Rams rookies will astound fans with competitiveness in mini-camp

Tight ends (1)

• TE Neal Johnson - (UDFA)

While the team has a rather full tight end room for the 2024 NFL season, the expectation that starting tight end Tyler Higbee will not be ready for the start of the new season places pressure on the team to carry a heavier payload of tight ends on this roster.

At first glance, the team's tight end room appears to be bursting with the number of players. But closer inspection reveals that veteran Tyler Higbee will not participate in training camp due to his ACL Injury. Veteran Hunter Long may not be participating either. Introducing a rather productive tight end for training camp allows the team to work with a young player who will compete for a spot on the practice squad.

Wide receivers (4)

• WR Jordan Whittington (213th overall)
• WR JJ Laap (UDFA)
• WR Drake Stoops (UDFA)
• WR Sam Wiglusz (UDFA)

While the team has retained all but KR/PR/WR Austin Trammel for the 2024 NFL season, the team is wise to consider reinforcements for a new season. Ultimately, the team must keep one eye trained on the future, and there are signs that, if not reversed this season, could indicate that WR Cooper Kupp's best playing days are behind him. While WR Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua were very pleasant surprises last season, the team has yet to get much production from WR Tutu Atwell and WR Ben Skowronek.

The team only signed WR Xavier Smith to a Reserve/Future contract. Adding four wide receivers here at this juncture not only ensures a high level of competition in training camp, but ensures that the team can retain the best of the group via their 2024 practice squad.

Running backs (1)

• RB Blake Corum (83rds overall)

The LA Rams had to notice that offensive production plummeted whenever the team was unable to get RB Kyren Williams onto the football field in 2024. That proved to be a very complicated challenge for the team that pushed so many chips into depending on the offense to lead the way to postseason competition.

By adding a very formidable and versatile running back like Blake Corum, the offense adds a runner who is nearly unstoppable near the end zone, who can punish would be tacklers with his north-south style, and who is a triple-headed threat as a blocker, a receiver, and as a runner. Corum will not only do his part by carrying the football sell, but he will help to extend Kyren Williams ability to stay healthy throughout the season.