Adam Grosbard – Orange County Register

Rams WR Davante Adams feeling ‘rejuvenated’ after OTAs

Adam Grosbard — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 21:47:29 +0000

WOODLAND HILLS — As the Rams’ OTA practice ramped up on Tuesday, Davante Adams was holding court on the sideline.

The three-time first-team All-Pro was surrounded by fellow receivers Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell, running back Kyren Williams and receivers coach Eric Yarber, all staring down at Adams’ feet as he explained a break, modeling the movement needed. As the rest of the group moved on to the next drill, Nacua stayed with Adams, mirroring the example that Adams repeated for him.

“I think the positive impact has already been felt from Davante,” Nacua said last week. “From the moment he walked in he’s been willing to offer information, to have new drills, to have a complete different mindset of somebody who’s played in various offenses, very different schemes and stuff like that. So it’s been exciting to hear from him.”

The environment in Woodland Hills has lived up to Adams’ expectations, too.

“It feels like I’ve been on this team for a couple years now based on how open and receptive the guys have been to me,” Adams said. “It’s been exactly what I’ve needed. I’m feeling rejuvenated.”

Since he left Green Bay following the 2021 season, Adams hasn’t found the team success he’s sought. His two-plus years in Las Vegas were marked by Raiders turmoil, including a midseason coaching change, before he was traded to the New York Jets in the middle of last season. His arrival in New York was a Hail Mary to salvage a losing season, but he only experienced more losing.

When he signed a two-year deal (which could be worth up to $46 million) with the Rams as a free agent in March, Adams, 32, wanted to play for a contender, and to find calmer seas to navigate the final act of his career.

“It’s just about ball, it’s no other B.S.,” Adams said. “It feels like a college-type camaraderie. I don’t think I’ve seen a linebacker and a punter talk as much as what I’ve been here, or a kicker and quarterbacks. It’s just so much crossover. … Everybody’s in a good mood, it’s not like a dark cloud over the building and I’ve experienced that quite a bit over the last few years.”

Adams has spent the past couple of months building a chemistry with his new quarterback, Matthew Stafford. The receiver likes that Stafford doesn’t shy away from throwing routes when the coverage dictates he look another direction, instead forcing the defense to cover the right way instead of allowing the pre-snap look to force a check down.

And Adams appreciates Stafford’s approach, taking responsibility for a pass that’s away from the receiver instead of coaching guys on how to run their routes. Adams said he would be fine with the other approach, being the new guy and all, but he likes the collaborative tone that his new quarterback establishes.

“After every single set, it feels like we’re over there talking about, ‘Hey, this is kind of how I’m thinking that I’m going to come out of this or feel that.’ and it’s just constant dialogue,” Stafford said. “Honestly, those are the best relationships I’ve had with the receivers and the most success that I’ve had is guys that want to talk to you on what they felt, what they were doing.”

RAMS TO HONOR DONALD

The Rams announced on Tuesday that they will hold a halftime ceremony honoring three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald during the team’s Nov. 23 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The first 60,000 fans in attendance will receive a bobblehead of Donald, who retired last year after spending his entire career with the Rams, earning eight first-team All-Pro selections and 10 Pro Bowl nods.

DURANT HONORED BY NFLPA

Rams cornerback Cobie Durant was named the 2025 Black College Football Pro Player of the Year by the NFL Players Association over the weekend.

“I want to thank the NFLPA for allowing me to showcase this award and be a part of this award,” Durant said in a statement. “I’m proud to continue this tradition for the HBCUs.”

Durant, who attended South Carolina State, finished the 2024 season with 40 tackles, an interception and a sack. He also recorded a sack and an interception on consecutive possessions during the Rams’ playoff win against the Minnesota Vikings.

“He’s continuously gotten better. He works at it,” head coach Sean McVay said. “Really been really pleased with him.”

Rams OLB Jared Verse feels ‘more prepared than I’ve ever been’

Adam Grosbard — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 22:09:59 +0000

From left, Rams defensive players Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner and Byron Young huddle up during a break between drills during an OTA practice on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Woodland Hills. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

1 of 24

Expand

WOODLAND HILLS — Entering his first NFL offseason, the first of his life in which he didn’t have to deal with school or draft prep, Rams edge rusher Jared Verse got a text from a fellow Florida State alum, one who had enjoyed a long NFL career. And he offered Verse one piece of advice.

Study your old film. All of it.

“Watch more of the bad plays than the good,” Verse said, “and realize what I can work on. I did that, and I feel more prepared than I’ve ever been.”

Verse, still the Rams’ only first-round draft pick since 2016, had the rookie season the front office envisioned when it took him with the 19th overall pick last spring. He finished with 4½ total sacks but led all NFL players with 89 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus, with a 19.7% win rate on his pass rush opportunities.

The raw numbers led to accolades, including a Pro Bowl nod and the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award. But when he watched his film from the past year, Verse noticed instead how many big plays he missed out on, and not just sacks.

“Dropping in coverage, I could have done this. Rushing the passer, I could have done that. Even in the run game a couple times, there’s a couple things where I’m a little too far inside, I’m a little too far outside and I could have made a big, impact play,” Verse explained Tuesday after the Rams wrapped up an OTA practice. “So realizing that this really is a game of inches where it’s like stopping the ball or actually just doing your job, there’s a couple things I could have done better.”

As Verse looks to take on more leadership responsibilities in this second season, it’s this level of self-scouting that will help elevate him.

Being vocal has never been an issue for the verbose Verse, whose eyes went wide when a reporter joked that he seemed quieter on the field this year. But having one of the defense’s best players take on that level of accountability can have a positive impact.

It was evident last year when Verse put the blame squarely on his own shoulders for a midseason loss to Philadelphia in which he struggled to do his part to keep Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley in check. His and his teammates’ willingness to look inward led to a late-season turnaround for the defense.

“We were talking about it this morning, we don’t want him to put any extra pressure on himself,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “Just be the best version of yourself. That’s all we’re challenging him to do is understanding his opps within the scheme of the defense, which we started to do in the middle of the season last year, and just be himself.”

For the confident Verse, that won’t be an issue.

“I don’t really put too much pressure,” Verse said. “If I’m who I am and I take the strides I need to take, I’m going to be the best version of me and I’m going to be able to help the team in any facet or way that they need.”

BRIEFLY

Receiver Davante Adams missed Tuesday’s practice with an excused absence, a team spokesperson said.

Rams CB Emmanuel Forbes feeling more comfortable as team starts OTAs

Adam Grosbard — Thu, 29 May 2025 00:24:01 +0000

Rams head coach Sean McVay walks on the field during an OTA workout on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Woodland Hills. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

1 of 82

Rams head coach Sean McVay walks on the field during an OTA workout on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Woodland Hills. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Expand

WOODLAND HILLS — Emmanuel Forbes was engaged with his man along the left sideline when the receiver cut out. The Rams cornerback made a fluid turn to follow his mark, then extended up with his 6-foot frame to intercept the ball.

It was just the first 11-on-11 action of the offseason as the Rams began OTAs on Wednesday. But it was a sign of Forbes finding his footing in the team’s defense after joining the Rams in December.

“I got here late in the season so it’s kind of hard to learn the ins and outs of the defense,” Forbes said. “So since I had a whole offseason here, been here most of the time and just learning the ins and outs of the defense, you know, I’m able to play faster and play smarter, honestly, and make plays on the ball.”

Forbes was a first-round selection by the Washington Commanders in 2023, but struggled to live up to that draft status in his time there. He didn’t have a consistent role as a rookie, sometimes not seeing the field at all for weeks at a time. That continued into 2024 before the Commanders ultimately released him.

The Rams claimed Forbes off waivers, but with such limited time to make the transition to his new team, he didn’t play on defense until Week 18, when the team was resting its starters.

“I was really impressed with the way that he came in,” head coach Sean McVay said. “His willingness to be coached, his openness to maybe some different techniques. And that’s really tough to do in the middle of the year, especially given the background with Washington. I thought he came in with a great demeanor and disposition.”

But the Rams liked what they saw against Seattle in Week 18, and that served as a good starting point for Forbes entering the offseason. He spent some time training in Arizona, but he also worked at the Rams’ facility with defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant and safeties coach Chris Beake on learning the team’s system.

For Forbes, learning the defense itself wasn’t as intensive as understanding the Rams’ techniques and vernacular.

“Technique is different on every team, and the technique that they want to be done on certain plays and certain situations, and just getting to know your coaches better and what they want to be done,” Forbes said.

“You’ve just seen the progression,” McVay said. “You see the ability. In some of the individual drills, the movements, the ability to get in and out of breaks and the length and the ball skills to be able to pick the ball off, those are big deals.”

No progress on potential Ramsey trade

As for the possibility of adding to the Rams’ cornerback room, McVay said there has been no progress on a potential trade for former Rams cornerback and current Miami Dolphin Jalen Ramsey since the coach last addressed the topic after the NFL draft last month.

McVay did not close the door on the possibility, however.

“There really hasn’t been any meaningful, tangible dialogue as of late,” McVay said. “But that can always change pretty quickly.”

Ramsey, 30, is a year removed from his last Pro Bowl appearance. He spent the 2019-22 seasons with the Rams, playing a part in the team’s Super Bowl LVI championship before the team traded the three-time first-team All-Pro to Miami prior to the 2023 season.

“There’s a lot of layers with something of that magnitude, when you’re talking about the caliber of the player, the compensation that they’re looking for in return, what does that look like in terms of how they handle what he’s actually due [contractually],” McVay said. “Obviously, we love Jalen, we know Jalen intimately. There would be some things that we would need to be able to do if that was going to be a direction that we went.”

Attendance report

Wide receiver Puka Nacua had an excused absence to travel with his mother, something he communicated with the Rams previously in the offseason, McVay said.

Starting right tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulders) was present but did not participate in OTAs, as expected after two offseason procedures.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick was back at practice after tearing his ACL during training camp last year.

Rams to open season at home vs. Texans; Eagles rematch set for Week 3

Adam Grosbard — Thu, 15 May 2025 00:01:38 +0000

For the first time in three years, the Rams will open their season at home.

The NFL released its full schedule on Wednesday, revealing that the Rams will begin the 2025 season with an afternoon game against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.

Then the Rams will board planes for the first two of their nine road games, which will total 34,832 total miles traveled through the air. In Week 2, the Rams will travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans and rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the first overall draft pick, before a Week 3 trip to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last year’s 28-22 loss in the NFC divisional round.

The Rams will play a total of four prime-time games in 2025, starting in Week 5 with a Thursday night home matchup with an NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers. Then in Week 12, the Rams will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Sunday night game.

The prime-time slate will conclude with back-to-back marquee matchups in December. The Rams will travel to Seattle for a Thursday night game against the Seahawks and former Rams receiver Cooper Kupp in Week 16, before a Week 17 trip to play the Atlanta Falcons and former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris on Monday night.

Those games will be the third and fourth in a stretch of four road games in five weeks for the Rams. They will play at Carolina in Week 13 and at Arizona in Week 14, followed by a home game against the Detroit Lions in Week 15. The Rams’ home rematch with the Arizona Cardinals will close out the regular season in Week 18.

Kupp’s first game back at SoFi Stadium since the Rams released him this offseason will be Nov. 16 in Week 11.

The Rams will get a chance to stay out east, should they choose to do so, ahead of their Week 7 game in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams play at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6, so the Rams could avoid the extra flights across the country and practice in Baltimore before flying to England.

A Week 8 bye will be the Rams’ reward for the European trip.

The Rams released a video announcing the schedule with a video of actress and fan Brenda Song breaking down the slate. Song, who went viral this winter with her breakdown of the team’s run defense after the postseason loss to the Eagles, went through the schedule like a news anchor.

The video featured cameos from outside linebacker Jared Verse giving a thumbs-down to Philadelphia and defensive coordinator Chris Shula telling Song, who had criticized the Rams’ linebacker play in her viral video earlier this year, to stop sending him audition tapes of her playing the position.

Rams 2025 schedule

Week 1: vs. Houston Texans, Sept. 7, 1:25 p.m., CBS

Week 2: at Tennessee Titans, Sept. 14, 10 a.m., CBS

Week 3: at Philadelphia Eagles, Sept. 21, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 4: vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sept. 28, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Oct. 2 (Thurs.), 5:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video

Week 6: at Baltimore Ravens, Oct. 12, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 7: at Jacksonville Jaguars (London), Oct. 19, 6:30 a.m., NFL Network

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: vs. New Orleans Saints, Nov. 2, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 10: at San Francisco 49ers, Nov. 9, 1:25 p.m., FOX

Week 11: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Nov. 16, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nov. 23, 5:20 p.m., NBC

Week 13: at Carolina Panthers, Nov. 30, 10 a.m., FOX

Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals, Dec. 7, 1:25 p.m., FOX

Week 15: vs. Detroit Lions, Dec. 14, 1:25 p.m., FOX

Week 16: at Seattle Seahawks, Dec. 18 (Thurs.), 5:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video

Week 17: at Atlanta Falcons, Dec. 29 (Mon.), 5:15 p.m., ESPN

Week 18: vs. Arizona Cardinals, time and date TBD, TV TBD

Rams to face Jaguars in London in Week 7

Adam Grosbard — Tue, 13 May 2025 14:59:11 +0000

The Rams are heading back to London for the first time since 2019 and will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in Week 7, the NFL announced on Tuesday.

The game, to be played on Oct. 19, will kick off at 6:30 a.m. PT on NFL Network.

It will be the first time the Rams have played an international game since a 24-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2019 season.

The Rams are set to play two international games in as many seasons, as the team was already announced as the host for the NFL’s first-ever game in Australia during the 2026 season.

NFL draft: Rams get aggressive from a position of strength on Day 3

Adam Grosbard — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 23:59:37 +0000

LOS ANGELES — After two days of letting the NFL draft come to them – moving down from No. 26 when an offer too good to refused came along, then standing pat on Day 2 – the Rams did not sit around on Day 3, instead taking an aggressive approach to rounding out their draft class.

The Rams entered Saturday with one fourth-round pick, four in the sixth and one in the seventh, but wound up not picking in the sixth round at all as they made three trades to go get their targets.

One of those sixths was packaged with the fourth to move up 10 spots for Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter. Another sixth was combined with the Rams’ 2026 fourth-rounder to move up into the fifth round for Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. Then the Rams traded both remaining sixths to get back into the fifth for Ole Miss inside linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

“It was starting to get thin so we said, you know what, instead of wait and, I call it, let the draft happen to you, let’s go attack the draft,” general manager Les Snead said. “And when you do that, you have to give up some picks. But we thought that was the more appropriate thing to do as this thing evolved.”

The Rams started the weekend with eight draft picks, but by the end of Saturday had come away with a six-man draft class, their smallest since 2016. But, given how the last couple of Aprils have played out, that’s the something the Rams could afford to do.

Across the last two drafts and undrafted free-agent cycles, the Rams have identified 10 players who are now starting for the team, plus depth pieces and a kicker and punter to round out the roster. That infusion of talent helped the Rams return to the playoffs each of the past two seasons, and win a playoff game this last year.

So entering this weekend, the Rams could operate from a position of strength. They could be patient Thursday night and trade back 20 spots and add a future first-round pick for the trouble. And they could be aggressive Saturday and move up for players they coveted.

“I do think it’s a credit to what’s taken place over the last couple years,” head coach Sean McVay said. “I think it’s a positive thing for us to be able to feel like we can go up and get some players that there was a consistent buy-in, appreciation for. We call them ‘hots’, and all these guys, they had hot grades for the people we had look at them.”

Hunter provides a different look for the Rams’ running back room. With a 4.44-second 40-yard dash time, he brings some home-run ability. And with 4.1 yards after contact per carry in 2024, he can break some tackles and turn those into big gains, too, a nice contrast from the reliable-if-not-explosive Kyren Williams.

“He’s got the ability to go through you or to be able to run away from you,” McVay said. “He can hit home runs for you, too. You give him a vertical seam, he’s got the ability to run away from you. Some of the metrics that we have on him are really impressive.”

Hamilton is a menace in run defense, and strong as anyone in this draft; he benched 35 reps for 225 pounds at Ohio State’s pro day, two more than any prospect at this year’s combine. And Paul is a reliable run defender, too, plus a threat in blitz packages.

And the Rams’ efforts to come up and draft these players was not lost on them.

“It really shows how much this organization trusts me,” Paul said. “It just goes to show that each and every day I gotta give 110%, each and every day. They were going to get that regardless, man, but that meant a lot to me.”

The Rams – who rounded out their draft class with Pitt receiver Konata Mumpfield in the seventh round – have entered each of the last two seasons with questions about where they would get contributions at certain spots on the field. But the roster has been built meticulously the past three offseasons, and the front office was able to lean on that position of strength this weekend.

“I’m jacked about this team, jacked to get started, but we’re just getting started,” Snead said. “So we’re going to, as Sean always talks about, now build the foundation for what we’re going to attempt to do next season and then you take it a phase and a day and a month at a time from there.”

Rams trade up for Ole Miss LB Chris Paul Jr. in 5th round of NFL draft

Adam Grosbard — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 19:53:10 +0000

The Rams continued their aggressive approach to Day 3 of the NFL draft, trading two sixth-round picks to move to No. 172 overall to draft Ole Miss inside linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

The Rams traded picks No. 201 and 202 to the Vikings to move up for Paul. It’s their third trade of Day 3, moving up previously to take Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter and Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton.

The Rams have needed help at inside linebacker and did little to address it this offseason beyond adding free agent Nate Landman and bringing back Troy Reeder.

Paul, who is not related to the NBA star of the same name, has a chance to make an instant impact for the Rams in run defense and blitzing. He had a 4.5% miss rate in 2024 while recording 54 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus. He needs work in coverage, but had 24 quarterback pressures and six sacks.

Rams trade up for Ohio State DT Ty Hamilton in 5th round of NFL draft

Adam Grosbard — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 18:43:46 +0000

The Rams made their second trade-up of the third day of the NFL draft to select Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton with the 148th overall pick in the fifth round.

The Rams sent their 2026 fourth-round pick to the Chicago Bears to move up from 195th overall in the sixth round to move up to No. 148.

At 6-foot-3 and 299 pounds, Hamilton is one of the strongest prospects in the draft. He benched 35 reps of 225 pounds at Ohio State’s pro day, two more than any other prospect at the NFL combine.

Hamilton missed only nine tackles in his career at Ohio State while recording seven sacks and 46 total pressures. His presence as a run stopper helps the Rams mitigate the loss of Bobby Brown III in free agency while adding to a defensive tackle room that includes free-agent pickup Poona Ford and second-year tackle Tyler Davis.

Rams trade up for Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter in 4th round of NFL draft

Adam Grosbard — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 17:07:16 +0000

LOS ANGELES — The Rams traded up 10 spots in the fourth round of the NFL draft on Saturday, moving up to take Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter with the 117th overall pick.

Hunter — a 5-foot-10, 209-pound prospect — rushed 187 times for 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Per Pro Football Focus, he averaged 4.1 yards after contact per carry in 2024. He also was active in the pass game with 21 catches for 155 yards and an additional score.

The Rams traded a sixth-round pick (190th overall) to the Indianapolis Colts to move up from 127th overall to 117th to take Hunter, who ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in February.

Hunter’s selection marks the eighth year in a row the Rams have taken a running back in the draft. Last year, the Rams selected Blake Corum in the third round last April.

Rams add to culture on 2nd day of NFL draft

Adam Grosbard — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 04:32:01 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Josaiah Stewart had given himself a little separation from the celebration going on in his family home. Tucked into an empty closet, speaking with reporters over Zoom, a little bit of time between the phone call that made him a Ram and this conference call.

But the emotions still came pouring out.

“I just couldn’t hold it in. Even right now, I’m just thinking back on it, everything that went into this moment,” Stewart said, dragging his hands across his face, “all the people that was here supporting me and just hearing them and how proud they were of me. Everything I do this for, they were all there. I’m just glad it all worked out and I’m just happy to be a [expletive] Ram. Let’s do it.”

With two picks to play with on the second day of the NFL draft and no glaring needs to address, the Rams could afford to take players who provide depth and optionality, while also adding to the team’s culture. And that’s what they feel they did by selecting Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson with the 46th overall pick in the second round and Michigan edge rusher Stewart with the 90th overall selection in Round 3.

Neither position screamed need for the Rams. Veteran tight end Tyler Higbee is back after a strong finish to 2024. The Rams have loaded up on pass rushers in each of the last two drafts.

But the Rams saw two players who fit into their locker room. Ferguson is someone who overcame childhood adversity, not to mention an emergency appendectomy as a senior at Oregon. He was able to return following the surgery after missing just two games.

“I think No. 1 when you hear the backstory, a guy that’s overcome some adversity, special human,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “What he’s done, what he’s about, his play energy, his tape talks to you in a way that’s reflective of what we feel like looks like a Ram.”

And Stewart’s backstory fits exactly into the same mold as the rest of the Rams’ pass rush – starting out at Group of Five program Coastal Carolina, where he was a freshman All-American with 12½ sacks before transferring to powerhouse Michigan and totaling 14 sacks in two seasons.

“It worked the last few times we’ve done that,” General Manager Les Snead joked. “He’s one of those guys that if you’re watching a game on Saturday, just on your television … you’re like, ‘Who’s five?’”

The Rams like the change of pace that each player brings to their position groups. At 6-foot-5, Ferguson gives the Rams a red-zone threat who was among the best in college football at yards after the catch. Stewart is shorter than you would expect for an edge rusher at 6-1, but Snead said that will keep offensive lines guessing as the Rams cycle through Stewart, Jared Verse and Byron Young.

But both oozed energy in their Zoom calls with reporters on Friday night. Stewart couldn’t wait to get his questions going, while Ferguson used the term “super excited” six times during his press conference. Although, to be fair, twice he used it in reference to his younger brother being a lifelong Detroit Lions fan ecstatic that Ferguson would be playing with Matthew Stafford.

But they both also spoke about trying to fit in to their rooms with veterans ahead of them on the depth chart.

“Just being able to learn from those guys I think is one of the biggest things for me,” Ferguson said. “I love to sit behind people and learn and push people.”

“Coming into Michigan and being a role player and being a rotational guy, it taught me a lot. It taught me what it means to win and what you gotta do to play your role and win,” Stewart said. “And man, I’m all about winning so I’ll do whatever it takes.”

And that’s what the Rams hope the pair will do, help them win on the field and in the locker room.