Ramsey, Beckham return to SoFi Stadium when the struggling Dolphins visit the streaking Rams

AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jalen Ramsey and Odell Beckham Jr. were key pieces to the Rams’ championship puzzle only three seasons ago.

Just over a year after the Rams raised the Lombardi Trophy, both stars were already gone from Los Angeles.

Ramsey was shipped to Miami in early 2023 when the Rams embarked on a franchise reboot. Beckham left even earlier as an injured free agent, declining to accept the relatively meager terms offered by the Rams to their midseason acquisition.

The Rams didn’t want to lose either player, but they were already thinking about how to assemble another championship contender. After years of acquiring big-name players and their hefty contracts, Los Angeles parted with two current stars to pursue the future.

“You had to say, ‘OK, who’s the core? How many years does that core have together? It’s not going to last forever. When is it best to start trying to engineer a new core?’” Rams general manager Les Snead said.

“You’re always going to need to bring in younger players (on) rookie contracts,” he added. “They grow together. At that point in time, maybe you do use some draft picks to add players that are in their prime to go with other players in their prime. That’s probably when it really began. You just knew that … I don’t want to say the clock struck midnight, but the core, that team, that senior class, it just doesn’t last forever.”

Ramsey and Beckham have reunited this season with the Dolphins (2-6), and they’ll return to SoFi Stadium to face the Rams (4-4) on Monday night in a meeting of teams heading in opposite directions.

Los Angeles has won three in a row with big contributions from players forming the new core of what it hopes will be another title contender, while Miami has lost three straight and six of seven to severely imperil a season begun with Super Bowl aspirations.

Ramsey’s shutdown ability, usually at the multifaceted “star” position, was vital during his 3 1/2 years with the Rams. He became an All-Pro in 2021, and he made 10 interceptions for LA.

“I love Jalen,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “He knows the respect, the admiration that I have for him as a player, what he meant to this team. There was a lot of tough decisions that were on the horizon for us as a football team. It didn’t have anything to do with us not wanting him here. There was a lot of things that we had to do as a result of previous years. He understood that.”

Beckham already faced the Rams last season, catching a TD pass in a win for the Baltimore Ravens.

Tua’s first start

Tua Tagovailoa made his first NFL start the previous time Miami faced the Rams, back in 2020. On his second snap, he fumbled while getting sacked by Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, leading to a Los Angeles touchdown.

Miami went on to a 28-17 upset victory, although Tagovailoa passed for just 93 yards.

“(That was) a ‘Welcome to the NFL’ moment,” Tagovailoa said Thursday. “It was my first pass down, and it was a strip-sack. … Oh, gosh.”

Tagovailoa has looked sharp since returning from injured reserve last month, passing for 465 yards and three TDs with no interceptions in two losses that can’t be hung on the offense.

A big relief

Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead recognized that the Rams have always had a great defensive line, but he’s happy to not face one person in particular on Monday.

“I’m glad that Aaron Donald is gone,” Armstead said of the retired future Hall of Fame defensive lineman. “I hope he is enjoying retirement to the fullest, wish him the best. I had a lot of games against that man. He was really like that —first ballot, for sure.”

Armstead, who has played five career games against the Rams, and the Dolphins’ offensive line have cleared the way for Miami’s running backs to rush for more than 140 yards in four straight games and have only given up two sacks in the past two weeks.

Big men returning

The Rams’ offensive line continues to be in flux, but it could get a boost from the return of a few key contributors. Center Jonah Jackson is expected to be back after getting hurt in Week 2, while guard Steve Avila also has a chance to play his first game since Week 1. Backup tackle Joe Noteboom also should be back, and he could fill in for right tackle Rob Havenstein, who is out for at least this game after spraining his ankle last week.

Achane’s impact

Second-year running back De’Von Achane tagged along with Miami’s receivers in the offseason whenever they had throwing sessions with Tagovailoa to make sure he developed a good chemistry with Tagovailoa in the pass game, and it has paid off this season.

Through Week 9, Achane has 420 yards rushing on 93 carries with three rushing touchdowns, along with 37 receptions for 302 yards and three receiving TDs.

Entering Week 10, he has the fourth-most receiving yards among NFL running backs and has been Tagovailoa’s most-targeted player this season at 37 — three more targets than Tyreek Hill.

“When it comes to catching the football, it’s like me running the football. That’s how I think of it,” Achane said. “The running back can get thrown the ball, too, especially in this offense. So it’s something I pride myself in.”

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AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames in Miami contributed.

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