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Kupp, Webster Listed Among Rams Projected StartersMyles Simmons
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www.therams.com]
Rams 2017 training camp presented by AT&T is right around the corner, beginning with a 3 p.m. practice at U.C. Irvine next Saturday, July 29. And while there’s still a lot of time before the regular-season opener against the Colts on September 10, it’s not too early to begin discussing the club’s potential starting roles.
The team provided an unofficial list of projected preseason starters in its media release on Wednesday. While there weren’t many surprises, two players who may qualify for that label are wide receiver Cooper Kupp and cornerback Kayvon Webster.
After setting a bevy of records at Eastern Washington, Kupp emerged as a reliable target once arriving for Los Angeles’ offseason program as a third-round pick. Head coach Sean McVay noted Kupp’s day-to-day consistency multiple times during OTAs and minicmap. But even on a first impression at rookie minicamp, offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur had plenty of praise for the first-year wideout.
“I think the first thing you know about Cooper is he’s a pro and you can see that,” LaFleur said back in May. “He came in here not like most rookies do. He’s an extremely polished route runner [who’s] got great hands, is a precise route-runner. You can tell he works at his craft each and every day.”
Kupp likely made the list of starters because the list is based on a three wide receiver set. He would be alongside Tavon Austin and Robert Woods, according to the projection.
Webster was mainly a special teams contributor in his first four seasons with the Broncos, and signed with the Rams because of the opportunity to earn a starting role. It doesn’t hurt that the cornerback played under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips for the last two years in Denver, giving Webster plenty of familiarity with Los Angeles’ new scheme. During the offseason program, cornerback Trumaine Johnson said he felt like he was developing a solid partnership with Webster on the opposite side of the field.
“I love him, man. He’s a competitor — a real-deal competitor,” Johnson said. “Businessman — he takes care of himself on and off the field. Me and him have been working out off the field for the last two months. So I love him, and just trying to build chemistry with him.”
Keeping in mind this is an unofficial list that’s subject to plenty of change prior to the regular season, here are the Rams 22 projected preseason starters.
OFFENSE
QB — Jared Goff
RB — Todd Gurley II
WR — Tavon Austin
WR — Robert Woods
WR — Cooper Kupp
TE — Tyler Higbee
LT — Andrew Whitworth
LG — Rodger Saffold
C — John Sullivan
RG — Rob Havenstein
RT — Jamon Brown
DEFENSE
DE — Aaron Donald
NT — Michael Brockers
DE — Dominique Easley
OLB — Robert Quinn
OLB — Connor Barwin
LB — Alec Ogletree
LB — Mark Barron
LCB — Trumaine Johnson
RCB — Kayvon Webster
FS — Lamarcus Joyner
SS — Maurice Alexander
