LA Rams News: Training camp timeline has no room for error

LA Rams News: Training camp timeline is so aggressive that there is no allowance for players to make up lost ground

“If you snooze, you lose.” Never has that statement been a more accurate description of the NFL than the period starting now and leading up to the NFL’s first game on September 14, 2020.  And when you glimpse at the latest and greatest LA Rams schedule just published on their website, you can see what we mean.

Knowing that the timeline was tight, we already filled in the blanks for the LA Rams with our own team schedule.  However, the team’s version adds much more detail about the training exercises and duration. So what are those differences? The majority of the differences lie in the details of the daily schedule. Of course, the Rams will abide by the Offseason Rules as established in agreement with the NFLPA. So let’s dive into the more detailed schedule a bit, shall we?

August dates

August opens with the team now prepared to give physicals and issue equipment. In fact, that occurred August 1st-2nd.

August 3-11 (sans August 8th as a no activity day)  Players will organize in groups of no more than 15. Only strength and conditioning coaches are allowed on the field during this period. Players will receive one hour of weight room training and one hour of on-field conditioning work. 60 minutes of walk-throughs in the first four days, then up to 75 minutes of walk-throughs on the last four days. Only QBs, TEs, WRs, Ks, Ps, and LSs are the only players who can touch a football during this time period.  Since holders are prohibited, kickers are limited to kicking from a tee. Long snappers can only snap into a net. While quarterbacks can throw to receivers, there can be no defenders or players attempting to field or return the football.

August 13-17 (sans August 16th as a no activity day) Players begin with up to a 90-minute workout on day one, then 105 minutes, then the maximum of two hours. On-field instruction, practices and walk-throughs cannot exceed 210 minutes daily. Football helmets may now be worn. ON AUGUST 16th – all rosters must be reduced to 80 players.

August 18-September 6  Contact integration period commences (full gear and contact drills) Max number of 14 padded practices are allowed during this period.

September Dates

On September 5 – Teams must reduce their roster from 80 to the 53-man regular-season roster by September 5, 2020, at 1:00 pm PT.
On September 6 – Waiver period for claiming players ends on September 6, 2020, at 9:00 am PT.
On September 6 – At 10:00 am PT, teams can begin assembling their 16-man practice squad.

September 7 – The LA Rams may now officially begin practicing to face the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener.

September 13 – The LA Rams face the Cowboys at SoFi Stadium at 5:20 pm PT.

As of today, August 2nd, the Rams now have less than 35 days to fully vet 80 players and determine which will they will: retain on the 53-man roster? reassign to the 16-man practice squad? part ways with? and finally, designate up to four players on the practice squad who is protected from signing with another team?

There is just no way around it folks. The Rams, like 31 other NFL teams, cannot possibly make perfect player assessments in these conditions.  That means mistakes will be made. Perhaps a future NFL star will be released? Perhaps the Rams will keep a player who doesn’t quite pan out. In the end, there is just too much to do in a too short amount of time. In fact, the ongoing risk of players testing positive for COVID-19 throughout the season will make this a very wild season indeed. Buckle up, keep your hands and feet in your car, and enjoy the ride!