Rams' Aaron Donald Likely Won't Return from Ankle Injury This Season, McVay Says
Dec 23, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 27: Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams takes to the field before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
The 4-10 Los Angeles Rams are playing out the string on the rest of the 2022 campaign, which means star defensive tackle Aaron Donald likely won't take the field again until 2023.
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters Donald will "probably not" be cleared to return for the final three games of this season.
There was some speculation that Donald would retire after helping the Rams win the Super Bowl last season, but he and the team reworked his deal and made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Yet this season hasn't gone according to plan for him or the team, which is eliminated from postseason contention.
The nine-time Pro Bowler has appeared in 11 games and has a career-worst five sacks. The second-lowest mark of his career is eight, which he posted during the 2016 campaign. What's more, his streak of five straight seasons with double-digit sack totals will come to an end.
There is still no questioning Donald's place as one of the best players in the game with a resume that includes seven All-Pro selections, three Defensive Player of the Year awards and a Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He also still showed enough to be named to the Pro Bowl this season, although he may not participate in the activities if he is still dealing with the ankle injury.
It seemed as if the Rams may compete for a playoff spot following a 3-3 start, but they proceeded to lose six straight to drop out of contention. Donald isn't the only notable player dealing with injury concerns, as Matthew Stafford has been limited to nine games and Cooper Kupp hasn't played since Week 10.
Los Angeles finishes with contests against the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.
Rams' Jalen Ramsey One-on-One with B/R: His Rep, His New Show, His Legacy
Dec 21, 2022
Jalen Ramsey hosting "Straight Off the Press" at SoFi Stadium.
The trash-talking, fierce competitor on the field is the Jalen Ramsey that Los Angeles Rams fans tune in to watch play every week—the one the "outside world" sees.
"I'm OK with however people perceive me, and people do get different versions of me too. That's all fine to me," Ramsey says.
The seasoned NFL veteran is notorious for trying to get into his opponents' heads—it's what other players say he's best at. Some of his most notable trash-talking moments (caught on camera) are his pregame banter with Davante Adams, the infamous fight with A.J. Green and his viral postgame interview in 2016 after facing Steve Smith Sr.
But the Jalen Ramsey off the field hopes he's someone people can think highly of. "Once people get to know me and they see different sides of me, then [any] misconception goes away pretty quickly," he says.
Ramsey spoke one-on-one recently with Bleacher Report to talk about his vodcast Straight Off the Press. In collaboration with UNINTERRUPTED, the defending Super Bowl champion has been airing his raw, unfiltered reaction postgame—win or lose.
Ramsey greets the musician Famous Los for a guest spot on his show, which usually happens right after games.
Directly after home games, the Rams cornerback films in a suite at SoFi Stadium. A wide variety of guests—including his father, teammates and even rapper YG—have joined him there. After away games, Ramsey films immediately upon the team's return to Los Angeles in a specially outfitted van en route to the team facility.
Ramsey is drawing back the curtain and letting people in on who he is and how he really feels. In an episode with the rapper, singer and actor Tobe Nwigwe, Ramsey delves into family and being a father: "I don't really want my daughters to look at me as the football player. I want them to look at me as a great dad."
In another episode, Ramsey opened the show with a revealing monologue after one of the toughest plays of his career to swallow—a game-winning touchdown scored on him by Seattle's DK Metcalf in Week 13:
"I feel like lately I've been literally eating, sleeping, dreaming football, football, football, football, football, football. Just trying so hard to get s--t right, just right it for the whole team, as a leader on the team. ...
"I hate feeling this way, but you gotta keep going through the storm. Keep on pushing. Keep on fighting. Fight even harder. You just gotta go harder in any way that you can. So that's what I'mma do. Sucks though. I literally just can't stop looking at the spot in the end zone right now where DK caught that pass. ...
"Just the nature of my position, you can go a whole game where you hold a really good receiver … you can hold a guy like this to zero catches. ... But that moment, to me, overrules all the other moments in the game, by far. I hate that that happened that way. All I can do is keep going."
Ramsey took two hours after the Rams' loss to the Seahawks to process the game prior to filming the show.
"After a loss, I'm already emotionally a little bit drained and don't want to do it," he says, noting that he'll often go it alone in those situations. "Just even asking my teammates to do it when they're feeling the same way, it's tough."
Nevertheless, the show goes on: "I try to just be a man of my word … and give the fans that raw interaction that my family and friends get to see. … It's real therapeutic."
Straight Off the Press is a work in progress. Ramsey and his team with UNINTERRUPTED constantly come up with ideas and try things as they figure out what they want this show to be. Ramsey doesn't want it to become repetitive, so he looks for opportunities to be creative: "We're trying to evolve into what it's going to be … so we can lean into some other conversations."
Ramsey talks with guests Famous Los (middle) and MaxIsNicee (right) during the episode after the Rams' Week 13 game.
Straight Off the Press has allowed Ramsey to continue to explore his interest in production and carve out a space within the media landscape—to control his own narrative.
Ramsey has worked on another project with UNINTERRUPTED: the first season of 17 Weeks, which featured various players during the "weekly grind" of the season. The podcast aired during the 2019 NFL season and followed his trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the Rams.
"[Reporters will] ask us a question and we'll give them the proper answer that we're supposed to give them, but I know our true emotions in the locker room," he explains about what he can bring to his own shows. "I know how we're really feeling, I know our interactions. Because I'm doing it. I'm in there with my guys. I'm feeling these emotions my damn self, so I think that's where the difference comes for me."
In step with UNINTERRUPTED's mission to show athletes beyond their on-field feats, Ramsey is looking to expand his profile.
"It is very important to have an identity outside of the job, and I kind of hate saying 'job' because I play football for a living. … But at the end of the day, I still don't want that to define me," Ramsey says. "Being more than an athlete is super important to me. Something that definitely hits home."
His goals for himself include his ultimate goal as a player: to be remembered as a good teammate. Certainly, the three-time All-Pro wants to wear a gold jacket someday, but he also wants his teammates to look back and appreciate him for always trying to put them in positions to succeed.
"Really what matters to me when my playing career is over is that my teammates would be like, 'Man, whatever happened with Jalen, how his career may have ended—good, bad, whatever—man, y'all, he was an amazing teammate. He was an amazing guy. He always tried to help us.' ...
"Whatever the case may be, I want people to look back and be like, 'Man, Jalen Ramsey was one of the best teammates ever.'"
Rams' Matthew Stafford Says He's Not Retiring from NFL amid Recovery from Neck Injury
Dec 20, 2022
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 6: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams drops back to pass during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on November 6, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said on his wife Kelly Stafford's podcast The Morning After that he is not retiring from the NFL.
The Rams placed Stafford on injured reserve Dec. 3 because of a neck injury, and his status going forward was uncertain.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Nov. 27 that the Rams didn't know if Stafford would play again in 2022, noting he'd been in concussion protocol twice, had a strained neck and also experienced numbness in his legs.
The injuries have contributed to a lost year for Stafford, who has just 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in nine starts. His 87.4 passer rating is his lowest since 2014, while his 231.9 passing yards per game only beats his first two years in the NFL.
The numbers are a dramatic change from 2021 when he totaled 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns, leading the Rams to a Super Bowl title in his first season in L.A.
Stafford underwent a procedure on his right elbow in the offseason and was limited in training camp as he recovered. Though he was back on the field in Week 1, he seemingly never returned to 100 percent.
The Rams have struggled with and without their starting quarterback, and they fell to 4-10 and were eliminated from playoff contention with Monday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. That makes it unnecessary for Stafford to return this season, but he wants to get back on the field in 2023.
The 34-year-old signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March, featuring $130 million in guaranteed money. If Los Angeles wanted to trade or release Stafford, it would cost the team at least $48 million in dead cap, per Spotrac.
Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield, John Wolford and Bryce Perkins give the team options to finish out the year, although all three are set to enter free agency this offseason.
Baker Mayfield, Rams Offense Called Out by Twitter for Struggles in Loss to Packers
Dec 20, 2022
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay talks with quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) in the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis. Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
It was fun while it lasted, but the magic of Baker Mayfield ran out after just over a week for the Los Angeles Rams.
Mayfield and the rest of the offense put forth a lackluster effort in a 24-12 loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Monday Night Football. The 27-year-old finished with 111 yards and a touchdown against one interception. He was sacked five times.
Just last week in another primetime matchup on Thursday Night Football, Mayfield powered Los Angeles to a comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders two days after being claimed off waivers.
That feel-good moment feels like months ago, as Monday's performance was a reminder as to why he was waived by the Carolina Panthers.
Third sack for the #Packers tonight. this one from Quay Walker, who forces a fumble the Rams recover. This defense is eating Rams offensive line for a holiday dinner.
The Rams will not have a chance to defend their Super Bowl title in the playoffs after falling to 4-10. Los Angeles has had multiple key players suffer injuries, including Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald.
While Mayfield is behind center, Los Angeles has to accept that there will be more performances like he had Monday. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has not proved he can produce consistently.
The Rams will look to bounce back at home against the Denver Broncos (4-10) on Christmas Day.
Rams' Aaron Donald, Packers' Jaire Alexander Named to 2023 Pro Bowl Games
Dec 20, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 27: Aaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams walks off the field after a defensive interception in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Ahead of Monday night's game between the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams, the NFL announced that each team had a player selected to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games.
Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander were the first players revealed to be members of the NFC side. The full Pro Bowl Games rosters will be unveiled Wednesday.
Donald will not play Monday because of an ankle injury. He has recorded 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 11 games.
Donald has been selected to nine Pro Bowls, earning the honor every year since he was drafted No. 13 overall in 2014. He didn't participate in the 2022 Pro Bowl because the Rams made it to Super Bowl LVI, and they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals for their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
Alexander will make his second Pro Bowl appearance thanks to a bounce-back performance. After an injury-marred 2021, the 25-year-old has returned to form with 48 tackles, 12 passes defended and a career-high four interceptions through 12 games.
The 2023 Pro Bowl will be unlike any other, as it will feature a flag football game with squads coached by Peyton and Eli Manning. Leading up to the contest, the 2023 Pro Bowl Games will include various challenges and competitions among players.
The Pro Bowl game will be held Feb. 5 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Rams' Baker Mayfield to Start at QB vs. Packers; John Wolford Has Neck Injury
Dec 13, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 08: Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) looks on during the NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Rams on December 8, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Baker Mayfield show in Hollywood will continue for at least one more week.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters Tuesday that quarterback John Wolford is expected to be unavailable for Monday night's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field because of a neck injury, putting Mayfield in line to start under center.
The Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers last week after he was granted his release from the Carolina Panthers. Just two days after joining Los Angeles, he was thrust into action in the first quarter of Thursday night's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mayfield pulled off one of the most improbable feats of the 2022 season when he led his new team on a game-winning 98-yard touchdown drive over the last 1:45 of the fourth quarter. He found wide receiver Van Jefferson for a 23-yard score to earn the 17-16 victory. The win snapped the Rams' six-game losing streak.
Los Angeles brought in Mayfield after starting quarterback Matthew Stafford was deemed unlikely to play again this season because of a spinal cord contusion. McVay said last week that Stafford was not expected to require offseason surgery.
Wolford started two games earlier this season while Stafford missed time with concussion symptoms. He threw for 390 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. While he started against the Raiders, he took only three snaps.
At 4-9, the defending Super Bowl champions are unlikely to even make the playoffs this year. Mayfield will have the chance to use his time in Los Angeles as an audition for the rest of the league, as he will benefit from playing without pressure. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick is set to be a free agent this offseason.
Odell Beckham Jr.'s Top Landing Spots After T.Y. Hilton's Cowboys Contract
Dec 12, 2022
NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. watches action during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Phoenix Suns and the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The ongoing courtship between the Dallas Cowboys and free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. appears to have reached its end, as the Cowboys are reportedly bringing in a veteran pass-catcher.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater reported that Dallas reached an agreement with receiver T.Y. Hilton on Monday. The 33-year-old had played 10 years with the Indianapolis Colts and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.
The addition of Hilton gives the Cowboys the extra offensive weapon they need as the playoffs approach. But where does that leave Beckham?
Here are the top remaining landing spots for the 30-year-old now that Dallas is likely no longer in the running.
Buffalo Bills
Beckham undoubtedly wants to join a contender to win another championship as he did with the Los Angeles Rams last season in Super Bowl LVI. He should look no further than the top team in the AFC.
The Buffalo Bills remained in the No. 1 spot after Sunday's gritty win over the New York Jets. At 10-3, Buffalo is one of the favorites to compete for a Super Bowl title this year, but the team could still use another target for star quarterback Josh Allen.
The Bills have one of the best receivers in the league in Stefon Diggs, who leads the team with 94 receptions, 1,239 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, no other player on the team has 40 catches. Allen's over-reliance on Diggs can come back to haunt Buffalo if teams focus their defense on him.
Adding Beckham to the mix would help take some attention off Diggs. For what it's worth, last month Beckham named the Bills as one of four teams he'd be interested in joining after he completed his recovery from a torn ACL.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are the hottest team in the NFL, earning their sixth straight victory on Sunday with a blowout over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, star receiver Deebo Samuel went down with an ankle injury during the game, putting his status in question for the next few weeks.
Beckham could be the perfect option to fill in for Samuel if he misses extended time. If both are able to be on the field together, it would add a different dimension to an already dynamic 49ers offense.
San Francisco lost veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for at least the remainder of the regular season because of a broken foot. Rookie signal-caller Brock Purdy proved he can steer the ship in the interim with a three-touchdown performance (two passing, one rushing) against the Bucs.
The 49ers could look to add Beckham as another reliable target for the seventh-round pick as they charge toward the postseason.
Kansas City Chiefs
After losing star wide receiver Tyreek Hill this offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs have had to adjust on offense. However, perennial MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes still has the Chiefs on the cusp of a seventh straight AFC West title.
While Mahomes has been able to make up for Kansas City's deficiencies throughout the regular season, cracks have begun to show. In Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos, he threw three touchdown passes but also had a season-high three interceptions.
The Chiefs had been hoping free-agent additions JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling would be able to make up for the absence of Hill. They've combined to reach the end zone just four times through 13 games. All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce remains the top target in Kansas City's passing attack.
Beckham would provide Mahomes with another option in the explosive Chiefs offense. He could also open things up for Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling. The three-time Pro Bowler would likely have a ton of fun playing in Andy Reid's scheme.
New York Giants
It's never too late to come home. In Beckham's case, a reunion with the team he started his NFL career with would come at a perfect time.
At 7-5-1, the New York Giants are clinging to the seventh seed in the NFC and could surely use a boost as the regular season winds down. New York is 0-3-1 in its last four games and has dealt with injuries to multiple receivers throughout the year.
Darius Slayton leads the Giants with 608 receiving yards, while Richie James leads the team's wide receivers with 38 receptions and three touchdowns. Quarterback Daniel Jones ranks near the bottom of the league with 194.9 passing yards per game. Clearly, New York's air attack could use an injection of energy.
Beckham has appeared to be open to rejoining the Giants, and he had a "good dinner" with head coach Brian Daboll earlier this month. A return to New York would give him the opportunity to be a key contributor to the team's push for the playoffs.
NFL Rumors: Sean Payton Considering Return as HC; Linked to Saints, Rams and Chargers
Dec 11, 2022
ATLANTA, GA JANUARY 09: New Orleans head coach Sean Payton watches his team warm up prior to the start of the NFL game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons on January 9th, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If Sean Payton returns to coaching next season, the Los Angeles Chargers or Los Angeles Rams could be his preferred landing spot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:
The @NFLGameDay Notebook with @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero: The specter of Sean Payton hangs over every coaching situation; What to expect for Lamar Jackson & Kenny Pickett; Tom Brady has plenty of options for 2023; The Odell Beckham Jr sweepstakes led to… a holding pattern. pic.twitter.com/wgCUYuMZ05
"He is a TV analyst living in Los Angeles and based on his conversations I've had, if he had his druthers, that is where he would remain in the city of Los Angeles," Rapoport said of Payton. "Potentially if somehow, some way the Rams job or the Chargers job came open, that is certainly be something Sean Payton would take a look at."
In addition to the Los Angeles teams, there is also a chance Payton could return to the New Orleans Saints after stepping away from the team last season, according to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com.
"One person close to Payton and familiar with his thinking believes a return to the Saints is possible 'if things go sideways' in New Orleans," Duncan reported.
The Saints have struggled to a 4-9 record this year in the first season under Dennis Allen, clinching the team's first losing record since 2016. Duncan clarified that the organization does not want to move on from Allen, with general manager Mickey Loomis and owner Gayle Benson considered "loyal supporters."
There could still be a push to bring back Payton, who had a 152-89 record across 15 years with New Orleans, winning a Super Bowl after the 2009 season.
Payton's familiarity with the Saints, along with the fact they already control his rights, could make this a quality landing spot for the 58-year-old.
It's unknown if there will be an opening in Los Angeles, although there have been rumors of Rams coach Sean McVay retiring throughout the past year. With the team struggling to a 4-9 record this year, he could decide to step away from the team.
The Chargers are currently 6-6, but they have had higher expectations the past two years under Brandon Staley. If the team misses the playoffs again, Staley could be on the hot seat.
Payton will likely be in high demand throughout the offseason, especially after saying that he plans to return to the sidelines this week on Tom Brady's Let's Go! podcast.
"I think sooner than later," Payton told Brady (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). "I really enjoy the current job I have. ...But I think relative to coaching, though, I know that I want to coach again and it's not really been a secret. But I wanna find the right spot."
The Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers already have openings after firing coaches during the season.
Baker Mayfield Expected to Start Rams' Final 4 Games of Season, Sean McVay Says
Dec 9, 2022
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, left, embraces quarterback Baker Mayfield after the Rams defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 in an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Baker Mayfield's dramatic, game-winning drive against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night appears to have won him the starting spot going forward.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Friday that Mayfield is expected to serve as the starting quarterback for the final four games of the season.
Mayfield impressed in his first action with the Rams on Thursday night—just two days after joining the team—finishing 22-of-35 for 230 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He was sacked four times.
Most importantly, he led the Rams on a 98-yard scoring drive with no timeouts in just a minute and 35 seconds, throwing a touchdown pass to Van Jefferson to secure a 17-16 victory.
For a player who went from being traded by the Cleveland Browns in the offseason to the Carolina Panthers to being cut midseason in favor of Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker, Thursday's performance was the ultimate redemption arc.
"I don't know if you can write it any better than that," Mayfield told reporters after the game. "Obviously, we'd like to be a little bit more stress-free, but it's a pretty damn good story, I'll be honest with you."
It was one written on a very fast deadline, given his arrival in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
"I was really impressed," head coach Sean McVay told reporters. "I don't know if I would say surprised because I've always been a fan of the things that he was capable of, but to say that I expected this, certainly exceeded our expectations. But it was a lot of fun watching him go to work tonight."
And it appears to have earned him four more chances to go to work as the team's QB1. For Mayfield, it will be something of an audition tape for teams around the league as he hits free agency after the season, providing perhaps one last chance to prove he can still be a starter in the NFL.
