
Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 6/15/23
6 free agents the Rams could consider signing with their newfound cap space (ramswire)
“The Los Angeles Rams unexpectedly freed up a lot of cap space on Wednesday by restructuring Cooper Kupp’s contract. It saved them $10.44 million in 2023, though the move does also increase his cap hits in the following three years.
With more than $11 million in cap room now, the Rams have much greater flexibility – including the ability to sign outside free agents, if they so choose. While this decision could just be about giving Los Angeles the necessary space to make in-season roster moves, there’s also a chance Les Snead will bring in a veteran to compete at a position of need.
We’re not talking Dalvin Cook or DeAndre Hopkins, but the Rams could consider signing one of these six free agents.”
The #Rams converted $13.9 million of Cooper Kupp’s base salary into a signing bonus. #RamsHouse @FieldYates
LA Rams save $10.44M in cap space. pic.twitter.com/rWc284Jim7
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) June 14, 2023
Les Snead was there for a ‘devastated’ Odell Beckham Jr. after Super Bowl injury (ramswire)
“During an interview on the EconTalk podcast, Snead shared the story of how he consoled Beckham in the locker room after Odell got hurt, missing the start of the second half to be with the receiver.
“He was having a personal moment in the locker room where he was devastated,” Snead recalled. “And, our athletic trainer – he’s our director of athletic performance – he needed to go back out to the game. OBJ was really struggling. I said, ‘You know what, Reg? You run back out to the game. Send one of your assistant trainers in. I’ll hang with Odell during these moments.’ So, I did.”
By the time Snead got back up to the owner’s suite with Stan Kroenke, the Bengals had scored 10 straight points to take a 20-13 lead over the Rams, a complete shock to Snead after seeing the scoreboard.
“I get back up – I sit with our owner – so I get back up to the owner’s suite. And, in that moment, Cincinnati has already, on the first play of the second half, thrown a deep ball touchdown; and we have just thrown an interception,” he continued. “And, Cincinnati got the ball. Point being: By the time I get up, Cincinnati scored 10 points that I didn’t see. We’re down. And I’m like, ‘Wow, I was not expecting this.’ And from that moment, I was on edge.”
Snead felt it was important to be there for Beckham during a difficult time. Beckham joined the Rams to win a Super Bowl and getting hurt early on was a devastating blow for not only the team, but particularly for Odell himself.
Snead was glad he spent those moments with Beckham instead of rushing back to the owner’s suite, and he’s not necessarily upset about missing two scores by Cincinnati.
“And the neat thing is you try to sympathize a lot of things as like, ‘Okay, this is a big moment for Odell Beckham Jr.’ It’s also a big moment for Les Snead personally. But, oh, by the way, I am into my 50s. I do have some wisdom experiences that he doesn’t. And you try to sympathize in those moments that, ‘You know what, at the end of the day, whether we win or lose this game, there’s definitely going to be some extreme emotions of fulfillment, disappointment, regret – whatever the case may be.’
“But, you’re only going to get that moment, right, with another human being who is maybe taking it tougher than you are, because, guess what? He was actually on the front lines, in the front lines making a difference in whether the Los Angeles Rams are going to win that Super Bowl or not.”
Snead is seen as one of the better general managers in the NFL and not just because he’s good at acquiring talent for the Rams. He puts his players and coaches first, which has earned him an overwhelmingly positive reputation around the NFL.”
Excited to get to work, @Demarcus! pic.twitter.com/c83RgSPbZx
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 14, 2023
Rams Coach Sean McVay Confident In WRs? ‘I Feel Better!’ (fannation/ramsdigest)
“Among the many questions facing the Los Angeles Rams this season is how their receivers room will fare. Cooper Kupp is still one of the NFL’s best receivers when healthy, but the depth behind him has been a cause for concern to some.
For head coach Sean McVay, though, he’s not worried about how his pass-catchers will perform. McVay gave his receiver group a strong vote of confidence on Tuesday, adding that most of them have had a strong offseason.
“I think I feel better about it,” McVay said in a press conference on Tuesday. “It’ll be good to get Cooper rolling again. I think guys have all taken steps in the right direction.
“I think Van [Jefferson’s] had a really good offseason. I think Tutu Atwell has been outstanding. He’s been a real bright spot, very comfortable. You can just see the comfort in playing a lot of snaps last year, gaining some confidence and then being able to move around.”
McVay didn’t just praise the veterans, but the new additions as well. Rookies Puka Nacua and Lance McCutcheon have impressed McVay throughout offseason workouts, as have recent free-agent pickups Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson.
“I love what I’ve seen from Puka Nacua,” McVay said. “Lance McCutcheon has shown really well and then the guys Tyler and Demarcus made some plays out there today.”
Rams Recap: HC Sean McVay joins J.B. Long to break down what he has seen from the newest Rams following OTAs + Minicamp. https://t.co/c1vvQhl12W
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 14, 2023
Rams mix n match OL sending reports down multiple rabbit holes (fansided)
“The focus of many articles of late has remained on the young players on the Rams roster. But let’s not ignore the fact that this team has a massive influx of new positional coaches, all of whom were handpicked to not only handie the role throughout the season but to reenergize the ability to coach up younger raw players into NFL-caliber players.
Through the early sessions of the LA Rams off-season workouts, OL Coach Ryan Wendell is making the best of a tough situation. He has to take a battered and demoralized offensive line and somehow figure out the best five-man combination to start this season. The toughest challenge, or perhaps Wendell’s advantage, is the fact that he has no history with the players on the team. That could give Wendell a clean and objective slate when deciding who does and who does not start for the Rams’ offensive line.
Mix and match now means deciding later
But to make that decision, Coach Wendell must be willing to mix and match players to see who is truly the best fit. That means that anyone competing for a starting role will have a turn at that role. Curiously, that seems to be a new strategy, as least if you are paying attention to the reports from OTAs and mandatory workouts:
Steve Avila: working with the first team
Brian Allen: working with the…third team?
(photos via Rams) pic.twitter.com/x7UeAiPNuL
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) June 14, 2023
Let’s not get overwhelmed by OTAs in shorts and tee shirts right now. The LA Rams are not playing in pads. These workouts are about installs and getting players familiar enough to be comfortable with roles they may be asked to perform in 2023. Even as the short and tee shirts workouts give visible evidence of what the coaching staff is considering, it does not mean that any decisions have been made.”
Admin didn’t even flinch while recording this touchdown… pic.twitter.com/9HvTlCN8XP
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) June 14, 2023