LOS ANGELES – The Rams did a jog-through on Friday during Day 3 of Rams Training Camp presented by UNIFY Financial Credit Union in front of a raucous crowd at Loyola Marymount University.
Afterwards, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn spoke with the media about the their takeaways from the first few days of camp and impressions of new additions.
Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from those press conferences:
"Everything's about the players. So, we're going to build a foundational scheme that can evolve and adapt to the teams that we're playing, but it's always going to be based on what our guys can do. So, I think we know in the back of our heads certain things that our guys can do best, and we're going to try and put them in those guys' positions." - Shula
Now that the Rams' young defense has a year of experience under their belt, and significant continuity, Shula said that players have more suggestions on how the defensive coordinator can put them in positions to succeed. Now that they have a better understanding of the defense's goals play in and play out, Shula said they are "working with each other all the time."
After last year's slow start, Shula said he and head coach Sean McVay "had a big talk," where McVay told him to just be himself. He asked Shula how he operated during his DC stint at John Carroll, and that resonated with him, helping Shula to be "freer" as a coach and play-caller.
The Rams did not add anybody in the defensive back room this offseason after finishing 2024 as the 20th-ranked pass defense in the league in terms of yards allowed per game. That's been a frequent talking point for fans and analysts, but Shula said they "really like" the depth in that unit.
He expressed confidence in veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who the team re-signed this offseason, as well as Cobie Durant, who has made some spectacular plays in the first few days of camp. Shula also said that Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who was acquired mid-season and put on much-needed weight this offseason, "has been excellent" early in training camp. Shula is "very excited" about the potential of that unit.
He also said that new defensive lineman Poona Ford has been everything they hoped for "and more." An improved pass rush featuring more experienced young stars will certainly help the secondary's performance as well.
"(The NFL is) just not too big for (Terrance Ferguson). He just has that look in his eye and (he's a) real smart kid schematically. Picked (the offense) up no problem in the spring. And then just kind of the review as we've done these last few days, really picked up right where he left off in terms of schematics." - LaFleur
The Rams' second-round draft pick out of Oregon has impressed mentally and physically in his short time with the team. Ferguson said earlier this offseason that the similarities between some of the Ducks' schemes and the Rams' has helped him digest the offense quickly. He's made some nice grabs in the first few days of camp as proof of concept.
The Rams have "thoughts of what this offense is going to look like," LaFleur said, and it won't be the same as last season, despite the continuity on the coaching staff (a rarity in the McVay era). Figuring out how to utilize their "plethora of tight ends" will be part of that offensive evolution in 2025.
LaFleur said he's also been impressed with wide receiver Davante Adams, who is in "great shape" both physically and mentally, as well as offensive lineman D.J. Humphries, described as "a professional" that LaFleur has great respect for as a player and person.
"You feel really confident with both of them (Xavier Smith and Britain Covey at punt returner). Obviously, they both have experience in games and have put a lot of good stuff on tape, and so it's going to be a great competition." - Blackburn
Blackburn praised Smith's versatility as a gunner, kick returner and coverage player on kickoffs in addition to his punt return duties last season. Still, he said the Rams are "always trying to strive for competition," and Blackburn had Covey as a "highly rated" returner coming out of college in 2022 and in free agency this year.
Going into his second NFL season, kicker Joshua Karty has shown "comfortability" after accumulating a full season of reps with a holder and snapper that have both returned in 2025, Blackburn said.
