WAILUKU, Hawaii — Heat, breezy and feeling good.
That was the prevailing feeling among the many Rams this week as they ended their off season with a “Mauicamp,” a low-key occasion heavy on bonding and light-weight on drills for a crew anticipated to contend for a championship.
Star quarterback Matthew Stafford is underneath contract for one more potential Tremendous Bowl run.
The Rams additionally added star receiver Davante Adams, drafted tight finish Terrance Ferguson and bolstered depth to an ascending defensive entrance.
The Rams, nonetheless, have areas of concern as they head right into a break earlier than reporting to coaching camp at Loyola Marymount in July.
Offensive deal with and cornerback may very well be vulnerabilities for a crew aiming to enhance upon final season’s 10-7 report and an NFC divisional spherical loss to the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Right here’s how assured the Rams had been in these positions going into free company and the draft: They didn’t signal or choose a participant at both spot.
Whether or not that was clever is one other matter.
Stafford, 37, stays the Rams’ most essential participant and — apart from coach Sean McVay — their most useful asset. So the tackles should foil edge rushers hellbent on hitting the quarterback whereas taking part in maybe probably the most pressure-packed place apart from Stafford’s.
Together with his play final season, Alaric Jackson satisfied the Rams he was their longtime answer at left deal with. They awarded him a three-year contract that included $35 million in ensures.
However uncertainty now reigns. Jackson sat out the ultimate week of offseason exercises as a result of he’s coping with blood-clot points for the second time in his profession. If, or when, he’ll be capable of observe and play is unknown.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes throughout organized crew actions on June 3.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Occasions)
The Rams hurriedly signed D.J. Humphries, however the veteran is of late one thing of an unknown amount. He performed solely two video games final season for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs after getting back from main 2023 knee surgical procedure after which struggling a hamstring damage.
Proper deal with Rob Havenstein, 33, is coming into his eleventh season and the ultimate yr of his contract. He’s coming off two shoulder surgical procedures.
Swing deal with Warren McClendon Jr. began 5 video games final season, however he has not established himself as a frontline participant. The Rams additionally lately signed eight-year professional David Quessenberry, who made 17 of his profession 30 begins in 2021.
The Rams are assured within the secondary — largely due to the defensive entrance.
A rush led by rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske helped the Rams rank twentieth amongst 32 groups in go protection final season. That rush is anticipated to enhance with the addition of deal with Poona Ford and rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart.
So the Rams stood pat with the identical defensive backs from final season.
Cornerback Darious Williams, 32, doesn’t have wage ensures past this season, based on Overthecap.com. Ahkello Witherspoon, 30, is taking part in on a one-year deal for the third consecutive season however was signed early sufficient this time to take part in offseason exercises.
Cobie Durant is within the ultimate yr of his rookie contract, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is making an attempt to show that the Washington Commanders erred by releasing the 2023 first-round choose final season.
Derion Kendrick, coming off a knee damage that compelled him to sit down out the 2024 season, was waived final week in a cost-cutting transfer after which re-signed with the Rams for a veteran-minimum contract. Josh Wallace and Charles Woods, undrafted free brokers in 2024, are also on the roster.
McVay this week indicated that there have been most likely too many obstacles to commerce for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the three-time All-Professional who was an integral a part of the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl LVI championship crew.
Two-time Professional Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was lately launched by the Inexperienced Bay Packers, however McVay stated final week that was “not a direction” the Rams would go. Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the Rams’ Week 6 opponent.
Whereas the NFL largely shuts down till the beginning of coaching camp, basic supervisor Les Snead previously has added gamers earlier than it opens and after it begins.
However for now, with their Hawaiian tour behind them, the Rams seem able to go along with what they’ve acquired.
