Rams preseason battle could decide who survives brutal edge rusher cutdown

Perhaps the greatest number of opportunities for under-the-radar rookies to make the Los Angeles Rams roster is among the defensive unit. But there is little chance of the pass rushers slipping through the preseason unnoticed.

While the team's two starters are set with outside linebackers Byron Young and Jared Verse, the team has yet to determine who will slide into Michael Hoecht's vacated role.

We have been tracking various training camp reports, and second-year OLB Brennan Jackson has certainly been getting plenty of praise, and rookie Josaiah Stewart is eager to contribute to one of the fiercest and most productive pass rushes in the NFL. But it won't be easy. Even as the Rams have vacated Hoecht's defensive snaps from last season, the team has six players competing for two remaining roster slots.

Per Lineups.com, you can revisit the Rams' distribution of snap counts among the players. To simplify assessing the first unofficial Rams depth chart, the Rams' edge rushers are:

• OLB: Byron Young (844) | Keir Thomas (39) | Josaiah Stewart (0) | Josh Pearcy (0)
• OLB: Jared Verse (834) | Nick Hampton (10) | Brennan Jackson (27) | Jamil Muhammad (0)

Rans want to see who best fits physical, fast defensive front

Perhaps one of the more difficult challenges for fans in preseason games is how to score successful performances. Thanks to Fantasy Football's popularity, many NFL fans look for interceptions, quarterback sacks, tackles for a loss, quarterback pressures, and tackles from defensive players.

Last preseason proved that sacks don’t guarantee a spot on the Rams’ roster. All three guys who got to the quarterback in the 2024 opener — Zach VanValkenburg, Anthony Goodlow, and Tuli Letuligasenoa — were gone before Week 1. Carlos Watkins didn’t stick either. The only one who did was Nick Hampton, and his sack came in Game 2. So yeah, getting one in August is nice, but it’s not exactly a golden ticket.

The guys who stick aren’t just one-game wonders. They’re the ones who show up every week, play physical, stay disciplined, move well, shed blocks, and do their job. It’s less about making a splash once in August and more about proving you can be counted on to make those plays over and over.

Players who make the roster are the ones who keep showing up. They’re physical, play sound football, move well, shed blocks, and handle their assignments. One preseason highlight isn’t enough; it’s about proving you can deliver week after week.

For physicality, the Rams have Brennan Jackson, Nick Hampton, Keir Thomas, and Jamil Muhammad. For speed and agility, there’s Josaiah Stewart and Josh Pearcy. But the real priority is finding edge rushers who can tackle, stop the run, and still get after the quarterback. Time to see who checks all the boxes.

As always, thanks for reading.

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