Harrison Mevis can lead the way to Rams' special-teams turnaround

A year ago, the Los Angeles Rams' special teams unit was anything but special. In fact, several losses could be traced back to special teams gaffes. Amidst the chaos and disappointment, the Rams signed UFL kicker Harrison Mevis to get the group back on track.

From a kicking standpoint, he has done exactly that. After just one missed field goal prevented his perfect season a year ago, Mevis went a flawless 2-for-2 on both field goals and extra points in the Rams' 2026 preseason opener. That should reassure anxious fans.

Mevis is not overly charismatic. He doesn't even look like a kicker. In the best possible way, it's like the NFL tried to come up with a 'GMO' version of the prototype.

He takes a no-nonsense, blue-collar approach to his profession. And he boots to perfection. With legs the size of tree trunks, it's no wonder Mevis has earned the nickname of 'The Thiccer Kicker.'

Harrison Mevis can lead Rams' special teams turnaround

If the Rams truly hope to win a Super Bowl this season, they'll have to find better performances across the board. It would be difficult to ask much more from the offense that led the league in scoring a year ago. The secondary should be much improved, no questions asked. The pass rush has Myles Garrett.

But there is plenty of low-hanging fruit on special teams. Even Mevis, who fell one field goal short of perfection, did not arrive until later last season. A full year of Mevis making clutch kicks will add quite a bit to the team's potential.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. A year ago, Ethan Evans grossed 46.3 yards per punt and netted just 38.5 yards. In his first preseason game, Evans boomed four punts that grossed an average of 60.75 yards, and netted 48.5 yards. While one preseason contest means little, that's still a fabulous improvement and hopefully a sign of things to come.

How about kick returns? Last season, the Rams averaged just 9.3 yards per punt return. In the first preseason game, Xavier Smith ripped off a 40-yarder. Backup kickoff returner Brennan Pressley had a pair of nice scampers as well.

While the team's coverage units were not quite 'there' yet, they played well enough to outperform their Kansas City Chiefs counterparts. Believe it or not, that is significant progress.

One data point does not make a trend. But it does reflect how Mevis and Company are steering the unit back toward competence. If this early performance was any indication, fans can look forward to special teams play this year, rather than dread it.

As always, thanks for reading.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow