It started out as a joke, of sorts. Rams linebacker Jared Verse found out that former Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was dead serious.
The duo worked out at Donald’s house in June. On Thursday, Verse was asked about the experience.
Here’s his version, from the transcript distributed by the Rams.
“I’ll tell you exactly what we did,” Verse said. “I show up, it’s like 11 in the morning. I’m thinking we’ve got like an hour [long] workout. I got plans after. I have things I have to do throughout the day. I was planning on watching film and everything like that.
“We show up, he doesn’t say ‘hi’ or anything like that. He sees me and he’s like, ‘Come on.’ He does a little dap up. We walk inside, he’s says, ‘Stretch how you have to.’ I stretch. Everything he does is a circuit. We do four workouts. It’s all cardio. Versa climber, bike, lunges and core. Four rounds each. You do all that. You’re already tired. You’re like, ‘Oh my God,’ whatever.
“Then you do four sets of core, two different workouts. So it’s eight different workouts, four sets each. You do all that for four sets. You go through these and he says ‘All right, you ready for the real workout?’
“I’m like, ‘I’ve been here for 45 minutes. What are you talking about?’
“We go to the weight room. It’s all arms, that’s why he’s big as hell. We go to the weight room. It’s eight different circuits. All arms, four sets each. I’m there for an hour and a half. His wife came in laughing at me. I told her to call the police. I’m dead serious. I’m not even joking. I’m dead serious. I told her to call the police. She wouldn’t do it. I tried to lie and say my mom was at my house and I had to go let her in. He told me to give my keys to his management or assistant and that they would go let my mom in. So I wasn’t leaving.
“Finished the workout. I’m dead tired, I’m exhausted. I had a plan to go jump in the sauna afterwards, didn’t happen. I had plans to watch film, didn’t happen. Went home and I didn’t work out for another day and a half because I couldn’t move my body.”
Through it all, Verse got the point. Hard workouts prepare players for the most important part of every game — the fourth quarter.
“The one thing he kept saying throughout the whole workout . . . was, ‘Think of the fourth quarter,’” Verse said. “‘Everyone’s good, the first, second and third, but what about the fourth? That’s where you make your money.’ He’s saying it loud and proud. . . . I was like, ‘Damn, OK.’”
It’s a glimpse into what made Donald so great. And if he can get Verse to think and act the same way, the Rams could be hoisting another Lombardi Trophy, sooner than later.
Rams running back Kyren Williams would like a contract extension, as he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.
But not only did he show up to training camp, he’s also enthusiastically planning to participate in practice as his representation and the team continue to negotiate.
He called that decision a “no-brainer” when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
“For me, it’s a lot bigger than a contract negotiation,” Williams said, via Gary Klein of the L.A. Times. “To me, it’s putting my feet on the ground and continuing to get better. ... Because I’ve got people I’ve got to take care of, putting my feet on the grass is the only way I know how to do that.”
According to head coach Sean McVay, the Rams are planning to sit down with Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, on Wednesday.
“The ultimate goal in mind is for him to get under contract and finding that sweet spot that fits for that puzzle that we’re trying to piece together as a team and what represents his value for the production and what he means to us,” McVay said. “Those can sometimes be challenging things.”
Williams, 24, was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft. He led the league by averaging 95.3 yards rushing per game in 2023, playing 12 games with 11 starts. He followed that up by rushing for 1,299 yards with 14 touchdowns in 2024.
The Rams have some optimism that they’ll have their left tackle when the season opens in September.
Alaric Jackson has been dealing with blood clots in his lower leg. It’s the second time he’s dealt with the issue, which caused him to miss the final nine games of the 2022 season.
But opening his press conference on Tuesday, McVay said there is a plan in place for Jackson to return to play.
“That’s obviously been a unique situation,” McVay said. “What I think’s been great that we’ve been able to learn is we do have a plan in place that we’re confident in that, most importantly, he feels good about, that hopefully leads to him being on the field for us. But we are going to take it a day at a time. He’s not going to be on a PUP or NFI list. What he’ll be able to do in the meantime is, some individual drills with [the training staff]. Some of that will be with coaches. Some of the jog-throughs. The actual physical stuff, he will not partake in right now. And we’ll just take it a day at a time with something of this nature.
“But I do feel good about the plan we have in place that hopefully leads to him being able to go out there and compete with his teammates. I know he is really feeling good. He’s handled this like a total stud. And I think the perspective that this stuff gives you, where it’s about the human being first and foremost, but he’s got a lot of people that love him that are with him on this journey and we’re excited to be able to take it a day at a time with him.”
Asked as a follow-up if it’s on the table for Jackson to be ready when the season starts, McVay said he wasn’t ruling anything out.
“What I also don’t want to do, and hopefully you can understand this, is set expectations on something that we are in the process of learning,” McVay said. “We have a plan in place that, if things go according to plan, feel like that is a very real possibility. But, again, this is the first time that I’ve navigated through anything like this with a player. You start to realize there’s a lot of guys that have been able to be in great situations, even though they’ve had to overcome some similar issues.
“So, the answer is we’re hopeful and optimistic. But what I don’t want to do is set expectations when there’s a lot of things that could happen. But taking it a day at a time is what’s going to be the right approach for all of us from a mental perspective and physically for Alaric.”
Jackson signed a three-year, $57 million deal to stick with the Rams this offseason. After Jackson’s blood clots were found, L.A. added veteran D.J. Humphries to a one-year deal.
Jackson has started 35 games for the Rams over the last three seasons.
Matthew Stafford has an injury concern to open training camp, but as of now, Rams head coach Sean McVay doesn’t sound too concerned.
McVay told reporters that Stafford has been experiencing back soreness and will work off to the side to start training camp. McVay noted that this should go for about the first five or so days before Stafford comes back in what McVay termed the second block of training camp.
“He’s been throwing, feeling good. It’s not anything that’s necessarily new — something that he’s dealt with before,” McVay said. “Going into Year 17, we were going to take a modified approach with him, kind of similar to what we did in the offseason program. And so we’ll allow him to kind of just work off to the side, on his own, get himself feeling as good as possible.
“He feels good about that, I feel good about that, and ultimately it’s about having him feel as good as possible — mentally, physically, emotionally, going into Year 17. And then that’s where you do feel fortunate that you’ve got a guy like Jimmy [Garoppolo] that will step in and do a great job for the first few practices. And then Matthew will be ready to roll.”
McVay noted that given Stafford’s age and experience, the Rams were planning to give him every fourth day off anyway. That age and experience are also why McVay doesn’t feel too concerned about Stafford missing practice time early in camp.
“If he was a first-year player, then I think you’d say, man, every rep really matters,” McVay said. “I think the important thing is having a big-picture perspective with a guy going into Year 17. This being something that he’s had before and dealt with throughout different parts of his career, he’s so in tune with his body, and talking with him, I feel really good. And I think that’s why you want to be as careful and as cautious as possible, because of the importance of him feeling good.
“I don’t think it’s going to affect his ability to be ready to roll. We’ve got a lot of time. But had he not already had as much experience as he has, maybe I’d feel a little bit differently. But because of his ability to communicate to me, to [the training staff], do feel confident. And I think most importantly, [this is] the right thing for him and our football team.”
Stafford, 37, is entering his fifth season with the Rams. He got through 2024 healthy, with the Rams sitting him in their Week 18 game having already clinched the NFC West. Stafford completed 65.8 percent of his throws last season for 3,762 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Garoppolo is going into his second season as the Rams’ backup. The club also has Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn at quarterback on the roster.
Though Kyren Williams and the Rams have been discussing a potential new contract, the running back won’t stay away from training camp.
Via multiple reporters on the scene, Williams has reported with the Rams’ other veterans on Tuesday.
Williams, who turns 25 at the end of next month, is entering the last year of his rookie deal. Last season, he rushed for 1,299 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 182 yards with two TDs. He then rushed for 182 yards and caught four passes for 15 yards with a TD in Los Angeles’ two postseason games.
Earlier this offseason, head coach Sean McVay noted there had been “positive progress” on a potential extension with Williams. The running back himself noted he was “feeling good” about a new deal eventually coming to pass.
In his three seasons, Williams has averaged 4.5 yards a carry to reach 2,582 yards in 38 games. He’s rushed for 26 touchdowns. Williams has also caught 75 career passes for 464 yards with five TDs.
