The Rams left their preseason win over the Chiefs with a few obvious headliners. Ty Simpson drew the buzz at quarterback, Max Klare made noise, and Xavier Smith probably did enough to cement his spot.
But the night also belonged to a handful of lesser-known names who flashed in ways that matter in August, even if the road to the 53-man roster looks brutal. Dean Connors, Mark Redman, Brennan Presley and Nick Andersen all put together performances worth noticing. The problem for each of them is simple: the Rams have too much going on ahead of them.
Connors was the most productive of the group. He scored both touchdowns in the game, the only touchdowns either side managed, and finished with 51 scrimmage yards on 10 touches. He showed up as a runner, as a receiver and as a blocker, and that last piece matters to the Rams.
Still, the depth chart works against him. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are locked into the top of the room, while Ronnie Rivers and Jarquez Hunter are in front of him as well.
Rivers may not inspire a ton of excitement, but he has given the Rams dependable work for multiple seasons and brings special teams value. Hunter, a fourth-round pick in 2025, is also the kind of player the Rams are unlikely to give up on quickly for an undrafted rookie like Connors.
That said, you never know.
Redman also made his case in limited chances, catching three targets for 47 yards while looking the part at 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds. He paired that size with enough agility to hint at real upside, which is why he looks like a strong practice-squad candidate.
If another team needs tight end help, he could even get poached before that. The Rams, though, have a crowded room at the position, and Davis Allen could be the one sweating if the team decides to keep four tight ends instead of five.
Presley’s day was busy in a different way. He led the Rams with four catches for 58 yards and matched Redman for the team’s longest reception, a 23-yard catch from Simpson.
He also handled kickoff returns, bringing back two for 59 yards. It was a solid all-around showing, but breaking through from the practice squad would still be a tall order.
The Rams have too many young receivers ahead of him, and at 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, his size could make life tougher against NFL defenses.
Andersen might have been the most active defender of the bunch. The Wake Forest undrafted free agent piled up nine tackles, added a tackle for loss and broke up two passes.
He was everywhere. Even so, the safety group ahead of him is crowded to the point where a roster spot looks nearly out of reach.
Kam Curl, Quentin Lake and Kamren Kinchens are already in place, with Jaylen McCollough sitting fourth on the depth chart even though he didn’t play Saturday. Joshua Wallace can also handle the nickel behind Lake.
For Andersen, the path is still long. But if he keeps showing up like this, he can at least force someone to pay attention.
In Other News...
Aaron Donald Just Put Rams Week 1 Plans In Doubt
Aaron Donalds return remains in limbo as the Rams move closer to a Week 1 trip to Australia, with the star defensive tackle still going through his process on a possible comeback. Sean McVay said Donald has continued to work through the situation, and the veteran has already completed two workouts with the team in August, keeping open the possibility that he could still rejoin the roster.
Even so, the uncertainty is hard to ignore this late in the calendar. NFL insider Mike Florio suggested Donald may not be there when the Rams open the season overseas, and with no final decision made, the team is left waiting on one of the biggest questions on its early schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Sean McVay Sent Rams Fans A Clear Message About Ty Simpson
Ty Simpsons first preseason outing with the Rams gave the team exactly the kind of glimpse coaches want in August: calm execution, efficient throws and a quarterback who looked comfortable working within the offense. Against mostly lower-tier defenders, Simpson handled the moment well enough to turn heads, completing 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns while showing the sort of poise that can make a backup quarterback conversation worth following.
Sean McVay made clear after the game that the performance was about more than just a clean stat line, pointing to Simpsons decision-making, timing, accuracy and footwork as reasons for the encouraging showing. Even with that praise, the Rams know one preseason game does not settle anything, and the real question now is whether Simpson can keep stacking those traits when the competition gets faster and the looks get tougher. [Read more 🡒]