Football is officially back and Training Camps across the league are spinning up. Players like John Wolford will be chomping at the bit to get on the field. Here is a look at the most likely preseason stars over the next several weeks.
John Wolford And Other Expected Rams Preseason Stars
As a reminder, Sean McVay is notorious for having his starters skip the pre-season to preserve their health going into the regular season. As a result, do not expect to see players like Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, Darious Williams, and others.
The pre-season is much different from the regular season because it is full of low-profile players getting their shot on the field. Here are the six low-profile players expected to relish the easier competition and see the spotlight in the first preseason of 2021.
1) John Wolford, QB
John Wolford will see a lot of playing time in this year’s pre-season, thanks to his surprise performance last season when the Los Angeles Rams finally had enough of Jared Goff (part in thanks to a thumb injury). He won the Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals while completing 57.9 percent of his passes for 231 yards. He threw an interception and no touchdowns but he was able to move the ball.
Wolford also put up a solid showing in the playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, when he was able to move the ball with seeming ease before his unfortunate injury. Now healthy, Wolford should be interesting to watch this August.
2) Tutu Atwell, WR
The Rams’ first draft pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was Tutu Atwell. Normally, a receiver with that draft placement would qualify as an automatic starter. However, considering the Rams’ loaded receiver room, Tutu might be forced to see a lot of pre-season action. The experience will benefit him as his speed will show that he is a step above the backups he will be facing. This could lead to a great pre-season showing for Atwell. Currently, he has been out on the COVID list, so we have yet to see him at training camp, but he should be back on the field very soon.
3) Van Jefferson, WR
Van Jefferson is also a casualty of the same problem facing Tutu Atwell. Last season, Jefferson was overshadowed by Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, and Robert Woods. This season, Jefferson could be forced to see some playing time in the pre-season. Coming off a year in which he only earned 220 yards and one touchdown, Jefferson could come out angry and ready to put on a show against lower-tier backups.
4) Ben Skowronek, WR
Ben Skowronek’s drafting position shows that he will be playing a lot of pre-season football in 2021. He was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft as a flyer pick. He will be facing plenty of competitive competition in the pre-season. It will be up to him to show out in order to make the roster. Needless to say, he will receive a lot of playing time in order to prove himself and absorb the hits so the starters do not need to.
5) Xavier Jones, RB
Xavier Jones is the frontrunner to act as the backup to Darrell Henderson. He will be taking on Jake Funk for the opportunity. Needless to say, the Rams will be taking a long, hard look at both players to decide their place. This will lead to a lot of playing time for Jones and Funk. Jones was quite productive in his final season in college, earning over 1,200 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2019.
6) Jake Funk, RB
Especially early on, Jake Funk will be seeing a lot of playing time as the competition for Xavier Jones for the backup role behind Darrell Henderson. Funk is a true rookie who is coming off a productive final season to his college career. In 2020, Funk earned 516 yards and three touchdowns.