Rams training camp updates: Aaron Donald comeback hits ‘tryout’ trail

Three takeaways from the Rams’ practice on Wednesday:

Puka Nacua does not appear distracted

Puka Nacua, who went through rehab in the offseason and is the defendant in a civil lawsuit, recently changed agents. But the star receiver continues to make spectacular catches, including one on a pass from Stetson Bennett that Nacua tipped twice before clutching the ball as he fell to the turf. He also made a one-handed catch on a route over the middle.

Safety Quentin Lake making plays

Lake is a team captain and leader of a remade secondary that features new cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson and fellow safety Kam Curl. After watching the others break up and intercept passes during training camp, Lake finally got in on the act, picking off a pass from Bennett.

Linebacker Omar Speights steps up

As an inside linebacker, Speights is the most unheralded starter on what is now a star-studded defense. But Speights arguably made the play of the day when he very physically broke up a pass over the middle intended for Nacua.

Ty Simpson will be busy on Wednesday afternoon.

The rookie quarterback did not take a single snap during the Rams’ last practice on Monday because Matthew Stafford worked with starters and Stetson Bennett took every second-team rep.

But with Stafford taking a scheduled rest day on Wednesday, Simpson, the 13th pick in the NFL draft, will have the opportunity to continue building on last week’s performance, when he displayed growing confidence and made several impressive plays.

“He’s capitalizing and maximizing his reps,” coach Sean McVay said.

The competition to back up Stafford is expected to ramp up during preseason games against the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and the Chargers.

The Rams knew the resume. Saw the highlights. Gathered all the intel required.

But they were not aware of Myles Garrett’s aura.

How could they?

It’s not tangible, nor easily defined.

It’s just there.

“You just feel him,” coach Sean McVay said Friday.

McVay felt and said that before. About Aaron Donald. About Jalen Ramsey.

But listening to Rams players talk about Garrett, this feels different.

The Rams fortified the back end of their defense by trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing cornerback Jaylen Watson.

They strengthened the front end by trading for Myles Garrett.

Linebacker Nate Landman holds down the middle.

The Rams signed Landman before last season. Before it was over — he tied for second in the league with five forced fumbles — he earned a three-year contract extension that includes $15.7 million in guarantees, according to Overthecap.com.

Landman said his approach during this training camp remains the same.

“In different stretches and different things to focus on, but the game doesn’t change,” he said. “I’ve always taken pride in being the best Nate Landman I can be and not trying to be anyone else.

“Focused on doing my job to the best of my ability to help the team win. Not stepping outside of myself and not forcing anything to make it happen.”

During his first four NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, cornerback Trent McDuffie often went against quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a two-time NFL most valuable player.

Now he is practicing against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP, who has star receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams as primary targets.

“Each and every day you step on this grass, you gotta be at your 100 [percent],” McDuffie said. “Because they’re the type of guys that, even if you have a little off day, they’ll expose you. They’re that good, that elite.”

The Rams traded for McDuffie in March and awarded him an extension that includes $100 million in guarantees, according to Overthecap.com.

Throughout training camp he has made plays — on Monday he broke up a long pass intended for Nacua — and he also has demonstrated resilience after receivers make plays.

“When I line up against Davante, when I line up against Puka, my mindset is ‘I gotta beat you this rep, not just because I gotta beat you, but if I don’t give you my best technique, if I don’t give you my best on this field, I’m not going to make you better this play, and vice versa.’”

Three takeaways from the Rams’ workout on Monday:

Matthew Stafford looks ready for opener

The Rams don’t play the San Francisco 49ers in Australia until Sept. 10, but Stafford appears game ready. Stafford, the reigning NFL most valuable player, connected with Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and others for multiple big plays. Stetson Bennett took all of the second-team reps. Rookie Ty Simpson observed, and went through drills after practice with quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone.

Kam Curl stepping up

Curl made a game-saving interception in the Rams’ divisional-round victory over the Chicago Bears last season. A few months later, he received an extension that includes $24 million in guarantees, according to Overthecap.com. On Monday, Curl made the defensive play of the day when stepped up and intercepted a pass by Stafford and took off toward the end zone.

Tight end Davis Allen remains sidelined

Allen sat out each of the last four practices because of what coach Sean McVay described as a “soft tissue” leg injury. The Rams do not lack depth at tight end with Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson and rookie Max Klare.

Rookie receiver CJ Daniels made multiple plays with the second-unit offense during the first week of training camp — and he is expected to emerge as a productive target during preseason games.

Veteran receiver Davante Adams said Daniels, a sixth-round draft pick who played at Liberty, Louisiana State and Miami, sought his counsel just before the end of off-season workouts.

“He came to me and asked what I thought that he needed to work on,” Adams said. “We talked about a couple small things. He came back and did exactly those things.”

Adams said Daniels has moved past nerves that naturally impact a first-year player’s ability to fully capitalize on playmaking opportunities.

“I could see he was moving and had all the ability,” Adams said. “But I just wanted him to play like he belonged. And this camp he’s been showing that.”

Three takeaways from the Rams’ workout on Sunday:

Teaching day

Jogthroughs are performed without helmets or pads, and no passes are thrown. McVay prefers competitive practices but he said the jogthroughs are “a necessary evil,” and valuable before and during the season. “This is absolutely a key and critical factor for us to learn how to get stuff out of when we slow the tempo down,” McVay said. “Particularly as the season goes on, when you’re a little more modified in terms of getting guys to Sunday.”

Puka Nacua fandom keeps rising

Many Rams players greet fans and sign autographs after workouts. No player causes the crowd’s decibel level to rise and crescendo quite like Nacua, the fourth-year star receiver. From the moment he walks onto the field before practice to his final steps off it, fans are screaming his name.

Myles Garrett absent

After what the Rams said was a scheduled rest day for Myles Garrett on Saturday, the star defensive end was not on the field for the third day in a row as the Rams did a light jogthrough. Coach Sean McVay said Garrett was held out as a precaution because of lower body soreness. Garrett will not practice Monday and will be reevaluated after a day off on Tuesday.

The Rams are being cautious with star defensive end Myles Garrett.

The reigning NFL defensive of the year was not on the field for a jogthrough on Sunday, the third day in a row Garrett has sat out practice.

Coach Sean McVay said Garrett was experiencing lower-body soreness.

“Nothing to worry about,” McVay said. “We’re erring on the side of being smart with him.”

McVay said Garrett would not practice Monday, the final day of a four-day training block. The Rams are off Tuesday.

“We’ll see what it looks like after the day off,” McVay said. “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but I would expect him to be ready to go on the next block.”

McVay said the goal was to keep Garrett “as fresh as possible” as the Rams prepare for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Mellbourne, Australia.

In the time between pre-practice walkthroughs and the start of daily full-speed workouts, Rams running back Kyren Williams sheds his cleats and does individual work barefoot on the field.

“I call it downloading the data to my feet,” Williams said Saturday. “I’m just going through the steps, staying grounded and being able to feel what it feels like.”

Williams said the regimen is a continuation of the offseason workouts he did in preparation for his fifth NFL season.

In 2025, Williams rushed for 1,252 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for an offense that led the NFL in yards and points per game.

During the offseason, Williams said he shifted from doing workouts that were heavy on versatility, and focused instead on running back specific drills.

“My super power is when I’m low to the ground, I have both my feet in the ground, and I’m planted and I’m explosive,” Williams said.

According to Overthecap.com, Williams is scheduled to earn a guaranteed $11.6 million in the first year of the three-extension he received before last season.

Three takeaways from the Rams’ workout on Saturday:

Davante Adams in fine form

Adams led the NFL with 14 touchdown catches last season, the majority from close to the goal line. The three-time All-Pro receiver demonstrated his skill by catching a short touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford despite having cornerback Trent McDuffie applying tight coverage.

Trent McDuffie knows how to move on

McDuffie showed no signs of dwelling on Adams’ catch. A few plays later, the All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion broke up a pass for Puka Nacua in the back of the end zone.

Rams managing Myles Garrett’s workload

Garrett, a 10th-year pro, did not practice for the second day in a row. Garrett sat out because of a scheduled rest day, a team official said.

Three takeaways from Rams practice on Friday:

Ty Simpson makes an impression

After a low-key start to training camp, Simpson took advantage of more opportunities and showed a strong arm and good mobility on multiple plays. Coach Sean McVay noted that it is challenging to evaluate quarterbacks without facing a true rush. But Simpson had to have gained confidence from Friday’s performance.

Don’t forget Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

The Rams strengthened their secondary by trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing cornerback Jaylen Watson. But Forbes showed last season that he can make plays, intercepting three passes, which tied for the team lead. The Rams declined to exercise a fifth-year option on Forbes, a former first-round pick by the Washington Commanders. But he can be a valuable backup. On Friday, Forbes just missed picking off a pass by Simpson.

Sean McDermott observes Sean McVay

McDermott, former coach of the Buffalo Bills, spoke with McVay before practice and watched the workout. Ryan Wendell, the Rams’ offensive line coach, worked under McDermott for four seasons before joining McVay’s staff in 2023. McVay coached against McDermott and both served on the NFL’s Competition Committee. “All of us as coaches are constantly curious and trying to just be able to share with each other,” McVay said. “It was great to have him out here.”

Rams rookie quarterback Ty Simpson enjoyed his most productive day of training camp on Friday, completing multiple impressive passes and extending plays with mobility.

With starter Matthew Stafford on a rest day, Simpson took second-team reps behind Stetson Bennett, who also had another solid day.

Simpson, the 13th pick in the NFL draft, got many more opportunities to throw the ball downfield than he did in the opening days of workouts.

Simpson started the day by stepping up and firing a pass to rookie receiver CJ Daniels over the middle. He also connected with receivers Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, Mario Williams, Tru Edwards and tight end Max Klare.

“He’s done really well,” coach Sean McVay said. “Some of the things even mechanically — about being able to speed up his release, some of the timing and rhythm.”

The Rams were in full pads for the first time since the NFC championship game against the Seattle Seahawks last January.

Though there is no tackling during practices, it did allow for a more physical workout.

“This is real ball now,” defensive lineman Kobie Turner said. “All the other stuff is cool — you get to work your craft. But nothing like setting the pads, getting some real ball in. So it’s cool to start inching a little bit closer and closer to the season.”

Tight end Tyler Higbee is in his 11th training camp with the Rams.

“It was nice to put the pads on,” he said, “and play some real football.”

Aaron Donald might be coming back.

But no decision will be made until the Rams return to their Woodland Hills training facility after training camp at Loyola Marymount, coach Sean McVay said Friday.

“I know this,” McVay said. “Things are going in the right direction and if there’s an arrow it’s trending upwards.”

Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year who retired after the 2023 season, is weighing a possible return to a team that features two-time NFL defensive player of the year Myles Garrett.

The Rams are favored to win the Super Bowl with or without Donald.

“We’ve loosely had some different timelines that are kind of temporary,” McVay said. “I want to keep those between us, if something unforeseen happens, out of respect for him and the situation.”

When he retired in March 2024, I thought: That makes sense, the only person who could possibly stop Aaron Donald would be Aaron Donald.

Now I’m not so sure.

Because it’s starting to look like even Aaron Donald might not be able to stop Aaron Donald.

The defensive lineman could be back terrorizing the NFL this season.

Do it, Aaron. You know you want to. We all know you can.

Ty Simpson did not make any jaw-dropping plays.

He also did not make any major errors.

So call it a quiet, workmanlike beginning for the 13th player taken in the NFL draft, a quarterback the Rams ostensibly chose to become Matthew Stafford’s heir apparent.

On Sunday, in the Rams’ first training camp practice, Stafford was held out as part of the plan to limit his reps, putting all eyes on Simpson and fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett as they began their competition to back up the reigning NFL most valuable player.

Former Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott was at Rams training camp on Friday, and he was spotted on the sideline speaking with coach Sean McVay during practice.

Friday marked the first practice in pads for the Rams at this year’s training camp.

Do you think the Rams have a tracker at their headquarters for how many days it’s been since Puka Nacua’s last embarrassing incident?

They might. Because we all remember how frequently the self-inflicted damages were occurring during that bizarre and jarring stretch starting late last year.

We had the biting incident and alleged antisemitic comments on New Year’s Eve. Before that, we had the Rams’ star receiver making antisemitic gestures on a livestream with a couple of controversial streamers.

Growing up in Inglewood, Andrew Hernandez heard plenty about the Olympics. Since L.A. was awarded the Games almost a decade ago, the 18-year-old watched preparations slowly improve the infrastructure of his hometown. He still never thought he would be able to attend.

Until now.

LA28 and the Rams donated 1,000 free tickets to 10 nonprofit organizations Monday, giving local youth such as Hernandez a seat at Olympic flag football or swimming competitions in 2028.

Ty Simpson will get his second substantial opportunity on Friday when the Rams return from a day off with a late afternoon practice at Loyola Marymount.

Starter Matthew Stafford is not practicing on the first and third day of each four-day block, so Stetson Bennett and Simpson, the 13th pick in the draft, will run the offense.

On Stafford’s rest days during the first week of training camp, Bennett worked with the starters, Simpson the second unit. When Stafford practiced, Bennett took second-team reps and Simpson got only a few snaps.

McVay said Simpson was doing a good job.

“Our defense does a nice job of making you get through some different progressions,” McVay said. “It seemed like he was able to do that.

“It was minimal reps, but the ones that he had seemed like he did a nice job.”

Here’s a recap of what happened during the first four days of Rams training camp:

Rams

Rams training camp updates: Puka Nacua ‘trying to take accountability’

Follow along for the latest news and developments from Rams training camp as the team prepares to embark on a new season as the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

July 30, 2026