Through two preseason games, the Los Angeles Rams have gotten plenty of attention for the flashier stuff - quarterbacks, tight ends, receivers, running backs. The group that has quietly done the dirty work up front deserves a bigger spotlight.
The Rams’ offensive line has gone eight quarters without allowing a sack, and that’s not the kind of thing that happens by accident. Even with the unit pieced together in preseason fashion, the big men have kept defenders away long enough for LA to pile up 726 yards of offense. That total includes 482 passing yards, 244 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns and three rushing scores.
The names aren’t exactly household ones, but the work has been real. The Rams’ preseason offensive line has featured C Dylan McMahon, G Beaux Limmer, LT AJ Arcuri, G Bill Murray, G Wyatt Bowles, G Austin Blaske, T Blake Hance, and T Keagen Trost, who is injured. That group has helped make a thin, unglamorous part of the roster look far more dependable than some expected.
There has been talk that the Rams don’t have much depth on the offensive line, but the preseason tape tells a different story. This isn’t a unit loaded with backup linemen carrying big draft pedigrees, yet the players who have taken the field have held up well. Some of them have simply been waiting for a chance, and they’ve made the most of it.
The Rams also kept starters out, along with tackle David Quessenberry and interior offensive lineman Justin Dedich, who is injured. Trost had only limited action after getting hurt in Game 1. Even with those absences, the line kept the offense moving.
That leaves the Rams with some roster decisions to sort through. On paper, the team has filled eight roster spots on an offensive line that could carry as few as eight players.
The uncertainty around left tackle Alaric Jackson’s availability could push the Rams to keep even more depth. For now, Quessenberry is apparently in line to handle left tackle duties as needed.
The bigger issue is what happens to the reserves who have stood out. Dylan McMahon, Wyatt Bowles and Bill Murray have been among the team’s best under-the-radar performers, and trying to sneak them onto the practice squad would leave them exposed to waiver claims. Les Snead has a reputation for finding the right players for the right jobs, and that kind of judgment is going to matter when the Rams trim down to 53.
There’s still room for the roster picture to shift, but the preseason has already made one thing clear: the Rams’ offensive line backups are not just filling space. They’re earning notice.
In Other News...
Rams QB Battle Just Got More Interesting For Stetson Bennett
Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett have both done enough in the preseason to keep the Rams quarterback conversation alive, and that is exactly the kind of problem Sean McVay wants this time of year. Simpson stood out in the opener with sharp decision-making, while Bennett answered in the next game with Player of the Game honors, giving Los Angeles a second look at two young passers who have each flashed enough to matter.
Bennetts recent progress has added another layer to the competition, especially after he has cleaned up the turnovers that had been part of his story earlier. With both quarterbacks making a case and McVay publicly encouraged by what he has seen from Simpson, the Rams still have a real preseason battle on their hands, and the next few practices and reps will go a long way toward shaping how that room looks when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Just Made The Rams Roster Battle A Lot Tougher
The Rams second preseason game turned into a showcase for several young players, and Stetson Bennett made sure the quarterback conversation got louder. In a 34-0 shutout of the Saints, Bennett handled his work efficiently, completing 19 of 31 passes for 181 yards while adding two rushing touchdowns and taking home Player of the Game honors. The performance came with plenty of other names flashing too, including running back Jarquez Hunter, receiver CJ Daniels, edge rusher Wesley Bailey and cornerback Cam Lampkin.
For a roster that still has several battles to sort out, the most encouraging part for Los Angeles is how many players are forcing the issue at once. Bennetts outing stood out most, especially with the team evaluating depth and roles behind the established pieces, while Dean Connors had a quieter night after a more noticeable preseason debut. The Rams still have decisions ahead, but games like this make the margins a lot tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Just Gave Rams Fans A Real Backup QB Debate
Stetson Bennett spent the first half of the Rams second preseason game making a real case for himself, and the setting could not have been much calmer for a quarterback trying to make noise. With the defense blanking New Orleans and the offense stacking up four scoring drives before halftime, Bennett went 19 of 31 for 181 yards and added two rushing touchdowns in a 34-0 rout that gave Los Angeles plenty to like on both sides of the ball.
Ty Simpson handled the second half after Bennetts work was done, but the conversation the Rams may have sparked goes beyond one August win. Bennetts ability to keep the offense moving and finish drives adds some weight to a backup quarterback picture that had seemed straightforward enough before kickoff, and hell get one more chance to keep pressing his case when the Rams face the Chargers in the final preseason game on Aug. 27. [Read more 🡒]