The Rams head into Week 1 carrying both buzz and a fair amount of mystery. Some of the biggest questions are still unresolved, and a few of them could shape how things look right out of the gate against the 49ers.
The clearest concern sits with Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson. Both are under the same basic cloud: will either one be suspended before the season begins?
And if not now, could a suspension still arrive later? Jackson may be the more pressing issue, because Los Angeles has already shown it can survive without Nacua, including last season’s 35-7 Week 7 win over Jacksonville.
Left tackle is a different story. If Jackson is unavailable, David Quessenberry is the presumed next option, and that is not an especially comforting thought against San Francisco’s front.
Rookie tackle Keagen Trost is also on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, which limits the Rams’ options even further. Quessenberry and the rest of that group held up well in preseason, but that came mostly against backup defensive lines or against starters who were not going full tilt.
Week 1 is a different animal.
There’s also the Aaron Donald situation. He is traveling with the team - as Sean McVay said, “everyone’s going to Melbourne” - but that does not mean he is locked into playing.
McVay has made it clear that Donald’s ramp-up is still being handled day by day. If Donald does suit up, the expectation is that he will be on a snap count as he works toward a larger role over the course of the season.
On offense, Matthew Stafford’s third target is another spot where the picture could shift from week to week. Behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the Rams may not have one fixed No. 3 option.
Some weeks it could be a receiver, but more often it figures to be a tight end. If Los Angeles leans on the run game the way it should in this matchup, the passing game may be more selective, which could create opportunities for Terrance Ferguson, Colby Parkinson, or even Tyler Higbee to find the end zone.
The defense may be the most intriguing puzzle of all, because so many of the new pieces are being asked to work together immediately. That is especially true in the secondary, where one missed call can turn into a touchdown in a hurry.
The Rams do have one built-in advantage: Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie already know each other well after four seasons together with the Chiefs. The bigger question is how that connection carries over when they start communicating with the safeties in a live game.
Up front, the same theme applies. Communication and chemistry matter just as much in the pass rush, and the debut of Myles Garrett and Co. will be worth watching closely.
If Donald starts in place of Braden Fiske, that only adds another layer to the mix. The Rams would gladly take Garrett and Donald in the same defense, but the real test will be how the front operates as a unit, especially with Donald back in the fold.
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The Rams roster makeover has already sent ripples through the locker room, and Braden Fiske is one of the players feeling it most. Los Angeles trade for Myles Garrett was the kind of blockbuster move that instantly changes the tone around a team, but it also came with a real cost on the defensive front, with Jared Verse headed out in the aftermath and teammates left to absorb the shock of the deal.
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By early September, the Rams had terminated his contract with an injury settlement, closing the book on a signing that never really got going. The team has not said what injury McPhearson is dealing with or how the settlement was structured, leaving one more layer of uncertainty around a defensive back group that is trying to settle in before Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Puka Nacua Nears Rams Return With Big Questions Still Hanging
Puka Nacua appears to be on track to return for the Rams game against the 49ers next week, a welcome development for a team that has missed one of its most dynamic receivers. Sean McVay said Nacua has made progress while recovering from a core muscle injury, and the expectation around the building is that he should be available again soon.
Nacuas on-field comeback, though, comes with bigger questions still hanging over the situation. He remains involved in a civil lawsuit alleging off-field misconduct and is also waiting on possible NFL discipline, even as he has spoken publicly about spending the offseason focused on self-improvement and mental health support. For the Rams, it leaves his return to football paired with a layer of uncertainty that could linger well beyond next week. [Read more 🡒]