Tag: rams news

What does the future of the Rams’ offensive line look like?

Despite spending over $90 million on offensive linemen this offseason, there are questions about the future of that group for the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams’ offensive line has been a point of pride for the franchise throughout its entire history. Hall of Famers Orlando Pace, Jackie Slater, Bob Brown, Tom Mack, and potential future Hall of Famer Andrew Whitworth have preserved a longstanding tradition of dominance along the line of scrimmage.

But the state of the Rams’ offensive line in 2024 is a far cry from the days of old. Resting in a state of uncertainty and inconsistent play, the future for the five men up front remains bleak.

Tackles Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein have held up strong but Jackson is in a contract year and Havenstein will be 33 years old at the start of next season, the last year on his deal. Both men may have different futures in football but they share the same cloudiness when it comes to who they will play for next season.

The problem is that the Rams can not afford to lose either of them. The Rams’ offensive line is even more brittle than they already are when either of them misses time and the capital it will take to replace them would be more than it would take to renew their deals. A replacement may also yield poor results.

So both Jackson’s and Havenstein’s agents have serious leverage in contract negotiations, which could leave a dent in the team’s wallet. However, the situation with the tackles is a cakewalk compared to the mess on the interior offensive line.

The Rams signed Jonah Jackson to a three-year, $51 million deal in free agency this offseason. They also re-signed Kevin Dotson to a three-year, $48 million extension. Steve Avila is on a four-year rookie deal worth about $9.2 million and Beaux Limmer is on a four-year rookie deal worth about $4.1 million. All four men are under contract until at least the end of the 2026 season.

That’s over $110 million committed to an interior offensive line unit that has contributed to an extensive display of poor pass protection. With pressure primarily coming from the inside, the Rams have given up 25 quarterback hits in the past four games.

So that begs the question: What is the solution? There really isn’t one. When the Rams signed Jonah Jackson, the thought was that Avila would move to center. Avila played the position at several points during his collegiate career so the move in theory would be simple. It wasn’t. It was a failure and through injuries, Beaux Limmer became the starter.

Limmer is a rookie and plays like one. Yes, Limmer has shown good potential and has thrived in the run game but he recorded a 5.2 pass-blocking grade from PFF on Sunday. That’s out of 100. To bench Limmer now,  however, would ruin his development but keeping him in means exposing Matthew Stafford to even more damaging punishment.

The bigger question is that out of Avila, Dotson and Jonah Jackson, who will be the odd man out when all three are healthy? Currently, it’s Jackson but he’s the most expensive player out of three. Plus, he was promised the guard job when he signed.

But for Avila, if he gets benched, he would be within his rights to request a trade. He’s in the second year of his rookie deal and if he wants to see a big second contract, he’ll need playing time. Plus, he was drafted to be a guard, the position he was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and PFWA All-Rookie Team selection at.

Financially, the answer is to cut Dotson. He and Jackson have similar deals, Dotson is a bit older and he would save the Rams a little over $12 million in cap space. The problem is that cutting Dotson would be one of the worst football decisions of GM Les Snead’s career. Dotson is playing at an All-Pro level, he’s started in every game since week three of the 2023 season and he’s on a very short list of players that the team can not touch. So that begs the question, what do the Rams do?

They could cut Jackson as he offers similar cap relief but that would also mean letting go of a Pro Bowl-caliber player and admitting that his signing was a failure. They could trade Avila but that would mean getting rid of a burgeoning star in the prime of his career while on a cheap contract. The other choice is to bench Limmer. If done, benching Limmer would severely damage the development of a player who has a 50-50 shot of being the centerpiece of the offensive line for the next decade.

If the team doesn’t make a move, they’ll be on the hook for a ton of money, while also having to negotiate potential deals for Havenstein, Alaric Jackson and/or their replacements.

A tough decision lies before Snead but inaction could lead to growing resentment in the locker room and the last thing this offensive line needs is another reason to not be on the same page.

Matthew Stafford suffered ankle sprain vs. Saints but is not expected to miss time

Matthew Stafford sprained his ankle on Sunday but Sean McVay doesn’t expect it to affect the veteran QB

Matthew Stafford has been hit a lot this season and it seems the wear and tear has caught up with the 36-year-old Iron Man. Sean McVay told reporters on Monday that Stafford suffered a lateral ankle sprain in the teams’ victory over New Orleans on Sunday.

Stafford’s standard week of preparation will not be affected as the Rams are set to host the red-hot Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium in a rematch of the 2022 NFL season opener.

As of writing, Stafford will be a full go for the game but his injury and how it affects his mobility will be something to keep an eye on. The Rams have surrendered 25 QB hits in their last four games.

The last time the Bills played in a domed environment, their defense put up six QB hits, four sacks, and forced four turnovers in a 30-20 win over a Joe Flacco-led Colts team.

The Bills are coming off a 35-10 thrashing in the snow against the 49ers on Sunday night. Buffalo is 3-0 against the NFC West this season as they defeated Arizona 34-28 in the season opener and won 31-10 at Seattle in Week 8.

Why do Rams kickers seem to regress under special teams coach Chase Blackburn?

Joshua Karty is the latest kicker to struggle with the Rams under special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn

It has been no secret for Rams fans that the team has suffered from inconsistent kicking performances since the hiring of special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.

Having gone through three kickers in two years, the prevalent problems of missed field goals and extra points have somehow plagued every player who inherits the starting job. When looking at Brett Maher, Lucas Haversik, and Joshua Karty, you have three kickers with three different backgrounds and experience levels. Yet, as Rams, all three kickers have had a field goal make percentage between 73.9-76.2%.

However, it is not a case of the Rams signing kickers with that percentage.  Maher was effective in the year before he joined the Rams. During his 2023 season in Los Angeles, Maher’s FG accuracy was 73.9% with two missed extra points in 15 attempts. He was also 10-of-17 from 40 yards and beyond.

In 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys, Maher’s FG accuracy was 90% with three missed extra points in 50 attempts. He was 15-for-18 from 40-plus yards. Maher was coached by former Rams STC John Fassel during that season.

Lucas Havrisik was an inconsistent kicker throughout his collegiate career and he has yet to play a game in the NFL outside of his stint with the Rams so Blackburn wasn’t entirely to blame in 2023. But Karty’s performances in 2024 have changed that narrative.

Karty has only made 76.2% of his field goal attempts with two extra points missed and a 5-for-8 mark from 40-plus yards. Considering he’s supposed to be getting better coaching in the NFL, Karty should have better numbers from his days in college but they are in fact worse.

In 2023 as a member of the Stanford Cardinal, Karty made 85.2% of his field goals and was 11-for-14 from 40+ yards. The problem appears to be Blackburn.

Until the Rams fix whatever issues Blackburn is causing, whoever is kicking the ball will be subject to the same failures as before. It seems cruel to say but not being able to retain John Fassel in 2019 seems even more frustrating when the former Rams special teams coordinator has turned Brandon Aubrey into an All-Pro.

Rams are unwisely running Kyren Williams into the ground

Kyren Williams’ overusage is resulting in damaging results for the Rams.

Kyren Williams had a game to forget last weekend. He fumbled the ball twice and lost one of them on the opening drive in a 37-20 blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. More embarrassing for the young running back, the performance solidified a belief that he has taken a step backward in his development.

However, it is not Williams’ fault as he has had to navigate through a variety of factors, including multiple absences on the offensive line and a blatant overuse by Sean McVay and his coaching staff.

Out of 267 rush attempts by the Rams this season, Williams has accounted for 77 percent of them. When you account for carries strictly by running backs, it jumps to 84 percent. While Blake Corum has 29 carries and Ronnie Rivers has 10, Williams has 207.

Not to mention, his 121 pass-blocking snaps are 41 more than any other running back in the NFL.

Williams’ mistakes result from a combination of frustration and fatigue. He’s been the Rams’ bell cow, but he’s getting run into the ground, resulting in turnovers like what happened on Sunday night.

Sean McVay needs to give Williams a rest, especially when he plays the majority of the passing snaps, too.

Corum and Rivers are more than capable and they will get the job done. Save Kyren Williams before he becomes another case study like Todd Gurley.

Sean McVay explains how Jimmy Garoppolo has helped make the Rams defense better

Jimmy Garoppolo has played a valuable role as a backup and Sean McVay gave him credit for helping the defense get better in practice

Eleven-year NFL veteran Jimmy Garoppolo has had a memorable career, enjoying success with both New England and San Francisco in vastly different roles. Finding ways to contribute on the field and inside the facility, Garoppolo won two Super Bowls as a backup before winning an NFC championship with the 49ers as their starter.

While it seems like Garoppolo’s days as a starter are behind him, his days as a contributor continue – but in a role that one might not expect. The scout team is full of players who may not see the field on Sundays but have the talent to if they’re ever called up. While they don’t get the love they deserve, their work plays a massive part in a championship effort.

Sean McVay was asked how Garoppolo helps the defense get better as a scout-team quarterback.

“I just think it’s the ability for him to be able to activate the parts of the field and make quick decisions,” he said. “He has such a command too. Sometimes you get some of these younger quarterbacks and they’re not quite as comfortable taking command of the huddle. Even if you just hear the way that he communicates with the guys around him, you can’t help but get better because our defense is seeing a look that’s very much reflective of high-level starting caliber quarterback play with the things that he can do. He has a great way about himself. He has definitely made them better by the way that he handles himself on the field, the looks that he’s able to present them, in terms of just mimicking and imitating the opposing team’s quarterback, and then I think he’s also made the players that he’s around better [by] the way he communicates to them. I don’t think it’s by mistake that when you talk to teammates of his at other stops he’s been at, he’s very well regarded and they want to play hard for him.”

After getting released by the Raiders following the 2023 season, Garoppolo signed a one-year deal with the Rams this past offseason. For a defense full of young players, Garoppolo’s ability to teach and improve the players around him may keep him on the Rams for the future.

Puka Nacua’s TD catch vs. Patriots was one of NFL’s most improbable completions this season

Puka Nacua’s touchdown reception against New England ranks as the sixth-most improbable completion in the NFL this year.

Puka Nacua’s game-changing abilities have been put on display since his return from injury and all those who have watched the Rams this season can clearly see the difference in LA’s offense when he is on the field.

There are so many elements to his game that give the Rams a boost, but perhaps his playstyle is the driving force behind the team’s return to .500 this season.

He plays fast, with incredible intensity and always without fear. In the NFL, players like that are the difference between defeat and victory as was the case last Sunday against New England. In the Rams’ 28-22 win over New England, it was Nacua’s statistically improbable touchdown reception that was remembered as one of the best plays of the day.

According to Next Gen Stats, Nacua’s 12-yard touchdown catch had a completion probability of just 13.4%. It ranked as the most improbable completion of Week 11 and is the sixth-most improbable catch in the NFL this year.

Nacua’s score gave the Rams their first lead of the game, a lead Los Angeles would not concede for the rest of the day.

Rams’ defensive front could feast on Patriots’ league-worst offensive line

Statistically, the Patriots’ offensive line is the worst in the NFL and the Rams could feast in New England on Sunday

The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive front has been getting after it since the bye week, racking up sacks and tackles for a loss in bunches. In the past four games since their break, the Rams have totaled 16 sacks, including a remarkable seven versus Seattle.

A far cry from their first five games, the Rams’ have recorded 66.6% of their total sacks on the year in the past four weeks alone, showing a renewed vigor and determination up front.

Jared Verse, Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske have turned it on, with each player having a signature performance in the last four games. In total, they have accounted for 17.5 of the Rams’ 24 sacks this season.

Turner and Young, who finished first and second in rookie sack totals in 2023, are experiencing deja vu as Verse and Fiske sit first and second in 2024.

The “core four” looks like it could be the franchise’s most dominant defensive line since “The Fearsome Foresome” as they prepare to face the Patriots on Sunday.

According to the numbers, New England has the worst offensive line in the NFL. They’re so bad, their lead running back Rhamondre Stevenson is only averaging 3.8 yards per carry. Before this year, his average was 4.5 yards per carry through 41 games played.

That pales in comparison to their pass-blocking, giving up 32 sacks in 10 games, more than three per game.

This is great news for the Rams as they’ve been averaging four sacks per game in the last four weeks. Considering Seattle gave up seven sacks to Los Angeles and they have a better offensive line than New England, it will be a lot of fun to watch the Rams play defense.

That’s unless you’re Drake Maye.

Blake Corum’s lack on involvement is inexcusable with Rams offense sputtering

Blake Corum has spent majority of the 2024 season on the sidelines and the Rams have yet to justify that decision.

On Monday night, when the Rams’ offense seemed to gain no traction against a Miami defense that came to play, rookie Blake Corum looked like someone ready to provide a spark.

After two three-and-outs to start the game, Corum got the nod on the Rams’ third drive, during which he had three straight touches for 7, 5, and 3 yards. Corum picked up the first first down of the game for the Rams and he was rolling. The drive only stalled due to an illegal formation penalty committed by Alaric Jackson, which brought back a 4-yard run by Corum.

The drive ended on an interception thrown by Matthew Stafford but it looked like Corum was getting going. Sean McVay inexplicably sidelined Corum, with those three touches ending up being the only ones he saw for the rest of the game.

Corum was a matchup nightmare for the Dolphins as his short stature allowed him to get underneath defenders for solid gains. Linebackers could not locate him and he’d pop out into open spaces in both the pass and run.

He’s a player full of confidence who’s also waited his turn. And despite the list of injuries suffered by the Rams, he has yet to get his opportunity.

Not only has Corum waited patiently, but McVay and the coaching staff have repeatedly taken away confidence-building moments for him.

He’s been active for three games this season in which he did not receive a single touch of the ball on offense. His career-high in carries came in the first-ever game he played, which was against the Cardinals – eight garbage-time carries on the final drive of a 41-10 loss. The Rams held Corum out during the preseason, meaning not only was the Arizona game his first taste of NFL action, but his development – especially in pass blocking – has been severely hindered for no reason. McVay has robbed Corum of picking up his first NFL touchdown on multiple occasions.

Corum was on the field when Xavier Smith took a jet sweep to the Raiders’ two-yard line. McVay pulled Corum out and put in Kyren Williams, who punched it in on the next play.

Against Green Bay, the Rams started a drive at their 45-yard line. They got it down to the 1-yard line of the Packers with Corum accounting for 28 yards on a 55-yard drive. Corum got one shot on second-and-goal to punch it in but was stuffed. McVay then pulled Corum for Williams. Williams proceeded to score. It was the Rams’ first score of the game. Corum, despite being the catalyst for the drive, only touched the ball on offense one more time. A 5-yard gain for a first down.

It would be comical if it wasn’t so sad the lengths McVay and the Rams go through to deprive Corum of a rightly deserved opportunity. Anyone with eyes sees he runs with a passion and an intensity on every play.

There is a legitimate reality where Corum is a contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year if he had been selected by another team. There’s no reason to sideline him in the manner in which the Rams have, especially considering they rank 26th in rushing yards per game and 31st in yards per carry (3.8). It’s not as if the ground game is thriving with Williams back there.

Corum has caught every pass thrown to him, he’s found running lanes behind backup offensive linemen time and time again, and the kicker is that while there’s a massive gap in carries between Corum and Williams, Corum is averaging 3.5 yards per carry to Williams’ 3.8. Seems a bit outrageous to run Kyren Williams into the ground when there’s a capable backup right behind him.

Don’t draft a running back in Round 3 if you’re not going to play him.

A tribute to John Robinson and his lasting impact in Los Angeles

Taking a look back on how the late John Robinson impacted the Los Angeles football scene for nearly three decades.

There’s a massive football community in Los Angeles. There has been for a long time. Football in Los Angeles saw a resurgence in popularity in the 60s and 70s as old-school Angelinos can still recall the days of John McKay’s USC Trojans and Chuck Knox’s Los Angeles Rams. The mighty Trojans, spearheaded by players like Sam “Bam” Cunningham, Lynn Swann and former Rams QB Pat Haden, lit up scoreboards on Saturday nights while Knox’s “Ground Chuck” rushing attack drove the Rams straight into the playoffs on Sundays.

While fans were delighted by the successes of the time, John Robinson, a little-known assistant from Daly City, Calif., was building his own football foundation. Robinson spent the 1960s watching McKay construct a dynasty from the opposing sidelines. As a member of the then-Athletic Association of Western Universities, which is commonly known now as the Pac-12 conference, Robinson was an assistant at Oregon during the decade that brought USC back to national recognition.

However, it was McKay who recognized Robinson’s talents, bringing him to LA to serve as USC’s offensive coordinator from 1972-1974. During that time, Robinson inspired a new generation of Angelinos by winning the then-Pac-8 conference all three seasons and capturing national titles in 1972 and 1974. Robinson departed for a job with the Raiders in 1975 and after McKay took over the expansion Buccaneers in 1976, USC brought Robinson back – but this time as head coach.

Robinson was USC’s head coach from 1976-1982 where he won three conference titles and the 1978 National Championship. After Ray Malavasi’s dismissal at the end of the 1982 NFL season, owner Rams owner Georgia Frontiere hired Robinson, ushering in the longest run of success in Los Angeles that the team and city had ever seen until the 2017 hiring of Sean McVay.

Robinson wasted no time getting to work. He helped organize the selections of Eric Dickerson and Henry Ellard with his first two picks, issuing a prolific offensive attack that captivated Southern California. Already a known winner, the pressure was on and Robinson came through. From 1983-1989, Robinson had six winning seasons, six playoff appearances, five double-digit win seasons, four playoff wins and the Rams took two trips to the NFC Championship Game.

During that time, Hall of Fame players like Dickerson, Kevin Greene, Jackie Slater and Jack Youngblood played for Robinson.

Things for Robinson and the Rams spiraled after their loss in the 1990 NFC Championship Game and the team would win only eight total games over the next two years leading to Robinson’s dismissal. However, his nine seasons as head coach remain the most in team history.

During his time with the Rams, Robinson’s teams had three 1,000-yard rushers in Dickerson, Charles White and Greg Bell. Dickerson also set the single-season rushing record in 1984. Wide receiver Flipper Anderson set the record for most receiving yards in a game in 1989. Jim Everett was the NFL passing touchdowns leader in 1988 and 1989 and as of writing, Robinson’s 75 regular season victories remain the most in franchise history – one more than McVay’s 74.

After the Rams, Robinson returned to his old role at USC, guiding the Trojans to two more conference titles in five years, capturing victory in the 1996 Rose Bowl. During his second stint, Robinson coached Hall of Famers Willie McGinest, Tony Boselli and first overall pick Keyshawn Johnson. Robinson has a 4-0 record in Rose Bowl games as head coach, totaling six victories in “the granddaddy of them all.”

Robinson would go on to become the head coach at UNLV where former USC Trojan and Compton native Jason Thomas would transfer to, bringing their West Coast experience to the Vegas Valley. Both of them achieved victory in the 2000 Las Vegas Bowl, the UNLV Rebels’ last bowl win.

Robinson would go on to be a consultant at LSU after he and his wife moved to Baton Rouge to be closer to family during the 2010s. At the age of 84, he captured his fourth and final national title with the 2019 Tigers. Despite his age, Robinson was at LSU’s football facility daily, oftentimes being one of the first to arrive.

And that was what John Robinson’s life was all about. Finding the fun in things through hard work. In his journey throughout life, Robinson befriended champions like John Madden and Ed Orgeron long before they were lifting trophies.

He mentored boys on the football field and watched as they became men on the gridiron. He tried things, he succeeded at some, failed at others and kept trying until his final breath. He was human and his humanity immortalizes his life by those whom he touched and by the places he served.

He is an indelible icon in Los Angeles. A beam that built the USC dynasty. A pillar of the golden age of Rams football. The man who made my alma mater, UNLV, relevant even for just a beautifully brief moment.

Robinson passed away at the age of 89 on Monday. He may be gone but he will not be forgotten. The images of him in his sweater vest are sown into the minds of Angelinos forever just as they are in the hearts of the players he led into battle.

Rams expect to have Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson vs. Dolphins on Monday

Sean McVay shared the latest updates on Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson, who are expected to be activated off IR

Rookie sensation Steve Avila’s sophomore campaign got off to an awful start after suffering a knee injury in the season opener against Detroit. Having been placed on injured reserve, Avila has spent the majority of this season in rehab.

The same goes for Jonah Jackson, who injured his shoulder in Week 2 and has been on injured reserve ever since.

The Rams opened Avila and Jackson’s 21-day practice window this week as both players returned to the field, and “there’s a good chance” they’ll be in the starting lineup on Monday night, Sean McVay said Saturday.

With Avila and Jackson’s return, it poses a strategic good problem for Sean McVay and his staff for the rest of the season. Avila’s injury, alongside the injury suffered by Jackson, paved the way for Beaux Limmer to become the Rams’ starting center.

Limmer has been another rookie sensation but at the risk of hurting Avila’s development and/or Jackson’s play time, are the Rams going to bench their current, consistent starting center?

Another point of intrigue is where the two starters fit into the lineup. Kevin Dotson has his guard position locked down so it looks likely that Avila and Jackson would take the other guard and center spot over Limmer.

If that is the case, who plays center? Avila was reported to have been taking the first-team center snaps throughout training camp but at the last minute, Jackson was named the starting center. If the Rams had trust in either man, wouldn’t they have practiced with the intended Week 1 starter throughout camp? If Avila was intended to be the starter, isn’t that an indication that he couldn’t do the job?

It remains to be seen where each player will line up.

“You’ll see on Monday,” McVay said when asked where Avila and Jackson will play. “Honestly, we’re working through it. There are a lot of different moving parts, especially as it relates to the offensive line but it is good to be able to have those guys back in the mix.”

It will be interesting to see how this folds out but unless something happens within the next 24 hours, Avila and Jackson should be on the field for the Rams.