Turf Show Times
The preseason is now in the books. Next up for the Los Angeles Rams are cutdowns to the initial 53-man regular season roster.
These are a few takeaways from the three exhibition games. We’ll focus on individuals that strengthened their argument to make the roster or those who have carved out roles once the games start to count.
Dedich argued his case for the 53-man roster so well to the point where he sat out the final game of the preseason and is a virtual lock to make the roster. While he’s an undersized interior player, he posted an impressive run blocking grade of 86.8. Dedich stepped in last season and played admirably as a starter in a short stint. He’s a valuable depth piece that is worth keeping around.
Leveston played 100% of his 149 preseason snaps at left tackle, even though coming out of the draft there was a sense he’d slot better along the interior. While Alaric Jackson’s blood clotting issues seems like it will be in a good enough spot for him to start against the Houston Texans in Week 1, you can never have too many backup options at left tackle. Would Leveston get the nod over DJ Humphries or Warren McClendon? That remains to be seen. McClendon played 26 snaps at right tackle in the second exhibition game versus the Chargers.
Despite missing the first of three games with injury, Edwards caught four passes for 57 yards and a score. He brings a bigger frame than most in the Rams’ receiving corps at 6-3, 201 lbs. Quarterbacks had a 136.8 passer rating when throwing the ball in Edwards’ direction.
Lampkin is dealing with a lower body injury. He is now a fan favorite and made a strong case for the roster. While the injury clouds his status, it could also make it easier for Los Angeles to stash him on the practice squad.
LA’s rookie second-round pick, Ferguson, missed a notable portion of the preseason with a groin injury. It was positive for him to see live action in the preseason finale, though it was more positive to see him get open multiple times deep. He also flashed the run after the catch ability that made him an intriguing prospect out of Oregon.
A member of the Rams’ roster since 2022, Thomas once again looked solid in the preseason. He will now miss the entirety of the 2025 season due to injury.
Accounting for five run stops—tied for second-most overall on the defense in the preseason—Valcarel brings physicality from the secondary. He posted a 78.1 run defense grade which was also good for...
