The Los Angeles Rams spent the offseason trying to shore up both starting cornerback spots, but they passed on the position in the draft. That leaves a noticeable gap behind Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, and it also opens the door for a player who has been waiting for his chance.
Cam Lampkin is making that push early in training camp. After two strong sessions to open camp, he has started to look like a player ready for a bigger role.
That might catch some outside observers off guard, but there’s a real case for Lampkin to take a step this season. So far, he has backed up that idea.
Lampkin has already put in the work to get here. He joined the Rams after the 2024 draft and has spent the last two seasons on the practice squad.
For him, this feels like a critical stretch. The early signs are encouraging.
His college background at Utah State and Washington State hinted at this kind of possibility. Lampkin was lightly scouted, but he showed enough to keep people interested, and his ability to move between corner and safety gives him added value.
That versatility is also part of the challenge. An undrafted rookie who can fill more than one spot usually needs more time to carve out a place, and Lampkin has had to make do with limited camp reps. Learning multiple roles only spreads those opportunities thinner.
That’s why he can read as a late bloomer. He has needed time to settle into all of his responsibilities.
Lampkin did flash last preseason, but uneven play sent him back to the practice squad. Now the Rams may finally be seeing the payoff for their patience.
A strong start in camp doesn’t guarantee anything, and it certainly isn’t the same as proving you can hold up consistently across a season. But it is a real step forward. If Lampkin keeps this level up, he could end up as a surprise addition to LA’s active 2026 roster.
In Other News...
Davante Adams Has Taken On An Unexpected Rams Camp Role
Training camp has already offered one of the Rams more interesting subplots, with Davante Adams spending time helping Emmanuel Forbes Jr. sharpen the parts of his game that can decide whether a cornerback sticks in this league. Forbes is trying to clean up his coverage and tackling, and the veteran receiver has become a useful sounding board as the two work through those details on the practice field.
Forbes is in the final season of his rookie contract, which gives every rep a little extra weight as he tries to show he can handle more than just flash plays. The early signs have been encouraging, too, with Forbes responding to Adams coaching in practice and showing a willingness to take the lessons into the next rep, exactly the kind of camp development teams hope to see before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]
NFL Coaches Just Sent Sean McVay A Surprising Message
Sean McVays reputation around the league got another interesting check-in this week, and it came from the people who spend their Sundays trying to stop him. In a poll of eight defensive coordinators conducted by The Athletic, the Rams coach was rated among the NFLs elite offensive play-callers, with the range of opinions showing just how much respect his game-planning still commands.
The spread in those rankings says as much about McVays evolution as it does about his standing. Defenses have seen him move from wide-zone and play-action looks to more empty formations with Matthew Stafford, then into a gap-and-duo run game and, more recently, heavier tight-end usage. Even with that constant adjustment, his influence keeps showing up elsewhere too, including through former Rams assistants who have climbed the coaching ladder while carrying pieces of his offensive approach with them. [Read more 🡒]