8 takeaways from start of Rams training camp

The Los Angeles Rams got a little bit of an early start on training camp this year, being one of the two teams that will play in the season opener on Sept. 8 as the defending Super Bowl champs. They held practices from Sunday-Wednesday this week, which were open to members of the media but not fans.

Open practices will begin on Friday, but let’s recap the first few days of camp and some of the thoughts shared by players and coaches in preparation for the upcoming season.

Coleman Shelton is getting a crack at RG spot

Shelton is getting reps with the starting offensive line already, working at both right guard and center. But with Brian Allen locked in as the starting center, Shelton is mainly competing with Logan Bruss at right guard.

That’ll certainly be a position battle to watch throughout camp because the Rams need someone to step into Austin Corbett’s role on the right side. Bruss and Shelton are both solid options, and the Rams will give them equal chances to earn the starting job.

Jalen Ramsey focused on getting healthy, not a new deal

Ramsey was originally going to be placed on the PUP list to open camp after undergoing shoulder surgery, but the Rams opted not to go that route. He was cleared by doctors for limited work in camp, and because he’s not on the PUP list, he can still participate in walk-throughs and mental reps on the field.

He still plans to be ready for the start of the regular season, saying he has “no doubt” he’ll be healthy by Week 1. He’s just focused on getting healthy for September 8.

What he’s not worried about is his contract. He was asked if he’s looking for a new deal after seeing Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp get raises, but that’ll come “when the time’s right.”

“I gotta handle what I gotta handle, and right now, for me that’s being a good teammate, getting the shoulder right, getting the rehab right so I can go have another good season and help this team in as many ways as possible,” he said.

Bobby Wagner will be defensive signal caller

Wagner confirmed that he’s going to be the Rams’ defensive signal caller, wearing the green dot on his helmet. He’ll relay the calls from Raheem Morris to the rest of the defense, which is the role he had with the Seahawks.

“That’s all I know,” he said of wearing the green dot.

Right now, he and Morris are using walkie-talkies, but it’s a one-way line of communication, and Morris talks a lot of trash. It sounds like this transition for Wagner is going smoothly, and he’s having fun so far.

Troy Hill pulled in a great interception

Hill has wasted no time making an impact on defense since returning to the Rams this offseason, picking off a pass in practice on Monday. Jalen Ramsey was immediately there to celebrate the interception, which was a great play by Hill.

He doesn’t appear to have missed a beat after leaving the Rams for one year, and he should pick up right where he left off in 2020.

Matthew Stafford is throwing again but Rams will be cautious

Stafford didn’t throw at all during OTAs and minicamp after getting an injection in his right elbow, but the plan was for him to be ready by training camp. Stafford began throwing on the first day of camp and didn’t have any limitations, according to McVay, but the Rams are still going to be smart with him by keeping Stafford on a “pitch count,” as the coach called it.

There are no concerns about his availability for Week 1, and it’s great to see him throwing to his new target, Allen Robinson.

Kyren Williams, Travin Howard among 4 injured Rams

Williams broke his foot during OTAs and isn’t yet ready to practice, so he was placed on the PUP list to start camp, along with Quentin Lake and Warren Jackson. Howard pulled his groin while working out on his own and needs surgery to repair the injury, landing on the non-football injury list.

None of the four players will be forced to miss regular-season time as of now, and they can all be activated at any time, so hopefully they’ll be back sooner rather than later.

Rookie DBs have caught McVay’s eye

The Rams brought in a bunch of rookie defensive backs this year, adding Decobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake all in the draft. They’re just getting their feet wet in training camp right now (though Lake is injured) but they’ve already caught the eye of McVay in practice. McVay paid them a compliment, saying the game makes sense to them – while also noting Yeast’s breaks on a couple of passes in practice.

“When you look at guys like DK, Durant, Russ Yeast even as a safety had some really good breaks today,” McVay said. “These guys, the game makes sense to them. They’re really comfortable back there and they’re getting a lot of reps against some really good players with the way that we’ve got practice situated right now.”

Kendrick made a great play to break up a pass intended for Allen Robinson on Wednesday, which had the whole defense fired up afterwards.

Andrew Whitworth remains close to the team

Whitworth is gearing up for his first post-retirement job this year after being hired by Amazon to be a studio analyst during Thursday Night Football coverage, but he remains close to the team he ended his NFL career with. On Wednesday, Whitworth was spotted at practice wearing a Rams shirt, hanging out with McVay and other coaches before things got underway.

Coaching should still be in Whitworth’s future because he’s more than cut out for that type of job. Maybe he’ll be on McVay’s staff one day.

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