The Los Angeles Rams reported to training camp, another step forward toward a 2024 season that will feature a strong roster full of veterans and young talent looking to make another playoff push.
The Rams won’t be surprising opponents this time around after qualifying for the postseason in what was supposed to be their “remodeling” year, though head coach Sean McVay and his staff certainly welcome the challenge. McVay and company have been great at identifying players who fit their program and there’s optimism that their young group of players is up to the challenge of replicating last season’s success.
One of the major storylines for training camp is how teams will approach the new kickoff rules that will take place this upcoming regular season. The new kickoff rules are a drastic change from the previous ones as there will be no fair catch plays and players will line up in different spots on the field.
Tutu Atwell has experience being a kick returner and he confirmed that he’ll be reprising the role, via Jonathan Jones of CBS:
Rams WR Tutu Atwell, in response to a @JourdanRodrigue question, says he'll be back as a kickoff returner this season. Clearly he's excited about the possibilities with the new kickoff rules.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) July 23, 2024
Atwell doesn’t have a clear role in the passing game because he is behind Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and even Demarcus Robinson, so it makes sense that he and the team would utilize his speed in the kickoff phase. With the league trying to incentivize more scoring plays on special teams, Atwell could be a valuable weapon, especially as teams try to figure out new tactics and strategies.
The rule changes were inspired from other professional football leagues like the UFL, USFL and XFL and was well-received from teams and fans. The new rules also help promote player safety which has become a hot topic in recent years.
It’ll be exciting to see how teams like the Rams adapt to the kickoff rules and how they go about testing things out during training camp.
Rams’ Sean McVay excited to see new kickoff rules in effect at training camp
While the offense and defense have been fine under Sean McVay’s watch, special teams remains a weakness on the roster. However, the new kickoff rules lend some optimism that the Rams can improve in this phase of the game and McVay acknowledged he’s excited to see what it looks like during training camp.
