LOS ANGELES — Sky high expectations all offseason were finally put to on the gridiron at Rams Training Camp presented by CommunityAmerica Credit Union at LMU. On Day 1, the Rams jumped right into 11-on-11 and showcased a mixture of talent playing with and against each other. The first-team offense got their shot against the first-team defense and same for both second teams.

Offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase and defensive coordinator Chris Shula both expressed their excitement with numerous pieces of their sides of the ball, and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone talked through some changes with returning and incoming players in his unit as a first-year coach in Los Angeles.

"What I appreciate about Sean and the 11 on 11 reps, you get a lot of volume throughout the course of camp. You get great reps going ones-versus-ones, and those guys as quarterbacks being able to get out there, the operation pre-snap, everything that happens post-snap, just to be able to work through reps. You're playing against a good defense. It's going to challenge you in a number of different ways. - Scheelhaase

Jumping into 11-on-11 right away with first-team offense on first-team defense immediately can expose some of the Rams' strengths and weaknesses. Scheelhaase sees a huge advantage to the Rams' new-look defensive line going against the offensive line, "iron sharp as iron, and you certainly see that and feel that even on the field today," Scheelhaase said.

As the entire team got reps of 11-on-11 practice, it was also a good first taste of action for rookie quarterback Ty Simpson, who has impressed the coaching staff with his eagerness to grow. "I appreciate the way that he works as much as anything," Scheelhaase said. "I think anytime you've got that mindset, you're going to continue to grow each time that you're out there. You're going to grow from the good reps. You're going to grow through the bad reps." Working right alongside Simpson, quarterback Stetson Bennett IV is still proving that his leadership and competitiveness is a valuable asset to the Rams' offense. "Going back to last year, obviously you get to experience him in the training camp, you get to experience him in preseason, and just seeing the way that he went to work, the way that guys would rally around him, he competes," Scheelhaase said.

"What I love is the command and the communication. We want to provide those guys with a lot of clarity so they can go play fast, and that's what it seems like. They got a really good ownership of what they're doing, and seemed like they made some plays today and flew around." - Shula

With a revamped secondary, Shula was already impressed with the level of leadership and communication that is present within the room. Notably cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson impressed on Day 1 as Shula pronounced them "true pros. They bring a great perspective to the room. It's been fun to see that room grow together. But then to add those guys in that just have great football character. They work hard. They love football."

For McDuffie, the ability to go 11-on-11 in the first day of training camp both helped him as a new player acclimate to the defense, but also let the entire defense acclimate to each other. "I love it," McDuffie said. "We need to work our craft but, I mean, that's what football is, 11-on-11, best-on-best, and you come out here, that's what you're gonna do. It also just helps you mesh with everybody else."

Among the guys returning to the secondary is two-time captain safety Quinten Lake who is another valuable asset Shula noted during Day 1 of training camp. "He's a linchpin and the glue of our defense," Shula said. "He wears so many hats for us. He's such a great player at all different levels of the defense and communicating and the smarts and everything like that. We do see him like a coach on the field." For McDuffie, Watson and Lake, building that communication early is exactly what Shula is looking for out of his secondary to be able to make the adjustment with all the new players.

And the addition of defensive end Myles Garrett had Shula "looking forward to this day for a long time" and he approved by saying "it definitely lived up to it."

"We have a lot of options back there. I think (wide receiver Xavier Smith) is going to keep developing. We're going to keep training him, and (running back Kyren Williams) is an option. So we have we have a number of ball handlers on the roster. We're just going to keep giving those guys opportunities, and I think obviously competition brings out the best in everybody." - Ventrone on figuring out the punt return specialist

Rams Training Camp is the opportunity for Ventrone and the special teams unit to test things out and see what works ahead of the 2026 season. Punter Ethan Evans had "a really good off season," according to Ventrone and he "tweaked a few things with his mechanics. I think that his ability to put the ball in the air can be a weapon for us."

In addition to returning pieces putting in work during the offseason, Ventrone is excited about the opportunity to work with "two of my favorite players that I've coached in my career." Linebacker Grant Stuard and long snapper Joe Cardona – who overlapped with Ventrone with the Colts and the Patriots respectively – were both acquired in free agency and will bring a wealth of experience to the unit.