Thursday night’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers is the Rams’ last chance to sort out the bottom of the roster, and a lot of the decisions already look pretty clear. The real drama is concentrated in a handful of spots where strong showings could still swing things one way or the other.
On offense, the locks are the locks. The Rams don’t appear to have much mystery there, with those players either starting or serving as key depth. Only Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson have seen preseason action, and Sean McVay said Tuesday that the Rams will keep three quarterbacks on the roster.
The same basic picture shows up on defense. The established names there have not played in the preseason, and they’re viewed as starters or important depth pieces. Cutting any of them would come as a real shock.
Special teams is even cleaner. Outside of Jack Bouwmeester, the Rams haven’t added any real competition, and he’s not really being treated as a threat to Evans. Those spots look set for the core group.
Then there’s the tier just below that, where the picture is mostly settled but not totally finished. Ronnie Rivers, Konata Mumpfield, and David Quessenberry have not played in the preseason, which points to them being viewed as important parts of the roster. Limmer played in the first preseason game, then sat out last week.
A similar pattern exists on defense with Dolac, Stuard, Wallace, and McCollough, who also haven’t appeared in preseason action. If they’re not already locks, they’re close. Johnson and Hamilton both played in the opener against the Kansas City Chiefs but were held out last week against the New Orleans Saints.
That group sits on the stronger side of the bubble. A good night against the Chargers could be enough to push them onto the 53-man roster. The one player who will draw the most attention in the finale is Wesley Bailey.
The Rams also have a few more complicated calls to make. After the preseason opener, some around the team might have had Dean Connors making the roster, but now he looks more like a practice-squad candidate. Tim Keenan, despite being a seventh-round pick, has also been trending off the roster and appears to be on the bubble.
What happens with Puka Nacua and Alaric Jackson could ripple through several of these decisions. If the Rams need an extra wide receiver, Presley, Edwards, and Scott would enter the mix.
The same goes up front if the team needs more interior offensive line depth. Justin Dedich has passed his physical, but he remains on the NFI list, which keeps McMahon, Murray, and Blaske in the conversation.
Some players seem more likely to end up on the practice squad, though one more strong outing could at least force a harder look. Hamilton and Andersen fit that description, and Hamilton could still work his way into the final cornerback discussion. Murchison has been in the defense for three years, but the defensive line is crowded enough that his path is tough.
The Rams will try to keep several players around after cuts, too. Jordan Waters and Mark Redman have both had strong preseasons. It would also make sense to try to retain at least one of Henderson and Hance as experienced tackle depth.
That same practice-squad plan applies to more names on the defensive side. Elias Neal has been in the system for a few years, Nyzier Fourqurean has played well at cornerback, and the Rams will likely try to keep Valcarcel, Cook, and Norton as well.
Bouwmeester brings a different wrinkle because he fits the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program and won’t count against a practice-squad spot. With Evans in the final year of his rookie deal, the Rams can keep developing Bouwmeester and see whether he can take over the starting job next year.
In Other News...
Rams Face A Troubling Puka Nacua Cloud Before Week 1
Puka Nacuas status has become one of the more unsettling subplots hanging over the Rams as they get ready for Week 1, with the NFL reportedly reviewing the wide receiver for possible discipline tied to an offseason incident involving allegations of battery and assault. The civil case tied to the matter is not set for trial until March 2028, but the leagues timeline is much more immediate, and any decision on a suspension could arrive before Los Angeles opens the season in Australia.
For a Rams offense built around Nacuas emergence, the uncertainty is the real issue. ESPNs Adam Schefter noted the possibility that Nacua might not be available for the opener against the 49ers, though no ruling has been made yet. Until the league acts, the Rams are left managing a cloud they cannot control, one that could alter the first game of their season before they even get on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Still Have One Crucial QB Decision Behind Matthew Stafford
While several quarterback rooms around the NFL are still sorting out their preseason depth charts, the Rams have a smaller but still important decision to make behind Matthew Stafford. The starter is locked in, but the backup spot remains unsettled as Los Angeles evaluates rookie Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett, a choice that matters more than it might in a typical August competition because of Staffords central place in the offense.
The Rams are not alone in weighing a key reserve job, with the Raiders comparing rookie Fernando Mendoza and veteran Kirk Cousins and the Cowboys running a close battle between Joe Milton and Sam Howell. For Los Angeles, though, the focus is narrower and more immediate, since the backup quarterback is the next line of protection for a team built to contend now, and the final call still has to be made. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Just Reopened A Familiar Wide Receiver Debate
A familiar name is back in the Rams wide receiver room after Los Angeles sent running back Jarquez Hunter to the Dolphins in exchange for Tutu Atwell. For a team that has spent time sorting out its pass-catching depth, the move brings in a receiver who already knows the system and gives the offense another option as it continues to build out the position.
Atwells return also circles back to a conversation the Rams have been having for a while about how they want to shape the room behind their top targets. Hunter had shown promise as a young back, but the Rams had enough bodies at the position and did not see enough special teams value to keep him in the fold. Now the focus shifts to what Atwell can add this time around, and whether this reunion changes the depth chart in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]