Costly wave of preseason injuries proved Rams had it right all along

The Los Angeles Rams are known for holding their starters out of preseason contests. They also keep key backups on the sideline, leaving the games to the bottom half of the 90-man roster. Many of the players who shine in these matchups, whether scoring touchdowns or recording sacks, never get the chance to compete for the team once the regular season begins.

Related: Rams fans hoping for starters in preseason opener are in for a surprise

Some teams don’t share that approach. The Kansas City Chiefs played CB Jaylen Watson, who suffered a concussion. The Arizona Cardinals played backup OT Christian Jones, who went down with a knee injury. The New Orleans Saints lost backup C/G Will Clapp and backup WR Bub Means to ankle injuries, while the Los Angeles Chargers saw backup CB Deane Leonard sidelined with a leg injury. It can be a slippery slope.

While not all of the injuries were season-ending, the point stands: professional football is a violent sport, and players risk injury every time they step onto the field in pads and make contact with other players.

Wave of preseason injuries proves Rams’ decision to rest starters is the smart play

Even before contact began, the Rams entered training camp with two key players sidelined. Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford arrived with back pain, an ailment that kept him off the field for weeks. Only now is he returning to football-related activities.

Starting left tackle Alaric Jackson is also battling blood clots, prompting the team to add veteran DJ Humphries as a Plan B until Jackson is medically cleared. From the start, the Rams roster has had its share of bad luck.

Even with starters limited to joint scrimmages, mishaps still happen. Right guard Kevin Dotson suffered a chest contusion and missed a couple of practices. In the Rams’ preseason game, RB Ronnie Rivers injured his ribs and WR Konata Mumpfield hurt his ankle. None of these injuries are expected to significantly impact the 2025 season, but they're still something to monitor.

And therein lies the key. The Rams coaching staff knows injuries are part of football. But they also recognize that the payoff of having starters compete in preseason games isn’t worth the risk of serious injury. Better preparation for the season simply isn’t a priority if those benefits can be replicated through joint scrimmages.

The Rams sit key players in preseason, a decision the recent wave of NFL preseason injuries seems to confirm as the right choice. Don’t expect the Rams to change their minds anytime soon. Instead, prepare for even more NFL teams to adopt a similar strategy.

As always, thanks for reading.

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