Rams 53-man roster projection: Post-training camp edition.

Rams 53-man roster projection: Post-training camp edition

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Cameron DaSilva

Training camp is officially behind the Los Angeles Rams after they wrapped up their final practice in Irvine on Thursday. Now, there’s only three weeks of preseason to get through until the real games begin.

Before the Rams get to that point, however, there are still cuts to be made. They can’t go into the regular season with their current group of players, and will have to get down to the league-required 53-man roster. So how will they get there? By cutting some good football players who will likely land with other teams.

Here’s our 53-man roster prediction ahead of Week 2 of the preseason now that training camp is in the books.

Quarterback (2):

Jared Goff, Sean Mannion

The Rams will carry two quarterbacks this season, opting not to keep a third on the 53-man roster. They have no reason to suit up three in the regular season, considering Goff is the unequivocal starter with Mannion as his backup.



Running back (4):

Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, Justin Davis, Aaron Green

L.A.’s backfield is difficult to predict. Gurley is a lock and Brown is likely to be one, too. However, Davis played well in the preseason opener (aside from two fumbles) and Green has been injured. Lance Dunbar is the big question mark here, given his injury history and Davis’ emergence.

Fullback (1):

Sam Rogers

Rogers will be the lone fullback on the roster in 2017 after putting together a strong few weeks of training camp. He certainly deserves it, too, being among the first players at practice and the last to leave.

Wide receiver (7):

Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Tavon Austin, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, Pharoh Cooper, Nelson Spruce

Mike Thomas’ four-game suspension allows the Rams to carry an extra receiver to start the year, but his eventual return could shake things up. The first six names are locks to make the roster, but Spruce could be bumped by Brandon Shippen, Ryan Shakeir, or Paul McRoberts.



Tight end (3):

Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, Temarrick Hemingway

Higbee and Everett will be big parts of the offense this season, likely leading McVay to utilize 12 personnel fairly often. Hemingway will work his way onto the roster with his size and athleticism.

Offensive line (8):

Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Rodger Saffold, Jamon Brown, John Sullivan, Austin Blythe, Andrew Donnal, Pace Murphy

The starting five is set, but there’s still room for some movement down the depth chart. Blythe will most likely make the 53-man roster, but Donnal and Murphy are a bit more questionable – especially after Murphy struggled against the Cowboys.

Defensive line (7):

Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Ethan Westbrooks, Matt Longacre, Tanzel Smart, Louis Trinca-Pasat, Mike Purcell

This assumes Donald will report to camp and be on the roster before the season begins, which is bound to happen. Longacre and Smart are earning reps with disruptive play up front, while Trinca-Pasat are still battling for roster spots with Morgan Fox and Casey Sayles.



Outside linebacker (5):

Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin, Ejuan Price, Cassanova McKinzy, Samson Ebukam

Not a whole lot of surprises here. Price and Ebukam will sneak in thanks to their rookie statuses, while McKinzy’s impact plays will earn him a spot. He played extremely well against the Cowboys.

Inside linebacker (4):

Mark Barron, Alec Ogletree, Bryce Hager, Cory Littleton

Carrying nine linebackers may seem like a lot, but in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme, it’s almost necessary. Hager and Littleton are currently listed as primary backups, but Josh Forrest could creep up and take one of their spots.

Cornerback (4):

Trumaine Johnson, Kayvon Webster, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Michael Jordan

Troy Hill’s two-game suspension keeps him off the 53 for now, but he’ll likely bounce back on after his ban is up. As a result, the Rams could go a bit thin at corner to start the season, opting to go with five safeties and four cornerbacks.



Safety (5):

Maurice Alexander, Lamarcus Joyner, Cody Davis, John Johnson, Isaiah Johnson

Isaiah Johnson makes the cut thanks to Hill’s two-game suspension, but he could be bumped off and placed on the practice squad when Hill returns. The Rams have good depth at safety, which will help the secondary greatly.

Specialist (3):

Greg Zeurlein, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide

No surprises here.