In less than a week, the Los Angeles Rams are going to trim their roster down to just 53 players. Some of the players who get cut will land back on the practice squad with a chance to contribute this season, but many of them will be left without jobs.
It’s the unfortunate reality of the NFL where there are only so many roster spots available across the league.
Looking ahead to the Rams’ final roster cuts, we identified 34 players who are locks to make the team. Today, we’re looking at 10 players who almost certainly will not make the 53-man roster.
QB Dresser Winn
Winn hasn’t even taken a snap in the preseason and there hasn’t been any talk about him like there has with Stetson Bennett and Brett Rypien. Not to be harsh, but there’s no chance he’s going to make the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie with Bennett and Rypien clearly ahead of him on the depth chart.
WR Braxton Burmeister
Burmeister is buried in a deep receiver group which is close to being settled. He certainly isn’t ahead of Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Lance McCutcheon or any of the other receivers on the fringe of making the team, which all but guarantees Burmeister won’t stick around on the 53-man roster.
WR Tyler Hudson
Hudson is in a similar spot as Burmeister. He’s only played 13 total snaps in two preseason games and has two receptions for 15 yards, so he hasn’t made much of an impact. Again, the Rams’ receiver group is crowded and he’s near the bottom of the depth chart.
TE Nikola Kalinic
Kalinic has yet to play a single snap this preseason, sitting lower than Davis Allen, Christian Sims and even Camren McDonald. He was always a long shot to make the team and that hasn’t changed through two preseason games. The Rams are likely to keep a maximum of four tight ends: Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, Davis Allen and Hunter Long if he’s healthy.
TE Christian Sims
Sims is an undrafted rookie and while the Rams may like his skill set, he hasn’t necessarily stood out this preseason. Despite running 30 routes in two games, he’s only been targeted three times and has just one catch for 5 yards. He’s a practice squad candidate if the Rams are looking for more depth at tight end.
TE Camren McDonald
McDonald has played 40 snaps this preseason, half of which were as a run blocker. He’s struggled in that department, unfortunately, earning a grade of 48.0. He’s also been a long shot to make the roster since the Rams signed him, mostly as a depth piece while Allen and Long were out.
DT Taron Vincent
There’s not much clarity along the defensive line right now but Vincent is listed as a fourth-string defensive tackle behind Aaron Donald, Larrell Murchison and Desjuan Johnson. Johnson hasn’t even locked up a roster spot as a seventh-round rookie so it’s tough to see Vincent making the team, either.
LB Ryan Smenda Jr.
All signs point toward the Rams only keeping three linebackers: Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom and Jake Hummel. They could keep a fourth as a special teams player, but that’s more likely to be Jaiden Woodbey or DeAndre Square, who have played more snaps and performed better than Smenda up to this point.
CB Timarcus Davis
Davis really struggled in the second preseason game. Through two weeks, he’s allowed six catches on nine targets for a total of 134 yards and a touchdown. The Rams have enough cornerback depth to feel comfortable cutting Davis, even if they do end up keeping six or seven players at that position. Davis is behind Tre Tomlinson, Shaun Jolly and others at this point in the summer.
DB Tyon Davis
Davis is listed as a safety on the Rams’ depth chart and he’s mostly played in the box this preseason. He’s only played 25 snaps and has a PFF grade of 51.1, struggling particularly against the run (43.4 grade). The Rams should feel fine with only keeping four or five safeties and Davis won’t be one of them.
