7 Rams players to watch vs. Raiders in preseason Week 2

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
7 Rams players to watch vs. Raiders in preseason Week 2


Cameron DaSilva
August 20, 2021 11:14 am PT

After two days of practicing together, the Rams and Raiders will take the field on Saturday night for the second week of the preseason. The Rams won’t play their starters and will keep important backups out of action, so this game will once again be about the guys fighting to make the team.

Here are seven Rams players to watch at SoFi Stadium against the Raiders on Saturday night.

1
TE Jacob Harris
Harris got off to a nice start in the preseason opener against the Chargers, catching four passes for 43 yards and nearly hauling in a touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone. He seems to have pulled ahead of Brycen Hopkins on the tight end depth chart, an impressive feat for the raw rookie who was expected to need time to develop.

It’ll be worth watching Harris in this game to see if he can follow it up with another strong performance against the Raiders with Las Vegas’ starters expected to play more than the Chargers’ did last week.


2
OL Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
Anchrum looked solid in his preseason debut, standing out as arguably the best offensive lineman for the Rams in an otherwise unimpressive game for the unit. He’s moving closer to securing a spot on the roster, though there’s still work to be done.

Another game like the one he had against the Chargers will go a long way for his prospects of staying on the 53-man roster as a versatile guard and tackle.


3
DB J.R. Reed
Reed, along with Justin Lawler, was arguably the best player on the field for the Rams. He had the eighth-best PFF grade of any defensive player in the NFL during the first week of preseason games, which provides some context to the way he played.

Reed can play safety and cornerback, a valuable trait for a defensive back, especially considering the Rams might only keep four or five corners on the 53-man roster. He’s definitely a player to watch Saturday night.


4
LB Ernest Jones
Jones’ playing time wasn’t extensive against the Chargers, but he looked comfortable on the field in his first NFL action. He might get even more snaps against the Raiders as the Rams try to evaluate his place at inside linebacker, which features a lot of competition for both starter and backup reps.

Hopefully Jones will get some chances in coverage, specifically man coverage against running backs because that’s an area where he’ll need to improve as an NFL linebacker.


5
QB Bryce Perkins
Perkins played just 22 snaps against the Chargers, 12 fewer than Devlin Hodges got. That difference should flip this weekend against the Raiders, with Perkins getting a larger share of the snaps. He was dynamic with his legs and showed poise when throwing the ball, impressing in limited action at quarterback.

Look for Perkins to build on a strong debut with another good game against the Raiders, who he saw in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. We know how exciting he can be as a runner, but hopefully he’ll get even more chances to let the ball rip this week.


6
OLB Chris Garrett
Garrett got the start at outside linebacker along with Lawler, but he didn’t record a single tackle or quarterback hit in 25 snaps played. He flashed at times and got into the backfield, but he needs to be better if he’s going to stick around on the 53-man roster as a rookie.

Coming from Division II, the learning curve was expected to be steep because that’s not an easy transition to make, but he should at least be able to have some success against backups in the preseason.


7
DB Kareem Orr
Orr is battling Donte Deayon, Brontae Harris and Donovan Olumba for one of the final roster spots at cornerback. Orr played well in camp and will need to carry that over to the preseason, which he started to do last week against the Chargers with 38 snaps played on defense.

Hopefully he can break up a couple of passes if he’s targeted in coverage, and showing the ability to play in the slot or outside will be worth watching, too. He’s a talented player with experience, which gives him a chance to contribute in his first season with the Rams.