News Rams Team Notes

[Los Angeles Rams]

Steve Young compared Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers in this way

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It’s not about both quarterbacks winning a Super Bowl

Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young completed an interview with Rich Eisen last week, and something he said about Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers has been sticking with me. Young explained to Eisen that Stafford and Rodgers are arguably the last of their kind at the quarterback position, and both players can continue to leverage that experience into interest and ultimately money.

Said Young,

“For people who learned in a sophisticated era, it just makes it that much more profitable, and that’s why those guys and Aaron’s the last one...I mean Matthew Stafford. Matthew and Aaron are the last ones...that have learned in more sophisticated era and are taking advantage of it.”

Young’s viewpoint is the quarterback position is safer than ever, in theory, the game is safer than ever too and so because of that limited risk (by comparison to previous NFL eras), Stafford and Rodgers don’t want to walk away. Like Liam Neeson, they want to use their very particular set of skills to keep playing to grow their legacy, and wealth.

Of course, the last couple seasons have been hard on Rodgers who tore his Achilles with the New York Jets, but Rodgers is still getting another shot in the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he wins a playoff game for Pittsburgh it will be the talk of the league.

Stafford made his way out of the Detroit Lions and you could argue he’s played his best football since joining the Los Angeles Rams, and the Rams continue to work with him and pay that man his money.

Until the league tells these two veteran gunslingers that their time in the league is done, why would they walk away?

Another layer is at this point any season could be the final season for these two future Hall of Famers, so until then, enjoy their on-field ability because when Rodgers and Stafford go, we may never see another two QB’s quite like them.

When they’ll call it, is anyone’s guess. They might not even know.

Whenever Stafford and Rodgers do decide to call it, they will be leaving the quarterback position in very capable hands with young studs like Jayden Daniels, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.

The future of the position looks bright to be sure, but there will not be another Rodgers and Stafford. According to Young, they are essentially the last of a dying breed.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/21/24453256/rams-news-matthew-stafford-aaron-rodgers

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Buying or Selling: Rams offensive players for 2025 season

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A new look in the WR room will pay dividends for Stafford...

There has been some early chatter throughout the Los Angeles Rams OTAs and at the start of minicamp of players making impressions on the coaching staff. Sean McVay recently spoke to J.B. Long and the media about players performances and who has caught the coaching staff’s eyes so far.

Its still very early and Sean McVay is typically not the type of coach to throw players under the bus, but rather praise efforts and their aptitude. But after reading the tea leaves, let’s buy or sell stock for the Rams offensive players thus far...

Matthew Stafford - BUY​

(Jimmy Garoppolo - BUY, Stetson Bennett - BUY)​

Let’s start with the franchise quarterback. Matthew Stafford is entering his age-37 season and most pundits would think that he is bound to fall off the cliff. However, Stafford’s TD % as a Ram is better than his 12 years in Detroit along with the other following categories: Completion percentage (LAR - 65.7% > DET - 62.6%), Passing Success Rate (LAR - 50.1% > DET - 46.6%), Adjusted Yards Gained per Pass Attempt (LAR - 7.53% > DET - 7.11%), Passer Rating (LAR - 95.2 > DET - 89.9), and Net Yards Gained per Pass Attempt (LAR - 6.72 > DET - 6.45). That even accounts for the Rams bad offense in 2022 when everyone was hurt. With the addition of Davante Adams, I believe Stafford is in for a 30+ touchdown season and the offense while not as electric as 2021, shows more consistency than it did in 2024.

As for the backups, I think Jimmy Garoppolo entering his second year with McVay provides huge upside in case Stafford were to miss any time. In addition, Stetson Bennett’s life off the field as seemed to have “no news is good news” vibe. Bennett will likely get almost all of the snaps in preseason. I am going to buy that he performs well, although he could still be cut when the 53 man roster is announced.

Kyren Williams - SELL​

(Blake Corum - SELL, Jarquez Hunter - BUY, Ronnie Rivers - SELL)​

Barring an injury in training camp, Kyren Williams is going to be the starting running back for the Los Angeles Rams. However, its the production that I see declining. After 316 rushing attempts in the regular season, Williams seems likely to cede carries to Blake Corum and/or Jarquez Hunter. My main argument against Williams is that his rushing yards per attempt dropped significantly from 2023 to 2024 and there was evidence of a lack of explosion in his game. You can’t get something back that you never had to begin with.

I’ll buy Jarquez Hunter even though it will be in a limited capacity. His explosiveness gives him an edge over the others in the running back room. Blake Corum will likely have a similar season to that of last year.

Davante Adams - BUY​

I am expecting Adams to need a game or two to acclimate to the Rams offense but that does not mean that he won’t produce. We saw what Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp were able to accomplish with one another in their first year together. My gut tells me that Stafford and Adams will have connection similar to that of Odell Beckham Jr and Stafford. If you remember, the Cincinnati Bengals had no answer for containing OBJ in Super Bowl LVI before the star wideout tore his ACL.

Puka Nacua - BUY​

After missing 5 games in the first half of 2024, Puka is poised for increases for his statistical output. He might not ever be a touchdown producer but his rapport with Stafford is automatic.

Tutu Atwell - BUY​

(Jordan Whittington - Push, Konata Mumpfield - Sell)​

The resigning of Tutu Atwell indicated that Sean McVay had failed to incorporate Tutu in the offense enough the past two seasons. In the last two seasons, Atwell has 81 receptions for 1045 yards. A healthy figure for a WR4 who was phased out in favor of Demarcus Robinson. Ever since his rookie year, I believed that Tutu’s future was to take over the DeSean Jackson role (who was signed by LAR in 2021). With Puka Nacua and Davante Adams causing defensive headaches in the intermediate and outside the hashes, Tutu becomes a serious threat on vertical routes and hitch/comeback routes.

One thing that has impressed me so much with Tutu Atwell's development with the Rams is his improved route-running.

Was never bad, but much more nuanced now. Creates his own space. pic.twitter.com/BwYhYtZ3xp

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) March 6, 2025​

With Jordan Whittington the only threat to his playing time as WR3, I expect Tutu to get more playing time and therefore an increase in production.

Alaric Jackson - SELL​

(DJ Humphries - SELL)​

Alaric Jackson’s health issue is serious. Anyone that thinks he will be ready for the beginning of the season is fooling themselves. I think a realistic, best case scenario is that he returns in December. While DJ Humphries provides veteran presence and he has training camp to acclimate himself into the McVay system, there is a reason that he was a free agent. Not to mention that DJ Humphries is the same tackle from the Arizona Cardinals that the Rams abused in years past.

Steve Avila - SELL​

Due to the change at left tackle, I think this also negatively impacts Steve Avila. Avila had a promising rookie year but his sophomore campaign was bad due to multiple positional changes and a knee injury early in the season. I would compare Avila’s production this year to that of David Edwards - serviceable but lacking at times.

Coleman Shelton - PUSH​

(Beaux Limmer - SELL)​

Shelton will be more beneficial on the communication side than Beaux Limmer last year. The knock on Shelton has always been his size. He is a very light center who can be bullied by bigger defensive tackles. His only real asset is that he is solid at angling/zoning off players.

Kevin Dotson - BUY​

Kevin Dotson is a war daddy. He mauls defenders in the run game and has been one of the most underrated components of the Rams offense since the Super Bowl and roster changes. Dotson will only be 29 years old going into his third season. I think Dotson has a legitimate chance to be an all-pro in 2025. It certainly helps that he gets to practice against Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Jared Verse every day.

Kevin Dotson (No. 69) was moving bodies on this play #LARvsSF on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/xpp4vVoMeA

— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2024​

Rob Havenstein - BUY​

Rob Havenstein is 32 years old and missed 5 games last year. But even though he played last year through injury, he still produced a 74.1 PFF grade. His dominance is largely through the run game. I expect his passing blocking to return to the 70.0s with better health.

Tyler Higbee - BUY​

(Terrance Ferguson - SELL, Colby Parkinson - BUY, Davis Allen - BUY)​

The contingent of Rams fans that fail to recognize the value of Tyler Higbee will be outraged by this article. But let’s look at the facts...

In just 5 games last year after coming off an ACL and MCL tear, Higbee had three touchdowns. In the two playoff games, Higbee had 12 receptions on 15 targets AND 112 yards plus a touchdown. For a guy that is probably the 4th or 5th option in this offense, his production is supremely valuable. For those that want to comment on his regular season games in 2024, he only played 33.1% of the offensive snaps. He was clearly being eased back in to game speed.

I think Higbee has one last, good season in him. For THE MOST PRODUCTIVE TIGHT END IN RAMS HISTORY.

I think year two will be a more productive year for Colby Parkinson. I think he will thrive in more 12 personnel situations. He is not athletic enough to be the sole 11 personnel tight end.

As for Terrance Ferguson, he has received some praise from Sean McVay. I just think that the learning curve for tight ends in this league is real. Ferguson might receive some looks on passing downs but that seems to be it for now.

Stay tuned for more buying or selling of the Rams defensive players entering the 2025 season!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/21/24452463/rams-offensive-players-matthew-stafford-buy

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is Brennan Jackson ready to contribute in 2025?

Edge Brennan Jackson sets sites on 2025 | Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Sean McVay called him out for a strong effort in OTAs

Fulfilling depth at the edge for the Los Angeles Rams is a work in progress. Fans are familiar with the exploits of Jared Verse and Byron Young, the bookend starters, but for 2025, L.A. did not re-up E#3 Michael Hoecht and now must replace his 639 defensive snaps and positional versatility.

To fill the void, the Rams did spend some draft capital at edge, getting Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart at #90 of Round 3 and they have two players with a few seasons in the pro’s, 2023 Round 5 pick Nick Hampton and Keir Thomas, undrafted in 2022. They also have last year’s Round 5 pick, Brennan Jackson. Although limited by battling a soft tissue for the first half of his rookie year, the Rams kept him on the 53 and got his feet wet, culminating with a start in the season finale vs. Seattle.

Now fully healed and with a year under his belt, Jackson may be the darkhorse to gobble up the missing Hoecht snaps at E#3. Rams Head coach Sean McVay gave him a shoutout of encouragement when discussing L.A.’s defense in a post-OTA interview.

“On the defensive side of the ball, I think BY (Byron Young) and Verse (Jared) did an excellent job. But you know, Brennan Jackson’s a guy that really stood out, we’re excited about seeing where he can go with his game.”

This is an excellent job by Brennan Jackson, controles the tight end ... TFL -- looks to be gap and a half pic.twitter.com/dxidSNOo6n

— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) August 24, 2024​

There’s not much pro film of Jackson, playing only 47 snaps as a rookie, with 27 in his Week 18 start, but there’s plenty of college work to digest and get an idea of what the Rams have to work with.

Is Brennan Jackson ready to contribute in 2025?

College Production​

After entering Washington State as a three-star recruit, Jackson got off to a slow start, but then exploded onto he scene. As a freshman in 2018, he tore up a knee and followed that with a broken foot in 2019. He took over as a starter in the COVID-19 year of 2020 and locked in for four seasons, totaling 41 of 42 games. Made steady progress in his accolades, earning PAC12 All-Conference honorable mentions in 2020 and ’21, second team in 2022, and first team in 2023. Named to the Senior Bowl.

Jackson’s stats coincided with accolades, going up each season. For his 44 game career, he logged 164 tackles, 34.5 for loss, 20 sacks, three forced fumbles and five recoveries. In coverage, there was one interception and nine passes defended. He returned three fumbles for scores. An ankle tweak early in the week at the Senior Bowl kept him out of practice and the game.

Traits​

While not elite physically or athletically, Jackson is certainly above average and his testing numbers fit well into NFL norms. He’s not a fluid, easy mover, more of a point-to-point linear player. He’ll win with a power game and getting off first. What you can count on is his hustle and rough/tough play-style to amplify his natural traits.

Jackson matches good speed to a well-put together frame. His 4.69 in forty and 1.62 10-yard split are a plus at 6’ 4” 264 lb. At 7.43, his 3cone meets the pro standard for agility and change of direction, as does his 4.34 time in the shuttle, denoting flexibility, burst, and balance. Although he’s not an explosive athlete, a 33.5 vertical and 9’ 6” broad are both solid numbers. His 21 bench reps may only be adequate, but overall play strength is Jackson’s strong suit, he has a strong core/lower half.

Brennan Jackson is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.72 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 224 out of 1738 DE from 1987 to 2024.

Official pro day results pending.https://t.co/e2ImQYz7ZU pic.twitter.com/PywZtSLmsr

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 1, 2024​

Technique​

Bull in a china shop best describes Jackson’s technique. His pass rush needs grooming, showing flashes of a full toolbox, yet not consistently putting the pieces together. Two moves stand out and will likely be his game as a pro.

A good first step and powerful punch make speed to power his go-to and he also has a nice push/pullHe’s not going to be a speedy/bendy edge that races around the outside of tackles, but when lined up wide with less of a sharp bend angle, he can get under the block and use balance/power to get by. While Jackson uses his hands well, I don’t see consistent swipe moves. He does slip in a spin move.

Against the run, he’s quite stout. Jackson maximizes his lower body strength with low pad level leverage, by striking first, and shedding with his strong hands. He has good awareness of where the football is and again, his 100% motor makes him a good pursuit player. While he generally sets a good edge, his aggressive style can get him pinned inside when the running breaks off a play and takes it outside. On RPO options, he’s shows good patience and enough lateral moves to work down the line.

Where Brennan Jackson fits into the Rams defense​

Actually, Jackson would be a good fit into Michael Hoecht’s old role. Quite aimilar to the way the Rams used Hoecht, Washington State lined Jackson up all over the defensive front, He would stand up or have his hand in the dirt as an edge, spread out wide, standing up in the B gaps, and even as a down defensive tackle.

Brennan Jackson projects as a role/rotational player. There’s still grooming to be done. Although he put good numbers in college, he’s not an explosive pass rusher with an array of moves, he’s a power-based player who will apply constant pressure, clawing, scratching and pushing forward. He’s a grinder, an assignment-based player to be relied on to do the dirty work so others can get clean. Brennan Jackson is in line to become another Rams mid-round draft pick that develops his versatility and creates value.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/22/24452982/rams-defense-brennan-jackson-sean-mcvay

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams training camp dates

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

When can fans see the Rams for the first time in camp?

The Los Angeles Rams have announced eight training camp dates that will be open to fans.

• July 24, gates open at 3:30
• July 25, gates open at 10:30
• July 26, gates open at 11:15
• July 28, gates open at 3:30
• July 29, gates open at 3:30
• July 31, gates open at 11:45
• August 2, gates open at 3:00
• August 3, gates open at 3:00

Training camp is held at Loyola Marymount University.

Training camp tickets have a presale open for season ticket holders.

The Rams will have plenty of familiar faces at training camp as the team has largely brought back the roster from 2024, with a few tweaks. One player who is certain to draw a lot of attention at training camp is wide receiver Davante Adams. With Cooper Kupp no longer on the team, we should expect plenty of action for L.A.’s newest Pro Bowl weapon at receiver.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/23/24454523/rams-training-camp-dates

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Can you guess this Rams QB in today’s in-5 trivia game?

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, June 24, 2025
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Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

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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/2025/6/25/24455496/sb-nation-rams-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Aaron Donald shows off Sean Mcvay-esque memory

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Can you name every starter on Rams 2014 defense? Aaron Donald did it.

Can you name every starter on the 2014 (then St. Louis) Rams defense?

Well, Aaron Donald made it look pretty easy in an interview at the AD99 Foundation’s Top 50 Camp in Pittsburgh, PA last week:

AD’s memory is giving McVay vibes! pic.twitter.com/tLNeN9YpkZ

— RamsNation (@LARamsey46) June 25, 2025​

The first question was on the quarterback in which Donald earned his first-career sack—Josh McCown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Next, the interviewer asked who was the Los Angeles Rams’ QB in the same game. This is trickier because Sam Bradford was injured and Austin Davis started for a stretch in replacement. Donald still nailed it.

More impressive was the fact Donald recalled the final score in that game against Tampa Bay. He perfectly answered with a 19-17 finish. According to Scorigami, only 60 NFL contests have finished with such a score.

But don’t worry, it gets even better.

From Kendall Langford to EJ Gaines, the future hall of famer was able to name all eleven starters on the Rams defense that day. Donald officially came off the bench, and he even recalled that Chris Long was injured and William Hayes filled in.

While much has been made of Sean McVay’s extraordinary memory, maybe it’s time that Donald starts to get some credit for himself.

Donald’s camp is invite-only to the top offensive and defensive linemen across the country.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/25/24456120/rams-aaron-donald-memory-sean-mcvay

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is Matthew Stafford a first-ballot Hall of Famer? This Rams defensive player thinks so

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rams safety Quentin Lake thinks Rams QB Matthew Stafford is a first-ballot Hall of Famer

When Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford takes the field in 2025, it will be for the 17th straight year that he has done so. While Stafford is signed for two more years, there’s no guarantee that he plays in 2026 and that next season is his last.

Once Stafford does hang up the cleats, as is the case with other long-time players, there will be a lot of debate on whether or not he is a Hall of Fame player and deserves a spot in Canton.

Rams safety Quentin Lake appeared on Good Morning Football on Thursday and gave his case for why the quarterback shouldn’t just be a Hall of Famer, but a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Said Lake,

“No doubt in my mind that he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The truest measure of performance is consistency. This is a guy that’s done it year in and year out. Obviously, the tenure with the Lions, he might not have gotten to the playoffs or anything like that, but he showed how much of a dog he was. Every time we’re in the locker room or we’re on the field, we always call him a dog. I’m going to give you a little bit of statistics. He is number ten in all-time passing yards. I’m going to give you a couple of names and you can kind of guess or figure out if these guys are first-ballot Hall of Famers. Some of them are already Hall of Famers — Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, and Dan Marino. If you look at that whole list, you would be like, ‘Oh, there are some Hall of Famers, there are some guys that are potentially still playing,’ and Matthew Stafford is number 10 on that list. Whenever you’re in the company of other guys like that, you can kind of make an easy assessment and say he’s an easy first-ballot Hall of Famer.”

Is Matthew Stafford a first-ballot Hall of Famer? @quentin_lake thinks his QB is. pic.twitter.com/PgNBC5w7gp

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 26, 2025​

It’s not a surprise that Lake took this position to defend his quarterback. However, Stafford’s case for the Hall of Fame is a complicated one. As it stands, the Rams quarterback is 10th in all-time passing yards at 59,809. If he were to throw for 7,400 yards over the next two seasons, that would put him solidly at fifth all-time. The same can be said for touchdowns. If Stafford throws for 50 touchdowns over the next two seasons, that would put him into sixth all-time and over Philip Rivers.

With quarterbacks, team success is often looked at as a barometer whether that is fair or not. Unfortunately for Stafford, much of his career was spent with a struggling Detroit Lions franchise where he didn’t win a playoff game in three appearances. His career with the Lions resulted in less team and personal success than other quarterbacks in his generation. He has zero all-pro selections and has been just a two-time Pro Bowl player.

It’s true that Stafford has made three playoff appearances with the Rams and won a Super Bowl. However, Stafford was not named Super Bowl MVP in that game. Is that enough to overcome the ‘what if’ throughout much of his career with the Lions?

Comparing that to other quarterbacks in Stafford’s era, Ben Roethlisberger has zero all-pro, but has two Super Bowl wins and six Pro Bowl selections. Like Stafford, Roethlisberger also was not named the MVP of either Super Bowl win. Philip Rivers doesn’t have a Super Bowl, but was named to the Pro Bowl eight times. Matt Ryan won the NFL MVP award in 2016 and has four Pro Bowl appearances.

All of those quarterbacks have also at one point, led the NFL in passing yards, passer rating, completion percentage, or passing touchdowns. Stafford has never led the NFL in either of those categories.

Had Stafford spent his career in an organization such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s very likely that he is thought of very differently by NFL media. However, outside of volume stats that have been benefitted due to the pass-happy nature of the modern NFL, Stafford doesn’t have the same Hall of Fame caliber accolades.

That’s what makes his Hall of Fame case so complicated. From a talent perspective, he certainly has one of the most talented arms of all-time. For Stafford to solidify his Hall of Fame case, he likely needs at least one more deep playoff run which would need to include a Super Bowl appearance.

The Stafford discourse once he retires is certainly going to be interesting in terms of his case for the Hall of Fame. From a stats standpoint, he has a Hall of Fame resume. However, when it comes to personal accolades and wins, he’s much closer to Joe Flacco or early-career Drew Bledsoe than a Matt Ryan or Philip Rivers.

Stafford may eventually get into the Hall of Fame, especially with another Super Bowl appearance. However, it’s hard to see enough people making those decisions coming to an agreement and making him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/26/24456415/matthew-stafford-hall-of-fame-quentin-lake

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Hey TST! Select your own all-time Rams team

Issac Bruce, an All-Time Ram

Post your favorite Rams lineup in the forum

At this time of the football season, it’s not uncommon for Los Angeles Rams fans, as well as those from the other 31 teams, to read and kick around their individual All-Time teams. Why not use the TST Forum community and put together our own list?

Today, we’ll start with the offense.

I have went ahead and put together a list of candidates, in case fans don’t want to really dig in and research deep. It’s not all-inclusive, but puts the focus on the Rams more prominent players going back to the 40’s. If you want to put your personal favorites, that’s cool too. Feel free, it’s about having a good bit of fun.

Quarterback (select 1)​

Bob Waterfield (1945-52)

Three-time First Team All-Pro, also handled punting and placekicking duties. NFL Hall of Fame, class of 1965.

days until kickoff (ft. Bob Waterfield) pic.twitter.com/YPVnACmF5J

— milko (@mrmilko8) September 3, 2023​

Norm Van Brocklin (1949-57)

Nine-time Pro Bowler with one First Team All-Pro nod. Was part of a QB rotation with Waterfield for his first five seasons. 1971 NFL Hall of Fame inductee.

Roman Gabriel (1962-72)

Although high-flying Rams pass offenses have dropped him down career boards, #18 is still an icon and holds the top spot for touchdowns passing. The Gabe was a four-time Pro Bowler and in 1969, was First Team All-Pro and NFL MVP.

Jim Everett (1986-97)

Played eight years with the Rams. Runner up for NFL Rookie of theYear and played in one Pro Bowl.

Kurt Warner (1998-03)

In six Rams seasons, Warner won two NFL MVP’s, was twice First Team All-Pro, named to three Pro Bowls. Inducted to NFL Hall of Fame 2017.

Jared Goff

Lots of highs and lows in Goff’s tenure with the Rams. Made two Pro Bowls.

Matthew Stafford

Came to L.A. as a greybeard, but has posted four solid seasons and led the Rams to a Super Bowl win. Named to the Pro Bowl in 2023.

Running back (select 2)​

Tank Younger (1949-57)

Played offense at fullback and linebacker on defense. Didn’t post crazy stats, but was First Team All-Pro in 1951, Second Team in ’52 and 54. Also was voted to four Pro Bowls.

Dan Towler (1950-55)

Averaged over 5.2 yards per carry. Only played six seasons, but chalked up four Pro Bowls, a First Team All-Pro nod and three Second Team awards.

Jon Arnett (1957-63)

Triple threat had 2892 yards rushing, 1911 receiving, and 3173 return yards for the Rams and was All-Pro First Team in 1958, to go along with five straight Pro Bowls (1957-61).

Dick Bass (1960-69)

Even while playing primarily as part of a rotation still tallied just under 9000 all-purpose yards for his career. Three times a Pro Bowler and twice a Second Team All-Pro.

Lawrence McCutcheon (1972-79)

Feature back in the early 70’s “Ground Chuck” offense. Went to five straight Pro Bowls and had Second Team All-Pro selection from 1973-77.

Eric Dickerson (1983-87)

In a short 4+ season Rams career, Dickerson was a four-time First Team All-Pro, NFL Rookie of the Year, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, three-time NFL MVP runner up and four Pro Bowls. Voted to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1999.

Jerome Bettis (1993-95)

Only played three years, but averaged 1000 yards rushing. Was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, a First Team All-Pro berth and two Pro Bowls.

Marshall Faulk (1999-06)

Running/receiving threat with 11000+ yards over seven Rams seasons. Three-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Pro. Five Pro Bowls. 2011 inductee to NFL Hall of Fame.

Steven Jackson (2004-12)

Labored for some really bad Rams teams, but still had an eight-year run of 1000+yard seasons. Two Second Team All-Pro nods and three Pro Bowls.

Todd Gurley (2015-20)

A bum knee stopped his career after a promising start. Averaged over 1000 yards and 11 touchdowns per annum. NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-Pro, a Second Team All-Pro award, and three Pro Bowls.

BOTD Jon Arnett
Jon takes a kickoff back 105 yards for a TD
pic.twitter.com/aCcaahygtZ

— Old Time Football (@Ol_TimeFootball) April 20, 2025​

Wide receiver (select 3)​

Jim Benton (1938-40, 1942, 1944-47)

From the leather helmet days. Was a two-time First Team All-Pro and added a Pro Bowl.

Elroy Hirsch (1949-57)

Two-time First team All-pro and three-time Pro Bowler. In 1951, led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and total scoring while averaging 124.6 yards per game. Added 15 interceptions on defense. Voted to NFL Hall of Fame in 1968.

Tom Fears (1948-56)

Caught 400 passes for L.A. and led the NFL in catches three times. Voted as First Team All-Pro once and Second Team twice. NFL Hall of Fame, class of 1970.

Del Shofner (1957-60)

Although not all with the Rams, Shofner had a very nice run of five straight First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons sandwiched around an injury plagued 1960.

Red Phillips (1958-64)

Led the 1961 NFL season in receptions and was First Team All-Pro. Was Second Team All-Pro in 1960 and a Pro Bowler for three straight years (1960-62)

Jack Snow (1965-75)

Although only one Pro Bowl season, Snow was a starter for 10 straight seasons.

Harold Jackson (1968, 1973-77)

Broke in with the Rams in ’68, but didn’t play. Came back in ’73 and earned an First Team All-Pro spot and three Pro Bowls.

Henry Ellard (1983-93)

Averaged over 1000 yards receiving and returning punts for 11 Rams seasons. Voted First Team All-Pro twice and added three Pro Bowls.

Issac Bruce (1994-07)

Rams all-time leading receiver. Voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2020. Interestingly, only one Second Team All-Pro nod and four Pro Bowls.

Tory Holt (1998-08)

Shamefully considered second fiddle to Bruce and not yet voted into NFL Hall of Fame. Had a seven-year run of 1100+ yard seasons. Eight-time Pro Bowler with both First and Second Team All-Pro awards.

Cooper Kupp

Injuries have punctuated Coop’s ascent as a top NFL receiver. One each NFL Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Pro, and Pro Bowl award.

Tight End (select 1)​

Billy Truax (1964-70)

Averaged 36 catches for 440 yards on nice four-year run, 1967-70.

Ernie Conwell (1996-02)

Starting tight end on the “Greatest Show on Turf” teams, but his career was betrayed by injuries.

Lance Kendricks (2011-16)

Used as Fullback and tight end. Started 79 of 93 games.

Tyler Higbee (2016- )

Entering his 10th season with the Rams, Higbee is inching up the Rams all-time stat lists, knocking on the door or inside the Top 10.

Center (select 1)​

Jack Naumetz (1946-50)

Starting center and linebacker, voted First Team All-Pro in 1949.

Leon McLaughlin (1951-55)

Started every game of his five-year career, 60 of 60. Voted to Pro Bowl in 1954.

Ken Iman (1965-74)

After being traded from Green Bay and missing all of 1964 with an injury, Iman took over and played 10 years without missing a start.

Rich Saul (1970-81)

It took six of his 12 Rams seasons for Saul to break into the starting lineup, but he rolled to six straight Pro Bowls and a Second Team All-Pro slot. He started 105 of 106 games to close out his career.

Doug Smith (1978-91)

Swing player in first four seasons before locking down the pivot. Had a run of six Pro Bowls from 1984-89.

Eric Dickerson runs hard to finish a touchdown drive in San Francisco, 1984. ED was great, but so was the Rams offensive line of the 80s. Kent Hill, Doug Smith, and Dennis Harrah were as good as it gets in the interior. Look at the TEs with the effort to. Road grinders pic.twitter.com/za8y75I2Ho

— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) June 28, 2022​

Guard (select 2)​

Duane Putnam (1952-59, 1962)

Five straight Pro Bowls from ’54 to ’58 and voted All-Pro three times. a First Team and two Second Teams.

Joe Scibelli (1961-75)

Played 15 season’s in L.A. and started 193 of 202 games. One Pro Bowl in 1968.

Tom Mack (1966-78)

#2 overall draft pick in ’66, Mack started for13 straight seasons, picking up 11 Pro Bowl nods and three Second Team All-Pro berths. NFL Hall of Fame, class of 1999.

Dennis Harrah (1975-87)

Played 13 seasons in L.A. Named to six Pro Bowls and was First Team All-Pro in 1986.

Tom Newberry (1986-94)

Had a three-year run (1987-89) with two First Team All-pro slots, one Second Team, and a pair of Pro Bowls.

Roger Saffold (2010-18)

Came in as a tackle, but moved to guard after three years. Battled injury woes early in his career, but settled down for his final three as a Ram. Second Team All-Pro in 2017.

Tackle (select 2)​

Dick Huffman (1947-50)

Played four seasons with the Rams before making a move to the Canadian pro league. Made the most of those four years with three First Team All-Pro awards and Pro Bowl in the other.

Charlie Cowan (1961-75)

Played 15 seasons with L.A., first three at guard before moving outside. Twice voted Second Team All-Pro and had three Pro Bowls.

Joe Carollo (1962-68, 1971)

Starter at left tackle from 1962-68. Played in every game but one. Pro Bowl in ’68.

Doug France (1975-81)

Seven-year starter at left tackle. Named to two Pro Bowls and one Second Team All-Pro berth.

Jackie Slater (1976- 95)

Played 20 seasons with the Rams. Voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2001. Accrued seven Pro Bowls and was a four-time recipient of Second Team All-Pro honors.

Kent Hill (1979-86)

Played seven years in L.A. with five Pro Bowl appearances and two Second Team All-Pro nods.

Orlando Pace (1997-08)

Voted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2016. #1 overall draft pick. Had a run from 1999-2005 with three First Team All-Pro and a Second Team berths, to go with seven Pro Bowls.

Rob Havenstein (2015- )

Took over as starting right tackle as a rookie and still stands.

Andrew Whitworth (2017-21)

His only Rams accolades came in 2017 with First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods. There can be no doubt that Whit’s addition was the cornerstone of the Rams return to relevancy.

How to play along​

It’s an easy enough exercise. Select your favorite Rams from this list or find players I glossed over and post them in the forum. Any analysis is a welcome addition. If there are enough replies to get a consensus, after a couple days I will collate them and put together a master list. A TST Forum All-Time Rams team.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/28/24456952/rams-all-time-team-turf-show-times

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

10 storylines entering Rams 2025 season

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Lots of questions left to be answered

The Los Angeles Rams are still two and a half months away from playing their first regular season game. The team has yet to even begin training camp which starts July 22nd at Loyola Marymount University. Yet, there are already a number of burning questions inside every Rams fans mind. I accumulated a list of 10 key storylines surrounding the Rams as they enter year nine with Sean McVay...

10. Will Les Snead make any more trades this year? And if so, for whom? ​

Most fans will petition for Jalen Ramsey. But the cost for acquiring a player who is not the same player he was in his prime (2017 - 2021) cannot be ignored. The cornerback has not earned an all pro nomination since 2020 and 2021 with the Rams.

I don’t think acquiring Ramsey is off the table. I think if MIA eats a lot of salary then the Rams might be willing to negotiate. As for another target, I think we could see Les Snead target an offensive lineman or a linebacker. Snead has had recent success with acquiring offensive linemen; adding Austin Corbett (2019) and Kevin Dotson (2023). Devin Lloyd with the Jacksonville Jaguars is an interesting candidate if LA wants to add talent to its linebacking corps.

9. Will the Atlanta Falcons 2025 season help the Rams land a new franchise quarterback next year?​

Michael Penix will be entering his second year with Atlanta and will be surrounded by promising talent in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. The NFC South is probably the weakest division in the NFL (maybe the AFC South would like a word). Tampa Bay won the division last year but its not a juggernaut by any means. The Carolina Panthers will be hoping that Bryce Young can make a significant jump in year three. My guess is that Atlanta finishes around .500.

Falcons trade: pick 46, 242 and their 2026 first round pick

Rams trade: pick 26, 101

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 25, 2025​

8. Does Davante Adams actually have more left in the tank?​

I think the simplest answer is: Yes. Usually, wide receivers over 30 drop off but Adams still produced last year despite playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets (two teams that struggled offensively). Adams should thrive in McVay’s offense.

7. Will the Rams regret letting Cooper Kupp go?​

If Adams produces and stays healthy, the Rams will not think twice about their decision. An underrated ramification will be Kupp’s locker room presence with other players. He was a “first to arrive, last to leave” type player. He will be missed by Rams fans this year who consider him a pillar of the franchise.

6. Can Jared Verse become Defensive Player of the Year in his second year?​

Jared Verse was actually asked if he would rather have 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards or a Super Bowl ring. He originally said SB but changed his answer to the 4x DPOY awards.

I don’t think Verse will win the award in year two, but he will be a candidate. I think year three could be when he hoists the award during the NFL Awards Show.

5. Are other teams underrated threats to the Rams in the NFC West?​

The Arizona Cardinals seem like the threat at this time. The Cardinals made things very close in Week 17 last year until Akhello Witherspoon made a game-changing play as the Rams defense was backed up in their own endzone. Murray will have his best set of weapons of his career in 2025 with Marvin Harrison Jr (Year 2), Michael Wilson (Year 3), and Trey McBride (Year 4). But the Rams young defense may be able to counter a mediocre offensive line. The Seattle Seahawks made changes at quarterback and while they are always in the fight, I don’t foresee them winning the division.

4. Can Stafford take the Rams all the way...again?​

Stafford has proven that he is clutch and can win in the late months. Since joining the Rams, Stafford has been nearly unbeatable in December and January (not to mention February).

3. Will Alaric Jackson return this year or miss it altogether because of blood clots?​

I think it’s safe to assume that Alaric will be out through the bye week. I just don’t envision the Rams putting him in harms way. With this being the second time in four years that he has dealt with the issue, I expect him to miss the majority of the year honestly. The team signing DJ Humphries and David Quessenberry might have indicated that they expect him to be out indefinitely too.

2. Is Sean McVay planning to use more 12 personnel?​

I think Rams fans will believe it when they see it more. I don’t expect 12 personnel to be used the majority of the time but I think McVay finds a way to balance the offense more between 11 and 12 personnel. I envision a 65:35 split between 11 and 12 groupings.

1. Have the Rams developed enough to become the best team in NFC? A Super Bowl team?​

The other NFC favorites are the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Washington Commanders. Philadelphia certainly poses the most unique challenge to Los Angeles because of their run-heavy style. However, I think the Rams saw their internal weakness and addressed that this offseason by adding Poona Ford, Ty Hamilton, Nate Landman, and Chris “Pooh” Paul to the front seven [rotation]. Kobie Turner even stated that the sky is limit if they defense can prevent big plays allowed in the run game. I think the Detroit Lions missed their window of opportunity. They will still be a tough fight but the loss of Ben Johnson will hurt. Green Bay could make a run with Jordan Love. But Los Angeles has a more balanced roster then the other teams outside of Philadelphia. I think they will at least make it to the NFC Championship game, if not further.

Kobie Turner says if the Rams can improve in this one area on defense, "the sky's the limit"

You can probably guess what it is (hint: look at the photo) https://t.co/049TfWzLfD

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) June 26, 2025​

It may be early but these storylines are not going away any time soon! We’ll be sure to revisit them in a few months from now!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/29/24458072/rams-2025-season-10-storylines

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Jalen Ramsey will "work wherever"

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Rams could be out of the Ramsey sweepstakes after his comments on X

Jalen Ramsey may have opened the door for the Miami Dolphins to deal him as they see fit after posting on X that he would "work wherever."

WORK WHEREVER! @PSG_English pic.twitter.com/efoWYYV2xp

— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) June 29, 2025​

After speculation that the Los Angeles Rams were the favorites to sign the seven-time Pro Bowler this offseason the dust has settled a bit. Head coach Sean McVay explained during LA's mini camp that there were "obstacles" that may get in the way of a reunion.

“What is his salary? And are we able to take that on just based on our current situation when you onboard a player that’s earned the right to be paid where he’s at?” McVay explained. “Those are things that you’re usually planning months in advance and obviously, it was unforeseen that he would become available. And if you do execute a trade, what are they looking for in return? Is there a conversation to be had in terms of a portion of that contract that they pay? Are they interested in players or draft capital? So there’s a lot of layers to that.”

Ramsey's latest comments could signal some frustration with the Dolphins organization for not finding a trade partner this late into the offseason or at the very least a sense of urgency to find a new home. Regardless, his post only gives the Dolphins a better chance of moving on from his contract as the rest of the NFL look to finalize their rosters with the regular season looming in the future. If Ramsey isn't holding them hostage with an ideal situation, a team could be willing to overpay for the aging Veteran.

Regardless where he ends up it seems like McVay is content with where his team is defensively. They will go into the 2025 season with Darius Williams and Akhello Witherspoon ready to take on starting responsibilities. Emmanuel Forbes Jr. could also make an impact in the secondary with some positive performances during offseason workouts.

"Forbes is bulking up, looking good," McVay said about his late-season pickup from last year, “He’s got great movement. He’s got a really good concept trigger. You can see the ball production where he’s doing things that had never been done before at the collegiate level in terms of being able to get your hands on the ball and then go score. I’ve really been pleased with him. There’s been a lot of positive guys that have really stood out or really kind of taken their game to another level. I’m looking forward to seeing once we put the pads on and getting into some of the preseason games, let’s continue to apply that. But been really pleased with Emmanuel and he’s done a great job.”

Getting Ramsey back certainly would make the Rams a more talented team but wouldn't necessarily make them Super Bowl favorites either. With the Dolphins likely not willing to take on too much of his contract to get a trade done it may be best for LA's future to stay on their current course—build a roster through the draft and fill in some holes with proven free agents.

If the defensive line can continue to wreak havoc like they did a year prior it won't matter whose in the secondary for LA anyways.

What would you like to see happen with Ramsey? Should the Rams move forward with what they have or make a bug splash and get the guy the want? Let's discuss in the comments below!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/29/24458539/los-angeles-rams-jalen-ramsey

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

How high do Warner, Stafford rank on all-time QBs list?

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rams legends like Kurt Warner ranked among top-20 quarterbacks ever

A panel of NFL writers across 12 different outlets have ranked the top-30 quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era and Rams legend Kurt Warner has checked in at 19th overall. Warner comes in just behind Warren Moon at 18 and just ahead of Bart Starr at 20.

Matthew Stafford also made the list, but barely cracked it at 30th overall.

On Warner, PFF’s Sam Monson highlighted how his story alone is worthy of inclusion on the all-time list:

“As much as there is a tendency to distill football down to statistics sometimes, there is still room for the story, and Kurt Warner has one of the best stories in NFL history, so much so that he is a member of more than one Hall of Fame thanks to his professional career. An undrafted free agent, Warner was released before he ever got a shot in the NFL. He stocked shelves at a grocery, played Arena football, and was then sent to NFL Europe before finally sticking on a roster in the NFL with the Rams. Even then, Warner needed an injury to starter Trent Green to get the opportunity to lead the Rams, and he led them to not only a Super Bowl, but to one of the most explosive offensive outputs in NFL history. Warner’s career was a consistent story of perseverance, which showed up again during his time with the Arizona Cardinals. Given up on as a starter, Warner won back the job and took the Cardinals to a Super Bowl, narrowly missing out on another ring in one of the best games in NFL history.” - Sam Monson

Nobody ranked Warner in the top-15 (his best ranking was 16th) but nobody unranked him either. Warner is behind the likes of Troy Aikman, Jim Kelly, and Dan Fouts. Does he deserve to be higher?

Stafford’s inclusion was on shakier ground, but SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey thinks he’s worthy:

“For the longest time, Stafford was a Michelin-star chef in a dive bar. His talents were evident throughout the entirety of his career, but his feet were stuck to the floor known as the Detroit Lions of the late 2000s and 2010s. And despite the organization seemingly attempting to remain in perpetual turmoil, Stafford emerged as one of the best quarterbacks of his era. He topped 5,000 yards in 2011, which marked his first of seven consecutive seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards. As soon as Stafford left Detroit, he won a Super Bowl, despite never winning a playoff game prior to being traded to the Los Angeles Rams. While the prime years of his career likely featured several glasses of scotch, his play has aged like a fine wine as he continues to keep the Rams in the Super Bowl conversation at age 37.” - Jarrett Bailey

The Rams have had other legendary quarterbacks on the roster, like Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin, but both played before the Super Bowl era. Popular QBs like Roman Gabriel and Jim Everett will also fall short of the top-30.

But with two of the top-30, both of whom were acquired by the Rams near or after turning 30, that’s not bad for the franchise.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/6/30/24459274/rams-warner-stafford-rank-on-all-time-qbs-list

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Sean McVay a long-shot to win COY this season

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Will the 2017 COY winner get another shot at receiving the honor?

Despite the Los Angeles Rams returning to the postseason after a 1-4 start, Sean McVay wasn’t a finalist for COY honors. The award ultimately went to the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell, whose team was manhandled by McVay’s Rams twice. With L.A. seen as a Super Bowl contender across the league, does McVay have a better shot to win in 2025?

Well ... um, no.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, McVay has the 17th-best odds, sandwiched between rookie head coaches Brian Schottenheimer and Kellen Moore. Currently, his odds sit at +2700, tied with Brian Callahan, Shane Steichen and Schottenheimer.

Unsurprisingly, the Bears’ Ben Johnson is the favorite at +650, followed by Mike Vrabel (+750), Aaron Glenn and Liam Coen (both +1000).

As we’ve come to learn over the years, COY typically goes to a coach who has surpassed expectations. Meaning, great coaches like McVay usually go unnoticed and unappreciated,

Case in point: Andy Reid won his lone award in 2002 with the Eagles. Bill Belichick won it three times, but none during the second decade of the Patriots’ dynasty. Mike Tomlin has never won it, and likely never will, amid his one-and-done streak.

Ron Rivera is a two-time winner, for crying out loud, and in no way was he ever on par with McVay or those other legends. Even with the Rams massively surpassing expectations in 2023, McVay wasn’t a finalist that year either. Instead, his buddy Kyle Shanahan was, with his 49ers going 12-5 and appearing in the 2024 Super Bowl.

If Chicago can actually translate winning the offseason to on-field success, Johnson will win COY easily. That’s the key to earning the award, since AP voters snubbing McVay seems to be an annual tradition at this point.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/1/24459726/mcvay-coach-of-the-year-odds-2025

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

This Rams WR is putting in some extra work

Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Tutu Atwell is currently training with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and WR Zay Flowers in Florida

Los Angeles Rams fifth-year wide receiver Tutu Atwell was seen getting in some extra offseason work with current Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and WR Zay Flowers. Trainer Nick Hicks shared videos of all three players, along with former Louisville QB Malik Cunningham, running hills at Vista View Park in Davie, Florida. Atwell grew up nearby in Miami, with Jackson and Flowers both from the area as well (Jackson went to high school in Boynton Beach and Flowers is from Fort Lauderdale).

Lamar Jackson’s back working out in South Florida, this time with Zay Flowers, Malik Cunningham and Rams WR Tutu Atwell.

(via IG/thenotoriousnikhix) pic.twitter.com/CtshFWquc2

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) July 1, 2025​

Atwell is expected to take on a larger role in head coach Sean McVay’s offense this year with the departure of star WR Cooper Kupp. He signed a one-year, $10 million dollar contract to stay with the team this offseason, and should take over as the third starting receiver alongside stars Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Second-year WR Jordan Whittington is also expected to see an uptick of targets in 2025 as well.

Consistency and playing time have always held Atwell back from living up to his second round selection in 2021. He missed the majority of his rookie year due to injury and really didn’t see significant playing time again until last season, however his speed and ability to separate down field are undeniable.

Atwell is also coming off one of his best seasons as a pro. He was able to amass 42 receptions and a career-best 562 yards receiving in a reserve role. The speedster increased his catch rate from 51.4% to 68.9% in 2024 while averaging 13.4 yards per catch. That average was second-best on the team, and ranked him among the likes of Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase and Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin.

That’s not to say that Atwell is on the same level as Chase or McLaurin yet - both players basically doubled Atwell’s output with over 1,000 yards receiving each - but it does show the potential Atwell has to become a big play, impact player for LA.

It also helps that Atwell seemed to take a big step forward as a wideout last year, becoming more than just a one-trick deep shot. Over half of Atwell’s routes during the 2024 season were in- or out-breaking routes (35.8%), or static routes (17.5%), defined as curls, comebacks or hitches that involved coming back to the ball. Atwell was among the most efficient receivers in the league on said routes, ranking top seven among qualified receivers in YPRR for both, according to Fantasy Points Data. Atwell began taking more advantage of each extended opportunity he was given, while continuing to grow and use the entire route tree to make some big catches in high pressure situations.

The Rams made it a point to become a more resilient and effective unit this offseason but much of that will hinge on the team having a successful passing game. While Adams and Puka are the “big names” of the Los Angeles wide receiver group, Atwell seems like the one who has the most to gain from a successful campaign in 2025.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/...-larger-role-ravens-lamar-jackson-zay-flowers

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Ranking every Rams player entering contract year and how likely they are to be re-signed

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Which Rams players could be in line for an extension in 2026?

The Los Angeles Rams are back in a win-now window which means that retaining the pieces that got them there become more important. Heading into 2026, the Rams will have 16 unrestricted free agents. That means that 16 players are in contract years and will need to prove themselves if they want a larger contract or an extension with the Rams. Let’s rank how likely each free agent in 2026 is to be back.

The Rams Veterans​

RB Kyren Williams​

If there is a player on this list that is going to be re-signed, that player is very likely Kyren Williams. While Williams lacks the explosiveness and difference-making ability, he very clearly has value in the Rams offense. McVay seems to value Williams and if that’s the case, he may get a second contract with the Rams. According to Spotrac, Williams has a market value of 3-years, $31 million. This is a contract that may get done before the Rams begin the season.

OT Rob Havenstein​

It’s hard to see Havenstein playing for another team other than the Rams. Much like Andrew Whitworth late in his career, if Havenstein wants to be back, he will be back with the Rams. He has been a steady presence on the Rams offensive line and the team certainly won’t rush him out the door. Havenstein has an $11 million cap hit in 2025 and the Rams will be hit with $7.3 million in dead money if he does not return. If the Rams can get him back on a short-term deal in the $12 million range, that may be the best move. The decision on Havenstein will likely linger into next offseason as he potentially considers retirement.

S Quentin Lake​

The Rams haven’t been a team to re-sign safeties in the past, but Lake may end up being an exception to that. They didn’t draft anybody to develop in 2025 and Lake has been a staple in the secondary as a versatile chess piece that can play deep or in the slot. Given the importance of the safety position in Chris Shula’s defense, it’s possible Lake gets another deal. Spotrac has given Lake a market value of 4-years, $42.8 million. The Rams may try to get Lake on a smaller deal, but unlike previous safeties, they may make an effort to re-sign him. Lake will likely be another player that they wait on until next offseason.

S Kam Curl​

If the Rams can’t bring back Lake, Curl is a player that the Rams have signed once as a free agent. It’s possible that they could do so again. While Curl didn’t start strong, from Weeks 10-17, he was PFFs seventh-rated safety. Curl allowed a reception on just 40 percent of passes when targeted, which was the fourth-best. Against the run, he had a stop rate of 1.1 percent, which was 10th. It’s unlikely that the Rams would pay Curl $10 million, but a slight raise would make sense.

TE Tyler Higbee​

Tyler Higbee has a void year in 2026 which means either way, the Rams are paying him $2.1 million. The hope will be that Terrance Ferguson develops as a rookie and can take over the tight end room in year two. With that said, having the presence of Higbee may not be a bad idea. The Rams could roll with Ferguson and Colby Parkinson, but Higbee has played an important role at tight end. If he returns well from his injury, the Rams may look to sign him to another short-term deal

CB Ahkello Witherspoon​

Witherspoon was re-signed midseason in 2024 after the Tre White experience didn’t work out as planned. He was brought back this year and will get the benefit of a full offseason. With that said, he remains a band-aid on a larger issue at cornerback.

CB Cobie Durant​

Another interesting case on this list is Cobie Durant. He is very likely just a role player, but has made the occasional splash play on defense. Durant isn’t big enough to play on the outside, but not physical enough for the slot. The Rams may end up letting Durant walk and replacing him with a free agent or rookie.

RB Ronnie Rivers​

Rivers has been a veteran in the running back room over the past few years. Still, the Rams may not bring him back, hoping Hunter and Corum both take a step forward. The best option may be to add another rookie that can play special teams.

Veterans on One-Year Deals​

LB Nate Landman​

Landman seems to be getting overlooked heading into the season. The Rams seem to like what they’ve seen from Landman in OTAs and minicamp. While they drafted Omar Speights, Landman could end up in a full-time role on defense. If he has a good season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rams bring him back.

WR Tutu Atwell​

The Rams brought back Tutu Atwell on a one-year deal with $10 million guaranteed. This contract can go one of two ways. Either Atwell doesn’t live up to that contract and the Rams don’t bring him back, or he does and he earns a larger contract next offseason. If Atwell earns a larger deal, the Rams would be better off finding another option via the draft or free agency.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo​

It will be interesting to see what the Rams do with Garoppolo next offseason especially if they draft a quarterback in the first round. Would the Rams keep him and have him mentor the rookie quarterback behind Stafford? Garoppolo can run the offense if needed, but if the Rams draft a rookie in the first round, it doesn’t make sense to keep him.

DL Larrell Murchison​

The Rams drafted Murchison’s replacement in Ty Hamilton. It’s hard to see him back in 2026.

Need to Make the 2025 Roster​

CB Derion Kendrick​

LB Troy Reeder​

CB AJ Green​

Out of this group, Kendrick is the most likely to be brought back. Still, with the depth at cornerback, Kendrick may get cut or end up on the practice squad.

The ‘Stop-Gaps’ or Camp Bodies​

OT DJ Humphries​

WR Britain Covey​

OT David Quessenberry​

It’s certainly possible that Humphries or Covey get brought back next year. That’s especially the case if Alaric Jackson’s blood clots become a longer-term issue. Humphries could also be brought back for depth. While Covey brings special teams and return experience, the Rams likely look elsewhere in 2026.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/2/24460600/rams-free-agents-2026-rob-havenstein

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Ranking every 1st round QB since 2021 (and why it’s painful)

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If Rams draft a QB in the first round, they should proceed with caution

If the Los Angeles Rams are going to target a quarterback early in next year’s draft, as many people expect them to, the cautionary tales go back as far as when they were recruited as high school graduates to some of the NFL’s most recent first round picks. Not only could development be getting stunted in college over the past five years, but the league hasn’t done themselves any favors by using early first round picks on projects and passers who never learned how to read a defense.

Of the nine quarterbacks drafted in the first round between 2021 and 2023, five of them are already on their third teams.

Before the Rams go into the 2026 draft with two first round picks, gung-ho to find Matthew Stafford’s successor, it’s important to look back at what recent history has taught us about modern day first round quarterbacks. While the 2024 rookie class offers reasons for optimism, they have to walk over a trail of massive busts to complete the journey that will make teams feel confident again.

Think of it like the future of the box office: You may feel good about the last new movie you saw in theaters compared to some of the schlock we had to put up with in 2021, but the U.S. still has 5,700 fewer screens than they did before the pandemic.

This is a ranking of the nine QBs drafted in the first round from 2021-2023 and a reminder of what’s been lost.

(I won’t include the 2024 class because they haven’t had enough time in the NFL yet, but I’ll share a rough, too-early ranking at the end of the article. If I was including 2024, then Jayden Daniels would be ranked first on this list. Maybe the 2024 class is hope for the future because the three years before it indicate an extremely dark past.)

1. C.J. Stroud, Texans​

The Texans won 11 games between 2020-2022, so just the fact that Houston has gone 19-13 and won a playoff game in both seasons with Stroud is enough reason to believe they have a legitimate franchise quarterback. Stroud led the NFL in passing yards per game and interception rate as a rookie, but perhaps more importantly quieted the skeptics who were worried that he can’t improvise when a play breaks down.

C.J. Stroud had some really nice moments of improv against the Dolphins pic.twitter.com/pCVxMJ0LM2

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) May 19, 2025​

That being said, the absolute best quarterback on this list was downright below average in year two, literally ranking below-average in virtually every passing metric, including completion rate, touchdowns, adjusted net yards per attempt, sack percentage, and passer rating.

Stroud’s TD% dipped from 4.6 to 3.8, while his INT% more than doubled from 1% to 2.3%.

People who are fans of Stroud may push back on sharing these findings and say that his offensive coordinator (fired) was bad and his supporting cast was even worse. That’s fine, I have absolutely no skin in the game, I’m simply sharing facts of what happened.

There are QBs who win MVP in their second season (Lamar Jackson) and QBs who make the Super Bowl (Joe Burrow), but Stroud’s second year was worse than his first. That’s not an opinion.

The Texans responded to last season by hiring Nick Caley (off of the Rams staff) to be the new OC and overloading on new weapons for Stroud. The Rams will be the first team to get a taste of those changes in Week 1.

It seems weird to think people would have to defend Stroud on a list that ranks him number one overall, but that is the state of these recent first round quarterbacks.

2. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars​

Lawrence’s career-start was the opposite of Stroud’s experience:

• Rookie season: 3-14, 12 TD/17 INT, 6 Y/A, 71.9 passer rating, 39.1 QBR, 59.6% completions
• Year 2: 9-8, 25 TD/8 INT, 7 Y/A, 95.2 rating, 56.1 QBR, 66.3% completions

As you might expect, the Jaguars had a coaching change between years one and two, going from Urban Meyer to Doug Pederson, but also adding receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, as well as tight end Evan Engram.

The moves worked, but only for a couple of seasons and only “kinda”.

It was one step forward, two step backwards for Lawrence in 2023 and 2024, with an interceptions and accuracy problem that has never actually gone away. By hiring Liam Coen to replace Pederson this offseason, that now makes two-of-two for QBs on this list who are now being coordinated by someone who used to work for Sean McVay.

Very excited to see how Trevor Lawrence performs with Liam Coen at HC.

Coen did a tremendous job with Baker Mayfield last season.
pic.twitter.com/9rFWBiMWyo

— A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) July 1, 2025​

The Jaguars are committed to Lawrence by way of the $275 million contract that they gave him in 2024 despite Lawrence showing no real improvement in year three, and if anything playing worse than he did in 2023.

Lawrence ranked 35th in the NFL in completion percentage (60.6%) and the only thing that stopped him from hitting the basement entirely was Anthony Richardson’s 47.7%. (We’ll get to him later.)

He was below-average in almost every category and yet surprisingly some of his numbers (like Net Yards/Attempt and QBR) were actually BETTER than C.J. Stroud’s.

Guessing who will be better between the two AFC South QBs this season is a coinflip and it is perhaps not a coincidence that the top two success stories on this list also both play in one of the NFL’s worst divisions.

3. Bryce Young, Panthers​

A quarterback who I can COMFORTABLY rank third on this list of recent first round quarterbacks, was also the worst starting quarterback in the NFL in 2023 (by a significant margin):

• 2-14 record as a starter
• 32nd in passer rating
• 32nd in yards per game
• 31st in TD%
• 31st in completion percentage
• 32nd in adjusted net yards per attempt (by a HUGE margin)
• 31st in success rate
• Second-most sacked QB in the league (behind Sam Howell)

By the way, the three-worst QBs of 2023 are all on this list, while Justin Fields and Kenny Pickett are close behind, and Richardson may have been the worst but he didn’t play enough snaps to qualify.

But given a second year with HC/OC Dave Canales and an improved offensive line, plus top-10 pick Tetairoa McMillan, Young might actually be first on this list by 2026.

C.J. Stroud vs. Bryce Young [2024] pic.twitter.com/GKTgAnWw15

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) June 28, 2025​

4. Justin Fields, Jets (Bears, Steelers)​

Going into his fifth season, Fields has the following career numbers spread across two teams, three head coaches, and three offensive coordinators in four years:

• 44 starts (14-30 record)
• 61.1% completions
• 45 TD
• 31 INT
• 151 sacks taken
• 2,509 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns

As a passer, Fields has averaged one touchdown per start and almost one interception per start. But the only reason Fields doesn’t average more than one interception per start is that he is not capable of passing that many times in a game. He only averages about 15 completions per game.

Being sacked as many times as he was in Chicago is not just damning of the offensive line, it’s also because Fields holds onto the ball for far too long, usually because he can’t see wide open receivers.

Remarkably, in spite of this, the Jets have handed Fields the starting job under new head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who comes off of the Ben Johnson tree.

Some Throws from Justin Fields under pressure last year. He had some that were good throws and some where accuracy and decision making wasn't the best. Excited to see if the Jets can mold the offense around his strenghts and develop him as a passer.#jets #NFL pic.twitter.com/NiNmjROpyw

— Tony Trifaro (@Jetsdraftmaniac) June 24, 2025​

Without any competition in New York (backup is Tyrod Taylor), Fields gets a fourth chance to prove himself. But there is also the possibility that the Jets saw what’s in front of them (a roster that will not make the playoffs in the AFC) and decided to start playing for next year’s draft.

5. Mac Jones, 49ers (Patriots, Jaguars)​

It is before we reach the midpoint of this list that we hit quarterbacks who are unlikely to ever be named starters again, with the exception of maybe one. And it ain’t Mac Jones.

Despite outplaying Fields and every other QB in his class as a rookie starter on the Patriots, Jones has since turned into the next Blake Bortles. He has made 32 starts in the past three years and thrown 32 touchdowns against 31 interceptions. He answers the age old question, “What if Justin Fields couldn’t run?”

Jones has landed ass backwards into the ideal situation for a bust (just ask Sam Darnold) after Kyle Shanahan hired him to backup Brock Purdy. The odds of Purdy missing at least one game this season are fairly high, but Jones is no Darnold.

Going back to the hot debate topic of 2021 — “Should the 49ers draft Mac Jones or Justin Fields or Trey Lance?” — it turns out the real answer was:

Penei Sewell.

(Can you believe that the 49ers traded three first round picks in the 2021 draft and they passed on Sewell, Ja’Marr Chase, Patrick Surtain and Micah Parsons?! They could have had Parsons without even making a trade!)

6. Kenny Pickett, Browns (Steelers, Eagles)​

There are 4 reasons why Pickett might start for the Browns in Week 1:

• Joe Flacco
• Dillon Gabriel
• Shedeur Sanders
• Deshaun Watson

If not for those four reasons, nobody would ever consider for a moment that Pickett could be a Week 1 starter.

“I think Kenny Pickett might look good in our offense,” - @TheRealTRizzo on Pickett potentially starting week 1.

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/tA2tbvvFHA

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 3, 2025​

The Steelers essentially drafted Pickett in the first round in 2022 (probably the worst QB class of this century and the only reason it wouldn’t be is because Purdy was one pick away from not being drafted at all) because the outgoing GM was determined to take a quarterback before he retired. And he completely screwed his old team by doing it.

Pickett has thrown 15 touchdowns in 30 career games. AND THERE ARE STILL THREE QUARTERBACKS LEFT ON THIS LIST!

7. Zach Wilson, Dolphins (Jets, Broncos)​

Wilson could be the biggest bust of the last 10 years but part of what feeds into that narrative is the fact that most of us never questioned if the Jets were making a bad decision. The 2021 draft had the first two picks set in stone from the day the season ended:

• The Jaguars would take Lawrence
• The Jets would take Wilson

The only semi-question was whether or not the the Jaguars would take Wilson or if the Jets would trade the pick and give Darnold one more year. Zach Wilson was considered a near-lock to become a quality NFL starter, which in hindsight just seems insane because he went to the Jets.

But despite being one of the worst starters we’ve seen recently, I can’t put Wilson below the last two quarterbacks on this list. Wilson was abysmally bad and never even saw the field for Sean Payton as Denver’s QB3 in 2024, but there are actually quarterbacks worse than Zach Wilson. One of them might even start this season!

8. Anthony Richardson, Colts​

I don’t want to hear that Richardson is better than Zach Wilson because through two seasons Richardson is the least-accurate passer in the Super Bowl era. And he went fourth overall! And he wasn’t even good during his limited one season as a starter in college!

Until Richardson can actually win a job out of camp and hold it for longer than a couple of months without tapping out, he’s not better than a quarterback who sucks but kind of looks like a quarterback sometimes.

The only QBs worse under center last year:

- Daniel Jones
- Anthony Richardson
- Joe Flacco https://t.co/yrPFFvoFPv pic.twitter.com/oXX7W6H2Hz

— Steven Patton (@PattonAnalytics) July 2, 2025​

Going back to the year Richardson was born (2002), the only QBs with a lower completion% on at least 200 attempts are Mike McMahon in 2005 and Tim Tebow in 2011.

And between 1989-2001, the only QBs with a lower completion percentage are Akili Smith, Craig Whelihan, and Sten Gelbaugh.

This is without mentioning yet that through 15 starts, Richardson has 11 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 12 fumbles, and has suffered five separate injuries in less than two years.

The Colts will almost certainly choose Daniel Jones over Richardson and there’s a possibility that sixth round pick Riley Leonard could sneak into the two spot. Giving the job back to Richardson after proving that every single receiver on the team was far worse when he was starting than when it was Joe Flacco last year — and he hasn’t even been healthy enough to develop this offseason — would be the end of Shane Steichen’s career in Indianapolis.

9. Trey Lance, Chargers (49ers, Cowboys)​

It’s a miracle that Lance is on an NFL team right now. He’s thrown 143 passes in four years (71 of those came as a rookie) and famously the 49ers drafted Lance despite him not playing in 2020 (aside from one game) and not playing in 2018. In the last seven years, 98% of Trey Lance’s career production was the 2019 season at NORTH DAKOTA STATE.

Look, the NFL draft always goes through ebbs and flows at the quarterback position. We’ve always had guys like Akili Smith and Ryan Leaf.

But in the past those busts were surrounded by booms: Peyton Manning. Donovan McNabb.

Where are the booms from 2021 to 2023? Or did they all go bust?

For now, it looks like the booms are back again from 2024, or at least one of them (out of five) seems to be ahead of schedule.

2024 NFL Draft​

This is a rough, too-soon ranking based on how they played as rookies and how likely they are to improve in the future:

Jayden Daniels, Commanders

Drake Maye, Patriots

Bo Nix, Broncos

Caleb Williams, Bears

Michael Penix, Falcons

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

Nix is the hardest to rank because although he had a successful rookie season, the all-or-nothing nature of Denver’s passing game to either check down or launch a bomb isn’t likely to be repeatable long-term. So he’s below Maye (for me, maybe not for you) and above Williams, who probably still has a brighter future than Nix but was only really good at one thing last season: Avoiding interceptions.

Caleb Williams only threw one interception in the last 11 games, but the Bears were also the lowest-scoring team in the NFL in that time and lost 10 straight prior to being gifted a Week 18 win by the Packers.

But ultimately we could find out that Williams is the best QB in this class. Or Penix. Or McCarthy. Or Maye. The 2024 NFL first round might produce three long-term starters or more.

Going into training camp this month, all are starting quarterbacks and the only thing sort of resembling a competition is just the fact that McCarthy missed all of last season with a knee injury. But since Howell is his backup, there’s virtually no chance of Kevin O’Connell making a drastic change.

All that being said, McCarthy and Penix have everything to prove, while Williams was really bad and Maye was super inconsistent. Daniels did some things we didn’t expect and in some cases never saw before, while Nix was better than most predictions. It’s not hard to see a world where this class has four quarterbacks better than the top-four quarterbacks in the three drafts before them.

However, given those classes, it’s also not easy to predict that most of them will be just fine.

Perhaps Sean McVay can take solace in the fact that if he’s given a first round quarterback to develop, if their futures are anything like Lawrence and Stroud then he knows that the Rams will need a Sean McVay disciple to replace him. Who better than Sean McVay?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/3/24461061/nfl-draft-first-round-qb-rankings

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Can you guess this Rams linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game?

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​

Thursday, July 3, 2025
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Tuesday, July 1, 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/2025/7/4/24461545/sb-nation-rams-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Les Snead’s wisely resists Jalen Ramsey trade

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Snead believes in a new roster construction strategy...

On Monday morning, the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers announced a massive trade; sending players Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith plus a 2027 seventh-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and 2027 fifth-round pick.

FULL TRADE DETAILS

Steelers Receive:
CB Jalen Ramsey
TE Jonnu Smith
2027 7th Round Pick

Dolphins Receive:
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
2027 5th Round Pick pic.twitter.com/Uy3IHnBgRL

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 30, 2025​

After being rumored to Ramsey for much of the NFL offseason, the Los Angeles Rams were left emptied-handed. But the Rams decision not to make a move should not come as a huge surprise. Ever since the end of the 2022 season, the Los Angeles Rams have been changing their modus operandi (M.O.) and that comes from the top by Les Snead. Here is why LA’s willingness to resist a trade package for Jalen Ramsey was the right move after all...

Rams now “Love them Picks”...​

Based on the decision to trade their 2025 first round pick and land a 2026 first round pick, a 2025 second round pick, and a 2025 seventh round pick, the Rams value draft capital.

Falcons get:
2025 1st-round pick (No. 26)
2025 3rd-round pick

Rams get:
2025 2nd-round pick (No. 46)
2026 1st-round pick
2025 7th-round pick https://t.co/WsQi5tQFpa

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2025​

It comes as no surprise since the team has had significant success with Day 2 and Day 3 draft picks like Steve Avila (2nd), Braden Fiske (2nd), Byron Young (3rd), Kam Kinchens (3rd), Kobie Turner (3rd), Cooper Kupp (3rd), John Johnson (3rd), Greg Gaines (4th), Kyren Williams (5th), Puka Nacua (5th), Quentin Lake (6th), Sebastian Joseph-Day (6th), Joshua Karty (6th), Jordan Whittington (6th), and Beaux Limmer (6th). All of these players have played significant snaps or held a role as a starter at some point in time. LA’s ability to draft and develop players may have changed Les Snead’s mind about trading away capital to acquire star players. Jalen Ramsey cost two first round picks but he lasted just three and a half seasons with Los Angeles. LA traded a second round pick for 8 games of Von Miller. Others significant rentals included: Sony Michel (one year for a 4th & 6th), Brandin Cooks (two years for a 1st), Marcus Peters (two years for a 2nd & 6th), and Sammy Watkins (one year for a 2nd). First rounders offer four years of service plus a team option, not to mention that they contain upside and are cheaper assets. It seems that LA has had a hard time rectifying a trade for a player and then giving an extension. Matthew Stafford has stuck with Los Angeles the longest; heading into his fifth season with the Rams but the organization is already making plans for a franchise quarterback once Stafford retires.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad the Rams made those trades through 2017 to 2021. They capitalized on the market at the time. But the market has changed. The Rams appear focused on building through the draft and then supplementing in free agency and trades as necessary. And in their opinion, Jalen Ramsey was not necessary at the expense of draft picks.

If LA didn’t want to pay for Ramsey in 2023, why would they pay his contract in 2025...​

When the Rams traded Jalen Ramsey after the 2022 season, Ramsey was making $23 million ($71 million guaranteed from a 5 year deal). Ramsey was seeking an extension and LA’s front office was not going to budge. He was shipped to Miami for a third round pick. Miami handed him a new extension; tacking on 3 years to his megadeal with Los Angeles. The four years left on his deal include cap hits of: $16.6 million, $25.0 million, $26.8 million, and $36.1 million. This does not even include a void year in 2029 that costs $12.3 million. If Los Angeles wasn’t willing to pay a 29 year old Ramsey, why would they want to take on his raised deal at age 31?

Future Assets due for New Contracts​

The Rams have tried their hand (more than a fair share of times) at handing out contracts to veteran aged players. While it paid off with the likes of Andrew Whitworth, he is seen as a statistical outlier. Unfortunately, the Rams missed on large contracts and extensions with Bobby Wagner, Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp (post-2021), and Leonard Floyd to name a few. Rather than trying to pony up cash for a 31 year old cornerback (a position that LA traditionally has not valued to pay high dollar), the Rams seem keen on extending their young core. After this season, players like Steve Avila, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and Puka Nacua can petition for extensions. LA will also want to set aside money for Jared Verse and Braden Fiske before too long as well.

Those three reasons are further confirmation that Les Snead made the hard but wise move to resist going after Jalen Ramsey again. In 2019, the moment was right to help Los Angeles win the Super Bowl. This time around, a move like that would seem controversial.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/5/24458944/rams-jalen-ramsey-reunion-falls-through

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Do you own a favorite Rams jersey?

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

If you own some Rams jerseys, which one is your favorite?

Do you own any football jerseys or Los Angeles Rams’ jerseys? Maybe you have some from their time in St. Louis, funny how those are basically collector’s items now.

If you don’t have a jersey, do you have a favorite Rams shirt or anything like that? A hat? It’s the Saturday after July 4th, I don’t know about you, but I think I’m still recovering from the festivities so I thought this would be a fun, light topic. No right or wrong answers here, just hoping to get some conversation going!

I finally snagged myself a Rams jersey a couple months ago and it’s the only Rams’ jersey I own, so by extension, I suppose it’s my favorite, and the jersey is none other than a Puka Nacua one.

Because Nacua is changing his number from #17 to #12, I had the idea of seeing how expensive his #17 jersey was, and as of a couple months ago, they were all about half off, they may still be that way. I see some Cooper Kupp one’s on sale this weekend, which makes sense because he’s no longer with the Rams as he’s now with the Seattle Seahawks, so there may not be a better time to get a Kupp jersey as they appear on sale.

I may have to see if I can take advantage of this sale on Kupp jersey’s as if he not a shining example of once a Ram aways a Ram, who is?

I asked about trading cards before, and I have gotten more cards since then, so I may have to do a follow-up article at some point, but for now let us know if you have any jersey’s and if you have a favorite Rams’ jersey!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/5/24462116/rams-jersey-favorite-july-4th-nfl

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams schedule thoughts: The Opening Quarter

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Rams open the regular season hosting CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans

The Los Angeles Rams kickoff training camp later this month on July 24th. The regular season is just around the corner.

In the meantime, let’s take a deep dive into LA’s 2025 slate of games. We’ll break the overall schedule into natural chunks 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​

For now, we’ll focus on the first four games and I’ll link back to each post in the next installments.

---

The Opening Quarter​

Week 1 vs Houston Texans; Sunday, Sept 7th​

There are certainly easier draws in the opening week than hosting CJ Stroud and the Texans.

While most fans believe that Stroud took a major step back in his second NFL campaign, the advanced analytics simply don’t bear out that idea. You can chalk up the sophomore slump to either good luck in his first season or turnover regression in 2024.

C.J. Stroud vs teams with winning records

Passing YPG: 308
TDs to INTs: 21 to 2
Y/A: 9.0
Passer rtg: 111.7 pic.twitter.com/0ZjcRyRZYl

— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) January 15, 2024​

Advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (PFF). BTT’s are big-time throws. TWP’s are turnover-worthy plays.

Stroud, 2023:​

Raw statistics - 64.0% completion, 26 TD’s, 5 INT’s​

PFF metrics - 74.2% ADJ comp, 26 BTT’s (4.4%), 18 TWP’s (2.8%)​

Stroud, 2024:​

Raw statistics - 63.6% completion, 21 TD’s, 13 INT’s​

PFF metrics - 72.2% ADJ comp, 27 BTT’s (4.3%), 21 TWP’s (2.8%)​

In short, the consensus on Stroud was probably too optimistic coming out of his rookie season. He was fortunate from a turnover perspective. His NFL record of throwing 191 pass attempts without an interception to start his career is overblown and threw fuel on the fire. The regression was more noticeable because the Houston ecosystem took a step back in his second year, including an ineffective run game and poor pass protection. There were also significant injuries amongst the pass catching corps.

There’s plenty else about the Texans we can talk about. The main takeaway for now is to not discount Stroud because the media narratives aren’t as positive heading into 2025.

Week 2 at Tennessee Titans; Sunday, Sept 14th​

It’s positive for LA to see rookie quarterback Cam Ward in only his second career game. Even if things go south against the Texans in Week 1, the Rams can almost bank on leaving Tennessee with a win under their belt.

The Titans have some impressive pieces, but overall this roster is still in pretty poor shape. At least you can give them credit for surrounding Ward with capable (albeit older) pass catchers in Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Chig Okonkwo, and Van Jefferson.

Other than the Saints later on this season, this should be as sure of a win as the Rams will see all year.

Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles; Sunday, Sept 21st​

You’d much rather go into Philly 2-0 versus 1-1. Taking down the Eagles early in the year could really jumpstart the Rams, who have started slow in each of the last two seasons.

But beating Philadelphia will be easier said than done. This is still one of the most well-rounded rosters in all of football.

The defense will need to stop Saquon Barkley—something they didn’t do at all in two matchups a year ago. AJ Brown will be a major test for a Los Angeles secondary that looks weak on paper.

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

I’m not sure if the Eagles can manufacture the same pass rush off the EDGE that we’ve seen from them in recent years. Josh Sweat left in free agency to sign with the Arizona Cardinals and Brandon Graham retired. That leaves Philly with Nolan Smith—more of an undersized pass rush specialist than full-time EDGE—and Jalyx Hunt—a second year third round pick—starting outside the tackles.

This could be good news for the Rams if LT Alaric Jackson indeed misses time to start the season given his currently unknown status related to blood clots.

Week 4 vs Indianapolis Colts; Sunday, Sept 28th​

The Colts are a talented, up-and-coming team that still has two major questions across its roster: quarterback and corner.

It’s not difficult to see Daniel Jones—if he wins the training camp battle over Anthony Richardson—having a career resurgence under a strong player caller like Shane Steichen. Jones and Richardson are close stylistic fits, and Jones rarely gets the credit he deserves as a productive runner.

The offensive line has been revamped in recent years and should be sturdy in front of whoever is playing quarterback. There is a diverse grouping of skillsets at receiver between Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, Josh Downs, and AD Mitchell. Jones and Richardson probably aren’t good enough to lead the Colts to the playoffs, but their supporting cast is good enough for them to potentially turnaround their careers.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

On the other side of the ball, it will be a tough for Indy to slow down Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Tutu Atwell given their corner group.

The Colts signed Charvarius Ward this offseason in free agency, but he hasn’t played up to his potential recently. Their other outside corners are 2023 second rounder JuJu Brents—who is big-bodied but largely been a disappointment—Jaylon Jones, and former Ram David Long. Perhaps their talented pass rush can offset some of the coverage struggles on the backend.

One storyline coming into this game is that this will be the first matchup between Laiatu Latu and Jared Verse. Latu was the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft at 15h overall. Verse was taken with pick 19 and went on to win the defensive rookie of the year. Will this be an opportunity for Verse to show out against the Colts and give them buyer’s remorse?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2025/7/6/24462503/rams-schedule-texans-titanseagles-colts