LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Rams open the 2024 NFL regular season against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 8 at Ford Field.
The game is taking place in the same stadium the Rams ended their season, a loss to the Lions in the wild-card round. While Los Angeles returns a similar offense to the team that made a late run for the playoffs last season, its defense will be missing Aaron Donald, who retired in March.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Rams:
QUARTERBACK (2): Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo will make the initial 53-man roster but will be placed on the reserve/suspended list before Week 1. Because Garoppolo will miss the first two games of the season, Stetson Bennett is the likely candidate to serve as Stafford's backup for Weeks 1 and 2, whether that be by replacing Garoppolo on the active roster or being elevated from the practice squad.
RUNNING BACKS (4): Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Boston Scott, Ronnie Rivers
This projection has Zach Evans, a 2022 sixth-round pick, not making the roster. Scott and Rivers will likely have key roles on special teams.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell, Xavier Smith
The Rams have a strong receiver group, led by Kupp and Nacua, who set the record for receptions and receiving yards by a rookie last season. Tyler Johnson is another candidate to make the roster, but this projection has the Rams keeping a sixth safety rather than seven receivers.
TIGHT ENDS (3): Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, Hunter Long
Rams starting tight end Tyler Higbee will start the season on the PUP list after tearing his ACL and MCL during the playoffs. He is expected to miss a considerable portion of the season. The Rams signed Parkinson to a three-year deal this offseason.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Alaric Jackson, Jonah Jackson, Steve Avila, Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein, Joe Noteboom, Beaux Limmer, Warren McClendon Jr., Zach Thomas, Logan Bruss
The Rams' depth at this position may be important given the injuries they have dealt with on the offensive line during training camp, as Alaric Jackson, Jonah Jackson and Havenstein all missed time. Bruss was a third-round pick in 2022 but missed his rookie season after tearing his ACL and MCL during the preseason. Bruss spent last season on the Rams' practice squad.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Kobie Turner, Bobby Brown III, Braden Fiske, Tyler Davis, Desjuan Johnson, Larrell Murchison
This is the group with perhaps the biggest shoes to fill now that Donald has retired. The Rams traded up to the second round to draft Fiske out of Florida State.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5): Byron Young, Jared Verse, Michael Hoecht, Brennan Jackson, Nick Hampton
Young had eight sacks last season, second among rookies only to Turner. The Rams used a first-round pick on Verse, making a selection in the first round for the first time since 2016.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4): Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom, Jacob Hummel, Omar Speights
Jones is playing on the final season of his rookie deal after the Rams decided not to sign him to a contract extension this offseason. Hummel and Speights have had an impressive preseason, leaving Troy Reeder a possible candidate for the practice squad.
CORNERBACKS (4): Darious Williams, Tre'Davious White, Cobie Durant, Tre Tomlinson
The Rams were hit hard at the position early in training camp, losing Derion Kendrick for the season with a torn ACL and then Williams for several weeks with a hamstring strain. While Williams is week-to-week, Los Angeles is hoping to have him back by the season opener.
SAFETIES (6): Kamren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, John Johnson III, Jaylen McCollough, Russ Yeast
The Rams added to the position this offseason, signing Curl and drafting Kinchens in the third round. McCollough, undrafted out of Tennessee, impressed head coach Sean McVay this preseason. "I'm a big fan of Jaylen McCollough and it only continues to grow just by the way he handles himself," McVay said.
SPECIALISTS (3): K Joshua Karty, P Ethan Evans, LS Alex Ward
The Rams drafted Karty in the sixth round after they cycled through kickers last season. Los Angeles cut Tanner Brown after the first preseason game, so Karty is currently the only kicker on the roster.