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Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome to a special edition of Between

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Speaker 1: the Horns, presented by your Southern California Toyota Dealers. This

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Speaker 1: is a fifty three man roster reaction show with Stu

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Speaker 1: Jackson DeMarco far I am Jblong here with you every

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Speaker 1: week from now until February.

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Speaker 2: Let's say, right right the way through.

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Speaker 3: Yes, my favorite and worst part of the year, because

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Speaker 3: you know the roster. The bad part is some guys

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Speaker 3: aren't here anymore, some guys you might like, So it

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Speaker 3: is what it is.

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Speaker 2: You can't keep everybody.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of news today we'll introduce the fifty

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Speaker 1: three men roster. I have an idea for today's show

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Speaker 1: that I want to run past you. But there was

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Speaker 1: a lot of news out there today, right, and of

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Speaker 1: course we're talking about Kyraen Williams. Happy birthday, Hey, happy birthday. Yes,

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Speaker 1: and then some tied end from Kansas City and t

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Speaker 1: Swizzle trying to steal our thunder with an engagement announcement.

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Speaker 2: But that's a big ring where to go, big engagement,

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Speaker 2: that's huge.

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Speaker 1: Rams are out for even bigger ring here in twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty five. Oh yes, your attention. When the initial and

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Speaker 1: I stress initial because a lot can change between now

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Speaker 1: and Week one against the Houston Texans, it usually does,

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Speaker 1: And because fifty three is not the total number of

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Speaker 1: Rams are going to contribute this season, we know that

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Speaker 1: very well. I thought back to the Super Bowl season

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Speaker 1: of twenty one, when over seventy contributors were active at

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Speaker 1: some point during that year to win a championship. So

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Speaker 1: initial thoughts before we dive in anything.

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Speaker 4: I think you and I have talked about this, JB.

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Speaker 4: But just the amount of rookies that are on the

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Speaker 4: roster that made the initial fifty three, you had six

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Speaker 4: make it. Five of the six were draft picks and

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Speaker 4: we'll get a little bit more into that later, and

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Speaker 4: the other of the six obviously was undrafted free agent.

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Speaker 4: Just looking at that in general and seeing how deep

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Speaker 4: this roster has become, I suppose over the last two years,

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Speaker 4: based on you know, the way this team is drafted,

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Speaker 4: and also just some of the free agency pieces that

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Speaker 4: have been added in there too. You know, my initial

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Speaker 4: takeaway was it reflects very much how competitive and difficult

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Speaker 4: it was for some of these newer, younger guys to

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Speaker 4: make the roster, especially this year.

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Speaker 1: I think he saw that coming back at the draft

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Speaker 1: right where the last couple of classes were outliers, they

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Speaker 1: kind of consolidated picks to take those half dozen. But

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Speaker 1: twenty three, I think the drafted class went fourteen for

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Speaker 1: fourteen making the initial roster, and then last year all

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Speaker 1: ten plus five college free agents. So by sheer number,

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Speaker 1: that was going to be difficult to replicate. DeMarco, what'stood

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Speaker 1: out to you?

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Speaker 3: Well, I like what you said about that with the

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Speaker 3: young guys, because the culture is good and it's strong,

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Speaker 3: and it's thriving, so you can add young guys, so

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Speaker 3: there's a good environment here. And I also like what

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Speaker 3: you said about practice squad because you have to think macro.

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Speaker 3: Most people think practice practice squad is a cemetery. You

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Speaker 3: go there to die. No, this could actually be an

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Speaker 3: active thing. This is the way to expand your roster.

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Speaker 3: So there's a lot of good choices. I guess the

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Speaker 3: only surprise is and I would start by saying, I

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Speaker 3: don't think some people understand the value of a guy

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Speaker 3: like Troy Reader. I think he's the most talked about

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Speaker 3: RAM outside of this building. Maybe some hate there, but look,

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Speaker 3: he's a quality backup that can play both spots. I

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Speaker 3: get it. And he's quality depth behind what you've already done.

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Speaker 3: You've moved spates over, You've got Landman in. He's the

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Speaker 3: green dot. So it makes sense. So I guess that's

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Speaker 3: a long way of saying I'm surprised poop Pole didn't

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Speaker 3: make the opening day rosters, so to speak. So it's

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Speaker 3: not the end of the road. I hope we'll see,

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Speaker 3: but that was a little bit surprising.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll see whether they were wrong or whether they

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Speaker 1: were just early with that poop Paul pick and where

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Speaker 1: he lands with his next opportunity. We could start to

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Speaker 1: meet some practice squad additions as early as tomorrow. We

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Speaker 1: need to change that name, by the way, practice squad.

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Speaker 1: It doesn't do it for me.

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Speaker 2: It's not used to be taxi squads.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, descriptive enough. I think it needs to be revamped.

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Speaker 2: Right JV. No, that doesn't work that JB.

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Speaker 1: Maybe our listeners can help us come up with a

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Speaker 1: renamed ram practice squad, because I think that group of

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Speaker 1: sixteen not only has a chance to contribute, but has

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Speaker 1: a chance to be really impactful. And by the way,

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Speaker 1: you can sign off of anyone's practice squads. So whether

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Speaker 1: these young men who are waived today land back here

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Speaker 1: in Woodland Hills, are elsewhere around the league. The tape

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Speaker 1: that they've put down this summer will stick with Rams coaches.

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Speaker 1: All right, you want to hear my strange idea for

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Speaker 1: how we can go about breaking down the fifty four roster,

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Speaker 1: go for it. So if you take eleven position groups,

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Speaker 1: why don't we draft them with the premise of did

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Speaker 1: the Rams get better year over year?

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Speaker 2: Okay?

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Speaker 1: And you can define year over year as since flying

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Speaker 1: back from Philadelphia or maybe where they were twelve months

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Speaker 1: ago at this time, getting ready to go play the

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Speaker 1: Detroit Lions. I'll leave that up to you. But if

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Speaker 1: we were to say, let's draft, and let's start with

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Speaker 1: the position group that you feel is most improver or

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Speaker 1: that you can say most confidently definitely got better. And

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Speaker 1: in terms of the coin toss, here it is. We'll

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Speaker 1: do it like we do at my house, oldest to youngest.

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Speaker 1: Oldest gets to eat first, gets to play a card, first,

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Speaker 1: gets to you're going to do that, say okay, what

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Speaker 1: the number was?

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Speaker 2: I'm just giving you the oldest.

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Speaker 3: I want to resist the urge to have fun as

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Speaker 3: in a radio guy and say quarterback because that's embedded

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Speaker 3: had a hell of a preseason, right, Jimmy Garoppolo got

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Speaker 3: a lot of reps. I'm assuming Matthew Stafford is going

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Speaker 3: to be Matthew Stafford, so that's three pretty good quarterbacks.

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Speaker 2: But I won't go there.

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Speaker 1: Wait, you just gave your breakdown and didn't I'm just saying, okay, right,

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Speaker 1: I won't go down. I won't go there.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I won't go There is the low hanging fruit

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Speaker 3: wide receiver, and I'll tell you what this is during

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Speaker 3: the game. I don't know if that happened to you.

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Speaker 3: Somebody pointed to the field and said, is that weird?

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Speaker 3: And I didn't know what they were talking about. He

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Speaker 3: asked me three or four times, and I still didn't know.

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Speaker 3: He says, is it weird to see number ten down there?

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Speaker 3: I'm like, oh, I didn't even think about that. It's

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Speaker 3: weird because usually when you lose a guy like Cooper

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Speaker 3: Cup you get worse. With seventeen, you actually got better.

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Speaker 3: So I'd say wide receiver. I wanted to go O line,

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Speaker 3: but I think wide receiver Davante Adams with a healthy

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Speaker 3: Matthew Stafford and an old line that can protect him,

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Speaker 3: I think that's gonna.

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Speaker 2: That's got to improve your receiver rooms. I'll go with

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Speaker 2: receiver plus Puock is healthy and Pooka is healthy.

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Speaker 1: Of course, months ago he was not healthy. It's the

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Speaker 1: first time he gets to week one healthy and then

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Speaker 1: also with an all Pro next to him. Remember his

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Speaker 1: rookie season. We know Cooper wasn't All Pro, but he

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Speaker 1: wasn't there for the first month of Pooka's debut season.

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Speaker 1: So I'm with you there. I think this is as

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Speaker 1: good a pass catching group that the Rams have had

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Speaker 1: since they traded Brandon Cooks. Personally, I think they fit together.

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Speaker 1: They're deep. You go all the way down to wide

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Speaker 1: receiver six and Xavier Smith, who's your punt returner. He's

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Speaker 1: as good as any wide receiver six in the league.

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Speaker 1: You look at who they had to let go, right, Yeah,

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Speaker 1: some of the true Edwards and the Brandon Presley's that

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Speaker 1: they had to put on waivers today a testament to

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Speaker 1: their depth there. Okay, so DeMarco's taking the receiver. I

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Speaker 1: had six potential first round picks.

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Speaker 2: So that was one of the.

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Speaker 1: Stu I'm older than you. He was about to go.

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Speaker 1: But the good news is this is a snake draft,

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Speaker 1: so you get picks three and four, excellent. I am

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Speaker 1: going to go tight end. Okay, I'll go tight end. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: two reasons healthy Tyler Higbee. You talk about low hanging fruit.

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Speaker 1: I mean that's obvious. You felt how he rejuvenated this

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Speaker 1: group when he came back last December, and then your

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Speaker 1: first pick of this class, and what I've been this

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Speaker 1: confident and this assured before I saw that slot fade

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Speaker 1: in Cleveland. Terrence Ferguson. Maybe maybe not, but this was

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Speaker 1: the most underperforming tight end unit in the league last season,

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Speaker 1: and I think it's the most improved unit on the

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Speaker 1: team this year.

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Speaker 3: I couldn't get my phone out. I was trying to

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Speaker 3: text you during the game after that slot fade.

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Speaker 2: Well did you see that?

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Speaker 1: I love how they missed it the first time. They

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Speaker 1: were like, wait, we really need to lay this down.

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Speaker 2: Let's do that again.

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Speaker 1: So that we caused some defensive coordinator some sleep between.

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Speaker 2: Now and it all goes together. Receiver tight end.

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Speaker 3: So you've got Davonte Puoka, then you've got whatever slot

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Speaker 3: receiver you want to use plus him in twelve. There's

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Speaker 3: so many ways to attack.

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Speaker 1: So right there with you, Yeah, there is a cynical

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Speaker 1: take to be had. Wait a second, the Rams kept

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Speaker 1: four tight ends and they only play one at a time.

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Speaker 1: How's that going to work? But let's with all judgment

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Speaker 1: and so we see it on the y.

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Speaker 3: And one more thing I've lost at all the t

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Speaker 3: ferguson hype. And I told him this when I saw

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Speaker 3: him in Cleveland. Davis Allen got better in this offseason.

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Speaker 3: He really got better through last season. He got better

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Speaker 3: in this offseason. I'm expecting a lot from.

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Speaker 2: Him as well.

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Speaker 1: That's another reason why I say so improved year over years,

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Speaker 1: because he was not feeling good this time last year. Right,

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Speaker 1: And kudos to him for taking what you could see

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Speaker 1: as a challenge new position coach. Yes, drafted first pick

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Speaker 1: behind you in your room. Usually as professional, that means trouble.

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Speaker 1: He was stood.

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Speaker 2: He told me he's playing at peace. That's what you

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Speaker 2: want to.

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Speaker 1: Hearnet Love that, all right, dude. The next two are yours, buddy.

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Speaker 4: For the first one, I'll go with the defensive line.

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Speaker 4: I'm sure that's an easy one, but for one big reason, Poonaford,

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Speaker 4: just do you think about some of the struggles that

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Speaker 4: that group had, or really the defense as a whole

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Speaker 4: had against the run. Especially late in the year and

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Speaker 4: what Poona can offer in that phase and also just

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Speaker 4: even the upside he has as a pass rusher too.

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Speaker 4: But the way he addresses what was one of the

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Speaker 4: biggest is they quite frankly needed to address based off

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Speaker 4: of last year and how last year ended. I'm really

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Speaker 4: excited about that group. On top of just you know,

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Speaker 4: the experience that you know, Brandon Fisk gained and that

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Speaker 4: you know, Kobe Turner continued to gain. It's a group

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Speaker 4: that I'm very, very excited about.

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Speaker 1: And we heard all training camp about how underrated Tyler

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Speaker 1: Davis was right and how much that his position group

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Speaker 1: valued him. Fisk was among those to really sing his praises.

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Speaker 1: So excited for his year two.

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Speaker 3: Pooniford is the best nose tackle the Rams have had

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Speaker 3: and since forever.

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Speaker 2: He's what we helped.

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Speaker 3: The way he plays and how he plays it, he's

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Speaker 3: the way we hoped guys would get to at some

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Speaker 3: point and never did. So he's coming in from some

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Speaker 3: other team already better, and like you said, he makes

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Speaker 3: an entire defense better. He takes heat off the linebackers,

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Speaker 3: he takes heat off Fisk verse everyone. He can straighten

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Speaker 3: out in a pass rush and make something happen. He's

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Speaker 3: got some wiggle there, So I that was my next thing.

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Speaker 3: I'm glad you took it. I'm glad you talked about

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Speaker 3: it because I'm sick of talking about the D line.

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Speaker 1: So through one round were unanimous wide receiver, tight end,

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Speaker 1: defensive line all markedly improves. All right, it snakes to uset.

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Speaker 4: To all right for the next group, I'll go inside linebacker,

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Speaker 4: sticking with the defensive front as much of a time

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Speaker 4: topic of conversation. Excuse me that it's you know, already

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Speaker 4: been with the you know, initial fifty three minute roster announcement.

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Speaker 4: I do still think it is one of the most

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Speaker 4: improved groups. Just again focusing on the new addition to

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Speaker 4: the group, in particular, Nate Landman, like I really really

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Speaker 4: like what I've seen from him in training camp, his

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Speaker 4: ability to create takeaways, just his vocal leadership, the way

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Speaker 4: guys have rallied around him. You know, it's it's almost

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Speaker 4: like a multiplying factor alongside verse in terms of just

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Speaker 4: the attitude that he plays with and the way that

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Speaker 4: gets other guys fired up. You know, some of the

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Speaker 4: run stops that he was able to make so coupling

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Speaker 4: that with you know what Puna should be able to do,

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Speaker 4: and the provement there along the defensive line inside linebacker

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Speaker 4: for me is where I'm going to go next.

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Speaker 1: Look, you said it a little bit earlier too, and

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Speaker 1: I just want to amplify this point. You can disagree

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Speaker 1: with the decision they made. That's fine, that's part of

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Speaker 1: being a fan. But I hope that we can all

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Speaker 1: appreciate being fans of a coaching staff and an organization

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Speaker 1: that isn't going to double down on a mistake just

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Speaker 1: because they spent draft capital on it. Right, Like, over

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Speaker 1: the last four months whatever it's been, Sean Dolac went

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Speaker 1: and won a job in a group that's going to

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Speaker 1: be entirely undrafted, all four of them undrafted. He came

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Speaker 1: in and beat out someone drafted in the fifth round.

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Speaker 1: And for this coaching staff to say, when we practice

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Speaker 1: what we preach, we think that elevates our whole building.

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Speaker 1: If you perform, you're going to have a role here.

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Speaker 1: That's meaningful for Sean Dolac. I think it's meaningful for

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Speaker 1: the other fifty three people that have helmets for practice.

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Speaker 3: All day, no doubt. The first thing I heard about

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Speaker 3: Dolac is that he could teach the defense already. I

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Speaker 3: didn't hear that about anyone else, so that says a lot.

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Speaker 3: And then he went out and backed it up in

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Speaker 3: the game and just you know, made tackle after tackle.

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Speaker 3: So no shock there. I that's interesting that you went linebacker.

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Speaker 3: I thought you would go. I thought you would go

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Speaker 3: big boys there, really do so you have another pick right?

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Speaker 1: No?

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Speaker 2: No, he got it. That was it.

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Speaker 4: That was That was my second.

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Speaker 1: That was your second inside linebacker. And we stitched together

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Speaker 1: nicely because I think an improved defensive line is gonna

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Speaker 1: make the linebackers look bad.

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Speaker 2: So I get the old line got it? Oh good.

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Speaker 3: So with the addition of Coleman Shelton, same with Pun't

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Speaker 3: a forward. He's gonna help so much. When you think

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Speaker 3: about the most important play of last season, what was it?

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Speaker 3: It was that last shot in Philadelphia and what happened

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Speaker 3: there was a protection issue.

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Speaker 2: With Coleman Shelton.

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Speaker 3: He takes the pressure off Stafford, he takes the pressure

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Speaker 3: off the other four up front. He's a smart guy

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Speaker 3: and they trust his voice. So I think Kevin Dodson

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Speaker 3: can play the Larry Allen roll of the masher. I

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Speaker 3: think Steve Avila can come along and play that athletic guy,

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Speaker 3: the guy that can pull, and he's got the energy. Plus,

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Speaker 3: if you keep those two tackles upright and healthy, easier

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Speaker 3: said than done. I'm glad you kept a surplus of

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Speaker 3: tackles and you're playing for the injury because you want

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Speaker 3: all your guys to be up for seventeen weeks. But

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Speaker 3: we know that's hard to do, so keep quality depth there.

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Speaker 3: With the addition of Coleman Sheldon, I think it takes

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Speaker 3: that whole group to a whole new level.

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Speaker 1: You touch on center this time. You don't think anyone

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Speaker 1: felt great about what was going on at the center

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Speaker 1: position for the Los Angeles Rams. That continue to be

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Speaker 1: a work in progress until what They went back to

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Speaker 1: Jonah Jackson and lost to Miami, and then they flipped

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Speaker 1: the switch back to bow What about it? Tackle? Anyone

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Speaker 1: remember what the tackle situation felt like in Detroit before

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Speaker 1: Week one kicking off against the Lions. To have Alaric

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Speaker 1: Jackson and Rob Hanstein in line to start against Houston,

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Speaker 1: I feel much better this time of year.

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Speaker 2: I don't.

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Speaker 3: You could tell me and refresh my memory, but I

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Speaker 3: don't remember who started because I think I was angry

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Speaker 3: that AJ wasn't there, that's all, And I remember it

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Speaker 3: was it Dennis Gardeck. Is that his name from Arizona

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Speaker 3: and Arizona Okay, if he's there, we probably don't hear

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Speaker 3: his name. So happy he's up. I hope he's healthy

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Speaker 3: and stays that way. Both tackles. But I like that edition.

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Speaker 3: A veteran presence, a Rob Havenstein type at center who's

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Speaker 3: been through it all, sees it all, and now is

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Speaker 3: in charge of calling protections. That's great for Stafford and

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Speaker 3: the rest of the line.

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Speaker 4: I would say from a depth and experience standpoint too,

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Speaker 4: I'm glad you hit on that because it feels to

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Speaker 4: me like that group, for those reasons alone, has already

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Speaker 4: much improved and just in terms of having those contingency

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Speaker 4: plans after what they dealt with from a health and

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Speaker 4: injury standpoint last year. That's like one of the biggest

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Speaker 4: reasons I feel a lot better about that group that.

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Speaker 2: You should have picked them. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I had six that I felt really strongly about.

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Speaker 1: The others we can debate. The six is a little

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Speaker 1: bit of a cheat because it's the same group back

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Speaker 1: from last year and it's a specialist special teams at large.

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Speaker 1: I think the way that Ethan Evans punted in the

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Speaker 1: back half of last season. I think the way that

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Speaker 1: the Rams covered kicks and return kicks in the back

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Speaker 1: half of last season. I think the way Joshuacarty finished

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Speaker 1: on that seventeen make streak. The fact that there was

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Speaker 1: no kicking competition this summer makes me feel great about

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Speaker 1: where special teams is and because of the overall depth

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Speaker 1: of this roster, I think inevitably that competition is going

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Speaker 1: to lead to better kicking units. Am I wrong?

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Speaker 3: No?

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Speaker 2: I think you're ready.

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Speaker 1: Look at the athleticism and the depth in all of

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Speaker 1: these rooms. Where is that really going to be born

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Speaker 1: out on game day? Hopefully on special.

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Speaker 2: Teams guys that can go down and cover. Absolutely.

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Speaker 3: Coach Blackburn, I thought has done a great job and

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Speaker 3: settled the ship and they were actually getting better. I

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Speaker 3: thought josh Carty's last kickoff on that dynamic kickoff, which

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Speaker 3: still blows.

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Speaker 2: My mind, was his best in Cleveland.

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Speaker 3: In Cleveland where he dropped it and it moved a

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Speaker 3: little bit. That ball manipulation on that is going to

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Speaker 3: be huge. Anybody who catches that thing on a dead run.

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Speaker 2: That's a problem.

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Speaker 1: So you don't think they're gonna just boot it out

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Speaker 1: the back of the end zone and surrender the thirty

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Speaker 1: five yard line.

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Speaker 3: This year, I thought they showed both. So you've got

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Speaker 3: Ethan Evans. If you want to just cannon it down.

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Speaker 3: If you need some artwork, let CARDI try.

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Speaker 2: I like that.

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Speaker 1: That's my feeling too. I'll be curious to see. You know,

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Speaker 1: they and the Niners and some others were the least

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Speaker 1: interested team in the National Football League in kicking off

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Speaker 1: last year. They said, we're gonna punt, excuse the punt

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Speaker 1: until But here they are, and I think that's too

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Speaker 1: much to give a team starting field position at the

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Speaker 1: thirty five. It feels like the Rams are thinking that

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Speaker 1: way too, And.

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Speaker 2: Don't kick it out of bounds. Don't do that. That's

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Speaker 2: the whoa.

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Speaker 4: And when you've got kickers that are making seventy yard

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Speaker 4: field goals, I mean, if you're giving them the thirty

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Speaker 4: five in some cases, like totally, those guys are points

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Speaker 4: pretty close in range already.

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Speaker 1: Here's where I think the real debates can begin. I'm

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Speaker 1: between running back and probably edge defender. Okay, I'll go

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Speaker 1: running back. I'll make the case running back, because there's

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Speaker 1: a new addition to that improved improved. Yeah, and I'll

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Speaker 1: take this specifically through the lens of since Philadelphia, right,

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Speaker 1: Kyraen Williams as motivated as he's ever been in that

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Speaker 1: saying something. Blake Korum back from an injury that kept

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Speaker 1: him out of the last postseason, and now there's a

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Speaker 1: third drafted tailback in this room. The fact that they

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Speaker 1: have those three and are rolling with those three, I

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Speaker 1: take as a healthy sign for the portfolio backs.

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Speaker 2: I like that running improving.

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Speaker 3: I mean, I guess that all starts with Kyron improving

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Speaker 3: some and I heard he has. He's changed his diet,

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Speaker 3: He's really worked on his burst, and it showed in

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Speaker 3: practice he's a little bit different. So let's see if

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Speaker 3: that translates the more Blake Korum hungry and you know

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Speaker 3: he wants it bad, which is good for me.

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Speaker 2: That pushes the starter. That's great.

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Speaker 3: And we keep hearing great things about the rookie Hunter

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Speaker 3: from Hunter from the coaching staff and what he can

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Speaker 3: do and the plans they have for him.

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Speaker 2: So I wanted to it just seemed like it didn't.

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Speaker 2: The names didn't change.

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Speaker 3: So it's hard to pick them but if they improve,

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Speaker 3: then the position improves.

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Speaker 1: What the goal is to be more ball secure, I

401
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Speaker 1: think they can do it and more explosive. I think

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Speaker 1: they've put themselves in position to do it, either through

403
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Speaker 1: more reps for a Hunter, a more balanced distribution and

404
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Speaker 1: fresher running backs, and or just the the memo to

405
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Speaker 1: Kyrien that that he knows what he needs to do

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Speaker 1: and he's gonna be going behind an improved offensive line.

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Speaker 1: At least so we said earlier in this show.

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Speaker 4: I also like the running style that Jock Wes Hunter

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Speaker 4: brings to that group. It's one that I don't know.

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Speaker 4: Maybe you guys disagree, but at least for me, I haven't.

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Speaker 4: I haven't seen in recent years, nothing against you know,

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Speaker 4: Kyrin or Blake obviously, it's just in a good way,

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Speaker 4: like a different element that I think compliments what those

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Speaker 4: two guys do.

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Speaker 2: Oh dude, he's looking for the home run. I love it.

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Speaker 3: I love the way he stays tight and he's waiting

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Speaker 3: to crease you. So it's going to be there.

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Speaker 1: I'm with you, DeMarco. It's your selection. Here are the

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Speaker 1: groups that I have left. I have four remaining Edge yep, Safety, Okay,

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Speaker 1: Corner or qb.

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Speaker 3: Okay safety stayed basically the same corner. I would love

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Speaker 3: to say corner because of the addition of Forbes, but

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Speaker 3: he was here last year and I think he's going

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Speaker 3: to play a major role at some point. The dude

425
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Speaker 3: is a pure covered dude and he's getting bigger and stronger. So,

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Speaker 3: but Edge is very interesting outside of verse and young.

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Speaker 3: Who do you bring off the bench that can bring

428
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Speaker 3: the funk? It was going to be Kiara Thomas. Now

429
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Speaker 3: he got banged up, and you told me right before

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Speaker 3: the game that they were going to stand as one

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Speaker 3: up and I'm like, and you said, can he do it?

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Speaker 2: I'm like, absolutely. The dude is a baller. He can.

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Speaker 3: You can line him up anywhere and teach him the

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Speaker 3: position and then once the ball stapp he's gonna And

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Speaker 3: I think that's how he played. So I think it

436
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Speaker 3: might be a diamond and a rough. But I will

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Speaker 3: go with the outside backers the edge guys as improving

438
00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,320
Speaker 3: slightly because I think you're gonna get a better verse anyway.

439
00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,720
Speaker 3: Numbers wise, agreed. I think the lessons he learned last

440
00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,840
Speaker 3: year he'll implement early and those numbers will pile up.

441
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,800
Speaker 1: You layer in a top one hundred pick and Josiah

442
00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:23,280
Speaker 1: Stewart off.

443
00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:25,960
Speaker 3: The edge in a blink. Again, another guy, Look, this

444
00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:27,760
Speaker 3: is all you do. You just rushed the passer.

445
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:31,240
Speaker 1: Nick Hampton still only twenty five. Yes, and he's gonna

446
00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,080
Speaker 1: be part of that group. And if you're saying who's

447
00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,600
Speaker 1: the Hoyt like factor there, maybe that's des one. I

448
00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,879
Speaker 1: don't know. But at least Dez I think has showed

449
00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,120
Speaker 1: up in games that matter through his first couple of seasons,

450
00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,480
Speaker 1: and he gives you almost like a two for one element. Yes, right,

451
00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:44,840
Speaker 1: if you want to put him out there in a

452
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,800
Speaker 1: specific package, specific role on the edge, great, if something

453
00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:49,879
Speaker 1: happens on the interior and you need him to reverse

454
00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:51,800
Speaker 1: slide back and see him do it at the professional level.

455
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,800
Speaker 1: So I think he'll save you a roster spot.

456
00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:55,760
Speaker 3: That's a matchup problem waiting to happen. And all this

457
00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,640
Speaker 3: shardor nonsense. Right when they said like he wasn't out

458
00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,040
Speaker 3: there with anyone, I said, well, actual Dez was out there.

459
00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:01,960
Speaker 2: There's a real guy.

460
00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,720
Speaker 3: So there's something to your you know, your side, But yeah,

461
00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,040
Speaker 3: I mean absolutely, he's a guy that has versatility that

462
00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:07,919
Speaker 3: plays in the NFL.

463
00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,600
Speaker 1: I actually did have DeMarco mentioned and Shador Sanders on

464
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:11,359
Speaker 1: my Bingo.

465
00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:13,080
Speaker 2: Horn.

466
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,800
Speaker 1: Come on, why not there we go? Stu your choice

467
00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,080
Speaker 1: safety quarterback corner.

468
00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,600
Speaker 4: I'm gonna go quarterback and kind of similar to safety.

469
00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:25,879
Speaker 4: Even though year to year at May on the surface

470
00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:30,280
Speaker 4: seemed like nothing's changed. I wrote this in my you know,

471
00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:34,000
Speaker 4: fifty three man roster article. You have Jimmy Garoppolo backs

472
00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,120
Speaker 4: as a veteran backup to Stafford, who has a year

473
00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,480
Speaker 4: of experience in this offense. I mean when he got here,

474
00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:43,040
Speaker 4: there was some carryover in terms of the terminology from

475
00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:45,760
Speaker 4: some of the other systems he's been in. But you know,

476
00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,200
Speaker 4: just having that year under his belt and being back again,

477
00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,320
Speaker 4: I think is you know, an element of that improvement.

478
00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,240
Speaker 4: And also to just the reps that both him and

479
00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,880
Speaker 4: Stetson Bennett got across training camp and the preseason, those

480
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,720
Speaker 4: joint practices. While you know, if there was a silver

481
00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,240
Speaker 4: lining to you know, Matthew Stafford, you know, unfortunately having

482
00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,440
Speaker 4: to deal with his back injury, it was all the

483
00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,119
Speaker 4: reps that those guys got, and so just that added

484
00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,320
Speaker 4: I guess depth and experience in terms of returning players,

485
00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,440
Speaker 4: and also the opportunities they got, you know, behind Stafford

486
00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,399
Speaker 4: is one of the biggest reasons for me.

487
00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think any question about QB two or

488
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,840
Speaker 1: QB three. It's maybe as solid as the Rams have

489
00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,679
Speaker 1: ever been. It's all about QB one. And can we

490
00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,359
Speaker 1: in good conscience say that, at age thirty seven and

491
00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,040
Speaker 1: with the back that he's going to be as good

492
00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:37,159
Speaker 1: or better than he was a year ago. I don't know.

493
00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:38,400
Speaker 1: Can you make that case?

494
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,439
Speaker 2: Spit and glue man, let's go. Yeah, it is what

495
00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:40,760
Speaker 2: it is.

496
00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:42,240
Speaker 1: I will say this, though, I can argue that his

497
00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:43,440
Speaker 1: circumstances are better.

498
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:44,320
Speaker 2: For sure.

499
00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:46,919
Speaker 1: If we just named all of his other offensive position

500
00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:49,119
Speaker 1: groups and they're all improved, then there's no reason that

501
00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,520
Speaker 1: Stafford's outcomes can't be better than they were in twenty

502
00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:51,960
Speaker 1: twenty four.

503
00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,800
Speaker 3: I think the group around him is very good, and

504
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,760
Speaker 3: but it all depends on how he feels. If he's special,

505
00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:01,199
Speaker 3: the team will be special. But if he's not, I

506
00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:02,919
Speaker 3: still think the team has a chance to be very

507
00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:03,400
Speaker 3: very good.

508
00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,640
Speaker 1: Okay, so we're down to safety and corner. The defensive

509
00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:07,560
Speaker 1: backs is where we finish.

510
00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,800
Speaker 3: Okay, here tell me something. How does Q Lake make

511
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,120
Speaker 3: the Pro Bowl? How does Cam Curl make the Pro Bowl?

512
00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:16,200
Speaker 1: You know what's interesting about those guys, But they're so

513
00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,920
Speaker 1: overdue for picks. Didn't Curl have three as.

514
00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:20,040
Speaker 2: A rookie and one interceptions?

515
00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,960
Speaker 1: Okay, Quentin Lake has done just about everything on defense

516
00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:25,760
Speaker 1: except take it away.

517
00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,320
Speaker 3: Okay, we're on the same page. Then they do a

518
00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,200
Speaker 3: great job of getting lined up being the last line

519
00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,840
Speaker 3: of defense. That's what a safety A true nafty nature

520
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,640
Speaker 3: of a safety is to make sure that the guy

521
00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:37,520
Speaker 3: gets on the ground before he crosses the end zone.

522
00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:40,560
Speaker 3: But at some point, you'd like those guys to be playmakers.

523
00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,240
Speaker 3: Come up with something big, get one tip, one pick,

524
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:44,200
Speaker 3: one run, one back.

525
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:45,000
Speaker 2: You had a few.

526
00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:47,840
Speaker 3: I like to see more out of those guys if

527
00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:50,560
Speaker 3: they do, and this defensive line takes off like well

528
00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:52,600
Speaker 3: you think it would. I mean, those are the guys

529
00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,840
Speaker 3: that would be in line for honors if you make

530
00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:55,960
Speaker 3: plays behind that stuff.

531
00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:57,720
Speaker 4: It seems like Quinton Lake would be due for that too.

532
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:58,840
Speaker 4: He got a few in training camp.

533
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:00,960
Speaker 1: Well, here's the thing is which room are you classifying

534
00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,320
Speaker 1: Captain Q in? Because I think it's an easier case

535
00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,560
Speaker 1: to make for safety or corner if you're roping Quinton

536
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:06,680
Speaker 1: Lake into your room.

537
00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:08,320
Speaker 2: dB is what I call.

538
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the case for corner is pretty straightforward,

539
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,280
Speaker 1: especially if you go back to this time last year, right,

540
00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,119
Speaker 1: because Darius Williams had the hamstring, right, Akello was not

541
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,040
Speaker 1: yet back with the organization. That's different this summer, Right,

542
00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,399
Speaker 1: d will feels great. Akello was an early edition in

543
00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:24,880
Speaker 1: free agents.

544
00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:25,679
Speaker 2: Is different.

545
00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,480
Speaker 3: He's different this year because you could tell you that

546
00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,879
Speaker 3: you could smell that confidence just dripping off him, like

547
00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:34,080
Speaker 3: the light has come on.

548
00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:34,640
Speaker 1: Yeah.

549
00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,720
Speaker 4: Yeah, the difference of being with the team for an

550
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:37,680
Speaker 4: entire offseason.

551
00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,760
Speaker 3: I've been through this enough, Like if there's a point

552
00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,640
Speaker 3: in every pro when the game just slows down and

553
00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,720
Speaker 3: you can tell and he's a different cat this year,

554
00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,240
Speaker 3: and I could care less about his age by the

555
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,880
Speaker 3: way he's playing, you could consider him a four year guy. Like,

556
00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:59,320
Speaker 3: he's different this year, so we might see something more

557
00:23:59,440 --> 00:23:59,919
Speaker 3: and special.

558
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,160
Speaker 1: And Kobe Durantz in a contract year, set up big

559
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,600
Speaker 1: in year four. And it kind of all rides on

560
00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:07,439
Speaker 1: the slim frame of Emmanuel Forbes.

561
00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:07,639
Speaker 2: Right.

562
00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:09,879
Speaker 1: The case for whether or not the Rams improved at

563
00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,159
Speaker 1: the cornerback position by basically standing patt It was the

564
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,720
Speaker 1: pocision group everyone expected them to address in the draft.

565
00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,840
Speaker 1: They didn't they're basically rolling with the same group they

566
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:18,040
Speaker 1: came home from Philadelphia with.

567
00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,800
Speaker 3: I like Forbes every time I see him outside of

568
00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,919
Speaker 3: you know, when you get over the initial shock of

569
00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,640
Speaker 3: how like, wow, dude, you really but then you watch

570
00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:28,520
Speaker 3: him play and it does not the same with the

571
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,280
Speaker 3: Remember Sean McVay. Oh he's the youngest coach in the league,

572
00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:32,640
Speaker 3: and then you meet him, it's like, I don't matter

573
00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,439
Speaker 3: no more that dude's his legs aren't very big. But

574
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,240
Speaker 3: when you watch him, dude, he can get around, he

575
00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,240
Speaker 3: can cover, he knows where the ball is, he knows

576
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,359
Speaker 3: how to run routes for guys. I think he is

577
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:43,560
Speaker 3: going to play major snaps with his football team.

578
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,040
Speaker 1: And what if he marries with a pass rush that

579
00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,880
Speaker 1: gives him a lot of ball hockeying opportunities.

580
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,879
Speaker 2: Oh let's go, yes, sir so.

581
00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,879
Speaker 1: Of those eleven groups, I don't know if we can

582
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,720
Speaker 1: say were on eleven for eleven, did they improve everywhere?

583
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,679
Speaker 1: We'd probably be accused of being a little homersh if

584
00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:57,159
Speaker 1: we say so.

585
00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,560
Speaker 2: I don't think they went backwards anywhere, and.

586
00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,360
Speaker 1: The vast the majority there's a clear case to improvement.

587
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,439
Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't think they went backwards in any area.

588
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,199
Speaker 3: So that's that's that's not being home er, that's just

589
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:08,320
Speaker 3: being realistic.

590
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:09,680
Speaker 1: Which is a great sign because it's gonna be tougher

591
00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:11,560
Speaker 1: this year. I think it'll be harder to get the

592
00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:13,919
Speaker 1: double digit wins and win the division and get your

593
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:15,880
Speaker 1: playoff spot because you finished first last year.

594
00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:16,560
Speaker 2: So you get.

595
00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:22,239
Speaker 1: The Eagles and the Lions and the Ravens right as

596
00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:25,119
Speaker 1: your crossover opponents, while your rival up north gets the

597
00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,080
Speaker 1: Browns and the Bears and the Giants right, like, the

598
00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:30,560
Speaker 1: division got better and win.

599
00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:31,200
Speaker 2: Me the challenge?

600
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,560
Speaker 1: Yeah, you give me the challenge on Yes, you better

601
00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:36,520
Speaker 1: be better this year to get the same results or more,

602
00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,800
Speaker 1: which is what the RAM is going for. Closing thoughts

603
00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,080
Speaker 1: before we spin it ahead to next week.

604
00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,520
Speaker 3: I would say, like from the off season end, like

605
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,720
Speaker 3: considering how the season ended in Philadelphia, from that day

606
00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,680
Speaker 3: to this point, it has been a rousing success for

607
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,159
Speaker 3: Sean McVay and this group. You got through all of

608
00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,359
Speaker 3: training camp outside of Matthew Stafford in the back, and

609
00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:56,440
Speaker 3: that kind of came out of nowhere.

610
00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:57,200
Speaker 2: But you got through.

611
00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,159
Speaker 3: Camp without any major injuries knock on wood, and I

612
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,000
Speaker 3: think you could probably pick this fifty three that we

613
00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,720
Speaker 3: just talked about going into the first preseason game and

614
00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,760
Speaker 3: it held you know what I mean.

615
00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:10,960
Speaker 1: All Right, So the continuity both in terms of roster

616
00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,680
Speaker 1: and coaching, the good vibes leads you to be optimistic.

617
00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,520
Speaker 3: Absolutely, So from the vibes to this Yeah, the vibes

618
00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:21,200
Speaker 3: were real, and I think this team and the way

619
00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,160
Speaker 3: it's constructed has a chance to really, you know, contend.

620
00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,359
Speaker 1: Let's see if it translates in the starting fast So

621
00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:28,440
Speaker 1: that's definitely the order of business this year in twenty

622
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,080
Speaker 1: twenty five. Can you get more wins in the front

623
00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,000
Speaker 1: half of your schedule so you don't have to dig

624
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,160
Speaker 1: out of three games below five hundred like the last

625
00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:35,320
Speaker 1: two years.

626
00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,640
Speaker 4: Pretty similar thoughts to DeMarco. Just the connectedness of this group.

627
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,000
Speaker 4: It's something that Sean mcvays talked about a lot, just

628
00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,600
Speaker 4: the college like camaraderie, high school like camaraderie around the building.

629
00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,040
Speaker 4: You know, that's been exciting to see and watch throughout

630
00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,760
Speaker 4: the year. And I think that's something that, you know,

631
00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:55,600
Speaker 4: as cliche as something like chemistry might be, it's not

632
00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,479
Speaker 4: something that you can discount, especially when it comes to

633
00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,800
Speaker 4: the role that plays the team's success. And you know,

634
00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,240
Speaker 4: just how well everybuddy gets along and all of those things.

635
00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,680
Speaker 4: So I'm looking forward to seeing how that connectedness shows

636
00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:09,440
Speaker 4: up on the field. And I already kind of talked

637
00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:11,200
Speaker 4: about a little bit earlier with like kind of the

638
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,280
Speaker 4: attitude that some of the guys on the defensive front

639
00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,359
Speaker 4: pit play with, especially just all those kinds of things.

640
00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,560
Speaker 4: I'm really looking forward to seeing stud.

641
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:20,920
Speaker 1: Great to have you along for the ride here and

642
00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,640
Speaker 1: Between the Horns again in twenty twenty five.

643
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:23,120
Speaker 2: DeMarco.

644
00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,159
Speaker 1: We'll pick it up next Thursday absolutely to preview the Texans.

645
00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,480
Speaker 1: MJD will be here, Cameron Irwin will be in this

646
00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,560
Speaker 1: seat quite a bit this season as well. We're so

647
00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:32,800
Speaker 1: glad to be back with Between the Horns, presented by

648
00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,320
Speaker 1: your Southern California Toyota Dealers, all those shoes,