Tag: la rams football

Los Angeles Rams expected to move on from former UGA LB Leonard Floyd

Former Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker Leonard Floyd has 29 sacks in three seasons with the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are expected to release former Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker Leonard Floyd this offseason. The Rams are also looking to trade Floyd.

The Rams could release Floyd as a post-June 1 designation and save $15.5 million in cap space this offseason. Los Angeles would still have $6.5 million in dead cap for the 2023 season due to Floyd’s contract.

Floyd has 29 sacks and an interception over the past three seasons with the Rams. Floyd recorded 59 tackles and 9 sacks in 2022 for Los Angeles, but the Rams struggled and went 5-12.

Floyd is still productive, so he could be worth trading for, but he is scheduled to have a $22 million or more cap hits in each of the next two seasons. Floyd’s ideal destination is probably as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

Los Angeles signed Floyd to a four-year, $64 million contract after the 2020 NFL season. Floyd and Los Angeles won a Super Bowl in 2021.

Leonard Floyd of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Chicago Bears drafted Leonard Floyd with the No. 9 selection of the 2016 NFL draft. Chicago parted with Floyd in 2020 following after four years together.

Floyd has 47.5 career sacks and 338 career tackles in the NFL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Field Yates reported the details surrounding Floyd’s expected trade or release:

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Todd Gurley done playing football, but not officially retiring

Former Georgia Bulldogs star running back Todd Gurley is done playing football, per an interview with NFL Network.

Former Georgia Bulldogs star running back Todd Gurley is unlikely to play again in the NFL. Gurley has been reflective and thankful recently.

Gurley, who played five seasons for the Rams and one season for the Atlanta Falcons, is not officially retiring, but he says that he is done playing football.

Gurley made that clear in an interview with the NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano:

If this in the end for Todd Gurley, then he finishes his NFL career with 1,460 rushes for 6,082 rushing yards. Gurley found the end zone frequently during his NFL career. Gurley scored 79 total touchdowns during his six season NFL career and played in a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams.

Todd Gurley made three Pro Bowls during his NFL career. Unfortunately, he suffered from knee issues that limited him during his last years with the Rams and during the 2020 season with the Atlanta Falcons.

The former Georgia standout thanked numerous former NFL running backs via Twitter including former Georgia star Knowshon Moreno.

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Matthew Stafford signs enormous contract to stay with the Rams

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford signed a huge contract extension to remain with the team.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, Stafford is expected to remain with Los Angeles for a few more seasons.

Matthew Stafford, a former Georgia Bulldog, has signed a four-year, $160 million deal with the Rams. The deal features $135 million guaranteed. The 34-year-old Super Bowl champion is receiving a $60 million signing bonus.

Stafford is staying in Los Angeles just one year after the Rams traded two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and quarterback Jared Goff for him. It is safe to say that Los Angeles’ trade for Stafford paid off.

Stafford was the No. 1 pick out of Georgia in the 2009 NFL draft. He has already earned an incredible $239 million over his 13 season NFL career. Stafford has the fourth-highest career earnings of any player in NFL history. He only trails Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers.

Matthew Stafford is the first former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl in NFL history.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the contract details via Twitter:

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Twitter reacts: Matthew Stafford, former Georgia stars win Super Bowl

Los Angeles Rams Matthew Stafford long with fellow former Georgia Bulldogs got the job done late in the Super Bowl.

Los Angeles Rams Matthew Stafford got the job done late in the Super Bowl. He threw a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp with under two minutes left and the Rams never relinquished their lead from there on out.

Stafford along with fellow former Georgia Bulldog running back Sony Michel, linebacker Leonard Floyd, offensive assistant Nick Jones, and running back coach Thomas Brown helped the Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.

Matthew Stafford finished with 283 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. He overcame throwing two interceptions. Leonard Floyd sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and finished with five tackles.

Sony Michel finished with two carries for two yards. Now, Michel has two Super Bowl rings. The Rams struggled to run the football all night, but Matthew Stafford helped Los Angeles overcome their lackluster rushing performance.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Stafford and company winning the Super Bowl:

Stafford had an incredible no-look pass to help the Rams win:

Sony Michel will be a free agent this offseason:

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Matthew Stafford throws bomb TD pass in Rams’ debut

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a bomb touchdown pass to Van Jefferson in his Rams’ debut.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a bomb touchdown pass to Van Jefferson in his Rams’ debut. The Rams traded for Matthew Stafford to improve their deep passing.

Stafford, who played college football at the University of Georgia, played the first 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions. Stafford is a former No. 1 overall pick and has one of the strongest arms in the NFL.

The Los Angeles Rams traded two first-round picks, quarterback Jared Goff, and a third-round pick to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford this offseason.

Now, the trade is already paying off for Los Angeles. Stafford rolled out on a play-action pass on his first drive for Los Angeles. He found a wide-open Van Jefferson for a 67-yard touchdown.

Here’s a look at Stafford’s first touchdown for the Rams:

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Former UGA star J.R. Reed makes Los Angeles Rams roster

Former Georgia Bulldogs star defensive back J.R. Reed has made Los Angeles Rams roster.

Former Georgia Bulldogs star defensive back J.R. Reed has made Los Angeles Rams roster. Reed, a second-year safety, played in seven games for the Rams last season. He recorded a pair of tackles and played in the playoffs.

J.R. Reed will look to have a larger role for Los Angeles in 2021. For now, he is happy to make the Rams roster again.

Former UGA safety J.R. Reed did not get picked in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the moments following the draft. The Jaguars eventually cut Reed before the season. Later, he ended up in Los Angeles.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back J.R. Reed is on one of the top defenses in the NFL. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

J.R. Reed was impressive at Georgia, but his injury history and lack of top-level athleticism contributed to him going undrafted.

In 2021, J.R. Reed is expected to have a special teams role for the Rams. He is a backup at safety behind projected starters Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller. The Rams don’t play many starters during the preseason.

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Former UGA LB promoted to Los Angeles Rams’ roster

Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Natrez Patrick has been promoted to the roster for the Los Angeles Rams

Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Natrez Patrick has been promoted to the roster for the Los Angeles Rams. Patrick has played in 13 total games in his NFL career including one this season. He’s recorded two total tackles while playing primarily special teams snaps.

The Rams are off to a 2-0 start to the 2020 season and face the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. According the Rams’ official Twitter account, Los Angeles has signed Patrick to the 53-man roster from their practice squad. In a corresponding move, Los Angeles added offensive lineman Joe Noteboom to injured reserve.

Patrick, who is only 23 years old, played at Benjamin Elijah Mays High School in Atlanta, Georgia before committing and playing at the University of Georgia. Patrick played for four seasons at UGA before going undrafted to the Los Angeles Rams following the 2019 NFL Draft.

Patrick will look to carve out a larger role for Los Angeles during his second year with the team. He’ll have a multi-week opportunity with Notebook missing a minimum of three weeks.

August 17, 2019; Honolulu, HI, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush passes the football against Los Angeles Rams inside linebacker Natrez Patrick. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

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Former Georgia football RB Todd Gurley: “I got fired on my day off”

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Following rumors of the Los Angeles Rams’ intention to trade tailback Todd Gurley, the organization decided to cut the former Georgia Bulldog standout the day before the team would’ve been contractually obligated to pay their 2014 first-round draft pick another $10.5 million.

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination; Gurley will now be free to sign with the team of his choosing for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Gurley, now a free agent, is free to find his own best fit.

Gurley didn’t seem blindsided and took the news in stride.

Several former teammates and competitors (along with Bulldogs and Rams faithful) provided predictions as to how Gurley’s future could and should unfold in coming weeks.

Twitter reacts: former Georgia football RB Todd Gurley cut by Rams

Reporters, Gurley’s former teammates, former Georgia lettermen, and other Georgia fans took to twitter to make sense of the news.

Following rumors of the Los Angeles Rams’ intention to trade tailback Todd Gurley, the organization decided to cut the former Georgia Bulldog standout the day before the team would’ve been contractually obligated to pay their 2014 first-round draft pick another $10.5 million.

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination and now Gurley will be a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees.

Gurley, now a free agent, is free to sign with any NFL team of his choosing.

Reporters, Gurley’s former teammates, former foes, former Georgia lettermen, and other Georgia fans took to twitter to make sense of the news:

Los Angeles Rams release RB Todd Gurley

The Los Angeles Rams are releasing former Georgia Bulldog running back Todd Gurley. L.A. sought trades for Gurley, but couldn’t find one.

Todd Gurley is one the best running backs in the National Football League when healthy. Unfortunately for the Georgia Bulldog great, that pesky knee of Gurley’s has caused him issues, hindering his production and limiting his workload. In 2019, Gurley had career-lows in rushing yards (857) and attempts (223).

Now, the Los Angeles Rams are releasing Todd Gurley, their former first round pick. The official Rams Twitter account and ESPN’s Adam Schefter announced the news:

L.A. will save $10.5 million against the cap. The Rams failed to find a trade destination and now Gurley will be a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

Gurley was two years into a contract with the Los Angeles Rams that included a $21 million signing bonus and $45 million in guarantees. With reduced production and a substantial contract, it is not shocking that the Rams looked to trade RB Todd Gurley according to Michael Silver:

A year after making the Super Bowl, Los Angeles foundered to a 9-7 record. Head coach Sean McVay and the Rams are looking to improve, but they had to get creative since they have limited draft capital and cap room.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Gurley, since he’s been cut, will count for $20.15 million in dead money. The Rams are hampered for the future and were banking on Gurley. Hopefully, Gurley can return to form in time for the 2020 season.

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