Tag: sebastian joseph-day

Chargers expected to sign Rams NT Sebastian Joseph-Day

The Rams are expected to lose Sebastian Joseph-Day to the Chargers in free agency

Sebastian Joseph-Day is expected to stay in Los Angeles, but not with the Rams. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Joseph-Day is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Chargers.

It’s worth $24 million and comes with $15 million fully guaranteed. That’s a considerable and well-deserved raise for Joseph-Day, who unfortunately missed most of the 2021 season with a pec injury.

He originally joined the Rams as a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft and has been a starter for the last three seasons. He had big shoes to fill in 2019 after the Rams let Ndamukong Suh leave in free agency that year.

Report: Chargers expected to sign DT Sebastian Joseph-Day

The Chargers continue to bolster the defensive line.

After landing Austin Joseph, the Chargers continue to bolster the defensive line.

According to ESPN’s Chris Carlin, Los Angeles is expected to sign former Rams defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day.

Joseph-Day is familiar with head coach Brandon Staley, making this an intriguing pairing. When Staley oversaw the Rams’ top-ranked defense, he had a career-high 33 run stops, two passes defended, and a forced fumble.

He was on his way to surpassing those in 2021, but an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained in Week 7 kept him out.

Still, with a combination of speed, power, and violent hands, Joseph-Day can win one-on-one matchups and eat-up blockers to let his fellow teammates roam freely.

Further, Joseph-Day has 55 defensive stops since 2020, tied for 15th. Every other player in the Top 15 has at least 1,000 snaps over the span, he’s put up 55 stops on just 728 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Rams 2022 free agency preview: Room for Sebastian Joseph-Day in LA?

Sebastian Joseph-Day is hitting free agency after missing half the 2021 season. Is there still room for him on the Rams?

The defensive line was a major strength of the Rams last season, as it has been for years. Even with Michael Brockers leaving via trade, the Rams’ defensive front was absolutely dominant, both against the run and the pass.

Sebastian Joseph-Day was a big part of that early in the season but a torn pec forced him to miss 13 of the Rams’ 21 games, including the postseason. It was the worst possible time for Joseph-Day to suffer a significant injury, with free agency looming this year.

Will he be back in Los Angeles for another Super Bowl run next season or will he find a better situation elsewhere?

1 pending free agent Chargers should target: NFC West Edition

Listing one free agent from each team in the NFC West that could be a good fit for the Chargers.

The Chargers are set to enter free agency with the most salary cap available since Tom Telesco took over as general manager in 2013.

Even though the franchise has some in-house players that will need to get paid, there’s a great chance that Telesco and company will be aggressive in signing other soon-to-be free agents to bolster its roster.

With that being said, we are going to list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A.

Next up is the NFC West.

DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rams

Joseph-Day is familiar with head coach Brandon Staley, making this an intriguing pairing. When Staley oversaw the Rams’ top-ranked defense, he had a career-high 33 run stops, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. He was on his way to surpassing those, but an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained in Week 7 kept him out. Still, with a combination of speed, power, and violent hands, Joseph-Day can win one-on-one matchups and eat-up blockers to let his fellow teammates roam freely that the Chargers could greatly benefit from. Further, according to Pro Football Focus, Joseph-Day led the league in run-stop percentage among interior defenders in 2021.

DT D.J. Jones, 49ers

En route to San Francisco’s playoff run, Jones proved to be a staple that flew under the radar after he was re-signed on a one-year prove-it deal last offseason. The definition of a no-nonsense-penetrator, Jones lives in opposing backfields. Money as a run defender, he had 40 stops on the regular season and had 14 tackles for loss or no gain in 2021, which were second to only Aaron Donald among all interior defenders despite playing roughly half as many snaps as him. But in addition, he provides value as a pass rusher, with 16 pressures, marking a career-high.

WR Christian Kirk, Cardinals

All eyes are set on Mike Williams and whether or not he will be in a Chargers uniform in 2022. But no matter what Williams’ future holds, Los Angeles needs to add an asset capable of stretching the field. Kirk is a smooth and dependable receiver with the speed and vertical ability who’s coming off a career year, catching 77 passes for 982 yards and five touchdowns. Further, Kirk recorded a 97.0 receiving grade when targeted receiver on deep throws (throws of 20-plus air yards). This would allow Justin Herbert to use his big arm to uncork it more often.

CB D.J. Reed, Seahawks

The Chargers will be looking to upgrade their cornerback room, with Chris Harris Jr.’s tenure likely at an end and it’s lacking quality talent aside from Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. While undersized at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Reed showed to handle his duties on the outside at a high level. Reed allowed a passer rating of 66.0 from the 68 targets thrown into his coverage, with only 51.5% of those throws caught by their intended target. While the majority of his playing time came near the boundary, Reed also possesses the versatility to play safety and in the slot, giving Brandon Staley the flexibility to move him around in his ever-revolving secondary.

3 pending free agents from Rams the Chargers should try to add in free agency

Listing three players from the Super Bowl LVI champions that the Chargers could target in free agency.

It’s official. The Rams are Super Bowl LVI champions.

While many worldwide were gathering around to watch the contest for entertainment purposes, teams across the league were using this as a part of their evaluation process for the offseason.

With that, the Rams have a handful of soon-to-be free agents that could draw the attention of Chargers’ Brandon Staley, who happens to be familiar with, given he was their defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach.

Let’s look at some of the players who the Bolts can target.

CB Darious Williams

The Chargers not only will be looking to fill the void left by Chris Harris Jr., who is set to be a free agent, but they are also in need of more cornerback talent altogether. At 5-foot-9, Williams doesn’t boast ideal height, but he plays much bigger than his measurements with phenomenal instincts and physicality. Under Staley in 2020, Williams had a breakout season, logging 14 passes defensed and four interceptions. Further, he allowed a 54% completion rate and was named Second-Team All-Pro.

DT Sebastian Joseph-Day

When Staley oversaw the Rams’ top-ranked defense, Joseph-Day had a career-high 33 run stops, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. He was on his way to surpassing those in 2021, but an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained in Week 7 kept him out. Still, winning with speed, power and violent hands, Joseph-Day can win one-on-one matchups and eat-up blockers to let his fellow teammates roam freely that the Chargers could greatly benefit from.

EDGE Von Miller

The Chargers could be in the market for a pass rusher opposite Joey Bosa, especially if they choose to move from Uchenna Nwosu. While Staley did not coach Miller when he was with the Rams, they know each other very well from their time together with the Broncos in 2019. The 33-year old Miller may not be the perennial first-team All-Pro that he was in his prime, but he can still impact the game at a high level with his athletic profile, variety of ways to win as a pass rusher, and discipline as a run defender. This season, Miller posted 9.5 sacks, and he tied for the most in the playoffs (4).

Rams place Higbee and Noteboom on IR, activate Joseph-Day and Henderson Jr.

The Rams put Tyler Higbee on IR, ruling him out for the Super Bowl. They also activated Sebastian Joseph-Day and Darrell Henderson Jr.

The Rams shared a mixture of good news and bad news on Friday ahead of Super Bowl LVI. The good news is that Sebastian Joseph-Day and Darrell Henderson Jr. have both been activated off injured reserve, making them eligible to play in Sunday’s game.

The bad news is that Tyler Higbee and Joe Noteboom were placed on IR, ruling them out for the Super Bowl. The Rams needed to make room on the roster for Joseph-Day and Henderson, and moving Higbee and Noteboom to IR was the easiest way to do it.

Losing Higbee is a big blow to the offense. He played 92% of the offensive snaps this season and was typically the only tight end on the field. He’ll be replaced by Kendall Blanton, who filled in admirably in the NFC title game with five catches for 57 yards.

The return of Joseph-Day provides a boost to the defensive front, joining the rotation with Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson. He’s a great run defender but has also improved as a pass rusher the last two years.

Henderson is unlikely to have a significant role with Cam Akers and Sony Michel handling the bulk of the work in the backfield. He could mix in as a receiver at times, but expect Akers and Michel to get most of the carries.

Sean McVay optimistic about Joseph-Day, Henderson in return from injuries

Sean McVay says it’s “looking optimistic” for Sebastian Joseph-Day and Darrell Henderson Jr. as they return from injury

The Los Angeles Rams could get back two key players for Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Sebastian Joseph-Day and Darrell Henderson Jr. have both been on injured reserve and though they’ve been practicing after being designated to return, they haven’t yet been activated.

That could happen before Sunday’s game. Sean McVay told reporters during his media availability on Monday that it’s “looking optimistic” for Joseph-Day and Henderson in their return from injuries. He didn’t commit to them playing against the Bengals, but this continues the positive trend surrounding these two players.

Joseph-Day would complement Aaron Donald, A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines up front, helping solidify an already-stout defensive line against the Bengals. Joseph-Day has been recovering from a pectoral injury, missing the final 10 games of the regular season and the Rams’ first three playoff games.

The Rams have Cam Akers and Sony Michel already at running back, but Henderson would give them another piece in the backfield – one who’s a solid receiver, too.

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‘Definitely a possibility’ that Joseph-Day, Henderson and Rochell can return for Super Bowl

Sean McVay isn’t ruling out the possibility that Sebastian Joseph-Day and 2 others on IR could return for the Super Bowl

The Los Angeles Rams have dealt with injuries throughout this postseason, missing Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller for their last three games. They were also without Andrew Whitworth for one week, Joe Noteboom this past week and now Tyler Higbee is banged up after injuring his knee.

But there could also be some reinforcements on the way to help with the depth at multiple positions. Sean McVay isn’t ruling out the possibility of Sebastian Joseph-Day, Darrell Henderson Jr. and Robert Rochell returning in time for the Super Bowl.

They’re currently on injured reserve but have been designated to return, allowing them to practice before being activated.

“Yeah, that’s a good question. Reggie (Scott) and I kind of started (talking about it). We’ll talk about that,” McVay said Monday. “There’s definitely a possibility. I want to make sure that I sit down and hit those guys about how they’re feeling before anything becomes official, but I definitely am not closing the door on the possibility of those three guys being able to participate.”

Joseph-Day would be a big boost to the defensive line, which is already playing so well with Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson. Joseph-Day was the starting nose tackle for the first part of the season before tearing his pec, and has really become an impactful player.

Henderson would likely slot in behind Cam Akers and Sony Michel as a situational back if he were to return for the Super Bowl, with a similar scenario for Rochell at cornerback. Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams and David Long Jr. are the top three cornerbacks, with Dont’e Deayon not even playing a snap the last two weeks. So it’s unlikely Rochell would see much playing time against the Bengals if he does return.

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5 defensive tackles Chargers could target in free agency

With a glaring need along the defensive line, here are five pending free agents the Chargers could target.

We are still less than a couple of months until the free agency frenzy begins, but as the anticipation continues to build up, I will start listing potential targets for the Chargers at key positions of need.

First up, interior defensive linemen.

Akiem Hicks, Bears

Hicks, who is familiar with Brandon Staley during his time with Chicago when he was the outside linebacker coach, can contribute as a run-stuffer and pass rusher. He has over 50 quarterback pressures in three seasons, with his most recent in 2020. He has dealt with some injuries throughout his lengthy career, but it hasn’t hindered him enough to keep him from producing when he is on the field. He played over 800 snaps in each season in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020.

Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rams

Hicks isn’t the only interior defender that Staley is familiar with. When Staley oversaw the Rams’ top-ranked defense, Joseph-Day had a career-high 33 run stops, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. He was on his way to surpassing those, but an unfortunate torn pectoral sustained in Week 7 kept him out. Still, winning with speed, power and violent hands, Joseph-Day can win one-on-one matchups and eat-up blockers to let his fellow teammates roam freely that the Chargers could greatly benefit from.

Folorunso Fatukasi, Jets

Fatukasi was disruptive against the run at UConn, and he has carried that over to the NFL over the last three years. This past season, he finished tied for third among defensive tackles in run stop win rate at 43%, according to ESPN. While not notorious for rushing the passer, he has shown flashes, posting 16 pressures and five quarterback hits on 282 pass-rush snaps. Further, he has consistently stayed healthy, logging defensive snaps of 507 in 2020 and 558 in 2021.

B.J. Hill, Bengals

If the Chargers re-sign Justin Jones, there could be a reunion between him and Hill as the two were previously teammates at North Carolina State. Despite being overshadowed by Dalvin Tomlinson, Dexter Lawrence, and Leonard Williams during his time with the Giants, Hill still consistently produced, both against the run and generating pressure. Now with Cincinnati, his presence has been known in the middle of the defensive line. Hill amassed 29 pressures, six sacks, and 25 run stops on the season.

D.J. Jones, 49ers

En route to San Francisco’s playoff run, Jones has been a staple that has flown under the radar after he was re-signed on a one-year prove-it deal. The definition of a no-nonsense-penetrator, Jones has lived in opposing backfields. He will make the majority of his money as a run defender, as he had 40 stops on the season. However, he added to his pass-rush repertoire, with 16 pressures in 2021, marking a career-high.

Ernest Jones won’t play vs. Buccaneers, could return next week if Rams win

Ernest Jones won’t be active for the Rams on Sunday but he could return next week if Los Angeles advances.

Los Angeles Rams rookie Ernest Jones has been on injured reserve since Week 15 and there was hope that he could return in time for Sunday’s divisional round matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite the Rams designating Jones to return from injured reserve on Thursday, Sean McVay said Friday that Jones won’t play on Sunday, but is “on track for next week.”

Of course, for Jones to play next week, the Rams would need to take of business by defeating the Buccaneers on Sunday. Jones would have been a welcomed addition for Los Angeles with Leonard Fournette returning for Tampa Bay, but Travin Howard should continue seeing an increased role in Jones’ absence.

Also, with Jones sidelined for another week, Troy Reeder will likely have the green dot on his helmet again against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.

Besides the rookie inside linebacker, the Rams also designated Darrell Henderson Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Robert Rochell to return from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s contest. But just like Jones, none of them are expected to make their return to the field this weekend.

It’s also been made official that neither Andrew Whitworth nor Taylor Rapp will suit up for the Rams on Sunday. At the very least, if Los Angeles emerges victorious against Tampa Bay, it could be getting a handful of guys back in time to play the San Francisco 49ers or the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.