Chris Shula confirmed everything Rams fans have heard about Josaiah Stewart

Los Angeles Rams fans have heard only positives about edge rusher Josaiah Stewart entering his second season. That buzz has hummed louder throughout training camp, and speaking to reporters this week, defensive coordinator Chris Shula confirmed that Stewart has been, well, a monster:

"He's been showing up. I said to him, ever since we put the pads on, he decides to make a bunch of plays. He's physical on the edge. I think he's an every-down player, where he can go in the run game and play on a tight end, and he's obviously a great pass rusher, a guy that can drop in coverage. He's a guy that really can do it all, and do it at a high level," Shula beamed.

"He has a great feel for angles, for space, he's physical, and he's had, I think it's been three or four days in a row, where he's shown up a lot. So he's had a great camp."

Hopes for Stewart have been high from the get-go following a solid rookie season. From the sound of it, those lofty expectations are justified. Fans might not see much of Stewart in the preseason, when the Rams focus almost exclusively on rookies and fringe players, but Shula's high praise should be enough to hold us over.

Stewart is ready to take the leap Rams fans believe he can

Stewart has frequented Rams "breakout watch" lists along with tight end Terrance Ferguson, another member of the 2025 draft class. That's partly a result of his encouraging rookie contributions, which included three sacks and 21 PFF pressures.

It's partly a projection of how he'll benefit from Myles Garrett's presence in the pass rush. The latter's gravity should benefit every defender on the field, especially youthful edge rushers like Stewart and Byron Young. 

Early reports from camp backed pro-Stewart sentiment, and the hype train has only since gained steam. That's not going to change with the former Michigan Wolverine ending the Rams' stay at Loyola Marymount on a high note, a several-day streak of dominance. 

Shula notably emphasizes Stewart's versatility, something LA would love to see out of its projected No. 3 edge rusher, behind Garrett and Young. If Stewart can satisfy multiple roles, playing stout run defense, shedding blocks in the pass rush, and holding his own in coverage, he can quickly exceed the 374 defensive snaps he logged last season. 

Exactly how much playing time Stewart receives remains to be seen. Jared Verse is out;  Garrett is in. Young is still here. It's not immediately clear how Stewart's rep share can grow. 

One way would be if the Rams experiment with Garrett on the defensive line in their 3-4 base defense. Shula's standard scheme will feature Garrett as an "outside linebacker," but he played DE in Cleveland's 4-3 front. Moving him up from time to time, likely replacing Braden Fiske, would create extra opportunities for Stewart at OLB.

It's worth noting that Shula called Stewart an "every-down player." It doesn't sound like Los Angeles will limit him to specific scenarios.

Even as a reserve, with only a modest increase in snaps, Stewart can blossom as Rams fans anticipate. It's easy to see his production doubling or more. If Shula's review is any indication, Stewart is ready to bring it.

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