All Things Rams - Stafford Thread

[Futureshock]

Aaron Donald, now 30, is feeling 30

Posted by Mike Florio on July 29, 2021, 8:49 AM EDT

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32-year-old Von Miller says he doesn’t feel like he’s 32. 30-year-old Aaron Donald says he feels like he’s 30.

“I’m getting older,” the Rams defensive tackle told reporters on Wednesday. “I feel it. My aches and pains last a little longer, so I definitely feel it.” (Based on the video, it seems he wasn’t being sarcastic about it.)

Rams coach Sean McVay disagrees with Donald’s self-assessment.

“No, I do not,” the Rams coach said when asked whether he sees a difference in Donald at 30. “He looks pretty damn good to me. He has got that same look in his eye. He looks good. He had a good first day. We know that he’s working hard. I think he’s going to pick up right where he left off and what he has done, since I’ve been fortunate enough to be around him, has been pretty spectacular. He is one-of-one.”

Having him around is both a good thing and a bad thing. As Rams G.M. Les Snead said in an appearance on PFT Live during Donald’s annual boycotting of the offseason program while seeking his current contract, Donald is so good that he can easily destroy a walk-through practice, making it harder for the offense to get its reps in.

[Futureshock]

Matthew Stafford loving challenge of “brand new” atmosphere

Posted by Josh Alper on July 29, 2021, 7:12 AM EDT

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Carson Wentz compared the start of training camp to the first day of school and it sounds like a comparison that would resonate with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Stafford joined Wentz in being traded to a new team this offseason and in making his first training camp appearance on Wednesday. Rams head coach Sean McVay said that it “seems like he feels very comfortable,” but Stafford said that he still feels like he’s trying to find his place amid a slew of unfamiliar faces.

“It’s brand new,” Stafford said, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. “I’m walking around trying to learn everybody’s name and who does what and all that kind of stuff. So trying to perform at a high level in that atmosphere is a challenge but I’m loving it.”

Stafford said that the task of acclimating himself is made easier by the “great accountability, great experience” of players around him in the offense. Those things weren’t always in evidence with Stafford’s teammates in Detroit and the hope is that the change of scenery will lead to a change of fortunes come the end of the season as well.

[Futureshock]

John Wolford won’t play in preseason for Rams after appendectomy

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on August 10, 2021, 11:55 PM EDT

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Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback John Wolford won’t play at all this preseason after needing an appendectomy over the weekend.

According Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com, head coach Sean McVay said Wolford won’t participate in the three preseason games leading up to next month’s season opener against the Chicago Bears.

Wolford was expected to miss 10-14 days of practice after surgery to remove his appendix. That timeframe alone would likely keep him from being able to play in either of the team’s first two preseason outings.

Wolford started the regular season finale for the Rams last year in place of an injured Jared Goff. He started again in the first week of the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks as Goff was still nursing a broken thumb. It was a short-lived outing as Wolford was knocked out of the game by safety Jamal Adams in the first quarter.

Matthew Stafford, Devlin Hodges and Bryce Perkins will have to carry the team through the preseason games with Wolford out.
__________________________________________________ ______________________

So Hodges and Perkins then

[jaadam4]

Aaron Donald, now 30, is feeling 30

Posted by Mike Florio on July 29, 2021, 8:49 AM EDT

Getty Images

32-year-old Von Miller says he doesn’t feel like he’s 32. 30-year-old Aaron Donald says he feels like he’s 30.

“I’m getting older,” the Rams defensive tackle told reporters on Wednesday. “I feel it. My aches and pains last a little longer, so I definitely feel it.” (Based on the video, it seems he wasn’t being sarcastic about it.)

Rams coach Sean McVay disagrees with Donald’s self-assessment.

“No, I do not,” the Rams coach said when asked whether he sees a difference in Donald at 30. “He looks pretty damn good to me. He has got that same look in his eye. He looks good. He had a good first day. We know that he’s working hard. I think he’s going to pick up right where he left off and what he has done, since I’ve been fortunate enough to be around him, has been pretty spectacular. He is one-of-one.”

Having him around is both a good thing and a bad thing. As Rams G.M. Les Snead said in an appearance on PFT Live during Donald’s annual boycotting of the offseason program while seeking his current contract, Donald is so good that he can easily destroy a walk-through practice, making it harder for the offense to get its reps in.

Oh what could have been.. thanks a lot Ebron

[Futureshock]

If they have any injuries, they're in trouble. Their second string OL can't block a lick.

[Cody_Russell]

Stafford is human after all, Rams….
3 INTs in joint practice vs the Raiders today.

I do miss joint practice. Bring up back next year, Campbell! Don’t forget next time.

[jaadam4]

I like the joint practices as well but I’m glad they didn’t do them this year. They’re installing new offensive and defensive systems with a brand new QB. They have enough learning internally this go around.

Next year it’ll be a different story as it should be a more matured process

[jaadam4]

Stafford is human after all, Rams….
3 INTs in joint practice vs the Raiders today.

I do miss joint practice. Bring up back next year, Campbell! Don’t forget next time.

Maybe we could send them a 2nd round pick for Stafford

[froot loops]

I thought those two joint practice weeks in Patricia 1sr year puthis ass behind the 8 ball. He was trying to do his Billy Bad Ass shit and the team looked so slow in preseason and it carried over into the season it didn't help that Quinn and Patricia wanted big guys..

[jaadam4]

Weren’t the Raiders laughing at us?

[Futureshock]

Weren’t the Raiders laughing at us?

That's the Mighty Raiders to you and yes.

Honestly, you could substitute any proper name or pronoun and it would probably still be true.

[Futureshock]

I thought those two joint practice weeks in Patricia 1sr year puthis ass behind the 8 ball. He was trying to do his Billy Bad Ass shit and the team looked so slow in preseason and it carried over into the season it didn't help that Quinn and Patricia wanted big guys..

Not to mention the extra running he had them doing probably wore their knees out. My oh my where are the people who proclaimed the players were just soft? THAT take didn't age well.

[Futureshock]

Ha!


Rams, Raiders end Thursday joint practice early after fight

Posted by Myles Simmons on August 19, 2021, 4:37 PM EDT

USA TODAY Sports

The Rams and Raiders couldn’t get through their second joint practice without fighting.

There were a few skirmishes in the first session between the two teams on Wednesday, but nothing that ever got too out of control.

That wasn’t the case on Thursday. According to reporters stations at the session from the Rams’ facility in Southern California, a major brawl broke out during a special teams period. The fight couldn’t get under control and the Raiders ended up getting on their buses and going back to their hotel early. The Rams continued to practice on their own.

“I thought we had great work today until special teams — right at the end of the special teams period,” Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said in his post-practice press conference. “I have no idea what that was, but that’s enough of that crap. That’s not good for football, that’s not good for anything. So that’s the end of that practice session.”

Gruden added that there was “no message” to the team after the brawl.

“They know better. Everybody knows better,” Gruden said. “And again, it wasn’t everybody fighting. It’ll be on TV, you’ll see a bunch of guys screaming and yelling. But it was two guys in a special teams period. And then it was a lot of trash-talking that escalated. It’s just sickening, really. It’s just stupidity. But I’m done with that. It’s just child’s play to me.”

On the other side, Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters he didn’t see what led to the fight but was glad no one got hurt.

“We ended up finishing our team stuff,” McVay said. “It’s unfortunate we didn’t get to finish up [with the Raiders], but that’s kind of where I’ll leave that at.”

The Rams and Raiders will play their preseason game at SoFi Stadium on Saturday at 10 p.m. ET.

[Futureshock]

Well, that doesn't help our pick...


Patriots trade Sony Michel to Rams

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 25, 2021, 7:28 AM EDT

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Sony Michel is heading west.

The Patriots have traded Michel to the Rams. The Rams are sending either 2022 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks or a 2022 compensatory fourth-round pick (if the Rams get one) to the Patriots in the deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The Rams were in the market for a running back after they lost Cam Akers for the season to a torn Achilles tendon, then lost Darrell Henderson to a thumb injury. The Patriots were known to be open to trading one of their veteran running backs after drafting Rhamondre Stevenson this year, and Michel is the one.

New England selected Michel with the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He played well at times (including scoring the only touchdown in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Rams) but the Patriots did not pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, signaling that he didn’t have much of a future in New England.

Now he’ll join a Rams offense that is expecting big things this year with the arrival of Matthew Stafford, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Michel jump into the starting lineup immediately.

[Cody_Russell]

Smart trade for both sides.
Patriots had 5 RBs that should make a NFL roster. Harris, White, Stevenson, Michel, and Taylor. Now they can keep 4 of them.
Rams. Low cost. Receive a rotational RB that had a bounce back season in 2020 and supposedly looked good in camp. Takes some pressure off of Henderson.
Not good for fantasy football because that Rams RB situation is murky.