Tag Archives: Los Angeles Rams

Rams trade Jalen Ramsey to Miami

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Miami Dolphins have acquired the Pro Bowl cornerback from the Los Angeles Rams.

Jalen Ramsey is returning to the state of Florida. The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to terms on a deal with the Dolphins sending the Pro Bowl cornerback to Miami in exchange for a 2023 third round pick (77th overall) and tight end Hunter Long. Adding Ramsey to new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense should help a team looking to take the next step with a deep playoff run.

For Los Angeles they receive a much needed draft pick and Hunter Long. Long has played just 183 snaps on offense since being drafted by Miami in 2021 with his lone catch coming in his rookie season. Perhaps Long’s usage changes in Los Angeles.

Unfortunately for the Rams they are also taking on a healthy amount of dead money due to trading Jalen Ramsey. A small amount of money is being freed up ($5.6 million), but that pales in comparison to the $19.6 million dead cap hit.

https://twitter.com/spotrac/status/1634989433312399361?s=20

While there is a debate about whether or not the salary cap is real, it misses the point entirely. The cap is very real, it is just when it comes into play regarding roster construction. This trade from the Rams shows the salary cap definitively making an impact.

All of this is a result of the aggressiveness of Los Angeles over the past few seasons. Exchanging draft picks for high profile players with big cap hits improves the team immediately at the cost of future financial flexibility. However the problem occurs after the period of success when the so-called “credit card bill” comes. Kicking the can down the road can only work for so long until everything compounds resulting in trading players to get under the cap. Considering the Rams won Super Bowl LVI, this trade off is worth it.

Baker Mayfield a target for Tampa Bay

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly interested in acquiring the services of the former Cleveland Browns quarterback.

It appears that former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield may be on his fourth different team in less than 12 months relatively soon. Reports indicate that Tampa Bay has interest in bringing Mayfield into the mix with 2021 2nd round pick Kyle Trask.

This would be the second time in as many years that Baker Mayfield lands on a team with another quarterback on the roster who the team apparently likes “a lot”. This was the case last season when Cleveland shipped the former first overall pick to Carolina to compete with incumbent starter Sam Darnold. Things did not work out for Mayfield with the Panthers, eventually finding his way to Los Angeles to fill in during a lost season.

If Tampa Bay’s post-Tom Brady plan at quarterback seriously involves Baker Mayfield they are in lots of trouble. Mayfield simply is not good enough and nothing more than a replacement level quarterback. If Tampa Bay really likes Trask they should find a better and more importantly less divisive option to bring in. Whether that is through free agency, trade, or the draft, it is best to back off when it comes to Baker Mayfield.

Odell Beckham Jr. makes NFL postseason history

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver made NFL postseason history.

Odell Beckham Jr. was out to prove that he can still be an impact player in the NFL and what better stage than the playoffs? In Los Angeles’ 34-11 win over the Arizona Cardinals Monday, Beckham made some NFL postseason history. Beckham become the first player to record a 30-yard reception and a 30-yard pass completion in the same game.

It was a productive night for Odell Beckham Jr., finishing with four receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown in addition to the 40 passing yards on the night. Beckham has proved that he does not belong on the scrap heap that the Browns threw him on as he has six touchdowns since landing with the Rams while Baker Mayfield has just three passing touchdowns to Cleveland wide receivers. Everything appears to be setting up well for Beckham wherever he lands next as his contract is up after the season. The biggest stage is allowing Beckham to show he can still produce and is not the washed up has been he has been painted as.

Odell Beckham Jr. returning to form

Posted on by
Advertisements

After being thrown on the scrap heap by the Cleveland Browns, Odell Beckham Jr. is proving he is not done with the Los Angeles Rams. 

The reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated. Odell Beckham Jr. was considered to be done and that he would not be able to contribute to an NFL team. Enter Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. Los Angeles pounced on the opportunity to add Beckham after Cleveland decided they were better off without him. Hint, they aren’t. In what now looks like a colossal blunder by the Browns, Beckham has come back to life and is making impact plays for the Rams.

In six games for Los Angeles, Odell Beckham Jr. has 20 receptions for 248 yards and four touchdowns. Beckham is not the primary target in the passing game, but he doesn’t have to be, Cooper Kupp has excelled in that role all season long. All Beckham has to do is produce when called upon. Beckham’s four touchdowns since arriving in Los Angeles is more than any Browns pass catcher this season. David Njoku, Donovan Peoples- Jones, and Austin Hooper each have three touchdowns over 12 or more games, Beckham has more in just six. Beckham has four receiving touchdowns in five games, the most of any stretch dating back to Weeks 9-12 in the 2018 season.

The fact Odell Beckham Jr. is beginning to resemble his former self is quite the indictment on the Browns, mainly Baker Mayfield. Beckham is a positive contributor for Los Angeles while Cleveland’s passing game continues to plummet week after week. The Rams appear poised to be making a postseason run while the Browns are staring a losing season and missing the playoffs right in the face. It’s easy to wonder where Cleveland’s offense would be if they hadn’t decided to move on from their best receiver in the first place. Thanks to a move that looks worse as time goes on for the Browns, the Rams are getting valuable production from a player Cleveland they decided they were better off without. Too bad that is far from the truth.

Justin Jefferson takes shot at Baker Mayfield

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Browns quarterback was the target of a critical tweet from the Minnesota Vikings wide receiver.

When the Cleveland Browns moved on from Odell Beckham Jr. earlier this season anyone and everyone knew that if he was successful criticism would fall on the team and quarterback Baker Mayfield. Well that happened by way of Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson.

The tweet from Jefferson does not specifically mention Baker Mayfield, but it’s easy to decipher who he is referring to. A lot of the discussion on why the Browns offense struggled was built upon criticism of Beckham and not the obvious deficiencies of Mayfield. With how things have unfolded since Beckham’s release, the latter appears to have more to stand on.

Baker Mayfield has thrown just five touchdowns to wide receivers this season with Donovan Peoples-Jones leading with three. Beckham has three touchdowns in his last three games and has impressive outings of five receptions for 81 yards and six receptions for 77 yards along the way. Beckham’s performance in Monday night’s win over Arizona being his best of the season.

Once the Browns moved on from Beckham there was some misguided hope that Baker Mayfield would suddenly revert to playing well just like the end of last season. The reality is that without Beckham the offense has no spacing and defenses have nobody to account for in the passing game due to Mayfield not being good enough to make them pay. At least with Beckham they would dedicate multiple defenders to one player, now the Browns face eight, nine, and sometimes 10 men in the box.

The reality of the situation is not one that Browns fans want to hear. While it was obvious that the combination of Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. was not going to work they most likely sent the wrong person packing. The more the Browns see from Mayfield, the less comfortable they should be with making him their quarterback for the future.

Rams place Ramsey, Higbee on reserve/COVID list

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Los Angeles Rams have placed the two players on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Jalen Ramsey and Tyler Higbee will not be available for the Los Angeles Rams Monday night when they face the Arizona Cardinals. The Los Angeles Rams have placed Ramsey and Higbee on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Ramsey leads the Rams in interceptions (3), pass defenses (11), is second in solo tackles (46), and is one of nine players with a fumble recovery. Higbee is third in receptions (44) while also being fourth in yards (395) and touchdowns (3).

Troy Hill signs four-year deal with Browns

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Browns have added another valuable price to their secondary.

Just yesterday the Cleveland Browns deal with John Johnson became official, now they are signing one of his teammates from the Rams Troy Hill. The Browns and Hill have agreed to terms on a four-year $24 million deal per reports.

This is huge addition for the Browns defense. It is clear that the team identified that their defense from last season needed major upgrades and their strategy of one-year deals the previous year did not work. Adding Troy Hill to the mix in addition to John Johnson instantly upgrades this group. No longer should the Browns be giving up career passing days to opposing quarterbacks. Instead they may be able to force more turnovers and not rely on the turnover luck gods to come their way.

Troy Hill has seven career interceptions, all coming in the last three seasons. Additionally, Hill has 29 pass defenses in his career along with 3 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. Hill now being in the mix gives the Browns a reliable option opposite Denzel Ward. This also puts Greedy Williams in a role where he does not have to be on the field every play, a role which may suit him considerably better than that of his rookie season. The Browns defense seems to be taking the strides that the offense did last season. Hopefully the on field performance follows suit and becomes an asset and not a liability.

Update

The numbers of the deal for Troy Hill are reportedly not what they seem. It turns out that the deal is for two-years $9 million with the possibility of that number reaching $10 million according to Mary Kay Cabot. The final two years of the deal are voidable which only makes this deal a much better deal for the Browns from a money standpoint.

Browns agree to three-year deal with John Johnson

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Browns have agreed to a three-year $33.75 million deal with $24 million guaranteed with the former Los Angeles Rams safety.

It took some time but the Cleveland Browns made a splash in free agency, signing safety John Johnson to a three-year deal. The deal is reportedly worth $33.75 million with $24 million in guaranteed money.

This deal was a no-brainer for the Browns. The Cleveland defense was not good last season due to injuries and low-quality players. Adding someone with the talent of John Johnson is a move that should net the Browns high quality play over the life of the contract. Johnson is instantly the best safety on the team and it is not even close. While Ronnie Harrison played well and Grant Delpit is an unknown, the fact of the matter is that the Browns needed a clear upgrade in their secondary and they got it.

John Johnson has appeared in 54 career games (48 starts) for the Los Angeles Rams prior to agreeing to a deal with Cleveland. In those games Johnson has 32 pass defenses, 8 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. This a nice start for the Browns as they seek to upgrade their defense, but it cannot be the end of their additions this offseason before the draft.

Browns can learn from the Rams and Jared Goff

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Browns can learn from the mistakes of the Los Angeles Rams.

On the surface there is not a connection between the Cleveland Browns and Jared Goff. After some brief information gathering reality starts to set in. The Los Angeles Rams have provided a template in what not to do with a quarterback and that should allow the Browns to handle their own quarterback situation correctly.

That quarterback situation of course is Baker Mayfield. Mayfield and Jared Goff are not that different, they require a certain type of offense with a certain talent level around them to be successful. Both quarterbacks began their career with less than adequate coaching and eventually found their way to a better coaching situation. It was then that the quarterbacks improved and appeared to be worthy of a contract extension, that is when the trouble started for Los Angeles. The Rams picked up Goff’s fifth-year option and just a few months later handed out a contract extension that has aged horribly. Goff’s contract has to be one of the worst quarterback deals in the league which is why so much draft capital was attached in order to acquire Matthew Stafford from the Lions.

So how does this relate to the Browns and Mayfield?

Here is how. Los Angeles was not able to determine who is more responsible for his turnaround. Was it Jared Goff himself or was it Sean McVay? As it turns out, it was clearly McVay. For the Browns they find themselves in the situation the Rams were once in. Not only do the Browns run an offense that at the core is similar to that of Los Angeles, they have a quarterback that succeeded in it.

Cleveland now needs to determine who is more responsible for the success of Baker Mayfield during the second half of the 2020 season. Was it Mayfield or Kevin Stefanski? This one is even easier than the question for the Rams, it is Stefanski. Stefanksi is the reason why the offense was catered to Mayfield’s strengths. It was Stefanski who schemed players open which gave Mayfield easy passes to complete and put him in a position to succeed.

How do the Browns approach contract extension talks with Mayfield?

This is easy, right now they don’t. The Browns should pick up Mayfield’s option and make him prove that he is able to be successful over more than half of a season. Right now there has been two seasons where Mayfield played better over the final eight games and that should be in the minds of the decision makers for Cleveland. The mistake the Rams made with Jared Goff was committing too early when they didn’t have to.

The temptation for those who like to discuss a potential extension with Mayfield is getting out ahead of a large number and the pursuit of a bargain down the road. As we saw how things unfolded with Goff this is not a guarantee and can backfire fairly easily. With the numbers that a lot of people are projecting for Mayfield, it would require moving on from players at the skill positions that he needs in order to be successful. This is all before acknowledging the possibly of regression from Mayfield and how it would negatively impact the team.

What the Browns must do is not repeat the mistakes of the Rams. Sure, they’ve essentially failed upward, but they had to pay a price in order to do so. Cleveland must wait until after year four of Mayfield before even entertaining contract extension talks. The way things worked out with Jared Goff in Los Angeles is the perfect example of why they should operate in that manner. If not, a repeat of the mistakes of the Rams could play out in Cleveland and result in a much larger issue for the Browns.

Browns trade Austin Corbett to Rams

Posted on by
Advertisements

The Cleveland Browns have traded offensive lineman Austin Corbett to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2021 5th Round Draft Pick.

This felt like a long time coming. The Cleveland Browns have parted ways with Austin Corbett. Cleveland sent Corbett to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2021 5th Round Draft Pick.

This trade should not surprise anyone. Austin Corbett only played a handful of snaps. Corbett was clearly not in the plans for the Browns and apparently could not help their issues on the offensive line.

Looking at the compensation this is a win. The value of a player instantly depreciates after being drafted. The only time it stays the same or increases is if they end up as one of the top players at their position. This was not Corbett. Taking a fifth rounder in 2021 was probably much better than any offer that could have been taken in 2020.

If Austin Corbett is unable to beat out Eric Kush at right guard that says more about Corbett than Kush. Kush is far from good and Corbett being unable to take his starting spot speaks volumes.

Austin Corbett was part of a larger plan that did not work out

Part of the Browns decision to send Kevin Zeitler to New York in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade is that there was hope that Corbett could step in for Zeitler. If Corbett was unable to play right guard, there was also hope he could replace JC Tretter after this season. Clearly neither were an option as Corbett is now gone.

There are a lot of people hammering the Browns for missing the Corbett pick. Yes, whiffing at 33 overall hurts. However, considering the rest of the 2018 draft class it is a bit more forgivable. Cleveland still selected Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward ahead of Corbett and Nick Chubb two picks later. People will want to focus on John Dorsey’s first draft miss rather than the success he has had. There are better ways to spend your time considering that this was clearly the best draft class the Browns have had in a long, long time.