Rams fans finally got the CJ Daniels show they were waiting for.
After a quiet preseason debut against the Chiefs, the rookie receiver answered in a big way in Los Angeles’ 34-0 win over the New Orleans Saints. Daniels, who had flashed throughout training camp, went from a modest two-catch, 18-yard outing on five targets in Game 1 to the center of the offense in Game 2.
This time, he finished with eight receptions on 13 targets for 68 yards. He shook off an early incompletion and kept rolling, giving the Rams the kind of workload and production that had been building all summer.
Daniels also showed he could handle plenty of attention from the defense, even if it came against mostly a backup unit. The former Miami Hurricane made plays with both Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson at quarterback, including a 17-yard grab from Bennett late in the first half that moved the offense into field-goal range.
Los Angeles left Daniels in for most of the game, a sign of just how many reps he has already taken in both camp and the preseason. Head coach Sean McVay is known to get rookies involved early, so it will be worth watching whether Daniels sits in the finale to limit injury risk, especially since he already looks like a sure roster member.
The Rams have seen enough to know the hype is real. Daniels’ draft momentum only grew after OTAs and camp, and while rookies often fade in McVay’s offense, he has a real shot to carve out a role in a receiver room that still needs answers beyond Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Tight ends are expected to remain a major part of the offense, but McVay still needs his young receivers to step up. That makes Daniels even more important, especially after the Rams spent draft capital to move up for him in the sixth round and took him with the 197th overall pick.
He still has work ahead of him, but the setup is promising. Daniels gets to learn from Adams, a future Hall of Famer, and Robert Woods, now a receivers coach. With that kind of guidance and his own talent, Daniels could become a meaningful piece for the Rams as early as this season.
In Other News...
Rams Just Got Needed O-Line Help At The Right Time
Justin Dedich is back in the fold at just the right time for a Rams offensive line that has been trying to hold together through a run of injuries and potential suspensions. After missing training camp with a hand injury, Dedich passed a physical and was activated by Los Angeles, giving the team another interior option as it works through the early part of the season.
Dedich is expected to add depth rather than immediately reshape the lineup, but even that matters when the line room has been stretched thin. He may have to start the season playing with a cast, a reminder that the Rams are still managing health as much as they are building continuity up front. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Roster Moves Just Put A Familiar Defender In Limbo
The Rams reshaped the back end of their roster with a flurry of moves, adding cornerback Steven Gilmore and outside linebacker Devean Deal while waiving linebacker Daniel Rickert with an injury designation. Los Angeles also shifted veteran cornerback Zech McPhearson and edge rusher Keir Thomas II to injured reserve, a set of transactions that underscored how quickly the depth chart can change in late August.
Thomas move stands out because he has been part of the Rams organization for four years and carved out a role across 17 games, mostly as a depth defender with 13 tackles and three tackles for loss. He exited a recent preseason game with a groin injury, and landing on injured reserve leaves his future in a far less certain place as the Rams continue trimming and reworking the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Opened One Last Preseason Door For Young Players
The Rams kept the roster churn going as they added edge rusher Devean Deal and cornerback Steven Gilmore, a reminder that this part of August is as much about opportunity as it is about evaluation. With camp and preseason still shaping the back end of the roster, Los Angeles continues to sift through players who can handle special teams work, developmental snaps and the kind of depth every team ends up needing before the regular season arrives.
The corresponding moves opened spots after cornerback Zech McPhearson and edge rusher Keir Thomas were placed on injured reserve, while linebacker Daniel Rickert was waived with an injury designation. For younger players trying to stick, every shuffle matters because it changes the competition around them and can create one more chance to be seen before the Rams make their final calls. [Read more 🡒]