Tag: Sean McVay

Watch: Rams react to the Seahawks drafting Byron Murphy II

Now we have video of how the Rams front office reacted when Byron Murphy II got picked by the Seahawks.

Turns out the Rams really had their hearts set on Byron Murphy II going into the 2024 NFL draft in order to replace Aaron Donald. It didn’t happen that way and Murphy ended up with the team that he grew up rooting for.

We already knew that LA’s front office attempted to move up in the draft in order to get Murphy, but they were rebuffed. Now we have video of how the team reacted when he got picked by the Seahawks. Watch.

What stands out immediately is how eager Sean McVay was to get his hands on Murphy. The silence after the pick says a lot, as well. This feels like a significant victory for GM John Schneider.

While they won this round, the Seahawks still have one hell of a smart competitor in McVay to contend with. How well Mike Madonald matches up against him will go a long way towards determining how this next era of Seahawks football goes, no matter how good Murphy ends up.

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Sean McVay feels ‘renewed purpose’ in 2024: ‘It feels like Year 1 again’

Sean McVay is rejuvenated heading into the 2024 season, saying it “feels like Year 1 again”

Sean McVay is entering his eighth season as a head coach in the NFL, but this year has a different feel for him. It’s his second season following the Rams’ roster rebuild in 2023 and he feels rejuvenated heading into the 2024 campaign.

That’s not only surprising, but it should also be very encouraging for Rams fans.

“You know what’s cool? Being around this group, and especially even last year, it feels like it’s Year 1 again. And I really mean that,” McVay said in an interview with J.B. Long and D’Marco Farr.

So what’s led to McVay feeling that way? It’s a combination of the coaches on his staff and the youth on the roster. Last season, the Rams had the second-youngest team in the NFL, and they’ll likely be one of the youngest again this year.

Those rookies and second-year players provide a spark and energy to the locker room that veterans don’t always show. Last year alone, the Rams held more intense practices because of how young their team was, which benefited everyone involved.

McVay elaborated on his energy and excitement about this team, crediting the coaches, players and even his son who was born last year.

“I feel like these last couple of years, there’s really just been a real renewed purpose and perspective that reminds you what a blessing this is,” he said. “You kind of had lost that a little bit in the midst of the journey, especially things going well and then obviously, the challenging year in ’22. There’s a lot of cool things that have gone on with the people that I’m around, the coaches, but having that little guy too is a real easy reason to keep appropriate perspective and to make sure you’re being the man and the model and what it looks like for him every day.”

If this is Year 1 for him, perhaps he has the motivation to coach longer than some fans anticipated. After flirting with the possibility of stepping following the 2021 and 2022 seasons, McVay is certainly back on the horse and feeling rejuvenated entering Year 8.

Blake Corum’s receiving skills at Michigan pro day caught Rams’ eye

During the draft, Les Snead and Sean McVay re-watched Blake Corum’s pro day and were impressed by his receiving ability

Blake Corum was known for being a workhorse running back at Michigan. He carried the ball 505 times for 2,708 yards and 45 touchdowns in the last two seasons alone, which is an average of 18.7 carries per game.

He did catch some passes for the Wolverines but his game was taking handoffs and scoring touchdowns. That could change with the Rams where he’s expected to be a more well-rounded back who gets opportunities to contribute as a receiver on third down. He said it himself in a recent interview and the Rams were very interested in his receiving skills pre-draft.

In a new draft documentary from Roku and NFL Films, Les Snead and Sean McVay talked about Corum’s receiving skills before selecting him with the 83rd pick.

“I can say this, at Corum’s pro day, he made some rare catches,” Snead said.

“Let’s watch it,” McVay said. “Actually, that’s all for nothing, right? I mean, he’s not going to be there at 83, is he?”

“You should watch it,” Snead insisted.

After flipping the tape from Corum’s pro day on, McVay liked what he saw.

“He’s definitely a right hand-over-left hand more comfortable. I want to see him catch that same pass to his left,” McVay said.

Snead: “Oh, the choice (route)!”

McVay: “That’s good. He looks way more functional than I thought.”

Might the Rams see Corum as a third-down back who will spell Kyren Williams in passing situations? That would allow him to get on the field early as a rookie, while also not necessarily taking carries away from the 2023 Pro Bowler.

It’ll be fun to see how McVay deploys these two backs this season.

Sean McVay shares honest take on NFL’s dramatic kickoff change: ‘It’s going to be wild’

Sean McVay can’t remember the last time the NFL made a change as dramatic as the new kickoff rules that are coming in 2024

One aspect of the NFL game will look vastly different in 2024 thanks to an offseason rule change and Sean McVay is fascinated to see how it plays out.

The kickoff has undergone a face lift with the NFL adopting the XFL style where it’s more like a traditional play than a special teams operation. The goal is to increase the number of kick returns because in 2023, there was the lowest rate of kickoff returns in NFL history so the league is trying to change that trend.

Teams will likely approach the new kickoff in different ways because there’s much more strategy involved, so it will be interesting to see how the play differs from team to team. Because OTAs don’t allow for full contact, the Rams haven’t had a chance to really experiment with the new kickoff, but McVay is excited to see it come to life in camp.

“We’ll see what the hell’s going on with this kickoff and kickoff return,” McVay said when asked what he’s excited to see in training camp. “I don’t know, it’s going to be wild.”

McVay elaborated on the dramatic change made by the NFL, sharing his honest assessment of how different it will be. In his mind, he can’t remember a bigger change made by the league from one year to the next – and that’s coming from a coach who can remember what play he called in Week 2 with 1:43 left in the third quarter seven years ago.

“I can’t remember a time that there’s been a more significant change in regards to how drastic it is than what the previous year entailed as what this is,” he said. “What’s the intent behind it? Get the foot back in the game. there wasn’t a lot of kickoff returns last year. You look in the Super Bowl, there wasn’t one kickoff return. So it’s get the foot back in the game, try to still maintain the health and safety parameters and that’s the goal and that’s the intent. We’ll see and hopefully it accommodates that.”

The Rams have really struggled to find any sort of consistency or impact from the return game in recent years, but that could change in 2024. They brought in Boston Scott, who’s a candidate to return kickoffs, and with it being more like a regular play from scrimmage, perhaps either Blake Corum or Kyren Williams will get a chance to return some kicks, too.

That’ll all be sorted out in training camp and when the preseason gets underway in August, fans should be excited to see how the play looks in a game.

Blake Corum ‘really stood out’ to Sean McVay during OTAs

Sean McVay says Blake Corum “really stood out” during OTAs, particularly for his maturity and mental toughness

Sean McVay’s offense is not an easy one to learn, given all of the pre-snap motion, audibles and route combinations the Rams use. It’s a bit easier for a running back compared to a receiver or quarterback, but it’s still difficult.

Blake Corum is doing everything he can to get up to speed as quickly as possible, hoping to carve out a role for himself as a rookie behind Kyren Williams. He’s only a month and a half into his Rams tenure but he’s picking things up like a pro.

McVay said in an OTA recap video this week that he’s been particularly impressed with Corum.

“On the offensive side, I’ve been pleased with a lot of guys but Blake Corum has really stood out,” McVay said. “Mature beyond his years. I love the way that he handles himself. I love even more how when there’s been a couple of things that didn’t go the way we wanted, how he responded the next play. The mental toughness that you see from him. Ron Gould is excellent with that room. Even Kyren in his own way has done such a great job of imparting a certain amount of wisdom with him.”

Williams is still expected to be the starter in the backfield but Corum is going to get his opportunities, too. He said himself that he’ll “definitely” be catching the ball out of the backfield, indicating he could be in for a third-down role as a blocker and receiver in obvious passing situations.

Corum will have an even better chance to prove himself in training camp when the pads come on and the physicality ramps up, but it’s good to hear he’s already making a positive impression on his new team.

Sean McVay doesn’t expect Rams to be as active in signing free agents this summer

The Rams added several free agents last summer but Sean McVay doesn’t see them taking a similar approach this year

Free agency opens in March but players remain available all year. For some teams, they find real value in signing free agents during the summer rather than during that first wave in the spring.

The Los Angeles Rams were certainly one of those teams last year, essentially sitting out the bulk of free agency until June, July and even August when they added several key players – players such as Ahkello Witherspoon, John Johnson and Demarcus Robinson.

Les Snead and Sean McVay took a different approach this spring, being aggressive by signing Jonah Jackson, Tre’Davious White, Darious Williams and Kamren Curl, among others. That will likely mean a more passive strategy this summer before training camp opens.

“Probably a little bit different than last year’s approach,” McVay said when asked if he and Snead will make more roster moves before camp. “What we will do is we’ll look at, all right, where are we at right now? Understanding that there’s still are some limitations in regard to the evaluation process, but what are the resources that we have to be able to have the most competitive team going into camp? And so, probably not to that extent, but to say that there wouldn’t be anything that could come up. I certainly would never say that because if we feel like within our disciplined approach that we want to be able to take. If we can improve the football team, then we will do that.”

The Rams did a great job addressing their biggest roster holes this offseason in free agency and the draft, leaving no glaring weaknesses on the team. Sure, they could use some depth at wide receiver and maybe cornerback or inside linebacker, but the Rams are in excellent shape with camp approaching.

Sean McVay shares the one thing he won’t miss about Rams practicing at Cal Lutheran

The Rams have held their last practice at Cal Lutheran and Sean McVay is happy to finally get out of the wind

Tuesday marked the Rams’ last practice of the offseason workout program, wrapping things up before training camp begins in July. It also marked their last practice at Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks.

The Rams are packing up and moving to a new practice facility in Woodland Hills, leaving the place they called their headquarters since 2016. They’ll move into their new facility after training camp at Loyola Marymount, ushering in a new era at a once again temporary setup.

Sean McVay joked about his office feeling like a prison cell recently while appearing on ESPN, pointing out the fact that he didn’t even have a window, but he’s going to miss Cal Lutheran.

What he won’t miss are the windy conditions that come with practicing in Thousand Oaks.

“When I first got here, you thought it would be a temporary facility and here we are going into Year 8 and it’s been great. I love the privacy out here,” he said. “The only downside is really when it gets windy. The facility, I think it’s great. You’re in close quarters to people. That stuff doesn’t bother me. As long as the film works, as long as the players have enough space in the locker room and the weight room. My office… I’m more worried about the film. And then it is a great setting out here, but later on in the year, these Santa Ana winds inhibit your ability to get better so that’s the one thing I will not miss. But Cal Lu’s been great. It’s been awesome being here and we’ll probably just pick this facility up and go plant it at Woodland Hills and then we’ll see when the real thing is ready, eventually.”

Several times over the last seven years, the Rams have had to move practice or alter their schedule because of the high winds in Thousand Oaks. As McVay mentioned, it’s particularly bothersome for the quarterbacks and kickers when they’re trying to get ready for a game during the week.

“It’s not as big a deal for me as much as it is like inhibiting our ability to get better and do things. Kickers, I hate it for the kickers,” he said. “They have to adjust their stroke because they’re trying to overcompensate for the winds that usually aren’t in alignment with the settings that we’re going to be play in. Quarterbacks, that’s where you feel fortunate. Most of the quarterbacks we’ve had are able to drive the ball through the wind and they throw a tight spiral that kind of cuts through but still, it’s not conducive for getting better. And unless you’re playing in those settings, that’s where it’s important.”

That will hopefully improve in Woodland Hills where it should be a bit less windy, and eventually, perhaps the Rams will get an indoor facility where they can be out of the elements completely – similar to the way they are for their home games at SoFi Stadium.

Los Angeles Rams’ coach Sean McVay really pleased with Stetson Bennett’s improvement

Former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett’s got a positive review from Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay after OTAs

Former two-time national champion Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett missed much of his rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams after he was placed on the non-football illness list last season. Now, Bennett has returned to the Rams and is impressing head coach Sean McVay.

“There were some opportunities where Stetson came in,” said McVay. “I was really pleased with his overall improvement, his command, like I mentioned, his attention in the meetings and then when he got his opportunities, whether it was in some 7-on-7 or even in some of the team periods, they’re taking steps in the right direction,”

Bennett is expected to be Los Angeles’ No. 3 quarterback this season behind projected starter Matthew Stafford and projected backup Jimmy Garoppolo. Bennett could be the Rams’ No. 2 quarterback for the first two games of the year with Garoppolo suspended.

Rams Wire indicates Los Angeles may have a decision to make on Bennett entering Week 3.

“Because Garoppolo will be on the suspended list, he won’t take up a roster spot, either, making it almost certain that Bennett will make the 53-man roster out of camp,” said Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire. “Whether he stays on the roster after Garoppolo is activated is the bigger question.”

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The good news for Bennett is he will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself. Bennett should see a great deal of action for Los Angeles this preseason.

Rams not putting firm timetable on Tre’Davious White’s return from Achilles tear

Tre’Davious White is still rehabbing a torn Achilles and Sean McVay doesn’t yet know when he’ll be ready to go

Tre’Davious White was one of the Rams’ most notable free-agent signings this offseason, inking a one-year deal worth $4.25 million with Los Angeles. The Rams signed him knowing he was coming off a torn Achilles, an indication they were confident he could still play at a high level in 2024.

That confidence hasn’t gone away but there’s still not clear timeline for White’s return to the field. He was held out of regular practices during OTAs, only participating in meetings and above-the-neck work such as Tuesday’s walkthrough.

Looking ahead to training camp, McVay is still unsure whether White will be healthy enough to participate fully. The goal is for him to be ready for Week 1 so the Rams aren’t putting a firm timeline on his recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in October.

“You know, he’s making good progress,” McVay said. “He was able to partake in the walkthrough. It’s obviously a significant injury that he’s overcome. He’s gotten a lot of good stuff done on the side. You could see he’s really locked in and engaged in the meeting setting. As far as what his actual process will be in training camp, we’ll see where he’s at. He does such a great job, understands his body, and so I don’t think we want to pigeonhole ourselves into one approach. ‘All right, how’s he feeling? What does it look like relative to when (Head Team Physician) Neil ElAttrache checks up on him and what’s going to be the best thing for him?’ Not only for hopefully being ready to go for the opener, but for the totality of the season.”

White has unfortunately dealt with serious injuries in two of the last three years. In November of 2021, he tore his ACL and missed the remainder of the season, as well as the first 10 games of the 2022 campaign. Last season, he tore his Achilles in October and missed13 games, a devastating blow for not only him personally, but for the Bills as a team, too.

He hasn’t played at least 14 games since the 2020 season when he was a Pro Bowler, missing a total of 30 games in the last three seasons, excluding the playoffs. Given the severity of an injury like a torn Achilles, the Rams have to be open to the possibility of White missing at least some time this season, especially if they want him to be healthy the rest of the way.

Sean McVay pleased with Stetson Bennett’s ‘overall improvement’ in OTAs

Stetson Bennett has participated in Rams workouts all offseason and Sean McVay can see him making strides

Stetson Bennett took time away from football last season and wound up missing his entire rookie year while on the non-football illness list, but he’s back with the Los Angeles Rams now and doing everything he can to make the 53-man roster again. Though he’s no longer the primary backup to Matthew Stafford after the team signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency, Bennett still has a chance to stick around as the third quarterback on the roster.

The Rams wrapped up OTAs and minicamp on Tuesday, which means they’ll break for summer until training camp in July, and Sean McVay is pleased with how Bennett looked in these spring practices.

He talked about the progress both Bennett and Garoppolo have made thus far.

“There were some opportunities where Stetson came in – I was really pleased with his overall improvement, his command, like I mentioned, his attention in the meetings and then when he got his opportunities, whether it was in some 7-on-7 or even in some of the team periods, they’re taking steps in the right direction,” McVay said.

He had similarly positive things to say about Garoppolo, mentioning how consistent he is with his approach every day.

“They’ve done a really good job,” McVay said of both quarterbacks. “… Jimmy’s been outstanding. I’ve always had tremendous respect for Jimmy from afar, seeing him up close, the consistency at which he approaches every single day, the way that he works and then how that translated to a lot of really good days.”

Garoppolo is suspended for the first two games of the regular season due to a PED violation, so Bennett will likely be upgraded to QB2 for those two games against the Lions and Cardinals. Because Garoppolo will be on the suspended list, he won’t take up a roster spot, either, making it almost certain that Bennett will make the 53-man roster out of camp.

Whether he stays on the roster after Garoppolo is activated is the bigger question.

Regardless, it’s just good to see Bennett back with the team and participating in practices after going through a tough and unexpected rookie season away from the team in 2023.