Tag: ben skowronek

Rams rookie WR Ben Skowronek to miss 4-6 weeks following forearm surgery

Sean McVay discussed the timetable for Ben Skowronek to return to action following surgery for a fractured forearm.

Ben Skowronek suffered a forearm injury in the Los Angeles Rams’ preseason opener against the Chargers that would require surgery, making it tougher on him to make the 53-man roster for the upcoming season. After the rookie wideout underwent surgery Monday, Sean McVay revealed how long Skowronek will be sidelined in Wednesday’s session with the media.

“I think it should be anywhere between four and six weeks. Things went well. There weren’t any further complications. My understanding is that the surgery went well so anywhere between a month and six weeks.” McVay said.

Skowronek sustained a fractured forearm last Saturday night and was required to undergo surgery earlier this week. The big-bodied wideout would take to Twitter to share that his surgery was successful and he was anxious to get back on the field.

Back in the 2021 NFL draft in April, the Rams took Skowronek in the seventh round out of Notre Dame. Upon joining the ranks of the NFL, Skowronek was going to a Los Angeles team that had Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Van Jefferson, and a fellow rookie in Tutu Atwell at the wide receiver position. Given the depth at wide receiver that the Rams possessed, it was going to be a tall task for Skowronek to earn a spot on the roster.

Provided that, missing four to six weeks of action could be detrimental to Skowronek’s chances of making the final cut. Skowronek won’t be able to log a single snap in the preseason, putting him behind in his development to begin his career in the league. While it’s a positive sight to see the surgery went well for Skowronek, the prospects of him remaining on the Rams beyond August are bleak given the timetable of his potential return to the field.

Ben Skowronek to undergo surgery on fractured forearm

Ben Skowronek will undergo surgery on his fractured forearm, a major setback for the rookie.

Ben Skowronek is fighting to make the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster, but he suffered a major setback on Saturday night. The team announced Skowronek suffered a fractured forearm and will undergo surgery to repair the injury.

There’s no timetable for his return, but with final roster cuts about two weeks away, this doesn’t bode well for the rookie out of Notre Dame. He has to hope he proved enough in training camp because he likely won’t get a chance to show his ability in the preseason due to this injury.

The Rams drafted Skowronek in the seventh round this year, viewing him as one of the best blocking receivers in the entire draft. He wasn’t a lock to make the team as a rookie, especially given the Rams’ receiver depth, but he at least had a chance to stick around.

Trishton Jackson will probably have an edge over Skowronek in the wide receiver pecking order now, especially after catching a touchdown pass against the Chargers tonight.

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Rams rookie Ben Skowronek dealing with hamstring injury

Ben Skowronek was out Wednesday with a hamstring injury but Sean McVay hopes he’s back sooner than later.

Rams rookie Ben Skowronek is competing for a roster spot at one of the deepest positions on the team. He’s slotted behind Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson and Van Jefferson, and once Tutu Atwell gets fully up to speed, Skowronek will likely be below him on the depth chart, too.

Missing time in training camp will do nothing to help the rookie’s chances to make the 53-man roster, and unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happened. Skowronek was held out of practice Wednesday and Sean McVay said afterwards that it’s a hamstring injury hampering him.

“He has felt a little bit in his hamstring. So, we’re just kind of monitoring him seeing how he feels. Hopefully progressing him back sooner than later, but it’s that hamstrings bothering him a little bit,” McVay said.

Stu Jackson of the Rams’ official site shared some notes from Monday’s practice, highlighting Skowronek’s play. Jackson wrote that the rookie had a great day and “displayed strong, reliable hands on multiple occasions, including a nice sideline catch against the first-team defense in tight coverage.”

He still has a chance to make the team, but his biggest competition will be Trishton Jackson for that final spot at wide receiver, assuming the top five guys are all locks.

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Ben Skowronek can’t wait for training camp after OTAs ‘went really well’

Rams rookie Ben Skowronek welcomes the challenge of learning the Rams’ playbook and is excited for camp.

The calendar has flipped to July, which means the Los Angeles Rams will reconvene for training camp this month. Currently, players are on summer break, though just about all of them have been working out on their own to stay in shape before camp starts later this month.

Rams rookie Ben Skowronek is back home in Indiana for a little while until he returns to L.A., and on Thursday night, he threw out the first pitch at the Fort Wayne TinCaps game – the High-A affiliate of the Padres.

After throwing a strike, he talked to Glenn Marini of WANE-TV about his time at OTAs and his excitement for training camp.

“OTAs went really well,” he said. “I’m back home for a couple weeks but the six weeks I spent out there in L.A. was awesome, just getting to know everybody on the team and getting adjusted to the team. It’s been nothing but great. Obviously challenging learning an NFL playbook and adjusting to the NFL game, but it’s been a lot of fun. I’m really looking forward to training camp and just continue progressing and continue learning the system and building that chemistry within the offense. I just can’t wait to get out there in a couple weeks and keep getting better every day.”

Skowronek, a seventh-round pick by the Rams, will be battling for a roster spot this season. He has a lot of competition at wide receiver, which is one of L.A.’s strongest position groups.

But the former Notre Dame receiver is an excellent blocker, a big-bodied receiver and has the work ethic to make it in the NFL.

Rams rookies will report for training camp on July 25, with everyone else arriving on July 27.

Guessing Notre Dame biggest liability heading into the 2021 season

This group really needs to bring it this fall

Recently the Twitter handle of Big Game Boomer released what they believe is the biggest liability for each of the Power 5 schools. In their estimation Notre Dame’s is the offensive line.

It’s hard to disagree with that, after seeing four of the five starters from last year head off to the NFL. Jarrett Patterson is the only holdover from the 2020 season and while there is still a ton of talent on the various positions on the offensive line, they’re very green. Don’t forget about getting Marshall transfer Cain Madden, the All-American only strengthens the group.

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With some talk about true freshman Rocco Spindler and Blake Fisher having a chance to start, you can see where Big Game Boomer is coming from. I don’t see it that way, in my estimation the offensive line will have some growing pains, but should be fine as the season progresses. The biggest area of concern in my mind would be the wide receivers.

The leading WR in terms of yardage, Javon McKinley is gone to the NFL. As is the touchdown leader from last year Ben Skowronek. You might be thinking about Michael Mayer, well he’s a tight end and although a great threat, not as a wide receiver.

Avery Davis is the leading returning receiver with just 24 catches for 322-yards and 2 scores. Braden Lenzy is the second leading returning receiver, he had just 7 receptions last year for under 100-yards.

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The difference is that the talent on the offense line is just green, they don’t have much experience. The same can’t be said about the wide receiver group. Multiple players will need to step up and in my eyes, this position group posses the biggest liability for Brian Kelly and the Irish this fall.

Ben Skowronek became obsessed with football thanks to his uncle, Trent Green

Ben Skowronek’s uncle is former Rams QB Trent Green, and he’s already gotten some advice as a current Ram himself.

Ben Skowronek is hoping to make the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster as a seventh-round rookie out of Notre Dame, bringing a physical presence to the team’s wide receiver room. He won’t be handed a roster spot, of course, and will need to show that his 6-foot-3 frame carries some value both on offense and special teams.

He had a distant connection to the Rams before even being drafted, too. His uncle is former Rams quarterback Trent Green, and someone Skowronek has looked up to throughout his life. In a recent interview with team reporter Sarina Morales, Skowronek discussed his relationship with Green and how the ex-NFL quarterback helped him become obsessed with football.

“Throughout this process, just talking to him, he’s given me advice since I was a kid and all that, so I’ve looked up to him,” he said. “I remember going to Rams games as a kid and after I got drafted, my family put up a picture from one of the games we went to and I was like, ‘Wow, that kid really grew up to be drafted by the Rams.’ So it was kind of surreal and full circle. He’s been great for me, just being able to bounce stuff off him. I think he’s the reason I fell in love with the game of football. Being able to go to these NFL games, going on the field after the games, talking to the players. I remember when he was with the Chiefs, after a game, I was just sitting on the curb talking to Dante Hall. It’s crazy stuff. Or Tony Gonzalez. Because of him, I really just became obsessed with the game of football.”

Skowronek spent four years at Northwestern before joining Notre Dame as a grad transfer. In total, he caught 139 passes for 1,856 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He now has a chance to stand out as a big-bodied receiver for the Rams, being one of their biggest pass catchers compared to the likes of Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson.

He has the mindset and frame to succeed in the NFL, it’s just a matter of impressing coaches in camp and throughout the early portion of his career.

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Rams scout: Ben Skowronek ‘helps expand the range of our wide receiver group’

Ben Skowronek brings a unique combination of size and speed to a smaller Rams receiver unit.

Despite already drafting Tutu Atwell in the second-round, the Rams doubled-down at the wide receiver position in the draft this year. They took Notre Dame wideout Ben Skowronek in the seventh round, adding someone who’s not only a talented pass-catcher, but also a great blocker.

Skowronek is buried on a depth chart that’s littered with talent and will still have to win a spot on the 53-man roster, but with his size (6-foot-3) and length, he brings a different element to a team that features mostly smaller wideouts.

That’s exactly the sentiment shared by the Rams, with one scouting director saying his route-running savviness pairs well with what the team already has.

Hear what was said about Skowronek on Episode 9 of “Inside the Draft.”

“As a big-bodied genre, he plays with this legitimate relentlessness as a blocker and contested situations, while also bringing a level of savviness as a route runner that pairs well with our current group. He has a strong blend of football intelligence and grit with a skill set that most certainly helps expand the range of our wide receiver group,” director of scouting strategy James Gladstone said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhlh6fkvi_8

During the draft when the Rams were on the clock in the seventh round, McVay asked everyone on the conference call, “Who would we be more pissed about losing?”

Rams COO Kevin Demoff replied, “You guys would be pissed if you lost Skowronek.” And so, he was the pick.

Rams scout: Ben Skowronek ‘helps expand the range of our wide receiver group’

Ben Skowronek brings a unique combination of size and speed to a smaller Rams receiver unit.

Despite already drafting Tutu Atwell in the second-round, the Rams doubled-down at the wide receiver position in the draft this year. They took Notre Dame wideout Ben Skowronek in the seventh round, adding someone who’s not only a talented pass-catcher, but also a great blocker.

Skowronek is buried on a depth chart that’s littered with talent and will still have to win a spot on the 53-man roster, but with his size (6-foot-3) and length, he brings a different element to a team that features mostly smaller wideouts.

That’s exactly the sentiment shared by the Rams, with one scouting director saying his route-running savviness pairs well with what the team already has.

Hear what was said about Skowronek on Episode 9 of “Inside the Draft.”

“As a big-bodied genre, he plays with this legitimate relentlessness as a blocker and contested situations, while also bringing a level of savviness as a route runner that pairs well with our current group. He has a strong blend of football intelligence and grit with a skill set that most certainly helps expand the range of our wide receiver group,” director of scouting strategy James Gladstone said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhlh6fkvi_8

During the draft when the Rams were on the clock in the seventh round, McVay asked everyone on the conference call, “Who would we be more pissed about losing?”

Rams COO Kevin Demoff replied, “You guys would be pissed if you lost Skowronek.” And so, he was the pick.

Notre Dame spring game: Five questions that could be answered

Who steps up this afternoon?

The final taste of football is upon us, this weekend is the culmination of Notre Dame’s spring practice ending with the Blue and Gold game.

Heading into the season, there will be plenty of question surrounding the program, the biggest is undoubtably the quarterback position. Find out five question that could be answered during Saturday’s controlled scrimmage.

No pro day for Ben Skowronek

Tough break for one of Notre Dame’s best targets in 2020.

Former Notre Dame and Northwestern wide receiver Ben Skowronek long dreamt of participating in his own pro day, but that won’t be happening.

Skowronek suffered a foot injury this winter that worsened while at the Senior Bowl and it’ll keep him from participating Notre Dame’s pro day this Wednesday.

Skowronek met the media ahead on Monday and made reference to some of the stereotypes that come against wide receivers in regards to speed.

“I feel like my speed’s been doubted,” Skowronek said. “I was just so excited to get on the field and run that 40-yard dash and show everybody and shut everybody up really.”

-Ben Skowronek

Skowronek pulled down 29 receptions for 439 yards (15.1 average) and five scores for Notre Dame in 2020.

Related: Notre Dame’s 2021 Senior Bowl participants