Tag: sebastian joseph-day

Rams injury report: Joseph-Day questionable, Lewis ruled out vs. Cardinals

The Rams will be without Terrell Lewis due to a knee injury.

The Rams wrapped up a solid week of practice on Friday with their third session of the week. Their injury report is fairly clean considering it’s Week 13, with just two key contributors carrying injury designations into Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.

Sebastian Joseph-Day returned to practice Friday after being held out Thursday, but he was still limited to close out the week. He’s listed as questionable to play, though Sean McVay indicated Thursday that there’s optimism Joseph-Day will play.

Terrell Lewis has already been ruled out after missing last week’s game, too, due to knee swelling. His knee had to be drained and is considered week-to-week.

Brian Allen is questionable with his lingering knee injury, as well. Here’s the full injury report, including the Cardinals’ side.

Watch: Rams NT Sebastian Joseph-Day was mic’d up in Week 2

Sebastian Joseph-Day is always entertaining.

Sebastian Joseph-Day is in his second season as a starter for the Rams, but he has yet to emerge as a household name. That’s not uncommon for a nose tackle, which is a position that doesn’t generate much praise from fans and analysts.

However, he’s become one of the most entertaining players on the Rams, as well as a leader off the field. His interviews are always insightful, and when he’s spotted in videos on social media, it’s impossible not to smile or laugh.

Joseph-Day was mic’d up for the Rams’ Week 2 win over the Eagles and it didn’t disappoint.

Covering the Eagles’ tight ends was a big focus of the Rams, and Joseph-Day joked during the game that he would cover them if need be.

Joseph-Day also pointed out that he and the Rams are only getting better, which is encouraging for this defense as the season goes on.

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Who will replace A’Shawn Robinson while he’s out with injury?

The Rams now need to find a new starter along the defensive line.

It seemed like the Rams sunk a lot of money into the defensive line this offseason by re-signing Michael Brockers after already landing A’Shawn Robinson in free agency. However, they’re lucky they were able to retain Brockers after his deal with the Ravens fell through.

Robinson will be out for an undetermined period of time and won’t return until “some point this season,” according to Sean McVay. It was surprising news shared by the coach on his Sunday conference call, with very little detail being shared.

Assuming Robinson is out for at least a few weeks during the season, the Rams will have to find a replacement for him on the defensive line, specifically at nose tackle. Fortunately, it’s one of the deepest position groups and the Rams have two viable replacements on the interior.

Here’s what McVay said about Robinson.

“He’s doing really well, he’s going to be able to partake in meetings, get treatments, be around his teammates and then we’ll look forward to being able to get him back at some point this season,” he said. “When that is – don’t know specifically. I think a lot of positives came out of this, we were able to identify something and most importantly, look out for the player’s best interest, but he’s going to be around and I know that he’ll be excited about when he can return to action.”

First and foremost, Sebastian Joseph-Day should get a chance to fill in at nose tackle, just as he did last season after Ndamukong Suh left in free agency. Joseph-Day started 15 games and played in all 16 last year, making 44 tackles with two sacks and five QB hits.

He looked plenty capable as a starter, which made the signing of Robinson somewhat surprising for Los Angeles. Joseph-Day possesses great size and length at nose tackle, but he’s also athletic and quick enough to make tackles outside of his gap assignment.

He’s also a better pass rusher than he gets credit for, even though he had just two sacks. Nose tackles aren’t supposed to put up big sack numbers, and even Brockers has only averaged 2.8 sacks per year as a 3-4 defensive end since 2017.

The other option for Los Angeles is Greg Gaines, a 2019 fourth-round pick. The Rams moved up to draft him last year, showing a great deal of faith in the young nose tackle. At 6-foot-1, 312 pounds, he’s shorter and squattier than Joseph-Day, but he’s a good run defender and fits the mold of a true 3-4 nose tackle.

Gaines was likely third on the depth chart at nose tackle before Robinson went down, but he should see a bump in playing time this season if Robinson is out for a long stretch.

Robinson’s situation is obviously disappointing and somewhat concerning, the Rams are in a good spot to replace him in the starting lineup. They have the talent and depth across the line to make up for his loss, and it certainly helps that Aaron Donald remains one of the best defenders in the NFL.

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Kevin Demoff commends Sebastian Joseph-Day for being a community leader

Sebastian Joseph-Day has been active in the community this offseason, and Kevin Demoff has taken notice.

Sebastian Joseph-Day was a first-year starter for the Rams last season, effectively replacing Ndamukong Suh at nose tackle next to Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. He played relatively well, recording 44 tackles, 2.0 sacks and five tackles for loss.

He didn’t exactly make a name for himself on the field, and he probably won’t be a starter in 2020 with A’Shawn Robinson’s arrival, but Joseph-Day has quickly become a leader for the Rams. He’s done some commendable community work on his own this offseason, both by helping hospital workers during the pandemic and joining the protests against racism.

On Thursday night, Joseph-Day joined Steve Wyche, Terrell Davis and Miami Gardens police chief Delma Noel-Pratt to discuss police relations with the community and accountability from law enforcement. Wyche asked how Rams players would react to Joseph-Day telling them they need to find ways to work with police and get them to reform, and this was his response.

“To be honest, I think guys would be more than glad to do that right now because at all-time high, there’s a huge lack of communication between obviously certain areas of this country and police,” Joseph-Day said. Like I said prior, what the chief is doing is outstanding, but unfortunately, we do not feel that that’s a consistent thing throughout this country. So just being able to get out there and connect with the police, for them to kind of see the issues that we are having and hopefully bridge the gap between the officers and obviously our community, would be a huge thing for us and be a positive thing for communities, as well.”

Rams COO Kevin Demoff saw the interview and complimented Joseph-Day for his work as a community leader.

Joseph-Day thanked Demoff for the kind words, and Demoff told him that the team will be right there with him fighting for justice and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Other Rams players have been active on social media during this difficult time, but most importantly, they’ve communicated with each other. Sean McVay held an open forum in place of a regular team meeting a few weeks ago, allowing players to voice their concerns after George Floyd was tragically killed by a Minneapolis police officer.

Jared Goff called it one of the most powerful meetings he’s ever been a part of, and Joseph-Day was likely among the most vocal players during that session. He’s been a leader off the field, even if he hasn’t emerged as a star on the field yet.

It’s great to see Demoff recognizing that, too, because Joseph-Day’s work is commendable.

Watch: Sebastian Joseph-Day is putting in work this offseason

Sebastian Joseph-Day isn’t just going to hand over his starting spot.

Sebastian Joseph-Day essentially had his starting job taken from him this offseason after the Rams signed A’Shawn Robinson and brought back Michael Brockers in free agency. Joseph-Day was the starting nose tackle last season, but that appears unlikely to be the case again in 2020.

He may be lower than Robinson and Brockers on the pay scale, but he’s not going to just hand over his spot on the defensive line. He’s been putting in work this offseason and looks to be in excellent shape.

This week, he shared a video of himself working out and his footwork may not be on Aaron Donald’s level, but for a guy who’s 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, he’s moving really well.

This video from last month also shows Joseph-Day’s footwork as he goes through an agility drill, again at 305 pounds.

On the Rams’ website, Joseph-Day is listed at 310 pounds, so he’s trimmed five pounds since the end of last season. It also looks like he’s added some muscle to his frame, putting in a lot of work in the weight room this offseason.

He took exception to a fan who called him out on Twitter, responding with this picture.

Is he poised for a big year in 2020? It’s hard to say right now because he has an uphill climb to a starting job simply based on the competition up front. But Joseph-Day is putting in the work necessary to improve in Year 3.

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Hekker, Joseph-Day mentoring youth in LA correctional facilities

Johnny Hekker and Sebastian Joseph-Day are doing their part to help troubled youth.

The Los Angeles Rams are always active in the local community, whether it’s by giving back in the form of donations or actually going out and helping those in need. Sebastian Joseph-Day has been especially helpful this year, providing meals for hospital workers during the coronavirus pandemic and joining a Black Lives Matter march recently.

Johnny Hekker is a leader of the Rams and is also frequently seen giving back, with this offseason being no different. Hekker joined Joseph-Day and former Rams linebacker Cameron Lynch to help guide troubled youth.

They were on a conference call with kids currently in correctional facilities, sharing their experiences and words of wisdom to get them back on the right track.

The goal, according to Jordan Rodrigue of The Athletic, is for Hekker, Lynch and Joseph-Day to mentor these troubled youth and allow them to speak out in an open forum-type setting.

It’s just another display of the Rams doing their part to help the community, with Hekker and Joseph-Day leading by example.

What Brockers’ return means for A’Shawn Robinson and Rams D-line

With Michael Brockers returning, the Rams’ defensive line is suddenly crowded.

The Los Angeles Rams appeared to find their replacement for Michael Brockers after the veteran agreed to terms with the Ravens, landing former Lions defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson. He agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal with the Rams, joining a defensive line that featured Aaron Donald and a pair of young nose tackles, Greg Gaines and Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Fast-forward a week and it turns out the Rams don’t actually need to replace Brockers. He’s returning to Los Angeles on a three-year contract worth up to $31.5 million after his deal with the Ravens fell through. Brockers’ physical with an independent doctor raised concerns about his ankle for Baltimore, which then pulled its offer.

So what does this all mean for Brockers, Robinson and the rest of the Rams’ defensive linemen? Brockers’ return certainly gives Los Angeles a crowded defensive line, but also one that features a lot of versatile players.

Aaron Donald will remain at 3-technique, most often rushing the passer from his traditional defensive tackle position. At nose tackle, it’s likely that Robinson will replace Joseph-Day and Gaines, who were the primary contributors inside last season.

There’s no doubt Robinson has the size to play nose tackle in the Rams’ scheme – he’s 6-foot-4, 320 pounds – but his length looked like an asset at defensive end with Brockers gone. Robinson is a space-eater and a great run defender, though, which will help the Rams plug up the A-gaps.

At defensive end, Brockers will reclaim his starting spot. The Rams aren’t paying him more than $10 million a year to be a backup, nor did they give Robinson $9.5 million guaranteed to ride the bench and play behind Joseph-Day.

There are only so many snaps to go around on the defensive line, and the Rams are deep across the front with players who deserve to get on the field, but that’s not a bad thing. Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley now has countless options along the defensive line.

The Rams could use a defensive line with Donald at 5-technique, Robinson at nose tackle and Brockers at 3-technique. They could also kick Joseph-Day outside to defensive end with Brockers at nose tackle and Donald at defensive tackle.

Their rotation will be deep, allowing them to keep players fresh over the duration of a game. That’s important and helps in the fourth quarter, especially when the Rams are trailing and teams are running the ball to kill the clock.

Brockers’ return will hurt the development of Joseph-Day and Gaines, since they won’t be getting nearly as much playing time as expected, but the Rams’ run defense has been upgraded with Brockers coming back – as has their depth.

After being hired, Staley emphasized the importance of versatility on the defensive front and in the secondary. He’s getting his wish with the Rams’ current group of linemen, almost all of which can play any position up front. All that’s left is to see how Staley utilizes all this talent.

Why Sunday’s game vs. Bears means so much to Sebastian Joseph-Day

Sebastian Joseph-Day will play his first NFL game with his parents in attendance on Sunday.

Sebastian Joseph-Day went from a healthy scratch for 16 games as a rookie in 2018 to a starter at nose tackle for the Rams this season. He’s done a great job replacing Ndamukong Suh on the interior, filling the very big shoes left by the former All-Pro defensive tackle.

Sunday night is a big game for the Rams as they host the Bears on Sunday Night Football, but it’ll be an emotional one for Joseph-Day, in particular. It’ll be the first time his parents get to watch him play an NFL game since he came into the league last year.

“Last year, they would come to home games, but I didn’t play at all,” Joseph-Day told Stu Jackson of the Rams’ official site. “They would still come to support me, but now, they could to see everything that they put into me come into fruition. It’s a big thank you to them.”

According to the team, Joseph-Day’s parents live in Pennsylvania, so getting out to Los Angeles is difficult. They were in attendance for Super Bowl LIII, but Joseph-Day was inactive – as he was the rest of the season.

He shared a post on Instagram expressing his excitement for this Week 11 matchup, and it’s easy to understand why.

Joseph-Day will try to put together a solid performance for his family, continuing his high-level play. In nine games (eight starts) this season, he has one sack, 20 tackles (three for a loss) and three quarterback hits. He does only have two tackles in the last three games, though.

“It’s finally starting to hit home because they’re talking about, ‘It’s the first time we actually get to see you start in person,” Joseph-Day said. “It’s going to be a Sunday night game, it’s going to be an amazing game. I’m just amped man, I’m ready to go. I’m ready to say thank you with my play.”