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The St. Louis Rams will be playing their third preseason game this Saturday against the Indianapolis Colts. So why not look at the winners of the preseason so far?
There will not be veteran starters on this list, but there are a couple of players that will have a big impact on the team in their young careers.
CB Lamarcus Joyner
Joyner was on the outside looking in on a starting role during the preseason. Since E.J. Gaines went down with his season-ending injury, Joyner has had to handle the nickel position for the defense. Now, has Joyner been great? No, but he has showed flashes and he still is one of best tackling secondary player on the roster. Sometimes Joyner is a step behind the player he is covering in man, but in zone Joyner looks more comfortable.
G Jamon Brown
So far, Brown has been one of the best starting offensive linemen on the team and has been a solid surprise. He hasn't been constantly bullrushed back to the quarterback, and he moves people out of the way when run blocking. Obviously, Brown is not a Hall of Fame lineman yet, but he has showed that he can be a solid player on the line.
RB Trey Watts
Watts is everything the Rams thought they had in Isaiah Pead. He demonstrates his acceleration and speed on almost every run and he is a crafty runner that can make something out of nothing. Watts might not be an every down back, but he does have talent and could be a change of pace back for a handful of NFL teams in the league. What is holding him back is his four-game suspension.
RB Malcolm Brown
Not everyone watches every quarter of preseason football, so it would have been easy to miss running back Malcolm Brown having some good games.The former University of Texas running back does not have top-tier speed, but he is a tough runner. So far in the preseason, Brown has rushed six times for 41 yards and has the second-most receptions on the team with five catches and 85 yards. This does not mean that Brown is a 100% lock for the Rams, but he has shown that he should be able to play at this level. This is one UDFA who should not have a problem finding a team.
LBs Bryce Hager and Cameron Lynch
With Daren Bates injured, someone had to stand up. So farm these two young linebackers have been up to the task. Both players have been tackling machines and sometimes looking less like rookies and more like veteran backups. Lynch has impressed me the most out of both linebackers. He has good speed and sometimes flashes so highly you can't help but acknowledge his good play. Both of these players could end up on the practice squad, but they could be backups for the next couple of years.
QB Case Keenum
Keenum has looked solid on the field so far this preseason. He has not blown the other quarterbacks out of the water yet, but he does look like he will be the backup to Nick Foles heading in to the season. Keenum has had competition from Sean Mannion which will continue for the preseason, but Keenum does look better at the moment. Austin Davis, has only thrown four passes. Either the Rams know what they have in him, or they have not been impressed by him yet during the course of the preseason.