Latest news with #SuperBowlLVI
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Odell Beckham Jr. says he "never, ever wanted to leave the Giants"
In late August of 2018, the Giants signed receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a contract extension. Within weeks, things got weird. Within months, the Giants traded Beckham to the Browns. On Saturday, Beckham said he didn't want to go. 'I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants,' Beckham said during the CBS coverage of the UEFA Champions League final, via Fox 'The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over.' He nevertheless said plenty about what was going on, as it was going on. In a surreal early October interview with Josina Anderson, then of ESPN, with Lil Wayne sitting alongside Beckham, the one-time dominant receiver was asked whether the Giants had an issue at quarterback, under Eli Manning. 'Uh, I don't know,' Beckham said. Asked at the time whether he's happy in New York, Beckham said, 'That's a tough question.' Even after Beckham was traded, he spoke openly about his unhappiness in New York. 'I can't do this anymore,' Beckham told GQ regarding his mindset during his last year in New York. 'I just can't do it. I wasn't happy. I wasn't in a good place. And like I told you earlier, I feel like everything is about happiness, and I just was not.' He wasn't happy. But he never, ever wanted to leave? The reality is that he had it worse with the Browns, who eventually released him after the 2021 trade deadline. Beckhamthen landed with the Rams, where he played with a torn ACL until his knee gave out during Super Bowl LVI. He then missed all of 2022, spent 2023 with the Ravens, and had a disappointing 2024 with the Dolphins, who cut him late in the year. He had no takers and still has been linked to no NFL team. By all appearances, the 32-year-old Beckham likely won't return to the NFL. All in all, his career was a success. He owns a Super Bowl ring. He had five 1,000-yard seasons. But with 579 catches and 7,987 career receiving yards, a career that once seemed destined for Canton will likely be remembered primarily for one very memorable one-handed catch in 2014 and otherwise unfulfilled potential.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Odell Beckham Jr. says he 'never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants'
Odell Beckham Jr. says he 'never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants' Since the common draft began in the NFL in the mid-1960s, few players have made an impact on the New York Giants as much as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. There was, of course, Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, Eli Manning, Michael Strahan, Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, and Amani Toomer. All exemplary Giants. As great as those players were, perhaps only Taylor had a bigger impact than Beckham, who burst on the scene in 2014 as the team's first-round pick out of LSU. He went on to have a record-setting first three years and did it with a panache Giant fans had never seen. But Bekcham was a mercurial young man and his star flared out quickly. A knee injury and a pattern of bizarre behavior didn't help. He was eventually dealt to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 for a package of players and draft picks. Beckham recently lamented being traded away by the Giants during Saturday's Champions League Final broadcast on Paramount Plus. "I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants," Beckham Jr. said. "The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over. "This was the organization I got drafted to. They believed in me. So if the Giants went and won a Super Bowl, I would be happy. But deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. No question. So it's definitely you'll always hold that. But then someone like me, I went to the LA Rams, won a Super Bowl. But still, you just want that." Many younger fans were not in favor of the trade, either, while older Giant fans were not sorry to see the volatile and eccentric Beckham go. He had worn out his welcome and, more importantly, the team was losing with him. Beckham, now 32 and without a team for the upcoming 2025 NFL season, played three years in Cleveland before moving on to the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins. He caught a touchdown as a member of the Rams in their Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals but tore his ACL on the play and left the game. Beckham has not started more than seven games in a season since 2019. Although he has a Super Bowl ring with the Rams, he isn't considered part of their family. He also has no lasting connection to Cleveland, Baltimore, or Miami. It's the Giants where he feels most connected. Except that he's not. Beckham usually looks back on his time with Big Blue with a discerning eye. Perhaps now, as his career winds down, he is realizing how special his time here in New York was.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The Sports Report: Jalen Ramsey rumors swirl around the Rams
From Gary Klein: As the Rams went through organized-team activities on Wednesday, the players on the field were not the most compelling storyline. The distinction belongs to a certain NFL star player who potentially could be on the roster by training camp. Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, remains in play as a possible addition to a Rams team regarded as a Super Bowl contender, coach Sean McVay acknowledged after practice. The Dolphins have made it known that they were open to trading Ramsey, who signed an extension in 2024 and is due to earn $24.2 million this season, according to 'We certainly haven't closed the door on that,' McVay said when asked about Ramsey. 'But there hasn't been a whole lot of dialogue as of late…. We'll see if that changes, but these things can happen quickly.' Continue reading here All Times Pacific Conference finals Western Conference No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 6 Minnesotaat Oklahoma City 114, Minnesota 88 (box score)at Oklahoma City 118, Minnesota 103 (box score)at Minnesota 143, Oklahoma City 101 (box score)Oklahoma City 128, at Minnesota 126 (box score)at Oklahoma City 124, Minnesota 94 (box score) Eastern Conference No. 3 New York vs. No. 4 IndianaIndiana 138, at New York 135 (OT) (box score)Indiana 114, at New York 109 (box score)New York 106, at Indiana 100 (box score)at Indiana 130, New York 121 (box score)Thursday at New York, 5 p.m., TNTSaturday at Indiana, 5 p.m., TNT*Monday at New York, 5 p.m., TNT* *if necessary From Jack Harris: Given the shorthanded state of the Dodgers' current pitching staff, losses like Wednesday are the ones that hurt the most. Seeking to end their East Coast trip with a three-game sweep against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, the Dodgers got a productive five-inning, one-run start out of Clayton Kershaw in his third outing back from offseason foot and knee surgeries. They had a late-game lead on a day an ominous rainy forecast never came to fruition. Most of all, they had most of their top current relievers available, able to call upon names they trusted over the final few innings. Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia walks to the dugout after the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians Wednesday in Cleveland. (David Dermer / Associated Press) Such a perfect alignment has been rare for the Dodgers lately. Which means, when it does come around, 'we've got to win these games,' manager Dave Roberts said. Instead, the Dodgers lost 7-4 to the Guardians on Wednesday, wasting Kershaw's five-inning outing with a five-run meltdown in the bottom of the eighth inning. Continue reading here Dodgers box score MLB scores MLB standings From Benjamin Royer: The hope was that the Angels could use Tuesday's ninth-inning rally to muster up something worth talking about at the plate. On Tuesday, Yoán Moncada homered. Taylor Ward singled. Luis Rengifo brought home a run with a line drive up the middle. Despite falling a run short, stringing a few hits together showed that the Angels could build off each other to produce runs. However, instead of breaking through as an offense, the Angels were shut out by the Yankees 1-0 on Wednesday night, securing a sweep and turning the Angels' eight-game win streak of weeks past into more of a blip on the radar than a sign of life. Catcher Logan O'Hoppe struck out looking to end the game on a breaking ball well off the strike zone. After the game, O'Hoppe was adamant that it was a ball, as was manager Ron Washington, but said it's just part of the game and 'out of our control.' Regardless, the Angels were scoreless entering their final three outs again — Angel Stadium playing home to an offense in need of a pulse check Continue reading here Angels box score MLB scores MLB standings UCLA's bid for a 13th national championship begins Thursday with a familiar opponent at the Women's College World Series. The Bruins (54-11) face Oregon at Devon Park at 6:30 p.m. (PST) on the first day of a double-elimination tournament featuring Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Texas Tech. Two finalists will play a best-of-three series to determine the NCAA softball champion beginning June 4. The matchup between UCLA and Oregon will be the 131st meeting between current Big Ten teams and former Pac-12 rivals. The Bruins have dominated the series with 97 wins. The teams played once previously in the World Series in 2015, with UCLA winning, 7-1. Continue reading here Substitute Ousseni Bouda scored in the 74th minute, and the San José Earthquakes extended the Galaxy's MLS-record season-opening winless streak with a 1-0 victory Wednesday night. Bouda slipped between two defenders and got his third goal of the season on a precise pass from fellow substitute Preston Judd for the Quakes, who ended a four-game losing streak in the California Clasico rivalry. The defending MLS Cup champion Galaxy (0-12-4) are edging toward historic ignominy after dropping yet another game at the stadium where they went unbeaten in 2024 and won their league-record sixth title in December. Continue reading here From Jad El Reda: Saint Monica Prep students Macayla Story, Johnnie García and Nicolás Vallejo received life-changing scholarships thanks to golf. Story vividly remembers the moment she received the acceptance letter. She was in Palm Springs when her mother called to tell her that a large envelope had arrived. The envelope contained a letter informing her she would be receiving the $125,000 Chick Evans Scholarship, a program supported by the Western Golf Assn. that will allow her to attend a university without having to worry about housing costs or tuition for four years. 'When I came back, I opened it with her by my side. I showed her the letter and she started crying. It was an incredible moment,' Story told L.A. Times en Español. Story traveled to Chicago to work as a caddie for two months at Skokie Country Club, and Garcia and Vallejo did the program locally with Los Angeles Country Club. All they were guaranteed was pay for their work and a chance to apply for the lucrative scholarships. Continue reading here The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into whether California, its interscholastic sports federation and the Jurupa Unified School District are violating the civil rights of cisgender girls by allowing transgender students to compete in school sports, federal officials announced Wednesday. The Justice Department is also throwing its support behind a pending lawsuit alleging similar violations of girls' rights in the Riverside Unified School District, said U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, who oversees much of the Los Angeles region, and Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Transgender track athletes have come under intense scrutiny in recent months in both Jurupa Valley and Riverside, with anti-LGBTQ+ activists attacking them on social media and screaming opposition to their competing at school meets. Essayli and Dhillon, both Californians appointed under President Trump, have long fought against transgender rights in the state. Their announcements came one day after Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from California for allowing transgender youths to participate in sports. Continue reading here Let's hear from you. Could a smoother path to the College Football Playoff be worth losing the Notre Dame-USC rivalry? Vote here and let us know. Results announced next week. All times Pacific Conference finals Western Conference Central 2 Dallas vs. Pacific 3 Edmontonat Dallas 6, Edmonton 3 (summary)Edmonton 3, at Dallas 0 (summary)at Edmonton 6, Dallas 1 (summary)at Edmonton 4, Dallas 1 (summary)Thursday at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPNSaturday at Edmonton, 5 p.m., ABC*Monday at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN* Eastern Conference Metro 2 Carolina vs. Atlantic 3 FloridaFlorida 5, at Carolina 2 (summary)Florida 5, at Carolina 0 (summary)at Florida 6, Carolina 2 (summary)Carolina 3, at Florida 0 (summary)Florida 5, at Carolina 3 (summary) * If necessary 1946 — Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta become the first thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight. They're flown from New York to Inglewood by the American Air Express Corp., a 2,446-mile trip that lasts 20 hours due to bad weather. 1968 — European Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Bobby Charlton scores twice as Manchester United beats Benfica, 4-1; first English club to win the trophy. 1971 — Al Unser wins his second straight Indianapolis 500 with a record mark of 157.735 mph and finishes 22 seconds ahead of Peter Revson. The pace car, ridden by Eldon Palmer, crashes into the portable bleachers and injures 20 people. 1977 — A.J. Foyt becomes the first driver to win four Indianapolis 500s and Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman in the race. Guthrie is forced to drop out after 27 laps with mechanical problems. 1977 — Australian Sue Prell first female golfer to hit consecutive holes-in one; 13th and 14th holes at Chatswood Golf Club, Sydney. 1980 — Larry Bird beats out Magic Johnson for NBA rookie of year. 1983 — After three second-place finishes, Tom Sneva wins the Indianapolis 500 by 11 seconds over three-time champion Al Unser. 1985 — 29th European Cup: Juventus beats Liverpool 1-0 at Brussels. 1988 — Rick Mears overcomes an early one-lap deficit, then overpowers the rest of the field on the way to his third Indianapolis 500 victory. Mears gives team-owner Roger Penske an unprecedented seventh victory and fourth in five years. 1990 — Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker, the top two seeds, are bounced in the first round of the French Open by two European teenagers, the first time the top two men's seeds are eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament. Edberg is swept easily in straight sets by 19-year-old Sergi Bruguera of Spain, and Becker loses to 18-year-old Yugoslav Goran Ivanisevic. 1991 — 35th European Cup: Red Star Belgrade beats Marseille (0-0, 5-3 on penalties) at Bari. 1993 — Wayne Gretzky's overtime goal gives the Kings a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Western Conference finals. The Kings become the first NHL team to play the full 21 games in the first three rounds. 1998 — Eighteen-year-old Marat Safin, ranked 116th in the world and playing in his first Grand Slam tournament, beats defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the French Open. 2005 — Dan Wheldon wins the Indianapolis 500 when Danica Patrick's electrifying run falls short. Patrick is the first woman to lead at Indy, getting out front three separate times for a total of 19 laps. But Wheldon passes her with seven laps to go and easily holds on. 2006 — Rafael Nadal passes Guillermo Vilas as the King of the clay courts and begins his pursuit of a second successive French Open trophy. Nadal earns his 54th consecutive win on clay, breaking the Open era record he shared with Vilas by beating Robin Soderling in straight sets in the first round at Roland Garros. 2011 — JR Hildebrand, one turn from winning the Indianapolis 500, skids high into the wall on the final turn and Dan Wheldon drives past to claim an improbable second Indy 500 win in his first race of the year. 2011 — Roger Federer sets another record by reaching the French Open quarterfinals, and Novak Djokovic closes in on a pair of his own. Federer extends his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic maintains his perfect season to 41-0 and stretches his overall winning streak to 43 matches by beating Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. 2012 — Serena Williams loses in the first round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 at the French Open. Williams enters the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments. 2016 — Alexander Rossi wins the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. 2021 — UEFA Champions League Final, Porto: Kai Havertz scores just before halftime to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over Manchester City in an all-English final; Blues' second CL title. 1916 — Christy Mathewson defeated the Boston Braves 3-0 for the New York Giants' 17th consecutive road win. 1922 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled organized baseball was primarily a sport and not a business, and therefore not subject to antitrust laws and interstate commerce regulations. The suit had been brought by the Federal League's Baltimore franchise. 1928 — Bill Terry hit for the cycle to lead the New York Giants to a 12-5 win over Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. Terry became the first player in major league history to include a grand slam as part of the cycle. 1942 — New York's Lefty Gomez, self-described as the worst-hitting pitcher in baseball, banged out four hits while pitching a 16-1 four-hitter against Washington. 1946 — Edward Klep became the first white to play in the Negro leagues in a game played in Grand Rapids. Klep pitched seven innings for the Cleveland Buckeyes against the American Giants in his debut with the Negro American League team. 1956 — Dale Long went hitless for the Pirates, ending his major league record streak of home runs in eight consecutive games. The Brooklyn Dodgers beat Pittsburgh, 10-1. 1965 — Philadelphia's Richie Allen hit a 529-foot home run over the roof of Connie Mack Stadium off Chicago's Larry Jackson in the Phillies' 4-2 victory. 1976 — Houston's Joe Niekro was the winning pitcher and hit a home run off his brother, Phil Niekro. The Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1. It was the only home run hit by Joe in his 22-year major league career. 1990 — Oakland's Rickey Henderson broke Ty Cobb's 62-year-old American League stolen base record, but the Toronto Blue Jays still beat the Athletics 2-1. Henderson's 893rd steal came in the sixth inning. 2000 — Oakland second baseman Randy Velarde turned the 10th unassisted triple play in regular-season history during a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. With runners on first and second in motion, Shane Spencer hit a line drive to Velarde who caught the ball, tagged out Jorge Posada (running from first) and stepped on second to beat Tino Martinez. 2002 — Roger Clemens recorded the 100th double-digit strikeout game of his career, fanning 11 in seven innings against Chicago. Nolan Ryan (215) and Randy Johnson (175) were the others to have 100 double-digit strikeout games. 2002 — In an article in Sports Illustrated former NL MVP Ken Caminiti stated that about 50% of current major league players used some form of steroids. 2003 — Colorado, behind Todd Helton's three home runs and Ron Belliard's five hits beat the visiting Dodgers 12-5. Helton added a single and drove in six runs. 2010 — Philadelphia's Roy Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in major league history, beating the Florida Marlins 1-0. It was the first time in the modern era that there were a pair of perfect games in the same season. Halladay faced three Marlins pinch-hitters in the ninth. Mike Lamb led off with a long fly ball, Wes Helms struck out, and Ronny Paulino to hit a grounder to third for the 27th out. Halladay struck out 11 and went to either 3-1 or 3-2 counts seven times, twice in the game's first three batters alone. 2013 — Chris Davis went 4 for 4 with two home runs, and the Baltimore Orioles overcame three homers by Ryan Zimmerman to beat the Washington Nationals 9-6. 2013 — Dioner Navarro had the first three-homer game of his career, connecting from both sides of the plate at Wrigley Field to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Navarro drove in a career-high six runs and scored four times. 2014 — Diamondbacks pitcher Josh Collmenter faces the minimum 27 batters in spite of allowing three hits in a complete game shutout defeat of the Cincinnati Reds. The three Reds baserunners were erased on double plays. 2015 — Lewis-Clark State wins their 17th NAIA baseball title. 2021 — The Twins' Josh Donaldson scored the two-millionth run in major league history. Compiled by the Associated Press That concludes today's newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you'd like to see, email me at To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rams' potential trade for Jalen Ramsey creates suspense at OTAs
All-pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey could be back with the Rams if a trade with the Miami Dolphins can be worked out. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) As the Rams went through organized-team activities on Wednesday, the players on the field were not the most compelling storyline. The distinction belongs to a certain NFL star player who potentially could be on the roster by training camp. Advertisement Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, remains in play as a possible addition to a Rams team regarded as a Super Bowl contender, coach Sean McVay acknowledged after practice. The Dolphins have made it known that they were open to trading Ramsey, who signed an extension in 2024 and is due to earn $24.2 million this season, according to 'We certainly haven't closed the door on that,' McVay said when asked about Ramsey. 'But there hasn't been a whole lot of dialogue as of late…. We'll see if that changes, but these things can happen quickly.' The Dolphins were not expected to trade Ramsey until after June 1 — which falls on Sunday — when their cap hit would decrease from $25.2 million to $6.7 million, according to Advertisement Read more: Rams open season at home vs. Texans, will play Eagles on the road in Week 3 McVay reiterated that there remains 'a lot of layers' that would have to be worked out in terms of compensation the Dolphins might be seeking and how they would handle money due to Ramsey. Ramsey, 30, intercepted two passes last season, increasing his career total to 24. The three-time All-Pro, however, affects the game beyond his statistics. 'Obviously, we love Jalen,' McVay said. 'We know him intimately. There would be some things that we would need to be able to do if that was the direction we went.' With an offense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and running back Kyren Williams, and a defense anchored by lineman Kobie Turner and edge rusher Jared Verse, the Rams are expected to make another deep playoff run. Advertisement But the Rams did nothing in free agency or the draft to upgrade the secondary. Veterans Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon return as the starting cornerbacks, with Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Derion Kendrick and Charles Wallace competing for playing time. Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, Jaylen McCollough and Kam Kinchens are returning safeties. 'I feel good about where we're at,' McVay said. Read more: Kyren Williams 'feeling good' about chances for a Rams contract extension Darious Williams is confident in the group as well. 'I love that,' he said of the Rams not making changes. 'I feel like everybody in the building kind of knows what they have, and I think they're dead right on it. … They've got the right guys in the room that are going to hold it down.' Advertisement But Darious Williams also recounted how Ramsey brought out the best in him when they played opposite each other in 2021, when the Rams won the Super Bowl. 'I knew absolutely, when he was on the other side, you know, I better lock up because it's not going to be a lot of times that people are going to want to try him,' Williams said. 'That was a big thing for me, and I took it as a challenge and I took it as something I loved. 'Whatever is best for this organization is what's going to happen.' Etc. Rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson, a second-round draft pick, said his experience so far exceeded his expectations. 'Everyone's poured into me, so it's been an amazing experience,' he said. … Nacua was absent because he was returning from a family trip that was planned months ago, McVay said. … Stafford connected with Adams on several plays. 'It's fun just trying to communicate as much as I can with him,' Stafford said, adding, 'It's fun to work with guys that understand the game and still have a lot left in the tank.' Stafford also connected with Tutu Atwell for a long touchdown. … Running back Kyren Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, is participating in workouts while the Rams and his agent attempt to work out a new deal. 'Kyren has been the same stud that we know,' McVay said. 'Great demeanor, great willingness to come out here to work to be able to get better. … We'll see where this goes. But I think it's been really healthy and positive progress for sure.' … Lakers coach JJ Redick attended practice. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Rams have not closed the door on a trade for Jalen Ramsey
As the Rams went through organized-team activities on Wednesday, the players on the field were not the most compelling storyline. The distinction belongs to a certain NFL star player who potentially could be on the roster by training camp. Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, remains in play as a possible addition to a Rams team regarded as a Super Bowl contender, coach Sean McVay acknowledged after practice. The Dolphins have made it known that they were open to trading Ramsey, who signed an extension in 2024 and is due to earn $24.2 million this season, according to 'We certainly haven't closed the door on that,' McVay said when asked about Ramsey. 'But there hasn't been a whole lot of dialogue as of late…. We'll see if that changes, but these things can happen quickly.' The Dolphins were not expected to trade Ramsey until after June 1 — which falls on Sunday — when their cap hit would decrease from $25.2 million to $6.7 million, according to McVay reiterated that there remains 'a lot of layers' that would have to be worked out in terms of compensation the Dolphins might be seeking and how they would handle money due to Ramsey. Ramsey, 30, intercepted two passes last season, increasing his career total to 24. The three-time All-Pro, however, affects the game beyond his statistics. 'Obviously, we love Jalen,' McVay said. 'We know him intimately. There would be some things that we would need to be able to do if that was the direction we went.' With an offense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and running back Kyren Williams, and a defense anchored by lineman Kobie Turner and edge rusher Jared Verse, the Rams are expected to make another deep playoff run. But the Rams did nothing in free agency or the draft to upgrade the secondary. Veterans Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon return as the starting cornerbacks, with Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Derion Kendrick and Charles Wallace competing for playing time. Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, Jaylen McCollough and Kam Kinchens are returning safeties. 'I feel good about where we're at,' McVay said. Darious Williams is confident in the group as well. 'I love that,' he said of the Rams not making changes. 'I feel like everybody in the building kind of knows what they have, and I think they're dead right on it. … They've got the right guys in the room that are going to hold it down.' But Darious Williams also recounted how Ramsey brought out the best in him when they played opposite each other in 2021, when the Rams won the Super Bowl. 'I knew absolutely, when he was on the other side, you know, I better lock up because it's not going to be a lot of times that people are going to want to try him,' Williams said. 'That was a big thing for me, and I took it as a challenge and I took it as something I loved. 'Whatever is best for this organization is what's going to happen.' Rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson, a second-round draft pick, said his experience so far exceeded his expectations. 'Everyone's poured into me, so it's been an amazing experience,' he said. … Nacua was absent because he was returning from a family trip that was planned months ago, McVay said. … Stafford connected with Adams on several plays. 'It's fun just trying to communicate as much as I can with him,' Stafford said, adding, 'It's fun to work with guys that understand the game and still have a lot left in the tank.' Stafford also connected with Tutu Atwell for a long touchdown. … Running back Kyren Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, is participating in workouts while the Rams and his agent attempt to work out a new deal. 'Kyren has been the same stud that we know,' McVay said. 'Great demeanor, great willingness to come out here to work to be able to get better. … We'll see where this goes. But I think it's been really healthy and positive progress for sure.' … Lakers coach JJ Redick attended practice.
