http://www.clanram.com/forums/ en Sat, 25 May 2013 17:06:06 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.clanram.com/forums/images/misc/rss.png http://www.clanram.com/forums/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/former-auburn-receiver-emory-blake-sign-st-louis-rams-51651/ Sat, 04 May 2013 20:10:44 GMT BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Former Auburn receiver Emory Blake is expected to sign a deal with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent, according to his agent.

Blake was previously scheduled to attend the Tampa Bay Buccaneer's rookie minicamp this week, but the Rams stepped in at the last minute and signed him to a deal. He is the third former Auburn player to sign a deal with the Rams as an undrafted free agent since the conclusion of the NFL Draft on Saturday. He joins tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen and linebacker Daren Bates in St. Louis.

Blake reports to St. Louis on May 9.

"I'm glad I get to go through it with some guys that I know and am familiar with," Blake said.

St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher has a strong connection to the Auburn football program. His son, Trent, is a backup safety for the Tigers and the longtime NFL coach has attended games at Auburn.

"I know he's seen us play before and knows what we can do," Blake said. "Maybe there were some things that went into that decision."

Blake was Cam Newton's favorite receiver in 2010, leading the team with eight touchdown catches on only 33 grabs during the Tigers' run to the BCS national championship. He led the Tigers with 50 catches for 789 yards and three touchdowns last season, when the passing game sputtered under offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.

Blake thrived in the hurry-up, no-huddle system implemented by Gus Malzahn in 2009 and 2010.

"He is not the fastest guy," Malzahn said last week. "He knows how to get open and he's a great competitor, wants the football, does a lot of the dirty work and what I mean by that is he loves to block. He's got an understanding of the game and he's one of the more mentally tougher receivers I've had a chance to coach."
Blake had scheduled two trips to rookie minicamps, and was expected to travel to New Orleans next week to attend the Saints camp before signing with the Rams. ]]> Rambos http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/former-auburn-receiver-emory-blake-sign-st-louis-rams-51651/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/rams-picks-really-added-youth-team-51647/ Sat, 04 May 2013 02:10:02 GMT One thing missed when talking the Rams draft was how young the players they took are. Barrett Jones is the eldest at 23 already, but the others are either just 23 when the season begains, or still 22. Alec Ogletree is the youngest, one of the youngest in this draft, at still age 21, not 22 till September.

This is a very good thing if a guy is good, because he'll be young when he is up for a new deal.

Isaac Bruce was one of the youngest ever to be drafted, and in the end, it meant for a longer career here.

Hopefully we'll see this for Austin, Bailey, McDonald, McGee, Stacy, Ogletree and Jones, not just a group with top talents, and good experience, and smarts, but one that is very young, even for an NFL draft crop. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/rams-picks-really-added-youth-team-51647/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/draftnik-game-51646/ Fri, 03 May 2013 23:46:32 GMT To me the biggest and most rewarding part of being a draftnik is when guys you like also were higher on team's boards than some other fans thought, and even some analysts, and some highly touted ones you don't like drop like rocks on draft day.

The Closer your top 15, top 32, top 50 are to who actually went there is how i judge my draft year opinions.

Of course maybe the team taking my guy early will be as wrong as I was for liking the guy so much, but a lot of factors go into a true bust.

This year, I was most on point with Lane Johnson, who I said would never get past pick 5, Eric Reid, who I was very high on from the start, Barkevious Mingo, and DeAndre Hopkins all went earlier than their detractors expected, and Eddie Lacey, who I felt was a mid to late #2 went right there, and as I though Leveon bell, the guy I really liked, might be the best of the lot this year

Didn't see Frederick as a first rounder, but I did see him as the best center in this draft, who would never make it out of ear ly round three even late round two.

Liked Sylvester Williams all through the off season as well, as close to that top 15 in talent.

Didn't see Kyle Long as a first, but I had him at the very top of round two.

Liked EJ Manuel a LOT, but early in round two.

Didn't like any of the other QBs much at all, though round two would be huge reach for any of them.

Didn't like Patterson, and still think Minny reached for him, and never saw Te'o as a first rounder.

Surprised that Ogletree lasted till 30 though.

Liked Fluker as a top 15, others said no way... but there he is.

In the end, the player tiers sort of ended up where i had them, and it's nice, since I did more ground work on this draft than any I have in a decade or more, with there being so many questions and mystery. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/draftnik-game-51646/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/kings-look-deep-inside-rams-draft-room-51645/ Fri, 03 May 2013 21:29:16 GMT By Mike Sando | ESPN.com

Peter King’s report for Sports Illustrated from inside the St. Louis Rams’ draft room gives us a much better feel for how the team operates.

We learned, among many other things, that the Rams' trade to acquire the eighth overall choice from the Buffalo Bills was worked out days in advance, but never a sure thing until the last minute, and only then when St. Louis upped its offer. Tavon Austin was the player the Rams felt they had to have, so when the division-rival Arizona Cardinals selected guard Jonathan Cooper at No. 7, the Rams' draft room erupted in celebration (the down side: having to face Cooper twice a year in the NFC West).

We learned from King that the Rams really did have Alec Ogletree as their No. 1 priority with the second of their two first-round selections. They had serious concerns about Ogletree's off-field issues, and those concerns presumably influenced their decision to trade back to No. 30 instead of selecting Ogletree at No. 22. But the wait to No. 30 sounded excruciating based on the conversations and observations King relayed in his report.

When the Rams traded back, UCLA defensive lineman Datone Jones, chosen 26th by Green Bay, and Kentucky guard Larry Warford, chosen 65th by Detroit, were the players St. Louis was considering as fallbacks at No. 30 if Ogletree were not available. That information can be helpful in the future if Jones or Warford becomes available in free agency. We now know those players could have special appeal to the Rams' current leadership.

We also learned from King that the Rams could have traded the 30th pick to Minnesota for the Vikings' second-, third- and fourth-round picks, but general manager Les Snead thought such a move would have sacrificed one of his core principles: going and getting players his team really, really wanted. This philosophy came into play later in the draft when the Rams traded both sixth-round picks to Houston for the fifth-round choice St. Louis used for running back Zac Stacy.

"I think [Stacy] was one of probably the last guys on our board that we were really, really jacked about," Snead would explain to reporters after the draft. "The rest was just going to be people we liked, but not jacked about, so at that point in time we said, 'Hey, let's go get him.' "

Snead would rather have one player he really likes than two players he doesn't feel as strongly about. That thinking makes tremendous sense at the top of the draft, I think. I'm not sure if that's true nearly to the same degree later in the draft, when it's tougher to tell differences between players and the "crapshoot" element comes into play more prevalently.

Ogletree might become an all-world player, and if the Rams think he's going to be special, it's tough to fault them for holding onto the pick. But there are obvious risks associated with drafting Ogletree, whose off-field issues have included failed drug tests in college and a DUI arrest.

The Rams entered the draft with only 52 players on their roster. They are wisely valuing impact players over lesser ones. But they still needed numbers.

There's a decent chance, in theory, that one of the players the Rams would have selected with the 52nd, 83rd or 102nd picks from Minnesota would have outperformed the player chosen 30th. Kevin Meers' Harvard draft value chart says the Rams would have received 85 percent more value than they traded away had they made the trade. Steve Drake's Sports + Numbers chart would have given the Rams a 46 percent value edge. Chase Stuart's Football Perspective chart had the Rams ahead by 69 percent.

Of course, those fancy charts aren't in love with Ogletree. Those charts cannot know whether Ogletree is really a top-10 or top-15 talent from a physical standpoint, as the Rams project. By all appearances, NFL teams aren't yet in love with these types of charts, which value picks based on how players selected in the same slots have performed historically.

The traditional value chart from two decades ago says the 30th overall pick is worth almost exactly what those three picks from the Vikings would be worth.

The Rams might not care all that much. They got their guy and that is what matters to them. ]]> ManofGod http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/kings-look-deep-inside-rams-draft-room-51645/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/first-play-rams-need-add-new-playbook-51639/ Thu, 02 May 2013 23:51:13 GMT I know there is this big learning curve for WR coning into the NFL. That said lets do what the redskins did for RG3 and that is run plays he already knows. This one has to be added, it looks like a nightmare to try and stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uDaboo-ZyA I know there is this big learning curve for WR coning into the NFL. That said lets do what the redskins did for RG3 and that is run plays he already knows.

This one has to be added, it looks like a nightmare to try and stop.


]]> Rambos http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/first-play-rams-need-add-new-playbook-51639/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/benefits-smart-center-jones-51624/ Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:46:40 GMT The center is the guy making the blocking calls, trying to keep his quesrtback upright, so in a complicated spread offense, as the Rams seem to be trending toward, having a really smart, great tactician is a must. The Greatest show had it with Andy McCollum, and in 1999 Mike Gruttdauria, both bad body guys with lots of intangibles and smarts. In Barrett Jones, the Rams certainly have it in spades, and add amazing toughness and versatility to that resume, along with terrific experience against the best competition in college football. Everyone likes to compare draft picks to present players, and one needs ony to look at Matt Birk to see what kind of future Barrett Jones could have. Birk, out of Harvard, is no adonis, but he is one of the smartest NFL players, which is why he has made six pro bowl appearances in his long career. Jones is an inch taller than Birk, so he could actually end up bigger than Birk when he fills out. The center is the guy making the blocking calls, trying to keep his quesrtback upright, so in a complicated spread offense, as the Rams seem to be trending toward, having a really smart, great tactician is a must.

The Greatest show had it with Andy McCollum, and in 1999 Mike Gruttdauria, both bad body guys with lots of intangibles and smarts.

In Barrett Jones, the Rams certainly have it in spades, and add amazing toughness and versatility to that resume, along with terrific experience against the best competition in college football.

Everyone likes to compare draft picks to present players, and one needs ony to look at Matt Birk to see what kind of future Barrett Jones could have. Birk, out of Harvard, is no adonis, but he is one of the smartest NFL players, which is why he has made six pro bowl appearances in his long career.

Jones is an inch taller than Birk, so he could actually end up bigger than Birk when he fills out.

It's kind of funny that everyone had Jeff Fisher turning the Rams into Titans West, with a power running game, and a concentration on defense.

Instead, Fisher remembers what the Rams 1999-2001 teams were able to do in that dome, on that turf.

The same kind of offense that is a must to win outdoors on grass, is the absolute worst to use indoors on turf, plys, almost all Super Bowls are not played in bad weather, on grass.

It shows how smart a head coach Fiser is, because he is combining his ability to build a great defense, with a new high powered offense that takes advantage, finally, of the venue.

Teams like Seattle and San Francisco make it very difficult to drive methodically down the field and score, so if you want to beat them, you have to hit them with some big plays when they blitz, and now the Rams can do just that.

The first time the opposition blitzes, and Bradford dumps a little rainbow to Tavon Austin, with just one or two defenders to beat, and lots of open space, just was Warner used to do with Bruce, Hakim, Holt and Faulk, fans will see what I am saying here, and wow will it be fun again in that dome.

If teams lay back, as they had to against the Greatest Show, Bradford, with a good line in place, and two good TE, good receiving RB, and all those talented WR, with shred them like a surgeon.

As the Rams really get to the top of the NFL, in a year or two at most, maybe sooner, since we all remember 1999, getting a new stadium built will be far easier, with the economy far better as well than the last six years.

Win or lose, sooner or later, fans are going to enjoy watching this new offense grow together, perhaps adding even more weapons and better blockers in 2014 and 2015.

And St. Louis fans don't have to give up that top 10 defense they have longed for since the Rams came to town, one Fisher could have playing as a poor man's Fearsome Foursome.

And did I mention that suddenly we have our own big time return threat. TEams will be trying to kick out of bounds on fourth downs, and that means better field position for the Rams all the time. If they do punt it to Austin, it's at their own risk. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/benefits-smart-center-jones-51624/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/props-barronwade-51618/ Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:03:22 GMT He is the winner of my "shirt off my back" draft competition.

Rather than accepting the prize of my throwback Steven Jackson jersey, he has generously decided to donate it to this year's ClanRam Bash raffle (proceeds help run this site).

The Clan thanks you! ]]> AvengerRam http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/props-barronwade-51618/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/guess-what-about-9-months-we-get-do-all-over-again-51617/ Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:00:36 GMT The FA/draft season is fun but, in some ways, its a bit exhausting. This was particularly true with the Rams taking a fairly active role in FA (both in terms of departing and arriving players) and in the draft (with 2 first round picks).

In about 9 months, we get to do this all over again!

The 2014 offseason should be as interesting as this year's, if not more so.

The Rams' roster will be fairly stable. Only two likely starters (Rodger Saffold, Jo-Lonn Dunbar) are set to be be UFAs in 2014. Given the youth of the team, there are few players who might be cap casualties (perhaps our two 30+ players, Harvey Dahl and Scott Wells, or maybe Kendall Langford). Most of the salary cap will be tied up in a core of players who (though perhaps restructuring candidates) are not going anywhere: Sam Bradford, Jake Long, Jared Cook, Chris Long, James Laurinaitis, Cortland Finnegan. It won't be a spending spree scenario, but the Rams should once again be in a position to move some $ around and pursue a FA or two.

As for the draft, the Rams will once again have two first round picks. Hopefully, the Redskins will have a horrible year and one of those picks will be a premium selection. Apart from perhaps looking for Saffold's replacement (assuming he does not re-sign), the Rams will likely be in full BPA mode next year, which will make for a very interesting draft season.

We've got a full season of football to attend to before we'll need to worry about any of this stuff, but its nice to know that whatever happens in the 2013 season, the 2014 offseason will provide yet another opportunity to stock the team with young talent.

Its a good time to be a Rams fan. ]]> AvengerRam http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/guess-what-about-9-months-we-get-do-all-over-again-51617/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/ty-powell-olb-51605/ Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:42:24 GMT I wait 30 years for a Harding University Bison to be drafted in the NFL, and he goes to..... ....the Freaking. Seattle. Seahawks. Son of a motherless goat!!! I wait 30 years for a Harding University Bison to be drafted in the NFL, and he goes to.....

....the Freaking. Seattle. Seahawks.

Son of a motherless goat!!! ]]> HUbison http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/ty-powell-olb-51605/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/so-what-did-rams-give-up-get-austin-51603/ Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:12:49 GMT Looking at how the draft actually played out after the Rams deals, and counting Ogletree as the same guy they would have taken at 22, the Rams basically traded down 25 picks from 46 to 71, and from 78 to 92, while going up from rd 7 to rd 6 with one pick, used to get into rd five in the end. Leaving out that last move even, a couple things become clear. The Rams knew that the guys from 46 to 70 contained very few who fit Rams needs. They were NOT going to take a QB, DE, CB, MLB, TE there, nor a OLB or WR after taking Austin and Ogletree. Clearly, they were not enamored with any of the second round running backs either. That 25 picks from 46 to 71 contained in the end 1 3-4 DE, 2 DT, 5LB, 6 CB, 3 TE. Looking at how the draft actually played out after the Rams deals, and counting Ogletree as the same guy they would have taken at 22, the Rams basically traded down 25 picks from 46 to 71, and from 78 to 92, while going up from rd 7 to rd 6 with one pick, used to get into rd five in the end.

Leaving out that last move even, a couple things become clear.

The Rams knew that the guys from 46 to 70 contained very few who fit Rams needs.
They were NOT going to take a QB, DE, CB, MLB, TE there, nor a OLB or WR after taking Austin and Ogletree.

Clearly, they were not enamored with any of the second round running backs either.

That 25 picks from 46 to 71 contained in the end 1 3-4 DE, 2 DT, 5LB, 6 CB, 3 TE.

Only one WR went there, the top tier gone by 46. Only one OL, Larry Warford went in that area.

Everyone thought safety, but only two, DJ Swearingin and Tyrann Matthieu went in the 46-71 range.

The Rams had no interest in Matthieu that high, and they liked TJ McDonald nearly as much as Swearingin.

So really, out of those 25 picks, with the RB off the table for the Rams, only Warford and Swearingin would have been rated above McDonald perhaps, but the safty need might have eliminated Warford anyway.

Considering who they got in Austin, taking TJ McDonald instead of Swearingin seems like a fine deal.

The picks from 78 to 92 were 2 WR, 3 safeties, now not as big a need, 1 DE 2 DT, 1 TE, 2 OL, 2 CB, 1 LB, 1LB .

One of the DT might have been a value, but John Jenkins is a big NT type, not a fit.

The LB is a 3-4 guy, one WR , Goodwin an Austin clone without the quicks and hands, was not in play.

The 2 OT taken in there look like reaches, and I'd rather have Bailey really than any of the picks from 78-92.

There was a chance some guy could have fallen to 46 of good value, but it just did not happen. Eric Reid, gone, matt Elam, gone, Jon Cyprien gone Kyle Long , gone, Justin Pugh gone, Justin Hunter, D. Hopkins, Menelik Watson gone Robt Woods gone, K. Short gone K. Minter gone.

Had they stayed at 46, CLEARLY the BPA, by far would be the RB, and they didn't like Bernard, the first one taken, for the Rams needs.

They obviously don't feel a true big back is what works in the dome, on turn either. In their division, even Jackson had a hard time against those stout NFC West defensive lines.

They filled the need for a short yardage guy in Stacy, along with holdover Ganaway.

That should be all they need, especially with Austin and maybe Givens getting 4-7 carries a game on end arounds and other type plays.

I think we will see lots of screens to Austin and the others, and Sam Bradford will quickly become un-blitzable, like Kurt Warner was when he had Faulk , Bruce and Holt, plus Hakim, who could all turn a short pass into 6 points.

Teams will have to give Bradford short pass after short pass, to try and stop them like they did the Greatest Show, by using cover two and zone blitzes mostly , but keying on stopping the big play.

That will make for good things for Bradford, perfectly capable of throwing dart after dart with perfect accuracy.

Not being able to blitz will make the Rams line much better able to dominate, as they won't have much exotic stuff to worry about, even against the Niners and Seattle.

If teams try to stack the box at all, Sam can now go deep to a number of guys, and could have huge targets in Quick and Cook in the red zone.

They look to be a defensive coordinators nightmare, and they were able to get their top guy, as I showed, without really giving up much, in terms of formerly available players who went before the Rams i round three.

It's because of that, and getting Ogletree anyway, that Les Snead and Fisher seem to have hit a homer on draft day. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/so-what-did-rams-give-up-get-austin-51603/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/2014-what-remains-51600/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:46:41 GMT After apparently filled some more holes in a second straight great off season, one wonders what will be left when next year's draft arrives.

Clearly, the Rams appear set at QB, at least to me, but they will know more about Austin Davis and could look for a backup in round three or four in what looks to be a banner year for QBs again, with as many as five going in round one.

The Rams will either have RB as a top priority or it won't be a need, depending on how the young backs the team has do with a chance to start. That's agood thing if they succeed as it looks like another dismal crop of RB next draft.

Clearly OT is going to be a huge need, with Rodger Saffold probably moving on after this season. Not taking an OT high seems more a product of the way the draft fell, and perhaps Fisher not wanting to lose Saffold early by taking a starting type RT. They weren't going to trade this guy for peanuts either.

With it being another great year for OT, led by Jake Mathews, a guy Fisher will no doubt be after, even if it means trading up. However, five tackels are predicted in round one as of now.

I see Barrett Jones taking over at center, but if they cut Dahl, and they have not found something this year in Williams or another guy, and especially if Watkins isn't the guy, a guard could be a r eal focus next year, but only one or two are expected to be in round one, particularly Gabe Jackson.

It's not a great looking year at TE, but at WR it features some real talent. Fortunately it will be gone before the Rams pick, and is not a need anyway.

The Rams could also be looking DT, with Langford possibly being let go to save cap.

Only one DT is predicted to be a sure round one guy though, Louis Nix out of Notre Dame.

However, there are some big school guys at FSU, LSU, Cal and OK State who could push round one when it is all said and done.

The Rams won't need DE, and certainly won't get a shot at J. Clowney, but the four DE that will go in round one before the Rams hopefully, will not be guys they would want, seeing the lack of need.

It's another good year for OLB though, where they will have a big need if Dunbar leaves. They'll move Ogletree to Will at that point, and SAM guys should be easy to find. In the draft, y ou have Cj Mosley of Alabama leading the wa, with three or so more going in round one. Again, some top schools have some top rated guys here, especially UCLA, BYU, Alabama, and FSU.

The Rams probably won't need a cornerback, but at least four will go in round one next year again.

The safety hole could still remain in 2014, but it looks like only one , Alabama's Hasean Clinton-Dix is a projection now to go in round one. Looks like some real solid second round safeties again though.

It all shapes up nicely for the Rams, providing no one gets seriously hurt to create a hole.

This year, they got some of the few outside speed talents early, on both sides of the ball, while most teams went meat and potatoes with big guys.

next year, with so many more "skill" position guys in round one the Rams could get some great bargains at DT, OT, G, S, and OLB. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/2014-what-remains-51600/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/cody-davis-51599/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:22:17 GMT Really like this big hard hitting safety who started 37 games and was the defensive leader at Texas Tech, as he should easily make this team and be at the very least a special teams demon, and in the box guy. He is already an instant upgrade to Craig Dahl, a similar player. Also, like the TE, and always like Georgia LB. The OL also look intriguing on a team with that need. Really like this big hard hitting safety who started 37 games and was the defensive leader at Texas Tech, as he should easily make this team and be at the very least a special teams demon, and in the box guy.

He is already an instant upgrade to Craig Dahl, a similar player.

Also, like the TE, and always like Georgia LB.

The OL also look intriguing on a team with that need. ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/cody-davis-51599/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/nfp-sunday-blitz-post-draft-edition-51598/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:33:18 GMT NFP Sunday Blitz
What just happened in the draft? We've got you covered, including an inside look at the Chargers drafting of Te'o.
Dan Pompei
April 28, 2013, 05:30 AM EST


Second round picks aren’t supposed to be the stars of the draft. But no player generated more buzz over the three day draft than Manti Te’o.

His profile was so high, in fact, that the Chargers felt they had to trade up seven spots to the sixth spot in the second round in order to secure him. They gave up a fourth round pick to do the deal. But he was well worth it in the mind of new general manager Tom Telesco because he valued Te’o as a first round pick.

“When he didn’t go off in the first round, I came in Friday morning and started making some calls to people in front of us to see if anyone was willing to move down,” Telesco told me. “Just by looking at that second round, I didn’t know if there were many teams in front of us who would take him. I was more concerned about teams behind us that may have come up to get him. Especially because he was more high profile. We were able to get up and get him and I’m really happy about it.”

Telesco’s knew more about Te’o than most GMs, and he subsequently felt more comfortable with him. He was hired by the Chargers three months ago. Previously, he worked as the personnel director for the Colts, where his office was about a two hour drive to Notre Dame. He watched Te’o play a game in person every year of his college career, and maybe saw six college games of his live.

What’s more, he went to college and played football with the Notre Dame assistant who knew him as well as anyone. Telesco and former Irish special teams coach Brian Polian, son of Bill, were teammates at John Carroll University. They even knew each other when they were in high school.

“We get to spend some time with these kids, but the college coaches are with them every day,” Telesco said. “The coaches who recruited them knew them in high school. They know the families well. If you have people you trust and you know they are giving you the real thing, you feel a lot more comfortable. Brian was the point guy in recruiting him. He was making trips every other week to Hawaii in the recruiting process. When they have been around the kid for a number of years, they have a feel for the kid. There was no smoke out there at all. We knew he loved football.”

So the Chargers had no misgivings about Te’o’s girlfriend who never was. “You do your research on it,” Telesco said. “All I can come up with is he got duped by somebody. It happens. He handled it really well in the aftermath, which is key. We did our research. We’re fine with it.”

They also were not scared off by the 4.81 40 yard dash he ran at the combine. “I never thought he was a 4.55, 4.60 linebacker,” Telesco said. “I wasn’t expecting him to run fast. I think his pro day time (4.71) was more reflective of what he is. What stands out to me with him is his instincts, block awareness, feel for the game and preparation. He’s a 4.72 or 4.75 guy who plays more like a 4.6 guy. He has all those things in his head that can compensate for that.”

It helps that the Chargers scheme will not often require Te’o to sprint downfield. “If we were a Tampa 2 team and he was asked to carry down the middle of the field, it would be different,” he said. “It’s going to be more zone drops. He has incredible awareness in the passing game. I think he’ll be a three down linebacker.”

The Chargers believe Te’o will play faster because of how he sees the field. Telesco raved about his instincts, passion and football IQ—which he says is one of the highest he’s ever been around.

How does he judge football IQ? “From tape, conversations with him, having him watch tape with us. Explain what’s going on. What’s the call here? What are your responsibilities? Our coaches would teach him something and ask him to redo it an hour later on the board. His recall was like clockwork. He nailed it all. He almost has a quarterback type mind.”

Other NFL execs were congratulating the Chargers on drafting Te’o because many believe Te’o landed in the perfect spot. San Diego doesn’t have the kind of intense media spotlight that many other NFL cities do, and Te’o should be surrounded by a warm fan base, given the large Polynesian community around San Diego.

The Chargers might be perfect for Te’o. And Te’o might be perfect for them.

My Sunday Best: Teams That Helped Themselves Most

There isn’t a team in the league that wasn’t popping figurative, if not literal, champagne corks Saturday night. Every roster is improved, every draft was a hit. But these are the teams that might have helped themselves the most.

1. *Vikings—It’s difficult not to have a great draft when you have three first round picks. They arguably chose the best defensive tackle, the second best cornerback and the second best wide receiver in the draft. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told me he never envisioned Sharrif Floyd dropping to 23, and no other front office man I spoke with did either. If there was a reason for the fall, I can’t figure it out. He was maybe the best value pick of the draft. By the time the Vikes dealt for their third No. 1 at 29, they were, in the words of one front office veteran, “playing with house money.” So they took a chance on wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who could be the biggest boom or bust guy in the draft. Liked the seventh round gamble on Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti too.

2. *****—The rich get richer. I’m not sure any team added more high end talent than the *****. They took gambles on two players with medical issues with Tank Carradine in the second and Marcus Lattimore in the fourth. But they were wise gambles at those points in the draft. Eric Reid was a riser who could be an impact player quickly. Vance McDonald could be lethal in combination with Vernon Davis.

3. Eagles—The first two picks, Lane Johnson and Zach Ertz, were right on. And the Eagles selected three players who each could have easily been chosen two rounds earlier in Matt Barkley (fourth), Earl Wolff (fifth) and Jordan Poyer (seventh). Said one personnel director, “No way should Barkley have fallen that far.”

4. Rams—They continue to cash in from the RGIII trade. I wasn’t crazy about the trade up for Tavon Austin. A number of personnel men thought No. 8 in the draft was too high for him. But it’s probably where the Rams had to be to select him. And there is no doubt they added the most dynamic receiver and the most dynamic linebacker in Alec Olgetree. They added seven players who could make their roster. And even fourth round pick Barrett Jones and fifth round pick Brandon McGee could be eventual starters.

5. Cardinals—In Steve Keim’s first draft, the Cardinals picked up maybe the best player at any position—Jonathan Cooper--with the seventh choice. Give Keim credit for not being timid about taking a guard. Every pick was solid, including Kevin Minter in the second round. Regardless of what you think of Honey Badger, the Cardinals got him in the right spot—third round. Liked the sixth round flyer on Ryan Swope.

6. Titans. Ruston Webster chose four players who should be starting in Chance Warmack, Justin Hunter, Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Brian Schwenke. Between signing Andy Levitre and drafting Warmack and Schwenke, the Titans have turned their offensive line weakness into a strength. Zaviar Gooden was a third round gamble, but it’s OK to take a shot for the fences in the third round.

7. Steelers—This was a typical Steelers draft. Jarvis Jones, perfect Steeler. Le’Veon Bell, perfect Steeler. Markus Wheaton, perfect Steeler. Shamarko Thomas, perfect Steeler. None of them are flawless prospects. All of them are good system fits who will be producers. I even liked the fourth round gamble on Landry Jones. He was the most underrated quarterback in the class.

8. Jaguars—New GM Dave Caldwell capitalized on being near the top of every round with one sound pick after another. Luke Joeckel was picked second overall, but easily could have been first. The Jags’ first three picks (Joeckel, John Cyprien and Dwayne Gratz) should be quick starters, and Ace Sanders and Denard Robinson could give the team big plays off the bench quickly.

9. Saints—Considering they were docked a second round pick for the bounty scandal, the Saints did alright. Terron Armstead and John Jenkins, both of whom they picked up in round three, had second round value. A lot of teams were interested in Kenny Vaccaro, and he can have a big impact on their defense.

10. Colts—This wasn’t a flashy haul, but it was a solid haul. It’s drafts like this one that build the foundations around great quarterbacks like Andrew Luck. Hugh Thornton and Khaled Holmes should be blocking for Luck for years. And Bjoern Werner could be a fiber guy for the Colts’ defense.

Things I Didn’t Used To Know

*Tyrann Mathieu should send Deion Sanders a thank you card. One of the reasons Mathieu’s draft stock rebounded is Sanders was pushing him hard. It started at the combine, where Prime Time sought out team executives with the intent of selling the Honey Badger. He was going from suite to suite during workouts at Lucas Oil Field, even talking to team owners and vouching for the Badger’s character.

*The Vikings are well aware of the questions about Cordarrelle Patterson’s ability to acclimate to the NFL quickly, and have a plan in place to get Patterson up and running. They had four pre-draft visits with Patterson, so they feel they know the kid about as well as possible. Part of those visits were aptitude tests. They are encouraging veteran free agent pickup Greg Jennings to take Patterson under his wing, and they will lean heavily on wide receivers coach George Stewart, who the Vikings consider one of the best in the business. The Vikings also believe the culture in their locker room will be good for Patterson. If all goes as they hope, the Vikings think Patterson can be a contributor on offense as a rookie, as well as a return man.

*The Bucs were out of the first round with the trade for Darrelle Revis, but it would have been quite a different first round had they kept the 13th pick. As it was, the Jets selected defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson in that spot. The Bucs likely would have taken cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who fell 12 picks to the Vikings.

*Numerous front office men say there were not surprised to see Eddie Lacy fall to the Packers at the end of the second round. The more NFL teams looked at him, the more faults they saw. Lacy was knocked for poor work habits, lack of speed, durability concerns, a limited body of work and running style.

Hot Reads

*The Jaguars needed a quarterback in the worst way. They found one Blaine Gabbert has to be pleased with, if not Jaguars fans.

*It wasn’t a bad weekend for Aaron Rodgers, who walked away with two running backs, two offensive linemen and $110 million.

*Chris Kluwe may learn the hard way that it’s better for a punter to be known for the sound of your kicks than the sound of your voice.

*All that will be missing from Jets training camp will be elephants, a high wire and the human cannon ball. Then again, there still is time to fill those holes. ]]> Nick http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/nfp-sunday-blitz-post-draft-edition-51598/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/day-three-rams-park-51596/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:04:10 GMT Thought I had it all timed out, to make the 45 minute drive to Earth City, the coolest town name ever, but ironically one with absolutely no residents, just businesses, probably due to the fact that Rams Park, and all the other businesses all the way to the venue originally called Riverport Amphitheater, and past two casinos, is in a major flood zone, with usable acreage created by levies. Right now, there is a stench out at the team facility and offices, and no, Steve Spagnuolo and Scott Linehan are not back. It seems that some company, which is reportedly being sued, is leaking something into the water table, that is way way up right now, with so much rain in April. My friend John Knetzer, the guy that takes care of Rams Park, and has since the Rams arrived, seems happy to be retiring after this year, perhaps due to the special problems that facility faces. The smell not withstanding, the Rams messed up my timing by trading both sixth rounders for a late fifth, which they used to take a guy with a great name, for an action hero, or a running back, or maybe even a soap opera. Zac Stacy may not be Steven Jackson, but he may be the hard running bowling ball the Rams need between the tackles an in short yardage, as well as on the goal line. Got the chance to interview Stacy, and I tell you, now, he will 1. Be a media and fan favorite , and 2. He will have a career in broadcasting one day. Thought I had it all timed out, to make the 45 minute drive to Earth City, the coolest town name ever, but ironically one with absolutely no residents, just businesses, probably due to the fact that Rams Park, and all the other businesses all the way to the venue originally called Riverport Amphitheater, and past two casinos, is in a major flood zone, with usable acreage created by levies.

Right now, there is a stench out at the team facility and offices, and no, Steve Spagnuolo and Scott Linehan are not back. It seems that some company, which is reportedly being sued, is leaking something into the water table, that is way way up right now, with so much rain in April.

My friend John Knetzer, the guy that takes care of Rams Park, and has since the Rams arrived, seems happy to be retiring after this year, perhaps due to the special problems that facility faces.

The smell not withstanding, the Rams messed up my timing by trading both sixth rounders for a late fifth, which they used to take a guy with a great name, for an action hero, or a running back, or maybe even a soap opera. Zac Stacy may not be Steven Jackson, but he may be the hard running bowling ball the Rams need between the tackles an in short yardage, as well as on the goal line.

Got the chance to interview Stacy, and I tell you, now, he will 1. Be a media and fan favorite , and 2. He will have a career in broadcasting one day.

He is the anti Trung Canidate, who actually said "I mean" 25 times in a radio interview, just as Barrett Jones is the anti -Alex Barron.

With just three or four people there to interview him after the pick, probably because of the Blues and Cardinals playing in town today, and also the trade up catching others unaware that the Rams draft ended an hour early this year.

Writers were saying they have been asking for such a deal in every draft, but with occasional 7th round untradable comp picks, that all too often is impossible.

As for Mr Stacy, a one minute question got a five minute, thoughtful, highly intelligent answer. No cliche stuff here to make us all yawn. It was like a Burns and Allen routine, for those old folks who know those names.

George Burns would ask Gracie Allen, "How is your brother", and she did 15 minutes of pure comedy gold.

Stacy is the smartest running back I've seen here, maybe even Faulk smart, but with a better childhood and more sophistication right out of Vanderbilt, a pretty prestigious school academically, where Stacy graduated after 3 1/2 years with an education degree.

Stacy and Jones both are team captains, and really solid characters to add to the locker room, as well as guys you will root for as they work ever so hard to succeed, and cause zero problems or distractions.

The Rams brain trust didn't take very long answering questions today, and seemed very eager to get back to the remainder of their day.

Fisher spoke about the undrafted guys who they would be on early on, as they had no more draft picks, with assistant coaches no doubt calling and occupying their guys so no one else can call.

Fisher also said they would re-address what veterans they might go after, either very soon, or maybe waiting, as they did with Rocky McIntosh last year.

I think they probably have something with Mikell on the table now, and maybe Daryl Smith. We'll have to wait and see how that plays out.

Have not seen the list of signees yet, but my guess is there will be a few CB, S, RB, WR, LB maybe even a QB for a camp arm in there ]]> Barry Waller http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/day-three-rams-park-51596/ http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/forever-linked-time-tj-mcdonald-stedman-bailey-vs-keenan-allen-late-safety-51594/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:13:56 GMT Quite simple every year there is a tough decision to be made by a team and front office....it was clear that they made up their mind to get Austin over Hopkins and no one can have a problem with that...not even people that are anti-Austin in round 1 like me....I can see that Austin will be a weapon and should be happy... BUT!!!!! There was a turning point in this draft, Keenan Allen was on the board...A legit NFL weapon, that obviously the Rams still wanted a WR because they took one in their next pick.... So, with all of the safeties available we pass on Keenan Allen and jump for TJ Mac forever linked a debate of Allen vs. Bailey and TJ Mac versus guys like wilcox, willams, thomas, harmon, willams., etc.... so, I think that obviously Austin and Bailey will help each other since they know each other.... Quite simple every year there is a tough decision to be made by a team and front office....it was clear that they made up their mind to get Austin over Hopkins and no one can have a problem with that...not even people that are anti-Austin in round 1 like me....I can see that Austin will be a weapon and should be happy...

BUT!!!!!

There was a turning point in this draft, Keenan Allen was on the board...A legit NFL weapon, that obviously the Rams still wanted a WR because they took one in their next pick....

So, with all of the safeties available we pass on Keenan Allen and jump for TJ Mac forever linked a debate of Allen vs. Bailey and TJ Mac versus guys like wilcox, willams, thomas, harmon, willams., etc....


so, I think that obviously Austin and Bailey will help each other since they know each other....

K.Allen is over injury, so win now is very important., other than that....lets see how this plays out....

this is the moment that many Rams fans disagree with our draft, but we all trust Fisher and Snead, and look forward to it playing out....


Time to get ready for a rumble in the NFC West and lets see what this kid Bailey is made of.....do it boyz!! ]]> richtree http://www.clanram.com/forums/f85/forever-linked-time-tj-mcdonald-stedman-bailey-vs-keenan-allen-late-safety-51594/