McVay wants to connect with players but understand concerns about offseason workouts...

Sean McVay wants to connect with players but understands concerns about offseason workouts

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

Players from a number of teams across the NFL have opted to sit out voluntary workouts this spring due to health concerns about the ongoing pandemic. They can’t be fined for skipping these sessions, as players won’t be required to attend until mandatory minicamp begins in June.

Los Angeles Rams players are among those skipping voluntary workouts, sharing a statement on Friday. The team was going all-virtual for the first month of meetings regardless, but in-person workouts were also scheduled.

Sean McVay told Rich Eisen on Friday that as a coach, he wants to connect with his players and get the ball rolling this offseason, but he understands their perspective about preferring to train on their own without having to come into the facility.

“I think for coaches, we’re always going to want the opportunity to connect and work with our players now and that’s not going to change,” he said. “But I think it is important that we’re listening, we’re understanding the perspective they’re coming from and then figuring out what is the best way to collaborate and to be able to communicate with one another in a way that ultimately gets a solution that’s best for our football team. I think there’s a lot of things that still need to be figured out when you bring into the conversation – vaccines, what does that mean? The league came out with a memo yesterday basically saying, ‘Hey, here’s what the parameters are around Phase 1 Phase 2 and Phase 3’ so we’re going to be all-virtual for the first month with our meetings. There’ll be an option to come in and lift and we’ll take it a day at a time and we’ve got to be able to have the flexibility and the agility to adjust and adapt accordingly. But it’s about listening and really collaborating with these guys is the important thing for us.”



The Rams have a leadership committee made up of veteran players, including Andrew Whitworth, Aaron Donald, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp. McVay leans on them for feedback in situations like this one, giving him a player’s point of view.

Whitworth said recently that he prefers a virtual offseason and believes a lot of players feel the same way, enjoying the ability to train individually and sticking to their own plan. McVay said he would discuss the situation with the Rams’ leaders and get their opinions on the matter.

“That’s a Whitworth, that’s an Aaron Donald, that’s a Matthew Stafford, that’s Jalen Ramsey,” he said. “That’s those guys that have been your leaders. The Woods, the Kupps. We’ve got a leadership committee and you really lean on those guys and understand their perspective and they’re so well-thought out and they’ve got experience and an understanding from both ends of the spectrum, so think it would be naive of me not to listen to those guys.”

Phase 1 of the offseason program was set to begin on April 19, though on-field work can’t take place until the middle of May.