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Rams OTAs: Which rookie impressed Sean McVay, injury updates for Terrell Lewis and Darrell Henderson
By Jourdan Rodrigue Jun 4, 2021
The Rams officially wrapped up their voluntary spring workouts Friday afternoon and are preparing for mandatory minicamp June 8-10 — complete with an open practice at SoFi Stadium on June 10, which fans will be able to attend.
One point of update: Per the protocol established by Rams public relations, I am not able to report which players got first-team or second-team reps unless it’s directly addressed by head coach Sean McVay or the player himself (a policy that is pretty standard across the league). In video call interview sessions, there’s not always the opportunity to follow up on more granular details such as, “Hey, Sean, how much comfort do you have in rotating between Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton at second- and third-string center?” when there are also major storylines to get covered and about which to get commentary and context. So, please bear with me as I’ll do the best I can within these parameters, and please especially pay close attention to when depth charts and position outlooks are released in the coming weeks.
That said, here are notes and observations from Friday’s OTAs:
• Cornerback Robert Rochell, a fourth-round draft pick this spring, is getting thrown right into the mix with the first-team defense out of necessity with Darious Williams and Jalen Ramsey absent from the voluntary programming. It’s a credit to Rochell that he sees this small window as an opportunity. Once minicamp and training camp begin, he’ll be moved back with the second-teamers and will really dig into more special-teams work. He matched up several times against receivers Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson, who have been the lead receivers for quarterback Matthew Stafford with other veteran players trickling in and out of the workouts.
“That’s probably the best part about it, being thrown right into the mix,” Rochell said. “Just being able to transition and learn the speed of the game — seeing the guys full speed and the guys who do start, being able to just be there and go head-to-head with those guys is great. I’m taking advantage of each day … and just grateful that I am thrown in there a lot and getting those reps.
“I’m most definitely seizing the opportunity because it could have been granted to somebody else. They entrusted me to say that I could potentially be there. Just being able to rotate with guys and get practice reps at that position helps me out in all ways.”
• Running back Darrell Henderson is half-in, half-out of on-field work as he recovers from an unspecified injury, and he worked with vice president of sports medicine and performance Reggie Scott on the side of the field for about 50 percent of Friday’s practice. He did get some on-field work in with the offense, and McVay said he is “making good progress.”
“He’s feeling better and better, and we expect him to be full speed by the time training camp rolls around,” he said.
However, McVay was not able to provide any update on outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, who got a workout in with trainers but stood to the side with teammates during on-field work and did not participate in drills or installation. Lewis has been working through a recurring situation with his knee for the past year or so.
• McVay was asked if a rookie has stood out in the limited capacity of OTAs, and he quickly named Jacob Harris — the raw but explosively athletic tight end drafted in the fourth round this year. Harris has been working almost exclusively with tight ends coach Wes Phillips, who also communicated with him throughout the pre-draft process, so that should provide a clue as to where the Rams will slot him on the roster (although he clearly will be trained as more of a pass-catching and mismatch tight end).
“Jacob Harris is a guy who has definitely stood out,” McVay said. “Just his overall speed, athleticism — you kind of feel him on the field. That’s been in some of the limited seven-on-sevens and kind of running routes on air, and that’s not how you really play football. So there is a real variance when you actually include the offensive and defensive lines.”
With Tyler Higbee absent from the media-viewed portion of OTAs, Harris and second-year tight end Brycen Hopkins have gotten a lot of reps with Stafford.
• Defensive tackle Bobby Brown III’s attention to detail in his note-taking has drawn attention from the staff. Brown attributes his diligence to an interest in writing and his pursuit of the craft as a hobby. He added that his favorite writing and literature topic is mythology.
• Second-year running back Cam Akers took extra time to work on pass protection blocking drills with running backs coach/assistant head coach Thomas Brown between drilling sessions. Akers wants to be an every-down back in 2021 and is preparing for the lead back’s share of snaps, so continuing to hone his blocking and pass protection ability will be important so that the Rams feel they can keep him in the game on passing downs. McVay has high expectations for Akers.
“The biggest thing is that he’s got great natural run instincts, he’s really talented as a pass catcher,” McVay said. “It’s the nuanced understanding of where you fit in some of the protections where the back’s involved, and I think (for Akers) that it’s about continuing to become more and more complete. He’s got the skill set, he’s capable. We really feel the same way about Darrell Henderson as well. Under Coach Brown’s leadership and guidance, I expect that group to really grow.”
• Veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was present for Friday’s workouts and led off the pass rush drills throughout the day. It was interesting to compare his length of frame alongside rookie outside linebacker Chris Garrett — Floyd is 6-foot-6 and Garrett is listed at 6-foot-4, but similarly to Floyd, Garrett seems to have the ability to use his frame (particularly his arms and wingspan) in a way that almost seems to give him a bit of extra length. Obo Okoronkwo, who has dealt with injuries the past two seasons, looked healthy and explosive — and may see a growing role in speed rush packages opposite Floyd if he can stay healthy. Justin Lawler worked his way into the No. 3 spot in drills, as Lewis was not participating in practice.
Rams OTAs: Which rookie impressed Sean McVay, injury updates for Terrell Lewis and Darrell Henderson
McVay was asked if a rookie has stood out to him in the limited capacity of OTAs, and he quickly named tight end Jacob Harris.
theathletic.com
