Last week’s preseason win by the Los Angeles Rams over the Dallas Cowboys was one of the best exhibition performances we’ve seen from Sean McVay’s team.
Still, there were a handful of players on the fringes of the roster that disappointed from an individual performance perspective. They’ll get two more shots to prove they deserve to stick on this team, and their next test is Saturday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.
These are the five Rams that must play better in Week 2 of the preseason or they could find themselves in danger of being waived.
Ty Hamilton, DT
LA drafted Hamilton in the fifth round of this spring’s NFL Draft in hopes that he would help improve their run defense. The Ohio State product struggled in this very facet of the game against the Cowboys.
Call it NFL debut jitters if you want. The bottom line is that the rookie must play better in order to make the roster in a crowded defensive interior room that includes Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, and Tyler Davis (all of which were rested against Dallas). Hamilton is battling against Larrell Murchison and Desjuan Johnson, assuming there is even a fifth spot available.
Fifth round picks are not locks to make the roster. It would be a disappointing outcome for both the Rams and Hamilton, although within the realm of possibility.
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Konata Mumpfield, WR
Mumpfield—a seventh round rookie—was significantly hyped up by fans and the team ahead of his debut last week. He failed to live up to expectations and committed multiple rookie mistakes.
The first lapse being a failure to cut towards the post after breaking free in the deep part of the secondary, resulting in a communication error between he and quarterback Stetson Bennett. We’d be talking about Mumpfield in a much different light if he had ran to the post and completed the connection for a touchdown.
Aside from a dropped pass that was potentially aimed a little too far in front of him (still very catchable), Mumpfield also lacked fight on a contested deep ball from Bennett that turned into a Cowboys interception. It’s simply another mistake that young receivers often make. If you are unable to secure the catch, you must convert to a cornerback and ensure the pass falls harmlessly incomplete.
Will Mumpfield take the lessons learned to heart and play better against the other LA team?
Nick Hampton, ED
The pecking order at EDGE defender seems to be sorting itself out. Jared Verse and Byron Young are locks to make the roster. There is a significant role available as a third rusher to replace Michael Hoecht—who signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency.
Josaiah Stewart, taken in the third round this April, is in a decisive lead for said position amongst Hampton, Brennan Jackson, Keir Thomas, and Jamil Muhammed. Hampton seemed to have the worst performance of the group against Dallas and the former fifth round pick is in danger of not making this team.
When Hampton was drafted in 2023 it seemed there was a path for him to become a situational pass rush specialist. That vision, at least so far, has not come to fruition.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Ronnie Rivers, RB
Mostly all of the running backs played well last week against the Cowboys. Rivers didn’t play poorly by any means; however, Cody Schrader stood out in a big way and with continued success could leapfrog the veteran on the depth chart. Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and Jarquez Hunter all figure to be safe. If the Rams keep four backs—which they’ve done in some previous seasons, there could be room for either Rivers or Schrader. It’s important to note that Rivers has been an important contributor on special teams.
The difficult part of this discussion is that Rivers played only played three snaps in the first preseason game. He’s been on the Rams’ roster since 2022. There’s little insight that can be gained by giving him increased opportunities in exhibition games, so it’s a possibility he loses the battle to Schrader without the ability to put up much of a fight.
Such is life for those on the fringes of NFL rosters.
Derion Kendrick, CB
Like Rivers, Kendrick did not play poorly against the Cowboys; however, Charles Woods, Cam Lampkin, and Josh Wallace all performed better than the fourth-year veteran.
It’s not a certainty that the Rams would keep another corner in addition to Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Emmanuel Forbes (all rested last week). Kendrick already has an uphill climb to make this team, and others are simply making stronger arguments based on what we’ve seen so far.
If Kendrick wants to prove to the Rams that he belongs, he has two weeks to demonstrate he’s an NFL talent.
