LOS ANGELES — The New Orleans Saints are getting a look at the Dallas Cowboys in a joint practice Tuesday. But as the Rams prepare to host the Saints on Thursday in Woodland Hills for a joint practice of their own, the day-to-day was more of the same.
Myles Garrett (knee) and Puka Nacua (psoas) worked off to the side with a trainer – Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday that the pair of stars would “probably return next week” – while updates on Aaron Donald’s potential return to the Rams after his 2023 retirement remained the status quo: “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
McVay said he’s looking forward to the challenge and the different looks that the Saints, who were ninth in total defense a year ago, would show the offense later this week.
“I want to see us continue to improve,” McVay said, just 24 days away from their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 11 in Melbourne, Australia. “I thought today was a good opportunity for us to take a step in the right direction. We talked about just the importance, based on now that we have preseason games, of maximizing these practice reps, especially for the guys that don’t play in the preseason games.”
McVay continued: “Today was a good, high level of execution really on both sides of the football is what I felt. That’s what I’m looking for on Thursday (with the Saints) as well.”
During training camp, a pair of Rams – offensive lineman Justin Dedich (hand) and tight end Davis Allen (quad) – have been working off to the side with a trainer during most practices. Dedich, who suffered a “blunt-trauma” injury to his hand in a non-fireworks Fourth of July-related incident, is starting to conduct football drills with a cast on his hand, McVay said Tuesday.
“Now whether or not we take him off the NFI (non-football injury) list and he actually starts rejoining us, we’re going to see how he feels doing some different things with (senior vice president of sports medicine and performance) Reggie (Scott) and, and Love (senior director of strength and conditioning Justin Lovett), and those guys,” McVay said. “I was actually talking to him yesterday. He’s feeling really encouraged about the progress he’s made, and then we’ll see what his caliber of play looks like relative to being able to compete with that cast on.”
When it comes to Allen, who was available at the start of training camp at Loyola Marymount University before he suffered a quad injury, McVay said that barring any setbacks, he expects the fourth-year tight end to be available for Week 1. Allen played in 17 games (five starts) last season and tallied a career-high 208 receiving yards.
McVay added that Allen is progressing well and began running again.
“I would expect him to be back within the next week,” McVay said. “With the way that he plays, he’s a big, important part of our offense. And so, it’ll be great to be able to get him back out there. In the meantime, some younger guys have gotten reps that they wouldn’t have otherwise gotten, but we’ll look forward to getting Davis back for sure.”
Max Klare, the Rams’ second-round selection, is one of those younger tight ends who has seen increased reps during training camp and the early preseason. The 23-year-old, who played at Purdue before being drafted out of Ohio State, had seven receptions for 37 yards in the first preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, showcasing a swift connection with first-round rookie quarterback Ty Simpson.
“I think he’s been the guy that has really benefited the most from reps that he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise in Davis’s absence,” McVay said. “The level of play from that group as a whole has raised his play. You know, I’ve mentioned Scooter (tight ends coach Scott Huff) does such a great job, but you got Higgs (Tyler Higbee), you got Colby (Parkinson). Terrence Ferguson’s doing a great job for us, and Max has gotten a lot of quality reps with that first group.”
Extra points
On the special teams side of the equation, McVay referenced some more “guys that we’re counting on … on offense and defense” being involved in first-year special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone’s unit – a move that could potentially raise the floor of schemes for a group that had its fair share of woes last season. …
“I think that subconsciously communicates the importance to them,” McVay said. “I think some of the moves that we’ve made, the time that we allocate on the practice field and in meeting rooms, … I’ve been really pleased with it. I like the way that our execution, the way that our guys competed in that (preseason) game.” …
McVay also said that when it comes to the team’s travel philosophy, it comes down to keeping players within their “normal rhythm and routine.” … McVay has yet to share the Rams’ travel plans for Melbourne.