Rams' Lloyd will follow McDaniels

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Kinda saw this coming... Lloyd mentioned this in passing weeks ago.

Jim Thomas
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-lloyd-will-follow-mcdaniels/article_d673e251-dbb8-59f6-9a6f-5d2665d39a20.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... 39a20.html</a>


[wrapimg=left]http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/48/848fecce-13cb-11e1-a6f9-001a4bcf6878/4efd416f9a4fc.preview-300.jpg[/wrapimg]Brandon Lloyd has experienced only two victories in 10 games with the Rams. And after leading the NFL in reception yards (1,448) in 2010 as a Denver Bronco, he might not reach 1,000 this season.

Nonetheless, Lloyd has been happy as a Ram and says he wants to return to St. Louis next season and beyond.

"I would like to stay here," he told the Post-Dispatch. "I've been well-received by the players, by the coaches, by the community. It's been overwhelming; an overwhelmingly warm reception. Coming back to Missouri and St. Louis. I would love to grow with Sam Bradford; that would be awesome. I've never had a true elite-level quarterback in my career."

But there's a catch for Lloyd, the Kansas City area native who's scheduled for unrestricted free agency after this season. If offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels leaves St. Louis, Lloyd would attempt to follow.

"I can't even lie about that," Lloyd said. "I'm tied to McDaniels. He uses me differently than other offensive coordinators used me in my entire career. He uses me as an every-play receiver. The short game, mid-range game, gimmick passes, deep balls.

"I do everything in this offense as opposed to other coordinators who would just run me off as the deep guy; run me off into double coverage and then say I'm not open. So I really like how Josh uses me within the offense. I'm extremely comfortable in the offense. So that is definitely going to be a. ...

At this point Lloyd paused and didn't finish the thought.

A consideration? A factor?


"Probably No. 1 (as a factor)," Lloyd replied. "Because I want to be successful, and I want to earn whatever money I'm making. I want to be used in ways where I feel comfortable and I can be successful. And Josh knows how to do that."

When informed of those comments by Lloyd, McDaniels replied: "I appreciate that, and he knows I feel that way about him, too. I would love to have an opportunity to continue working with him. I think you grow fond of certain players; you grow fond of all of them. But some of 'em you may get closer with than others, and that's definitely true with him.

"Any time you have a chance to work with good people, that play hard, and give you a chance to win, that's the best for everybody."

Obviously, at this point it's difficult to say whether McDaniels will be back with the Rams in 2012. For one, head coach Steve Spagnuolo could get fired — and a new head coach might want a different coordinator.

And even in a season in which the Rams have struggled mightily to score, his name has been mentioned as a head-coaching possibility in Kansas City.

Lloyd leads the Rams in receptions (45), reception yards (583), and touchdown catches (four) despite the extra attention he gets from opposing defenses. Counting his time with the Broncos this season, Lloyd has 64 catches for 866 yards.

"He's been a tremendous addition for us with what he's done this year," Spagnuolo said. "He's been through three quarterbacks — so to get the timing, it's been hard for him. He's a competitor and a prideful guy, and we love that about him, so I'm sure it hasn't been easy. And yet you don't see it in him when you look out there watching practice."

Lloyd was traded to the Rams on Oct. 17, or the day after Bradford suffered his initial high ankle sprain.

After parachuting into a new club in the middle of a season, Lloyd had A.J. Feeley throwing to him for two games, followed by four games with Bradford, then Feeley again for a game, then Bradford for a game, and then Kellen Clemens for the last two. In the midst of all that quarterback chaos were a few practices in which Tom Brandstater did all or much of the throwing with the starters.

That revolving door explains why some of the passes might have been underthrown, overthrown or just didn't get there to Lloyd, who is a long-strider with deceptive speed.

"It's tough for (the quarterbacks) because they just don't know my speed," Lloyd said. "It's a timing thing. One day, I'll come whipping around on one of those routes and they'll drop it right on me. And that's happened a couple times with Kellen already. So that's how I prepare running the routes. I don't expect 'em to fail. I guess it's a positive outlook."

In fact, Lloyd says the Rams' quarterback situation has been nothing compared to what he faced at some of his other stops in the NFL.

"This has actually been really easy compared to San Francisco, where I had guys starting in games like Cody Pickett, Ken Dorsey, Tim Rattay, Alex Smith — all in one year," Lloyd said. "So this hasn't been that bad."

The 49ers season Lloyd was referring to was 2005, Smith's rookie year.

"What makes those situations bad is when you have young quarterbacks in there, and that's what my experience was like in San Francisco," Lloyd said.

Lloyd has had backups with experience throwing to him with the Rams in Feeley and Clemens.

"Kellen has game experience and he's mature," Lloyd said. "He knows how to study. He knows the Xs and Os. I went up to him last week and I was like, 'I don't know how you're doing this.' Even the first game, I'm like, 'How are you even picking this up?' He said, 'I know the concepts.'

"I trust him, you know? So that's what's made it a lot easier. This has been a good experience for me. I'm just happy that I'm able to run routes and catch passes as a wide receiver. Honestly. This has been a good season for me, compared to what it could've been."

That was a reference to his most recent club — Denver. The Broncos don't throw many passes with Tim Tebow at quarterback.

"Regardless of the record, I want to play football as a wide receiver," Lloyd said. "That's been my dream since I was 6 years old. Catch passes, run routes, score touchdowns. Do the whole thing, and show my skill and my expertise at the position.

"So it's been really great. Even working with a banged-up Sam Bradford, he's been better than a lot of quarterbacks I've worked with in my past."

Given time in the pocket, Lloyd says there's not a pass Bradford can't complete. He got a first-hand view of that in the Rams' Nov. 6 game in Arizona, Lloyd's first Rams game with Bradford at quarterback.

"I remember a 25-yard go, and then I stop at 25 yards," Lloyd said. "Sam's on the opposite hash, and zings it like on a rope. That was a sight. I saw that on film and I'm like, 'Wow. That's elite. That's not normal.' "

Will Lloyd be back to catch more passes like that with Bradford? Let's see if McDaniels is back.
 

JdashSTL

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"So it's been really great. Even working with a banged-up Sam Bradford, he's been better than a lot of quarterbacks I've worked with in my past."

ZING! :mrgreen:
 

bluecoconuts

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Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.
 

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bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.
Nah. Just need someone who yells really loud to scare everything into place. Honestly though, as long as the defensive scheme remains mostly in tact, things won't change much. I mean, we can really only go up on the offensive side of the ball.
 

JdashSTL

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bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

Well whats more important to him, a OC that gets the most out of him, or the chance to improve his chemistry with a young, talented QB? He said Bradford is the most talented one hes worked with, but he also has a great relationship with McD.
 

steferfootball

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Conspiracy Theory to contemplate:

Is this a ploy to make it harder for Kronke to fire Spags and co?

Who knows what else has happened behind closed doors.
 

Angry Ram

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bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.
 

steferfootball

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Angry Ram said:
bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.
Excellent points.

Particularly about the differences between Now and when spags took over. That team had no depth or young core - and now we do. While we are not the packers, we have certain role players who can get the job done.

Note: I'm not claiming I'm not clamming the depth is good, just better.
 

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Angry Ram said:
bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.
I'd kind of miss his talent. He at least showed us what it looks like when a receiver has a ton of experience. And his knowledge of McDaniels' system really showed us what continuity WITHIN a system would look like. Now, that said, McDaniels is gone in 2013 regardless. If not sooner. So a new system is going to happen whether we want it to or not. I can't think of any disciples of McDaniels off the top of my head right now who could step in and keep that system going. So even if he stays next year, and Lloyd stays, and they draft a good receiver high, and everything comes together, then what? 2013 it's gone. Unless, like I said, someone comes in as coordinator and has a similar playbook or a variation thereof.

That's kind of the worst case scenario of course. Hopefully by then, all of our receivers will be battle tested, smarter, and will have more experience to fall back on when a change in coordinators is inevitable.
 

steferfootball

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X said:
I can't think of any disciples of McDaniels off the top of my head right now who could step in and keep that system going.
Ben McDaniels (brother), but I don't know how much experience he has.

Other options are some guys from the Patriot's organization, such as Charlie Weiss. Or perhaps just an up and comer from NE.

There are options - not as many as for, say the west coast.
 

superfan24

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steferfootball said:
X said:
I can't think of any disciples of McDaniels off the top of my head right now who could step in and keep that system going.
Ben McDaniels (brother), but I don't know how much experience he has.

Other options are some guys from the Patriot's organization, such as Charlie Weiss. Or perhaps just an up and comer from NE.

There are options - not as many as for, say the west coast.

ugh not Weiss
 

JdashSTL

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Angry Ram said:
bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.

Well its really hard to evaluate Lloyd since hes been here because im pretty sure hes gotten more reps with our backup QBs lol. Just imagine if we keep him and added someone like Jeffrey, Floyd, or Blackmon. That could be a damn good pair of #1 and #2 WRs.
 

Angry Ram

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X said:
Angry Ram said:
bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.
I'd kind of miss his talent. He at least showed us what it looks like when a receiver has a ton of experience. And his knowledge of McDaniels' system really showed us what continuity WITHIN a system would look like. Now, that said, McDaniels is gone in 2013 regardless. If not sooner. So a new system is going to happen whether we want it to or not. I can't think of any disciples of McDaniels off the top of my head right now who could step in and keep that system going. So even if he stays next year, and Lloyd stays, and they draft a good receiver high, and everything comes together, then what? 2013 it's gone. Unless, like I said, someone comes in as coordinator and has a similar playbook or a variation thereof.

That's kind of the worst case scenario of course. Hopefully by then, all of our receivers will be battle tested, smarter, and will have more experience to fall back on when a change in coordinators is inevitable.

No doubt about it he was the best WR we had, but still 1 good year and @ 31 years old? I'd kinda like a young, legit guy that will be here for 10 years. It doesn't even have Andre Johnson caliber. I'd take Roddy White or Vincent jackson caliber.

JdashSTL said:
Angry Ram said:
bluecoconuts said:
Hm... That wouldn't be fun. New HC, new OC, probably new DC, no more #1 WR... That would put the team back years if you ask me.

I'm in the minority here, but I wouldn't shed a tear if Lloyd walked. I never was as stoked as others here and those in the media. He has one great season and all of a sudden is a legit #1 WR?

This guy has bounced from 4 different teams, and most recently, Denver, is scoring more points and are 1 win away from the playoffs.

I'm not so big on McDaniels either. Would it suck w/ a new system? Yeah, but honestly it can't get worse. There isn't enough scoring, even w/ healthy players. When it's @ the 1 yard line...well you know where I'm going with that.

This is a great FA class for WRs, and have 3 real good ones in the draft and possibly some 2nd, 3rd round guys.

The difference b/w this team that the new coach will get (assuming there is a new coach) is that he'll have a good young core to work with rather than just Steven Jackson and Ron Bartell like when Spags got here.

Well its really hard to evaluate Lloyd since hes been here because im pretty sure hes gotten more reps with our backup QBs lol. Just imagine if we keep him and added someone like Jeffrey, Floyd, or Blackmon. That could be a damn good pair of #1 and #2 WRs.

I can see that, but I just don't he's this bonafide #1 superstar type guy. Great #1a type guy.
 

BatteringRambo

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Personally given the circumstances when he got here, Bradford got the ankle 'incident', and still came right in and contributed w/ a few freakish sideline snags esp the one-handed grab maintaining control to the ground. He had several productive games w/ Feely and recently w/ Clemens, that says a lot. We already owe Denver our 5th rd pick. I am so happy we didn't go after Vincent Jackson reactively last season to possibly fill that true #1 wr threat need, 2-2nd rounders is too much for this team to give up even last season. Now, I will not have any fan grudge toward Lloyd if in fact McD goes elsewhere and he follows.

It's obvious we still need to add a speedster, tall, physical receiver and it will be addressed in the draft very early or by way of a potential free agent-there are a handful that would be welcome. However, if McD stays and Lloyd I am confident he's still a game changer and if you can run this offense how it's mapped out to w/ the physical line protection and Kendricks, Lloyd, Amendola, and X-Draft/FA true #1 WR TBD... well that's one sick core of WR's to have at Bradford's disposal given an entire offseason and full training camp.