For Los Angeles Rams fans, yesterday’s 34-0 throttling of the New Orleans Saints was a joy to watch. If you’re a fan of the Crescent City club, left you’re wondering why it was a sleep-walking performance. The Rams reserves played spirited football and showed themselves to be head and shoulders better than the visiting Saints.
With a short week looming before Thursday’s preseason finale, Jarquez Hunter staked his claim for the Rams RB#3 role. He ran for 68 yards at 5.7 per carry, alternately showing off the burst, speed, and power that made him a top running back in college and L.A.’s #117 draft pick in 2025.
Advertisement
There were a handful of other strong performances by the Rams and the opening roster is becoming clearer. Last chance for a final post-game roster reset, before a an opening 53 prediction after Thursday night’s game with the renter’s, the San Diego Chargers.
Saturday snap counts are in parentheses, along with some opinions as to who’s in and who’s out.
Quarterback
In: Matthew Stafford, Ty Simpson (28), Stetson Bennett (51)
Out: Matthew Caldwell
It was Bennett’s turn for the limelight in Week 2. Four scores in five possessions is stellar efficiency. Again, like Week 1, his accuracy appears a bit off. One noticeable thing that is that his passing precision is better between the the numbers, on in-breaking routes and to settled receivers. When throwing outside or leading his receivers, his ball appears to float and sail. Did a nice job of making plays with his feet. Simpson didn’t play badly, just not sterling, as he did in Week 1.
Advertisement
Running back
In: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum
Likely: Jarquez Hunter (40), Ronnie Rivers
Out: Dean Conners (6), Jordan Waters (33)
If last year is any indication, then Rivers not playing does not assure him either the RB#3 or #4 roles and the accompanying roster spot. He played just three snaps last year and did not make the opening 53.
Hunter really showed off his traits, a heady combination of power and speed. Waters stacked another good performance. Just like in the 2025 preseason, he’s showing a competitive north/south running style. Conners didn’t get a lot of work, hard to put a finger as why, but the Rams only got off 26 offensive plays in the second half.
Wide receiver
In: Puka Nacua, Davante Adans, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpford
Advertisement
Likely: Xavier Smith
Still alive: CJ Daniels (38), Brennan Presley (59), Tyler Scott (37)
Out: Tru Edwards (37), Alex Bachman (42)
The battle appears now to be for one roster spot with Smith sitting out after a solid Week 1. I don’t think there is any wrong answer for WR#6 amongst the still alive candidates. It boils down to a fans personal preference. They all looked pretty sharp on Sunday.
Tight end
In: Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, Max Klare (48)
Out: Mark Redman (22), Dan Villari (27), Rohan Jones (6)
Overall, It was a quiet afternoon for the unit. Short routes were the rule of the day. This unit has been pretty much set since the beginning of camp, but it was nice to see Villari show off his athleticism on the one catch.
Advertisement
Offensive line
In: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Warren McClendon, David Quessenberry
Likely: Keagan Trost, Beaux Limmer, Justin Dedich
Still alive: Dylan McMahon (28), Austin Blaske (79), Bill Murray (74), Garrett Bowles (79)
Out: AJ Arcuri (52), Blake Hance (58), Bryce Henderson (25)
A solid outing for the big guys up front, particularly the interior players.They consistently pushed the line of scrimmage back in the run game and allotted the L.A. quarterbacks all the time they needed in the pass game.
McMahon started at center for the second straight game, and handled the pivot well. He subbed out in the middle of the second quarter vs the Saints, after playing nearly the full game in Week 1. He hasn’t been able to make the opening roster in either of his first two pro seasons
Advertisement
Both Blaske and Bowles played every snap and stood out. Blaske played on both sides at tackle, looking comfortable at each. He was flagged for a holding call, but it looked like he was driving the defender to the ground three yards past the line of scrimmage. Bowles worked at at guard and at center. Just liked last year, he has proven he can compete and win in both pass and run blocking against preseason competition.
Murray has stacked two solid games at left guard. He’s an interesting character, he was an undrafted defensive lineman for his first two NFL seasons and switched over in the summer of 2022. He’s made stops with four different teams.
Hance played better than Week 1, but doesn’t appear up to grade. Arcuri got a good workout after sitting out the first game, likely too little, too late. Henderson again played late in the game, probably wouldn’t be guy to develop on the practice squad.
Special teams
In: Harrison Meevis (12), Ethan Evans (8), Joe Cardona (8)
Advertisement
No news is good news for the specialists. Kick coverage was still iffy, but incrementally improved. I have to admit, I was disappointed seeing Alex Bachman back to return punts early in the game, after just four days on the team. Nothing against him, just seems the reps would be better served on someone who had put in the work for the whole of training camp and had a chance to make the team.
Defensive line
In: Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis
Likely: Ty Hamilton
Still alive: Tim Keenan (25), Bill Norton (30)
Out: Larrell Murchison (23), Payton Zdroik (30), Jaxson Moi (34)
L.A. used predominantly four-man fronts vs the Saints. The overall quality of play was up from Week 1, but the level of competition was down. Hamilton didn’t play and looks like he’ll hold on to DL#5. A nice position battle between Keenan and Norton, two big boys. Today, I would grade the edge to Norton by a shade.
Advertisement
Murchison looks to have lost a step, while Zdroik and Moi are getting valuable work in a practice squad battle.
Edge
In: Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart
Likely: Desjuan Johnson
Still alive: Wesley Bailey (48)
Out: Keir Thomas (14), Darryl Peterson (37), Tomon Fox (28)
It’s not surprising Johnson didn’t play, he was almost a sure lock. Although sloppy in Week 1, he’s proven to be of rotational grade when it counts.
It’s clear that Bailey grew from Game 1 and plays with confidence and speed. He’s still a long shot for him to make the roster, but it’s fair to say he got buildable traits. Thomas hasn’t really met expectations thus far in preseason work and depending on the severity of his groin injury, may have seen his last action in horns. Peterson and Fox lag behind.
Advertisement
Off-ball linebacker
In: Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Shaun Dolac, Grant Stuard
Out: Nikhai Hill-Green (55), Elias Neal (26), Daniel Rickert (10), Monty Rice (32)
No movement based on the Saints game. It was gong to be tough to knock off any of the incumbents. Hill-Green appears a bit tentative and not reacting quick enough to what he is seeing, a lot of rookies do it. Neal showed burst to the ball, but awaits the same fate. Rickert is a hustler, good guy for the practice squad. .
Safety
In: Camren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough
Still alive: Nick Anderson (39), Nate Valcarcel (40)
Advertisement
Out: Tanner Ingle (32), Alex Cook (41)
Generally, the Rams used two-high in passing situations and one-high when a run was expected. The Saints didn’t or couldn’t get deeper than the short range, as such, the safeties didn’t get a lot of chances to shine. Can’t make a case for any one them to make any real progress based on this game. I would, however, mark off Tanner Ingle and Alex Cook.
Cornerback
In: Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Emmanuel Forbes, Josh Wallace
Still alive: Cam Lampkin (63), Al’Zillion Hamilton (57)
Out: Nyzier Fourqurean (32), Alex Johnson (41), Zech McPhearson (0)
Advertisement
Good outing for the corners, Lampkin and Hamilton are waging a good battle. Lampkin plays hard-nosed football and the Rams have worked him primarily in the slot. Hamilton continues to show off his ball-tracking, along with sticky man coverage.
Fourqurean looks like a developable practice squad candidate. Johnson played better than Week 1, albeit against weaker competition. Saw that McPhearson was limping slightly on the sideline during the broadcast, that’s probably enough to put him out of play.
Who’s still alive?
Offensively, if the Rams opening roster follows the past two seasons trends, there are not many openings. By my count, three realistic openings.
Advertisement
In each of the past two years, three running backs have rostered. Certainly, there’s a need for RB#3 with a Jarquez Hunter vs Ronnie Rivers battle. Maybe it’s the preseason Kool-Aid, but Jordan Waters has really played well for two consecutive preseason’s.
Wide receiver has been steady at six, that would create a three-way battle between CJ Daniels, Brennan Presley, and to a lesser extent, Tyler Scott for one spot. No word on whether, or how deep the NFL will sink it’s teeth into Puka Nacua, but fans need to stay aware of it.
Final decisions on the offensive line will likely boil down to the NFL’s decision on Alaric Jackson, if it comes to pass, and the injury status of Keagan Trost and Justin Dedich. If they are all good to go, nine spots are filled and a possible 10th and final spot would likely be a toss-up between Dylan McMahon and Austin Blaske. Bill Murray and Wyatt Bowles have a distant chance if problems arise up the food chain.
On the other side of the ball things are just as tight. Appears to be four openings..
Advertisement
In each of the past two seasons, the Rams have rostered 11 defensive linemen, which includes the interior and edge positions. There are nine locks (five tackles and four edges). In search of those final two spots are down linemen Tim Keenan and Bill Norton. Another possibility, although more distant, is edge Wesley Bailey.
The Rams have traditionally kept 10 secondary players and because they do so much cross-training, that number fluctuates between corners and safeties. It would appear that eight spots are sewn up, four safeties and four cornerbacks. The battle for those two possible open spots will play out between corners Cam Lampkin and AZ Hamilton or safeties Nick Anderson and Nate Valcarcel. All four of the candidates come from the undrafted ranks. In theory, L.A. could just add one of the four and use the roster opening somewhere else.
That last sentence sums it up for all the battles, except for RB#3. Even though final cuts are just a shade over a week away, there will be a lot of wrangling for those final seven roster spots.
Read the full article here
