The 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Los Angeles Rams camp is taking place at Loyola Marymount University in L.A. Rams reporter Sarah Barshop has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and of course the quarterback room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Rams camp. We will update this file often. Can the Rams live up to the hype? Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Dive in to all the updates and be sure to check back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Aug. 13.
Camp updates for all 32 NFL teams
Latest news from Rams camp
Rams' Sean McVay: No Aaron Donald update, but 'trending upwards'
Puka Nacua says it 'never crossed my mind' to not take part in camp
Saturday, Aug. 1
Rams running back Kyren Williams, who is entering his fifth NFL season, said he changed the way he worked out. While Williams has always prided himself on his versatility, he said he didn't do wide receiver drills this offseason. Instead, he focused on drills specific for a running back.
"[In the past] I would work out and do a lot of receiver workouts and do a lot of different things because I want to be as versatile as I can," Williams said. "But this year I honed in on running back. I honed in on really training to be running back, training, like I said, those pad levels, those cuts. And when I am cutting, sinking my body. Because if I cut straight up, I'm not going nowhere.
"My superpowers, when I'm low to the ground, I have both my feet in the ground and I'm playing it and I'm explosive."
Williams said that is an area where he felt he "needed to get better at."
"And I think it's been showing here [at] camp," Williams said.
"We love this game and we love being supporters of each other." pic.twitter.com/ZjHai7saSt
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 2, 2026
Another observation:
Myles Garrett did not practice for the second straight day. A team spokesperson said it was a scheduled rest day for the defensive end.
Friday, July 31
The Rams practiced in pads on Friday for the first time during training camp. It was a scheduled day off for quarterback Matthew Stafford, allowing for backup quarterback candidates Stetson Bennett IV and Ty Simpson to take the reps.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said even in a padded practice, it can be tough to judge a quarterback's performance without looking at the tape because they are not being tackled. Still, McVay said, "I thought both Stetson and Ty did a nice job."
"Stetson has really taken incredible strides, done a lot of good things, and I think Ty has improved tremendously from the spring until now as well," McVay said.
McVay said he's seen that growth for Simpson in the way he is calling the plays in the huddle and even some things "mechanically about being able to speed up his release, some of the timing and rhythm in terms of with his lower half being married up with the routes."
Other observations:
Along with Stafford, defensive end Myles Garrett and wide receiver Davante Adams had scheduled days off on Friday.
Former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott attended practice and chatted with McVay before it began. McDermott worked with Rams offensive line coach Ryan Wendell in Buffalo and knows McVay from their time together on the competition committee. "I think all of us as coaches are constantly curious and trying to just be able to kind of share with one another," McVay said. "And it was great to have him out here today."
Wednesday, July 29
Training camp just began for the Rams, but it won't be long before they travel to Melbourne, Australia for their Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Rams coach Sean McVay said the team has determined how they will handle travel, but said he didn't want to share the specifics. McVay did say it would be a "similar approach" to how the Rams handled traveling to London last season, when the team arrived less than 30 hours prior to kickoff. The Rams traveled to London from the East Coast after spending the week in Baltimore, which is a significantly shorter trip than it will take to get from Los Angeles to Melbourne -- the flight time is typically around 16 hours.
"And really the goal for us is to try to keep guys in as close to a rhythm and routine as possible," McVay said. "This is new to us even, going this far. And so I trust our group and most importantly, what's going to be best for our players. And we always try to take that into consideration."
In May, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that the 49ers are expected to arrive in Melbourne a week before the game.
More observations from the day:
McVay opened his news conference by addressing the hand injury that has kept offensive lineman Justin Dedich off the field to start camp. On Tuesday, McVay said Dedich "had a hand accident around the Fourth of July." On Wednesday, he wanted to clarify that it was unrelated to fireworks. "It was a true accident where something fell on his hand," McVay said. "And so it's kind of a blunt trauma injury. Dedich was on the sideline for a portion of practice on Wednesday with a brace or cast on his right hand."
Left tackle Alaric Jackson was not at practice because he was taking his medicine for the blood clots he has dealt with in the past. Jackson missed the majority of training camp last season while undergoing treatment for blood clots in his lower leg.
The Rams will be in pads when they return to practice on Friday. "No more pajama parties," McVay joked.
Tuesday, July 28
Coach Sean McVay said outside linebacker Byron Young will return to practice Wednesday and that the Rams are "just managing" his nagging knee injury. Young practiced on the first day of training camp but was not out for practice on Monday or for the Rams' jog thru on Tuesday. He said Monday that the goal is to take it day by day, and that it is the same knee injury Young was dealing with last season.
McVay said the plan with Young is similar to the modified training camp schedule that quarterback Matthew Stafford is following and that the missed time was part of the plan.
"We have guys that have accumulated a bunch of snaps and the goal is let's be proactive instead of reactive," McVay said. "So we've always looked at him as a guy that kind of fits in that Tier 1 category, similar to what we do with Matthew. And so he'll be out here practicing and be ready to go tomorrow."
More observations:
McVay said he has "had conversations" with Aaron Donald, but said there's "no new news on the front of any imminent decision on whether he's going to play or not." "We've kept in contact," McVay said. "He's feeling good. His training is going really well."
Offensive lineman Justin Dedich, who started training camp on the Non-Football Injury list, "had a hand accident around the Fourth of July," McVay said.
Monday, July 27
Monday was Matthew Stafford's first practice of training camp as part of his modified schedule. Rams head coach Sean McVay said the quarterback looked "sharp," "distributed the ball really well" and "played with timing and rhythm."
Two of the throws that drew the biggest cheers from the crowd were passes to wide receiver Puka Nacua, including a one-handed catch in the middle of the field in traffic. With Stafford practicing and taking the first-team reps, quarterback Stetson Bennett IV took most of the second-team reps. McVay said rookie quarterback Ty Simpson "came in and did a nice job with the one set that he did have."
McVay said he didn't want to pigeonhole himself into an approach for how the reps would be allocated when Stafford isn't on the field and that the coaching staff will continue to evaluate that.
"But being able to figure out what that looks like is important," McVay said. "I think both those guys have done a nice job. And obviously, having No. 9 out there, he looked pretty damn sharp."
More observations:
After practicing on Sunday, Byron Young wasn't on the field on Monday. The edge rusher said it's part of the plan the Rams have for the nagging knee injury he dealt with last season. Young said that plan is to take it "day by day" to avoid overloading his knee and that he expects to "take some time and get back out there in a couple of days." Young said the goal is to "last for 17 games [and] the postseason."
Bennett found wide receiver CJ Daniels, a rookie sixth-round pick, early and often Monday. McVay described Daniels as "a mature rookie" and said he has been "a great listener" in learning from the other receivers and coaches in his position room.
Sunday, July 26
With starting quarterback Matthew Stafford not practicing as part of his modified training camp schedule, Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett IV got the reps during the Rams' first training camp practice.
New offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase said the first thing he's looking for with a young quarterback is whether he can "operate right before that ball is snapped."
"We require so much of those guys from what we do with formations, with motions, with adjustments that they're going to make before the ball is even snapped," Scheelhaase said. "So if you can't get that right, it's going to be hard to get anything right post-snap. So that's a starting point. That's the foundation."
Scheelhaase said both Simpson and Bennett did a good job with the pre-snap operation on Sunday.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie said he's noticed Simpson's "maturity."
Another observation from the day:
The Rams aren't in pads yet, but McDuffie said when defensive end Myles Garrett is on the field, he could "feel his aura." McDuffie said of Garrett: "I mean, he's gigantic. A monster. But yeah, I'm just excited to get him out here and get him loose and get him going because I know he has a little chip on his shoulder and he's excited about being here. So I think that just fires everybody else up."
Saturday, July 25
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is healthy heading into training camp, Rams coach Sean McVay said on Saturday. Last season, Stafford was dealing with a back injury when the team reported to camp and the quarterback missed the majority of the time there. But while the reigning MVP is "feeling good" right now, McVay said the Rams learned from the time he missed last year and will have Stafford on a modified training camp schedule.
McVay said the focus is keeping Stafford "fresh and ready to go" for the Rams' Week 1 game against the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia (Sept. 10, 8:35 p.m. E, Netflix).
The plan will be for Stafford not to practice on Days 1 and 3 of the Rams' four-day practice block. The quarterback will not take part in the Rams' first training camp practice on Sunday as part of that plan, and instead "doing his own independent stuff where he's taking care of his body," McVay said.
The Rams will also likely handle some of their other players in a similar way, especially veteran players such as wide receiver Davante Adams, who is entering his 13th NFL season.
Rams WR Puka Nacua has reported to training camp. pic.twitter.com/8aqQfIZ6lv
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) July 25, 2026
More observations from the day:
A handful of players from the Rams' 2023 draft class are going into the final seasons of their rookie deals. Included in that group is wide receiver Puka Nacua, defensive end Kobie Turner, outside linebacker Byron Young and left guard Steve Avila. McVay said the team has had "internal dialogue" about possible contract extensions for players in that group, but there are other "moving parts" the Rams need to handle first. McVay said he believes all of those players will be at training camp and will take part in practice.
The Rams and No. 13 pick Ty Simpson agreed to terms on his rookie contract, making him the final first-round pick to agree to a deal, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday. McVay said Stafford's modified practice schedule will mean more reps than usual for the two quarterbacks competing for the No. 2 spot behind Stafford: Simpson and Stetson Bennett IV. "It's going to be a very important [position battle]," McVay said. "I'm hopeful that our guy is fresh, ready to go and doesn't have to miss any time, but if he does, we need to figure out who that person is that's going to step up and lead the team if that's what's necessary."
For the second year in a row, Rams right guard Kevin Dotson showed up to camp with the Rams' horns dyed into his hair.
