Tag: kamren curl

Watch: Cobie Durant and Kam Curl team up for 33-yard fumble return TD

Cobie Durant forced it out on the sack and Kam Curl scooped it up for a 33-yard fumble return TD to pad the Rams’ lead

In the first five games of the season, the Los Angeles Rams only forced four total turnovers on defense, which put them 24th in the NFL. In the first half on Sunday alone, they took the ball away twice from the Raiders, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

In the second quarter, Cobie Durant came on a blitz and knocked the ball out of Gardner Minshew’s hand for a strip-sack. Kam Curl was in perfect position to scoop up the loose ball and return it 33 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Rams’ lead to 14-3.

The two defensive backs came up with the Rams’ best defensive play of the season, Durant’s second takeaway of the game. He also picked off Gardner Minshew on the Raiders’ previous possession.

After Curl got into the end zone, the defense hit the rowboat celebration.

Sean McVay frustrated by poor communication, ‘pretty egregious’ penalties in Rams secondary

Sean McVay is clearly growing frustrated with the poor communication and “pretty egregious” penalties by the Rams’ DBs

It’s one thing to get beat by a good receiver. It’s another to allow a big play because of a breakdown in coverage.

There’s no doubt the Rams have faced some outstanding receivers to start the year, but the secondary has also been plagued by issues that are fully in their control – something Sean McVay is clearly growing frustrated with.

The two biggest problems? Poor communication and penalties.

During an appearance on the “Coach McVay Show” Monday, McVay was asked about the team’s communication on the back end being a problem on defense, and he was quick to also mention the “pretty egregious” penalties being committed by his corners and safeties.

“Yeah, I think so. I think when there’s been some issues, yes,” he said of the communication being a concern. “And playing with the techniques to avoid the penalties that have extended drives that are pretty egregious that we just can’t do. You’re giving people an opportunity – we’re getting home with the rush and then you see those yellow flags on the back end and it’s all for naught. Those are difficult jobs. There’s different reasons why it’s occurred but the communications and then making sure that we understand the consequences if we don’t play with the techniques that we want to be able to play with in terms of what that does to extend drives – especially when you’ve earned the right to be in third-and-long situations where it can be as simple as an (illegal) contact penalty that’s a 5-yarder, but what is it? An automatic first down. So that’s definitely been something that’s not helped us.”

Penalties were a major story of Sunday’s loss to the Bears and Tre’Davious White was once again a culprit at cornerback, but he wasn’t alone. In the second quarter on a third-and-10, he was called for defensive holding on a play where Jared Verse sacked Caleb Williams to take Chicago out of field goal range. That extended the drive, even if it was only a five-yard penalty.

Two plays later, Kamren Curl was called for holding on second-and-6, another play where Verse (and Byron Young) sacked Williams. Automatic first down. That drive didn’t ultimately end in points because Braden Fiske forced a fumble on third down, but those two penalties are what McVay hates to see.

On the very next drive, the Bears had third-and-9 from the Rams’ 15-yard line. Williams targeted Keenan Allen over the middle and the pass fell incomplete, but White was called for pass interference, setting up Chicago at the 1-yard line. One play later, they were in the end zone with a 7-6 lead. In essence, it was a four-point penalty because Chicago would’ve had to settle for a short field goal if not for White’s infraction.

McVay mentioned that game-changing pass interference penalty in his press conference Monday, too.

“You give them a short field with a one-play drive that shouldn’t have occurred and then you end up maybe looking like you’re going to get a sudden-change stop and there’s a penalty that occurs that puts the ball in the 1-yard line and it’s 7-6 and you’re saying, ‘What? How did that end up happening?’” he said.

The Rams have had to shuffle their secondary with Darious Williams and John Johnson III out, which has created some issues. Rookie Kamren Kinchens is struggling at safety and White is committing costly penalties on the back end.

The communication has to be better, too, because the disconnects in the secondary are leading to big plays – like the ones made by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jauan Jennings where receivers are wide open.

“I think there’s been some good,” he said. “We’ve to do a better job communicating consistently. There’s been some things that have led to some disconnect.”

The hope is that Williams and Johnson returning at some point will solve some of these issues. Perhaps even Ahkello Witherspoon can help in this department. But for the time being, the Rams simply have to live with the secondary they’ve assembled, penalties and all.

Here’s why Kamren Curl is set for a big year with the Rams

Breaking down why Kamren Curl’s 2-year deal could be the best deal of the offseason.

Kamren Curl’s pro career has been doubted by many. A seventh-round pick out of Arkansas, Curl shined as a rookie. A cut candidate going into rookie camp, Curl had the Washington starting safety job by Week 8 of his first year.

Since then, Curl was a quiet contributor on a horrific Washington defense. To say Jack Del Rio’s scheme was archaic would be an understatement as the Commanders’ defense ranked dead last in 2023 for total defense.

Despite this, Curl put up career-highs in tackles and pass deflections. Now in Los Angeles, he will have an opportunity to shine.

A multi-faceted tool, Curl recorded snaps at safety and slot corner. He was also a force in the box, contributing to his high tackle totals.

Curl is a physically violent player who has no qualms about laying the boom on opponents, while he also possesses the skills to be a premier cover safety.

With many reports praising Curl’s performance so far, one might begin to believe he is the best free-agent safety signing so far.

In a Chris Shula defense, Curl will have a bunch of responsibilities but with the Rams’ strong defensive line and experienced linebacker core, perhaps all Curl needs is a modern defense to break out.

With his physical attributes and new surroundings, Curl will have the potential to emerge as a star. It’s a bold prediction, but Curl will be a Pro Bowler in 2024.

Sean McVay sees similarities between Kamren Curl and Mark Barron

Kamren Curl reminds Sean McVay of Mark Barron, who was “like a silent assassin” on defense for the Rams.

Kamren Curl is a big part of the Los Angeles Rams’ rebuilt secondary, joining Chris Shula’s defense after four years in Washington. He may not have big turnover numbers in his career, intercepting only four passes in four years – all as a rookie in 2020 – but the Rams have high expectations for the young safety.

Sean McVay sees him as a defender who can play in multiple levels of the defense, whether it’s as a deep safety, in the box or over the slot.

While on Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast, McVay compared Curl to another former Rams safety: Mark Barron. It’s not necessarily their play style that strikes McVay as being the same, but rather their awareness, intelligence and toughness.

“Kam Curl is a guy that, and I say this in the most complimentary way because I love this guy, he reminds me of Mark Barron,” McVay said. “Mark Barron was like a silent assassin. He takes everything in, he’s so smart, he’s tough as (expletive). Kam Curl has a similar demeanor and disposition as him. now, Mark will knock you – he was a total G, but I say that in terms of how much confidence I have in what Kam can be. I thought you saw him do a lot of stuff in Washington where he can come down and play man coverage on different guys at that two or three location. He’s violent with the way he attacks the football. I like the way that he’s a close-quarter tackler and then you can see him playing different parts of the field. We’ll ask him to do some different stuff, but the game makes sense to him. You ask him a question and he’s answering it. He picks and chooses his words wisely. This guy’s taking everything in, he knows what the hell’s going on and he’s a grown man.”

Barron played a few different spots in his Rams career, originally being drafted as a safety by Tampa Bay in 2012 when he was the seventh overall pick. In 2015, he transitioned to linebacker under head coach Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, a spot he played for the remainder of his career. In two years under McVay, Barron had three interceptions, 148 tackles and two sacks. His versatility and position flexibility is what allowed him to have a career that spanned eight years.

This season, Curl will pair with either Quentin Lake or Russ Yeast as the starting safeties this year, but as McVay said, they’ll use him in different ways beyond just being a traditional safety. With a base value of only $8.75 million for two years, Curl could wind up being a steal for Los Angeles.

Rams’ Kamren Curl ranked among NFL’s 21 best safeties for 2024

PFF views Kamren Curl as one of the better safeties in the NFL, ranking him in the top 21 heading into 2024

The Los Angeles Rams don’t typically spend money on safeties in free agency but Kamren Curl was one of the few exceptions to the rule. This offseason, the Rams signed him to a two-year deal worth up to $12.75 million – admittedly not a huge contract but still one of the larger deals given out to a safety by the Rams since Sean McVay took over in 2017.

Curl spent the first four years of his career as an underrated defender for the Washington Commanders but he’s finally garnering some national attention as a versatile safety who’s more impactful than the box score suggests.

Pro Football Focus views Curl as one of the better safeties in the NFL entering the 2024 season, as represented by the site’s positional rankings for the upcoming campaign. PFF ranked Curl 21st among all safeties, one spot behind Geno Stone of the Bengals.

Although Curl had a breakout 2022 season in which he posted a second-ranked 82.9 PFF overall grade, he couldn’t replicate that performance in 2023, as his 66.6 mark ranked just 50th. But since entering the league, Curl still ranks 17th among safeties in overall grade (78.0) and 19th in coverage grade (83.7).

PFF’s grading matches Curl’s ranking for 2024, seeing as he’s been a top-17 safety since coming into the league in 2020. He’ll be an immediate starter for the Rams in Week 1 and will have a chance to play deep, in the box and even cover the slot.

The Rams are still determining who will start alongside Curl at safety but whether it’s Russ Yeast, Quentin Lake or Kamren Kinchens, the position should be in better shape than it was a year ago.

Breakdown of Kamren Curl’s contract show what a huge bargain it is for the Rams

Kamren Curl’s 2-year deal with the Rams looks like an even bigger bargain after the full details were released

The Los Angeles Rams have done a great job navigating free agency and using their available cap space to improve a young roster that went to the playoffs last season. They did pay a hefty amount for Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson, but they also got a steal with Kamren Curl’s two-year deal.

The full details of Curl’s contract have finally been released and they show just how big a bargain it is for the Rams. According to Over The Cap, Curl has cap hits of only $4.24 million and $4.75 million in the next two years, with just $6 million fully guaranteed at signing.

The base value is worth only $9 million, which is less than the $11.5 million annual salary Pro Football Focus projected Curl would get in free agency this year. PFF set his contract projection at four years and $46 million, so Los Angeles got a steal with this contract.

If things don’t work out in Year 1, the Rams can easily move on before the 2025 season. Cutting Curl would give them a net savings of $2.75 million after a $2 million dead cap charge.

According to initial reports, the contract is worth up to $13 million but it’s unclear what the incentives are that could get him to that max value.

With Curl’s contract now on the books, the Rams have $16.7 million in cap space. That’s without Jimmy Garoppolo and Larrell Murchison’s contracts accounted for, however.

Kamren Curl named one of the most underrated free-agent signings

The Rams’ addition of Kamren Curl was named one of the most underrated signings of free agency thus far

Aaron Donald’s retirement grabbed the bulk of the headlines on Friday, and understandably so. He’s one of the best NFL players ever and his announcement came as a surprise to most.

About 12 hours before Donald shared his retirement news, the Los Angeles Rams agreed to a two-year deal with safety Kamren Curl, one of the top defensive backs still on the market. Because of the timing and Curl’s lack of recognition around the NFL, the move probably didn’t get the attention it should have, but this was a terrific signing by Los Angeles.

Most analysts love this addition to the Rams secondary, including Dan Pizzuta of The 33rd Team. He listed Curl as one of the most underrated signings of free agency thus far, calling the former Commanders DB “one of the league’s most underrated players.”

The Los Angeles Rams have been a defense built around disguise throughout the different defensive coordinators during the Sean McVay era. Last season, they had the third-lowest rate of static looks in the league.

A player such as Curl will only help that given how many spots he can play at before and after the snap. He’s an effective blitzer, a strong run defender and can hold up in coverage. In Washington, especially in 2023, he was responsible for cleaning up some messes in front of him, which took away some of his overall impact.

Part of the reason Curl flies under the radar is his lack of turnovers created. He has just three career interceptions and all of those came as a rookie in 2020. He also hasn’t forced a fumble and has just 14 passes defensed.

However, he’s a fantastic box safety who can play the role of dime linebacker thanks to his physicality and aggression as a run defender. The Rams will likely deploy him all over the defense, from covering the deep half to lining up in the box, which will make him a valuable part of the defense.

And at only $9 million for two years ($13 million max), it’s a bargain of a contract for a player who’s only 25 years old.

Grading Rams’ signing of Kamren Curl: LA looks to have gotten a steal

Needing safety help, the Rams landed Kamren Curl in free agency, who could end up being a steal for LA

Safety was high up on the Los Angeles Rams’ list of needs this offseason with both Jordan Fuller and John Johnson III hitting free agency. It’s not often a position that they prioritize, but they made a big move in the secondary on Thursday night by signing Kamren Curl to a two-year deal worth up to $13 million.

It’s not a huge contract by any means, but the Rams still managed to land one of the top safeties on the market – and a player who’s only 25 years old. At $6.5 million per year, which is the max Curl can earn, it makes him the 24th-highest-paid safety in the league.

That’s the type of value the Rams are getting with Curl.

Pro Football Focus projected him to get much more than he did in free agency. PFF’s projection was a four-year deal worth $11.5 million per year for a total value of $46 million with $26 million guaranteed. We don’t yet have the exact numbers on guaranteed money, but Curl’s base value is half of PFF’s projected guarantee for the young safety.

Talk about a bargain.

Obviously, none of this matters if Curl doesn’t perform or play well with the Rams. He’ll only be a bargain or steal if he becomes a valuable starter for the next two seasons. There’s a good chance that happens, though.

In four seasons since coming into the NFL as a seventh-round pick in 2020, he’s never had a PFF grade lower than 66.6. He’s excellent in run defense as a box safety, which is how the Rams are expected to deploy their new defensive back. He earned a run defense grade of 80.5 in 2022, which ranked seventh among qualified safeties. Better yet, his coverage grade of 80.8 was the fifth-best among all safeties, allowing just 312 yards and two touchdowns in coverage.

Curl isn’t a true centerfield safety, but rather someone who can play split coverages in two-high looks, hang over the middle of the field as a robber, line up in the box as a run defender or match up with a tight end in man coverage.

The Rams still probably want a true free safety who can cover the post and take away throws in the middle of the field, but the addition of Curl is an excellent one. He’s an immediate starter in the secondary and likely an upgrade over Johnson as the strong safety closer to the line of scrimmage.

He does need to clean up the missed tackles because he did have 14 of them last season, but he had just 11 total in 2021 and 2022 combined.

This could end up being a home run signing by Los Angeles, given the value and its need at safety. Curl is still only 25 years old and already has four years of experience, and he now joins a defense that has gotten the most out of players such as Fuller, Johnson, Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott.

If he can create more turnovers (only three career interceptions), he could become one of the best young safeties in football.

Grade: A-

Could free agent S Kamren Curl be Adrian Amos 2.0 for Packers?

Kamren Curl could prove to be an Adrian Amos-like signing for the Packers this year.

The Green Bay Packers need a starting safety entering free agency. The same was true back in 2019, when general manager Brian Gutekunst — who would go on a spending spree that March — signed veteran Adrian Amos away from the Chicago Bears. Amos went on to give the Packers four strong seasons as a plus starter at the backend of the defense.

Could Kamren Curl of the Washington Commanders be Gutekunst’s Amos 2.0 in 2024?

The profiles are undeniably similar.

Amos was a Day 3 pick (fifth round) in 2015. Curl was a Day 3 pick (seventh round) in 2020. And like Amos, Curl has proven to be a reliable and consistent player against the run and pass for four seasons before entering free agency as an underrated player at an overlooked position.

According to PFF, Curl has averaged over 30 “stops” a season during his first four seasons. A stop is considered any tackle that constitutes an offensive failure. For instance, if a player makes a catch for three yards on 3rd-and-4, it’s deemed a failure for the offense, and the defender making the tackle gets a “stop.” Curl is a solid tackler overall, with a missed tackle percentage of just 9.8. Amos’ career missed tackle percentage is 9.2. Anything around a 90 percent tackle success rate is considered strong at safety.

Curl has just three career interceptions and one forced fumble, but splash plays weren’t a big part of Amos’ game until he arrived in Green Bay.

Being in the right spot and doing the right things consistently can sometimes be more valuable than the occasional big play. That’s Curl’s game. And eventually, the splash plays arrive for players consistently in the right spots, as was the case for Amos.

Curl has experience playing free safety but is probably best used in a strong safety role. Teaming him with a speedy and rangy free safety type — like Gutekunst did with Amos and Darnell Savage in 2019 — could provide the ideal mix as the Packers rebuild the safety room in 2024.

Curl isn’t yet 25 years old and looks like an ascending player. The safety market is flooded with veterans, which should drive down the prices for everyone, even at the top of the market. The Packers look destined to be in the market for a safety in free agency and may target a few of the big fish available.

Could signing Curl help the Packers solve big problems at safety like adding Amos helped do in 2019?

Available free agent safeties for the Broncos in 2024

Here is a list of 15 free agent safeties the Broncos should consider this offseason.

After listing notable free-agent defensive linemen yesterday, we’re looking at free-agent safety options for the Denver Broncos today.

Justin Simmons is one of the best safeties in the league, but his former partner, Kareem Jackson, is no longer on the team. Caden Sterns might be a candidate to start across from Simmons in 2024, but Sterns has missed 28 games due to injury over the last two seasons.

In case Sterns is not able to stay on the field, Denver needs another starting-caliber safety on the roster.

One big name to keep an eye on is C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who drew interest from the Broncos during free agency last year. Denver also has a notable in-house free agent safety in P.J. Locke who is scheduled to hit the open market if the Broncos do not re-sign him before March 13.

So, with free agency about a week away, here’s a quick list of 15 free-agent safeties that Denver should consider signing this spring.