Rams 53-man roster projection: Final edition before Tuesday’s deadline

In the next two days, the Los Angeles Rams will need to trim their roster down from 80 players to only 53, setting their initial squad for the 2022 season. Obviously, changes will be made not only in the days that follow final cuts, but also throughout the season, but making the 53-man roster is a huge step for players.

Now that the preseason is wrapped up and training camp is in the rearview mirror, players no longer have opportunities to impress the coaching staff beyond the play they put on film. Saturday’s preseason finale could’ve gone better for a lot of players, but the team likely already had a good idea of who is going to make the team.

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Here’s my latest roster projection for the Rams before they start trimming it down. Keeping three quarterbacks, eight receivers and only two tight ends seems like the play, even as different as that is for Sean McVay and the Rams.

They can easily make it work, too.

Quarterback (3)

1. Matthew Stafford
2. John Wolford
3. Bryce Perkins

I’m going to stick with the Rams keeping three quarterbacks. They seem to value Perkins and he does help as a scout team player when the Rams face quarterbacks like Kyler Murray, Trey Lance and Josh Allen, given their mobility.

If they cut him, there’s not a great chance they’d get him back on the practice squad. Someone else would probably claim him off waivers.

Running back (4)

1. Cam Akers
2. Darrell Henderson Jr.
3. Kyren Williams
4. Jake Funk

Even with funk fumbling the ball in the red zone on Saturday night, I think the Rams will decide to keep four running backs – especially with how often Akers and Henderson are injured. They simply can’t afford to go thin at this position, and Funk may not be someone who makes it to the practice squad.

Wide receiver (8)

1. Cooper Kupp
2. Allen Robinson
3. Van Jefferson
4. Ben Skowronek
5. Tutu Atwell
6. Brandon Powell
7. Jacob Harris
8. Lance McCutcheon

McCutcheon has done nothing but make a strong case for the 53-man roster. It’s going to be really hard for the Rams to cut him, and there’s a near-zero chance he’ll make it through waivers after the preseason he had. He led the NFL in receiving yards through two preseason games and looks the part of an NFL receiver.

Harris should also make the team, especially with the Rams potentially only keeping two tight ends.

Tight end (2)

1. Tyler Higbee
2. Brycen Hopkins

I just don’t know if Jared Pinkney or Roger Carter Jr. are worth keeping on the roster if the Rams also have bigger receivers such as Harris and McCutcheon. Two tight ends seems painfully thin, but they should be able to keep either Pinkney or Carter (or both) on the practice squad.

Offensive line (8)

1. Joe Noteboom
2. David Edwards
3. Brian Allen
4. Coleman Shelton
5. Rob Havenstein
6. Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
7. A.J. Jackson
8. A.J. Arcuri

Bobby Evans is the most notable name absent from this list. He still has a chance to make the team, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he does, but Arcuri seems like the better backup tackle right now, and the Rams have Anchrum who can play either guard spot if needed.

Evans will probably get scooped up by another team, but he just hasn’t impressed very much.

Defensive line (6)

1. Aaron Donald
2. Greg Gaines
3. A’Shawn Robinson
4. Marquise Copeland
5. Michael Hoecht
6. Jonah Williams

I didn’t have Williams in my latest projection, but he’s earned a spot on this team. He just keeps flashing in the preseason, and did so again on Saturday night against the Bengals. Keeping him, Hoecht and Copeland gives the Rams enough depth on the defensive line behind the starters, and Bobby Brown III will be back after six games (suspension).

Inside linebacker (3)

1. Bobby Wagner
2. Ernest Jones
3. Christian Rozeboom

Travin Howard remains on the NFI list, so I have a feeling the Rams could have him start the year on it, causing him to miss four games. If that’s the case, the Rams will have to roll with three linebackers to start – even though Wagner and Jones are going to be the only two that play much at all.

Howard will obviously make the team if he’s deemed healthy.

Outside linebacker (5)

1. Leonard Floyd
2. Justin Hollins
3. Terrell Lewis
4. Keir Thomas
5. Chris Garrett

It’s going to be close between Benton Whitley, Thomas, Chris Garrett and Brayden Thomas now that Daniel Hardy has an ankle sprain that will cause him to start the year with an injury designation.

I’m switching things up from Whitley to Thomas after seeing the way Thomas played in the preseason finale. He flashed more than a couple times, including a sack and three tackles for a loss in the first half alone.

Garrett is the wild card in it all, playing his first preseason game on Saturday. The coaching staff might still like him more despite his injury history.

Cornerback (6)

1. Jalen Ramsey
2. Troy Hill
3. David Long Jr.
4. Robert Rochell
5. Decobie Durant
6. Derion Kendrick

No changes here. The Rams’ top six cornerbacks are basically set, and there’s only room for maybe one more if they want to keep a player like Grant Haley. I don’t think that’ll happen, given the depth they already have at cornerback with these six players.

Safety (5)

1. Jordan Fuller
2. Nick Scott
3. Taylor Rapp
4. Terrell Burgess
5. Russ Yeast

I still have the Rams keeping five safeties, but instead of Quentin Lake making it, I plugged in Yeast. Lake has yet to be activated from the PUP list and seeing as he hasn’t practiced or played in any preseason games, he’ll probably start the season on PUP.

Enter Yeast, who plays like his hair is on fire and always seems to find the ball.

Specialists (3)

1. K Matt Gay
2. P Riley Dixon
3. LS Matthew Orzech

No changes here. This group is set.