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[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams schedule thoughts: Litmus Test Before the Bye

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

49ers, Ravens, and Jaguars will test Rams ahead of scheduled bye week

We’re diving deep into the Los Angeles Rams’ schedule. Taking it piece-by-piece and breaking into natural segments based on strength of opposition and key matchups.

Weeks 1-4, The Opening Quarter: Texans, Titans, Eagles, Colts​

Weeks 5-8, Litmus Test Before the Bye: 49ers, Ravens, Jaguars​

Weeks 9-13, Clash Against the NFC South: Saints, 49ers, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Panthers​

Weeks 14-18, A Potentially Tough Close: Cardinals, Lions, Seahawks, Falcons, Cardinals​

Next up are weeks five through eight of the regular season, which will bring a tough test heading into the bye:

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Litmus Test Before the Bye​

There will be tougher matchups on the Rams’ calendar than the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts, both of whom LA will see in their first four games. Still, the Rams cannot afford to enter a tough stretch against three playoff hopefuls at worse than 2-2.

Los Angeles has started slow each of the past two seasons. With the way the schedule falls in 2025, they will not be afforded that luxury this year.

On an optimistic note—if LA does emerge from The Opening Quarter at 3-1 or better—they can cement their status as a top contender by winning at least two of the next three. Should that happen, we could be discussing the potential of the top seed in the NFC conference and the team hosting playoff games at SoFi Stadium.

But in a glass half empty view—should LA once again start slow—dropping multiple of three games against the 49ers, Ravens, and Jaguars could prove insurmountable over the second half of the year.

Week 5 vs San Francisco 49ers; Thursday, Oct 2nd​

I’m personally not too bullish on San Francisco’s prospects this upcoming season. Their star core is aging and oft-injured, and despite taking the team to a Super Bowl the jury is still largely out on whether Brock Purdy can elevate a lesser supporting cast.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The 49ers are never an easy out. That’ll be true again in 2025, especially as defensive coordinator Robert Saleh returns and attempts to regain a lost sense of physicality.

The Rams bucked a historic trend by taking down the 49ers twice last season. This is still a division rival that’s had LA’s number since Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan joined the NFC West in 2017.

Week 6 at Baltimore Ravens; Sunday, Oct 12th​

Matchups against the Ravens haven’t been kind to the Rams in recent years.

Back in 2019 following the acquisition of Jalen Ramsey and trading Marcus Peters to Baltimore amidst a playoff push, Lamar Jackson scored five TD’s in a 45-6 rout of LA.

In Matthew Stafford’s first season in Los Angeles, the Rams edged out the Ravens 20-19 on their way to winning Super Bowl LVI. Jackson did not play in this game and Tyler Huntley was under center instead.

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

The latest contest came during the 2023 season and ended in overtime with a game-winning TD by Ravens punt returner Tylan Wallace. It was a back and forth effort where Stafford and Jackson combined for six TD’s. Former Ram Odell Beckham, Jr. got in on the action with nearly 100 yards and a score.

In short, this game is certain to be electric. Jackson has accumulated major statistics and two wins against the Rams when healthy—although nothing compared to Saquon Barkley’s two efforts against LA year year. This will be must-see TV.

At best it’s a 50-50 proposition that the Rams leave Baltimore with a win.

Week 7 at Jacksonville Jaguars (London); Sunday, Oct 19th​

Count out the Jaguars at your own peril.

Liam Coen comes to Jacksonville to get the best out of former number one overall pick Trevor Lawrence. This will also be LA’s first look at this year’s second overall pick and two-way WR/CB Travis Hunter.

But that doesn’t even touch on all the talent the Jaguars have accumulated. Brian Thomas, Jr. seems to be one of the brightest young names at the receiver position across all the NFL. The defense is littered with premium draft choices headlined by a formidable pass rushing duo in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s possible that my optimism surrounding Jacksonville is year too early. Still, former Ram James Gladstone is pulling the right strings as general manager and has the team on an ascending path. He’s leading with boldness, something clearly gleamed from his time under Les Snead.

The Jaguars’ turnaround is purely predicated on their ability to help Lawrence reach new heights. He’s as physically talented as any quarterback in the NFL and that could easily prove challenging in an already tough stretch of the Rams’ schedule.

Week 8: BYE​

A bye week squarely in the middle of the season is what you hope for ahead of the schedule release. It’s not too early and it’s far from too late.

It’ll be worth monitoring Alaric Jackson’s health to start the season. Should he miss time early, the bye week could be an ideal point to bring him back into the fold.

We should also keep an eye on young players who might be due for a larger role over the second half of the year, such as second round rookie TE Terrance Ferguson breaking into the starting lineup or increased workloads for running backs Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter behind Kyren Williams.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/7/24463281/rams-nfl-schedule-49ers-ravens-jaguars

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

History of age-37 quarterbacks

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Can Matthew Stafford reach the pantheon of these great 37-year-old quarterbacks?

Extending your career to age 37 and beyond is a relatively new phenomenon in the NFL. How 37-year-old Matthew Stafford will perform this season is anyone’s guess, but the possibility of being the best quarterback in the league is only imaginable because we’ve seen it happen before with 37-year-old MVPs like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers.

Could Stafford be the next?

A brief history of the 37-year-old quarterback​

The only two pre-1990s quarterback to throw over 400 passes at age 37 were George Blanda, who had a league-leading 505 attempts for the Houston Oilers in 1964, and Roger Staubach.

I think George Blanda’s widow still is cashing his civil war pension check pic.twitter.com/fOImtFJKzB

— Brian from Worcester (@Brian27843245) January 10, 2021​

The Hall of Famer who briefly retired at age 32 — and then returned to play 16 more seasons — led the NFL with 27 interceptions that year. Which was at least not as bad as the 42 interceptions that he threw in 1962 or the 30 interceptions that he threw in 1965.

Yes, it was a different passing era, but Blanda threw the most interceptions in every season from 1962 to 1965, a total of 124 interceptions in four years.

That was 39 more interceptions than the next-most by any quarterback.

Blanda continued to start at quarterback until he was 39, but spent his 40s as a kicker for the Oakland Raiders and extending his career until he was 48. He threw his last NFL touchdown when he was 47, but his last interception when he was 48.

Staubach had 461 passes for the Cowboys in 1979, throwing 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a team that made the playoffs at 11-5. It would be Staubach’s final season despite being his fifth straight Pro Bowl nod.

We wouldn’t see another QB throw at least 400 passes at age 37 until Steve DeBerg in 1991, which he did with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Several more 37-year-old QBs trickled in through the 90s:​

• Warren Moon led the NFL in completion rate (58.3) in 1993
• Dave Krieg led the NFL in interceptions (21) in 1995
• John Elway won the Super Bowl in 1997 (and again in 1998)
• Steve Young and Dan Marino both continued to play at a high level until they were 38
• And Doug Flutie closed out the decade with his age-37 season in 1999, a year after winning Comeback Player of the Year with the Bills

History will look back on the 90s as the transition period from an era where QBs were expected to retire by 35 into one where these signal callers (and the NFL) realized they were leaving millions of dollars and many opportunities on the table by giving up too soon.

The league changed rules to protect their stars even more than they were already being protected and QBs were changing their health regiments to make sure they could squeeze every last day out of their playing careers...

Beginning with Tom Brady’s well-documented journey to turn a dad bod into the longest career of all-time.

Tom Brady: Monitored his health with a strict exercise and nutrition plan and regular advanced medical testing.

Ken Stabler: Woke up that morning so figured he was probably ok.

Advantage: Stabler pic.twitter.com/xDpcRyE0dL

— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) October 2, 2024​

The 2000s saw Vinny Testaverde, Rich Gannon (MVP), Brett Favre, and Kurt Warner (Super Bowl appearance) play at age 37, but career expectancy was taken to another level in the 2010s with Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning.

Brady played until he was 45 (and led the NFL in attempts that year), while Manning enjoyed his best career statistical season at age 37, and Brees completed at least 70% of his passes in each season from age 37 to 41.

If you think that Stafford can’t hit career-highs in passing yards and touchdowns or win MVP because he’s coming off of three humdrum seasons with the Rams, you should think again.

Age 37 NFL records​

Most passing yards and TDs: Peyton Manning, 5,477 yards and 55 TDs in 2013​

Did you remember that after his missed the entire 2011 season with the Colts that many people expected Peyton Manning to return as a shell of his former self, if he ever returned at all? His free agency in 2012 was well-covered and interesting to monitor, but could the Broncos really be getting the same old Manning when he was 36 and coming off of neck surgery?

They got someone better than the old Peyton Manning.

At age 36, Manning led the NFL with 68.6% completions and a 79.6 QBR under head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. The next year, Adam Gase took over at OC and the Broncos scored 38 points per game as Manning totaled career-highs with 55 TDs and 5,477 passing yards. That game-changing season by Manning, who averaged 342.3 passing yards PER GAME (53 more yards than 2024 leader Joe Burrow in the same category) didn’t result in a Super Bowl win, but Manning’s dominance in Denver will never be forgotten.

And even when he actually was a shell of his former self, Manning finally got that second ring in 2015 right before retiring.

Most passing attempts: Drew Brees, 673 in 2016​

In 2016, Brees threw for 5,208 yards and 325.5 yards per game at age 37. He had 37 touchdowns with 15 interceptions but wasn’t even an MVP finalist because the Saints went 7-9 that year. But don’t blame the offense.

New Orleans ranked first in yards and second in scoring but 31st in points allowed.

Brees had two 1,000-yard receivers in Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas, but drew a bad deck with his defense. It was the first of five consecutive years in which Brees completed at least 70% of his passes.

Highest Completion Percentage and passer rating: Aaron Rodgers, 70.7% and 121.5 in 2020​

At a time when he was under the microscope of the media for what he was doing off of the field, Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs for the Packers at age 37 and 38.

Between 2020-2021, Rodgers threw a combined 85 touchdowns and only nine (!) interceptions! It is perhaps the best stretch of QB play we’ve ever seen.

Whether or not Rodgers still has it with the Steelers at age 42 is unknown, but he was unstoppable until he was 38.

Super Bowl winners: Tom Brady (2014), John Elway (1997), Johnny Unitas (1970)​

Yes, you can win Super Bowls with 37-year-old quarterbacks. It has happened three times before.

In fact, Brady was dominant in the 2014 playoffs (10 TD) and led a fourth quarter comeback against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Kurt Warner was possibly even better than Brady during Arizona’s run to the Super Bowl in 2008 (11 TD, 3 INT, 112.2 passer rating) and fell just shy of beating the Steelers.

Manning and Rich Gannon led their teams to the Super Bowl in 2013 and 2002, but also fell short.

But Elway led the Broncos to a Super Bowl win in 1997, while Unitas was on fire for the Colts in the 1970 playoffs, beating the Bengals, Raiders, and the Cowboys in the postseason. (Unitas had three turnovers in the Super Bowl win over Dallas, but I’m building a narrative over here.)

And that’s before being 37 was so widely accepted!

Matthew Stafford can do anything at age 37. He can win the Super Bowl, win MVP, lead the league in major stats, and have a career-season. He can also have a bad year...but that’s OLD news.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/7/24463439/rams-matthew-stafford-age-37-quarterbacks

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Matthew Stafford will have best supporting cast since joining Rams. Can he win again?

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

ESPN ranks Rams supporting cast as top-5 in the NFL

When Matthew Stafford spent the first 12 years of his career with the Detroit Lions, the narrative was always that the quarterback never had a consistent supporting cast to help him. That immediately changed when Stafford arrived to the Los Angeles Rams and was met with Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and a good defense led by Aaron Donald.

Due to injuries and a transition period on the team’s salary cap, the Rams haven’t been able to provide Stafford that same level of supporting cast since. However, that has changed heading into 2025 as the biggest offseason addition for the Rams was the signing of wide receiver Davante Adams.

It’s pretty clear that as long as the Rams are healthy along the offensive line and Stafford has a strong supporting cast, the quarterback will put his team in position to win. In 2023, the Rams went 6-1 down the stretch when healthy and had a chance to beat the Detroit Lions on the final drive in the playoffs. They went 6-1 again last year in the final seven games of the regular season, and then had a chance to win on the final drive in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.

As Stafford gets older, those opportunities become less of a guarantee. That’s especially the case when considering some of Stafford’s inconsistencies even when the Rams were successful down the stretch last season.

Heading into 2025, the Rams may have one foot in the now and another in the future, but it’s clear they would like to make one more push with Stafford at quarterback. It would have been easy for the Rams to move on from Stafford this offseason when teams inquired about a potential trade. Still, the Rams opted to keep Stafford for 2025 with the hopes of trying to capitalize on another Super Bowl window.

The positive for Stafford is that this may be the best supporting cast that he’s had since joining the Rams. Every season, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranks the playmakers from each NFL team. Coming in at number five for the 2025 season was the Rams. Said Barnwell,

“If you could guarantee 17 games from the Rams’ big three at their 2024 levels of play, they might challenge to rank No. 1 here. Puka Nacua missed six games and still came within a screen of making it to 1,000 yards, as his 3.7 yards per route run comfortably led the NFL. Kyren Williams ranked sixth in rushing yards per game despite not having a single run top 30 yards...After a difficult first three months of the year, Davante Adams brought in 576 receiving yards and six scores from December 1 onward, ranking among the league leaders in both categories. Can the Rams expect all three of those guys to live up to those expectations? Nacua is a superstar. Williams is a great gap-scheme back, but he has also fumbled eight times over the past two seasons. And Adams had been declining since the start of 2023 before a late-season surge with longtime friend Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. These guys are all great players, so while I have my reservations about the Rams getting the most out of Adams, it would hardly be a surprise if they all garnered Pro Bowl consideration.”

Barnwell’s number five ranking for the Rams playmakers is certainly notable. It’s also the best ranking that the Rams have had since Stafford took over. Looking at past seasons, the highest the Rams ranked was seventh in 2022:

• 2021 - 10th
• 2022 - 7th
• 2023 - 23rd
• 2024 - 9th

This is the first time that Stafford has had a supporting cast ranked inside the top-five. Nacua and Adams are arguably a top-three wide receiver duo. While Williams may not be a top-10 running back, he still managed four 100-yard games last season.

The biggest question mark for the Rams offense is exactly where you don’t want questions which is on the offensive line. DJ Humphries will be expected to step in at left tackle while Alaric Jackson recovers from blood clots. As it stands, the Rams are seen to have an average offensive line. PFF recently ranked them 15th while Sharp Football Analytics ranked them 13th. Said Sharp Football,

“The offensive line finished 13th in our rankings for the second consecutive year, earning one top 10 vote in the process. The biggest question facing the Rams is the health of left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is being treated for blood clots in his leg three months after signing an extension.”

If the Rams are able to head into the 2025 season healthy, this will be the best supporting cast that Stafford has had since joining the team in 2021. Stafford has already gotten the monkey off of his back by winning the Super Bowl in 2021, but another season in which the Rams are among the best teams in the NFL and another deep playoff run could add to his legacy.

With Stafford heading into his age 37 season, these opportunities are dwindling. The Rams front office has done its job of surrounding Stafford with a strong supporting cast. It will be up to Stafford on what he does with it.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/8/24463799/rams-matthew-stafford-supporting-cast

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams trivia: Your in-5 daily game, Wednesday edition

Think you can figure out which Rams player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Do you want to play “Wordle” but for Rams players instead of words?

With your in-depth knowledge of the Rams, can you guess a Rams players in 5 clues or less? 3 clues or less? 2 clues? Test yourself! You’re the expert! Whether you love it or hate it, we’d appreciate feedback at this Google Form.

If you can’t see the embedded game and you’re using Apple News, click this link.

Previous games​

Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Monday, July 7, 2025
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
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Turf Show Times in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Rams player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/9/24464412/sb-nation-rams-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams camp starts in two weeks: Reviewing the veteran/youngster roster mix

Safety Quentin Lake is one of many 4th year Rams in the final season of their contract | Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Les Snead and Sean McVay have constructed a balanced group

The start to the 2025 season is counting down with the Los Angeles Rams set to open camp in two weeks, July 23. The preseason campaign is one month away, beginning with an August 9 meeting with the Dallas Cowboys.

Head coach Sean McVay starts camp with a full 90-man roster and must navigate only one serious health problem, Alaric Jackson’s recurring blood clot problem. In spring workouts. both McVay and General Manager Les Snead made mention of how tough it was going to break onto the roster. An argument can be made that this is the best supporting cast of characters since 2021.

Veterans and Youngsters​

Here’s how the training camp roster lays out according to years of NFL service. The Rams have a handful of promising stars still on their first contract, but notice how McVay and Snead have mixed in veterans at every level. The sign of well-constructed roster.

Ages as of the end of the current year are in parentheses and my way-too-early roster projection are in bold.

Year 17​

QB Matthew Stafford (37)

Is there magic at 37?

Year 12​

WR Davante Adams (33), QB Jimmy Garappolo (34)

Adams hasn’t shown the signs of slowing down, but the Rams do expect physicality from their wide receivers. How will they use him? I don’t see his role to mirror Cooper Kupp’s WR/TE hybrid. Garappolo has the experience to hold down the fort.

Year 11​

T Rob Havenstein (33)

How much longer can Hav lock down the right side? Injury has reared it’s head for two straight seasons and I thought he had lost a step last season.

Year 10​

TE Tyler Higbee (32), T DJ Humphries (32)

There can be no question, if Alaric Jackson misses substantial time, Humphries play will be intensely scrutinized. Higbee is back to reclaim his place at tight end and should be in the best shape/place of his career.

very nice rep for DJ Humphries vs Bosa, shuffles, didn't kick step, knee bent took the blow and extended his long arms and anchored --- nice job

if he's a Rams glad to know he can still do this pic.twitter.com/aJ3PtfTlJ0

— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) June 13, 2025​

Year 9​

CB Ahkello Witherspoon (30), T David Quessenberry (35)

Two well-traveled players. Both have been backups/spot starters for the entirety of their careers.

Year 8 ​

CB Darious Williams (32), DT Poona Ford (30)

On the back ends of their respective careers. If Ford has to be double-teamed 50% of snaps, as he was last year, the Rams defensive front playmakers will feast. Williams fought soft tissue woes after returning to L.A., but was very good in 2023 and is a wily vet.

Year 7 ​

ILB Troy Reeder (31), C Coleman Shelton (30)

Two undrafted over-achievers that have carved out nice careers. Reeder’s snaps/starts have began to slide, but Shelton has 43 consecutive starts in the pivot.

Year 6 ​

S Kamren Curl (26), G Kevin Dotson (29), CB AJ Green (27), DT Larrell Murchison (28), TE Colby Parkinson (26)

Each player in this group started their NFL careers with other teams. Not a real surprise for mid-rung players.

Year 5 ​

WR Tutu Atwell (26), ILB Tony Fields (26), DT Jack Heflin (27), T Alaric Jackson (27)

The second contract year. McVay and Snead thought enough of Atwell and AJax to re-up them as long-term keepers, although they did hedge their bet with Atwell. Although lucrative, his one-year deal still has the ring of “show me” to it.

Year 4​

T AJ Arcuri (28), WR Britain Covey (28), CB Cobie Durant (27), CB Shaun Jolly (27), CB Derion Kendrick (25), S Quentin Lake (26), ILB Nate Landman (27), RB Ronnie Rivers (26), E Keir Thomas (27), RB Kyren Williams (25)

Final year of the rookie contract and the point where players can choose free agency, After four seasons, you have been designated as a long-term keeper or may need a breath of fresh air somewhere else. You could make a case that all these players move on from L.A. after 2025.

Year 3​

TE Davis Allen (24), G Steve Avila (26), QB Stetson Bennett (28), P Ethan Evans (24), CB Emmanuel Forbes (24), E Nick Hampton (25), S Tanner Ingle (26), DT Desjuan Johnson (26), T Warren McClendon (24), WR Puka Nacua (24), WR Xavier Smith (28), DT Kobie Turner (26), LS Alex Ward (26), QB Dresser Winn (27), E Byron Young (27)

The point at which NFL talent begins to weed out. Teams know where players fit, or don’t going forward. The Rams appear in very good shape in this group with six of starting-grade and a couple of others who can offer value.

Year 2​

RB Blake Corum (25), DT Tyler DavIs (25), G Justin Dedich (25), DT Braden Fiske (25), E Brennan Jackson (25), PK Josh Karty (23), S Kamren Kinchens (23), CB Cam Lampkin (24), G KT Leveston (26), IOL Beaux Limmer (24), S Jaylen McCollough (25), C Dylan McMahon (24), ILB Elias Neal (24), RB Cody Schrader (26), ILB Omar Speights (24), WR Drake Stoops (26), E Jared Verse (25), CB Josh Wallace (25), WR Jordan Whittington (25), CB Charles Woods (25)

12 Rams rookies got a start or significant snaps in 2024. If it plays out that NFL rookies improve most between years one and two, L.A. has solid core of mid-20’s talent. Both playmakers and solid role players in this group.

Every Blake Corum rookie season rush + target pic.twitter.com/ByGOcVKe7V

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) July 2, 2025​

2025 drafted rookies​

TE Terrance Ferguson (22), DT Ty Hamilton (23), RB Jarquez Hunter (23), WR Konata Mumpfield (23), ILB Chris Paul (23), E Josaiah Stewart (22)

It has been the Rams way to roster their rookie draft picks and since this group seems to have been specifically targeted, there is no reason to expect otherwise. Mumpfield had a soft tissue problem in spring drills, but should be ready for camp.

Undrafted free agents ​

G Wyatt Bowles (25), S Malik Dixon-Williams (24), ILB Shaun Dolac (24), G Ben Dooley (25), WR Tru Edwards (25), DT Decarius Hawthorne (24), IOL Willie Lampkin (23), E Jamil Muhammad (25), DT Bill Norton (25), E Josh Pearcy (24), WR Brennan Presley (23), TE Mark Redman (24), DT Da’Jon Terry (25), TE Anthony Torres (26), S Nate Valcarcel (22), RB Jordan Waters (25), T Trey Wedig (23), WR Mario Williams (22)

In past years, there might be a case for as many as seven of these UDFAs to have a shot at making the opening roster, but as the Rams overall depth improves, these players are the first to feel the squeeze.

Final notes​

A little more than three out of four (75.5%) Rams are homegrown and of the 23 players added from the outside, 13 are starters or primary backups. The other nine face an uphill battle on the roster bubble.

Age-wise, 63 Rams will play this season at age 26 or younger (66.7%), 15 are between 27 and 29 (16.7%), are under 30, and 12 (13.3%) are 30+ grey beards. Even after final cuts, L.A. should have about 75% of the opening roster under 30 years old. A good look for the future.

With the start to 2025 just ahead, the Rams roster looks to be a nice mix of veterans and youngsters, playmakers and role players.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/9/24463854/rams-training-camp-sean-mcvay-les-snead

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

“Nobody wants to play the Rams”

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Bootleg Football recaps Rams’ offseason moves and previews upcoming season

Bootleg Football—a podcast by Brett Kollmann and EJ Snyder—published an in-depth breakdown on the Los Angeles Rams’ prospects for 2025.

Recaps how the Rams made the playoffs last season, analyzes every offseason move, and contemplates their chances for the upcoming season. It’s a must-listen this time of the offseason for fans of the team:

These are the discussed topics that I found the most interesting myself:

• It’s tough to measure what the Rams were last offseason because most statistics are clouded by a slow start and injuries
• On paper, the Rams were the 20th best team in football last year
• Running concepts: how Sean McVay puts his spin on man principles, why the offensive line is well-suited for this scheme, and blast vs duo
• LA’s prioritization of defensive front over linebackers and secondary
• What we can expect from the partnership of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams
• Why Alaric Jackson was a free agent bargain, prior to health concerns
• In-depth opinions on Rams 2025 NFL Draft class
• Is UDFA Shaun Dolac a future starter?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/10/24465523/rams-nfl-podcasts-bootleg-football

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is this Rams wide receiver a candidate to breakout in 2025?

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

This Rams WR was named a breakout candidate and it’s not who you might expect.

The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver room will look much different than it has in recent year without Cooper Kupp. Kupp has led the receiver room since he was drafted in 2017 and the Rams replaced him with Davante Adams. Still, the Rams will be looking for a third wide receiver behind Adams and Puka Nacua.

While Tutu Atwell was retained as a free agent, signing a fully guaranteed $10 million contract, there are some question marks over how he’ll produce over 17 games. Jordan Whittingon will also be expected to take a step forward in year two.

However, there will still be opportunities for others behind Atwell and Whittington to make an impact. SB Nation’s JP Acosta suggested that this could be the case. In his NFL players poised to breakout series, Acosta listed seventh round rookie, Konata Mumpfield. Said Acosta,

“I try to stay away from rookies in this exercise, but I’m a big believer in Mumpfield and how his play can elevate the Rams offense. Los Angeles desperately needs speed they can trust in the receiver room, and Mumpfield brings separation skills and burst from the slot in ways that I don’t think WR Tutu Atwell consistently can. Mumpfield is a great complement to WRs Davante Adams and Puka Nacua in where and how he wins, and can help the offense be much more explosive.”

Mumpfield may be getting slightly overlooked as a seventh round rookie, but there is no denying his fit. Coming out of Pitt, Mumpfield moved easily in and out of his breaks, showcasing his ability as a strong route runner. To put it simply, he is the standard, prototypical McVay receiver.

The rookie out of Pitt also made his presence felt during OTAs and will be looking to carry that momentum into training camp. Again, the opportunity will be there for Mumpfield.

Throughout Atwell’s tenure with the Rams, he has consistently been surpassed by others who have been drafted. Some of that has been a lack of opportunity from the coaching staff, but Puka Nacua made an immediate impact as a fifth-round rookie. Ben Skowronek had more yards than Atwell in 2022 and Jordan Whittington outproduced Atwell in games against the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers last season.

Realistically, Mumpfield is a special teams contributor and gets limited snaps on offense. However, if he has a strong training camp, there’s a possibility that he finds himself in the WR3 rotation.

We’ll have to see how the Rams wide receiver rotation shakes out, but Mumpfield isn’t a player that should be slept on heading into the summer.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/11/24465965/rams-breakout-candidate-konata-mumpfield

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is Blake Corum ready to challenge for RB#1?

Will running back Blake Corum breakout in 2025? | Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

L.A.’s running back depth chart should be hotly contested

With three exciting, young prospects competing for time, the Los Angeles Rams running back room appears well-stocked for 2025. Kyren Williams was recently voted by his peers as the 85th best player in the NFL, while rookie Jarquez Hunter had some of the best big play numbers in all of college football last year. And then there’s Blake Corum.

Corum came into focus last year, drafted within the Top 100 and was worked into the offense slowly, gaining only 119 offensive reps. He was given a big chance in the season final mop-up game versus the Seattle Seahawks, but broke his arm on a kickoff return only 12 plays into the game. His season stats were modest on the ground, 207 yards rushing on 58 carries (3.6 YPC). He snared seven of eight passes for 58 yards and although he didn’t record a touchdown, chipped in 186 yards on kickoff returns.

What Corum brings to the table​

One of the first things that stands out on film is that he’s a natural runner, with a good feeling for the flow of the play. Just a shade under 5’ 8” and 205 lb. at the 2024 NFL Combine, Corum has stated he likes to play around 210 lb.

While not a a scat back, he possesses the ability to make quick darting moves and jump cuts. Very flexible and loose, Corum shows plus lateral agility, burst, balance, and change of direction skills that lends credence to his stellar 3cone (6.82) and shuttle (4.12) numbers at the Combine. His long speed (4.53) and 10 yard split (1.58), although not outstanding, are still on the plus side of NFL parameters. His film tells a different story on both.

Blake Corum (@blake_corum) accelerated to 21.1 mph in only 4 seconds #ReelSpeed

: @B1Gfootball

https://t.co/orrD059ykP pic.twitter.com/qP2vyFYsT6

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) September 5, 2023​

Prospect Highlight

Michigan RB Blake Corum is a force to be reckoned with. Despite standing at 5'8", 200 lbs, Corum's size doesn't tell the whole story.

His IGA Score™ of 93.0 reflects his explosive athleticism, showcasing exceptional short-area quickness, outstanding… pic.twitter.com/D0dYst8NgY

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) March 13, 2024​

Nor is Corum a true power back. Not a bruiser play style, although powerfully built and compact. He looks like an old-time fire hydrant, short, squatty and forged out of cast iron. He put up an amazing 27 bench press reps at the Combine. Running with a natural low center of gravity and behind his pads, he presents very little for defenders to latch onto. If would-be tacklers, do not put a body on him and wrap up, his leg churn drives right through arm tackles.

He presses the line of scrimmage and is blessed with exceptional vision to identify holes and read blocks. Once identified, Corum does not tarry, he hit’s the creases. But he’s not a bull in a china shop plowing forward, he shows patience and is nimble waiting for blocks to set up and explodes tightly off them. This shows particularly at the second level, where time and time again, he attains extra yardage by taking the routes given by blockers.

Most all of Corum’s draft previews questioned his receiving ability, mostly because the Michigan didn’t throw to him much. His film shows good hands, looking the ball in and quick transition from run to catch. He handles check downs just fine, appearing to be in position where the quarterback expects him to be and looks the ball in. Room for improvement? Sure, but the simple truth is that the Rams do not do not have their backs running extensive route trees.

Every Blake Corum rookie season rush + target pic.twitter.com/ByGOcVKe7V

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) July 2, 2025​

Snead/McVay are always on the hunt for running backs​

In every draft since their union, Snead/McVay have taken a running back and the results have been middling overall. Kyren Williams has certainly proven a Round 5 bargain, but the others have created more smoke than fire. L.A. did squeeze some mileage out of Cam Akers (Rd2 #52) and Darrell Henderson (Rd3 #70), but not equal to their draft pedigrees.

While it is too early to clearly pass judgement on the past two drafts of Jarquez Hunter (Rd3 #90) and Corum (Rd3 #83), taking running backs relatively early in back-to-back years is not unprecedented. Henderson and Akers were selected 2019 and 20.

The others, Zach Evans (Rd6 #215), Jake Funk (Rd7 #233), and John Kelly (Rd6 #176) were long shots that didn’t pay off. And fullback Sam Rogers (Rd6 #206) became an afterthought when McVay locked in on the three wide receiver formation.

Who’s it going to be, Williams, Corum, or Hunter?​

It’s refreshing to see the Rams running back room flush with potential to start 2025.

When it comes to rating the L.A. running back room, some weight has to be given to how the individual pieces fit into the overall scheme. Over the years, Head coach Sean McVay has morphed the offense from a horizontal outside zone attack to a more between the tackles run game that mixes inside/mid and duo/gap concepts. All three of the front runners fit comfortably into the Rams scheme.

Williams play in the past two seasons clearly labels him as RB#1. To go with that on-field production, the L.A. braintrust likes the proven cut of his jib. Toughness, effort, and tenacity. Where the question comes in is ball security, and that has to be underscored. It’s great to say that it has been emphasized in the off-season to improve, but this is not a new skill for backs, it’s been drilled into them since Day 1.

Hunter adds a dimension that has been missing since Todd Gurley, he projects as a threat to score from outside the red zone. I say projects, because in the NFL, holes are tighter, pursuit angles are better, and everybody is faster. Much more so than even the SEC, college football’s most talented conference. It wouldn’t be surprising, draft pedigree be damned, to see Hunter patiently worked into a role. It seems fair to think his use would mirror Corum’s from last year.

Corum is the wildcard. You can see by his pro film that he is an intuitive runner and very similar in style to frontrunner Williams. I would daresay that’s there’s a small breakaway upside to Corum’s game. Not much, if any, space between the two in the receiving game. Pass blocking is a work in progress for Corum and that can be improved with work on better technique and more reps.

To my eye, Corum looks to be an interchangeable piece with Williams, just lacking the on-field experience. Both are vision-based, tenacious runners that fit precisely into an inside/mid zone run game. I’ll call for a two back rotation and lean towards Williams getting the 60-40 snap split, because of his game experience in the scheme, but if his ball security and concentration drops in the pass game continue on, I would feel safe with Corum as the Rams RB#1.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/12/24465337/rams-blake-corum-running-back-depth-chart

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Former Rams player apparently wasn’t retired until today

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Ndamukong Suh announced his retirement on Saturday

Former Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh announced his retirement on Saturday, three years after he played in his last game. Suh made a long retirement announcement on Twitter to tell fans that he was officially stepping away from football.

A five-time Pro Bowler before he arrived in L.A., Suh signed with the Rams as a free agent in 2018 and helped them reach the Super Bowl that season. Despite being paired with the best defensive tackle in the NFL for a year, 2018 was Suh’s only season with the L.A. Rams.

July 12, 2024 was the hardest day of my life.

It’s the day I said goodbye to my father, the man who raised me, shaped me, challenged me, and believed in me before I believed in myself.

He wasn’t just a dad. He was my idol, my coach, and my anchor.
He taught me what it meant to… pic.twitter.com/WkefQaDrsQ

— Ndamukong Suh (@NdamukongSuh) July 12, 2025​

The second overall pick in 2010 by the Detroit Lions — one year after they drafted Matthew Stafford — Suh posted 10 sacks as a rookie and was named as a first-team All-Pro that year. In some ways, it would be Suh’s best career season.

• 2010 was the only year that Suh had an interception
• 10 sacks would be a career-high

Suh spent the first five seasons of his career in Detroit and then signed with the Miami Dolphins in 2015. He spent three years there and made one Pro Bowl prior to then joining the Rams in 2018.

Suh would then play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three years and actually then helped the Philadelphia Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2022, although he didn’t play very many snaps.

In addition to helping Tom Brady win a Super Bowl in 2020, Suh went to three of five Super Bowls, with three different teams, over the last five years of his career. He appeared in 12 playoff games over those five years compared to three playoff games in his first eight.

Suh is now officially retired, three years after he was unofficially retired.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/12/24466394/ndamukong-suh-retirement-rams-aaron-donald

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams Film Review: What to make of Blake Corum’s rookie season

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

What can the Rams expect from Blake Corum in year two?

When the Los Angeles Rams selected running back Blake Corum out of Michigan in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it came as a bit of a surprise. Kyren Williams was coming off of a 1,000 yard season in which he scored 12 rushing touchdowns. While the Rams needed depth at running back, taking one in the third round was unexpected.

Corum’s rookie season wasn’t anything memorable. He had 58 carries without any memorable moments. His season ended in Week 18 when he broke his right forearm against the Seattle Seahawks.

Heading into year two, there seems to be some pressure on Corum with some already preparing to give him the bust label. The feeling around Corum has shifted dramatically in just one year. Following OTAs last season, Corum was impressing the coaching staff and drawing some Puka Nacua comparisons. Said McVay last July,

“I’ve been pleased with a lot of guys but Blake Corum has really stood out. Mature beyond his years. I love the way that he handles himself. I love even more how when there’s been a couple of things that didn’t go the way we wanted, how he responded the next play.”

Due to a foot injury, Williams sat out OTAs last year, leading to more action from Corum. However, Corum still only had 58 rushing attempts and six games with five or more carries. If you remove the game in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals that the Rams lost 41-0 in which all eight of Corum’s carries came in the final five minutes, it was only five games.

Blake Corum went four weeks without 5+ carries in the Rams offense.

Got 5 against the Patriots and it was one of his better games. Nothing in front of him...does a great job cutting this outside and picking up 10. Saw a little bit of "creating" from the Rams rookie. pic.twitter.com/E1zNIlbI9h

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 14, 2025​

However, in those five games, Corum averaged 4.3 yards per carry while showcasing his shiftiness and mental processing that made him successful in the Big 10. While the Rams drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round, there is reason to believe that Corum takes a step and gets more involved in the offense.

McVay typically hasn’t played rookie running backs as Darrell Henderson had 39 carries as a rookie and Williams had 35. Again, Corum finished with 58. With a year of experience, Corum should have the upper hand when it comes to being the RB2 in the offense.

Corum will still need to prove himself in training camp and earn the trust from the coaching staff. At the same time, the experience from last season makes Corum a known commodity in the offense. With that said, the second year player should be able to take some of the load off of Williams.

Despite Corum being drafted as a Kyren Williams clone, he does provide a somewhat different skill set. He may not have the breakaway speed, but he does offer more twitch and ability to create on his own.

I've brought it up several times, but Blake Corum's twitch is very underrated.

Puts an All Pro level LB in Matt Milano on skates.

Would like to see him take this towards the sideline, but impressive play nonetheless. pic.twitter.com/XSiFC1yiiA

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 14, 2025​

Like Williams, Corum may not have the breakaway speed. However, that twitch and ability to make guys miss, especially at the second level, does separate him from Williams. Corum’s lower-half is always reactive to what his eyes see. That can sometimes work against him, but when watching Corum run, it’s easy to see him actively process his blocks and his lower-half react.

That can sometimes get him in trouble as Corum had a 48.3 percent stuff rate to Williams’ 38.6 percent. It can also cause him to be off-balance and go down easier on first contact. Among rookie RBs with 50 or more carries, Corum ranked last with 2.4 yards after contact per attempt. One of the reasons that Williams is so trusted by head coach Sean McVay is that he keeps the offense on track.

At the same time, Corum makes defenders miss. From Weeks 10-17, Corum had 0.2 missed tackles forced per attempt to Williams’ 0.16. That leads to more runs into the second level. Out of Corum’s 58 runs, 24 of them went for five or more yards for a rate of 41.4 percent. For comparison, Williams was at 35.7 percent rate.

This run from Rams RB Blake Corum ends up getting called back for holding.

Still, can see his ability to make guys miss and create on his own. Really nice moves to make 42 and 53 miss. pic.twitter.com/52mPZ2ZzMo

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 14, 2025​

It is worth noting that over the second half of the season, the Rams run game became more balanced. In the early portion of the season, the Rams continued to build on the gap concepts that they had success with in 2023. However, with injuries to the offensive line, McVay incorporated more zone concepts after the Week 6 bye.

This is notable as Corum was much more successful on zone runs than in gap concepts. On zone runs, Corum had a 50 percent success rate. Conversely, he had just a 34.6 percent success rate in gap runs. If the Rams continue with a balanced rushing attack, it could mean more snaps for Corum. Given that the Rams drafted Hunter who played in a 47-53 split at Auburn, there is reason to believe that the offense is going to continue with this split.

Still, if Corum is going to get on the field, it’s going to come down to his ability in pass protection. If Corum can succeed in that area, he’ll gain McVay’s trust, which could lead to more snaps. Last season, the Michigan running back only got 17 pass pro snaps with overall mixed results.

Rams RB Blake Corum took 13 of his 17 pass pro reps after Week 10 last year.

That tends to be when McVay starts to trust rookies more.

Small sample, but Corum was the 14th rated RB in pass pro from Weeks 10-17. pic.twitter.com/NG0tOFk3KI

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) May 21, 2025​

It’s hard to call year two a big one for Corum, but given that Williams is in extension talks and the Rams drafted Hunter in the fourth round, that seems to be the case. Corum didn’t do enough to necessarily fall out of favor, but a lack of development could mean that Hunter surpasses him on the depth chart.

While he brings many of the same skill sets that Williams has, Corum did show more twitch and ability to make linebackers miss at the second level. Williams is much more of a one-cut and go style of running back while Corum is much more active in his lower-half.

All eyes will be on the Rams running back room this offseason. Despite not having a memorable rookie season, Corum could get more opportunities if McVay deploys more of a committee approach.

Corum’s rookie season may not have lived up to the hype that many may have been expecting, but he still showcased some of the lateral quickness and shiftiness that stood out at Michigan. Nothing will be guaranteed for Corum in year two, but he’s also not a player that should be written off.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/14/24467574/rams-running-back-depth-chart-blake-corum

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams Training Camp Preview: Will tight ends become a featured part of the offense?

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Will tight ends become a featured part of the Rams offense?

After the Los Angeles Rams selected Terrance Ferguson with their first selection of the 2025 NFL Draft, there will be more attention around the tight end position than past years. Ferguson was selected in the second round while Tyler Higbee will be a full year removed from tearing his ACL. With Cooper Kupp no longer on the team, some will be expecting the Rams to utilize more 12 personnel and for Ferguson to play in the “F” role on offense. The key here will be McVay using more 12 personnel which has been used sparingly in past seasons.

2025 Rams projected Tight End depth chart​

• Tyler Higbee
• Terrance Ferguson
• Colby Parkinson
• Davis Allen
• Anthony Torres
• Malik Redman

When it comes to the Rams tight ends, this is a group that actually has some options. It should be expected for Higbee to return as the starter. When Higbee returned to the lineup last year, he was heavily involved in the offense. The Rams veteran tight end had five or more receptions in Week 18 and both playoff games.

Behind Higbee is where things get interesting. Ferguson will be expected to be the TE2. As a player drafted inside the top-50, Ferguson should get immediate reps in the offense. At the same time, rookie tight ends haven’t typically been featured with McVay in charge.

Parkinson was signed as a free agent last year and hasn’t necessarily worked out. At this point, he seems to be more of the blocking tight end in the group. The Rams paid him to be more than that, but he hasn’t shown the ability to do more.

Lastly, there was some excitement around Davis Allen last season. While Allen wasn’t bad, he also struggled to get involved in the passing game. His snap count went up in the middle of the year, yet still managed just six receptions on 13 targets for 39 yards.

Torres and Redman are both undrafted free agents. One of them should make the practice squad.

Rams Have Future at Tight End​

For the first time in awhile, the Rams have a future at tight end in Terrance Ferguson. While the Rams had Gerald Everett in the early years under Sean McVay, it has primarily been just Tyler Higbee since 2021. The Rams have missed that tight end depth and player behind Higbee that could get involved in the passing game or be trusted in the offense.

Ferguson helps the Rams offense in the now, but also someone for after Higbee, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Ferguson should see some involvement in the offense as a rookie while he develops behind Higbee. The rookie out of Oregon is someone that the Rams were excited about during the draft process and allegedly considered taking him at 26.

Will Terrance Ferguson Replace Cooper Kupp?​

Throughout McVay’s tenure, the Rams have utilized more 11 personnel than any other team. McVay has gotten creative with players like Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Robert Woods, essentially using them as a second tight end at times. While it’s 11 personnel, it’s more like 11.5 personnel in how McVay has utilized his receivers, especially in the run game.

It will be difficult for anybody to replace Kupp in the same way it was going to be difficult to replace Aaron Donald. However, it would not be surprising to see Ferguson deployed in a similar role. Ferguson isn’t going to block defensive ends in the run game in the same way that Kupp wouldn’t. However, he can still be effective on linebackers and defensive backs.

Again, Ferguson isn’t going to replace Kupp, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t or won’t be deployed as the F-tight end and be utilized as a receiver in the middle of the field. It will still be up to Ferguson to be a quick study in the offense as Kupp was as a rookie. While a rookie tight end hasn’t gotten involved in the McVay era, Ferguson likely won’t be playing the typical tight end role.

Will McVay Incorporate More 12 Personnel?​

If the Rams are going to get Ferguson involved as a rookie, the offense will likely need to utilize more 12 personnel. The issue here is that the Rams haven’t typically been a 12 personnel team. Last season, the Rams ranked 26th in 12 personnel rate at 13.9 percent. In 2023, they were dead last at 4.75 percent.

Tyler Higbee has been a trusted piece of the offense and has the threat as a receiver and blocker. Meanwhile, Ferguson is primarily a receiver. Without giving the defense a tell, the Rams need to find ways to get both players on the field at the same time. The best way to do that is with 12 personnel.

The good news here is that the Rams passing offense was one of the most efficient out of 12 personnel last season. They averaged 0.34 EPA per pass which was the third-best in the NFL. Additionally, Matthew Stafford was one of the best quarterbacks out of 12 personnel, especially running play action. On 32 play action passes out of 12 personnel, Stafford completed 81.3 percent of them with a passer rating of 146 and completion percentage over expectation of 21.3. All three marks led the NFL. He also threw five touchdowns to no interceptions.

Conversely, however, the Rams were 29th in EPA per rush at -0.18. Kyren Williams averaged just 3.64 yards per carry in 12 personnel with two fumbles. While Williams typically doesn’t take negative runs, he had a 49.3 percent stuff rate in 12 personnel which was the tenth highest rate. He also averaged the sixth-lowest yards before contact.

Heading into 2025, the Rams essentially have a two wide receiver offense with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Without Kupp in the offense, it should be easier to find opportunities to get Ferguson and Higbee on the field at the same time and use more 12 personnel. If it can be effective, McVay could lean into it more often than recent years.

Will McVay Utilize the Tight Ends?​

Over the past few years, there has been growing speculation that McVay has wanted a tight end in the offense. There were reports that the Rams tried to trade up for Dalton Kincaid in 2023 and Brock Bowers in 2024. The Rams may not have landed Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland, but seemingly like Terrance Ferguson.

The Rams simply haven’t utilized the tight end position throughout much of McVay’s tenure. In 2017, the Rams ranked 27th in tight end targets. That was the same in 2018. The one year that the Rams utilized both tight ends consistently was 2019 in which they ranked fourth. Gerald Everett finished with 408 yards while Tyler Higbee had 734.

Much has been made about McVay wanting a tight end in the offense. An argument could be made that a tight end at 46 was more of a luxury pick with a big need in the secondary. The Rams ended up drafting Terrance Ferguson to pair with Tyler Higbee who they missed last season. It will be up to McVay to use them.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/14/24467828/rams-tight-end-depth-chart-terrance-ferguson

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Could Sean McVay utilize ‘pony’ personnel in Rams offense for the first time?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Will the Rams and Sean McVay look to draw inspiration from Liam Coen’s ‘pony’ personnel?

Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams have primarily been an 11 personnel team. However, following a season in which the Rams were one of the least explosive, especially in the run game, there is a growing feeling that changes are coming. The Rams released wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the offseason and then drafted the ‘F’ tight end that McVay has been wanting. After struggling to find explosives in the run game, the Rams also drafted Jarquez Hunter who had a higher career explosive run rate in college than Ashton Jeanty.

It’s very possible that we could be getting a fourth iteration of the McVay offense and it revolves around how the Rams are going to replace Kupp in the offense. In 2017 and 2018, McVay’s offenses revolved around the wide zone and play action off of that. When Stafford arrived in 2021, the Rams became much more of a spread team that excelled in empty formations. Over the past season and a half, the Rams have relied on more gap scheme runs while also introducing some pistol formations and also getting back under center.

Following the 2024 season, McVay seemed to understand that the offense needed to make changes. For the first time under McVay, the Rams offense struggled to create explosives which are key in the modern NFL. A less explosive Kupp hurt the explosive potential in the passing game while the Rams run game had an explosive run rate of 1.8 percent. Said McVay after the season,

“I think the biggest thing is there would be a little bit more versatility. How do you utilize the offseason and how are you making yourself more versatile from a personnel perspective or from a run variety perspective? Those are the things that I’m excited to be able to dive into. I was talking to Liam Coen the other day. One of the coolest things that I think is reflected about what a great job he did was you’ve got a background and then when you watch them evolve with Bucky Irving and the way they ran the football and some of the variety and personnel groupings, I thought that was a cool reflection of maybe we think we’re going to do that and then what you evolved into if you’re able to understand that the best coaches adjust to their players.”

The key part of what McVay says here is, “How are you making yourself more versatile from a personnel perspective or from a run variety perspective?”

Prior to last year, the Buccaneers run game ranked last in yards per rush in the previous two seasons. In 2025, it was a unit that finished third. Under Coen, the Buccaneers leaned heavily into counter and trap runs. A key aspect of this was the utilization of 21 or ‘pony’ personnel. Said Joshua Queipo of The Pewter Report in October of last year,

“One of the wrinkles that has helped create explosives for Tampa Bay has been Coen’s use of 21 personnel...Given that both running backs are plus players in the pass game, defenses have yet to figure out how to best match up with the Bucs’ unique package. And this has yielded incredible results. Thus far most of the Bucs’ plays out of these sets has involved one or more of the backs in the backfield with the other motioning into the backfield or at the snap.”

In 21 personnel packages, the Buccaneers averaged 7.7 yards per carry which led the NFL. They also had an explosive run rate of 9.3 percent which was third while having a 65 percent success rate on gap runs. While passing out of this formation, Baker Mayfield completed 24-of-26 passes with four touchdowns with a passer rating of 147.6. The Buccaneers offense averaged 0.42 EPA per play out of 12 personnel, including an astounding 0.25 EPA per rush.

While this wasn’t necessarily a staple of the Buccaneers offense, it was an added twist that paid dividends and something that Coen could sprinkle in when needed. The Buccaneers ranked 10th in 21 personnel rate with 68 total plays or 6.2 percent.

From the Rams perspective, it could be a way to not only get more explosive, but also be part of the plan to replace Kupp in the offense. Much like when the Rams had to replace Aaron Donald last season, that was never going to be done with one player. Instead, general manager Les Snead replaced Donald in the aggregate with four players drafted inside the top-100. It took Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, and Byron Young to replace the impact that Donald had on the Rams defense.

It’s possible that the Rams do some of the same when replacing Kupp and what he did in the offense. In other words, what if we’re thinking about how the Rams are going to replace Kupp wrong?

The Rams drafted Terrance Ferguson with the 46th overall pick and it’s likely that Ferguson does some of the Kupp things as a bigger ‘F’ player in the offense. Instead of Kupp at 205 pounds taking on a linebacker, it will be Ferguson at 247 pounds. He’ll be able to replace some of what Kupp did as a blocker and be a move tight end who can find the holes in zones. In the passing game, he’ll be able to work the same choice routes against linebackers that Kupp excelled at.

With that said, it’s very possible that the Rams do incorporate more 12 personnel into the offense. However, what if there is an element to this, especially in the run game, that we’re missing?

Throughout McVay’s tenure, 21 personnel has simply not been used in the offense. Since 2018, the Rams have run exactly three plays in 21 personnel. It may seem unlikely that it would be introduced in year nine of McVay, what the Rams head coach mentioned at the end of the season when talking about the Buccaneers also can’t be ignored.

What if we're thinking about how Rams are going to replace Cooper Kupp wrong?

Lot has been talked about Ferg and 12p. What if Rams use Hunter and incorporate 21p (pony).

At end of season McVay complimented Coen and Bucs run game variety w/personnel.

This is some cool shit. pic.twitter.com/rcFh7ZrM5C

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 14, 2025​

There’s also the Jarquez Hunter element to this. The Rams traded up and drafted Hunter in the fourth round. He was a player that they showed conviction on and Snead called him “my favorite running back” while McVay said “that’s the guy I want.” Hunter seemed to fit exactly what the Rams were looking for in the position during the draft process.

While they had a need at running back, it’s a position that they may have been able to wait on until later in the draft. They drafted Blake Corum just last season and have been reportedly moving towards signing running back Kyren Williams to an extension. Is it possible that running backs become more involved in the offense?

In 2021, no WR ran more routes or had more targets from the backfield than Cooper Kupp.

While Rams/McVay didn't do this as much last season, Curious if Hunter takes the spot of Kupp in this situation and Rams go more 'pony' personnel in 2025. pic.twitter.com/O2vGGFcT6u

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 15, 2025​

In 2021, no wide receiver ran more routes or had more targets from the backfield than Cooper Kupp. This was a common motion that the Rams utilized with Kupp. To add to that, among college running backs with at least 25 targets last season, Hunter had the 14th most snaps from the slot. In 2023, he had 20 snaps from a wide alignment which ranked 23rd. Hunter may not have had receiving stats that stand out at Auburn, but he was also underutilized in that area. Said Keith Sanchez of The Draft Network,

“In the passing game, Hunter can be a productive receiver. He’s utilized on traditional running back routes but also has been split out wide to potentially create offensive mismatches.”

It’s unlikely that 21 personnel or using two running backs becomes a staple in the Rams offense. However, it could be an added sprinkle to the offense that pays dividends. It’s easy to see Kyren Williams or Blake Corum in the Rachaad White role in the backfield with Hunter taking the role of Bucky Irving in the slot as the player in motion.

Imagine Rams using Kyren in a Rachaad White role and then having Hunter lined up out wide?

Hunter ranked 18th among RBs last season in receiving snaps from the slot.

It's so easy to watch these plays and imagine them happening w/Rams personnel. Lot of explosives happening. pic.twitter.com/Lnp7XxwVDl

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) July 14, 2025​

While 21 personnel may not become a foundational piece, its selective use could open new pathways to create explosive plays and diversify the run game. Whether it’s 12, 11, or a touch of 21 personnel, the Rams look poised to take a more creative approach in replacing Cooper Kupp, not with one player, but with a reimagined structure built around versatility.

Following a season in which the Rams lacked explosiveness on offense at times, McVay has almost certainly spent the offseason conceptualizing ways for that to improve. Over the past nine seasons, McVay has made minor adjustments to keep up with the ever-changing and cyclical NFL. After complimenting what Liam Coen did with the Buccaneers last season, McVay could use that as inspiration.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/15/24468155/rams-offense-sean-mcvay-jarquez-hunter

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

They learned nothing from the Cooper Kupp contract

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

As Terry McLaurin waits for a new contract in Washington, memories of overpaid, over-30 Cooper Kupp creep in

We all saw the Los Angeles Rams make a huge financial misstep with Cooper Kupp’s contract in 2022. Based on arguments being made for the Washington Commanders to pay 30-year-old receiver Terry McLaurin “whatever he wants to make him happy” as he threatens to hold out for a new contract, it appears that many of us learn nothing from past mistakes.

When will we finally learn that today’s NFL stars are often not tomorrow’s best players? Especially when those players want to take up over 10% of the team’s salary cap?

Terry McLaurin is a good player and probably an even better teammate and member of the community. So was Kupp. Actually, Kupp was a better player — albeit more injury prone — and significantly younger than McLaurin when the Rams ripped up his previous contract and paid him a 3-year, $80 million deal as a “thank you” for winning the Super Bowl.

That deal ended up paying Kupp roughly $70 million for the worst seasons of his career. Now they want to see if McLaurin’s can be even worse.

maybe I'm missing something but this feels like a pretty easy call to reward a guy like this who is underpaid relative to where the position is now. https://t.co/macocTmOTG

— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) July 15, 2025​

It is not disrespectful to say that wide receivers hit a wall somewhere between age 29 and 31, and more likely to be on the younger side than in his 30s. It is merely what mountains of evidence tells us we should expect to happen.

No receiver is immune to the 30-year-old fall off — NONE​

Although Jerry Rice was exceptional in his early 30s, including a career-high 1,848 yards at age 33, it is worth noting that his yards per catch average that season was 15.1.

Rice would have been worth any contract in 1995, that’s true. But we also know that he wasn’t the same player who averaged 18.4 yards per catch from ages 23-27.

Just like Larry Fitzgerald, another receiver who proved to have rare longevity at the position, Rice’s usage and style had to change as he got closer to and over age 29. Fitzgerald went from your classic number one outside weapon in his first 7-8 seasons to a possession slot weapon when he turned 29.

That’s fine. Fitzgerald and Rice both had Pro Bowl caliber seasons that helped their teams make deep playoff runs later in their careers as possession receivers. But possession receivers have never made as much money as rare athletic outside deep threats and that will always be true.

Kupp’s longevity value was always tied to the fact that he was already a “possession” slot receiver when he won Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.

But even then, we’ve seen Kupp’s yards per catch average fall from 12.7 yards per catch in his first five NFL seasons to 11.2 in the past three. As a 30-year-old, Kupp’s per game average has fallen from 79.1 in his 20s to 60 yards per game in his 30s.

That’s impacted by Puka Nacua’s presence as the better receiver, which also goes to show that smart teams lean on rookie contract receivers to carry them in the passing game. Even if most fifth round picks do not play like Nacua, or close to it, it may actually be easier to get net positive value from a receiver who makes $1 million per year than one who wants $30 million per year.

Puka Nacua was insanely effective last season https://t.co/gWORh2NufH pic.twitter.com/dNOQLcamRQ

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) July 9, 2025​

Terry McLaurin isn’t threatening to hold out because he’s frustrated.

McLaurin, like T.J. Watt and Trey Hendrickson, is holding out because he’s scared.

Davante Adams knows​

Rams fans need not look any further than Puka’s new teammate to see a player who also hit the drop-off at 30, which was the first year of a contract extension paid by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. That deal paid Adams $140 million over five seasons, but was heavily backloaded.

Even so, the Raiders paid Adams $50 million for 2.25 seasons in Las Vegas and Adams didn’t make any of his quarterbacks there (of which there were four different starters in that short period of time) better.

The Raiders had to trade Adams to the Jets for nothing, pay off whatever they owed him, and he was released from that contract because he’s gone from a dominant threat at 15 yards per catch to someone averaging 11.7 in the past two years.

Between the 2020/2021 seasons, and including the playoffs, Davante Adams produced 265 catches for 3,150 yards and 31 TDs. Caught 76.3% of targets, averaged 2.78 yards/route run and had only 6 drops.

2020: 133 catches, 1,507 yards, 20 TDs
2021: 132 catches, 1,643 yards, 11 TDs pic.twitter.com/sjDvNgoNrN

— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) July 8, 2025​

Before turning 31, Adams was called the best receiver in the NFL. Two years later, Adams signed a two-year, $44 million contract with the Rams, including $26 million guaranteed. And even that is exceptionally good for a 32-year-old.

But if Adams has 700 yards in 2025 and is released in 2026, will anyone act surprised?

When players like McLaurin ask to be paid like the top-paid receivers in the NFL, the worst thing you can do is look at Terry McLaurin’s past numbers. In fact, where you want to look is similar receivers at similar ages and calculate:

“What is McLaurin likely to do during his contract years?”

Instead when it came to Kupp, the Rams asked:

“What should we do to reward Cooper Kupp for his past accomplishments?”

Well that sounds very nice, but as we’ve learned it is TERRIBLE for business. $70 million for an oft-injured, slower, less reliable receiver who plays a position that often has replacement options on day two of the draft for 1/30th of the cost.​

Even McLaurin can attest to being a third round rookie who instantly became the number one receiver for the Washington Commanders in 2019. After years of getting nowhere with older “established stars” like Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, the Commanders finally got good value with McLaurin.

To pay him now may be a “thank you” for those seasons, but nowhere in the NFL’s business model does it say that showing gratitude that financially harms your future is a necessity. Fans and experts want to criticize teams for not paying 30 year olds, and then criticize them again when they’re being released at 31 or 32.

What are 30-year-old receivers actually worth?​

So breaking down McLaurin as an example, here is what the Commanders would pay him per season if they extended him to the same contract that Brandon Aiyuk received from the 49ers (4 years/$120 million) in 2024:

• 2026 (age 31): $9.9 million
• 2027 (age 32): $15.4 million
• 2028 (age 33): $41.5 million ($21.2 million dead money)
• 2029 (age 34): $43.3 million ($13 million dead money)
• 2030 (age 35): $14.5 million cap hit void year (McLaurin not on team anymore)

Although the Commanders would only page $25 million for the first two seasons of the deal — but again, very few receivers in NFL history have been good at age 32 — they’re also paying another $50 million for ages 33, 34, and 35 even if they release him!

The “it’s not my money” argument doesn’t really hold up when you consider that $15-$20 million in a given cap year could be the cost of a top tier starting linebacker or cornerback or left guard. Teams are potentially preventing themselves from adding or keeping such players because they want to reward a receiver for what he did in his 20s.

Look at the financial hell that the L.A. Rams went through in 2022, 2023, and 2024. They’re still paying the cost of new over-age 30 contracts paid to Kupp and Aaron Donald after winning the Super Bowl. Deals they had no obligation to make for stars that had multiple years left on their previous contracts.

Even if you change my four-year $120 million proposal to a three-year, $90 million contract, it’s not going to change the math that much other than making McLaurin MORE expensive in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

It’s hard to believe that so many people are still having a hard time calculating the mistake that paying someone like McLaurin (or even T.J. Watt) at this age would be — they want the most money they’ve ever made for their WORST seasons — but then again the media and the players do an excellent job of making you feel guilty for thinking that a player “should not be paid what he wants”.

And yet, that’s just the truth if you’re going to do smart business in the NFL. McLaurin should not be paid what he wants.

Terry McLaurin on extension talks: "I've been frustrated. I'm not gonna lie." pic.twitter.com/FmCWu0Hst6

— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) July 15, 2025​

It doesn’t matter if we have 10 years of history to go off of or 100 years, fans and even many NFL “experts” and general managers just can’t seem to shake the belief that yesterday’s stars must also be next year’s stars. Once you turn 30 in the NFL, unless you are a quarterback, you may not even be today’s stars.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/15/24468338/terry-mclaurin-contract-cooper-kupp-rams

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams schedule thoughts: A Potentially Tough Close

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Rams see Cardinals twice in final weeks of the season in addition to Lions, Seahawks, and Falcons

This is the final installment to our deep analysis of the Los Angeles Rams’ 2025 schedule.

Weeks 1-4, The Opening Quarter: Texans, Titans, Eagles, Colts​

Weeks 5-8, Litmus Test Before the Bye: 49ers, Ravens, Jaguars​

Weeks 9-13, Clash Against the NFC South: Saints, 49ers, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Panthers​

Weeks 14-18, A Potentially Tough Close: Cardinals, Lions, Seahawks, Falcons, Cardinals​

---

A Potentially Tough Close​

The final weeks of the schedule bring a great deal of uncertainty to the table for Los Angeles. These opponents have a wide range of outcomes in the 2025 season, and ultimately they could play a significant role in shaping the Rams’ resume into a potential playoff run.

The Detroit Lions are frontrunners until they are not. While they remain one of the most talented rosters in football, it should not go without mention that they lost two of the best coordinators on their respective sides of the ball this offseason. Will there be an adjustment period similar to the 2023 Philadelphia Eagles, and will the Lions be able to right the ship early enough to stay atop the standings?

Then there are the Arizona Cardinals, Seahawks, and Atlanta Falcons. Fans of these teams are probably always optimistic, though outsiders likely have no idea how these franchises will fare in 2025.

Arizona finished 8-9 a year ago in their second rebuilding season under Jonathan Gannon. If the Cardinals are bound to take a next step, it makes sense that year three under the head coach would be time to do so. Kyler Murray is one of the most electric quarterbacks in all of football, and he’ll throw to a more experienced, prized prospect in Marvin Harrison, Jr.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons win the NFC South division. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are solid and should be even better this year, but Michael Penix has the potential to be better even in his first full season starting. It’s also within the realm of possibility that Atlanta finishes among the worst teams in the NFL, of which the Rams stand to benefit by holding their first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

For Seattle, they are probably the least talented team in the NFC West. It’s a gamble to replace Geno Smith with Sam Darnold, and Darnold is almost certain to take a step back now that he doesn’t have the amazing supporting cast that helped him to a career breakthrough with the Minnesota Vikings. In all ways his situation will be worse with the Seahawks from pass catchers to the offensive line.

Week 14 at Arizona Cardinals; Sunday, Dec 7th​

It was brutal for the Rams the last time they traveled to Arizona to play the Cardinals. They lost 10-41 and fell to 0-2 early last season.

Kyler Murray played one of the best quarterbacked games you will ever see. On the box score he went 17 of 21 (81% completion) for 266 yards, three touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3 while adding another five carries for 59 yards with his legs. The advanced metrics are even more impressive. Murray tossed six big-time throws on a relatively low volume day without a turnover-worthy play. As a rusher he created 52 yards after first contact with two forced miss tackles and created 49 scramble yards out of structure.

The knock on Murray so far in his career is the lack of consistency. If he played like this more often he’d be in the same conversation as Patrick Mahomes.

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Week 15 vs Detroit Lions; Sunday, Dec 14th​

LA is 1-2 against Jared Goff in the Lions following their trade for Matthew Stafford. Their lone win came in a down season overall for Detroit, and even then they pushed the Rams to the wire. Goff’s offseason comments on how the Rams handled his trade will add more fuel to an already highly anticipated fire.

Still, if this season goes how the Rams and Lions both expect, this could be a preview of an important NFC playoff matchup and one of the best overall games of the season.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Week 16 at Seattle Seahawks; Thursday, Dec 18th​

The last time the Rams played at Seattle, Matthew Stafford tossed an epic overtime touchdown to Demarcus Robinson to silence the crown at Lumen Field.

But Seattle figures to look much different this season, and it remains to be see whether different means better.

Cooper Kupp will be on the opposing sideline. Injury concerns are a major reason why LA felt compelled to move on, and there’s a realistic chance his doesn’t play a meaningful role by the time Week 16 rolls around. Whether Kupp is on the field or not, Seattle has little firepower on offense. They’ll pair Kupp with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marquez Valdes-Scantling is the designated deep threat.

The defense is slowly growing more talented, though Seattle still doesn’t seem to have enough to threaten a pass rush off the edge. Their interior is stout with Byron Murphy and Leonard Williams. If they can disrupt Matthew Stafford, they could have a chance.

Kara Durrette/Getty Images

Week 17 at Atlanta Falcons; Monday, Dec 29th​

Penix is primed to be the next great NFL quarterback, and he showed glimpses of such in a short stint as a rookie.

The second-year quarterback has all the tools around him to be successful: a favorable scheme and offensive play caller in Zac Robinson, one of the most physically gifted backs in football in Bijan Robinson, a well-rounded offensive line, and pass catchers that include Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Darnell Mooney.

Doubt Atlanta and Raheem Morris at your own peril. Whether or not this team can make the jump remains to be seen, but they have the makings of a very promising team for the foreseeable future.

It all hangs on Penix’s ability to get them there.

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Week 18 vs Arizona Cardinals; TBD​

I believe the NFC West race will come down to the Cardinals and Rams. If that is true, there’s a reasonable likelihood this game is flexed into Sunday Night Football and helps shape the NFC playoff picture. It’s positive that this matchup will be in Los Angeles.

Sure, it would be nice if the Rams wrapped up the division by this point and could sit starters. Yes, it would be ironic that the Rams rested players against the Seahawks and 49ers the last two years ahead of the playoffs only to play a regular season finale that matters against the measly Cardinals—but I’m here for it. Don’t be shocked in January when this is the case.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/16/24468985/rams-schedule-cardinals-lions-seahawks-falcons

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Scout saw ‘no decline’ in Stafford’s abilities last season

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rams praised for keeping Matthew Stafford in offseason

The Los Angeles Rams are being praised for turning down trade offers and adjusting Matthew Stafford’s contract to keep him on the team in 2025. Athlon Sports writer Craig Ellenport says that the Rams are in a good position to reach the Super Bowl this season and dug up some intel on Stafford’s 2024 season from a rival scout who thinks that the quarterback is as good as ever:

“Honestly, not seeing decline from Matthew Stafford,” one rival scout told Athlon Sports. “He can still sling the rock. Yes, Sean McVay and Les Snead need to start planning ahead. But extending his deal was the right move. It’s a have and have-not league at quarterback, and they have one.”

The 37-year-old entering his 17th NFL season had a 64.7 QBR in 2024, his best mark since 2019 when he was still on the Detroit Lions. Only two years ago in 2023, Stafford’s eigthth-place finish in the MVP race was the first time he got serious consideration for the award and he made just his second career Pro Bowl.

Now Stafford enters the 2025 season with a new weapon at wide receiver in Davante Adams and potentially one of his best career offensive lines, at least up the middle with Kevin Dotson, Steve Avila, and Coleman Shelton. In addition to having Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, and Tyler Higbee, Stafford could be entering a career statistical season if all goes right with Sean McVay’s play calling this year, as was also echoed in the scouting report:

“There’s a lot of cool plays McVay can dial up with Davante Adams in the huddle to go with Puka Nacua,” the scout said. “There aren’t a lot of dudes who can compete for the football the way they can and freeze DBs with their footwork.”

With a second Super Bowl win, Stafford may decide that he’s done it all and hang it up after the season. In which case, he’d be going out with potentially just as many tools as he’s ever had, something we rarely see when football players retire.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/16/24468908/matthew-stafford-rams-age-scouting-report

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Will Rams get rematch against Anthony Richardson?

Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

With a Week 4 game against the Colts looming, will Rams face Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones?

One of the most excited wins for the L.A. Rams over the past two seasons was a 29-23 overtime victory against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2023. That game featured rookie Anthony Richardson scoring all three of the Colts touchdowns and scoring the last 23 points of regulation to force overtime, a remarkable achievement for any quarterback, whether it is his first year or not.

But two years later, the former number four pick is in an intense fight for his job and momentum is building for Daniel Jones to be Indy’s starter in Week 1. Will Jones or Richardson be the Colts starting quarterback when they travel to Los Angeles in Week 4?

Colts QB Anthony Richardson is believed to be fully recovered from his recent right shoulder setback, per @HolderStephen.

Let the Anthony Richardson revenge tour begin! pic.twitter.com/TNzlNPrtNr

— SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) July 17, 2025​

Richardson was cleared to be ready for practice when the Colts open training camp next Wednesday, meaning that he and Jones will both be primed to take off from the starting line. Richardson had been having some problems with his shoulder and injuries are nothing new to the former Florida Gator.

That’s another reason that some in Indianapolis are ready to make a change, even if it’s Daniel Jones.

Jones had a career season with the Giants in 2022, leading to a contract extension after the season, but he was so bad the next year that New York immediately started the process of figuring out how and when to move on from him. The Giants eventually released Jones after 10 starts in 2024. In the past two years, the Giants went 3-13 when Jones was the starter and he threw only 10 touchdowns in those games against 13 interceptions.

But now that Jones is paired with Shane Steichen and a better offensive line, is it possible that he could at least be serviceable for a year? At least, could Jones be better than Richardson?

That bar isn’t very high.

The Colts have gone 8-7 in Richardson’s 15 starts but he has thrown 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, which is no better than Jones. His passer rating last season was 61.6 — far worse than Jones worst career mark — and his completion percentage was a mind-boggling 47.7%.

Every single Colts receiver had a dramatically better catch rate when Joe Flacco was throwing passes to them than when it was AR-15.

However, Richardson did rush for 499 yards in 11 games and continues to be a dynamic runner with the ball in his hands. He’s also only 23 and the Colts hope that he’s managed to curb some of his horrible habits in favor of more disciplined play and far better accuracy.

The Rams will most likely face Daniel Jones in Week 4, but here’s the real answer: Whoever starts in Week 1 is potentially the less likely of the two quarterbacks to still be starting in Week 4. The named starter could very well be the “benched starter” in less than a month.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/17/24469636/rams-anthony-richardson-colts-qb-competition

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Domino effect: Contracts falling into place for 2nd round picks

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Chargers WR Tre Harris and Lions iOL Tate Ratledge finalize rookie contracts. Is Rams’ Terrance Ferguson next?

Earlier this week I wrote about the contract stalemate between NFL teams and rookie second rounders. Just days ago 30 of 32 draftees remained unsigned, including Los Angeles Rams TE Terrance Ferguson. The dilemma was mostly caused by the Houston Texans fully guaranteeing the four-year rookie deal for receiver Jayden Higgins.

The dominoes are starting to fall. The Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions are the first two teams to report to training camp as they are the participants in this year’s Hall of Fame Game—the first preseason contest of the year. LA WR Tre Harris was officially holding out of camp but finalized his deal Thursday according to reports. Lions OL Tate Ratledge also appears to have come to terms on his rookie deal in addition to Alfred Collins of the San Francisco 49ers.

We’ve gone from 30 remaining second round rookies to 27 in less than 24 hours.

The stalemate appears to be over. We have to wonder if Ferguson’s contract is soon to follow. The Rams report to training camp at Loyola Marymount on July 22nd, which gives the better part of a week to hammer out the details.

Remaining questions:​

What we don’t know from reports is whether Harris and Ratledge received fully guaranteed deals. This information will likely surface in the coming days. Collins did receive $9M guaranteed out of his total $10.3M contract with the 49ers according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While that’s not 100% it is awfully close.

Did the Chargers and Lions fold in order to get their highly drafted rookies in training camp relatively on time, or did the players decide to give up their stand? Time will tell.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/17/24469700/rams-nfl-rookie-contracts-terrance-ferguson

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

State of 2025 Rams offensive line: Will the bottom fall out?

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

How does the Rams offensive line look heading into 2025?

The Los Angeles Rams have a positive outlook heading into the 2025 season. However, all of that could be moot if the offensive line becomes an issue as it has during portions of 2023 and 2024. Last season, the Rams had injuries at center and left guard while in 2023, it was injuries on the right side that limited the offense’s ceiling.

For the Rams offense to hit its potential in 2025, the offensive line has to do what it hasn’t been able to over the past two years. It was arguably the key to the Rams winning the Super Bowl in 2021. If the Rams are going to hit their ceiling, the offensive line needs to be a borderline top-10 unit and they have to stay healthy.

That’s something that has already become problematic as Alaric Jackson is out for an indefinite period as he manages blood clots after signing an extension in the offseason. As proven by last year’s musical chairs in training camp, this is a group that has to be able to build cohesion in the summer and that should pay dividends come September.

There are legitimate questions to be had about this version of the Rams offensive line and whether or not they managed it properly this offseason. Let’s take a look at how the Rams have built their offensive line.

The Starters​

LT Alaric Jackson​

As mentioned previously, Alaric Jackson will be out for an indefinite period after recurring blood clots. Jackson dealt with blood clots in 2022 and was forced to miss the second half of the season. While he is now managing them before Week 1 and the start of the year, it’s impossible to know how much time he will miss.

The best example may be to look at Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore last summer. Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots last July and wasn’t activated until November 16. Jackson’s diagnosis came a month earlier, but it’s also worth noting that Barmore went back on injured reserve with recurring symptoms on December 19.

There is a realistic possibility that Jackson simply doesn’t play this season. At the same time, he could be back in October or even sooner. Blood clots are serious which makes it difficult to narrow in on a specific timeline.

It’s fair to wonder whether or not the Rams made the correct decision to sign Jackson to a three-year, $57 million contract. At 26th overall, they could have drafted Josh Simmons from Ohio State. That’s also something that could have been done outside of Jackson’s injury. Still, as a team on the cusp, it made sense to bring back a familiar presence at left tackle. Jackson may not be a top-15 player at the position, but he is solid. Rarely will Jackson be the weak point on an offensive line.

Again, ideally Jackson is back for the start of the season or misses only the first 4-6 weeks. However, there is a realistic scenario in which the Rams are without their starting left tackle all season.

LG Steve Avila​

We’ll likely never know whether or not Steve Avila’s transition to center didn’t go as planned or if he was moved back to left guard because of an injury to Jonah Jackson. Either way, Avila is back at left guard to start the summer where he played all of last year as well as his entire rookie season.

Heading into the year, Brandon Thorn of the Trench Warfare Substack ranked Avila as the ninth-best left guard in the NFL. Said Thorn,

“Avila is coming off of a 10-start season where he missed seven games due to an MCL injury. When on the field, he played at a similar level as his rookie year in 2023. At 6’4”, 340 pounds, Avila has the requisite power and play strength to impose his will on defenders, and his light feet elevate his floor into this tier as long as he’s healthy.”

The Rams need Avila to take a step forward in 2025. While he dealt with injuries last season, he ranked 51st out of 59 guards in pass protection from Weeks 10-17. However, he still managed to rank top-10 against the run.

Injuries are certainly something to contextualize with Avila’s 2024 season, but he never took the step forward that some were expecting. The Rams took Avila with the 36th overall pick with the idea that he would be the foundation of their offensive line. This is going to be a big season for him as he heads into year three. Is Avila a Pro Bowl caliber player or is he simply a replaceable starter? That is a major question when it comes to this version of the Rams offensive line. Another full offseason where he can focus on just one position should help.

C Coleman Shelton​

It is somewhat surprising that the Rams didn’t opt to ride it out again with Beaux Limmer at center following a rookie season in which he got a lot of experience. Replacing Limmer with Shelton almost feels like an overreaction to one play in the NFC Divisional Round against the Philadelphia Eagles.

At the same time, it’s also an indication of what the Rams want on the offensive line which is familiarity. Shelton ranked seventh in pass blocking and 15th against the run last season according to PFF. He may not have a high ceiling, but he likely raises the floor at center. You are only as good as your weakest link on the offensive line and the Rams learned that the hard way.

Shelton brings a familiarity with Stafford and is a player that already knows the offense. He may not bring the interior size that the Rams leaned into last season, but it’s clear what the coaching staff is valuing in this group. Shelton isn’t going to get named to a Pro Bowl any time soon, but he also isn’t going to have the mental mistakes that Limmer had at times. The best way to put it is that Shelton is a floor raiser at the position. While the ceiling still isn’t very high and he is replacement level, that floor is higher than it was with Limmer.

RG Kevin Dotson​

Dotson has taken the role of Rob Havenstein on the Rams offensive line. He may not ever be good enough to make a Pro Bowl or earn an All Pro designation. Still, he will likely always be within the top-10 at his position. Dotson has become the epitome of consistency on the Rams offensive line. He consistently plays at a top-10 level, but doesn’t get the recognition that other guards get. Thorn ranked Dotson as the sixth best right guard in the NFL. Said Thorn,

While Dotson doesn’t have the same recovery skills as the previously mentioned guards, he is a 6’4”, 335 pound battering ram with the power, play strength and physicality to displace and anchor on command. What Dotson offers an offense is no secret. After moving back to his natural home at right guard when he signed with the Rams in 2023, he has leaned into those strengths to solidify his standing as a top six right guard.

Ever since the Rams traded for Dotson, he has elevated the offensive line to another level. From Weeks 10-17, Dotson was the third best interior offensive lineman according to PFF, ranking third against the run and 17th in pass-blocking.

Dotson has been a valuable asset as the Rams have incorporated more gap scheme runs into their offense. His “battering ram” mentality allows him to move bodies in the run game. He does have lapses in pass protection, but remains solid, especially with Havenstein in the mix. An argument can be made that Dotson is the best offensive lineman that the Rams currently have.

RT Rob Havenstein​

Havenstein is as consistent as it gets on the Rams offensive line and there is a chance that 2025 is his last. The Rams will certainly have Havenstein back as long as he wants to continue playing. Still, it’s worth mentioning that he is 33 and going into the final year of his contract. Havenstein has also missed games due to injury each of the season two seasons.

With that said, when Havenstein has been out, his lack of presence is felt. In Week 1, Warren McClendon allowed five pressures in a loss against the Detroit Lions. In Week 10, Joe Noteboom gave up six pressures in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. McClendon allowed three pressures and was the sixth-lowest graded tackle in Week 12 in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Havenstein gave up three or more pressures in three games last season. That happened in three of the four games that Havenstein missed.

Thorn ranked Havenstein as his 12th-best right tackle heading into 2025. Said Thorn,

“Despite battling an assortment of injuries over the last two seasons, including nagging ankle injuries, Havenstein has started 14 (2023) and 11 (2024) games over that span while displaying a similar level to his play in previous years. Havenstein is 6’8”, 325 pounds with a good sense of leverage, timing and spacing that manifests itself in the run game, where he does a nice job of walling off defenders on the front and backside. He is a solid pass protector who can compete with most competition. Although, he struggles with the upper-tier opponents (e.g. against Nick Bosa), especially in the Rams’ balanced, play-action heavy system. Despite being on a slight descent over the last couple of seasons and standing closer to the end than the beginning of his career, Havenstein’s situation and technical proficiency should net him another solid season.”

At the end of the day, Havenstein is always going to struggle against a certain type of player as Thorn suggests. That was seen in the NFC Wild Card loss against the Lions in 2023. Havenstein has also struggled against Nick Bosa. However, most weeks Havenstein is going to provide above-average level of play at right tackle. Again, his lack of presence was felt in games that he missed last season. The Rams have simply been unable to find a player to fill in on that side and not be a liability.

This could be Havenstein’s last go-around in 2025 and not many would complain if he went out the same way that Andrew Whitworth did back in 2021.

The Depth​

OT DJ Humphries​

Humphries is arguably the most important depth piece for the Rams on the offensive line heading into 2025. The reason for this is that he will go into the summer as the team’s starting left tackle in place of Jackson. Humphries did not play well last season for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, he has experience in the NFC West and should be someone that can be relied on over a month. Humphries is no longer someone that a team should be comfortable with over the course of the season. Still, he’s an experienced player that the Rams should be able to trust while Jackson recovers.

OT Warren McClendon​

It should say a lot that when the Rams found out Jackson was going to miss time, they went out and signed not one, but two experienced left tackles. Heading into year three, that is something that McClendon should have been trusted with at this point in his career. That doesn’t mean that he can’t be quality depth, but it’s clear that the Rams don’t trust him to start over a long period. McClendon had good moments last season against the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. However, he gave up three or more pressures in three of his four other starts. McClendon is likely seen as a Joe Noteboom replacement and depth behind Havenstein on the right side.

iOL Beaux Limmer​

The Rams may still see Limmer as their center of the future, but a year to learn behind Shelton isn’t the worst thing. At the end of the day, Limmer was the worst center in pass protection last season via PFF. That experience from his rookie season was valuable, but he may be more suited as depth heading into year two. There is still a lot to like about Limmer’s game and you can do a lot worse for a sixth-round pick. He did well considering he was thrown into the fire much earlier than the team expected. A year to develop could be a good thing.

KT Leveston​

Leveston isn’t a player that should be completely written off. While he didn’t play as a rookie, he provides depth at guard, but could play tackle if needed. Leveston may be competing for a roster spot this season, but he provides interior depth at guard that the Rams lack otherwise.

The Rest/Practice Squad​

There’s no reason to spend too much time on the practice squad, but there are a few guys worth pointing out. All eyes will be on Willie Lampkin heading into training camp. He may provide good interior depth, but is an anomaly at the position. There are always exceptions, especially when it comes to size. Hopefully Lampkin is one of them.

Justin Dedich has some experience at left guard, playing well in a start against the Las Vegas Raiders last season. Additionally, Dylan McMahon shouldn’t be ruled out as a player the Rams claimed off waivers after roster cuts.

If there is a tackle to watch, it is Trey Wedig. Wedig was one of the better undrafted free agent tackles. Could he be another player like Jackson that the Rams develop into a starter? David Quessenberry may be a veteran player that the team keeps readily available.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/18/24470118/rams-offensive-line-depth-chart

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

What has Puka Nacua feeling like a ‘kid in a candy store’?

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

The Rams third-year wideout has learned from a plethora of all-time great players to start his NFL career

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has become a franchise pillar through his play and leadership since joining LA via the draft two years ago, but one of the things that has no doubt contributed to his success in the NFL is the incredible group of all-time great players and coaches he has found himself surrounded by. Names like Sean McVay, Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford come to mind, and now with the team’s addition of WR Davante Adams this offseason, the luck of the draw is not lost on Nacua.

Speaking with The Insiders, Nacua talked about the opportunities he has had to learn from multiple all-pro players including Adams, as well as the Rams new look WR room.

“It’s definitely gonna be different,” Nacua said regarding the new WR group on Tuesday’s episode of The Insiders. “Davante, as soon as he stepped into the facility has been fantastic. The ability to learn from another all-time great has been — I feel like I’m stealing — I’m like a kid in the candy store. I’ve had Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay, Cooper Kupp and now Davante Adams. My life is pretty good, I can’t complain too much. It’s gonna be fun.

“We signed Tutu (Atwell) back. We’ve got some speed, we got a bunch of young guys who are excited to play. (No.) 17 is gonna lead the way for us, and it’s gonna be fantastic to be out there on the football field with him.”

Nacua, who only played in 11 games in 2024 due to injury, still finished the season just shy of 1,000 yards receiving (990) with 79 receptions and three touchdowns. It was clear that Nacua had become the future of the Rams WR room, which was reinforced when Los Angeles decided to move on from long-time staple WR Cooper Kupp this offseason. It was a tough choice among fans, but the addition of Adams helped ease the sting of the loss a bit.

In what was considered a down year, Adams was able to top 1000 yards receiving along with 85 receptions and eight touchdowns. He was able to accomplish this despite subpar quarterback play on two different teams (Adams was traded midseason from the Raiders to the Jets).

Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

There is immense optimism about what Adams can do with the Rams in 2025, as he now finds himself being coached by one of the best offensive minds in the league and surrounded by the best supporting casts he’s had in at least three years. Even being on the wrong side of 30, Adams is still considered to be one of the best route runners in the league. It’s one of the things that Nacua specifically hopes to improve on from watching his new teammate.

“Route running,” Nacua said. “His ability to change pace while he’s moving on the football field, the ability to win against negative leverage, his suddenness at the line of scrimmage, it’s fantastic to see. And to be able to see it in person and be lining up right next to him, it makes sure you have all the gas turned on when you’re going out there with No. 17.”

It’s not just Nacua who can stand to learn a thing or two from Adams. Fifth-year WR Tutu Atwell looks to finally have secured a starting position this year after being known mainly as a deep threat gadget. While Atwell has improved greatly in his route running over the years, Adams’ knowledge could be just what the young wideout needs to take the next step. Then there’s second-year player Jordan Whittington, who is also expected to make an impact on the field this year. Surely he could stand to learn a ton from someone long in the tooth like Adams, no matter how well he played in his rookie season.

Adams and Nacua joining forces in Los Angeles is a perfect example of the phrase “iron sharpens iron”. The Rams are hoping that both players elevate each other’s game, both this season and for the future. With training camp just around the corner, we could soon get some answers on if this offense will live up to the hype.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/...ka-nacua-all-time-great-mentors-davante-adams

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Terrance Ferguson signs deal; Rams draft class all under contract

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Terrance Ferguson is officially a Ram

Signed. Sealed. Delivered. He’s ours. The Los Angeles Rams and their second round pick Terrance Ferguson agreed on a rookie contract earlier today. According to Adam Schefter, Ferguson will receive $8.05 million in guaranteed money from his $9.71 million salary.

Rams sign second-round TE Terrance Ferguson to rookie dealhttps://t.co/R6uNLtFBdH pic.twitter.com/DVfI4FlHRb

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) July 19, 2025​

Ferguson is the last of the six Rams to sign his rookie contract. Due to the Houston Texans giving Jayden Higgins a fully guaranteed contract, there has been a delay amongst NFL teams and their respective second round picks agreeing to terms on their rookie contracts. Sean McVay and the Rams will not have to worry any longer with Ferguson now available and under contract for training camp. The LA Rams report for training camp on July 23.

Now, the biggest hurdle for Ferguson is how quickly he will be able to make an impact in the regular season and whether he will he be able to push teammate Tyler Higbee for a starting role. Although, Tyler Higbee is slated to become a free agent next offseason; paving a way for Ferguson to become the full time starter. Other competition in the TE room includes Colby Parkinson (second year with LA, 6th NFL season) and Davis Allen (third year with LA, 3rd NFL season).

Ferguson joins 24 other second rounders to have signed their rookie deals. There are 7 second rounders still unsigned...

36th: RB Quinshon Judkins, Browns (Rookie report date: July 18)

47th: CB Will Johnson, Cardinals (Rookie report date: July 22)

48th: OT Aireontae Ersery, Texans (Rookie report date: July 22)

51st: LB Nic Scourton, Panthers (Rookie report date: July 21)

52nd: LB Oluwafemi Oladejo, Titans (Rookie report date: July 22)

53rd: CB Benjamin Morrison, Buccaneers (Rookie report date: July 21)

64th: S Andrew Mukuba, Eagles (Rookie report date: July 22)

The Rams 2025 rookie class will make the following over their four year deals...

Terrance Ferguson: $9.7 million (Undisclosed)

Josiah Stewart: $6.3 million ($1.14 million in 2025)

Jarquez Hunter: $5.2 million ($1.01 million in 2025)

Ty Hamilton: $4.6 million ($949,647 in 2025)

Chris Paul Jr: $4.5 million ($920,054 in 2025)

Konata Mumpfield: $4.3 million ($867,134 in 2025)

Altogether the Rams rookie class accounts for $6.5+ million of the cap space in 2025. Their deals will expire following the 2028 season.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/19/24470630/rams-terrance-ferguson-rookie-contract