As the Los Angeles Rams get set for their first preseason game Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team’s initial depth chart should offer the first real glimpse of how the staff is sorting out a few key spots. It probably won’t give away much.
The Rams tend to keep things close to the vest this time of year. Still, the list will say plenty about where certain players stand right now.
The quarterback spot behind the starter feels like the clearest call. Stetson Bennett appears poised to sit ahead of Ty Simpson, and that lines up with everything the Rams have done so far. Bennett has handled all of the backup reps through the offseason, and the team seems comfortable with him in that role.
That doesn’t have to be read as a slight on Simpson. The Rams have brought him along slowly, and they also have a habit of putting rookies behind more established names on early depth charts.
Puka Nacua was listed behind Tutu Atwell in 2023, and Terrance Ferguson was shown as the fourth tight end last year behind Davis Allen. In other words, the Rams know where they stand with these players, and they are not likely to show much on a Week 1 preseason chart.
CJ Daniels is another name worth watching when the list comes out. He has been one of the more noticeable players in training camp and during the offseason program, and the Rams may not have a clean-cut WR3 situation anyway.
The question is where Daniels lands. He could wind up behind Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, and Konata Mumpfield, which would fit the way the Rams usually handle rookies.
But his camp work has been strong enough that a spot alongside Whittington would not be a shock either.
Keagan Trost brings a different kind of intrigue. He has not been talked about much over the offseason, though Kevin Dotson noted early in camp that Trost had taken some snaps with the ones.
Matthew Stafford also gave him a strong endorsement: “He has gotten in there and competed, which is what you want,” said quarterback Matthew Stafford. “You want guys to go look like they belong.
He definitely does that.”
When the Rams drafted Trost, his role was not immediately obvious. He played tackle at Mizzou, but he looked better suited to guard at the next level. So the real question now is whether the Rams list him behind Warren McClendon at right tackle or tuck him in behind one of the guards.
The cornerback group should be easier to read at the top, where Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson sit firmly in place. The uncertainty starts after that.
Emmanuel Forbes is likely the CB3 behind Watson, but Josh Wallace and Cam Lampkin bring a little more mystery to the picture. Wallace is more of a slot type, while Lampkin has turned in a strong camp.
Quentin Lake adds another wrinkle, since he is technically a safety but spent most of last season as the nickel. With Chris Shula’s usage of defensive backs, there are several ways this depth chart could be arranged.
Punt returner may be the most revealing spot of all. A competition there did not seem likely heading into the offseason, but Kyren Williams and Xavier Smith have split reps during camp. Smith would seem to be the safer bet to be listed first, yet if Williams shows up as the team’s punt returner on the depth chart, that could create some tough decisions when roster cuts arrive.
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