Aside from the score, Saturday’s preseason opener went about according to plan for the Rams. Veterans across the roster rested while a plethora of rookies got their first taste of NFL game action.
But as the Rams prepare for this week’s joint practices with the Raiders on Wednesday and Thursday, the emphasis will shift. Those veterans that were in street clothes on Saturday will get live reps against another team, albeit in a controlled setting with some additional guardrails than a preseason game.
This is McVay’s preferred way of getting experienced players ready for the season. Along with the extra protections, the veteran Rams will face opposing teams’ best players who also won’t play in Saturday’s preseason tune-up.
So while McVay isn’t ruling out having some veterans not named Stafford or Donald or Kupp suit up for the preseason’s Week 2, this week’s practices will go a long way in making that decision for him.
“A lot of that is predicated on if we felt like we got the necessary work in these practices,” McVay said. “It’s case by case as it relates to each individual player, but if we feel like that’s going to be best to get them healthy and ready to go for Seattle [in Week 1] but accumulate some of that experience in preseason games, then we’ll do that.”
The Rams won’t game plan for the joint practices, instead taking them as an opportunity to test the team’s foundational philosophies in real time against an opponent and then work on situational football. McVay hopes to see consistency from his older players in these settings.
Just as he hopes to see growing consistency from Stetson Bennett IV after his first game action on Saturday. The rookie quarterback shook off a couple of near-interceptions on his first drive to settle in and lean the Rams on a couple of long drives.
He finished the game 17 of 29 from 191 yards and a touchdown. Much of that work came against the Chargers’ third-team defense, whereas this week he’ll have an opportunity to play some of the Raiders’ starters.
“There’s going to be a goal every day of just getting some more ownership in terms of the rhythm and the timing that we play with,” McVay said. “Ownership of being able to visualize these formations and motions where we’re calling plays or calling two plays. So it will speed up but I still think you want to focus on the foundational pieces.”
One veteran who will probably not practice at all this week is receiver Cooper Kupp (hamstring). Though he’s been out working with trainers during practices, McVay said it’s “more likely than not” that Kupp is held out for another week, with a possible return for next week’s joint practices with the Broncos a more realistic return date.
Second-year offensive lineman Zach Thomas tweaked his knee on Saturday, McVay said. He’ll miss Monday’s practice, but his status moving forward is to be determined. Otherwise, the Rams appeared to make it out of SoFi Stadium with a clean bill of health.