Tuesday represented a difficult day in the NFL as the Los Angeles Rams and all other teams were forced to cut their rosters down to 53 players ahead of the start of the 2022 season.
For a team like the Rams, this was especially difficult as they have a championship-caliber roster with more than 53 quality players and prospects.
After a strong preseason in which some unexpected contributors emerged, it made for some difficult cuts by Les Snead and Sean McVay.
Chief among them was wide receiver Jacob Harris, who the team drafted in the fourth round in 2021. While Harris has a ton of potential, he has not been able to showcase his talent much after missing almost all of his rookie season with a torn ACL and MCL.
If Harris is not claimed on waivers, the Rams would surely love to keep him on the practice squad. The emergence of Lance McCutcheon helped make it easier for the Rams to cut Harris though as the undrafted rookie led the NFL in receiving during the preseason to earn the team’s seventh and final wide receiver roster spot.
With the Rams keeping seven receiver, they will begin the season with only two tight ends in Tyler Higbee and Brycen Hopkins.
Another notable player who made the Rams’ 53-man roster is Bryce Perkins as the team will again carry three quarterbacks. Given Matthew Stafford’s elbow issues, it wouldn’t have made sense to let a talented player at the most important position like Perkins go.
On the defensive side of the ball, the most notable cut was 2021 seventh-round draft pick Chris Garrett. Young players like Keir Thomas and Jake Hummel made the roster over him. Similar to McCutcheon, Hummel makes the Rams roster after a strong preseason in which he set a team preseason record with 22 tackles.
As far as injuries go, the Rams officially placed rookie third-round pick Logan Bruss on injured reserve after the offensive lineman tore his ACL in the second preseason game. Additionally, linebacker Travin Howard was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list while defensive back Quentin Lake was placed on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform, Daniel Hardy went on IR and defensive lineman Bobby Brown III was placed on the Reserve/Suspended By Commissioner list. Outside of Bruss, all are expected to contribute at some point this season, just not right away.
Initial Rams 53-man roster
QUARTERBACKS (3): Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, Bryce Perkins
RUNNING BACKS (4): Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., Kyren Williams, Jake Funk
WIDE RECEIVERS (7): Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson II, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek, Brandon Powell, Lance McCutcheon
TIGHT ENDS (2): Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins
OFFENSIVE LINE (8): Joe Noteboom, David Edwards, Brian Allen, Coleman Shelton, Rob Havenstein, Alaric Jackson, Bobby Evans, Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): A’Shawn Robinson, Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, Marquise Copeland, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Wiliams
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5): Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins, Terrell Lewis, Daniel Hardy, Keir Thomas
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4): Bobby Wagner, Ernest Jones, Christian Rozeboom, Jake Hummel
CORNERBACKS (6): Jalen Ramsey, David Long Jr., Troy Hill, Robert Rochell, Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick
SAFETIES (5): Taylor Rapp, Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller, Terrell Burgess, Russ Yeast
SPECIALISTS (3): Matt Gay (kicker), Riley Dixon (punter), Matthew Orzech (long snapper)
