The Rams didn’t waste much time giving their fans something to latch onto when training camp opened, and the early buzz centered on the secondary. With the roster having gone through plenty of changes this offseason, the back end of the defense is where a lot of the attention has landed.
New starting cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are the obvious names to watch, but they weren’t the only defensive backs making noise. Cornerback Cam Lampkin and safety Kam Kinchens joined Watson in turning heads with strong plays in their camp debuts, a promising first look for a group trying to prove it can be part of the solution.
That’s the encouraging part. The bigger picture is still a work in progress.
The Rams finished 2024 on a strong note and carried that into a sharper start to 2025, but injuries and fatigue eventually caught up with them. When that happened, pass coverage became the clearest soft spot on the defense.
Los Angeles attacked the problem from multiple angles. The team extended starting safeties Quentin Lake and Kam Curl, brought in McDuffie and Watson from the Kansas City Chiefs, and then added Myles Garrett to the pass rush. The result, at least on paper, is a defense that looks a whole lot more dangerous.
It may take time for everything to click, but the Rams believe the unit has been built to fit defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s vision. After the first day of camp, Shula liked what he saw.
"What I love is the command and the communication," Shula said following Day 1 activities. We want to provide those guys with a lot of clarity so they can go play fast, and that's what it seems like. They got a really good ownership of what they're doing, and (it) seemed like they made some plays today and flew around."
That’s the kind of start the Rams were hoping for. The group knows the ceiling is there, but turning that into real production will come down to communication, coordination, and consistency.
Day 1 offered a good first step. The rest of the climb is still ahead.
In Other News...
Rams Hit With Another O-Line Concern They Really Did Not Need
Training camp had barely gotten underway when the Rams were dealt another reminder of how fragile offensive line depth can be. Guard Justin Dedich was placed on the Non-Football Injured Reserve list, a move that keeps him eligible to return before the 53-man roster cutoff date but still leaves Los Angeles thinner inside as it starts sorting through its early camp reps.
The timing matters because the Rams are trying to build continuity up front while also managing the rest of the roster churn that comes with camp. Undrafted rookie cornerback Al'Zillion Hamilton also landed on the Physically Unable to Perform list, another small hit to depth in the defensive backfield, and it adds to the sense that the first days of practice are already forcing the team to juggle bodies in a few key spots. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Fans Got Their First Real Reason To Watch Ty Simpson
The Rams opened training camp at Loyola Marymount University with their first on-field practice, and the early quarterback rotation offered a small but meaningful glimpse into how the backup job could sort itself out. Matthew Stafford sat out the initial session as the team manages his workload, which pushed rookie Ty Simpson into reps behind the first unit while Bennett handled the first-team offense in the opening 11-on-11 work.
For Simpson, it was the kind of first day that can tell you as much about the process as the throws themselves. He had an up-and-down debut with a few missed passes mixed in with some solid moments, and he kept turning to quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone for feedback after reps. Offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase said he likes Simpsons work ethic and expects him to keep growing through camp, which makes the next few practices worth watching as the rookie tries to keep closing the gap. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Defense Sent A Chilling First Message At Camp
The Rams opened training camp with the kind of defensive reset that can change the feel of a practice field fast, as new arrivals Myles Garrett, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson all took part in the first session. Garrett made his presence felt in 11-on-11 work, while the Rams also used the day to sort through a few other important camp competitions, including opportunities for Stetson Bennett and rookie Ty Simpson as the offense worked through its early reps.
McDuffies view of Garrett only added to the buzz around the front seven, and the rest of the secondary had its own moments as Watson helped break up a deep ball intended for Davante Adams before the play ended with Kam Kinchens finishing it off. Matthew Stafford was held out on a scheduled rest day, which opened the door for Bennett to work with the first unit and for the team to keep evaluating the skill positions, where Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield are among the names fighting for the WR3 job behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. [Read more 🡒]