With the open practice portion at LMU wrapped up, the Rams used Wednesday’s session to test the depth that will matter once the preseason begins, and roster decisions get harder.
Matthew Stafford rested, moving Stetson Bennett IV up to the first-team offense and giving rookie Ty Simpson another extended run with the second unit. Davante Adams also had the day off, which created opportunities for receivers and tight ends to move between groups.
The practice was heavier on the run game than most camp sessions, but the defense controlled much of the early work. Running lanes disappeared quickly, pressure reached both quarterbacks and Quentin Lake supplied the day’s biggest takeaway with an interception.
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The offense did not leave empty-handed. Puka Nacua added two more catches worthy of a highlight reel, the running backs finally found space late, and Simpson continued to look more comfortable directing the offense.
The Rams defense dictated the early work
The most important defensive development was not one isolated splash play. It was how consistently the Rams made the offense work for every yard, even as players rotated throughout the lineup.
- The run defense looked stout. The Rams’ defensive line regularly swarmed the ball and held the running backs to short gains early in team drills. Screens to Nacua and Simpson’s unit were also stopped before they could develop. One practice cannot settle how a unit will perform during the season, but the front clearly won the first half of this session.
- Lake made the play of the day. The veteran safety read Bennett in zone coverage, spun back toward the ball and intercepted a pass intended for Nacua. It capped a strong stretch for the secondary. Trent McDuffie broke up a pass intended for Tyler Scott, stayed stride for stride with Terrance Ferguson on another rep and helped limit easy completions downfield.
- Garrett’s return changed the pass rush. Garrett was back after missing four practices with lower-body soreness. His full workload was easy to miss from my viewing angle, but it’s good to see him back out there.
Garrett’s impact extended beyond those snaps. Between reps, he regularly exchanged ideas with the younger rushers. He explained afterward that those conversations work both ways: the young players can borrow from him, but he also wants to understand their styles without taking away the traits that got them to the NFL.
- The edge depth is better than it may appear from the outside. Byron Young set the tone with an early run stop. Josaiah Stewart and Braden Fiske later combined to create pressure that forced an incompletion, while defensive coordinator Chris Shula praised Desjuan Johnson, Keir Thomas II and Wesley Bailey after practice. The Rams rotated the group constantly without losing much of its energy or disruption.
Omar Speights added to the physical tone when he met Nacua over the middle and disrupted a pass with a well-timed hit. Both players stayed upright, but the contact produced one of the loudest moments of practice.
The backup quarterbacks received a real test
Stafford’s rest day gave the Rams a longer look at both backups. The defense made the evaluation useful by forcing Bennett and Simpson to operate through pressure rather than giving them a clean practice script.
- Bennett’s day with the starters was uneven. He found Nacua along the sideline, hit Jordan Whittington underneath with pressure in his face, and connected with Williams on a crossing route. But he also mishandled a snap, nearly threw an interception after recovering it and later lost the ball to Lake. Bennett also missed an open Konata Mumpfield in the back of the end zone.
- Simpson is becoming more comfortable in the offense. The rookie hit Xavier Smith on a curl, found CJ Daniels as the pocket collapsed, and worked through his checkdowns to Jarquez Hunter. When nobody opened on one rep, he escaped for approximately six yards instead of forcing the ball. Simpson still missed Max Klare and Mumpfield near the end zone and absorbed multiple sacks or would-be sacks, so the operation remains a work in progress. The difference is that he is beginning to look less like a quarterback simply surviving the installation and more like one attempting to run the offense on schedule.
- Nacua still found a way to own the highlight reel. According to the Rams’ practice report, Nacua made two one-handed catches. On the first, he adjusted to Bennett’s throw along the sideline and secured it inbounds. He later reached out for another one-handed grab while crossing the middle. Those catches joined several sideline completions I tracked during the session and gave the offense its clearest answers on a defense-first afternoon.
The roster’s depth showed up on both sides
The frequent movement between the first and second teams made this practice feel less like a clean starters-versus-backups split and more like a roster-wide evaluation.
- The skill-position rotation created opportunities. With Adams resting, most of the receivers and several tight ends moved between offensive groups. Nacua remained with the first team, but Scott caught passes from both units and contributed multiple strong blocks in the run game. Ferguson continued to work the intermediate areas, making a sideline catch and later finding space against Kam Kinchens.
- The running backs answered after a difficult start. Williams eventually found a crease between Kevin Dotson and Coleman Shelton, then produced another strong run by slipping past Kam Curl in the non-tackling setting. Williams later scored, drawing an animated reaction from Sean McVay. Blake Corum nearly reached the end zone, while Ronnie Rivers ran through traffic and Dean Connors added another productive carry. The late success did not erase the defense’s early control, but it showed the offense could adjust instead of allowing the front to dominate the entire practice.
- Dotson’s work with Warren McClendon Jr. stood out. Dotson and McClendon were nearly inseparable between periods, with the veteran guard repeatedly coaching up the younger tackle. McClendon followed with encouraging reps against Stewart and a deep edge group. The pair also combined to double-team Kobie Turner, while Steve Avila kept Turner under control on another snap. At this point in camp, that communication matters almost as much as an isolated win because it shows how the offensive line is building continuity behind its established starters.
A few more notes
- Ethan Evans drove a punt from around midfield to approximately the 2-yard line, producing the best special-teams rep I tracked.
- Tyler Scott, Mario Williams, CJ Daniels and Brennan Presley handled return work.
- Alex Johnson recorded a strong coverage rep against Mario Williams, while Xavier Smith created separation from Cam Lampkin on a crossing route.
- Shaun Dolac received work with the second-team defense.
- McVay remained upbeat throughout practice and was especially animated after Williams reached the end zone.
The biggest takeaway from the Rams’ second-to-last open practice was the depth on both sides of the ball. The defense looked sturdy against the run and continued generating pressure no matter which edge combination was on the field. Offensively, Simpson’s growing command, the running backs’ late response and the number of skill players moving comfortably between units were all encouraging.