The Rams’ 34-0 win over the Saints on Saturday gave a few bubble players a real chance to move the needle, and Wesley Bailey made the loudest statement of the day.
Bailey was everywhere against New Orleans, piling up 10 pressures - twice as many as any other player in the game. That kind of number jumps off the page, and it’s the sort of preseason production that puts a player in rare company.
The last four players to hit 10 pressures in a preseason game were Aidan Hutchinson, Trey Hendrickson, Micah Parsons, and Jonathan Cooper. Bailey looked like he belonged in that conversation, at least for one afternoon, and the Rams are going to have a tough time keeping him off the roster.
Dean Connors, on the other hand, didn’t get much of a chance to build on his strong showing from the Chiefs game. After scoring two touchdowns against Kansas City, he played just six snaps against the Saints.
It’s not clear whether an injury was part of the reason, but the limited workload raised the possibility that the Rams are trying to keep him under the radar and sneak him onto the practice squad. That would track with what happened last year, when they lost Cody Schrader after a strong preseason.
Tyler Bennett also answered some questions. There was at least a little buzz heading into the weekend that he may have slipped behind Ty Simpson, but Bennett shut that down quickly.
He finished 19-for-31 for 181 yards and added two rushing touchdowns, leaning on the experience he’s built over three previous years in the preseason. His comfort in the offense showed up clearly once he got a longer look.
One of Bennett’s best moments came on a fourth down, when he changed his arm angle and went sidearm to get the ball around the rush, over two Saints defensive backs, and into the bucket. It was the kind of throw that looked impossible in real time and gave a reminder of how much control he had in this game.
Tim Keenan’s day went in the opposite direction. The seventh-round nose tackle was drafted with the future in mind, but he hasn’t made much of a preseason case so far.
Against the Saints, he posted a 32.3 overall defensive grade from PFF, and among defensive linemen with at least 40 preseason snaps, he ranks 108th out of 110. At this point, it’s at least within the realm of possibility that he gets cut and then brought back to the practice squad.
Jarquez Hunter also helped himself, and he may have done the most important work of all for a back trying to survive a crowded room. The Rams have three locks at running back, and a fourth spot isn’t guaranteed.
Hunter ran with force against New Orleans, kept showing he’s tough to bring down, and now has seven missed tackles forced in the preseason, third-most among running backs. His three runs of 10 or more yards lead all running backs, but his biggest selling point might be in pass protection, where he’s been the highest-graded running back in the preseason via PFF.
In Other News...
Rams Just Got Needed O-Line Help At The Right Time
Justin Dedich is back in the mix for the Rams after passing a physical and being activated following a hand injury that kept him out of training camp. His return comes at a useful time for an offensive line group that has already had to deal with injuries and the possibility of suspensions, making even extra depth feel important as the season approaches.
Dedich is expected to help stabilize the back end of that unit, and there is still some uncertainty about how quickly he can operate at full speed. He may open the season playing with a cast, which adds a wrinkle to his availability, but the Rams will take the reinforcement wherever they can get it while the line keeps sorting itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Roster Moves Just Put A Familiar Defender In Limbo
The Rams kept shuffling the bottom of the roster this week, waiving linebacker Daniel Rickert with an injury designation while adding cornerback Steven Gilmore and outside linebacker Devean Deal. They also moved veteran cornerback Zech McPhearson and edge rusher Keir Thomas II to injured reserve, part of the late-summer churn that often decides who gets one more look before the regular season picture starts to clear.
Thomas situation stands out because he has been around the Rams organization for four years and carved out a role across 17 games, with 13 tackles and three tackles for loss. He exited a recent preseason game with a groin injury, and his move to injured reserve leaves his future with the team hanging in the balance at a time when the Rams are still sorting out the end of the defensive depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Brenda Song Said What Rams Fans Are Feeling About Myles Garrett
The Rams offseason trade for reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett already had plenty of people talking, and the reaction got a little more public when actress Brenda Song chimed in during a game broadcast. It was the kind of offhand pop-culture moment that fit the buzz around Garretts arrival, because a move that big was always going to land well beyond the Rams building.
Garrett is expected to make his first appearance for Los Angeles on September 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, which only sharpens the anticipation around what this defense might look like with him on it. For Rams fans, the trade sent a clear message about the teams ambitions, and now the focus shifts to whether the star pass rusher can match the excitement as soon as the season opens. [Read more 🡒]