Sean McVay’s Week 2 focus for the Rams: roster protection, not just reps

As the Los Angeles Rams move into NFL preseason Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, the question is less about who is “running away” with a starting job and more about who can win the few remaining spots that decide the bottom third of the active roster. According to Yahoo Sports, McVay’s work in this stage of camp is centered on how the Rams manage final cuts, particularly the players they do not want to risk losing to waiver claims.

On offense, the battles appear to be framed around the backups and depth roles rather than the headline starters. Yahoo Sports notes that the Rams still have uncertainty to resolve at quarterback in the QB2 range, at running back in the RB3 tier, at wide receiver for positions that would land WR5 and WR6, and at tackle for the T3 role. In practical terms, these are the jobs that determine who can be trusted in shortened-game scripts, who can carry a package if a starter sits, and who can handle the mental load when the play calling and personnel grouping shift quickly in preseason.

The Rams also appear to be watching which players can provide value across multiple looks. In preseason, “wins” often come from reliability, protection of the football, and the ability to execute the scheme even when the lineup is not built around the first-team rhythm. For McVay, whose offenses can be complicated, the depth winners are typically those who can read coverage on the fly and stay disciplined in blocking assignments. Yahoo Sports’ emphasis on these specific depth slots suggests the staff’s evaluation is steering toward weekly usability, not just highlight production.

Defensively, the roster picture is described as “somewhat clearer,” but Yahoo Sports still points to a cluster of final roster spots where competition remains. Rather than battles defined strictly by position labels, the remaining uncertainty is portrayed as a matter of the last three to four spots, which usually correspond to a mix of situational packages, special teams readiness, and the ability to survive practice-squad churn. That framing matters because teams do not build depth charts in a vacuum during the preseason; they build them to cover specific on-field needs and minimize risk.

Special teams could be the swing factor in these fights. Yahoo Sports specifically raises special teams as a place where the difference between “kept” and “cut” may come down to who can be used immediately and who might already be on the roster bubble. That is not a secondary consideration in the preseason. For many players at the WR5, RB3, and “last defensive spot” levels, special teams performance is effectively the resume for making the 53-man roster.

The management angle is central to McVay’s message for Week 2, too. Yahoo Sports indicates that the Rams’ decisions could reflect who the team wants to protect from final cut waiver claims by stashing them on the roster and using them as a weekly inactive if necessary. That is a distinctive feature of preseason roster building. A team can’t keep everyone carrying value, so it tries to structure the roster so the players it values most are not available to other clubs for claiming.

For Rams fans, Week 2 therefore becomes a screen test of three things: whether the depth units can execute the system cleanly, whether special teams participants separate themselves, and whether the Rams’ evaluation process is producing a clearer hierarchy among the backup tiers. The Saints are the opponent, but the real competition is for the right to occupy the final roster spaces where small margins and scheme fit can matter as much as physical tools.

If the Rams’ staff is correct that the defensive picture is clearer while the bottom-end offense and the final overall defensive spots remain fluid, then the most consequential outcomes of this game will likely be subtle. Look for who gets functional reps with the second and third units, who shows consistency in protection and route timing, and which players make a case as immediate contributors on special teams coverage and return units.