5 Things to Watch in Rams Preseason Opener vs. Chiefs

The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in their preseason opener on Saturday. A lot of eyes will be on Ty Simpson as he makes his debut. However, there will be plenty to watch on Saturday. Here are five things to watch for the Rams against the Chiefs.

Ty Simpson’s Preseason Debut

Ty Simpson is set to make his preseason debut for the Rams. While he won’t play the full game, it will be a good opportunity to see what the rookie quarterback can do. The overall process will be more important than the results for Simpson. How does he look operating the offense? Are the fundamentals clean? The rookie mistakes are going to happen, but it will be interesting to see Simpson take what he’s learned in training camp and apply it to a live-game setting.

Can Jarquez Hunter Make His Case?

There is some uncertainty when it comes to Jarquez Hunter’s place on the roster. Hunter was listed behind Ronnie Rivers and alongside Dean Connors and Jordan Waters on the team’s initial depth chart. It may be a stretch to say that Hunter could be on the roster bubble, but he needs to have a strong preseason. Hunter should get plenty of carries in Saturday’s game.

Offensive Line Depth

The Rams won’t be playing any of their starters, but it’s always a positive when the offensive line plays well. Over the past few years, the Rams have done a nice job developing offensive linemen. Justin Dedich and Alaric Jackson were both undrafted free agents. It would be nice to see one or two players on the offensive line stand out and show some upside.

Nate Scheelhaase Calling Plays

Saturday’s game plan against the Chiefs will remain extremely vanilla. With that said, offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase will call plays in place of McVay. During the preseason, McVay has typically given his assistants more responsibility. In recent years, some have acted as the head coach for the game. McVay didn’t confirm whether that would happen again, but he did say that Scheelhaase would call plays against the Chiefs. It will be a good opportunity for Scheelhaase, who will be high on head coaching lists after the season.

The Next Preseason Darling

Everyone remembers Nelson Spruce, Lance McCutcheon, and Bryce Perkins. McCutcheon exploded for 259 receiving yards in 2022 and ended up earning a spot on the Rams’ roster. Spruce may not have done much outside of the preseason, but he became a fan favorite. Everyone will certainly be watching what CJ Daniels can do at wide receiver after a strong training camp. Brennan Presley, Tru Edwards, and Mario Williams will look to continue what they did last year.

Add us as a preferred source on Google