Rams’ McVay, Snead get contract extensions
Sean McVay and Les Snead have received their rewards for their two-year transformation of the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams’ 33-year-old head coach and his general manager have agreed to contract extensions through 2023. The defending NFC champions announced the deals Friday while veterans reported to training camp in Orange County.
Financial terms of the contracts weren’t disclosed, but the deals cement the Rams’ foundation and essentially ensure McVay and Snead will be in charge when the franchise moves into its multi-billion-dollar stadium complex in Inglewood next year.
“It’s a reflection of a great collaboration, of everybody’s work together,” McVay said. “You’re not going to work any harder, but it makes you want to work to make them right on the decision to place a lot of faith in us as a coaching staff. We’re excited to just roll our sleeves up and get to work.”
McVay has engineered a stunning turnaround of the Rams since owner Stan Kroenke took a risk by hiring the youngest head coach in modern NFL history in early 2017.
McVay took charge of a franchise with 13 consecutive non-winning seasons and immediately won two NFC West titles while going 24-8 in the regular season. The Rams won two playoff games and advanced to their first Super Bowl in 17 years last season, losing to New England.
McVay has built one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses for a franchise that had the league’s worst offense in the season before he took over. Two of his offensive assistants have already become head coaches — Matt LaFleur in Green Bay and Zac Taylor in Cincinnati — as other teams attempt to achieve their own version of McVay’s stunning success.
McVay said he had “a few years left” on his initial contract with the Rams even before the extension.
“You feel humbled,” McVay said. “You feel blessed that this was even a conversation that we had. There was a shared vision, and we said it that day (when he was hired). We’ve been able to see that play out over the last couple of years.”
Snead took over the Rams’ front office in 2012 in St. Louis. Although the Rams weren’t great during his first half-decade in charge, he built the foundation for McVay’s success by drafting the likes of Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley and Jared Goff.
WAGNER GETS EXTENSION FROM SEAHAWKS >> The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a three-year contract extension with All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, locking up the anchor of their defense for the foreseeable future. Wagner and the Seahawks completed the lengthy contract negotiation Friday night. The deal ends months of conversation on how much the Seahawks could afford to pay Wagner after an offseason where the market for a middle linebacker was rewritten by others.
According to published reports, the deal is worth $54 million with $40 million guaranteed.
ELLIOTT OFFICIALLY A HOLDOUT >> Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott wasn’t present for the opening of training camp, missing the team physical and a conditioning run, according to published reports. He was not on the team’s plane headed to the Oxnard camp on Thursday.
“He’s late,” owner Jerry Jones said. “We have reported.”
Elliott could be fined up to $40,000 for each day of camp he misses. Executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed Friday that the Cowboys have negotiated with Elliott’s agents. PATRIOTS TESTING OUT ETLING >> Could Danny Etling become the next Julian Edelman? The New England Patriots quarterback is getting the chance as camp gets underway, with coach Bill Belichick moving Etling to wide receiver.
Edelman came to the Patriots as a quarterback out of Kent State in 2009 but made the team as a receiver and a punt returner. Etling, who played at Purdue and LSU, was a seventh-round pick by the Patriots in 2018 and spent last season on the practice squad.
RASH OF INJURIES HIT GIANTS >> Just months after trading Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland, the New York Giants are being hit by a rash of injuries at wide receiver.
Sterling Shepard, who was to take over from Beckham as the top wideout, broke his left thumb reaching to catch a pass on Thursday in the first practice of training camp.
The Giants announced that receiver/kickoff returner Corey Coleman tore an ACL, a season-ending injury. They said the injury also happened in practice Thursday.
HURNS SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH DOLPHINS >> The Miami Dolphins signed wide receiver Allen Hurns to a one-year deal. Hurns caught 20 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 but suffered a dislocated left ankle and broken fibula in the NFC wild-card game against Seattle on Jan. 5.
Hurns played his first four seasons in Jacksonville (2014-17). His best year with the Jaguars came in 2015 with 64 catches for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns, all career bests.
DANIELS ENDS UP WITH LIONS >> The Detroit Lions reportedly have reached a one-year deal with defensive lineman Mike Daniels. The 30-year-old Daniels, a former Pro Bowler, was released earlier this week after seven seasons with Green Bay.
HOPKINS TAKEN OFF PUP LIST >> Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been taken off the physically unable to perform list and practiced after missing just one day of training camp. Hopkins was placed on the list with ankle and shoulder injuries but passed a physical on Friday morning and practiced with the team.