There’s just over a week left until the Los Angeles Rams have to trim their roster down to only 53 players. They still have another preseason game to play against the Broncos on Saturday before cuts next Tuesday, but the coaching staff and front office have to be thinking about which players will be kept and which ones will miss the cut.
After wrapping up Week 2 of the preseason on Saturday with a loss to the Raiders, here’s our latest roster projection for Los Angeles. Not much has changed from the last projection but the depth chart becomes clearer by the week.
Quarterback (2)
- Matthew Stafford
- Stetson Bennett*
Bennett didn’t play particularly well against the Raiders on Saturday night but that shouldn’t change the fact that the Rams are likely to keep just two quarterbacks. They should be able to sneak Brett Rypien onto the practice squad as the third quarterback, which will allow them to keep an extra player at another position. While Bennett clearly has work to do, keeping Rypien on the 53-man roster shouldn’t be necessary.
Running back (4)
- Cam Akers
- Kyren Williams
- Zach Evans*
- Ronnie Rivers
The Rams signed Royce Freeman after Sony Michel retired, but he hasn’t done nearly enough this preseason to secure a roster spot. Assuming they keep Evans because of his status as a rookie, Rivers should be the fourth running back on the team – and maybe even third on the depth chart. He’s been impressive in the preseason and should make the 53-man roster.
Wide receiver (7)
- Cooper Kupp
- Van Jefferson
- Tutu Atwell
- Puka Nacua*
- Ben Skowronek
- Demarcus Robinson
- Tyler Johnson
No changes here from the last projection. Lance McCutcheon, Austin Trammell and Xavier Smith are next on the depth chart (in some order) but none of the three has stood out in the preseason to the point where they’ve earned a roster spot. So for now, we’ll keep the same seven receivers as we had last time, with Johnson being the last one in thanks to his performance this summer.
Tight end (4)
- Tyler Higbee
- Brycen Hopkins
- Hunter Long
- Davis Allen*
There was never really a question about whether Allen would make the 53-man roster but his performance in his preseason debut on Saturday night cements his place on the team as a rookie. Long still hasn’t returned to practice yet but he isn’t going to be cut after the Rams acquired him in the trade involving Jalen Ramsey. It’s hard to imagine Los Angeles keeping anyone besides these four.
Offensive tackle (4)
- Rob Havenstein
- Alaric Jackson
- Warren McClendon Jr.*
- Logan Bruss
Bruss may be struggling this preseason and is now dealing with an ankle injury, but it’s unlikely the Rams are going to cut him as a former third-round pick from just last year. McClendon has also played well enough to make the team as a backup at each tackle position. Right now, Havenstein and Jackson are the projected starters.
Center/Guard (5)
- Brian Allen
- Coleman Shelton
- Steve Avila*
- Joe Noteboom
- Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
Unless the Rams surprisingly keep Mike McAllister or Zach Thomas, the group of centers and guards is unlikely to change before final cuts. Anchrum and Noteboom are battling at right guard, while Avila and either Allen or Shelton will start at left guard and center, respectively.
Defensive line (6)
- Aaron Donald
- Bobby Brown III
- Marquise Copeland
- Earnest Brown IV
- Kobie Turner*
- Jonah Williams
Sean McVay mentioned the defensive line as one position group with a lot of competition and it’s easy to see why. Larrell Murchison and Desjuan Johnson are both making cases to stick on the 53-man roster, but Earnest Brown has played well this summer, as has Williams and there’s no way the Rams are cutting Copeland or Turner. So we’ll stick with these six for the time being, with Johnson likely to land on the practice squad.
Outside linebacker (5)
- Michael Hoecht
- Byron Young*
- Daniel Hardy
- Nick Hampton*
- Keir Thomas
Ochaun Mathis, who remains out with a knee injury, doesn’t make the 53-man roster in this projection. This is a tough group to project because Thomas is playing well, but Mathis has the pedigree of a drafted rookie. Hardy hasn’t shined all that bright in the preseason but he’s still expected to be one of the top edge rushers on this team.
Inside linebacker (3)
- Ernest Jones
- Christian Rozeboom
- Jake Hummel
With his pick-six against the Raiders, Hummel continued to cement his spot on the 53-man roster. Jones and Rozeboom are still entrenched as the two starters but Hummel has earned a chance to be the third linebacker and a special teams player in 2023.
Cornerback (6)
- Cobie Durant
- Ahkello Witherspoon
- Derion Kendrick
- Robert Rochell
- Tre Tomlinson*
- Shaun Jolly
Jolly sneaks onto the roster in this projection after returning from his injury and playing in the preseason game on Saturday night. The Rams could get away with keeping just five cornerbacks on the roster but Raheem Morris mentioned last week that Jolly has been working with the second-team defense in the star role and also mixes in with the first-team depending on the rotation at corner.
Safety (4)
- Jordan Fuller
- John Johnson III
- Russ Yeast
- Quentin Lake
With Jolly jumping in, rookie safety Jason Taylor II drops off. He should be a strong practice squad candidate, but he just hasn’t made enough noise this summer and he missed Saturday’s game with an undisclosed injury. This will be an important final week of practice for him, assuming he’s healthy, because the Rams will be fine with just four safeties after signing Johnson.
Special teams (3)
- K Tanner Brown*
- P Ethan Evans*
- LS Alex Ward*
The Rams still have yet to sign a veteran specialist and they probably won’t until roster cuts are made next week – if at all. So here we are again with the same three rookie specialists.
