Not including preseason games (and really.... who does?) Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay has coached 21 games since being hired last January. What he has been able to do in that time continually impresses anyone who has been paying attention.Rams fans have suffered through the likes of Scott Linehan Troy Hill Jersey , Steve Spagnuolo, and Jeff Fisher for years... McVay seems too good to be true. But yet here we are... with a coaching star in the making and a Super Bowl contender at hand.McVay has taken a perpetually underachieving Rams team and created something special - but he isn’t beyond reproach. There are still times where Todd Gurley isn’t utilized as often in the run game and occasions where you can clearly tell that McVay is an inexperienced coach.Does the good outweigh the bad? Absolutely! Should we be enjoying this 4-0 start? Hell yea!But we should still note the few discrepancies that we see at this point in McVay’s career lest we fall prey to stagnation. Last Sunday night, the NFL quickly acknowledged to Saints coach Sean Payton, with the kind of profane terms in which Chris Simms routinely dabbles, that the officials erred by not flagging Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman for pass interference and/or unnecessary roughness for his hit on receiver Tommylee Lewis. Eight days later, the NFL still hasn’t acknowledged the mistake publicly.The league has remained silent even though, per a league source Michael Brockers Jersey , Saints coach Sean Payton privately has urged the NFL to “show some leadership” and admit the mistake publicly. The goal isn’t to rub the league’s face in it, but to ensure that a true commitment exists to avoiding these kinds of issues in the future.Indeed, if every situation like this can be avoided by hunkering down and weathering the storm and keeping quiet until the fans and media move on, that will become the league’s new blueprint for handling such situations.It hasn’t been that way in the past. Peter King points out in his new column that the NFL has, on at least 15 and as many as 30 occasions since 2003, admitted publicly an officiating mistake.If the league hoped that the passage of time would make it all better, the league hoped wrong. Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to be called out for not talking about the situation Ethan Westbrooks Jersey , with King being the latest to sound off — and with Goodell’s annual pre-Super Bowl press conference only two days away.Other strategies for putting out the fire have failed. Last Monday’s coordinated leak campaign regarding the possibility of making pass interference subject to replay review bounced once and then landed with a thud, when people like Cowboys executive Stephen Jones and Broncos G.M. John Elway (members of Competition Committee) and Falcons CEO Rich McKay (the chairman of the Competition Committee) promptly went on record throwing water on the possibility.Over the weekend, the league leaked to Adam Schefter of ESPN a blatantly self-serving message aimed, apparently, at simulating a public apology: “This week, Sean Payton has spoken to Roger Goodell, SVP of Officiating Al Riveron John Sullivan Jersey , EVP of Football Opetations [sic] Troy Vincent, Comp Committee Chairman Rich McKay. It was explained to Payton: It鈥檚 a call that officials should make. Goodell also spoke to Saints鈥?owner Gayle Benson.”Schefter thereafter provided “context” (, accuracy), thanks apparently to the reaction to his prior tweet. “Sean Payton reached out to NFL this week to see how it would publicly handle situation and demonstrate leadership it should,” Schefter tweeted. “NFL did not reach out to him. NFL felt the explanation that Riveron offered Payton after game — officials missed the call — was sufficient.”Although McKay never spoke to Payton (per a league source), the rest of the second tweet is accurate. The conversations between Payton and Goodell, Riveron Cory Littleton Jersey , and Vincent weren’t about Payton receiving an explanation. They were about Payton urging the league to make a statement as a matter of basic leadership.Without that, nothing will change. Without it, nothing can change.

ings 2019 OffseasonMinneapolis Miracle confirmed to be in Madden 20New Ameer Abdullah Jersey ,12commentsWould you be able to pull it off?CDTYes, two Minneapolis Miracle connected stories in one day. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, there isn’t a hell of a lot else going on right now.We’re getting to the time of year where the latest installment of Madden NFL is going to be available for all of the major video gaming systems. Every year, the designers tweak and add things, and it appears that each team is going to have a piece of Minnesota Vikings history in their playbooks.According to Madden School, a site dedicated to all things Madden, they have confirmed that one of the new Hail Mary plays in this year’s version of the game is going to mirror the play that gave us the Minneapolis Miracle.Anthony White is one of the designers that work at Electronic Arts Danielle Hunter Jersey , so if anyone would know, it would be him.The play is called “Hail Mary - Shot Save Clock,” and will be a part of every team’s playbook in Madden 20.Now, it’s been a while since I picked up a copy of any of the Madden NFL games. I know that they used to have a mode where they put the player in famous NFL scenarios and gave them the opportunity to either replicate the results or change the outcome, and I think that the Minneapolis Miracle scenario would be a great addition to such a mode. Like I said, I don’t know if they have that mode any more. Hopefully they do.Madden NFL 20 is scheduled to be released on 2 August. Are any of our gamers out there going to pick it up? Good Morning!It’s Friday with all the gif connotations on the table.OTA’s continue and I can almost see training camp over the horizon.Meanwhile we’ll carry on with our news and links open..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteDaily Norsemana Minnesota Vikings communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryVikingsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Vikings 2018 SeasonVikings 2019 OffseasonU.S. Bank StadiumMinnesota Vikings PodcastsFiled under:Open ThreadsMinnesota Vikings News and Links: June 7th, 2019New Eric Kendricks Jersey ,415commentsCDTShareTweetShareShareMinnesota Vikings News and Links: June 7th, 2019Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesGood Morning!It’s Friday with all the gif connotations on the table.OTA’s continue and I can almost see training camp over the horizon.Meanwhile we’ll carry on with our news and links open thread full of beer recommendations, nap strategies, crock pot and smoker recipes. Drop by for some fan wisdom, snark and go ahead and leave work early, it’s Friday.Around the DN since our last open thread:Wludford has more OTA news from Eagan.Vikings news from other sources:From Vikings.com Wobby addresses fan comments and questions, including how the Gary Kubiak / Kevin Stefanski dynamic is playing out now that practices are underway Trae Waynes Jersey , how Mike Hughes’ rehab is going from last season’s ACL injury and the overall depth of the CB group, and more.Lunch break: Harrison Smith, Linval Joseph land on MMQB’s All Over-30 Team.Brian Robison and Steve Hutchison recall vivid moments at Vikings museum.DT Hercules Mata’afa addressed the media following Tuesday’s practice at the TCO Performance Center.Will the Minnesota Vikings ever trade a cornerback to the Kansas City Chiefs?Chris provides the answer.Matthew Coller at SkorNorth.com pens how valuable is WR3 in a Kubiak offense?League news: From NFL.com Cardinals claim LT Desmond Harrison via waivers.Broncos cancel final minicamp session for field day.Jags DE Josh Allen (knee) likely to miss minicamp.Matt LaCosse sits atop Patriots TE depth chart.State of the Franchise: Chargers enter 2019 as AFC West’s best.We come to today’s media selection: Brett Favre 2009 Vikings highlightsAgain, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:-No discussion of politics or religion-No feeding of the trolls-This isn’t a male version of The View, so leave the gender hatred at the door-Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags, if you must)-Speaking of which Mackensie Alexander Jersey , if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags-No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer-If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away-While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm.With that, the beer light is on and the bar is open. Belly up & tie one on. Don’t forget to tip your waiter, try the solidarity and Welcome Aboard!

Baltimore RavensAfter a 27-14 win over the Denver Broncos White Za’Darius Smith Jersey , the 2-1 Ravens now travel to Pittsburgh to face the 1-1-1 Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Baltimore is looking to break their three-game losing streak against their arch-rivals and prove to the league that they are true contenders. The Ravens defense is ranked first in yards per game and second in passing yards and has yet to allow a second half touchdown. However, the same unit did allow three receiving touchdowns to A.J. Green in a loss to the Bengals in Week 2, and they now face wide receiver Antonio Brown. Top cornerback Jimmy Smith is still suspended for Baltimore, so second-year corner Marlon Humphrey will have to rise to the occasion to stop Brown. Pittsburgh remains without star running back Le’Veon Bell. The Steelers are still ranked second in total offense in the league, but their rushing game is ranked 23rd, even with the emergence of running back James Conner. The Ravens have the 13th ranked run defense, but the hopeful return of both C.J. Mosley and Michael Pierce will help to greatly strengthen the unit. With a win against the Steelers and a Cincinnati loss, Baltimore could take first place in the AFC North at 3-1. Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh secured it’s first victory of the season with a thrilling 30-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. The Steelers now play host to the Ravens in what should be another prime time thriller. Pittsburgh’s defense has struggled so far this season, and they currently sit at 29th in total yards per game. Baltimore boasts the league’s ninth best passing attack heading into this game. The Steelers 28th ranked pass defense will have to find a way to stop quarterback Joe Flacco through the air in order to win.On the other side, Pittsburgh’s passing attack will be tested against the Ravens strong pass defense. Second-year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will have an opportunity to make his presence felt if Baltimore’s defense focuses too heavily on stopping Brown in the passing game. Smith-Schuster is off to a great start to the season with 365 yards and one touchdown. Tight ends Jesse James and Vance McDonald could also play big roles against the Ravens. It is also worth mentioning that the last time these teams met without cornerback Jimmy Smith, Brown had 11 receptions for 213 yards.The Steelers will put themselves right back in discussion for the AFC North crown with a win over their divisional foes.Cleveland BrownsCleveland won their first game since the 2016 season against the New York Jets last week. The 1-1-1 Browns now travel to Oakland to face the 0-3 Raiders. Can Cleveland get it’s second win in a row on Sunday?The Browns defense currently leads the league in turnovers. Cleveland rookie cornerback Denzel Ward has certainly impressed with his play thus far, meeting expectations as the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft. Defensive end and former first overall pick Myles Garrett has started his second year on a strong note, recording four sacks through the first three games. Oakland’s sixth ranked passing attack will test the opportunistic defense of Cleveland.The number one overall pick Baker Mayfield made his first regular season appearance last week, sparking a comeback win. Mayfield looked poised and sharp throwing the football against the stout Jets defense on Thursday Night Football. If Mayfield can continue this success, then Cleveland could develop a deadly offense. Wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Antonio Callaway are legit targets through the air and running backs Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson and Nick Chubb combine for a solid three-headed monster on the ground. Cincinnati BengalsAfter a 31-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 Za’Darius Smith Jersey 2019 , the Bengals now travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons. Rookie receiver Calvin Ridley has emerged as a true threat and compliment to star receiver Julio Jones for the Falcons, so the Bengals could have a hard time containing the duo. Atlanta and Cincinnati boast the leagues’ 11th and 12th best passing attacks respectively, while both passing defenses are in the bottom 10. Wide receiver A.J. Green looks likely to play on Sunday after suffering a minor pelvis injury last week. However, running back Joe Mixon and center Billy Price are both expected to miss the game. Starting cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick could also be sidelined, which is concerning when facing an explosive offense like the Falcons.The Bengals would improve to 3-1 with a win over Atlanta, increasing their chances of winning the AFC North. BALTIMORE (AP) — Long before they finished their season with a first-round playoff defeat, the Baltimore Ravens were already preparing for 2019 and beyond.The process began last February, when owner Steve Bisciotti announced that this would be final year for general manager Ozzie Newsome, who has held the post since the franchise moved from Cleveland before the 1996 season. The job now belongs to Eric DeCosta, the assistant GM since 2012.This also turned out to be the final season in Baltimore for quarterback Joe Flacco, whose 11-year run included three trips to the AFC Championship game and a Super Bowl MVP trophy. Flacco was displaced in November by rookie Lamar Jackson , who guided the Ravens to the AFC North title and helped the team end a three-year hiatus from the playoffs.And, if there was any question about the stability of coach John Harbaugh, that item was addressed last month when the team asserted he would return in 2019 and that both sides were working on an extension.Not long after the Ravens (10-7) were eliminated Sunday with a 23-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Harbaugh was already looking toward next year."There are plenty of things that we can do to improve," he said. "We'll look at this as our beginning and go from here."Flacco began his NFL career with the Ravens by reaching the playoffs in five consecutive years. The Ravens can only hope for a similar start from Jackson White Marlon Humphrey Jersey , who turned 22 Monday, one day after becoming the youngest quarterback in league history to start in the postseason.The rookie had a flawed performance against the Chargers, fumbling three times of offset two touchdown passes during a failed fourth-quarter comeback bid. But Harbaugh and the Ravens are fully behind the fleet-footed Jackson, who didn't get his first NFL start until the 10th game of the season."Lamar is our quarterback going forward," Harbaugh said. "No question about that."He left little doubt that Flacco won't be part of the equation in 2019."Joe's going to have a market. A lot of teams are going to want Joe," Harbaugh said.The Ravens have their man."He's the future," safety Eric Weddle said. "He'll come back 10 times better than he was this year. For what he did, and to the belief that he gave not only our team, but our city, this organization, is pretty special."Some other things to know about the Ravens as they begin the offseason:NOT GONE, NEVER FORGOTTENNewsome will stick around as an adviser to DeCosta, who received the Ravens keep him from going elsewhere."He has made the Ravens who they are, in my opinion," Harbaugh said of Newsome. "I'm biased, but I think he's the greatest GM in the history of football."The transition should be smooth Marlon Humphrey Jersey 2019 , because DeCosta has been part of the front office as long as the Ravens have been in existence.JACKSON: YEAR TWOJackson fumbled at least once in each of his eight starts and had only one 200-yard passing game.At least he knows what he must improve upon in 2019."The ball handling in an offense like this is the thing we have to be great at," Harbaugh said. "We'll become a good drop-back pass team. We'll become a good play-action pass team."FLACCO FAREWELLFlacco's hip injury in November opened the door for Jackson to start, and the rookie maintained the job after the team went on a hot streak.The Ravens can't afford to pay Flacco to be a backup, so the veteran's postgame session with the media had a nostalgic feel."To be honest with you, I can't imagine a better 11 years," Flacco said. "This place becoming my home and my children's home. Just how many different life changes I went through and how much we won here."SUGGS WANTS MOREHall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis played 17 years with the Ravens, and LB Terrell Suggs wants to at least match that number.After completing his 16th season Sunday, the Ravens career sack leader offered no hint that retirement was in his future."I'm healthy, and I still feel like I have some juice in the tank," Suggs said. "I would love to be a Raven for life. It's a long time between here and March. So, we're just going to enjoy it and hope we can work it out. If not, I'll be lining up for somebody next year."DEFENSE RESTSFirst-year defensive coordinator Don Martindale put together the league's No. 1 unit this year, restoring a tradition for a franchise that has long relied on stuffing the opposition."We re-set a standard," tackle Michael Pierce said.No team allowed fewer yards, and only the Chicago Bears gave up fewer points per game. Baltimore limited the high-powered Chargers to one touchdown and 243 yards on Sunday.

Before today’s games Black Patrick Peterson Jersey , the n in the NFC playoff race. Not anymore.The Seahawks got a dominant win over the 49ers today, while other NFC contenders stumbled, and now Seattle is the top wild card team, through their 12th game of the season.A big Monday night game between Washington and Philadelphia still looms, but here’s how the playoff picture looks after Sunday’s games:1. Rams (11-1): They have an easy schedule the rest of the way and a good chance of finishing ahead of the Saints in the standings.2. Saints (10-2): Still the favorites to earn a bye week, but now they have an uphill climb to home-field advantage.3. Bears (8-4): The inside track to the No. 3 seed, but the loss to the Giants hurt.4. Cowboys (7-5): All alone in first place in the NFC East Patrick Peterson Jersey 2019 , before the Washington-Philadelphia game on Monday night.5. Seahawks (7-5): The Seahawks are looking like a likely playoff team, in a season some saw as a rebuilding year.6. Washington (6-5): A big game with Philadelphia looms.7. Vikings (6-5-1): At Seattle next week looks like a must-win.8. Panthers (6-6): Carolina is in a tailspin.9. Eagles (5-6): A big game with Washington looms.10. Buccaneers (5-7): Jameis Winston is finally playing well, but is it too late to save Dirk Koetter’s job?11. Packers (4-7-1): Another loss cost Mike McCarthy his job.12. Falcons (4-8): This season has been a major disappointment.13. Giants (4-8): Playing better, but still stuck in last place in the NFC East.14. Lions (4-8): Matt Patricia has already lost more games this year than Jim Caldwell lost in either of the last two years.15. Cardinals (3-9): Showed some progress by winning in Green Bay.16. 49ers (2-10): The worst team in the NFC. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Asia Durr took the initial lead for top-seeded Louisville by finding teammates for baskets before knocking down shots, making sure to do both quickly.It typified the Cardinals‘ fast approach in many areas that ultimately left No. 8 Michigan a step behind.Durr scored 24 points, including 12 in the first quarter to lead Louisville past the Wolverines 71-50 on Sunday in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.The Cardinals (31-3) started fast and stayed in gear on the way to earning their third consecutive Sweet 16 berth.Louisville isn’t taking that achievement for granted.Advancing meant getting a bigger Black Jordan Hicks Jersey , physical Michigan squad eager to follow up a 30-point first round win with a huge upset. The Cardinals didn’t let it happen, pushing the ball offensively while pressing Michigan defensively. It quickly built a 19-4 lead that steadily increased.“We’re always trying to play our own game, whether it’s our transition game, just playing fast,” forward Sam Fuehring said. “Definitely worked today.”Durr got the Cardinals going with two assists before adding the first of five 3-pointers in the game and a four-point play. She finished 9 of 23 from the field and 5 of 14 from long range.“I just tried to make the right reads,” said the senior All-American, who finished with five of Louisville’s 16 assists. “They were throwing like three guards at me Jordan Hicks Jersey 2019 , three players at me.“My teammates were getting open, making great cuts and finished the ball as well.”Louisville’s defense also came up big, holding the taller Wolverines to just 23 percent shooting in the second half and 43 percent overall. The Cardinals scored 28 points off 22 turnovers, forcing 17 by halftime alone.Jazmine Jones added 15 points while Sam Fuehring and Dana Evans each had 10. Kylee Shook had 10 rebounds and guard Arica Carter seven after missing two games with a left knee injury.Akienreh Johnson had 12 points and Kayla Robbins 10 for Michigan, which fell to 1-4 all-time against Louisville. Michigan (22-12) failed in its fifth attempt to reach the Sweet 16 in its history.“You can’t put yourself in a 19-4 hole against a No. 1 seed and try to climb back from that,” Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico said. “We had cut it to six, but it’s not easy to climb back from that deficit. So Black Terrell Suggs Jersey , definitely a learning experience.”FORGET SOMETHING?Durr and Carter celebrated their final home victory running side by side around the court to cheers and were soon followed by Fuehring, a fellow senior. That wasn’t the plan in what turned out to be Louisville’s only uncoordinated moment.“On the first victory lap, they left,” Fuehring joked. “I had to come back out. It was kind of embarrassing, but I enjoyed it.”Durr explained, “We didn’t know where you went.”TAKING HER PLACENeeding a point to tie Diane Dietz as Michigan’s No. 2 career scorer, senior center Hallie Thome scored six and finished with 2 Terrell Suggs Jersey 2019 ,081.BIG PICTUREMichigan: The Wolverines were caught off guard from the jump in allowing consecutive layups. The early turnovers didn’t help, the result of being sped up more than they wanted to be by the Cardinals. They settled down to commit just five after the break but were outscored 17-6 in the third quarter.“That was their game plan,” Johnson said of Louisville. “They played their normal game, but they definitely brought a lot of intensity the first couple of minutes of the game. But we started to adjust to the pressure.”Louisville: The returns of Carter from injury and coach Jeff Walz from suspension made the Cardinals whole, and it showed with effective precision and intensity that negated Michigan’s size and athleticism. Their bench was outscored 28-12, but it didn’t matter because they controlled areas such as rebounding (35-34) and paint scoring (36-30) against a challenging opponent.UP NEXTLouisville: Faces Oregon State-Gonzaga winner on Friday in Albany Regional.

KANSAS CITY http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-breeland-speaks-jersey , Mo. — Byron Pringle was all smiles in the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room, the second-year wide receiver still buoyant over his jet-sweep touchdown in a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers.“It means a lot,” he said, “because it was always my dream to become a professional athlete. A lot of people in my area look up to me. re I’m from. As long as I’m doing well, everybody back home is doing well, and they have a positive mindset.”Well, all those family and friends living along the Gulf coast of Florida are probably smiling, too.Not only did Pringle score a touchdown Saturday night, he also provided another reason for the Chiefs to keep him around when roster cuts are due this weekend. Pringle is competing with a handful of guys for one of the last spots on the roster, and right now he could be on the good side of the cut line.Of course, that could change Thursday night.Pringle and the rest of the backups are likely to get all the snaps when the Chiefs play their final preseason game in Green Bay. Patrick Mahomes and the other starters will get the night off to avoid injuries and begin preparing for their season opener Sept. 8 at Jacksonville. But the fourth preseason game will be crucial for the guys trying to carve out a final spot on the roster. One of those positions is almost certainly wide receiver.Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson and rookie Mecole Hardman are the guarantees, but the Chiefs will probably keep just two more. They just signed De’Anthony Thomas, who provides not only veteran experience but special teams ability, leaving one more spot on the roster.Pringle appears to be the front-runner.Other offensive positions that are intriguing are along the line, where a handful of guys are trying to earn a backup job, and tight end, where Blake Bell has taken over the No. 2 job from Deon Yelder.Bell earned the majority of playing time behind Travis Kelce against the 49ers, making it clear that he is the lead candidate to replace the departed Demetrius Harris. Bell may be on his fourth team in five seasons, but the former Oklahoma quarterback may have found the right opportunity in Kansas City.“Adapting to the team and dealing with what Pat and the quarterbacks see, and learning the offense every day — you have to figure out how they see things and how the offense is run,” Bell said. “Each and every day Womens Tanoh Kpassagnon Jersey , I’m trying to get better at something.”The final preseason game also could be the last chance for Carlos Hyde to prove his worth to the Chiefs. The veteran running back signed with the belief that he could back up Damien Williams. But he has struggled to produce in practice and the first three preseason games, and has been surpassed in touches — if not the depth chart — by Darrell Williams and rookie Darwin Thompson.Meanwhile, Thompson’s star is on the rise, and he could get a long look in Green Bay as a change-up in the Kansas City offense. The pint-sized Utah State product has the speed, hands and underrated ability to pick up the blitz that makes him invaluable in the passing game.“Just getting my feet wet,” Thompson said. “A little bit more comfortable with running the plays in a live situation, knowing they’re trying to take my head off. Come regular season, I’ll be ready.”There are also a handful of defensive guys trying to make one last impression Thursday night.The pecking order up front has mostly been established, but Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland have hardly been impressive at linebacker. Ben Niemann and Darron Lee are listed behind them on the depth chart, and both could be pushing for more playing time in the Chiefs’ base 4-3 defense.In the defensive backfield, Charvarius Ward is being pushed by Herb Miller for a backup cornerback spot, and Jordan Lucas and Armani Watts have been competing for a backup safety job.“You’re looking for if the guys are learning from a week-to-week progression. Is this guy making the same mistakes that he has been coached not to make?” said defensive end Frank Clark, whose starting job is secure. “A lot of the guys are starting to come along in that matter. Even for myself, it’s a new system, new coach, it’s the first year, so everything is getting thrown at us fast, but I feel like everyone, for the most part, is processing everything and doing their best to go out there and showcase on the field.”NOTES: QB Matt Moore practiced for the first time Tuesday after agreeing to a deal following an injury to backup Chad Henne. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he will not play in Green Bay. … QBs Kyle Shurmur and Chase Litton will each get a half against the Packers, Reid said. … TE John Lovett (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve, creating Moore’s spot on the roster.49<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Greetings from St. Joe: Chiefs training camp 2019Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports | Denny Medley ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The back stories of safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive end Frank Clark are remarkably similar Eric Fisher Jersey , starting with their rocky rides through college and right into their NFL stardom.So it makes sense that the Kansas City Chiefs are counting on both of them to provide not only playmaking but also leadership for a defense that has undergone a top-to-bottom transformation.The Chiefs signed Mathieu in March to a $42 million, three-year contract to replace the oft-injured Eric Berry at the back end of new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 scheme. Then in April, the Chiefs acquired Clark from Seattle and lavished on him a $105 million, five-year deal.Big money for what the Chiefs hope is a big payoff.“It’s really trying to build a defense with an attitude,” said Mathieu, who spent last season with Houston after a solid run in Arizona. “Any time you can have 10 or 11 guys with a chip on their shoulder, with an edge, a certain kind of presence, a certain kind of attitude, a certain kind of swagger, you can create a collective identity, and I think that’s really what we’re trying to do.”Make no mistake: Mathieu and Clark both have razor-sharp edges.Mathieu’s can be traced to Aug. 10, 2012, when then-LSU coach Les Miles announced that the star safety would be dismissed from the program for a violation of team rules. Mathieu was coming off one of the best seasons in school history, one that earned him the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the nation and made him a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.Mathieu, who still cannot shake the nickname “the Honey Badger,” eventually entered a drug rehab program, then declared for the NFL draft. He wound up going in the third round to the Cardinals, even though his game-changing ability a year earlier would have made him a first-round pick.Not only did he stay out of trouble, he used that chip on his shoulder to thrive in Arizona.Despite missing time after tearing ligaments in his knee, Mathieu put up such solid numbers that the Cardinals gave him $62.5 million, five-year extension. But major changes within the organization led it to ask Mathieu to take a pay cut, and he was released when he ultimately refused.Consider that another chip on his shoulder.After making 89 tackles http://www.chiefslockerroom.com/authentic-jarvis-jenkins-jersey , three sacks and a pair of interceptions in a prove-it year with Houston, the Chiefs made Mathieu one of their offseason priorities as they attempted to shore up a defense that held back one of the NFL’s best offenses a year ago — and may have cost them a Super Bowl trip.“A lot of people put a lot of pressure on us,” Mathieu said, “whether it be ourselves or outside noise. It’s the same game we’ve been playing since we were 5 years old, so just go out there and really have some fun, have some swagger, and you know, just have some juice.”Clark certainly plays with that kind of juice, owed in part to his own college transgressions.The defensive end had blossomed into an All-Big 10 star at Michigan over his first three seasons, and appeared poised for a big senior year. But on Nov. 16, 2014, he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and ultimately kicked out of the Wolverines’ program.Clark soon declared for the draft and went in the second round to Seattle, where he became a key part of the “Legion of Boom” defense. And like Mathieu, he largely stayed out of trouble — a Twitter spat with a reporter has been his biggest indiscretion — and put up such impressive numbers that the Seahawks placed the franchise tag on him after he racked up 13 sacks last season.That’s when the Chiefs engineered a trade and signed Clark to a massive extension.“‘Fun’ is a good word. He likes to have fun,” Spagnuolo said. “The guys that are securely confident in their abilities and in what they’re doing, they go out and have fun. I just embraced them just a little bit ago because they battled, the O-Line and D-Line today, and it gets a little contentious. But at the end of coach (Andy) Reid’s huddle, Frank went over and was tapping all of the offensive linemen. That’s a team player right there. That’ll make us better as a football team.”Mathieu and Clark both intend to make Kansas City better as a football team.Along with a new coordinator and new system, the Chiefs’ defense could have as many as eight new starters this season. And with that massive turnover comes a crucial need for leaders.“The Honey Badger jumps out at you as being one. I think that will continue to grow. Frank is another one,” Reid said. “We have other guys that are pretty good leaders, too. But I’d probably tell you that those are more of the bigger personalities.”

sday night it will be a matchup of Houston’s quarterback of the future in Deshaun Watson and one of the many failed quarterbacks of the team’s past in Brock Osweiler.It will be Osweiler’s third straight start in place of Ryan Tannehill Kenyan Drake Jersey , who is out with a shoulder injury.Watson is healthy after dealing with lung and rib injuries and helped the team to its fourth straight win last week after an 0-3 start to leave the Texans in first place in the AFC South.The Texans traded up to draft Watson with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft to take over at the position after trading Osweiler to Cleveland just one difficult season after signing him to a $72 million contract. Osweiler spent last season with the Broncos before joining the Dolphins this year.Osweiler was supposed to be the answer to Houston’s longtime woes at quarterback, but instead ended up being the worst free-agent signing in the franchise’s short history. He was benched in December of his first and only season with the Texans when he’d thrown three interceptions before halftime of a game against the Jaguars. Tom Savage started the next two games, but got a concussion early in the second one and the Texans looked to Osweiler again.He played well to help Houston to a win in the wild-card game over Oakland. But his three interceptions doomed the Texans in a 34-16 loss to New England in the next round and he was sent packing a couple of months after that.Osweiler, who is 1-1 as a starter this season, knows everyone will be talking about his time in Houston this week, but insists he isn’t worried about it.“There’s going to be a lot of outside noise trying to make a situation bigger than what it really is; but at the end of the day … my one season I had in Houston, I look at it as a successful season,” he said. “We won our division and we won a playoff game.”He said he hasn’t spoken to Houston coach Bill O’Brien since the trade, but that he has “great respect” for him and the Texans.“There’s no hard feelings,” Osweiler said. “There’s no ill-will … (I’m) focused just on playing a good football game Thursday and doing whatever this football team needs me to do to help them get a win.”Although the Texans went 9-7 in Osweiler’s one season, some of his former teammates don’t have very fond memories of his time in Houston.“He’s not here anymore, so I don’t really care for him,” defensive end Jadeveon Clowney said. “We didn’t win a lot with him. Trying to go against him now. Try to get after him this week up front make him rattled in the pocket, hope he’ll throw a couple of interceptions.”While the Texans were certainly disappointed that Osweiler didn’t work out after he signed that huge contract Xavien Howard Jersey , they’re happy with how things worked out considering that his failure led to them drafting Watson.The 23-year-old Watson said he didn’t know a lot about the revolving door the team had at quarterback in the years before he was drafted. But he does understand how excited fans are to have him and about his potential to be the franchise quarterback this team has long searched for.“It’s been awesome just to feel that love and just have people consider me as a franchise quarterback and they want me here,” he said. “So, I’ve just got to continue to focus on what I can do to help this team win.”Some things to know about the Dolphins-Texans game.EARLY ARRIVALThe Dolphins flew to Houston on Tuesday, a day earlier than usual. Coach Adam Gase decided to tweak the schedule because in the Dolphins’ two most recent Thursday night appearances, they lost at Cincinnati 22-7 in 2016 and at Baltimore 40-0 last year.Gase conceded he’s still trying to figure out the best way to prepare on a short week.“I’m the wrong guy to ask on that, considering that I think we’ve scored seven points and given up 60-something,” he said. “We’re trying something new this year.”MILLER’S MIAMI TIESHouston running back Lamar Miller was born and raised in Miami, went to college at Miami, was drafted by the Dolphins in 2012 and spent his first four seasons there before signing with the Texans before the 2016 season.Miller, who had his first 100-yard rushing game since 2016 last week, said he’s trying to approach Thursday as any other game, but admitted it might mean a little bit more because of his history.“Of course, I want to do good because I played there and I’m from there,” he said. “So Laremy Tunsil Jersey , I’m going to try and do whatever I can to put us in the best spot to win this game.”KEY MATCHUPMiami cornerback Xavien Howard is likely to spend a lot of time covering DeAndre Hopkins, who is tied for third in the NFL with 707 yards receiving on 47 catches.“I see he likes to push off a lot,” Howard said. “He likes to get physical. That’s going to be part of his game.”Howard said that’s fine with him.“Oh, yeah. I’m a physical corner,” he said.Howard is tied for the league lead with three interceptions. This time, Duke didn’t lose on a Miami miracle.Quentin Harris‘ jump pass to Daniel Helm late in the third quarter put Duke ahead for good, and the Blue Devils got a stop on the final play to beat reeling Miami 20-12 on a rain-soaked Saturday night and hand the Hurricanes their third straight loss.Duke outscored the Hurricanes 13-0 after halftime, and won at Miami for the first time since 1976.“Best feeling in the world,” Duke linebacker Ben Humphreys said. “We stuck together like glue. Adversity struck. We got down but we battled back.”Deon Jackson scored on a 75-yard rush on the game’s first snap from scrimmage for Duke (6-3, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), which secured bowl eligibility. The Blue Devils — who lost when Miami scored on an eight-lateral kickoff return as time expired at Duke in 2015 — saw this game come down to the very last play, but Miami quarterback N’Kosi Perry’s pass from the Duke 28 fell incomplete.“The performance I had tonight, it’s definitely not acceptable,” said Perry Cordrea Tankersley Jersey , who completed 5 of 16 passes for 35 yards.Deejay Dallas had an 83-yard touchdown run for Miami (5-4, 2-3) and finished with 124 rushing yards, but also fumbled the ball away twice. Travis Homer had a game-high 133 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Hurricanes.“They fought hard. We fought hard,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “That was an old-fashioned mud game. We were fortunate to pull it out and get the win in the fourth quarter.”It was a bad day for Miami, and a worse day for the Sunshine State.It was just the third time in the last 40 years that Miami, Florida and Florida State, the “Big Three” of college football in the Sunshine State lost on the same day. The others were Oct. 30, 2004 and Oct. 8, 2011 — though all three schools also lost last weekend, just not on the same day.Miami started Malik Rosier at quarterback, and he completed 8 of 12 passes for 76 yards. Perry replaced Rosier early and they rotated throughout the game.“It would be in our best interest if one guy steps up,” Miami coach Mark Richt said. “We’re still trying to find that answer right now.”Miami has not scored more than 14 points in any of its last three games. Miami got to the Duke 13 in the final seconds and Lawrence Cager caught what would have been a touchdown pass with 10 ticks remaining, but he was called for offensive pass interference and two plays later the game was over.With the field waterlogged, thanks to a first-half downpour Raekwon McMillan Jersey , both offenses struggled. But Duke found a way to create its own breaks on the drive that gave it the lead.Facing third-and-3 at the Miami 15, Jackson took a handoff, stopped short of the line of scrimmage and threw a jump pass to the 6-foot-4 Helm — who couldn’t make the initial catch, but tipped the ball over 5-foot-11 Miami safety Jaquan Johnson, then dove and caught his own deflection as Johnson punched the turf in disbelief.“Just the game of football,” Johnson said. “Sometimes it goes like that.”The go-ahead pass from Harris came two plays later.THE TAKEAWAYDuke: Jackson finished with 113 rushing yards for Duke, and quarterback Daniel Jones completed 17 of 35 passes for 130 yards. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was huge for Duke, with 12 tackles and a blocked field goal in the third quarter.Miami: Dallas’ touchdown run was the sixth-longest rush in Miami history, a run where he splashed with every step down the field. The Hurricanes rushed for 300 yards — the last time they ran for so many in a loss was in 2007, when quarterback Kirby Freeman went 1 for 14 against North Carolina State.PITCH IMPERFECTThe downpour that started shortly after kickoff left the turf at Hard Rock Stadium a complete mess. Countless puddles lined the field for most of the first half, and a considerable amount of grass was worn down to a layer of slick brown mud. That’s not good news for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, who play on the same field Sunday at 1 p.m.UP NEXTDuke: Host North Carolina on Nov. 10.Miami: Visit Georgia Tech on Nov. 10.

Walter White Sammy Watkins Jersey , a Cng impact in the Kansas City community, has died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 67.A third-round pick of the Steelers in 1975, White was traded to the Chiefs before his rookie season and made an immediate impact, catching 23 passes for 559 yards Anthony Hitchens Jersey , an outstanding average of 24.3 yards per catch, as a rookie. In 1976 he was even better, leading the team with 808 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.But White’s career didn’t last long, and he retired after the 1979 season. He remained loyal to the Chiefs and to Kansas City Chad Henne Jersey , however, becoming the inaugural president of the Kansas City Ambassadors, a group of former Chiefs who participate in outreach events in the community.“My family and I are saddened by the passing of Walter,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “The Ambassadors are an integral part of the Chiefs family and the Kansas City community Kendall Fuller Jersey , and Walter was a vital part of the group’s development. It would be hard to find someone who embraced the values and work of the Ambassadors more than Walter did. We will never be able to thank him enough for everything that he did for the organization both on the field and in the community after his playing days concluded. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family during this difficult time.”White was also an active performer in a blues band and a vice president of Commerce Bank in Kansas City. He is survived by his wife of 40 years and three children. The Chiefs signed veteran tight end John Phillips on Monday, according to the league’s official transactions.Kansas City cut defensive back Dontae Johnson to make room for Phillips on the 90-player roster.Phillips, 31, played eight games for the Cardinals last season. He made three catches for 38 yards.The Cowboys made Phillips a sixth-round choice in 2009. He spent four seasons in Dallas and another three with the Chargers.Phillips split time between Denver and New Orleans in 2016 and played one game with the Saints in 2017.He has appeared in 120 games with 43 starts in his career Eric Murray Jersey , making 58 receptions for 426 yards and five touchdowns.Johnson, 27, signed with the Chiefs this offseason.The 49ers made him a fourth-round pick in 2014, and he spent four seasons in San Francisco before signing with the Seahawks during the 2018 offseason.He played one game with the Bills last season.For his career Terrance Smith Jersey , Johnson has appeared in 64 games with 22 starts and made 145 tackles, two interceptions and 21 pass breakups.

Unlike in baseball Long Sleeve Bobby Evans Jersey , an NFL team in Los Angeles is still on top of its sport.The Rams (8-0) finished the first half of their schedule perfect with a 29-27 win over the Green Bay Packers.will look to stay unbeaten when they face another top quarterback in their matchup against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints."The Rams keep finding ways to win," said Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback. "Next week they'll face their biggest test yet, traveling to New Orleans for an NFC showdown."The Rams are the unanimous top team in the latest AP Pro32 poll for the sixth consecutive week. They received all 12 first-place votes and 384 points in balloting Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL."Rams remain perfect with a comeback win over Aaron Rodgers' Packers, and now it's on to a critical three-game stretch against the Saints, Seahawks and Chiefs," Newsday's Bob Glauber said. "If they remain unbeaten after that, can 16-0 be far behind?"Kansas City remained No. 2 with 365 points Bobby Evans Jersey nfl draft , but New England, which was tied with the Chiefs last week, slipped to No. 3. The Patriots, who trail the Chiefs by only three points, host the Packers on Sunday night."(Tom) Brady vs. Rodgers next up," Fox Sports' John Czarnecki said.The Saints remained No. 4.And LA's other team, the Chargers, inched up a spot to No. 5.The Carolina Panthers Bobby Evans Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , who were tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week at No. 7, moved up a spot, while the Steelers remained where they were.The Washington Redskins, who are in first place in the NFC East, moved up two spots to No. 8.The Minnesota Vikings dropped four spots to No. 9 after their 30-20 loss to the Saints.And the surging Houston Texans, who have won five in a row, moved up two spots to round out the top 10."With eight sacks and four forced fumbles, J.J. Watt has recaptured his form as a dynamic game-wrecker Los Angeles Rams Jerseys Stitched , triggering a five-game winning streak after a 0-3 start," said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa, Florida. Former NFL offensive lineman Frank Garcia was arrested over the weekend for a misdemeanor assault of a female, according to Langston Wertz Jr. of the .Garcia, a former fourth round pick of the Carolina Panthers, was arrested on Saturday afternoon in a south Charlotte neighborhood. The 29-year old alleged victim sustained minor injuries but she declined medical treatment.Garcia spent nine years in the NFL playing for the Panthers, St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. He is currently an afternoon talk show host at 610 WFNZ in Charlotte and has been an assistant high school football coach for Charlotte Catholic. Garcia has been suspended from his coaching duties following the incident as Charlotte Catholic plays for the state title in their division this weekend.He did not appear on his radio show on Monday either as his court appearance for the incident was scheduled for Monday morning.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — le bit more flexibility to spend on offseason renovations Olisaemeka Udoh Jersey nfl draft , after moving on from two veteran starters.By releasing right guard Mike Remmers and declining an option on safety Andrew Sendejo’s contract, the Vikings cleared more than $10 million in space under the salary cap on Monday as NFL teams were allowed to begin negotiating deals with players eligible for unrestricted free agency.The Vikings also tendered contracts to safety Anthony Harris and backup offensive tackle Rashod Hill, who were set to become restricted free agents when the market opens on Wednesday.The 29-year-old Remmers moved from tackle to guard and started all 16 games last season, his second with the Vikings, but the offensive line continued to be a source of trouble for a team that ranked just 19th in points and 20th in yards in 2018.Brian O’Neill fared relatively well at right tackle as a rookie, so moving Remmers back to his original position was not a viable option for the Vikings. His agent, Brett Tessler, said on Twitter that he was approached by the team about a restructured contract, but the two sides didn’t reach an agreement. Remmers, who signed a five-year deal in 2017 with a maximum value of $30 million, earned $11.5 million in two seasons with the Vikings. His departure cleared $4.55 million under the $188.2 million cap, leaving the team with a $1.8 million hit for the remaining prorated portions of his signing bonus.“This is the decision that was made,” Tessler said Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 , “and we look forward to our next opportunity.”The 31-year-old Sendejo parlayed special teams success into a place in the starting lineup beginning in 2013, but a groin injury limited him to just five games last season. Though Sendejo started 58 of a possible 96 games over the last six years, the Vikings never stopped considering other options for the back of the secondary next to four-time Pro Bowl pick Harrison Smith. With a $5.5 million salary scheduled for 2019 and no guaranteed money remaining, Sendejo was an easy target for cap savings.The way Harris played in his place last season made the decision even easier. He had three interceptions to match Smith for the team lead, in his fourth year in the league. Harris received a second-round tender worth $3.095 million for 2019, so if another team were to sign him it would require a second-round draft pick to be sent to the Vikings. Minnesota would not receive compensation if another team were to match the contract for Hill, who received a lower tender worth $2.025 million. Hill started 15 games over the last two seasons, before O’Neill overtook him on the depth chart.After guaranteeing $84 million over three years for quarterback Kirk Cousins in the last offseason and having extensions for defensive end Danielle Hunter and wide receiver Stefon Diggs kick in, the Vikings entered the 2019 league year with far less wiggle room but just as many weaknesses to address.With outside linebacker Anthony Barr and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson both set to become unrestricted free agents, the best the Vikings can probably do is bring one of them back.“The way it is with the cap, we have to budget where we’re going,” coach Mike Zimmer told reporters recently. “So if it goes to if Barr gets paid $18 million, it probably ain’t going to happen Olisaemeka Udoh Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , you know? But if it’s a reasonable deal, then I think Anthony would love to be here, too.” EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — With four weekends left in the regular season, two NFL teams have already fired their coaches. Several other underperforming clubs have dismissed assistants.The coaching carousel is in full spin, the unsettling part of these high-pressure, intensely scrutinized jobs.“I hate this time of year,” Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said, lamenting the way families of fired coaches are subjected to the upheaval. “I was one of those kids. I grew up this way. So I’m a little bit sensitive to it, OK?”His father, Gene DeFilippo, was a college assistant coach who moved into administration and was the athletic director at Villanova and Boston College. Those roles and eras were different than calling plays in 2018 for the Vikings, sure Youth Alexander Mattison Jersey , but the spotlight of big-time sports still exposed him to plenty of public disparagement.John DeFilippo has been a frequent target of that himself lately. The Vikings have been held under 300 total yards in three of their past four games, and they’re facing another daunting matchup on Monday night at Seattle.The hottest topic has been the run-pass imbalance, which even caused head coach Mike Zimmer to join the chorus of critics after the Vikings lost 24-10 last week at New England. Dalvin Cook rushed for 84 yards, but he only had nine carries. DeFilippo said on Friday after practice that he pointed out “two or three” plays in the game against the Patriots where he should have called a run instead of a pass.“Coach and I are in constant communication of how to make this offense better. We talk all the time,” said DeFilippo, who’s in his first season with the Vikings after serving as quarterbacks coach for Philadelphia. “There’s certain things that he believes in and that I believe in as well.”Despite the recent struggles by the Vikings (6-5-1), who rank 16th in the league in yards and 18th in points, DeFilippo’s name is among the candidates already in full circulation on the NFL speculation circuit. One oddsmaker pegged him as the second-most likely replacement in Green Bay for fired head coach Mike McCarthy, trailing only Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.“I’m pretty much in this building about 18 to 20 hours a day, so I don’t hear a lot of that outside noise, good or bad,” DeFilippo said.“So I’m just dead set on doing my job right now. We have a quarter of our season left that’s a very, very important quarter. For me to think of anything besides our football team would being a lot of people a disservice.”From quarterback Kirk Cousins to tight end Kyle Rudolph to wide receiver Adam Thielen Super Bowl Alexander Mattison Jersey , several of Minnesota’s offensive players have not been shy about publicly stating their evaluations of what’s gone wrong and what they believe are the best ways to make the process go right on a more consistent basis. More involvement for Cook has been mentioned often. Getting those screen passes going is another theory. Eschewing the huddle and employing more up-tempo possessions, too, has been given multiple thumbs-up.“There’s constant dialogue, and that’s every week, after every series,” Cousins said. “You’re trying to continue to stay on the same page.”Whatever the method, the offense is well aware of the burden it’s carrying into the final quarter of the season.“Obviously there’s some frustration on our side of the ball, knowing that our defense has played so well and we haven’t kind of pulled our end,” Thielen said, adding: “We just need to get back to who we are. We know we have the guys in the room to do it.”

The NFC West Champions as Grandpas" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesTurf Show Times homepageHorizontal -s communityFollow Turf Show Times online:Follow Turf Show Times on TwitterFollow Turf Show Times on FacebookFollow Turf Show Times on InstagramLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchTurf Show Times main menuSectionsLibraryMastheadCommunity GuidelinesNFL OddsStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteSections 2019 offseason2019 free agency2019 NFL DraftFull ArchiveLibrary 2019-20 NFL calendar2019 Rams regular season sched2019 Rams preseason schedMasthead Community Guidelines NFL Odds StubHub ✕Your favorite Los Angeles Rams...turned very oldNew Los Angeles Rams Jerseys Stitched ,8commentsThe NFC West Champions as GrandpasCDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Your favorite Los Angeles Rams...turned very oldTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailHave you ever wondered what it would like if Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay was 60+ years old? Yeah, me too. Well the wait is over my friends. The FaceApp, which was popularized a couple years ago, is back. And folks have turned to social media for the FaceApp challenge, in which they make themselves look like Granpappy and then share it on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, whatever else there is. FaceApp is probably taking all of my personal and banking information right now, so I won’t subject you to it Dakota Allen Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , but I did feel it important to sacrifice my 401k for your viewing pleasure. So without further ado...Sean McVay — Favorite Hobby: Grinding tapeLes Snead — Favorite Hobby: Telling neighborhood kids to scram Wade Phillips — Favorite Hobby: TweetingJared Goff — Favorite Hobby: Watching the sun set...in whatever directionTodd Gurley — Favorite Hobby: Playing with his kittensCooper Kupp — Favorite Hobby: GardeningAaron Donald — Favorite Hobby: Still in the NFL Clay Matthews — Favorite Hobby:Riding poniesMarcus Peters — Favorite Hobby:He hates hobbiesAqib Talib — Favorite Hobby:Cake decoratingYou are welcome. The Rams have built up their roster core for this era. They’ve begun to form their core for their long-term future. But while many teams have to strengthen their rosters for immediate gains, the Rams are in a position to continue the transition from this era into the next."The Los Angeles Rams effectively wrapped up their efforts in free agency 2019 when they extended DL Aaron Donald in August 2018. In doing so, they effectively choked off most of their available salary cap in 2019 save for the number of role players they had to assess and their 2019 NFL Draft class.The Rams decided to let ILB Mark Barron and C John Sullivan head off which gave the Rams a bit of room to get, effectively, a discounted franchise tag on EDGE Dante Fowler, Jr. With that discount, the Rams were able to bring in S Eric Weddle for a chance to ride his career into the sun with a Lombardi Trophy on his back.And while many fans are carping that the Rams aren’t doing more in free agency, the rationale behind not doing as much is simple.They good enough to not need to.The Rams are coming out of an era having built up a young and inexpensive core on their roster that they buttressed with talent via trades and unique signings like DL Ndamukong Suh that they could afford thanks to the rookie discounts they racked up. But now, those deals are quickly being torn up for more lucrative agreements and the Rams have had to begin the transition into a new era.Already Dakota Allen Jersey Baby , Sullivan and Barron were pushed out. OL Rodger Saffold III, DL Ndamukong Suh and S Lamarcus Joyner are all headed elsewhere via free agency. Those three will net the Rams compensatory picks in the 2020 NFL Draft which underscores the transition afoot.At this point, the Rams don’t need much of anything in free agency. The deals for Fowler and Weddle are bridge deals to delay replacements that will accelerate the transition into a new era, a transition that began in earnest in last year’s draft when the Rams began to bring in pieces for their offensive line of the future with prospects like OL Joseph Noteboom and OL Brian Allen.But now consider what the Rams are looking at after the 2019 season in free agency next year:2020 LA Rams Free AgentsPlayerPOSTypeOutcomePlayerPOSTypeOutcomeUnlike this year in which free agency was built upon the lackluster effort to retain role players across the middle of the roster, next year’s offseason will be about reshaping the starting roster to support the Rams’ long-term core of RB Todd Gurley, WR Brandin Cooks, RT Rob Havenstein and DL Aaron Donald (and presumably QB Jared Goff).The Rams will have plenty of money available. As of right now, OverTheCap has the Rams with more than $93m next year while Spotrac puts it over $82m. And unlike a year ago when the Rams were locking up guys to eat into their 2019 cap space, there just aren’t that many unrestricted free agents the Rams will need to retain as part of the transition.DL Michael Brockers Dakota Allen Jersey nfl draft , Fowler, CB Aqib Talib and LT Andrew Whitworth are all likely playing their last season for the Rams and, at least in Whitworth’s case and perhaps Talib’s, maybe playing their last season in the NFL. The Rams don’t even have many restricted or exclusive-rights free agents that will be necessary to retain.For 2019, the draft is simply much, much, much more important than free agency. The Rams currently have seven picks in this year’s draft that will help address roster gaps over the next four seasons and in the case of a potential first-round pick the next five. Those selections weigh much more heavily on the roster build than any moves the Rams could have made this week or next in free agency.So fret not, Rams fans. The roster is in fantastic shape. We’re coming off of a Super Bowl appearance with a fantastic core locked up into the future. The bandaid that is free agency isn’t all that valuable to the Rams right now if only because we’ve been so good at building our roster up to this point.