5 takeaways from LA Rams 2021 NFL Draft Day 2

II – Special teams is a clear priority now

Whether you see it as a reason to chortle or hold it in all seriousness, the Rams are clearly quite interested in adding players who also clearly fit the team’s need to upgrade special teams. In both rookies selected so far, they are both projected as special teams standouts in the NFL Those types of comments are typically the type of notations for rookies selected on Day Three of the NFL Draft.

I think that is the plan here. The Rams are going after the special teams as well as the offense this year. The team has added the best punter in the NFL from 2020, but he won’t be competing for a starting position if you believe head coach Sean McVay. The team most certainly has settled in on placekicker Matt Gay. Now the team is going after the sluggish performances in the return game as well as the coverage game.

The Rams hired John Bonamego to fill the Special Teams Coordinator role in 2020. In 2021, the team transferred Bonamego to Special Coaching Assistant and filled the Special Teams Coordinator role with Joe DeCamillis. That move was not cosmetic in nature. The Rams want more out of special teams.

They may be on their way. While I was surprised where the Rams grabbed Tutu Atwell and to a lesser extent Ernest Jones, I love what these players add to the Rams roster in terms of new and unique capabilities. Atwell immediately gives the Rams a competitive returner, a player who can take it to the house each time he touches the ball. And with Jones, the guy is a long-armed tackling machine. He will be able to ensure that the opposing team’s return game is frustrated all afternoon.