Rams are in a rush to add Von Miller’s sack skills

THOUSAND OAKS — The twelvemonth Von Miller entered the NFL draught retired of Texas A&M, Raheem Morris was a caput manager helping to determine if the nation’s collegiate person successful sacks would beryllium a bully people for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ first-round pick.

In a gathering of squad executives, idiosyncratic said the extracurricular linebacker would beryllium a mediocre acceptable for the Bucs’ 4-3 antiaircraft scheme.

Morris knew however bully Miller was.

“I said, ‘Change the scheme!’” Morris said Thursday. “And I meant it.”

Morris didn’t get to re-sculpt the Tampa Bay defence astir Miller, who was drafted 2nd wide by the Denver Broncos successful 2011, 18 picks up of the Bucs.

But 10 years later, Miller has been traded to the Rams, and Morris is the antiaircraft coordinator successful complaint of tweaking their 3-4 defence to exploit his skills.

The archetypal glimpse could travel erstwhile the Rams (7-1) look the Tennessee Titans (6-2) connected Sunday nighttime astatine SoFi Stadium, assuming Miller is recovered from the near ankle wounded that kept him retired of the Broncos’ crippled past weekend. Miller was listed arsenic a “limited” subordinate successful signifier Thursday. But helium looked bully successful idiosyncratic drills, which were unfastened to reporters.

To Morris, the possibilities are unlimited for however to harvester Miller, the NFL’s progressive person successful sacks (110½), with antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald, the league person implicit the past 8 seasons (90½) and opposite-side extracurricular linebacker Leonard Floyd, the Rams’ sacks person this play (6½).

“Von Miller volition assistance anybody calling defenses,” Morris said. “He makes plays travel to life. Similar to a batch of guys that we have. He’s 1 of those large players successful this league that you tin determination conscionable astir anywhere, bash immoderate you privation to bash with him.

“I deliberation the archetypal clip I talked to you (reporters) successful an in-person forum, we talked astir (the Rams defense’s absorption on) mentally and physically affecting the quarterback. He surely fits that philosophy.”

Rams violative coordinator Kevin O’Connell said it’s a alleviation to person Miller connected his squad and not person to fig retired however to support a backmost from this walk unreserved successful thing much consequential than practice.

“There’s lone truthful galore screens and draws and instrumentality plays you tin telephone earlier you yet person to driblet backmost (for a pass),” O’Connell said. “At that point, you truly person to prioritize. You person to fig retired who you privation to permission individually blocked.

“Just from the sideline, I’ve looked retired and seen conscionable astir each mode to artifact Aaron Donald: descent the line, effort to assistance with the back, effort bash each those antithetic things. I’m definite the guys successful Denver would astir apt accidental the aforesaid happening astir Von, they’ve seen each mode to artifact that.

“But the 1 happening I bash cognize is you can’t bash some those things astatine the aforesaid time.”

The Rams already pb the NFL successful sacks this play with 25 successful 8 games. A antithetic linebacker oregon antiaircraft lineman has finished 2nd to Donald connected the squad successful sacks each of the past 5 seasons. None of those arrived with a estimation matching Miller’s.

Donald was smiling truthful brightly erstwhile helium talked astir Miller aft signifier Thursday, helium was asked when’s the past clip helium felt this happy.

“I don’t cognize man, astir apt erstwhile my babe was born,” Donald said.

This mightiness effect successful Donald facing less double-team blocks.

“It’s going to beryllium hard for teams to effort to absorption connected (blocking) 1 idiosyncratic due to the fact that you’ve got truthful galore bully players,” Donald said. “So it should beryllium fun. We’ve inactive got to spell retired determination and vie and marque it happen, but we’ve got a large accidental to bash immoderate large things.”

Can helium representation the possibilities?

“It’s a batch we tin do, but I tin representation it for sure,” Donald said with a teasing laugh.

Donald, Miller and Morris mightiness amusement the satellite what it looks similar Sunday.

NOTES

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey bumped a genu successful signifier Thursday and was listed arsenic a constricted subordinate connected the Rams’ wounded report. Quarterback Matthew Stafford (back) and receiver Robert Woods (foot) were retired of signifier for the 2nd time successful a row. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee), retired Wednesday, returned but was limited. Defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (pectoral strain) remained limited. Stafford said astatine his play property league connected Wednesday that his backmost is “just stiff,” and “I’ll beryllium good and play Sunday.”