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.
Top five grades on offense:
1 – Justin Dedich, G: 89.3
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.
2 – KT Leveston, T: 84.4
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.
3 – Tru Edwards, WR: 82.3
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.
4 – Willie Lampkin, iOL: 81.9
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.
5 – Terrance Ferguson, TE: 81.1
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.
Top five grades on defense:
1 – Keir Thomas, EDGE: 84.6
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.
2 – Nate Valcarel, DB: 79.1
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 second-best.
3 – Jack Heflin, DT: 74.5
Helfin took the cake for run stops. He posted a team-leading eight and a PFF run defense grade of 69.6. He first joined in the NFL as a UDFA in 2021 and signed with the Green Bay Packers. He also had a two-year stint with the New Orleans Saints. He could be a candidate for LA’s practice squad.
4 – Larrell Murchison, DT: 73.7
Murchison is probably safe at defensive tackle behind Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, and Tyler Davis. Despite only 29 pass rushing snaps, he earned three pressures. It was a relatively short preseason for the veteran as he was on the field for only 50 snaps.
5 – Jamil Muhammed, EDGE: 72.5
Muhammed was on the field late in each game, but he made his impact felt on limited opportunities. He notched six pressures, which was second behind Desjuan Johnson’s leading 11. He also recorded four run stops and forced a fumble. Outside linebackers are important special teams contributors, and the former USC Trojan could find a way to stick around on the practice squad.
Other notable takeaways:
- RB Cody Schrader forced eight missed tackles on 27 carries, which led the team. He also ran for 15+ yards on two plays.
- TE Terrance Ferguson had an average depth of target (ADOT) of 18 yards. He could be a vertical threat in the Rams’ passing game.
- Ferguson also led the Rams in average yards after the catch with 10.
- K Josh Karty converted all eight of his extra points and all three of his field goals, included one from 40-49 yards.
- ED Josaiah Stewart earned an “elite” pass rushing grade on true pass sets of 90.4 despite only 14 snaps.
- DT Ty Hamilton graded as the 21st of 26 players to record a snap on defense. He had a run defense grade of 40.5 and a tackling grade of 30.0.
- ED Brennan Jackson ranked 23rd with poor grades in run defense, tackling, and coverage.
