(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: During their current 2023 season OTAs, here are the two transcripts that Rams fans and the media that cover the team have been waiting to read and publish respectively. It obviously has to do with the re-emergence and return to the team’s fold of their Super Bowl LVI MVP, 1st Team 2021 All-Pro receiver, and diamond that shines brightly for the franchise due to his excellent capabilities and skills as one of the Best Wide Receivers in the NFL.

Be sure to give this full 2-part transcript a thorough read and then be caught up on how this Player-Coach relationship will once again prove to be a most positive force for the Team and of course, its ownership, and vast fandom. Everyone will anxiously await a return to the top of the NFL as the Rams proved in 2021 with their capturing of the League’s most coveted crown in Super Bowl LVI.

[Los Angeles Rams Transcripts]

Head Coach Sean McVay, Receiver Cooper Kupp – Tuesday, 6/6/23

[Head Coach Sean McVay]

(On the energy of the group today)…“It’s a fun group. I think we challenged them and they answered in a big way. We weren’t out here too long, but I think when you bring the right kind of energy with the right focus and concentration, that’s how you get better. And I thought there was a lot of really good stuff on both sides and we want to be able to positively push one another. But it’s contagious and it’s fun too. That’s what you’re reminded of and it was a lot of good stuff today and there was definitely great energy.”

(On if the source of energy is coming from the youth on the roster)…“I think so, but I think there’s a lot of our veteran leaders that were really leading the charge. And coaches, you see those guys all get excited for their guys to be able to make plays and that’s what you want. And I think that’s how you positively push one another and that’s what we want to be able to do. That’s all you can do in these settings right now and it’s a good thing.”

(On the energy he’s felt from the coaches so far)…“It’s great. I think the most important feedback you can give is immediate feedback. And it’s really being able to have that positive affirmation, but also being able to correct immediately. And these guys, they want to be coached. They want to do it right. And there’s so many intricacies and little details with the technicalities and the fundamentals of each position within the framework of a defensive call or an offensive call. And I’ve really appreciated the energy that the coaches have brought. Their energy can be illustrated and seen in different ways, but that’s the most valuable thing and I love that. Sometimes one of the coolest things you can do is just step back and see how many good things are going on. And guys are getting better, and coaches are enjoying (being) out here and being able to help these guys get better and take steps every single day. We’ve really enjoyed this offseason and like we talked about a couple weeks ago, it’s been really fun to be able to get some real practice work, be able to make some corrections, still do it within the smart parameters of what the offseason rules entail, but it’s been a handful of years since we’ve been able to do that and that’s been fun for us.”

(On his impression of WR Puka Nacua)…“It’s been really impressive how quickly he’s gotten up to speed. I think you can’t say enough about (Wide Receivers Coach) Eric Yarber, (Offensive Line Assistant) KJ Black, (Pass Game Specialist) Jake Peetz, those guys have done a great job and he’s really conscientious. (QB) Matthew (Stafford) has done a great job of really just kind of taking him under his wing and being able to kind of just help give those little nuances, having (WR) Cooper (Kupp) back. So he’s smart, he’s conscientious. It’s hard to really compare to anybody because a lot of those guys, whether you talk about (former Rams WR) Robert (Woods’) first year, Cooper’s rookie year, having (former Rams WR) Sammy (Watkins) but then ended up having (former Rams WR) Brandin Cooks, there’s been a standard set in that room where there’s been really conscientious players. Even if you go with (former Rams WR) Josh Reynolds, how quickly (WR) Van (Jefferson) has done a great job of grasping the offense. And so, he’s a guy that we’re expecting him to come in, expecting him to be able to contribute and compete. Every spot is going to be earned on this team, but I really like what he’s done and I think it’s a credit to everybody around him and his conscientiousness.”

(On Jefferson and WR Ben Skowronek not being at practice today)…“Yeah, they’re good. We’re just being smart with them right now. Ben just kind of had some soreness in that foot, keeping him out, and then it was kind of just a recovery day for Van.”

(On if Kupp’s presence has any impact on practice even though he’s not fully participating)…“Oh, I think so. I think so. I think he really is an extension of the coaching staff and he sees so many different things, but he really wants to pour into his teammates. And anytime that you have a guy like him out here, it’s always going to be able to be a positive for us. Now, it’s even better when he is out there being able to play, but in these settings I think what it’s done is it’s allowed guys like (WR) Tutu Atwell to shine really bright. You’re getting reps for Puka Nacua, you’re seeing some of these other guys, whether it’s Van Jefferson, (WR) Austin Trammel’s done some really good things, but you’re getting a chance to evaluate some guys in spots that maybe they wouldn’t get reps or opportunities at otherwise. But it’s been great being able to have Cooper here and congratulations to him and Anna on their third little boy. Now they’re a man short, playing three on two right here with the kids up one (laughs).

(On what he’s seen so far from RB Cam Akers in terms of leadership)…“I think Cam just being himself. I think he was able to really leave off the season on a bright spot and then (Running Backs Coach) Ron Gould coming in, what a great job he’s done. Detailed, so thorough, a great track record and history of being around a lot of great backs, but he’s such a great person and I think he and Cam have really established a really good rapport. But Cam’s got a natural charisma and a presence about him that people are drawn to and when he’s got the right vibe and the right energy, that’s a real positive thing for our team. He’s a guy that we’re definitely counting on. I’ve loved the way that he’s exuded leadership in that room, but also for our team in general. And I also think (RB) Kyren Williams is another guy that’s really stood out. He’s done a great job, but Ron Gould, Cam, Kyren, they’ve done a great job setting the tone in the right way for that running back room.”

(On what he’s seen from the offensive line and its potential)…“I think similar to what you’ve seen in years past, being able to move and mix guys around. The good thing is (OL) Tremayne (Anchrum Jr.) played everywhere at Clemson. He’s been able to play on the left and the right side. (OL) Steve, (Avila) really, his background is as a center and then he played left guard last year at TCU. So I think what you said is exactly what we’re hunting up, figuring out that best five combination. There’s still so much football to be played, so many things to be evaluated, but I like the way that both of those guys were playing on the opposite sides last week, they flipped this week and it’s only going to make us that more versatile. And then it’ll be awesome in training camp to be able to get (OL) Joe Noteboom back in the mix, whether he’s playing tackle, whether he’s playing inside. I’ve really been pleased with Tremayne and Steve. They’ve done a nice job in particular.”

(On if he agrees with Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell that QB Jared Goff is a better player now then he was with the Rams)…“I think Jared’s played at a really high level. I’ll tell you what though, when you watch what he did last year, he played great. And I think because he’s so conscientious, repetition is the mother of learning. The more you play, the more you learn. You can really see he’s able to get through progressions quickly. They were asking a lot of him. He got a lot of different guys involved, took great care of the football, and so I think he’s only gotten better. He played really good football here for us, really grateful for those things. But I was really impressed with just the way that he led and the way that he ended up demonstrating a lot of the things that we want to embody, that mental toughness. I think he was like 29-7 in terms of touchdowns, interceptions, one of the better ratios, and threw for a bunch of yards and they were one of the top offenses. I was really happy to see how well he did. I think that’s probably a fair assessment because he’s only getting better.”

(On if they ever balk at the idea that they are starting from scratch with four rookie specialists)…“Well, I think we kind of knew that was a possibility, but you look at (Special Teams Coordinator) Chase Blackburn, you look at (Assistant Special Teams Coach) Jeremy Springer, can’t say enough about just the amount of work that they did. I mean they weren’t even really here the majority of the offseason because they’re going to workouts, they’re going all over. They know more about the specialists coming out or the free agents available than I think anybody in the league right now. But they identified and really those four players with the two kickers, the punter and the long snapper, those are guys that they really liked and I think there’s been healthy competition at kicker. I’ve been really pleased with what (Long Snapper) Alex (Ward) has done at long Snapper. (Punter) Ethan (Evans) has done an excellent job, whether it be holding or some of the punt situations. There’s still so much evaluation to be had, but they are young. But they’re engaged, they’re energetic and it certainly doesn’t seem too big for them. They’ve got a good look in their eyes, and you want to try to be able to create pressure-type of situations, but really just see how they can stay even keeled. Chase and Jeremy have done a great job leading the way and those guys have been real positives up to this point.”

[Receiver Cooper Kupp]

(On dealing with his injury last year and how he is transitioning to the new season and preparing physically and mentally this offseason)…“Yeah, that’s a good question because it doesn’t feel like…you’re really, let’s just be real, this is not the timeline that we expected it to be. I was really hoping to make it so we could challenge and come back and be a part of last year still. That’s kind of the point of the surgery is to try to get back quicker and unfortunately things didn’t work out that way. The way that rehab goes, it feels like you kind of hit this point where you’re in the middle of the season, rehab starts and we’re kind of still going through it. Honestly, I’m feeling really good now with a lot of things that go on with having a baby, things out here with OTAs, and just in terms of how we wanted to approach that. But honestly feeling really good. But yeah, for your question, it does feel like when you get hurt, that season kind of just drags on forever. There’s never really a stopping point (when) I can leave the facility because I’m in here still rehabbing doing all that stuff, so it does get long. But man, if you love football, it doesn’t really matter.”

(On if he would be cleared to play even if he wasn’t dealing with family matters)…“You know, I think that’s a good question. I’m honestly not sure. I mean, you don’t know until you’re out here doing football stuff and really putting the ankle through the stuff that you know is required to play football. You can’t simulate this stuff. So I don’t know if we’ll really know. I feel right now as we’ve been pushing it pretty hard, I feel really good. And so I’m itching to be out there and it’s a good place to be now where I feel like I’m asking for more and wanting to do more and feeling like you’re getting held back versus feeling like they’re pushing you to do more, you know? So we’re in a good place now where I feel like I want to get out there and play and they’re being cautious with it.”

(On if there’s a milestone that he needs to hit in his recovery process)…“Yeah, I don’t know. If you find out…you can ask (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) and the guys, they might let you know (laughs). I’m not really sure.”

(On the roster turnover this offseason)…“Yeah, it was interesting. When I left for a little while, we had 40 guys on the roster. (I) came back and half the team (is) new faces and stuff. So it was definitely different but man, it’s great. The energy that these guys have, guys are hungry to play. Man, it is cool. I got a lot of new faces, a lot of new names to learn, things like that. But man, I can’t wait to meet these guys. I’m just seeing them the last couple days, how they attack things, how they approach things in the meeting rooms and everything. I’m excited to go to work with this group of guys and be able to pursue something great this year.”

(On if he’s been out on the field doing work during OTAs on the days that are not open to media)…“Yeah, so this is the first time I’ve been out being able to go through a full day of stuff, but I’ve been able to make some trips out here every once in a while to be able to get some rehab stuff in. (I’ve) been able to have some stuff going on at the house and staying close to my family. And at the end of the day, as much as everyone here in the circle knows how much I love this game, how much I love these guys here, I had to be with my family. It was something that I chose to do because that is a higher priority than football, so I had to be there. But I’m very glad to be back. No regrets about that. I love my time with my boys, with my wife. But yeah, it’s good to be able to go through these days and be with these guys for a full day.”

(On his favorite thing about fatherhood)…“Man, I don’t know. I think just every single day there’s moments that come up that you just feel like you have the opportunity to have an impact on your child’s life. And I think over and over again, I’ve seen that stepping into those places where there’s intent between what I want to do with the time that I’m spending with them. You go through these things and you feel like you’re trying to like teach them what this life is about and the morals and values that are important. And over and over again, as I’ve stepped into those places, I just feel like I’m reminded over and over again just how great God is that he’s blessed me with this opportunity just to talk to these little angels that have such an impact on my life when I step into those places and just give me such a great perspective on what’s really important in this life.”

(On his impressions of rookie WR Puka Nacua)…“Yeah man he’s pretty special. I think if he can stay on a good trajectory, he’s going to be a very good football player in this league. I love the way that he attacks each day. He’s got a great feel for the game, great feel for leverage, running routes. You come in, you’re running new concepts and things like that. Things that you’ve done before to get open might not fit within the realm of the things that we want to do here, but he’s just transitioned so quickly over understanding what the parameters are that he’s able to work in. He’s got a great feel for attacking leverage, how to stick things, his timing on when he needs to show up for things and he’s asking the right questions too. I think that’s the big thing. He’s asking the right questions and as he gets more reps over and over as he gets to see these things, he’s just going to get better and better. So, I’m really excited about him and the steps that he’s going to be able to take over these next few months.”

(On if he’s spoken to QB Matthew Stafford about improving their timing this offseason)…“Oh certainly, and we’ve already been talking about what that’s going to look like before training camp. And we certainly know there’s obviously plenty of time in training camp, but we want to maximize these next couple of months and the time we get to have together outside of OTAs as well. And we’ll make sure that we get that time and dial things up. We’re in constant communication about stuff and how things are looking, but without a doubt there’s no substitute for playing football and taking the reps.”

(On when he can tell that a player has officially hit the learning curve from a mental standpoint)…“Yeah, I think you can see that. I referenced Puka. I think that’s one of the things that he’s done is he’s processing so quickly. You go from thinking about the lines on the page to the reason we’re running the concept, right? You go from just what the picture says, to what the ‘why’ is behind the picture. And I think that’s the biggest difference is when you can get to that place. (When) you can get to the ‘why’ and you see someone playing that out…this is why that we’re doing this and why I’m reacting this way. That’s when you’re like ‘Okay, this person gets it. They’re figuring it out.’”

(On his impressions of rookie QB Stetson Bennett)…“Man, he’s done some good stuff out there. You talk about young guys having a lot of mental stuff on him. Quarterbacks more than anyone else have so much going on, and (Head Coach) Sean’s (McVay) not going to hold back on the play calls for those guys either (laughs). He’s going to give it to them so I thought he’s done a really good job. There’s obviously going to be some hiccups, things of that nature, but seems like he’s processing things well. He’s made some really big time throws and seeing the field well, also he can move. He’s a pretty athletic dude, so I think he’s definitely the most athletic quarterback from Georgia that we got on our team (laughs). But yeah, I think we’ll see some good stuff from him. Excited to see some stuff from him during training camp.”

Rams###