Dante Fowler Jr.’s voice began to quiver as the Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker rattled through a roller coaster of events that have spanned his four-year career.

There were some highlights, such as the eight sacks he produced when the Jacksonville Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship Game two years ago. And there were lowlights, like the ACL injury that ended his rookie season before it began and behavior, on and off the field, that resulted in a strained relationship with the Jaguars.

But as Fowler described the uneven start to his young career, a smile slowly grew across his face when he described his new start in L.A.wholesale cheap nfl jersey china

“Really wasn’t feeling myself until I got here,” he said. “… the coaches put me in a very great position, just like letting me be me, let me be the Dante Fowler that basically got me here.”

That is why Fowler, 24, signed a one-year, prove-it deal, worth up to $12 million, with the Rams ahead of free agency in March instead of testing the market as an unrestricted free agent.

“I knew from like the first few weeks, really that first month when I was here, that this was a perfect fit for me, a perfect team for me,” he said.

Last season, in the midst of an 8-0 start and with an eye on a deep playoff run, the Rams identified the need for a pass-rusher. Ahead of the trade deadline, they sent third- and fifth-round draft picks to the Jaguars in exchange for Fowler, the third overall pick in the 2015 draft.cheap nfl jerseys wholesale china

Five days after he was acquired, the Rams inserted Fowler against the New Orleans Saints. Two weeks later, he started against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fowler’s contributions grew steadily and peaked in the NFC Championship Game when he pressured Saints quarterback Drew Brees into an errant pass that safety John Johnson III intercepted. The play set up a game-winning field goal and sent the Rams to Super Bowl LIII.

“What he was able to do coming in in the middle of the year and being able to contribute the way that he did really says a lot about how quickly he was able to pick things up,” coach Sean McVay said.

In eight games, Fowler had two sacks and four tackles for losses. He was embraced by teammates, and by the Rams’ front office.

“He made plays for us along the way,” general manager Les Snead said. “From the beginning, we wanted Dante to be back.”

But now it’s up to Fowler, who has 16 sacks, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in three seasons, to prove he can maintain his poise off the field and develop into a star in defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme.

Rolling to his right with an easy glide and fluffy beard taking up his half his helmet, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick pulled his best Patrick Mahomes impression. He fired a no-look pass 20 yards on the money to wide receiver DeVante Parker, who dragged his toes along the sidelines for a catch. Miami Dolphins offensive players, standing on the nearby sideline, shrieked “Yeah” in excitement.

Several plays before that, Fitzpatrick cranked his arm back and threw a 70-plus yard pass that again hit Parker in stride. Fitzpatrick held up the touchdown signal and started skipping down the field. He later said he predicted that exact play and result to Parker when he walked into the building earlier that morning.

That’s some of the fun in FitzMagic. And on Wednesday — the Dolphins’ final day of spring workouts — Fitzpatrick had two memorable plays in a matter of minutes.cheap nfl jersey wholesale

Yet the 36-year-old gunslinger is on his eighth NFL team because inconsistency and a penchant for interceptions has left him in a constant yo-yo between starter and backup.

The Dolphins have one of the NFL’s few starting quarterback competitions with Fitzpatrick battling talented second-year player Josh Rosen.

Everything screams that it’s in the Dolphins’ best long-term interest for Rosen to win the job.

Rosen, 22, was a top-10 pick a year ago and he was acquired by the Dolphins for pennies on the dollar in April. Miami has been looking for its true franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired 20 years ago. There’s no chance Fitzpatrick is the No. 1 answer, but Rosen has a slight chance.cheap nfl jerseys wholesale china

Fitzpatrick isn’t interested in what’s supposed to happen. He’s playing loose, confident and dare I say… consistent in these padless workouts. He has been the Dolphins’ best quarterback this spring.

“I’m a perfectionist. There’s already some stuff on my mind that I have to go talk to some players about, some coaches about and have to work on myself,” said Fitzpatrick, before a wry smile appeared between his beard. “But yeah, there’s always a couple throws a day that get me fired up a little bit.”

Fitzpatrick has Parker smiling more, too. Players try to avoid picking favorites in a quarterback battle, but it seems those two already have a blooming relationship.

“He helped me a lot with communications and signals and everything,” Parker said. “[Fitzpatrick’s] telling me what I’m doing and what I need to do to be in the right spot.”

Devonta Freeman has done a solid job emulating Warrick Dunn as a dual-threat back, but imitating how Dunn talks is another story.cheap nfl nike jerseys from china

Freeman, the Atlanta Falcons’ two-time Pro Bowl running back, leaned on a set of bleachers, took a deep breath, lowered his tone and offered his best impersonation of Dunn, who had his most productive seasons with the Falcons from 2002 to ’08.

“Warrick always tells me all the time — you know he talks low — but he tells me, ‘Hey, man, you’ve got to do better. You can’t be taking all these hits, man. It’s all about longevity,'” Freeman whispered with a Southern drawl. “That’s what he always says to me, and I appreciate that. I really appreciate stuff like that.”

Dunn probably would have laughed at the way Freeman mimicked his tone, but at least his message seems to have resonated. The bond Freeman shares with Dunn, a fellow Florida State Seminole, extends beyond football talk. They keep in touch often, even if it means checking in just to say hello. In the bulk of those conversations, Freeman has grown accustomed to Dunn preaching to him about avoiding some of those vicious hits.nfl cheap jerseys nike

“Yeah, I agree with him 100 percent,” Freeman said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people about it.”

Dunn, now a Falcons minority owner, never regrets bringing it up.

“A lot of times, these guys always want to prove that they’re tough or that they can get the tough yard, but sometimes you have to live for another down,” Dunn said. “My advice to Devonta was, ‘You have to learn how to protect yourself at the same time. You’re picking up tough yards, but you have to be smart and strategic about it.’

“To be a better runner, it’s not always about, ‘Let me run over guys.’ It’s ‘How can I avoid the big hit so I can have longevity in this league?’ And I just try to encourage him to become a better overall runner.”