Random Ramsdom: Matthew Judon jokingly trying to recruit Rams’ Aaron Donald?

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 1/21/23

Patriots’ Defensive Leader Recruiting Aaron Donald? ‘Just Saying!’ (fannation/si)

“Superteams” are often a luxury afforded to the hardwood of the NBA, with New England used to the idea thanks to the Boston Celtics’ union of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce in 2008. New England Patriots star Matthew Judon appears to be trying to bring the concept to the gridiron.

The Patriots’ season has been over for just over a week, but Judon is already back on the recruiting trail, apparently setting his sights on Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald. Southern California’s defensive legend missed the final month of the season with an injury but remained active in NFL headlines thanks to a cryptic change in his Twitter bio that labeled him a “former NFL D Linemen.” Donald has since this week assuring followers of his return, one that would be a $26 million cap hit for the Rams.

That seemingly secure financial situation didn’t stop Judon from making a brief, number-centered pitch, letting Donald (replying to analysis from fellow Rams alum Chris Long) know that it wouldn’t be hard for the equipment managers in New England to stitch up a jersey for him.

“Aye ain’t nobody wearing 99 in New England. Just saying,” Judon said, closing his tweet with a shrug emoji.

In New England lore, the No. 99 is perhaps best represented by former defensive lineman Mike Wright, who spent seven seasons with the team after joining as an undrafted free agent in 2005. While Judon is correct that no beater of 99 currently resides on New England’s active roster, it does stand as the current digits of linebacker Jamie Collins, who lingers on the Patriots’ practice squad.”

Eric Weddle says Joe Burrow and the Bengals have no hope of beating the Bills (cincyjungle)

“The Cincinnati Bengals may be underdogs vs. the Buffalo Bills, but there’s been a surprising lack of belief that the road team can pull off this win.

After all, these very Bengals won two road playoff games just last season, including the AFC Championship at Kansas City.

Someone should probably let Eric Weddle know this.

During an appearance on Kay Adams’ Up And Adams Show, the former NFL safety let everyone know who wins Sunday, saying the Bengals have no hope of pulling off the win at Orchard Park, largely due to the deficiencies along an offensive line that’s lost three starters over the last month.

“They got zero chance against the Bills,” Weddle boldly stated. “They can’t protect Joe (Burrow). They got zero chance. They can’t protect him.”

Keep them picks?: Snead says LA Rams must reload in draft (yahoo!news)

“LOS ANGELES (AP) — Les Snead says the Los Angeles Rams need to replenish their organizational depth, and he is looking forward to doing it by making a bunch of draft picks in the next few years.

That’s not a change in philosophy for the general manager who humorously wore a T-shirt to the Rams’ Super Bowl parade featuring the profane meme claiming that he, well, doesn’t much care for draft choices.

Instead, it’s the logical next step in the evolution of the franchise that won a championship a year ago and then finished the current campaign at 5-12. The Rams’ worst injury luck since their return to Los Angeles exposed the depth lacking on a roster that has added only six players from the top two rounds since coming home to California seven years ago.

The Rams’ next step in “Chapter 3 of the Sean McVay Era,” as Snead called it Thursday, is to put better depth behind Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner and Jalen Ramsey.

“When you get in a situation where you’re now relying more on players on their rookie contracts to actually be key contributors, key starters, (then) getting back to having some first-rounders, getting back to having second- and third-rounders will be advantageous,” Snead said.

Snead admitted the 2022 Rams simply weren’t as deep as his previous teams, and he’s eager to add depth however he can — starting with the upcoming draft in which he expects to have 10 picks, although most will be on Day 3.

That’s the price of repeatedly trading high-round picks for proven veteran players in a strategy that produced five winning seasons, four playoff berths, three NFC West titles and two Super Bowl appearances over an outstanding half-decade.

“We’re probably going to have to not press the gas as much, pay a little bit of the debt that we’ve accumulated,” Snead said. “As you do some of the things that we’ve done, you’re going to push some of that down the road. But we’ve been able to be competitive paying some of that debt as well. … There are ways — not necessarily easy, but this league is not easy — and it’s up to us to be creative, innovative and to try to figure that out.”

The Rams made seven of their eight picks last year on Day 3, and they got very little out of the group: Only fourth-round defensive back Cobie Durant made a sustained impact on the field.

The Rams haven’t made a first-round pick since 2016, and they don’t have another until 2024, with their sixth overall choice this April belonging to the Detroit Lions.

Snead admits the Rams need a modest rebuild, although he’s calling it a “remodel.”

Report: Chargers request interview with Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson (chargerswire)

“Robinson started as an Oklahoma State star quarterback in 2007-09. After that, he bounced around the NFL for four years, mainly as a practice-squad quarterback, and never appeared in a game. Robinson then became a quarterback trainer in the Dallas area and an analyst for Pro Football Focus.

Rams head coach Sean McVay, who has hired various young, inexperienced coaches, brought in Robinson as assistant quarterbacks coach. Robinson moved to assistant wide receivers coach in 2020, then back to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2021. When Kevin O’Connell got the Vikings head coaching job, McVay hired Robinson as quarterback coach and pass-game coordinator, where he elevated Matt Stafford and helped Baker Mayfield find success in L.A upon becoming the starter.

Chargers HC Brandon Staley is familiar with Robinson, having been on the Rams’ staff in 2020 when he was their defensive coordinator.”