New technology tells Rams players 'Hold me tighter' to avoid fumbles

Ball security will never go out of style in the NFL. For the LA Rams, that means that the defense must be more and more creative at creating takeaways. But on the offense, the team must become better and better at denying giveaways by ensuring better ball security. And therein lies the rub. Until now, the only feedback for ball security has been of the negative variety. That is, you only discover when you have lax ball security when defenders rip it or punch it out of the ball carries hands.

And after the fumble occurs, it's too late to correct the error.

So it is a challenge that has led to very creative solutions. There is the two-handed version as shown in the image above. But we know that keeping both hands on the football is a very inefficient way to run with that football. So security yes, running effectiveness no. We also know that drills in OTAs and training camp has involved teammates slapping at the football to prepare the ball carrier for those types of contacts with defenders. But that is less effective, because the very drill is about ball security, not gaining yardage.

Teams have long sought a better method.

Per The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, the solution may have arrived. New technology in the field of professional football continues to amaze me, Now, it seems that same technology has advanced so well as to give immediate feedback when the ball carrier has established the proper grip on the football:

While I am amazed at the advancements of NFL technology, this is one of those tech wiz advancements that I can truly get behind. If used extensively, the football can aid running backs, tight ends, wide receivers, and even mobile quarterbacks in the proper way to secure the football. For some players, it's a natural instinct. But for the less fortunate ones, it's a learned skill that could mean the difference between a lengthy or short NFL career.

For the Rams, let's hope for lengthy NFL careers.

Thanks for reading.