Tag: playing time

Rams Week 14 snap counts: Corum’s playing time limited, Atwell’s role grows

Blake Corum had eight carries but he only played 13 snaps, seeing limited playing time after a breakout game against the Saints

Blake Corum enjoyed a breakout performance in Week 13 where he carried it eight times for 42 yards and played a season-high 32% of the offensive snaps. It seemed like a sign of things to come, and while he did carry it eight times against the Bills on Sunday, his playing time was once again limited.

Granted, the Rams were humming on offense so it’s understandable that Sean McVay used what was working, but it might be in the team’s best interest to take some of the wear and tear off of Kyren Williams with the playoffs approaching.

Here’s a look at the full snap counts on offense and defense from the Rams’ wild 44-42 win over Buffalo on Sunday afternoon.

Offense

Williams played 83% of the snaps on Sunday, which only left 17% for Corum. It’s not overly concerning for the rookie running back, especially considering Williams was excellent in pass protection when called upon and Corum still got eight carries, but it was a drop from his season-high of 32% last week.

At wide receiver, it was much of the same at the top with Cooper Kupp (83%) and Puka Nacua (77%) leading the position group in snap share. Demarcus Robinson played 61% despite exiting with a shoulder injury. That opened the door for Tutu Atwell, whose role already grew in Week 13 when he played 39% of the snaps. He played 45% on Sunday and caught three passes for 45 yards. Tyler Johnson only played 16 snaps and Jordan Whittington played 10 snaps but neither was targeted.

At tight end, Colby Parkinson has reestablished himself as the TE1 with a 48% snap share. Davis Allen was second with a share of 29% and Hunter Long played 23%. Parkinson was the only Rams tight end to catch a pass in the game, an 11-yard dump-off in the fourth quarter.

Defense

While the Rams typically have four players who play 100% of the defensive snaps, Quentin Lake was the only one on Sunday. Cobie Durant suffered a lung contusion that limited his snaps, while Darious Williams missed two snaps and Kamren Curl missed four.

Kamren Kinchens played 78% of the snaps as the fifth defensive back, which allows Lake to play in the slot. Jaylen McCollough played 40% of the snaps, mostly in dime sets, with Ahkello Witherspoon filling in for six plays in the secondary.

At inside linebacker, Christian Rozeboom led the way with an 80% snap share, followed by Omar Speights, who played 60%. Jake Hummel got on the field for two defensive snaps.

Jared Verse had a slightly lighter workload with a 75% snap share after previously playing at least 80% in most games. That could be due to the ankle injury he suffered in practice. Byron Young played 87% of the snaps and Michael Hoecht played 60%, so it was mostly par for the course in that position group.

Along the defensive line, Kobie Turner played 75% of the snaps, seven snaps more than Braden Fiske (63%). The Rams rotated their other linemen pretty often, with Bobby Brown III (25%), Neville Gallimore (25%), Desjuan Johnson (22%) and Tyler Davis (18%) all playing at least 11 snaps.

Rams snap counts: Playing time breakdown in Week 1 vs. Lions

The Rams were banged up in their season opener, missing several key starters. The snap counts show how they adjusted against the Lions.

It didn’t take very long for the Los Angeles Rams’ depth to be tested this season. They were forced to play several backups in the opener against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, including three along the offensive line alone.

Injuries have hit this team hard already and Sean McVay did a good job adapting on both sides of the ball. They were missing their starting left tackle, backup left tackle and starting right tackle, as well as their starting left guard, cornerback and wide receiver at points in the game.

Though the Rams didn’t come away with a win over the Lions, they did push Detroit to the brink in an overtime loss.

Here’s how the playing time broke down on each side of the ball, with notes about each position group – including running back, where Kyren Williams is very clearly still the top option.

Offense

Only five players on offense played every offensive snap, just three of which were linemen. That’s because Joe Noteboom and Steve Avila both suffered injuries and had to leave the game, as did Puka Nacua. Noteboom played 27 snaps, Nacua played 25 and Avila played 37.

In Noteboom’s place, A.J. Arcuri played 65% of the snaps. Beaux Limmer stepped in for Avila and played 53%, and Tyler Johnson was elevated into a more prominent role with a 65% snap share.

At running back, it’s clear who the starter still is: it’s Kyren Williams. He played 71 of a possible 78 snaps, with Ronnie Rivers playing the other seven snaps. Blake Corum did not see the field on offense, interestingly enough.

Colby Parkinson had been the top tight end all offseason but he has a strong grip on that role after one week. He played 88% of the snaps compared to 8% for Davis Allen and 4% for Hunter Long.

Despite Nacua missing most of the game, Tutu Atwell was still a complete non-factor. He played just six snaps and wasn’t targeted once, sitting fifth on the depth chart right now. Jordan Whittington played just two snaps and would’ve scored a touchdown on a jet sweep if not for a holding penalty.

Defense

It was a similarly small rotation of players on defense for the Rams. Only 12 players were on the field for more than half of the defensive snaps, with just 13 players in total playing at least 11 snaps in the loss.

Quentin Lake, Troy Reeder, Tre’Davious White and Kamren Curl were the only four players on the field for all 61 defensive plays. Sean McVay didn’t say who wore the green dot as the signal caller but based on photos from the game, it was Reeder who relayed calls from Chris Shula to the rest of the defense.

Christian Rozeboom played significantly more than expected, staying on the field 74% of the time. That’s partly because the Rams only leaned on two cornerbacks: White and Cobie Durant. Lake was the nickel defender and John Johnson was on the field 62% of the time as the deep safety next to Curl.

Jared Verse and Braden Fiske both played significant snaps in their debuts. Fiske was out there 77% of the time and Verse played 70%, so they didn’t come off the field much. Michael Hoecht was the only other edge rusher to rotate in, playing 49% of the snaps.

Kobie Turner’s stamina was excellent for a defensive lineman, playing 92% of the snaps up front. Bobby Brown III played 61% as the nose tackle, with Tyler Davis playing 11 snaps and Neville Gallimore playing just four snaps.

Chargers 2023 roster review: WR Joshua Palmer

Joshua Palmer put together an impressive 2022 campaign, but will be pushed for playing time in 2023.

The 2023 season is just a month away, and with weeks of dead time during the quietest part of the NFL offseason, Chargers Wire is endeavoring to document each of Los Angeles’ players before the start of the team’s training camp.

The Chargers spent a good chunk of time without Keenan Allen and Mike Williams with their respective injuries last season. That led to Justin Herbert relying on lesser-known targets, highlighted by Joshua Palmer.

Palmer finished with 72 receptions for 769 yards. Weeks 9 and 11 were his biggest games, amassing 106 receiving yards in each contest. He established himself as a reliable target for Herbert.

This season, Palmer’s target share will take a dip with the addition of Quentin Johnston. But he is one injury away from resuming a more prominent role. Looking beyond 2023, if Allen or Williams isn’t back, Palmer should be a starter.

Contract (2023): $1,117,460 base salary, $254,919 prorated bonus, $1,372,379 cap hit.

Acquired: Palmer was taken in the third round with the 77th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft after playing collegiately at the University of Tennessee.

Quote: Wide receivers coach Chris Beatty on Palmer:

“He had 70-plus catches last year and really played every position. If Keenan was out, he was Keenan. If Mike was out, he was Mike. If both were in, then he had to adjust his game that way. He had some huge games, I think he had three 100-yard games for us last year and I think he made some big plays and really carried us in the second Kansas City game here at home. He’s got the ability to be fluid because he does have some Mike in his game with his size, but he’s got some Keenan with his twitchiness.”

Highlight:

Randy Gregory biggest benefactor to Cowboys’ decision to let Aldon Smith walk

Randy Gregory saw action in 10 games last season with no starts. Now, with the departure of Aldon Smith he’ll likely be a full-time starter.

The speculation has come to an end. After previous rumblings of the Dallas Cowboys having an interest in bringing back Aldon Smith in 2021 getting walked back, the former All-Pro signed with the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year deal. Losing Smith hurts the Cowboy’s rotation on the defensive line, but it also creates an opportunity for others to step up.

Guys like Dorance Armstrong, Bradlee Anae, free-agent signing Tarell Basham and ERFA retainee Ron’Dell Carter should be chomping at the bit with the possibility of increased roles. However, the departure of Smith opens up a huge chance for someone higher on the depth chart to see more action, and that’s Randy Gregory.

The Cowboys second-round pick in 2015 logged 271 defensive snaps in 2020. After just six snaps in his first game back in Week 7 against the Washington Football Team, Gregory registered at least 29 snaps in six of the final nine games he appeared in, and he made them all count.

Gregory finished with 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 12 quarterback hits which were his second-highest totals in all three categories since entering the NFL. Also, he added three forced fumbles, the most he’s had in any season.

The former Nebraska Cornhusker now has the green light to become the top option at right defensive end opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. With only 28 games of NFL wear and tear on his body, Gregory shouldn’t have any problem shouldering the load and maximizing the immense talent that made him one of the most sought-after pass rushers coming from the collegiate ranks.

After a near two-year hiatus from actual game action, Gregory looked great in 2020. With an increased role and a full offseason to get himself prepared, he’ll have more opportunities to cause havoc on the right edge. If he’s successful, it could open up things on the left side for DeMarcus Lawrence who won’t see as many double teams. This will also help the interior of the Cowboys defensive line because they’ll see more one-on-one opportunities with so much attention being paid to the outside pass rush.

The Cowboys had arguably the worst defense in its history last season. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn mentioned in January that he was looking to establish significant roles for players with unique aspects to their game. With that being said, he should look for every way possible to unleash Gregory which would increase the Cowboy’s chances of having a respectable defense to match their high-powered offense.

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Which Texas Longhorns played the most snaps in 2020?

The Texas Longhorns season is now complete. We break down which players saw the field the most in 2020 by position group.

Recently we looked at the top graded performances of each side of the ball plus the top graded performances by the team. Here we will focus on who played the most snaps in 2020 for each position group starting with the offense. Which running back saw the most playing time? Which wide receivers and defensive lineman were on top of the rotations? We break it all down for you.

Snap Counts by Position on Offense

Ricardo B. Brazziell-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Quarterbacks

Player Year Snaps
Sam Ehlinger Senior 685
Casey Thompson RS-Sophomore 49
Hudson Card Freshman 17
Ben Ballard RS-Freshman 4

The Running Backs

Roschon Johnson Sophomore 117
Bijan Robinson Freshman 115
Keaontay Ingram Junior 76
Gabriel Watson Senior 11
Jarrett Smith RS-Sophomore 6

The Wide Receivers

Joshua Moore RS-Sophomore 506
Brennan Eagles Junior 411
Jake Smith Sophomore 282
Tarik Black Senior 171
Brenden Schooler Senior 157
Al’Vonte Woodard Sophomore 142
Jordan Whittington Sophomore 141
Kai Money Sophomore 128
Marcus Washington Sophomore 103
Kelvontay Dixon Freshman 31

The Tight Ends

Cade Brewer Senior 477
Jared Wiley Sophomore 286
Malcolm Epps Junior 98
Brayden Liebrock Sophomore 33

The Offensive Line

Junior Angilau RS-Sophomore 723
Christian Jones RS-Sophomore 723
Denzel Okafor Senior 662
Derek Kerstetter Senior 635
Samuel Cosmi RS-Junior 605
Jake Majors Freshman 147
Andrej Karic Freshman 106
Tyler Johnson RS-Freshman 64
Rafiti Ghirmai RS-Sophomore 34
Tope Imade Senior 32

Next up the defense.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

4 Chiefs players who deserve more playing time after the bye week

These four players for the Kansas City Chiefs need to see the field more often after the bye week.

The Kansas City Chiefs are on a Week 10 bye, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hard at work. The coaching staff in Kansas City are all reviewing the tape from the season and doing self-evaluations of their respective units. They’re looking at what the team can do to improve following the bye week. Some of that improvement will occur on the scheme side of things, but fans can expect to see some personnel changes moving forward too.

With that in mind, here’s a look at four players who deserve more playing time after the bye week:

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo explains Willie Gay Jr.’s lack of playing time

Why hasn’t the rookie linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs seen more playing time?

When the Kansas City Chiefs added Willie Gay Jr. with the No. 63 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, fans expected that he’d add an infusion of athleticism to linebacker corp right away. His 4.46-second 40-yard dash and 39.5-inch vertical jump at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine made him one of the most athletic linebackers in the entire class.

The narrative surrounding Gay’s potential role within the K.C. defense was quickly defused when we learned he’d be working behind Damien Wilson at the SAM and BUCK linebacker positions. So far through two games, Gay Jr. has played just six defensive snaps due to brief injury absences by Wilson and Anthony Hitchens. Meanwhile, several Chiefs rookies like L’Jarius Sneed, Mike Danna and Tershawn Wharton have been getting a bounty of snaps for the defense.

On Friday, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was asked about what Gay has to do to see more snaps.

“About Willie, we always have hopes of playing as many guys as we can,” Spagnuolo said. “Matt House does a great job with Willie, Matt and Britt (Reid). I think he’s progressed really well. You know, you have guys in there that are a little more experienced. The position that he plays, there are some adjustments that you have to go through. He’ll find his way in there. We’re hopeful to continue to add on plays and reps in practice and then find his way into the game.”

It doesn’t sound like Spagnuolo is anticipating a natural increase in defensive snaps for Gay anytime soon. He’ll have to earn it with what he’s able to show on the practice field. Otherwise, he’ll have to wait for an injury to see time on defense.

There was some thought that he could see a bigger role after Dorian O’Daniel had a day off from practice on Friday due to a knee injury. O’Daniel is someone who could spy Ravens QB Lamar Jackson in Week 3. O’Daniel was back at practice on Saturday according to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor. If O’Daniel were unable to go on Monday, it just doesn’t sound like Gay has the trust of the defensive coaching staff to take on that specific role.

Right now, it feels like Gay’s best chance at seeing the field and make an impact seems to be on special teams. Through two weeks he has 34 snaps on special teams and last week he had a punt deflection.

“Yeah, his job out there on that left end spot is to rush the slot first, make sure it’s not a fake and then rush the punter,” Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub told reporters on Friday. “The slot tried to cut him, so he knew he wasn’t going to go out for a pass, so he turned it into a rush immediately. When he rushed, he did a nice job of getting his hand on the ball. Now, he didn’t block it, it was more of a deflection. When the ball goes past the line of scrimmage, it’s a deflected punt, it’s still a live punt. I wish he would’ve gotten a little more of the ball and it would’ve stayed on the other side and considered a block. The effort was great, he caused a bad punt, they had a bad net on the play. It definitely was a positive play and good for him. He keeps getting better and better each week. Every week, every practice, he gets better and better.”

If you look at players like Ben Niemann and Dorian O’Daniel, who are both getting increased playing time in the defense, they have something in common. They both started with primary roles on special teams before seeing time on defense. That seems to be where the Chiefs get their linebackers developed and ready to play. If Gay can continue to make plays on special teams, he’ll be that much closer to finally seeing playing time on the defensive side of the ball.

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Washington Week 2 snap counts: Antonio Gibson leads the way for RBs

Antonio Gibson and Kamren Curl are two rookies who are getting a lot more playing time, which could mean big things for Washington.

It wasn’t quite the game that we were hoping to see from Washington on Sunday afternoon in a 30-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but the outcome probably more accurately presents who this team is, rather than the massive comeback victory we saw a week ago against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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We saw a few good things on the field, and unfortunately a lot of bad. However, our eyes never tell the full story, and we often need to dive into the stat book afterward and figure out what went right, and what went wrong. Let’s break down both sides of the ball, starting with the offense.

Washington Offensive Snap Counts

The only thing that kept the starting offensive line from playing 100 percent of snaps was Brandon Scherff’s injury, which came just before the half. Outside of him, though, the front line was consistent, and they played decently, aside from a few missed blocks on the left side from Geron Christian and Wes Martin.

Here are some major takeaways from those snap counts:

  • Antonio Gibson out-snapped the other RBs by a large margin, receiving 14 more snaps than the next highest, J.D. McKissic.
  • What happened to Peyton Barber? After leading the way in snap counts a week ago, Barber was on the field for just one play during the entire game on Sunday.
  • Terry McLaurin and Steven Sims are clearly the top 2 WRs in Washington, with Dontrelle Inman coming in third.

Washington Defensive Snap Counts

The secondary in Washington is consistently on the field, if not consistently good in coverage. The starting lineup has shown an ability to stay on the field thus far, and things will only get better once Kendall Fuller is cleared to return.

Here are some major takeaways from the defensive snap counts:

  • Kevin Pierre-Louis and Jon Bostic are clearly the top two linebackers in this defense. We’ll see where Cole Holcomb slots in once he returns, but those two are the starting core.
  • What happened to Thomas Davis? He was not listed on the injury report ahead of the game, so we all expected him to make his Washington debut. However, he didn’t play a single snap on the day.
  • The defensive line is still going through a heavy rotation, but Chase Young still leads the way among them all.
  • Rookie FS Kamren Curl is getting more playing time, and he is starting to get more comfortable, as well. Keep an eye on that as the questions about Troy Apke’s ability continue to swirl.

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