Sean McVay ensures Tutu Atwell’s absence vs. Chargers is a good sign

A good portion of the Rams’ fanbase was excited to see Tutu Atwell on the field against the Chargers in the preseason opener, especially after hearing all the highlight-reel plays he made in training camp. But when the offense took the field for the first time, Atwell wasn’t out there.

He was dressed in uniform and on the sideline, but Atwell never stepped on the field. That’s not a bad thing if you ask Sean McVay. The coach told reporters after the Rams’ 29-22 win that the team simply didn’t want to risk injury with Atwell because “he’s gonna have a role with this team.”

“Tutu was only dressed as a result if we wanted to be able to put him back in some punt situations where he’s just fielding punts,” McVay said. “He’s done a great job throughout camp. He’s gonna have a role with this team and we didn’t want to put him at harm’s risk. So he’s gonna be a part of what we’re doing this year and that was because he’s done well, not because he’s done anything other than that.”

If you were worried that Atwell was either hurt or benched, there’s no reason for concern. In fact, it sounds like he’ll be a much bigger part of the offense than last year, a very positive development for the second-year speedster.

Story originally appeared on Rams Wire