5 takeaways from Rams' preseason win vs. Chargers

The Los Angeles Rams went undefeated in the preseason, with a 20-18 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers sealing up their work. As the team moves toward roster cut-down day and the regular season, here are five takeaways from their final preseason contest.

With Jarquez Hunter off to Miami, there's a vacancy at the team's RB4 spot. That could be either a roster or practice squad spot, and it looks like Connors has it. He had another strong performance as a receiving back, while being the team's most efficient runner.

Connors also hauled in his third touchdown of the preseason, setting up this season to serve as a development year, and 2027 as a potential breakout season.

Simpson was excellent, efficient, and protective of the football, committing zero turnovers during his action across three games. He made proper reads, smart throws, and played within the structure of the offense. There are a lot of things the Rams can do with Simpson, especially with his mobility.

The team could not ask Simpson to be better. He has a long way to go in his development, but this preseason was the foundation he needs to build off of. He went 18-for-23 for 119 yards and one touchdown on Thursday.

CJ Daniels is an unfortunate cut candidate

After the Rams added back Tutu Atwell, receivers on the bubble could be in danger of losing a crucial roster spot. Considering the team will likely keep five tight ends on their first 53-man roster, they also already have Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield, and now Atwell as receivers.

On top of that, Daniels had a good day with five catches for 42 yards, but he didn't have a dominant showing against the Chargers to perhaps change his status. Brennan Presley had another strong game, hauling in a touchdown pass from Simpson . The team likely values Daniels' upside, giving him the edge over Presley, but for the active roster, where does Daniels fit?

The special teams issues might continue into 2026

The Rams did a lot to fix their issues of 2025, but a new problem is starting to come to the surface, alluding to the overall concerns of the unit still lingering. Last season, it was the kicking game. This year, it could be the team's most consistent specialist, as Ethan Evans had a 24-yard shank against the Chargers.

Typically, I would ignore the miss, because Evans was excellent in preseason before that punt. Plus, he nailed a game-winning punt, pinning the Chargers at their own 1-yard line, so he still has that excellence in him. The problem is that I saw the inconsistency arise during joint practice with the New Orleans Saints. In an ideal world, this is a blip on the radar, but the Rams have lost the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their special teams unit.

It isn't sound-the-alarm time, but it might be good to know the alarm still works – just in case. The good news is that Evans' work typically speaks for itself. Let's hope it continues to do so, like his last punt of the preseason.

The Rams will have a strong practice squad

Regardless of who the team adds to their practice squad, the Rams will have a plethora of talent to call up if they need. Connors, Presley, Mario Williams, Elias Neal, Bill Murray, Daryl Peterson III (who strip-sacked DJ Uiagalelei to win the game), Mark Redman, and others should be able to slip onto the game-day roster without issue.

There will be plenty of call-up candidates throughout the season.