Willie Lampkin turning heads in Eagles camp after Rams cut
Willie Lampkin is back on the radar after the Philadelphia Eagles elevated him from preseason prospect to camp standout, and Los Angeles roster builders are left with an uncomfortable what-if.
Lampkin was released by the Rams with a waived/injured designation following flashes in the 2025 preseason, and his PFF marks and camp praise now highlight a short-term interior-line depth gap for Los Angeles; see the original reporting Turf Show Times.
Key Takeaways
- Willie Lampkin posted elite preseason grades from Pro Football Focus in 2025 and played one-and-a-half exhibition games before injuries interrupted his progress.
- At Eagles camp Lampkin has drawn praise from starting left guard Landon Dickerson for leverage, feet and strength and has shown versatility across all three interior positions.
- The Rams face near-term interior-line decisions with Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson coming due for new deals, increasing the value of affordable, versatile depth players like Lampkin.
Lampkin’s preseason tape and PFF grades
Pro Football Focus graded Lampkin with a 94.1 offensive grade, a 92.2 run-blocking grade and a 78.6 pass-blocking grade during the 2025 preseason while he primarily lined up at center with some left-guard snaps.
Those grades came over one-and-a-half exhibition games before knee and ankle injuries interrupted his progress, which explains why his available tape is limited despite high marks.
On film Lampkin showed compact leverage, quick hands in confined space, and the ability to execute combo blocks that produced push in short-yardage interior runs during his appearances.
Why the Rams’ decision matters for interior line depth
The Rams released Lampkin with a waived/injured designation, which would have converted to injured reserve if he went unclaimed and that roster timing influenced Los Angeles’ move.
Lampkin’s ability to play center and both guard spots and his preseason indicators suggested he could have been a cost-effective internal option if healthy, so exposing him to waivers removed that cheap contingency.
Pro Football Focus supplied the preseason grades cited above, and Eagles camp coverage documented Landon Dickerson’s praise of Lampkin’s leverage, feet and strength.
Rams roster construction and depth implications
From a front-office perspective, losing Lampkin removes a potential internal contingency when negotiating or allocating roster spots and cap sequencing for impending guard decisions.
The club now faces a choice between feeding snaps to younger incumbent backups or signing veteran interior help, each path carrying different impacts on cap flexibility and short-term reliability.
Because Lampkin combined versatility with strong preseason run-blocking indicators, the Rams surrendered a developmental option that aligned with an affordable depth profile.
Interior line comparison and roster context
| Player or group | Verified traits and status | Roster role implication |
|---|---|---|
| Willie Lampkin | High PFF preseason grades (94.1 overall, 92.2 run, 78.6 pass); played 1.5 preseason games; versatile across all three interior spots; praised by Landon Dickerson in Eagles camp | Provides versatile, low-cost interior depth when healthy and can contribute on early-down run looks and rotational snaps |
| Rams interior options and pending deals | Team faces imminent decisions on guards Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson and has a group of young players due for new contracts | Creates a need for reliable, economical depth; losing a versatile player like Lampkin increases dependency on contract extensions or veteran signings |
SEC roster construction implications
The Lampkin case highlights a roster-construction trade-off that is transferable to college programs: holding injured developmental players versus using limited roster spots for immediate contributors.
SEC staffs that manage scholarship or roster limits weigh the same considerations—short-term availability against long-term upside—and examples from the pro level underscore the value of versatile interior linemen in run-first schematics.
Those lessons inform how programs prioritize depth, particularly at interior line roles where movement, leverage and finishing blocks drive on-field outcomes.
