McVay

With kicker Harrison Mevis solidifying their special teams, the Rams on Friday waived Joshua Karty.

Karty, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick, had several kicks blocked early in the season, including one that led to a last-second touchdown by the Philadelphia Eagles. He made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and 23 of 26 extra-point attempts.

“It was just exclusively a numbers thing,” coach Sean McVay said. “It’s just hard to keep two kickers.”

McVay said that if Karty clears waivers, the Rams would like to sign him to the practice squad.

The Rams have of late been shuffling their roster, putting tight end Tyler Higbee, offensive lineman Rob Havenstein and safety Quentin Lake on injured reserve, bringing receiver Tutu Atwell and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon back from injured reserve, and signing players such as tight end Nick Vannett and cornerback Derion Kendrick.

Mevis has kicked the last three games. He made 40- and 52-yard field goals in last Sunday’s 34-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has made all six extra-point attempts.

The Rams also appear to be benefiting from experienced snapper Jake McQuaide, who replaced Alex Ward.

“I’m a lot happier as head coach when we’re kicking extra points, and not field goals,” McVay said of the place-kicking operation that includes holder Ethan Evans, “but I’ve been pleased.”

The Rams, Super Bowl contenders riding a five-game winning streak, will navigate at least the next four games of the season without three veteran starters.

The Rams on Wednesday placed safety Quentin Lake, tight end Tyler Higbee and right tackle Rob Havenstein on injured reserve.

Lake, who had surgery Tuesday for a dislocated left elbow, Higbee (ankle) and Havenstein (knee/ankle) must sit out at least four games before they are eligible to return. The earliest return would be a Dec. 18 game against the Seahawks in Seattle.

“You don’t replace players like that,” McVay said of the experience and leadership that will be missing when the Rams play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. “You can’t expect others to be able to do that. You expect guys that are getting opportunities to step up to be the best versions of themselves.”

Lake, 26, was injured last Sunday in a victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a win that improved the Rams’ record to 8-2. McVay indicated that if Lake returns, it would possibly be for the playoffs.

Josh Wallace played in Lake’s place as a hybrid nickel corner/linebacker. McVay said the Rams would continue to evaluate and formulate a plan to replace Lake moving forward, but they are expected to consider utilizing a combination that includes safety Kam Kinchens, Wallace and cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Roger McCreary.

Higbee also was injured against the Seahawks.

The 10th-year pro has 20 receptions, including two for touchdowns, as the leader of a tight end group that includes Davis Allen, Colby Parkinson and rookie Terrance Ferguson, who is expected to get an increased role in Higbee’s absence.

Havenstein, an 11th year pro, played the first four games before he was sidelined for three games because of injuries. Third-year pro Warren McClendon played in his place.

Havenstein returned against the New Orleans Saints and has played the last three games, but McVay said time on injured reserve would enable him to work back to full strength.

“Both of those guys are obviously big-time leaders and catalysts on our team and our offense,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said of Higbee and Havenstein. “But we’ll just move forward with the guys that we have, and then hopefully those guys can heal up and be ready to go at some point.”

In corresponding moves, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to the active roster, claimed safety Chris Smith II off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders and signed cornerback Alex Johnson to the practice squad.

Rams safety Quentin Lake will be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time because of an elbow injury suffered during the Rams’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

McVay said the Rams were awaiting results from an MRI exam and a consultation with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache before deciding how long Lake might be out, whether he will be placed on injured reserve or if it is a season-ending injury that would require surgery.

“Not great for our captain and leader,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters. “Bummed out for him.”

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 21-19 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

Lake, a team captain, has been something of an Ironman the last few seasons. He played every defensive snap in 2024 before starters were rested for the season finale. He played every snap this season before he was injured on Sunday in the 21-19 victory that improved the Rams’ record to 8-2, extended their winning streak to five games and put the Rams in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Josh Wallace replaced Lake at the nickel spot on Sunday.

Safety Kamren Kinchens, who intercepted two passes against the Seahawks, got increased snaps in Lake’s absence. Cornerback Cobie Durant can also play inside and Roger McCreary also is a candidate to play in that spot when the Rams play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

Safety Kam Curl is an experienced veteran. But replacing Lake’s leadership is a tall order.

“You don’t replace a Quentin Lake,” McVay said. “He’s so valuable for so many reasons with what he can do, with who he is as a human, with the way that he elevates and leads. … We’ll have to figure out what is the next best thing for us to be able to do.

“I think it would be insincere to think that you’re going to ask somebody to do the things that he’s capable of. It’s what makes him so special. But I do have a lot of confidence in the other guys.”

A week ago, Harrison Mevis was working out on his own, kicking and preparing for the day an NFL team came calling.

On Sunday, Mevis will be the Rams’ kicker when they play the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, coach Sean McVay said Friday.

Mevis and long snapper Jake McQuaide were signed to the practice squad this week because of kicking-game issues that led to early-season losses against the Philadelphia Eagles and the 49ers and resurfaced in last Sunday’s victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Mevis and second-year pro Joshua Karty competed during practices on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Ultimately, in its simplest form, who do I think gives us the best chance to have successful outcomes, particularly in that operation with the given factors on Sunday,” McVay said.

Mevis, 23, made 89 of 106 field-goal attempts at Missouri, including one from 61 yards. In the United Football League this past season, he made 20 of 21 field-goal attempts.

Mevis said he had been preparing for a call every week since the New York Jets cut him from their practice squad in September. He said he performed well this week.

“I feel like I put myself out there, I showed what I can do and proved that I can play at this level,” he said after Friday’s practice. “And I’m ready to go.”

Not only for this week.

“The work’s just starting,” he said. “This is not the end goal. I didn’t come here just to be the starter for one week. So I’m just here to help the team win.”

McVay said he still has “a lot of confidence” in Karty, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick in Karty, who has made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and 23 of 26 extra-point attempts.

“He’s not going anywhere,” McVay said, noting that the situation would be evaluated again after Sunday’s game.

McQuaide, a 15th-year pro who played for the Rams from 2011 to 2020, replaces Alex Ward. He will work with punter/holder Ethan Evans and Mevis in what the Rams hope will be an improved operation.

“It’s definitely been a little chaotic,” Evans said of the changes this week. “But I feel very confident we’ll be able to go out there and execute our jobs.”

The Rams are no longer kicking the can down the road when it comes to their kicking problems.

On Wednesday, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to the practice squad to compete with second-year pro Joshua Karty. The move came a day after the team signed veteran long-snapper Jake McQuaide to compete with Alex Ward.

“It’s all geared toward trying to be able to just get some solutions and some kick consistency really with our field-goal operation,” coach Sean McVay said Wednesday. “I think it’s important to have good competition at some spots that we feel we can have improved play.”

The Rams are preparing for their game on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

The Rams are 6-2 — and their losses against the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles and the 49ers both resulted from problems in the kicking game that resurfaced without dire consequences in last Sunday’s rout of the New Orleans Saints.

Against the Saints, Karty missed a 39-yard field goal attempt and an extra-point attempt. Karty has made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and 23 of 26 extra-point attempts.

McVay said after the game that the Rams would evaluate “all parts of where we go with this operation.”

On Tuesday, they turned to McQuaide, 37, who played for the Rams from 2011-2020 and was part of a special teams unit that also included kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter/holder Johnny Hekker.

“If all things go well with Jake, we expect him to be our long-snapper,” McVay said.

On Wednesday, they brought in Mevis, who made 89 of 106 field-goal attempts at Missouri, including one from 61 yards. In the United Football League this past season, he made 20 of 21 field-goal attempts.

So Karty and Mevis will duel during expanded special teams drills this week.

“We’ll implement more than we normally would on a Wednesday and a Thursday and truly be able to kind of use it as a competition,” McVay said.