WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. - The Rams walked into Monday with a roster that looks stacked from top to bottom, but the bigger story wasn’t the talent on paper. It was the way the room voted.
Eleven captains emerged from the players’ ballot, giving Sean McVay a leadership group split evenly across the roster: five on offense, five on defense and one on special teams. Matthew Stafford, the reigning MVP who helped deliver Los Angeles its Lombardi, is among the offensive leaders along with Kyren Williams, Tyler Higbee, Coleman Shelton and Davante Adams.
On defense, the group includes Kobie Turner, Myles Garrett, Nate Landman, Quinton Lake and Trent McDuffie. Joe Cardona rounds out the group on special teams.
“We've got as much leadership as we've ever had since I've been the coach here,” McVay said.
He pointed to the way the captains mirror the entire locker room.
“What's cool is all the position rooms and position groups are reflected with those 11 guys,” McVay said.
That sense of balance was part of the message on a day when two of the team’s biggest defenders stayed off the practice field. Aaron Donald and Garrett were both held out, with McVay saying the decision was made before anything became a problem.
“Aaron not being out there was part of the plan all along,” McVay said. “Those guys were just airing on the side of caution and knowing that we've got these three days off. They were a little bit sore and so we were being smart with them.”
McVay made it clear the move was about preserving two players who don’t need August reps to know who they are. He also singled out Donald for the way he carries himself around the team.
“What's great about Aaron is he wants to earn everything that he gets,” McVay said. “He has great appreciation for the guys that are in here that have really done a great job over the last few years.”
The coach had just as much praise for Reggie Scott, the man overseeing the training room and helping keep the roster intact.
“I don't take for granted how lucky I am to work alongside Reggie,” McVay said. “I remember when I first interviewed for the job, and I had heard so many great things about him and the culture that he had established in that training room. Immediately you're blown away with the character of the human being, but the capacity and the ability to connect with the players.”
McVay didn’t stop there.
“He's a stud,” McVay said. “He's as good as it gets.”
The practice report also included a few moving parts along the offensive line. Justin Dedich got his cast off, Keagan Trost dealt with a hamstring issue, and David Quessenberry, Beaux Limmer, Dylan McMahon and Bill Murray all filled in. McVay said Murray did enough in the preseason and in practice to earn his place.
“Bill Murray came in and truly earned a roster spot with the way that he played in the preseason games and way he competed in practice,” McVay said. “So, it's cool for him.”
The Rams are also staring down a long trip to Melbourne, where they’ll open against the 49ers. McVay said the challenge is real, but his approach is rooted in trust.
“You trust your players,” McVay said. “You really set some of the foundational things that you want to do and then you have to be ready to adjust and adapt accordingly.”
He laughed off the idea that he’s always calm.
“You don't know me very well,” McVay said. Then he turned serious again.
“Excited. Very grateful.
What a great challenge.”
That trip will be a long one.
“The flight will be long,” McVay said of the trip to Australia. “But hey, it is what it is.”
For the Rams, it’s a team with an MVP quarterback, two dominant defensive stars and 11 captains chosen by the people who know them best. And for McVay, it’s a roster and a culture he clearly believes can travel anywhere.
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Rams Just Sent A Clear Message About Who Leads This Team
Leadership in Los Angeles now has a much broader cast. The Rams named a record 11 team captains for the 2026 season, and the group says plenty about where the organization wants its authority to live: with established veterans, trusted voices and the players expected to set the tone every week. Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Tyler Higbee, Coleman Shelton, Davante Adams, Myles Garrett, Kobie Turner, Nate Landman, Quentin Lake, Trent McDuffie and Joe Cardona make up the list, giving the roster a mix of offensive, defensive and special teams anchors.
The most notable twist is the arrival of Garrett and McDuffie into that leadership circle after recent trades and acquisitions, a sign that the Rams are not waiting for newcomers to settle in before handing them real responsibility. For a team that has leaned heavily on veteran presence in recent years, expanding the captain group this far feels less like a formality and more like a statement about how the locker room is being organized heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]
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The Rams went into roster cuts with a little room to maneuver at wide receiver and tight end, but not nearly as much margin at cornerback. By carrying only four cornerbacks on the initial 53-man roster, they made a clear choice about where they wanted their depth to live, and it was not in the one spot where injuries and matchups can turn a secondary upside down in a hurry. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson remain key pieces at the position, but the overall numbers leave little cushion behind them.
For a defense that has to survive a long season against varied passing attacks, the balance looks precarious. Los Angeles waived other coverage options and may have to lean on the practice squad to patch holes if the cornerback room gets tested, which is exactly the kind of scenario teams try to avoid when setting their opening roster. The concern is not just talent, but how quickly the Rams could be forced to reshuffle if the position takes even a modest hit. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Face An Unusual Roster Problem Before Their Australia Opener
Before the Rams even get to worry about the 49ers on the field, there is the unusual business of getting everyone on the plane for Australia. The season opener will be played overseas, which means passports are not a side detail but part of the roster math, and both teams have had to spend real time making sure travel documents are in order for a trip unlike anything they see during a normal NFL season.
John Lynch described the process as a logistical grind, especially when it comes to new practice squad players who may still need passports and visas sorted out. For Los Angeles, the challenge is the same one facing San Francisco: the longest road trip in league history is also one of the most complicated, and the work behind the scenes has already started well before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]