The Los Angeles Rams were defeated in their 2023 preseason opener. Despite losing to the Los Angeles Chargers 34-17, the Rams' preseason debut included plenty of positive signs. A few Rams players in particular stood out among the rest.
The top of the depth chart for the Rams is set in stone at several key positions. Matthew Stafford will be the Week 1 starting quarterback. Cooper Kupp is the No. 1 wide receiver. Aaron Donald is set to start at defensive tackle and remains arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. The players who back them up will be determined by performances in training camp and Rams preseason games.
Preseason games are probably more important for the Rams in determining the Week 1 roster than it is for most teams around the league. Los Angeles has a top-heavy roster, led by stars. Salary-cap constraints and a lack of high draft picks have left the Rams looking to fill out a good portion of the roster with players who truly have to earn their spot on the team.
The Rams host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 of the preseason before closing out the exhibition schedule against the Denver Broncos. Let's take a look at 3 Rams players with skyrocketing stock amid the 2023 NFL preseason.
3. Rams WR Tyler Johnson
Tyler Johnson was the Rams' most productive offense player in their loss against the Chargers. Johnson led the team with five catches for 70 yards. He nearly doubled up Austin Trammell, who finished second on the Rams with four receptions for 36 yards. Johnson caught a 34-yard pass, which easily accounted for Los Angeles' biggest play from scrimmage.
Johnson is listed as third on the Rams' unofficial depth chart for the No. 3 wide receiver position. He's behind Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua. That means Johnson has to prove himself in training camp and preseason in order to have a role with the Rams in 2023.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Johnson in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In two years with the Buccaneers, he caught 48 passes for 529 yards. After the Bucs cut Johnson, he made it into two games for the Houston Texans last season and didn't catch a single pass. Los Angeles has a lot of question marks at receiver outside of Kupp, potentially giving Johnson a real chance to make an impact with the Rams.
2. Rams LB Keir Thomas
Keir Thomas didn't simply have the best preseason debut of any Rams defensive player; he had one of the best Week 1 preseason performances of any defender in the entire NFL. Thomas has five tackles, two tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks against the Chargers. Only two players had two sacks or more to kick off the 2023 preseason.
Thomas is trying to earn playing time as one of the Rams' outside linebackers. It's the weakest part of Los Angeles' defense, giving Thomas more of an opportunity to find playing time. A strong preseason doesn't mean that Thomas' success will translate to the regular season. The 25-year-old had a sack and two tackles for a loss during the Rams' 2022 preseason, but he didn't do much of consequence in games that mattered for Los Angeles.
Thomas joined the Rams roster as an undrafted free agent last year. He played in eight games, recording four tackles and no sacks.
1. Rams QB Stetson Bennett
Stetson Bennett's success as a college football player hasn't been expected to mean much for his NFL career. After leading the Georgia football team to back-to-back national championships, Bennett watched six quarterbacks come off the board during the 2023 NFL Draft before finally hearing his name. The fourth-round draft pick was thrust into a competition with Brett Rypien to be the Rams' backup quarterback behind Matthew Stafford. After one preseason game, Bennett might have to be considered the favorite to win the gig.
Bennett had a pretty decent showing for his first game in a Rams uniform. The quarterback completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for 191 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Bennett was sacked three times and didn't turn the ball over. The Rams only had 17 points against the Chargers, but all of the team's scoring came after the first quarter when Bennett entered the contest.
Rypien went 3-6 for only 11 yards in his limited time under center. He was sacked once and had a rush for six yards. Rypien offers more experience than Bennett, but the former Georgia star showed that he might offer a much greater upside. Stafford's injury history isn't short, particularly over the last few years, so there's a good chance that Bennett could get meaningful playing time if he wins the Rams' backup quarterback job because of a strong training camp and preseason.
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