Rams' Davis Allen Shines in Preseason Debut

Los Angeles Rams tight end Davis Allen looked the part on Saturday as he battled for his spot behind Tyler Higbee on the depth chart.

The Los Angeles Rams once again fell short in preseason action, losing to the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-17 on Saturday night. 

But despite the loss, head coach Sean McVay was extremely pleased with the development shown by some of his young players, including tight end Davis Allen.

“I was really pleased with him,” McVay began. “I thought he did a nice job.”

Allen was Los Angeles’ most consistent performer on Saturday. He hauled in all eight of his targets for a team-leading 53 yards. His impact was not just felt in the passing game, though.

“He did a nice job being able to run some tough, hard-earned yards,” McVay said. “Especially when he’s catching some underneath throws and being able to fall forward. But I thought he competed well without the ball also.”

Allen, a fifth-round rookie, made a name for himself at Clemson with his 6-6 size and versatility. So far, it seems to be translating well.

“You can see he’s got a big catch radius,” McVay continued. “Good, soft hands … It was an awesome debut for him.”

In all likelihood, Allen will not push starter Tyler Higbee for snaps. However, his performance this preseason could earn him reps as the team’s second tight end. Allen’s strong showing comes just days after McVay praised fellow tight end Brycen Hopkins, calling him one of the bright spots of camp.

Clearly, there is still some jostling to be done on the depth chart, even if the victor technically wouldn’t come out on top. Allen has earned the attention of the coaching staff and the opportunity to fight for second-string duties as the summer continues.

He’ll have that chance next Saturday when the Rams face the Denver Broncos. 

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You can follow Anthony Licciardi on Twitter @ALiccScouting

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