Los Angeles Times - 02.08.2019

L ATIMES.COM/SPORTS FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2019D3

NFL

struggled at times keeping the

Rams away from the quarterback.

Holding on the back side of run-

ning plays will be a point of empha-

sis in the NFL this season.

“The offensive line held its

own,” Lynn said. “They had some

sacks. We had some sacks. We went

back and forth on that. The young

offensive line, I thought they

stepped up. Maybe one too many

penalties, too many holdings to-

day. Other than that, I thought

they protected fine.”

Okung remains unavailable af-

ter suffering a pulmonary embo-

lism in June. The Chargers are un-

sure when he would return, Lynn

saying Thursday, “We’ll do a

recheck at the end of the month

and see where he is.”

Keeping it clean

Lynn said he was pleased with

the results of Thursday’s session.

“I thought that was a good, pro-

fessional practice,” he said, smil-

ing. “No fighting.”

He and Rams coach Sean Mc-

Vay met with the officials before-

hand to stress the importance of

keeping play clean.

Both coaches had warned their

players about a repeat of what hap-

pened two years ago when the

teams had a joint practice in Irvine.

That day featured several lost tem-

pers and one notable skirmish.

“I feel like we got better today,”

Lynn said. “They play at a faster

pace than we’re used to seeing in

practice. That’s going to get us

right for games.”

Etc.

The Chargers signed defensive

lineman Dee Liner and waived

tight end Daniel Helm. Wide re-

ceiver Fred Trevillion was waived

from the reserve/injured list with

an injury settlement.

The circumstances last year

had Justin Jackson waiting for an

opportunity.

On Thursday, his opportunity

arrived with the Chargers’ first-

team offense.

With Melvin Gordon’s holdout

into its second week, Jackson and

Austin Ekeler split time at start-

ing running back in a joint practice

with the Rams.

“I just feel more comfortable,

more composed,” Jackson said. “I

know the offense much better. I

think everything’s just slowed

down a lot for me.... I feel healthier

than I’ve been, more explosive,

stronger and just more confident

really.”

Aseventh-round pick in 2018,

Jackson was hindered throughout

his rookie training camp by a ham-

string injury. He was able to do lit-

tle until the Chargers’ final exhib-

ition.

He played sparingly early in the

regular season but emerged later

when Gordon and Ekeler dealt

with injuries. Jackson had 190

yards and two touchdowns in 38

carries during a four-game stretch

starting the final week of Novem-

ber.

In Gordon’s absence, he and

Ekeler will be counted on to fill the

void created by the 2018 Pro Bowl

player’s contract situation. “We’re

holding it down until he gets back,”

Jackson said. “He’s a part of this

[running back] room. He knows

that and we all know that.... We’re

just waiting for him to get back.

But until then we’re all trying to

carve out a piece of where we might

fit into this offense.”

Gordon, who is scheduled to

make $5.6 million in the final year of

his contract, is seeking an exten-

sion that would put him in line fi-

nancially with the NFL’s highest-

paid running backs.

His agent has told the Chargers

that Gordon will not report until a

new deal is signed and instead re-

quested a trade. General manager

Tom Telesco so far has dismissed

the idea of moving Gordon. The

sides are roughly $3 million per-

season apart.

“Obviously, when Mel is here, he

gets a majority of the first-team

reps,” Jackson said. “Just for us to

be able to mesh with [the offensive

line] ... to kind of develop that trust

is really important. The more reps

you get, the more comfortable you

feel playing with the guys around

you.”

Ekeler is entering his third year

and has established himself as a

counterpunch to Gordon. The two

of them formed one of the league’s

most productive running back

duos in the first half of last season.

For now, however, the majority

of the load will fall to Ekeler and

Jackson, with Detrez Newsome as

the No. 3 running back.

“Justin, he’s a creative runner,”

Ekeler said. “There aren’t many

people I’ve seen, in general, that

run like he does. Like I tell him, he’s

got the razzle-dazzle, some hocus-

pocus ... because you really don’t

know what he’s going to do.”

Line shifts

Trent Scott spent Thursday at

left tackle in place of starter Rus-

sell Okung, and Sam Tevi re-

mained at right tackle.

Tevi started 14 games last sea-

son at right tackle and, when

Okung was injured, one at left

tackle.

He and Scott have been flip-

flopping sides throughout training

camp as the Chargers attempt to

find their most effective alignment.

Scott signed with the Chargers

during the 2018 offseason as an un-

drafted free agent out of Gram-

bling State. He started at right

tackle in the game Okung missed

and appeared in eight other games

as a rookie.

“He’s getting better every day,”

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn

said. “Unfortunately, you have to

go through some things to get bet-

ter. And he’s going through some

things now. I thought today was

good for him.”

The offensive line had a mixed

performance against the Rams,

whose defensive front includes

Aaron Donald, a player often re-

garded as the best in the NFL at his

position. The Chargers were called

for holding more than once and

CHARGERS REPORT

Backup backs can shine

with Gordon sitting out

By Jeff Miller

JUSTIN JACKSON went from a seventh-round pick to a start-

er at running back for the Chargers late in the 2018 season.

Allen J. SchabenLos Angeles Times

AUSTIN EKELER has

emerged as an effective weap-

on running and receiving.

Kyusung GongAssociated Press

The two former teammates, with
14 Pro Bowl selections between
them, each dropped to one knee be-
hind the line of scrimmage and en-
gaged in conversation during
Thursday’s joint practice between
the Rams and the Chargers.
Rams safetyEric Weddleplayed
nine seasons for the Chargers before
signing with the Rams after three
seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
The near-decade he spent practic-
ing against Chargers quarterback
Philip Rivers provided a master
class that helped Weddle become
one other NFL’s top players at his
position.
Weddle and Rivers revisited
those times during a two-hour work-
out at the Chargers’ facility in Costa
Mesa. They chatted about family,
and also exchanged information
about what they saw from each
other and from their teams.
“Those are the conversations
you miss,” Weddle said.“It’s helped
me become the player I am.”
Weddle has yet to play a game in
defensive coordinator Wade
Phillips’ scheme, but Rams players
on offense and defense have raved
about his knowledge and leader-
ship.
The former standout at Rancho
Cucamonga Alta Loma High and
Utah replaces Lamarcus Joynerin
a defense that includes starting cor-
nerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus
Peters, and safetyJohn Johnson.
Weddle, a six-time Pro Bowl se-
lection, has 29 interceptions and has
scored four touchdowns. Last sea-
son, for only the second time in 12
seasons, he did not intercept a pass.
But he still made the Pro Bowl.
Weddle said Rivers, a near-cer-
tain future Hall of Famer, did not
test him much Thursday.
“It’s all right, though,” Weddle
said. “It was fun. I love and have the
utmost respect for him and all the
players I used to play with.
“So it was fun to get out there on
the practice field and compete.”
Weddle wasn’t the only one en-
joying a reunion.
Rams defensive line coachEric
Hendersonjoined coach Sean Mc-
Vay’s staff after spending the last
two seasons as an assistant defen-
sive line coach on Chargers coach
Anthony Lynn’s staff.
Chargers defensive end Melvin
Ingramhugged Rams linebackers
coach Joe Barry, who worked for
the Chargers from 2011 to 2014.
Ajoint practice, Weddle said,
breaks up the monotony of training
camp.
“It makes you play true and hon-

est,” he said. “You get used to going

against your own guys and can an-

ticipate certain things, certain

route combinations and certain

plays.”

The work is especially helpful be-

cause Rams starters will not play in

preseason games.

“So we treat this like a game at-

mosphere,” Weddle said. “You know

when you make the play and you

know when you don’t, and your

teammates know that too.”

The Rams and Chargers will

practice together again Saturday at

UC Irvine.

Gurley full participant

Running back Todd Gurley

took snaps in all drills and did not

show any sign of discomfort.

“It was fun, man,” Gurley said.

“You kind of hate these practices

when the schedule comes out, but

once you get to ’em, it’s fairly easy go-

ing, good work against another

team.”

The Rams are monitoring the

workload placed on Gurley and his

left knee.

Asked if his knee was OK, Gurley

said, “I’m out here practicing.”

Gurley looked “really good,” Mc-

Vay said.

“Good command, even just his

energy when he’s talking to his

teammates,” McVay said. “He’s got

a natural enthusiasm about him. ...

He just brings up the level of every-

body around him.”

Etc.

Receiver Cooper Kupp, who is

coming off knee surgery, was a full

participant in the Rams’ first four

practices but was held out of scrim-

mage drills Thursday. “We really

wanted to see what was the tempo

like before we kind of put him out

there,” McVay said. “And given the

way the Chargers were so profes-

sional about the way they practiced

—and I’d like to think it was the

same for our guys — I think you can

expect to see him get some work

Saturday.” Receivers Mike Thom-

as, JoJo NatsonandJosh Reyn-

olds, and tight ends Gerald Ever-

ettand Tyler Higbeewere among

those who made impressive plays. ...

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Don-

ald was ranked No. 1 in NFL Media

annual “Top 100 Players,” poll,

which comes from a balloting of

nearly 1,100 players. Donald, the

two-time NFL defensive player of

the year, deserved the recognition,

McVay said. “I’m not going to argue

with that,” he said. “He’s a special

player, and the best part about

Aaron is you know his mind-set and

mentality is, ‘I haven’t even played

my best ball yet.’ ”

CHARGERSquarterback Philip Rivers, left, chats with former
teammate and new Rams safety Eric Weddle on Thursday.

Gary KleinLos Angeles Times

RAMS REPORT

Weddle, Rivers still

share a strong bond

By Gary Klein

Ryan Kalil wasn’t done playing
football, after all. The five-time Pro
Bowl center from USC came out of
retirement Thursday and agreed to
terms on a one-year deal with the
New York Jets.
The 34-year-old Kalil, who
started every game last season for
Carolina after playing just six in 2017
because of a neck injury, will need to
pass a physical Friday before signing
his contract with New York.
Financial terms weren’t immedi-
ately available. NFL Network re-
ported the deal is worth $8.4 million.
Kalil apparently had a change of
heart in recent weeks and is ex-
pected to anchor an offensive line
that had a question mark at the cen-
ter position.
Jonotthan Harrison had been
slated to start, but he has been
mostly a backup during his six-year
career.
Coach Adam Gase had recently
raved about Harrison and his work
with quarterback Sam Darnold,
but the Jets decided to upgrade.

Hall of Fame game

Hours after visiting a hospital be-
cause of a kidney stone, Vic Fangio
won a football game.

The new coach of the Denver

Broncos saw a late interception set

up rookie Juwann Winfree’s15-yard

touchdown catch, and his team

edged the Atlanta Falcons 14-10 in the

Hall of Fame game at Canton, Ohio,

to open the NFL’s exhibition season.

Trey Johnson’s interception of

Matt Schaub’spass after the At-

lanta backup quarterback was pres-

sured set up Denver at the Falcons 38

with 5:21 remaining.

Rookie Brett Rypienhurled a

pass into the right corner of the end

zone, where it was deflected and

Winfree latched onto it with 1:26 re-

maining.

Fangio also became the first

coach to utilize the new rule allowing

challenges of pass-interference calls.

Late in the second quarter, Linden

Stephenswas called for a 43-yard

defensive penalty. Officials upheld

the call.

Jaguars rookie hurt

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie line-

backer Quincy Williams, a third-

round draft pick who showed enough

over the last three months to lock

down a starting spot, will miss four to

six weeks because of torn meniscus

in his right knee.

The older brother of Jets rookie

Quinnen Williams tweaked his

knee during drills Thursday and left

practice early. The team says he will

have arthroscopic surgery in the

coming days. He still has an outside

shot at returning in time for the

Sept. 8 season opener against Kan-

sas City.

“Our expectation is that he’ll be

ready for the first game,” coach

Doug Marrone said during his

weekly radio show Thursday.

The Jaguars selected the 5-foot-10

linebacker from Murray State with

the 98th overall selection, a pick that

was widely questioned. But Williams

has been the team’s best rookie by

far.

Saints’ Thomas won’t

rest on big contract

New Orleans Saints receiver

Michael Thomas took extra time af-

ter his first practice of training camp

to catch footballs fired from a mach-

ine at close range, first while facing

the machine, then while twisting his

torso to the left and right as if he were

in the midst of a crossing route.

Wearing bright white gloves, his

hands enveloped each ball; he didn’t

drop one.

“Now you’re the highest-paid,

and now you’ve got to go earn it,”

Thomas said a day after signing a

five-year, $100-million extension that

includes at least $61 million guaran-

teed. “So that’s the biggest thing I’m

trying to do. I’m trying to earn every

penny of it.”

The $20-million annual value of

Thomas’ extension, which kicks in

next season, gives him bragging

rights over the most lucrative con-

tract — on a per-season basis — for a

receiver in NFL history.

Kicker Dawson retires

Kicker Phil Dawson retired from

the NFL at age 44 after 20 seasons.

He spent his first 14 seasons with

the Cleveland Browns and will sign a

one-day contract to ceremonially re-

tire with the franchise. Dawson

played in 305 games — the seventh

most in league history — and ranks

11th with 1,847 points.

Dawson scored 1,271 points with

the Browns, trailing only Hall of

Famer Lou Groza in team history.

His 441 field goals are eighth on the

NFL career list.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Kalil ends a short retirement to play center for the Jets

associated press

ATLANTA’SBrian Hill celebrates after a one-yard touchdown

catch in the Hall of Fame game against Denver at Canton, Ohio.

Joe RobbinsGetty Images