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Jourdan Rodrigue
@JourdanRodrigue
More thoughts on Lance McCutcheon, and a neat glimpse at what is possible with him and Jacob Harris on the field *together* and what that could open up:
McCutcheon also had a 29-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter. The thing about McCutcheon: He doesn’t look like he belongs out there in the preseason. In a McVay-led system, when starters and key role players don’t play, that’s a compliment. Sure, he looks young at times — McVay wanted him to plant his foot and keep running on an attempted “Hail Mary” that was well short of the end zone on the Rams’ final drive — but it’s pretty clear McCutcheon can play at a high level, even against higher-level NFL talent.
“I was talking with (Zac Robinson), our coach, and I’ve barely thrown to Lance,” said backup quarterback John Wolford, chuckling. “My first few reps with him are in a live game. … Friendlier target, bigger body, contorts well, catches it clean, strong hands. Good target (for) a quarterback.”
Additionally, I saw some interesting things when McCutcheon and second-year receiver Jacob Harris were on the field at the same time. The Rams tried to get both of them snaps with Wolford and with quarterback Bryce Perkins, and in the fourth quarter, Harris leveled a defensive lineman out of motion while selling the “under” route as McCutcheon cut across on the over, and secured the catch from Perkins downfield.
“It’s awesome, man,” Perkins told me postgame, laughing. “He talked to me on the sidelines about it, too. It’s awesome to see guys without the ball in their hands really just competing. That goes a long way with the coaches, goes a long way with teammates. You do it like that, it’s great for the team and shows what kind of character, what kind of person you are.”
Harris and McCutcheon could, at some point, be roster competitors. But Friday night, Harris committed to helping McCutcheon and Perkins in a way the Rams historically ask of their receivers: Not by catching the ball, but by paving the road.
RFS69
