LA Rams training camp: Breaking down reports using the traffic light method

Yellow light: Proceed with caution

Okay, so after we've gotten past the sensational news that is designed to excite and buoy enthusiasm, we fall into the report that come out of training camp that are a bit more intriguing. What we find in the yellow light category is strategic type of information. What I mean by that is that it typically involves the workload, who is competing with who on the depth chart, and the positions played by various players.

While not a rock solid bit of information, the news does give directional accuracy. Think of a bucket of water, and telling the temperature of the water by sticking your finger into it. You can tell hot from warm from cool to cold. For data about Rams training camp, that can help build an image of what the possibilities may become, not a guarantee of what will happen.

Right now, it's clear that the Rams coaching staff is interested in determining how well rookie wide receiver can handle a larger workload. It's a test to determine how effectively he can process the playbook. A great first step, but just a first step nonetheless:

Noteboom is working his way back from injury

The caution with this category is to understand the circumstances. With Puka Nacua, the Rams coaches have a new WR and they are giving him the full playbook worth of work to assess where they need to help coach him up. For a rehabbing veteran, like Joe Noteboom, the news out of training camp must be filtered with the knowledge that the guy is not up to full NFL football level right now:

Joe Noteboom, Brian Allen, and Logan Bruss are three Rams offensive linemen who are working back from significant injuries last season. We are not privy to the medical reports, but it's safe to say that their performances in the early days of training camp should improve dramatically over time. But we have learned about the mix and matching that is occurring with offensive linemen so far. This bit of information suggests that 2022 starters are not already penned into starting roles this year.

Even those reports about a day of struggle or a day of success from players should be taken with a grain of salt. One day, one data point, does not construe a trend. We tend to record the information that confirms what we believe to be true, and shed the data that forces us to alter or expand our understanding. But right now, we are better served to have an open mind, and let the facts help construct our conclusions as they arrive.