Random Ramsdom: Tutu Atwell, Puca Nacua and more, who will be LA’s number 3 receiver?

Is Tutu Atwell versatile? We started today off with the question! Total change of pace I know. Let’s ask again is Tutu Atwell versatile? Is he only a deep threat? Can be be used in the quick screen game? What if he doesn’t make the final roster? I do think he’ll make the final roster. He’s a big unknown for this team and as long as he is on the roster I think he will continue to be an unknown, unless he (and the coaching staff) make that change. He’s shown flashes, it’d be cool to see him burn bright.

Any idea what Puka Nacua will bring the table? By the end of the year who do you think will have more playing time or may emerge as the Los Angeles Rams number 3 receiver? We’re asking all the hard hitting questions today!

Thanks for checking out today’s links, I tried to comment back on the Random Ramsdom from yesterday! I thought there was a lot of good discussion and I try to keep up, many of you really know your stuff! Some of you check these out and comment every week (sometimes more) and it’s awesome! It’s fun and I thank you. I look forward to hopefully talking/commenting more with you all as the season gets rolling!

We’ve got a fun fact regarding Sony Michel and Stetson Bennett near the bottom.

And don’t forget, it’s Friday.

Tutu Atwell is being moved around in Rams’ offense, could help his case for No. 3 WR role (sports.yahoo.com)

“Tutu Atwell is among a handful of wide receivers on the Los Angeles Rams that is competing for the No. 3 role on the depth chart behind Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson. With the Rams wanting to see more from all of their wideouts, the team’s wide receivers coach Eric Yarber indicated that Atwell has seen snaps in different positions during training camp.

“That gives him great ownership of the offense, Tutu playing all the spots (and) moving around,” Yarber said via The Athletic. “It helps his development big time. He gets to learn the intricacies of the offense from every position’s perspective, and he’s been doing a great job. He takes pride in it, in being a smart athlete. … He’s a very sharp individual.”

Atwell is certainly an undersized wide receiver, and he was viewed as more of a gadget player than a true wideout when the Rams took him with the 57th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The speedy pass catcher was utilized as a vertical threat last season, producing 16.6 yards per reception on only 18 catches.

While Atwell’s skillset fits more as a deep threat out of the slot, Sean McVay prefers to have his wide receivers capable of contributing in multiple areas. So if a player can’t play in a variety of spots and run block, then it’s hard for said player to see consistent opportunities with the starting offense.”

Rams’ Puka Nacua: Could earn No. 3 role (cbssports.com)

“Nacua’s status as a rookie hasn’t stopped the Rams from giving him a large workload in spring OTAs and training camp. With Cooper Kupp (hamstring) likely sidelined for a few weeks, Nacua will likely have an expanded role in preseason games as he and the incumbent Atwell fight for the third receiver spot behind Kupp and Van Jefferson. While he can’t compete with Atwell’s blazing speed, Nacua’s physical attributes and ability to run through the catch and break tackles make him an intriguing weapon for offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur if he were to win the role.”

Updated 53-man roster projection after Rams’ first week of training camp (theramswire.com)

“The Rams have another month until they have to trim their roster down to just 53 players for the start of the regular season, which is one of the biggest days of the offseason. Until then, they still have three preseason games to play and four more weeks of practice to go through, which will help the coaching staff determine who deserves a roster spot and who will be cut.

With the first week of practice wrapped up, we’re giving our latest projection of what the 53-man roster could look like come September. The preseason will help sort this out even more, giving us a clearer picture of where guys stand in the eyes of the coaches.

For now, here’s who we see making the team next month.”

Rams Roster: Fast 40+ LA Rams roster roundup CB Cameron McCutcheon (#16) (ramblinfan)

“The LA Rams have never failed to add a player whose versatility and athleticism allow the player to be projected into various roles on the team. While that has happened frequently, I’m not particularly encouraged by the team’s success in innovating a role to optimize those athletic gifts on a football field.

A quick summary

The LA Rams clearly were intrigued by the size of Wester Caroline defensive back Cameron McCutcheon. It’s tough not to notice a young man who plays in the secondary and stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 201 pounds. That is big enough to project as a player who can withstand the punishment of facing NFL tight ends and larger receivers on a game by game basis..

What I don’t like about this signing

Young raw defensive backs are fine if there are a limited number of rookies to coach up. That is not the situation for the LA Rams roster right now. The LA Rams are sorting out 19 defensive backs in training camp, which is a huge number of players to try to coach up, drill, afford enough time in training camp, and effective assess. I don’t know if the Rams coaching staff have enough bandwidth to even give the guy a fair shake.

What I like about this signing

Cameron McCutcheon has a size advantage and he is not afraid to use it. He plays physical defense, and that is definitely going to get noticed by Rams DB coach Aubrey Pleasant. While you could reasonably expect a small school football player to be a bit intimidated by the rise to the NFL, I don’t expect McCutcheon to suffer from any ‘Deer in the headlights,’ paralysis that will hinder his chances in training camp.”

SONY MICHEL’S RETIREMENT FROM NFL PUTS STETSON BENNETT’S OLD AGE IN PERSPECTIVE (outkick.com)

“Sony Michel’s recent retirement also puts the amount of time that Bennett spent in college in perspective. The former first round draft pick in 2018 retired at the age of 28 earlier this week.

Michel played at the University of Georgia from 2014 to 2017. Bennett first arrived in Athens in 2017.

He later left, spent a year at JUCO and then returned in 2019, but his first stint with the Bulldogs began in 2017. Bennett, a freshman, and Michel, a senior, were teammates.

Michel went on to play three years with the Patriots, one year with the Rams, and one year with the Chargers. There was also a short offseason stint with the Dolphins.

Michel won two Super Bowls in 2018 and 2021. He ran the ball 888 times for more than 3,500 yards and 24 touchdowns.

His five-year career might be considered a bust for a first round pick, if you choose to look at it that way, but those numbers are pretty strong. Most NFL backs would love to play five years.

Meanwhile, Bennett was still in school.

Michel was drafted in the first round, played for three (four) different teams and won two Super Bowls while Bennett, his former teammate, was in college. Life is pretty funny!”