Rams Training Camp Position Battles, Schedule Breakdown, Predictions, Braden Fiske Rookie Impact

we've got the Rams position battles you need to be looking out for during training camp also what will the Rams record be after 10 games that's coming up next on locked on [Music] Rams you are locked on Rams your daily Los Angeles Rams podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day what is up Ramy and welcome to another episode of lockon Rams your daily podcast covering your Los Angeles Rams free and available rev get your podcast locked on Rams part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day we're also available over on YouTube so if you haven't yet do us a huge favor and subscribe to the lockon Rams YouTube channel hit that subscribe button hit that notification Bell hit that like button and also which position battle are you most looking forward to let us know Down Below in the comments my name is Doug McCain friends call me dmac you can follow me on exit Instagram at dmac corla I've been covering LA Sports for over a decade 247 Sports Bleacher Report Dodgers Nation the Rams for locked on and as always I'm joined by the Rams preh hav postgame show host for the Rams flagship radio station ESPN 710 La he's entering his ninth season ninth season wow nine Seasons already for Mr Travis Rogers as the preh half and postgame shows for your Los Angeles Rams you can follow him on X Travis Rogers and we got a jam-pack show we're talking position battles we're doing the next five games in our schedule breakdown what will the Rams record be after 10 games also we continue our list on the most important Rams entering the 2024 season but first this episode of lockdown Rams brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more as playoffs wind down the Sports Stop sporting like we want them to but this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long visit fanduel.com let to get started now Travis speaking of lists real quick we just heard this right now we're going to spend a whole topic on it tomorrow but the list for the top 100 greatest athletes of the 21st century has been released by ESPN and they got our guy Mr Aaron Donald at 20 as the 20th best athlete he sandwiched in between Diana terasi and Lewis Hamilton I think it pretty much goes out saying we probably both think he should be a little higher on this list but ad at 20 good to see him getting some love there look I 20 is pretty darn good if we're talking about a quarter of a century here into the the 21st century and he's in the top 20 that's pretty remarkable I it was I I you dropped out for a second did you say Lewis Hamilton or Le Hamilton's car was ahead of him I I I'm a little I'm a little curious there because I feel like the car does a lot of the work exactly right I mean that's the truth about that I mean and ads like a combination like a Bugatti and like an 18 ER and a Tesla cyber truck and a Hummer he's a Bugatti and a John Deere tractor that just rips you know what out of the ground yeah he's both yeah I I don't feel good about Lewis Hamilton ahead of him man I'll just tell you that much but we'll we'll uh let that out tomorrow but first segment here we're going to talk about some of these position battles and we're going to spend a lot of time getting really in-depth on all these positions but just kind of a general overview of kind of what to look for when training camp begins and some of these position battles and we kind of hit on some of these already but tight end is one that's going to be really interesting early on because Tyler higgy still out recovering from the torn ACL and MCL and that's why they signed Kobe Parkinson and Kobe Parkinson is going to be filling those Higg shoes question is how well will he do it will the blocking be adequate will he be an asset in the passing game and then behind him you got Davis Allen Davis Allen is extremely intriguing because of that catch radius because of his height and the way he can go up and get balls be a red zone threat and then Hunter long is another name that of course we've heard for so many years his him being included in that Jaylen Ramsey trade him having the potential but not realizing that potential so really the big overarching really theme for the tight ends is that Higg is out they signed Parkinson but will they get that production look it's a bummer that Higg is gonna be out because he's been an important part of of what they've done really during the entire sha McVey era he's been a pretty steady consistent performer for the Rams but if you're looking for a silver lining to losing a a regular starter I guess it's this that we're going to get to see what it looks like with someone else right maybe someone else can step into that role and kind of do what uh what what Tyler higgy's been able to do and maybe a little more on top of that I I really do think it's a two-man battle I don't think that Hunter long is really in there I I think that if he were going to present himself as a viable option it would have happened now uh we know that Kobe Parkinson is an NFL tight end even though he got used in a very specific way in Seattle I think the Rams may try to use him slightly differently maybe more as an offensive player as opposed to just as a sixth offensive lineman the way that he was used traditionally in Seattle but I I think the battle comes down to him and Davis Allen and if if I had to guess dmac and this is just me speculating and just seeing what I've seen and knowing how Shawn McVey operates a little bit from the beginning of last season until we got to the very end of last season when the Rams lost to the Detroit Lions in the wild card game Davis Allen went from never ever seeing the field to kind of sort of being a guy that they used in pretty important situations so I think he's probably got the inside track now that they went and picked up Parkinson I think me leads me to believe that they believe that they need to improve in that position but I would probably give the slight Edge to Allen because I know how complicated the uh the the tight end position can be in a sea mcy system and having had the advantage of being there for at least a full year might give him a a narrow lead going into Camp yeah I think they're going to definitely absolutely 100% use Allen as a weapon and he has the potential to be that guy and if you just throw it his way and he's a vacuum and all he's doing is catching footballs is going to be tough to keep him off the field so I think that he's get a great opportunity there but the Rams were up to something this off season and that's something was building a better running game you went out there you solidified the interior of this offensive line and then with Kobe Parkinson you might look at that deal and say wait a minute 22 and a half million 15 half million guaranteed for a guy that really have a ton of production I mean 2023 25 catches for 247 yards and two tutes that's it but wait a second you look deeper and he's one of the best blocking and run blocking tight ends in the sport last year his run blocking was eight out of 83 amongst tight ends that was ranked by PFF so that is where he's at he's a great run blocker and I think that is going to be the focus and I also think that he can emerge as a talented pass catching tight end as well yeah the the pass catching is is a TBD right we we'll we'll see we'll see what it looks like the the more he gets used in that role but I I think you bring up the best point which is they spent money on him and they didn't spend money on him to just have him stand over there and watch they they spent money on him for a reason he's very good at creating space he's very good at creating holes for running backs he's very good offensive uh blocker as far as the tight end goes and and you're right they drafted uh you know Blake Corum they leaned more heavily on Kiren Williams the later the season went and if that's how they plan on using that tight end position without Tyler Higg if Allen isn't able to present himself as a viable offensive weapon as a pass catcher maybe they Rive more there I I just always default to this sea McVey wants to throw the ball you have Matthew Stafford as your quarterback I just have a hard time envisioning them just grinding you down on the ground so I still think that's why Allen's slightly ahead because he's a better pass catching tight end but I I really do think that's the battle to look at going into Camp 100% a couple things too I want to point out Pete Carroll when he looks at tight ends it's you block first you P you catch second right that's really the mentality look at Jimmy Graham and what he did up there and also you look at the fact that he was drafted as a number two tight end but then he goes to number three because of the Russell Wilson trade in no offense so really there's a lot of reasons why he didn't have that overall production so I think this could be a steal if he realizes the potential that they think that he has but we're going to break down these position battles every day leading up to training camp we'll get another one tomorrow got the safety position wide receivers I mean so many really interesting position battles heading into this season but coming up next we're going to continue to break down the schedule what will the Rams record be after 10 games that's coming up next I'll lock on Rams when you're hiring for your small business you want to find quality professionals that are exactly right for the role that's why you have to check out LinkedIn jobs LinkedIn jobs has the tools to help find the right Professionals for your team faster and for free right when you find that right person Doug and I talk all the time about finding the right guy for the team well what about your team and putting somebody in that fills those skills exactly right but LinkedIn isn't just a job board LinkedIn helps you hire professionals that you can't find 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haven't been an every listener the last couple months definitely now is the time I mean we got eight Sundays away right I mean we were Leonard Floyd days away a couple days ago from the start of football so definitely get locked in watch and listen to every single episode membership is 100% free right now for that every listeners Club so you don't want to miss the thing about your Los Angeles Rams now Travis we're going to pick it up in the second segment where we were yesterday the next five games in the ram schedule so before we do that though we got to talk about the buy because it's an interesting buy for the Rams because you get that buy there early in the season a lot of teams you want to get that buy a little later can make them adjustments can really take advantage that rest and kind of have it as in between the two halves as possible but that's not the case for the Rams no it's not you know this is I think just the way that it kind of breaks down dmac because it feels like since the Rams have come back to LA they've had somewhere between kind of right in the middle of the Season which I always think is the best place to late in the season which would be my second choice I I I'm going by memory here I don't remember exactly but I really don't remember them having a buy this early in the season I don't like it but what are you gonna do right you get it when you get it there's not much you can do use it to your advantage you know if you're cruising and through those first five games you're four- one or whatever it is you know cross your fingers hopefully five and0 use it to rust up those little injuries and and gear up for a very long stretch down the break uh I guess what the good news is the Rams do have a lot I think they have two Thursday games this season so you get a couple of mini buys later in the year uh I I think that may help but I I don't love the fact that it comes as early as it does but it's literally one of those things what are you gonna do about it yeah they definitely have not had a buy this early week six a week six buy is incredibly early and you look at when you get to November and December when you get injuries and attrition you really just have to stay healthy I mean as cliche as it sounds you just have to avoid that and just have some luck on their side now as far as their overall schedule it's ranked 17th easiest and it depends on how you look at those kind of rankings because a lot of those are just based on the Vegas win totals and that's what they use as their key metric and we know that look at the Rams win total last year I mean you're like five and a half six games in a lot of sports books so you kind of have to throw those out of the window when it comes the National Football League but the biggest key to after the bye comes in week seven when it's the Las Vegas Raiders shout out to Chris Burman and shout out to Greg Berman too shout out to all the burmans but the Vegas Raiders that's a trap game that is your classic Trap game at Sofi Raider Nation will be there in force and yes this Raiders team they're projected to be one of the worst teams in the National Football League you went out there you signed Gardner minu but Aiden o Connell he's going to be your quarterback you went out there you added Christian Wilkinson Wilkins to try to solidify that line there but still I don't think Wilkins and really is enough and Max Crosby and that defense they're probably not going to be up to snub for this one against a Rams offense that by this point of the Season should be close to firing on all cylinders yeah look I get it the Raiders are a popular team in Los Angeles Sofi stadium is going to be filled with silver and black I get it that's that's just the the reality of of Los Angeles and of the visiting teams and and the Raiders are probably at the top of that list um Raiders are bad you know I I I I think the Rams will win that game it doesn't concern me a whole lot because this isn't something that Sean mcf struggles with traditionally I I think that they will be pretty good I think you get up knowing that you know if I'm I'm picking a team if the Seattle Seahawks are coming to Sofi Stadium you know whatever they're there all the time and you know it's going to be a fairly tepid crowd you know that it's going to be fired up because it is the Raiders the Rams have handled the Raiders uh pretty well in the Shawn McVey era so I that one really doesn't worry me all that I think that's one of the very few games that I'm comfortable putting firmly into the W category like we talk about so often it is the NFL anybody can beat anybody but this one feels like a very very good opportunity for the Rams I think they win that game comfortably that's a dub for the Rams then a week eight tnf the second prime time game of the season for the Rams taking on the Vikings excited about this matchup because this is one where at this point of the season are we seeing Sam darnold as their starting quarterback or is it gonna be JJ McCarthy who is very young all the guys that came out he was the youngest of them all he's got the national championship pedigree with Michigan but they ran a very different style than they're going to be running with Kevin oconnell so it'll be interesting to see where they're at at that point of the Season Brian Flores is someone who has definitely given Matthew Stafford and McVey a little trouble in the past but it's gonna be interesting one to say at least I still think the Rams win this one though I I do too it's at home you know those short weeks are brutal and it's even more brutal on the team that has to go on the road because you lose a day to travel so I I think the Rams have an advantage right there and you mentioned it as well the Rams or I should say the Vikings quarterback situation at best will be mediocre right your two options are Sam darnold and I hate this because I'm a Sam darnold fan I've always thought that he just needed a a chance that didn't include the Jets and the the Carolina Panthers two trash organizations to to get a chance to play he really hasn't uh obviously they're getting ready for JJ McCarthy to take that job so I don't know how much of a real chance he's going to get in Minnesota uh you'll either have a a Sam darnold who's on a short leash or you're gonna have a rookie quarterback who's just getting started I like the Rams in that one too yeah the time you think of Sam darnold think of Haley Jill Osman you know I see dead people he sees ghosts right so I don't know if he's seeing ghosts anymore he's kind of gotten past that but yeah honestly kind of a joury man but I will say he's had a better career than Josh Rosen so I mean yeah I can I was that first time was really speechless I mean that cut me deep Travis don't appreciate that one but then you got week nine November 3D at Seattle Seattle's always interesting I mean new head coach Mike McDonald's gonna be weird to see that team without Pete Carrol on the sidelines we know Shawn mcvey's success against the Seahawks but it is up in Seattle it depends on how their season's going to be starting and where they're going to be at that juncture of the season because it could be a Down year you never know what you're going to get with Seattle I mean a couple years ago they're going to have a down year they had a good year last year supposed to have a good year they had a bad year or they had a okay year and they were just out of the playoff mix and then the Rams coming off that mini buy it's a road game so it could be tough it's kind of a coin flip game for me I still think the Rams go up there and win because it's sha McVey against the first time head coach with that Seahawks team I still like the Rams in this one yeah me too I you know the there are matchups that you just feel good about and the Rams against the Seahawks is a matchup that you feel good about Pete Carol uh isn't there anymore I I think that's something that we're going to have to get used to looking at maybe it changes a little bit different you know maybe not for the better for the Rams as good as Pete Carroll was I think that Sean McVey kind of understood what Pete Carroll was trying to do against him and I had a little bit of an advantage right there uh I I I like this one for the Rams too I think that this next five game Run is the spot for the Rams to put some money in the bank to to really win some games and and and put themselves in a position to not just go into the second half of the year uh with an opportunity to compete for a dision division title to compete for a playoff spot but keep in mind what we've been talking about really for several months here put yourself in a position to look attractive for the return of 99 and these are some games that you have to win along the way so when you do get to week 134 and you're looking at that record is it a position that somebody sitting at home in Pittsburgh watching saying I want to come back and do that these are the games that you need to win I like them winning this one too first time head coach Shan McVey on a mini bu McVey 10 and5 all time against Seattle really could be a better record if you look at some of those games in 2022 so yeah give me the Rams in that one week 10 is going to be interesting not going to take a Victory lap I'm not one of those guys I did say that the Dolphins was going to be a Prime Time game and it turned out that it was Monday Night Football I love this matchup man a great Jersey game we love a great Jersey game Travis it's GNA be a great Jersey game the Dolphins in that Aqua the Rams in their soul and you look at the Dolphins I mean the the really big concern I have in this one is if their offense is right and they're really on track at that point of the Season well that short passing game is something that always scares me against the Rams defense will Chris schula correct that or will it still be an issue and it's going to be Monday football all eyeses are going to be out in Sofi Stadium I think I'm going to just predict a loss there just because I can't have this team going 72 Dolphins against the Dolphins so I need some L's in here somewhere where I'm going to say the Rams lose that one on MF yeah it's an interesting one look this this portion of the season is when two attack of aloa looks like a really good NFL quarterback this is the part where he's really cranked up and looks really good Tyreek Hill is explosive he's one of the most dangerous guys in the whole league so this is the portion of the Season where you know whether you're listening to lock on dolphins or watching ESPN or fox or whatever it is you know hey you know is a great pick right now the Miami yeah cool in October that's always what the Dolphins feel like but that's when the Rams get them I I'm with you uh you don't win you know going on four five six game winning streaks in the NFL doesn't happen very often there you have to stub your toe and if I had to pick one I'm with you here I think that's Miami and you nailed it dmac Tyreek Hill in space against this defense okay I mean good luck the Rams don't have any I don't know if the league has anybody that can run with that guy but the Rams in particular uh that that's a matchup I don't love for them it's going to be tough but I will say though that this Dolphins roster in 2024 is not as good as the Dolphins roster in 20123 jayen Phillips you got Bradley chub both recovering from injuries like we just talking about for the Raiders they quired him and he was on the dolphins with Christian Wilkins so it's not as good of a roster but man it's the thing that's SKS me too is McDaniels someone that uh is I mean comes off that coaching tree so I mean it's always something that really concerns me as well but to be excited me can't wait to see another Monday Night Football game at Sofi Stadium you say yeah me too and and look the do I'd rather play the Dolphins late in the year when Tua turns back into Tua I I'm just not a tua believer but there's always that four five six sometimes seven eight week window in the middle of the Season where he is just absolutely terrific and that's where this one lands is get the Mike McDaniel the Kyle Shanahan the laflor always concerns me just a little bit then week 11 November 17th at New England so it's the 2 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time start for the Rams so it's an East Co trip Rams flying to Beantown on a short week too a short week on the road big question for me is who's the quarterback for the Patriots at that point is it going to be Drake May because the Patriots they're going to still be one of the worst teams in the National Football League I think Mayo has a lot of potential as a head coach but I think this is where you get a bounceback dub for the Rams they get this win and they're seven and3 after their first 10 games yeah I I like them winning that game too I think the Patriots are very under talented on offense I'd be stunned if it wasn't Drake May by the time you get there and by the way this is another rookie quarterback the Rams could have three rookie because Caleb Williams JJ McCarthy Drake may they could see all three of those guys in the first 10 games of their season that's an advantage I I think for them uh but you nailed it right it's early in the morning it's on the east coast it's against a team that you know Mayo who knows what that looks like right you at least with Bill bichi he kind of had an idea what he was going to try to do to you as daunting of a challenge as it was at least it was a familiar challenge uh I will say this though when it comes to those 10 a.m games on the East Coast Shawn McVey has come as close to cracking the code on how to do that as anybody else the Rams have had a great deal of success for a West Coast team going east for that early start uh more or as much as just about anybody um and I just don't think the Patriots are going to have a great season and so I like them winning that game as well absolutely I think that's definitely something that you love about sha McVey is understanding kind of how to crack the code on that and how difficult it can be miles traveled I mean hey we know how his influence has been on the NFL with not playing the starters in training camp and everyone copying that I mean those those little things that sha McVey has kind of mastered to an extent or at least had a lot of success compared to other coaches on this Coast so definitely love that so 7 and3 after 10 we're going to break down the next five tomorrow but coming up next we continue our countdown of the most important Rams heading into the 2024 season that's coming up next on lock on Rams we all love sports right I love them dmac loves them we love them so much you never want them to stop but as you know we're into that part of the season right it's just kind of baseball at the moment there are fewer and fewer games and you know there's just not quite as many things as we'd like to but FanDuel they let the sports keep going going whenever we want all you have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime that you are in the mood and this summer FanDuel hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that's right there's something for everyone every day all summer long look you hear Doug and I talking this is locked on Rams so we talk a lot of Dodger baseball in the show what about show for a Triple Crown what about shohi for a batting title what about show for MVP you probably don't want the Dodgers in the division not great odds there but what about the Dodgers getting into the World Series all sorts of great baseball bets over at FanDuel but you got to go there right fanduel.com FanDuel app on your phone and start making the most out of your summer FanDuel the official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball and welcome back to locked on Rams thank you for making lockon Rams your first listen every single weekday free and available wherever get your podcast locked on Rams part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day all right trais here in the third segment we're going to pick up on our countdown of the most important Rams heading into the 2024 season and we're at 19 with Braden Fisk now before we get into Fisk as a player I think it's important to point out that he was with the biggest overpay in the draft according to ESPN's draft evaluations picker the day two overpay I mean they gave up the 52nd the 155th and the 2025 second round pick to Carolina for the 39th pick that was was the biggest overpay in six years so point is they really loved Braden Fisk they wanted to combine him with Jared verse see if they kind of recapture that seminal magic and it tells you that they really felt like we got to fill Aaron Donald's shoes We're not gonna do with one guy we're gonna do with multiple guys yeah like you said when you you know it's it's the you want the car you want the house you want whatever it is like I'm not going to let somebody else get this I need to have it I'm not going to come in there uh a little heavy and make an offer that the other guy can't match so maybe that's what they did with Fisk I I I always d m you know this about me when it comes to draft stuff and did you overpay did you underpay let's talk about this in 2027 then we'll know right right now everybody a lot of people overpaid for their houses in 2001 right exactly that that's exactly right you overpaid for your house and then turn around it's triple what you paid for it did you really overpay probably not right um this is one of those things that the cost of it won't be known for quite some time what matters is how he plays on the field I expect him to play pretty well I like what you said about pairing him with Jared verse somebody that he's familiar with the wild card in all of this is Chris schula the Wild Card in all of this is a firsttime defensive coordinator putting together a bunch of young guys keep in mind Kobe Turner Byron young second-year player Braden Fisk a a rookie player Jared verse a rookie these are four of your 11 starters at least and you don't have that veteran leadership of Aaron Donald that's been there before you do have Ernest Jones you do have some other guys that you can lean on a little bit but this defense is going to be young at its core and you've got a firsttime defensive coordinator leading the charge I I I think that this is a fascinating component of the Rams teams like we have no questions about what that offense is going to look like assuming Health right but even assuming Health on the defensive side I don't know man I I I'm optimistic I think they've got some good players there but what does that look like without 99 what does it look like without Raheem Morris we simply don't know that's why guys like fist guys like verse really need to step up in their first years yeah that's a great point about all this unknown because the truth of the matter is we haven't even put the pads on yet so we don't know what it looks like in pads and sha McVey said that you can feel him at practices well let's see what he's saying after the pads are on and that really is the biggest difference and I do love his versatility you can play him at tackle you can play him at defensive end and the Rams really haven't had a highly productive defensive end in quite some time but I think this really is a pressure move on Kobe Turner can Kobe Turner continue to take steps in the right direction will he build on that momentum because I can't wait to see him without Aaron Don very anxious to see because he continues that success Braden fist can be a guy that can help him and eat because of him Turner and young need to somehow some way match or get very close to matching their production from a year ago and doing I mean that's that's what's that 17 sacks between the two of them okay and and and you the Aaron I mean we all saw the pictures Aaron Don's got three guys blocking him okay there Le two other guys to go other places now where Aaron Donald not there let's see what it looks like and that's why Fisk and that's why verse really need to step up to take some of the pressure off of Turner and young we need that Fisk vers buddy cot movie Man an offseason everything goes right I mean BFF's right there but that's going to do it for this episode of lockon rams my name is Doug McCain you can follow me on X and Instagram dmac corla and you can follow the people's champ Mr Travis Rogers Travis Rogers until next time whose house it's locked on Rams house