fame? Whatever he decides is best for him, I’m not the one who is going to pass judgment. He can do what he wants to do and he’s already proven himself as both a Super Bowl winner and a player who took less so that his team could win more; Stafford didn’t have to accept a contract with $40 million AAV in 2022, he deserved at least $50 million AAV if he wanted to hold the Rams over the fire. He didn’t do that. That isn’t lost on me, nor should it be lost on fans. It’ll just be interesting to see how the team and the quarterback proceeds because with the highest payments of his career on the horizon, he needs to also be the best he’s ever been before.

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Rams might have more cap space than expected

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Why the Rams might have an additional $8 million to spend on free agents For the past year, salary cap expert website OvertheCap.com has projected a 2024 salary cap of $242 million, which set the L.A. Rams for $27.7 million in room for next season. That does not include a few items that will eat up a little bit of that space—OTC projects $24.8 million in “effective” cap space—but is generally thought to be in the vicinity of what will happen. Now we know that the number could be off by as much as $8 million in the Rams favor. Rumors emerged on Monday that the salary cap could be $243 million, but PFT’s Mike Florio reported that a source said the number will be much higher and could be $250 million. That would mean that L.A. doesn’t have roughly $28 million in cap space; they have more like $36 million. This is the type of news that could keep someone like Kevin Dotson or Ahkello Witherspoon on the team next season. Top FA Gs1- Kevin Dotson2- Robert Hunt3- Jonah Jackson4- Zeitler5- Ezra Cleveland6- Jon Ruyan Jr7- Damien Lewis8- Dalton Risner9- Saahdiq Charles10- John Simpson11- Graham Glasgow12- Nick Allegretti13- Greg Van Roten14- Andrus Peat15- David Edwards16- Phil Haynes— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) February 14, 2024 Dotson and Witherspoon are free agents, as well as John Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, Carson Wentz, Jordan Fuller, and Brycen Hopkins, while A.J. Jackson and Michael Hoecht are restricted free agents. The actual salary cap is expected to be reported next week. The NFL and the NFLPA negotiate the number each year and though it was expected to not spike this season, these latest reports indicate that it could. Though it benefits the Rams in the way that they have more money to spend, so do their opponents, including the cap-strapped San Francisco 49ers.

turfshowtimes.com
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Sean McVay announces additions to Rams 2024 coaching staff

Rams head coach Sean McVay has announced additions to his 20-member coaching staff for the 2024 season.

Stu Jackson
www.therams.com
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Should the Rams consider Penei Sewell’s cousin in the draft?

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Kingsley Suamataia is the cousin of Penei Sewell and is trending upward as the draft process rolls on. The Rams have a few offensive linemen that will hit free agency which leads to the belief they will likely draft more help in the trenches this April. Could the BYU product Kingsley Suamataia be an option? Suamataia is a a transfer from Oregon that started two years at Brigham Young. His athletic profile is perfect for the NFL and the same goes for his body composition at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. The athleticism jumps right off the tape and makes him look like a tight end in space. He was on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list and came in at a ridiculous 3rd-overall ranking athletically. Kingsley has no issue getting to the second level and beyond once he is out in space. He displays punishing blocking ability downfield should you be unlucky enough to be in his way. Suamataia mirrors well in pass protection, but one thing that stands out is his very short snap-to-snap memory. This isn’t someone that easily hung up on the previous play. Assuming that every football player is the same way would be foolish, that’s why it matters. He’s not going to let the previous play beat him again. He’s got a very sturdy frame and displays massive upside long term. He works well in pulls and trap blocks and looks comfortable overall playing the left tackle position. At 21-years-old, he’s one of the younger higher regarded tackles in this class. Although he comes with plenty of weaknesses as well. Suamataia is susceptible to getting beat on the inside rush. More methodical rushers will tend to give him fits and cause him to look outmatched. While more powerful rushers can knock him off his platform and push him around quite a bit. The craftier the pass rusher, the harder it’s going to be for Suamataia to win his matchup, he struggles to adapt as the game wears on. He’s very inconsistent with his hand placement which puts him in a tough spot especially when he has some other issues in his game. The BYU tackle is way too aggressive in the blocking game. Sure, we all love watching him absolutely level his assignments downfield but when he whiffs on those it can ruin a play and that happens quite a bit, he’s someone that needs a head full of steam rather than to just try and level the guy out of his stance. His balance issues are evident on tape and cause him to have play-to-play inconsistencies because of it. As it stands right now, Kingsley Suamataia is not ready to start at left tackle in the NFL. He’s got a wicked high ceiling and will likely test as good as anyone in the draft process athletically at tackle. The long term upside could put him in the early second round or even sneak him into day one. However, he’s not a plug-in play guy and you will need to put in the work to develop him properly. Suamataia was rated as the 15th best pass blocker according to Pro Football Focus in 2023 but he was tied for 229th in run blocking and 109th overall. In Suamataia’s career he allowed 25 pressures in 689 pass protection snaps. He was called for 10 penalties in his last two years as a starter but he only gave up two sacks in total. He’s younger and with the right coaching Suamataia could be an absolute menace to opposing defensive players. However, I’m not ready to check off the boxes that would make him a first or even second round pick. I see a player that should go early on in the third round. The upside is great based on his athletic profile but I have concerns in the run game and just how raw he is in general. You better have a good coaching staff if you draft him because he has some impressive tools that need to be coached up the right way if you want to give the most out of this pick. I think he makes sense for the Rams because of how good their offensive line coaching staff is. However, what would be the plan here? Draft him in the 2nd or 3rd and not play him for a year or two? He’s a tackle, no sense in moving him to guard. Maybe he replaces Rob Havenstein in due time? That’s the thing, he may be an option but I’m not sure he’s the best option for the Rams.

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Results are in! It’s the readers turn to tell the story in Rams mock draft

Rams fans like Penn State’s Adisa Issac at edge | Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The leading vote-getters are not who you think On this Sunday past, a lazy President’s Day weekend, the Los Angeles Rams news as covered by Turf Show Times took an interactive turn. Instead of a writer churning out content and offering it up to the forum, the community itself got to tell the story. Individual member’s took the time to complete and publish a 7 Round Rams mock draft. And it turned out to be a helluva story. 152 different players were selected to fill 11 draft slots and in the end, incredulously, the two top vote-getters were kicker Joshua Karty out of Stanford and quarterback Joe Milton of Tennessee. There were clear winners in only seven rounds, so there’s still plenty of room for interpretation. Considering it’s a consensus and trades were frowned upon, the draft is actually fairly solid. Needs were met and speed/athleticism was certainly upgraded. Fans eschewed the need for a left tackle and instead centered on defense. Pass coverage was addressed and a nose tackle was snuck in late. Round 1 ended in a four-way tie, but clearly, edge and cornerback were on fan’s radar. I took the liberty of unilaterally selecting the first pick. I thought it fit into the overall trend of of the totals, but any one of the four would make segments of the fan population happy. And here we go! #19- Nate Wiggins, CB 6’ 2” 185 lb. #52- Adissa Issac, E 6’ 4 3/8” 250 lb. #83- Payton Thomas, LB 6’ 4 1/8” 234 lb. #100- Malachi Corley, WR 5’ 10 5/8” 215 lb. #153- Tykee Smith, S 5’ 9 3/4” 206 lb. #154- Christian Jones, T 6’ 5” 318 lb. #177- Marist Liufau, LB. 6’ 2” 239 lb. #191-Sionne Vaki, S 5’ 11 3/8” 213 lb. #212- Joe Milton, QB 6’ 5” 236 lb. #217- Jordan Jefferson, DT. 6’ 2 5/8” 323 lb. #218- Joshua Karty, K Totals, in case you’re interested #19 4) Edge (E) Chop Robinson- Penn State, Cornerback (CB) Nate Wiggins- Clemson, E Jared Verse- Florida State, CB Cooper Dejean- Iowa, 3) CB Kool-Aid McKinstry- Bama, 2) CB Quinyon Mitchell- Toledo, Tackle (T) Taliese Fuaga- Oregon State, E Dallas Turner- Bama, T Amarius Mims- Georgia 1) Tight end (TE) Brock Bowers- Georgia, Quarterback (QB) Caleb Williams- USC, E Laitu Latu- UCLA, CB Terrion Arnold- Bama, Wide receiver (WR) Rome Odunze- Washington Nate Wiggins. Strapped. pic.twitter.com/spcbav8Lee— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 19, 2023 #52 11) E Adissa Issac- Penn State 4) Guard (G) Cooper Beebe- Kansas State 3) WR Roman Wilson- Michigan, CB TJ Tampa- Iowa State, 2) CB Ennis Rakestraw- Mizzou, Linebacker (LB) Edgerrin Cooper- Texas, E Chris Braswell- Bama 1) G Zach Frazier- West Virginia, E Darius Robinson- Mizzou, CB Caelen Carson- Wake Forest, T Patrick Paul- Houston, CB Kalen King- Penn State, Safety (S) Tyler Nubin- Minnesota, QB Michael Penix- Washington #83 10) LB Payton Thomas- North Carolina State 6) S Javon Bullard- Georgia 5) T Kiran Amegadjie- Yale 2) CB Kris Abrams-Draine- Mizzou, CB Max Melton- Rutgers, CB Josh Newton, WR Xavier Legette- South Carolina 1) G Christian Mahogany- Boston College, S Calen Bullock- USC, T Dominick Puni- Kansas, T Kingsley Suamaitaia- BYU, WR Jalen McMillan-Washington #100 5) WR Malachi Corley- Western Kentucky 4) Center (C) Sedrick Van Pran- Georgia, CB Mike Sanristil- Michigan, 3) S Jaden Hicks- Washington State, 2) Defensive line (DL) Brandon Dorlus- Oregon, WR Jermaine Burton- Bama, G Christian Haynes- UCONN, DL Braden Fiske- Florida State, CB Khyree Jackson-Oregon, 1) LB Junior Colson- Michigan, G Zak Zinter- Michigan, Running back (RB) Jonathon Brooks- Texas, S Cole Bishop- Utah, E Jonah Ellis- Utah, #153 7) S Tykee Smith- Georgia 4) WR Malik Washington- Virginia 3) CB Johnny Dixon- Penn State, T Javon Foster- Mizzou, RB Ray Davis- Kentucky, RB Jaylen Wright- Tennessee, 2) RB Marshawn Lloyd- USC, C Beaux Limmer- Arkansas, DL DeWayne Carter-Duke. S Jaylin Simpson- Auburn, CB Jarvis Brownlee- Louisville, 1) DL Justin Eboigbe- Bama, Georgia safety Tykee Smith knocks the ball out to prevent the catch by Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/mKxpEu5hhh— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) January 31, 2024 #154 6) T Christian Jones- Texas 5) S James Williams- Miami 3) S Kitan Oladapo- Oregon State, WR Luke McCaffrey- Rice 2) CB Chau Wade-Smith- Washington State, TE Jaheim Bell- Florida State 1) E Mo Kamara- Colorado State, S Malik Mustapha- Wake Forest, G Javien Cohen- Miami, WR Jacob Cowing- Arizona, LB Cedric Gray- North Carolina, Tommy Eichenberg- Ohio State, T Ladarius Henderson- Michigan, WR Jamari Thrash-Louisville #177 9) LB Marist Liufau- Notre Dame 4) TE Ben Sinnott- Kansas State, RB Cody Schrader- Mizzou 3) E Zion Tupuola-Fetui- Washington, T Roger Rosengarten- Washington, S Jaylin Simpson- Auburn, 2) S Beau Brade- Maryland, LB Jaylen Ford- Texas, CB Nehemiah Pritchett- Auburn, S Josh Proctor- Ohio State, LB Ty’Ron Hopper- Mizzou, C Kingsley Egaukun- Florida 1) WR Javon Baker- Central Florida, E Nelson Caesar- Houston, G Isaiah Adams- Illinois, WR Jha’Quan Jackson- Tulane, S Jay Stanley- Southern Mississippi #191 6) S Sionne Vaki- Utah 5) C Drake Nugent- Michigan 4) G Layden Robinson- Texas A&M, RB Dillon Johnson- Washington 3) TE Jared Wiley TCU, CB Andru Phillips- Kentucky 2) DL Gabe Hall- Baylor, TE Tanner McLachlan- Arizona State, QB Jordan Travis- Florida State 1) E Cedric Johnson- Ole Miss, E Grayson Murphy- UCLA, TE Brevyn Spann-Ford- Minnesota, LB Trevin Wallace- Kentucky, RB Isaiah Davis- South Dakota State, T Brandon Coleman- TCU, RB George Holani- Boise State #212 12) QB Joe Milton- Tennessee 5) E Brennan Jackson- Washington State, 4) TE Dallin Holker- Colorado State, 3) RB Frank Gore- Southern Mississippi, 2) TE Jack Westover- Washington, Jaden Crumedy- Mississippi State, G Mason McCormick- South Dakota State, 1) Kicker (K) Harrison Mevis- Mizzou, TE AJ Barner- Michigan, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio- Washington, WR Dont’e Thornton- Tennessee #217 8) Jordan Jefferson- LSU 4) C Tanner Bortoloni- Wisconsin 2) LB Curtis Jacobs- Penn State, WR Cornelius Johnson- Michigan, LB Nathaniel Watson- Mississippi State, WR Jordan Whittington- Texas, CB Kamal Hadden- Tennessee 1) QB Taulia Tagovailoa- Maryland, QB Sam Hartman- Notre Dame, T Julian Pearl- Illinois, TE Erick All- Iowa, CB Carlton Johnson- Fresno State, WR De’Corian Clark- UTSA, RB Daijun Edwards- Georgia, CB Marcellas Dial- South Carolina, K Will Reichard- Bama, S Demani Richardson- Texas A&M I was right behind the DL when this happened. Christian Haynes has that dawg in him. He shouted back at Jordan Jefferson, “if you’re scared go to church”!pic.twitter.com/1HvioKBSzD— Full-Time Dame (@DP_NFL) January 31, 2024 #218 20) K Joshua Karty- Stanford 3) RB Jace McClellan- Bama 2) C Dylan McMahon- North Carolina State, E Jalyx Hunt- Houston Christian, Ethan Driskell- Marshall, TE Tip Reiman- Illinois 1) LB Tatum Bethune- Florida State, C Will Putnam- Clemson, DL Myles Murphy- North Carolina, QB Devin Leary- Kentucky, CB Dwight McGlothern- Arkansas Thanks, Rams fans! Without the participation of the forum community, this exercise would not have been nearly as fun or interesting. Not only were the picks well thought out and solid, but the commentary and all of the side conversations that broke off were must reading for any draft fans, not just Rams. So, thanks for the feedback and keep those takes coming.

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Kurt Warner, Jared Goff have done something Matthew Stafford hasn’t yet

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images Matthew Stafford has yet to throw a “perfect game” during his time with Rams There are only three quarterbacks in the history of the Los Angeles Rams to throw a “perfect game”, which means posting a maximum passer rating of 158.3. James “Shack” Harris, who was drafted in the eighth round of the 1969 NFL Draft, was the first to accomplish this feat. His perfect game came against the Rams’ rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, when he completed 12 of 15 passes (80%) for 276 yards and a touchdown. He also added nine carries for 23 yards and another score, though these stats don’t factor into the passer rating. Harris played four seasons with the Rams and posted a career record of 21-6 under Chuck Knox. Harris became the first African-American quarterback to start and win a NFL playoff game. He was also earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 1974 and was named MVP of that game. Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images Kurt Warner was the second passer to throw a perfect game for the Rams, and he did so while the team was in St. Louis. He’s the only Rams quarterback to post two games with a maximum rating of 158.3. The first perfect outing came in 1999 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Warner’s third game as a starter, where he went 17 of 21 (81%) for 310 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams won 38-10 as they started the season with a 6-0 record. The second game for Warner came in 2000 against the San Diego Chargers where he threw for 390 yards, four touchdowns, and completed 24 of 30 passes (80%). The Rams defeated the Chargers 57-31. Warner posted another 158.3 rating during his time with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008 against the Miami Dolphins. 18 years after the last perfect game, Jared Goff had perhaps the best game ever by a Rams quarterback on Thursday Night Football against Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings. Goff completed 26 of 33 passes (79%) for 465 yards and five touchdown scores. It was a tight margin of victory as the Rams emerged on top 38-31 to earn a 4-0 record. They didn’t lose until Week 9 in 2018 when they fell to the New Orleans Saints 35-45. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images Matthew Stafford is still looking for his first game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. It’s eluded him over his 15-year career, though he came extremely close in his first game with the Rams in 2021 when he posted a 156.1 rating against the Chicago Bears. It was instant fireworks for Stafford and his new team, and they won Super Bowl LVI in their first season following the trade that sent Goff to the Detroit Lions. Will Stafford have a perfect game for the Rams in 2024 and join Harris, Warner, and Goff on the all-time list?

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Random Ramsdom: Here are some offseason dates to keep in mind

Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 2/20/24 The NFL offseason is underway and I saw some dates to keep in mind as we navigate the next few months of offseason action. The legal tampering period might be my favorite part of the offseason. What is you favorite part? I think many people get excited about the NFL Draft and rightfully so! Training camp is exciting. Even pre-season has it’s place. It’s all good stuff! Please comment on whatever you’d like and have a great day! 2024 NFL offseason: Important dates to know for the Rams (ramswire) “Those aren’t the only important events taking place on the NFL calendar this offseason, of course, so we’ve got you covered with all of the key dates from now until May. Feb. 20-March 5: Window for teams to use franchise/transition tag Teams can apply the franchise or transition tag to eligible players between Feb. 20 and March 5. Otherwise, players who are not tagged will become free agents. Feb. 27-March 4: NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis The combine will once again be held in Indianapolis as the top prospects in the class weigh in, go through drills and meet with teams. March 11-13: Legal tampering period of free agency” No place like home. — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 19, 2024 Rams Draft update: With new comp pick, team armed to teeth for the 2024 NFL Draft (ramblinfan) “To recap the LA Rams picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, as per Tankathon on February 16, 2024, the Rams hold the following picks 19th overall - Round 1 52nd overall - Round 2 83rd overall - Round 3 100th overall - Round 3 (comp pick) 153rd overall - Round 5 154th overall - Round 5 (via Pittsburgh) 177th overall - Round 5 (comp pick) 191st overall - Round 6 (via Denver) 212th overall - Round 6 (comp pick) 217th overall - Round 6 (comp pick) 218th overall - Round 6 (comp pick) How strong is the team’s complement of 2024 draft picks? Per Tankathon, the Rams enter the 2024 NFL Draft with the seventh most valuable draft picks in the league. That is pretty spectacular for a team that just finished the 2023 NFL season with a record of 10-7. Let’s list Tankathon’s Top 10 teams for the 2024 NFL Draft (As per the Harvard Sports Analytics Collective): Arizona Cardinals - 1468.5 Washington Commanders - 1232.9 Chicago Bears - 1154.3 New York Giants - 985.9 Green Bay Packers - 975.0 New England Patriots - 940.6 Los Angeles Rams - 915.7 Los Angeles Chargers - 907.5 Atlanta Falcons - 904.5 Philadelphia Eagles - 880.3” Experts predict what we'll do with our first round pick + in early rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft. — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 19, 2024 Would the Rams take this hypothetical trade offer for Aaron Donald? (ramswire) “They’ll do so with Aaron Donald on the team, hoping to push for one more championship before his contract expires after the 2024 season. The Rams have no plans to part ways with Donald the way they did with Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd last year, but that isn’t stopping people from pitching hypothetical trade offers for the future Hall of Famer. Bleacher Report came up with five trades that would help prevent a Chiefs threepeat and one of them was the Bengals acquiring Donald from the Rams. The offer? Rams get: 2024 first-round pick (No. 18 overall) and 2024 third-round pick (No. 80 overall) Bengals get: Aaron Donald” Straight motivation https://t.co/q5Ncp1Hgl5— B.Y. (@byron_97) February 9, 2024

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Rams hiring 33-year-old Nate Scheelhaase as their pass game specialist

The Rams are hiring Iowa State OC Nate Scheelhaase, who’s only 33, as their new pass game specialist

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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Rams make former Falcons OC their new quarterbacks coach

Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images Dave Ragone will help replace Zac Robinson on Sean McVay’s staff Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams are putting the finishing touches on their coaching staff ahead of the 2024 offseason. They’ve hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone as their next quarterbacks coach, per a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This position was held by Zac Robinson who is now the Falcons’ OC under Raheem Morris. Another addition to the LA staff: Rams also are hiring former Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone as their Quarterbacks Coach. https://t.co/79Bz57FyE5— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2024 Ragone was Arthur Smith’s right hand man on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons’ offense performed well under Smith and Ragone despite poor quarterback play from the likes of Desmond Ridder, Taylor Heinicke, and Marcus Mariota. Atlanta was particular effective in the ground game even before they used a top 10 selection on running back Bijan Robinson, and maximized production from Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier. Ragone has been an assistant coach at the professional level since 2011 when he joined the Tennessee Titans as wide receivers coach. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2013. After bouncing around for a few seasons, he joined the Chicago Bears under head coach John Fox again as the QB’s coach between 2016-2019. It was telling that Matt Nagy kept him around on his staff when Fox was fired after a single season. Ragone became the passing game coordinator in 2020 when the team selected Justin Fields in the first round. He joined the Falcons with Smith the following season after Nagy was fired mid-year. LA’s new coach should not be a total stranger to the franchise, as he was part of the organization as a quarterback in 2006 after being drafted by the Houston Texas in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Ragone played in NFL Europe’s 2005 season and earned offensive MVP honors while leading the Berlin Thunder to a World Bowl championship. His NFL career ending after being waived by the St. Louis Rams prior to the 2006 season. Sean McVay has spoken highly of Dave Ragone a few times last couple of years - the two are friends. Mentioned him as the potential Zac Robinson replacement a few weeks ago here https://t.co/6G1C13Gozg https://t.co/rbkOVV9Z7j— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) February 19, 2024

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Rams hire new pass game specialist from the college level

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images Sean McVay taps Nate Scheelhaase, age 33, to join offensive staff Sean McVay has hired Nate Scheelhaase as the Los Angeles Rams’ next pass game specialist according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. LA Rams are hiring Iowa State offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase as their Pass Game Specialist. The 33-year-old Scheelhaase, who played QB at Illinois, generated interest from NFL teams in recent years, and he now makes the move to the NFL to work under Sean McVay.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2024 The Rams’ coaching staff is in dire need of reinforcements after the annual pilfering by the 31 other teams across the NFL. Raheem Morris earned the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching role after public campaigning by the Rams brass, and he brought with him two key coaches from LA to be coordinators in Atlanta: Zac Robinson and Jimmy Lake. Scheelhaase is an intriguing name. He’s just 33 years old and was most recently the offensive coordinator at Iowa State. Scheelhaase was the Cyclones’ receivers coach when now-NFC West rival QB Brock Purdy was in Ames.

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Rams fans: Which players are on your Mount Rushmore?

Getty Images In honor of President’s Day, which all-time players make the cut? I want to start out by wishing everyone in the Turf Show Ramily a happy President’s Day. Some of you may have been fortunate enough to have gotten off school or work. If that is the case, it’ll give you plenty of time to ponder what I’m about to ask next: In honor of President’s Day, what players belong on your Mount Rushmore? This is a very unique exercise as I wouldn’t even know where to start. There are so many NFL and L.A. Rams legends to choose from throughout the decades. I know plenty of Chiefs fans are ready to place Patrick Mahomes alongside Tom Brady on the list of all-time greatest quarterbacks. Well, a debate like this is obviously subjective so have at it! NFL-wise, I would place icons like Barry Sanders and Jerry Rice on my Mount Rushmore. Going off talent alone, I repeat, TALENT ALONE, Aaron Rodgers is deserving of a spot on mine. In his prime, Rodgers was the most talented QB I’ve ever seen. He was his era’s Mahomes, minus all the Super Bowl rings and postseason success. As for the Rams’ Mount Rushmore, Aaron Donald has to be on there or I’m fairly certain he will come to your house to tackle you. You have been warned. Your friendly reminder of how utterly dominant Aaron Donald is pic.twitter.com/k3x0DQJAuG— PFF LA Rams (@PFF_Rams) February 19, 2024 So who is on your NFL and/or Rams Mount Rushmore? Go ahead and drop your list in the comments!

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Would the Rams take this hypothetical trade offer for Aaron Donald?

The Rams have no plans to trade Aaron Donald, but Bleach Report pitched a hypothetical offer from the Bengals

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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2024 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Updated Rams projections post-Super Bowl

Here are experts' latest projections with this year's scouting combine on the horizon and the 2024 NFL Draft first round order set.

Stu Jackson
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4 quarterback reclamation projects the Rams should consider

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Could Sean McVay save the career of Mac Jones? Sean McVay has helped multiple quarterbacks rehabilitate their image over the last couple of seasons. First there was the mid-season signing of Baker Mayfield early one week that saw the nomadic signal caller take the majority of reps on Thursday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mayfield improbably led LA to a win at SoFi Stadium and threw the game-winning touchdown to Van Jefferson. The rest is history, including Mayfield leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the divisional round of the playoffs this year. The Bucs are likely to reward the quarterback with a hefty contract extension this offseason. And then there’s Carson Wentz, who was at home and available for the Rams to sign past this season’s midpoint. Los Angeles inked Wentz just days after then-backup Brett Rypien completely underwhelmed in a key game against the Green Bay Packers while Matthew Stafford recovered from a thumb injury. We didn’t see Wentz take the field until Week 18 versus the San Francisco 49ers, but he impressed and led the Rams to victory. Los Angeles’ offense changed drastically with Wentz under center as he rushed 17 times—the most by a Rams QB since 1950. With his strong performance in his one opportunity this season, is Wentz now on the Mayfield trajectory? While this is a strong quarterback draft class, there are a handful of teams in the later portion of the first round that would benefit from veteran competition. This perhaps would include the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Denver Broncos. The Rams would likely love to have Wentz return and provide stability behind Stafford, who’s age 36 and has battled injuries at times over the last few seasons. If Wentz signs elsewhere, could Los Angeles turn to another reclamation project? Here are four that make sense for McVay and the Rams: 1 - Mac Jones, New England Patriots Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images It was somewhat of a surprise when the 49ers elected to take Trey Lance over Jones after they traded up to the third overall pick in 2021. Jones fell to the 15th pick where he was selected by the Patriots and beat out Cam Newton for the starting role. Jones’ had a very promising rookie season where he tossed 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He flashed ability as quick decision maker and accurate passer while leading New England to a 10-7 record. But his offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, left during the 2022 offseason to become the head coach for the Raiders—and that led to a slippery slope where Jones never found his footing afterward. Sure, we can blame the Patriots for the odd pairing of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge to replace McDaniels. The bigger criticism is that the Patriots failed to build a quality supporting cast around a point guard-type quarterback. Jones’ best ability is to quickly diagnose the defense, play with anticipation, and act as a distributor. The degree of difficulty was extremely high when he was throwing to the likes of DeVante Parker, Jacobi Myers, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, JuJu Smith-Shuster, Jalen Reagor, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte. Individually some of these players are nice pieces, but there clearly is not a number one—or maybe even a true number two—receiver in this group. The Patriots failed Jones from this perspective. What could Jones bring to Los Angeles? He doesn’t have the highest ceiling of the players on this list, but he may present the lowest floor. I also wouldn’t rule out Jones developing into a potential starter for the future, but he’s probably in the tier of quarterback that has you looking for a star each year until you find a better option. That type of player still has significant value in the NFL. The Rams would have to acquire Jones via trade, but with Bailey Zappe under contract and the Patriots expected to take a quarterback in the draft, you may be able to move him for a mid-round pick. 2 - Zach Wilson, New York Jets Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images Unlike Jones, Wilson has not flashed starting potential for a prolonged stretch of time. He’s had games certainly, including against the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans this year, but he’s looked more inept than competent over his time with the Jets. You might be asking why the Rams would want to bring a player like that into their building. Well, because Los Angeles is drafting now at the back of the first round and likely will do so over the next couple of seasons—for as long as Stafford is starting and healthy. The Rams won’t have easy access to a quarterback of Wilson’s pedigree, so their only hope is to either give up significant capital to trade up or try to get the best out of a player who failed in their first opportunity. Wilson has all the talent to be successful, and he’s benefit from having the spotlight taken off of him for a bit. Stylistically he and Stafford are both creative gunslinger types. He needs time to learn and then could shine with the right structure and a strong supporting cast. He’d also bring an element of mobility that is lacking from the Rams’ current version of the offense. Wilson is a near certainty to leave New York this offseason, and if the Jets can’t trade him they may outright release him. It may cost less to acquire Wilson than it would Jones. 3 - Justin Fields, Chicago Bears Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images Fields comes with the loftiest price tag of the players on this list, but he also has the highest upside. The Bears are almost certain to take USC’s Caleb Williams first overall this spring, and they’ll send Field to the highest bidder. Fields doesn’t make sense for the Rams for multiple reasons. First, the capital to acquire him would be steep—perhaps a second round draft choice. He’s also due to hit free agency after the 2025 season, assuming that the team that acquires him picks up his fully-guaranteed fifth year option. Acquiring Fields would tell us that the Rams think they need to replace Stafford sooner than later, and that probably isn’t the case. You can never say never with McVay and Les Snead, however. 4 - Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks (free agent) Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images Drew Lock is expected to hit unrestricted free agency after two years with the Seahawks. Seattle seems to be a fan of Lock and re-signed him last offseason to backup Geno Smith. He led the team to a win over the Philadelphia Eagles this season by completing 22 of 33 passes (67%) for 208 yards and a touchdown. Would Lock follow offensive coordinator Shane Waldon to Chicago and back up Caleb Williams, or could other coaches from the McVay-Shanahan scheme seek out Lock’s services after he’s spent two years learning an adjacent system? Lock would bring a big-time arm to Los Angeles and from a physical tool perspective has similar abilities to Stafford. Where they differ is Stafford’s acumen and ability to manipulate defenses with his mind and eyes, which is an aspect of the game where Lock has not developed. The positive parts of this union would be that the Rams wouldn’t have to trade for Lock or give up any draft capital to acquire him. He’d likely command a free agent contract in the two to four million range, which is pretty affordable as far as QB’s go.

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Don’t expect Rams to use the franchise tag this offseason

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images Rams likely won’t use franchise tag to retain any players this offseason The NFL offseason is officially set to begin on Tuesday when the two-week window to use the franchise tag opens. Safety Lamarcus Joyner back in 2018 was the last player to receive the franchise tag by the Los Angeles Rams. Despite needing to retain key players like Kevin Dotson, it would be a surprise if the Rams were one of the teams to utilize the franchise tag this offseason. The offseason hits the next level on Tuesday, when the two-week franchise tag window opens. For some teams, there's a good reason to apply the tag by the end of this week: https://t.co/o8Cf3oMbkO— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 19, 2024 General manager Les Snead and VP of football and business operations Tony Pastoors are much more likely to remain patient throughout the process. While Kevin Dotson is an important free agent, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use the franchise tag on him. Utilizing the franchise tag on Dotson would cost the Rams $21.7M according to OverTheCap. That would make Dotson the third-highest paid right guard in the NFL. It’s also a much higher than any number the Rams would be willing to go with him. Dotson’s current market-value is around the $17M-$18M range which is already higher than the Rams would like to go. There’s no questioning that Dotson played well in 2023 and he was a big part of the Rams resurgence on the offensive line. With that said, it’s still important that they remain smart and don’t back themselves into a corner. Bringing back Dotson is a priority, but they also don’t want to overpay and break the bank for him. The best thing that the Rams can do here is waiting out the process with a number in mind. This would allow Dotson to hit free agency and find his true market value. Dotson’s side could then give the Rams the opportunity to match or beat any offer if he wants to return to Los Angeles. Of course, just because a team uses the franchise tag, doesn’t mean that player is committed to playing on that cap number for the season. This would only extend the time period in which both sides could try and come to an extension. Applying the franchise tag would give the Rams and Dotson until the middle of July to try and get a long-term deal done. With that said, if the Rams are willing to use the franchise tag, they would be committing to that $17M-$18M number that they may be trying to avoid. One thing to keep in mind is the Joe Noteboom situation. If the Rams designate Noteboom as a post-June 1 release, they would save $15M. That $15M wouldn’t be reflected on the cap until June 2. However, if the Rams do opt to use the franchise tag, they would have to eat the $21.7M number in the short-term, but could allocate the money saved from cutting Noteboom to Dotson once that time comes. While the Rams could opt to designate Noteboom as a post-June 1 release, this still isn’t a realistic option. Dotson would likely be the only player that the Rams would consider for the franchise tag. Jordan Fuller is set to be a free agent, but the cap number for safeties on the franchise tag is $17.2M. That number is way above Fuller’s market-value. The same can be said for cornerback Ahkello Withspoon. A cornerback on the franchise tag would cost $18.4M. We’ll see what Snead and the Rams end up doing when it comes to the franchise tag. However, it’s likely that they stand pat and wait for the free agency period to open on March 11.

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NFL offseason schedule: Free agency is just a few weeks away!

Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Important offseason dates for the LA Rams Can the Los Angeles Rams use this offseason to build onto their momentum from the 2023 season where they were a surprise entrant to the playoffs? The Rams and general manager Les Snead made quick work of their rebuild last year, and they’ll hope to continue adding pieces and become a true contender over the next couple of seasons. The Turf Show Times team will keep you updated on all things Rams 365 days a year, and even though we are into the offseason there will be plenty to discuss about the 2024 version of this team. Here are the important dates for the Rams as they build out their roster this year: Franchise tag deadlines: Feb. 20th - Window to tag opens Mar. 5th - Franchise/transition tag deadline Each team has one franchise tag that they can use to retain a player set to hit the free agent market, with some exceptions. Often times this tag is used as a safety net while the team and player work out a long-term deal. The other 31 teams are allowed to offer a contract to players who have received the franchise tag, but it comes with a lofty price tag: two original first round picks in consecutive years. The Rams likely won’t use the tag this year, though RG Kevin Dotson could be considered a candidate. The bigger impact to the Rams will be other teams using the tag and limiting the free agent pool, which could take players like Josh Allen (Jaguars) and Brian Burns (Panthers) off the market. NFL Combine: The combine is held each year in Indianapolis, Indiana. It’s an important event, not just from a draft perspective, but because teams use it as a sounding board for what’s soon to come in free agency. Agents are often active spreading word on behalf of their clients and seeds are planted for which teams might be interested in certain players. Feb. 29th - Linebackers & defensive linemen Mar. 1st - Defensive backs & tight ends Mar. 2nd - Quarterbacks, wide receivers, & running backs Mar. 3rd - Offensive linemen Free Agency: Blaine Grisak: What is LA’s biggest need in free agency? The free agency period has been expanded in recent years to include the “legal tampering” period where players often agree to terms on deals but are not able to put pen to paper until the official free agency window opens. There have been instances of players and teams reneging on deals that have not yet been inked. Mar. 11th - Legal tampering period opens at 9:00am PT Mar. 13th - New league year beings, free agency window opens Read: 3 Rams make PFF’s top 100 free agents list Annual league meeting Mar. 24-27th Head coaches, general managers, front office executives, and owners are usually all present at the NFL’s annual league meeting. This event is used to contemplate future rule changes and it’s an opportunity for media to meet with front office execs and owners that we don’t hear from often. Offseason workout programs Apr. 1st - Teams with a new head coach can begin Apr. 15th - Teams with a returning head coach can begin The NFL gives teams with a first-year head coach an opportunity to get up to speed, as this the largely the first opportunity they’ve had to meet with returning players. The Rams will open up their offseason workouts as early as April 15th. This is mostly a workout period and not much is allowed to happen on the football field. NFL Draft This event will be held in Detroit, Michigan this year. The Rams are slated to have their first round pick for the first time since 2016 when they selected QB Jared Goff, but it’d be unlike Snead to hold onto the selection. Kenneth Arthur: Two defensive positions Rams should target in round one Apr. 25th - Round one Apr. 26th - Rounds two & three Apr. 27th - Rounds four through seven At the conclusion of the draft teams scramble to sign undrafted free agents. LA has had notable success in this window over the years with the likes of Alaric Jackson, Jonah Williams, Marquise Copland, Troy Hill, Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom, Johnny Hekker, Johnny Mundt, and others.

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A Rams free agency mistake is expected to be released

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Only 30, Allen Robinson didn’t have the career resurgence that the Steelers expected The disaster that was the L.A. Rams 2022 season can be adequately summed up in a microcosm with the free agent signing of Allen Robinson. After many years of the Rams making smart moves in trades and free agency, Robinson’s three-year, $46.5 million contract stands out as arguably the worst. L.A. responded to his abysmal 2022 season by trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers in April for a seventh round pick swap. The Steelers re-did Robinson’s contract after he arrived in Pittsburgh and the team is expected to release him for cap savings following a 2023 season that was even worse than the one in L.A.. With cuts to Allen Robinson & Mason Cole (moves I expect to be happening soon), the #Steelers will save close to 15 million putting them about 11 million under the cap. With many contracts they can restructure, I expect them to have well over 20 million to play with in Free… pic.twitter.com/M7ZynlCWLu— Trey Carney (@CarneyMedia) February 13, 2024 Robinson played in all 17 games and even though he had 771 snaps (72% of the team’s total and over 200 more than his one season with the Rams), the veteran receiver only caught 34 passes for 280 yards and no touchdowns. Robinson’s 16.5 yards per game is half as many as he had in 2022 and he might have been the worst starting wide receiver in the NFL on this side of Jonathan Mingo. Though he is only 30, it would seem as though Allen Robinson has nothing left to give. His last good season came in 2020 with the Chicago Bears, when Robinson had 102 catches for 1,250 yards and six touchdowns. In his last three seasons combined, Robinson has 105 catches for 1,029 yards and four touchdowns. He is averaging only 6.2 yards per target and 9.8 yards per catch, but he has earned $20.5 million over the past two seasons. The Steelers save $10 million by releasing Robinson, making the move all but guaranteed. L.A. had to pay $21.45 million in dead cap money to not have Allen Robinson in 2023, but the Rams thrived with the much cheaper and much better receiver in Puka Nacua.

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Random Ramsdom: Quentin Lake compares himself to this active NFL player

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 2/19/24 The Los Angeles Rams had a number of players step-up and or show real flashes this past season. Quentin Lake may be considered one of those players. Head coach, Sean McVay, gave him some high praise during the season. Lake recently compared himself to Kyle Hamilton. Lake does express some humbleness in the comparison, but he seems to feel that he can improve and he’s already doing some things similar to how the Baltimore Ravens use Hamilton. What do you think of that comparison? Is it fair, or does he have more work to do before he can compare himself to Hamilton? Please comment on whatever you’d like and have a great day! Quentin Lake says his role with Rams is similar to Kyle Hamilton’s in Baltimore (ramswire) In an interview with the LAFB Network at the Super Bowl, Lake talked about how many different positions he played, which he enjoyed. “At first it was dime linebacker, or dime money, dime DB. Then it was safety, then it was nickel in one package, then nickel, then safety, and then safety and nickel in the same game,” he said. “Lake was proud to play so many different spots, especially knowing it was because the coaching staff trusted him. They showed a lot of confidence in Lake by deploying him in various roles, knowing he could handle the different responsibilities. He saw his role as being similar to the one standout defender Kyle Hamilton plays in Baltimore for the Ravens. “It was good. It was honestly an honor to show, one, my versatility. But honestly, how much the coaches trusted me,” he said. “That was a big thing. How the coaches trusted me to move from safety to nickel, or nickel to safety within a game. But a lot of it comes down to film study, like I said, having the coaches trust you. It was fun being in different spots. My football comparison, not that I want to compare myself to somebody, but really, like Kyle Hamilton, what he was doing on the Ravens defense. I feel like I had a similar role to what he was doing, on the Rams defense. Being able to blitz, cover, be back there coming out of the half, coming out of the middle of the field. It was fun, it was a good time.” Which home opponent are you looking forward to the most in 2024?! #RamsHouse ️ » https://t.co/vRG20KRmUu pic.twitter.com/xPiFagwqPw— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 18, 2024 Mock Draft Data: Analyzing the Los Angeles Rams’ Most Popular Picks (si.com) “Using NFL Mock Draft Database, fans can sort through the prospects teams frequently match with Los Angeles and easily find said mock drafts for additional content. For example, risers in the draft class can be identified, such as Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell being labeled as a “trendy pick.” Cooper DeJean, Cornerback, Iowa – 12.6 percent Adding to the intrigue is DeJean’s somewhat low mock draft market share. Despite being taken 12.6 percent of the time, that’s a lower mark than several other teams, including the Buffalo Bills and LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (14.7 percent). This means that Los Angeles is in a unique position given their assortment of needs and how this class may fall. DeJean offers a well-rounded set of athletic gifts that may set him apart as this cornerback class races to the podium. Headlining one of the nation’s best defenses, DeJean has the versatility to play outside, inside, or safety at the next level.” .@ASAPpuka: Certified Bucket. @NBA All-Star Celeb Game pic.twitter.com/haqOzHSKf4— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 17, 2024 Looking into LA Rams rookie extension candidates and what they might get (ramblinfan) “Skowronek has lined up virtually at every spot in the Rams offense at one time or another. Despite that versatility, and a career catch rate of 62.4%, Skowronek has only been targeted 93 times (100 if you factor in playoff games) and caught 58 passes (3 more in postseason) for 575 yards and one touchdown. Despite the fact that the team traded away WR Van Jefferson and fought through the absence of WR Cooper Kupp, Skowronek’s workload on offense plummeted in 2023. While I believe his proficiency on special teams will put him in line for a contract after the 2024 season ends, there is simply too much uncertainty for the team to seek locking him in with an extension. Extension verdict: None will be offered this year. WR Tutu Atwell Fans are still a bit befuddled with the addition of WR Tutu Atwell with the 57th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. While the vitriol aimed at the player has subsided substantially, the confusion over why the Rams reached for the 5-foot-9 165-pound wide receiver out of Louisville is still a bit of a mystery. Of course, that same year the team signed free agent WR Desean Jackson, and the hope for the offense to show up as a quick strike scoring machine was never more plain to see than when the roster boasted Jackson, Atwell, and WR Van Jefferson.” Playmakers. — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 17, 2024

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Which of these 2 defensive positions makes most sense for Rams in first round?

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports Should Rams GM Les Snead go cornerback or edge in the first round of the 2024 draft? Over at NFL Mock Draft Database, which compiles and averages all the mock drafts and big boards, the most common first round pick for the L.A. Rams is Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean. Though it was some of his basketball highlights that went a little viral recently, DeJean could end up as the best cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft. Should the Rams take him, a different corner, or an edge rusher if they end up going with defense on the first pick? That seems to be the dividing line on most mock drafts. Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean had some crazy basketball highlights!This season he led the nation in pick-sixes with 3 (5 total INT’s on the season) @cdejean23 pic.twitter.com/FoLgekQgnp— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) January 5, 2023 Kyle Stackpole at CBS Sports has the Rams selecting Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse. NFL.com’s Dan Parr went with UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu. And Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar has Alabama edge Dallas Turner falling all the way to 19 for the Rams. Those three stand out as the top three edge rushers in the class and L.A.’s defense lacks a premier player to put opposite of Byron Young next season, unless Ochaun Mathis or Nick Hampton really break out unexpectedly. Cornerback is also an area of need for the Rams, especially with Ahkello Witherspoon as a free agent. San Diego Union Tribune’s Eddie Brown has the Rams picking DeJean, a 6’1, 2019 lb corner who could run a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. Another popular name is Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, who Walter Football recently mocked to L.A.. Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Ennis Rakestraw are other corners who usually or sometimes get mocked in the first round. Of course, this isn’t to rule out offensive tackles, quarterbacks, or any other position entirely. There are no safeties or linebackers who get first round buzz and defensive tackle, what few there are, wouldn’t seem to be in the cards this year. So if the Rams do go defense, should they go cornerback or edge? They can’t go wrong with either if that player is a hit.

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Rams add exciting edge rusher Dallas Turner in Round 1 of new mock draft

With a major need at outside linebacker, the Rams select Dallas Turner in Touchdown Wire’s latest mock draft

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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Hey Rams fans! Show us your mock draft

Photo by Stephen Carr/MediaNews Group/ Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images Pound on the table for your favorite prospect There’s not a lot of Los Angeles Rams breaking news on a holiday weekend. So, how about some light entertainment for a sleepy Sunday? I’m proposing a mock draft to see what the forum community thinks about how the Rams should play out the 2024 NFL Draft. Keeping it very simple, if there are enough responses, I will write a follow up article with the consensus results and/or thoughts and trends. I‘ll lay down some simple rules that would make it easier to have clear-cut results. LOL. I’m not interested in being a baby sitter/moderator, so if you don’t want to follow the guidelines, then don’t, you’re not going to get a rise out of me. Let’s use one database and simulator. I think that NFL Mock Draft Database keeps their board fairly well updated and is simple to use. It will keep us all on the same page. Select only the Los Angeles Rams. Choose all seven rounds. Use the pre-draft order. Leave the trades for the L.A. braintrust, let’s just try to get a handle on the current number of picks. When posting your drafts to TST, add the NMDM grades if you like, or leave them off. They are just reflections of how they rank players. If it tickles you, give as much context to the selections as you wish. Did you go best player available, team needs, or just who you like. I would prefer one draft per reader, just for bookkeeping sake, but if the mood strikes you, feel free to do as many as you want. As long as the article stays up on the top of the page, I will keep a running track and post some totals and results. You’re on the clock!

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Is Puka Nacua set to overtake Cooper Kupp as Rams number one receiver?

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Could Puka Nacua take over as the Rams number one wide receiver in the offense? One of the biggest surprises of last season for the Los Angeles Rams was the rise of fifth round rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua. While there was a lot of hype surrounding him throughout training camp, nobody could have expected Nacua to break the records that he did and be as impressive as he was as as a rookie. With Nacua’s rise combined with a down season from Cooper Kupp that was hampered by injuries for an aging player, it raises the question of what the future of the two players is in the Rams offense. Nacua and Stafford had an instant connection and that played out throughout the season and playoffs. The rookie wide receiver out of BYU set the rookie receiving yards and receptions record while also setting the record for most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game. The goal for the Rams this offseason was to find young, future building blocks that can help them push forward towards a title in 2024 and 2025. They certainly did that by finding Nacua on day three of the draft. The question now isn’t whether or not Nacua has a future in the Rams offense, but what exactly his ceiling is in the offense moving forward. There is something to be said about Kupp dealing with injuries last season. However, that has been a case for much of his career. In 2018, Kupp tore his ACL midseason which was the biggest injury of his career. Since then it’s been minor things such as a sprained ankle and wrist in 2020. Kupp missed time in 2022 with a sprained ankle as he missed half the year. This past season, Kupp missed the first four game with a hamstring injury and never truly got right. Against the Seahawks, the Rams star wide receiver once again injured his ankle. That just added to an injury plagued season for Kupp. When Kupp is healthy, his ceiling is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. With that being said, he’ll turn 31 this summer and the list of injuries that he’s dealt with are starting to pile up. His 5.3 yards after the catch per reception was the lowest of his career. However, what’s more glaring is his 1.77 yards per route run which was 0.18 yards lower than his previous career-low in 2020. He also had just a 91.4 passer rating when targets which was seven points lower than his mark of 98.4 in 2020. Kupp looks to be on a downward trajectory and the injury history doesn’t help matters. Meanwhile, the Rams have a young wide receiver coming off of a historic rookie season that looks set to take the next step in his career in Nacua. In the chart below, you can visually see just how dominant Nacua was this past season. Nacua was the most dominant wide receiver against two-high coverages outside of Tyreek Hill and was nearly just as good against single-high. With that level of success, it can be argued that Nacua’s next step is solidifying himself among the best wide receivers in the NFL. YPRR facing single vs two-high coverages the last few seasons.Caveats exist with certain teams but typically WR1s smash single-high and two-high helps ancillary weapons find soft spots in coverage.Data via @FantasyPtsData pic.twitter.com/GusfTKu5Dt— Football Insights (@fball_insights) February 17, 2024 To add to that, Nacua was by far the better receiver between him and Kupp last season in ESPN’s receiver tracking metrics. Nacua had an overall score of 60 compared to Kupp’s 48. Nacua had a higher open score of 53, catch score of 57 and YAC score of 64 than Kupp. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Nacua is better than Kupp, but it does show how much more effective he was in the offense. Kupp has been a YAC monster for the Rams in the past. From 2020-23, his YAC score was 60 which ranked eighth in the NFL over that time period. This past season, that dropped to 10 points down to 50. Now it’s Nacua who had a YAC score of 64 which ranked eighth in the NFL last season. ESPN Receiver Tracking This offseason, the Rams will be looking for a player to “take the torch” from Aaron Donald on defense as they move into their next phase. Unintentionally, they may have found that player last offseason for Cooper Kupp in Puka Nacua. In the McVay offense, there isn’t necessarily have a true number one receiver. Even with Woods and Kupp, it was more of a 1a and 1b. However, going forward, that 1a player may end up being Nacua.

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Free Agent Spotlight: Alaric Jackson reliable at left tackle for Rams

TheRams.com's Free Agent Spotlight series continues with offensive lineman and pending restricted free agent Alaric Jackson.

Stu Jackson
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Strong offseason will put Rams in contender status in 2024

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images ESPN says Rams The Los Angeles Rams will be looking to take the next step in 2024 after making a surprise playoff appearance last season. With cap space and draft picks, the Rams will have every opportunity to improve their roster to compete with the NFL’s top contenders. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler put each team into tiers heading into the offseason, ranking them from major contenders to rebuilding. Landing in the “heading on the right track” tier was the Rams. Said Fowler, “The Rams’ offense will be humming behind a healthy Matthew Stafford and a trio of playmakers: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. Re-signing ascending guard Kevin Dotson would be prudent. Also on the offensive line, the Rams can save $5 million by releasing tackle Joe Noteboom. They should spend adequate resources to support a very young defense with the right players. L.A. once tried to trade for pass-rusher Brian Burns, who will likely be franchise-tagged by Carolina. A sign-and-trade might be just what general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay need.” Also landing in the “heading on the right track tier” was the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the tier above the Rams was the “teetering contenders” tier that included the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams seem to be more in that tier than the “heading on the right track” tier. Los Angeles was in the Super Bowl two years ago and will be reloading the roster this season. Depending on how those resources are spent will determine which direction the Rams go. There are fewer teams sitting on the “contender see saw” than the Rams. A bad offseason and this does turn into more of a rebuild than re-load. However, a good offseason and the Rams are right back in the thick of it and in contender territory. Last offseason, the Rams reset their cap so that they could make a final push over the next two years with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Donald. Those are the “three pillars” as Les Snead called them at this time last year. With all three players entering the twilight of their careers, the Rams will need their younger start to step up and have a high hit rate with how they spend their resources in order to make that final push and compete for a title in 2024 and 2025.

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Should the Rams consider Houston pass protector Patrick Paul in the draft?

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Does it make sense for the Rams to add Patrick Paul out of Houston to their offensive line unit? The Rams have a few offensive linemen that will hit free agency which leads to the belief they will likely draft more help in the trenches this April. Could the Houston Cougar Patrick Paul be an option? Paul is a three-year starter at Houston who will be 24 years of age by the end of the 2024 NFL season. He had his best year this past year in terms of cutting down the pressures he allowed and the penalties he accumulated. Paul stands at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds and has great length and power for the position. The Cougar captain graded out for me as a late second rounder. I think he sets his anchor well and his kick slide covers a ton of ground, not to mention he can recover well if he’s beat initially. However, I have too many reservations to call him an early second round or first round prospect. Paul mirrors well in pass protection and when he gets a chance to block in the run game he shows his effectiveness at getting up to the second level and delivering a destructive blow to a defensive player. He’s extremely aware of what is going on around him at all times, you can see his communication skills are on point when he has to call out a stunt. He will lose reps due to technical skills and his athleticism which isn’t bad. However, the big thing for Paul is that you aren’t going to see him lose a rep mentally. One thing that is fascinating about Paul’s game is how quickly he picks up on what his assignment is doing in their pass rush plan. Paul can easily adjust on the fly to the information he takes in throughout the game, leading to him fixing any early mistakes. The biggest concerns with Paul start with his inconsistent footwork. His kick slide may cover a lot of ground but he needs to be more fluid in his footwork to secure himself at the next level. On top of that he didn’t run block as much as some of the other peer tackles in this draft. He doesn’t have great flexibility and his hand placement is very inconsistent. What you come away with is a player who has a lot going for him but has enough causes for concern to lead to him falling into the second round or even more down the board. Paul is set up body composition wise to the point where if he gets drafted by the right coaching staff he’s going to be an extraordinary pass protector. He must improve his run blocking ability though if he ever wants to reach the level of being a starting tackle in the NFL. If Patrick Paul does put it all together he’s going to be a franchise tackle. Does he make sense for the Rams though? I believe so. I think the Rams with an unsure look at left tackle could draft Paul in maybe the second round after a trade down or even in the third round. Paul doesn’t have to play right away if the team signs Alaric Jackson, but he does have a decently high floor in the pass protection area of his game where you could get away with it. I chalk up his run blocking deficiencies to the scheme, so I believe that is something he will be developed in once he gets to the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, Patrick Paul was the number one overall pass blocker, tied for 51st in run blocking grade and ninth overall tackle. He gave up 43 pressures in 1,588 career pass protection snaps and four sacks. Paul definitely had a quality college career and has NFL written all over him and with the right coaching he will stick around a long time.

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Sean McVay is chasing this former Ram’s head coach for franchise’s most wins

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports LA’s wunderkind leader has a chance to be the head coach with the most wins in Ram’s history, but before that he’ll have to pass John Robinson. Sean McVay has an overall record of 70-45 as the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. The only Ram’s head coach with more wins than McVay is former Ram’s head coach, John Robinson. Robinson’s final record with the Rams was 75-68 which he compiled through the 1983 and 1991 seasons. McVay has been LA’s leading man since 2017. The rules of the NFL have changed since Robinson was in charge, and there are now 17 game seasons, but either way both coaches stand with winning records and at least 70 wins. That’s impressive. With Mcvay being only five games away from tying Robinson, and six games away from being the all time winningest head coach in Ram’s history, I would expect that we hear Robinson’s name more than once this year. I want to shoutout my mom who was the one to give me the idea for this article. Robinson was just a bit before my time. Do any of you remember Robinson? Did you have a positive impression of him? Some fun facts. Robinson’s first player drafted in his regime was Eric Dickerson, one of the greatest Ram’s players of all time. Robinson during his time in the NFL also served as an assistant to John Madden. Robinson apparently even had Jeff Fisher on his own Ram’s staff at one point. Fisher would eventually have his chance as the Ram’s head coach too. Fisher did not have a winning record during that time, but it’s a great story that Fisher was an assistant and eventualy got a shot at head coach for the same team. Raheem Morris with the Atlanta Falcons, anyone? Photo by David Madison/Getty Images The history of the Rams, whether it’s in Cleveland, LA, St. Louis and back to LA (did I miss any other places?) is rich. John Robinson remains a part of that deep history whether McVay breaks his record or not. Though McVay may be primed to pass 75 wins this season, and that does speak to his greatness, McVay’s greatness doesn’t take away from the successes of Robinson. Robinson should be on the Mt. Rushmore of Ram’s leading men. I hope if McVay breaks the record that we can all enjoy it, but also take a moment to remember the great John Robinson. Once a Ram always a Ram.

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Quentin Lake says his role with Rams is similar to Kyle Hamilton's in Baltimore

Quentin Lake loved playing multiple spots for the Rams, similar to the way Kyle Hamilton does in Baltimore

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What is the Rams biggest need heading into free agency?

Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Rams biggest need this offseason remains edge rusher on defense Despite a strong 2023 season, the Los Angeles Rams have several needs throughout the roster. Prioritizing these needs will be key to having a successful offseason. For example, a pass rush should help the secondary, but how much from an asset standpoint should Les Snead and co. still invest on the backend of the defense? With Kevin Dotson’s return not a guarantee, there are needs on the offensive line, but can the Rams find a replacement for cheaper? Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic chimed in on the Rams side of things and had this to say, “It’s a tough call between cornerback and outside linebacker. Veteran corner Ahkello Witherspoon may have played himself into a contract elsewhere, and there is little consistency among other younger players. Meanwhile, the Rams have pieces of their pass rush in place between Aaron Donald, Kobie Turner and Byron Young — but are missing an experienced outside rusher to make the group more cohesive. A great pass rush can fix a lot of issues in the secondary, so I’ll pick that as the position with the “edge” in roster needs rankings for a team that has quite a few.” It’s hard to argue with Rodrigue. Edge rusher has to be priority number one this offseason and the Rams should have every opportunity to fill that need. With the potential for a lot of cap space, they may be able to sign a player like Brian Burns in free agency. If they miss out on a player in free agency, they could draft a player like Laiatu Latu with the 19th overall pick. There will be opportunity to add a star-level play on the edge to pair with Aaron Donald as well as take some pressure off of Byron Young on the other side. While it’s true that the Rams also need a cornerback, the best way to help a secondary is with a pass-rush. Los Angeles may be able to get away with a second or third-round cornerback in addition to a mid-level free agent if they are able to produce a pass-rush that can put some pressure on the quarterback. There are some needs on offense, especially up front on the offensive line. With that said, Snead has proven in the past that he’s capable to identifying talent here and improvising when needed That’s exactly what the Rams did with both Kevin Dotson and Austin Corbett. It’s going to be difficult for the Rams to improve their defense how they want to this offseason if they are not able to generate some pressure on the edge. Whether it’s free agency or the draft, that has to be priority number one.

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How the Rams can clear $50 million in cap space to spend big in free agency

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images The Rams can save $50M in cap space, allowing them to spend big in free agency this offseason The Los Angeles Rams enter an important offseason in which they’ll have the ability to spend big in free agency and add ‘a-list’ caliber players to the roster. With that being said, they have some work to do in order for that to even be an option. As it stands, the Rams have approximately $23.8M in effective cap space. The Rams do have about $27.7M in actual cap space, but effective space is the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster. While $27.7M is a nice start, in order for the Rams to bring in the caliber of player that they want, they are going to need to make some contract adjustments in order to open up that space. The Rams have a lot of potential in terms of cap space. As I wrote earlier this offseason, with maximum restructures, the Rams could have as much as $114.7M in cap space. Hitting that number is unlikely, but it shows the potential. Here’s an overview of the Rams’ salary cap situation before free agency begins on March 11. 7 biggest cap-hits on Rams roster QB Matthew Stafford: $49.5M (5th) DL Aaron Donald: $34.1M (1st) WR Cooper Kupp: $29.8M (4th) OT Joe Noteboom: $20M (11th) OT Rob Havenstein: $14.7M (10th) TE Tyler Higbee: $12.1M (8th) C Brian Allen: $8.1M (8th) Coleman Shelton would be the next player on this list, but he could opt-out and become an unrestricted free agent. Most players below Shelton are still on their rookie deals. If anything, this shows just how top-heavy the Rams roster is heading into the season. A goal in free agency will be to help strengthen that middle portion of the roster and balance things out a little better. Cap space: $27.7M According to Over the Cap, the Rams have an “effective cap space” of $23.8M, which ranks 21st. Again, effective cap space factors in how much a team will have to spend after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster. If the Rams are to spend a lot of money this offseason, Snead has a lot of work to do. $23.8M is enough for maybe one really good player. Carryover cap space: $7.69M This is how much the Rams will roll over from 2023, according to Spotrac. Dead Money: $723k This number is night and day compared to last season. The Rams were carrying $75M in dead money last season according to ESPN. This majority of this season’s dead money comes from Logan Bruss and Robert Rochell who the Rams cut before last season. Bruss is still on the practice squad, but because he was cut from the active roster, he has a dead money cap hit of $424k while Rochell has a dead cap hit of $172k. The Rams bit the bullet last season for this exact reason. Having less than one million dollars in cap space is a number that they can live with in 2024. Potential cap cuts: OL Joe Noteboom and C Brian Allen It would not be a surprise if the Rams opted to keep either player. With that said, it’s also very hard to explain paying them at their current cap-hit to be depth players on the roster. Noteboom is set to have a cap hit of $20M. By cutting him, the Rams eat $15M, but save $5M. The Rams could designate these, especially Noteboom, as post-June 1 releases. However, teams only get two and their cap number remains on the roster until June 2. To clear up some misconceptions about the post-June 1 release designation - teams have 2 at their disposal, not 1. Teams cannot use the designation until after the start of the new league yr (March 13). Even tho released, the player's Cap # will remain on the team's Cap til 6/2.— Brian McFarland (@RavensSalaryCap) February 14, 2024 Assuming that the Rams cut Allen outright, it would save the Rams $4.9M in cap space. Again, Noteboom only saves the Rams $5M whereas a post-June 1 cut would save them $15M. It might make more sense to designate Noteboom as a post-June 1 cut, but for the sake of the exercise and to make it simple, we’ll designate this as a regular cap casualty. Potential restructures: QB Matthew Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp When it comes to restructures, it remains pretty simple for the Rams as there are only two players to consider here. Those two players are Stafford and Kupp. By restructuring Stafford, the Rams can save $19.8M. That amount of savings is the eighth-most for any player this offseason. For the Rams to do anything of significance this offseason, restructuring Stafford is imperative. Next, the Rams will have to consider restructuring Kupp. Depending on if you’re looking at Spotrac or OverTheCap, the savings here ranges from $9.2M to $12.5M. To remain conservative here, we’ll go with the $9.2M number which is still significant and can go towards signing a free agent. By restructuring both Stafford and Kupp, the Rams can save around $29M. Potential Aaron Donald Extension? Something that has flown under the radar this offseason is that Aaron Donald is going into the final year of his three-year deal. It’s highly unlikely that Donald plays with no financial security heading into the season. If a deal doesn’t get done, don’t be surprised if retirement rumors surface. Donald has a cap-hit of $34M which he is more than worth. At the same time, the Rams would like to get that number down so that they can give their star defensive player some help. By extending and restructuring Donald’s deal, they can save a significant amount of money. If Snead and co. can add a year or two on to Donald’s deal and lower his $34M cap-hit to even $27M-$28M, that keeps him among the highest-paid interior defensive linemen and lowers his cap-hit. Ideally, they are able to get this to the $23M-$25M range, but a Donald extension makes a lot of sense. How much Saved? If the Rams are able to re-structure Stafford and Kupp while cutting Noteboom and Allen and execute a Donald extension, this would open up around $50M in cap space. This would give them close to $70M in effective cap space to work with in free agency. That should be enough to bring in two really good players and then extend Ernest Jones and sign a few mid/lower-level free agents. Last offseason, the Rams sacrificed being able to make any additions to the roster by eating a record amount of dead money. They did that for this exact scenario in which they could put themselves in position to splash moves this offseason. We’ll have to wait and see how this front office executes that plan, but it should make for a fun free agency.

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It is better to work for Sean McVay than for Kyle Shanahan

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports While Sean McVay’s Rams coaches keep getting promoted, Kyle Shanahan’s leave the 49ers on worse terms There has been a lot of coaching news in the NFC West this week. Not only are the Seattle Seahawks rebuilding the staff from top-to-bottom under Pete Carroll successor Mike Macdonald, but the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams have a lot of work left to do too. The 49ers fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, necessitating a change at arguably the second-most important coaching job on the entire team, while the Rams lost yet another assistant coach to a promotion within the league. For the second time in three years, the Seahawks poached an offensive assistant to help call plays in Seattle. There’s no doubt about it: Not only does McVay have the Super Bowl championship that Shanahan craves and can’t achieve, he’s also doing a lot more for his assistants and for that reason will likely continue to outbid his divisional buddy for the top candidates. They know it, we know it, it is far better to get a job with the Rams under McVay than to get a job with the Niners under Shanahan. As I wrote before the Super Bowl, McVay’s coaching tree is ridiculously more expansive than Shanahan’s: Shanahan’s head coaching tree: Robert Saleh (Jets), Mike McDaniel (Dolphins), DeMeco Ryans (Texans) McVay’s head coaching tree: Matt LaFleur (Packers), Zac Taylor (Bengals), Brandon Staley (Chargers*), Kevin O’Connell (Vikings), Raheem Morris (Falcons) *Fired Then there’s coordinators: Shanahan’s coordinator tree: Mike LaFleur (Rams OC), Bobby Slowik (Texans OC), Klint Kubiak (Saints OC) McVay’s coordinator tree: Joe Barry (Packers DC*), Ejiro Evero (Panthers DC), Shane Waldron (Bears OC), Liam Coen (Bucs OC), Wes Phillips (Vikings OC), Thomas Brown (Bears passing game coordinator), Jimmy Lake (Falcons DC), Zac Robinson (Falcons OC), Jake Peetz (Seahawks passing game coordinator), Jeremy Springer (Patriots special teams coordinator) McVay’s tree grows so quick, I may have even missed a name in there somewhere. Yes, there are times when McVay has to move on from a coach, which was the case a year ago after L.A. struggled to the tune of 5-12. He fired offensive coordinator Liam Coen, offensive line coach Kevin Carberry, special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis, and running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples, among others. And yet, one year later, Coen is back in the NFL set to call plays with the Buccaneers in their hopes to retain Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Carberry is now Tampa Bay’s offensive line coach. And their replacements, like offensive line coach Ryan Wendell, seem to be quick on the rise. Wendell seems to be the best pickup of 2023 as the offensive line vastly surpassed expectations, but then you can’t discount the impact that Mike LaFleur has had on the offense since replacing Coen and he could be the next to become a head coach. (Although technically he would be off of both trees.) Open coaching jobs on the Rams right now would include quarterbacks, passing game coordinator, linebackers, and then McVay has some options including assistant head coach, run game coordinator, and various assistants at certain positions. Where would you want to be, under McVay where coaches keep getting promoted or under Shanahan right after he fired a defensive coordinator who had a reasonably good defense. (I don’t want to imply that Steve Wilks was the third-best defensive coordinator in the NFL just because the 49ers ranked third in points allowed because that’s not fair, but coaches are certainly going to look at that and wonder if he did as good of a job as anyone could have.) Going 12-5 and being considered the most complete team in the NFC, if not the NFL, the 49ers had zero coaches promoted to head coach in the NFL. In fact, Wilks and assistant head coach Anthony Lynn barely had a look during the interviews. Shanahan is solely credited for offensive success. Kubiak was the only assistant promoted. Quarterbacks coach Brian Griese only got looked at by a couple of teams and wasn’t promoted anywhere. Meanwhile, the Rams went a respectable and surprising 10-7, were knocked out in the wild card round by the Lions, but produced a head coach (Morris), four new coordinators (Lake, Robinson, Peetz, Springer), Eric Henderson became the co-defensive coordinator at USC, and technically Chris Shula became a defensive coordinator too because McVay promoted him to replace Morris. McVay or Shanahan? Whether measuring by Super Bowl wins or coaching wins, there can only be one obvious answer.

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Order for first round of 2024 NFL Draft set; Rams slated to pick 19th overall

The NFL this week officially announced the order of the first round of this year's draft.

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Should Rams take a swing and trade for this star edge rusher?

Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Should the Rams trade for Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick? The Los Angeles Rams will need to find a way to address the edge rusher position on defense this offseason as it remains one of the biggest needs on the roster. They’ll need to find a way to address this in free agency, the draft, or of course the trade market. Out of these options, free agency in preferred as a draft prospect could take time to develop, whereas a free agent signing has already gone through those early-career bumps. As it stands, the free agent market for edge rushers looks pretty good. Players such as Brian Burns, Josh Allen, Joshua Uche, and others currently set to hit free agency. With that said, the players available in free agency could look a lot different in a month than they do now, especially as teams begin to use the franchise tag. That could be the case with elite players such as Burns and Allen which would take those two off the market. In that scenario, it certainly changes the picture in what the Rams are able to do in free agency. If the Rams are looking to get a veteran pass-rusher, exploring the trade market is something that Les Snead has shown a willingness to do. This is how the Rams acquired Dante Fowler Jr. back in 2018 and Von Miller in 2021. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport earlier this week, one player that could be available is Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick. Sources: #Eagles All-Pro edge rusher Haason Reddick has received permission to seek a trade following another disruptive season featuring double digit sacks. The 29-year old with 27 sacks over two seasons in Philly could land elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/WxIGTac24M— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 11, 2024 Per Rapoport, the Eagles have given Reddick permission to seek a trade. Reddick is in the final year of a three-year deal with a cap-hit of $21.3M. If the Rams were to trade for Reddick, they would acquire $15.5M of that cap-hit. That $15.5M is likely cheaper than what it would cost for the Rams to sign a Burns or an Allen. With all of this being said, Reddick reportedly told Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report that he never requested a trade and that he wants to stay in Philadelphia. Just spoke to #Eagles All-Pro pass-rusher Haason Reddick, who tells me he never requested a trade and he wants to stay in Philadelphia. “I would like to get an extension done here at home. At no point did I ever tell the organization I want to be traded.”Reddick has one year… pic.twitter.com/qLsJpWYrG9— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 13, 2024 There are a few things to keep in mind here. The report from Rapoport likely came directly from the Eagles side as Reddick’s agent looks to get him a new contract. As mentioned, Reddick is in the final year of a three-year deal and could be looking for a new contract. The Schultz report came directly from Reddick himself without the complications of the business side between team and agent. Just because Reddick says that he didn’t request a trade doesn’t mean that his agent didn’t or that the Eagles aren’t trying to get him off of the books and clear some cap space. The Eagles pass-rusher could absolutely be available despite Reddick stating that he himself didn’t request a trade. The question here becomes what would a trade for Reddick look like and is he a fit? What makes Burns and Allen intriguing options are that they are 25 and 26 years old. These are players in the middle of their prime and could take the torch from Aaron Donald as the star of the Rams defense. That’s not the case for other free agents such as Danielle Hunter who is 29 and will turn 30 next season. The same can be said for Reddick who turns 30 in September. If the Rams are looking for a younger pass rusher, Reddick doesn’t necessarily fit that bill and would probably be looking for another 2-3 year contract upon being traded. Trading for a player like Reddick makes sense if the Rams are able to keep him on a one year deal and then pair that move with drafting an edge rusher in the first round. This would allow the rookie to develop while working in a rotation alongside Byron Young who was drafted in the third round and spent last year developing. Again, however, the reason for a trade out of Philadelphia would be because Reddick doesn’t have financial security. It’s unlikely he would get traded somewhere without a pre-agreed extension or understanding that an extension would get done. The next piece of this is the cost. Realistically, adding Reddick shouldn’t require giving up too much given the contract and age of the player. Edge rushers do tend to be more expensive simply because of the position. Relatively speaking, Reddick is affordable. The Eagles don’t have a pick in the fourth round pick or anything after round five in the 2024 draft. Giving up the Raheem Morris compensatory pick or a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft may be an option here. Last season, the San Francisco 49ers gave up a compensatory third-round pick to acquire Chase Young. Reddick has 10 sacks in each of the last four seasons and he had 67 pressures in 2023. That number would have led Rams edge rushers last season. A trade to the Rams would also put Reddick back in the NFC West where he started his career with the Arizona Cardinals. This isn’t to say that Reddick should be the Rams’ ‘plan a’ at edge rusher this offseason. However, if Burns and Allen get franchise tagged and the free agent talent pool is a lot thinner than originally thought, considering Reddick as an option is something that the Rams front office will certainly keep in mind.

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Finding a veteran OLB will prove easier said than done for Rams

Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images Why Rams will have a tough timing finding a star edge rusher Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams have known for the better part of three years that they need more talent at outside linebacker. This is a position that requires some of the best athletes in the world, and even then raw athletes often lack the technical skills required to be productive pass rushers at the NFL level. The Rams are looking for an asset where only ten currently exist, and 31 other franchises around the NFL are also in the market. That’s why the need at OLB has largely gone unsolved for Los Angeles. They temporarily found a fix when they paired Leonard Floyd with Von Miller after acquiring Miller mid-season in 2021 from the Denver Broncos. The pair played an important role in helping the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, but ultimately the Buffalo Bills were able to lure Miller away in free agency that subsequent offseason. LA went into the 2022 season expecting Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis to hold their own and then maybe make a trade at the league’s deadline if the team was competitive. Hollins and Lewis were disasters and neither survived the entirety of the regular season in Los Angeles. The Rams ( at least reportedly) attempted to trade two first round picks to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for Brian Burns. The Panthers declined that offer and Burns’ contract has expired, making him a free agent at the start of the new league year next month. While Byron Young was a promising find in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft and he’s outplayed his draft position, he hasn’t yet proven that he can be relied on to produce pressure at a consistent level. He’d be a fine number two option on the edge of the defense if the Rams are able to find a bonafide, elite-level player on the other side. But just as it’s been proven over the last three years, finding such a player will be much easier said then done. There are a few key reasons why the Rams will find it difficult to find a veteran outside linebacker in 2024. Teams will find a way to keep the best players Josh Allen is one of the best free agents eligible to hit the open market in March. It’s unlikely he’ll ever get there because the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to franchise tag him. "Talked to Josh, and he's been FANTASTIC. So that'll get worked out, we'll get him back, we'll get him going"Yes, the #Jaguars are tagging Josh Allen, for anyone who didn't see that coming https://t.co/SyiI0YNQcl— Mia O'Brien (@MiaOBrienTV) February 15, 2024 Same goes with Burns and the Panthers, as Carolina would look silly and fans would be irate if the team let Burns walk in free agency after the front office declined the Rams’ trade offer that would have brought two first round picks back. Sure, compensatory picks are nice but these are nowhere in the same conversation. It’s also unlikely that the Houston Texans let Jonathan Greenard leave, as DeMeco Ryans’ background suggests the more are merrier when it comes to edge rushers and Greenard and Will Anderson proved to be a formidable duo in their first year together. With CJ Stroud on his rookie deal the Texans should have plenty of cash to spare. That means the players that will actually hit the open market are the older veterans or ones that come with some warts. Teams just find ways to keep the best players. Then the rest of the NFL hands out risky contracts to the second tier at the position in free agency. Sometimes it work, but most of the time it blows up in your face. Would these players solve LA’s pass rushing woes? The players likely to make it to the free agent market are Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings (age 29), Bryce Huff from the new York Jets (somewhat of a one-year wonder), Chase Young who just played in the Super Bowl for the San Francisco 49ers (and has never really put it all together), Jadeveon Clowney of the Baltimore Ravens (a one-year rental at this point in his career), Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns (age 31), and Josh Uche (who has mainly been a situational pass rusher for the New England Patriots). Rich Cimini’s report on Bryce Huff:“asking for nearly $20M per year -- but predicted he will get $17-$18M range. feeling is that Huff will sign an 11th-hour deal w/ #Jets. The franchise tag, at $23M is seen as an unlikely outcome.”https://t.co/JAJZt0EXr3— NYJetsStan (@jets_stan) February 15, 2024 These individuals don’t seem like straight forward answers for the Rams, but that’s what you’re getting for the most part in free agency. Someone like Huff or Young seem like the more attractive options, though it requires hope that they’ll take a step forward in their career that we haven’t seen from them yet. The other option is a trade, which has its own downside Trading for a premier edge rusher would still require a sizeable salary cap investment and would also cost significant draft capital—maybe even LA’s first round pick. Do we really expect Snead to make his first selection in the first round since 2016? The positive side of making a trade is that LA can expand their candidate pool in order to find a long-term solution at the position. Who would be the names on the short list? Maybe the Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, who would bring an unmatched tenacity to the defense? The Los Angeles Chargers have notable salary cap constraints and may need to trade either Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, or both. There have been rumors that Haason Reddick could be available via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, though he’s more of a pass rush specialist than every-down star. : There is a “belief” around the #NFL that the #Chargers will listen to trade offers for star pass rusher Joey Bosa, per @NFLDraftBites He’s due over $25 million in 2024 and has only played in 14 games the past 2 seasons. pic.twitter.com/SgCAms1pGO— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 8, 2024

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Should Rams partner Kyren Williams with Joe Mixon in free agency?

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images Rumors have circulated regarding Mixon’s future in Cincinnati When Kyren Williams missed four games to injury in 2023, the L.A. Rams had a difficult time replacing his production. There was no replicating what Williams brought to the offense as Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson were unexciting options in his absence. Should Williams miss extended time again next season, there should be a suitable option on the depth chart just to be safe. LA should swing for the fences in free agency and try to sign Joe Mixon if he’s made available. At this time, the Bengals themselves have not indicated they are planning to move from Mixon. Rumors regarding his future in Cincinnati have been swirling the last two offseasons. Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network reported on February 15, “the expectation is that Mixon will not be back.” The dynamic running back has laughed off the rumors, seemingly trying to deny them. Lmao y’all said this last year too ‍♂️ That’s behavior https://t.co/hK9nNbYxUy— ⚡️Primetime!!!⚡️ (@Joe_MainMixon) February 15, 2024 Hypothetically speaking, assuming those rumors are proven true, Mixon could make sense in Hollywood. The Oklahoma product is coming off a 1,034-yard, nine touchdown campaign. Per Cincy Jungle’s Jason Marcum, Mixon has 1,571 rushes for 6,412 yards (4.1 avg) and 49 touchdowns while catching 283 passes for 2,139 yards (7.6 avg) and 13 scores in 97 career games (88 starts). Mixon has four 1,000-yard campaigns to his name and rarely fumbles. Seeing a lot of the cut Joe Mixon from the Bengals. This man just ran 1,034 yards and got 9TDs last season in a gameplan that mainly was checkdowns and screens. Mixon was strong in 2023. #NFL pic.twitter.com/caRD7DO6uJ— dN Street (@dNstreeeet) February 15, 2024 You know who doesn’t? Joe Mixon.Only 6 fumbles on 1,801 career touches. — Cody Crabtree |o| (@crabtree_cody) February 12, 2024 The Pro Bowl rusher will probably not command a high contract as he’ll be entering the 2024 season at 28 years old. Given the hesitancy to splurge on running backs around the league, Mixon should come relatively cheap to most teams that are interested in him. There could be one or two teams dumb enough to give him an absurd deal, yet LA would know better than to do that. According to Over the Cap, the Rams will have around $27.7 million in cap space. That is a decent amount of money for a team that had been backed into a corner due to a lack of cap space the last couple offseasons. Besides, Mixon could function as a backup quarterback in case the front office fails to re-sign Carson Wentz. 2 years ago today: Joe Mixon became the first Sooner (who started and ended his career at OU) to throw a TD pass in the Super Bowl. Mixon became just the third running back ever to throw a TD pass in the Super Bowl. He had just one other attempt in his college and NFL career… pic.twitter.com/rUcvKR7yxc— The REF (@KREFsports) February 13, 2024 Yes, I’m kidding. I recognize a good number of Rams fans will be turned off by the idea of the team signing an RB when there are other needs to be prioritized. That is a fair and valid argument and one that I don’t exactly disagree with. However, if LA has any intentions of running the ball down the throats of their NFC counterparts, this is a move that must be made. It doesn’t have to be Mixon but he may be too good to pass up as a complement to Williams.

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Random Ramsom: Eric Henderson seems very excited for his opporunity at USC

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 2/16/24 The Los Angeles Rams are going to have to keep adding coaches and staff and there still could be some more losses and moves along the way. Eric Henderson was seemingly a huge loss for the Rams. It will be interesting to see if Chris Shula was the right call as the new defensive coordinator for the Rams or not. Do you think LA should have givin Henderson the promotion? Thank you to all of our readers and commentors! I am already looking forward to the new season haha, but it’s also nice to make time for some other things on Sundays (like baseball soon enough). Please comment on whatever you’d like and have a great day! Eric Henderson says leaving Rams for USC job ‘was a no-brainer’ (sports.yahoo.com) “Eric Henderson joined the Rams as their defensive line coach in 2019 and immediately became a beloved member of Sean McVay’s coaching staff. Shortly after the Rams’ season ended with their loss to the Lions, Henderson was hired by USC as their co-defensive coordinator. It was a shocking loss for the Rams, who had one of the best defensive lines in football under Henderson’s guidance over the last five years. With Raheem Morris being viewed as a head coaching candidate, some even saw Henderson as a potential replacement as the Rams’ defensive coordinator. On Thursday, Henderson spoke with members of the media and said joining USC’s staff was “a no-brainer” for him, seeking the next challenge in his career. “It just made sense, he said.” Come and join us! ⭐️We partnered with @Pepsi, @LAFoodBank & It’s Bigger Than Us to celebrate Black History Month with a Farmer’s Market x Friday Lunches Experience at Leimert Park! pic.twitter.com/UJVErLNZoJ— Rams Community (@RamsCommunity) February 15, 2024 6 Rams who exceeded expectations in 2023 (ramswire) “The coaching staff liked Williams a lot leading up to the 2022 season but he was injured during the offseason and then injured his ankle in Week 1, so he never really got a chance to prove himself. That opportunity came in 2023 when he unseated Cam Akers as the starting back and went on to lead the NFL in rushing yards per game. Even the biggest believers in Williams couldn’t have seen a season with 1,144 yards rushing and 15 total touchdowns coming. He exceeded all expectations and put himself on the map as one of the best running backs in football.” Whose house?! Rams House! @RamsNFL Play60 at Maywood Elementary School presented by @LACareHealth! pic.twitter.com/0VV6lrnZBZ— Rams Community (@RamsCommunity) February 15, 2024 When LA Rams can purchase Rams Park in Earth City for $1 (ksdk) “ST. LOUIS — The clock could be ticking on local ownership of the Earth City practice facility built for the then-St. Louis Rams. The now Los Angeles Rams can purchase the 27-acre property, appraised by St. Louis County at $24.4 million, for $1 on or after Oct. 21, according to records obtained through an open-records request from the facility’s owner, a state-created entity called the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority (RSA). The RSA also owns the Rams’ former stadium, the Dome at America’s Center downtown.” Special night honoring Kenny Washington. pic.twitter.com/DRZGIJhACZ— Rams Community (@RamsCommunity) February 15, 2024

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Seahawks hiring Rams' Jake Peetz as pass game coordinator

The Seahawks are hiring Jake Peetz away from the Rams, making him their new pass game coordinator

Cameron DaSilva
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CBS Sports expects Rams to take a major leap forward in 2024

Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images Will the Rams continue to build off a promising 2023 campaign? The L.A. Rams took a remarkable step forward following a dismal 5-12 campaign and rebounded by going 10-7 this season. Is the best still yet to come for the Rams? Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports seems to think so as he pegged LA as one of five teams expected to take a major leap in 2024. Los Angeles was included alongside the Texans, Bengals, Packers and Colts. Kerr expects the Rams to compete for the NFC West crown next year despite playing in the same division as the 49ers, who are the reigning conference champs. Here is what the analyst had to say in his February 14 article: “Los Angeles nailed the 2023 draft with Puka Nacua, along with Kobie Turner and Byron Young on a revamped defensive line. General manager Les Snead has made the most of his draft picks over the last two seasons, and the Rams own six picks in the first five rounds this year (first-round pick for first time since 2016). There’s still some retooling in the secondary for the Rams and they need to see if Carson Wentz can be salvaged in case Stafford goes down. If Stafford stays healthy, the Rams have a shot at the NFC West title for the first time in three years.” LA finished ‘23 on a 7-1 run in the regular season despite starting the season 3-6. Offensively, Sean McVay’s squad was dominant after the bye as they averaged 28.3 points and 385.6 yards in the final eight games compared to 19.8 points and 335.9 yards averaged in the first nine weeks. The Rams won’t be surprising the NFL world as they did this season. However, there’s enough firepower on hand to expect the momentum to carry over into 2024. Assuming Matthew Stafford can stay healthy as Kerr noted, this team will be competing for more than a division title. I fully expect LA can make a run at the NFC Championship. A Super Bowl berth is likely a year away, but a deep playoff run is not out of the question. Anyone who watched the Rams in the second half of the season knows what they’re capable of. Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images

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Seahawks steal a Rams coach and make a big decision at quarterback

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports Another Sean McVay offensive coach is leaving the team, this time going from Rams to Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly keeping Geno Smith—for now—and have also added a new pass game coordinator to run the offense in 2024. One who will be familiar to die-hard Rams fans and surely Sean McVay, as L.A. is losing yet another assistant coach in the offseason, this time pass game specialist Jake Peetz. Peetz will be the pass game coordinator under new Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. The #Seahawks are hiring #Rams pass game specialist Jake Peetz as their pass game coordinator, sources say. Peetz, the former offensive coordinator at LSU, was a candidate for the #Buccaneers’ OC job.Now heads to Seattle to join Mike Macdonald and Ryan Grubb. pic.twitter.com/UqcQ6h1Jwo— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 15, 2024 The 38-year-old Peetz has been coaching at some level since 2006 and got his first NFL job with the Jaguars in 2012. He met McVay when Washington hired him as an offensive quality control coach in 2014 and joined the Rams staff in 2022 as a pass game specialist. After two seasons with the Rams, Peetz is now headed to Seattle to run a brand new offense under Grubb, who was previously the offensive coordinator at the University of Washington in the last two years. As far as the quarterback Peetz will be guiding, the Seahawks will guarantee Geno Smith’s salary when he’s on the roster on Friday. That doesn’t preclude Seattle from trading the quarterback as he has a low $12.7 million base salary in 2024, but the odds went up significantly that the Seahawks won’t be making a change at the position this year. Losing Peetz is yet another loss for McVay’s staff: Raheem Morris, Jimmy Lake, Eric Henderson, Zac Robinson, Nick Caley, KJ Black, Nick Jones, and Jeremy Springer have all left for promotions and new roles in the last month.

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Rams host 'Threaded Through History’ exhibit in partnership with the Kinsey Collection at SoFi Stadium

The Los Angeles Rams hosted the unveiling of an authentic Kenny Washington jersey and art exhibition on Tuesday, February 13 at SoFi Stadium in recognition of Black History Month.

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Eric Henderson says leaving Rams for USC job 'was a no-brainer'

Eric Henderson wanted to challenge himself and leaving the Rams to become USC’s co-defensive coordinator was one way to do that

Cameron DaSilva
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Free Agent Spotlight: What's next for Rams and Brett Maher?

TheRams.com continues its Free Agent Spotlight series with a look at pending unrestricted free agent Brett Maher.

Stu Jackson
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What the hiring of John Streicher means for Sean McVay and the Rams

The Rams have hired John Streicher as their coordinator of football strategy, which is a fantastic move by Sean McVay

Cameron DaSilva
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What should Rams do at left tackle to protect Matthew Stafford?

Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Is Alaric Jackson the long-term answer for the Rams at left tackle? The top priority for the Los Angeles Rams over the next few years is going to be doing whatever it takes to protect Matthew Stafford. That starts with the left tackle position. The Rams struggled to protect Stafford in 2022 and it resulted in their star quarterback missing half of the season. For the Rams to compete at the level that want to be at over the next two years, keeping Stafford on the field and healthy has to be priority number one. One of the questions that the Rams needed to answer this season was whether or not Alaric Jackson could be the long-term answer at left tackle. While Jackson did hold his own at times throughout the season, it’s hard to say that question was fully answered. Perspective is everything. Again, it’s no secret that the Rams were historically bad at left tackle in 2022. Moving on from Andrew Whitworth to Joe Noteboom didn’t work out as planned and L.A. had five different players take snaps at left tackle. Due to how bad the Rams were at left tackle in 2022, it almost made Jackson’s performance and relative stability seem better than it actually was. The fact of the matter is, Jackson struggled at times in the first-half of the season and missed games against the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants. In Weeks 1-9, Jackson was the eighth-worst tackle in the NFL as he ranked outside the top-40 in pressures allowed with 24 and had the 12th-worst pass-blocking grade. His pass-blocking efficiency also ranked 46th out of 62 tackles. Of course, improvement can happen and it did with Jackson. From Weeks 11-18, he was the sixth-highest graded tackle via PFF and he allowed just 15 pressures. Over the final eight weeks of the season, Jackson ranked 12th in pass-blocking and 19th in pass-blocking efficiency. It is worth noting that the Rams did provide Jackson with chip help over the second-half of the season, especially against elite level pass-rushers. That’s not to say that Jackson didn’t play well, but it is worth adding that context. This night and day level of performance makes Jackson’s evaluation extremely difficult. How much value should be placed on the second-half of the season? Was that enough for the Rams to go into this offseason with the mindset that left tackle is no longer a need? It’s still important here to look at the season as a whole. At the end of the day, Jackson was an average to below average left tackle when you take in the whole sample. Timo Riske Final pass block metrics for offensive tackles Is that good enough for the Rams moving forward? If the priority is to priority is to keep Matthew Stafford upright, it’s certainly debatable. Players like Michael Hoecht and Christian Rozeboom improved over the second half of the season. That doesn’t mean that the Rams don’t need an edge rusher or linebacker. Two things can be true here and those are that these players improved and have a role on roster going forward. At the same time, they shouldn’t be relied on as full-time starters. Again, perspective is everything. While Jackson was better than the left tackle play of 2022, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it met or should be the standard. With Jackson’s versatility, he is a great sixth-man on the offensive line. He is someone that can be relied on in a spot-start situation at four of the five positions. The Rams have a lot on the line over the next two years. Can it confidently be said that Jackson is and should be the left tackle that is relied on as the Rams push for a second Super Bowl title? The answer there is probably no. That’s especially the case when you look at the draft and talent at the tackle position. Olu Fashanu is consistently falling to the 9-13 range in mock drafts. If quarterbacks dominate the first 10 picks, that’s a scenario that is very realistic. In the cast the Fashanu does fall, trading up to acquire a left tackle with Fashanu’s ceiling should absolutely be on the table as an option. Even if just a rookie, Fashanu is an immediate upgrade to Jackson on the left side. Of course, if the Rams don’t trade up, players like Amarius Mims could be available at the end of round one or Patrick Paul, Tyler Guyton, or Jordan Morgan may still be on the board in round two. There is value and depth at the tackle position depending on what a team is looking for in this draft. Drafting a tackle doesn’t necessarily push Jackson out of a role on the roster. Again, he’s a great sixth-man to have as depth or could potentially get moved inside to guard where he’s shown success in the past. He may also be better inside where his skillset is a better fit. As an undrafted free agent, Jackson has given the Rams a lot of return on that value. Just because he’s not starting left tackle doesn’t mean he’s a bust or failed. It simply means that the Rams did what they needed to do to upgrade a priority position on the roster. It’s easy to look at what Jackson did over the second-half of the season and sharpie him into that spot for 2024. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Rams do feel that way and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong in that line of thinking. However, it’s also important not to overreact to a relatively small sample. Last season was a re-tool year and the Rams accomplished what they set out to do. They found young players that they can build around moving forward. With that said, the needs are still the needs and that includes left tackle.

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Should the Rams draft Kansas Offensive Tackle Dominick Puni?

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports Dominick Puni is starting to rise up boards following his Senior Bowl performance, does he make sense for the Rams? The Rams have a few offensive linemen that will hit free agency which leads to the belief they will likely draft more help in the trenches this April. Could the Kansas Jayhawk Dominick Puni be an option? Puni is a former division two athlete out of Central Missouri who transferred to Kansas in 2022 and started 24 games while in Lawrence. He did opt out of this year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl but he was the starter for last year’s Liberty Bowl and was a big piece to one of the more explosive offenses in the country. The Kansas blindside protector graded out for me as a second round talent. I see a player that has the potential to start day one at left tackle. He has great movement ability, he’s a fluid athlete and has no issue getting out in space. He’s got a great first step and he showed on film his ability to stonewall the initial rush, he displays a solid anchor despite playing a little high and he has great awareness for the position. Kansas OL Dominick Puni had a great showing at the senior bowl. Showcasing his ability to be dominant at tackle, guard and center. If he has a solid Combine and Pro Day outing, he could end up being a Day 2 selection. #NFL— • Colton Edwards • (@cedwardsNFL) February 11, 2024 Puni was the third rated pass blocking offensive tackle per Pro Football Focus, he gave up zero sacks in 673 pass protection reps and only 16 pressures in his two years at the FBS level. Overall, PFF graded Puni out as the 11th tackle in college football. Kansas went from winning zero games to having back to back bowl seasons and a lot of credit should definitely go to Puni for that. Kansas OT/IOL Dominick Puni is going to be a MyGuy this draft season. Explosive mover that has mastered snap timing. Really nice body control once he's latched on to defenders and plays with impressive power in his hands. Don't hate him at OT but likely best if moved inside pic.twitter.com/CtNxULww68— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) February 15, 2024 If you don’t have a left tackle you don’t have anything on your offense. The Rams have learned that the hard way in their organization’s history. With Alaric Jackson set to hit free agency as a restricted free agent, there’s a legitimate chance a team offers enough money to deter the Rams from matching an offer. Joe Noteboom would be the next on deck and the team doesn’t feel confident in him being a starting left tackle going into a season. Insert Puni who the Rams could grab on day 2 of the draft and maybe even day 3. While my grade might be a second-round pick for Puni, there’s a very likely possibility that he is drafted later than that. The Rams have two third-round picks in their possession and I could see Puni being drafted with their compensatory pick they received after they lost defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to the Atlanta Falcons. I think with the right coaching Puni should have no issue playing sooner than later in the NFL. Puni stands at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, he has great size for the position, he has a decently high floor and a high ceiling to go along with it. The key with Puni is that his flaws and his cons are very fixable and he has benefits others in his peer group don’t have. I watched him, Kingsley Suamataia and Patrick Paul play Texas on tape. Puni set himself apart going against the same assignments and showing off more consistency and the ability to block all sorts of pass rushers whether it was a speed rusher or technically sound. On the flip side of that, Suamataia of BYU and Paul of Houston both struggled against one or the other. Paul struggled against the outside speed rusher and Suamataia struggled against the Texas pass rusher who had a pass rush plan and was more methodical. Dominick Puni really stands out on tape. Just watched and broke down Patrick Paul, Puni and Kingsley Suamataia vs. Texas. The takeaway? Puni is the most consistent of the 3, Paul is powerful, has great awareness and maybe a higher floor but Suamataia has a wicked high ceiling.…— JAKE ELLENBOGEN (@JKBOGEN) February 11, 2024 I’m not hearing Puni’s name enough and I’m sure that is going to change soon. Regardless if he starts in 2024 or not for the Rams, he’s a great fit as he worked in gap scheme as well and has the size you look for in a prototypical left tackle. Again, it doesn’t hurt that its a tackle that has never given up a sack in college while playing in a power five conference. Puni’s journey started out in division two but he showed instantly he belonged at the FBS level, I expect the NFL to be no different for him and the Rams would be a great destination for his services this April.

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With Saints likely to hold training camp at UC Irvine, where will Rams hold theirs?

The Saints are expected to hold training camp at UC Irvine this summer, so where will the Rams hold theirs?

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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Should Les Snead rebuild the Rams running back corps through the draft?

Notre Dame running back Audric Estime is a nice combination of speed and power | Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images Review of eight prospects, round-by-round Despite their success, the Los Angeles Rams 2023 running back room was in a continual state of flux. Currently, L.A. has only two backs under contract and General Manager Les Snead may choose to restock the position through the 2024 NFL Draft. The odds of L.A. taking a running back are high. Snead has drafted a running back in 11 of his 12 years on the job. Only 2016 was the outlier. There’s no tendencies to read as to where either. Past picks since 2012 are Rd1 Todd Gurley, Rd2 Cam Akers, Rd3 Darrell Henderson and Trey Mason, Rd4 none, Rd5 Kyren Williams and Zac Stacy, Rd6 Zach Evans, Sam Rogers, and John Kelly, Rd7 Jake Funk and Daryl Richardson. Although the 2024 draft class is lacking early round talent, I have 17 prospects with draftable grades, six others that could easily get a call, and another five that I haven’t been able to scout. In a normal draft, 20 to 25 running backs are selected. Here are some of my favorites, in a round-by-round format. Round 1 Jonathon Brooks- Texas 6’ 207 lb. @ Texas football official site Talk about stretching artistic license to its limit. I don’t have Brooks with a Round 1 grade, but many draft experts rated him as the best running back in this year’s class. Since he tore up a knee late in the season and won’t be ready for the start of the 2024 season, I’m sticking to the “you never really know” story to add a Round 1 pick. He’s played behind an actual Day 1 running back (Bijan Robinson) so his college production was limited to this year only. Nice combination of power and speed, more of an upright, foot in the ground and go zone runner. Makes people miss in space and appears to have good hands. How far will he drop after the injury? I slotted him in the late 4th/early 5th. He doesn’t turn 21 until July, so someone might be willing to take a chance and be patient until he’s fully rehabbed. Round 2 Audric Estime-Notre Dame 5’ 11 1/2” 227 lb. @ Notre Dame Football official site Two-season starter that put up strong numbers and garnered All-American honors. Will turn 21 in first week of 2024 NFL season Semi-bowling ball build and when he gets rolling downhill, it’s tough to stop him. Has big legs and keeps them churning, natural low leverage, and excellent nifty feet. Primarily a between the tackles runner, he loses power when moving laterally. Estime can run sweeps, although outside runs need to be fast-developing so he can square his shoulders. Doesn’t have tremendous burst, but when combined with his power and ability to hit a second gear, there are zero concerns. Good receiver. Not a big part of Irish passing offense. For such a muscular guy, he is loose-limbed reaching for passes and catches with his hands. Willing pass blocker, throws shoulder into oncoming rushers. Appears a natural fit for the Rams offense. Has the feet, patience, and vision to press the line of scrimmage and find the entry points. Appears on film to play hard, fast and has plus athleticism. Round 3 Marshawn Lloyd- USC 5’ 9” 217 lb., 30 7/8” arms, 8 3/4” hands, 72 5/8” span @ Senior Bowl Delicious blend of power and speed. He forced a 41% missed tackle rate and was clocked at 19.59 mph at the Senior Bowl. Yes, you are selecting him based on potential, he’s never been “the guy” in an offense, always part of a rotation. His 116 carries for the Trojans in 2023 were the most of his college career. Cut blocky with a natural low center of gravity, Lloyd is at his best when makes a decision and bursts through holes. Not a lot of college receiving production, but during Senior Bowl workouts he showed he could track the ball and snatch it with his hands. He’s a willing blocker with good awareness, taking on rushers with physicality and good form. He chips without knocking himself off his route. There are a couple of caveats. Lloyd has injuries in his past, he missed all of 2020 with knee surgery, a couple games with a quad injury in 2002, and an undisclosed ailment kept him out of a game in 2023. Lloyd also needs to tighten up his ball security for the pro game. Nice run by USC RB Marshawn Lloyd #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/3INS2dZWl0— Kevin Knight (@FalcoholicKevin) January 30, 2024 Round 4 Bucky Irving- Oregon 5’ 10” 195 lb. @ Oregon football official site Smallish running back with twitch and burst, making him a threat running, receiving and returning kicks. In 39 college games (12 at Minnesota and 27 at Oregon), Irving totaled 4050 all-purpose yards and scored 25 touchdowns. Irving has stellar vision to read holes that can be just slivers. He combines contact balance, stacks late moves (head/shoulder jukes, dead leg), and a squirming style to slip tackles and play bigger than his size. Was an important piece to Oregon’s pass game with 87 catches over two seasons, although mostly check downs and screens. Doesn’t add much blocking except to stand in the way. Is Irving limited to a gadget player in the NFL? Properly utilized, smaller backs can certainly add value to a team. Keaton Mitchell, Devon Achane, and Jahmyr Gibbs come right to mind. The Rams own Kyren Williams, although cut differently, is still not a big player. If Irving can return kickoffs right away, it might be his best path to showing what he can do on a pro offense. Round 5 Jaylen Wright-Tennessee. 5’ 11” 210 lb. @ Tennessee football official site Twitchy running back with elite burst and speed. North Carolina state high school champ in 55 meter dash. His college production improved three straight seasons coinciding with his usage, but there is plenty of tread left on the tires. In 34 games, he had 368 rushes and caught 30 passes. Has a bevy of moves. Stutters, spins, deft cuts at full speed. Even with stop/start and change of direction prowess, Wright is not limited to being a jitterbug. Even though he doesn’t appear to be as big as his listed size, he plays big. He has good contact balance, keeps his legs moving, and consistently finishes runs falling forward. Adequate receiver, obviously dangerous whenever he has the ball in space, and blocker. Could use some play strength for the pro game and needs to clean up some ball security issues. He’s on the Feldman’s Freaks list and was reportedly timed at 23.6 mph. Plays wicked fast on film and we’ll likely get to see him show out at the NFL Combine. His elite athleticism and ability to erase angles with speed make him a potential playmaker. I believe Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright has the best contact balance and yards after contact of any back in this class. pic.twitter.com/PuO1lkTvTX— Brandon Lejeune (@DevyDeepDive) February 6, 2024 Round 6 Ray Davis- Kentucky 5’ 8 1/2” 220 lb., 29 7/8” arms, 9 1/8 “ hand, and72 3/8” span @ Senior Bowl Work-horse for three different college programs and recorded over a 1,000 yards rushing at each stop Temple, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. At his best working downhill, looks a bit stiff and less powerful when working laterally in wide zone and cutting to hole. His burst is much more effective when moving north/south and making quick sharp cuts. Hits a really nice second gear through hole and is much tougher to tackle when squared up. Not a huge part of college passing game, but has very good hands and while he mostly ran check downs and various screens, he was fluid/loose enough to track the ball on longer wheel routes. A physical blocker and although he does primarily use his shoulder instead of a punch, he strikes well. Experienced, solid in all phases back who was given the reputation, by draft pundits, as a high floor/low ceiling player. Davis showed at the Senior Bowl workouts that he’s more than just a between the tackles power runner. Was considered by many observers to be the best back there. Round 7 George Holani- Boise State 5’ 10 1/4” 203 lb., 29 3/8’ arms. 9 5/8 hands, and 72 1/2” span @ Hula Bowl Tough, competitive north/south runner with fine all-around game. For his size, Holani is a strong inside runner and was played primarily in an inside the tackles offense very heavy in inside/mid zone run plays. He has the vision to read holes and burst to get through them, excellent balance and keeps his legs churning through contact. Catches the ball and transitions down field fluidly, but didn’t run a variety of routes. Although a willing blocker for his size (fits his nature), he could use an upgrade in play strength for NFL competition. Holani is a good fit into the Rams run game at RB#3, he’s been a punt returner and has time on special teams. Not of NFL starter grade, just a good bottom half of the roster support player who plays with effort and does all the little things. He has been invited to the NFL Combine, so we can get a read on his overall athleticism Undrafted Michael Wiley- Arizona 5’ 10 3/8” 209 lb., 30 1/8” arms, 9 1/8” hands, and 74 1/4” span @ Senior Bowl Late addition to the Senior Bowl due to injuries and he made the most of it. Singled out by media observers for his receiving and blocking prowess. I didn’t have him on my Top 300, but have followed up. Plenty of tread left on Wiley, he was part of a running back rotation in all five college years and never had more than 113 carries in a season. More of a one-cut and go runner for wide zone offense. Built like a wide receiver, patient to follow blocks and uses stops/starts and rather than sharp cuts to set up burst. Slips tackles rather than runs through them. Will need more bottom half strength to break more than NFL arm tackles. Another fine back end of the roster prospect. Good size and stellar speed, was timed at 19.56 mph which roughly equates to under 4.4 in the forty. Wiley can run, catch, and block. He also returned a few kickoffs and recorded tackles on special teams. Arizona's Michael Wiley was named top RB on the American team in a vote from LB teammates at practice player-of-the-week awards ceremony today at 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/sFbTanneUO— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) February 2, 2024 How many running backs will the Rams need? What will be their roles? I would think at least five backs for training camp. Maybe more, last year the Rams went with four on the 53, Kyren Williams, Zach Evans, Royce Freeman and Ronnie Rivers. Currently, the Rams have only Williams and Evans under contract, meaning an additional three would be enough for preseason games. Williams, as RB#1, won’t see action, leaving the four others to battle their way around the depth chart. One will be a bigger back, likely a veteran or retread, it’s Head coach Sean McVay’s style. Williams is a lock for RB#1, some may debate it, but he’s shown he can handle it. There are injury concerns though and having a talented RB#2 to compete and help shoulder the load is simply good business. Is that Evans? Too early to tell and certainly not nearly sure enough to pass all the good backs in this draft class. If you want to help upgrade special teams, RB#3 and RB#4 should be able to play in that area. Maybe they are strictly long-term offensive projects, but at least fast and physical enough to get upfield and hit somebody or help out on returns. There are many backs in this draft class that would be fine selections and fit into the Rams scheme. Of this group of prospects, though, I like Marshawn Lloyd to compete at RB#2, Jaylen Wright at RB#3 for his pure speed and possible return game, and Michael Wiley at RB#4 for his all-around game and background on special teams.

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Falcons OC Zac Robinson: Matthew Stafford is 'the smartest guy I've been around'

Former Rams QBs coach Zac Robinson called Matthew Stafford “the smartest guy” he’s been around

Cameron DaSilva
theramswire.usatoday.com
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Random Ramsdom: See some new coaches and staff Sean McVay is adding

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 2/15/24 Each year Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams see a number of talented coaches walk away for jobs elsewhere. It can be dissapointing because McVay, the players and the fans can grow attached to certain coaches, but coaches moving on for new positions is inevitable. The exciting news is that with every vacancy comes an opportunity for LA to add some fresh faces. We have some links below about John Streicher and Chili Davis both joining McVay and the Rams. We also have one link featuring Kyle Shanahan expressing that he doesn’t foresee major changes to his staff, and another link sharing the news that Steve Wilks, defenisve coordinator, has been fired by the San Francisco 49ers. Gotta love the NFL. Please comment on whatever you’d like and have a great day! Rams hiring ex-Titans director of football administration John Streicher (titanswire) “Streicher was hired in 2018 and first served as the assistant to the head coach for two years before moving to coordinator of football development for three seasons and then director of football administration in 2023. Streicher got a taste of head-coaching duty during his stint with the Titans. After Vrabel tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of a 2021 preseason game, forcing him to miss the contest, Streicher handled game decisions, managing playtime and communication with coaches for the contest.” Happy Valentine's Day! Threading some of our favorite cards for you to send out. xoxo, Admin pic.twitter.com/cqG3fJmFml— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 14, 2024 Rams hiring Chili Davis as assistant special teams coach (ramswire) “The Los Angeles Rams have lost several coaches this offseason, which is an annual tradition for Sean McVay’s staff. Among them was Jeremy Springer, the Rams’ assistant special teams coordinator. He left to become the Patriots’ special teams coordinator, opening up a spot in Chase Blackburn’s group in Los Angeles. The Rams have filled the role of assistant special teams coach by hiring former Kansas State special teams quality control coach Chili Davis. The news was first reported by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, and it’s been confirmed in Davis’ bio on Twitter where he wrote “Assistant ST @RamsNFL”.” pic.twitter.com/ZVVWAEIOGZ— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 14, 2024 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan on if DC Steve Wilks will return for 2024 season: ‘I expect all our coaches to be back’ “When asked about the past performance and future employment of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan gave a blanket statement about his coaching staff. “I haven’t talked to anybody yet,” he said when asked a follow-up question on Wilks’ future after an unclear first response. “So yeah, I expect all our coaches to be back.” That presumably includes Wilks, although Shanahan declined to go into specifics about any assistant coach in particular.” Aaron Donald letting the Niners know what they're missing (via aarondonald99/IG) pic.twitter.com/hxqYGaM3XV— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) February 12, 2024 Rams Rival 49ers Fire Coach Steve Wilks - NFL Tracker “FEB 14 WILKS OUT IN SAN FRAN According to multiple reports, the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan have fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The firing comes just days after the 49ers fell in Super Bowl LXIII to the Kansas City Chiefs. In that game, the Chiefs amassed 455 yards of offense and outscored the 49ers 22-9 in the second half of regulation and overtime.” pic.twitter.com/I4V8MpGflb— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 14, 2024 Winners and Losers: Where Do Rams, Sean McVay Fall After 2023 Season? (si.com) “Coach Sean McVay did a sensational job getting a roster filled with rookies and newcomers to mesh together for an impressive midseason turnaround,” Gilberto Manzano wrote. “The Los Angeles Rams still have [Matthew] Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Cooper Kupp, but a dominant rookie class that featured wide receiver Puka Nacua was instrumental in helping Los Angeles return to the playoffs.” It would be impossible to explain the Rams’ re-ascension into relevancy without acknowledging its core of young players.” We are heartbroken by the senseless and tragic violence that took place today. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Kansas City community. https://t.co/NOjjRFlUXM— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 15, 2024 I try to keep these positive, but it’s important to acknowledge real life too. Hopefully people can use this tragedy as a moment to try and band together and not a moment to pull us further apart. I wish had something better to say. Stay safe, think of those who are less fortunate, and please try to enjoy your day.

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