Some Vinny from his Rams Mailbag...

This was possibly edited by ZN...

Enjoy!

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Convince me that I should not be worried about Todd Gurley and that I shouldn’t hate his contract He’s looked fabulous and healthy thus far, and the Rams have a plan to help ensure that remains the case for the long haul. Obviously injuries happen, but last year’s issue was more about the combination of heavy usage plus a couple of big hits on the knee. It’s the same one that underwent reconstructive surgery four years ago, who contributed to a situation in which the knee was slow to heal. The Rams believe the plan they have in place will put Todd in a better position to rebound or heal quicker should a incident happen similar to last year.

[Everett] to me, has taken positive steps every year and I suspect that will be the case again this season. He’s really turned himself into a valuable player, both as a blocker and as a target when called upon. As far as whether or not he’ll get more touches, that’s hard to say because so much of the Rams’ offense is predicated on what coach Sean McVay is seeing from a defensive scheme/look perspective and what he believes is the most advantageous matchup/play to exploit that look. So while he’ll go into a game hoping to get certain players involved (or more involved), the ebb and flow of the game usually dictates where the ball ultimately goes. What I do know is this: The Rams are at a point where they believe if Gerald’s number gets called he can deliver. And I think we’ve seen him show that more and more.

I think the Rams know what they have in Justin, pretty much, whereas Darrell Henderson and John Kelly appear to be locked in a battle for a specific role within the offense. I think Henderson ultimately will nudge Kelly out — and no disrespect to John, because I truly believe he can play in this league — but I think it’s important for both of them to be out there at least one more game to see who can separate from the other.

I think Mike Thomas absolutely has opened eyes and checks off a bunch of boxes. He’s looked really good. Other youngsters are showing up as well — Webster, Greene, etc. — but I think they are more likely to be practice-squad candidates at this point.

is there a possibility that Webster makes the roster over Natson based on his ability as a receiver combined with his potential as a returner? Tough call, as JoJo Natson really delivered for them last year on special teams and there is a comfort level with him in that regard. I do expect a couple of the young Rams receivers to stick around on the practice squad, though, with a chance for bigger roles down the line. That is a loaded room now that Michael Thomas has re-emerged.

They were ranked 14th last year in average yards per punt return, so that’s within the top half of the league. Their punt-return mantra involves ball security, first and foremost, and if the player is going to return it, try and get a first down by advancing the ball 10 yards. Don’t go messing around by getting cute and going backward. Turn it upfield and run. They averaged 8.7 yards per return, so they were close.

How do you see the Rams doing with run defense this year? It’s definitely been a point of emphasis, and the way the Rams see it, much of the problem last year was a lack of discipline and guys getting themselves out of position. Especially up front. In their eyes, more discipline will go a long way toward cleaning that up. That said, a guy like Sebastian Joseph-Day — or now Bryce Hager — needs to perform. I also think Eric Weddle controlling and calling things from the back end, and being able to line up closer to the line of scrimmage, will help in terms of run defense.

Too often last year, some guys were so intent on getting to the quarterback they neglected their run duties or got themselves out of position. And too often, opposing teams took advantage by running it right past them. If you watch a guy like Sebastian Joseph-Day, yes, shedding blockers and making plays in the run game is super important. But so is holding your ground, or your gap, and occupying blockers to create space for linebackers to run downhill in their run fits and make tackles. It takes discipline to do that play after play after play, when you sometimes have little to show for it in stats like tackles, but it goes a long way in helping the overall run-stopping.

Chances Dakota Allen gets a shot to start w/ Kiser injury? I’m with you on Dakota’s potential. He was behind the 8-ball a little bit with injuries — going all the way back to OTAs — that set him back a little bit. But he’s been coming on recently and I know the Rams are extremely happy about that. I think over time he will continue to put himself in consideration for more playing time, provided he continues to ascend. And as this coaching staff has shown, when a player shows that it’s time, they have no hesitation about making a change. For now, though, I think Bryce Hager holds onto the job in the base defense, with a heavy dose of nickel and dime packages usage.

for now, they want to give Hager and the young kids a chance to play and show what they can do. Keep in mind, also, that they anticipate utilizing that position only about 30 percent of the time. More often than not, that ILB will come off the field in favor of another defensive back.

Will the Rams play the defensive starters for a couple series in preseason game 3? I’m leaning against that happening, especially after what happened with Micah Kiser’s injury last week. I just think the risk far outweighs the reward. And so much of that is based on where the coaching staff believes players/units are, in terms of command of their responsibilities individually and as a unit. If they’re feeling good from that standpoint — and thus far they have been — there’s no sense running guys out there in meaningless games. Granted, you’ll see guys like Sebastian Joseph-Day or Bryce Hager out there, but that isn’t necessarily a reflection on the quality of their play. It’s because they are in competitions for starting jobs and the fair thing to do is give them a chance to show what they can do in actual game conditions.

There definitely were some up sand downs for Sebastian Joseph-Day last week. In fact, I thought the whole defensive line really started slow against the Cowboys No. 1 unit. The part of preseason games that I think gets missed, unfortunately, is that during practice — and into the regular season — a guy like SJD is playing alongside some tremendous players and that obviously changes the dynamics for him. He really showed up alongside the starters in joint practices against the Chargers and Raiders and I think, for now, that outweighs what’s happened in games.

He’s a guy who, first and foremost, needs to hold his ground as the base nose tackle and occupy blockers in order to plug up running holes and create space for linebackers to make plays. If he and Greg Gaines can be proficient in that area, that will add value to the Rams’ run defense. In time, as they both get more settled and into a groove, they’ll add more playmaking ability. But for now, just being disciplined and playing their role is what the Rams are looking for from them.

Parker has been playing really well. By doing so, he’s put himself in consideration for a roster spot. Scott has looked good, too, although as a rookie his learning curve is obviously a bit steeper in his play at safety. That said, he was drafted primarily for his special-teams prowess and in that regard, he seems to be right where the Rams need him thus far.