The season opener at Detroit is less than a week away.
After more than six weeks of training camp and preseason workouts, the Rams on Monday practiced before an audience that included owner Stan Kroenke and began the countdown and final run-up to playing the Lions on “Sunday Night Football.”
“This is a different sense of urgency, in a good way,” coach Sean McVay said. “You want it to be uplifting and elevating, but it’s real now.”
On Monday, offensive tackle Rob Havenstein took a step toward possibly playing in the opener by going through individual drills for the first time since suffering an ankle injury during training camp.
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Havenstein’s status for Sunday night’s game is still to be determined. But his participation was a positive for a Rams team returning to Ford Field, where last season ended in a 24-23 NFL wild-card defeat by the Lions.
“We’re going to use every day,” McVay said, “and that’s the truth, especially as it relates to him.”
If Havenstein is sidelined, second-year pro Warren McClendon Jr. would probably start at right tackle with veteran Joe Noteboom at left tackle in place of Alaric Jackson, who is suspended for the first two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Jonah Jackson, sidelined most of training camp because of a shoulder injury, could start at center, with Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson at left and right guard, respectively.
“The positive thing is that we’ve gotten a lot of work with a lot of different guys,” McVay said of the line. “The guys that are starting to work their way back… these are experienced players.”
Havenstein, a 10th-year pro and the longest-tenured Rams player, is among veterans on one of the NFL’s youngest rosters. The Rams have 15 rookies.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, a 16th-year pro, is the most experienced player.
Safety John Johnson III is preparing for his eighth season opener, his sixth with the Rams. Johnson was a third-round draft pick by the Rams in 2017.
“I remember everything, from my first day of rookie mini-camp, all the way till now,” said Johnson, who rejoined the Rams in 2023 after two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. “It went by extremely fast, but … I still feel like I’ve got a lot more left.”
Receiver Demarcus Robinson, a ninth-year pro, and receiver Cooper Kupp and cornerback Tre’Davious White, both eighth-year pros, are other veteran players for a team that will count on rookies at several spots.
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Edge rusher Jared Verse and tackle Braden Fiske, the Rams’ first two picks in the 2024 draft, are expected to be key players for a defense now under the direction of coordinator Chris Shula. Omar Speights will be in the linebacker rotation, Kamren Kinchens the safety rotation.
Running back Blake Corum is expected to play multiple series as Kyren Williams’ backup.
And Joshua Karty is the placekicker.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett, a 2023 fourth-round draft pick who was on the NFL non-football injury/illness list last season, will back up Stafford in the opener because veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is suspended for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy while playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Etc.
McVay added Scott Frost to the staff. The hire came a few days after Rams parted ways with assistant special teams coach Chili Davis. Frost was the former head coach at Central Florida and Nebraska. McVay said Frost would assist special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn and that he also would be involved with the offense and defense…. The Rams signed offensive lineman Blake Larson to the practice squad.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
