Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has given an injury return timeline for rookie offensive lineman Keagen Trost.
Los Angeles Rams rookie offensive lineman Keagen Trost is expected to be a top backup for the 2026 season, but he has suffered an unfortunate injury.
During the Rams' first preseason matchup, Trost suffered a hamstring injury, which led to him being pulled from the game. Initially, it did not look serious due to the lineman remaining on the bench, but that was not the case.
Now, Rams head coach Sean McVay has offered a return timeline for the rookie linemen.
Per Stu Jackson, McVay stated that he is "hopeful" that Trost will be ready to play by the season opener.
Los Angeles will travel to Australia for the NFL's first game in the country, and they will also be taking on their divisional rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. The matchup is important for a couple of reasons.
The first being the Rams will certainly want to start the season off 1-0, but to also get a game on the 49ers may have a major end-of-season impact.
Having every player available will be vastly important, and that includes Trost. The rookie lineman has been impressing through camp and could be called on to step in should injuries or rotational opportunities arise.
Additionally, there is also the potential suspension for Alaric Jackson that would lead the Rams to either put in Trost or David Quessenberry. However, Trost will have to fully heal for that to happen.
Jackson was suspended in the offseason, and is his second time running into trouble outside of football. The NFL chose to suspend him in 2024 for two games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
This could mean that the league may come down on Jackson for being a repeat offender. He is not facing a felony charge for his most recent arrest, but the NFL will surely be investigating the matter on its own.
For Trost, Hamstring injuries can be very tricky and often last well over a few weeks, depending on the grade of the ailment.
McVay did offer some optimism on Trost and stated that the team expects that he can be ready for the season opener, but that is not guaranteed. Depending on when the Rams fly out to Australia, Trost being on that flight could be a telltale sign.
The Rams might also choose to play things a bit more cautiously, as is the M.O. of McVay. If Trost is not ready to be back on the field, the head coach will not attempt to rush him back for fear he could suffer a setback that would sideline him for even longer.
