Rams’ quiet preseason injuries could spiral into unexpected roster headache

The race for the final Los Angeles Rams roster spots is coming down to the wire. With the team's second preseason game in the record books and a final game remaining, the coaching staff has all the information needed to make said hard decisions. For many players who don't know their future, their dice are cast. The Rams often sit the players who have locked up a roster spot.

Still, competing in a violent sport can lead to injuries., One such mishap occurred with rookie inside linebacker Pooh Paul Jr., who has been making a compelling case for one of the team's limited defensive roster spots. He was shaken up on a play in preseason Game 2 against the Chargers, and sat out for a while.

He did return later in the game and was spotted on punt coverage by Rams beat reporter Stu Jackson. His absence did create plenty of opportunities for his rookie teammate, Sheun Dolac, to make plays, which he did right on cue. The pair is heavily enmeshed in a fiercely competitive battle for limited slots. I am not alone in the hope that a preseason game injury becomes the deciding factor.

Another rookie on the rise is interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin. He has been making a strong push for a roster spot, even catching the attention of NFL insider/analyst Brian Baldinger. Despite standing under 6-foot-0 in height, he has been incredibly impressive so far. But he seemed to suffer a left knee injury against the Chargers and did not return to the game.

ILB Shaun Dolac makes his push for a roster spot

One player fighting to stick with the team is undrafted rookie inside linebacker Shaun Dolac. When it was his turn to call the defense, he didn’t disappoint. Facing the Chargers’ starting offense, he helped hold them to just an opening field goal, a stop that set up the Rams offense to respond with an opening touchdown.

Much like Paul Jr., Dolac doesn’t carry himself like a newcomer. He was confident, aggressive, and effective, both in his assignments and in commanding the defense as a whole. Under his lead, the unit held the Chargers to just 15 completions on 31 attempts for 193 net passing yards.

The same defense, which seemed to struggle to stop the run in Game 1, limited the Chargers to 23 rushes for 83 yards, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.

Decisions will be made over who stays and who does not as early as this week. While the official report is still days away, fans know that whoever suits up for preseason Game 3 is likely limited to a practice squad role, at best. In the meantime, we can all check our notes to see who might make the cut. As always, thanks for reading.

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