Rams Training Camp with Allen Robinson, J.B. Long, Jourdan Rodrigue, and Ricky Hollywood

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Speaker 1: Be Around the NFL podcast, Keep scorching her from the campus of you See Irvine and the home of the world champion Los Angeles Rams. It's around the NFL. I'm Dan hansis joined for the first time ever since we've done this podcast by a man with exposed legs. Greg Rosenthal and Mark Sessler. What's up? Voice? So not true. I'm sure we've worn't short. Wasn't prepared for Harry legs. Greg, I mean I'm a hairy man. I just I didn't want to say anything. It's not a negative. And you're getting older. It's getting it's getting Harry, thankfully, unlike my brother and dad not with the Harry back. So that's solid. That's also this is the home of the ant theaters. Put some respect on Emicha. Rosenthal's Alma Mada. I apologize, of course. It is there forever home, the temporary home at least uh in summertime of the champion Rams and I have to say, like, first of all, it's great to be here. It's a beautiful day in southern California. We're in the shade, which is an upgrade from past years when we have been on location. Um, this is a big crowd here. And we've been doing this long enough where we we followed this whole saga of the Rams and for years and years the relocation drama around Los Angeles and then the Rams eventually coming here the temporary home with the old Colosseum. So if I stadium comes into being, and now you see what winning does. Tens of thousands of people filing through these gates throughout the summer, including thousands today. It's it's quite they got they figured this out. Mark. They kind of stuck the landing the Rams. If you were to script the narrative from when they announced the move to what just happened winning the Super Bowl and then the fan appearance today, um, you could not have scripted it more perfectly. The narrative you feared essentially five years ago is coming too focus. It is coming to focus. I want to use this moment though, because this is this comes up like maybe four times every episode that I had this anti Rams thing. I was healthy. I had a healthy suspicions, suspicion about what it would look like for us at at our workplace and everything else. I'm fine, We're good. The Rams are an enjoyable team to do things their own way. I can appreciate it, and we've been indoctrinated. I was here Thursday with my kids because that was the one day I think they could go to trading camp, and there they become Rams fans. They got an autograph from Aaron Donald in the line. I mean, they've got a whole kids. I was at a Jeff Fisher practice the first year he was coaching the Rams. To your point, Uh, it's night and day. We have some footage of that moment and Greg and his family were moved to the front of the line in front of normal civilities to get not true. That is not true. He won the bracelet. You have to have spin a wheel, and he won the bracelet. Uh. If he didn't get if he didn't the veil, he did it. You had to get a little that's a little different. If there was a wheel that was spun, it's not remotely true. Spinning a wheel sounds more realistic. Um. Yes, So here we are at RAMS camp, and we're excited to be here, and we're gonna have some great guests, UM, including the voice of the Rams, JB. Long Jordan Rodrigue, who covers the Rams. So beautifully for the athletic We're gonna have a kind of like a Rams Nights of the Round table like that conversation. I feel like that works whatever smart football minds. And uh, we're also gonna have Allen Robinson, the big marquee signing and free agency. Um, along with Bobby Wagner coming to town. Those are the two big names on each side of the ball. We got Allen Robinson on the show, So I'll talk to Robinson what it's like to go from the Bears, perhaps the most most moribund organization right now, to the Rams, which is Hollywood. Uh. But before that, what was that? That was a horn? I was like, Hey, practices starting or moved to the next Should we do a better job painting a picture. We're literally behind I'll say the south end zone because nobody knows behind the south end zone of one of the fields here at the practice facility. Uh. So we're here right his practices kicking off, and uh, we're excited to be here. Before we get into some Rams talk, let's do some league news. The NFL has notified the NFL Players Association that it will appeal Judge Robinson's disciplinary decision and it filed a brief as such this afternoon. All right, we have to start with Deshaun Watson. Uh. This is the the next chapter of the story that we kind of predicted and thought was how it was gonna play out when the first news uh came out about Um Sue Robinson's ruling on Monday. The NFL has indeed appealed the six game suspension for the Browns quarterback. They are seeking obviously a tougher penalty. UM. And we're gonna see how this now plays out. Now the league greg Um had the option here of Roger Goodell determining um the appeal himself, but he is instead handing that to someone else. Uh. And what where does that Where does the where does the story land for you right now? How this is gonna play out? Were you surprised that it's not going to be Goodell himself that makes this decision? It makes me a little less certain from the feeling that if Roger Goodell wants to Shaun Watson to be suspended for a year, which he does, they've been pushing for an indefinite suspension that would be a minimum of a year, which would probably include a fine, and and and perhaps uh, other things Watson has to satisfy, like like counseling that if Goodell wanted that, then that's what's gonna happen. Now him um appointing a different arbiter in the case adds a little more uncertainty, But ultimately I think what I think that's what's gonna happen. It's very hard to predict, but I think Watson's lack of remorse, which we've talked about on this show, is absolutely factoring in to what's going to happen. Uh, Sue Robinson mentioned it, and and I think Sue Robinson also mentioned that literally everything the NFL tried to prove once we finally got to look at what she said, what they tried to prove in terms of his case was proven. The only reason he was getting six games was she felt um hamstrung by the lack of precedent and what had happened and before and now I think this appeal opens it up. So his total lack of remorse, and that's been the case. And we saw a report from Diana Raussini this week that his camp believed that six games was too much, that they believe he deserved nothing. Um and that to me speaks to his lack of remorse and speaks to a group of people around him that is really letting him live his lie. That the NFL and now, but potentially um this judge who's gonna decide this arbiter will see that as a huge factor and a reason to give him the full year. That at no point in this process, other than paying off the Texans and paying off all the women, has he actually expressed that he ever did anything wrong. You had talked about this lurking as a legacy defining moment for Goodell, who had the chance to step in if he wanted to oversee it and come down with the ruling that would have addressed a lot of the things that you just said. I do think that it is in a hazier place right now when Judge A came up with the six game ruling, and this is another judge who in theory, is gonna look at it through the same lens and decide she sue l Robinson was completely wrong with with her the amount of games. I think that there's another detail in this is that the league, it's come out, it's been reported, they absolutely do not want to Shaun Watson playing with the Cleveland Browns against the Houston Texans in week thirteen, and it makes me think that if there is a amount of games that fits this, that twelve game window would keep him out of that thorny What does that matter? I people have thrown that out there, so there I suspect, I think very sanely about this throwing. Someone is leaking to some media this twelve game number. Whether that happens or not, but you're there's something to it. There is something to it. I mean, it's unsatisfying. Someone explains to me why that matters. I don't think. I think, I think the lead up that's not going to matter to the judge or the new arbitr. But I'm just saying that's something the league, no matter when he who he plays in that first it will be. It's a detail in there. But it's an unsatisfying conclusion, Like twelve games seems like a very strange half measure. Like, yes, it's okay, we're saying it's more it's more significant than Ben Roethlisberger, or certainly more than Jamis Winston, who she mentioned as as sort of a precedent. But then it's it's this in between number, and that's why I think the NFL doesn't want that they want the year. I just I do think that we're in a much different place in terms of what the result could be because Goodell is not overseeing this. It's been put into a different place, and I agree with obviously we are of like mind about where this should land. I think it should have been an indefinite or full season. That would be my choice if I were in charge of the whole thing, But like, it's an independent guy who's gonna come in and look at it through a different lens than Mark, Greg Dan and a lot of the fans may come up with a completely if that is, and that makes sense why Robinson came down with just the six games on precedent you kind of wish, and Greg to your point earlier this week that Goodell then came in and be like, well, that's fair, but everything else that she found backed up what we thought establishing the precedent as the commissioner, and I am dropping the indefinite suspension and if you want to take us the court, do it. But this is what we feel like the league needs to do to get caught up and be in the right place on this. Now, maybe they feel confident that this person New Jersey Eternal General Attorney General Peter C. Harvey, who's hearing the appeal, will be of like mind to the NFL. And I would think they do. I think they have their ducks. I mean, they've been meticulous about how they want to handle this. The the NFL that that's how this is gonna end up. That's what I think this is gonna be. Now it's going to be the year or indefinite. But but then then it gets tossed into federal court. If if it's supposed to be, first of all, the NFL p A had to file, you know, potentially their appeal. They're not going to do that, um this week. It's supposed to be a relatively abbreviated process that that he'll hear this. And Mike Florio and I don't know if this is the final answer, but he he's a lawyer. He believes strongly, and he thinks it's definite that Watson six game suspension after the NFL p A decided not to appeal, that is upheld that any potential push to federal court would kick the can to week seven, and that would basically be the playing field that they would be battling for that there's no way he would be accept that the exactly they're accepting that he will be playing in the preseason apparently two, which is also just strange branch the whole thing. Jacoby Brissette of course in line to start games for the Browns perhaps the whole season depending on how this plays out, of course, will continue to follow the story. Uh. The NFL season kind of sort of got underway um this week on Thursday with the Hall of Fame game and Ken it was a Raiders seven to eleven win over the Jagures Mark, I imagine you were tuned in for every second of action. What was your biggest take many of the seconds? Uh? First of all, I think it's so funny because there's a ton of articles out there reviewing the game, and we know that the tangibly the game means very little, but it's just the excitement that football is back. It gets so much focused and so I like that. Like it's on NBC, it's got treated like a true prime to me, I remember your boy Mike and Chris kind of was wonderful. The I remember in our a t n blogging days being tasked with, you know, covering that game, and you end up writing like words because it's football and the announcers are there and and there's all the discussion and then somebody pops out, like last year was Michael parsons Um and Cowboys. This year it is Trayvon Walker. That's not my take as so much as it's uh no, Trayvon Walker looked. I mean, it's just you wanted to see something if you're the Jaguars or a fan of the team, and you did. Uh that's the Raiders struggled. They gave up five sacks on Josh Jacobs. I think this was one of the bigger storylines that Josh McDaniel, who's gonna do things differently. We know that coming from the Patriots way had Josh McDaniels in theory. They're starting running back out there for the first two series. He ran hard, he ran a lot, but they've got Zamir White as well, and so I think you see that that's a one battle. Look at with with with las Vengeans played all their running backs. This was this is like overreactive because I saw but I hate overreactive preseason usage season like, oh, they he must hate Josh Jacobs he's playing. It's like, no, every coach is a little different, and Josh McDaniels is coming from the Belichick school of every year he approaches preseason snaps differently than the year before, in different week to week, and there's no point even reading into it. He might feel, for whatever reason, let's play Jacobs this week and then he's not going to play the rest of the preseason, or he thinks I want to get all the running backs some snaps because I'm just like looking at it, and that's what he did. He still put Jacobs out there first, so it's just impossible to like know what any of that means. But we can't say Jacobs look good fifth year option. They drafted his replacement in theory and Von Walker was my one really my one takeaway was like, oh that was spicy, kind of like Michael Parsons a year ago. There you go, no free lunch for Josh Jacobs at the stage of the game. He's got to earn his playing time. We'll see it look like a Josh McDaniel's offense for what it's where it's like crackback blocks and they're great, great screen. Uh, maybe I'm saying it wrong, but you know, with like that they got the pulling not exactly no, that's not exactly up sort of like the smash blocks is really what I thinks that the game reminded me of Paris and the forties. Just a beautiful place that's a perfect parallel time to be alive. I think crack back was the correct term. It was. A crackback block is a blocking scheme element where a player split out wide or yeah, you're using you're using those read you know those receivers and just every everything Paris in the thirties, twenties, twenties twenties, the screen game. Finally in the news, Steelers have making us look dumb, have said, yeah, we do want to do a contract with Deante Johnson two years, thirty six point seven one million, seven million and guarantees. So Johnson was holding in at Steelers camp. Uh, turns out he's doing it because they were working on a contract and they get it done. Mark, So we we talked about Deanti Johnson and his abilities, and now they have a guy, and I guess it's you know, teams evolved. Steelers are a well run organization. It's post Ben Roethlisberger. Now they have some extra money. With the quarterback situation the way it is, so makes sense keep a guy in the building that you like a lot. I think what we were saying to was um not to self edit, but where he's not going to get one of these monster contracts. The reporting was that they were really far apart at the beginning of August, and they found a way to slot him in between Michael Thomas's previous contract and what Christian Kirk got for average per year, And so I think it's a win for the Steelers. They it's it's really only outside of Hines Warden Antonio Brown, the third receiver's got a multi year second contract with the Steelers. I mean, they don't do this, And it tells you that Omar Cohn, the new GM, although Kevin Colbert was his mentor for so long, is unafraid to go do things a little bit differently. I agree, And I also would say the deal doesn't happen unless Deante Johnson is willing to play ball and ultimately take the bird in the hand, take the short money now. And I would do the same thing personally if I was somehow in Deante Johnson's um situation. You know, he's a mid round draft pick who's making um. You know, it sounds like a high concept comedy that I would watch. But maybe into the body of Steelers Wide said, here's a take well below market deal because it because it's only two years. That's the key. Take well, blow market, not mess around, get the life changing money now and be a free agent very soon because the Steelers weren't gonna pay market value. And that's fine. That that's good. Everyone's happy. Steelers doing smart moves, just like you love how much has been making he was he was over. I think it. Yeah, so that you can you can do that. You got that window, remember our window quarterback window talk. We love. They could spend, they could be aggressive elsewhere in the roster. Right now, t J. Watt's got the big money. Absolutely, you're right there. They're saving at quarterback. Um, all right, that's what's happening in the news. We're just getting started here. We have, by the way, a very very special guest, one of our favorite people at the end of the show. But coming up next after the break, we're going to have the Nights. What did I called it? And I don't remember anymore. The night's round table, Nights of the round table, templar round tables. We're gonna talk with the X those experts, Jordan Rodrigue and JB. Long up next. Here's the snap, here's the n The Bengals will not call it time out, the sidelines, empty rings for the Rams. A Lombardi Trophy for Los Angeles. Al Right there it is the call by the voice of the Rams that we're very happy to have him. JB. Long also joining us from the Athletic one of the great beat reporters in our league. Jordan Rodrigue, Welcome back both of you too. Around the NFL. Let's start conversation about these Rams. And you have to start the conversation with Matthew Stafford, the quarterback who is going to be out of practice for the foreseeable future. Sean McVeigh said on Thursday that Stafford is dealing with an elbow injury that is quote a tricky deal. Also said that it's abnormal for a quarterback. Jordan, is this something we should be working? But I also would say that this issue, um, it was a known issue last year, it's an ongoing issue and it's a known issue in the spring as they tried some non surgical treatments. It's a known issue entering O T A S. It's a known issue entering training camp. So when you're seeing the onload dload schedule, UM, it's not indicating indicating a setback. This is something that they thought, well, we have to try it this way. UM. Now I don't know specifically the nature of the injury itself. UM showing face comments yesterday to me were striking, and that he mentioned he never dealt with something like this, specifically with a quarterback. He also declined to UM agree that it was tendonitis. He made it sound a little bit different than that, and he he talked about it in terms of a baseball injury less so a or back and dren. He said that the team is sort of figuring it out also as they go in terms of this new treatment strategy that he's on. But this has been an overarching theme since basically they stepped off the field in February, or stepped off the parade buses a week later, or stumbled off the parade buses a week later, and it's been a known issue. And so I think that when you're looking at it. Yes, there is concerned, but there's also the nuance of they are on schedule with the premeditated plan that they had for him coming in, and I expect him to unload back up in Thousand Oaks kind of away from from eyeballs and all of that. Um when they start really installing in Earnest for I would just ask this because you know that that was an interesting comment that he never dealt with that as a coach, because you've seen everything. He's been around for a long time. Is the medical staff, um, if it's it's new to them and uncharted, is there a fair concern about where you are come November December? Or is that just we don't know? I agree, I think so, yeah, because and char McVeigh kind of was more blunt about this than I expected in terms of the idea that they're trying to control every variable right now, as many variables as they can possibly control, because they know that come that time of year, so much of this will be out of their control. So I think what their strategy is is how much can we manage right now? How much of this situation can we control every piece of and study and track every piece of with their sports science department. I mean, you see Matthew out there with Zach Witherspoon every single day as the early sports scientists. So that tells me that they're tracking every single data point that they can because they know they're not going to be able to during that time year and they can't say for sure whether the pain will increase or decrease or what. They don't know. Well, he is throwing and it's not all just like easy throws. He saw him out there out here on Thursday and he's throwing the ball and it looks pretty good. But it's a pretty good, big concern the pain. That the word pain is the problem. The fact that they got a procedure done this offseason and that he's still feeling pain and it's a problem. We also might not hear of it once it gets to week one. You may never hear it again because they're just not going to talk about it. But of course that's a concern. JB. Like looking at what they did last year. Schematically, you're a big x is and those guys this is actually a heavy hitters here in terms of like xs and those breakdown between uh, you you and Jordans like you go as deep as anyone now definitely not. Uh Like, what do you think schematically they're gonna do forgetting the elbow injury this year to evolve this offense, because I think people from the outside, including myself, we're probably a little surprised how far they went away from the traditional Sean McVeigh type of offense that we had grown used to for for four years with Matthew Stafford, Like where do you think that goes in Jordan too, like x As and those wise and how they want to like change this year because they're not gonna stay the same. Yeah, well, let me say two quick things about the injury and then I'll try and land on this scheme stuff so that you can take it from there. First Matthew specifically, I'm not sure and it's like with like like that was amazing? Is that what your partner feels like? I'm just nodding my head in respect. It was incredibul m Jordan and JB coming through. I feeling so valued. Writers don't get this. Uh So I was gonna start by saying I don't think anyone's more proven, especially not at that position, than Matthew Stafford at pain management and playing through bumps and bruises. Like Matthew Stafford, SEC has been good enough to win on Sundays and even to win UH Championship. Remember one of the most famous play through injury moments in the last twenty years, shoulders out, shoulders out with the Lions. The guy's tough as nails. But I I will acknowledge the legitimate concern um and at this time of year, we wouldn't be talking about this issue if that wasn't shared. And if there's a through line to Sean mcveigh's success over these five years, five winning campaigns. They've won a lot of games on Sunday, but they've also won a whole lot of Friday afternoons. And what I mean by that is their injury fortune and Reggie Scott, VP of of Sports Medicine, their whole team has had the top of their roster available on game day. I think as often or more often than any team in the National Football always high and that adjusted games loss and you can't overstate that in terms of scheme, You're right. I mean I was talking with cam akers Rams running back yesterday about remember when he went off at so fi stad Hum against the Patriots. That was kind of his welcome to the NFL moment. I went back and looked at some of those highlights and like was characteristic of the Jared goff Ram's offense. He was under center, Cam was in the dot and that was kind of their format for the better part of their tenure. And one year they've totally revamped that where now the Rams went from no gun runs to a very broad staple of their offense the offset gun and Matthew Stafford often preferring to operate out of empty The difference this year as they continued to assemble the pieces around him too, I think leverage that to its ultimate potential. And I'm sure we'll talk about this is Allen Robinson and Matthew Stafford has had talents like in his past, but McVeigh with the Rams has not. And I think that's gonna have a ton of benefits, especially finishing drives in the red zone and if you can layer in O b J in November or beyond on top of that look out. I think that's the next evolution of this offense. Yeah, it's really interesting watching how it changed from one I always refer to seaw McVeigh as a heart on his sleeve play caller, like he is the play sheet. He puts himself into that. And I'm not trying to, you know, write an article here in real time, but like that, really it really is, it really is what he is. So you see the facets of his personality come out by the way he designs plays, not necessarily by the way he calls plays, although on fourth down we could argue that, but also like the way that the layers manifest, right, and you saw him um almost overcorrect in some ways they didn't, you know, with some of the things that they were doing out of the out of the gun and some of the drop back passing and limiting the play actions specifically for under center when they we're going play action, they were also going gun action, which they'd never done in the Jared Gop Sean McVeigh era, because it was that that sense of everything opening up in front of the quarterback and then allowing the quarterback to make the decision post snap instead of sort of like laying up what I think is a very valuable cheat code, but one that they became so dependent on. So you almost saw him overcorrect. Um personally and in some of the ways that he was designing this offense. And I think what they want this offense to look like in its fullest manifestation is a high pass volume offense with a really solid, explosive run game, with running backs who can work out of the backfield and be threats in the passing game. And you've definitely seen that so far here in camp. You saw that in in trickles, in phases, not necessarily maybe the run game last year they had to do a bunch of different things because of injuries, but specifically with the past game, they want the ball in Matthew Stafford's hands as much as possible, not to not to sort of downgrade the run game at all because it will still be such a huge factor, but they want Matthew Stafford throwing the ball. And so that's where we kind of come back with this arm thing, this elbow thing. You know it does that kind of raises the concern level a little bit, because I do expect this to continue to expand you're going to continue to see the empty sets. You're gonna continue to see, yes, the motions in the screens that Sean McVeigh loves to do. But but man, you're going to see them spread out the field, not just horizontally but vertically with what Alan Robinson can do. It's a tricky need a little thread with the Rams, of course have accomplished and how they've built this team, and you're gonna see and you're already seeing teams trying to copycat because listen, we're at the home of the champions right now. But the Stafford issue with the elbow, and you look at their secondary with Jalen Ramsey and then some question marks. You look at Bobby Wagner, a veteran in his thirties, Aaron Donald now a veteran in his thirties. This thing could go sideways very quickly because it's a very top heavy, star veteran team, and he concerns about that coming off a long season, maybe as an employee can answer that, but coming off the season where they play, the company can definitely answer that. Yeah, where do you come down with that? JB. Is that is that something that you feel like this team could they handle injuries? Are they more susceptible and more danger right now as a result of the way they're built. It feels like deja vu. All over again. Being here last year, I remember hearing the criticism about a top heavy roster. It was not from your specific but no Mark is a top ten global NFL insider insider. He also a huge Rams guy like loves the NFL's connection with the Rams and loves you. I'm so happy right now. I even got to hear a staying live like I'm so happy. I think what last year taught me is just how profound appreciation you have to have for the stars needing to align in so many regards for a moment like that to happen at so Fi Stadium. Everything from the Broncos being willing to trade von Miller and O b J getting out of Cleveland and make himself available post deadline is Robert Woods tears in a c L to having a future Hall of Fame safety down the road two years into retirement in San Diego, who's been watching and studying your scheme and can step in and play just about every meaningful snap throughout the postseason. I think there's a valid case to be made that this roster, this team could beat last year's team. I think last year they may have been a year ahead of schedule, especially with respect to Stafford and McVeigh on the weapons they've assembled around him. Now with the schedule they're gonna face, does that mean they're gonna have as good a record, win as many games, are go as deep as they did. Uh, No, of course not. But I don't think it's because they're top heavy. I think to capture the sense of urgency and to have all of the good fortune from the football's bouncing their way, um to getting the sleeper agent of the San Francisco forty Niners into the postseason to clear out the Cowboys and Packers, like you can't replicate that will never happen again. I mean also like they go get these big names, but they work out. I mean Matthew Stafford worked out, Odell Beckham in time worked out, and Allen Robinson. Can we overstate I've seen some of your tweets. You said some jaw dropping, your draw dropped to the grass. I think at one point Jordan's back. Can we overstate how well this is working out so far? Yeah? I mean, I'm as you guys know. You know the nature of my job is to be a bit skeptical, right, and to not overreact to things and to sort of dig in deeper and see moment by moment what's happening. I've got to tell you, like the hype is real on Alan Robinson and it's it's in May. I'm standing there at O T A S. And Matthew Stafford is not throwing, and they're running through install and Allen Robinson is moving through. And again, when you look at an all twenty two view of what this offense is and how the route layers spread out and how they sort of um interconnect with each other, you see him doing it like he's not new. And I'm sitting there and I'm like, oh my god, this guy could play a game for them tomorrow. And then I'm sitting there it's May, What am I doing? Who have I become? And I'm sitting there thinking this is going to be so special? And it has been special every single day, even on the days where you can tell they're um sort experimenting with each other with the ball placement and they're figuring out leverages, and they're figuring out the way that Alan likes to catch and the way that Matthew likes to throw, and some of the timing stuff, and and sometimes that leads to the turnovers or the drop passes or whatever. But you can see the um collaboration and it's it's very similar to how he and Cooper Cup collaborated on this offense last year all through the spring, literally drawing plays in the grass after practice, and I think it's it's so special And and when you think about the addition here and talking about the the guys that have worked out, there's also when the Rams are targeting these players, it's not want tune, Like they're not just saying, oh, that guy seems pretty good, Like they do have a analytical study of the top tier guys who they will pursue, and they value, you know, how much capital can we push in on that specific tier of player because they know the expectation with the middle and the bottom part of the roster is those guys have to bring up everybody with them, not just schematically in the course of snap to snap, but in the locker room, in the film room, the expectation is those guys are brought up with them. And that's every single player, even some of the more controversial additions they've made in the last couple of years, who have done nothing but proved that they're that type of person as well, kind of like Ricky Hollywood has a there is I was wondering if you guys came to try and get Ricky back so that, yes, we share it with you. Dan, you probably want to sit down with less need and give him your will fuller pitch, right, because the Rams are well you've mentioned fuller because we brought up fuller on the podcast this week when the Cowboys had a hit to their depth chart, and then Greg Astuteley brought up O'Dell Beckham Cowboys, that's meant to be? And then I hear JB. Long, who's totally plugged in to this building, almost speaking earlier, as if Dell's you know he's gonna materialize down the line? Is that the expectation around this team in your mind that Odell's gonna be here. Cam Akers doesn't think thinks that he took a number. I will stay out the Odell Beckham Junior prediction business. I I don't think. I think there are good vibes on both sides. But there's also what thirty one other teams who will have a say in that, and presumably have some time to have a say it is fascinating, like if Robinson ends up being as good as you as like we think he might be, like that it ended up being a von Miller for Allen Robinson trade, Like if von Miller took that money, Allen Robinson probably uh wouldn't be here. And though they find a way to figure everything out, right, that's that's true too. And just before I know, you guys have to work and stuff. But I'm thinking sort of about this division two as a whole, and if it was also curious for Jordan's answer to the Odell Beckham, what do you curiosity? Okay, we're okay, we're back there. Give us one second. We do have time. Also, I mean, I can't speak for you, but um, I love being here. So if you you're gonna have to actually Crowbar can't possibly get Um. I think, like Jamie said, I think there's very good vibes on both sides. I think this is one of those things that and I repeat this, you know rams fans and readers and subscribers. No, I repeat this altogether too often. Um, multiple things are true at the same time about this situation. Like I personally am optimistic that this is something that that works out longer term. I don't expect O'Dell to be back um until like November ish, so there's not really a timeline on this. Well, at the same time, it's another truth that he has every right and should do what's best for himself and his family. So I think that he seamlessly fits back in with this group. They stay in contact with him. Um. You know, he Sean McVeigh is like publicly wooing him and every chance he gets, and you know Odell was at Shawn's wedding. I mean it's it's like, you know, there's good vibes, right, But but at the same time, multiple truths like yes, I can see him fitting in UM and making an impact because like I said, they do hope by that time of year to continue to be a high volume passing attack, right barring any sort of setback or elbow flying off into the sun or whatever. And so at that point I do see him fitting in. I see a role for him. I see UM some flexibility perhaps on the second year of such an offer, versus maybe some incentive heavy stuff on the first year. And I also think that at the same time Adell very rightfully should do what's best for him, whether that's emotionally being here and sort of settling in Los Angeles, um maybe like full time, or whether it's someone else you know, gives him a huge offer that he can't and shouldn't refuse because you need to make sure that you're taking care of your family is taken care of. Do you think they make some of these moves with the forts in mine? It looks like a two team division to me, and Sean mcveigh's offense has struggled against the forty Niners. They won this. I think it's gotten a little overlook that they really won the Super Bowl because of the defense. More it's a team game. But if you have to apportion credit, this is a team that embarrassed the Cardinals, embarrassed Tom Brady until the you know, the Rams started fumbling every time held the forty Niners and the teams and kept getting the ball back in the Super Bowl because in part because they haven't had answers for the forty Niners in the regular season on offense, Like how much do you think this battle between Shanahan and McVeigh plays into their off season thinking and like how do you see that going this year? Because it seems very important. I'm fascinated to hear you call it a two team division because given the way last year ended with the heroics at SOFI Stadium Week eighteen and then also in the NFC Championship game, I was surprised when the schedule came out and the Rams and the Niners are done by Halloween like there their games are early UM, which usually says that that's not how the league necessarily sees the division playing out. It may have just been a scheduling quirk, but in terms of answers to the Niners, how about Bobby Wagner? Because the way this division plays, the Rams have absolutely wiped the Cardinals right. The Seahawks have had the forty Niners number, and the Niners have had good success more than any other team in the division against the Rams. But if I'm if I'm not mistaken. Now every remnant of the Super Bowl team in Seattle is now gone, with Russell Wilson going to Denver and Bobby Wagner being here, and I it's such a departure from their team building model. Jordan to invest in a veteran future Hall of Fame off ball linebacker that's typically UM a salary cap corner that they would cut that. I think they saw something special there. Um. Not necessarily to solve the San Francisco conundrum, though I do think he will help in that regard. And I'll just had one other thing because we haven't talked about. Despite not having a top one pick in the draft, I think they have found some starters again on defense, especially in their secondary. Given the quarterbacks in the offenses they're gonna face on this championship schedule, you can never have enough corners, but especially here. And give us the names. What are the names? Darian kendrickbe durant Uh seeing some good things from Rush East. Um. Although they're so safety and I mean they've got they came in thinking, oh, corner is a position of concern. In the draft, they leaned on what they do best. They found a ton of guys who are maybe perhaps overlooked in some areas of athletic testing or UM certain phases of the standard draft process. UM. They run them through these personality tests to determine like whether they're a culture fit for specifically what they're going to ask them to do. UM. And then they show up Day one and they start to ball and it's I'm not kidding, like this kid, Darrion Kendrick. He's matched up against Allen Robinson in the red zone and holding his own and this is this is something to watch. And they traded for Troy Hill. They got Troy Hill back in Los Angeles where he played his best football. Could prove to be for this year. The most important thing they did on draft weekend. They seem to have their act together. They seem to and if if Jordan's as good as I know she is in terms of her writing ability, yeast rises has to be in the mix at some point. And it's been used, you know, but I did. If you guys have a second to like. JB made a great point about the Bobby Wagner edition because I think ultimately what ends up beating the Niners late in the season when they had to get through them to get to the Super Bowl is something that goes so underlooked through the course of the history of the modern history of this team, and that is Raheem Morris and Sean McVeigh. They completely unpacked the defense they had spent the last two and a half years evolving that nobody else was playing. They completely unpacked. It went totally opposite by dropping the safety down, Eric Weddle, dropping the safety down specifically built the entire defense in one week to stop the run. That's it, That's all they were gonna do. So that agility is not something they had in ten when they came up against similar problem solving issues. I will say politely, um, they didn't have that agility. So agility got them over the hump. Here and Bobby Wagner as somebody who continues to expand that agility with the multiplicity of what you can do, not for what your team is doing, what the scheme and the design per game can be, they deserved the benefit of the doubt. Mean, what else do we need to see? What else we need to hear? You've said it all, Jordan and j B. Thank you this RAMS round table. Mark has a rasp from all this. It is such a narrative like I it's a beautiful day out. This team just won the secret narratives for the grape nuts of the national football And because that's right, that's right. Are you know? The question is not whether or not the Rams or right for you? Forget about me. Are you right for you? And our families. JB sitting in the park together having wine and cheese. You incessly sitting one on one in a restaurant chopping it up. I like that. Well, various personalities have come on this show and not given Mark his d He's trying to correct that, and that's fair. I'm not try right at Kyle Brandt, but I'm kind of calling back. Kyle owned it. He took the l on that, but it happened, and we can't ignore it. You're taking the road less traveled, and it's gonna benefit you in terms of our friendship. All Right, you guys have a lot more work to do today, but we thank you for taking some time and I hope to have you on again the days. Thank you. Thank you to H E. T. N and everything you guys have met to my NFL experience on and off the air. You guys are the best, the best. Thank you guys. All Right, there we go. I love those two people. Great, great conversation there. And one thing we didn't get to, gentlemen that I want to throw out there with the Rams after that trade deadline, they faced these quarterbacks Tom Brady, Kyler, Murray, Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert. I want to put a season a sandwich out there right now that Aaron Donald's gonna get some more help in the pass rush via trade deadline, a splashy acquisition, because that that does profile as a tricky situation there for this team and a team that loves to make a splash move. It's gonna be an interesting year because, like we were saying, like so many things went right to win last year, you're asking all those things to go right again. I think this team is gonna need help when it's the presence of for each of these NFC West teams having to deal with the a f C West, because half of those quarterbacks you talked about are sitting in the a f C West. It takes their schedule, and if you're in the global view of the NFC, you're loving if you're the other three divisions, what the NFC West has to deal. I mean, there there's not a cloud in the sky, but Dan's bringing the gray gloom and doom. Here was the last back to back champion in our league. Well, sure, no team has more than what a fifteen chance of winning the Super ball. It's gonna be tough. That that is absolutely true. Uh, it's it's the elbow thing that worries me. I like that at that point. On the defense, it's a good prediction because they are awfully thin in terms of their outside pass rush. I know they feel like they can generate it and they got Leonard Floyd and like things work out usually, but they are they are rather thin. They did not replamember our first edition of Training Camp Whispers when I brought up Matthew Stafford's elbow and Greg's like, you're a fool. Why would you even bring it up? And it was it was so the ssmissive that Graver had to take it out of the shape that you just made something up poll clock. That was like just wasn't that? It was like Steven Ross statement, like you're just making your own reality. Um, all right, good stuff great. J B and Jordans both know their stuff. So I hope you the listener, UH enjoyed it. Um. Coming up next after the break, Jordan talked about Allen Robinson and the raves he's been getting and people are coming up to her without her inquiring, saying this, Allen Robinson is gonna be insane this season where we're gonna have Allen Robinson right next to us and we're gonna ask him about his debut season with the Rams right after this. All right, welcome back as promised. Uh, two huge pieces added to the Rams. Everybody talks about Bobby Wagner on the defensive side of the ball. On the offensive side of the ball, it is Alan Robinson wide receiver. Welcome to her in the NFL. Appreciate it, Man, thanks for having How does it feel? Obviously everyone knows what's going on in Chicago that that as a team that's rebuilding, it's had some down seasons. Now you've come to Los Angeles, you're all of a sudden part of the defending champions. What's the vibe? The difference for you? Um? You know, for me, Um, the difference is, I mean there are different organizations obviously, but again for me, Man, coming into here, you know, I wanted to be the best player I can be, you know, and and you know, like I said before, Man Um, playing alongside guys like Cooper, playing alongside guys like Matthew A. D You know, when you're playing with the best man, that brings the best out of you. You know, and I've seen that even from myself, you know, since I've signed here. You know, just just how I approached the offseason, how approach coming into camp, you know, on my day to day you know, it's just continuing to challenge myself to get better. The one I mean across the board, the early reviews on how you fit into the offense, how you picked it up quickly have been rave reviews. I mean, what what was your approach from the minute you got the playbook to now? I mean how because that's not true of every player, that especially for wide receivers that go into certain systems. Man, just taking advantage of everything you know at my disposal, you know, being able to to to play for coach McVeigh, you know, being able to play with Matthew, with Cooper, like I said before, Man, just you know, leaning on those guys that I can learn and grasp as much as possible, as fast as possible, you know. And then on the on the other side of that, which is continue to prepare myself physically for the season. You know, that's taking this offseason, you know, being able to to take the route concepts and things that I learned in the spring then this summer being able to get out on the grass and try to perfect those in the time and different things like that. You say, the vibe is different, Like your vibe right now is definitely very l a very chill. You've got the crocs on, but you've also got the crocs with the little accoucherman to what are those called? They're like, are you getting deep into you got the football? We have a friend, you know, John Gonzalez, who loves adding the little trinkets to the crocs. Are you getting deep into that subculture? I am? I am. You know it's it's it's a pretty cool additive, you know, to to the crocks. You know. So whenever I go to the store and grab something, I'll grab I'll grab a few pieces. What's it like joining a new team, because we can obviously we don't know what it's like, but you do know if you start a new school or you know, you have first you're starting at a new job, Like, do you find people right away that you bond with or is there a time where you kind of keep to yourself? Is it difficult to transition doing new team? No, it's not difficult at all. You know again, um, especially if when you were a vet. You know again, um, you know, a lot of guys across the league, you know, even like you know, um, me and A d was in the same draft class, you know, Um Van Jefferson went to my high school, you know, back in Detroit. You know. So even for me knowing knowing Matthew a little bit from when he played in Detroit, you know. So, I mean, it's a it's a lot of different things that kind of you know, come to fluition, you know, when you go to different teams, you know, you know, being a vetting things like that. You know, but it hasn't been a tough transition at all. Do you ever, you you know, Matthew Stafford, long long journey in Detroit, You've been all over the place and and you never had a Matthew Stafford playing quarterback with you. Do you ever look at each other and just say this is this is way better this situation right right here? Um again, man, for me, you know, uh, it's a it's a blessing to be able to with a quarterback like him, you know again, I mean even even from me, you know, growing up in Detroit, you know, and watching and watching you know, him from Afar, you know, growing up and seeing you know, how he was as a quarterback. Now being able to play with him, you know, it's been fun. Man. Again. I mean he's the person who comes in there every day, you know, it comes to work, competes, you know, he sees you know, everybody on the field. You know. So it's it's fun and it's been excited. You're you're kind of a football tape heads favorite. Throughout your career, You've been in some spots, um where the production depended sometimes on the offense around you. Sometimes it's huge. Uh do you think that in this spot you're surrounded You mentioned Aaron Donald. I'm sure he's one of these guys by like a lot of like minded people. Yeah, you know again that's that's what makes it special, you know again, um, being around guys that are like minded in a sense of you know, like I said before, the dedication or did they put in you know, each and every day Like I said before, when you're playing with great players like that, man, it does nothing but challenge you to be, you know, as as good as you can be, you know, and and again each and every day, you know, like I said before, men if I don't know if anybody has watched you know, his workouts or you know, they don't allow us, you know, Cooper cut when he's working out or and things like that. And when you're around you know, great guys like that man, Like I said before, it brings the best out of you. So you're kind of under the radar. And now you're gonna be with the Rams. You know, you're playing kickoff game and you're kind of known as you know, you're a quiet receiver who goes about his business on the field. Now that you're in l a any thoughts to like wrapping or acting or maybe like a celebration after every first down where you now, I just mean like where you like embarrass the person that you are playing against and is a family like just as a way to build your brain's slightly psychotic, just to let you know if that's no man again, for me, it's about going to getting my work done. You know, at the end of the day, everything has to take care of itself. You Like I said before, Man, I came out here very focused, you know, and and I want to continue to you know, not only be that, but but continue to enhance my game, you know, and as cliche as it may sound, as being the best player that you could be. You know, for me, that's been my main for because you know, since the dad step foot in this building, you know, and that will continue to be my ultimate focus. Did Sean McVeigh you know they were when when Odell Beckham came to the Rams last year, was a lot of chatter that he got on the phone with Oldell Beckham and said, this is how you're gonna be used, this is why the Rams fit you. Did he make special pitches to you? Did he go out of his way to make this the most attractive landing spot? Yeah? Again, you know we we we spoke, you know, before we um came to agreement on the deal. But again, I mean, uh, I said this other day. But I don't think that they knew that they had to sell me as much as they you know, I mean I had been able to to watch you know, his system and Matthew and those guys from Afar, you know, for for for a good little while, you know. So again they like this answer. They like that Mark likes to think it was his question that's gonna hi. I think it was from a large friday of people here but yeah, you know, he put on some tape and show how it will be using things like that, you know, and and again you know, I saw myself sitting there with all right, So last question from Detroit. You were in Chicago, No for the deep dish and it's the Midwest or the brat worst and all that stuff. Here in southern California, Mexican is huge as great food. What is the Detroit food? What is the food from where you go out that's the best? I would say, uh, and this may sound crazy to some people, and I say it's all the time. You gotta if you're ever in Detroit. They have Detroit style pizza very popular. Now, wait a second, I love pizza and pizza. Gotta tell me about Detroit pizza. It's not quite deep dish, but it's more so kind of like pain. Some people do it differently. Some people have a little bit of a sauce on top. So I not. But if you if you go to Detroit acts around, my favorite is Jets Pizza. Shout out the Jets. Um. They have a Detroit style pizza and A and and a few other spots, but Detroit style pizza is the way to go for sure l A has a few Detroit style pizza spots. Go do a little grubblup search you'll find it. Mark, You're way more knowledgeable on the subject. That's a guy has not a big food I I almost fought Detroit pizza the other Now I'm gonna do it. I'm Allen Robinson. May you find great success, big numbers and plenty of Detroit style pizza here in Los Angeles. Best of lucky, Thank you, appreciate you. All Right, there goes Allen Robinson, and we are wrapping up our day here that you see Irvine, the home once upon a time of Amica Rosenthal. What a time she had. Maybe she fell in love for the first time here. I don't want to know about. Yeah, we'll have her on later to talk about I'm but before we leave, we could not we could not leave the Rams world without talking to one of our favorite people in the world. She is on Mount Rushmore. Was one of the greats in the history of our show. Uh and now she is basically elevated beyond us as big time talent for the Rams. You know what I'm talking About's Ricky Hollywood Erica. What's up high? It's so good to see you guys. I know, yeh, Like it just feels like it's another podcast, except you're wearing Rams merch. Yeah that's not that far removed. Yeah, that's true. Now, it's definitely different, but far away from us? Is that? Do I take that symbolically to mean anything of any nature? I wouldn't. I wouldn't, but I mean you can look into it however you want. What's going on, Ricky. You've been now with the with the Rams for about a month, right, Yeah, what are you doing? So? They have me doing a lot of stuff. I'm doing the Morning Minute, which has been doing really well on so Shart getting noticed by the fans over the Morning Minute. Yeah, yeah, exactly rams into every word um no um to Kobe. Kobe Durant came up to me and he's like, oh, you're the Minute lady. He's one of the bookies on our defense, which is great. Um. So yeah, it's been really good that we have a celebrity flag football match today. I actually convinced Rachel Bonetta to come down again, so she's playing in that they about us we're here. I did actually pitch you guys and they passed. I know that what I did try. I did say, do you want me to reach out to any of the and I have cannons to the fortunate money to be in a flag football game. And I'm not worried about the other people, but I just want to be either on marks team or an opponent. Either way would be delightful. I would love Greg via Mark Gregg's lining up in the slot, Mark lining up as the nickel corner and let's just let's just jam them at the line of scrimmage. Let's rock dense press coverage. That's not happening. No, I don't think so, that's that's amazing. You're experiencing training camp in a way you're real like football football guy, now football girl. Like you're here literally every day. We've never been We've never like experienced training camp where you're like, you know what I mean, Like, no, it has been nice and has been great to be here every day, but yeah, no, it is a completely different experience to sort of being at the facility and with you know, I'm staying at the players Hotel, so you know, getting coffee in the morning, really getting to Players Hotel, very nine breakfast, yep, Jim is great. There's also a player's gym that they like built in a ballroom for them as well. Um, do you have a nice Oh yeah, everything is everything, the arms, Yeah it was. It's been really great. But no, it's been awesome to be here, you know, every day in a way that I wouldn't before. You know, we've come down here together as a as a show and you sort of just see something. It's a walk through day today, you're not gonna see much regardless, but being on the inside and getting to experience this energy in a different way, and I'm really just loving. So you've got to know some of the players, I would imagine, because when they come on and talk to us, it's like the trio a bozos will get through this in six seven minutes. But when now you've built a relationship with some if any of them stood out as like I really like this person. I like to hang out with this player up firstly, Yeah, or someone who's been out but you can't get the real sc Yeah, I know. Everyone has been phenomenal and they just put their best foot forward. Every single day has been fun. Honestly, everybody here has such a unique personality. It's been really phenomenal to get to know each and everyone. He's great, he's great. It's got a great like you hang out, we have like a one on one. But yeah, I was like, oh hey, I Tennisalbo in college. Like it got better than I got fired. Um No, it's been good. No, I mean they have real personalities. Matt Gay the kicker actually is very very funny. Um, they said hi to my son. He was walking by and went out of his way to say hi. He's been he's been really, he's been really good. Um what else where can people like? What can people expect from you in your first season? I know, I think it's very cool, Like in all seriousness, Um, you you were a producer and did such a great job, but we always felt and I know you felt the way way because you have such great ambition and drive that you wanted to do something more in the in front of the camera. Like what are you going to be able to do this year with the Rams? Well, it's been it's been phenomenal so far. I've used that word a lot. I'm gonna stop saying phenomenal. I know, I know, Um, I've started a lot. Who you guys already spoke with j Blong and Jordan. I've been able to hang out with them every day and really kind of dig in and it's so fun, you know, having Jordan's explained to me the difference between the defensive schemes that they're running, and I feel like I'm really learning a lot about this team specifically, which I love. But also I'm going to be doing. You know, I have a I'm interviewing Aaron Donald later today after practice. Um, I guess I could give an exclusive. I am dropping a podcast pretty soon on the Rams, so so check that out Around the Rams podcast Around the Rams. Yeah, exactly, exactly. So yeah, no, just a bunch of social content. They also want me to do the Code of Conduct video that will play before every Rams game on the huge video board. Should we I guess we we should come clean to the Around the Rams podcast. It's Ricky Mark, myself and Grave Digger as the producer. Oh my god, I love that sounds amazing. We were looking. We didn't know one to tell you. Graver misses the show. Lindsay Fulton is going to step right in. Yeah, an Erica, any commentary on Grave Digger. I know you've you've kept any year out for the show since you left, you think like one to tenant again, we're in the trust tree. We all know each other for so long. One to ten. How's Justin doing so far? Being honest, I think it's an eleven. I think he is such a perfect fit for the positive person. Now. I feel show have you listened to? I feel like I could count them on knowing? Yeah, yeah, one maybe one. Socially, did you go you're tracking the show closely? Yeah? No, no, no, no, I um, I did listen to actually your guys Watson um pod the whole thing. I did listen to that. I wanted to know your your take saw it. That was a real howler. Yeah, Sean actually produced that one, so he didn't he didn't even listen, right, Yes, No, I mean Justin's phenomenal again, phenomenal take a shot every time I say the um. But also, you know Justin has been editing and posting the show for a year when I was there, he's done, but you haven't checked it out, but you assume. No. I think he's a great. Fans seemed to love him. I think there wasn't a really you know, Big titoons present on the pod before and here's you guys are really hitting that. Finally, there's a big poster that arrived at the studio from a fan a few days ago and on the Mount Rushmore. Uh there were I believe six of them. Yeah, I supposed to be too many. I would argue, do you think did that strike you? Well, obviously you're on it in the image, um, along with t D, Zach Goldman, Irish, Crystal Rich k rich In las Cid. Oh yeah, Irish Brandon McGinnis. He looked in the picture. I thought it was like a young woman and I thought they were confused. He's got very keep building bridges. Yeah, do you think that maybe it should have been cut down to four and perhaps just one? I mean, personally everybody has you know, their own was phenomenal as it was. I think you know you guys. I think our fans and our fans I speak for the last five years do a phenomenal job of finding bits and pieces to love about everybody. So there's plenty of room up there on the shoulders of great and I am it. I'm also liking that the Rams fans who like come up and then they look up for half a second. It is like, should we know these people, and then they're like now, and then they keep moving. I think, uh, I think, Erica, you were really proud of you and thank you. It's so it's so cool to see you take this next step and don't forget about us when you're delivering your Emmy speech. I feel like an Emmy. Maybe maybe that I've been talking to them. Actually, we're at a a little function last night and I was talking with them about potentially, you know, the draft video was such a hit. I was like, I really want to meet um. They have some like Netflix producers in town and stuff like. I'm like, I really need to keep working on my brand and I would love to be in the next video. Um. And and that didn't seem completely on the docket for for first steps, but I think we're making it. And also to it did give me a little bit of joy to see you guys walking over here, slipping your backpack, sweating as the golf cart drove me to drop me off. So I did get a little little bit of pleasure. Yes, Erica, thank you so much. Good guys, Thank you everybody for listening. We'll be back on Monday with another week of shows. Thank you to the Ramps. For having us. Thank you to everyone else for your support. Jordan's j B Allen Robinson. You guys, that was fun all right until Monday. You know you gotta do what you said. All the names, yeah you didn't say mine didn't started started lead with Ricky Hollywood and especially Erica Tempose a k A. Ricky Hollywood, Ricky phenomenal, certified phenomenal. Until Monday, we're all ramily dude, clutey, mark me too. He's a call