The Los Angeles Rams announced they agreed to terms with 25 undrafted free agents following the 2023 NFL Draft on Monday.
The 25 players are as follows:
Inside linebacker Kelechi Anyalebechi, kicker Tanner Brown, wide receiver Braxton Burmeister, cornerback Timarcus Davis, cornerback Tyon Davis, safety Collin Duncan, kicker Cristopher Dunn, running back Tiyon Evans, wide receiver Tyler Hudson, safety Tanner Eagle, wide receiver Sam James, outside linebacker Matthew Jester, safety Quindell Johnson, cornerback Jordan Jones, offensive lineman Sean Maginn, offensive lineman Mike McAllister, cornerback Cameron McCutcheon, tight end Christian Sims, inside linebacker Ryan Smenda Jr., wide receiver Xavier Smith, inside linebacker DeAndre Square, safety Rashad Torrence, long snapper Alex Ward, quarterback Dresser Winn and inside linebacker Jaiden Woodbey.
Although the Rams selected a league-high 14 players in the draft, the roster is still full of holes that need addressing. Even after their draft class is signed, Los Angeles still has 32 roster spots open. This group of undrafted free agents features several players at the skill positions which seems intentional given the current state of the team.
Special teams in particular seemed to be a focus for Los Angeles as they currently don’t have a kicker signed to a contract after Matt Gay departed in free agency for the Indianapolis Colts. Brown and Dunn will get first crack to compete for the starting role, though the Rams could also bring in a veteran as they get closer to training camp. L.A. is also without a long snapper, so Ward figures to fill the role unless he underperforms in the coming months.
Just like their draft approach, the Rams made a concerted effort to split their signings pretty evenly between the offense and defense. Sean McVay will always be looking for receivers to help fill the roles in his offense, so it’s no surprise to see four receivers on the list. Secondary is another area of concern, and so it makes sense to go after four corners and four safeties.
Winn makes for an interesting add after Los Angeles took Stetson Bennett in the fourth round, and he figures to be the practice squad signal caller.
There are going to be plenty of opportunities for this crop of undraftees to make a name for themselves and potentially earn a roster for the 2023 campaign. In a year that the Rams are clearly remodeling for the future, they need to be diligent about the young talent they’ve brought in as they will be the ones to set the foundation for the organization’s next era of football.
