The Los Angeles Rams still have one more preseason game left, but you can bet Sean McVay, Les Snead and the rest of the brain trust have been closely evaluating the roster and laying out their initial 53-man roster for weeks. They know which players are locks to make it, and which ones have some work to do in order to secure a spot on the regular-season roster.
As inexperienced as this team is, the Rams still have several players who already locked up roster spots this summer. These 34 players are all but guaranteed to make the team, barring something dramatic happening like an injury or unexpected trade.
Assuming these 32 players are locks, that leaves the Rams with just 19 other roster spots to sort out, which isn’t very many.
Quarterback: 2
Matthew Stafford
Stetson Bennett
No surprises here. Even if Bennett goes 0-for-20 in the last preseason game, the Rams aren’t going to cut the fourth-round rookie. He’s going to make the 53-man roster, it’s just a matter of whether he’s the backup to Stafford or the No. 3 behind Brett Rypien.
Running back: 2
Cam Akers
Kyren Williams
I’d like to say Zach Evans is a lock as a rookie, but that’s no certainty. He hasn’t stood out in a significant way this preseason and Ronnie Rivers is clearly ahead of him on the depth chart. Evans is still likely to make it, but if the Rams like Royce Freeman more, Evans could be on the outside looking in.
Wide receiver: 4
Cooper Kupp
Van Jefferson
Puka Nacua
Tutu Atwell
Ben Skowronek wasn’t an accidental omission. We just can’t say he’s a lock to make the team the way the other four receivers are, even if there’s about a 95% chance he sticks on the 53-man roster. He’s been getting more playing time than expected this preseason and could be competing with Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson for one of the last roster spots.
I still think he makes it, but given his preseason playing time, I can’t call him a lock yet.
Tight end: 3
Tyler Higbee
Brycen Hopkins
Davis Allen
Hopkins hasn’t taken a preseason snap and has been called a bright spot of training camp this summer, so he’s a lock. And though Allen just returned to the field, he’s also going to make the team after showing his potential in the second preseason game.
Hunter Long is the wild card because he remains on the PUP list with no timetable to return. He should still make the team and then potentially go on IR if he’s not recovered, but he has work to do.
Offensive tackle: 2
Rob Havenstein
Alaric Jackson
Havenstein and Jackson are expected to be the Rams’ starting tackles, so they’re locks to make the team. A.J. Arcuri and Warren McClendon Jr. aren’t there yet, but the latter should also stick around on the 53-man roster as a rookie.
Logan Bruss’ name is noticeably absent here. While I fully expect him to make the team, he’s now dealing with an ankle injury and has struggled badly for the second straight offseason. He could be a surprise cut this year.
Guard/center: 5
Steve Avila
Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
Joe Noteboom
Brian Allen
Coleman Shelton
Avila and Anchrum should be the Rams’ Week 1 starters at guard, unless Noteboom does enough to overtake Anchrum at right guard. Allen and Shelton are still battling it out at center, with no clear sign of who’s leading that competition.
Either way, these should be the Rams’ top five interior players come Week 1, with great position flexibility throughout the group.
Defensive line: 2
Aaron Donald
Kobie Turner
Good luck figuring out the Rams’ defensive line. Donald and Turner are the only two players guaranteed to make the 53-man roster, in my opinion, though Marquise Copeland, Earnest Brown IV, Bobby Brown III and Jonah Williams are all close to that status, too. Desjuan Johnson needs to impress in this final week, as well.
It’s just hard to get a gauge on how the Rams view this unit because everyone except Donald is getting playing time in the preseason and no one is really shining all that bright.
Outside linebacker: 2
Byron Young
Michael Hoecht
I almost left Heocht’s name off this list because he’s still getting preseason snaps, which isn’t always a great sign for a projected starter. But the Rams simply don’t have enough talent at outside linebacker to cut the one guy who has actually sacked a quarterback in a real NFL game.
Nick Hampton, Daniel Hardy, Keir Thomas and Ochaun Mathis all have a lot of work to do in this final week of the preseason.
Inside linebacker: 1
Ernest Jones
Christian Rozeboom is a near-lock and is projected to be the Rams’ No. 2 linebacker next to Jones. After that, Jake Hummel is expected to be the third linebacker, and possibly the last one.
If the Rams keep more than three, it’ll be for special teams value and emergency depth in the middle.
Cornerback: 4
Cobie Durant
Ahkello Witherspoon
Derion Kendrick
Tre Tomlinson
It’s hard to imagine the Rams cutting Robert Rochell but he’s also not in the “lock” category just yet. Shaun Jolly also has a decent chance to make the team, depending on how he plays this week; he could back up Durant in the slot.
The cornerback group is close to being set with a week to go, and as young as it is, there is some potential thanks to the arrival of Witherspoon.
Safety: 4
Jordan Fuller
John Johnson III
Russ Yeast
Quentin Lake
The signing of Johnson won’t prevent Yeast or Lake from making the 53-man roster this season. They’ve both played well in camp and the preseason. Jason Taylor II, despite being a draft pick, isn’t a lock to make the team, especially after missing the second preseason game.
This isn’t a terribly difficult position group to figure out. They should keep five, but only keeping four is also a possibility.
Special teams: 3
Ethan Evans
Tanner Brown
Alex Ward
It’s hard to imagine the Rams signing a punter, kicker or long snapper before final cuts are made and keeping him over one of the three rookie specialists they already have.
That doesn’t mean they won’t claim someone who gets cut by another team next week, but they’ll have to keep Evans, Brown and Ward on their initial 53-man roster before doing so.
