Keagen Trost injury leaves room for concern, but the Rams may have an answer

From a bird's eye view, the Los Angeles Rams emerged relatively unscathed from their first preseason game. Offensive tackle Keagen Trost and receiver Mario Williams, who both incurred hamstring issues, were the only two players to leave the game with injuries.

In his post -game press conference, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the injuries but was unable to share any further details or updates. While the team is in good shape, both players' hopes for the 2026 season suffered a significant setback.

But details did come. Trost, the team's primary backup to right tackle Warren McClendon, is now expected to miss several weeks. Translation: Trost could begin the season on injured reserve. While that would mean he cannot practice with the team for four weeks, it would open up a roster slot.

Adding an offensive tackle makes the most sense in LA's current predicament. Actually, though, they may already have a stopgap answer in the building.

Blake Hance is ready to step in if needed

Trost left the game early. But his replacement, unsung veteran Blake Hance, stepped in seamlessly. At game's end, the patchwork offensive line had not allowed a single sack. And Hance was very much a reason.

Hance is no stranger to the NFL. And at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, he is not built to be pushed around. He could step in as a serviceable solution to overcome this speed bump. It helps that he's on the roster now, already forging chemistry with teammates.

Trost and Williams must be patient and wait while their teammates scramble for the few remaining roster spots. Hamstring injuries are notorious for two reasons. They are difficult to fully recover from without rest and avoiding all forms of football activity. And they have a nasty habit of resurfacing days or even weeks after the original injury. Of course, now is the worst time of the summer to be sitting on the bench.

If Trost can't suit up for Week 1, Hance can. He's appeared in 63 games, four playoff games, and started 11 over six seasons. The Rams' strategy is not to react to injuries; the roster is proactively set up to respond to misfortune in real time.

As always, thanks for reading.

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