Rams training camp preview: How many defensive linemen will LA keep?

USA Today

5 hours ago

Who will back up Turner, Ford and Fiske this season?
The Los Angeles Rams have developed one of the NFL's best young defensive lines. They already had Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner, two Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates the last two seasons, and then they added nose tackle Poona Ford in free agency to round out the group.
Beyond those three starters, though, there are some spots still up for grabs. Training camp will help sort out the depth chart with some positional battles up front, which will make the coming weeks exciting to watch.
Here's a look at the D-line heading into camp.
Roster locks
Hamilton may not have the exact job security that Turner, Ford and Fiske have, but as a fifth-round rookie, he's almost certain to make the team – especially considering Los Angeles traded a 2026 fourth-rounder to move up for him. This is a promising young group with a lot of position flexibility, though Ford is almost exclusively a nose tackle.
Likely to make it
Davis showed a lot of promise as a rookie last season and should continue to get better in Year 2. He can play just about anywhere on the defensive line at 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds, which gives him a good edge on the rest of the group.
On the bubble
It's possible the Rams will keep only five defensive linemen from the "locks" and "likely to make it" groups above, but in all likelihood, they'll keep at least one or two more. That puts these six players on the bubble, led by Murchison and Johnson.
Norton, Terry and Hawthorne are all undrafted rookies, with Hawthorne being signed later the others, but they'll get every opportunity to make the team with a strong performance in camp.
Position battle to watch
Hamilton and Davis are both around 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds, so they're similar in size. They're also fairly versatile defensive linemen with pass-rush upside. The Rams rotate their defensive linemen like every other team and with the three starters always needing a break at one point or another, the fourth D-line spot is an important one.
One of Davis or Hamilton will get a lot of opportunities throughout the season.
Potential sleeper
Johnson is a former "Mr. Irrelevant" after being the last pick in the 2023 draft and he's gotten better over the course of the last two years. It's hard to put much stock in the undrafted rookies currently on the roster so Johnson is the real sleeper in this group as he looks to make a Year 3 leap.
Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!