The Sports Report: Why the Rams signed linebacker Bobby Wagner

The Sports Report: Why the Rams signed linebacker Bobby Wagner

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Gary Klein: Record-setting receiver Cooper Kupp said he wanted negotiations on a new contract with the Rams to be a collaborative effort, something that would result in a great outcome for his family and for the team.

“That place exists,” he said this week, “and it’s just getting there.”

The Rams and Kupp got there Wednesday, Kupp signing a three-year extension.

Terms of the deal were not available, but the extension includes $75 million in guarantees and could be worth as much as $80 million, a person with knowledge of the situation said. Kupp has two years remaining on an extension he signed in 2020, making the total value of the five-year deal worth $110 million, the person said.

In a video posted to the team’s Twitter account, Kupp said he is glad to “be here for the long haul.”

“It’s just going to be an incredible ride,” he said. “Can’t wait to get back at it.”

Tweeted star cornerback Jalen Ramsey: “SECURED! Love to see guys who earned & deserve a pay day get it!”

Kupp, the NFL’s offensive player of the year in 2021, led the league with 145 receptions, 1,949 yards receiving and 16 touchdown catches, becoming the first player since 2005 to win the so-called triple crown. Kupp caught eight passes, two for touchdowns, in the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

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Despite elbow rehab, Rams’ Matthew Stafford says he’ll be throwing by training camp

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NFL Power Rankings: Broncos, Ravens, Chargers among big risers post-draft, Rams stay No. 1, new team in cellar

NFL Power Rankings: Broncos, Ravens, Chargers among big risers post-draft, Rams stay No. 1, new team in cellar

Aside from a few veteran moves here and there, most NFL teams have a good idea of who they will be bringing to training camp. That means with free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft behind us, it’s time for another batch of my Power Rankings.

I bet you can’t wait.

I always keep the defending Super Bowl champions in the top spot until the regular season kicks off, so the Los Angeles Rams stay there. There is no reason to believe they can’t be in the mix to win it all again. 

They will once again be a talented team loaded with stars, but general manager Les Snead also knows how to supplement his roster with young players who can contribute. That won’t change, which is why the Rams remain in the top spot.

Some teams have moved up in these Power Rankings after impressive offseasons, while others have fallen off because they haven’t kept up. The NFL formula seems to be about going for it now, which is the formula the Rams used to win a Super Bowl last year.

In a league of copycats, that seems to be catching on. That’s why the offseason has been wild with a ton of big-name trades that have kept the interest at an all-time high.

The top team from the AFC in these rankings is the Buffalo Bills. I think they were the best team at the end of last season and would have won it all, were it not for those horribly-played 13 seconds at the end of the playoff loss to the Chiefs.

The Bills have done a nice job of filling in some key spots this offseason, but made a big splash adding pass rusher Von Miller. Sacking the quarterback late in games won’t be an issue

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2022 NFL free agency team-by-team grades: Raiders, Bills, Buccaneers, Chargers, Rams and Jets among winners

2022 NFL free agency team-by-team grades: Raiders, Bills, Buccaneers, Chargers, Rams and Jets among winners

The 2022 NFL offseason is officially upon us. Several big-name quarterbacks found new homes ahead of the kickoff of the legal tampering period Monday, but now dozens of notable veterans are actually hitting the market, free to negotiate with other teams. From blockbuster moves to bargain-bin shopping, we’ve got you covered below with a running tracker of every team’s 2022 additions, including external signings and trade acquisitions:

Acquisitions:

It’s not that the players the Cardinals added or retained are bad; Conner and Ertz are vital to their offense. But paying those two a combined $50M+ on long-term deals? What is this, 2017? Arizona went all in on older and/or injury-prone veterans a year ago, but it’d be nice to see the team go a little greener if its gonna spend big money. It has also got pass rusher to address.

Locking up one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers is fine. But they’ve got lots of holes still to fill, especially if they plan on competing with Matt Ryan (or, somehow, Deshaun Watson) at QB. Letting Russell Gage walk may haunt them. They did recently take a step in the right direction by inking Casey Hayward to a two-year deal to be the team’s No. 2 corner. 

There are other areas (OL, DL) that need addressing, but Williams is a top-flight ball hawk who will instantly improve their defense in transition, especially alongside a healthier Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey, etc.

Von Miller will be a huge difference maker on defense. They basically swapped out Daryl Williams for Saffold, which isn’t an obvious upgrade. Settle is a solid pickup for the D-line, as is Howard for the offense.

Foreman gives them big-bodied insurance for Christian McCaffrey, which is smart. And Corbett is their best O-line investment in two years. Woods, meanwhile,

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Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI with 23-20 comeback win over Cincinnati Bengals | NFL News

Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI with 23-20 comeback win over Cincinnati Bengals | NFL News

Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp named Super Bowl MVP after 92-yard and two-TD game; Odell Beckham Jr exits with knee injury in the first half; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sacked a joint-Super-Bowl-record seven times

Last Updated: 14/02/22 6:51pm


Highlights of Super Bowl LVI between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals

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Highlights of Super Bowl LVI between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals

Highlights of Super Bowl LVI between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals

The Los Angeles Rams came back to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in stunning fashion in Super Bowl LVI, lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a 23-20 win at home in SoFi Stadium.

Story of the Game

Trailing 20-16 with six minutes and 13 seconds to go, Matthew Stafford – who gets a ring in his first season in Los Angeles – led the Rams on a 15-play, 79-yard drive capped with a one-yard touchdown pass to Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, who also converted a key fourth down play earlier on the same series.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals would get the ball back with a minute and 25 left but, with the Rams pass rush repeatedly getting home in the second half, Aaron Donald delivered the game-ending hit on fourth down.

Aaron Donald sacked Joe Burrow to seal the win for the Rams in Super Bowl LVI

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Aaron Donald sacked Joe Burrow to seal the win for the Rams in Super Bowl LVI

Aaron Donald sacked Joe Burrow to seal the win for the Rams in Super Bowl LVI

Burrow was sacked a league-high 51 times in the regular season and was taken down a playoff-record nine times in Cincinnati’s divisional round win over the Tennessee Titans, but he was only dropped once in the first half by the much-vaunted Rams pass rush – with Donald

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Cooper Kupp leads Rams to title

Cooper Kupp leads Rams to title

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Cooper Kupp was about the only possibility the Los Angeles Rams had on offense at the end of Super Bowl LVI. As it turned out, he’s the only a person they essential.

Kupp scored a 1-yard landing with 1:25 remaining to cap a extraordinary drive in which he also converted a fourth-down try with a run, caught a several huge passes and drew two key defensive penalties.

The NFL Offensive Player of the 12 months throughout the regular period, Kupp experienced a historic marketing campaign. And he was the major purpose the Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to win the Tremendous Bowl. Kupp ended with 8 catches, 92 yards and two touchdowns and was named Super Bowl MVP.

Kupp’s greatest perform was not the closing touchdown but a 7-yard operate on fourth-and-1 from the Rams’ 30-yard line. That held the push going when the Rams’ offense was sputtering. Kupp drew a keeping penalty afterwards in the generate that was just as large, and a large amount a lot more controversial.

[Join Yahoo’s free Big Game prop quiz for a chance to win up to $10K]

Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson was called for holding on Kupp on a third-down incompletion. The call saved the Rams, who bought a first down at the Bengals’ 4-yard line with less than two minutes to play. It was really hard to say Wilson did more than enough to earn the penalty, but the flag was thrown anyway.

Kupp experienced a landing taken off the board due to offsetting penalties, but on the next play there was one more defensive penalty on a Bengal trying to guard Kupp, this one particular on Eli Apple. Kupp scored two plays immediately after that.

The Bengals arrived at midfield but with 39 seconds

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2022 Super Bowl score: Rams beat Bengals as Matthew Stafford, MVP Cooper Kupp connect late in comeback win

2022 Super Bowl score: Rams beat Bengals as Matthew Stafford, MVP Cooper Kupp connect late in comeback win

With their backs against the wall late in the fourth quarter, the Los Angeles Rams turned to the connection that spearheaded their offensive attack all year. Matthew Stafford targeted Cooper Kupp six times on the eventual game-winning drive with the duo linking up one final time for a 1-yard touchdown go cap a 15-play, 79-yard trek and take a 23-20 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals with 1:25 to play. Ultimately, that margin held as the Rams claimed victory in Super Bowl LVI and captured the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

Overcoming two Stafford interceptions and a controversial Cincinnati touchdown to start the third quarter, Los Angeles became just the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl on their home field, SoFi Stadium. The previously unachieved feat has now been accomplished in consecutive seasons.

The Rams were led by an uneven but gutty effort from Stafford, who completed 26 of 40 passes for 283 yards with those two picks, and Kupp, who caught eight passes for 92 yards and two of those three scores en route to MVP honors. Stafford’s first touchdown of the game went to Odell Beckham Jr., who left the contest in the second quarter due to a non-contact knee injury and never returned.

Equally impressive was L.A.’s defense, which combined for seven sacks with stars Aaron Donald and Von Miller each knocking Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow down twice. Donald, Miller, Leonard Floyd, and A’Shawn Robinson dominated the game in the second half, repeatedly pushing their way into the Bengals backfield to bother Burrow. Donald sealed the game by powering his way through the offensive line and wrapping Burrow in his arms, forcing an errant throw that fell to the ground incomplete on fourth down.

Burrow completed 22 of 33 passes for 263 yards

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