McVay on broadcast about Matthew Stafford's workout today: "It was great. He looked awesome. He was able to activate all parts of the field. He looked strong, he looked sturdy. It was a very good step in the right direction and he looked like the guy we're accustomed to seeing"

— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) August 10, 2025

Zooey wrote:

I’m interested in all the new additions, of course, but particularly interested in seeing Mumpfield and the run defense. And Bennett. To see if he is a future #2.

GametimeA@Sports_94
ITS GAMEDAY ! @JB_Long who should we keep an eye out today for ?

J.B. Long@JB_Long
So many. I’ll try a few…
RBs: Corum and Hunter
WRs: Mumpfield and Williams
Return: X and Covey
OL: Limmer, Dedich, Lampkin
DL: Hamilton
Edge: Hampton, Thomas, Stewart, Jackson
LB: Paul, Dolac
DB: Valcarcel, Green
Booth: Mina, MJD, and Brockers

from https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/los-angeles-mykel-williams-kyle-shanahan-jared-verse

The San Francisco 49ers reloaded their roster with youth, especially on defense, using their first round pick on Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams.

Well according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, Williams is now set to miss some time.

“Kyle Shanahan says the exam of Mykel Williams indicates it’s a hyperextended knee,” wrote Wagoner in a tweet. “He will likely miss some time but sounds like avoided something long term. Williams still being evaluated as well.”

Here’s what happened to cause the injury, per Wagoner.

“The biggest concern of the day came from an injury to DE Mykel Williams midway through practice. Williams was engaged with OT Mike McGlinchey and then went down grabbing at his left leg. Bosa and LB Fred Warner went over to check on him and McGlinchey checked on him as well before he limped to the locker room. The good news, at least preliminarily: Williams only has a hyperextended knee. Kyle Shanahan said that’s the early indication which would mean Williams misses about a week. it will keep him out of the preseason opener but it sure beats some of the other, more serious alternatives. Of course, Williams is continuing testing even as I type this.”

This is genuinely the classiest thing I’ve ever seen during a football game

Both teams agreeing to run out the clock completely out of respect for Morice Norris

🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/SRP3ir7PTs

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) August 9, 2025

Life is bigger than football.

Horrifying scene during the Falcons vs Lions game as Morice Norris was stretchered off following a serious head injury and rushed to the hospital.

Have never seen this before, but in a beautiful showing of solidarity, both teams gathered in prayer… pic.twitter.com/TWXmeLVAME

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 9, 2025

more from Stu Jackson: https://www.therams.com/news/matthew-stafford-back-injury-update-preseason-2025-training-camp-jared-verse-kevin-dotson-poona-ford

McVay emphasized that, if this were a regular season game week, Stafford would be playing.

“That’s nothing new in terms of what’s been reported on Matthew. The aggravated disc is what led to the sore back,” McVay said after Thursday’s practice. “So all those things are true, and part of getting the epidural was part of the plans dealing with (back specialist) Dr. (Robert) Watkins in terms of what we felt like was the best case and best scenario to be able to allow him to be as healthy as possible.”

“August 8th was always kind of that day,” McVay said. “Our players end up being, the day before the preseason game, we just have a modified workload, but Saturday for the guys not playing in that preseason game will represent a great opportunity for Matthew to really start getting out on the field with his guys, and then whenever we come back on Monday, you’ll start to see him take part in individuals, all those things, which is exactly what was on par with the plan. And then you’ll start to see him get into practice with our group. Because of the uncontrolled parameters when we do go against the Chargers, we’ll hold him out of that practice. And then you’ll just continue to see his workload increase as long as he’s feeling good.”

Adam Grosbard@AdamGrosbard
Asked Sean McVay if veteran tackle DJ Humphries would play in first preseason game. Said that decision is still being worked out, but expectation is no, which is a pretty good indication Humphries has won the backup left tackle role

Rams Fans United@RamsFansUnited
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think aggravated disc is a thing unless you already have a herniated or bulging disc. So either they’re leaving that part out or this really is pretty close to nothing…

from https://ramblinfan.com/tyler-higbee-just-said-what-los-angeles-rams-fans-wanted-to-hear-rising-rookie-terrance-ferguson

Tyler Higbee loves what he sees in Terrance Ferguson

Rams HC Sean McVay made it a point to ensure that he contacted Tyler Higbee before selecting rookie Terrance Ferguson. And it was that minor gesture of respect that started everything off on the right foot. After he was selected, Higbee reached out and offered to give Ferguson any help he might need.

It was that offer that set the stage for Higbee to become Ferguson’s mentor. But more than just a veteran to share wisdom. Higbee has invested positive feedback as well, as this quote demonstrates:

“He’s (Terrance Ferguson) showing some flashes of really good stuff. He’s gonna be a great ball player, and getting him out here and doing it day in and day out. So it’s been special to have him and (he’s) a great dude, and we’re excited to have him,” Higbee said.

wv wrote:

He’ll play. Of course he’ll play. But its not the kind of thing thats going to get better. And there will be X number of times it will affect him.

You’re hung up on the fact that Stafford has a bad back, and Kyren is a prolific fumbler.

But the logic of the optimistic take gives you a better view.

First, yeah, Stafford has a bad back, but Kyren doesn’t. So it balances out.

And Kyren might fumble a lot, but Stafford doesn’t fumble near as much. So again it balances out.

Besides. It would be much, much worse if both Stafford and Kyren were prolific fumblers with bad backs.

See? Always look on the bright side.

…

Elvis

Philip Rivers played the entire 2014 season getting epidurals for a bulging disc in his back, didn’t miss a start and played 6 more seasons after that…

from https://www.lafbnetwork.com/nfl/la-rams/la-rams-news/rams-josaiah-stewart-perfect-fit/

…rookie Josiah Stewart may be the dark horse ready to claim a larger role than many anticipated. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has had Stewart on his radar for a while.

“Josiah Stewart was a personal favorite of mine back in the fall,” Jeremiah said. “He didn’t test for a long time during the pre-draft process, and when he finally did, the results weren’t great. I think that’s part of the reason he was still available in the third round. He’s undersized, and some people dismissed him because of that.

But Les Snead has shown over the years—look at someone like Kyren Williams, who didn’t run a great time—that he can find really good football players who may not fit the traditional height-weight-speed profile many teams prioritize.

I haven’t talked to anyone at Rams camp or heard his name as a standout yet, but I know the kind of player they tend to hit on, and Stewart fits that mold perfectly. I can see him carving out a role on what is already a very talented, fast, and athletic front seven.”

…

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com sees Stewart’s situation as tailor-made for development.

“I haven’t heard anything specific about Josiah Stewart, but he’s in a great situation—maybe similar to a Bryce Huff type of role—where he’s playing behind two strong edge rushers in Byron Young and Jared Verse. It could be an opportunity for the Rams to mix him in strategically.”

That rotational role — OLB3 on the Rams’ depth chart — is up for grabs after Michael Hoecht’s departure in free agency.

from Cowboys-Rams observations: What we saw from George Pickens, Davante Adams and more

Jon Machota and Jourdan Rodrigue

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6537818/2025/08/06/cowboys-rams-joint-practice-observations/?source=emp_shared_article

OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned multiple times after Tuesday’s joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams that they were trying to keep things vanilla on offense.

That’s particularly notable because it was not a great day offensively.

“Today was more about us,” Schottenheimer said. “It was, ‘See how we do. Throw the ball out there and see what happens.’ We did some good things. We need to do some things better.

“I’m not going to say we played great. We didn’t. I thought it was solid. We’ll go and make the corrections.”

Here are five key takeaways from watching Dallas’ offense during the roughly 90 minutes of 11-on-11 work against the Rams.

1. The Cowboys’ run game was one of the NFL’s worst last season. It didn’t look much improved Tuesday. Javonte Williams got the bulk of the first-team reps. He had very little room to work. Not much changed when rookie Jaydon Blue was given opportunities.

“They gave us some fits,” Schottenheimer said. “We had some communication errors. The run game wasn’t great.”

His biggest concern was how they handled the Los Angeles linebackers.

“What happens when you’re double-teaming people is the linebackers have to make a decision,” he explained. “The linebackers were playing fast and downhill and they were fitting their gaps. It’s all based on how you try to build a wall on defense. We just got to play with our eyes up a little bit better. We got fit on the double-teams but we didn’t come off to the second level, so there’s too much color at the point of attack.”

Schottenheimer liked the opportunity to face a 3-4 defense, which they don’t see in practice. This was the best run of the day.

…

Five Rams items that mattered from joint practices, from the offensive field:

1. Quarterback Matthew Stafford did not participate in practice but was present on the sideline for the session. Stafford, 37, has twice seen a back specialist for an ongoing issue that has held him out of training camp. McVay has called Stafford’s status “week to week,” noting that the team is holding Stafford out of practice out of an abundance of caution.

“He’s making good progress, he feels good (and) we’ve been able to kind of increase some things behind the scenes,” said McVay. “He’s in good spirits. … We do have a good plan in place that we feel good about, and he’s progressing in the right direction.”

Team sources have reiterated their overall lack of worry about Stafford’s status for the season itself, but it bears noting that the Rams consider joint practices as some of the most valuable snaps the offense can get together in the offseason because it’s close to live action, and they don’t play starters in the preseason. Stafford has so far not gotten those snaps with his teammates. McVay did not disclose when Stafford would begin throwing with the team again.

2. Veteran receiver and free-agent acquisition Davante Adams and backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (who also won’t play in the preseason, per McVay) connected several times in team drills including on a touchdown catch up the right side earlier in the day and again in an urgent move-the-ball team period on an outbreaking route to the left side. Puka Nacua will clearly still be a blocking asset on run plays. Tutu Atwell caught a deep ball for a touchdown during a team period — and is easy to lose track of as the Rams’ often-motioning player.

That receiver hierarchy is established, but second-year player Jordan Whittington and rookie Konata Mumpfield both took reps with the first team. It will be hard to keep either player off the field, especially Whittington who can contribute in the run game and will play on special teams.

3. Left tackle is still in question with starter Alaric Jackson continuing his treatment and recovery from blood clots. Veteran free agent DJ Humphries and third-year swing tackle Warren McClendon rotated in the role on Tuesday. When backups came in, veteran free-agent David Quessenberry took over at right tackle (Rob Havenstein is the starter). Right guard Justin Dedich got some snaps with the first-team offense, in part to give starter Kevin Dotson a break and in part because he could be playing the position in the preseason.

4. The tight ends — starter Tyler Higbee, No. 2 Colby Parkinson and No. 4 Davis Allen were extremely active and rotated (together and separately) often in and out of the offense. When rookie Terrance Ferguson is healthy, McVay has a true four-deep at the position and all contribute as blockers which helps disguise elements of their pass and run game when in heavier personnel.

5. Depth players who stood out: Reserve defensive tackle Tyler Davis, who clearly has gotten his body ready to take the next step in his second season. Backup running backs Blake Corum, who took on some red zone work, and rookie Jarquez Hunter who showed his speed on a short outlet throw catch-and-run from third-string quarterback Stetson Bennett, center Beaux Limmer, who started most of last season (but was replaced by veteran Coleman Shelton, who re-signed with the Rams in free agency), is the clear backup to Shelton but undrafted free-agent Willie Lampkin IV got some reps as well. Lampkin did limp off the field near the end of practice after a player rolled over his foot.

Other notes:

• Absent from Tuesday’s practice (though on the field in team-issued clothing): Emmanuel Forbes (hamstring), Nate Landman (calf; Troy Reeder and Omar Speights filled in and drew praise from Schottenheimer for their run-blocking), Ferguson (groin), Kam Curl (got stepped on), Kobie Turner (back) and, of course, Stafford.

• Retired franchise left tackle Andrew Whitworth was present and spent several minutes speaking with Dallas star pass-rusher Micah Parsons, who is in the middle of a very public contract dispute with team owner Jerry Jones and was not practicing.

• Starting running back Kyren Williams spoke after practice just hours after signing a three-year contract extension that league sources said earlier Tuesday is worth up to $33 million. “I will never forget this day,” said Williams, beaming, adding that he felt like he had better call his mother a second time once he got back to his home just to make sure the signing had really happened. The icing on the cake? The practice wasn’t full-contact, but the Rams (behind Williams and their other backs) ran the ball well.

Davante Adams and Puka looking good vs Dallas
pic.twitter.com/TIVWsOwSiz

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 6, 2025