Tag: Rams Football

How Matthew Stafford’s positive injury update impacts Stetson Bennett

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Stafford has an update on a hamstring injury he suffered in practice.

It’s always scary seeing your starting quarterback get injured and Rams fans had to experience that fear seeing Matthew Stafford leave the Los Angeles Rams’ joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys early. Stafford was dealing with hamstring tightness.

Fortunately, it appears to be minor, as head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Stafford is expected to return to practice next week.

The Rams won’t play Stafford any preseason snaps considering his comfort level in his fourth year in the Rams offense. Los Angeles’ next preseason game is against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Regardless, it’s a sigh of relief for Rams fans and even Georgia Bulldogs fans that keep track of alumni in the NFL. Those in the latter camp will still have a former Bulldog to watch, as Stetson Bennett, along with Jimmy Garoppolo, will be sharing the snaps in this matchup vs. the Chargers at 7:05 p.m. ET today. Bennett is expected to play a lot of snaps tonight, but with Stafford returning to practice, he will get less practice reps in after the Chargers game.

Stetson Bennett returns to practice for the Los Angeles Rams

Watch as former Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett returns to practice with the Los Angeles Rams

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett has returned to practice for the Los Angeles Rams. Bennett along with fellow Los Angeles quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo and Dresser Winn are  suited up for organized team activities that began Monday.

The Rams are closely watching Bennett in OTAs. Bennett was Los Angeles’ backup quarterback entering the 2023 season before he was placed on the non-football injury/illness list.

“Bennett is competing to be the Rams’ No. 3 quarterback behind Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo, and he could be needed in the first two weeks of the season when Garoppolo is suspended,” said Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. “Sean McVay will likely share an update on Bennett’s participation and any progress he’s made entering Year 2.”

Here’s a look at Bennett as he returned to practice for OTAs.

Stetson Bennett will have an opportunity to be the Rams’ backup quarterback for the first two weeks of the season as long as he can win the No. 3 quarterback role.

 

Former UGA RB Thomas Brown ruptured achilles, plays it cool

Rams running back coach, Georgia great Thomas Brown ruptured his achilles and didn’t even flinch when walking off the field. Details here

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Friday that former Georgia running back Thomas Brown, now running backs coach for the Los Angeles Rams, recently ruptured his achilles in practice and then walked off the field as if nothing happened.

Brown is Georgia tough, a ruptured achilles is a serious injury and the fact that he walked off the field without even a flinch is impressive.

Brown rushed for 2,646 yards and 23 touchdowns during his time in Athens (2004-2007).

Brown has coached running backs across the country, including Wisconsin, Miami and Marshall.

He was most recently running backs coach at South Carolina before taking the job with the Rams this year

—

Make sure you’re caught up for the game of the year, No. 3 Georgia at No. 2 Alabama in a battle for king of the SEC.

We breakdown everything you need to know for the game in this week’s episode of the UGA Football Live podcast, featuring special guest Keith Marshall. Listen here:

 

Terrell Lewis recovers from COVID-19, activated by Rams

Former Alabama outside linebacker Terrell Lewis is being activated off the reserve list by the Rams after recovering from COVID-19.

During the first episode of the hit HBO series “Hard Knocks”, it was revealed that Terrell Lewis had gone on the reserve/COVID-19 list because he had contracted the coronavirus.

It was unfortunate news for the former Alabama outside linebacker, but there’s good news for Lewis — and the Los Angeles Rams, who drafted him in the third-round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

According to the official Twitter for the Rams, Lewis was activated from the reserve list on Friday morning as the team continues to work towards its opening game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 13.

It’s good to see Lewis be able to get back on the field so quickly. After dealing with multiple injuries throughout his career at Alabama, the 6-foot-5, 262-pound edge player needs every rep possible if he wants to make an impact during Year 1.

There is only one other player on the Rams roster heading into 2020, and that’s former defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. Unfortunately, Robinson is currently listed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. He’s currently out indefinitely.

Stay tuned for more NFL updates on former Crimson Tide players from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

A’Shawn Robinson lands free agent deal with NFC West team

Former Alabama standout A’Shawn Robinson is signing with a NFC West team, which means he’ll now be in the same division as Jarran Reed.

A’Shawn Robinson has been a steady contributor along the defensive front for the Detroit Lions ever since they drafted him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Now, it looks like the former Alabama defensive lineman will be taking his talents to Los Angeles.

On Wednesday night, Tom Pelissero with NFL.com tweeted that Robinson would be signing a two-year, $17 million deal with the Rams:

Following a successful career with the Crimson Tide from 2013-15, Robinson was expected to be a first-round pick. After the 6-foot-4, 330-pound presence fell to Detroit at No. 46 overall, a lot of draft pundits considered it a steal.

And while Robinson has only produced five sacks in four seasons, he’s still considered a young, steady player who can, at the very least, be a productive early-down run defender.

That idea is exactly why the Rams decided to sign the former five-star prospect, especially after starting defensive lineman Michael Brockers signed a contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

Robinson will only be 25 years old this upcoming season, so there should continue to be plenty of tread on the tires as Los Angeles continues to push for another Super Bowl run.

Stay tuned for more updates on former Alabama players who are signing free agent deals with new NFL teams!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Former Georgia LB Leonard Floyd signs with new NFL team

Per a report, former Georgia OLB Leonard Floyd has signed with a new NFL team just one day after being released by the Chicago Bears.

Just one day after being released by the Chicago Bears, former Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd had found a new home.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Floyd and the Los Angeles Rams have agreed on a one-year, $10m fully guaranteed deal that can go as high as $13.5m through incentives.

This comes after the Rams lost their star pass rusher Dante Fowler in free agency — Fowler, who had 11.5 sacks in 2019, reportedly signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday according to Ian Rapoport.

Floyd, who played for Georgia from 2013-15, was the No. 9 overall pick by the Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft.

The tall and lanky 27-year-old out of Eastman, Georgia, has played for the Bears for all four years of his professional career. Floyd has played for the new Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who coached the outside linebackers in Chicago from 2017-18.

He struggled to stay healthy during his first two seasons in the NFL, playing in just 22 games. His rookie season, Floyd recorded 7 sacks. Since, he has not had a season with more than 4.5 sacks.

He has compiled 153 total tackles and 18.5 sacks throughout his career.

Congrats to Floyd his new big money contract.

Two former Georgia football players/coaches leave South Carolina for NFL

Two former Georgia football players and coaches have left South Carolina to coach in the NFL.

Two coaches are leaving the South Carolina program to take NFL coaching jobs.

Both of those coaches happen to be guys who played and coached at the University of Georgia.

Thomas Brown, who played running back at Georgia from 2004-07, has joined the Los Angeles Rams staff as the running backs coach, where he will coach former Dawg Todd Gurley.

Related: Thomas Brown hired to Rams

And Bryan McClendon, who caught passes in Athens from 2002-05, will be joining the Steelers staff as receivers coach.

Related: Report: Former Georgia WR Bryan McClendon hired to Steelers

After their collegiate playing careers, both players returned to Georgia to coach shortly after testing out the NFL.

McClendon coached the running backs and receivers in Athens from 2009-2015, after spending two seasons as a grad assistant at Georgia.

Brown coached at Georgia in 2011 as a strength coach and then came back in 2015 to coach the running backs, which at the time was Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

Both ended up on the same staff at South Carolina under none other than former Georgia defensive back Will Muschamp, who is head coach of the Gamecocks.

Georgia ties run deep.

Two former Georgia football running backs team up on LA Rams

The Los Angeles Rams have hired another former Georgia football running back to help improve the teams’ ball carrier position.

The Los Angeles Rams have added another former Georgia running back, but this time as a member of the coaching staff.

Thomas Brown, who played running back at Georgia from 2004-07, has been hired by the Rams to coach the running backs in Los Angeles.

That includes Todd Gurley, Georgia’s superstar back from 2012-14.

Brown last worked as South Carolina’s running backs coach in 2019 and was also Miami’s offensive coordinator from 2016-2018.

In 2015, he was Georgia’s running backs coach as well, one year after Gurley left for the NFL.

Though Brown never coached Gurley in Athens, the two of them are close friends, said Bruce Feldman, who first reported the news.

Both coached by Mark Richt, Brown (4 seasons) and Gurley (3 seasons) are two of the best backs to wear the red and black this century. During Brown’s career, he rushed for 2,646 yards and 23 touchdowns on 529 touches. Gurley’s career saw him rush for 3,285 yards on 510 carries. He also added 36 touchdowns.

Todd Gurley not a fan of his recent play being labeled ‘vintage’

Georgia football great and LA Rams superstar RB Todd Gurley is not a fan of his play being called “vintage Todd” by his QB Jared Goff.

The Los Angeles Rams have been doing what they should have done for the past year: feeding their all-pro running back.

Todd Gurley’s knee and his lack of playing time has been one of the most talked about head-scratchers since the Rams’ Super Bowl loss to the Patriots where Gurley was basically irrelevant.

This season, Gurley has been used, but significantly less than one would expect from a player of his caliber.

Until recently, that is. The past few weeks, head coach Sean McVay has been feeding his workhorse the rock and letting Gurley get after it. When healthy, there may not be anybody better at carrying the football than the Georgia great.

Last week, in a win over the Seattle Seahawks, Gurley scored a touchdown that featured an absolutely nasty stiff arm.

When referencing Gurley’s recent level of play and when discussing the above stiff arm, Rams quarterback Jared Goff referred to the run as “vintage Todd.”

That did not sit well with Gurley.

“Sounds like I suck and then made a good play,” Gurley said when mentioning the “vintage” label. “Not my first time stiff-arming nobody. Just a regular stiff-arm.”

Also, since Gurley has seen decreased playing time, he has been nothing but cool about it in the media. He would often make remarks noting that it’s a team sport and that the best players play.

From this quote below, I sense he’s done with that.

He knows what he’s capable of and he knows the team benefits when he touches the ball 25 times a game.

“You don’t really have to explain too much,” Gurley said, via Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times. “You see the results over the last couple of years, when you’re running the ball, stuff is going well, stuff is opening up, so it’s like, not too much really to explain.”

For McVay, if he wants any shot at making the playoffs this season, a goal they are close to accomplishing, he knows what needs to be done.

Prepare for big Gurley numbers down the stretch.