How many starting roles are truly up for grabs in the Rams training camp?

While the LA Rams have 10 drafted and 16 undrafted rookies competing for roster spots in 2024, how many rookies are truly competing for starting roles that are still in play? Even as the team prepares to start their 2024 Training Camp, is this all a bit anti-climatic? One year ago, nobody knew who would earn starting roles with the team. Now, one year later, it seems as though the Rams starters are all set.

While the true measure of the team's starters is who sits out in preseason games, this team's starters are likely almost all known already. What do I mean? Well, let's consider the likely starters for the Rams in 2024 that we know now:

Special Team starters

• Kicker - Joshua Karty
• Punter/kickoffs - Ethan Evans
• Long snapper - Alex Ward
• Return specialist - Boston Scott

Offensive starters

• Left tackle - Alaric Jackson
• Left guard - Jonah Jackson
• Center - Steve Avila
• Right guard - Kevin Dotson
• Right tackle - Rob Havenstein
• Quarterback - Matthew Stafford
• Running back - Kyren Williams
• Wide Receiver - Puka Nacua
• Wide Receiver - Demarcus Robinson
• Slot Receiver - Cooper Kupp
• Tight end - ??? (either Colby Parkinson or Davis Allen)

Defensive starters

• Outside linebacker - Byron Young
• Defensive tackle - Kobie Turner
• Nose Tackle - Bobby Brown III
• Defensive end - ??? (either Braden Fiske, Desjuan Johnson, or Anthony Goodlaw)
• Outside linebacker - Jared Verse
• Inside linebacker - Ernest Jones
• Inside linebacker - ??? (either Christians Rozebeoom, Troy Reeder, or Omar Speights)
• Cornerback - Darious Williams
• Safety - Kamren Curl
• Safety - John Johnson III
• Cornerback - ??? (either Tre'Davious White or Cobie Durant)
• Nickel back - ??? (either Quentin Lake or Derion Kendrick)

Okay, so not a lot of competition in training camp, right? Not so fast, my friend.

While starting roles on the Rams roster may be preset for the season, there are still some starting roles that are up for grabs. And the talent on this team is pretty significant, so there is a great deal of competition beyond the starting 26 spots and well into the remaining 27 spots necessary to round out this roster.

But even beyond those battles, don't ignore recent history. Nobody expected WR Cooper Kupp to be injured to start the 2023 season. Nobody foresaw RB Cam Akers getting traded early in the season. But those two events opened the door for rookie WR Puka Nacua and second-year RB Kyren Williams to burst onto the scene.

The Rams coaching staff, led by HC Sean McVay, remains ever-opportunistic when a player showcases his talent in training camp. And we would be wise to expect much more of the same in 2024.

Stock the fridge with cold drinks. Get some favorite restaurants loaded into your contacts. The 2024 Rams training camp starts on July 23, 2024. And it's going to be exciting.

Thanks for reading.