Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Bradford, other rookies set to open three-day minicamp with Rams

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    Bradford, other rookies set to open three-day minicamp with Rams

    Associated Press

    ST. LOUIS -- After the draft, the newest St. Louis Rams were issued abbreviated playbooks. The franchise is about to get its first chance to assess the kids' retention skills.
    Quarterback Sam Bradford takes the field for the first time since becoming the No. 1 overall pick along with other rookies and hopefuls at a three-day minicamp starting Friday. Bradford was in St. Louis for a news conference the day after the draft and left with homework after meeting with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl.





    Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold and cornerback Jerome Murphy, the Rams' second- and third-round picks, also left with starter playbook kits after being introduced in St. Louis, and the team overnighted material to the rest of their 11 selections.
    The team also scheduled telephone meetings earlier this week with the draftees to help get everyone up to speed.
    "Not a lot of information, but just something to get them started," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "Just a little bit."
    St. Louis, 1-15 last year, will hold two workouts Friday and Saturday with a single practice on Sunday.
    The first look could provide early insight on how quickly Bradford can make the conversion from the college game. The Rams have been noncommittal on their plans for easing the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma into the lineup and could open the season with veteran backup A.J. Feeley as the starter.
    So far, Bradford hasn't pushed for a timetable and has expressed his eagerness to learn. Spagnuolo told Bradford that he'll have gone through 24 practices before training camp begins in late July.
    "That's almost double a full spring at Oklahoma, so I think I can learn a lot," Bradford said. "I look forward to it. I look forward to getting around some of the veterans, picking their brains and just getting to work."
    Saffold was a tackle at Indiana, allowing one sack his senior season. The Rams like his versatility.
    "I know the big thing is just trying to go ahead and just do whatever they tell me to do," Saffold said. "I know it's a really tough process trying to figure out where everybody needs to go to put the team in the best position."
    Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
    Tags: None
    • #2
      Re: Bradford, other rookies set to open three-day minicamp with Rams

      Will there be any video of the rookie camp on the Rams home site? Or is it closed.

        Comment

        • #3
          Re: Bradford, other rookies set to open three-day minicamp with Rams

          Its most likely closed as every Rookie camp that im aware of, has been closed.

            Comment

            Previous template Next

            Related Topics

            Collapse
            • C-Mob 71
              Bradford makes good first impression
              by C-Mob 71
              Associated Press

              Bradford makes good first impression

              By R.B. FALLSTROM , 04.30.10, 04:12 PM EDT
              ST. LOUIS -- Sam Bradford was so nervous about his first NFL practice, he woke up before an alarm clock set for 6 a.m.
              Add in a bubbly enthusiasm evident by his high five with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur during the opening practice of a three-day rookie minicamp Friday, and the St. Louis Rams have to feel pretty good about investing the first pick of the draft on the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from Oklahoma.


              Bradford's summary: "It was a blast out there today."
              After the first of two practices Friday, coach Steve Spagnuolo complimented Bradford's poise and take-charge attitude. The Rams issued abbreviated playbooks to their draft picks last weekend, and Spagnuolo said Bradford appeared to have absorbed everything.
              Bradford refused to campaign for the starting job and Spagnuolo was noncommittal about the Rams' plans for easing him into the lineup, judging that question way too premature.
              "You're way ahead of me," Spagnuolo said. "We don't have to play a game yet. Nothing preconceived."




              That's fine with Bradford.
              "I think it's way too early to start making those type of statements," Bradford said. "I've only gone through one practice and I've only seen a very small portion of the playbook. All I know is I'm going to show up and help this team win."
              It was much easier to take charge with this group, too. The Rams invited 67 players to the minicamp, including 11 draft picks, but most players will be headed home after the tryout.
              "I wanted to see his command of the huddle, his interaction with teammates," Spagnuolo said. "He's not around a bunch of veterans, so that's another test. He kind of stepped to the forefront, you could tell he was the guy that's done this before."
              Bradford made a one-of-the-guys impression on the other draft picks when he texted them all to say he was glad to be teammates. Then he impressed them on the field.
              "All in all it's like we've got a connection," said wide receiver Mardy Gilyard, a fourth-round pick from Cincinnati. "We're developing a nice little relationship."
              Offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, the Rams' second-round pick out of Indiana, is Bradford's roommate for the weekend. Bradford even scores high on that account.
              "Oh, he's very clean," Saffold said. "The first day is usually the day where, you know, 'Maybe I shouldn't have had...
              -04-30-2010, 01:39 PM
            • Nick
              For Bradford, it's time to play
              by Nick
              For Bradford, it's time to play
              BY JIM THOMAS | Posted: Sunday, August 1, 2010 12:00 am

              The numbers are legit. Quarterback Sam Bradford really can earn as much as $86 million over the next six years.

              So these aren't just the St. Louis Rams anymore. It's Sam's Club. A fitting name for a franchise that looks as if it's about to be owned by a member of the extended Wal-Mart family (Stan Kroenke).

              But now, Bradford starts to earn that money. On Saturday afternoon, about an hour after signing his contract, he began in earnest the task of living up to that mega-deal.

              Pressure? What pressure?

              "You just have to go play football," Bradford said after his first NFL training camp practice. "If you start worrying about all those other things, then it can really affect your performance. And I always put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed as it is.

              "So I don't think that's going to change. I have very high expectations for myself and this team this year. I think that's really what's going to drive me to work to succeed."

              On the first full-squad practice of camp, A.J. Feeley opened as the No. 1 quarterback, as expected. But there are millions of reasons why Bradford will be the Rams' starting quarterback. Such as the $50 million in guaranteed money in his contract. And the $78 million basic value of the contract. And even the $86 million maximum value of the deal if certain incentives are met.

              The task at hand is getting Bradford ready to play ASAP. He missed three practices total on Thursday and Friday while his deal was getting hammered out. What did he miss?

              "Well, a bunch of reps," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "Probably getting his arm loosened up. And basically what he's doing over there right now, which is just timing with the wideouts."

              As Spagnuolo spoke, Bradford was getting in extra work throwing to a couple of receivers after practice.

              "But the one thing about how the league is structured right now is we get those OTAs and minicamps," Spagnuolo said. "So he's had most of what we did today. He'll get caught up."

              To a large degree, it's up to offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, quarterbacks coach Dick Curl and, of course, Bradford to get the No. 1 overall draft pick ready for the regular season.

              "He did such a good job in the spring, I'd like to see him be able to build on that," Shurmur said. "His challenge is to be ready to play Day One, and if that works out, great. If it takes a little bit longer, so be it."

              During the nearly six-week break between the end of the Rams' spring practice period and Saturday's start of camp, Bradford took some homework back to Oklahoma in the form of practice tapes, the playbook and notes he took during the spring practices....
              -08-01-2010, 08:02 AM
            • r8rh8rmike
              Bradford Starting Over Again
              by r8rh8rmike
              Bradford starting over again

              BY JIM THOMAS
              Wednesday, April 18, 2012

              Quarterback Sam Bradford is learning his third offense in three NFL seasons — from his third coordinator, no less. But at first blush, the transition may be easier than expected.

              "I like the offense that we're running this year," Bradford said Tuesday. "It's more similar to two years ago than to last year. There is some carryover, so I am somewhat familiar with it, which makes it nice trying to learn it again."

              Bradford, speaking after the Rams' first minicamp practice of the spring, said there are even some similarities in the language and play-calling from his rookie season of 2010, when Pat Shurmur was offensive coordinator. There is another similarity to 2010, when Bradford was NFL offensive rookie of the year: a position coach.

              "I'm glad that we have a quarterbacks coach now," Bradford said, referring to Frank Cignetti. "Obviously, with Josh (McDaniels) trying to do both last year I think it was just a lot for him to handle. Sometimes some of the little things such as drops, footwork, throwing mechanics kind of got put aside as opposed to putting reads and everything in front. ... I think it's going to be great for my development."

              Other than some informal workouts without coaches present, Bradford had no time to learn the McDaniels offense until the start of training camp because of the lockout. Even with the abridged offseason schedule this spring under the new collective bargaining agreement, Bradford gets at least a couple of months to learn the system of new coordinator Brian Schottenheimer before the start of training camp.

              "To have an offseason program, and to come here in a minicamp and get to have walk-throughs, get to have 7-on-7 — things that we didn't have last year — that really helps," Bradford said. "The more reps you get at it, the more comfortable we become."

              Even though some of the language of the new offense is similar to the Shurmur system, one of Bradford's main goals this spring is getting fluent in that language with Schottenheimer.

              "I think that's the biggest thing, to make sure that when we speak we're on the same page and we're talking about the same things," Bradford said.

              And with the help of Cignetti, Bradford wants to polish up his mechanics and fundamentals.

              "Work on my footwork, work on my release, try to speed things up," Bradford said. "All the little things that maybe I've taken for granted, and took for granted last year, that may have dropped my play."

              Instead of taking the next step forward following his strong rookie season, Bradford's play regressed last season for a variety of reasons — many of which were out of his control. He knows he has a lot to...
              -04-18-2012, 03:35 PM
            • MauiRam
              Bradford Makes a Good Impression ..
              by MauiRam
              BY JIM THOMAS
              05/03/2010

              For five practices over three days, Sam Bradford called the play in the huddle, stepped up to the line and (drum roll, please) lined up under center.

              Let the transition begin, from spread offense at Oklahoma to pro-style quarterback with the Rams. By all accounts, it was a good start for the No. 1 overall draft pick.

              "Sam did a terrific job," offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said Sunday after the conclusion of the Rams' rookie minicamp. "All the reasons for drafting him were obvious.

              "He's very smart. Got a great command of the huddle. He's got great attention to detail. By the end of the weekend, he was repeating things like he got 'em in the installations. And he's very talented. So you take the talent and then the 'work hard' and I think he progressed well in five practices."

              There is much to learn and many hurdles to cross. But Bradford's Rams journey began with him lining up under center — over and over and over again. By design, every snap Bradford took over the weekend was under center as opposed to the shotgun formation.

              "The focus in this camp was to do pretty much everything under center, so we could work on the one-, the three-, the five- and seven-step drop," Shurmur said. "As time goes on, what naturally happens is they get smoother and smoother and smoother."

              At first blush, Bradford looked surprisingly comfortable with his footwork and his dropbacks. About 85 percent of the rookie minicamp was open to the media (all but about 90 minutes of Friday morning's practice). And in that time, Bradford had only two botched center exchanges.

              Maybe this shouldn't be surprising. It's not as if Bradford never lined up under center. He said the Sooners were under center about half the time during his freshman season.

              "That's one of the things that the media kind of skews a little bit, because it's not that big of a deal," Bradford said. "If you've never taken a snap from under center, I mean, I could see where the footwork obviously would take some time getting used to. But if you've spent any time under center. ... I've taken snaps under center since I was in third grade."

              So give Bradford an early checkmark for his work under center over the weekend. But that's just one layer of his multi-faceted learning curve.

              In the week between the draft and the minicamp, Bradford spent hours on the phone with Shurmur and quarterbacks coach Dick Curl. They talked about formations, protections, the cadence, even how everyone would line up in the huddle.

              "A lot of the little things that I don't think everyone sees," Bradford said. "You don't think about it because everyone thinks, 'Oh, it's second nature.' But when you haven't done it, and you don't know how the Rams do...
              -05-02-2010, 09:22 PM
            • MauiRam
              Bradford acclimates to NFL offense ..
              by MauiRam
              By Bill Coats
              ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
              06/05/2010

              Spread out on the right side, wide receiver Brooks Foster sprinted upfield, then cut sharply inside, splitting two defenders. When Foster turned back, the ball was nearly on top of him.

              The grooming of the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL draft is proceeding slowly but surely during organized team activities. After three weeks of work with the veterans as well as his fellow rookies, Bradford recognizes substantial gains.

              "It's been great. I've learned a lot, come a long way since Day One," Bradford said. "I feel a lot more comfortable in the huddle, on the field. I've put a lot of time in, and I think I've been able to grasp more, I've been able to work more than I would in a spring session back at Oklahoma.

              "It's definitely better."

              Better, but not good enough to earn him much time with the first team yet. Bradford is working almost exclusively with the second and third units as coach Steve Spagnuolo and his staff take a step-by-step approach with their prize recruit.

              "He's putting the ball in the right places and seems to be catching on with the offense," Spagnuolo observed. "So, the progress is good."

              Ultimately, Bradford will be the Rams' starting quarterback. But if Spagnuolo follows form, that promotion won't come until deep into the preseason. At the earliest.

              And that's OK with Bradford. He's more concerned with nailing down the offensive intricacies and sharpening his timing with the receivers. "There are some balls that have sailed," Spagnuolo said. "It's different now. The game's a little bit faster, and it's going to get faster."

              Veteran A.J. Feeley, the No. 1 quarterback for now, and Keith Null, heading into his second season with the Rams, are lending a hand.

              "I still have a long way to go; I know that," Bradford said. "But I think being around the vets, especially A.J. and Keith, guys who have been in this offense, (helps). I see a play out here that I might think looked fine, the way it needs to be run. And then we get in the film room and they have some input: 'No, this needs to be quicker, this guy's route should be deeper.'

              "It's really helpful to see and hear those types of things."

              It also helps, Bradford pointed out, that he's able to devote all his time and effort to the cause.

              "This is our job now; we're up here all day," he said. "In college, you have to go to class, and there are only a certain amount of hours (the coaches) can work with you in a week."

              All the better to soak up offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's West Coast-style scheme, which, Bradford noted, is similar to what he ran at OU.

              "Obviously, we were in the shotgun...
              -06-04-2010, 11:09 PM
            Working...
            X
            😀
            🥰
            🤢
            😎
            😡
            👍
            👎