Tag: Decobie Durant

These six underrated Rams have impressed Sean McVay in 2022

With the season winding to a close, Sean McVay pointed to these six players as guys who have made the most of their opportunities in 2022

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay faced serious adversity in 2022 as his team looked to defend their Super Bowl title and ended up with less-than-desirable results in the process. Not for lack of effort on his part, the Rams currently sit at 4-10 on the season and are starting to look to the future in the final weeks of the season.

He addressed the media on Wednesday at a team press conference and was asked about which players have stood out to him through all the trials and tribulations 2022 has brought for his team. Injuries have played a major factor for Los Angeles, so it was no surprise that the Rams’ depth players were the first that came to mind for him.

“I think when you look at it, I think a lot of those young defensive
linemen,” McVay explained. “I’ve been really pleased with [DT] Bobby Brown [III] and the way that he’s played. I think you’re seeing a lot of opportunities for [DT] Michael Hoecht and then even in the backend, it’s been really good to see guys like [DB] Cobie Durant and [DB] Russ Yeast, [DB] Quentin Lake got a chance to play for the first time, so those are the guys that would come to mind for me whereas a lot of the guys that…[RB] Kyren [Williams] is a guy we want to continue to be able to see. I think he’s done some good things with his opportunities, but those are the guys that come to mind for me.”

It is safe to say that McVay has kept his eye on players who might be able to help Los Angeles achieve a better record in 2023 as his team has suffered their share of defeat over the course of the season. In football, resilience in the face of hardship is a key to success, and McVay seems confident that the guys he has on his roster are capable of making that toughness their primary strength.

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Rams release full list of inactives ahead of matchup against 49ers

The #Rams decided to keep three cornerbacks out of the matchup, which could play a factor in their matchup against the #49ers

The Los Angeles Rams had to make some tough decisions in selecting which players would be inactive for their primetime matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. After careful deliberation, the team released their list of players who will not see action on Twitter, where they linked to an article on their official website.

Check out the link to their tweet below:

Important contributors like center Brian Allen, receiver Tutu Atwell, and cornerback Decobie Durant will not see action against the 49ers, and their absence could prove to be the difference in the final outcome. Others slated to be inactive are cornerbacks Shaun Jolly and David Long Jr., guard David Edwards and quarterback Bryce Perkins.

Both teams will face off with the squads they believe will give them the best opportunity to win. A victory would advance their standing in the NFC West, and the results of this Week 4 matchup could have implications for the playoffs later in the season.

Los Angeles has a chance to maintain their lead in the division, while San Francisco is hoping to get back in the mix to punch their ticket into the post-season in January. Expected to be a defensive masterpiece, this matchup pits two of the league’s top pass rushers against each other, with Joey Bosa and Aaron Donald set to make huge impacts on the outcome.

Injuries in the Rams’ secondary make their decision to de-activate three cornerbacks an interesting move, but with superstar Jalen Ramsey on the field, they likely won’t have to worry too much about the unit’s performance.

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Jalen Ramsey confident in his preparation of new contributors in Rams’ secondary

The #Rams will be without some key contributors in their secondary, but Ramsey is confident in the unit’s chances against the #Cardinals

A battle between 1-1 teams in Week 3 will see the Los Angeles Rams face the challenging task of slowing down a highly potent Arizona Cardinals offense. Between stars like Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown, and Zach Ertz, the team’s defensive secondary will have their hands full on every down they play.

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey told reporters on Friday that he is doing his part to get his unit prepared for the matchup. With his rookie counterpart Decobie Durant sidelined due to a hamstring injury, and veteran Troy Hill placed on injured reserve earlier this week, Ramsey explained that the team is prepared to face the adversity they are up against, and doesn’t expect the defense to falter.

“It’s like coming to life basically,” he said of the secondary, despite their losses this week. “Like the way last year went and the way a lot of different guys had to play in the secondary last year because of injuries or COVID-19 or whatever the case may have been, it helped me in my mindset of like trying to help prepare guys and make sure that everybody was ready in our room just in case something like were to happen, injuries or whatever the case may be. So, I feel like we’ve done a good job of that. So, hopefully we go out there Sunday and it shows that we are not really going to miss a beat. Everybody’s ready. It’s a next man up type of mentality.”

Ramsey’s confidence is admirable, and if the chip on his shoulder rubs off on his teammates, his assessment of the situation may prove to be spot on. Arizona will present constant scoring threats in the passing game and may find some success against the right matchups, but if the superstar cornerback has any say in the matter, fans should expect Los Angeles’ secondary depth to step up and prove they can hang with the best that the NFC West has to offer.

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6 takeaways from Rams’ 31-27 win over Falcons

The Rams defeated the Falcons 31-27 in Week 2 and here are our 6 takeaways from the narrow victory.

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The Los Angeles Rams sure made their Week 2 bout with the Atlanta Falcons more interesting than it needed to be. After getting blown out by the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, the Rams were able to narrowly defeat the Falcons 31-27 to give them a 1-1 record entering Week 3.

Los Angeles was seemingly running away with the game, going up 31-10 in the second half of the game. In the blink of an eye, the Falcons scored 15 unanswered points before the Rams purposely took a safety near the end of the game to avoid another special team’s mishap.

Following the unnecessary theatrics at the end, here are six takeaways from the Rams’ home victory over the Falcons.

Watch: Rams rookie Decobie Durant was mic’d up for his first preseason game

Decobie Durant is a ball of energy and someone Rams fans should come to love

Decobie Durant made his preseason debut with the Rams on Saturday night, taking the field at SoFi Stadium for the first time against the Chargers. The rookie cornerback only played 16 snaps in the beginning of the game, just getting his feet wet without risking injury – an approach Sean McVay took with many of the players he expects to contribute this year.

Durant finished with one tackle on defense and an assisted tackle on special teams, and even though he didn’t play very much, he was a ball of energy on the field and on the sideline. The Rams had him mic’d up for his first preseason game and it’s easy to see why coaches and players like him so much already.

His narration of Lance McCutcheon’s two touchdowns was a highlight of the video.

5 Rams to watch in preseason opener vs. Chargers

The Rams kick off their preseason schedule on Saturday vs. the Chargers and these are five players fans should have their eyes on.

It’s officially the first week of the NFL preseason as every team in the league will have an exhibition game this week. The Los Angeles Rams will kick off their preseason schedule versus the Los Angeles Chargers, the team they share SoFi Stadium with.

This will be the first time the Rams will take the field since defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl back in February. That being said, Sean McVay has avoided having starters play in the preseason, so backups and other players will have opportunities to showcase their talent.

Ahead of Saturday’s preseason contest against the Chargers, here are five players to watch on the Rams.

PFF lists Decobie Durant as Day 3 rookie to watch in 2022

With the preseason about to get underway, Decobie Durant is considered a Day 3 rookie to keep tabs on in 2022.

The Los Angeles Rams are going to need other cornerbacks to step up alongside Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill this season, and there is a rookie that could make himself a household name in 2022. With the regular season steadily approaching, PFF’s Michael Renner listed Decobie Durant as a Day 3 rookie to keep an eye on in 2022.

In the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Rams took Durant with the 142nd overall pick out of South Carolina. Los Angeles loves adding versatile defensive backs to their defense, and Durant is no exception as he can play on the outside or the inside at cornerback.

One might think that Durant coming from South Carolina State would bring about a steep learning curve, but that apparently hasn’t been the case. Durant is very much in the mold of former Ram Darious Williams at only 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds. That’s not nearly as big of an issue in Los Angeles’ scheme as it is elsewhere, though. With Williams now gone, there are snaps up for grabs at cornerback that Durant could take.

Darious Williams signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, so there are snaps available for multiple cornerbacks on the Rams. Ramsey and Hill are expected to be on the field for nearly every defensive snap, but Durant could carve out an immediate role if he has a strong showing in the preseason.

Durant, who is listed as 5-foot-11 and around 180 pounds, had a knack for being able to force turnovers at South Carolina. Throughout his four years in college, Durant accumulated 12 interceptions, including three consecutive years where he had three-plus interceptions.

The Rams took a bevy of defensive backs in this year’s draft in Durant, Quentin Lake, Derion Kendrick, and Russ Yeast. Given the need for another cornerback to produce in the defense this season, it’s expected for Durant to potentially be another late-round contributor for Los Angeles in 2022.

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Jalen Ramsey blown away by Rams’ rookie CBs: ‘They’ve been ballin’

Jalen Ramsey has been blown away by the Rams’ rookie CBs, giving the team one of the deepest secondaries he’s ever been a part of

When Jalen Ramsey talks about defensive backs, it’s a good idea to listen. As the best corner in the league, Ramsey knows a good DB when he sees one. And in Los Angeles, he thinks the Rams have two very talented rookies in Decobie Durant and Derion Kendrick.

During an interview on “Inside Rams Camp,” Ramsey absolutely raved about the two rookie cornerbacks – and the team’s secondary as a whole. Like many others, he complimented the way Durant and Kendrick have played in training camp so far, seeing them break up passes, come down with interceptions and simply make plays against the Rams’ starting offense.

“The rookies are ballers, honestly,” Ramsey said. “They’re doing their thing. This will probably be one of the deepest secondaries I’ve been a part of, as far as depth-wise, the amount of people that can actually play on Sundays for us. Obviously, Cobie and DK, they’ve been ballin, they’ve been making a lot of plays this camp. They’ve been making a lot of plays against some really good, talented guys – against the Cooper Kupps and the A-Robs and Staffords. Obviously, those guys have done well and won Super Bowls and been in Pro Bowls and done really tremendous things in their careers so to see these rookies go and compete with them and have that confidence to compete with them, that’s a huge step.”

Ramsey didn’t stop there and just talk about their play on the field. he also talked up their football intelligence. He paid the young DBs a huge compliment by saying they’re “way ahead” of where he was as a rookie when it comes to their knowledge and understanding the playbook.

“And then on top of that, they’re so smart,” he said. “They’re way ahead of where I was as a rookie as far as their knowledge of the game and picking up the playbook. So they’ve been impressive so far.”

Ramsey isn’t practicing yet after undergoing shoulder surgery, so he’s been forced to remain on the sideline and watch practice from afar. He’s still going through walk-throughs and above-the-neck drills, but he would much rather be out there practicing with his teammates.

Until he’s cleared for contact and full practice, he’ll help coach up these young DBs and help them along as they try to carve out a role in the secondary. So far, both Durant and Kendrick have made a fantastic first impression, with Kendrick breaking up two end zone passes last week and Durant coming down with two interceptions on Friday.

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Rams’ rookie CBs have been two stars of camp so far

Decobie Durant and Derion Kendrick are making the Rams’ cornerback battle very interesting

We’re only a week into training camp but two young defensive backs are standing out so far for the Los Angeles Rams – and it’s making the cornerback battle quite interesting as things progress.

Derion Kendrick and Decobie Durant have made plays on defense in each of the last two practices, garnering the attention of many within the Rams’ building. First, it was Kendrick on Wednesday when he broke up two end zone passes intended for Allen Robinson, winning that battle with the long, athletic wide receiver.

Sean McVay said “he’s got a nice play swagger about himself,” giving him some praise for the plays he made on Wednesday.

Then, it was Durant’s turn on Friday. During the first open practice, and the first session with pads, Durant was flying around the field. He picked off two passes, one on Matthew Stafford and one on John Wolford.

The one against Stafford was particularly impressive, undercutting Cooper Kupp’s route and laying out to haul in the pick. Durant’s ball skills were always viewed as a strength of his game coming out of the draft, and he’s showing that early.

Jordan Fuller has been impressed by Durant’s play so far, saying he knew he was special ever since OTAs this spring.

There’s a long way to go before the season begins, but the cornerback battle is heating up. Jalen Ramsey will be one starter, and Troy Hill is likely to be the other at cornerback, but the third spot is up for grabs.

David Long Jr., with his experience, should have a slight edge, but if Kendrick and Durant keep shining, he may not be able to hold off the two rookies.

Jalen Ramsey excited about Rams’ CB depth, calls Decobie Durant ‘sneaky super athletic’

Jalen Ramsey likes what he’s seen from the Rams’ cornerback group so far, even singling out Decobie Durant as being “sneaky super athletic”

Jalen Ramsey has been the cornerstone of the Rams secondary since he was acquired in a trade with the Jaguars in 2019, but the Rams have had a number of different cornerbacks line up with him. Troy Hill, Nickell Robey-Coleman, David Long Jr., Darious Williams, Robert Rochell and Dont’e Deayon are among them, each getting an opportunity to start at some point in the last three years.

This season, Williams is gone and Hill is back, but there’s a host of young talent in the secondary after the arrivals of Decobie Durant and Derion Kendrick – two rookie corners with good upside. It’s still early in camp, but Ramsey likes what he’s seen from the cornerback group as a whole, singling out Durant as a highly athletic defender.

But most importantly, he likes the depth the Rams have at corner, knowing how often injuries occur.

“He’s a competitor. He’s sneaky, sneaky super athletic. He’s very smart. He wants to soak up a lot of knowledge,” Ramsey said this week. “But honestly, not just him, that’s everybody. Him, DK continuing to develop and help school them. Like, y’all saw last year, we went through a lot of injuries where guys couldn’t play in certain games or guys had COVID like myself and other guys had to step up. I think every corner who was active on our roster played at some point last year. Having the depth like that and guys we can really trust, I hate when I hear like on a broadcast or something, ‘They’re really missing this guy or they’re really missing that guy.’ I hate that. I like when it’s kind of seamless. Like, yeah, maybe there’s like a top dog, right? But then everybody else right under that is like all at a steady level, which is an extremely high level of playing the position. So that’s kind of the goal for our whole unit.”

Ramsey and Hill are expected to be the two starters at cornerback when the Rams are in their base defense, but Long, Rochell, Durant and Kendrick could all contribute, too – even if everyone does stay healthy.

The Rams like to mix things up in the secondary and if someone begins to step up, they’ll get more opportunities with the starting defense.