7 LA Rams who desperately need a strong effort against Raiders

II: DT Kobie Turner

Rookie defensive tackle/nose tackle Kobie Turner is coming into a tough spot for the LA Rams. Unlike past years, when the Rams have plenty of veteran support to handle the starting duties, Turner arrives at a time when the only certainty on the Rams' defensive line is All-Pro veteran defensive lineman Aaron Donald.

Turner played 18 defensive snaps in that first preseason game, but did not record a single tackle. While he was not the only rookie on the Rams defense to struggle, it's clear that the Rams will look for much more from him in the second preseason game.

Just give Turner time to cook

Turner is not expected to dominate the NFL this season. And truth be told, he has a host of teammates who will step up and handle plenty of defensive snaps. But while that takes the pressure off him in some regard, it adds pressure as well. In short, if he does not show up in a big way over the next two preseason games, he could be limited in the number of snaps he will get when the season starts.

Of course, the key to securing a spot in the Rams regular season rotation is to show up now.

Kobie Turner will improve this season. He has all of the tools to do so, and he has the best defensive line coach in the NFL in Coach Eric Henderson. But fans do tend to be impatient, and that tendency has trended up over the years. The key to any rookie's career is patience, and that appears to be especially true here.