The Rams closed the preseason with a win over the Chargers on Thursday night, and the game gave the coaching staff one last live look at a roster still taking shape. A few players helped their case. A few others left more questions than answers.
Ty Simpson made the strongest statement of the night. After barely touching the ball last week until the Rams had already built a big lead, he got the start in the finale and handled it well.
Simpson looked much more like the quarterback who impressed two weeks ago against the Kansas City Chiefs, finishing 18-for-23 for 119 yards and an impressive touchdown. Even if he doesn’t land the backup quarterback job, he gave the Rams plenty to like.
Connors also made himself hard to ignore. He had only six snaps last week against the New Orleans Saints, but Thursday night turned into a much bigger workload.
Connors carried 18 times for 69 yards and added to his preseason value as a receiver, catching his third touchdown pass of the preseason in the third quarter against the Chargers. The Rams just traded away Jarquez Hunter, which could create room on the roster, but Connors was also still on the field late in the fourth quarter.
That usually isn’t a great sign, so his status remains something to watch.
Brennan Presley kept doing what he’s done all preseason: produce. He caught six passes for 32 yards and hauled in Simpson’s touchdown.
In a different wide receiver room, that kind of showing would probably be enough to lock up a spot. But the Rams are deep at receiver, and despite another solid outing, Presley still looks like a cut candidate.
Special teams remained a mixed bag with Evans. He showed the kind of upside that can flip field position, including a punt at the end of the game that landed perfectly inside the five-yard line.
But he also had a shank that traveled only 24 yards. The Rams have already committed to him to open the year, yet the inconsistency is still there, and it could matter if they want better play in that phase.
Wesley Bailey may have helped himself with a quiet but useful night. He opened the game with the first possession and then disappeared, which can be a positive sign when roster decisions are looming. Bailey already flashed last week with 10 pressures and a forced fumble, and that may have been enough to catch the staff’s attention.
Darryl Peterson III also made a strong late push for a practice squad role. He had been mostly quiet during the preseason, but he showed up against the Chargers, especially on the final drive. Peterson recorded a fourth-down sack in the first half and then sealed the game with a sack-fumble late in the fourth quarter.
Lampkin’s night was a little messier, though the overall picture still looked encouraging. He was in coverage on Quentin Johnston’s touchdown, but the play appeared to come down more to a breakdown in the pass off to the safety, with Lampkin expecting help over the top.
Outside of that, he played well again, finishing with a team-high six tackles and a sack. He was also on the field late in the fourth quarter, though that may have had more to do with the Rams’ limited cornerback numbers than any hint about his roster chances.
Beyond the individual performances, the Rams got what they wanted most from the preseason: solid depth play and no major damage. The offensive line held up well across the three games, the defense came through in key moments, and the team stayed healthy.
Since the Rams don’t play their starters in the preseason, avoiding injuries to key depth players mattered just as much. They head into Week 1 with a clean bill of health.
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Darryl Peterson III helped swing the game when he forced the decisive fumble, yet the broadcast moment that lingered had nothing to do with the box score. An official was heard on an open microphone voicing frustration about how the game was unfolding, a stray snippet that briefly upstaged the on-field finish and gave a light preseason rivalry an extra dose of attention. [Read more 🡒]
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Rams Just Created Some Tough Roster Decisions Before Week 1
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Los Angeles also spent the month stacking up encouraging performances from depth players, with Dean Connors and Brennan Presley among those who made themselves harder to ignore. The defense allowing only two touchdowns across the preseason, its fewest since 2017, adds another layer to the conversation because the Rams now have to decide which of these bright spots are real keeps and which names end up on the wrong side of the cut line. After a finish like this, the harder part may not be winning games, but choosing who gets to keep contributing once the games count. [Read more 🡒]