Rams receiver Cooper Kupp having monster preseason

THOUSAND OAKS >> Yes, it’s just preseason. Before that, it was just OTAs. Before that, it was just the Big Sky Conference. At every turn, Cooper Kupp has faced doubters, and turned them around.

The stakes have reached their apex. Kupp, a former small-school standout at Eastern Washington, now is preparing for his NFL regular-season debut, and the Rams’ third-round draft pick seems ready, as always.

In two preseason games, Kupp has eight catches for 105 yards and one touchdown. Also, seven of Kupp’s eight catches have resulted in Rams first downs, and he seems to have carved himself a role as quarterback Jared Goff’s safety net on third down.

The preseason hype machine has been known to swallow up rookies, but Kupp gave an almost embarrassed laugh when asked if his level of preseason success caught him off guard.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprising myself,” Kupp said after Monday’s practice at Cal Lutheran, “because I do have an expectation level, and I expect myself to perform well on the field. So I wouldn’t say that, but I would say that I’m around some really good football players and really good coaches, who put me in some good positions. I’ve just been fortunate to make some plays when they call my number.”

The question about Kupp a few months ago was whether he could adjust to the competition level. It’s a big jump for a receiver whose last game in California was against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Still, other than a lack of overwhelming speed, Kupp seemingly has the tools to be a valuable possession receiver in the NFL. He has good size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) and excellent hands, and coaches have raved about his intelligence. With Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods set to hold down spots as outside receivers, Kupp will have a chance to thrive in the middle of the field.

Kupp thrived in Saturday’s victory over Oakland, when he caught six passes for 70 yards.

“He’s a great player,” Goff said after Saturday’s game. “He makes it easy for me, with the way he runs his routes and how friendly of a target he is. He made a couple really good catches, contested catches, that were big-time for us and moved the chains. We expect similar results from him in the future as well.”

Kupp’s highlight play was a 23-yard touchdown catch from Goff, in which Kupp almost instantly got wide open and easily caught the ball in the end zone. But Kupp also had three third-down catches that extended drives.

Advertisement

The most impressive catch came in the second half, when Kupp reached low to pull in a ball that almost hit the ground, then maintained control as he hit the turf.

“That’s one of those things,” Kupp said. “Third down in traffic, and Jared threw a good ball. He put it low to protect his receivers, and it’s my job to make that play on that third down and keep the chains moving.”

Injury report

The Rams closed the bulk of practice to reporters, but McVay said linebacker Mark Barron and cornerback Kayvon Webster participated. Cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman also was on the field, in uniform, for early practice drills, but safety Cody Davis was not.

McVay said receiver Tavon Austin, who has been out almost three weeks with a hamstring injury, “more than likely” will not play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Chargers. McVay was not definitive about linebacker Robert Quinn, who was held out of the first two preseason games, in large part because of “preventative maintenance.”

Blocked out

McVay said he did not poke his head outside to glimpse the solar eclipse, but apparently a few Rams players did.

“It was something you heard guys discussing,” McVay said. “I was just holed up in my office with no windows, and I didn’t see it.”