With the Los Angeles Rams first preseason back at The Coliseum officially in the books, the time has come for the team to make their final cuts to get down to the 53-man roster. Although making roster changes is always tough on any organization, these decisions tend to get a bit more difficult when the players that are cut happen to be fan favorites on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
According to Gary Klein of Los Angeles Times, the Rams have done just that by releasing a few more of prominent players in camp:
Two players prominently featured on “Hard Knocks” — OL Eric Kush and WR Austin Hill — among Rams’ cuts.
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) September 3, 2016
Unsurprisingly, many are shocked to see the Rams release backup center Eric Kush. Kush became an immediate fan favorite after his debut on Hard Knocks where he was dubbed ‘The Man of a Thousand Tank Tops,’ as well as the founder of ‘Fat Arm Fridays.’
Aside from his on-screen presence, Kush had himself a solid preseason as the No. 2 center behind Tim Barnes. Following the team’s 27-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, Pro Football Focus ranked Kush as the highest-rated offensive linemen on the team. His release seemingly comes as a result of the Rams returning a number of healthy lineman such as Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown.
Meanwhile, Austin Hill also became a well-known commodity in the series as the son of former Rams receiver David Hill. Although Hill always seemed like a bit of a long shot to make the team after joining camp late, the young wideout was able to put his talent on display despite struggling for a healthy dose of reps. However, Hill is not the only family legacy to be cut from the Rams.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Los Angeles also released defensive tackle Ian Seau:
Ian Seau, nephew of Junior and a guy featured on Hard Knocks, informed he’ll be waived by the Rams, source says.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 2, 2016
Seau is the nephew of the late, great Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau. Although the younger Seau’s NFL debut was not nearly as publicized as his uncle’s, the former Nevada product impressed many of his teammates, as well as defensive line coach Mike Waufle. It is no secret the task of becoming a member of the team’s loaded defensive line has already proved to be a tall order.
With the regular season just around the corner, the Rams can now lock in on putting their finished product on the field come Week 1.
