Here are four things to watch in the Los Angeles Rams' first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Rams have now made it through training camp at LMU, meaning they are back at the Woodland Hills facility and are closing in on their first preseason game, which is on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
On that note, here are four things to watch in the Rams' preseason opener on Saturday in Kansas City.
1. Ty Simpson's Performance
There is no question that one of the biggest storylines for the Rams will be about rookie quarterback Ty Simpson and how he performs in his first NFL action.
At this point, it does appear that fellow quarterback Stetson Bennett IV is in the lead for the backup quarterback job as he was listed in the backup quarterback slot on the first unofficial depth chart of the season, but if Simpson plays well, there could be an opportunity for Simpson to jump Bennett.
Heading into Saturday, it is important to note that Simpson will very likely be playing against simple defensive structures and backup players, so his stats will most likely not make a major impact on how Sean McVay evaluates his performance. Instead, McVay will very likely be focused on how Simpson operates the offense and is able to process the defense.
2. Stetson Bennett Separating Himself as QB2
The next item to watch is how much Stetson Bennett ends up playing. Initially, it looked as though Bennett would not play; however, McVay announced the quarterback would get the start.
The reason this is important is mainly that McVay normally does not play the players who will have key roles in the upcoming season. So that may suggest that the backup quarterback battle is still up for grabs.
As a result, it will be interesting to see whether Bennett gets a drive, a quarter, or potentially a lot more. If Bennett does see significant snaps, his performance and composure will no doubt be two very important aspects to watch.
3. The Battle for WR3
Also on the offensive side, the battle at the WR3 position is something that will be very important to pay attention to. There is no question that the Rams have a great duo on the perimeter in wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. However, after that, there are some question marks as to who would be the third wide receiver.
Currently, the Rams have a few potential options for the wide receiver three position in Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield, and rookie CJ Daniels. On the first unofficial depth chart, Mumpfield was placed as the backup to Adams, with Daniels right behind him, and Whittington was listed as Nacua's backup, with Smith right after him.
Following camp, there is still plenty of time for this depth chart to change. So, when the Rams are on offense on Saturday, be sure to look out for Whittington, Smith, Mumpfield, or Daniels possibly making a strong case to win the wide receiver three competition outright.
4. Rams Cornerback Depth
Lastly, the depth in the cornerback room will no doubt be something to monitor throughout the game this weekend. In the room, the Rams have a solid duo in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, but after that, there does seem to be some uncertainty as to who would be the next man up.
In terms of depth, the Rams have three good options in Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Cam Lampkin, and Josh Wallace, who do seem to be competing for playing time and possibly the CB3. On the first unofficial depth chart of the season, Wallace was listed as the backup to McDuffie with Lampkin just behind him, while Forbes was listed as the backup to Watson.
As the Rams head into Saturday's game, it will be very interesting to see if Forbes, Lampkin, or Wallace clearly stand out with their performance and how that affects the cornerback depth chart heading into next week.
