Rams' Jalen Ramsey vs. Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase: Mutual Respect at Joint Practice

Chase, the reigning NFL Rookie of the Year, and Ramsey, a three-time first-team All-Pro, are two of the premiere players at their positions.

Cincinnati Bengals second-year receiver Ja'Marr Chase hasn't been in the NFL for very long, but he's seen enough to know that Los Angeles Rams corner Jalen Ramsey is one of the game's best defensive backs.

On the heels of a back-and-forth battle in Super Bowl LVI, the two were back on the same field Wednesday, as the Rams and Bengals held the first of two joint practices before kicking off the preseason finale on Saturday.

With Ramsey playing more nickel than outside corner, he and Chase didn't see many matchups, but still found time to talk to each other, with the duo sharing mutual respect. After the practice, Chase revealed the topic of discussion.

“The thing we talked about was his catch technique, because I thought it was a penalty,” Chase admitted. “I never really seen nobody do that until him, but it’s been on film all year. Just like a rule for him now. So basically, I got to adjust to DBs playing catch technique with their bodies and I got to not make a flag for missing their body. That’s how stupid it sounds, trust me.”

Catch technique is one of the fundamental coverage principles that Los Angeles runs with its defensive backs. In short, it's where the defender sits in his spot off the snap and then funnels his receiver to the direction of his help once the receiver works into the defensive back's body.

For Chase, catch technique is just another obstacle as he looks to build on his Rookie of the Year campaign from a season ago. However, in Ramsey's case, it's part of what makes him such a special cover corner.

Though the preseason contest is the lone scheduled meeting between the Rams and Bengals this season, Chase will carry the lessons learned throughout his second season, soaking in as much as he can from a player he thinks the world of.

"(Ramsey is) quick on his reads," Chase began, "and is a hell of a player."

---

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rams? Click Here

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Ram Digest message board community today!

Follow Ram Digest on Twitter and Facebook.