After each practice of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, Rams staff writer Stu Jackson will share 10 observations from the session. Here are his notes from Tuesday, Aug. 18.
1) Our first look at the first team offensive line in a pads-on setting saw Joe Noteboom getting first-team reps at left guard, with Austin Corbett holding down right guard. This, of course, is the first glimpse of the combination since the two never got a chance to play together during the 2019 season: Noteboom was the team's starting left guard in 2019 until sustaining a season-ending left knee injury in the sixth game; Corbett took over at left guard late in the season after Los Angeles moved Austin Blythe over to center as the replacement to Brian Allen (season-ending knee injury in Week 10). That guard combination was also different from what Episode 1 of Hard Knocks showed us. In that episode, Corbett was at left guard and David Edwards at right guard.
2) At outside linebacker, Leonard Floyd and Samson Ebukam handled first team duties. Like Lewis, both players looked the part physically, especially Floyd and his 6-5, 240-pound frame. Of course, Ebukam at 6-3 and 245 deserves credit too, given how hard he was working this offseason with the opportunity in front of him.
3) This hasn't been the first time rookie wide receiver Van Jefferson's route-running and separation skills have been touted, but if a reminder is needed, both were on full display at Tuesday's practice. He hauled in a deep touchdown pass from quarterback John Wolford during 11-on-11 work, and had a nice over-the-shoulder catch for a score during 1-on-1 drills against cornerback Adonis Alexander.
4) Second-year safety Taylor Rapp's non-participation – which Rams head coach Sean McVay attributed to "a little knee" issue – created ample opportunities for rookies Jordan Fuller and Terrell Burgess to show what they could do, and they delivered. During 11-on-11 drills, they each had an interception.
5) On that note about the safeties, there were other defensive backs who made plays too. Cornerback Darious Williams' interception of quarterback John Wolford came after Burgess' pick, giving the defense interceptions on back-to-back plays. Cornerback Dont'e Deayon also had a nice pass breakup in coverage against Robert Woods.
6) The running backs rotated often, though this was to be expected based on what McVay has told reporters about the committee approach to the position as well as what running backs coach Thomas Brown told me earlier this month about how he planned to approach training camp reps.
7) The team drills also provided a look at the kicking competition. CFL product Lirim Hajrullahu and XFL product Austin MacGinnis each drilled a 42-yard field goal during that stretch.
8) It was great to see inside linebacker Micah Kiser full-go after last year's setback with the preseason pectoral injury that forced him to miss the rest of the year. "I know we have high regard for Micah Kiser in our building," defensive coordinator Brandon Staley told reporters in May, and that was reflected Tuesday with Kiser getting reps with the first-team defense alongside Travin Howard.
9) Fourth-year pro Josh Reynolds was regularly the third wide receiver alongside Woods and Cooper Kupp on the first-team offense. Again, this development also doesn't come as too much of a surprise given how McVay said in the spring that he expected Reynolds to have a bigger role in the offense in 2020.
10) Tight end Tyler Higbee seems to be picking up where he left off in December, hauling in consecutive passes from Goff during one point during 11-on-11 drills to help move the chains.
