August 10, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) - wide receiver Nate Burleson (13) and wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) during the first half against the Cleveland Browns at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-US PRESSWIRE

This preseason has been up and down in terms of overall play from the St. Louis Rams. Although little  can be drawn from the preseason in terms of how the team will play during the regular season, it is a small glance towards how individual players may look once the real games begin in September. For the most part, the offensive and defensive playbooks will stay fixed in Chapter 1, but players can still be evaluated on the basics; their chemistry within their positional unit, route running, coverage, timing, or footwork. With all the bad media surround the Rams loses to the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts, one would be pressured to believe that no one on the Rams has shown positive indications of progression or production. That is quite the opposite of the truth, with a number of players standing out their their individual play thus far in the preseason. Here are some players that St. Louis Rams genuinely hope will transfer their production into the regular season…

WR Danny Amendola:

We all caught a glimpse of what Amendola could be in 2010, when he paired with Bradford for a team high 85 receptions. After missed almost the entire 2011 season with a dislocated elbow and torn tricep, Amendola appears to be back to his old form, or maybe even better. In three preseason contests he has tallied 5 receptions for 68 yards and one extremely impressive touchdown. More importantly, Amendola is making those reception for an average of 13.6 yards per catch, which is far superior to the sub-10 yard per catch average from just two years ago. Amendola is getting shuffled from the slot to the outside and getting open down the field. If he can continue to do that, Bradford should pick up where he left off in 2010.

TE Lance Kendricks and  TE Michael Hoomanawanui:

Between the two, they have raked in 7 receptions for 102 yards during the first three games. That is very impressive considering they have not seen much work on the field because of the heavy rotation of offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers. “Illinois Mike” was one of Bradford’s favorite targets in the red zone in 2010, but, much like Amendola, was plagued with injury in 2011. Kendricks is repeating his preseason from 2011, which did not carry over into the regular season. If Kendricks remains consistent through the rest of the preseason into the regular season and Hoomanawanui can stay healthy, this could be the Rams version of the Hernandez and Gronkowski duo in New England.

Aug 25, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dwayne Harris (17) is tackled by Sr Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson (22) in the second quarter at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE

CB Trumaine Johnson:

Johnson leads the Rams in tackle with 12 so far in the preseason, many of which are coming from reps at the third corner spot in the nickel package. Nickelbacks have to be solid in tackling, since they are typically locked up on a slot receiver on the inside or responsible for shallow coverages in zone. He also assisted in Matt Conrath’s first (and likely only) interception on a deflected pass.  With Fletcher missing a majority of the offseason due to injury and Josh Gordy being traded away, the Rams will need Johnson to continue to progress in the defense.

OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar:

Coming in as the underwhelming favorite for the weakside linebacker position from New Orleans, Dunbar has made the most of the oppotunity. Dunbar has 7 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble and is showing a lot of passion and toughness on the field. There have been countless times that Dunbar has been shown getting into an offense players face or continuing to play after the whistle, but in a good way. He is getting in the heads of the offense, and doing so in a way that gets the rest of the defense hyped up. More importantly, he is drawing line and not racking up unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. If he can continue to produce on the field and play with that chip on his shoulder, Dunbar may be the steal of free agency for the Rams.

August 18, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams place kicker Greg Zuerlein (4) is congratulated by punter Johnny Hekker (6) after kicking an extra point against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

P Johnny Hekker:

Special teams was one of the many weak points on the St. Louis Rams last season. Changing a few outcomes on special teams could have gave the Rams at least another win or two during the season. Hekker has been punting like a veteran, averaging nearly 48.6 yards per punts. However, average yards is not the key indicator of punting talents since relative field position dictates how far a punter wants to boot the ball. The real highlight is the touchback to inside-the-20 ratio, meaning how often the punter can put the opposing offense in bad starting field position versus letting them starting with the ball at the 20 yard line. Hekker has landed 4 balls inside the 20 and kicked only 1 touchback in his 10 punts this preseason. If he can continue to keep the opposing offense starting inside the 20, the defense should be able to force some bad situations that will hopefully result in turnovers.

Oct 12, 2008; Landover, MD, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is tackled by Washington Redskins linebacker Rocky McIntosh (52) and safety Chris Horton (48) at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

I think we all knew this was coming, but the Rams announced that they have agreed to a deal with LB Rocky McIntosh for the upcoming season. The sides agreed to terms on Thursday after the minicamp session, but terms of the deal were not disclosed. McIntosh is expected to battle for a starting spot out outside linebacker during training camp.

We talked a little about this already, but now that it’s official I think this was the right move for this team. McIntosh is a productive 4-3 player who fits the scheme and knows what he’s doing, and considering the lack of depth we currently have, it was a no-brainer. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if McIntosh becomes a starter fairly quickly during camp, and if I had to guess I would say that the team signed him with the expectation that he starts this season.

McIntosh joins Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Mario Haggan as free agent additions to this team at LB, and while none of these guys are going to carry your defense, it’s a group of veterans who know who they are and know how to play the game. The team also has some undrafted rookies who could factor in to the battle if they impress early in camp, but the combo of veterans and rookies looks pretty solid. I don’t think there’s any doubt that OLB is a position that’s going to need to be addressed long-term down the road, but McIntosh is a nice stopgap for now.

Aug 26, 2011; Kansas City, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Quinn Ojinnaka (69) leaves the field after the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Rams won 14-10. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

The news of the week was obviously the Gregg Williams suspension, but that doesn’t mean the team has stopped operating as usual when it comes to free agency. There are plenty of holes to fill, and the Rams haven’t stopped looking a guys who could potentially plug those holes. The team signed offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka to a deal Thursday to add to the depth on the line, and he will probably serve as a backup in the coming season regarding injuries. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Ojinnaka was in camp with the Rams last year before getting cut and joining up with the Colts, where he played in nine games and started three.

In addition to Ojinnaka, the team has Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Chilo Rachal, Barry Richardson and Robert Turner in town for visits. Dunbar is an interesting candidate at outside linebacker, and he would almost certainy be an upgrade over what the Rams had last season. Richardson would be another great fit for this team at tackle since he has plenty of experience, and Rachal is a guard from San Francisco that I like. Turner is a bit more of a question mark at guard because of his injury history, so given the choice I think Rachal would be the guy.

These might not be the biggest names in the world, but there are guys on this list who could certainly help out. Stay tuned to see if any of these players sign a deal in the next few days, because it could very well happen.