Sudden offensive clarity emerges for Rams after joint practice showcase

It's that time of the NFL year when we, as contributors to Los Angeles Rams websites, have to give readers more than the oohs and ahhs that follow great performances by the players. It's the time of the season when player performances mean consequences. Great plays lead to great outcomes, while bad plays lead to bad consequences.

And it's that time of year when football really feels as though it's back. No more scanning the internet over a chance NFL Mock Draft that could spill some optimism into your empty glass. No more projections from NFL analysts who seem to have their career goals set to become the next talking head like Skip Bayless.

All of those facsimiles and simulations can be tossed aside temporarily. The real McCoy has returned. It's real football, a competitive clash between two NFL teams. So what if it's just dress rehearsal disguised as a joint scrimmage between the Rams and the Cowboys? It was football, and lots of it.

Related: First Rams scrimmage quietly exposed some early truths about this roster

And it preceded the first unofficial Rams depth chart, so we've plenty to talk about.

Rams offensive weapons confirm their Rams depth chart placement

After signing a one-year extension for a cool sum of $10 million, Rams fans were left scrambling for answers. Did this finally mean that the small but swift Tutu Atwell was finally getting a major role in this offense? But after a training camp without much fanfare, some argued that Atwell was destined to slip back into obscurity, a spare tire wide receiver to be stored until injury.

Well, don't look now, but Atwell blew past the entire Dallas secondary for an easy touchdown. And his placement as one of the three primary wide receivers in this offense appears to be more pragmatic than window dressing.

Let's pull up an extract from the first unofficial depth chart as far as offensive skill players. That will allow us to discuss the players and how the scrimmage game with the Cowboys might alter that initial hierarchy. The Rams depth chart is as follows:

• Tight End: Tyler Higbee | Colby Parkinson | Davis Allen | Terrance Ferguson (out) /Anthony Torres / Mark Redman
• Wide Receiver: Davante Adams | Jordan Whittington | Mario Williams | Tru Edwards
• Wide Receiver: Tutu Atwell | Xavier Smith | Britain Covey | Brennan Pressley
• Wide Receiver: Puka Nacua | Konata Mumpfield | Drake Stoops
• Running Back: Kyren Williams | Blake Corum | Jarquez Hunter | Ronnie Rivers / Cody Schrader / Jordan Waters
• Quarterback: Matthew Stafford (out) | Jimmy Garoppolo | Stetson Bennett | Dresser Winn

As you can see, rookie running back Jarquez Hunter is one of the few rookies to have shot up the depth chart already. How did he do it? Well, clearly the coaching staff loves to see a guy carry the pigskin with such authority between the tackles, while possessing the blinding speed needed to bounce it outside.

Even Cowboys beat writers were impressed with Hunter's performance against their starting defense. We'll know a great deal more about how the Rams view Hunter if he's held out of Week 1 of the preseason.

Another rookie who gets a lot of love in the first Rams depth chart is wide receiver Konata Mumpfield. He's been having an electric camp so far, but nothing prepared me for this ankle-breaking route that he runs for this completion.

Mumpfield is far better than the brochure. He has the ability to plant, pivot, stop, and reverse course. plant, pivot, and by this time, the defensive back is running in circles, and he is running to the football.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. Davante Adams was unstoppable. Puka Nacua made plenty of catches. And Kyren Williams had some huge runs.

Even backup RB Blake Corum put in some good runs. But I'm not going to lie. The most exciting plays were by rookies Hunter and Mumpfield. While I would love to see both on the football field in Week 1 of the Rams preseason, I'm secretly hoping not to.

If they don't play, it means that they have made the roster and have earned a day off. And according to my scorecard, they most certainly have earned that. As always, thanks for reading.

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