Adrian Fedkiw
Each day leading up to the official start of the NFL football season, I will be providing you with player rankings, team previews, analysis, predictions, opinions and a whole lot more.
Football is back in Hollywood for the first time in 21 years and the Los Angeles Rams’ offseason certainly didn’t lack any drama.
With a trio of 7-9 records in their last four seasons — the other 6-10 — and head coach Jeff Fisher on his last legs, the Rams went off the script and sent a boatload of picks to the Tennessee Titans in order to move from the 15th pick in the NFL Draft all the way up to No. 1. And with that pick, they used it on California’s Jared Goff.
You can’t blame Los Angeles for the move. It’s not in rebuild mode, it’s built to win now with a stellar defense and potent rushing attack led by Todd Gurley. All it needed was a quarterback to put it over the top and move past mediocrity.
The pathetic aerial attack led by Nick Foles and Case Keenum last season ranked dead last in passing yards and third-down conversions.
The Rams can only go up from here.
Grading the Roster
QBs- Jared Goff (7.3), Case Keenum (7.2)
RBs- Todd Gurley (8.1), Tre Mason (7.3), Benny Cunningham (7.2)
WRs- Kenny Britt (7.3), Tavon Austin (7.3), Brian Quick (7.3), Pharoh Cooper (7.1)
TEs- Lance Kendricks (7.2), Cory Harkey (7.2)
Ts- Greg Robinson (7.1), Rob Havenstein (7.3), Darrell Williams (7.1)
Gs- Rodger Saffold (7.4), Jamon Brown (7.2), Cody Wichmann (7.2)
Cs- Tim Barnes (7.2), Garrett Reynolds (7.3)
DEs- Robert Quinn (8.3), William Hayes (7.6), Quinton Coples (7.3), Eugene Sims (7.2)
DTs- Aaron Donald (9), Michael Brockers (7.8), Ethan Westbrooks (7.3), Dominique Easley (7.3)
OLBs- Mark Barron (7.7), Akeem Ayers (7.3), Cameron Lynch (7.1), Josh Forrest (7)
MLBs- Alec Ogletree (7.4), Bryce Hager (7.1)
CBs- Trumaine Johnson (7.6), E.J. Gaines (7.3), Coty Sensabaugh (7.2), Lamarcus Joyner (7.3)
Ss- T.J. McDonald (7.3), Cody Davis (7.1), Christian Bryant (7.1)
K- Greg Zuerlein (7.3)
P- Johnny Hekker (7.4)
KR- Tavon Austin (7.4)
PR- Tavon Austin (7.4)
Team Rankings
Team- 7.364442
Offense- 7.310 (30/32)
Defense- 7.43194
Quarterbacks- 7.25 (31/32)
Running Backs- 7.53 (3/32)
Receivers- 7.23 (31/32)
Offensive Line- 7.23 (30/32)
Defensive Line- 7.71 (1/16)
Linebackers- 7.27 (14/16)
Secondary- 7.32 (25/32)
Special Teams- 7.38
Coaches – 7.3
PREDICTION– 7-9 (3rd NFC West)
QUARTERBACKS
The 6’4 Goff started every game during his three years with the Golden Bears and set school records with 977 completions, 12,220 yards and 96 touchdown tosses.
Goff has a calm demeanor with solid footwork and a quick release. He has fantastic pocket awareness and his coolness helps when rushers are barreling down on him because he’s not afraid to hang in there and still deliver accurate passes. Goff has the mobility to escape the pocket, but struggles throwing on the move.
Foles isn’t around anymore, but Keenum is. He’s a competent backup and Sean Mannion is the third-stringer.
RUNNING BACKS
Gurley was a flat-out monster over his first four starts, racking up 566 yards, the most of any back in his first four outings in league history.
He combines speed and strength, being able to break runs to the outside and punish defenders in the open field. He broke 42 tackles on just 229 carries last year, which is ridiculous. Peterson led the NFL with 50, but he carried the ball 327 times.
Sometimes stringing out those runs can hurt him, however, since he does it so often and defenses did a better job of containing it as the year went on. He needs to learn when to take what’s there between the tackles instead of being dragged down in the backfield when he bounces it to the outside. And over the final four games when the Rams went 3-1, they ran the ball 56 percent of the time. I think you can put two and two together there.
Benny Cunningham did a solid job as the third-down back a year ago.
RECEIVERS
Explaining why he recently handed wide receiver Tavon Austin a four-year, $42 million extension, Fisher explained that the Rams are paying for the future. He certainly oozes with potential, he just hasn’t quite broken out yet. He’s ridiculously quick in and out of his cuts, but is still not a complete route runner. He’s at his best after the catch and so good with the ball in his hands that the Rams lined him up as a running back countless times last season.
Kenny Britt is a big-play threat that averaged 18.9 yards per receptions, while former second-round pick Brian Quick has yet to live up to his draft status.
Cory Harkey is a reliable tight end and Lance Kendricks can line up anywhere on the field, but does have some really bad drops from time to time.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Can former No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson turn his career around? The left tackle has the physical tools you look for in and has looked like a road grader in the running game at times, but has also gotten beaten way too often in pass protection. He has length and range for days, but lacks the body control necessary to use them to complete effectiveness. Right tackle Rob Havenstein was extremely solid a year ago, not allowing a sack or getting flagged the entire season.
Left guard Rodger Saffold comes off surgeries on both shoulders over the last two years and the Rams are unsure what to expect from him. The starter opposite of him, Jamon Brown, broke his leg in Week 10. Tim Barnes is the starter at center.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Entering his third season, Donald is already the best defensive tackle in the league. And with a great nucleus around him along the defensive line, the undersized three technique won’t have to worry about being double teamed as much as others do. He had 11 sacks a year ago after posting nine during 2014, when he won the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Donald uses his 6’1 frame to get really low and that low center of gravity makes it extremely difficult for opposing linemen to get their hands underneath his pads. His first-step quickness is top notch and also has the flexibility to dip and bend. His technique is impeccable.
In the run game, his quickness and great use of leverage helps him get guards and centers turned. He’s great at stuffing the inside run. Donald has such a high football IQ that he can read what’s going on and then use his great agility to react and make the tackle. Michael Brockers is a great fit alongside Donald. He has the physical tools to go with a quick first step.
While he hasn’t gotten back to the form of that insane 2013 campaign where he posted a Rams record 19 sacks, Robert Quinn is still one of the better defensive ends in the game.
He had five sacks last year over his first eight games before missing the rest of the way with a back injury. Quinn is an explosive speed rusher who possesses outstanding flexibility. He has natural hand, foot and lateral quickness. He has power, he has length, he has good technique, Quinn is the prototypical pass rusher. Quinn’s primary role is to get after the quarterback, but he has the ability to stop the run. His quickness off the snap makes it hard to contain him. He also has the power and quickness to hold his ground against linemen, disengage and bring down the ball carrier.
The reason the Rams felt Chris Long was expendable was the play of William Hayes, who can do a little bit of everything and is a very solid tackler. Eugene Sims and Quinton Coples add depth at defensive end.
LINEBACKERS
Like Quinn, Alec Ogletree was have a great season before going down with a right ankle fracture. He will move over to the middle linebacker position, taking over for James Lauranaitis, who was released.
The switch from safety to linebacker has helped Mark Barron restart his career.He’s always loved to lay the wood on ball carriers and now gets to do it more often as a linebacker.
He plays with solid instincts and that aforementioned physicality in the run game. The move to linebacker had a lot to do with Barron’s struggles in coverage and still has his downfalls in that area as a linebacker. His hips have always been pretty stiff and isn’t quick with his change of direction. Barron is still learning how to rush the passer as a linebacker, but did show a few things last season. Akeem Ayers is the other starter at outside linebacker.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson emerged into a really good player last year, posting seven of the team’s 13 interceptions. That was to go along with a 55.0 passer rating allowed, which was the second best mark for the corners.
E.J. Gaines or Coty Sensabaugh will take over duties at the other cornerback spot for the departed Janoris Jenkins. Gaines had a solid rookie campaign, but a foot injury cost him the entire season last year.
Safety T.J. McDonald is underrated and third-year pro Mo Alexander will have the duty of replacing Rodney McLeod at the other safety spot.
TEAM PREVIEWS
Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets
Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts | Houston Texans | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs | San Diego Chargers | Oakland Raiders
NFL PLAYER RANKINGS