Watkins’ day will come with Rams, but first he must watch and learn

Sammy Watkins’ day will come with Rams, but first he must watch and learn

By RICH HAMMOND | rhammond@scng.com | Orange County Register

IRVINE — As the Rams went through scripted, oft-repeated warm-up exercises, Sammy Watkins glanced left and right and tried to mimic his new teammates. This is going to be a process.

In his first day on the field with the Rams, after Friday’s trade that brought him over from Buffalo, Watkins didn’t do much at practice at UC Irvine. Watkins flashed his trademark speed during some basic route-running and 1-on-1 drills as he wore No. 2, which he last sported in college at Clemson.

The Rams believe Watkins, a former 1,000-yard receiver, eventually can be their deep target, and they intend to play him in Saturday’s preseason game at Oakland, but for now, they’re taking it slow.

“One day at a time,” Watkins said after practice. “I’m not going to learn everything in a day. I’m not going to look like Sammy Watkins in three days. I really just got to learn the playbook and the concepts, and just get time with Jared and the offense, and go out there and compete, play fast.”

The Rams apparently kept it simple on for Watkins on his first day. He said he hadn’t spent significant time with his fellow receivers or quarterback Jared Goff, and he spent most of Monday’s practice standing and watching, helmet in hand, as the Rams went through full-team drills.

Coach Sean McVay assigned assistant receivers coach Zac Taylor to be Watkins’ shepherd, and also moved Watkins into a dorm suite with receiver Robert Woods, Watkins’ former teammate in Buffalo.

“I have a question to ask, he definitely helps me out with that,” Watkins said of Woods. “And just how to learn the offense. He tells me to focus on concepts first, and then you focus on formations and kind of tie those in together. So it’s definitely been helpful.”

Watkins, who underwent foot surgery last year, apparently isn’t limited in practice, and he played in Buffalo’s preseason opener last week. McVay said he intends to increase Watkins’ participation in practice as this week progresses and then get him “a handful of snaps” against the Raiders.

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