Biggest Hard Knocks takeaways for Rams, Chargers: Episode 1

What did the Hard Knocks season premiere show us from the Rams and Chargers?

HBO’s Hard Knocks for the 2020 season premiered on Tuesday night with a look at the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, a peek behind the curtain of the two franchises occupying the City of Angels and moving into a new stadium this year. And while it was certainly different watching NFL training camp during the COVID-19 pandemic, we still had plenty to watch.

Whether it was Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa signing his extension and getting emotional or Rams head coach Sean McVay playing basketball with his dog in the pool or a number of other things, there was plenty of entertainment. But as football-starved fans, we also want to look at what we learned from each episode.

So looking at the Hard Knocks season premiere, here’s what we can take away about the Rams and Chargers.

5. Rams CB Dont’e Deayon is about the be the star of Hard Knocks

Dont’e Deayon, suffice it to say, is not a household name in the NFL. He was undrafted back in 2016 and has since bounced around the practice squad and short stints on the active roster with the New York Giants first and then the Rams last year.

Every year on Hard Knocks, though, one relative unknown emerges as the entertainment star of the season. Deayon is the leader in the clubhouse for that role in 2020. The cornerback was hilarious as he talked about his spot in the locker room and, once on the field, comparing his offseason lifting to that of the NFL’s superhero, Aaron Donald.

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For the sake of having fun while watching the show, let’s hope we get to see plenty more of Deayon throughout the next few episodes.

4. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, Rams EDGE Terrell Lewis had/have COVID-19

Two big revelations as the COVID-19 pandemic colored so much of what happened in the episode were related to the virus. It was revealed that, while no Chargers player has tested positive, head coach Anthony Lynn previously had the coronavirus. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that Rams rookie edge rusher Terrell Lewis was quarantined to start camp due to contracting the virus.

Listening to Lynn’s experience with COVID-19 was interesting in itself and adds a layer of seriousness to how he and his team handle the league’s protocols. More intriguing, though, is to see how things progress with Lewis as he makes his journey back onto the field in the coming weeks.

3. Rams rookie Cam Akers down on the depth chart

The departure of Todd Gurley this offseason has led many people, particularly those in the fantasy football community, to believe that rookie second-round pick Cam Akers is a potential league-winner this year. But from what we saw on the season premiere of Hard Knocks, we might want to pump the brakes on Akers replacing Gurley.

Though on-field footage was at a premium in the episode, when we did see the Rams offense in walkthroughs, Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson were with the offensive starters while Akers was working behind them. Just with the brief looks, we can assume that puts him at RB3 right now on the depth chart.

It should be noted that, with no rookie minicamps this offseason, this could simply be bringing Akers along and up to speed. However, considering the buzz the rookie is creating, it’s something to monitor moving forward.

2. Chargers QB Justin Herbert is going to get some buzz

From the moment that the Chargers selected quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Lynn and the rest of the staff has been fighting off questions about the rookie. They’ve remained adamant that veteran Tyrod Taylor will be the starter in 2020 as they bring the Oregon product along.

Yet, Herbert got plenty of shine in the episode with limited on-field action, showing his coaches and teammates praising the ball he throws while also highlighting him acing a drill where he threw down the field into netted-targets.

In that drill, Herbert looked like the goods. And considering that Taylor has been down this road before as the vet ahead of Baker Mayfield in Cleveland when that team was on Hard Knocks in 2018 before the rookie took over in Week 3, it’s hard not to get similar vibes from LA.

1. This isn’t your grandparents’ training camp

More than anything, the biggest takeaway from the Hard Knocks season premiere with the Rams and Chargers is just how different everything is. From the numerous Zoom meetings that we looked in on to the limited on-field action we were privy to seeing to the COVID-19 testing segment, everything has changed to combat the effects of the pandemic.

At the same time, it’s also valuable insight. We have all been wondering how teams and the league plan to handle playing football during a pandemic and it’s fascinating to see all of the precautions in place while also witnessing how the players, at least from these two teams, are handling it individually.