The Rams are heading into Week 7 battered enough that the practice squad suddenly looks like a real source of answers.
Davante Adams, Kobie Turner and Poona Ford were all placed on injured reserve this week, and Puka Nacua’s calf injury has left his status up in the air. With the roster getting squeezed from multiple directions, Los Angeles may need to lean on the group underneath the 53-man roster more than usual on Sunday.
That makes this a good moment to sort through who’s actually waiting in reserve.
Eric Kendricks is the most immediate name to watch. Nate Landman will be out with a concussion, and Kendricks is expected to be called up for the Raiders game. The Rams signed him two weeks ago for veteran linebacker depth and help on special teams, and he’ll make his Rams debut on Sunday.
The Rams have also used the practice squad to cover injuries elsewhere on the defense. After Poona Ford landed on injured reserve, Los Angeles signed Jalen Hunt, an undrafted free agent originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending seven years in college. He fits the Rams’ profile along the defensive line and gives them another body there with Ford out for the season.
Nick Andersen is another player who could factor in if special teams becomes a problem. He flashed in the preseason, especially as a tackler, but a promotion would still be a surprise unless injuries force the issue. The Rams also re-signed Tanner Ingle to the practice squad after cutting him, which makes the safety picture there a little more crowded.
Ingle’s path has already been a bit of a loop. The Rams cut him after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 because of special teams issues, then brought him back to the practice squad.
He hasn’t been elevated since, but the team clearly still wants him around. Practice Squad Elevations: 1
At cornerback, Cam Lampkin remains the next man up in the pecking order. The Rams liked what they saw from Tahj Fourqurean in the preseason, but Lampkin is ahead of him on the depth chart there.
When Los Angeles needed corner help last week against the Cardinals, Lampkin got the call. He’s still very much in the mix if the Rams need help again.
Practice Squad Elevations: 2
Another corner to keep in the mix is Ahkello Williams. He signed last week and brings experience to the practice squad, and because Lampkin has already used two of his three elevations, Williams could be someone the Rams turn to if the need arises. He was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and spent time with the Seahawks in 2024.
The Rams have also been careful about how they use their elevations on the front seven. Elias Neal was elevated early in the season to help on special teams, but he hasn’t been called up in a few weeks.
That may be one reason the Rams brought in Kendricks as well. Neal remains a developmental piece.
Practice Squad Elevations: 2
On offense, Austin Blaske is still in development mode after showing some promise in the preseason. Right now, the practice squad is the right place for him, though the Rams may eventually view him as a depth answer on the interior, in a role similar to Justin Dedich.
At tackle, veteran David Sharpe gives the Rams depth, and he’d likely be one of the first names called if injuries pile up. The Rams like Bill Murray more, but Sharpe is the experienced insurance policy.
Jack Bouwmeester is another player who could move up if special teams continues to wobble. The Rams and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone don’t seem fully sold on Evans, and Bouwmeester, who is part of the International Player Pathway Program, could eventually get a shot.
Brennan Presley is also waiting in the wings. He’s been one of the preseason standouts over the last two years, but has yet to appear on the active roster.
If Nacua can’t go on Sunday, Presley may be in line for a call-up. He’s shown enough playmaking ability to stay on the radar.
The Rams have kept Bill Norton in the program for the last few seasons on the defensive line, but his preseason wasn’t strong. Even so, he’s still in the building as a developmental player, though Hunt’s arrival after Ford’s injury says plenty about where Norton stands right now.
The tight end situation has been a little unusual too. It was surprising when the Rams didn’t bring Dan Villari up from the practice squad in Week 4, even with Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson out. That suggests the Rams may simply view Villari as a developmental tight end for now.
Finally, Jordan Waters remains one of the players the Rams continue to develop after Ronnie Rivers went on injured reserve. There was some thought the team might elevate Waters, but instead it went with Dean Connors.
And then there’s Nicholas Nelson, added last week before the Cardinals game for edge depth with Myles Garrett injured and Josaiah Stewart dealing with an injury of his own. Nelson spent time with the Saints this offseason before getting cut, and he has never played in a regular-season game. That probably won’t change with the Rams.
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The Rams are heading into their matchup with the Raiders with the kind of injury uncertainty that can complicate a game plan fast. Cornerback Trent McDuffie is out with a groin injury, linebacker Nate Landman is missing practice because of a concussion, and wide receiver Puka Nacua was limited, leaving the team to navigate a week in which both sides of the ball are being tested before kickoff.
Los Angeles is not the only team dealing with questions, either, with Las Vegas also managing its own injury list as wide receiver Mike Washington Jr. and linebacker Quay Walker were limited or did not practice. For the Rams, the issue is less about one headline absence than the accumulation of concerns, the sort that can alter rotations, force late adjustments and make a divisional-type Sunday feel even more precarious. [Read more 🡒]