The 49ers may not be locking in one answer at left guard just yet, and they’re also trending toward having George Kittle available when Week 1 arrives.
Asked whether San Francisco would lean on experience at the LG spot because of the Rams’ talent, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said a rotation is a real possibility. He also strongly suggested Kittle will play in Week 1, though the tight end’s workload is still up in the air.
“What the workload will be, that will be determined. We’ve got to see how he gets through the rest of the week; we’ve got two more practices, but Kittle looks good.”
In Arizona, Mike LaFleur’s hands-on style with the wide receiver group is already making an impression. Cardinals wideouts Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. both pointed to how closely the head coach tracks their work in meetings and around the building.
“In team meetings, most head coaches I’ve been with won’t call out receivers on certain things,” Wilson said, via the team website. “Everything catches his eye, which is good, I like it.”
Harrison Jr. said the attention is part of what makes the setup appealing.
“It’s a wide receivers dream,” Harrison Jr. added. “Being a former receivers coach, he’s been around receivers a lot.
Yes, there’s obviously positives to it, but he’s definitely on you a lot more than other position groups as well. We need that and it’s been great having him around.”
LaFleur said he built his staff with that kind of division of labor in mind.
“Part of my job was trying to hire the best staff that I possibly could, trust the guys to do what they do, and pour into it because I’ve seen it where a coordinator-head coach tries to do everything and it kind of dilutes the position coach a little,” LaFleur noted. “That’s never what I want to do.”
There was also a positive update on first-round Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, who was moving around during Monday’s walkthrough. LaFleur said he feels good as Love continues to progress from a high-ankle sprain.
Back with the Rams, Tutu Atwell is happy to be back in Los Angeles after a brief stop in Miami, the city where he grew up. Atwell said the Dolphins gave him a chance and he appreciated the experience, but returning to the Rams felt like coming home.
“ I’m happy (the Dolphins) gave me the opportunity to be a part of the organization, ” Atwell said, via the team’s website. “ (Los Angeles) is my home, too.
It felt great down (in Miami), and it was a good experience and I’ll be back down there soon during the offseason. Overall, was just happy to be home, and now I’m back to my other home.
”
Sean McVay made sure Atwell knew exactly how much of a say he had in the move.
“ I said, ‘you don’t have a choice, you’re coming here, ‘” McVay said with a laugh. “ It didn’t really matter whether he wanted to or not.
But I love Tutu, there’s a lot of love for Tutu Atwell in this locker room, and a lot of familiarity. And so I know Miami’s home for him, but this is his second home, so we’re excited to be able to welcome him back.
”
McVay said Atwell’s role in the offense still has to be sorted out, but the coach is comfortable with the familiarity already in place.
“ He’s very familiar and comfortable with the settings, ” McVay said. “ We’ve got some good depth at that room.
… It’s still probably too early (to say what role he’ll play), but we know some of the things that he can do. He’s familiar with the coaches in there and we’ve tweaked and adjusted some things, but it’s for the most part very familiar for him in terms of the terminology.
Just being a great teammate and we’ll see what that role looks like, players have an ability to be able to carve out roles. ”
In Other News...
Rams Suddenly Face A Tight End Problem After Scary Opener Injury
The Rams season opener against the 49ers took an early turn on a familiar kind of problem for Sean McVays offense: losing a tight end in the middle of the game. Davis Allen took a hard hit in the third quarter, was evaluated for a concussion and eventually carted off the field, leaving Los Angeles to sort through the rest of the day without one of its more useful options at the position.
Allens status was listed as questionable to return, and even if the setback proves temporary, it puts a little more weight on the depth chart heading into the next stretch. The Rams will need more from the other tight ends if Allen cant get back on the field soon, especially in an offense that likes to lean on that group for both protection and passing-game versatility. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face A Brutal Pregame Swing Against San Francisco
The Rams pregame picture for Melbourne just got tougher on one side and a little more complicated on the other. San Francisco tight end George Kittle has been cleared and taken off the injury list, while Los Angeles will be without Aaron Donald, a notable absence for a defense that usually leans on him to change the games rhythm.
Kyle Shanahan has already said Kittle and Nick Bosa will have limited playing time as the 49ers ease them back from major injuries, which adds another layer to a matchup that was never going to be simple. For the Rams, the challenge is obvious enough: face a division rival on a long trip, with one of the leagues most disruptive defenders unavailable and San Francisco getting a key weapon back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Donald's Comeback Starts With A Rams Reality Fans Won't Love
Aaron Donald wont be part of the Rams Week 1 group in Australia, a reminder that his return to the field is still in the early stages even after the comeback announcement gave Los Angeles a jolt of optimism. The veteran defensive star did not travel with the team for its game against the 49ers, and the Rams are taking a patient approach as he works back into football shape after coming out of retirement.
For a defense that has long leaned on Donald as its centerpiece, the wait is the reality fans were hoping to avoid, even if it was always part of the plan. Donald last played in the NFL in 2023, and the earliest expectation for his return is Week 2, leaving the Rams to navigate the opener without one of the most important players in franchise history. [Read more 🡒]