Turf Show Times

St. Louis Rams Tight End Coach: Rob Boras

2012-05-26T21:30:11Z

via bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com

One position that's been relatively overlooked for their poor play on the offensive side of the ball for the St. Louis Rams is the Tight Ends. Inconsistencies, in both blocking and passing, have made them just another cog in the disappointments we've seen from our offensive line and wide receiver corps over the past couple of seasons. While other teams, a la Patriots and Saints, are producing tight ends that tally over 1300 yards and score double digit TD's in a season, the Rams top TE amassed 352 yards and zero touchdowns in 2011.

It's clear the TE position has evolved in the NFL. Exploiting match-ups against smaller safeties and slower linebackers, NFL teams are turning to tight ends who look more like basketball players. Given the right player - with the right athleticism - and proper coaching, the tight end can be an advantageous as playmaker in any offense. We may have the right player, and he may have the skill-sets, but adequate coaching for our tight ends has been non-existent for the past three years. That's all about to change...

Would it surprise you to know our previous tight ends coach - if you were even aware we had one - was a friend of Steve Spagnuolo's and had NO professional coaching years under his belt? I didn't think so. Frank Leonard had over two decades of coaching at the collegiate level. He spent only one year as tight ends coach at Kansas State University - from 2007-2008 - one year prior to being awarded the same position by the St. Louis Rams. In hindsight, and knowing what we know now, this decision, like many others made by Spags, was poor.

It seems like each offseason the Rams are referred to for their less-than-average performances by the tight end bunch, but little has been done to address it. In 2010, Michael Hoomanawanui was our hope for change. His rapport with Sam Bradford took us into the season with a sense of optimism. Two seasons later - with only 16 games played - he has 20 total catches, for 229 yards. There is very little to be optimistic about when it comes to "Illini Mike", as we wait and watch for his next - seemingly imminent - season-ending injury. In 2011, in yet another Spagnuolo head scratcher, the Rams used the #47 overall pick in the draft on Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks. He offered more of the same - great offseason, great preseason - then many to painful-to-watch dropped passes in the regular season. He finished 2011 having played 15 games, and chalked up a whopping 28 catches for 352 yards. Injuries aside, our TE's looked clueless, and their performances were proof they weren't up to the challenge.

Tean owner Stan Kroenke swept in for a much needed 'house cleaning' of the coaching staff in January of this year. It's provided the Rams, and their fans, with a renewed sense of optimism, as a talented coaching staff, calculated free agent acquisitions, and a promising draft have brought hope for a speedy about-face from an awful 2-14 record of the previous season. Coach Jeff Fisher has provided the team with an experienced, and more importantly, proven Tight End coach: Rob Boras.

Boras' professional career began with the Chicago Bear in 2004. In his time there, he was able to assist in setting career high numbers, franchise records, and produce a pro-bowl tight end. Though production from tight ends gradually increased from year to year, it was in the 2008 and 2009 seasons that the TE's in Chicago truly caught fire. In 2008, Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark combined for a total of 95 catches - the highest combined total for tight ends in franchise history. The same year also marked the second consecutive year that both TE's surpassed 300 yards receiving (Clark 367, Olsen 574), only the second time in the history of the franchise it had occurred. 2009 proved to be even better with the addition of Kellen Davis. The Bears tight ends lead the NFL in TD catches, with 13. Clark suffered a back injury early in the season, which brought about the true emergence of Greg Olsen, who went on to make 60 catches, for 612 yards, scoring 8 TD's, and earning a Pro-Bowl birth along the way.l.

Productivity aside, the Bears had missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and the organization deemed it a time for change. Though Lovie Smith was retained as head coach for the 2010 season, Boras, along with three other offensive coaches were fired. Clark, who showed a great appreciation for what Boras had done for him in his tenure there, said:

Rob Boras is a great coach, and I'll be interested to see why they let him go...I think I just owe it to him to let people know what type of coach he was. He never stepped out in the media and said anything. He wasn't a self promoter. He was a quiet guy who came in early in the morning and got his work done and left late at night...I don't think it was a surprise to him. It was more of a surprise to me. I thought they knew what kind of coach they had in Rob Boras, and I thought they would go the extra mile with at least letting him interview for the coaching position once we got a new offensive coordinator.

Needless to say, Boras was not on the market for long. The Jacksonville Jaguars quickly jumped at the opportunity to bring him on board in 2010, where he would work closely with Marcedes Lewis for the next two seasons. In his first season with the Jags, Marcedes hauled in 58 catches for 700 yards, and team-high 10 TD's. Again, under the tutelage of Boras, a tight end was headed to the Pro Bowl. Another positive from the season was the improved blocking by the tight end group, which helped anchor the offensive line and factor into the teams 3rd best rushing attack in the NFL. Lewis' numbers dropped off in 2011, but many believe it was due, in part, to him signing a hefty 5 year, $35 million contract. Holding out before training camp, solely for the purpose of getting Vernon Davis and Antonio Gates type money, is probably not a good sign. Ultimately, he was rewarded, and the Jaguars were not.

Jeff Fisher was able to hand select his coaching staff for 2012. Ram's fans can take solace in the fact most acquisitions - both player and coach, -have been intelligently chosen (sans Gregg Williams). The group at tight end will have some familiar faces going into the 2012 season. The Rams did not address TE in this most recent draft, which one would think means the coaching staff is satisfied with the potential they see. Bajema is out, and Matthew Mulligan is in. Quid pro quo, as far as I'm concerned. The true question is, will Rob Boras be able to make Lance Kendricks into a perennial receiving threat for the Rams? Discussing his ability to become a pro-bowler seems a bit far fetched at this point. Let's see him execute basics (i.e. make catches) and we'll discuss pro-bowls (if there are any) another day. One thing is for certain though, with the mass exodus of the old regime went the lack of coaching experience we've needed, for several seasons now. I, for one, welcome Rob Boras to the organization. I'm optimistic we'll see marked, and immediate, improvement in the upcoming season.

St. Louis Rams Undrafted Free Agent Primer: DeAngelo Peterson

2012-05-26T20:00:46Z

Professional football has become almost unrecognizable to our NFL forefathers. Gone are the days of run first, pass second game play. In today's NFL, teams go to the pass more often than not, and a trend in this pass heavy philosophy is to utilize the tight end position more and more...

In the past, great tight ends were the exception, not the rule. Very few teams featured great tight ends. Names like Jay Novacek, Dave Casper, and Kellen Winslow Sr. are easily recognizable to fans of the NFL. How they played their positions can't be compared to the way tight ends are used today. The modern day tight end often finds themselves running routes coming off of motion, running routes as slick as a wide receiver. Oh, they block for a run play or two, but they now specialize in running pass patterns against smaller defensive backs in routes more traditionally given to wide receivers.

The Rams under Jeff Fisher promise to deliver a more run heavy offense, but there will be a time and place for the passing game. With few elite weapons on the offensive side of the ball, Brian Schottenheimer will elect to spread the ball around the field, and the tight end position will be called upon to move the chains more often than past offensive schemes. The Rams have a few options at the tight end position.

DeAngelo Peterson is a strange player to analyze. His career was not nearly as successful as he would have liked. According to the man himself:

"My main thing is I want to show people what I couldn't show them at LSU: that I can catch the ball, I can run routes, also that I can block," he said. "That's the main thing I'm really focused on, to show people what I can do that I couldn't show at LSU."

Peterson feels as though his talents at LSU were under used, and he's right to a certain extent. LSU's offense under head coach Les Miles is very much a run first scheme. The Tigers pound the ball and throw the occasional pass. The tight end is used to block and is a third read for the quarterback on pass plays.

A receiver in high school, Peterson has the ability to catch the ball. Peterson never had enough "looks" for us to get a good sample of his ability in college, with only a 10.10% target rate his senior season. Certainly a contributing factor in his low collegiate production was his starting quarterbacks ability. Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson both spent time under center in 2011, and during the regular season only threw for 20 touchdowns and a combined and 2024 passing yards. Compared to other offenses around the NCAA, it's was a mediocre performance. Peterson targeted only three times during the Senior Bowl, with two catches and one pass that was picked off. Peterson needs work in his blocking, but considering he was a wide receiver in high school, it's to be expected.

Peterson's measurables are not archetypal at the tight end position. He is 6'-3" and weighs in at 243 lbs. Peterson does play bigger than his height though. He has long arms at 32 1/2" and good hand size at just over 9 1/2" long. At the LSU pro day and the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.76 40 yard dash and had a 36" vertical jump along with a 10'-1" broad jump. Peterson was ranked as high as the number nine tight end prospect out of 73 available in the draft by nfldraftscout.com. Here is a highlight video for your enjoyment.

Again, we don't have a huge body of work to go off of with Peterson. He does seem a bit timid when contact is imminent as evidenced in this vid from 2010:

Did you see that? He pulled up at the last second instead of catching the ball and getting hit by the safety coming over the top. The St. Louis Rams coaching staff has a reputation for toughness, and perhaps that part of Peterson's game can be refined over the next few seasons. With Peterson's raw ability and size, the Rams would be wise to keep Peterson around to contribute on special teams, while his potential to develop into the new breed of tight end can be accessed. After all, he is another undrafted free agent, who at the end of the day won't cost very much to keep around. Is he worth a roster spot? Well, we should see enough in the preseason to know whether he's worthy of a St. Louis Rams uniform, or not....

St. Louis Rams Will Start Signing Draft Picks Soon

2012-05-26T15:00:04Z

The St. Louis Rams are one of four NFL teams that have yet to sign any of their rookies. Expect that to change soon. General manager Les Snead told CBS Sports that the team expects to start talks after the holiday weekend and have the deals all done when minicamp wraps up in the middle of June.

Negotiations are on hold in order to let the rookies adjust to the transition, which seems like a strange reason. Either way, it doesn't really matter. Rookie salaries are on a convenient slotting system under the new collective bargaining agreement. The numbers are pretty well set, and negotiations are pretty straight forward.

Michael Brockers, the Rams 1st-round pick, should get a four-year worth close to $10 million. Seattle's 1st-round pick, Bruce Irvin (still scratching your head on that one, huh?), got a deal worth $9.34 million with a $5 million bonus.

To give you an idea of how much the rookie salaries have changed under the new CBA, take a look at the five-year deal Seattle gave Earl Thomas, the 14th pick in the 2010 draft. Thomas' deal was worth $21.1 million with $12.32 million guaranteed. Cam Newton, last year's first pick, got a $22 million deal. Things have changed, huh?

The biggest difference is negotiating whether or not the fourth year of the deal will be guaranteed.

Rams RB Isaiah Pead & Giants RB David Wilson Do Some Freestyle Rap

2012-05-25T21:47:11Z

Rap music. It seems to be sweeping the nation, engulfing young people with its infectious beats, despite the efforts of squares to write it off or even ban it. But it will not go away! In fact, St. Louis Rams rookie running back Isaiah Pead tried his hand at it last week at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event.

All joking aside for this aside, am I the only one here old enough to remember such talk about rap? That it was dangerous? Ohhh. Or destined to fade because it wasn't real music? Ahhh. Yeah, those people were a little shortsighted. Anyway, I'm not here to laugh at Tipper Gore or remind you that Ice-T's heavy metal crossover experiment Body Count was never really a threat to our nation's youth because it wasn't very good.

I'm here to drop some beats on your ass, so to speak.

Giants running back David Wilson and Pead joined forces for some freestyle rap at the Rose Bowl last weekend, and we've got the video of their performance.

Yeah, probably best that both guys stick to football, but Wilson had Pead beat with the beats. Props to both. No amount of tequila and Xanax in world can ply me up to a mic for Karaoke.

Some rap after the jump.

CVC President Puts St. Louis Future On The Rams

2012-05-25T20:50:54Z

Things have quieted down lately in the public back and forth over negotiations to renovate the Edward Jones Dome. The discussion reached a fever pitch earlier this month when the St. Louis Rams' plans for the Dome were revealed by the Missouri Attorney General, and estimated to cost upwards of $700 million. On Friday, Kitty Ratcliffe, CVC president, put the onus of the team's future in owner Stan Kroenke's lap during an interview with KMOX.

Asked about the team staying in St. Louis, Ratcliffe replied:

"I think we can make that happen if the Rams really want to stay in St. Louis. Ultimately, that's what it's all about. Do they want to be here or not want to be here?"

Ratcliffe did offer a more moderate tone on the matter, one befitting of a representative involved in sensitive negotiations. It was a contrast to the public dialog last week, when Mayor Francis Slay dispatched aide Jeff Rainford to distribute threatening talking points, a performance he capped off with a suggestion for sports reporters to stay out of the Dome business.

Ratcliffe expressed optimism that the two sides would be able to find a reasonable solution. She added that any new sources of public funding would have to get the blessing of voters.

Where Is Steven Jackson's Place On The List Of The Rams' Best Running Backs?

2012-05-25T18:00:38Z

The St. Louis Rams have a pretty impressive legacy when it comes to running backs. In fact, that history is so rich, franchise rushing leader Steven Jackson still has some work to do to be considered the franchise's best. Overtaking Marshall Faulk for that unofficial title may be impossible.

Football Outsiders ranked the top five running backs in Rams' history, and the order of the list should not surprise you.

On top, there's Faulk. Remembered for his contributions to the Greatest Show on Turf, Faulk was truly one of those rare special players that defies simple categorization. His ass-headedness off the field aside, Faulk is in the top ten of the franchise leader board for receiving yards (10th). His ability as a receiver sets him apart, says FO:

In Faulk's case, his receiving capabilities take him from an obvious Hall of Famer to someone who should be included among discussions of the top-10 running backs of all time.

Next on the list is Eric Dickerson. Who is second on the franchise leaderboard for rushing yards as well as rushing touchdowns (behind only Faulk on TDs). When owner Georgia Frontiere traded Dickerson, it was the last straw for many LA fans. He was the one player that kept them relevant through the 1980s.

Third, is Steven Jackson. Jackson has 52 rushing touchdowns. He needs seven more to top Faulk as the franchise leader. The last time he had seven rushing touchdowns in a season was 2008. Can he do that this year?

More recent Rams fans may wonder why Jackson ranks below Dickerson. FO explains:

Jackson is nearly 2,000 yards ahead of Dickerson and Faulk on the Rams' all-time rushing list. He now has more yards from scrimmage than Faulk with the Rams. In the eternal battle between peak and career value, Jackson is a predicament. Dickerson and Faulk have insanely high peaks Jackson can never match. How much career value must he amass to catch either of them? That's a matter of individual preference, to a degree, but I would place Jackson ahead of Dickerson if he has a few productive seasons for some .500-plus Rams teams. The win-loss record matters in this case because it is hard to imagine the Dickerson-Dieter teams cracking .500 without Dickerson. Asking a running back to elevate his team to such a degree is a tall order, but Dickerson met it for a few years.

I might argue that Jackson has played for such historically bad Rams teams, on both offense and defense, during an era where the ground game has been marginalized in its ability to carry a team. I'm not so sure that a genetic splicing of Faulk, Jackson and Dickerson would have given these recent Rams teams more than an extra win or two.

Working in Jackson's favor is a remarkable run of health. Yes, SJ has dealt with bumps and bruises that have limited him over the years, but the label "injury prone" is not appropriate. Jackson has seven straight seasons of 1,000 rushing yards or more. He missed four games in 2007 and another four in 2008, but has played in 15 or 16 games in three seasons since, topping 320 carries in two of the three. He only carried the ball 260 times last season in 15 games, which could be a decided advantage for him this year.

Behind Jackson on the list is Lawrence McCutcheon, the offensive super star on those 70s era Rams teams more known for the Fearsome Foursome on defense. Fifth on the list is Dan Towler.

Poll

Where you rank Steven Jackson on the top-five list of the Rams' greatest running backs?

Brian Quick Wants To Make An Immediate Impact For The St. Louis Rams; Can He?

2012-05-25T16:35:11Z

People may question Brian Quick's bona fides, but nobody should question the rookie's desire to become the St. Louis Rams' top wide receiver.

Quick spent some time after practice this week with Sam Bradford and Brandon Gibson, running extra routes, learning the finer points of the pro game and developing a rapport with his quarterback. It was part catch up session after missing last week's OTAs for the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event and just plain dedication.

Bradford singled out Quick in comments to the media.

"I was working with him a little bit after practice today and it's just extremely impressive watching him move," Bradford said. "As big as he is, as tall as he is, he gets in and out of breaks really well. He's fast as well."

The third-year quarterback also noted that Quick was, so far, living up to advanced billing from head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead.

"I know that Coach Fish and Schotty (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) and Les Snead went out and worked several wide receivers out and they all came back raving about Quick," Bradford revealed. "They said he might have had...actually I know they said he had the best workout of any of the receivers that they worked out. I was extremely excited to see him when he got here last week and he had the opportunity to get on the field. It was pretty exciting just to see him out there moving."

The Rams have a lengthy profile on Quick on the team's web site, that is well worth your time to read. Of all the quotes from Quick in that feature, this one stood out to me:

"I am excited about playing but like I said, we are going to take it one step at a time," Quick said. "Who knows what is going to happen? I hope for the best. I hope I get to play but I'll have the right attitude about it and I'm going to do all we can to help us win games."

Yes, it's not out of line with typical draft pick talking points, but when you layer it with the visible dedication Quick has shown on the field, it comes across as more than just a platitude.

Make no mistake about it, if Quick can contribute this season, it significantly improves the Rams chances of getting back on track sooner rather than later.

This Week In Animated GIFs

2012-05-25T14:41:42Z

This Week In Animated GIFs

It's all legal squabbling in the NFL this week, but the sports world has provided plenty to enjoy in the form of animated GIFs. Take a break with these beauties.