IRVINE, Calif. – Head coach Sean McVay, wide receiver DeSean Jackson and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day each met with the media Monday following the fifth practice of 2021 Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union, covering career longevity (Jackson), becoming a more versatile player (Joseph-Day), the Rams' running backs behind Darrell Henderson Jr. (McVay), and more.
Here are some of the highlights and key takeaways from those conversations, which you can watch in their entirety below:
"I've been really encouraged with what I've seen from those guys behind Darrell up to this point." – McVay
- So far, so good after the first five practices of this year's training camp for second-year running backs Xavier Jones and Raymond Calais and rookies Jake Funk and Otis Anderson.
- McVay said he's been encouraged with what he's seen from Jones, and that Funk has shown "good maturity." Calais, meanwhile, "had a couple nice runs" during Monday's practice, while Anderson "has got some skills" but is also "just gettin comfortable" since he joined the team after the conclusion of the offseason program in late June.
"I was just telling someone, I could play another five years in this offense." – Jackson
- Rejoining a McVay-led offense has given the 14-year veteran Jackson a rejuvenating feeling.
- As for why that's the case, Jackson attributed it to the approach the Rams take to their veterans, describing it as a "science" where they don't overwork their most experienced players but still allow them to get in good work.
"I just think studying, man. Studying the game, studying other players and offseason stuff. A lot of work in the offseason, man, a lot of hours." – Joseph-Day
- When it came expanding his skillset for the upcoming season, Joseph-Day credited offseason work done with defensive line trainer Eddy McGilvra, working with Rams defensive line coach and run game coordinator Eric Henderson over the years and the veteran players he's learned from like current Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and former Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers.
- To unlock that versatility, Joseph-Day also said he honed in on his pass rush this offseason. His first and second years as a starter, his role primarily consisted of being a run stopper on first and second downs, so pass rush was something Henderson wanted him to work on.
