The Athletic has live coverage of NFL roster cuts and projections ahead of cutdown day
The Los Angeles Rams are finally through their preseason, and all eyes turn to roster cutdowns. They have to be at 53 players by 1 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
Below is my best shot at predicting their 53-man roster. Keep in mind: As the Rams are so tight against the salary cap this year, some depth veteran players could be cut (so their full salary isn’t guaranteed) and then brought back after Week 1. Further, the initial 53-man roster often goes through additional churn in the first couple of weeks of the season.
Advertisement
Unlike other projections I do through the year, this is reflective of what I believe the depth chart will look like as well:
Quarterbacks (2)
Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett
It would be ideal for the Rams to be able to keep just two spots on their initial 53-man roster for quarterbacks. Brett Rypien, currently the No. 3 quarterback in Los Angeles, could be a reasonable emergency option but in a best-case scenario the Rams are able to stash someone on their practice squad.
Bennett played very poorly in Saturday’s loss to Denver. He threw two interceptions in less than two quarters, before he was pulled and Rypien replaced him (Rypien didn’t play all that great either). But it’s important to remember that the Rams evaluate every player’s entire body of work in practices, meetings and games and not just the latter.
Offensive linemen (9)
Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Joe Noteboom, Rob Havenstein, Tremayne Anchrum (RG/LG), Brian Allen, Logan Bruss (RT/LT), Warren McClendon (RT/LT)
Actually, Bruss is a little bit of a wild card here. He is a 2022 third-round pick, but still relearning how to play tackle in the NFL after the Rams initially tried him out of position at guard and then he suffered a season-ending injury in the 2022 preseason. It might be harder to sneak through a third-rounder than, say, a second-year seventh-rounder such as AJ Arcuri. Let me be clear, I think the Rams should keep Arcuri. But much about this cut day is reflective of balancing the math and guessing on waivers/practice squad.
As I have been reporting and writing for a couple of weeks (and general manager Les Snead all but confirmed on the Rams-affiliated broadcast Saturday night), the Rams are currently planning to try Noteboom out at right guard when he’s healthy.
GO DEEPER
Rams' 'best 5' O-linemen still aren't playing together — and that could be a problem
Tight ends (4)
Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Hunter Long, Davis Allen
Look at that, the Rams suddenly have depth at tight end after Long came off PUP on Saturday. Keeping four tight ends is a rarity for head coach Sean McVay, but I can’t see them cutting either Long or Allen. The fact that all four players can be mismatches in the pass game helps with their receiver numbers.
Advertisement
Running backs (4)
Cam Akers, Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers, Zach Evans
Akers and Williams had outstanding camps. Rivers impressed enough to keep an advantage over Evans on the depth chart, for now, and was a bright spot in the preseason games. Rivers can also return kicks and punts. While Evans has seemed like a fringe player so far this preseason, he’s also a draft pick and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rams are more focused on his second-year development than what he can do in 2023.
Wide receivers (6)
Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, Ben Skowronek, Demarcus Robinson
Atwell and Nacua could eventually be considered WR3 and WR3B. Robinson had an outstanding first few weeks of camp, but didn’t finish the preseason as strongly as Tyler Johnson (or so it appeared), but he can also be an emergency option for Jefferson because of his ability as an X receiver and he can line up in other spots as well. I do think they’ll eventually bring Johnson (or if it’s the other way around, Robinson) back after their initial 53-man is established. Skowronek gives them depth at all of the receiving spots and will probably be a core special teamer, even though his role in the offense seems to have diminished. Nacua and Williams (the running back) can return punts but I wouldn’t totally rule out the Rams surprising us and keeping one additional receiver for this job. In my projection, the numbers balance better with this group I have listed.
GO DEEPER
One play 'it' factor in reminding Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford of connection
Defensive linemen (6)
Aaron Donald, Kobie Turner, Jonah Williams, Bobby Brown III, Earnest Brown IV, Marquise Copeland
OK, this group is tougher to figure out than you’d think — in large part because they are one of the biggest areas of concern on the roster and I would think that the front office scours the waiver wire for veteran support. Rookie Desjuan Johnson could also be an under-the-radar addition and really popped Saturday night against the Broncos in the second quarter (but he also may be very returnable to the practice squad, through waivers). It seemed apparent that Larrell Murchison and Copeland were competing for one of the final spots because they both played deep into the game. Johnson looked better than both of them during Saturday’s game, so the question becomes more about the types of skill sets required on the defensive line and general roster math.
Outside linebackers (5)
Byron Young, Michael Hoecht, Daniel Hardy, Nick Hampton, Ochaun Mathis*
Mathis (knee) could potentially start the season on injured reserve with a return-to-play designation, but in order to do so he has to make the initial 53-man roster. Depending on how Mathis’ situation shakes out, Keir Thomas or Zach VanValkenburg may end up getting a spot. This is also a position at which the Rams will likely be paying attention to other teams’ cuts.
Inside linebackers (3)
Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom, Jake Hummel
The last spots for linebackers and safeties get tricky because these players must also contribute on special teams. Rozeboom and Hummel both play special teams, so this math may work out.
If the Rams keep four inside linebackers, I can see DeAndre Square (who wore the green dot to open Saturday night’s game) making the roster, especially for special teams. Square wore the green dot in the Rams’ final preseason game, so that makes me believe he might have an edge if the Rams keep four.
Advertisement
Three inside linebackers seems thin, but remember, safety Quentin Lake has been playing a ton of dime linebacker through training camp. That seems relevant to each respective position count.
Safeties (5)
Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast, John Johnson III, Quentin Lake, Jason Taylor II
The Rams could totally keep more than five safeties, especially for special teams, and if they do I think Tanner Ingle and Quindell Johnson are strong candidates. Taylor has been working through a psoas injury, so this is something to monitor.
Cornerbacks (6)
Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, Derion Kendrick, Tre Tomlinson, Shaun Jolly, Robert Rochell
Jolly can play the “Star” position and the Rams really need depth there (they are even training a couple of safeties for the role).
I have been really impressed with undrafted free agent Cam McCutcheon, who has the length they are generally lacking at cornerback and who has demonstrated he is a willing tackler as well as a developing outside cornerback. Rochell had an opportunity to seize command of an outside spot when Kendrick was recovering from a hamstring injury but his play has continued to fluctuate. Still, he can play on special teams and has made a couple of solid plays there in practice. We’ll see how this group shakes out, and I have Rochell still listed here because of his general experience and his special teams ability.
Specialists (3)
Ethan Evans, Tanner Brown, Alex Ward
When the punter is the silver lining of the preseason, that’s … something.
(Top photo of Ronnie Rivers: Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.
