Category: Latest Rams news

Torry Holt doesn’t make 2020 Hall of Fame class in first year as finalist

Torry Holt will have to wait at least one more year to get into Canton.

Torry Holt has been eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for six years, but this was his first year as a finalist. Unfortunately, he came up just short and was not one of the five former players elected to the Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, considering it was just his first year as a finalist and his teammate Isaac Bruce had been one four times before making it this year. That doesn’t mean Holt’s resume isn’t Hall of Fame-worthy, though.

In 11 NFL seasons, Holt caught 920 passes for 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns. He spent 10 of those seasons with the Rams, making the Pro Bowl seven times and being named a first-team All-Pro once. He led the NFL in receiving yards twice (2000, 2003) and topped 1,000 yards each year from 2000-2007.

Holt is undoubtedly one of the greatest receivers to ever suit up for the Rams, but the standard for wideouts is so high in the eyes of Hall of Fame voters. Holt will have another chance to make it next year, but 2020 wasn’t his time.

Twitter reacts to Isaac Bruce making it to Hall of Fame

Isaac Bruce is finally heading to Canton.

Isaac Bruce finally got the good news he’s been waiting to hear for six years on Saturday night as he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This comes in his sixth year of eligibility and his fourth year as a finalist.

The former Rams receiver caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXXIV to beat the Titans 23-16. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in yards (14,109) and receptions (942), as well as touchdown catches (84).

It was surprising that he had to wait as long as he did to get to Canton, but it’s well-deserved that he’s finally made it.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the news, celebrating his remarkable accomplishment.

Isaac Bruce finally elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Isaac Bruce will be enshrined in Canton with the Class of 2020.

After six years of eligibility and four years as a finalist, Isaac Bruce will finally be enshrined in Canton. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, going in as part of the Class of 2020.

Bruce played 16 years in the NFL, 14 of which came with the Rams. In his career, he caught 1,042 passes for 15,208 yards and 91 touchdowns, ranking 13th all-time in receptions and fifth in receiving yards.

His shining moment in the NFL came in Super Bowl XXXIV when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Kurt Warner, going 73 yards to give the Rams a seven-point lead over the Titans. The defense would hold strong with Mike Jones making a tackle at the 1-yard line as time expired.

Bruce only made the Pro Bowl four times, but he topped 1,000 yards receiving in eight seasons and led the NFL with 1,338 yards in 1996. His lack of a first-team All-Pro selection hut his Hall of Fame resume, working against him in the eyes of voters.

Stephon Gilmore beats out Aaron Donald for 2019 Defensive Player of the Year

Aaron Donald couldn’t complete the three-peat for Defensive Player of the Year.

It won’t be a three-peat for Aaron Donald. The Rams defensive tackle was seeking to become the first player in NFL history to win three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he was beat out by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

Donald still put together a tremendous 2019 season, leading the NFL with 20 tackles for loss and toping all defensive tackles with 12.5 sacks. Granted, they weren’t the astronomical numbers he put up in 2018, but Donald was still among the best defenders in the NFL.

It’s just that Gilmore had a slightly better season. He finished the year with a league-high six interceptions and 20 passes defensed, returning two interceptions for touchdowns. He recovered two fumbles and almost always shadowed the opponent’s No. 1 receiver.

Voter fatigue likely played a role in Donald not winning the award, too. It’s hard to vote for the same player to win something three years in a row, especially with a player like Donald who’s been at the top of his position since entering the NFL.

Donald was still named a first-team All-Pro this season for the fifth time, and also made his sixth Pro Bowl. He’ll have plenty of seasons in the future where he’s once again in contention for Defensive Player of the Year, but 2019 was not to be.

Aaron Donald is excited to see what Brandon Staley brings to Rams defense

Aaron Donald is sad to see Wade Phillips go, but he’s excited after talking to Brandon Staley.

Aaron Donald is a scheme-proof player, proving he can have success in just about any defense at any position up front. He primarily plays 3-technique on the defensive line, but he’s also lined up over the center and slid outside to defensive end, and had remarkable success in both a 4-3 and 3-4 scheme.

He’ll be challenged once again in 2020 with his third defensive coordinator in the NFL, as Brandon Staley will replace Wade Phillips with the Rams. Los Angeles will most likely keep its 3-4 defense, but there will obviously be changes with a new coach at the helm.

Donald has talked to Staley already and spoke with Sean McVay when the hire was made, and he’s excited about the ideas he’s going to bring to the defense.

“I talked to him a little, not that much yet,” Donald told Rams Wire on Friday. “I talked to McVay a little bit about it. I’m excited from just talking to him to see what he’s going to bring to the defense and the things he’s going to do to free certain guys up to go out there and try to have success so we can win games. Part of this league is change and I’m just excited to see what he brings and what he can do.”

Staley has only coached in the NFL for three years, all as an outside linebackers coach (two years with the Bears and one with the Broncos). The transition to defensive coordinator will be new for him, but he reportedly aced his interview with McVay, so the head coach has confidence in the 37-year-old in his new role.

Donald is thankful to have had the chance to play for Phillips, and he’s going to miss the legendary defensive coordinator in Los Angeles.

“He’s a great coach. Learned a lot from him, he’s been coaching for a long time and having success,” Donald said. “Having an opportunity to play for him was great, we’re going to miss the swagger and the confidence he brought to the defense. He gave us a lot of opportunities to do a lot of different things and to be a successful defense, so definitely going to miss him.”

Phillips called Donald a “surefire Hall of Famer,” which is high praise from a man who’s coached the likes of Reggie White, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and J.J. Watt.

Hearing that from Phillips only motivates Donald to be even better.

“He’s one of the best defensive coordinators to do it. And like you said, he coached a lot of great players, so to hear that from him, that means a lot. It just motivates you to keep working and try to live up to it,” Donald said.

Jalen Ramsey wanted to land with Rams but didn’t think they’d trade for him

Jalen Ramsey said he’s only had “slight talks” with Sean McVay and Les Snead about his contract situation.

Jalen Ramsey’s relationship with the Jacksonville Jaguars soured rapidly over the last year, much of it having to do with Tom Coughlin and his criticism of the cornerback skipping voluntary workouts. It culminated in Jacksonville trading Ramsey to the Rams last October, netting two first-round picks in return.

Before that trade went down, the Rams dealt away Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, opening up cap space for Ramsey and a starting role in the secondary. Ramsey was thrilled to land in Los Angeles, but he never thought the Rams would trade for him.

“Yeah, for sure,” Ramsey said of wanting to go to Los Angeles in an interview with Arash Markazi of the L.A. Times. “I had a couple places in mind, but at the time when I requested a trade, I didn’t think L.A. was even a possibility. I even remember talking to my agent and telling him, ‘Man, I would love to go here, here and here’ – just a few places – and I remember specifically telling him, ‘You could reach out to L.A., but I know they’ve got Lib and M.P., so it’s probably not going to happen.’ And the way things turned out, it happened perfect.”

Ramsey played nine games with the Rams, picking off one pass and recording 33 tackles. He also forced a fumble against the Falcons in his Rams debut, often shadowing the opposing team’s No. 1 receiver.

Ramsey said Los Angeles doesn’t “feel like complete home yet” because he hasn’t had much downtime in the new city yet, but he’s getting acclimated. At the moment, he doesn’t have any long-term assurances that he’ll stay in L.A. with his contract expiring after the 2020 season, but the Rams are expected to sign him to an extension at some point.

He said he’s had “slight talks” with Sean McVay and Les Snead about an extension, but he’s letting his agent handle that side of the equation.

“I think my agent’s the best in the game, so I’m gonna let him handle it,” he said. “If it gets done this offseason, perfect. If not, we’ll move forward.”

Ramsey reportedly promised the Rams he wouldn’t hold out this offseason if a deal doesn’t get done, but if he’s tagged before the 2021 season, all bets are off.

Aaron Donald: ‘I’ve been trying for 6 years’ to get a carry at RB

Aaron Donald wants the ball on the goal line for the Rams.

Aaron Donald is a physical specimen at defensive tackle, possessing rare strength and quickness for a man his size. He’s as athletic as we’ve ever seen at that position, which is what helped him lead the league in sacks in 2018 and tackles for loss in 2019, too.

When you see him in person, you don’t immediately think he’s a defensive tackle. It’s not hard to confuse him for a bruising running back. In his younger days, Donald always thought he’d be a running back, but he jokes he ate his way out of that position.

He’d love the chance to carry the ball again, though, and has been trying to get that opportunity since he came into the NFL in 2016.

“I’ve been trying for six years. I’ve been trying for six years, but they just won’t allow it. Hopefully one day they’ll give me that ball and let my little league days back out,” he said in a phone interview with Rams Wire on Friday.

Donald showed a little bit of what he can do in 2018 when he scooped up a fumble and carried it for a decent return, stiff-arming Doug Baldwin at the end of the run.

“Yeah, you see how I was moving? Showed a little something,” Donald said, laughing.

The Rams have a powerful back already with Todd Gurley, who has scored at least 14 touchdowns in each of the last three seasons, but Donald would bring another element. Even as a lead blocker, it’s reasonable to think Donald could succeed.

But it’d be fun to see him lined up in a singleback formation behind Jared Goff and take a handoff at the 2-yard line, barreling his way into the end zone for six.

Report: Rams hoping to finalize coaching staff next week

Sean McVay has yet to finalize his coaching staff, but he’s getting close.

It’s been an offseason of changes for the Los Angeles Rams thus far, and free agency is still more than a month away. The changes haven’t come on the roster, but rather on the coaching staff.

The Rams parted ways with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and running backs coach Skip Peete, also losing offensive assistant Jedd Fisch to the Patriots and special teams coordinator John Fassel to the Cowboys. Special teams assistant Matt Daniels followed Fassel to Dallas, too.

Sean McVay has only hired two coaches since then, bringing in Kevin O’Connell as his offensive coordinator and Brandon Staley to replace Phillips. According to Rich Hammond of The Athletic, the team hopes to finalize the coaching staff next week.

There haven’t been many indications or reports about who the Rams might bring in to replace Fassel and Peete, but McVay doesn’t seem to be in a rush to fill those roles. The next big event on the calendar is the NFL Scouting Combine, which will begin at the end of February.

Watch: Michael Brockers thanks Rams and fans ahead of free agency

Michael Brockers could leave the Rams this offseason after eight years with the organization.

Excluding special teams, there isn’t a single player who’s been with the Los Angeles Rams longer than Michael Brockers. He’s spent eight years with the organization since being a first-round pick in 2012.

Though he’s never been a Pro Bowler or a household name for anyone outside of L.A. or St. Louis, Brockers is one of the most well-respected players in the locker room and among fans. It’s easy to see why, too.

Ahead of becoming a free agent in March, Brockers penned this thank you letter to Rams fans, reminiscing on the last eight years. It had the feel of a goodbye, but unless he knows something everyone else doesn’t, the Rams haven’t moved on from him yet.

Brockers thanked GM Les Snead and owner Stan Kroenke and the entire organization for giving him the chance to prove himself with the Rams. He also touched on what it was like to play alongside Aaron Donald and Dante Fowler Jr., as well as the Rams’ other key players.

“You know, teaming up with Aaron and Dante and Cory [Littleton] and [Jared] Goff and Whit [Andrew Whitworth]. Everybody, man,” he said. “It was just crazy – the rest of the guys. We brought Showtime back to L.A. and we just feel like it was the greatest experience for the fans here to enjoy that with us.

“I think it’d be safe to say that it’ll be thriving for a long time – way after I’m done with the game.”

Brockers doesn’t know what his future holds, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to thank fans and the team before they potentially part ways in March.

“No matter what happens next, I was honored to be a Ram, honored to be a part of this organization and honored to put those horns on. Me and my family can’t wait to see what’s next and we just want to say thank you,” Brockers said in closing. “Peace and love, and see you soon.”

In addition to Brockers hitting free agency, so too will Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler and Andrew Whitworth. Keeping all of them will be impossible due to the salary cap, so the front office will have to pick and choose.

Aaron Donald doesn’t think he did enough to win Defensive Player of the Year

Aaron Donald says Defensive Player of the Year will come down to two players.

Aaron Donald has been one of the best defensive players in football since he came into the NFL in 2014. Right out of the gate, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season, and since then, he’s been a first-team All-Pro selection five times and won Defensive Player of the Year twice.

He has a chance to become the first player ever to win that award three years in a row, having won it in each of the last two seasons. The combination of stiff competition, voter fatigue and a lack of eye-popping numbers will make it hard for Donald to claim Defensive Player of the Year again, though.

Even he admits he doesn’t think he’ll win the award and hear his name called on Saturday night at the NFL Honors show.

“No, not this year,” Donald said in a phone interview with Rams Wire on Friday, courtesy of Pizza Hut.

So who will win it? He thinks it’ll come down to T.J. Watt of the Steelers and Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

“I feel like it’s going to be between T.J. Watt and Gilmore,” Donald said. “Probably Gilmore because those guys made it to the playoffs. He had a real good season, so it’ll be out of those two guys.”

Both Watt and Gilmore had outstanding seasons for their respective teams, and they played on two of the best defenses in football. Watt had 14.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, two interceptions and 36 QB hits, all of which were more than Donald.

Gilmore is obviously difficult to compare to Donald, being a cornerback. But he led the NFL with six interceptions and 20 passes defensed with two pick-sixes. He also had 53 tackles and two fumble recoveries.

Though Donald is expecting not to win the award, his focus isn’t on individual success. He doesn’t worry about individual accolades like Pro Bowls and post-season honors. He just wants to win.

“I just play ball. I really don’t worry about all that. I just go out there and try to make as many plays as I can and win,” Donald said. “That’s what it’s about, winning games. When you try to think about trying to win awards and things like that, you tend not to have the success you want to have. I really don’t think about it, I just play and try to do my part.”