Training camp…week 2

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Today was the most comfortable rookie QB Ty Simpson has looked so far. Mechanically, his release looked quicker. His best throw of the day was on a deep completion to TE Terrance Ferguson during 11-on-11.

Sean McVay on where he’s seen improvement in Simpson between when he arrived to where he’s at now (h/t
@NateAtkins_ question):

Rams’ first day in pads: Ty Simpson cuts it loose, Aaron Donald buzz builds

Nate Atkins

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7484424/2026/08/01/rams-training-camp-aaron-donald-ty-simpson/?unlocked_article_code=1.2FA.sZbX.GIyLDGuA7YAE&source=emp_shared_article&smid=ta-ios-share

The Los Angeles Rams put on the pads for the first time in training camp, and it made for a livelier day on the grass fields at Loyola Marymount University. Five days into camp, some elements of this team are starting to come into better view.

Here are six thoughts on what took place during Friday’s practice:

1. Ty Simpson saw his most action yet as a Rams quarterback, and it led to an eventful day with some highs and lows.

After four days of a slow buildup for the No. 13 pick in this year’s NFL Draft, the Rams unleashed a bit more of Simpson’s playmaking. Matthew Stafford was resting as part of his maintenance plan, and Simpson split reps evenly with Stetson Bennett, with Bennett taking the first crack.

The Rams finally had Simpson operating on longer dropbacks and with fewer predetermined, short-range throws than in previous settings.

In this one, he went to the intermediate part of the field for a nice strike to sixth-round rookie wide receiver CJ Daniels for a chunk gain. He scrambled deep to the left on another play before reversing course with a turn back to his right and delivering an on-target strike along the sideline, although it was dropped.

The day had some lowlights, too, as Simpson had two passes nearly picked off, including one where he didn’t appear to see Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and Forbes dropped what should have been an easy interception. He also bobbled one snap for a fumble.

However, Simpson at least didn’t look timid in going across the middle despite holding the ball a little longer, which is something he can do with better mobility than Stafford at this stage in his career.

“Just being able to call the plays in the huddle where we get in and out,” McVay said of Simpson’s growth from the spring to now. “And then I think some of the things mechanically about being able to speed up his release, some of the timing and rhythm in terms of with his lower half being married up with the routes.”

Simpson’s internal clock will need to speed up over time, but this is a long development process for a rookie who started just 15 games at Alabama. He isn’t supposed to see the field until at least next season, if the Rams can keep Stafford upright.

For Simpson, working through highs and lows in real time is exactly what they will be looking for in these settings that don’t offer a true pass rush, while knowing that preseason games will offer those live rush situations.

2. The Rams don’t have an update on Aaron Donald’s potential return from retirement. However, there was some buzz on Friday.

McVay said the team won’t have any news on this topic until training camp is finished. The Rams remain in contact with Donald, who continues training as he decides whether to return at age 35, two years after he retired as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.

However, the vibes remain strong about the potential to re-add the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

“If there’s an arrow, it’s trending upward,” McVay said.

3. The biggest highlight of the day for the offense was a wheel-route touchdown by Kyren Williams. He beat a linebacker around the right edge, caught a Bennett pass and high-strided into the end zone to a chorus of cheers.

It was a glimpse at an area of Williams’ game that I think has been underutilized with the Rams, though understandably so. Williams caught 77 passes for 672 yards and four touchdowns in his final two seasons at Notre Dame, but he has yet to top 300 receiving yards in any season with the Rams.

Last season was his best, with 36 catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns, and he showcased his potential in the first matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, when he caught eight passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Williams is one of the best pass-protecting running backs in the league, and that strength is key to how McVay designs passing concepts for Stafford and ensures the most important function of the offense: keeping Stafford upright.

Picking up the blitz is critical in eliminating the most dangerous hits to Stafford’s back from free rushers with a running start, and it’s been hard not to use Williams in this way when he’s so elite at it.

However, if the Rams can field another healthy offensive line and expand their two- and three-tight-end sets to manipulate blocking numbers, this is a wrinkle they could tap into more.

The advantage to running it with extra tight ends on the field would be in forcing defenses into heavier personnel, where Williams could feast on some matchups against linebackers, much like he showcased with that touchdown in Friday’s practice.

4. Puka Nacua didn’t quite have as high of a volume day as in other practices, likely due to not having his MVP quarterback on the field. However, he did turn in one impressive grab by going up high over a defender in the middle of the field, reeling the ball into his hands and contorting his body to land safely on his feet.

With a noticeably slimmer frame than the one he played with last season, Nacua has been working to balance his across-the-middle physical style with a bit more finesse and burst in perimeter alignments.

He’s entering a unique stage of his career in his fourth season as a two-time Pro Bowl WR, with an understanding of defenses and spacing that the Rams can hope will translate his skills into a more sustainable and versatile style.

“Repetition is the mother of learning, and he’s got a quarterback that he’s got an incredible amount of rapport with,” McVay said. “He’s one of those guys that when you watch him, even when you go back to his career at BYU, the game just makes sense to him.

“Certain guys have a great spatial awareness. And he’s so tough. He doesn’t flinch on inside routes. He showed a real capacity to win on the perimeter last year. And the way he works at it, he’s only getting better.”

5. The Rams are working on a maintenance schedule for several of their top players. It isn’t just Stafford, who will practice two out of every four days, with one of the off days being a jog-through.

Pro Bowl outside linebacker Byron Young sat out Tuesday’s practice to manage the right knee that bothered him in last season’s playoffs and led to an extended recovery. Left tackle Alaric Jackson sat out Wednesday’s practice to manage a blood-clot issue.

Newly acquired two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett sat out Friday’s practice, as did Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams, though neither appeared to be health-related.

The Rams also won’t play their starters in the preseason, as is tradition under McVay.

Not only do the Rams have 17 games of a critical season approaching, but they have a unique Week 1 trip to play the 49ers in the NFL’s first game in Australia. The long flight and time change will be a hurdle to adjust to, and they don’t want to push it with players they already feel are too established to need training camp as much as rookies and players attempting to earn a roster spot.

6. Daniels has had a busy camp, easily leading the second team in catches through the first five practices of training camp.

And on Friday, he showed a little more versatility by lining up on the outside for more snaps, including the one where he ran an intermediate route and settled in for a chunk play on a throw from Simpson.

Daniels is in an interesting spot, as the Rams have an opening for a No. 3 wide receiver behind Nacua and Adams. However, they also have a potential roster crunch at the position. Behind those top two options, Los Angeles needs to reserve roster spots for Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith due to their special teams presence.

The team could keep all six of its top receivers, ensuring spots for Konata Mumpfield and Daniels, but four tight ends with the return of Tyler Higbee and the second-round selection of Max Klare could eat into the numbers. Also, the Rams could carry three quarterbacks if they hold on to Bennett, along with Simpson and Stafford.

Stafford & Davante picking up right where they left off for the #Rams Offense with that TD connection!

Also, NEW CB Trent McDuffie was in a great spot to defend, but the pass was even better#RamsHouse� pic.twitter.com/gEc6WICT3U

— Ian (Rams Up Podcast) (@RamsUp_Ian) August 2, 2026

Albert Breer Empties His Rams Notebook From Training Camp Stop

https://www.si.com/nfl/albert-breer-empties-rams-notebook-training-camp-stop-2026

LOS ANGELES — The beautiful campus of Loyola Marymount is the fifth stop on my NFL training camp trip, with a powerhouse Rams team bunking up here for a couple weeks. Here’s what I’m hearing …

• The buzz about the new guys is very real. Myles Garrett has been, believe it or not, better than advertised, has fit in seamlessly and should benefit from having a deep, loaded group of defensive linemen around him. And Trent McDuffie has checked every box, as a guy who can play field, boundary and slot corner, and is a tough, physical tone-setter—I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a captain in his first year as a Ram. The team believes he can become perhaps the NFL’s best defensive back in a role not unlike the one that Jalen Ramsey (who, admittedly, is a bigger, more physically imposing player) played in Los Angeles. Those two guys alone should make a very significant difference, and that’s with all due respect to Jared Verse, who was part of the cost of getting Garrett.

• So the next question, obviously, is whether Aaron Donald is going to be part of that defense. Donald’s working through training to make sure he can feel like himself out there—and the bar for him to feel like himself is, obviously, very high. But he and Sean McVay have a very close relationship, and they have established a rough timeline for his return should Donald go through with it. My sense is it wouldn’t happen until after the Rams leave Loyola Marymount and head back to their home facility north of L.A. The plan from there, should he return, would likely mirror how they ramped Donald up in his two holdout years, 2017 and ’18, which happened to be McVay’s first two years with the Rams. And the aforementioned depth and the balance on the defensive front would help them manage Donald, too. Speaking of that depth, there are a couple more young guys—Josaiah Stewart and Braden Fiske—having the kinds of offseasons that give you the idea that they could take their level of play to another level.

• On offense, Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams are where you’d expect them to be, and Colby Parkinson is leading a deep, versatile tight end group. The second layer of skill talent is where the offense could look a little different than it did a year ago. Terrance Ferguson has had a fantastic offseason. He is now proving to be a guy who can play all over the formation and looks like he could be a force after the catch, showing why the Rams coveted him in the 2025 draft and now believe he could grow into one of the NFL’s best tight ends. Blake Corum has also worked to earn carries alongside Williams, seeing the game faster, and looking like a guy who could add a big-play element to the Rams’ physical run game. If there’s a question on offense, it’s at tackle, where Alaric Jackson is facing potential discipline from the NFL, and Rob Havenstein retired.

• Stafford’s presence certainly has been felt—last year, he had perhaps his best season as a pro at 37 years old, and he has been sharp and locked in early this summer. He’s also as healthy as he’s been at this point in the calendar in a few years, and if he stays that way, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be every bit as good in 2026. More than anything, there’s a sense that he’s really enjoying the game, and the team, and was at the very top of his game the last time we saw him, through the Rams’ playoff run.

• Finally, if there’s one area where there could be a significant uptick in performance from 2026, it’s special teams. McVay was able to land the well-regarded Bubba Ventrone as a new coordinator, and added a couple of real leaders in special teams ace Grant Stuard from Detroit and long snapper Joe Cardona from Miami. The moves underscore how complete a roster it looks like the Rams will take with them to Australia for Week 1.

Stu Jackson@StuJRams
High-quality play all around on what was the most entertaining and competitive practice of training camp yet

Play that just shows how great the WR-CB battles in camp have been:

Matthew Stafford launches a pass deep downfield over the middle to Puka Nacua, but right after Nacua makes the catch, McDuffie is right there to knock the ball out to cause the incompletion.

Each part of that sequence ‘oohs’ from the crowd

Video of said playhttps://t.co/uukeulzLou

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 3, 2026

Another one just now:

A few plays earlier, great play by Jaylen Watson breaking up a Stafford deep ball for Davante Adams.

Just now: Stafford threads a deep TD pass in the face of a blitz to Adams with Watson in coverage. Late hands by Adams to make the grab at the last second. Nothing Watson could do. Just an incredible catch.

This is the TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Davante Adams I was referring to earlier. Hard for any CB/DB to beat that ball placement by Stafford and the late hands by Adamspic.twitter.com/FOyc3umDzz

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) August 3, 2026

One of the highlights by the defense today was a Kam Curl pick-six.

Sean McVay after practice on Curl:

“Obviously, a lot’s been made about some of the new acquisitions with Trent (McDuffie), with Jaylen (Watson) and with Myles (Garrett) on defense, but re-signing Kam Curl was a huge deal for us as well.”

…

Per Sean McVay, TE Davis Allen is dealing with a quad injury. Since it’s a soft tissue injury, McVay said they will give Allen “some time” before he returns to practice. McVay said they don’t want to rush Allen back.

“Davis is going to be a big part of what we do,” McVay said.

***

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
A few Rams observations from today’s practice:

– Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett took every rep. Off day from team drills for Ty Simpson
– Some 🔥🔥🔥 battles between Puka & McDuffie and Adams & Jaylen Watson. Trading wins
– Kam Curl, Quentin Lake scored defensive TDs

1st & Tuna@1standtuna
I’ve been very impressed with special teams as a whole.

The sense of urgency feels so immediate. Timing on FG feels smooth and quick.

Shoutout to long snapper Joe Cardona. Will never understand how those guys can get the laces to the same spot over and over and over….

Cayden Kubler@CaydenKubler
Overall, the best day of practice for the Rams.

The defense started out absolutely lock down, then the offense turned it up in the second half and made their mark.

Feels like the Rams are pumped at the position they are in as a team right now.

10 Observations from Day 8 of 2026 Rams Training Camp: First-team offense and defense battle it out; Stetson Bennett IV takes all of second-team reps; second-team defense efficient in run stop

Stu Jackson & Zach Edwards

https://www.therams.com/news/10-observations-day-8-2026-rams-training-camp-first-team-battle-puka-nacua-trent-mcduffie-davante-adams-jaylen-watson

LOS ANGELES – The final day of the second four-day block of Rams Training Camp presented by CommunityAmerica Credit Union at LMU yet again featured high-flying plays between the first-team wide receivers and defensive backs. What head coach Sean McVay described as an “unscripted” practice featured Matthew Stafford leading the first-team offense with impressive completions to – and equally impressive catches from – wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, while Stetson Bennett IV got all of the reps leading the second-team offense. The first-team defense came up with multiple highlight pass breakups and takeaways, and the second-team defense was efficient at run stop.

Senior staff writer Stu Jackson watched the offense Saturday afternoon, while staff writer Zach Edwards watched the defense. Here are 10 things that stood out:

Another scheduled off day for offensive lineman Alaric Jackson: Similar to the previous practice block, Monday was an off day for Jackson as part of the maintenance of medication for the blood clots he’s been dealing with since last year.

Stafford’s connection with Nacua and Adams on point: Two of Stafford’s best throws of the day were an over-the-shoulder touchdown pass to Adams in the face of a blitz – with Adams flashing late hands to secure the catch – and later a back-shoulder throw to Nacua for a touchdown. These were also emblematic of the back-and-forth battle between the wide receivers and cornerbacks: Stafford and Adams made that connection a few plays after cornerback Jaylen Watson broke up a potential touchdown pass between the two, while the connection with Nacua came after McDuffie had a perfectly-timed pass breakup as Nacua was bringing in a deep ball from Stafford over the middle.

“There was a a lot of high quality plays out there,” Stafford said. “Plays that in the books will go down as good for the offense, and in the books it’ll go down as good for the defense that sometimes you just tip your cap.”

Terrance Ferguson’s next-play mentality: The second-year tight end had a two-play sequence that stood out. On the first play, he dropped a pass he should’ve caught from Stafford, but Stafford went right back to him on the next play and he finished strong through the catch point on a slant.

Bennett looks comfortable leading second-team offense: Bennett got all of the reps in team drills leading the second-team offense on Monday, and continued to show command of the offense.

“We were kind of unscripted, and Matthew was out here, and so Stetson got the work that he’s earned,” McVay said.

McVay also said Bennett has “taken advantage of his reps” and praised Bennett’s overall command of the offense now being “significantly improved” compared to a year ago.

Bennett’s deep ball to wide receiver Tyler Scott an early highlight: Arguably Bennett’s best throw of the day came on a deep ball down the right sideline to Scott, who also deserves praise for the way he tracked the ball and brought it in.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie highlight pass break up: The first deep ball of the afternoon from Stafford had Nacua with a multiple-step advantage on the nearest defender. As Nacua hauled the ball in, McDuffie came in at the last moment to punch the ball out for his hands for the incompletion. “Shout out Puka, that boy is rolling, I’ll tell you that much, he went right past me, so I just had to put my head down,” McDuffie said recalling the play. “I mean, good ball, good catch, and I was just there, fortunate enough to knock it out.” One of McDuffie’s more underrated plays came on a blitz with the offensive inside the 5-yard line, as Stafford quickly got the ball out to Adams on a crossing route and McDuffie stopped him short of the goal line as the whistle blew the play dead.

Watson pass break up on another Stafford deep ball: This time, Stafford tossed up the ball along the right sideline to Adams. Watson, adjusting to the placement of the pass, stepped up and knocked down the pass to win that edition of the Watson-Adams battle.

Josaiah Stewart stepping up in Myles Garrett’s practice absence with forced fumble: With defensive end Myles Garrett not practicing Monday as head coach Sean McVay said yesterday would be the case, outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart saw more snaps and came up with one of the biggest defensive plays of the day. On a run up the middle, Stewart came in and knocked the ball out of Blake Corum’s grasp, which was then subsequently picked up by safety Quentin Lake for a scoop-and-score.

Safety Kam Curl picks off Stafford as pocket collapsed: As the pocket collapsed around Stafford, he picked out Adams on a comeback route in the middle of the field, but didn’t account for Curl reading the play and jumping in at the last moment to snag a interception that eventually led to the second defensive touchdown for the Rams. “I love Kam Curl,” McVay said. “Just his vibe, made a great play today. He’s doing a lot of amazing things, … re-signing Kam Curl was a huge deal for us as well.”

Second-team defense containing the run game: While many of the highlights on defense was awarded to the first team, time and time again, the second-team defense stepped up on rushing downs to stop the ball carrier in the backfield. Outside linebacker Keir Thomas II and cornerback Cam Lampkin both tripped up the runner in the backfield going right on two separate plays, and inside linebacker Grant Stuard came flying in on a run up the middle.

from “Iron sharpens iron”: 5 Things We Learned from this weekend at Rams Training Camp

1st & Tuna
Aug 03, 2026

https://1standtuna.substack.com/p/iron-sharpens-iron-5-things-we-learned

…

Let’s dive into some of the position group battles, and highlight some players fans have been eager to see progress from this camp:

Josaiah Stewart has looked impressive all camp

There was a series of plays during team period where I jotted notes about how dominant Josaiah was.

On one first down, he took on Terrance Ferguson’s block attempt behind the line of scrimmage. Stewart won the rep stalemating Ferguson and getting a real chance at a tackle for loss. The very next play, Stewart batted down a Stafford pass at the line of scrimmge. If this is meant to mimic Sunday action, that’s a quick 1-2 punch from the second-year linebacker forcing a potential third and long.

I’ve been quick to credit right tackle Warren McClendon for his consistency through camp thus far. Some of his toughest reps though, have come against Stewart.

On run plays away from Stewart, he isn’t settling for getting sealed off on his edge. At 6’1” 250lbs, he’s able to work low and power through with leverage to at least get involved in scrums to keep gains to a minimum.

Anytime I’ve watched Stewart get blocked by a tight end, often times I see him get either a quick win (I referenced that attempted wham block by Ferguson earlier), or work them back into the pocket to make it messy to attempt a throw from.

Stewart didn’t get a lot of media or fan attention last season, but his tape shows flashes of setting strong edges and having the physical tools to contribute a lot more this season. Add in the fact Byron Young is in a contract year and managing a pre-existing knee injury, it’s encouraging to know you have a guy like Stewart who may step in and dominate in his own regard.

CJ Daniels praise is deserving, who else from the WR room are we excited about?

When rookies have such a short offseason to prepare for their first NFL action, you have to look for certain intangibles to see if they can survive as a professional.

CJ Daniels has it.

The hands are very real. His size has created mismatches versus corners, and he looks natural finding open spaces to give his quarterback a throwing window. His touchdown from Ty Simpson during Saturday’s practice was as impressive as everyone has shown online. But he’s also shown good focus as he’s surehanded balls near the sideline despite a corner trying to work through his back.

He still has much work to do in his run-blocking consistency. Another thing I noted is similar to what I felt about Konata Mumpfield last season: His overall speed might be something that could limit his ability to contribute as much as fans think he will.

Speaking of Mumpfield, he looks different than last season. When speaking to him after practice, he credits his offseason training. “Just making sure I’m taking care of my body, getting stronger, getting faster. That’s definitely something I wanted to progress in.”

It’s noticed, Konata. He’s gotten in and out of cuts quicker through the first week of camp. You see a burst after the catch that wasn’t quite there yet before. With all the reps he’s gotten, he has a great understanding of “where he’s supposed to be at, and with what timing” in regards to Stafford’s progression on plays.

We’ll have a full column dedicated to just the receivers, but I’m impressed by what I’ve seen from the group collectively. Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith seem to have roles they’ll be asked to contribute with all year long in support of superstars Davante Adams and Puka Nacua.

The interior offensive line could end up best in show

I’m a believer in the thought of, if a lineman is doing good, you probably won’t see their name pop up in the papers. So let’s go against that today and give credit to the trio of Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton and Kevin Dotson.

There’s lots to love about the defensive line, don’t get it twisted. They have their plays of dominance as well. But when the Rams are working their run game between the tackles, I’m seeing a lot of Dotson celebrating as they stack bodies in the trenches.

Starting with Dotson, following a strong goal line rep that saw he and Shelton push bodies into the endzone, you could see big #69 shout to the sideline with a finger in the air in celebration. He and Shelton’s combo blocking has been fun to watch as well.

One rep that highlighted the duo came against nosetackle Poona Ford.

Dotson gave a strong arm to help while Shelton worked across Poona’s face. Shelton then was able to time his hand placement and stay lower than Poona, allowing him to drive the 314 lb. Ford. All the while Dotson is seamlessely working up to take the linebacker out of the play successfully.

Adding Avila to the conversation, the fun continues. On another rep I got to see Avila and Shelton combo Kobie Turner together. The duo got the best of Turner that play, not allowing him to twist or counter the double team, as they worked to wash him out into the edge defender.

Dotson himself has mentioned how much “that continuity of offensive line is probably the most important thing” helping them grow. They’ll be able to continue stacking with “higher level things” as they build that trust at camp.

Ferguson is a breakout candidate in fans’ eyes, is he meeting expectations so far?

Terrance has been high on a lot of people’s minds as a player who could take a big leap forward in his progression this season. I’ve seen some good things in camp, and also some growing pains during Saturday’s practice.

The good: He is such a problem for defenders to get a good matchup advantage against. There’s routes where he separates easily on in-breaking routes from quick corners like Emmauel Forbes. On another play I watched him get a step or two ahead of safeties down the field. When he gets a reception, he has that long stride and physical body to work through arm tackles and pick up extra yards.

He has definitely improved in his body positioning and hand placement in regards to blocking. But, I believe there’s still some work in progress in that category.

Areas still improving: His connection with Stafford will continue to hone-in through the journey towards week one. It bears reminder that Stafford missing camp last year is where all those near-misses possibly stems from. The same thing happened Saturday. Ferguson had a step on defenders down the field, and Stafford placed it just out of reach from the tight end.

On another short route, we get a drop from Ferguson. They happen. Better in practice than on Sundays is what we care about.

His blocking looks and feels better, but still not to the same impact you feel when watching Tyler Higbee.

There were two reps in particular where he had good battles with Josaiah Stewart (once in the run and pass), but ultimately it seemed ilke Stewart would strongarm his way towards the play. From just a week’s sample size, it does appear his hand placement is improved from last year. I’ve seen a strong initial engage from Ferguson on most of his reps.

Take my critique with a grain of salt. I could very well be critical on things that don’t matter ultimately in his development. He could very well be progressing right as the staff needs him to be. I can only give my observation, and hope it’s consistent with the body of work in progress for the young man.

wv wrote:

CJ is a 5th Round pick. And not particularly fast. So I’m quite skeptical about him.

He’s a 6th round pick. In fact they traded 3 picks to move up 10 spots to take him. (Traded 207, 251, and 252 to move up to 197).

His speed isn’t what interests people in him. It’s his combination of decent size, great football IQ, route running, great catch radius, and hands. He has hands like Nacua, by which I mean he has an incredible catch rate on contested catches. He was actually a top player in all of college football both at avoiding drops and at making contested catches (his last 3 years he had an elite contested catch rate of 75.8%).

Nacua wasn’t fast either. Nor was Kupp.

…

from https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/matthew-stafford-practice-is-as-high-quality-as-ive-been-around

Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson had highlight moments by breaking up passes from Matthew Stafford to wideouts Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. The offense rebounded with touchdown passes to both receivers before the defense came up with more strong plays on a back-and-forth day at Rams camp.

After it was over, Stafford said it was the best practice work he’s seen since entering the NFL in 2009.

“There was a a lot of high quality plays out there, plays that in the books will go down as good for the offense, and in the books it’ll go down as good for the defense,” Stafford said, via the team’s website. “Sometimes you just tip your cap. . . . as high quality of practice football as I’ve been around.”

5 observations from Day 9 of Rams training camp: Off day for offense

Brock Vierra

https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2026/08/05/rams-training-camp-observations-day-9-practice/91191936007/

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams resumed their training camp activities after having a day off on Tuesday and the welcomed return of Myles Garrett had many ready to watch this team in game action.

With Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams having the day off, the team was able to take a closer look at their backup situation. Here are five observations from practice.

Strong on the right

Kevin Dotson and Warren McClendon once again put on a display. Yes, it was practice, but they were putting their hands on defenders, and taking them for a drive. They were exposed here and there, but nothing beyond the scope of NFL football and considering the talent on the line, Dotson and McClendon did more than enough to get the job done, had this been a real game.

McClendon has a natural, stout presence about him, absorbing pressure, without surrendering his placement. Dotson’s ability to advance to the second level and rake out linebackers continues to impress, with one rep earning Dotson some congratulations from offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
.
Depth of defense

The talk revolving around Garrett and his impact has been mauled over. However, it the impact of others than I’m excited about. Braden Fiske has grown as an every-down player, who constantly got into the backfield and blew up plays all day long.

Desjuan Johnson looks even better as a run stopper, making plays of his own, while Byron Young looks fast and balenced. The defensive line was phenomenal, with the secondary giving the offense little room to move the ball. Even the linebackers were on their game, with Omar Speights breaking up a pass intended for Puka Nacua.

The team does not have a clear QB2

The offense in general was abysmal, with a multitude of pre-snap penalties. That’s not good considering there isn’t an actual play clock. Both Bennett and Simpson were pedestrian at best, failing to put together a strong sequence of passes, while being off-target all day long. To be fair, it’s one practice, and one man can only do so much.

Bennett likely has the edge due to his pocket composure and overall understanding of the offense. Simpson also doesn’t have the arm to push the ball downfield in the way the Rams need to at this point. This is not a critique of Simpson, but highlighting that he needs time to put all the pieces together. Bennett has had that time. However, I wouldn’t feel confident in either starting week one at this time.

Cam Lampkin is making a final push for the roster

The Rams best job opening on their roster, if that even exists, is the WR3 position. The only truly open battle, except on special teams, is the CB4 role. Lampkin has been a solid riser for a few years now and is inching towards making the 53-man roster. He still has a long way to go, but he’s a natural fit for the secondary, and has some potential that has yet to be unlocked.

Grant Stuard is a wild man

It appears that Stuard has only one speed and that’s full speed. Stuard was flying around the field and while his addition was meant to bolster the special teams, he’s quickly emerging as a competent backup that could provide the depth and relief at the off-ball linebacker position.

He’s one of those “love to have him, hate to play him” players because regardless of jersey color, Stuard wants to eliminate the opposition, even if it’s a practice. While the team can not wait until he starts to inflict punishment on others, the franchise may have finally found their “wild man” who could finally bring some consistent competency to their special teams’ failures of the past.