Tag: michael brockers

Aaron Donald on Rams’ defensive free agents: ‘They’re guys that we need’

Aaron Donald went to bat for his fellow teammates who will hit free agency in March.

Having one of the best players in the NFL heap praise on you is great. Having him talk you up and vouch for you before hitting free agency is even better.

That’s exactly what Aaron Donald is doing for his teammates who are set to become free agents in March. Having played at least the last year and a half with Cory Littleton, Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler Jr., Donald is familiar with their games.

The Rams certainly won’t be able to keep all three, which will leave at least one gaping hole on the defense’s front seven. Donald would love to see them all return to Los Angeles, saying they’re players that the defense needs.

“I’m gonna try to keep my eye open and do my part if they ask me some questions, hopefully I can help with that. But these are guys that we need back that I feel can help this team to win,” he said last week. “They’re guys that have been productive on this team, helping us get into position to win. Hopefully these guys will be back on our team because I love playing with them. I think they push me, help me to be a better football player and I feel like they’re guys that we need.”

Brockers, Littleton and Fowler all had arguably the best seasons of their career. Littleton led the team in tackles (134), Fowler was second in sacks with 11.5 and Brockers recorded the most tackles in his career (63).

Brockers doesn’t typically put up big numbers, but Donald recognized him as one of the best run stoppers in the league.

“I think he’s one of the best run stoppers in the National Football League,” Donald said. “He’s been that way since I’ve been in the league watching him and playing with him. He don’t got the sack numbers but as far as production when it comes to stopping the run and doing his job, he’s been great at it. He’s one of the main reasons we’re able to do what we can in the run game and do a lot of things just with moving him and putting him in positions to help us.”

Littleton was snubbed for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, but he’s emerged as a top linebacker in the NFL. He’s the only player who had at least 130 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions this season and just the second player since 2016 with those numbers.

Donald said he’s “just a playmaker,” always finding himself near the ball and creating big plays.

“Making a lot of plays, always around the ball, trying to find ways to have the ball in his hands – if it’s just strips to interceptions, and he’s even getting his sack numbers up. So he’s just a guy that’s non-stop around the ball,” he said.

Littleton and Fowler will be especially difficult to replace, which likely makes them the top priorities in free agency. Whether the Rams keep the inside linebacker or the pass rusher will be a huge decision, one that will have a significant impact on the defense.

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Michael Brockers hoping Rams re-sign him: ‘I would love to be here’

Les Snead isn’t sure Michael Brockers will return in 2020, weighing the Rams’ options this offseason.

Michael Brockers has been a member of the Rams since he was drafted 14th overall in 2012. He’s one of the longest-tenured members of the team, having played 123 games in eight seasons.

He’s set to be a free agent in March, and as important a role as he’s played in recent years, Brockers may not be in the Rams’ plans for 2020 and beyond. He’s 29 years old and was making more than $11 million on his last three-year contract.

He won’t fetch that amount on his next deal, but he’s also not going to be as cheap as someone like Morgan Fox, who shared time with Brockers at defensive end toward the end of the season.

General manager Les Snead has a lot to work through in the coming months, and this week, he spoke specifically on Brockers’ situation.

“What’s his market moving forward? Can we afford that? Do we think he helps us?” Snead said about Brockers, via the team’s official site. “That’s where you got to get this passionate to 2021, 2022 however long we were to sign him. Is it best for us to allocate those resources to another position in our human being? That’s still yet to be determined.”

While there seems to be some doubt about where the Rams are headed with Brockers, there’s no question about what the veteran wants to do. He wants to remain in Los Angeles and help usher in a new era of Rams football when they move to SoFi Stadium next season.

“In my mind, (being) biased, I would love to be here,” Brockers said. “I’ve played the position, I’m comfortable here, comfortable with the coaching staff, comfortable with the standards we uphold here, but I understand it’s a business as well. Understanding that aspect, you never know.”

Brockers had a strong season in 2019, recording a career-high 63 tackles and posting three sacks. His nine quarterback hits were his second-most in a season, as well. He plays an important role, especially against the run, but money will of course be in the conversation; it’s possible Brockers can get more elsewhere.

Free agency opens in March, but the Rams can extend him before he hits the market. But with Cory Littleton, Andrew Whitworth and Dante Fowler Jr. also becoming free agents, Brockers isn’t the only priority.

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Michael Brockers gets good news on injured ankle heading into free agency

Michael Brockers only has a sprained ankle and won’t need surgery.

Michael Brockers very quietly had a good season for the Rams in 2019. He had a career-high 63 tackles, nine QB hits (second-most in career), three tackles for loss and three sacks, helping the run defense improve dramatically over the 2018 season.

His campaign ended on a sour note, though, when he was carted off the field in the second half of Sunday’s game against the Cardinals with an ankle injury. He couldn’t put any pressure on his left leg and was in obvious pain, which isn’t a sight any Rams fan wanted to see in the season finale.

Fortunately, the Rams shared some good news on the injury Tuesday after getting the results of his MRI. Brockers has a high ankle sprain and will not need surgery, which is a huge plus with him entering free agency this offseason.

Brockers is one of the longest-tenured players in Los Angeles and a fan favorite. The Rams don’t have a surefire replacement at defensive end for him if he leaves, so they’d probably like to bring him back in 2020. With limited cap space and other players still to pay, the Rams may not be able to afford the veteran defensive lineman.

Brockers just turned 29 in December so he still has plenty of good football left in him.

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Michael Brockers carted off with apparent left leg injury

Brockers is in the final year of his contract with the Rams.

Michael Brockers is in his eighth and possibly last season with the Rams, and this isn’t the way he’s hoping to end the 2019 campaign. He suffered a left leg injury in the fourth quarter and appeared to be badly hurt.

He couldn’t put any pressure on his leg and needed to be carted off the field.

Brockers has been the Rams’ starting defensive end the last three years after moving from defensive tackle. He’s been a key cog on the left side of the defensive line, stuffing the run consistently.

Instant analysis of Rams’ 44-21 loss to the Cowboys

The Rams’ season is likely over after a devastating blowout loss in Dallas.

The Los Angeles Rams traveled to Dallas riding a two-game win streak after thrashing the Seattle Seahawks last week. They faced a Cowboys team that had lost four of their last five games and hadn’t beaten a team with a winning record all season. It seemed like we were trending towards an easy victory for the Rams.

Quite the opposite happened. The Rams were lifeless on both sides of the ball and Dallas cruised to an easy 44-21 victory. Dallas totaled nearly 500 total yards on offense and made Jared Goff’s as difficult as possible on defense. The loss makes it nearly impossible for the Rams to make the playoffs and doesn’t mean much for the Cowboys’ playoff implications.

The Rams lost control of the football game in the second quarter and failed to get back into it. They didn’t look like they belonged in the same league as the Cowboys. It was the second time in the Rams’ last four games that they were dismantled on both sides of the ball.

Here’s our analysis of the likely season-ending loss.

Player of the game: Johnny Hekker

It says a lot about a blowout loss when the punter is the player of the game. Hekker felt like the only Ram who was trying on Sunday. Hekker punted five times and averaged over 55 yards per punt. One punt went for 67 yards and another pinned the Cowboys at their own three yard line. He even completed a pass for a first down. Hekker gave both the offense and the defense chances to succeed on Sunday.

Stat of the game: 143

143 was the difference in offensive yards between the Rams and Cowboys in the second quarter. The Cowboys scored a touchdown on all three of their possessions in the quarter. The Rams were lifeless on both sides of the ball after a touchdown early in the quarter, and Goff threw a brutal interception that set the Cowboys up for a touchdown late in the quarter. The game, and the season as a result, fell apart in that second quarter.

Game Notes

  • This has to be the ugliest performance by the Rams all season. The Ravens are the best team in the NFL, and getting manhandled by them could be more of a result of them just being that good. The Cowboys have been lifeless over the past few weeks. it’s embarrassing that the Rams were the ones who looked lifeless in this game.
  • Jared Goff failed to receive much protection from his offensive line and played horrible as a result. Goff has proven that he can play at a high level in this league, but it feels like he needs a perfect offense around him to do so. It is worth noting that Goff suffered a hand injury late in the second quarter and looked visibly affected by it. That being said, he wasn’t playing great before the injury, and he was able to make some solid throws in garbage time.
  • Tyler Higbee’s hot streak continued this week. Higbee set a career high in receptions with 12 and had over 100/yards for the third straight week. If Higbee plays like this for the duration of his recent contract extension, he’ll be worth the money.
  • Former Ram Tavon Austin’s 59 yard touchdown early in the second quarter was a direct result of two mistakes by the Rams. Early in the play, Dante Fowler had a chance to sack Dak Prescott and failed. Down the field, Taylor Rapp collided with Darious Williams and left Austin wide open as a result.
  • The Rams also had a chance to hold the Cowboys to three points after Goff’s second quarter interception, but Michael Brockers was called for illegal use of the hands after a third down stop and the Cowboys scored a touchdown on the next play. The Rams never recovered.
  • Starting cornerback Troy Hill left the game in the first quarter with a thumb injury. Darious Williams stepped in as a result, and didn’t do much to impress at all. It was a disastrous performance by the Rams on defense. Hill’s absence was felt, but it seems unlikely the Rams win this game with him.
  • The stats will look a little deceiving today, as many of the Rams padded their stats in garbage time. The Rams had 135 yards and two touchdowns on their last two drives of the game. They were empty numbers.
  • To make the playoffs, the Rams need to win their remaining games against San Francisco and Arizona while the Minnesota Vikings have to lose their last two games against Green Bay and Chicago. Neither scenario is likely. Barring a miracle, the Rams won’t be playing in January.

 

Watch: Michael Brockers was mic’d up and dying for a sack vs. Cards

Michael Brockers wanted a sack so badly – and he got one … sort of.

Michael Brockers is more of a run defender than a pass rusher for the Rams, playing the defensive end position in their 3-4 scheme. Still, he has three sacks and nine quarterback hits this season, which are both more than double his totals in 2018.

He had a half-sack against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, a game in which he was mic’d up. In the second half, after the Rams had already sacked Kyler Murray five times, Brockers was desperate to get one of his own.

He nearly did, splitting a sack with Aaron Donald in the third quarter. It all unfolded on the video below and it’s hilarious.

Brockers is a leader in the locker room and on the sidelines, and it’s easy to see why in the above video. He’s the longest-tenured player on the team and has been through all the ups and downs in St. Louis and Los Angeles, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance last season.

he’s as entertaining as he is productive, recording 23 career sacks and 334 tackles.

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