SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks jukes out Omar Speights #48 of the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 10: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Omar Speights #48 of the Los Angeles Rams prays before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) Getty
The Los Angeles Rams received an reassuring update on inside linebacker Omar Speights after their Week 1 loss, with head coach Sean McVay indicating the third-year starter is already progressing from a hip injury.
Speights sustained a hip pointer and is dealing with swelling, per Rams senior staff writer Stu Jackson.
McVay said Speights is "feeling better than what we had anticipated" and added that the linebacker is "making positive gains right now." Los Angeles plans to manage him throughout the week rather than push the issue early.
That's a welcome development for a Rams defense that came out of its opener with corrections needed after a 27-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne.
Speights has quietly become one of the constants in Chris Shula's unit, going from an undrafted rookie fighting for snaps to a full-time starter in the middle of the defense.
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 25: Kenneth Walker III #9 of the Seattle Seahawks jukes out Omar Speights #48 of the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Los Angeles doesn't play again until Monday, Sept. 21, when the New York Giants visit SoFi Stadium, leaving 11 days between the season opener and Week 2.
That extra time could prove valuable after Speights was limited statistically against San Francisco . The Rams' official roster page credited him with two assisted tackles and one pass breakup in the opener. He started the game, continuing the role he established during a strong second season.
Speights started all 16 games he played in during 2025 and finished with 85 total tackles and one pass defended, via the Rams . He also supplied eight tackles and a pivotal fourth-quarter pass breakup in Los Angeles' divisional-round victory over the Chicago Bears .
His rise began much earlier.
After signing with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2024, Speights didn't play a defensive snap until Week 8 of his rookie season. He quickly worked his way into the starting lineup and finished that year with 67 tackles across 17 games, including 10 starts.
Speights has started 27 of his first 34 regular-season games and has 154 combined tackles, according to the Rams' current roster statistics.
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 10: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Omar Speights #48 of the Los Angeles Rams prays before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on January 10, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
Los Angeles counted on Speights and Nate Landman to provide stability at inside linebacker. The Rams highlighted that continuity during the summer , pointing to Landman's 132 tackles in 2025 and Speights' growth into a dependable starter.
Landman also wore the green dot as the defense's on-field communicator last season, giving Shula an legitimate pairing in the middle. Speights' value comes from the familiarity he has built beside him and the range he has shown against the run and in coverage.
The Rams' player biography notes that Speights finished 2025 ranked 10th in Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade and 17th in coverage grade among inside linebackers who played at least half of their team's snaps. He also posted a defensive grade above 90.0 in the divisional round against Chicago, according to PFF.
Los Angeles has depth behind the starters, including Shaun Dolac and Grant Stuard , but Speights has earned a much different standing entering Year 3. He has gone from a developmental undrafted addition to a player the defense expects to have on the field every week.
McVay's early update doesn't put Speights in line to suit up against the Giants , and the Rams still have a full week of practice and injury reporting ahead.
The initial trajectory is nicely favorable, though.
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