Tag: rams camp

Rams roster bubble: 7 players who must stand out in the preseason

These seven players seem to be on the roster bubble, needing a strong showing in the preseason.

The preseason kicks off for the Rams on Saturday night against the Chargers, which will be the first game action for a lot of players on the roster – including those who were rookies a year ago. Sean McVay will rest his starters like usual, making these three exhibition games so critical for backups and reserves attempting to make the 53-man roster.

Looking at the depth chart right now, these seven players appear to be on the roster bubble as we near the end of camp. They’ll need to stand out in the preseason if they’re going to make the cut later this month.

Jacob Harris’ leaping TD grab elicits praise from Johnny Hekker on Instagram

Johnny Hekker says Jacob Harris “is a problem” after making this great TD catch from John Wolford.

Tyler Higbee was given the day off on Wednesday, along with several other Rams veterans. That created a great opportunity for Jacob Harris to step up at tight end, just as he did so many times during OTAs and minicamp when Higbee was absent.

Even as raw as he is, Harris is a mismatch for any defender that tries to cover him. Cornerback Dayan Lake learned that the hard way when Harris made a leaping grab on a fade in the end zone from John Wolford, coming down in bounds for six.

The Rams shared a video of the play on social media, which had fans excited.

Johnny Hekker also took note of the play made by the rookie tight end, commenting on the Rams’ post on Instagram. He simply wrote, “@jacobharris87 is a problem!”

Yeah, he sure is, especially for smaller defensive backs trying to cover him in the end zone. When it comes to jump-ball weapons, the Rams may not have anyone better than Harris right now.

He’ll be a fun player to watch during the preseason.

Jacob Harris’ leaping TD grab elicits praise from Johnny Hekker on Instagram

Johnny Hekker says Jacob Harris “is a problem” after making this great TD catch from John Wolford.

Tyler Higbee was given the day off on Wednesday, along with several other Rams veterans. That created a great opportunity for Jacob Harris to step up at tight end, just as he did so many times during OTAs and minicamp when Higbee was absent.

Even as raw as he is, Harris is a mismatch for any defender that tries to cover him. Cornerback Dayan Lake learned that the hard way when Harris made a leaping grab on a fade in the end zone from John Wolford, coming down in bounds for six.

The Rams shared a video of the play on social media, which had fans excited.

Johnny Hekker also took note of the play made by the rookie tight end, commenting on the Rams’ post on Instagram. He simply wrote, “@jacobharris87 is a problem!”

Yeah, he sure is, especially for smaller defensive backs trying to cover him in the end zone. When it comes to jump-ball weapons, the Rams may not have anyone better than Harris right now.

He’ll be a fun player to watch during the preseason.

Jordan Fuller gets first crack at being Rams’ defensive signal caller

Jordan Fuller got the first chance to be the Rams’ defensive signal caller in practice, a big honor for the second-year safety.

On every NFL defense, there’s one player who wears a helmet with a headset in it, allowing him to relay the calls from the sideline to the guys on the field. Typically, that responsibility is given to the middle linebacker – because, well, he’s in the middle of the defense.

But in the last two years, the Rams have given the green dot to safeties; first, Eric Weddle in 2019 and then John Johnson last season. Neither player is on the team anymore, of course, but the line of safeties wearing the headset could extend to 2021.

On the first day of practice Wednesday, it was second-year safety Jordan Fuller wearing the green dot on his helmet, a huge responsibility for the 2020 sixth-round pick. Sean McVay clarified after practice that the Rams are experimenting with different players being the signal caller, but Fuller getting the first crack is certainly notable.

“It’s an experimental thing right now. There’s a couple guys that are candidates for that. You do know that Jordan is more than likely, if he continues to just get better and do what he has done since he has gotten here, he’s probably going to be a guy that’s going to be on the field all three downs,” McVay said. “That’s something that John Johnson did a great job, even going back a couple years, Eric Weddle did a great job having the green dot. So, we’ve had some experience with that safety position, but you always want to really get a good gauge, but also just his big-picture understanding and his versatility. He’s one of those guys in addition to some of those linebackers.”

McVay touched on an important factor when it comes to being the signal caller. Given the importance of that role, the player who wears the green dot almost never comes off the field. Fuller was already expected to be a starter again this season, but if he becomes the leader on defense, he’s going to play all three downs on every drive.

Aaron Donald has certainly noticed the growth of Fuller and his rise to more of a leadership role, saying he’s the one getting players huddled up before the snap and aligning them.

“Well, it’s more of a leadership role for him this year. He’s the guy that’s getting us huddled up and giving us the plays now,” Donald said after practice. “The year he had last year, he’s going to build off that and now growing into a leadership role, he got a lot more pressure, a little bit more on the shoulders, but I think he can handle it. We trust what he can do, his abilities and his leadership. Expecting big things from him.”

Losing Johnson in free agency hurts, but having a young leader and playmaker like Fuller will ease the pain of seeing the talented safety depart for the Browns. The Rams are in good hands with Fuller taking charge on defense.

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Aaron Donald hopes Rams keep condensed camp schedule next year

Aaron Donald loved this year’s shortened camp schedule, and says the Rams still got in some good work.

Training camp looked a lot different for every team in the NFL this year. No fans, no traveling, no joint practices and no preseason games. The coronavirus pandemic forced the NFL to shorten the camp schedule, too, limiting padded practices to only 14 sessions in three weeks.

It was an especially difficult situation for rookies and unproven players fighting to make the 53-man roster, but for stars and veterans, the change wasn’t all that bad.

Aaron Donald, for one, would love if the Rams kept this condensed camp schedule next year, too.

“It was great. I wish we could do training camp like this every year. It was fine,” Donald told reporters Thursday. “I liked how the schedule where we got great work, were in and out. I felt like we were able to do certain things to keep our bodies fresh and keep ourselves healthy. But, at the same time, we got great work. I think that’s what it’s about, getting great work, you’re in and out and at the same time to keep yourself fresh, keep yourself ready. So, I think overall as a team, I feel like we are where we need to be, obviously we’ve got a lot of room for improvement, always, never be satisfied. But right now, if we had a game tomorrow, I think we’d be ready.”

Donald is familiar with a lighter workload heading into the season. He skipped training camp in 2017 and 2018 during his contract holdout and went on to win Defensive Player of the Year both times. He hasn’t played a preseason game since 2016 and it hasn’t impacted him in the least bit.

It’s hardly surprising to hear him say he’d prefer a shortened camp schedule with no preseason games, and he’d like to sleep in his own bed, too. He didn’t miss traveling to UC Irvine and staying in dorms for camp as the Rams have in recent years.

“No, I liked staying in my house, sleeping in my own bed, coming to work and getting in and out. If we keep that same schedule. I’m good with that,” he said.

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Jared Goff misses going away for camp but says there are benefits to staying home

Jared Goff missed traveling to UC Irvine for training camp this year.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the NFL to make a number of changes this offseason, ranging from canceling OTAs and minicamp to banning fans from attending training camp. Among the other restrictions the pandemic caused was forcing teams to stay at their primary headquarters for camp.

That means the Rams couldn’t travel to UC Irvine like they normally would, and instead had to set up camp in Thousand Oaks at Cal Lutheran. They remodeled the locker room and made changes to the campus to accommodate all the players and staff members, but it still wasn’t a camp-like feel for the Rams.

They didn’t stay on campus and drive golf carts together to practice. They didn’t get to run out onto the field through a sea of fans cheering them on. It was different, but it was the same for all teams in the league.

Jared Goff missed going away to camp this year, but he admitted there were benefits to staying home at Cal Lutheran.

“I think just like a lot of teams did, you miss out on the going to camp feeling,” he told reporters Wednesday. “You know, whether that’s positive or negative, who knows, but it is something that you kind of look forward to every year as a team and as a football player going away with your teammates essentially. I know we’re going down to Irvine, but going to a different location, being in a different area, having different, maybe restaurants to go to, or different people to see. You do miss that, but at the same time it was good to be kind of already in our rhythm. I think that’s the positive out of it. You do have a rhythm at this building, at the facility. All the coronavirus measures we’re taking, everything we have to know about, you do have that rhythm going. So, there are pros and cons.”

The Rams wrap up training camp with their final practice on Thursday, getting the day off on Friday before roster cuts are made on Saturday afternoon. Even as unusual and unique as this offseason was, the Rams made it work and got in three solid weeks of work before the season.

Rams’ starting O-line still not settled: ‘It’s an ongoing evaluation’

The Rams have had mostly the same five starters throughout camp, but McVay insists it’s not decided yet.

The Rams are nearing the end of training camp with just a few days left until final roster cuts. Most of the position groups have been settled at the top of the depth chart, but there are still some being decided.

Surprisingly, the offensive line is one of those groups that hasn’t had its starters fully determined yet. Sean McVay shared that somewhat unexpected bit of information during his media session on Tuesday, saying the Rams are still determining which five players will be the starters in Week 1.

“Yeah, it’s an ongoing evaluation. I think it’s getting a feel,” he said. “I mean, you get a lot of work in, even before you can truly start the practices. But, like we have talked about in the last couple of years, we’re moving guys around. We want to be able to establish that depth, make sure guys are comfortable playing in multiple spots and on multiple sides of the line. So, I wouldn’t say anything is fully decided. That’s just part of our evaluation process.”

All throughout camp, it’s been mostly the same five players working with the first-team offense. From left to right, here’s how the unit has looked: Andrew Whitworth, Joseph Noteboom, Austin Blythe, Austin Corbett, Rob Havenstein.

The most secure spots are Whitworth’s, Blythe’s and Havenstein’s, but based on McVay’s comments, the starting five isn’t yet decided. Does that mean David Edwards could work into the mix at one of the guard spots?

This is probably just McVay not wanting to tip his hand for Dallas ahead of Week 1, but based on how the line has looked in camp, it seems mostly determined.

Cooper Kupp jokes with Johnny Hekker after being holder in scrimmage

Cooper Kupp took Johnny Hekker’s place as the holder in Saturday’s scrimmage.

Johnny Hekker did not take part in the Rams’ scrimmage at SoFi Stadium on Saturday as he was back home attending the birth of his child. As a four-time All-Pro, he didn’t need the extra practice punting anyway.

However, his absence did impact another phase of special teams: field goals.

Hekker is the holder on kick attempts and has been for years. The Rams are trying to sort out their kicking competition, so every aspect of the field goal operation matters. Hekker is an excellent holder, but his backup isn’t too shabby, either.

Cooper Kupp took Hekker’s place for a brief while before leaving the game himself due to soreness in his leg, and he joked about it with Hekker on Twitter afterwards.

After Kupp left, it was up to John Wolford to hold for the rest of the kick attempts. It’s unclear if Hekker’s absence played a role in the kickers’ struggles, but none of the three really stood out in a big way. Austin MacGinnins had the best day, going 6-for-8, while Lirim Hajrullahu and Sam Sloman each made five of their eight attempts.

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Rams kicking competition is ‘far from decided’

Sean McVay didn’t provide any clarity on which kicker is winning the battle.

Position battles across the Rams’ roster are beginning to settle themselves out. Micah Kiser and Travin Howard (if healthy) look like the starting inside linebackers, the offensive line has really taken shape, and John Wolford is undoubtedly the No. 2 quarterback.

One competition that isn’t close to being done is at kicker. Austin MacGinnis, Sam Sloman and Lirim Hajrullahu are still battling it out, and the winner may not be determined until the very last minute.

Sean McVay provided somewhat of an update on that situation, though he didn’t give any indications of who’s in the lead.

“You want to use every bit of the time that we have to really evaluate this,” McVay said Monday. “It’s certainly a very important decision for us and we have three guys that are very capable. The more opportunities that we can create to try to simulate those game experiences is what’s important. We’re going to take all of our time and I think all those guys have done a nice job, but it certainly is far from decided.”

None of the three kickers performed particularly well in the second scrimmage, which complicated things a bit. Hajrullahu seemed to be performing the best in practice and in the first scrimmage, but he only went 5-for-8 on Saturday, which matched Sloman; MacGinnis was 6-for-8.

The Rams will have to trim their roster to 53 players by Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, and it’s expected that two kickers will be among the 27 players released. We just don’t have any indication of which kicker will be the one the Rams keep.

Rams practicing after holding team meeting Wednesday in wake of Kenosha shootings

The Rams are practicing as scheduled Thursday.

The Los Angeles Rams are practicing as scheduled on Thursday morning while other teams have decided to cancel their on-field work in wake of the tragic events that have taken place in Kenosha, Wis., in the last few days. It began with Kenosha police shooting Jacob Blake seven times in the back, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Then a 17-year-old from Illinois shot three people at a protest in Kenosha, killing two in an apparent act of vigilantism.

The Rams held a team meeting on Wednesday to discuss any actions players might want to take, as it relates to a possible protest or boycott in wake of the Kenosha shootings. Several teams across the NFL canceled practice Thursday, including the Packers, Cardinals and Titans.

“We had a team meeting this morning and it really just broke down to that if anybody had any type suggestions or anything that they want to bring to light or want to do, just to come to coach and discuss it in that way, just make it a team thing, at the end of the day,” Malcolm Brown said. Coach (Sean) McVay opened the floor this morning with a team meeting and let us know that if there’s any type of solution or anything that we want to put forward and do, then just to come to him and do that, and I think that’s a great start for us.”

Troy Hill also spoke out about the meeting held by the Rams Wednesday, saying he’s not sure what he wants teams or the Rams, in particular, to do, but that he wants to unite everyone and try to find a solution for these senseless killings.

“I don’t really have the answers right now. I don’t want to just come on here and just speak on some things,” he said. “But, like we’re having these conversations, these uncomfortable conversations, the next step is maybe try to come together and figure this out together. Together unite and we’ll be strong, but until then, we got to keep on taking these steps day-by-day and when we come with that solution, we got to all buy in to it. That’s kind of my mindset about it and that’s what I think we need.”

No NBA games were played last night as players opted not to take the floor, beginning with the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic. A few MLB games were postponed, as well, while the NHL played its postseason games as scheduled.

McVay is scheduled to speak to the media after today’s practice, and surely he’ll shed some light on the Rams’ stance against social injustice.