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znModeratorThree of the Top 10 NFL players are on the Los Angeles Rams. pic.twitter.com/5cN5dKKT60
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 21, 2026
znModeratorPuka, Adams, Higby, Ferguson, Klare, Parkinson, Kyren, Corum, Whittington, Mumpfield, CJ, X-Smith.
Is it enough?
w
vIt’s more than they had when they won super bowl 56 after Beckham went out.
znModeratorWhat does the Rams’ QB Coach want to see from his rookie QB?
Coach Ragone says he watches how settled they feel.
“You want to watch their eyes and their feet.” pic.twitter.com/2F6OSXQkXu
— Erin Coscarelli (@erincoscarelli) August 20, 2026
znModeratorMykell Mathieu@MykellthePG
🔥 RAMS JOINT PRACTICE RECAP! 🔥The Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints went head-to-head in today’s joint practice, and I’m breaking down everything that stood out!
🏈 Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams continue to build what could be a special connection
💪 Terrence Ferguson continues to make his presence felt
🔥 The Rams’ pass rush is STILL SHINING and making life difficult
👑 And overall, the Rams looked like the superior team throughout the day.znModerator3 long-term takeaways from Rams’ joint practice with Saints
Brock Vierra
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams learned a little bit more about themselves on Thursday after completing a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints. After a good day of work from both sides, here are three takeaways from the practice and what they mean for the team moving forward.
The Rams might avoid having to keep 10 offensive linemen on their initial 53
To start 2025, the Rams kept Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein, Warren McClendon, Justin Dedich, Beaux Limmer, D.J. Humphries, and David Quessenberry. Havenstein retired, and Humphries wasn’t re-signed. The team did draft Keagen Trost, and I don’t think they need anyone else.
Once Trost gets healthy, there’s no reason to keep an additional lineman on the roster unless a special-teams need develops. Trost was great in his debut, Dedich has proven himself, and Limmer has made the improvements to solidify the backup role in the event Dedich can’t play. The line did a good job, and if the team can keep a roster spot open, that could address a need somewhere else. Plus, they could keep their reserves on practice squad, calling them up if needed.
They run the risk of losing them to another team, but it’s a gamble that’s worth it for the overall success of the team.
Your fantasy edge starts here Sync your league for custom roster advice, projections, and tools to win your matchups every week.
The offense without Puka Nacua needs further development
The offense was solid, even without Puka Nacua. Nacua’s absence is one thing, but there wasn’t enough on display to say that the team has fixed some of the lingering issues with the unit: third-and-short situations, the development of the rushing attack, and the overt reliance on Matthew Stafford to overcome various weaknesses.
In the same breath, the Rams could be saving their solutions for the regular season. We just haven’t seen enough yet to say those situations – situations that have plagued the team in prior years – are afterthoughts. Especially as Nacua is a key piece in solving those issues.
Looking at the offense without Nacua on Thursday, they lacked the pop that Puka can bring to a passing attack. The reason I’m mentioning Nacua is to tie back into the comments on Stafford. Stafford’s ability to overcome scenarios where other quarterbacks might falter, especially with the time some of the plays take to develop, is a looming problem. This was a basic offense, but in the event that Stafford and Nacua are not on the field together, these plays might take a bit too long, leading to poor execution and desperate decisions. Plus, how many exotic things are they doing with the rest of the roster? Nacua’s skillset is a unique gift, and hasn’t been replicated by the league since his breakout season of 2023.
Not many quarterbacks can make the throws Stafford can, particularly with how narrow the pocket gets around him and with defenders in his face. Against a better defense, Davante Adams won’t be as open as he was on Thursday, and Nacua’s been the difference between success and failure once Stafford enters his gunslinger mode.
Keep in mind that when the Rams lost Nacua for one game last season, they created a brand new offense around a different position group. They might have to do even more this season unless Nacua avoids suspension and is able to play. The Rams can not run their current offense without him. It’s as simple as that.
The Rams will have to redesign their offense for Simpson
Ty Simpson got work in against the Saints and is expected to play in the preseason game. After seeing his work, the Rams will need to modify the offense for him if he plays in the regular season. That’s a good thing. Simpson has a long way to go, but he has good fundamentals, and he’s accurate on short-to-medium throws.
He does struggle to push the ball downfield, but makes up for it with consistent, successful targeting of tight ends. Simpson was not at his best, making two throws that went beyond the mark Thursday. Timing will be a struggle for him, especially as his throwing motion doesn’t have the quick zip of Stafford.
But that’s not a bad thing. The Rams may have to turn to a more traditional, multi-tight-end offense that uses the rushing attack a bit more, but the team has all the pieces to operate that style of football, and it would go against the current trends of the NFL – something Sean McVay knows how to do well.
znModeratorMatthew Stafford, Davante Adams’ chemistry on display in Rams’ joint practice with Saints
Nate Atkins
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back against the New Orleans Saints’ starting defense and again went looking for No. 17. With how this practice was going, he just knew Davante Adams would find a way to get open.
And Adams did, cutting sharp on a deep post route to a spot around the left hashmarks, where he settled in and waited for a laser, as he’s come to expect in this growing relationship with the reigning MVP. Stafford split two defenders with the throw — a cornerback giving chase, a deep safety crashing down — and Adams leaped and snared the ball before landing and sprinting into the end zone.
Stafford and Adams excelled against the Saints’ defense in a joint practice Thursday at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills. They connected for two touchdowns, including a trademark Stafford fade ball that Adams ran comfortably under along the right sideline for an easy score. They connected on crossers into the flats and slants across the middle.
With Puka Nacua not practicing due to a psoas injury he continues to manage, no one was left wondering who the go-to receiver on the Rams would be. Adams and Stafford have shown off a smooth and adjustable connection all training camp, and though Adams had a few drops in earlier practices, the precision has shown two vital pieces to the Rams’ offense this season: Stafford and Adams still have it, even at the ages of 38 and 33, respectively.
And now, they have chemistry outside of the red zone.
“No matter how great you are, you’ve got two great players. You’ve got to be able to get those reps, and repetition is the mother of learning,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “They’ve got a great feel. I think today was a really good day for those guys being able to connect against tight, sticky coverage. It’s been awesome, but they’re two outstanding people, outstanding players, and it’s really fun to watch them take some ownership and even just be a fly on the wall and listen to their dialogue and what they’re thinking. I love what I’ve seen from those guys.”
A year ago, none of this was possible. Adams was the new piece after he signed a free-agent deal to replace Cooper Kupp, and Stafford wasn’t practicing at all with a back issue that was threatening the start of his 17th season. Their reps in training camp were nearly nonexistent, and the two didn’t play in the preseason, leaving real games with results on the line as the time to build the timing, feel and connection that live reps are designed to create.
That led to an unsurprisingly clunky start to Adams’ 12th season. Through his first six games, he was averaging just 4.3 receptions per game on a career-worst 47.3 percent catch rate. Nacua was prolific enough to make up for it, but Adams and Stafford knew they needed to build something more to help the offense reach its full potential.
They drilled down in a week in Baltimore with Nacua hurt and rolled out a new role for Adams against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, where he played as the single wide receiver with three tight ends on the field and scored three touchdowns. Then he scored eight more times to finish with a league-best 14 receiving touchdowns as the Rams led the NFL in scoring and Stafford was named league MVP.
But Adams’ season felt a bit inconsistent and less whole than normal, as he finished with 60 catches for 789 yards, his lowest totals in any season since 2015. With Adams turning 34 in December and in a contract year, the Rams explored the idea this offseason of trading him for a younger receiver in A.J. Brown. But they decided against it once McVay dove into Adams’ film and saw more to tap into, hoping his connection with Stafford would continue to grow with training camp reps.
It might require Adams to say healthier than he did last year, when he missed three games and battled lower-body injuries all season long. That’s the challenge for a 33-year-old in a speed-based role in a collision sport. But Thursday’s practice was a glimpse of what remains in the tank.
Terrance Ferguson, CJ Daniels get their run
With Nacua out, the door opened for younger receivers to see targets and to make their cases to be reliable weapons in an offense that needs one to emerge beyond Nacua and Adams.
The busiest of them was Ferguson. He scored two touchdowns in the red zone, including one where he caught the ball in the flat on the left side and outran the defense.
He executed mostly short routes, a departure from the late-season breakout that helped him finish his rookie season with an average of 21 yards on 11 receptions. The Rams are expanding Ferguson’s route tree now that he’s more comfortable in a playbook that’s committing to the three-tight end approach the Rams largely devised at midseason last year, and he’s spent this offseason trimming body fat to increase that wiggle out of breaks.
By getting the ball to Ferguson more quickly, the Rams can exploit a mismatch with his 6-foot-5, 252-pound frame against linebackers rather than safeties, hoping those safeties are busy enough watching for Stafford’s deep connections with Adams and Nacua on opposite perimeters.
“Coming in (last year), I never expected to play the positions I’m playing,” Ferguson said. “Being able to play F, Z, Y and X, all of them together, it’s definitely been a big jump. … They ask me to do a lot of things down the field but then also be reliable on the line of scrimmage. It’s about finding that happy medium.”
Daniels also saw chances with the first team as he rotated reps with Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington. He didn’t have as active a day catching the ball, but it was a step up from the second-team usage he’s primarily seen this camp.
Stetson Bennett, Ty Simpson trade QB2 reps
As the Rams continue to try to solidify the backup quarterback role that Jimmy Garoppolo no longer holds, they have once more leaned into giving even chances to Simpson and Bennett. They ran 25 plays with the second team, with Bennett taking 13 snaps and Simpson 12. It continues a recent shift from earlier in camp, when Bennett worked almost exclusively as the next quarterback up after Stafford.
Both had mixed days. Bennett struggled again with his deep ball but kept it out of harm’s way. Simpson threw two interceptions, including one where he didn’t see a safety playing center field and the ball fluttered out of his hands. Simpson and Bennett both threw touchdowns in the red zone period.
Bennett enjoyed a strong start to camp, with high completion rates and strong plays out of structure but also with the occasional turnover. He hasn’t looked as comfortable over the past week, which could be related in part to not getting into a flow when splitting reps with Simpson, who has come a long way in his command of a complex playbook.
Simpson completed 84 percent of his passes in his NFL debut — and he wasn’t the only Rams rookie to impress.
Both quarterbacks face a challenge in the protection they’re trying to play behind with the second unit. The Rams are down two of their backup offensive linemen, as top backup guard Justin Dedich worked out off to the side again with the hand injury he’s had since early July and third-round rookie tackle Keagen Trost was out with the hamstring he hurt in Saturday’s preseason opener.McVay said the hope is to get Trost back for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. If he isn’t back, David Quessenberry will serve as the swing tackle. He’s been working primarily as the backup left tackle to Alaric Jackson, who could face a second suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy. Quessenberry last started a game in 2023 and will turn 36 on Monday.
The Rams have begun rotating offensive linemen with the first team to get more advanced looks at the second team. But McVay continues to express confidence in the plan and operation.
“I really felt good with the depth we had at tackle,” McVay said. “Obviously, you get a little bit thinned out when you felt good about those four guys, if you include Keagen into it. But we’ve got some other guys that we’re going to continue to evaluate. … We’ll just take it a day at a time.”
znModerator10 Observations from Rams’ joint practice with Saints
Stu Jackson & Zach Edwards
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Rams held their second and final joint practice of the preseason Thursday, hosting the Saints. The chemistry between quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Davante Adams headlined the day for Los Angeles’ offense, followed by a strong practice for tight end Terrance Ferguson. On defense, the defensive line ruled the day with would-have-been sacks and tackles for loss in addition to a pair of batted down passes.
Senior staff writer Stu Jackson spent the morning watching the offense, while staff writer Zach Edwards watched the defense. Here are 10 things that stood out.
Shorter, faster practice: While Thursday’s joint practice ended earlier than scheduled – the listed end time was 12:30, and practice was over around 11:40 – the shorter, faster practice was by design.
“That was really because they (Saints) had just gotten a lot of work on that Tuesday (with the Cowboys),” McVay said post-practice. “They had some guys that were a little bit banged up. We were originally scheduled to be able to get like 48 plays in a team period in a two minute (drill) with our first group, so to able to say hey, we just turned off three plays that were kind of already structured, and then losing (the) two-minute, I was just grateful for the work and appreciated that (Saints head coach) Kellen (Moore) and his guys made it work.”
Puka Nacua does not participate: This wasn’t a surprise, though, given McVay previously said they expect the fourth-year wide receiver to return to practice next week.
Stafford-Adams connection remains sharp: The veteran quarterback and veteran receiver got plenty of work, and plenty of completions, despite the shorter joint session. The most impressive connection was the below deep ball from Stafford to Adams early in practice.
Ferguson looking confident: The second-year tight end had a pair of strong receptions over the middle on short passes from Stafford, remaining grounded through the catch point. It was two plays that reinforced the confidence and playmaking McVay has seen throughout camp.
“Just that,” McVay said, when asked what he’s seen from Ferguson in terms of confidence and making plays on the practice field. “And he’s so smart. I think what can’t be misunderstood or minimized is how smart this guy is. He plays every single skill position except for halfback for us. Some of the things we ask of him, he does some of the roles we ask of our backs, and so he’s done a great job. I think he’s got great leadership in that room with guys to be able to learn from with Scooter (tight ends coach Scott Huff), with (Tyler) Higbee, with Colby Parkinson. That repetition, when you’re conscientious like he is, and you’re able to be coached, and you’re secure enough to be accountable for where you can grow, and stay humble when things go well, he’s really had a nice camp. I’ve really been impressed, but not surprised, by what he’s done.”
Stetson Bennett IV and Ty Simpson split reps due to less reps overall for second-team offense in practice: The second team got 25 plays in during Thursday’s practice, with Bennett getting 13 of them and Simpson the other 12, according to McVay. That allocation of reps “was exclusively just because there were so many less reps,” McVay said. “(Associate coordinator/quarterbacks) Dave (Ragone) and I and the rest of the coaching staff will sit down and figure out how we want to approach the game once we’re able to look at the film. But it was really more of a reflection of kind of just less reps, and that’s what that entailed.”
Defensive line collapses pocket quick and often: There were a number of would-have-been sacks by the Rams’ defensive front as they made life uncomfortable for quarterback Tyler Shough, who operated the Saints first-team offense the entire practice. The most prominent would-have-been sack, however, came when Shough was forced out of the pocket and defensive end Braden Fiske tracked him down. Shough ended his day with a pair of touchdown passes late in practice on a day when wide receivers Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson didn’t play, both of which coming when the Saints’ offensive line afforded him enough time in the pocket.
Defensive line getting hands on passes: Defensive ends Poona Ford and Kobie Turner each ended practice with a pass defended as Ford batted down a check-down pass and Turner got one with an attempt over the middle.
Turner and Josaiah Stewart have tackles for loss in run game: Turner and outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart each had notable tackles for loss in the run game that prompted a quick celebration on their individual plays, respectively.
Nate Landman makes presence known in all phases: Whether it was the run game or the pass game, inside linebacker Nate Landman was all over the field making plays. If the running back made it to the second level, Landman there on multiple occasions a yard or two into the run. In the pass game, when there were multiple short completions that led to a receiving making the first guy miss, Landman was there to back him up.
Secondary limits scramble drill: Granted in a joint practice setting the defense isn’t allowed to touch the quarterback, denoted by wearing the red jersey, the Rams secondary was there on every occasion the defensive line forced him out of the pocket and upfield.
znModeratorfrom PFF, 2026 NFL receiving corps rankings: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-receiving-corps-rankings-the-lions-lead-the-way?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=null
6. Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua has established himself as arguably the best receiver in football, and 33-year-old Davante Adams remains one of the most respected secondary options in the league. This receiving corps led the league by almost any metric last season, including PFF receiving grade. However, the unit’s success in areas like yards and touchdowns can be partially attributed to the outstanding supply it received from Matthew Stafford.
znModeratorGreg Beacham@gregbeacham
Davante Adams has caught a bunch of passes from Matthew Stafford at all depths during this joint practice with the Saints. Ty Simpson has been less accurate than the MVP.The Rams and Saints just wrapped up their joint practice earlier than scheduled. Don’t know if it’s related but the Saints had at least 3-4 guys come off with apparent injuries.
Zach Edwards@zachedwards04
So far at Rams/Saints joint practice, Kobie Turner and Poona Ford have each batted down a pass, Braden Fiske has a would-have-been sack and there’s been a mixed bag of TFLs in the run game and some nice runs by the Saints running backs.The first-team Saints offense passing game came alive towards the end with a pair of TD passes from Tyler Shough. Rams front 7 still generating pressure and forcing him outside the pocket but both TDs came with him in the pocket – contained the running game well in final stretch.
Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Terrance Ferguson has had a couple nice catches over the middle on short passes from StaffordReporter notes Ferguson is playing with a lot of confidence on the practice field and making a lot of plays, and asks McVay what he’s seen from the second-year TE.
“Just that,” McVay said. “I think what can’t be misunderstood or minimized is how smart this guy is.”
Jackson Durham@JDurham_FBall
Ferguson had a bunch of catches at Cowboys joint practice as wellIncreasingly clear that his role will be much larger this season
Stu Jackson@StuJRams
Adams has had catches at all depths/levels of the fieldSean McVay pleased with the Stafford-Adams connection today.
“I think today was a really good day for those guys, being able to connect against tight and sticky coverage,” McVay said.
znModeratorfrom PFF, 2026 NFL running back unit rankings: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-running-back-unit-rankings-falcons-top-the-list?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=null
7: Los Angeles Rams
It’s an unchanged backfield in Los Angeles led by Kyren Williams, with Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter ready when called upon. At ages 26, 25 and 23 to begin the season, this is a well-rounded group with all three backs in or near their peak years. Williams and Corum each finished inside the top 10 in yards before contact last season.
znModeratorGeoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
You can win games without drafting well if your top end talent is elite which the 49ers have. The question is whether I buy 49ers stock in the future and the answer is no because they’ve drafted poorly.The 49ers start three players on offense (depends on the depth chart and reports) that have been drafted in the last 5 drafts. A few of those are 7th round picks.
It’s better on defense with 6 guys and half are guys they drafted in 2025.
There’s just no argument they’ve drafted well.
znModeratorTime will tell, but If they liked Ferguson so much…why did they pick another move-tight-end in the second round the very next year?
Higbee’s got years on him, and both Parkinson and Allen have contracts that expire after this season.
If you’re going to run 3 TE sets a lot then you need more than 3 on the roster, otherwise you’re an injury away from 2 TE sets. Given that, the Rams apparently operate on the principle that a TE needs a year to develop, which usually means brought up to NFL speed as blockers. So if they want Klare for next year, they needed to take him this year.
Klare and Ferguson are really quite different. Klare’s the intermediate route runner, which was visible in the 1st PS game–that’s how he played in that game (with 7 catches on 8 targets, averaging 5.3 YPR with the longest being 11 yards). While TF is, as we’ve been saying, the long tall downfield threat (he’s long tall Terry).
znModeratorSome more thoughts on Ferguson. I don’t think anyone is saying he’s a Kelce, Gronkowsi, or Winslow etc. It’s that the 13 personnel packages give someone like Ferguson an opportunity. He becomes the deep threat in a 13 personnel package the defense must defend as a whole. He has enough raw talent to do that much, if he is developing into a solid pro.
znModeratorDan Orlovsky@danorlovsky7
Most sacks on top 1/2 offenses are on the QB more than OL nowadays. Not all, but most. Really poor OL obviously impacts offenses overall and QB play is impacted the most but for offenses that are good top half offenses, the QB can manage 90% of the potential sacks/sacksznModeratorNate Atkins@NateAtkins_
The Rams will practice against the Saints on Thursday 👀znModeratorfrom https://www.si.com/nfl/rams/onsi/rams-training-camp-biggest-takeaways
from Aug 9
There hasn’t been a lot of buzz around Terrance Ferguson out of training camp from those within the Rams’ building. However, outside media that visited throughout the two weeks noted Ferguson and how he’s looking like a player ready to take that next step.
The Rams will likely rotate their tight ends and won’t have a true top tight end. Still, Ferguson will play a large role in what the Rams want to do.
…
When Albert Breer visited Rams training camp, he noted that Ferguson has had a fantastic offseason. The Athletic’s Nate Atkins has said that the ideal outcome for Ferguson is to lead their tight ends in catches and yards. Ferguson is someone who could see a significantly increased role this season.
…
znModeratori didn’t see much, but i’m hanging my hopes on the idea that he was overwhelmed learning a very difficult position. and the fact that his physical traits just stand out.
and also just reading and hearing about him in training camp players and coaches and reporters all seem to be saying positive things about him.
Plus he’s the obvious deep threat in 3-TE sets. The point of those sets is that more often than not it forces defenses to play base D, which keeps the bigger defenders on the field. A defense has to watch the run with 3-TE sets which means that throwing a downfield pass on play action to a TE defenders can’t match up with could pay dividends. So if they do that and it works we’ll see TF catching deliberately high passes over the heads of slower bigger defenders.
Plus unlike last summer, this time Ferguson can work with Stafford in training camp. They can get their timing down.
…
znModeratorWho’s your guess for WR3 after training camp? Is it gonna be by committee or one of the tight ends? —
Has Konata Mumpfield shown any improvement in the offseason? Between him, Jordan Whittington and CJ Daniels, is there a race for WR3? Or does someone clearly lead? —
ATKINS: I continue to believe the No. 3 receiver role will be a committee approach. That’s a reality of the players they have, but also of the situation they created. If the Rams wanted something more, I think they would have gone after a higher-octane receiver either in free agency, trades or the draft.
Last year’s experience with Tutu Atwell becoming a non-factor on a $10 million deal was a lesson in how quickly that role can disappear, especially with the shift to three-tight end sets, and they realize that many decorated receivers won’t gladly sign up for that kind of reduced role.
I see a couple of clear hierarchies along the way: Mumpfield is the backup on the perimeter if Davante Adams were to get injured, and Whittington is the backup in an inside-outside role if Nacua were to get hurt. When they’re both healthy, I think we’ll see specialized roles that play out as a committee. Whittington and Xavier Smith offer some yards-after-catch ability in different ways, and will be active on game days because of their special teams roles, provided Smith wins the punt return job.
The tight ends should be a committee in their own right, with increased use of three-tight end sets now that it’s a full-season approach rather than a midseason shift. But I believe Terrance Ferguson will emerge from that group as the player worthy of an every-week, game-planned role. The best version of this offense will have Ferguson leading the tight ends in catches and yards, and finishing third on the team in both categories behind Adams and Nacua.
Is the lack of a deep threat, field-stretching, speed-burner receiver a significant shortcoming? —
ATKINS: In many offenses, I would say it is, as I’m a big believer that perimeter speed works to lighten boxes and provides the ultimate payoff in the best play-action moments. But last year’s Rams showed they can lead the league in scoring despite not having that true speed element in their pass-catching tree.
It’s a worthy conversation this year regarding potential regression, because that often comes for units that finish No. 1. It could become a bigger need if Adams, who turns 34 in December, were to miss more time or show any decline. The Rams are big on evolving to avoid complacency, and I’ve noticed such a focus on the pieces they have adding an extra speed element to their games: Nacua has slimmed down noticeably this offseason, Blake Corum and Kyren Williams have turned up the offseason workouts to build speed, and Ferguson also trimmed some body fat.
They know they can’t count on every play design and, in particular, the three-tight end approach to catch the league as off-guard as they did last year. And the playoffs reinforced the need for more explosive plays.
Without a prototypical outside burner, the hope is that the explosion comes more often in the middle of the field, with Ferguson stretching the seams against heavier personnel and Williams and Corum working the “stiff ankle” approaches they’ve spent the offseason building to break more chunk runs.
This offense probably doesn’t have a player who will take it 70 yards on a single play very often, but they want to own the 15-plus-yard plays while remaining an elite red zone team with the presence of play action out of three-tight end sets and with how unguardable Adams is in short areas as the single receiver on the field
znModeratorRB guide:
27 = Hunter
32 = Jordan Waters
33 = ConnorsThe Rams had some impressive explosives from the RB group during the first preseason contest. In an already loaded depth chart, the Rams may end up having a tough decision to make.
As Ronnie Rivers value – It would be most important for one of these backs show they can pass pro pic.twitter.com/WzzDjtEVl6
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) August 18, 2026
znModeratorDoes your NFL team have a top-10 ranked defensive line going into 2026? 👀
If not, where did your team end up? ⬇️https://t.co/hU4A0t8hcf pic.twitter.com/9utjz7ukNR
— PFF (@PFF) August 18, 2026
…
from PFF, 2026 NFL defensive line rankings: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-defensive-line-rankings-2026?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhtwitter&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fpro-football-focus%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F710350215
1. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams fielded the NFL’s second-highest-graded defensive line last season, then added the best player from the only unit that ranked ahead of them by trading for edge defender Myles Garrett. Garrett joins fellow edge defender Byron Young and interior defensive lineman Kobie Turner, giving Los Angeles a trio that combined for 227 pressures last season.
note: according to PRF stats, as a team the Rams had 180 pressures in 2025, which ranked 4th. Denver ranked 1st with 213. And the 227 number above doesn’t include Fiske, Ford, and Stewart. If you include their 2025 pressures, the Rams total would be 261.
znModeratorCameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Sean McVay told reporters today that rookie Keagen Trost will probably miss a few weeks with the hamstring injury he suffered in the first quarter on Saturday. Tough blow for him and the Rams.znModeratorGreat tape from Trost on the right side, definitely a great addition to this team and hoping the hamstring doesn’t keep him out to long https://t.co/fd8fB6txdo
— HoldenCantor (@HoldenCantor) August 16, 2026
znModeratorNFL Stats@NFL_Stats
Most pass attempts on play action plays last season:#Rams – 212
#Bears – 190
#Lions – 159
#Bills – 146
#Cardinals – 141
#Packers – 141August 18, 2026 at 10:05 pm in reply to: Note: no chat for the KC pre-season game, this is our game thread #165433znModeratorHe starts the Rams at about 5:45 in
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znModerator5 observations from Rams practice on Tuesday
Brock Vierra
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Los Angeles Rams got back to work on Tuesday as they prepare for the New Orleans Saints and the final stretch of preseason. This week will feature a joint practice and a preseason game that could serve as the deciding factor for several position battles.
Here are five observations from practice.
The Rams have linebacker depth
The Rams have more than enough talent at outside linebacker, but there was a concern that their interior could be exposed. That concern is non-existent because Grant Stuard will be a valuable depth piece for L.A. Stuard jumped a quick pass from Stetson Bennett, taking the ball the distance. It was a tough day for Bennett, with another pick made by Alex Johnson, but Stuard was all over the field.
He could have the same growth that Nate Landman had last year. He looks comfortable.
Stafford is at his peak
The reigning MVP looked in peak form and without Puka Nacua on the field, Stafford was distributing the ball to a variety of targets. His decisions were quick; he was sharp; he was reading the defense with ease (as one would expect), and his throws to the outside were precise.
Stafford was able to push the ball downfield as well. Long story short, he’s ready to roll.
Whittington’s making a push
There’s a good chance that Rams fans will see a lot of Jordan Whittington this season, especially if he can get hot early. His connection with Stafford was on the money, and he looked like a seamless replacement for Nacua. Konata Mumpfield also had a good day, but Whittington was moving, and his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands should see more things drawn up for him as the year progresses.
He looked like a true WR3 at minimum. Now, let’s see what he looks like against an opponent.
Ferguson’s development is ahead of schedule
Ferguson’s skills as a pass catcher were evident last season, but his blocking has improved a lot. He’s throwing his body around and making plays in the run game. Considering how important run blocking is, especially within the McVay offense, Ferguson could be positioned in a way to move defensive backs without issue, as he’s throwing weight against linebackers and defensive linemen.
He still has some work to do, but Ferguson is stronger while being just as agile as he was in 2025. Scary.
Major questions on the offensive line
The players who practiced were fine. It’s about the players who didn’t. With Justin Dedich and Keagan Trost working their way back from injury, the biggest question on the line is who covers for them, and are those players good enough?
We’ll have to wait for that answer, but it’s something to ponder for how the Rams manage their line for the rest of the preseason.
znModeratorWell if he turns out to be a ‘deep threat’ that would be great. But he’s a 4.63 guy. (He seems a little clunky to me)
40 time doesn’t matter if he’s 6’5 with a big catch radius, which means catching them over his head.
I don;t know about klunky. He looked fairly smooth for 250 lbs to me.
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Terrance Ferguson’s Top Plays From His First Season With The Rams
znModeratorWell, did you see Ferguson flash any traits last year? I just didnt see anything that really popped. Just seemed like ‘a guy’ to me. What did you see?
w
vYou didn’t ask me, but he plays like a big receiver. He ran a lot of vertical routes and in fact caught 6 25+ yarders, which is more than any Rams rookie going back decades. He didn’t catch many passes in general, just 11, which means more than 1/2 of his catches were explosive plays. He averaged 21 yards a reception, which was 2nd in the league (1st in the NFL was a WR with 21.3), and way higher then the next highest TE, which was GB’s Tucker Kraft with 15.3.
He has good hands, long arms, and a great catch radius. And at 6’5, 250 lbs, him being able to run deeper routes like that makes him an absolute match-up nightmare.
Granted he was a rookie in 2025, and tight ends are notoriously slow learners in the NFL. They say college TEs are either blockers or receiving TEs, then they get to the NFL and have to be both. Ferguson was clearly behind when it came to NFL blocking, but also as a rookie I noticed a few times where his timing was off, so I saw a few throws that went to where he was supposed to be and he wasn’t quite at that spot yet. But if he can iron that out, what Ferguson gives them is a tall, big deep threat with good hands.
If the Rams hadn’t traded down in 2025, Ferguson would have been their 1st round pick. But he was there when they picked in round 2.
So if he develops? (And the buzz is good on that.) Then they have a 6’5 250 deep threat with a huge catch radius, and no one in the NFL can cover that. Plus he’s an obvious redzone threat.
August 18, 2026 at 5:00 pm in reply to: Note: no chat for the KC pre-season game, this is our game thread #165423znModeratorI Was Impressed With Ty Simpson & Fernando Mendoza! | The Stinkin' Truth… https://t.co/hffZ0Zkb5s via @YouTube
— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) August 18, 2026
August 17, 2026 at 10:35 pm in reply to: Note: no chat for the KC pre-season game, this is our game thread #165407znModeratorto Daniels.
Big, big time throw https://t.co/bla2ZC2w1r pic.twitter.com/W3fcHJJXPk
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) August 18, 2026
“They’re in love with him.” 👏@ChaseDaniel discusses Ty Simpson’s impressive preseason debut and his future with the Rams.
(via Yahoo Sports Daily) pic.twitter.com/gPSeRUUhsh
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 17, 2026
August 17, 2026 at 7:15 pm in reply to: Note: no chat for the KC pre-season game, this is our game thread #165406znModeratorHe does the Rams starting at about 1:02 in
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