The Rams’ defensive line math changed the moment Aaron Donald’s return started to feel inevitable, and somebody had to slide out of the picture. In the end, Los Angeles went with rookie nose tackle Tim Keenan III, the 232nd pick in the draft, and veteran Larrell Murchison. Both are back on the practice squad, and Bill Norton is there too after spending last season in that same spot.
The one lineman who survived the squeeze was Ty Hamilton, and that decision came down to one obvious trait: flexibility.
That matters in a front built around Donald, who does his best work when he has the freedom to choose his spots across the line. To make that work, the players around him have to move around too.
Kobie Turner already fits that mold. Hamilton, in theory, does as well.
At 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, Hamilton can line up over center, guard, tackle, or outside. Keenan is more of a pure nose tackle, while Murchison has shown he can help but in a narrower role. Hamilton’s ability to wear more than one hat is exactly the kind of thing the Rams need if they want Donald to create maximum chaos.
Hamilton didn’t get a heavy workload as a rookie. He played 138 snaps and finished with 11 tackles. But the Rams clearly see room for growth in Year 2, even with a crowded depth chart making every rep hard to come by.
There should be plenty of movement up front anyway. With six defensive linemen on the roster, defensive coordinator Chris Shula is expected to keep rotating bodies while searching for the right mix. The Rams also want to build Donald’s workload carefully so he stays fresh and available when the playoffs arrive.
That’s where Hamilton can help again. He played in all three playoff games last season, logging 38 snaps and recording three tackles in a small rotational role. He also spent a full year in the system, which gave him a better base for his offseason work.
Now the question is whether that work translates into a bigger role. For now, it was enough to keep him on the 53-man roster, and that alone says plenty.
In Other News...
Rams Hype Just Ran Into A Brutal Playoff Warning
The Rams have spent the offseason living with championship expectations, and Pete Prisco isnt backing away from that part of the conversation. The NFL analyst sees Los Angeles finishing with the NFCs top seed and earning a first-round bye, which fits the buzz around a roster that has drawn plenty of praise and even stronger Super Bowl support from the betting market.
But Priscos view turns sharp once the playoffs actually begin. Even with the appeal of recent additions like Myles Garrett and the return of Aaron Donald, he is skeptical the Rams will handle the pressure of those expectations, and he has them falling in their first postseason game to the Seahawks. Its a warning that lands hard for a team built to contend, because the regular-season ceiling may be high even if the postseason path still looks fragile. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Make Another Quick Draft Pick Decision Fans Will Notice
The Rams have already made another small but noticeable roster tweak, cutting defensive lineman Tim Keenan III from the practice squad to create room for edge rusher Jamie Sheriff. Keenan, a seventh-round draft pick, never made much of a mark during the preseason, and his quick exit is another reminder of how little margin there is at the back end of an NFL roster.
Sheriff arrives as developmental depth at a position the Rams continue to monitor, bringing a fresh look after spending time with the Seahawks. For a team that has been willing to turn over the bottom of the roster quickly, the move fits a familiar pattern, even if it leaves the larger question of how the Rams want to build out that edge group still hanging there. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Opener Just Got Tougher With Nick Bosa Trending This Way
The Rams trip to Australia for the season opener already carried enough unfamiliarity without having to factor in Nick Bosa, and the 49ers edge rusher is suddenly looking much more like a real part of the opener picture. Bosa returned to practice for the first time since Aug. 3 after dealing with tendinitis in his right knee, the same knee that previously went through ACL surgery, giving San Francisco a late but meaningful lift as the teams prepare to open in Melbourne.
Bosa is traveling with the 49ers and said he is cautiously optimistic about being ready for the game, which is exactly the kind of development the Rams would rather not have to monitor this close to kickoff. He also sounded settled into the unusual road trip ahead, talking about the recovery process and even looking forward to trying some local coffee and checking out nature exhibits, but for Los Angeles the bigger issue is simple: the opener just got a lot more complicated if Bosa keeps trending this way. [Read more 🡒]