The Rams have a good problem at wide receiver – perhaps even a “champagne problem,” as Sean McVay often calls them. They have too many talented players at the position.
Cooper Kupp leads the group, with Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson locked in as the second and third options (when both are healthy). Behind them is a collection of younger players who have impressed this offseason. Tutu Atwell has generated a lot of positive chatter, Brandon Powell is getting more opportunities on offense and Ben Skowronek has done enough to earn a spot on the sideline during the preseason – a positive sign for his placement on the depth chart.
Then there’s Lance McCutcheon and Jacob Harris, two bigger receivers who are trending in opposite directions. While McCutcheon has been making plays in practice and dominated the preseason opener with two touchdowns, Harris has missed time once again with an injury.
McCutcheon is rising up the depth chart and has a “very realistic” chance to make the team, whereas Harris could be fighting for his spot on the 53-man roster despite being a fourth-round pick in 2021.
We already know the Rams have six receivers locked in: Kupp, Robinson, Jefferson, Atwell, Skowronek and Powell. They only carried six receivers at the start of last season, and even cut down to five after DeSean Jackson was released. It’s possible they’ll keep as many as eight wideouts on the regular-season roster this year, but that’s a lot of spots allocated to just one position – even if Powell is primarily a return specialist.
There’s a realistic scenario where McCutcheon and Harris are fighting for one roster spot, and as of now, it seems McCutcheon might be winning that battle. Harris returned to practice on Tuesday and participated in the scrimmage, which is a good sign. He should suit up for Friday’s preseason game against the Texans after missing last week’s win over the Chargers.
Having both McCutcheon and Harris available will give us (and the coaching staff) a much better idea of where each player stands right now. Both can contribute on special teams, and that was a strength for Harris coming into the NFL and as a rookie last year, but McCutcheon seems like the more polished receiver at the moment.
Last preseason, Harris had multiple opportunities to come down with passes in the end zone, which he struggled to do. He did score a 2-yard touchdown against the Raiders late in the fourth quarter, but that wasn’t a contested catch. In other jump-ball scenarios, Harris struggled to come down with receptions.
McCutcheon, on the other hand, made two tough grabs in his preseason debut against the Chargers. The first was a bomb down the sideline, which McCutcheon somehow caught over a defender before shaking off a tackler and staying on his feet.
That one went for a 60-yard touchdown.
.@TDN_Perk GOING DEEEEP TO @mccutcheonlance!
📺 @ABC7 | 📱 https://t.co/4beUdmlymg pic.twitter.com/UroH4dWZuo
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 14, 2022
Those are the types of plays everyone expected to see from Harris, who’s 6-foot-5 with great speed but doesn’t always play as big as his frame. And now that he’s transitioned from tight end to wide receiver, his primary job and focus is catching the football.
McVay said recently that the Rams could keep between six and eight receivers on the roster. Eight would mean both Harris and McCutcheon make it. Six would mean neither does. Seven feels like the sweet spot, but that also would create a difficult decision: Harris or McCutcheon?
Thankfully, there are still two preseason games left because we need a bigger sample size for both players in order to determine who will make the roster.