Final roster cuts are just over a week away, which means the Los Angeles Rams don’t have a lot of time to determine who will and won’t make the final roster. Looking at position battles will help decide which players should stick and which ones might be candidates for the practice squad, which is why we’re analyzing those competitions today.
Inside linebacker has been all but settled due to Micah Kiser’s unfortunate injury, thrusting Bryce Hager into the starting lineup for Week 1. There are still several spots yet to be determined, though.
Here are five position battles to watch on Saturday night against the Broncos.
Nose tackle
It’s the most important position battle that has yet to be settled. That could change Saturday night, though. Sebastian Joseph-Day hasn’t done much this preseason but he still seems to be the front-runner to be the starter in Week 1. He’s the one starting the preseason games with Greg Gaines backing him up, which is likely indicative of how the coaching staff views the competition right now.
No. 4 outside linebacker
This may not seem like anything crucial, but there’s a fierce competition going on for the fourth edge rusher spot. Natrez Patrick, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Josh Carraway and Landis Durham are all competing for reps at outside linebacker behind the three starters (Dante Fowler, Clay Matthews, Samson Ebukam). The Rams can’t keep all four of those backups on the 53-man roster, so these two weeks will be critical for them.
Okoronkwo is the top choice right now after he stood out against the Cowboys last week, but Patrick, Carraway and Durham have all played extremely well in the first two games.
Punt returner
JoJo Natson held this role last season but the Rams are clearly not settled on him handling it again – especially after he muffed a punt in the preseason opener. Nsimba Webster is the closest player to Natson in this competition, while both players are also battling at wide receiver.
This could come down to the coaching staff’s comfort. Natson has more experience and despite fumbling away a punt in the preseason opener, the coaching staff likely has more trust in him.
Backup guard
Jamil Demby has been a weak link in the first two preseason games. No matter where he’s played, he’s had his struggles. Chandler Brewer and Jeremiah Kolone have outplayed him up to this point, while both David Edwards and Bobby Evans are safe from being cut no matter what because of where they were drafted.
Demby could find himself on the outside looking in with another poor performance on Saturday night, potentially being cut by the Rams for the second time in the last two years.
No. 3 quarterback
Let’s preface this by saying the Rams probably aren’t going to keep three quarterbacks this season, but stranger things have happened. Regardless of how many they decide to roster, the competition for the third quarterback spot is an interesting one. John Wolford has shown flashes of being an intriguing quarterback with great mobility and a strong enough arm.
He has a compact delivery and while he’s not exactly similar to Jared Goff, he does give the Rams a different type of quarterback. Brandon Allen has done almost nothing to develop since joining the Rams in 2017 so his time could be running out. Wolford is the guy to watch on Saturday night.
