[Haden]

LINK:http://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2017/06/10/back-injury-nelson-spruce-ready-impress-new-rams-coaching-staff/385978001/

Back from injury, Nelson Spruce ready to impress new Rams coaching staff
Joe Curley , [email protected], 805-437-0276 12:29 p.m. PT June 10, 2017


Rookie seasons are supposed to be humbling.

But the highs and lows of Nelson Spruce’s debut season with the Los Angeles Rams were especially unforgiving.

As he was breaking through as a central figure in the team’s first on-field highlight of its return to Los Angeles, Spruce suffered the first significant injury of his football career.

It cost the Westlake High graduate his season, and his opportunity to solidify a role with the team.

“It’s been kind of humbling for me,” Spruce said. “The past few years at Colorado and in high school, I’m used to coming off a big season, production-wise.

“This is the first season that I didn’t really touch the field just because of my injury. … It was kind of a blow, the whole injury coming at such a crucial time for me.”

Months later, Spruce seems back to square one. He has to impress a new coaching staff during offseason training, in order to stand out in a crowded receiving corps under reconstruction.

Fortunately, Spruce now seems to be beyond the sprained knee and subsequent calf injury. He declared himself 100 percent on the first day of the Rams' offseason training activities last month. He revealed the Rams’ performance tracking has shown he’s now faster than he was before the injuries.

“I haven’t felt like this for a year almost, since I got injured,” Spruce said. “It’s good for me mentally to feel 100 percent and do all the things I used to.”

He backed the words up on the practice field, opening eyes last week by reeling in a long touchdown pass from Jared Goff during practice.

“You see a natural football player,” head coach Sean McVay said of Spruce. “He’s got a good feel for the game. I think he’s got good, aggressive hands.

“Now that he’s been back and he’s moving around, you can see why he was able to make the plays that he did last year. It’s good to see Nelson out here.”

Spruce became visibly animated when he was asked about McVay and the new coaching staff.

“Coach McVay is 31 and you see why he’s risen to this level already, being a head coach,” Spruce said. “His knowledge of offense and the nuances of the offense are nothing that I’ve really experienced before.

“The way he talks about it, just the total grasp he has of every aspect is really eye-opening. Already, I fell like we’ve learned so much. … I feel like we’re so far ahead of where I ever could have imagined we’d be at. So I’m really excited to see how we continue to grow as an offense.”

Spruce also thinks the new coaching staff is going to help Goff, who he befriended during the predraft process a year ago.

“Just having a year under his belt, especially at the quarterback position where there’s so many things to learn, and (being) the face of the team is so much pressure,” Spruce said. “I think he’s taken all of it in stride and is kind of just growing. This offense is going to help him out a lot.”

Spruce caught six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in little more than a quarter of action during the Rams’ come-from-behind 28-24 win over Dallas in the preseason opener a year ago. As captured on the HBO series “Hard Knocks,” he left the Coliseum with many of the 89,140 chanting his name.

[Haden]

Our new Amendola/Edelman tag team with Kupp??? Woods and Tavon/ or camp standout on the outside. Might be good! IMO, Tavon might be on the outside looking in, especially given his outrageous salary. On the other hand, I think McVay will find a way to get the most out of him.

[aeneas1]

Our new Amendola/Edelman tag team with Kupp??? Woods and Tavon/ or camp standout on the outside. Might be good! IMO, Tavon might be on the outside looking in, especially given his outrageous salary. On the other hand, I think McVay will find a way to get the most out of him.

very hard for me to picture tavon on the outside looking in this season, instead i see him as a key part of the offense, and he should be imo.... re spruce, nice write up and all but i think there's a very real chance that he won't even make the team, his future with the rams changed dramatically when the rams picked up kupp and reynolds in the 2017 draft, the rams wr field is very crowded at the moment, gonna be very tough for spruce to make the final roster imo.

[Elvis]

http://www.foxsports.com/west/story/nel ... pot-061317

Rams second-year WR Nelson Spruce working for roster spot

Jun 13, 2017 at 6:42p ET

THOUSAND OAKS — Nelson Spruce made the catch of the day.

As the Rams worked their red-zone offense on a perfect Tuesday afternoon on the campus of Cal Lutheran, Spruce caught an absolute laser from backup quarterback Sean Mannion .. which just grazed the fingers of the defensive back.

‘That one (the catch) took a little extra concentration cause the DB undercut it at the last second, I think he even got a hand on it,” said Spruce following Day 1 of the Rams’ minicamp. “It was coming so fast. The location was perfect from Sean.”

In 2016, Spruce had a decent preseason … with a few highlight plays … before losing his rookie year to injured reserve list because of knee and calf injuries.

Now, finally healthy, Spruce is feeling good.



“I really feeling 100 percent for the first time in a while,” Spruce said. “I missed a lot of time with injures (in 2016) so I’m just shaking off the rust and getting extra work with the QBs and getting my feet back under me.”

This offseason the Rams added free-agent receiver Robert Woods and drafted Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington) and Josh Reynolds (Texas A&M) to go along with Pharoh Cooper, Tavon Austin and others in Los Angeles.

Needless to say, the Rams’ receiving room is, well, running out of room.

“The rookies came in, they transitioned really well. I think we have a good group of guys. Great relationship between all of us. We are all competing against each other.”

Entering his second season as a professional, Spruce knows what’s at stake … he has to make the team again.

“I know my spot’s definitely not safe by any means. I just want to contribute in any way I can,” Spruce said.

Spruce said starting quarterback Jared Goff looks and sounds more confident than a year ago, when the No. 1 overall draft pick struggled in all aspects of the game.

“Jared is more comfortable … not only with the offense but from a leadership standpoint. It’s going to be a big year for him.

Growing up minutes from Rams’ practice facility, Spruce said it’s nice to be near his hometown, but he’s starting to feel like he’s back in high school.

“It’s getting kinda old,” Spruce said with a laugh. “It’s cool being around my family.”

[dieterbrock]

Barring injury, there are 4 locks for 2017
Austin
Woods
Kupp
Reynolds
With most teams carrying 5 WR and very few 6, it seems to me that Thomas and Spruce currently have the favor of the coaching staff. *If* this information we have gotten truly reflects anything.
Thomas was a successful gunner on ST last year, so I'm thinking he's got a shot.
I would be shocked if Pharoh doesn't make the team, but at the same I don't see what the coaches see.

[RamsFanSince82]

[RamsFanSince82]

I hope he's able to make it back to the NFL (not just the practice squad).

[Hacksaw]

WTF WR?

[snackdaddy]

Spruce is probably practice squad material, not much else. But on the pre-McVay Rams we actually thought he could be a good receiver.

[TomSlick]

Spruce is probably practice squad material, not much else. But on the pre-McVay Rams we actually thought he could be a good receiver.

Yeah, Fisher and company, at times, had a hard time identifying quality NFL talent. Then when they got that part right, utilizing that talent became a problem. Whew, those were dark days, indeed.