WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – After the Rams' jog through on Wednesday, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and defensive coordinator Chris Shula spoke to local media. They discussed depth at various positions on the 53-man roster and some specific roles on both sides of the ball.
Here are the most significant quotes and talking points from that press conference:
"Just in the 12 years being in the league, I haven't been around, on paper, as deep of a (wide receiver) group as what we got." - LaFleur
The Rams' wide receiver trio of Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell is one of the most dangerous in football. But LaFleur said that, if something were to happen to any or all of them, the next three players on the depth chart are all "more than capable of going out there, running our offense, doing a lot of the same things that we're going to ask those starters to do."
Those receivers include Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield and Xavier Smith, who LaFleur said looks as athletic and strong as he ever has. That depth gives head coach Sean McVay freedom to call the best play for any given situation, regardless of personnel, he explained.
Similarly, LaFleur expressed confidence in the Rams' 10-man offensive line unit, which is more than most teams typically carry on the 53-man roster. "If you have 10 NFL-caliber offensive linemen that have played meaningful snaps in this league, why wouldn't you (keep them all), if you can?" LaFleur said. Last week, he called it the deepest offensive line group he's had with the Rams. Their depth pieces also have significant position versatility, especially on the interior with players like Beaux Limmer and Justin Dedich.
"When you look back at (running back Kyren Williams' usage last year), I know Kyren, he could say he could go for double that (number of carries). And if anyone could, it probably is him. But it just benefits everyone to make sure that you're not just wearing someone down or overusing somebody. So, obviously, the plan is to split those up a little bit." - LaFleur
Last season, Williams received 316 carries in 16 regular season games, the third-most of anyone in the NFL and the second-highest per-game average. This year, the plan is to give him a bit more rest.
LaFleur said that Blake Corum is "doing what you'd hope a second-year back would do," by taking steps in the right direction and doing everything the team has asked of him. He added that Corum had a good training camp and preseason, and he "will get his ops come Week 1." The team also drafted running back Jarquez Hunter out of Auburn in the fourth round this year, and he's received praise from the coaching staff throughout the offseason.
"Early on, (inside linebacker Shaun Dolac) picked it up very fast. He can process, he thinks, he runs to the ball, he can tackle and then in the preseason games he did an excellent job as well. So, he's just been a consistent guy from the jump, a guy that fits in well here and obviously helps on special teams. If he had to play on defense, we wouldn't have any hesitation at all." - Shula
An undrafted free agent signing out of Buffalo, Dolac made the roster over a fifth-round pick at the same position, Pooh Paul Jr. Both Shula and McVay have sung his praises over the past few days, complimenting his work ethic and football IQ. McVay said on Tuesday that Omar Speights and Nate Landman will start, and Shula echoed that on Wednesday, but Dolac will contribute in all four phases on special teams and serve as a valuable depth piece.
The other inside linebacker who made the roster, veteran Troy Reeder, is "a guy that we can trust," Shula said. He added that Reeder is almost like an assistant inside linebackers coach because he's been in the system for so long and embraced a mentorship role. If anything happened to the starters, his knowledge of the defense would allow him to fill in "seamlessly," Shula said. His contributions as a special teams captain are also significant.
"Even though (cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is) one of our probably seasoned vets on the team, he's still kind of young as a player in football years." - Shula
Going into his ninth season at 30 years old, Witherspoon has played 97 games (including playoffs) and started 67. That's an average of just over 12 games and eight starts per year, so his mileage isn't that of a typical ninth-year player. His only 17-game regular season came with the Rams in 2023, and this will be the first year he'll have the entire offseason with the team to prepare. He's previously been signed during the season or just ahead of it.
Shula said that Witherspoon has improved throughout the season each year he's been with L.A. Now that he's gotten a full offseason of work with the team, they expect him to pick up where he left off in 2024 from both a physical and mental standpoint.
