Training camp is right around the corner for the Los Angeles Rams, with players reporting on July 25 and open practices beginning on July 29. Though the team has been on the practice field already this offseason, training camp is when position battles really heat up.
For the Rams, there are a lot of spots that need new starters following offseason departures. Sure, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald are back, but a good portion of the roster is in need of some help – which is likely to come from rookies and second-year players.
Here are nine of the biggest position battles to watch in camp this summer.
Cornerback
The Rams’ cornerback group has undergone as much change as any other position on the roster. Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill and David Long Jr. are all gone, which leaves Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick and Robert Rochell as the top returning corners. Newcomer Ahkello Witherspoon will also compete for reps, as will rookie Tre’Vius Hodges Tomlinson.
Among that collection of players, the Rams should be able to find three starters. Durant is the best option to be the No. 1 cornerback on the depth chart, playing a similar role to the one Jalen Ramsey held in L.A. Kendrick, Witherspoon and Rochell will then compete for snaps outside, with Hodges-Tomlinson and Shaun Jolly potentially battling with the second-team in the slot.
With so much uncertainty in the secondary, the cornerback group has plenty to sort out this summer.
Left tackle
This position will come down to one of two players: either Joe Noteboom or Alaric Jackson. The Rams haven’t committed to one or the other as their starting left tackle, and it’s possible that the loser of this battle will get a chance to start at guard, similar to the way both players have in the past.
Noteboom will probably be the favorite just based on his contract and experience, but Jackson more than held his own last season before being shut down because of blood clots. While neither player will match what the Rams got from Andrew Whitworth from 2017-2021, both have the potential to be at least average starters if healthy.
No. 3 wide receiver
Cooper Kupp is the No. 1 receiver and Van Jefferson is most likely going to be WR2. Behind them, there’s a cluster of guys competing for reps. Ben Skowronek and Tutu Atwell will be the front-runners to earn WR3 snaps, but newcomers Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson are in the mix, too. Rookie Puka Nacua could be the wild card in all of this if he develops quickly and impresses in camp.
It’s entirely possible that the Rams will just go with a committee at WR3, rotating players such as Skowronek, Atwell and Nacua depending on the situation. However, they will need to figure out which of the three – or possibly Robinson/Johnson – will get the most snaps on first and second down.
Guard
There are a lot of different ways the Rams can go at guard. Steve Avila seems on track to start right away, but Logan Bruss, Coleman Shelton, Tremayne Anchrum Jr. and either Noteboom or Jackson will also be factors.
If the Rams want to go young and see what they can get from their last two top draft picks, they could plug in Avila and Bruss. If Shelton doesn’t beat out Brian Allen at center, he’s had plenty of experience at guard. Anchrum is another player they’re excited about as he returns from a devastating leg injury suffered in his first career start last year.
The two guard spots will set the tone for the rest of the O-line and help solidify the interior, which was leaky last season. The Rams need to get much better play out of their guards in 2023 if the O-line is going to take a step forward.
Center
Allen and Shelton were splitting first-team reps this spring, with undrafted rookie Mike McAllister also earning praise from McVay. In the end, it’ll come down to either Allen or Shelton manning the middle. If the Rams want more size and length, it could be Shelton. But if they’re betting on a bounce-back year from Allen, he’ll probably get the nod.
Allen played well in 2021 when he was healthy, but injuries have plagued him in his five seasons and he sometimes gets overpowered by bigger nose tackles. The problem is, if he isn’t the starting center, he can’t play another position like Shelton can. So, the Rams will be stuck with a $6 million backup at center.
Edge rusher
By now you’ve probably heard that Michael Hoecht is the only edge rusher on the Rams’ roster who has a single sack in his career. The rest of the group is primarily rookies and second-year players with barely any experience.
Rookie Byron Young has a lot of promise and should get opportunities early on as a situational pass rusher on third down, while Daniel Hardy and Keir Thomas are second-year pros with a little more experience. Nick Hampton and Ochaun Mathis are two rookies to watch, too.
Hoecht will presumably be one of the two starters after impressing late last season following his transition to the outside, but the other spot is completely up for grabs heading into training camp.
No. 2 safety
We can assume Jordan Fuller will be one of the two starters at safety. However, a host of young players will compete to start alongside him. Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake should be the favorites to start, but don’t rule out Jason Taylor II, Quindell Johnson or Tanner Ingle, three rookies who can really play.
The Rams like to use three safeties at times when they’re in sub-packages, so it may not come down to just Yeast or Lake. Both could earn playing time, but in base packages, one of the two will need to step up as the starter next to Fuller.
Backup quarterback
The Rams drafted Stetson Bennett to be Matthew Stafford’s backup, with Les Snead going as far as to say they expect him to be the No. 2 guy this season. He’ll first need to beat out Brett Rypien, though. The transition from college to the NFL can be challenging for a rookie quarterback so Bennett will need to pick things up quickly.
If not, he could fall behind Rypien, a more experienced player who’s started games in the NFL before.
No. 2 tight end
Brycen Hopkins, Davis Allen and Hunter Long are all in the mix to back up Tyler Higbee and play meaningful snaps when the Rams are in 12 personnel. Hopkins should be the favorite, given his experience in the Rams’ system, but Allen and Long are both players Los Angeles likes.
Hopkins is due for a developmental jump as he enters Year 4 in the NFL, hopefully giving the Rams a secondary option to Higbee like Gerald Everett was. This spot might just come down to the best blocker, though. That’s something the Rams are certainly looking for in a No. 2 tight end.
