After a tumultuous training camp, the Los Angeles Rams opened the 2025 NFL preseason with a dominating 31-21 win over the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium. The game was not as close as the sore would indicate. Dallas scored two fourth quarter touchdowns, while at the same time, the Rams took their foot off the gas and used a punishing ground game to run out the clock.

As per his standard practice, Head Coach Sean McVay did not suit up his starters and primary backups (34 Rams sat out). Still, both the Rams offense and defense were running on all cylinders and it offered fans a good chance to get a glimpse at some of the lower-tier position and roster battles. The combatants did not disappoint. While mistakes were made, effort was strong all through the game and with a slew of different lineups.

Here’s how I saw the game, the battles, and the depth chart.

Didn’t play: Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garappolo

My depth chart: Stetson Bennett

Bennett played up to hype he’s been receiving from camp. He looked in control, made good choices, and consistently moved the offense. Best of all, the Rams scored touchdowns in the red zone. His play, if continued on through preseason, will force the Rams braintrust into an interesting roster bubble decision. With the overall lack of quarterback talent behind NFL starters, it is unlikely Bennett would clear waivers. Adding him to the opening 53 as QB#3 may be a given, but would risk a position player to the vagaries of the waiver wire.

Didn’t play: Kyren Williams

My depth chart: Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter, Cody Schrader, Ronnie Rivers, Jordan Waters

The whole group looked good, running with a physical edge. Late in the game, Schrader ran the ball very well and with Rivers exiting with a rib injury, will likely bump up a spot. To really overcome Rivers and have a shot at the active roster, he’ll have to make some noise on special teams. To a lesser extent, Waters is in the same boat. Although Hunter adds a true power element to the offense, I don’t think he did enough against the Cowboys to pass Corum. Not yet anyway.

Didn’t play: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell, Jordan Whittington

My depth chart: Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield, Brennan Presley, Britain Covey, Drake Stoops, Mario Williams

Early in the game, Smith looked strong, creating space and showing good hands. He adds speed, kick return ability, and was a gunner on coverage teams last year. Mumpfield had the wide-open drop, but was regularly getting open. If the Rams keep six receivers, he’s still safe. Both Presley and Covey showed what they are about, slot/motion guys with jet sweep and kick return ability. Although still on the outside looking in, their play closed a little ground on Mumpfield. Stoops had a couple of catches, while Williams had a drop.

Didn’t play: Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson

My depth chart: Davis Allen, Anthony Torres, Mark Redman

Although his action was early, it’s surprising that Allen played. He’s in Year 3 and has shown what he’s got in the tank. Ferguson, if healthy, is the one that needs a taste of experience against pros. For his first game after coming out of the MAC, Torres played pretty well, showing good physicality and some solid blocking. He did however, tweak an ankle late in the game and if out more than a couple days, he’ll fall behind Redman (one catch), who just passed his physical to join the team a week ago.

Didn’t play: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein, DJ Humphries, Warren McClendon

My depth chart: Beaux Limmer, Justin Dedich, KT Leveston, Willie Lampkin, Wyatt Bowles, AJ Arcuri, Dan Quessenberry, Ben Dooley, Dylan McMahon, Trey Wedig

The stars of the offense, solid in both run and pass.The biggest surprise was Bowles starting at left guard and going all the way. Asked to make a big step up in class, the undrafted rookie out of Utah State (MWC) answered with a solid debut performance. Overall, L.A. really flashed their cross training chops and used a lot of player combinations. Limmer and Dedich saw time at both center and guard, as did Willie Lampkin. Leveston played guard for a few snaps and the moved out to left tackle. Arcuri got work at both tackle spots. Quessenberry got snaps early, while Dooley picked up his reps at guard late in the game. I don’t know if either were injury related, but McMahon and Wedig did not see action.

Didn’t play: Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis

My depth chart: Ty Hamilton, Larrell Murchison, Desjuan Johnson, Jack Heflin, Bill Norton, D’Jon Terry, Decarius Hawthorne

It was more successful than pretty for the defensive front. The Cowboys had had 64 yards rushing and less than 150 total yards after three quarters. The Rams played very vanilla and showed primarily four-man fronts Although not much pressure was applied, all pursued well. They used a straight-ahead bull rush attack, very few stunts, twists, or loops, seemingly content to contain the pocket and force Cowboy QB Joe Milton to throw into seven-man coverages. Heflin made some ground up with good pursuit and effort and Norton plugged the middle well in late-game action. Everybody else appeared to hold position.

Didn’t play: Jared Verse, Byron Young

My depth chart: Josaiah Stewart, Brennan Jackson, Keir Thomas, Nick Hampton, Jamil Muhammad, Josh Pearcy

Stewart chipped in a sack on his maiden voyage and because of it, was the only edge player to make a depth chart move towards the primary backup role. None of his competition stood out. Hampton had difficulties giving up the edge, as did Jackson to a lesser extent, Thomas was unremarkable.

Didn’t play: Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Troy Reeder

My depth chart: Chris Paul, Sean Dolac, Tony Fields, Elias Neal

Paul started, really pursued the ball aggressively and wore the green dot. That’s very interesting to note going forward. Dolac played well and true to his draft review form, a bit under-sized, but with huge effort. Fields showed off his experience and had nine tackles, although a long shot with the unit’s 2025 rebuild, he would be a safe, savvy bottom of the roster player. Neal got the start, but was quiet.

Didn’t play: Darious Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes

My depth chart: Josh Wallace, AJ Green, Charles Woods, Cam Lampkin, Derion Kendrick, Shaun Jolly

It looked as if Wallace was lined up at safety for the game and he showed quite well. He was physical and pursued the ball. Green looked sharp in coverage and was willing to tackle. Both Woods and Lampkin made plays. Kendrick and Jolly fell back a bit. Kendrick didn’t do anything wrong, but the others outshone him. Jolly had a tough day, it started with a couple of pass interference calls, but he was also on the wrong end of some nice Cowboy completions.

Didn’t play: Kamren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough

My depth chart: Nate Valcarcel, Malik Dixon-Williams, Tanner Ingle

Valcarcel looks a bit thin on the field, but had himself a solid first NFL game. He was L.A.’s leading tackler, pursued well, and showed a knack for open-field tackling. With Wallace playing safety, his path to the roster is a bit blurred, but if he keeps stacking good games, he’ll create his own opening. While Dixon-Williams and Ingle are longer shots to make the team, they combined for eight tackles.

Who to watch for in Week 2

Offensively, quarterback is key, so the continued maturation of Stetson Bennett should be very entertaining. There’s not really a path to play time without injuries, but his improvement a good sign for the future. While both are locked onto the roster, Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter are still battling for RB#2. Xavier Smith should be WR#5 and if the Rams roster six, Konata Mumpfield will have his hands full battling Britain Covey and Brennan Presley, both of whom possess kick return chops. The offensive line will be crazy, seven veterans apparently locked in, with Beaux Limmer and Justin Dedich looking solid. If the Rams roster 10, that makes it a six-man battle for the final berth.

On defense, the interior line decision must be weighed between versatile players Larrell Murchison or Desjuan Johnson against monolithic clogger Bill Norton. Jack Heflin strikes a balance between the two. Edge is still a question mark, with all the main characters biding for a role. What Chris Paul and Shaun Dolac lack in elite size, they make up for in aggressive pursuit. Josh Wallace is a new face at safety, his cornerback versatility makes him one to watch. And finally, AJ Green’s work at outside corner deserves another look.

How about just soaking up the Rams solid play? Yes, while it’s safe to not read too much into preseason games, the Cowboy win was the best the Rams have looked at this point in the McVay era. There’s plenty to be cleaned up in film review, but the offense actually looked like an offense and the defense was aggressive. The Rams may have found an identity for 2025, tough physically and mentally.