The 2024 NFL preseason is now over for the Los Angeles Rams. They finished their third and final test game on Saturday against the Houston Texans and lost narrowly 15-17.
The biggest news from this game is who didn’t play, as that suggests they’re safe from cuts as the Rams trim their roster down to the final 53. Tyler Johnson, Jaylen McCollough, Josh Wallace and Charles Woods were all left out against Houston, while Xavier Smith, Tre Tomlinson, Cam McCutcheon and others were all active.
What do Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades and metrics say about the performance of those who were on the field?
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Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The five best grades in the offensive:
1 – AJ Arcuri, LT: 93.7
Arcuri played 35 snaps before giving way to Kaskey. The former seventh-round pick from Michigan State is on the proverbial roster bubble, but he could have done enough to make the 53-man roster. More likely, he returns to the practice squad or catches the attention of another team. The Rams have spent three years developing Arcuri behind the scenes.
2 – Matt Kaskey, LT: 81.6
Kaskey joined the Rams in 2019. He moved to the Carolina Panthers for a few years and then to the Los Angeles Chargers. He also played a few seasons with the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL. The Rams signed Kaskey this year when injuries to the offensive line occurred early in training camp.
This strong performance goes some way to confirming that Kaskey is a professional, whether he’s at the NFL or UFL level. This probably won’t be the last we see of him.
3 – Nikola Kalinic, TE: 75.8
Dresser Winn, who started the game while Stetson Bennett secured the job as Matthew Stafford’s backup earlier in the season, did not target Kalinic in this game. Still, the young tight end posted an impressive run-blocking grade of 78.5.
4 – Conor McDermott, RT: 74.8
McDermott played just nine snaps, while Blake Larson played 45 at right tackle. McDermott is an NFL wanderer who may once again have to step in for teams whose rosters unexpectedly lose depth due to injuries.
5 – Miller Forristall, TE: 71.5
Forristall was targeted three times and caught two passes for 10 yards. He earned a strong run block grade of 80.5.
Further information on the offensive:
Mike McAlister is another offensive lineman who performed well in the preseason and once again showed a positive performance with a rating of 67.7 (ranked 6th).
The five best grades in defense:
1 – Cameron McCutcheon, CB: 74.0
McCutcheon appears to have performed better than Tre Tomlinson this preseason, although neither will likely end up on the 53-man roster, with Charles Woods and Josh Wallace ranked even higher than them.
2 – Keir Thomas, OLB: 67.9
Thomas missed two tackles in three opportunities. On the positive side, he recorded two pressures and earned a PFF pass-rushing grade of 82.6.
3 – Tre Tomlinson, CB: 67.5
Tomlinson was targeted twice in coverage and allowed two pass catches for 17 yards. He was not penalized, something he has struggled with in the past.
4 – Jason Taylor, DB: 66.9
Taylor was targeted three times in coverage and allowed only one pass for six yards. He also intercepted one pass.
5 – David Olajigba, DT: 64.3
Further information on defense:
Rookie OLB Brennan Jackson made his debut against the Texans after dealing with a soft tissue injury for the past few weeks. It was a room temperature performance, as he only earned a 50.7 defensive grade from PFF in 31 snaps. His run defense grade was 69.7 while missing a tackle on two occasions.
