For the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday’s second and final joint practice with the Saints was less about volume than about making every rep count. The session in WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. ended around 11:40, well before the listed 12:30 finish, and that mattered because this was one of the Rams’ last preseason tune-up opportunities.
Sean McVay said the practice ended early mainly because the Saints had already gotten a lot of work on Tuesday with the Cowboys and were dealing with some players who were a little banged up. He added that the Rams “just turned off three plays that were kind of already structured,” and once the two-minute work was removed, the priority became simply getting useful reps in before the day was over. McVay was clear that the arrangement was built around the reality of shortened work, and that he appreciated Kellen Moore and his staff making it work.
What the Rams got from the session
The biggest practical takeaway was how the Rams distributed the second-team offense snaps. Stetson Bennett IV got 13 plays, while Ty Simpson got 12, giving the unit 25 total plays in a practice where every snap carried extra value because of the reduced schedule. That kind of split suggests the Rams were trying to squeeze evaluation out of a limited script rather than forcing a longer look at either quarterback.
That also fits the broader preseason logic here. With fewer reps available, the Rams had to be intentional about where work went, and the quarterback rotation reflected that. It was not a day built for a full statistical reading of the offense. It was a day built for sorting through controlled, limited opportunities.
There was also a small but notable coaching note around Terrance Ferguson. McVay praised how smart he is, said he has done a great job with the roles asked of him, and pointed to the value of the room around him, including Scooter, Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson. McVay said Ferguson has had a nice camp, and that the repetition has mattered because he is conscientious, coachable and willing to be accountable for where he can grow.
That is the kind of comment that tends to matter in August. It does not guarantee anything, but it does suggest the Rams are looking at more than just box-score production. They are evaluating how players process, absorb and handle the details that show up in a joint practice setting.
Sean McVay also previously said Puka Nacua was expected to return to practice next week, which only adds to the sense that the Rams are moving through the final phase of camp with an eye on timing as much as talent. The joint practice was shortened by design, but the Rams still used it to get the work they needed before the preseason window closes.
