LOS ANGELES — Snap, catch. Snap, catch. Snap, catch.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams were in midseason form Thursday morning in Woodland Hills during an hour of 11-on-11 action against the New Orleans Saints, the reigning MVP finding his top target – with star wide receiver Puka Nacua (psoas) out of action, along with star edge rusher Myles Garrett (knee) and tight end Davis Allen (quad) watching off to the side – for reception after reception across 45 first-team reps.
“It’s awesome because obviously you can see, as they played through the season, they got really comfortable,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said of Stafford and Adams. “But you don’t take for granted how important that rapport is. No matter how great you are, you got two great players, you got to be able to get those reps, and repetition’s the mother of learning.”
McVay continued: “They’re two outstanding people, outstanding players, and it’s really fun to watch them kind of take some ownership, and you just kind of be a fly on the wall with some of their dialogue and what they’re thinking.”
Thursday’s joint practice was the Rams’ second of the preseason. Their first came against the Dallas Cowboys last week.
McVay said he and Saints coach Kellen Moore opted to cut short Thursday’s practice by an hour because New Orleans traveled to Oxnard for a joint practice against Dallas on Tuesday. The Saints left Tuesday’s practice battered and bruised – along with a handful of scuffles that the Rams have avoided during joint practices this summer – along with a sprained MCL for running back Alvin Kamara that is expected to keep him out for at least a month.
The Saints and Cowboys were fined $500,000 each for the joint practice antics.
“All the yip-yap and fights and scuffles and stuff like that, if you do that in a game, you get kicked out anyways,” Rams safety Quentin Lake told the Southern California News Group of preparing for Thursday’s joint practice. “So we never try to make that a point of emphasis.”
Lake said the defensive unit had good competition against the Saints and their trio of quarterbacks – Spencer Rattler, Zach Wilson and Tyler Shough.
“We don’t film study them or anything like that,” Lake said. “We kind of just go out there and try and play technique and rules ball. And that’s what makes it good. You can really lock in on the fundamentals and everything else.”
Adams, however, wasn’t Stafford’s only target being hit with repetition Thursday. Tight end Terrance Ferguson, entering his second season in the NFL after the Rams drafted with him in the second round a year ago, connected with Stafford a handful of times against the Saints.
McVay said that it’s “misunderstood or minimized” how smart Ferguson is on the field, embracing every skill position except halfback as he carves a role for himself in a deep tight ends room that already holds Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen. The 23-year-old told the Southern California News Group that he’s most developed in his run blocking so far with the Rams, noting the work that he’s put in with tight ends coach Scott ‘Scooter’ Huff.
Ferguson said he enjoyed being able to get physical in 11-on-11 reps Thursday with players in opposing colors.
“Obviously, I think our defense is one of the best defenses in in the league,” Ferguson said. “So seeing those guys day in, day out, and it’s always fun to go out there, test your rules, test how you really are versus like somebody else, that’s around the league, and it’s a little more of a live setting. It’s really good to get out there and actually hit somebody else for once.”
Extra points
When it comes to rookie offensive tackle Keagen Trost (hamstring), McVay said that he is hopeful the Missouri product is able to return before the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 11 (Sept. 10 in Los Angeles) in Melbourne, Australia. McVay said Monday that Trost will be out for a “few weeks.” …
McVay said he expects Aaron Donald, 35, to have more workouts before the he makes a decision on whether to come out of retirement and rejoin the Rams. Donald, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, worked out at the Rams’ facility Saturday, which McVay called “just another part of his process.” “I would love to be able to have all of this stuff kind of figured out, but like I told you guys from the beginning, he’s kind of earned the right (to decide on his own time),” McVay said. “I know he’s feeling good, and I think he’ll continue to work out, and I’m hopeful that we’ll have some answers on that soon for you guys.” …
Backup quarterbacks Stetson Bennett IV (13 reps) and first-rounder Ty Simpson (12 reps) split the 25 second-team reps that the offense had Thursday. Simpson tossed a pair of interceptions, the first of which had Saints cornerback TJ Hall Jr. lying in wait like an outfielder waiting to catch a flyball. McVay said he has yet to decide the quarterback game plan for Saturday’s preseason game (1 p.m. at SoFi Stadium) against the Saints. …
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and assistant coach Frank Vogel, who won an NBA championship in 2020 as head coach of the Lakers, attended Thursday’s practice. McVay said he and Kerr have been friends “for awhile.” McVay added about Kerr: “I love everything about how he leads, how he enjoys it, how he stays connected with his players.”