Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp Headline Rams' 2023 Captains

The Los Angeles Rams announced eight players as captains for the new season, including quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp

With the regular season just around the corner and roster cuts now out of the way, the Los Angeles Rams have officially announced their new set of captains.

The Rams are heading into the season with a much younger roster than before, and their lineup of eight captains reflects that. There are still a handful of veterans in the group, but a good chunk of the captains are young and/or taking on the role for the first time.

On offense, the Rams' captains include quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp, tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive tackle Rob Havenstein. Stafford, Kupp and Havenstein are all returning captains, earning the honor for the third, fourth and second straight year respectively. Higbee, on the other hand, is a first-time captain as he enters his eighth season with the franchise.

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Moving over to the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, safety Jordan Fuller and linebacker Ernest Jones are the Rams' three defensive captains. Donald earned the captaincy for the sixth time in his career, while Fuller earned it for the second time, previously doing so in 2021. Jones is a first-time captain as he enters his third season, and he will be a key leader for L.A.'s young defense.

The Rams also elected a captain specifically for special teams, that being receiver Ben Skowronek. The former seventh-round pick played a key role on special teams as a rookie in 2021, but saw less snaps with the unit last year as injuries forced him up the receiver depth chart. Skowronek is the Rams' third and final first-time captain this season.

With the Rams' roster overhaul this offseason, their group of captains also looks substantially different this year, particularly on defense. Linebacker Bobby Wagner and cornerback Jalen Ramsey were both captains last year, but with their departures this offseason, their captain spots became available. To help make up for those losses, the Rams expanded their list of captains this year.

As the Rams enter a transitionary period, they'll be counting on their captains, both new and old, to leave them through it.