Preseason Indicators that May (or may not) Mean Something

[AvengerRam]

In today's world of media oversaturation, there is always too much "information." Nobody really needs to know how many passes a QB completed in practice, who suffered a minor injury that wouldn't keep any starter from playing in the regular season, or who is "winning" in third-team reps reported by casual observers.

Still, there are some things that, during the course of camp and preseason that are so consistently and widely observed and reported, they actually give us a window into trends that will continue into the regular season.

It's hard to discern at this juncture. Is the WR distinguishing himself the next Puka Nacua, or merely the latest Nelson Spruce?

All that said, here are a few things that I'm noticing that might actually be indicators for the real season:

1. Offensive Line depth. With three starters dealing with (hopefully) minor injuries, the reviews on the second team OL have been favorable. Hopefully, we won't need to dig too deep during the regular season, but if we do, its nice to know that there's talent behind the starters.

2. WR Depth/Tutu Status. With players like Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson getting high praise in August, you have to wonder if Tutu Atwell might be our most tradeable asset. I still hope he can find a role with us, but its worth considering.

3. Edge Rusher. I've read a lot of praise for the tandem of Jared Verse and Byron Young. If they live up to the hype, the impact could be huge.

What other indicators do you see at this time that you think are more than just hype?

 

[DzRams]

In today's world of media oversaturation, there is always too much "information." Nobody really needs to know how many passes a QB completed in practice, who suffered a minor injury that wouldn't keep any starter from playing in the regular season, or who is "winning" in third-team reps reported by casual observers.

Still, there are some things that, during the course of camp and preseason that are so consistently and widely observed and reported, they actually give us a window into trends that will continue into the regular season.

It's hard to discern at this juncture. Is the WR distinguishing himself the next Puka Nacua, or merely the latest Nelson Spruce?

All that said, here are a few things that I'm noticing that might actually be indicators for the real season:

1. Offensive Line depth. With three starters dealing with (hopefully) minor injuries, the reviews on the second team OL have been favorable. Hopefully, we won't need to dig too deep during the regular season, but if we do, its nice to know that there's talent behind the starters.

2. WR Depth/Tutu Status. With players like Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson getting high praise in August, you have to wonder if Tutu Atwell might be our most tradeable asset. I still hope he can find a role with us, but its worth considering.

3. Edge Rusher. I've read a lot of praise for the tandem of Jared Verse and Byron Young. If they live up to the hype, the impact could be huge.

What other indicators do you see at this time that you think are more than just hype?

4. Kupp Healthy. There are reports that Kupp is fully healthy, for the first time in a long while, and may return to the 2021 Kupp.

 

[Kupped]

I like working in the qualifier, "may"..
The Oline depth seems legitimate.. let's just hope the *starters* are healthy. But, yeah.. I feel really good about Boom as a swing, Limmer at center and Thomas, Bruss and McClendon. One underrated note here is that it's Wendell's second year with the team.. and I feel like he may be a Callahan level Line coach.
I think Whittington is 100% real. Not Puka, but a guy who will have a solid NFL career.
I think Omar Speights is a baller who is going to not only make the team, but earn real playing time.
I think Corner health/depth is a real issue.
I think the tight ends will be more involved in the pass game than in recent years.
I think the run defense is going to have issues early on.

From what I've seen and read... I think one of the biggest things that is going on is that the defensive coaching and coordination is excellent.
I've been one of Raheem Morris' biggest defenders on here over the last few years.. and I hear/read a lot of national people talking bout the defense taking a hit from losing him.
I actually don't see it happing like that. The defense was never "his design".. per se. He came in to learn what the Rams were doing and, of course, added to it and it evolved.
I think the biggest loss is Raheem as a leader/support for McVay.. and I think McVay has gotten what he needs from that relationship and will be just fine. Shula is ready.. and Pleasant has a role similar to what Raheem had last year.

The "vibes" around the team are outstanding.

 

[AvengerRam]

I like working in the qualifier, "may"..
The Oline depth seems legitimate.. let's just hope the *starters* are healthy. But, yeah.. I feel really good about Boom as a swing, Limmer at center and Thomas, Bruss and McClendon. One underrated note here is that it's Wendell's second year with the team.. and I feel like he may be a Callahan level Line coach.
I think Whittington is 100% real. Not Puka, but a guy who will have a solid NFL career.
I think Omar Speights is a baller who is going to not only make the team, but earn real playing time.
I think Corner health/depth is a real issue.
I think the tight ends will be more involved in the pass game than in recent years.
I think the run defense is going to have issues early on.

From what I've seen and read... I think one of the biggest things that is going on is that the defensive coaching and coordination is excellent.
I've been one of Raheem Morris' biggest defenders on here over the last few years.. and I hear/read a lot of national people talking bout the defense taking a hit from losing him.
I actually don't see it happing like that. The defense was never "his design".. per se. He came in to learn what the Rams were doing and, of course, added to it and it evolved.
I think the biggest loss is Raheem as a leader/support for McVay.. and I think McVay has gotten what he needs from that relationship and will be just fine. Shula is ready.. and Pleasant has a role similar to what Raheem had last year.

The "vibes" around the team are outstanding.

Speights is a good example. Definitely some positive buzz around him, and we could use a "steal" at that spot.

 

[snackdaddy]

Every time there is a camp star I think of Nelson Spruce. Then again, I could also think of Puka Nacua. Its anyone's guess at this point. We will know more when the real games begin.

I do like what I see in Whittington. Limmer's looking like a viable backup. Verse and Fiske are starter material. I keep hearing Tre White sticks to receivers like glue. Bruss is all of a sudden looking like a legit backup. There was a time we thought he would be cut this year.

 

[DzRams]

Every time there is a camp star I think of Nelson Spruce. Then again, I could also think of Puka Nacua. Its anyone's guess at this point. We will know more when the real games begin.

I do like what I see in Whittington. Limmer's looking like a viable backup. Verse and Fiske are starter material. I keep hearing Tre White sticks to receivers like glue. Bruss is all of a sudden looking like a legit backup. There was a time we thought he would be cut this year.

Limmer sounds like starter material to me. It's a luxury.

 

[RAMSinLA]

View: https://youtu.be/ZZhlMaiqO4M

 

[RhodyRams]

click bait

 

[majrleaged]

If its Puka this time who has the nagging injury this year, that Bursa Sack can be painful, Whittington could be more important than we are expecting.

 

[RamFan503]

Every time there is a camp star I think of Nelson Spruce.

I never got the Spruce love. I always just assumed it was because of how bad our WRs had been during and just before that span.

Hopefully, and I suspect the hype around Whittington is real.

 

[Neil039]

In today's world of media oversaturation, there is always too much "information." Nobody really needs to know how many passes a QB completed in practice, who suffered a minor injury that wouldn't keep any starter from playing in the regular season, or who is "winning" in third-team reps reported by casual observers.

Still, there are some things that, during the course of camp and preseason that are so consistently and widely observed and reported, they actually give us a window into trends that will continue into the regular season.

It's hard to discern at this juncture. Is the WR distinguishing himself the next Puka Nacua, or merely the latest Nelson Spruce?

All that said, here are a few things that I'm noticing that might actually be indicators for the real season:

1. Offensive Line depth. With three starters dealing with (hopefully) minor injuries, the reviews on the second team OL have been favorable. Hopefully, we won't need to dig too deep during the regular season, but if we do, its nice to know that there's talent behind the starters.

2. WR Depth/Tutu Status. With players like Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson getting high praise in August, you have to wonder if Tutu Atwell might be our most tradeable asset. I still hope he can find a role with us, but its worth considering.

3. Edge Rusher. I've read a lot of praise for the tandem of Jared Verse and Byron Young. If they live up to the hype, the impact could be huge.

What other indicators do you see at this time that you think are more than just hype?

What I hope for and believe.

1). It's about time the Rams have the next man up on the O-line and little to nothing drops off regarding play. Like everyone else I sure would enjoy Hav, Dot, Av, Jackson x's 2 for the entire season.

2). Snead and McVay are loyal (not our favorite Kanasan). I doubt that move Tutu, additionally I don't see them using him any more than they did last year. Either way I think it doesn't help the team.

3). I expect mistakes and veteran Tackles to use their exuberance against them. That being said, I see 20+ sacks between the two of them. Now that's refreshing!

 

[kurtfaulk]

I never got the Spruce love. I always just assumed it was because of how bad our WRs had been during and just before that span.

Hopefully, and I suspect the hype around Whittington is real.

We never found out because he got injured after his big game and never saw the field again.

.

 

[RamFan503]

We never found out because he got injured after his big game and never saw the field again.

.

I thought he got injured before that game THEN got cut before the season started.

 

[kurtfaulk]

I thought he got injured before that game THEN got cut before the season started.

My memory is he had that big game with the winning td then we found out he got an injury and he ended up not playing again that season. You're probably thinking about the next season which is a blur to me.

I do know fisher cut DX because he couldn't practice. The only legit wr in the fisher era and fisher cuts him because of practice. Unbelievable. The Chargers picked him up and he had a monster season before the knee gave out.

So it wouldn't surprise me that Spruce got cut because he couldn't get healthy.

.

 

[fearsomefour]

Every time there is a camp star I think of Nelson Spruce. Then again, I could also think of Puka Nacua. Its anyone's guess at this point. We will know more when the real games begin.

I do like what I see in Whittington. Limmer's looking like a viable backup. Verse and Fiske are starter material. I keep hearing Tre White sticks to receivers like glue. Bruss is all of a sudden looking like a legit backup. There was a time we thought he would be cut this year.

Spruce, McCutcheon.....there are always guys that pop and sort of don't stick.
McVay and Snead (and staff) have a great job building this roster.
All of the guys popping this year look legit to me.
Very impressed with Limmer and Whittington and some of the young guys on D......and we haven't seen Verse, Fiske, Corum or Jackson yet.

 

[hotanez]

My memory is he had that big game with the winning td then we found out he got an injury and he ended up not playing again that season. You're probably thinking about the next season which is a blur to me.

I do know fisher cut DX because he couldn't practice. The only legit wr in the fisher era and fisher cuts him because of practice. Unbelievable. The Chargers picked him up and he had a monster season before the knee gave out.

So it wouldn't surprise me that Spruce got cut because he couldn't get healthy.

.

Monster season?

 

[kurtfaulk]

Monster season?

I just had a look.

He got 658 yards and 7 tds. In basically half the season before his knee couldn't do it anymore.

.

 

[hotanez]

I just had a look.

He got 658 yards and 7 tds. In basically half the season before his knee couldn't do it anymore.

.

actually I think it was like 10 or 11 games. He blew out his ACL the next season and was done. I would call it a good season but monster or terrific in my opinion is over the top. Poor kid just couldn't stay healthy.

 

[gogoat1]

The Rams are showing a lot of good signs this pre season IMO. Smoke= FIRE
DX ? Fisher was a idiot. He could have not practiced during the week, did a walk though and still would have done way better than the garbage WRs we had back then.
Healthy, that guy could have been a All Pro.
But not on a Fisher team.

 

[RamFan503]

My memory is he had that big game with the winning td then we found out he got an injury and he ended up not playing again that season. You're probably thinking about the next season which is a blur to me.

I had the timing mixed up but with the Rams in 2016, he had 51 yards on 6 catches with one TD in the first preseason game. Then he was injured and was on and off the team for most of 2016 but could never stay healthy. Then in 2017 he had 30 yards on 6 catches in the first preseason game, got injured, and was released.

Whittington has 126 yards on 11 catches in two games with 52 yards coming after the catch.

Again. I never saw the hype with Spruce. He had one decent preseason game that was just ok. He had another preseason game that was not impressive and he was playing with our starting QB for at least some of both games.

Whittington has had two preseason games playing with a 3rd string QB and looks night and day better.