The Rams’ defensive line picture is crowded enough that one roster spot can feel like a small victory. Even before Aaron Donald enters the equation, there are already enough bodies in the mix to make the final cutdown interesting. And right now, former fifth-round pick Ty Hamilton looks like he’s on the inside track.
Hamilton played in the preseason opener against the Chiefs, then was held out of Game 2 against the Saints. That kind of usage usually tells you plenty in August. Los Angeles tends to protect players it expects to keep while handing extra snaps to rookies and other bubble guys, and that’s where rookie nose tackle Tim Keenan III has continued to get his work.
Hamilton’s case is a little surprising if you remember how rough his rookie year went. He logged only 138 snaps last season and posted a brutal 29.9 PFF grade in that limited action. Still, the Rams used the 148th pick on the Ohio State product last year, and they’ve clearly been looking for a reason to keep him around.
So far, the rotation has placed Hamilton fifth in the pecking order behind starters Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and Braden Fiske, plus backup Tyler Davis. Davis is already treated like a roster lock after sitting out both preseason games. That leaves Hamilton ahead of the rest of the pack, with Keenan, practice-squader Bill Norton, and veteran Larrell Murchison fighting for what’s left.
Donald’s return would make the squeeze even tighter. And if the Rams decide the defensive line isn’t the place where they need to stash extra depth, Keenan, Norton, and Murchison could all be pushed out.
Hamilton was not exactly a sure thing entering the preseason, either. But his showing in the opener - a pair of tackles - appears to have been enough to put him in good standing. He now joins edge rusher Desjuan Johnson and receiver Xavier Smith as players who appeared in Game 1 and then sat out in Week 2, a pretty strong sign that all three have their spots lined up.
That doesn’t mean Hamilton is home free for the long haul. If he’s on the 53-man roster to start the year, he still has to bring more than he did as a rookie or risk getting overtaken by someone from the practice squad, or even by Donald if the Great One delays his return into the regular season.
One wrinkle in Hamilton’s favor is versatility. He can line up across the defensive front, which gives him a broader skill set than a pure nose tackle.
But that flexibility can cut both ways. If the Rams want a true backup to Ford, Davis is too small for that role, and the 6-foot-1, 327-pound Keenan would have the clearest edge over anyone else on the roster.
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The bigger issue now is the money and how the sides might navigate it. Donald is still owed $30 million from his previous contract, and any return would require the Rams and their former centerpiece to sort out a new financial arrangement before this moves any further. For all the buzz around a possible comeback, the real hurdle is making the numbers fit the football, and that is where the conversation is still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]