Rams to hold competition for starting linebacker spot ahead of Week 6
The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a tough loss to the San Fransico 49ers on Thursday Night Football. During the in-division matchup, the Rams were dealt some tough injury news.
Omar Speights, the Rams' starting inside linebacker, was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. He's expected to miss Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens. Los Angeles needs to find Speights' replacement.
According to a report from Cameron DaSilva of The Rams Wire, Rams head coach Sean McVay revealed the two options competing for the starting spot for Los Angeles in Week 6.
The Rams are hosting a linebacker competition for Omar Speights' replacement
Two linebackers are in this competition: veteran Troy Reeder and undrafted free agent rookie Shaun Dolac. Both have logged some time with the team this season, but McVay is allowing for competition points to Dolac, having a real chance for the starting spot.
"You'll see Troy and Dolac be able to split up those reps," McVay said at Wednesday's practice. Both Dolac and Reeder will split first-team reps in Speight's spot on defense.
Normally, Reeder, the veteran who's spent time with the Rams for multiple seasons, would be the surefire starter. But this decision from McVay opens the door for Dolac to earn the starting linebacker spot for the Rams' Week 6 matchup against the Ravens.
So far in 2025, Dolac has made 13 tackles with limited work. The 24-year-old rookie out of Buffalo was a Consensus All-American in 2024, and he had multiple impressive performances in his best collegiate season.
While he went undrafted, there was some intrigue with him as a UDFA. He signed with the Rams, and now, he has a chance to earn the starting spot for the Rams just six weeks into his NFL career.
Even though it might be for one week, as he's only temporarily replacing Speights, he could put an impressive performance on his resume, earning more opportunities going forward.
In comparison, the 31-year-old Reeder is in his 7th NFL season, the last two of which have come with the Rams. In 2024, he had 46 tackles with one pass defended and one tackle for loss.
While he's bounced around the league, his time with the Rams hasn't amounted to a lot of starting opportunities. But he's a solid backup linebacker and is a strong candidate to replace Speights for Week 6.
But, Dolac is getting a fair chance at the starting spot, as both he and Reeder compete for the starting linebacker spot heading into Week 6. With the Rams in need of a win to bounce back from their rough Week 5 performance, the player McVay goes with as the starter will be an interesting one.
Filip Chytil strikes twice as Canucks fry Flames
Thatcher Demko stopped 17 of the 18 shots he faced and Filip Chytil scored twice to help lead the Canucks to a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames in their home opener on Thursday
Kiefer Sherwood, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Brock Boeser also found the back of the net, while Dustin Wolf made 21 saves in his second start in as many nights.
Sherwood notched Vancouver's season-opening marker with just over five minutes left in the first period.
After taking a pass from Drew O'Connor in the neutral zone, Sherwood skated his way into the zone, before wiring a wrist shot past Wolf to break the deadlock.
Canucks star forward Elias Pettersson went down hard and headed straight to the locker room less than half a minute into the second period as Mackenzie Weegar was handed a two-minute minor for boarding.
Luckily for the Canucks, Pettersson returned to action minutes later.
Blake Coleman broke loose for a short-handed breakaway on the ensuing power play, but Demko turned him aside to keep the possibility of a shutout alive.
Pettersson landed a big hit on Connor Zary with 15:27 left in the middle frame and was awarded a two-minute minor for boarding as well.
Zary headed to the dressing room, but returned later in the period.
With 17:06 left in the contest, the Canucks doubled up their lead on an odd goal as Chytil scored on his second attempt after his initial shot bounced off Kevin Bahl's helmet.
Chytil struck again with 11:07 left on the clock to extend the Canucks advantage to 3-0.
The Czech forward sprung loose on a breakaway thanks to a breakout pass from Arshdeep Bains and made no mistake to pot his second of the period.
Lekkerimaki added an insurance goal with 8:17 left in the contest, as Evander Kane recorded his first point as a Canuck.
Morgan Frost spoiled the shutout bid with just under seven minutes remaining.
Boeser unloaded a rocket over Wolf's shoulder with 2:54 left to break Vancouver's franchise record with his ninth career goal in season-opening contests.
