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Rams LB Ernest Jones ready to surge with Bobby Wagner by his side
The second-year Ram says the addition of Bobby Wagner won’t lessen his role and will make the defense better this season by giving it two versatile inside linebackers.
www.dailynews.com
THOUSAND OAKS — Ernest Jones understands the days of NFL teams consistently playing two or more inside linebackers are fading, but the Rams’ second-year linebacker wants to bring back the smashmouth approach that Ray Lewis and other legends played with before defenses evolved to keep pace in today’s pass-heavy league.
“I want to make the game for the linebackers back to how it used to be,” Jones said. “Allow us to go run around, hit, make the plays that come to us and the ones that don’t come to us. That’s the big thing to me, to show that we can still do it all. We don’t just need DB (defensive back) bodies. You can still go freaking tackle, run, go cover passes, do it all.”
Doing it all is what keeps inside linebackers on the field nowadays and why middle linebacker Bobby Wagner built a Hall of Fame-quality career with the Seattle Seahawks for 10 seasons before joining Jones and the Rams this season.
Wagner will likely stay on the field when the Rams go into their dime package, a formation with six defensive backs and one inside linebacker. That will probably take snaps from Jones, but the Rams will search for ways to ensure their young linebacker is heavily involved with the defense.
Jones stepped up in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals after Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris made the second-half adjustment to blitz Jones a handful of times, creating constant pressure on quarterback Joe Burrow and leading to seven team sacks, including one from Jones.
“That was something that I had been doing throughout the season, was blitzing,” Jones said. “Just throughout the Super Bowl, we felt there was a need and there was a really big mismatch as far as them blocking me. … Coaches started sending me more in the second half.”
Jones’ old-school physical play style helped the Rams become Super Bowl champions, but he wants to continue developing as an all-around linebacker, and having Wagner by his side has helped with that.
“In a sense, I think my role has gotten bigger with him coming in,” Jones said. “I think we both established that there are two good linebackers on the team that they want to keep out here on the field. But in a sense, I don’t feel like my role has lessened. I feel like for me it’s just getting better, just continuing to grow. And when I’m out there with him, let’s go dominate.”
The Rams could opt to keep Jones and Wagner on the field often to offset their lack of pass rushers. The team is hoping the combination of Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis will be enough to aid top outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and fill the void of Von Miller, who joined the Buffalo Bills in free agency. Wagner and Jones often rushed the passer in training camp, and will likely do the same Thursday to start the season against quarterback Josh Allen and his talented Bills offense.
“I think me and Bobby have done a great job coming in, doing the things necessary to rush the passer, just create mismatches and allow us to go out there and win,” Jones said. “Effect the game in not only run defense and pass coverage, but also rushing the passer from outside position to rushing versus running backs.”
The game has changed, but the Rams have a blend of smashmouth and versatility from their duo at inside linebacker. Jones refers to Wagner as the Ray Lewis of this generation and he still smiles every time he’s reminded of being Wagner’s teammate.
“For me, this is crazy, he is the Ray Lewis of our generation,” Jones said. “There’s nobody who’s been better in the last 10, 11 years.”
STAFFORD GOOD TO GO
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford reiterated that he will have no limitations for Thursday night’s season opener against the Buffalo Bills despite experiencing elbow soreness in his throwing arm.
“I feel good,” Stafford said Sunday. “I’m ready to go, no limitations. I feel great. I’m ready to go play. … I feel really good. I feel like I could make every throw. Don’t know what else you need to hear from me.”
Rams coach Sean McVay said he will not hesitate to call 50-plus throws for Stafford in a game this season if that’s what it takes for the team to win.
Stafford, 34, was a limited participant for two weeks during training camp to manage the arm soreness, but the 14th-year quarterback showed no signs of limitations by making a variety of impressive throws throughout the summer. Stafford also dealt with arm soreness last season en route to leading the Rams to a Super Bowl championship.
“I’m not (concerned),” McVay said. “I think we’ve got a really good plan in place. No different really from last year. These are things that he was kind of working through in his own way, but you always want to be cognizant of a pitch count. But he’s feeling as good as … I tell you what, he’s thrown the ball excellent. He feels good. Everything that I’m seeing is reflective of everything he’s saying to me. I feel very good about that.
“Can’t look back at the past. It is something that will be very similar to last year. It’s not really anything that’s different.”
Stafford and the Rams aren’t concerned about the elbow soreness and they’re trying everything they can to limit the pain.
“I could always be better at trying to feel like I’m 21 again,” Stafford jokingly said. “I’ll keep trying.”
ALSO
Wide receiver Van Jefferson, who underwent knee surgery last year, didn’t practice Sunday. McVay said they’re taking it day-by-day with his recovery process. …
The Rams had their “Wednesday practice” of Week 1 under scorching conditions that reached 104 degrees Sunday in Thousand Oaks.
“It is something out there right now,” McVay said. “The only thing that’ll change is that we’ll get a lot more hydration breaks than normal. Our guys handled it really well, but golly, it is thick out there. But our guys did a great job in the walk-through. We won’t change anything in terms of our rhythm and routine. We just might add a couple more hydration breaks.”
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