LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� The Los Angeles Rams’ first practice of training camp Sunday was also the first time they’ve lined up as a full defense with Myles Garrett on the edge.
The experience left everybody on the field excited about for .
鈥淲e鈥檝e been looking forward to this day for a long time, and it definitely lived up to it,鈥� defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.
Garrett is still in the process of getting settled in with his new team that sent him from the Browns to the West Coast. But even with the Rams going less than full speed in shorts and no pads, Garrett’s presence was unmissable 鈥� whether he was breaking into the backfield for a simulated sack or gracefully leaping to swat down a screen pass.
Even was marveling.
鈥淲hen he鈥檚 out there, you can just feel his aura,鈥� Trent McDuffie said. 鈥�(It’s just) this aura that this guy has. I mean, he鈥檚 gigantic. He鈥檚 a monster. But I鈥檓 just excited to get him out here and get him loose and get him going, because I know he has a little chip on his shoulder, and I know he鈥檚 excited about being here, so I think that just fires everybody else up.鈥�
One year after winning 12 games and reaching the NFC championship game, the Rams added Garrett, McDuffie and cornerback Jaylen Watson to a defense that started last season strong, but faded down the stretch and ultimately couldn’t match the performance of the NFL’s top-ranked offense.
With three proven veterans installed as starters, the Rams are optimistic their revamped defense will allow them to live up to their preseason status as a serious Super Bowl contender. Los Angeles gave up significant assets and will be paying top dollar for all three newcomers, but the players and coaches see only positives in general manager Les Snead’s aggressive moves.
鈥淗onestly, I don鈥檛 know if many guys feel the expectation that everybody claims that we have,鈥� McDuffie said. 鈥淔or us, we鈥檙e here to play football, to enjoy the locker room, just to get to know each other. I feel like all the expectation, all that, we leave to you guys hyping us up. Whoever is on this field, whoever is on the team, whoever is in the locker room, I feel like we do a good job just enjoying each other鈥檚 presence and living in the moment.鈥�
“Expectations are all the same,鈥� Watson added. 鈥淎ll 32 teams have the same goal right now, and that鈥檚 to hold the Lombardi up at the end of the year.鈥�
Even after winning two Super Bowl rings as teammates in Kansas City, McDuffie and Watson both said they haven’t arrived in Los Angeles with a need to change the Rams’ defensive culture. They think their new team already knows how to win in the culture set by coach Sean McVay, and they are attempting to build on it.
鈥淭he way we鈥檙e looking at it, it鈥檚 their team, and we鈥檝e just got to learn the way they do things,鈥� Watson said. 鈥淲e can tell them things we did to be successful, get integrated, and hope it works out.鈥�
Notes: NFL MVP Matthew Stafford skipped the opening practice as part of the Rams’ plan to keep him fresh through camp. McVay says Stafford is fully healthy this summer after starting camp last season with a back injury that kept him out for weeks. Stafford is scheduled to practice Monday. … Rookie QB Ty Simpson and backup Stetson Bennett appeared to split the snaps while the Rams went into 11-on-11 work on the first day of camp.
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