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One of the best and most comprehensive features we offer every year is our Footballguys Preseason Updates. Every week this month, Bob Henry, Jason Wood, Clayton Gray, and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
Updates from Week 4
ESPN's Sarah Barshop provided a 53-man roster projection following the final preseason game. While QB Matthew Stafford has been a dominant national headline, tackle Alaric Jackson is the only other significant player carrying injury concerns into the season. Blood clots have kept Jackson out of the preseason activities, but coach Sean McVay is "hopeful" Jackson will be ready for Week 1. The Rams made an aggressive decision to build a very young roster entering the 2023 season and live with any growing pains. The experiment paid off in a huge way, with back-to-back playoff seasons, and the current result is a young, deep, and talented roster.
Preseason Updates: Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford's return to camp on Monday capped the main storyline from the last month. Coach Sean McVay on Stafford's return: "He's been a 100 percent participant in everything we've done this week, and that makes me feel good. I think things are coming together really quickly, but you don't minimize how important every single rep that we can get is. But I love what he's done this week and very pleased with the progress that we've had." Stafford on how he feels after getting back to camp: "Done a ton of research, just trying to help myself out. The good thing is I've felt pretty good the last couple of days out there practicing. (I) was able to do even a little bit more than I thought I was going to be able to do the first day. And just been trying to stack days." Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett are locked into roster spots behind Stafford. Garoppolo is the direct backup, having run the team daily for multiple weeks. Bennett has had a strong enough camp to clinch the decision on three quarterbacks as the team chose to sit him for the final game.
Preseason Updates: Running Backs
Expect three backs: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and Jarquez Hunter. The team has kept four backs in the past, and Cody Schrader has performed well, but this is the deepest backfield in talent McVay has fielded, and other positions require the numbers. All three of Williams, Corum, and Hunter have been excellent. OC Mike LaFleur on Hunter: "The more opportunities he gets, the better it's going to be." While Corum and Hunter are more talented than any backups the team has had in the past behind Kyren Williams, the beat has given little indication that Williams will give up a significant portion of his bellcow role, especially following his recent contract extension. It is difficult to undersell how much the coaching staff values Williams.
