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CARSON, Calif. - The official start of the 2025 NFL season is just around the corner!
As the big day approaches, the Los Angeles Rams will have a joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday in Carson.
What we know:
The joint practice was confirmed on Wednesday and is set to take place at the Dignity Health Sports Park beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday. However, it will be closed to the public, ESPN reported.
The sports outlet reported LA’s two teams, the Rams and Chargers, were set to have a joint practice but plans fell through due to injury concerns for the Bolts.
It's unclear if QB Matthew Stafford will participate after he wore street clothes and sat out while the team ran drills earlier this week, NFL Nation's Sarah Barshop reported.
The backstory:
The main purpose of joint sessions is to give coaches a better way to evaluate starters in a more competitive environment than preseason games. Teams don’t want future opponents to see much of their playbook in exhibitions and most coaches prefer to keep key starters out of harm’s way, so facing opponents within a controlled setting has become a priority for most teams.
The league embraces joint practices from a player health and safety perspective because fewer starters are playing in preseason games and data has shown players are more susceptible to soft-tissue injuries early in the season if they don’t hit similar load, speed and exertion levels in training camp.
What's next:
The Rams have two more preseason games before they host their home opener against the Houston Texas on Sunday, Sept. 7 at SoFi Stadium.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story also used information from an ESPN report.
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