WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — With another preseason game in the books and the regular season drawing closer, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is placing an increased emphasis on making every practice rep count, particularly for the veteran players who aren't seeing much — if any — action during the preseason.
The Rams returned to the practice field Tuesday in Woodland Hills, where McVay came away encouraged by what he described as a much sharper performance following a practice Monday that wasn't quite as clean as he would have liked.
“I thought today was a good opportunity for us to take a step in the right direction,” McVay said. “We talked about just the importance, based on now that we have preseason games, of maximizing these practice reps, especially for the guys that don't play in the preseason games.”
Those reps become even more valuable Thursday when the Rams hold a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints. It will be Los Angeles' second joint practice of the preseason after working against the Dallas Cowboys last week, and McVay wants to see the Rams build upon what they accomplished in that session.
“I want to see the same things that I saw last week, but I want to see us continue to improve,” McVay said. “Today was a good, high level of execution really on both sides of the football, is what I felt, and that's what I'm looking for on Thursday as well.”
The joint practice will give the Rams another opportunity to test their schemes and personnel against an unfamiliar opponent before the regular season. McVay said the Saints present some similarities to what the Rams see from their own defense, while still giving the offense, defense and special teams different looks and operations to work against.
One player the Rams continue to manage carefully is star defensive end Myles Garrett, who has been dealing with a knee issue. McVay recently said the Rams were still “learning” Garrett and clarified Tuesday that the process is largely about the relationship being built between Garrett and the team's medical and performance staff.
“He's tough as hell and he wants to be out there,” McVay said. “It is gaining experience. I think the foundation of all good relationships and really trust is built over time, and that's what I meant by that.”
McVay has also enjoyed learning more about Garrett away from the field. The coach praised Garrett's football intelligence and the way he sees the game while also pointing to the range of interests that have made getting to know him an enjoyable part of camp.
“He's got a lot of range, a lot of different interests,” McVay said. “He's a great human being, comes from a great family. It was awesome to be able to meet his parents. You can see why he is the caliber of young man that he is.”
There was no update Tuesday on Aaron Donald, whose potential return to the Rams has been one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team during training camp. McVay also said there was no update on wide receiver Puka Nacua.
The Rams did receive encouraging news elsewhere on the injury front. Tight end Davis Allen continues to make progress and has started running as he works his way back. McVay said he expects Allen to return within the next week and, barring a setback, does not believe his availability for the regular-season opener against San Francisco is in jeopardy.
“With the way that he plays, he's a big important part of our offense,” McVay said. “It'll be great to be able to get him back out there.”
Allen's absence has created additional opportunities for the Rams' younger tight ends, particularly rookie Max Klare. McVay was encouraged by Klare's performance in the preseason opener, noting his work both as a receiver and blocker. Klare has also benefited from getting first-team repetitions alongside veterans Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, with Terrance Ferguson also earning praise from McVay.
“I think he's been the guy that has really benefited the most from reps that he wouldn't have gotten otherwise in Davis' absence,” McVay said of Klare. “The level of play from that group as a whole has raised his play.”
Offensive lineman Justin Dedich is also making progress while on the Non-Football Injury list. McVay said Dedich has reached the point where he can begin doing more work while wearing a cast. The Rams will evaluate how he responds over the next week before deciding whether to remove him from the NFI list.
Another young player making an impression is rookie quarterback Ty Simpson. While Simpson hasn't received an abundance of practice reps throughout the offseason and training camp, McVay liked what he saw when the rookie got his opportunity in the preseason.
McVay praised Simpson's command of the huddle, his ability to communicate plays and his decision-making. The message to Simpson now is simple: Make the most of every opportunity, regardless of how many snaps he receives.
“If it is seven reps, if it is 17, if it is 27,” McVay said, “let's maximize the reps that you do get. Let's be totally present.”
McVay also offered particularly strong praise for veteran wide receiver Davante Adams, who has quickly developed a close relationship with his new head coach. McVay said Adams sees the game from the perspective of both a quarterback and a coach, something that has made their daily conversations especially valuable.
“There's a lot of love for the players on this team, but there's a lot of love that I have for Davante Adams,” McVay said. “He's one of those guys that inspires me to bring it every single day. He brings it every single day, whether it's on the practice field or on game day, and I love everything he's about.”
The Rams are also putting a renewed emphasis on special teams after an offseason in which McVay took personal responsibility for the unit not performing at the level he expected in the past. He praised special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone and assistant Kyle Hoke for establishing greater buy-in while emphasizing that more players from the offense and defense will be expected to contribute on special teams this season.
“Make no mistake about it, I was responsible for why things didn't go as well as they should have, and that is nobody's fault but my own,” McVay said. “You want to be able to look inward and then make sure that you're giving autonomy to the right people, putting guys in a position, and then are you subconsciously communicating how important that phase is?”
With Thursday's joint practice against the Saints next on the schedule, McVay's message to his team remains consistent. The Rams aren't looking too far ahead. They're looking for incremental improvement as the opportunities for meaningful practice work become increasingly valuable.
“I've been pleased with it,” McVay said, “and then we've got to continue to take steps one day at a time.”