some missing italics...

But some of the editing is missing. These bits should have the questions being asked in italics. IE VB didn't write those questions, guys submitting questions to the twitter mailbag format did.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2019 07:32AM by zn.