Tag: lance mccutcheon

Sean McVay: Lance McCutcheon, Bryce Perkins have made strong case for 53-man roster

Sean McVay knows Lance McCutcheon and Bryce Perkins have made a strong case for the 53-man roster

Lance McCutcheon and Bryce Perkins both came into the preseason not knowing whether they’d make the 53-man roster. They knew they’d have to earn those spots with strong play against the Chargers, Texans and Bengals, but even then it might not be enough.

They’re waiting to learn their future with the Rams in the next couple of days, with final roster cuts coming by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. And after both players led the offense again on Saturday night in Cincinnati, they put together a good statement before any decisions are made.

Perkins totaled 176 yards and one touchdown, while McCutcheon caught five passes for 76 yards, maintaining his lead for the most receiving yards in the NFL this preseason (259).

After the game, Sean McVay gave each player a vote of confidence, saying they’ve done what they could to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

“Both of those guys have done a great job,” McVay said. “You’d be hard-pressed to think that they haven’t done what they could to earn that and, and love both those guys.”

McCutcheon could make the team as the eighth receiver, which makes it sound like he’s buried on the depth chart but he can’t be ruled out from getting at least some playing time as a rookie this year.

Perkins would be the No. 3 quarterback behind Matthew Stafford and John Wolford, just as he was last year. His athleticism makes him valuable as a scout team quarterback, especially this year with Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Trey Lance, Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott on the schedule.

We don’t have to wait much longer to find out if they’re going to make the team, but it seems they should earn a spot.

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Watch: Lance McCutcheon was mic’d up for joint practice with Bengals

Rams rookie Lance McCutcheon was mic’d up for the Rams’ joint practice with the Bengals and he’s quite the polite receiver

Things got a bit out of control during the Rams’ joint practice with the Bengals on Thursday, with three separate scrums breaking out. The last one was an all-out fight that actually ended practice early.

Lance McCutcheon was mic’d up for one of the practices and considering the video doesn’t feature any of the fights, we can assume he was wearing the mic on Wednesday when things were much tamer and cleaner.

McCutcheon is trying to make a name for himself in Los Angeles as an undrafted rookie and he’s on his way to potentially making the 53-man roster. He showed how polite he is to everyone in the video, too, saying his goal for the day was to say thank you to all the trainers who gave him water throughout practice.

Check out the full video below.

Les Snead hints at Lance McCutcheon making Rams’ 53-man roster

Based on Les Snead’s take on the situation, it seems Lance McCutcheon might be on his way to making the 53-man roster

Lance McCutcheon has been one of the most fascinating players of the offseason for the Los Angeles Rams. The undrafted rookie out of Montana State is making a really strong push for the 53-man roster, leading the NFL in receiving yards this preseason before putting up another great performance in the finale against the Bengals.

In order to keep him on the team, the Rams might need to reserve eight spots for wide receivers. That doesn’t seem to be an issue for Les Snead, Sean McVay and the rest of the coaching staff and front office.

During Saturday’s broadcast of the Rams-Bengals game, Les Snead said McCutcheon is “doing his part to make it easy” when asked about his chances of making the team.

He also said McVay loves receivers, so “it’s OK to have as many as possible.”

It’s not yet certain that McCutcheon will make the team, but it sure sounds like he’ll have a really good chance to. We’ll find out in the coming days with the Rams needing to trim their roster from 80 to 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

Rams rookie Lance McCutcheon leads NFL in receiving yards this preseason

Rams rookie Lance McCutcheon has shined this preseason, leading the NFL in receiving yards through two weeks

Lance McCutcheon is enjoying a breakout summer with the Los Angeles Rams. The undrafted rookie out of Montana State has been the team’s leading receiver in each of the first two preseason games, making a strong case for a spot on the 53-man roster spot.

In Week 1 of the preseason, he caught five passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns, following that up with five catches for 96 yards in the second preseason game. In total, he has 10 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns.

He’s tied for eighth in the NFL this preseason with 10 receptions, but he leads the league with 183 yards and is tied for first in touchdown catches. His 183 yards are 32 more than any other player, with Khalil Shakir ranking second (151 yards). He’s one of 22 players with at least 100 yards receiving this preseason.

Peter Schrager of “Good Morning Football” ranked rookie wide receivers who are on the rise this preseason, and at the top of his list was McCutcheon. Schrager notes that he thinks McCutcheon “has a legitimate shot” to make the Rams’ 53-man roster after his impressive performance in the preseason so far.

McCutcheon still has work to do and he isn’t yet assured of a roster spot, but if he continues to play well in the finale against the Bengals, the Rams will have a really hard time not keeping him on the team.

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Why Kendall Blanton’s release is a good sign for Lance McCutcheon and Jacob Harris

Kendall Blanton’s surprising release could be taken as a good sign for Lance McCutcheon and Jacob Harris

Kendall Blanton is by no means a household name. He’s not even a starter in the NFL. But his release over the weekend was a complete surprise to Rams fans everywhere.

He was the Rams’ backup tight end last year, filling in when Tyler Higbee missed time either due to COVID or injury. He was expected to remain either the second or third tight end this year, which is an important spot given Higbee’s injury history.

But the Rams cut ties with him not at the final stage of roster trimming, but merely when they went down from 85 to 80 players on Saturday. That’s disappointing news for Blanton, but it’s a good sign for two other players: Lance McCutcheon and Jacob Harris.

McCutcheon and Harris are two of the Rams’ biggest receivers. They’re by no means locks to make the roster, but their size gives them a great chance to earn a spot on the 53-man squad – especially now that Blanton is gone.

For Harris, he’s a WR-turned-TE-turned-WR. He played wideout in college but converted to tight end briefly last year before going back to wide receiver this season. He needs to improve as a blocker, but at 6-foot-5, he has the frame to seal off defenders.

Harris showed that with a big block against the Texans on Friday night.

That’s not a 5-foot-10 cornerback he laid out. It’s a 6-foot-4 defensive end.

With Harris’ position flexibility, the Rams can line him up at tight end if needed. It won’t be perfect, but that versatility is important and was probably a factor in the decision to cut a tight end like Blanton.

Sean McVay even said the Rams have players who can essentially take on the role of a tight end, mentioning Cooper Kupp and even backup offensive linemen. It’s more about the responsibilities than it is the player, at least for the backups.

McCutcheon isn’t as big as Harris, but at 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, he’s capable of blocking defenders in the running game. He won’t replace Blanton, of course, but with one fewer tight end on the roster, there’s one more spot for a wide receiver to be kept.

Kupp, Allen Robinson, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek and Brandon Powell are all almost guaranteed to make the team. Harris should, too. That means the Rams will probably carry at least seven receivers – eight if McCutcheon makes the cut. Now, the Rams could conceivably keep just two tight ends with Higbee and Brycen Hopkins, knowing how infrequently they utilize two-tight end sets anyway.

It’s unlikely McCutcheon will slip through waivers if he gets cut before Week 1. That means the Rams may not be able to keep him on the practice squad. That should certainly influence their decision when weighing who to cut next week.

Though Harris and McCutcheon play a different position than Blanton, one more roster spot that wasn’t expected to be available is now open. That’s good news for both of them.

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Sean McVay happy to Lance McCutcheon show up again vs. Texans

Sean McVay continues to be thrilled with how Lance McCutcheon is performing in the preseason for the Rams.

Lance McCutcheon has quickly become a must-watch player for the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason. After a stellar performance in Week 1 of the versus the Los Angeles Chargers, Sean McVay continues to be pleased with McCutcheon’s efforts at the wide receiver position.

“It’s good to see him show up again. He’s a guy that just kind of makes plays, he’s one of those guys that’s just a gamer,” McVay said. “I don’t know if he had a chance to get out of bounds on that last play, it was a great catch. If you’re going to be able to put your foot in the ground and get vertical, you better score because you know it’s going to be the last play of the game, especially if we don’t get out of bounds. But I was pleased with the amount of plays he made again.”

In the preseason opener versus the Chargers, the undrafted rookie out of Montana State recorded five receptions, 87 yards, and two touchdowns. To continue his quest to secure a spot on the 53-man roster, McCutcheon followed his Week 1 performance by hauling in five catches for 96 yards on Friday night against the Houston Texans.

The play McVay was speaking about came in the waning seconds of the exhibition contest. Bryce Perkins delivered a pass down the field to McCutcheon with 12 seconds remaining, and despite multiple defenders being around the football, McCutcheon was able to come away with the catch.

But instead of getting out of bounds to give the Rams another chance to score before the end of the game, the first-year wideout attempted to advance up the field before fumbling the ball. Even with McCutcheon making a rookie mistake to conclude Week 2 of the preseason, he continues to be an impressive development for Los Angeles.

With the Rams needing to trim their roster in the coming weeks for the regular season, McCutcheon is putting a ton of pressure on the organization to make a tough decision at a marquee position.

Watch: Lance McCutcheon shakes Derek Stingley Jr. with smooth route

Rams rookie Lance McCutcheon got wide open with a slick route against Derek Stingley Jr., the No. 3 overall pick

Lance McCutcheon made a name for himself against the Chargers last week, catching five passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns in the win. He picked up right where he left off in the first quarter of Friday’s game against the Texans, running a slick route to get open for a 22-yard gain.

And to make things even better, the route came against Derek Stingley Jr., the No. 3 overall pick in the draft and the top rookie cornerback. Granted, it looked like zone coverage, but it was still a good route by the rookie receiver to get open inside.

Here’s the sideline view of McCutcheon’s catch, which shows how open he was after beating Stingley in coverage.

If McCutcheon hasn’t already earned a roster spot, beating the best rookie cornerback in the NFL with a route like that will help.

Could Lance McCutcheon’s emergence push Jacob Harris onto the roster bubble?

With Lance McCutcheon emerging as a legitimate playmaker, could it put Jacob Harris’ roster spot in jeopardy?

The Rams have a good problem at wide receiver – perhaps even a “champagne problem,” as Sean McVay often calls them. They have too many talented players at the position.

Cooper Kupp leads the group, with Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson locked in as the second and third options (when both are healthy). Behind them is a collection of younger players who have impressed this offseason. Tutu Atwell has generated a lot of positive chatter, Brandon Powell is getting more opportunities on offense and Ben Skowronek has done enough to earn a spot on the sideline during the preseason – a positive sign for his placement on the depth chart.

Then there’s Lance McCutcheon and Jacob Harris, two bigger receivers who are trending in opposite directions. While McCutcheon has been making plays in practice and dominated the preseason opener with two touchdowns, Harris has missed time once again with an injury.

McCutcheon is rising up the depth chart and has a “very realistic” chance to make the team, whereas Harris could be fighting for his spot on the 53-man roster despite being a fourth-round pick in 2021.

We already know the Rams have six receivers locked in: Kupp, Robinson, Jefferson, Atwell, Skowronek and Powell. They only carried six receivers at the start of last season, and even cut down to five after DeSean Jackson was released. It’s possible they’ll keep as many as eight wideouts on the regular-season roster this year, but that’s a lot of spots allocated to just one position – even if Powell is primarily a return specialist.

There’s a realistic scenario where McCutcheon and Harris are fighting for one roster spot, and as of now, it seems McCutcheon might be winning that battle. Harris returned to practice on Tuesday and participated in the scrimmage, which is a good sign. He should suit up for Friday’s preseason game against the Texans after missing last week’s win over the Chargers.

Having both McCutcheon and Harris available will give us (and the coaching staff) a much better idea of where each player stands right now. Both can contribute on special teams, and that was a strength for Harris coming into the NFL and as a rookie last year, but McCutcheon seems like the more polished receiver at the moment.

Last preseason, Harris had multiple opportunities to come down with passes in the end zone, which he struggled to do. He did score a 2-yard touchdown against the Raiders late in the fourth quarter, but that wasn’t a contested catch. In other jump-ball scenarios, Harris struggled to come down with receptions.

McCutcheon, on the other hand, made two tough grabs in his preseason debut against the Chargers. The first was a bomb down the sideline, which McCutcheon somehow caught over a defender before shaking off a tackler and staying on his feet.

That one went for a 60-yard touchdown.

His second difficult catch came on a play where Bryce Perkins just chucked it up into the end zone in hopes of McCutcheon making the grab. He did, doing so while being pulled down by the defender.

Those are the types of plays everyone expected to see from Harris, who’s 6-foot-5 with great speed but doesn’t always play as big as his frame. And now that he’s transitioned from tight end to wide receiver, his primary job and focus is catching the football.

McVay said recently that the Rams could keep between six and eight receivers on the roster. Eight would mean both Harris and McCutcheon make it. Six would mean neither does. Seven feels like the sweet spot, but that also would create a difficult decision: Harris or McCutcheon?

Thankfully, there are still two preseason games left because we need a bigger sample size for both players in order to determine who will make the roster.

5 Rams to watch in preseason Week 2 vs. Texans

The Rams will host the Texans in Week 2 of the preseason and here are 5 players that fans should be monitoring on Friday.

The Los Angeles Rams got started on the right foot in their preseason opener versus the Los Angeles Chargers, defeating the team they share a stadium with by a score of 29-22. It was an exciting contest for an exhibition game as the Rams had multiple players stand out with strong performances.

After taking on the Chargers, the Rams will host the Houston Texans in Week 2 of the preseason this Friday. Even though Sean McVay won’t deploy many starters in the preseason, there are still plenty of notable players to keep an eye on.

Ahead of Friday’s preseason bout with the Texans, let’s take a look at five members of the Rams that fans should be watching closely.

Watch: Rookie Lance McCutcheon makes twisting one-handed grab in practice

Lance McCutcheon won’t stop making plays, coming down with this twisting one-handed catch in practice

Rookie receiver Lance McCutcheon was the star of the preseason opener for the Los Angeles Rams, recording five catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his touchdown catches were impressive, too, one going for 60 yards and the other coming on a jump ball in the end zone.

When the Rams returned to practice on Monday, McCutcheon picked up right where he left off by making another highlight-reel catch. It came in a one-on-one red zone drill against Caesar Dancy-Williams, with McCutcheon making a twisting one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone.

He made it look easy, catching the back-shoulder throw with one hand.

If McCutcheon keeps making plays like this in practice and the preseason, he’ll have a great chance to stick around on the 53-man roster. Sean McVay already said it’s “very realistic” he could make it, even if the Rams are deep at receiver ahead of him.