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https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...s-perez-preseason-playing-time-mannion-allen/
Why hasn't QB Luis Perez taken a single preseason snap for the Rams?
By: Andrew Ortenberg
By now you’ve heard all about the Los Angeles Rams’ fourth-string quarterback and his improbable journey to the NFL. Luis Perez, who didn’t even play varsity high school football, excited many fans who were less than enthused about the Sean Mannion-Brandon Allen battle to be Jared Goff’s backup.
Despite all the hype during the spring, the record-setting Division II star hasn’t been able to get on the field yet for the Rams this preseason. While Goff hasn’t played either, that hasn’t opened up any snaps for Perez, who’s had to watch from the sidelines as Mannion and Allen have taken every rep through three weeks of exhibition games.
Neither Mannion nor Allen has looked even remotely impressive at any point this preseason, leading to frequent questions from Rams fans online about why Perez hasn’t played.
There are a few possible reasons, and not all of them are bad for Perez. It’s possible the team is hoping to sneak him through to the practice squad and doesn’t want all 31 other teams to be able to get a look at him, enticing them to claim him or try to lure him away to their practice squads.
Last year, for example, undrafted rookie Kyle Sloter shined for the Broncos in the preseason, and when Denver tried to stash him on its practice squad, he was snatched away by the Vikings with an offer of a practice squad salary close to the veteran minimum.
It would seem odd for Sean McVay and the coaching staff to praise him so effusively, and then not let him sniff the field despite underwhelming quarterback play, unless they were holding him back for competitive reasons. It’s plausible that they want to keep him around, but he’s too raw for a roster spot, so hiding him as much as possible is the best way to ensure he ends up on the practice squad.
Another less optimistic interpretation is that the coaching staff doesn’t like what they’ve seen from Perez in practice and sees no benefit in giving game reps to someone it doesn’t plan on keeping around very long. This is definitely conceivable, and would indicate that Perez has performed very poorly in practice.
Ultimately, it’s unclear and it’s very hard to tell what the team’s intentions are in regard to Perez. It could go either way. The unknown will always be appealing, especially when the known are Mannion and Allen, so the calls will only grow louder for Perez until he finally plays – or doesn’t.
That being said, McVay clearly knows what he’s doing and has his reasons, and Rams fans should trust that he’s doing the right thing. Either way, we should know a lot more about Perez by this time next week.
Why hasn't QB Luis Perez taken a single preseason snap for the Rams?
By: Andrew Ortenberg
By now you’ve heard all about the Los Angeles Rams’ fourth-string quarterback and his improbable journey to the NFL. Luis Perez, who didn’t even play varsity high school football, excited many fans who were less than enthused about the Sean Mannion-Brandon Allen battle to be Jared Goff’s backup.
Despite all the hype during the spring, the record-setting Division II star hasn’t been able to get on the field yet for the Rams this preseason. While Goff hasn’t played either, that hasn’t opened up any snaps for Perez, who’s had to watch from the sidelines as Mannion and Allen have taken every rep through three weeks of exhibition games.
Neither Mannion nor Allen has looked even remotely impressive at any point this preseason, leading to frequent questions from Rams fans online about why Perez hasn’t played.
There are a few possible reasons, and not all of them are bad for Perez. It’s possible the team is hoping to sneak him through to the practice squad and doesn’t want all 31 other teams to be able to get a look at him, enticing them to claim him or try to lure him away to their practice squads.
Last year, for example, undrafted rookie Kyle Sloter shined for the Broncos in the preseason, and when Denver tried to stash him on its practice squad, he was snatched away by the Vikings with an offer of a practice squad salary close to the veteran minimum.
It would seem odd for Sean McVay and the coaching staff to praise him so effusively, and then not let him sniff the field despite underwhelming quarterback play, unless they were holding him back for competitive reasons. It’s plausible that they want to keep him around, but he’s too raw for a roster spot, so hiding him as much as possible is the best way to ensure he ends up on the practice squad.
Another less optimistic interpretation is that the coaching staff doesn’t like what they’ve seen from Perez in practice and sees no benefit in giving game reps to someone it doesn’t plan on keeping around very long. This is definitely conceivable, and would indicate that Perez has performed very poorly in practice.
Ultimately, it’s unclear and it’s very hard to tell what the team’s intentions are in regard to Perez. It could go either way. The unknown will always be appealing, especially when the known are Mannion and Allen, so the calls will only grow louder for Perez until he finally plays – or doesn’t.
That being said, McVay clearly knows what he’s doing and has his reasons, and Rams fans should trust that he’s doing the right thing. Either way, we should know a lot more about Perez by this time next week.
