Rams wrap up organized team activities in Oxnard

Phase one is complete.

The Rams finished organized team activities Thursday, all but ending their temporary stay in Oxnard.

Rookies will be around next week for some NFL orientation business, but veterans prepared to exit after the ninth workout while support personnel continued packing boxes.

The Rams will reconvene in late July for the start of training camp at UC Irvine. The final phase of their return to Southern California will come in September when they move into a training facility at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, their temporary home for at least a few years.

Coach Jeff Fisher, preparing for his fifth season with the Rams, said that despite the logistical challenges posed by the move from St. Louis, the OTA workouts were “the best since we’ve been here.” He added that the noncontact workouts were “one more step” toward the franchise’s first season in Southern California in more than two decades.

“Considering everything that we’ve gone through, I feel like we accomplished a great deal through the OTAs,” Fisher said.

So did players.

“I felt like we’re light years ahead of where we were last year,” said defensive end William Hayes, who at 31 is the oldest player on the roster.

Said linebacker Akeem Ayers: “We progressed a lot. We had a lot of changes, especially on the defensive side. … We got better.”

Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ executive vice president of football operations, said the players and coaches adapted well despite the move and temporary facility.

“It looked and felt like any other off-season program that the other 31 teams were having,” Demoff said, adding, “First and foremost from an organizational perspective, it was making sure that Oxnard gave our team the best chance to be set up to win games this fall, and I think it accomplished that.”

On Thursday, quarterback Jared Goff again took first-team reps, but the rookie struggled at times and had at least four passes intercepted.

Despite a less-than-stellar finish, Fisher said the top pick in the NFL draft “flourished” since he began sharing first-team snaps with Case Keenum last week.

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Gary Klein and Lindsey Thiry wrap up Rams OTA workouts from Oxnard and discuss quarterback Jared Goff’s progress. 

Keenum entered off-season workouts as the presumptive starter, and he will apparently keep that designation going into training camp.

Fisher reiterated that Keenum was “our starter,” but that status remains fluid as Goff is expected to continue taking snaps with the starters during training camp.

“I got a lot more one reps than I ever have during a spring so I think that was really good for me,” Keenum said.

Keenum, Goff and other players said they would be in Southern California before the start of training camp to continue working together.

“Nothing against St. Louis,” Keenum said, “but it’s easier to get guys to stay around here in L.A. than, say, somewhere else.”

Making an impression

Receiver Pharoh Cooper, a fourth-round draft pick, got extensive work with the first-team offense throughout OTA workouts.

Fisher said the former South Carolina star has “a good feel for the inside stuff” and makes plays after the catch.

“I expect that he’ll be a household name at some point because he’s such a good player,” Fisher said.

Keenum said Cooper has “a little shiftiness to him” and expects him to contribute this season.

“He’s made a few mistakes along the way,” Keenum said, “but he’s learned from them and hasn’t made them twice.”

Quick hits

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson sat out the final week of workouts. Johnson, who rode a stationary bike Thursday, was involved in a collision with a receiver during a drill last week. Fisher said Johnson suffered a laceration and “his jaw got rocked.” But he said Johnson would be “fine.”

gary.klein@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimesklein