Rams and Cowboys trade looks in first joint practice, spotlighting pass game, pass rush

The Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys used their first joint practice of the preseason to run concentrated work that put the passing game and the pass rush at the center of attention. Conducted at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills, the session offered both teams a chance to install, evaluate and compare answers against live opponents, even as a few miscues and timing issues surfaced in the normal course of a high-rep environment.

On offense, the Rams’ pass game was a recurring theme in how the day unfolded. The team’s ability to get multiple players involved stood out, suggesting they were not simply leaning on one or two routes or options during team periods. Just as importantly, the Rams also worked to keep their run game active, with their offensive line “bolstering the run game” while still supporting a passing-focused plan.

The practice also highlighted how Los Angeles approached quarterback-and-receiver timing without losing sight of protection and structure. Joint practices typically compress the timeline for evaluation because coaches can look at combinations across different down-and-distance looks, and the Rams appeared to prioritize movement in the passing attack while maintaining enough physicality up front to test their run blocking.

Defensively, Los Angeles leaned into what it wanted to see from its edge and pass-rush group. The Rams’ pass rush “still held its own” against Dallas, an encouraging sign given that preseason joint work is one of the few times the front seven gets to measure itself with a live opponent under game-like spacing.

A notable caveat in the pass-rush storyline was the absence of defensive end Myles Garrett for the session. The Rams reported that he was held out as a precautionary approach, which means the day’s edge evaluation carried built-in context. Even so, outside linebacker Byron Young was identified as leading the way, and that matters because preseason practices often function as auditions for roles in rotations.

Overall, the picture coming out of the first joint practice is one of balance rather than a single-unit performance. The Rams were able to run a passing plan that involved multiple contributors, pair it with an offensive line that could still influence the run game, and produce pass-rush pressure even without Garrett on the field. For Dallas, it provided a real-time benchmark for its protection and coverage choices against an opponent that came into the session ready to test both phases.

The next step will be how the second joint practice reshapes the evaluation. With Garrett still expected to be managed as a precaution, the focus will likely remain on who can create consistent pressure in his absence and how the Rams refine route timing and execution as the preseason progresses. For both teams, the ultimate value of these practices is not the single day’s highlight, but the repeatable patterns coaches can carry into the rest of camp and the preseason slate.