What We Have Learned So Far From NFC West Training Camps

What We Have Learned So Far From NFC West Training Camps

Kyler Murray is impressing everyone in Arizona, Rams pleased with acquisitions Eric Weddle and Clay Matthews, 49ers optimistic about Richard Sherman’s performance this year, the RB battle unfolding in Seattle and more notes from NFC West training camps.

By ALBERT BREER August 13, 2019


LOS ANGELES RAMS
• Josh Reynolds has taken a step forward, and the staff now believes it has four starting-caliber receivers, in Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Reynolds. Figuring out how to take advantage of that is good problem to have. (And TE Gerald Everett gives the team one more skill guy who has made a leap).

• Both C Brian Allen and LG Joe Noteboom are coming along nicely, which was needed with the losses of John Sullivan and Rodger Saffold, who were both released. Allen’s an important one, because of the responsibility that Sean McVay gives his centers to make protection calls. And the team is hopeful Noteboom will eventually succeed Andrew Whitworth at left tackle.

• Jared Goff has improved making adjustments at the line, both in protection calls and in calling audibles. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s not. Goff told me in June that the Super Bowl showed him he needed to evolve in that area.

• It’s hard to overstate how happy the Rams are with the acquisition of Eric Weddle. He’ll make them more adaptable in a ton of ways on defense, like he did for the Ravens. One Rams’ staffer predicted that safety John Johnson will make the Pro Bowl because of Weddle’s presence.

• Should the Rams need it, Los Angeles has flexibility at RB, with Malcolm Brown back, and Darrell Henderson in the fold. The team’s call to take Henderson was more the coaches wanting him as a player than the team needing to draft at the position. They have a vision for his role, and it should be fun to see it play out.

• The Rams think they have something in Clay Matthews, who was playing over 70% of the snaps last year in Green Bay. Having him getting after the passer in a platoon with Dante Fowler and Samson Ebukam should help.

• QUESTION: The obvious one is what form of Todd Gurley the team will get? Based on the nature of Gurley’s knee issue, I think we’ll have to wait on an answer to that one. The good news is the Rams look more prepared with contingencies than they were a year ago.

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