Veteran lineman Jesse Davis back at practice after getting planned time off

Jesse Davis, the 30-year-old veteran with the inside track at right guard, was back practicing Saturday after getting some planned time off Friday.

O'Connell said the training staff has a plan for Davis to protect a knee's he's had problems with in the past. Other 30-somethings on the roster will get similar consideration throughout camp, particularly on lighter workload days.

"It's all been — believe it or not — really thought out to kind of make sure we're getting guys reps for that true competition and evaluation phase," O'Connell said.

O'Connell called the right guard competition "still very, very fluid with a lot of guys competing." Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips provided some more detail, indicating that rookie second-round draft pick Ed Ingram has a lot of ground to make up on the front-running Davis.

"Right now, Jesse's been doing a great job with the ones," Phillips said. "Chris Reed is doing a nice job, too, and Ed Ingram is doing a nice job.

"But there's just some things as a rookie, it's going to take you a minute to get the techniques that we're asking, whereas Jesse's such a veteran he's been in so many systems that he's done a lot of things a lot of different ways. Probably picked it up a little bit faster in the new system."

Justin Jefferson is on record saying he thinks he is better than Cooper Kupp, the Rams' All-Pro receiver, Super Bowl champion and winner of receiving's triple crown. And Phillips, the Rams tight ends coach a year ago, made sure to stay mostly neutral by praising both as "really outstanding players."

There is, however, one category in which even Phillips must rank Jefferson as an also-ran to Kupp: Run blocking.

"Honestly, it's hard to compare to Cooper Kupp [to anyone] in that aspect," said Phillips, the Rams tight ends coach last year. "Cooper would come to us early in the week with run ideas. Not only pass ideas but run ideas where he was involved blocking. That's just what kind of psycho Cooper Kupp is.

"That was a first for me, absolutely. For a guy who's leading the league in receiving and is coming in saying, 'I think this run would be good. I can help seal the edge right here,' it's rare."

• Cornerback Kris Boyd was limited in Saturday's practice.

• The highlight for fans Saturday was a 60-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins over the head of safety Cam Bynum and into the fingertips of receiver K.J. Osborn during team drills. Osborn capped the play with his version of "The Griddy."