Here’s the snap counts from Saturday’s game and what they mean.
Offense
Player
POS
Off
Off%
Brian Folkerts
C
46
65.71%
Sean Mannion
QB
42
60.00%
Demetrius Rhaney
C
36
51.43%
David Arkin
G
35
50.00%
Andrew Donnal
T
29
41.43%
Darrell Williams
T
28
40.00%
Eric Kush
G
27
38.57%
Jordan Swindle
T
27
38.57%
Mike Thomas
WR
27
38.57%
Pace Murphy
T
27
38.57%
Paul McRoberts
WR
26
37.14%
Duke Williams
WR
24
34.29%
Brian Quick
WR
21
30.00%
Aaron Green
RB
20
28.57%
Malcolm Brown
RB
20
28.57%
Nelson Spruce
WR
20
28.57%
Tyler Higbee
TE
20
28.57%
Garrett Reynolds
G
19
27.14%
Pharoh Cooper
WR
17
24.29%
Cody Wichmann
G
17
24.29%
Temarrick Hemingway
TE
17
24.29%
Bradley Marquez
WR
16
22.86%
Justice Cunningham
TE
15
21.43%
Greg Robinson
T
15
21.43%
Jamon Brown
G
15
21.43%
Case Keenum
QB
15
21.43%
Rodger Saffold
T
15
21.43%
Lance Kendricks
TE
15
21.43%
Tim Barnes
C
15
21.43%
Kenny Britt
WR
14
20.00%
Benny Cunningham
RB
13
18.57%
Jake Stoneburner
TE
13
18.57%
Jared Goff
QB
13
18.57%
Cory Harkey
TE
11
15.71%
Zach Laskey
FB
11
15.71%
Tavon Austin
WR
11
15.71%
Chase Reynolds
RB
10
14.29%
Terrance Magee
RB
7
10.00%
So yes, ultimately, rookie franchise QB Jared Goff played one less snap than starting QB Case Keenum. With Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher indicating he’d like to get some first-team work for Goff, we’ll have to see if that changes. That makes for a tough situation in the preseason games, though.
Normally, you can pull your entire-first team entirely. Goff, though, could certainly use more snaps to prepare for Week 1 when he’ll hopefully be the starting QB as the Rams head north to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Does that mean he gets the playing time with the second string offense as he did on Saturday? How does Case Keenum factor in moving forward for playing time in-game? Does that disrupt his ability to form any chemistry or consistent timing with his key targets including the rookie crop led by TE Tyler Higbee and WR Pharoh Cooper?
And with those offensive linemen and wide receivers at the top of this sheet, let’s see how things stack up in Week 2 to see what we need to take away. On this alone, it’s hard to really break down except that clearly the staff needed to get those guys snaps to see where they go on the depth chart right now, not really for the 53-man.
Defense
Player
POS
Def
Def%
Bryce Hager
LB
33
57.89%
Ethan Westbrooks
DT
31
54.39%
Lamarcus Joyner
CB
30
52.63%
Troy Hill
CB
28
49.12%
Coty Sensabaugh
CB
27
47.37%
Dominique Easley
DT
27
47.37%
Cam Thomas
DT
26
45.61%
Cameron Lynch
LB
23
40.35%
Michael Jordan
DB
23
40.35%
Quinton Coples
DE
23
40.35%
Ian Seau
DE
23
40.35%
Akeen Ayers
LB
20
35.09%
Jabriel Washington
DB
19
33.33%
Cody Davis
FS
16
28.07%
Christian Bryant
S
16
28.07%
Maurice Alexander
SS
16
28.07%
Marcus Roberson
CB
15
26.32%
Eugene Sims
DE
14
24.56%
T.J. McDonald
SS
14
24.56%
Jordan Lomax
DB
14
24.56%
Brian Randolph
DB
13
22.81%
Jordan Kovacs
DB
13
22.81%
Brandon Chubb
LB
12
21.05%
Rohan Gaines
DB
12
21.05%
Darreon Herring
LB
12
21.05%
Trumaine Johnson
CB
12
21.05%
Mark Barron
LB
12
21.05%
Alec Ogletree
LB
12
21.05%
Aaron Donald
D
11
19.30%
William Hayes
DE
10
17.54%
Michael Brockers
DT
8
14.04%
Josh Forrest
LB
4
7.02%
Cory Littleton
LB
2
3.51%
Nic Grigsby
LB
1
1.75%
Again, the takeaway at the top is that the coaches are trying to sort out the CB and DL depth chart more than anything, not necessarily that they “like” those guys.
And figuring out how to sort out the linebackers could just be a function of deciding whether or not Bryce Hager and Cameron Lynch are legit backup linebacking options and not just special teams contributors. The real indicator you know this was a test for those two? Not just how much they played, but look at 2016 NFL Draft sixth-round pick Josh Forrest and UDFAs Cory Littleton and Nic Grigsby. From where they’re sitting, their playing time likely increases over the next two games, but it’ll honestly be too late for LB depth.
The audition just took place.
Special Teams
Player
POS
ST
ST%
Brandon Chubb
LB
14
50.00%
Josh Forrest
LB
13
46.43%
Rohan Gaines
DB
12
42.86%
Cory Littleton
LB
11
39.29%
Bryce Hager
LB
10
35.71%
Cameron Lynch
LB
10
35.71%
Justice Cunningham
TE
10
35.71%
Cody Davis
FS
9
32.14%
Nic Grigsby
LB
9
32.14%
Cory Harkey
TE
9
32.14%
Johnny Hekker
P
8
28.57%
Troy Hill
CB
8
28.57%
Zach Laskey
FB
8
28.57%
Marcus Roberson
CB
7
25.00%
Aaron Green
RB
7
25.00%
Bradley Marquez
WR
7
25.00%
Chase Reynolds
RB
7
25.00%
Taylor Bertolet
K
6
21.43%
Matt Longacre
DE
6
21.43%
Michael Jordan
DB
6
21.43%
Christian Bryant
S
6
21.43%
Eugene Sims
DE
6
21.43%
Ethan Westbrooks
DT
5
17.86%
Demetrius Rhaney
C
5
17.86%
Malcolm Brown
RB
5
17.86%
Jake McQuaide
LS
4
14.29%
Jeff Overbaugh
LS
4
14.29%
T.J. McDonald
SS
4
14.29%
Brian Randolph
DB
4
14.29%
Nelson Spruce
WR
4
14.29%
Greg Zuerlein
K
3
10.71%
Lamarcus Joyner
CB
3
10.71%
Coty Sensabaugh
CB
3
10.71%
Akeen Ayers
LB
3
10.71%
Jabriel Washington
DB
3
10.71%
Maurice Alexander
SS
3
10.71%
Darreon Herring
LB
3
10.71%
Trumaine Johnson
CB
3
10.71%
Aaron Donald
D
3
10.71%
William Hayes
DE
3
10.71%
Michael Brockers
DT
3
10.71%
Brian Folkerts
C
3
10.71%
David Arkin
G
3
10.71%
Andrew Donnal
T
3
10.71%
Darrell Williams
T
3
10.71%
Eric Kush
G
3
10.71%
Jordan Swindle
T
3
10.71%
Duke Williams
WR
3
10.71%
Tyler Higbee
TE
3
10.71%
Pharoh Cooper
WR
3
10.71%
Quinton Coples
DE
2
7.14%
Jordan Lomax
DB
2
7.14%
Mark Barron
LB
2
7.14%
Mike Thomas
WR
2
7.14%
Paul McRoberts
WR
2
7.14%
Benny Cunningham
RB
2
7.14%
Benson Browne
TE
1
3.57%
Dominique Easley
DT
1
3.57%
Cam Thomas
DT
1
3.57%
Ian Seau
DE
1
3.57%
Garrett Reynolds
G
1
3.57%
Cody Wichmann
G
1
3.57%
Greg Robinson
T
1
3.57%
Jamon Brown
G
1
3.57%
Jake Stoneburner
TE
1
3.57%
Terrance Magee
RB
1
3.57%
Here’s your first sign of the inside track at the back of the 53-man roster.
Chubb, Forrest, Gaines and Littleton all got the key rookie snaps on special teams.
Let the battle begin.