The Los Angeles Rams will need to trim their roster down to just 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, just as the other 31 teams do, too. The Rams’ roster isn’t as deep as in years past, but there are still some tough decisions that will need to be made in the next two days.
With the preseason in the books, there are no more opportunities for players to prove themselves, so what they put on tape is what the coaching staff will go by – along with their play in practice.
Below is my final 53-man roster projection for 2023, with many of the positions seemingly sorted out pretty clearly already.
Note: Rookies denoted by (*)
Quarterback (2)
- Matthew Stafford
- Stetson Bennett*
Even as poorly as Bennett played on Saturday night in the preseason finale, it wasn’t enough to A) push him off the roster or B) cause the Rams to keep Brett Rypien as the third quarterback. If anything, they can carry these two and then put in a waiver claim for someone like Will Grier.
Running back (4)
- Cam Akers
- Kyren Williams
- Ronnie Rivers
- Zach Evans*
Rivers should be entrenched as the No. 3 running back behind Akers and Williams, who didn’t play at all this preseason. Evans had a better summer than Royce Freeman, who was a late addition after Sony Michel retired, which means he is likely to be the fourth and final running back on the 53-man roster.
Wide receiver (6)
- Cooper Kupp
- Van Jefferson
- Tutu Atwell
- Puka Nacua*
- Ben Skowronek
- Demarcus Robinson
I dropped Tyler Johnson from this projection in order to add some more depth on defense. Johnson started the preseason strong but he fizzled out a little bit and the Rams seem so set on their top five that even Robinson as the sixth receiver is unlikely to contribute much this season – at least early on.
Tight end (4)
- Tyler Higbee
- Brycen Hopkins
- Hunter Long
- Davis Allen*
With Long coming off the PUP list, he won’t start the season on it, which is great news for the Rams’ tight end depth. It makes the decision a little tougher at other spots because they’re going to keep four tight ends, rather than keeping Long on the PUP list for a few weeks to start the year.
Offensive tackle (4)
- Rob Havenstein
- Alaric Jackson
- Warren McClendon Jr.*
- Logan Bruss
Bruss is unlikely to be a surprise cut, but anything can happen. He hasn’t had a great offseason but still holds the pedigree of being a former third-round pick with some position flexibility. Havenstein and Jackson look like they’ll be the two starters.
Center/Guard (6)
- Brian Allen
- Coleman Shelton
- Steve Avila*
- Joe Noteboom
- Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
- Kevin Dotson
No real surprises here. Allen/Shelton will be the starting center, with Avila and Anchrum starting at guard, presumably. Once Noteboom returns from his undisclosed injury, he could compete at right guard again but it’s unclear when that’ll be.
Update: Dotson was acquired after this was first published, so the Rams now go from five centers/guards to six.
Defensive line (6)
- Aaron Donald
- Bobby Brown III
- Marquise Copeland
- Earnest Brown IV
- Kobie Turner*
- Jonah Williams
Despite Desjuan Johnson’s best efforts to make one final push for a roster spot on Saturday night, he’s a better candidate for the practice squad initially. The other six players listed above should all contribute early on this season in what’s likely to be a deep rotation.
Outside linebacker (5)
- Michael Hoecht
- Byron Young*
- Daniel Hardy
- Nick Hampton*
- Keir Thomas
I left rookie Ochaun Mathis off this projection because of his knee injury, but the Rams could keep him on the roster initially before shifting him to IR. That way he’ll be able to return at some point this season.
Update: With Dotson making the 53-man roster, Zach VanValkenburg loses his spot, giving the Rams only five edge rushers.
Inside linebacker (3)
- Ernest Jones
- Christian Rozeboom
- Jake Hummel
No changes or surprises here. This group has pretty much been the same since the start of camp, with none of the undrafted rookies doing enough this preseason to carve out a spot on the 53-man roster. The only way a fourth linebacker makes it is if it’s for special teams value.
Cornerback (6)
- Cobie Durant
- Ahkello Witherspoon
- Derion Kendrick
- Robert Rochell
- Tre Tomlinson*
- Shaun Jolly
While Tomlinson can play in the slot, he’s primarily a boundary corner. That leaves Jolly as the only viable backup to Durant in the “star” role – other than one of the safeties. Six corners isn’t exactly a lot but it’s enough for the Rams after seeing the way some of their reserves played in the preseason.
Safety (4)
- Jordan Fuller
- John Johnson III
- Russ Yeast
- Quentin Lake
Jason Taylor II and Tanner Ingle are candidates to make the team, and Quindell Johnson made a strong case Saturday night, but I’m only keeping four in this projection, with three landing on the practice squad as depth players. The Rams at least have four capable starters on the back end.
Special teams (3)
- K Tanner Brown*
- P Ethan Evans*
- LS Alex Ward*
The Rams don’t have any other specialists on their roster, which means these three will make the team and then McVay’s group will asses things after final roster cuts when veterans become available. Brown went 2-for-4 in the preseason so he’s one who could be swapped out this week.
