Latest news with #Stafford
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Rams primed to be Super Bowl contenders, but two critical areas of concern remain
WAILUKU, Hawaii — Warm, breezy and feeling good. That was the prevailing feeling among the Rams this week as they ended their off season with a 'Mauicamp,' a low-key event heavy on bonding and light on drills for a team expected to contend for a championship. Star quarterback Matthew Stafford is under contract for another potential Super Bowl run. The Rams also added star receiver Davante Adams, drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson and bolstered depth to an ascending defensive front. The Rams, however, have areas of concern as they head into a break before reporting to training camp at Loyola Marymount in July. Offensive tackle and cornerback could be vulnerabilities for a team aiming to improve upon last season's 10-7 record and an NFC divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Here's how confident the Rams were in those positions going into free agency and the draft: They did not sign or select a player at either spot. Whether that was wise is another matter. Stafford, 37, remains the Rams' most important player and — other than coach Sean McVay — their most valuable asset. So the tackles must foil edge rushers hellbent on hitting the quarterback while playing perhaps the most pressure-packed position other than Stafford's. With his play last season, Alaric Jackson convinced the Rams he was their longtime solution at left tackle. They awarded him a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees. But uncertainty now reigns. Jackson sat out the final week of offseason workouts because he is dealing with blood-clot issues for the second time in his career. If, or when, he will be able to practice and play is unknown. The Rams hurriedly signed D.J. Humphries, but the veteran is of late something of an unknown quantity. He played only two games last season for the Kansas City Chiefs after returning from major 2023 knee surgery and then suffering a hamstring injury. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, 33, is entering his 11th season and the final year of his contract. He is coming off two shoulder surgeries. Swing tackle Warren McClendon Jr. started five games last season, but he has not established himself as a frontline player. The Rams also recently signed eight-year pro David Quessenberry, who made 17 of his career 30 starts in 2021. The Rams are confident in the secondary — in large part because of the defensive front. A rush led by rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske helped the Rams rank 20th among 32 teams in pass defense last season. That rush is expected to improve with the addition of tackle Poona Ford and rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. So the Rams stood pat with the same defensive backs from last season. Cornerback Darious Williams, 32, does not have salary guarantees beyond this season, according to Ahkello Witherspoon, 30, is playing on a one-year deal for the third consecutive season but was signed early enough this time to participate in offseason workouts. Cobie Durant is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is trying to prove that the Washington Commanders erred by releasing the 2023 first-round pick last season. Derion Kendrick, coming off a knee injury that forced him to sit out the 2024 season, was waived last week in a cost-cutting move and then re-signed with the Rams for a veteran-minimum contract. Josh Wallace and Charles Woods, undrafted free agents in 2024, also are on the roster. McVay this week indicated that there were probably too many obstacles to trade for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the three-time All-Pro who was an integral part of the Rams' Super Bowl LVI championship team. Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers, but McVay said last week that was 'not a direction' the Rams would go. Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the Rams' Week 6 opponent. While the NFL largely shuts down until the start of training camp, general manager Les Snead in the past has added players before it opens and after it begins. But for now, with their Hawaiian excursion behind them, the Rams appear ready to go with what they've got.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense
3 things that could make or break the Rams' NFC West title defense The Rams won the NFC West in 2024, but staying on top won't be easy After returning to the playoffs in 2023, the Los Angeles Rams exceeded expectations in 2024 and reclaimed the NFC West crown for the first time since 2021. Los Angeles now enters the 2025 season with momentum, but also with pressure to stay atop a division that saw only the Rams play in January off a 10-7 record following a 1-4 start and it wasn't until Week 14 that the team managed to get over .500. To stay on top, Sean McVay's team must address three critical areas that could make or break their bid for back-to-back division titles. Keep QB Matthew Stafford clean on the blind side The Rams' offense goes as far as Stafford can take it, but only if he's upright. The 37-year-old signal caller was protected fairly well last season, having been sacked 38 times, which was tied for 13th fewest, but questions now swirl around the left tackle spot. Alaric Jackson, who signed a three-year, $57.75 million contract extension back in February, is battling blood clots that have now cast doubt on his availability. While D.J. Humphries was signed as insurance, he's two years removed from an ACL tear suffered late during the 2023 season and also injured his hamstring as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs last year. Behind him, depth is thin. This means the Rams must either trust Humphries or veteran David Quessenberry, who the Rams signed back in May to a one-year deal, to be a full-time solution. If the left tackle position becomes an issue, Stafford's efficiency and this offense's explosiveness could take a hit. Get the Stafford-Adams connection rolling The Rams made one of the splashiest moves of the offseason by bringing in All-Pro WR Davante Adams. But a bold move only pays off if the chemistry follows. Replacing a franchise great in Cooper Kupp isn't about swapping targets, it's about recalibrating the offense. Adams thrives in isolation routes, crisp timing, and red-zone precision. That demands a new layer of McVay's playbook and fast-track chemistry with Stafford. Suppose the Rams can't quickly build a rhythm between Stafford and Adams. In that case, they risk becoming predictable, or worse, inefficient, against elite defenses like San Francisco, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, who all loom on L.A.'s 2025 schedule. Reinforce the secondary While the front seven has promising talents like Jared Verse, last years defensive rookie of the year, Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner, the Rams' secondary remains a glaring concern. In the defensive backfield, they've ranked 20th the past two seasons in passing defense, allowing 231.1 yards per game in 2023 and 223.1 yards in 2024, while also ranking middle of the pack in passing yards allowed per attempt at 6.7 last season and despite having a pair of solid veterans in Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams, they have yet to land a proven CB1 for 2025. The options? Bring in a veteran like Stephon Gilmore. Make a splash by trading for Jalen Ramsey, or bank on internal growth from players like Cobie Durant, who finished with 40 tackles, eight deflections, and an interception last season. Without a stable boundary presence, the Rams could continue to be vulnerable against the NFC West's improved passing attacks. Bottom Line The Rams have the roster to run the West. But every contender has soft spots. If L.A. can patch the left tackle situation, turn Adams into an every-week weapon, and fix their secondary leaks, the road to the NFC West still runs through Inglewood. If not? The door could swing wide open for the 49ers, Seahawks, or Cardinals to crash the party.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former NFL QB ranks the Rams WR unit as top-5
Former NFL QB ranks the Rams WR unit as top-5 The hype around the combination of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams on the Los Angeles Rams continues to grow. They've been named among the best duos in the NFL before they even play a snap together and will certainly elevate Matthew Stafford's game in 2025. Another pundit ranked the whole Rams' receiver group highly, too: ex-Green Bay Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert, who is now a football analyst for Sleeper. Benkert ranked the Rams' receiver room third behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys. Nacua and Adams lead the room, but the Rams have more than just them. Tutu Atwell is back and provides an exciting speed element, Jordan Whittington is a solid pass-catcher who was a late-round pick in 2024 and Konata Mumpfield is a seventh-rounder who was widely consistent in college. Stafford will need as many weapons as possible if he and the Rams want to compete in the tight-knit NFC West. L.A. won the division a year ago but will have a tough road to keep the crown as the rest of the division looks to wrangle it away to make the playoffs. Fortunately, Stafford will have one of the better receiver units on his side in 2025.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Stafford factory's expansion expected to create 100 jobs
An energy component manufacturer has said the expansion of one of its factories is expected to create about 100 Vernova confirmed it would be doubling its transformer production capacity by expanding its site in will include a new transformer testing laboratory, which would help it to deliver "critical transformers for renewable energy transmission".The project was expected to create opportunities for apprentices, trainees, engineers, and manufacturing specialists, a company spokesperson said. Johan Bindele, the firm's vice president and CEO for grid systems integration, said the expansion further strengthened the company's manufacturing legacy in the UK."Just as importantly, it creates opportunities for highly-skilled workers who will help shape the future of energy infrastructure," he Minister Sarah Jones, who visited the site on Thursday, said the expansion would help to boost energy supply chains and create jobs."Upgrading the grid is critical to delivering homegrown clean energy to millions of homes, and this manufacturing facility will help make vital components to get more clean energy projects plugged in," she said. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' to Matthew Stafford's arm
Hall-of-Fame receiver Calvin Johnson knows Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford well. The two played together on the Detroit Lions for most of Johnson's legendary career where Johnson made six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. So now that he's seen another great receiver, Davante Adams, join Stafford in L.A., Johnson has some thoughts. All positive, though. Advertisement Johnson told FanDuel TV's Kay Adams that receivers always need to adjust to Stafford's arm strength when they join his team, but Adams should have a much smaller learning curve given how long he played with Aaron Rodgers. 'I saw Davante grow into a very solid receiver,' Johnson said. 'A great receiver from his time in Green Bay to where he is now. 'Even though when a new receiver came to our team, they always had to adjust to the fastball that Matthew throws. I would imagine Aaron Rodgers having a similar arm strength, [Adams will] be able to adapt fairly quickly.' Adams and Stafford have already begun to build a rapport during their brief time together as camps kick off this summer. Both are seasoned pros and understand how to work and adapt to different play styles. Advertisement The hope for the Rams is Adams can pick up the nuances quickly with a new quarterback help build a dominant offense alongside Puka Nacua with Stafford throwing them both the ball. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Calvin Johnson thinks Davante Adams will 'adapt fairly quickly' in LA
